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THE first meeting of the Club was held, on December
12th, in the Grand Hotel, Glasgow. The chair was taken at 6.15 by the
President, Professor G. G. Ramsay, Glasgow University. Some thirty members
of the Club were present.
The meeting being the first since the proper
constitution of the Club, there were no minutes, so the special business
before the Club was at once proceeded with.
I.—In conformity with Rule VII. of the Club Rules— which empowers the
Committee "to alter or add to the Rules, as in the interests of the Club
circumstances may at any time require," such alterations to be confirmed at
the general meeting—the following alterations were submitted:-
(I.) Rule III. . . . "and endeavour to obtain as far
as possible the co-operation of proprietors." Delete -" as far as possible."
(2.) Rule IV. . . . "a Committee consisting of the
President, three Vice-Presidents, the Honorary Secretary," &c. Read—"a
Committee consicting of the President, not less than two Vice-Presidents,
the Honorary Secretary," &c.
These alterations were agreed to, and therefore duly
become regularly constituted Rules.
II.—ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS.
The PRESIDENT proposed the election of Professor
Veitch, Glasgow University, to the office of Vice-President. In proposing
Professor Veitch, he said he knew of few more enthusiastic climbers than Mr
Veitch. He was particularly well acquainted with the Lowlands of Scotland,
and had done much by his writings to bring into notice the beauty of the
scenery of this part of the country.
Professor Veitch was unanimously elected a
Vice-President of the Club.
The Office-bearers elected at the constitution of the
Club dating their term of office from this meeting, no further business in
this matter had to be transacted. At the next annual general meeting, in
terms of Rule VIII., the two senior members of the Committee will retire,
and not be eligible for re-election until a year has elapsed.
III.—CLUB JOURNAL
The Committee brought before the meeting the proposal
that a Club Journal should be issued quarterly, and free of charge to
members.
The PRESIDENT thought that the institution of a
journal would go a long way towards forming a kind of bond of union between
the various members of the Club. Each member would then have a means of
knowing what was being done by the Club or its individual members. Papers
could' be contributed on various, subjects connected either with excursions,
or matters associated with art, literature, or science. Information could
also be given through its medium of the various arrangements made with hotel
and inn keepers, of the special privileges granted by proprietors, tenants,
and others to members of the Club. He thought, in conclusion, that the
institution of a Club journal would be fraught with the very best results in
the interests of the Club.
Mr JOSEPH GIBSON STOTT said that in originally
suggesting the issue of a journal, he felt that it would supply a great want
in the constitution of such a Club as our own. There were a great many
members who, while quite familiar with certain hill districts of the
country, were quite ignorant of many others. The institution of the journal
would be the means, in this way, of opening up many new localities to those
previously unacquainted with them. He thought there should be no difficulty
in maintaining such a journal, and certainly the attempt should be made. As
to its period of issue, that should, perhaps, at first be left open. It
might be made provisionally a quarterly journal, but if perchance there
should not be sufficient material, six months might elapse for the next
issue.
Mr CHARLES PILKINGTON also spoke in Support of the
proposal. He alluded to the excellence of the recent numbers of the Alpine
Club journal, and how much that journal had done in connection with
mountains and mountain scenery. In such a truly mountainous country as
Scotland there must be a large amount of valuable information, scientific
and otherwise, which such a journal as that proposed could be the means of
circulating.
After a few other remarks in support of the proposal,
it was unanimously agreed that a Club journal should be issued.
The PRESIDENT then proposed that Mr Gibson Stott be
elected editor. He said that the idea of a journal had originated with Mr
Stott, who was an enthusiastic climber, and had already published several
articles on Scottish mountaineering.
Mr A. ERNEST MAYLARD seconded the proposal, and paid a
compliment to Mr Stott's energy and enthusiasm in all matters connected with
the Club.
The meeting very cordially approved of the President's
proposal.
Mr STOTT, in returning thanks, said that there were
doubtless many members better qualified for the post than he was. He would,
however, do his best, and he hoped that members would support him by a
liberal supply of interesting papers and contributions.
IV.—The Committee then proceeded to report on various
matters which it had under consideration.
First, as to the acquisition of maps, a small
sub-committee—consisting of the President, the Rev. Mr Steel, and Mr Gilbert
Thomson—was appointed to spend from £io to £12 on the acquisition of
Ordnance Survey maps, and such maps as embraced the most hilly parts of the
country.
