The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-07-24
Pensions and Salaries in England.

The London correspondent of the New York
Times furnishes the following interesting facts
concerning the pay of British officers:
The Duke of Cambridge receives 100000 a
year in one item OF pension. His pay and per-
quisites are probably double this amount. The
Prince and Princess of Wales have an allowance
of S25 600 a year, and as much more in income.
Prince Alfred has S75 900 and his pay. The
Princess Royal has $40, 900 to spend in Prussia,
and SO on. But the Royal pensions are almost a
matter of course there are others more surpris-
ing, and some even astounding. A man who has
ever been even for a few months Lord Chancellor
or Judge has a very nice income for life. No
need to make hay while the sun shines. And
this rule applies to all public officers, down to
policemen and letter carriers. Thus Viscount
AvonmOre has a pension, paid out of the price of
poor mems beer and tobacco, of SCI 900 a year,
gold standard Lord Cairns, $25 900; Lord
Chelmsford, S25 600; Lord Colonsay, $40, 600;
Lord Westbury, go 900. These are a few cases.
1t is a curious fact that while Lord Cairns gets a
pension of S25, 900 a year for life, Mr.. Disraeli,
the Prime Minister who appointed him, gets only
$40 600. There are other abuses or burdens on
the tax paying public more remarkable. The
late officers Of an abolished sham, an eoclesias-
tical court, get nearly half q million OF dollars Il
year; the Inland Revenue pensions are half a
million Post Office about $400 $50 civil List,
100000. The heir Of Nelson has . pension of
$4,000 Of Wellington, so coo; Duke Aic-i-
borough, O,OOO heirs of imam Penn, 500
900. One Rev. Thomas Thurloe has a compen-
sation allowance of 100000 a year (I should
like to know what for). Our Congress refuses
the widow OF an assassinated President So, 900
a year!
Salaries are not so high in proportion as pen
sions. The places in the Royal household, hon
orable sinecures, are a sort of pension or reward
for political services. These change with changes
of cabinets. Her MaJesty's Steward, an earl
gets $4,000 a year Treasurer, who paws the
market bills, or his clerk for him, SIS, 200;
Master of the Household, Major Domo, So, 900;
Keeper of the Privy Purse, a mythical matter,
$4,000; Queens Private Secretary, who could
not be trusted with the mythical purse, or other
functions, SIS 900; Master of the Buckhounds-
there are really some of these, though the Earl
of Cork may never see them-$S, 500; Groom of
the robes-MaJor-General Seymour, who person.
ally or by deputy, attends to Her Majestyis royal
petticoats-S4,O 900. These are only a few of
them, tor there are nearly a thousand persons
attached to the Royal household, and paid for
some real, but mostly imaginary serv-
ices to her Majesty. As usual, those who do
most get least pay.
The members of the Cabinet, for the most
part, work for their money. The Lord Chancel-
lor has the largest plum in the p~udding-S5O,-
QUO a year and the pension to follow. Mr.. Glad
stone, MIR. Lowe, Mr.. Bruce, Mr.. Cardwell, EarIs
and Granville and the Duke of ARGYLL
get the same as the President of the United States
S25, 900 a year; MIR; Childers, $4,000; Mr..
so, $500; Earl de Grey, Earl Kimberly, Mr..
Bright and Mr.. Goschen, SIC, 900.
nat seems to me the hardest thing in England
is the small pay given to many who work very
hare, and the great sums squandered on idlers.
There are scores of persons in the pay of the
Foreign Office at high salaries, who have not
lone a days service in twenty years. One man,
who has received 1910, 600, has not been con-
suited since 1854; another, who has lived in
absolute idleness for f~orty-four years, has received
Sl5O,OO0. There are numerous cases Of
his kind. A man, ever SO clever and useful. is
let aside by some Foreign Secretary, perhaps for
relative or favorite of his own. and goes upon
receiving from SIS 1000 to $40, 900 a year to
i've where he lkes-Gfty years enjoying his otiu,n
dignitate at the expense of people who work
cry hard and starye a little at times to paw their
ates and taxes.