Calendar: 1849-1850 Page 29

annual report 1819 27 The Council have now the satisfaction of announcing very important addition to the Departments of the College In- quiries have been frequently made whether the College could undertake the education of young men intended for the Armv during the interval which usually elapses between the age of fifteen and the time when the Commission is obtained Public attention had been recently called to the subject and the time seemed favourable for considering what means the College possessed for affording such professional education as would suit the growing requirements of the Military profession The usual resource for many of the young men intended for the Army has been prolonged residence in some garrison town on the Continent But this resource objectionable as it is at all times on moral and religious grounds has been of late rendered precarious by the disturbed state of Europe and more dangerous than usual on account of the revolutionary principles with which the Student abroad may come in con- tact At the same time the necessity for some training has become more urgent in consequence of the recent regulations issued from the Horse Guards making it imperative on all Candidates for Commissions to pass an examination in certain definite subjects On taking the subject into consideration the Council became persuaded of the feasibility of creating Military Department It appeared at once that almost all the machinery for such training already existed in the College system and that with very slight modifications the present Professors would be quite adequate to the task provided that one Professor of Military Science properly so called were added to the staff- competent Military Officer who under the Principal's general supervision should take special charge of the Depart- ment and himself give instruction in the strictly professional and practical branches of the education required It should be stated however that the only class of Officers whose education is contemplated in this plan are those of the Cavalry the Guards and the Line and also those nominated directly for Cadetships in the East-India Company's Service sufficient provision having been made in Royal Colleges for the