ENGLISH YACHT CLUBS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 5 (Supplement)

ENGLISH YACHT CLUBS.

THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON AT

CO WES THE MOST EXCLUSIVE.

THERE are forty-three yacht clubs in Great Britain, most of them established at ports :on the English coast:

Several important ones are in Scotland and Ireland, the oldest one of them iill— Royal Cork—having-* its headquarters at ,: Queenstown. This one -was founded in 1720. ~ . '

The chief of all the British clubs is the Royal Yacht Squadron, founded in 1812, with headquarters at Covves. It is the most exclusive institution in England, no one, until quite recently, being admitted a member of it without the approval of King Edward. , - ,',

When His Majesty was Prince of Wales lie officiated as commodore, but on his accession to the throne ho relinquished the position. The club, however, still retains its character for exclusiveness, and according to Baily's Magazine no candidate can hope to secure election unless possessed of considerable social influence. The ballot is so severe that •'the " pilling" of extremely veil-known sportsmen frequently takes place, much to the chagrin of their proposers. On one occasion a certain Royal personage is said to have been so ann'oved ajf finding one of his nominees blackballed that he promptly tendered his own resignation. Among those„ who have belonged to the club for at least. years are the Duke of Connaught, the Duke of Fife, and the Marquis of Ormonde. Of those who have joined more recently the best known are perhaps the Earl of Dunraven and Marquis of Zetland. The list of yachts registered to fly the squadron burgee includes such universally famous ones as the. Meteor, belonging to the German Emperor, the Sunbeam, of Lord Brassey, and the Valkyrie, of Lord Dunraven. On election an members pay an entrance fee of £105, while the annual subscription is £16. The yacht club next in importance is the Royal Thames, established in 1823. The membership (which is limited to 1000). includes the Emperor of Russia, the King of the Belgians, the Prince of Wales, Lord Brassey, and Sir Donald Ourrio. The uniform of the R.T.Y.C. is unique in its way. It consists of a plain blue cloth dress coat and white waistcoat, each with special buttons, and either blue cloth or white duck trousers, according to the season. In undress a short blue jacket is worn in place of the tail coat.

The annual subscription is eight guineas, except in the case of members owning; yachts of not less than nine tons, Thames, measurements. For these latter the yearly dues are reduced to six guineas. Another -established yacht club is the Royal Western Yacht Club of England. Membership is restricted to 500, and no one can be elected if the ballot shows him to have received one black ball against five white. The clubhouse, which is at Plymouth, contains a number of valuable pictures and souvenirs. ■ The Isle of Wight being the chief yachting centre in Great Britain, the Royal Victoria Yacht Club has its headquarters appropriately enough at Ryde. It was established at this port in 1844 for the encouragement of yachting among gentlemen owning property on the island. ; By its constitution membership is still confined to persons coming under this heading. Admission to temporary membership, however, may he extended to yachtowners who belong to other recognised clubs. ■ ."■. , •;.;.,-. ■-..-.. -.'-..— .

. Although it was established at so comparatively recent a date as 1875, the Royal Southampton Yacht, Club is recognised as a leader. • Membership is open to both ladies and gentlemen, the proportion of the former, being large. '