The board met for organization on the 1st day June, 1899, elected Gen. Egbert L. Viele, of New York, president; Col. W. D. Mann, vicepresident, and Hon. Thomas M. Jett, secretary. In order to facilitate the labors of the board and accomplish in the most practical manner the object of their appointment, it was decided to divide the duties by the appointment of seven separate committees, each having in charge a special subject of investigation, as follows: (1) A committee on appointments and examination. (4) A committee on buildings and grounds. (5) A committee on fiscal affairs, supplies, and expenditures. (6) A committee on hygiene, athletics, and lights. (7) A committee on increase in scope of the Academy. The said committees to be named by the president of the board. Accordingly the following gentlemen were named as constituting said committees: (1) Committee on appointments and examination.-Hon. Jacob H. Bromwell, Col. J. Sumner Rogers, and Hon. Thomas W. Bradley. (2) Committee on discipline and instruction.—Col. J. Sumner Rogers, Hon. Jacob H. Bromwell, and Hon. Benjamin F. Marsh. (3) Committee on armament and equipment.-Col. Francis G. Caffey, Gen. Felix Agnus, and Hon. Thomas M. Jett. (4) Committee on buildings and grounds.-Hons. Benjamin F. Marsh, Thomas M. Jett, and Gen. Felix Agnus. (5) Committee on fiscal affairs, supplies, and expenditures.-Col. W. D. Mann, Gen. Felix Agnus, and Hon. Thomas W. Bradley. (6) Committee on hygiene, athletics, and lights.-Dr. J. William White, Hon. Thomas W. Bradley, and Col. W. D. Mann. (7) Committee on increase in scope of the Academy.-Gen. Egbert L. Viele, Hon. Jacob H. Bromwell, Hon. Benjamin F. Marsh, Gen. Felix Agnus, Col. W. D. Mann, and Hon. Thomas W. Bradley. The board having notified the Superintendent of the Academy, Colonel Mills, of its organization, the following communication was received in reply, and the programme of the examination submitted: HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, West Point, N. Y., June 1, 1899. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date, notifying me of the organization of the Board of Visitors. I shall be happy to afford the board every facility for a thorough inspection of the workings of all the departments of the institution, administrative as well as academic, and in general to do everything possible to assist the board in its labor. A programme of the examination has already been furnished each member. Notice will be given from day to day of such military exercises as are ordered for the Board of Visitors. Owing to the exigencies of the service the first class was graduated February 15, 1899, and the usual military exercises at this time of year are consequently considerably curtailed. Capt. Julius A. Penn, Seventh Infantry; First Lieut. William Lassiter, First Artillery; First Lieut. Joseph T. Crabbs, Ninth Cavalry, and First Lieut. Julian R. Lindsey, Ninth Cavalry, have been detailed to attend upon the Board of Visitors during their stay at the Academy. I hope the board will communicate with me freely, both personally and officially, upon any subject connected with the Military Academy which may be of interest to its members in connection with their official visit to West Point. I desire to call officially upon the Board of Visitors at the hotel at 4.20 o'clock p. m. to-day with the members of the academic board and associate professor, the chaplain, and my military staff, to pay our respects to the Board of Visitors and to conduct them to a review of the corps of cadets given in their honor. At the close of the review it will give me pleasure to receive the members of the board, their families and their friends, at my quarters to meet the officers and ladies of the post and prominent citizens residing in this vicinity. Very respectfully, Gen. EGBERT L. VIELE, President Board of Visitors, West Point, N. Y. A. L. MILLS, Colonel, U. S. A., Superintendent. Which communication was ordered to be filed and the invitation contained therein to be accepted, and the secretary of the board was directed to write the Superintendent to that effect. The following was also received and communicated to the board: SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MILITARY_ACADEMY, [Extract.] I. In honor of the arrival at the post of the Board of Visitors a salute of seventeen guns will be fired at 4.25 o'clock p. m. to-day, under the direction of the commanding officer detachment of ordnance. II. The battalion of cadets will be reviewed by the Board of Visitors at 4.30 o'clock p. m. to-day. * By order of Colonel Mills: SAMUEL HAZZARD, First Lieutenant, First Artillery, Adjutant. The various committees proceeded at once to the discharge of their respective duties, attending the examination of the different classes, inspecting the buildings devoted to the use of the institution, witnessing the drills and evolutions in the several arms of the service, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and the practical exercises in engineering. Believing that a more practical result would be attained by submitting a joint report of the result of their labors than by two distinct reports (as called for by the statute), the board decided to act as an "homogeneous body"-all the members contributing through their several committees their individual share of observations on the condition of the institution and their views upon its management-the whole to be embodied in one report to the Secretary of War. The president of the board was requested to prepare such report. The board held two sessions daily, morning and afternoon, and in the interim attended the military exercises ordered for each day. The Superintendent was invited to appear before the board at his convenience, at which time it was proposed that the chairmen of the several committees should in turn address such questions to him in the presence of the whole board as would enlighten the members on the subject of the general administration of the affairs of the academy, to which invitation he sent the following reply: HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, West Point, N. Y., June 2, 1899. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of this date, expressing the desire of the Board of Visitors that I come before them and advise with them upon such subjects as they may desire to inquire into, and in reply to say that I shall be pleased to meet the board at 8.30 to-morrow, the 3d instant, at their rooms, to confer with them as requested, if agreeable and convenient to the board, or at any other suitable time. Very respectfully, Hon. THOMAS M. JETT, Secretary Board of Visitors, West Point, N. Y. A. L. MILLS, Colonel U. S. A., Superintendent. The secretary was directed to inform the Superintendent that his suggestion of the time for his conference with the board was satisfactory to them. Col. Peter S. Michie, professor of natural and experimental philosophy, and Col. Samuel Tillman, professor of chemistry, mineralogy, and geology, were also asked to appear before the board and give such information as was required. Prof. Charles W. Larned, department of drawing, and Prof. Wright P. Edgerton, department of mathematics, were asked to appear before the board and give such information as might be requested of them. A stenographer was employed to carefully record the questions and answers in the interviews with the officers and professors referred to. A voluminous mass of valuable information was thus obtained. The method adopted, by which the chairman of each committee in turn submitted a series of questions and obtained answers thereto in the presence of the entire board, not only furnished the several committees with the facts they desired, but enabled the whole board to familiarize themselves with the methods of administration and their results. In order to exhibit the character and result of these inquiries, the examination of the Superintendent is herewith annexed in full; that of the other officers and professors was similar in character, but the whole would make an entirely too voluminous report if published. These will be filed in the War Department for future reference. It is proper to say, however, that in every instance, without exception, these officers exhibited in their prompt and intelligent answers not only a thorough knowledge of their duties and the requirements of the institution, but a rare ability and a frank and soldier-like expression of their views. In fact, they were in their own personality a most excellent example of the class of men and minds that the Academy produces. Recognizing the importance at this particular juncture of public affairs that a close analysis should be made, not only of the present |