The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19
LONDON is FULL or CLUBS.
800 OF THEN, WITH \ MEMBER.'
SHIP or 2S0,O0O.
Naval and Military h Most Expensive
THE Marlborough the Most Exclusive
and tn, CONSTITUTE the Largest z
Thirty FIOurIShing Clubs for Women.

@"N - NS 49, 49,
Thirty FIOurlshing Clubs for WOmen
There are in ondon nearly 800 clubs
devoted to the interests Of society, the
services (army and navy, art. letters or
sport. Their aggregate membership 1srN
upward Of $50, 900. 80
Thus London, according TO Toun and ;
Country, not only produced the first club,
but still maintains its lead. The first club
wns established at the end OF the sixteenth 10
century at the Mermaid Tavern. Shake-'o
speare was one of the leading members. ~ ~
When Shakespeare died Ben Jonson' setlw
up another club at the Devils Tavcfn,Sta
and the work has gone on ever since. Ono
Of these early organizations. Whites, isra
still fourishing. 40
II was formed in 1897 and until forty yeaiS ;
ago was socially without a rival. To be19
seen in the famous bow window OF, Whites"
was a social asset which was universally
recognized. s@
The most expensive club in London GSsI
the present time is the Naval and Military. r
nicknamed the an and Out from th6sa
inscription on its gateway. The entrance
fee is ESQ and the annual subscription isl
G10. The building in which it's $50 members :
meet is an old one and was originally thew
town residence Of the Earl OF Egremont. -
The oldest service club in London 10 the :
United Service, commonly known as the,
Senior" 1t was founded in 1915, the year
Of Waterloo, and opened premises In Charles
street. In 1928 1t moved to its present
premises in Pail Mall. spending close upon .
GloO, 600 on the change. ~
It's entrance fee is ESQ, with an annual
subscription Of Gl0, and its membership In
oludes the Duke Of Connaught. Earl RobeEte,
Lord Kitchener. Lord Wolseley n Sir
I-L- Tg-LA. -@-1 tie h@nNHaEY NANn
bers are MIR. Chamberlain, the C1ar Of
Russia, the Emperor OF Germany and the :
Khediye of Egypt. -tN
/ The Senior" resists all the ~encroaoh-,,
ments OF modernity. When it was pro-
rosed to install electric light and hfts in
the building a revolt almost resulted in
consequence OF the proposed plan. lHh
Other service clubs include the GuaSdss -
a most strict institution which forbids the.
admittance Of strangers or the playing
of round games Of cards; the Army and
Navy, nicknamed 'The Rag which ruth
lessly blaokballs would be members. one
adverse vote in ten being sufficient 70 dis 2
qualify at the ballot; the Junior United ,
| Service, which cost nearly 100000 to house
in its present style; the Cavalry, With tts
/ 400 members, and the Junior Naval and
Military Club. -s.tk
Among the political clubs the chief are
the Carlton and the Reform. The entrance
fee to each is forty guineas, and the ANNUAL
subscription ten guineas. The
ship Of each lies between 1900 and 2,Ooo.Ta
representing a Joint income Of 100000, n le
addition to vast sums contributed TO oil.
the wheels Of the political machine. The
social status OF many subscribers to these
deliberately equipped mansions Is fU1s,
quently modest. re-
London's largest political club a. tia
Constitutional, in Northumberland venue.
Its complexion is Conservative, and II houses
nearly 1000 members. who pay fifteen
guineas entrance fee and seven guineas
each year as subscription. This is runs
very closely by the National Liberal Club
with a membership Of 5000 and eighty
cheaper fees.
The Junior Constitutional, strictly Con.
sentative, has 5000 members; the United
Empire, devoted to the advance guard OF
Tariff Reform, also enjoys a membership, =:
| of 5000, while the Junior Carlton, the Junior
Conservative and the Conservative record
| respective memberships OF 100, $500 nd
1900. aIA
In social clubs London is especially richo+s
There are the Bath Club In Dover street,
which combines sport with social inter
course and charges an entrance fee OF
ESQ for the privilege, which has attracted
a membership Of 1850; the Wellington
entrance fee Of G2o; the Union, another
social organization, with a roll Of 1850
members, and the Bachelors, which ap-HS
popriately admits ladies to see its 1850
supporters.
Science possesses the AthenRum with.
200 aged members Then there are the
United University and the Oxford and
Cambridge clubs, restricted to the unfsfr
versities, both with very large member
ships. And these are not all. -sz
Other amous social clubs OF London are;