UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, West Point, N. Y., founded by act of congress approved Mar. 16, 1802. The experience of the country in the war of the revolution convinced Washington and other statesmen of the need of such an institution, and the act above referred to was the result of much thought and discussion. The special object of the academy is to fit young men for appointment as officers of the army. It combines in one school all the purposes usually aimed at in the several schools of engineering and other military branches in foreign countries. Its graduates, upon receiving diplomas, are recommended for, and usually appointed into, the corps or arm of service in the army for which their qualifications lit them. It has no endow ment, but is maintained by annual appropriations. It is beautifully located in the lands upon the w. side of the Hudson river, at a point which, during the war of the revolution, was deemed of great military strength and strategic importance. Its build ings, valued at $2,500,000, stand upon a plateau of 160 acres, flanked by mountains at the w. and u., and elevated 180 ft. above the river. The chemical and ordnance labor• tories, and the apparatus pertaining to the department of natural and experimental philosophy, are complete. The library contains 27,472 vols. and over 2,000 pamphlets. One cadet is allowed by law to be appointed from each congressional district; also one from the district of Columbia, and one from each territory; and ten "at large" are appointed by the president of the United States. The appointments (excepting those at large) are made by the secretary of war at the request of the representative, or delegate, in congress from the district or territory; and the person appointed must be an actual resident of the district or territory from which the appointment is made. Candidates must be between 17 and 22 years of age, and must be at least 5 ft. in height, and free from any infectious or immoral disorder, and, generally, from any deformity, disease, or infirmity which may render them unfit for military service. They must be well versed in reading, in writing, including orthography, and in arithmetic, and have a knowledge of the elements of English grammar, of descriptive geography, particularly of our own country, and of the history of the United States. The course of study
occupits four years, and the teaching is very thorough. Examinations are held semi annually, and no cadet is graduated without having passed a satisfactory examination in all the branches taught. The institution, during the first ten or fifteen years of its existence, was of a tentative character; but in 1817 its organization began to improve under the superiutendance of maj. Sylvanus Thayer, who administered its affairs for 16 years with great success. In many of its best features the institution is to-day what it became under his management. The mode of selecting the cadets, while it serves to awaken and diffuse an interest in the institution in every part of the country, is not per haps so well adapted to secure the highest order of ability. There is a constant tend ency, difficult to be resisted, to make appointments on political or local grounds; and it is doubtless owing to this that so large a proportion of the cadets fail to reach the high standard of scholarship requisite for graduation. The monthly pay of cadets at first was $28 per month; it is now about $50. On this sum they are required to support themselves without aid from other sources. A board of visitors, consisting of seven persons appointed by the president of the United States, two senators appointed by the president of the senate, and three representatives appointed by the speaker of the house, attends the annual examinations and makes an annual report on the condition of the academy. The number of professors (1880) is 0; other instructors are assigned by the war department from time to time as they are needed. The average number of students since 1876 has been about 270. Each cadet is required to pledge himself to serve the United States eight years from the date of his admission unless sooner discharged. Maj.gen. Oliver O. Howard is (1881) the superintendent.