The Fencing Club.

There has been more interest and activity shown in fencing this year than ever before at Harvard. Beside a number of smokers the club has been and will be represented in a number of competitions.

On Dec. 13, Professor Rondelle and J. P. Parker '96, gave an interesting exhibition at the opening of the Providence Athletic Club. The annual club handicap for members, not on the team, was held in the club rooms on Monday, Dec. 16, the following men competing:

W. Parker '96, A. Corbin '96, A. F. Riggs '98, J. T. Furness '98, H. Clapp '99, H. Bowker '98, R. M. Johnson '98 and P. D. Rust '98. The judges were S. Cabot of the Boston Fencing Club and A. G. Thacher; referee, Professor Rondelle. After some close contests H. Bowker '98, was declared the winner.

On Dec. 27 the Racquest and Tennis Club of New York, held an invitation fencing meeting in which the following teams took part: The Twelfth Regiment, the Racquet Club, New York Athletic Club, the Fencers Club and the Harvard Fencing Club. There were no prizes, but a novel method of judging was tried namely, that of having for judges all those in the front row of the spectators and those not at the time fencing.

According to the votes of this large jury the Harvard team beat that of the Twelfth Regiment; the New York Athletic Club beat the Racquet Club, and in the finals the Fencers' Club defeated the Harvard team by the narrow margin of one vote out of a jury of about fifteen. The Harvard team was composed of J. P. Parker '96, J. E. Hoffman '96, and A. G. Thacher '97. Hoffman showed the greatest improvement over last year's form. Among the New York fencers were Messrs. Post, Bothner and Townsend, who finished in the order named in the amateur championships last spring.

On Jan. 18 there will be held at Sherry's in New York, a benefit for Professor Gouspy, of the Racquet Club; most of the prominent amateurs in New York will be present, and J. E. Hoffman '96, and A. G. Thacher '97, have been invited to compete. The feature of the afternoon will be the bout between Professor Gouspy and Professor Rondelle of the Harvard Fencing Club.

The next intercollegiate fencing competition which takes place in May, 1896, will arouse greater interest this year owing to the entrance of the Naval Academy at Annapolis; it is much to be regretted that West Point could not accept the invitation to compete extended to them by the fencing clubs of Harvard and Columbia.