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ROYALTY AT THE ASCOT MEETING. : London, Eng.. July 2. Tickets for the royal enclosure at Ascot are eagerly, sought after and for weeks before Ascot opens the lord chamberlain has a hard time of it refusing the thousands who think or pretend to think they have a right to them. This year the line was drawn more stringently than ever. Ascot is the. royal meeting "and racing is the kings favorite sport. There are many public functions at which he Is the central figure. He knows it anil likes it. but he goes racing to see and not to be seen. Last year there were too many beautifully dressed ladies who turned their liacks to the race course and kept their glasses fixed immovably uion the royal Ihjx. These are to be eliminated as far as possible in the future. Royal Ascot lias an original right to its title, the meet having been founded by a royal duke, "Butcher Cumberland." Though .the first issue of the Racing Calendar, dated 1727." records certain events at Asit. it was not till 1825 that the state procession was Instituted. From that time on It has been Ascots distinctive feature. To be asked to be one of the royal house party at Windsor for the week is. of course, the great thing, but that is only for a very few. Tickets for the lawn of the royal enclosure are probably the most coveted tickets for any social function of the season. This year there were 2,000 more applications than in 1908. The royal procession consists of eight carriages, each drawn by four horses, containing the king and queen and their guests, and two pair horsed carriages carrying the ladies in waiting. The four-horsed carriages are large Open vehicles known as Windsor landaus. Postilions; .equerries and outriders all wear the royal scarlet livery. The spectacle is one of the prettiest pieces of pageantry to be seen in London, and given fine weather is enough in itself to draw the town quite irrespective of the racing.
