3dly. Of the above number, twenty are commissioned and warrant officers of the U.S. Navy, viz., 4 lieutenants, 1 assistant-surgeon, and 15 midshipmen.
4thly. Out of the whole, 441 have been engaged in the study of the Mathematics, and out of this number 145 have completed a full course of “Hutton’s Mathematics.” Of these, 80 have, in addition, attended to practical Mathematics, 56 have continued their course through the study of Philosophy, and others are now fast progressing in the accomplishment of those higher branches also.
5thly. The whole number who have studied the Greek and Latin languages, is about 150. Of these, 25 have advanced far towards completing a course, although none have gone entirely through. Of those not included in the last-mentioned number, many have fitted for college, or progressed still farther, and many are progressing. What is here considered a course, is the same which is laid down in the prospectus, which could be scarcely completed in the period since the establishment of the institution.
6thly. The number of those who have attended to the French language, is about 130. Twenty have become well acquainted with the language—30 are very well advanced, and many of the remainder have made respectable progress.
7thly. About ten or twelve of those who have been, or are now members of the institution, have devoted considerable time and instruction of the militia or volunteer corps, in this and various other sections of the country, and many of them are still engaged in that useful employment.
Of those who have been, or are now, engaged in the study of the Latin and Greek languages, I flatter myself there are several who would not suffer by a comparison with any of the same degree of advancement at our older and most approved seminaries; and as a school of practical science, I have little hesitation in asserting, that it is second to none in our country. In confirmation of this assertion, I would observe, that since the establishment of the seminary, my pupils, in addition to their usual exercises in practical geometry, and many operations of minor consequence, have executed, in a very handsome manner, a profile of the country, exhibiting the perpendicular altitudes of all the prominent points, above tide water, as determined by actual observation, from the summit of Manchester mountain, in the state of Vermont, to the summit of mount Washington, the highest elevation of the White Mountains, in the state of New Hampshire, a distance of 165 miles. They have also executed a similar profile from Norwich to Whitehall, in the state of New York, a distance of sixty-eight miles, and have further executed a trigonometrical survey of the country around Norwich, for a distance in some directions, of about twenty miles. This survey was commenced, and has been prosecuted, in such a manner as to serve as a basis for any further operations that may be thought necessary. A handsome topographical plan of this survey is finished.
In the department of French, it is believed, the pupils have made as rapid progress as at any seminary in our country, and in Mineralogy, Botany, &c., although but recently commenced, there appears to be much zeal, and a corresponding improvement, amongst the classes which have attended, and those still attending, numbering about sixty.
Music and fencing have been attended by a large proportion of the members, and with a progress highly creditable to them.
The military exercises and duties are common to all the cadets, and it is believed very few have left the seminary, who were not competent to instruct from the elementary drill of the soldier, to embrace the school of the battalion, and who, in addition, did not possess a very competent knowledge of the principles of the grand tactics, of the elements of permanent and field fortification, of the principles of gunnery, &c. The beneficial effects of the regular system of exercise and active duty, to which my pupils are subject, upon their health, has been fully equal to my expectations. But one death has happened at the institution, since its commencement; and this was a youth who had just entered his name on the rolls, but was attacked by a prevailing epidemic, of which he died, before commencing his studies or regular duties. Several who joined the seminary feeble and debilitated, have in a short time been entirely restored to vigorous health. Indeed, such has been the result, I believe, without a single exception. That a youth may, by means of a regular system of exercise, preserve all his bodily activity and vigor, and at the same time apply himself most assiduously to study, I have never had any doubts; but if I had, the facts developed since the establishment of this seminary, would have dispelled them. Many of my pupils, and those the closest applicants to study, walk with facility forty miles per day. In the summer of 1823, several of them left Norwich at day-break in the morning, walked to the summit of Ascutney mountain, and returned to Norwich about 9 o’clock in the evening of the same day—the whole distance forty-six miles: which, considering the fatigue and difficulty of ascending and descending the mountain, (upwards of 3,000 feet high,) may reasonably be estimated as equivalent to sixty miles on the usual roads of the country. They continued their regular studies and other duties the following day. In September, 1823, a party of nearly thirty accompanied me on a pedestrian tour to the summit of Manchester mountain, in the state of Vermont, a large portion of whom traveled 150 miles in four days, and on the fourth day one of the party, a youth of sixteen years of age, walked by my side forty-five miles. On a recent excursion, to the summit of the most elevated of the White Mountains, with a party of fifty of my pupils, a large portion of them, on the last day, walked forty-two miles. Belonging to this party, was a youth of but twelve years of age, who walked the whole distance, (160 miles,) carrying his knapsack, with clothes, &c., and returned in perfect health.
Since the latter part of June, 1821, the cadets, as a military corps, have executed, under my personal command, six military marches, amounting, in the aggregate, to 637 miles. Different detachments from the corps have also, within the same time, in addition to several of minor importance, performed, under my personal direction, four pedestrian excursions, for practical scientific purposes, amounting in the aggregate to 684 miles, and which, added to the former, gives 637×684=1321 miles. To this may be added an excursion to the White Mountains, whole distance 170 miles, by a party which I did not accompany, and which will make the total distance traveled in those marches and excursions, 1491 miles.