EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY. [Furnished by the Secretary of the Navy, at the request of the Commissioner of Education.]

THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY.

1. The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., is for the broad purpose of educating officers for the line of the Navy. It was founded in 1845, and was then known as the "Naval School," but from time to time its organization has been changed, and for a number of years it has been known as the "Naval Academy." The students are "midshipmen," appointed by the President of the United States (10 annually) and by Senators and Representatives in Congress, each Senator and Representative being entitled to maintain two midshipmen at the academy. This insures that midshipmen shall come from every State and congressional district of the Union. One each is allowed also from the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii and from the island of Porto Rico. The number in attendance varies; October 1, the beginning of the present academic year, there were 861. The course is four years, and upon its completion the graduates are commissioned ensigns in the Navy, or they may be commissioned in the Marine Corps or certain other staff corps of the Navy. The average number of graduates for the past five years has been about 157. Examinations for admission are held on the third Tuesday in February and the third Tuesday in April of each year. The questions are prepared at the Naval Academy, and the examinations are held under the auspices of the Civil Service Commission, at a large number of points throughout the United States. The general scope of the entrance examinations is such that they should be successfully passed by young men who are well-grounded in high-school requirements up to about the third year of high school. Briefly, the general character of these examinations is as follows:

ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS.

Reading and writing: Candidates must be able to read understandingly, and with proper accent and emphasis, and to write legibly, neatly, and rapidly. Spelling: They must be able to write from dictation a list of about 100 selected words; the spelling throughout the written examination is also considered in making up the mark for spelling; they must be familiar with the rules of punctuation and the use of capitals. Grammar: Candidates must exhibit thorough familiarity with English and grammar. Geography: Candidates are required to pass a satisfactory examination in descriptive geography, particularly of our own country. Questions are given under the following heads: Definitions of latitude and longitude, including problems with regard to differences of time between places; the zones; grand divisions of land and water; character of coast lines; and many other questions relating to principal rivers, tributaries, bays, gulfs, etc. The following-named textbooks are used in

preparing examination questions: Mitchell's New School Atlas; Complete Geography, by A. E. Fry; Natural Advanced Geography, by Redway and Hinman. United States history: The examination in this branch includes questions concerning the early settlements in this country; the forms of government in the colonies, the causes, leading events, and results of wars; and prominent events in the history of our Government since its foundation. The following-named textbooks are used in preparing examination questions: A Student's History of the United States, by Edward Channing; The Students' American History, by D. H. Montgomery; A School History of the United States, by John Bach McMaster. Arithmetic: The candidate's knowledge of arithmetic must be accurate, including all the fundamental operations and principles. In other words, he must possess such a complete knowledge of arithmetic as will enable him to proceed at once to the higher branches of mathematics without further study of arithmetic. The required ground is completely covered by any one of the following textbooks: Advanced Arithmetic, by G. A Wentworth (first 16 chapters); A High School Arithmetic, by Wentworth and Hill; Standard Arithmetic, by William J. Milne; Arithmetic in Theory and Practice, by J. Brook-Smith.

Algebra: The examination in algebra includes questions and problems upon the fundamental rules, factoring, greatest common divisor, least common multiple, algebraic fractions, equations of the first degree, with one or more unknown quantities, simplification of expressions involving surds, and the solution and theory of quadratic equations, problems involving the formation of simple and quadratic equations, and the meaning and law of exponents, positive, negative, and fractional. The requirements are fully expressed in Wentworth's College Algebra (Revised), first 14 chapters, or Wentworth's Elementary Algebra, first 21 chapters; Milne's Academic Algebra, 324 pages. Geometry: In geometry, candidates are required to give accurate definitions of terms used in plane geometry, to demonstrate any proposition of plane geometry as given in the ordinary textbooks, and to solve simple geometrical problems, either by a construction or by an application of algebra. Either of the following textbooks cover the ground required in geometry: Wentworth and Hill's Plane and Solid Geometry (5 books); Robbin's Plane Geometry; Chauvenet's Geometry (5 books). Candidates are required to be of good moral character, physically sound, well formed, and of a robust constitution. After having successfully passed the mental requirements, they are examined at the Naval Academy by a board of medical officers, the physical examination being most thorough. In order to save those who have disqualifying physical defects the expense of traveling from their homes to the Naval Academy for this physical examination, arrangements have been made for a preliminary examination of candidates at various naval stations and recruiting offices, fairly well distributed throughout the United States. This preliminary examination will not entitle the candidate to entrance, as he must subsequently be examined by the statutory medical board at Annapolis, but its effect would be to detect disqualifying defects, which would render it useless for the candidate to go to the Naval Academy; or it might bring to light a temporary defect which after proper treatment would no longer be disqualifying. Candidates must be unmarried, and any midshipman who shall marry, or who shall be found to be married before his graduation, will be dismissed from the service.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY.

The course of instruction is apportioned among departments, as follows: (1) Discipline (which includes physical training); (2) seamanship; (3) ordnance and gunnery; (4) navigation; (5) marine engineering and naval construction; (6) mathematics and mechanics; (7) electrical engineering and physics; (8) English; (9) modern languages; (10) naval hygiene and physiology.

Distribution of studies and instruction.

First year: Mechanical drawing; algebra; geometry, trigonometry; logarithms; English; French and Spanish; practical instruction in seamanship, ordnance, target practice, infantry tactics, field artillery, sword exercise, sailing, rowing, swimming, gymnastics, dancing.

Second year: Mechanical drawing; marine engineering; calculus; analytical geometry; stereographic projections; applied calculus; physics and chemistry; electrical engineering; English literature; United States naval history; French and Spanish; practical instruction in seamanship, ordnance, target practice, infantry tactics, field artillery, marine engineering, sailing, rowing, sword exercise.

