Thames House-Boats 
the “ domik” 
ness of the June night. If one is permitted to 
be fantastic in the design of a house, then 
surely a greater license may be indulged in 
when the alfresco house-boat is contemplated. 
You might conceivably err on the side of 
over seriousness; but hardly on that of friv¬ 
olity, for no one lives a solemn life on a 
house-boat. It is the home of the holiday 
maker, a center for picnics and pleasure par¬ 
ties. It is true you are at the mercy of the 
elements. Floods spell disaster to the badly 
moored house-boat. She will rise with the 
water, drag on her chains, and move perhaps 
over the sloping bank. 
Then unless care is 
taken at the subsidence 
of the waters, the decks 
will gradually assume 
a dangerous angle, 
movable articles will 
slide, and anything may 
happen. Boats occa¬ 
sionally founder on the 
Thames during winter 
floods. 
The picture shown 
of the “ Castle ” indi¬ 
cates plainly the most 
effective means of 
mooring. This is by 
driving piles into the 
bed of the river above 
and below the boat, 
and making fast to 
them. It is an effectu¬ 
al, but hardly a sightly 
method. By the use of 
the roof a very large 
amount of open air 
sitting and promenade 
accommodation is pro¬ 
vided on a house-boat, 
particularly when it is 
considered that very 
rarely does the entire 
length exceed a hun¬ 
dred feet. Sixty feet 
is a more usual meas¬ 
urement. The plan 
shown is of a boat built 
by Messrs. Whatford 
& Son, of Thames Dit- 
ton. It is 60 feet long 
and it will be seen that three bedrooms are 
provided in the middle, a saloon at the head, 
and kitchen and offices at the stern. Over 
all is the upper deck, devoted to wicker 
chairs and lounges, hammocks, flower boxes 
and hanging fern baskets. 
The illustration of the “ Gypsy ” is more 
than usually interesting from the fact that 
it shows a raft moored in front and ex¬ 
tending the whole length of the boat. 
This gives a splendid lower promenade 
deck and provides a broader gangway and 
greater space for floral decorations, the house 
the “castle” 
102 
