The Nevada Democrat., 1858-01-13
r1,t Rlchest pIsn h Eng.and.

He is the MARQUIS of Westminster His wealth
is estimated at a2l.000,000 sterling, or $685.
600 900. and his annual income at 100000.
How he became so immensely rich is explained
by Shelton Mackenzie the well informed litera-
rary editor of the Philadelphia Press:
Some people may desire to know how the
Marquis Of Westminster comes to possess this
immense property, equal to the fabulous wealth
of the Count de Monte Christie. More than half
of it has accrued within the past fifty years.
The Marquisate of Westminster is modern
creation, dating no further back than the tine
of the Reform Bill, when Earl Grey rewarded
many Of his political supporters with new peer
ages, and with advancementsi in degrees.
Thus the Earl of Grosvenor was changed into
"the most noble the Marquis of Westminster"
and originally inherited, with his fathers Earl
dom, the estates-at that time chiefly consisting
of land in Cheshire and Dorsetshire. But he
also was owner of a large tract of land in West
minister, stretching from the House of ParlIa-
ment to Chelsea-laDd which originally belong
ed to the Grown, and which was sold 10 tne
Grosvenor family for trihe. BY degrees, as
London increased, particularly spreading to
the west, as most great cities do, this land,
swampy and barren as 1t was, came into request
for building purposes. George the Fourth,
ashamed of such residence as st. James Pa
lace which originally was an hospital, and
looks like one to this day,) and tired OF Carlton
House, obtained authorization from Parliament
TO build another Palace on the site of Bucking-
ham House In Pimlco, formerly the property
of his mother, Queen Charlotte. In the center
of swamp, and only a few feet above the level
of the Thames, from which 1t is not far distant,
this was, perhaps, the very worst site in Lon
don for dwelling
But upon it arose the present Buckingham
H. of
around which, with due rapidty, soon accnmu-
lated new squares aud streets, the babitations
of the rich and fashionable people Of the West
End Many Of these squares and streets, con-
sstinp of palatial houses, were built upon the
Grosvenor property. The London practice is
TO lease out the building lots, at so much annual
ground rent; for the tenant to build the houses
according to certain architectural plans sup
piled by the ground landlord, so as to secure
uniformity of appearance and construction.
The ground is generally leased for ninety-nine
years, at the expiration Of which period it re-
verts to the landlord. together with whatever
edifce has been constructed upon it.
or 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
hnd his London income marvellously augment
ed-for If the rent for the mere ground of Q
fashionable dwelling IN "Balgravia," $50 called
because the Marquis is also Baron Balgravc.
be estimated at $500 year, the dwelling itself
when ii falls back, literally for nothing, as par
of the Grosvenor estate will be worth ten times
as much Whoever shall be Marquis Of West
minister In the year 1900. may estimate bis
London property at not less than 81 l.0O0,0 900 to
Gl,5OOO00 per annum. A comfortable income
for one man-unless, indeed, by that time the
artificial distinctions of rank shall have become
things Of the past--to be phiosophically con-
templated by Mr.. Macauay's Australian citizen,
as he sits on the ruins of ST. Pauls, calmly
smoking his pipe, and muslng on the decay of
great empires.
With all his wealth the present Marquis of
Westminster was not above accepting service
in the Household of Queen Victoria and wear
ing her livery, as Lord High Steward-a sort of
upper funkey-whoss duty it is to play the part
Of frst-class footnan to his mistress, carry a
white wand in his hand befnre her. and inva-
riably walk backward out of her presence, at
the risk of sometimes falling-which has hap
pened more than once. A Marquis with e700.00O
per annum. who would thus act as upper lackey
for e2, 900 year, is precisely the man to give
no more than el00 to national charitable pur'
pose, while Mr.. Thackeray (whom, no doubt
he looks down upon) gives ten times as much.