Mr THOMSON, speaking for the Sub-committee, said that
no definite action had yet been taken in the matter, because it was found on
inquiry that the whole series of Ordnance maps for Scotland could be had,
mounted and on rollers, for a much smaller sum than had been originally
anticipated,—that is to. say, a complete set mounted would cost from £18 to
£20. The Sub-committee, therefore, had considered it inadvisable to act on
the terms set down by the Committee, believing that it would be more
advantageous to acquire a complete set.
After some few remarks, it was agreed that the entire
set of the Ordnance Survey maps of Scotland should be acquired for the Club.
On the question of maps, Mr HUGH T. MUNRO proposed
that members themselves keep a map upon which they should trace the line of
any particular route or ascent they had made, and that such a map should be
presented to the Club-room, where it would be the means of indicating to any
member desirous of visiting the same place the member to whom he could apply
for the best information.
The PRESIDENT said he had brought forward a similar
proposal at the last meeting of the Committee. He believed the plan an
admirable one, and one which would prove of the utmost service in enabling
members to get useful information regarding any ascent or route that they
might wish to make.
Mr MAYLARD said he thought the idea a good one, but
the meeting would not be able to do more than suggest that members should
follow out the plan. The matter could not be enforced as a rule, but might
issue in the form of a general request from the meeting. He felt that this
proposal of Mr Munro's would be best furthered by a paper upon the subject
in the first number of the Journal. For if all members could be brought to
see the real advantage of adopting such a practice, very few would grudge
the small expense and trouble connected with it.
Mr MUNRO agreed to ventilate the matter in a paper to
the Journal.
The arrangements that had been made with hotel and inn
keepers for special winter and summer tariffs were then alluded to by the
Hon. Secretary.
Mr MAYLARD said that Mr Gilbert Thomson had taken the
trouble to make a list of hotels and inns situated at the most convenient
spots for making ascents. A letter asking for a special winter and summer
tariff was sent to the managers, accompanied with a copy of the Rules. He
had received some replies, and in many cases considerable reductions had
been made. It was proposed to give the information thus obtained in the
Journal, and he would not therefore trouble the meeting by giving the
special tariffs at the present time.
The HON. SECRETARY then gave other information
regarding certain privileges which had been accorded by proprietors and
tenants, as well as facilities offered by keepers and others. Thus in one
case, a "bothy" had been kindly lent, which would serve as an admirable
"hut," at the very foot of Braeriach. In another case, a head keeper had
offered to put up two or three men at the foot of Cairn Gorm. In a third
case, a gentleman had granted to members a right of way through his private
grounds, so as to facilitate the approach to the hill. Information, however,
of this kind, like that in reference to hotel and inn keepers, would be made
known to members through the pages of the Journal.
V.—TICKET OF MEMBERSHIP.
The PRESIDENT remarked that he thought it advisable
there should be a Club ticket. It would serve as a voucher for the various
privileges specially granted to members, and would also protect members from
being accused of any possible breach of such privileges by others who might
otherwise lay claim to membership. It was proposed it should be sent to
members on receipt of their annual subscription due on the 1st of January of
each year.
Mr MAYLARD said the object of making it an annual
ticket was that it restricted all privileges to holders of the ticket of the
current year. In the event, for instance, of any member being expelled from
the Club—should such an extreme measure unfortunately ever become necessary—
such an one would from the non-renewal of his ticket be effectually
prevented from enjoying Club privileges.
It was agreed that there should be a Club ticket.
VI.—ELECTION OF MEMBERS.
The Committee had filled up the full complement of
original membership, which was limited to one hundred.
It was proposed by the PRESIDENT that for the
forthcoming year the Committee should have power to fill up any vacancies
which might occur from the resignation of any original members. This power,
however, was only to extend to the original limit of one hundred. Members so
elected would not be "original members," and would there fore have to pay
the regular entrance fee and annual subscription. All applications for
membership on completion of the one hundred, would have to be strictly in
conformity with the Rules.
Mr ROLLAND supported the motion, which was agreed to.
VII.—CLUB-ROOM.
The Club not yet being in a position to acquire a
clubroom of its own, Mr Gilbert Thomson again offered a room in his office,
75 Bath Street, Glasgow, for the purpose.
The PRESIDENT proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to
Mr Thomson for his kindness in lending a room for Club purposes, which the
meeting very willingly accorded.
VIII.—CLUB ACCOUNTS.
The financial statement having appeared in the
circulars sent to members was held as read.
This ended the business of the Club.
ANNUAL DINNER.
