GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1 899. 
381 
the length of time allowed and every advantage appears to be given 
to the students to acquire knowledge; they should therefore be edu¬ 
cated up to a standard far surpassing anything in this country. 
Another country which is fully alive to the advantages of education is 
the United States of America. With regard to the training of its 
officers, the system followed in that country is as follows: — 
Cadets are admitted to the United States Academy on passing a 
qualifying examination, which is of an elementary character but when 
once admitted they are subjected to a course extending over four 
years and of a very severe nature; among the technical subjects 
taught are, mechanics, astronomy, sound, light, chemistry, heat, elec¬ 
tricity, magnetism, mineralogy, geology, ordnance, explosives etc and 
judging by the marks obtained the work must be of a very high order. 
After the four years of study, cadets are appointed to the various arms 
or corps, those passing highest on the list are recommended for com¬ 
missions in the Engineers, Ordnance and Artillery; Cavalry and In¬ 
fantry coming in last. In addition to the Academy which is at West 
Point, there is an Artillery School at Fort Monroe. It is intended 
that every Artillery officer shall attend this school at least once before 
promotion to the rank of Captain. The subjects which are taught 
are (1) Artillery, (2) Ballistics, (3) Engineering, (4) Steam and Mec¬ 
hanism, (5) Electricity and Mines, (6) Chemistry and Explosives, 
(7) Military Science, (8) Practical Military Exercises; also photo¬ 
graphy, telegraphy and cordage, all these are technical subjects except 
Nos. 3, 7, and 8 ; 3 includes fortification, 7, strategy and tactics, and 
8 is drill, practice, fire discipline, such subjects in fact as our long course 
officers are taught at Shoeburyness. Looking at the syllabus of in¬ 
struction there can be no doubt but that all these subjects are gone 
into very thoroughly. Here then is a course for regimental officers 
which comprises military anjd technical subjects, it is similar to that 
which could be obtained by adding on to the School of Gunnery a 
technical department, and this is the arrangement which I stated 
would be best, if regimental officers only had to be considered. The 
length of the course is two years which seems unnecessarily long even 
when military subjects are included and such a length no doubt is not 
practicable in this country; but the fact remains that the Americans 
recognize the value of educating their Artillery officers to a very high 
standard. Officers have to pass in all the subjects, mentioned above, 
during the two years in which they are under instruction, but those 
who take honours at the examinations are permitted to spend 
two more years at the school on condition that they specialise in one 
or more subjects. Here again is the principle of educating the mass 
up to a certain point but then selecting the few for the higher educa¬ 
tion. It is clear then that both the United States of America and 
Germany consider a good technical education of some value to their 
Artillery officers, and there can be no doubt but that the people of 
both countries are “ practical ” in' spite of the interest they take in 
theoretical instruction. With regard to other countries, France, 
Russia, Italy, for example, as far as I can ascertain, a system somewhat 
similar to our own is employed with this difference that the instruc- 
