CORNELL LETTER.

ITHACA, May 17. The past year has been one full of events of interest to Cornell and its well-wishers. Hoping that you may number some of the latter among your readers, I venture to send you an account of some of the most important of these occurrences.

President White brought on his return from the Berlin Mission renewed vigor and life to all departments, as well as his valuable services as Professor of Modern History.

Many important changes have been made in the faculty. Prof. Moses Coit Tyler has been called to the Associate Professorship of History; Prof. J. Berkitt Webb returns from a four years' sojourn in Germany to the department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Mechanics; Prof. Willard Fiske, from his two years' travels abroad; and Prof. J. Henry Comstock from the position of entomologist to the U. S. government. Lectures have been delivered before the students by Professors E. A. Freeman, Chas. Kendall Adams, non-resident Professor of English Constitutional History; Henry C. Adams, non-resident Professor of Political Economy; Herbert Tuttle, non-resident Professor of International Law, and Prof. Ely of Johns Hopkins.

Two new buildings will soon be added to those already in use. One, the physical and chemical laboratory, is in course of erection, and when completed will be not merely an ornament to the campus, but the most thoroughly equipped laboratory of the kind in the United States. The other is the new military hall and gymnasium. It is to be of brick, 150 feet deep by 60 feet front, and, besides satisfying the needs of the military department, will be supplied with all the appliances necessary to a gymnasium. An addition has also been made to the rooms of the botanical department, together with a conservatory for plants and flowers, which it is said will be when completed the nearest perfect of any similar structure in this country.

The endowment has been increased during the year, by the will of Mrs. Jennie McGraw-Fiske, nearly a million dollars. $45,000 provides for a cottage hospital, for the use of any students who may fall seriously ill during their stay in college; the income of $50,000 is to be applied to the care of the main college building, which was presented to the university by Mrs. Fiske's father; the residue of her gift is to be devoted to the maintenance and care of the university library, which already ranks third in size and importance among the university libraries of this country. Gifts have also been made by Henry W. Sage, Hiram Sibley and a modest benefactor, whose name has not been made public, for the improvement of the botanical, mechanical engineering, civil engineering and architecture departments. New apparatus, instruments and models for the departments of physics and civil engineering to the amount of $25,000 have been purchased in Europe within the last year. Copies of the celebrated Reuleux models have been added to the department of mechanical engineering.

Through the untiring efforts of President White a new course in history and political science has at last been established. It has a strong faculty and is quite popular. There is now under consideration the establishment of a department of mining engineering, for which the new laboratory will give special facilities.

The list of clergymen who have officiated in the chapel during the year includes an unusually large number of names of distinguished +++. This means of education, which is, I be +++ culiar to Cornell, has been appreciated +++ dents, if the large attendance may be +++ conclusive evidence.

+++ is manifested in the freshman +++ practices daily. The eight will +++ of Holman, Swartout, Lay, Reed, Beidler, Raht, Hamp, and Musser or Hanford. Holman, Lay, Swartout and either Beidler, Reed or Raht will constitute the four.

A game of base-ball was played on the campus last Saturday between Hobart and Cornell, resulting in a victory for the former. However, as our nine had practised very little, the result was no surprise. A game will be played tomorrow against Union, and Saturday the nine goes to Geneva to play the return game with Hobart.

The annual sophomore excursion down Cayuga Lake takes place Friday evening. Every effort will be put forth to make this excursion as enjoyable as was the one given last year by '83, who originated the custom. The Ithaca Glee Club, which has some very fine voices, and the Fiftieth Regiment Band, will furnish all the music necessary, in addition to that which the sophomores will themselves make. The programme includes a trip down the lake to Aurora, where supper is provided, and a ride back by moonlight. An invitation has been extended to the upper classmen, and doubtless many will avail themselves of this opportunity to repeat the pleasant experience of last year.

The first field day since the spring meeting in '80 was held yesterday. After waiting in vain for others to take the lead, the editors of the Era took the matter in charge, and succeeded in working up considerable enthusiasm. The result was very satisfactory, and it is more than probable that field day will be observed annually at Cornell in the future, which cannot fail to have a beneficial effect on her athletic interests. Most of the events were creditable, and in several the Cornell record was lowered. The money realized will be used either to furnish the students' assembly room, or to send representatives to the inter-collegiate meeting at the New York polo grounds. Major Burbank was the referee; Professors Hale, Crane and Schaeffer were the judges.

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