THE members present at the meeting, along with several
guests, afterwards dined together in the Grand Hotel. Professor Ramsay
occupied the chair. The Hon. Secretary intimated a number of apologies for
absence—among them from Sir Alex. Christison, Bart., and Dr A. B. M'Gregor,
Vice-Presidents of the Club; also from Mr Clinton T. Dent, President of the
Alpine Club, whose friendly expressions were received with applause. After
the usual loyal toasts, the toast of "The Club" was proposed by the
President in an excellent speech, which will go down to posterity as the
first paper in the present number of the Journal. The toast of "The Alpine
Club" was proposed by Mr A. Ernest Maylard, and replied to by Mr Charles
Pilkington, one of the Vice-Presidents, whose remarks contained much good
advice to Scottish climbers. He spoke too of the hearty interest which
members of the Alpine Club took in the formation of the Scottish
institution, and their sympathy and fellow-feeling towards it, and said he
was sure numerous members of the senior club would be desirous of joining
the junior one. The other toasts were -" The Journal," proposed by the Rev.
John Steel, replied to by Mr Stott; "The Lairds," by the Rev. Dr Hamilton,
replied to by Mr H. T. Munro, yr. of Lindertis; "The Office-bearers," by the
Rev. Alexander M'Ewan, replied to by Mr Rolland; "The Visitors," by Mr W. A.
Ramsay, replied to by Mr John Spens; and "The Chairman," by Mr J. Parker
Smith. Several songs and recitations helped to make an enjoyable evening
pass all too quickly; and it was felt that the meeting and dinner—which
might be regarded as the Club's real start in life—augured well for its
future usefulness and success.
NOTES AND QUERIES.
SUGGESTIONS AS TO MAPS.
By H. T. MUNRO.
AT the Annual General Meeting a suggestion made by the
writer was favourably entertained, and it was considered desirable that he
should explain it in the first number of the 7ournal. Briefly stated, it is
that members be recommended to send in to the Honorary Librarian of the Club
a plain map—of uniform pattern—on which are traced on ink all the walks or
noteworthy excursions of the member sending in the map. His name and address
should be adhibited.
The advantages that would result from this are
obvious. In a special note to Rule XX., all members who can do so are
particularly requested to furnish notes of winter or spring ascents made by
them. There is, however, much information unconnected with winter ascents,
which might be of the greatest assistance to any one proposing an excursion
in the less known and frequented districts. Such, for instance, as the
distance of a hill from the nearest inn, the nature of the ground to be
traversed before the actual base of the hill is reached, the best line for
an ascent, whether all or any portion of the hill is in deer forest, and so
forth. Were all such information supplied in writing, a great tax would be
put on the time of the Honorary Librarian, and it would be difficult for
him, without searching through a mass of manuscript, to be able at once to
refer to the exact information required.
By the scheme now proposed, a glance through the maps
supplied by the members will in a moment show who is acquainted with the
district, or has made the ascent, concerning which information is solicited
; and the member in search of such can thus be placed in correspondence with
him who is best able to supply it. The "Tourist Map of Scotland,"—scale, ten
miles to the inch,—by John Bartholomew, published by Messrs A. & C. Black at
one shilling, is recommended as of suitable size for such purpose. Members
are therefore invited to procure this map, and to trace on it all
expeditions made by them. The writer would suggest that ascents made in
winter should be traced in green ink, and ascents at other times in red,
[Stephens red and green inks can be procured for a penny a bottle.]
specifying the same, and adding the informant's name and address. The maps
should then be forwarded to the Honorary Librarian, Mr Gilbert Thomson, 75
Bath Street, GIagow. From time to time each member should call at Mr
Thomson's office, and correct his map up to date.
This scheme is not, of course, intended as a
substitute for, but an addition to, the one laid down in the special note to
Rule XX.; and if it is carried out, the result will be an index, easy of
reference, to the best sources of much otherwise unattainable information.
In the May number will be published a list of hotels
offering a special tariff to members of the Club; also a brief account of
some of the privileges allowed to the Club by landed proprietors and others.
The Hon. Secretary will be glad to receive any information or suggestions on
these points.
NOTICE TO MEMBERS.
Members are reminded that the Annual Subscription,
los. 6d., fell due on 1st January, and is payable to the Hon. Treasurer,
Charles Gairdner, Esq., LL.D., Union tank of Scotland, Glasgow.
"The name of any Member whose subscription is more
than three months in arrear, and who has not intimated to the Hon. Secretary
his intention of resigning, shall be posted in the Club-Room; and in the
event of the arrears not having been paid up before the 31st October, such
defaulter shall cease to be a Member of the Club."— Rule XVII.
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