454 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



marches, camping, field fortifications, and such other matters 

 as would be of especial importance to field and company- 

 officers in the service ; but rather to excite some taste for 

 the future reading of military works, than to go into the 

 reasons for intricate strategic movements. It is hoped that 

 the State or general government will respond to a demand 

 for a second platoon of field pieces, which the increasing 

 numbers in the lower classes will soon require. It is pro- 

 posed, commencing with the next school year, for obtaining 

 more perfect quiet in the dormitories during study hours, to 

 place cadet officers, under proper regulations, in control 

 of the different entries. The best results are anticipated 

 where interest and the confidence reposed, combine to urge 

 a strict compliance with the requirements. I take this oppor- 

 tunity of urging that a more intimate connection be recom- 

 mended to His Excellency the Governor, between this 

 corps as an organization and the State militia. Massachu- 

 setts takes much merited pride in her present organization, 

 and a wisdom amono; lesfislators and officials which recos:- 

 nizes the necessity of having an experienced bodj of State 

 troops ever ready, — must see the desirability of giving the 

 students of the State College, where military duties are an 

 essential feature, an opportunity for a few weeks camp 

 life, yearly. It seems practical that this corps should be 

 placed on the same footing with regimental organizations of 

 the State, transported to Framingham, and paid at the same 

 rates as the same grades in the militia. Two weeks yearly 

 in camp, at a convenient time in the summer, would be of 

 the greatest advantage. The few hundreds thus expended 

 would be an economical outlay, and some additional inter- 

 est might be excited in the State college, and in the stu- 

 dents who seek an education there which prepares them at 

 once to be intelligent men in peace and valuable soldiers 

 in war. 



Very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



VICTOR A. BRIDGMAN, 



1st Lieut. 2d 11. S. Arlillerij, 

 Prof, of Military Science and Tactics. 



