Evening star., 1924-02-14
BIZ THE MARaUIsE DE FONTENoY.

~ lnG hAhSaSAS6 LIE roNIENo1 Z.
Only the oxford men. Americans and
Englishmen, now In this country can
appreciate the Importance Of the two
line cable dispatch published here the
other day to the effect that the Bull
lingdon Club had been destroyed by
fire. 1t was not the value of the build
ing itself. which was nothing more
than an old barn at Cowley. but it was
because the club has been for the last
near four score years the most famous
and assuredly the most exclusive OF all
the social institutions of this ancient
seat of learning. 1t was founded in
the early years of the reign of Queen
Victoria by a group Of undergraduates
in which those Of Christ Church, the
most important of all colleges. was
most largely represented.
1t was organized primarily for the
cultivation of sport, which was OF
far more comprehensive character than
it is today. including cock fighting,
prize fighting without gloves. dog fight
longer commend themselves to the
laws of the day. 1t also promoted
horse racing, steeplechasing. rowing,
cricket and various forms Of athletics.
don was its excluSivenesS and the
drastic manner in which the member
ship of the club has always been re-
stricted to thirty. The qualifications
for admission to the Burlington have
never been clearly laid down.
But the one great essential has
been and remains that the candidate
for election shall be good sports
man" in the widest sense of that
term. Good birth and ancient lineage
are likewise a sine qua non, and
among it's members have been the
Prince of Wales, when he was at
oxford. like his father, the late King
Edward; also the Marquis Of Curzon
as the Earl of Beauohamp, Lord Des-
borough. who is chairman Of the Pill
grims Society of Great Britain. and
the late Earl Of Jersey. who at the
time of his death the other day was
the senior of the triumvirate of stew
ards Of the Jockey Club. and as such
the head OF the greatest racing
tribunal of the world. from whose de
cisions there is no appeal. Other
members have been the now octo-
genarian but still vigorous and ac-
tive Earl of Coventry, the late King
Frederick OF Denmark, the late Mar
quis Of Hastings. the present Earl Of
leicester, who owns Holland House
in London, and the reigning King of
Siam. or the present members-that
is to say, young fellows that still have
their degree to win at Oxford-are
young Viscount Ridley and Viscount
Marquis Of Londonderry, and the Hon.
David Bowes-Lyon, brother Of the royal
Duchess Of York.
The most characteristic features Of
four principal ones Of which take
place in the summer term, while the
other two are held in the autumn
and spring terms. They are very
merry and picturesque affairs, at
which high spirits are the order of
the day. One Of them held shortly
before the outbreak Of the great war
J was so wild that Queen Mary in
sisted upon her first born being
transferred to Cambridge, while an
other one last year excited the ire of
the vice chancellor Of the univer.
sity, who undertook to forbid any
more being held. The influence, how
were able to command proved more
powerful than his conception of his
authority as virtual administrator of
the university and as the dignitary
It's order anS dscpns ar ,s Of
the place Of Dr. Farnell, then vice
chancellor. knows him no more, and
| a new don possessed of greater
sense Of humor and less given to ar
bitrariness reigns in his stead.
The Burlington is supposed to derive
its name from the adjacent Burlington
meadows. which were rented by the
club for cricket and other games, and
many famous varsity and interuniver-
sity matches have been played there.
There had long been talk among the
present and former members of the
club about the necessity Of tearing
down the old barn for the erection Of a
new and more elaborate clubhouse on
its site, better equipped with the re-
quirements Of modern club life. The
old spirit Of conservatism of the club
has stood In the way Of making the
change until now. But since the old
barn has perished in the flames nothing
else remains but to build 1t up anew.
IL is difficult for foreigners. and espe-
ciaily the ordinary American. to compre-
bend the mentality Of the Japanese, no