Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-02-25
THE RICHEST MAN in ENGLAND.

-.E s,f
He.is the Marquis of Westminster. Hi
wealth is estimated at Ell, 900, 900 sterling
or S1O5, 900, 900; and his annual income a
E70O, 900. How he became so immensely
rich is explained by Shelton Mackenzie, tht
well-lnforned literary editor Of the Phila
delphia Press Some people may desire te
know how the Marquis of Westminster came
to possess this immense property, equal te
the fabulous wealth Of the Count de Monte
Christie. More than half of it has accrued
within the last fifty years. The Marquis Of
Westminster is modern creation, dating
no further back than the time of the re-
form bill, when Earl Grey rewarded ma
ny of his political supporters with advance
ments and degrees. :a
Thus the Earl of Grosvenor was changed
into 'sthe most noble the Marquis. of West
minister" and originally inherited, with his
fathers Earldom, the estates at that time
chiefly consisting of land in Chesire and
Dorsetshire. But he also was owner of a
large tract of land in Westminster, stretch
ing from the House of Parliament to Chel-
|sea-land which originally belonged to the
Crown, and was sold to the Grosvenor fam
lily for trife. By degrees, as London in
creased, particularly spreading to the west,
as most great cities do, this land, swampy
and barren as it was, came into request for
building purposes. George the Fourth, a
shamed of such residence as St. Jamess
Palace, (Which was originally hospital,
and looks like one to this day, J and tired OF
Carlton House, obtained authorization from
Parliament, to- build another Palace on the
site Of Buckingham House, in Pimlico, for
merly the property Of his mother. Queen
Charlotte. In the centre of swamp and
only few feet above the level of the
Thames, from which it is not far distant,
this was, perhaps, the very worst site in
London for dwelling. -. 1
But upon it arose the present Bucking-
ham Palace, the town. residence of Queen
Victoria, around which, with due rapidity,
soon accumulated new squares and streets,
the habitations of the rich and fashionable
people of the West End Many of these
squares and streets, consisting of palatial
houses, were built on the Grosyenor money.
~ = Ionuon practice. Is 70 lease out the
building-lots at SO much annual ground rent,
for the tenant to build the houses accord
ing to certain architectural plans supplied
by the ground landlord, so as to secure uni
formity of appearance. and construction. ~
The ground is generally leased ninety mine
years, at the expiration of which period it
reverts to the landlord, together with what
ever edifee has been constructed uponit:
Of course, as each of these houses comes
back to the landlord, the grandson of the
present Marquis Of Westminster, who may
be living when these reversions come into
operation, will find his London income mar
velously augmented !; for if the rent for the
mere ground Of fashionable dwelling in
'Belgravia,' ESQ called because the Marquis
is also Baron Belgrave) be estimated at 9300
a year the dwelling itself, when it falls back,
literally for nothing, as part Of the Grosve-
nor estate, will be worth ten times as much.
Whoever shall be Marquis of Westminster
in the year 1900, may estimate his London
property at not less than .91 900, 900 te
e1, ,500,0 900 per annum-a comfortable in
come for one man, (unless, indeed, by that
time the artificial distinctions of rank shall
have become things of the past, to be phi
Iosophically contemplated by Mr.. Macauly's
Australian citizen, as he sits on the ruins ol
ST.. Paufs calmly smoking his pipe, and
musing on the decay of great empires.
= With all his wealth, the present Marquis
Of Westminster was not above accepting SER
vice in the household of Queen Victoria,
and wearing her livery as lord nigh steward
a sort of upper funkey, whose duty is to
play the part Of first class footman to his
mistress carrysa white wand in his hand
before. her, and invariably walk backwards
out of her presence, at.the risk of sometimes
falling, which has happened more than once.
A Marquis with 800, 900 per annum who
would thus act as upper lackey for. 81, 600
ayear, is precisely the man to give no more
than e1 900 to national charitable pur-
pose; while Mr.. Thackery (whom, no doubt,
he looks down upon) gives ten times as
much. .......,-... ..-.,. -.