Two centuries of shipbuilding by the Scotts at Greenock

66 The Royal Clyde Yacht Club.
about £20,000, is representative of the best of its kind.
Many of the yachts — sailing and steam — are of consider-
able size, and have international repute for their excellence,
either as racers, or as comfortable seaworthy cruisers.
The origin of the Royal Clyde Club in itself affords
interesting suggestion of the development of the pastime
on the Clyde. Owing to a rule enforced by the Royal
Northern Club during the earlier period of its existence,
boats smaller than 8 tons could not be enrolled ; many
enthusiastic owners of small craft were thus debarred from
membership, and in 1856 they decided to form a new
club. This, first named the Clyde Model Yacht Club,
became, a year later, the Clyde Yacht Club ; and, having
grown immensely in influence, obtained, in 1872, Queen
Victoria's sanction to the appellation of " Royal." To-day
the Royal Clyde Yacht Club is one of the most important
in the Kingdom.
John Scott (1752-1837) was long a prominent member
of the Royal Northern Club. His son, Charles Cuningham
Scott, was an original member, but did not take the same
active part in the pastime, the claims of a quickly-developing
industry being probably the reason. But the records of
the family were again revived by his sons — John Scott, C.B.,
Robert Sinclair Scott, and Colin William Scott. They
displayed a preference for steam craft, although the first-
named owned several cutters, beginning with the Zingara;
later several beautiful yachts, each successive ship being
named the Greta, were built for him. The first of
these, of 1876, and the last, of 1895, are illustrated on
the Plate facing this page. He was elected Commodore
of the Royal Clyde Club in 1895 in acknowledgment of
his services to the club and to yachting generally, and
he occupied the post until his death in 1904.
These were exciting times in Clyde yachting. It was
then that Lord Dunraven and Sir Thomas Lipton made