Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-04-19
COST OF A QUEEN AND ROY
Atty.

We suppose the following is from J. r. Spal-
ding, Esq, of this village, who has spent
some time in London.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Courier and Enooirer
LONDON, January, lS49.
Although as far as respects the personal
exercise of political power the British SOW
ereign can hardly be called substantial en-
tity, yet there is one way in which she
makes her existence obvious to the dullest
seusiblties of her subjects. The civil list
conferred by act of Parliament on her Ma
| jesty, as her regular annual allowance, is
1885 900 sterling, or two million of dol
lars. OF this enormous sum, $4,000 are
assigned for her own private use, and the
remainder is expended in the department of
the Lord Chamberlain, and the Lord Stew
ard, and the master of the Horse; and in
royal bountes, charities, pensions, and spe-
cal services.
The function of the Lord Chamberlain.
who is always peer of the realm, is to ex-
! erclse general supervision over the Queens
apartments, and to make arrangements in
regard to chaplalns, physicians, artisans,
musicians, and IN regard to furniture, war;
drobe, &c. The appointment is always po-
lltcal, and terminates at the close of every
! administration. The Lord Chamberlain
never performs the duties of his office in
person, but his salary is none the less on
that account. 1t amounts to ~ 1000 or
nearly $4,000 annually In his department
are vast number of functionaries, or rath-
er dignitorits, since very many of the Off
ces are mere sinecures. A master of the
Robes, whose station is merely honorary,
receives 50 ,500--l reduce it to Federal
4 money for the convenience Of y9uI Head-
ers; eight ladies ofthe Bed-chamber, whose
only duty is to visit and dine with Her Ma
! josty three fortnights in the year, and who
invariably are the wives or daughters of
peers, have a salary of 50 800 each; eight
Maids of Honor, and eight Bedchamber
women, merely to give the Queen the
"pleasure of their company" for a few
weeks in the year, nave each an annual SAL
AIRY of $500 eight Lordsin Waiting, and
eight Grooms in Waiting, whose business
is simply to visit and dine with the Queen
three tortnights in the year, have, the form
err $4,000 each, and the latter $500 each.
A Master of Ceremonies, who introduces
ambassadors to the sovereign on State &C.
casions, has $500; sixteen Gentlemen
CouCio, Will uutcS, nave from ,-OUu tO
SlOOO each; fourteen Grooms ofthe Cham
!, Der, and eight Sergeants-at-Arms, whose Of
, fees are complete sinecures receive sala-
res ranging from 5000 to $780, Four Of
ficers of the Robes, three Kings of Arms,
six Heralds, two State Pages, five Pages OF
, the Backstairs, six Pages Of the Presence,
four Queens Messengers, all receive sala-
rles as large as most of our State Govern
ors-some have real and others merely NOM
: inal duties. The Poet Laureate, at present
Wordsworth, receives $500 per annum, the
, Examiner of Plays $4,000, the Keeper Of
the Swans $4,000, and the Surveyor of Pic
, lures, and the Master of Tennis Court
= each high salaries. Sixty Chapans, and
. twenty different physicians, are attached tc
e the court, some performing services and re-
= ceivlng pay and others not. One hundred
= and forty yeoman of the guard, whose only
a duty is to attend upon her Majesty on state
a occasions, in the Kings guard costume o
the sixteenth century, enjoy salaries amonn
e ting IN the aggregate to 500, 900 The en-
5 tire sum expended in the Lord Chamber
# lain's department, including household sal
d aries and trademen's bills is $3.50, 600.
The Lord High Steward, always of no
J. BILE birth, has salary of $4,000; his du
n ty, which is always performed by proxy, /
/ to govern the Queens household and t.
a provide for the culinary department. III
= has under him quite little army of treas
S. urers, comptrollers, secretaries, clerks
= storekeepers, "yeoman of the pantry" ba
S kers, contectioners, cooks, table decker:
y porters, &c. He is also chief Judge of tn
h Court of Marshalsea, which consists of min
| mHrSbaInan whoco bus,nasS 10 tho admin
| istratlon of Justice between the Queens sci
er wants. The total expenditure of the Lor
ot Stewards department amounts annually I
r about S6OO,OOO
is The Master of the Horse, who has charg
lie of Her Majesty's horses and stables, has
at salory of $500, and he has under him
~ large number of equerries, Positions, coacl
men, footmen, &c. all paid with liberal sa
er aries. In his department, as IN every othe
he In the British Government, there is no war
to of sinecures. A Master of the Buckhound
so who has no duties whatever, receives %, 90
es annually; and grand Falconer, althoug
We her Majesty possesses not single hawf
has an annual salary of $4,000. The toti
", expenses of the Master of the Horses d.
IS partment are 1926 600 annually. The o
iy flee is now held by the Duke OF Norioll
he the peer next in precedence to the Roy
I'D Family. His ancestors, clear back to I'll
ig Reformation, were, as he himself is, of II
n Roman Catholic faith, and suffered heaV
disabilities and amercements on account
'rt their religion. 1t was sight, curious an
e, suggestive enough to behold, as l did, la
Oh September, on the royal prorogation of Pa
ng Lament, this sturdy disciple of Rome, sea
ssl ed in his official capacity, in the Roy