went, under the leadership of General Schenck, to reorganize, reform, and set to rights generally. It was not so much a board of visitors as of inquisitors. We give these gentlemen full credit for good motives, but not for intelligence. Most or all of them citizens, they expected to propose improvements, after two weeks' examination, of a most superficial character, upon a system long established and claiming the constant care and devotion of the chief engineer, General Delafield, who is the inspector, and who, for many years superintendent of the Academy, knows it, its excellencies and its needs, by heart. They would instruct General Cullum, for many years a resident of West Point, and now superintendent, and would ignore the views and decisions of the finest academic staff in the world. But whatever we may think of their wonderful self-reliance, we must confess that it was quite within the purview of their nominal powers to propose such reforms. On one point, however, we must join direct issue with the honorable board. They called for written communications from all the instructors, giving their views with regard to the academy. According to the simplest military etiquette laid down in the regulations, and certainly on the score of propriety, General Cullum required that all such communications should pass through his hands, to be read, indorsed and forwarded to them. This the board resisted, appealing to the Department; but the answer of the Department was so vague-undoubtedly with design-that the superintendent carried his point. Among the suggestions of the board we find several worth special consideration: 1. That the superintendency, heretofore restricted to the engineer corps, be thrown open to the whole army. This we think of very little importance; for there has been no difficulty whatever in obtaining engineer officers extremely well fitted for the post, and the highest aim of the school is to make engineers. By throwing it open to the army, it would also open the door to factious and intriguing efforts which are now impossible. Our engineer corps is now so large, that we can never be at a loss for first-rate superintendents. What more do we want? That recommendation may be dismissed at once. 2. The appointment of a principal assistant in the department of Spanish. Our own opinion has been that there was no necessity for the department itself. The instruction was fully and most admirably given by Professor Agnel, when the department-created about nine years ago-was broken up. The professors, we believe, opposed its resuscitation, and there is not a man, thoroughly cognizant of facts which cannot be fully published, who does not agree with them. The effort, therefore, to procure a first assistant for a department which is not needed, is a breach of economy and logic which we are surprised to find in the report of the board. 3. The want of accuracy and progress in the English studies. Here we agree with the board; it has always been a defect in the institution. Especially devoted to exact science, West Point has, almost involuntarily, frowned upon the "humanities," and in that culture it has been at constant issue with the Latin adage: "Arms have refused to yield to the toga, and philology stands little chance beside the laurel which surrounds the engineer's castle." This should be reformed. "Ethics" should "count" as much as mathematics, and a fuller course should be substituted, even at the expense of a little of the a+b, and the functions of x, y, and z. 4. The increase of the corps to four hundred cadets. This is an excellent suggestion, but by no means new. It was talked of before the war, and would have been done as soon as possible, without the report of the board. As far as possible, the army should be officered from West Point. This is simple common sense; for of course the best officers are those who have had full instruction and discipline for four years. 5. We concur fully in the recommendation of the board to raise the standard of admission by requiring a knowledge of English grammar, geography, and the history of the United States. We think well, also, of competitive examinations, but do not agree in changing the limits of age. Sixteen is not too young, and twenty-one is quite old enough-as we do not wish. to have grandfathers for brevet second lieutenants. 6. We are inclined to laugh a little at the recommendation about whiskers, and fancy that some young gentlemen, who were dying for mustaches, have been practising upon the individual "planks." Stick to the razor, boys; the beard will be all the grander and more appreciated when you graduate; and, for the time, be assured you will be more comfortable, cleaner, and far more uniform, than if allowed to come into ranks with a variety of incipient shoe-brushes which the board would let you cultivate a great bristling black beard on a grenadier of a fellow, which would turn the edge of any razor, standing next to a little glistening down on a small chap, suggestive of a cat and cream! Mustaches and imperial would be very romantic, but horribly heterogeneous. 7. Let us decidedly concur with the board in recommending daily morning prayers. We always considered this a need, and have often wondered that they were not provided. It is the practice in almost every institution in the country, and there is no reason why it should not prevail at West Point. We also heartily agree in condemning swearing; but what more can be done than is done? It is forbidden by regulations; it is punished by demerit marks; it is in violation of the indi vidual conscience. Doubtless the excellent chaplain raps them for it frequently, as he ought to do. What more can be done? Alas! our army "swore terribly in Flanders," at Petersburg, in front of Atlanta, and elsewhere; and all that can be done is by moral influence and personal example, and these are perfect at West Point. Young gentlemen, don't swear; it is vulgar, utterly useless, and God-defying. If these considerations do not move you, nothing will. 8. Plaguing Plebes. This is one of those delicate subjects which can neither be felt nor handled by any one but a West Point man. Of course no plebe likes to have tricks played upon him; of course many old cadets are heartless and cruel in what they do, and of course the authorities do not permit it. Thus let the matter stand. Some hardness the young soldier must endure an ordeal without which he would scarcely feel that he had passed his novitiate. The rules of the academy are stringent upon this point, but they are evaded by the secrecy of the plaguers, the rawness of the plagued, and their disinclination to report those who annoy them. Where harmless tricks are played, they are really of good effect; but where cruelty is used, the right-minded among the cadets