Ralph Osborn—Midshipman
at Annapolis

A STORY OF LIFE AT THE
U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY

By LIEUT. COMMANDER
EDWARD L. BEACH, U. S. NAVY
Author of “An Annapolis Youngster,” etc.

ILLUSTRATED BY
FRANK T. MERRILL

W. A. WILDE COMPANY
BOSTON CHICAGO

Copyrighted, 1909
By W. A. Wilde Company

All rights reserved

Ralph Osborn—Midshipman at Annapolis[5]

PREFACE

The purpose of this story is to bring before theAmerican youth who read it a correct portrayalof midshipman life at Annapolis, to bring outin story form the routine of drills, studies and customsof our Naval Academy, the discipline there undergoneby American midshipmen and the environmentin which they live and which controls them from thetime they enter.

“The Osborn Demonstration” of the Pythagoreanproblem may not be new. It hardly seems reasonablethat such a simple solving of this ancient problemshould be discovered at this late date. However, itis certainly shorter and more graphic than any givenin present day geometry text-books. Some searchhas been made, but up to the present no evidence hasbeen found showing previous knowledge of this methodof demonstration.

Should this story create any interest in RalphOsborn and his friends it may here be stated thatthey have all lived. They were not the first norwill they be the last to have trials and triumphs atAnnapolis.

Edward Latimer Beach,
Lieutenant-Commander,
United States Navy.

United States Ship Montana.

CONTENTS