594 
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT. 
on the part of Professors and Instructors, and is the essence of all 
that has been found most valuable in the past; in point of thoroughness 
it leaves little to be desired. The large instructional staff makes the 
proportion of cadets to teachers comparatively small, and enables each 
cadet to get a fair share of the latter’s time and attention. The 
division of the classes into small sections, in which cadets compete with 
each other, i3 an admirable device ; and “ Recitation ” and “ Daily 
Marking ” make it difficult for them to idle in study. 
The following extract from a London newspaper (“The Engineer”) 
is given for what it is worth—reviewing’ a Treatise on Analytical 
Mechanics written by Professor Michie for the use of the West Point 
cadets, it says—“ We wonder what the present Woolwich cadet would 
say if required to master this Treatise in a course of four months. 
To begin with he would not possess the knowledge of calculus which is 
presumed in the method of treatment of this book. How can it be 
explained that the mathematical standard of knowledge acquired at 
Woolwich is less now than 50 or 100 years ago, judging from the old 
‘ Woolwich Course of Mathematics V And, on the other hand, how is 
it that the American cadet at West Point, with all his multifarious 
subjects, can yet be taken to such a high pitch of reading as the present 
Treatise leads—as high as is now required for Cambridge mathematical 
honours V 3 The Royal Military Academy has, at any rate, nothing to 
learn from West Point in drill or discipline, and the former enjoys 
many advantages, such as the proximity of the Royal Arsenal and the 
School of Gunnery, also having the use of one of the best Riding 
Establishments in England, and being part of a large garrison, situated 
so that the cadets can see troops of all arms manoeuvring at their very 
gates any day of the week. The West Point system which permits no 
holidays, no money, and no recreation would be intolerable to young 
Englishmen of 17 to 22 years of age, nor would any one, it is believed, 
desire to see it introduced in England. The organisation of the West 
Point and Woolwich cadets is very similar, but, other things being equal, 
the Academy which has an auxiliary in a staff of valued and efficient non¬ 
commissioned officers should benefit accordingly. A part of the West 
Point system which must attract attention is that cadets going into the 
Cavalry and Infantry have to go through the same prolonged and 
highly scientific course as those entering the Engineers, Ordnance, and 
Artillery. The question why this is thought necessary was asked by 
the writer on the spot. The answer given was that officers of the 
United States Army, whatever branch of the service they belong to, 
frequently found themselves in remote places where they were often 
thrown on their own resources for all kinds of information, and that, 
therefore, it was considered desirable to give them such an education 
. as would render them quite independent, and place them in possession 
of every kind of scientific knowledge of which they might ever stand 
in need. This remark might apply with equal force to the British 
Army. The United States Army is a small one, and naturally the 
Americans want to have it a good one, but, according to our ideas, most 
people would consider a young man destined to lead the life of an 
officer in the Cavalry or Infantry would be better employed, for say the 