should discountenance it, and thus let the system correct itself. If all the fulminations of all the war departments and superintendencies and boards of visitors in the world were brought to bear, new-comers would be plagued, to some extent; but let us say to the old cadets, reform this yourselves; remember that it is the part of manliness to be kind to the weak, to instruct the ignorant, and to aid those who like young bears face new troubles when they enter. Such a magnanimous course would make the plebes respect you far more, and attach to your higher position a greater longing and anticipation, than the present course. It would also instruct them in a new order of things, in which kindness to the stranger and patronage to the needy would have the chief place. Thus much for the report of the board. West Point needs fostering care, but not much reform. What she is now, she answers by pointing to the men whom she has made :-Grant, Sherman, Meade, Sheridan, Halleck, Thomas, Schofield, Gillmore, Slocum, Mansfield, Reno, Reynolds, McPherson, with a host of others, who, while citizen soldiers have played but subordinate parts, have led armies, taken "impregnable" strongholds, won victories, laid down their lives, finished the war, saved the country, and vindicated their cherishing mother. West Point as she is! West Point forever! One word more : Let us have boards of visitors, hereafter, composed of soldiers, the generals of many battles, who have a right to think and speak of military affairs, and whose opinions will carry such weight that the Department and Congress will act upon them, and thus change a useless show into a practical good. MILITARY EDUCATION IN PRUSSIA. BY E. FREYHOLD, LATE OFFICER IN THE PRUSSIAN SERVICE. PRUSSIA'S unfavorable geographical position, its frontier lines, on the east against Russia, south against the minor German States, west towards France, without natural defences, excepting the short Austrian boundary, defended by the Silesian Mountains; and its area divided by more than half a dozen second and third rate German States into two unequal portions, one larger eastern and a much smaller western one, and the constantly turbulent political horizon of Europe, has, since more than two centuries, necessarily directed the attention of the nation and its Government to its perfectly indefensible position, open all around to an easy entrance of an aggressive enemy, and compelled them, for the security of its existence as an independent nation, to try by any means, either by treaties of heritage with reigning dynasties of surrounding petty States, or (if such be impracticable) to fill up its area by conquest, enlarging it, and yet reducing the extent of its frontiers. Under the reign of King Frederick William III., this principle was carried even so far as to exchange better populated and more valuable parts of the country for one having no other value than a position closer to the bulk of the Prussian domin ions. To carry this preconceived destiny into successful execution, the nation was compelled to maintain a larger active army than the scanty means of the State would otherwise have permitted, and constantly to direct a watchful eye upon its efficiency, and render it (if possible and practicable) superior to any other European army. The peculiar military organization, requiring every sound and able-bodied man between the age of twenty and thirty-nine to serve in the army for a certain time, and to be liable up to the fiftieth year to be called out for the defence of the country, by which the entire nation becomes a vast military organization, is considered as one of the best on the European Continent, and has been imitated by many nations. Having created, through this system, the means of raising an army as large as could ever be wanted, the Government was under the obligation to give to such an army a better educated corps of officers than had been done before. Although the military academy at Berlin had been founded nearly two centuries ago, nevertheless, prior to the inaugura tion of the Landwehr system, and (still farther back) during the wars of Frederick the Great, little attention had been paid to the thorough scientific education of its candidates. Cadets were admitted almost without regard to qualification, and commissioned as officers, without much probation, and little regard to the competency of their learning-the main object being to educate them as military gentlemen, and to fit them, as such, for their social position, which was then, as now, the first of the classes comprising society; the youngest lieutenant in the army taking precedence, at the court-levées, of the youngest counsellor. During the time of Frederick II., the scientific branches of the army (the Engineer and Artillery Corps) were exclusively supplied with officers from the Tiers-Etats, or the Beourgoisie; whereas the candidates for officers of infantry and cavalry were taken from the ranks of the nobility. For this reason, on one side, and the scientific superiority on the other, a lively antagonism always existed between the officers of the different arms. Since the Silesian wars under the reign of Frederick the Great-especially since the successful termination of the evermemorable Seven Years' War, in which a small State, then with not more than two-thirds of the area it now possesses, with less than two-thirds of its present population, was battling with nearly all the armies of Europe-up to the time of Prussia's darkest days, when this army, living on the glory of its past, was hurled from its proud position at the battles of Jena and Auerstadt, almost nothing had been done for the advancement of the education of officers to make it keep pace with progressing civilization, and the steady advance of military science and art. The new organization, called the Landwehr system, was conceived shortly after this time; and with it a new era soon began. Thirty years ago the military academy at Berlin had already. won the admiration of all Europe, to such an extent, that foreign nations from Europe, as well as from South America and Asia, asked for permission to send elèves there, in order, if possible, to transplant this educational system to their own States; though probably with less success, since its special aim was to suit the wants and the peculiar military organization of Prussia. But the great reforms of the academies are of more recent date. Formerly, the mathematical and scientific studies at Berlin were not carried so far as those of the Prussian gymnasiums (colleges for preparing youth for the University); although the study of History and Geography was carried far beyond the limits allotted them at those civil establishments. Since this reform has taken place, the standard of education at |