The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-25


admiration for the very adamantine char
acter Of those men and measures in
England that have by simply clutching.
hoiulng and wardtng gained so much and
so long
The Reform Club is about sixty years
ola. It's origin was through the influence
Oh Golden and Bright, and was a direct
haIlonai response to pressing need for a
reform headquarters during the intense
interest awakened by the famous bill of
1o5O-53. Its members comprise more
London and provincial editors and politi-
cal writers than perhaps belong to all
Other clubs in London. But it has ire
mendous wealth and many titles in its
membership. Carte blanche was given
Tor the construction of it's building. which
IS at one side of the entrance to Carlton
house Terrace, the Carlton standing on
the opposite corner, and for it's interior
decoration and appointments No other
London club possesses so diversified a
a membership in station, vocation and
views; but as 1T represents the cOncentra-
ton OF all opposition to torryism, though
II comprises at times almost countless
fractional elements, its wealth, strength
and permanency have been remarkable.
The building is in the pure Italian style,
massive, rich and simple. The central
hall, open from floor to dome, and sur
rornued by massively colonnaded CALLER
les, is one of the richest and most stately
interiors in England. A splendid start
case leads to the upper gallery, which
opens to the principal apartments of the
cluD. The cohee-roOm occupies the beau
tiful garden front on Carlton House Ter
race; and the drawing room which runs
the entire length of the building is lust
above. One of the galleries of the cen
trail hall is filed with fulllength portraits
nf fhnl n fNFT gs~fyz,
possesses magnificent frescoes illustrat-
ing the Fine Arts: while the statuary.
the richest amp most frequent in any
Londonclub-house, immortalizes the great
leaders like Golden, Bright, Palmerston,
Russell and Gladstone. There is only one
just appelative to use when speaking of
every feature of this great club That is
magnificent. Both the Carlton and the
Reform are famous for their cuisines and
chefs, and the Reform is said to have the
most famOrs public wine cellar in Europe
With the extraordinary prestige wealth
and influence of both these clubs, and a
limited mem bership-for instance, the
Carlton is limited to 1000 members, and
the Reform to ,400-'overflow clubs"
were the natural consequence. With the
Carlton, which contains the bluest blood
in England, death vacancies are the only
means of securing entrance Men wait
save in cases where some great leader of
the Tories dies, when his heir is usually
elected to ill the vacancy The Junior
Carleton was consequently established as
a chapel of ease'' for the Carlton, and
the National Liberal with the same rela-
tion to the Reform. The former has
membership of 2,100, end the latter
with its splendid establishment overlook
ing the Thames, has accommodation for
1000 members.
There are also, with conservative
tory affiliations, the conservative, city
Carlton, national, city conservative, ST.
Stephens, Beaconstield and the constitu-
tional while among those taking the re-
form as their leader and model and pos
sessing various phases of liberal sympa-
thies, are Brooks's, national liberal,
Golden, city liberal and Devonshire.
The Athen8um club is the chief literary
club, if not the resort of London It's huge,
time-worn walls and stately portico have
sombre look in the splendid Pail Mall
region where it stands at the Park en-
trance of Waterloo Place. Just opposite
the far SUMMER looking home of the United
Service Club. 1t occupies part of the
courtyard of old Carlton House The ar
chitecture is of the Grecian order, and of
severe Grecian order at that. The frieze
is copied from the Parthenon. Over the
Doric portico is a colossal figure of Mi
nerva. The only cheerful things in the
whole place are two huge fireplaces in
the main hall or exchange. Over these
are the "Diana Robing' and "Venus Vic
trix" in marble. The entire atmosphere
of the place suggests marble and ice. 1t
is a resort for venerable professors, phi
slosophers, scientists, antiquarians, and
authors, out of whom the life cheer is
already well filtered. The club has the
finest library of any club in the metrop-
oils, and story which Hatton tells illus
trates its value to habitues. A member
desiring reference to the Fathers on some
theological point inquired of club Off
cial if dustin Martyr was in the Ii
brary. ~ don't think he is a member,
sir" the latter politely replied, "but 1
will at once refer to the list, sir"
There is a large number of thoroughly
enjoyable clubs in London, some of them
really famous, which have brought so
cially together strictly professional peo-
pie, or men of means who are liberal pat
rons of the arts. In the main their fire.
qnenters are persons who have really ac-
complished something, men who as au-
thors, journalists, actors, artists, sin
gers, and even in law and physic, are pro-
gressiye, ambitious, independent; in fact,
the genuinely cultivated gentlemen of
London. These clubs do not always pos
sess palatial establishments entrance
fees and annual subscriptions are not
equal to ordinary incomes and their ex-
does not comprise questions of
blood, title, political opinion or wealth.
In these, | believe, exist in a greater de-
gree those true and laudable principles
which are the life and preservation of
genuine club association than in all other |
great clubs of London combined.
l refer to such clubs as the Gamicl,
Green Room, Savage, Arundel, Lyric and !
Beefsteak. The latter unique little club,
which has its home over TOoles theater, |
sprang out of the Honorable Society of |
in the old Beefsteak room of /
the Lyceum theater, which still exists /
and is used by Irving for his exquisite /
private dinner parties. The Beefsteak |
over Toole's is distinctive in being a /
''one-room'' and admitting no guests |
whatever.
The Arundel has $50 to 400 members. 1t |
was once exclusively literary and artis- /
tic Ambitious solicitors and amateurs |
of all sorts are now admitted, and while /
its promiscuousness is a bar to especial /
ii serves as a sort of necessary !
training school to higher club hOnors, /
while affording many deserving fellow /
a fOothold and beginning at professional |
recognition which would ja difficult in |
London to otherwise secure. |
The Lyric has a magnificent club house |
In Piccadilly, and with its entire appoint
ments, including a large theater and con-
cert hall, is among the finest buildings for
this purpose in the world. 1t also has an