Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-25
TIE LONDON CLUBS.
How Men Live at Them and What it Costs


-~N-A@A NA0hal
There are many clubs at which, for
various ~otfenses, as for want of pune
tuality in paying subscriptions, play
ing for stakes higher then those allowed
by the club rules, remaining beyond
the hour fixed for closing, and so on,
fines are imposed. But there is only
one club in London where a sentence
of temporary Punishment may be
passed upon a member, whose CON
duct is considered worthy of blame,
though not sufficiently so TO deserve
expulsion. At the last established of
the great political clubs, the Devon
shire in st. James street, the commit
tee possesses the power of exiting a
member for q year, during which pc
riod the prescribed one must pay his
subscription as if he were continuing
to enjoy the advantages of the club.
The position Of a member thus for
mally and effectively sent to Coventry
cannot be a pleasant one. His feelings
on returning to the society of those
who have found it desirable to keep
him at a distance for an entire twelve
month must be far from enviable. On
due reflection, however, he would
doubtless prefer suspension to expul-
sion.
One of the latest clubs in London
seems to be the Beefsteak Club; and
here the l~ateness of the hours some
times kept is sufficiently indicated BY
the rules. The club is supposed to
close at 3; and after 3 O'Clock the head
waiter is empowered to call the atten-
tion of the members remaining to the
fact that it is past 3. AT ( o'clock he
enjoys the right of taking down the
names of the members still at the
club, and may further, at the first
convenient opportunity, exercise the
privilege of submitting them to the
committee. If several of the late
stayers proved to be members of the
committee, no very serious eonse-
quences would follow from a strict ap-
plication Of this rule.
Two of the dearest clubs in London,
so far as regards the sum charged for
entrance money and annual subscrip-
zion, are the Travellers and the Re-
form. At each Of these clubs the en-
trance fee is e31 los, the annual sub
scription go los. At the Carlton the
entrance fee Is go, the annual sub
scription s10 los. At the Junior
Carlton the entrance fee is go 5s., the
annual subscription IS IS. Often,
however, the charges for dinners,
wines and refreshments are in inverse
proportion to the charges for entrance
and subscription. Thus, to Judge Of
the cost of articles of refreshment out
Of which no great profit is likely to be
made, at the BeetSteak Club, where
the entrance fee is e10 los, the annual
subscription a As, the charge for a
cup Of tea with cream is 6 pence. AT
the Arts Club, where the entrance fee
Is 80 los. the annual subscription CO
Is, a cup Of tea with milk costs )
pence. At the Reform Club, where
the entrance fee Is e31 los, the annual
subscription el0 10, a cup Of tea with
cream costs 1 pence. At the artistic
clubs-Arts, Beefsteak, Savile IA
half bottle Of ordinary French wine is
charged Is. OF Is. ID. At the Reform
the same description of wine can be
had for 6 pence the half bottle. At
the large clubs, on the other hand, the
charge for table-money, especially for
strangers table-money, is in some
cases u%nreasonably high.
There seems in the development of
club life to be a growing tendency to-
wards admitting strangers on all posi-
bic occasions. Forty years ago, until
in the year 1887 the Army and Navy
Club was established, there was not a
club in London at which a member
could entertain a friend. At the
/, Senior United Service, the Athenaum
and the Carlton, a member, now as
) when these clubs were first started.
cannot offer a visitor any refreshment.
AT the Reform Club a member ma
invite friends to dinner and enter
tain them as literally as b. please:
during and after the evening meal
, But he cannot offer any kind Of re-
| freshments to a visitor which he has
not formally invited at least two
r hours beforehand to dine with him.
At the Garriek Club strangers may
be invited to dine, and any kind O.
soup, fish, made dish and pastry may
= be offered to them, but they are no
] allowed 70 have a slice from the Joint
f A particular kind of steak has been in.
s vented at this club, as If for the con.
ISOLATION Of visitors, to whom it il
served in lieu Of roast meat.
At most Of the theatrical club.
2 strangers are freely admitted,
freely, indeed, hat at the Arunde
cases are said to have occurred il
which members arriving late at nigh
G found that there was nothing for sup
per, the provisions having all beel
a consumed by hungry visitors. Tn.
r Garrick can scarcely be considered
d theatrical club, though a certain mum
b Der Of actors still belong to it. 1t i
considered an advantage, however. il
a being proposed for the Garrick, not t
have anything 10 do with the stage. a
d Is desirable at the Atheneum not t
# have written a book.
ell a certain number Of actors and
good many musicians are members q
i the Westminster Club, in Albermarl
d street, said to .baYe been founde
chiefly for the convenience Of a Ger
tain number Of gentlemen at III
West End who happen to be engage
in trade. Probably no club in Lon
+ don has a better cook or a better eel
lar than the Westminster. Here, a
at the Arts Club and the Savile,
house-dinner is served daily in table
d'hote fashion at a very moderat
!, charge. There seems to be no lin.
+ at the Westminster 70 tho number 4
= friends whom a member may inyit
!, either to dinner or 10 supper. 1t