tons; Lord Nugent, Schooner Flying Fish, 74 tons; Honorable C. A. Pelham, afterward 1st Earl of Yarborough, Brig Falcon, 150 tons; Lord Ponsonby, Schooner Fanny, 21 tons; Sir R. Puleston, Bart.; Cutter Kingfisher, 20 tons; Harry Scott; T. Assheton Smith, Cutter Elizabeth, 66 tons; Sir G. Thomas, Bart., Yawl Elizabeth, 19 tons; Marquis of Thomond, Schooner Rostellan, 60 tons; Sir Godfrey Webster, Bart.; Joseph Weld, Cutter Charlotte, 60 tons; James Weld, Cutter Pylewell, 26 tons; Owen Williams, Cutter Blue Eyed Maid, 39 tons.
Lord Grantham presided at this meeting. It was decided that in future the qualification to become a member should be the ownership of a yacht not under 10 tons, and an entrance fee of £2.2. The distinguishing flags adopted by the Club were a white ensign with the Union Jack in the corner, and a plain white burgee at the mast head.
The formation of The Yacht Club marked a new era in yachting history, for until then the word "yacht" had never been used in connection with a club or its vessels. Probably no club has ever been founded with a more distinguished membership, and certainly no club has kept to its traditions more faithfully.
Some years elapsed, after The Yacht Club was established, before racing or its annual regatta became features of yachting at Cowes. The yachts composing its fleet were fine sea-going vessels, built, rigged, and manned in imitation of vessels of a similar class in the Royal Navy, and were often
