New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-28
First Have a Friend Who
Is a Junior Carlton or
Auto Club Member.
THEN GET INVITED TO
PHYLLIS COURT CLUB
Latter's Exclusive Lawn Pro-
videS the Only Really AIDE
quate View of the Race.
rHy cable TO The Tribune.

London. June y. Those whose dity
or pleasure il will be to be present at
the Royal Regatta at Henley next week
know how difficult it is to obtain any
adequate view of what is generally re-
garded as the most famous rowing
event in the world The splendor OF
Henley as an athletic spectacle IMthe
beauty Of its surroundings have been cy-
tolled on many occasions. but usually
tie glorihers Of the regatta fail 10
dwell on the fact that it is an occasion
arranged for the benefit Of the favored
few and rot for the man i'm the street"
From the viewpoint OF the spectator,
the arrangements for the regatta leave
a great deal 10 be desired. As a matter
Of fact, there is only one place along
the whole Of the cOurse-the length OF
which is l mile 500 yards-that pro-
yides a really adequate view Of the
race. This is the lawn of the Phyllis
Court Club, and that institute happens
to be quite inaccessible to the ordinary
rowing enthusiast. because il cOnsti-
tut-s the river headquarters of two of
the most aristocratic clubs in London s
West End-the Royal Automobile Club
and the Junior Carlton Club. On re-
gatta day the close-clipped lawns OF
Phyllis arc quite invisible beneath the
throng Of fashionables Of either class
come there to get a really good look at
the international oarSmen. Sloping, as
they do, to the very edge of the
Thames, the Phyllis lawns, when are
set in lovely frame Of fine old trees
form most attractive erandstand
aloof from the pressure of the prolc-
tariat ard within few hundred feet OF
q luNuriously equipped clubhouse. Just
as the royal inclosure has become foI
society the beginning and end Of things
at Ascot, so the grounds Of the Phyllis
Court Club are the one spot from which
the smart set deigns TO gaze upon The
struggles of all the Contesting crews.
Even in this ultra-eXclusive estab,
lishment, however, one finds closely
drawn the lines Of caste so dear TO the
heart of the Englishman. There is. for
instance, a small but comfortable stand
At the end Of the lawn nearest the fin
ishing point. and to this are admitted
only actual members Of the club. Their
guests. no matter how high their rank
may be, must content themselves in
the comfortable chairs scattered abou,
the greensward, but there is no hard.
ship in this exclusion, for from ones
seat on the lawn one can behold almost
the entire course and the finish as
well. and, in addition TO that, one has
only to raise ones hand TO summon
the club servitor and obtain what
ever refreshment one may require.
The clubhouse itself is big white
building standing gracefully among
the trees, and its boast is that it pos
sesses the most magnificent restaurant
and the daintiest cuisine to be found
along the whole length Of the Thames.
That is how the aristocracy takes in
Henley Regatta.
On the opposite bank of the river
where is gathered the less favored
multitude, a very different story is to
be told. In the first place huge trees
efiectually screen all but a few hun
dred yards of the river from the spec
tators, even those who are lucky
enough to have places in the front
rows Of the crowd. Ia the second place
the one public grandstand, for rea-
sons never made known by its builders
is constructed in such a way that il
faces almost with its back 10 the direc-
ton from which the shells come. and
thus those who pay eXorbitant prices
10 get seats in it see practically moth
ing of the race save the actual finish
Furthermore. should it chance to be a
hot day the occupants Of the stand are
likely 10 be very warm indeed, for
they have 10 protection whatever from
the suns rays.
Perhaps the most popular, although
il is by no means the most comfort
able way Of seeing the race, is to en-
bark in a punt or rowboat and then
with infinite endeavor, wedge the craft
among the hundreds of other punts
and rowobats jsmmed together along
The edges Of the course. Once one
does manage to get ones boat into
this tangled mass, one must remain
stationary till long after the regatta
is At en- end, and thea again one must
be prepared to suffer whatever form
Of weather the elements choose TO give.
And there is no earthly chance OF
navigating into a position where both
tbe contest itself ana the finish can
ne seen unless one is prepared TO set
forth either the night before or about
dswn of Regatta day.