The Washington times., 1931-05-18
Bakhmeteff
To Teach at
Columbia
Former Russian Ambassador
to the United States will
Become Civil Engineering
Professor at University

Professor at University
The appointment of DR.. Boris
A. Bakhmeteff, former Russian
Ambassador to the United
States, as professor of civil engi-
neering at Columbia University,
was announced yesterday by
Nicholas Murray Butler, presi-
dent of Columbia.
DR.. Bakhmeteff, it will be re-
membered, came here as the
diplomatic representative of the
Kerensky government following
the overthrow of the Czarist
regime. Considered an au-
thority on hydraulics he was a
member of the faculty of the
Polytechnic Institute of 81.
Peter the Great in st. Peters
burg from 1905 to 1916. He will
offer advanced instruction in
engineering at Columbia, giving
a special course in the me-
chanicS If fluids.
Work on Cana!
DR.. Bakhmeteff first came to
the United States in 1904 for
work on the New York State
barge canal. IN 1915 the Rus
sian government sent him to
this country as member of the
Central War Industrial PurchaS-
ing Committee. On the fall of
the CZarist regime in March,
1917, he became under-Secretary
of state in the Kerensky gov
ernment, and in May was sent
here as ambassador.
No Kin of Former Envoy
DR.. Bakhmeteff is not to be
confused with George Bakmet-
eff, who was ambassador here
under Car Nicholas. The lat
ter was exceedingly popular in
the Capital and his wife, the
late Nine. Bakhmeteff, was an
American woman. a sister Of
Mrs. Truxtun Beale, of Wash
ington. During the seven Years
in which she reigned as chate-
laine of the Russian Embassy
she was a noted figure in Cap
ital society, famous for her hos
pitality. Her marriage to the
future envoy took place when
M. Bakhmeteff was an attache
of the embassy in 1877. After
q colorful diplomatic career, he
was sent to Washington in 1911
and remained here as ambassa-
dor until the downfall of his
sovereign.
Were Bitter Foes
His successor was the DR..
Boris Bakhmeteff, now appointed
professor at Columbia. Needless
to say, the couple, one the rep
resentative of the government
held responsible by the other
for the tragic death of the Rus
sian Romanoffs, were bitterly
antagonistic and almost immedi-
ately following the arrival of
DR.. Boris the former ambassa-
dor and his wife left this coun-
try for Paris, where Nine. Bakh.
meteff died a couple of years
ago.
Following the downfall of
the Kerensky government, DR..
Kakhmeteff remained in Wash
ington for some months, the
representative of a government
no longer existing. His anon
alous position caused bitter COM
ment in official circles and
finally the Bakhmeteffs closed
the embassy on Sixteenth
Street and left Washington.
The beautiful building, once the
scene of lavish hospitality, has
since remained closed. one of
the mystery places of Washing
ton.
Give Dinner Party
Col. and Mrs. John B. Hug
gins entertained a company at
dinner at the Shoreham Hotel
on Saturday evening.
Other hosts at the Shoreham
Saturday evening dinner dance
included Mrs. M. A. Mathis,
Major and Mrs. F. C. Harring-
ton. Paul Brown, Mrs. John
Gregg, Col. Andrew j. White,
T. j. Buford, Mr.. and Mrs! T.
E. Harris. L. B. Kilbourne, DR..
Edward A. Cafritz, S. M. Snow,
DR.. R. A. Bell, H. H. Denham,
j. D. Reynolds. E. M. Dulin, J.
r. Brewer. James Burns and
Charles Allyn.
HOnOrs His Brother
Lieut.. Comdr. Ovid C. Foote
entertained a company at din
ner at the Shoreham Hotel on
Saturday everinr in noy,oro1i