The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-05-28
CADETS HALL Lar.
ger Than CAPITOL.
I'm mense structue Named In
Honor of the Historian.
William E. Curtis Tells How The
Nations Future Sea Fighters
are Trained

Bancroft Hail. the principal building
IN the group of monumental struc-
lures recently erected for the navel
academy at Annepots, is larger than
the capitol at Was4hinton. 1t is 1888
by 45S feet, while the capitol is Isl
by $50 feet. Thus the capitol is eGgh-
teen feet longer and los feet narroweg
than Bancroft Hall: The capitol COW
ers 262, $50 square feet, while Bancroft
Hall covers 1,O74 square feet OF
ground.
Bancroft Hall contains the offices
of Commander Cove and his staff, a
memorial hall for the use of the
alumni, a RECREATION hail for tie use
of the mid;hipmen, a mees he'll
where they are mustered for meals,
and sleeping accommo dntioos Tor a
thousand cadets. 1t was named in
honor of George Bancroft, the eminent
historian, under whose administration
as Secretary Of the Navy the naval
academy WIS founded. 1t Is thanked
on the northeast by the gymnasium
and seamaaEhtp building and on the
southwest by the eTmony, being con-
nected with them by colonnedes. 1t
Is five stories in height and
built around three courts, the
ceter Of which is open to
the campus. This court is 300
feet wide and $50 feet deep. This
other cuoGts are each 100 feet square
and furnish light and vnetiAtion for
the living rooms that look upon them.
At the center Of the water side OF
the building, looking out upon Ohes-
apealse Bay, is a pavilion 167 feet wfd
by 200 feet deep, projecting from the
general mass. 1t coIditors the recve-
alton hall and the memorial hall.
The building is entirely of garnite,
the basement and all the architectural
details are Of cut work; TIE main
entrance doors are and the four
handsome French bronze onGCon O.
seventeenth century workmanship,
trophies Of the early days of the navy
are mounted on pe5estials at ether
sideside. The arms Of tie academy
are carved over the central doorway,
and trophies in granite surmount the
Thanking piers. The corner piers Of
the angel pavilions are oTnemerted
above the cornice by granite blocks
in the form Of capstons, richly carved
A fountain occupies the corner OF
terrace upon the side that faces TIE
bay. That terrace is LAO feet long ty
IS feet deep, and furnishes G beau
tiful pedestal for the monumental
building. The facade of the centred
pavilion is richly carved, and the roof,
which is copper and slate, rising from
behind a granite balustrade, with the
approach, stairway, suggests the Grand
Opera House at Paris. The effect Is
imposing and tie o,uameatation /.
artistic.
Three dcoways lead into lofty
vestibule, or rotuIJa, the walls Of
which, including the conrice, are OF
solid limestore, and tie vaulting IS
covered with plaster for future de-
ccCation in fresco. The floor IS of
marble. A stately flight Of stairs
leads up to the memorial hnll and
= obi - h,rn
below.
From the center CT the rotuLda the
main corridors, sixteen feet wide, ira
verse the entire building, eca when
the doors are opened upon the porticcf
which connects the building On oAe
side with the aImory, and on the 9TH
er with the armory end on the 9th
er with the gymrastum, they form a
vista 1887 feet in length, nearly a
quarter Of a mile, equal to thet in the
greet palace of the French kings eft
Versailles. TIE main corridors on
each of the five floors are intersected
at right angles by others, which give
access TO THE parts OF the building
which inclose the two smaller courts.
Opening upon these corridors are the
living rooms OF the midlshfpmen which
are arranged in suites of three rooms
and shower bath, each suite accom-
odating two boys, who have bedrooms
s by 16 feet, and a common sitting !
rocm sitting feet square.