Third year: Seamanship; ordnance and gunnery; astronomy; navigation; marine engineering; principles of mechanism; theoretical and applied mechanics; electrical engineering; practical instruction in seamanship, ordnance, target practice, infantry tactics, field artillery, marine engineering, steam tactics, signals, sword exercise.

Fourth year: Seamanship; international and military law; ordnance and gunnery; navigation; deviations of the compass; marine surveying; marine engineering; naval construction; experimental engineering; engineering materials and machine designing; electrical engineering; French and Spanish; physiology and hygiene; practical instruction in seamanship, ordnance, target practice, marine engineering, navigation, compass deviations, surveying, steam tactics, electrical engineering, torpedoes and mines, infantry tactics, field artillery, sword exercise.

POSTGRADUATE COURSES.

2. In 1904, postgraduate instruction in ordnance and in steam. engineering was established, as a result of the recommendation of the chiefs of the Bureaus of Navigation, Ordnance, and Steam Engineering. As a result of this, 35 student officers have taken the ordnance course, and 9 are now thus engaged. Eight student officers took the engineering course prior to 1909, when the School of Marine Engineering was established at Annapolis, Md. From this school 17 officers have been graduated.

In 1912 the postgraduate department of the Naval Academy was formed, into which the School of Marine Engineering was naturally merged. Twenty-eight student officers have taken, or are taking, the course in marine engineering, which is divided into four specialties: Marine engine design, electricity, radio, and shop management. The first year's work is done at the Naval Academy, and the second at Columbia University. The ordnance, naval construction, and civil engineering student officers take the review course at the postgraduate

department before taking their special course at the gun factory, powder factory, and armor plants (in the case of ordnance students), and at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Troy Polytechnic Institute in the case of the naval constructors and civil engineers, respectively. The object of establishing this postgraduate course was to enable young officers to obtain intimate scientific knowledge of the subjects indicated above, with a view to becoming specialists in some one or more of these subjects. The knowledge gained from the postgraduate course is expected to be further utilized by continued study and application by the officers along the lines in which they intend to specialize.

THE NAVAL WAR COLLEGE, NEWPORT, R. I.

3. The Naval War College is for the purpose of teaching officers the art of naval warfare. Under this heading may be specified strategy, tactics, military policy, military character, organization, administration, strategic studies of campaigns, tactical studies of battles, planmaking, logistics, bases, building program, and allied topics. Owing to a scarcity of officers who could be spared to attend the War College, the course there has been somewhat irregular, and up to the present has consisted of (1) a short course of 4 months, beginning June 1 and ending September 30, and (2) a long course of about 16 months. But few officers so far have completed the long course. At present there are about 20 officers at the War College who will complete a course of about one year. It is probable that the long course will be abolished, and that the course for one year will be made standard. The work of instruction at the War College is conducted by a line officer of high rank who is detailed as president, assisted by a staff of several officers, who have specialized more or less in the subjects of instruction.

TRAINING STATIONS AND SCHOOLS.

4. The Navy maintains four stations for training newly enlisted recruits, located, respectively, at Newport, R. I., Norfolk, Va., Great Lakes, Ill., and San Francisco, Cal. The course of training usually covers about three months, after which the apprentice seamen are rated ordinary seamen or coal passers, and transferred to the general service. During the fiscal year approximately 5,855 ordinary seamen and 1,368 coal passers were rated and sent to sea, and 2,720 remained under instruction at the end of the year. At three of these training stations, namely, Newport, Norfolk, and Great Lakes, a school system has been inaugurated, and it will soon be extended to the fourth station. Until very recently academic education has not been a part of the training station's system, but within the past few months this has been made an important part of the training. It is again referred to in another part of this report.

YEOMAN SCHOOLS.

5. It may be explained that yeomen are rated enlisted men of the Navy, who perform clerical work, including typewriting and stenography, on board ship and at naval stations. There are two yeoman schools, one at Newport, R. I., and the other at San Francisco, Cal. These schools are divided into two branches, accounting and correspondence. Recruits who have had clerical experience and pass the necessary preliminary examination are sent to the yeoman school upon enlistment, as well as enlisted men who are recommended by their commanding officers for this instruction. During the fiscal year approximately 223 men completed the course and were rated yeomen, while 100 remain under instruction.

MUSICIANS' SCHOOLS.

6. Three schools for musicians are maintained, at Norfolk, Va. (where the largest number of men are instructed), at Newport, R. I., and San Francisco, Cal. Musicians who enlist are detailed for instruction as musicians in the service. During the fiscal year approximately 247 men completed this course of instruction, and 113 remained under instruction.

COMMISSARY SCHOOLS.

7. There are two schools, one located at Newport, R. I., and the other at San Francisco, Cal. The instruction is divided into three branches, one in which men are instructed in the duties of commissary stewards, another the cooking class, and the other the baking class. Since the establishment of the schools for instruction of cooks and bakers the service has been greatly benefited, and there is less dissatisfaction with the food, owing to the uniform method of cooking which now exists. During the past fiscal year approximately 157 men completed the instruction at the three schools, while 74 remained under instruction.

ARTIFICER SCHOOL.

8. At the artificer school, which is located at Norfolk, Va., men are taught the work of the blacksmith, plumber and fitter, painter, shipfitter, carpenter's mate, or shipwright, etc. The course usually lasts three months. During the fiscal year approximately 163 men completed this course of instruction, and 80 remained under instruction.

ELECTRICAL SCHOOLS.

9. There are two electrical schools, which are located at Mare Island, Cal., and at the navy yard, New York, respectively. The

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