UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT. 
589 
amounted to nearly £40; then he has to pay for his messing, clothing, 
and books, besides a host of minor charges, such as washing, barber, 
“ policing barracks,’’ shoe-blacks, baths, share of gas, &c. If, in spite 
of all these expenses, his pay should run to the good, he is not allowed 
to handle any of it except when he goes on furlough. The cadets live 
in barrack-rooms, two in each ; they are only furnished with what is 
absolutely necessary, and the walls and floor are bare, their beds are 
made up like soldiers’, and their kits have to be kept very neatly stowed 
at all times. The officers visit the rooms frequently and at all hours, 
which accounts for the upstairs ones being the most popular ! As 
regards religion and morality, the morals of the cadets are said to be 
good. The Academy is unsectarian, and no particular church is 
pressed upon unwilling cadets. It is considered sufficient to conserve 
as much conscience and religious conviction as a cadet brings with 
him on joining, and to show a proper tolerance for those who “ profess 
and call themselves* Christians.” There are Chapel services and a 
Sunday-school on Sundays, and two prayer meetings a week on other 
days. The voluntary services are well attended. There is a Chaplain 
to the Academy, but to what Church or Denomination he belongs the 
writer cannot say. One of the officers spoken with was a Sweden- 
borgian. 
Discipline. 
The discipline is very strict but impartial, and is uniformly sustained. 
Cadets are tried by court-martial. Minor offences charged against 
cadets are read out on parade, and they have to send in a written reply 
by next morning. Saturday, in the afternoon, is the great day for 
punishment drill, it is the only week day upon which the cadets have 
any time for this form of “.enforced recreation.” What would a 
Woolwich cadet think of a syllabus of instruction which does not admit 
of time for “ hoxters ? ” Except in extreme cases, cadets are allowed 
but one leave of absence during the four years’ course, and that, as a 
rule, at the end of the first two years. 
Drills and Exercises. 
During their four years at the Academy the cadets are instructed in 
the drill of all arms, and in field and siege works, and pontoon and 
spar bridges. They are also taught riding, gymnastics, fencing, 
bayonet exercise, signalling and swimming. As regards infantry work, 
they learn company and battalion drill, and to mount guard. They 
have a rifle range for target practice. For cavalry work 80 horses are 
kept at West Point and are looked after by a detachment of enlisted 
men from the regular army. According to the Captain-Instructor of 
Cavalry they are nothing to be proud of, being “ rough looking and 
half groomed, with rusty bits and shabby untidy trappings,” and their 
appearance is disgraceful, compared with the worst cavalry troop in 
the army.” This undesirable state of affairs he attributes to a variety 
of causes, chiefly his men being taken away for other duty, and the 
horses being used for the Field Battery. On these 80 horses the 
cadets learn riding and cavalry drill, and on parade are formed into a 
