HISTORICAL SKETCH. XXXill 



that at present about half of the cadets smoke 

 more or less, but that very few smoke to excess. 

 My personal opinion is that on the whole the 

 effect of prohibition is decidedly beneficial, and 

 that, under the wise system of cumulative punish- 

 ment adopted by the present superintendent, the 

 habit is on the decline. An examination of the 

 roster of officers now stationed at the Academy, 

 from the superintendent, Col. John M. Wilson, 

 who is a total abstainer as regards both liquor and 

 tobacco, down to the junior lieutenant, shows that, 

 out of a total of sixty-one, some twenty-six or seven 

 either do not use tobacco, or to so slight a degree 

 as to place them virtually on the list of abstainers. 

 Twenty-two do not use tobacco in any form, and 

 the majority of these graduated after the introduc- 

 tion of prohibition. It may be observed in this 

 connection that the steadiness, sobriety, and studi- 

 ousness of the Corps of Cadets has steadily in- 

 creased of late years in a very marked degree. 

 To what extent diminished smoking has contrib- 

 uted to this condition must be left to conjecture. 

 It is fair, however, to cite these various facts as 

 strongly favoring influences." 



Equally encouraging is a letter from Capt. R. 

 S. Pythian, superintendent United States Naval 

 Academy, Annapolis, Md. : 



"Sept. 21st, 1892. 



" I beg to state that Naval Cadets are forbidden 

 to use or to have in their possession tobacco in 



