THE NEW BOAT HOUSE.

On Friday, November 16, the new boat house will, be formally turned over to the University by the donors, the members of the Harvard Club of New York. The students will form a procession in the Yard and, headed by the band, will march to the boat house, where the presentation will take place. The presentation speeches will be made by Mr. A. L. Wetmore '94, Mr. Austin G. Fox '69 and Mr. Charles C. Beaman '61, of the Harvard Club. Speeches of acceptance in behalf of the University will be made by President Eliot and Professor Hollis.

In the evening a dinner will be given by the Harvard Club to which the rowing men of the University will be invited.

The plan of presenting a new boat-house to the University was conceived by the Harvard Club of New York last year. By private subscription among the club-members, $25,000 was raised. Work was begun a year ago this October, but proceeded so slowly that it was not intended to have the house ready for occupancy until the first of last March. The building had seven entrances on the land side and three on the water side. In the main hall room was provided for the boats; to the right of the main hall was a large workshop and beyond it a rowing-tank. Similarly located in the west end of the structure was a second rowing-tank. On the river side was a wide piazza. In the second story, directly over the main hall was a large room which was to be used for a gymnasium and for rowing-machines.

In December it was found that the original donation of $25,000 would not cover entirely the cost of the building, and the New York Harvard club at once subscribed $2,500 more. By the last of December the building was well toward completion. On the morning of December 27 a fire started in a small work-house where workmen were heating creosote shingle-stain. An explosion followed, which set fire to the boat house and in a very short time the building had burned to the ground. The launch, Frank Thompson, which was lying near, was also destroyed.

The loss was entirely covered by insurance. As soon as this was adjusted work was begun on a new structure. The New York Harvard club came forward with an additional $15,000--making a total of $42,500--and suggested that the new structure be of brick. It was found more expedient, however, to rebuild of wood. Peabody and Stearns, the architects of the first building drew a wholly new set of plans, and these were embodied in the boat house which is today thrown open to the University and Newell crews.

The new boat house is in most respects very much like the one which was destroyed last December. Instead of seven entrances from the land side, however, there is now only one large entrance leading into a vestibule. This vestibule opens into the main hall of the building where there are racks for 64 eight-oared shells. To the right of this hall is the work-shop which is large enough to receive two eights at one time for repairs. On the other side of the main hall there is a tank about twenty feet wide and forty feet long. Behind the tank room is the furnace room and also a small room for drying clothes.

The second floor is reached by two broad stairways leading from either end of the vestibule. In the centre is another large hall which will be used as a gymnasium. To the left of this hall on the river side is a large room to be used by the coaches. Behind this is the locker-room for the University crews and next a large bath room. To the right of the main hall is a long room which will be used as a locker-room for the Newell crews. In front of the coaches' room, and the club looker-room there are small balconies from which the crews on the river, may be watched.

One of the best features of the new house it that between the runways and the house there is a space almost broad enough to turn an eight in. This will much fecilitate the handling of the boats.

The building is heated by steam and lighted throughout with electricity.