The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-23
HART4RD's FACING MACHINE.
Remark able Features of the New Shell Built
for the Crimson Crew.

Remarkable Features of the New Shell Built
for the Crimson Crew.
The eiGht-oarsd shell which Harvard will
use in the race against Yale at New London
was put on board the City OF Worcester last
night. The shell Is in charge OF Mark Davis.
a brother Of the boat builder. who will remain
with her to MAKE any changes that may be
necessary. Ed Smith also went along and will
AXE hand in fitting and rigging out tho boat.
the outrigEers.will not DO. put on until New
London Is reached.
Harvard men who have been favored with
view of the boat are enthusiastic over It,
They proclaim the new shell to be tho fastest
ever built and say it will give an advantage to
the crew Of fully half minute in four miles
over their Yale rivals. The secret OF the char
acter OF the boat has been we'll kept. and the
particulars Of its make are forthcoming only
when it is too late for Yale to offset the advan-
tags Sained by Harvard.
william Blake. stroke OF the Harvard crew
OF GC. has been the primo mover In the con-
struction Of the new craft. on which expert
mechanics have been at work night and day
since June . in the Harlem River shop Of NJ
F. Davis. The old Harvard stroke has had the
shell patterned ns far as possibls after the boat
used by his winning crew in pi which was
considered an lnportant factor in gaining the
victory over Yale The plans drawn by r. G.
been used
In the latter part Of Nav Mr.. Blaikie took
the plans OF the Watson shell to Clinton II.
Crane, a Young Harvard man and a naval
architect, Of this city. who EXPRESSED his readi.
TolIowinG the Elliott lines. but narrowing
them AS Blaikie had done with.hls boat IN I1I.
he made a model for shell 70 be p inches
wide and ~ feet long. and he said that it could
he demonstrated that such Il boat would be
twelve seconds faster in four miles than the
shell used by Yale day. which is 23 inches
There would also lie still greater gain in
speed, according ns the weight OF the new boat
pounds lighter than the Yale shell. this means
fully twenty seconds additional advantage in
On account Of the nigh and day work. tho
shell will cost $40 instead OF 800. The
Blaikie John GraenouRh, the millionaire
banker. at once DIRE n heck to bind the con-
tract for the boa; and the rest OF the money
ward King OF the l'nion Trust Company. II.
Mckim Twomb!y, Robert Bacon Of i. Piorpont
Morgan & Co., President FRENCH Of the Man
arts. Choate 4 Beaman. Charles Clark. X. ID.
Winthrop and others.
look at the hoat. and 'ugges:ed few slight
changes to SUIT the crew. The new boat is
- feet i3ng ovsrail and - inches vide. while
AMI lae are - feet Ions aud % inches in
width, Instead Of tho usua! .heathing OF
the boats sheathing is only | IL Of an inch
Not only has the wood been chemically treated
So rs TO 10 impsrviouS 20 water. but 1t Is also
lined with n waterproof membrane, novelty
in racing shells. Ihere II scarcely screw or
a nail used in the construction of the boat.
Instead Of the old fashioned cockpit of cedar.
=, OF an inch thick and inches nigh. this boat
has one made Of the thinnest aluminium:
And this. instead of being vertical. Is turned
outward and downward. and is further pro.
teoted hy a HIGHT wooden strip, making 1t still
harder for water TO enter.
The outrGgers are Davis's latest device in
that direction. The old sort not only heut
downward when the stroke was applied with
great force. but the thOr pin. which caught
the brunt OF the stroke, ALWAYS yielded some.
what. This outrlgger and its thoIe min are
absolutely rigid being made Of hollow metal.
at once light and strong. The coNswsin is
packed away as near tho bottom OF the boat
as possible, II plan naver before tried.
There are two skegs instead Of one. both
made NJ the finest steel; the ordinary ono un.
der the coNswnn' S scar and another one I'M
der the seat of the bow oar. The advantage is
manifest. They not only act as centrebOhrds.
by making the boat silI and steady. but also.
when the wind is on the quarter. they prevent
her from paving OF and keep her true on the
course, The SLIDING seats are not only fitted
exactly To he carsmcn. but they are mounted
on rails oi Nui anZed rubber. which are moi
ther horizontal. ElT do they slouc upward ut
one end only, They rise about hall an inch AT
zach end.ISO aiding the seat over the dead point
when travelling either why. yet checking
tendency to retaTd the boats action "a tho
men shoot their oars out aft to take the stroke.
The trestleNOrk. cross braces and the light.
low keciSOn combine to give her great
strength aud lighiness, Icing Of the finest ma
terihl Perhau7 the most remarkable feature
in the new boats design. in the cyos Of OK
pertS. is the unusual distance aft, to which her
iulnesS has been carried. Builder Davis has
turned outs u racing machine which. from
the nnensss OF her lines aud from her mar
vellous ligh,ness. hidS:f TO lie the fastest
eight Al shell oy0r bullt