Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-30
CLUBS FACE FAILURE
Several in London Making
Best of Bad Balance Sheets.
PATRONAGE FALLS OFF
Changes in Fashion Given as Reason
by One Who Is Member.
PREDICT FIGHTS IN THE AIR
Grahame-W White and Harry Harper
Write Article Which Does Not
Allay Britain's Anxiety.
PREDICT FIGHTS IN THE AIR
BY PHILLIP EVERETT.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, June a9-During the past
few weeks the committees of several
London clubs have been trying to make
the best Of very unpleasant balance
sheets.
The financial position of nearly halt
the best clubs has been going from bad
to worse for some time: in fact, a consid-
cradle portion Of clubland is in a state
of mild panic Even the remedy of low
ering the height of the barrier of ex-
clusiveness, which many committees have
had to adopt, has not got them out OF
their difficulties.
Clubs are suffering from two changes
in fashion, a reporter was informed yes
terday by a man who has had a wide
experience of West End clubs.
Twenty years ago many a man about
town could boast that it was not posi-
BILE for him to walk more than 800 yards
within certain area OF the West End
without coming to club of which he
was a member.
1T is no longer fashionable to belong
to three or four clubs. There are outlets
for expenditure in other directions.
The restaurants are gradually killing
many of the best clubs. in spite Of some
of the latter having afforded facilities for
entertaining lady guests, SO as to cOun-
teract the competition
I. Falling OFF in Diners.
Clubs which have suffered little or nc
falling off in members are feeling the
pinch in the amount received per member
for dinners, luncheons and wines.
one sees a member to whom the cost
of a pint of wine is of no considerat ton
drinking twopenny worth OF barley wa
ter quite fashionable beverage) al
lunch. and six pennyworth of larger beer
at dinner
ITO make matters worse, while receipts
are falling off year by year, expenses are
slowly increasing.
AT the present moment one of the best
| West End clubs, which for many Years
past has numbered distinguished public
| men among its members. and twelve
years ago was in very prosperous cir
cumstanceS, is barely solvent.
Since 1890 no fewer than sixteen clubs
at time firmly established and OF
| some repute, have disappeared.
AT the present moment in st. James
| street alone the tenants of four proud
looking clubhouses are face To face win
a more or less imminent crisis
The ''Aeroplane in War;
| The "Aeroplane in War; by Claude
| Grahame- White and Harry Harper, will
not allay anxiety as to Britains future in
| the air.
The developing of aeroplaning. espe-
cially for war purposes; the best types OF
machines, the severe training of airmen
and the exacting duties required OF them
! are all admirably described We are told
| by the authors how opposing sQuadrons
/ will meet in combat in the sky
Armed aerOplanes will accompany
each accommodating machine when it is
about to set out over the enemy's posi-
| ton These armed craft, or aerial cruis-
! ers, will most likely circle round the
| scouting machine. SO as to open fire upon
! any hostile aeroplanes which approach
| One prominent constructor suggests
| that such fighting units should be fitted
with a gun firing a small explosive shell,
| something like a pom-pom.
After a preliminary exchange of shots
| the machines will sweep to closer range
and then one of them. winged by well
| directed fire, will be put out of action
| and will f1utter away earthward.
| An ability to climb rapidly, combined
| with high speed. will. indeed, prove in
| valuable to the fighting aeroplane. II II
can do so 1t will undoubtedly seek to rise
| above an antagonist and destroy 1t with
a we'll directed missile
| The late Capt. Ferber prophesied thai
| aeroplanes would fight lin the same way