E cannot conceive of any greater contrast than that which exists between the wretchedness and squalor of the lodging houses, and the splendor and refined elegance, combined with comfort of the Club houses of London, which are chiefly situated in Pall Mall, St. James street, and the neighborhood of lower Regent street.
Club life has attained its greatest perfection in London. No city upon the Continent can compare with it for the number of its club houses, the splendor of their architecture, their luxurious furniture, and the standing in society of their members.
INTERESTING STATISTICS.
There are, I believe, upward of fifty clubs in London, in which all the professions, and all the stations of life find representation, with a roll of perhaps 45,000 members. The following are the principal clubs with the cost of ground and construction: Army and Navy Club, George's street, St. James' square, 1,450 members, £100,000; the Conservative Club, St. James' street, 1,500 members, £81,000; Garrick Club, King street, Convent Garden, 500 members, £25,000; Junior United Service Club, corner of Charles and Regent streets, 1,500 members, £75,000; Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall, 1,200 members, £100,000; Reform Club, 1,400 members, £120,000; University Club, Pall Mall East, 500 members, £20,000; Wyndham Club, St. James' square, 600 members, £30,000; Westminster Club, Albemarle street, 560 members, £15,000; Athenæum, Pall Mall, 1,200 members, £60,000; Carlton, Pall Mall, 800 members, £100,000; Guards Club, Pall Mall, 500 members, £40,000; Oriental, Hanover square, 800 members, £30,000; Traveler's, Pall Mall, 700 members, £30,000; Union, Cockspur street, 1,000 members, £25,000; United Service Club, Pall Mall, 1,500 members, £70,000; White's Club, St. James' street, 550 members, £20,000; Boodles, St. James' street, 500 members, £15,000; Cavendish Club, 307 Regent street, 500 members, £15,000; and Civil Service Club, 86 St. James' street, 1,000 members, £45,000.
Besides the before-mentioned clubs there are the following, which rank nearly but not quite as high among Club men:
| MEMBERS. | COST. | |
| Albert Club, 15 George street, Hanover square, | 500 | £10,000 |
| Alpine Club, Trafalgar square, | 600 | 18,000 |
| Arlington Club, 4 Arlington street, | 400 | 16,000 |
| Arts Club, 17 Hanover square, | 500 | 16,000 |
| Arundel Club, 12 Salisbury street, Strand, | 600 | 52,000 |
| City of London Club, 19 old Broad street, (merchants,) | 1,000 | 50,000 |
| Gresham Club, City, (bankers, &c.,) | 1,000 | 60,000 |
| Junior Athenæum Club, 29 King street, St. James, | 800 | 30,000 |
| Junior Carlton Club, 14 Regent street, | 800 | 40,000 |
| New Carlton Club, Albemarle street, | 800 | 25,000 |
| New University Club, 57 St. James' street, | 600 | 29,000 |
| Portland Club, Stratford Place, Oxford street, | 400 | 18,000 |
| Smithfield Club, Half-Moon street, Piccadilly, | 300 | 12,000 |
| St. James' Club, 54 St. James' street, | 500 | 23,000 |
| Whitehall Club, Parliament street, | 500 | 9,000 |
| Whittington Club, 37 Arundel street, | 1,600 | 40,000 |
| Clarendon Club, 86 St. James' street, | 900 | 36,000 |
| Junior Reform Club, Albemarle street, | 800 | 40,000 |
| Brooks' Club, 60 St. James' street, | 575 | 20,000 |
| Arthur's Club,69 St. James' Strett, | 600 | 18,000 |
| Law Society, Chancery Lane, | 1,000 | 68,000 |
| National, Whitehall-Gardens, | 400 | 17,000 |
| Prince's Racket and Tennis Club, Hans Place, Chelsea, | 300 | 11,000 |
| United University, corner Suffolk street and Pall Mall, | 500 | 33,000 |
| Beefsteak Society, Lyceum Theatre, | 250 | 5,000 |
| Club Chambers, Regent street, | 400 | 31,000 |
| " " St. James' square, | 300 | 17,000 |
| Ambassador's, 106 Piccadilly, | 200 | 16,000 |
| Erectheum, St. James's square, | 300 | 20,000 |
In these several clubs each member is elected by ballot, and pays an entrance on admission, and afterward an annual subscription, which varies like entrance fees in different clubs.
Thus, in the Athenæum, the entrance fee is £26.5s., annual subscription, £6.6s. Arthur's, entrance £21, subscription, £10 10s. Brooks, entrance, £9 9s., subscription, £11 11s. Carlton, entrance, £15 15s., annual subscription, £10 10s. Conservative Club, £28 7s., subscription, £8 8s. Garrick Club, entrance, £21, subscription, £6 6s. Junior United Service, entrance, £30, subscription £6. Oxford and Cambridge Club, entrance, £21 5s., subscription, £6 6s. Reform Club, entrance, £21 5s., subscription, £10 10s. Travelers' Club, entrance, £31 10s. Union, entrance, £38 10s., subscription, £6 6s. United Service Club, entrance, £36, subscription, £6. Whittington, entrance, £10 10s., subscription, ladies £1, gentlemen, £2 2s. Wyndham, entrance, £27 6s., subscription, £8.