Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-02
THE LONDON CLUB HOUSES.
Their SpIendor and Luxury-Tbeir
Dinners and Dining Re-
duced TO "A Fine Art-The Old RO'
man Feasts Ecifpsed-A Charming
Chapter.

Diuuers and Kftchens-D Dining Re
duced to "A Fine Art-The Old Ro-
man Feasts Ecifpsed-A Charming
Chapter.
From Palace and Howell
Club life has attained the greatest per-
lection in London. No city upon the
continent can compare with it for the
number of its club houses, the splendor
of their architecture, their luxurious fur
niture, and the standing in society OF
their members. ltfIL ILLlIlLtt ttG.
There are upward of fifty clubs in
London, in which all the professions,
and all the stations of life find represen-
tation, with roll of perhaps $1,000
members. The following are the princi-
pal clubs, with the cost of ground and
construction: Army and Navy Clnb,
Georges street, st. James Square, l45O
members, fl00, 900 ($500,000); the Con
servate Club, St. James street, 1900 mem
bers, eSl 900; Garrick Club, King street
Covent Garden, 500 members, e25,000;
Junior United Service Club, corner Of
Charles and Regent streets, 1900 mem
bers, e15,000; Oxford ana Cambridge
Club, Pail Mall, 1900 members, fl0O,-
900; Reform Club, 400 members,
fl20,000; University Club, Pail Mall
East, 500 members, 100000; Wynd-
ham Club, st. James Square. 600
members, 100000; Westminster, Able
marie street, $50 members, fl5,0OO;
Athen@um, Pail Mall, l,200 members,
eco, ,000 Carleton, Pail Mall, 500 mem
bers, 10000; Guards Hall, Pail Mall,
500 members, $1,000; Oriental, Hano-
yer, $4,000 members, f30,000; Travel
ler's, Pail Mall, 700 members, $50, ,OOOi
Union, Cockspur street, 1000 members,
e25, 900; United Service Club, Pail Mall,
1869 members, 100000; Whites Club,
st. James street, $50 members, 100000;
Boobies, st. James street, 500 members,
fl5O0O; Cavendish Club, 307 Regent
street, 800 members, fl5,000; and Civil
Service Club, Sc st. James street, 1000
m embers, e45, 900.
Each member is elected by ballot, and
paws an entrance on admission, and af-
teryards an annual subscription, which
varies, like entrance fees, in different
clubs. Thus, IL the Athenaum, the en-
trance fee is g26 So. Labaat Sl30], an
nual subscription &c 6s. 1881.
When clubs we're first started they were
regarded with hostility as being most an
tagonistic to domestic life, and the ladies
displayed an intense spirit against them.
The clubs, toyeyer, survived and Hour
ished under their eaMity, and i was
fornd that theydisoouraged coarse drunk
enness sie prevalent vice Of English
men, encouraged social intercourse-of
r,hicb ladies nartook elsewhere; refined
the manners Of the members, constituted
courts of honor, and tended most mate
rally TO tho manufacture Of gentlemen.
The London clabe pre- private hotels, OF,
on vast and magnificent scala lhey
have billiard rooms, coffee rooms nine
pin rooms, splendid libraries, saloons
furniture, and plate, Of the eostlest and
rarest description. .-.
All the refreshments whichR member
has, whether breakfast, dinner, supper
or wine, are furnished to him at the mar
ket cost price, all other expenses being
betrayed from the annual subscriptions.
For a few pounds a year advantages are
10 be had which no incomes but the most
ample could procure. The Athen9um,
which eOnsiois Of twelve hundred mem
bers, can be taken as a good example OF
the rest Among the members can be
reckoned large proportion Of the most
eminent persons in England-eivil, mill
tary and ecclesiastical, peers, spiritual
and temporal, commoners, men Of the
learned professions, those connected with
the sciences and arts and commerce, as
well as the distinguished who do not be-
lorg 70 any particular class, and who
have nothing 10 90 but 70 live on their
means. bore their tsilors, and admire
their family genealogy and their oEn hg
ures. These men are TO be met with day
after DAY at the clubs, living with more
freedom and nonchalence than they
could at their own houses. For SIX OF
eight guineas year every member has
he command Of an excellent library,
with maps, the daily London papers,
English and foreign periodicals, and
every material for writing, with
q aOck Of gorgeous funkies in powder
and epaulets 70 attend at the nod Of .
member. and host Of youthful pages in
buttons and broadcloths. The club Is a
sort Of palace, with the comfort Of pri-
vate dwelling and every member IS q