The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-08-03
rho King at Co,ycs.
- OWES during the next few days.
In fact, until the end OF the
week, will be not only the
headquarters of English So

Y headquarters of English So
s ,.le and the centre OF fa 10 mon
ernmeilt of the British empire. For
King Edward Is living on his yacht.
the Victoria and Albert, anchored off
Cowes, and 1t is on board that superb
boat that he is transacting business
in connection with the affairs Of state,
signing the hundreds of papers SUBJ
mitted to him every day by the min
lister in attendance, and even holding
meetings of tile Privy council on the
yacht. from whence many DEGREES and
official documents are dated.
What distinguishes The race week al
Cowts from all others Is Its exclusive.
ness and the absence, not merely or
the general public, but likewise OIL al!
those hnngers-o OH who may be aescnlpeIi
as the fringe OF society. The rnyal
yacht squadron blackballs most un-
mercifully candidates. who, IN It's eyes,
do not possess the birth ard breeding
requisite to render them conEenial as
sociates. 1t pills" them even When
they are, like Sir Thomas Upton,
sponsored by the King himself a., ana
the privileges OF the Club temporarily
to strangers.
Now, to be at Cowes during the
Cowes week, and to be excluded from
the club. and espeeialy IRON ,9 .ne cup 40
all social activity and fashion through
out the regatta week. is to expose
ones self to the humiliation OF virtual
ostracsm. People thus Disseminated
SO to speak. invite attention to the
fact II they are foolish enough TO
persist in Remaining. Few care to
expose themselves to this treatment,
and most prefer TO stay away, on some
The Prince of Wales. who is due to
arrive in the Solent tomorrow from
Quebec. Will be much in evidence at
the club. 1t will be the first Cowes.
owner Of boat OF his own, namely,
as tho proprietor Of u swift and hand
some racing schooner. Until now the
rule according to which each member
of the Royal Yacht Squadron must at
the time OF his election be the owner
of a yacht has been complied with af-
ter fashion by carrying him rs the
proprietor of the Alberta. which is
one of the steam yachts belonging to
the crown. and as such, part and parcel
is Prince Alexander, of Battenbers,
who attained his majority a year ago,
and to whom his mother, Princess
Beatrice, has transferred her fine steam
for election. lie is the eldest brother
of the Queen of Spain and Will be re-
membercd in this country as having
accompanied his uncle, Admiral Prince
Louis, OF Battenberg, when the latter
visited America three years ago, with
his cruiser squadron.
The club has been founded since 1872,
as indicated by the seal. and had the
first of It's annual dinners in 1915, the
Waterloo year. at the Thatched House
Lord Grantham being in the chair For
some years afterwards the Royal Yacht
Squadron held It's dinners, meetings
and elections. at the Medina Hotel, East
Cowes thenat the Gloucester Hotel. West
Cowes, until 1855. when, thanks to the
then Marquis of Cunningham, .commo-
dore of the squadron, it acquired the
castle at Cowes, which has ever since
been It's headquarters. commanding a
len, lent ~; The Royal Yacht squadron is
Of which have tie f priyile ase Of e fyins
the white ensign OF English men-of-
war--a right denied to honorary mem
bers-and of making use OF the royal
buoys and wharves. The commodore
OF Of, IN the D., CLUB since the election Of King
OF ormonde. head of the great Irish
House of Butler. and whose beautiful
daughter, Lady Beatrice Pole-Carew, is
now in this country with her husband,
General Sir Reginald Pole-Carew,
whose name must be pronounced as
If 1T were written Polly-Carey.
One OF the rules of the Royal Yacht
Squadron which keeps lots Of people
from becoming members is that
Which requires that candidates
for election should be practi-
tical yachtsmen, should hold diplomas
as sailing masters. 3 and be capable
of navigating their own boats.
King Edward has on several occas ions
endeavored to have this regulation
amended, so as to admit the election
of men like Upton, who, while not
yachtsmen in the technical sense OF
the word. have nevertheless, by their
ownership of yachts, and by the de-
| votion of large sums Of money to
the construction of racing craft. con-
tributed in an important and effective
manner to this branch of sport. But
the club has never been willing to
/ give way In the matter. realizing that
If there is one thing more than an.
other which contributes to its pres.
tlge as the premier yachting organ
Ration. Of the world, it Is the reputa.
ton which 1t enjoys for exclusiveness
that eAclusiveness which renders peo.
pie SO very anxious to Join 1t. AS one
blackball is sufficient to exclude a
candidate, the ballot Is an extremely
/ trying ordeal, and I may add thai
the initiation fee amounts to 5000.
Immediately after the Cowes week
! King Edward will start for Marienbad
stopping on the way to visit hi.
nephew, the Kaiser. at Friedrichsho
near Homburg. and to call upon TIL,