Sharp County record., 1878-08-23
THE EXPENSE OF ROYALTY.
What 1t Costs the Britishers to support
Queen Vic. and Her Numerous Progeny.

] From the New York World, July 26.l
Sir Charles Dixie yesterday made his
/ promised motion concerning the pro-
pOsal for grant to Prince Arthur on
/ the occasion of his betrothal. Sir
Charles is not exploiting this subject
for the first time, as many years ago he
made 4 very interesting if one-sided on
slaught on the cost of the Crown. On
that occasion, if we remember rightly,
he was about as alone as Athanasius in
the minority, and beaten even more dis
aStrously than by the overwhelming
vote of $40 to 33, which he encountered
yesterday. The subject, however, is
an interesting one, il only on account
of the amount of money involved. As
the Court Circular just received says:
"The total amount paid by the nation
as allowances to the Queens children
amounts to f131,000 a year. Since
their Royal HighneSses happily came of
age the natioh has contributed upwards
of fl 100000 for their maintenance.
Beginning with the Queen-the late
Prince Consort, by the way, had an in
come of 100000 year granted by
England-we find that her Majesty has
an annual allowance "for the support
of her household and the honor and dig
nifty of the Crown" of f385,000, appli-
cation of which allowance is, however,
limited in a prescribed form. Sixty
thousand pounds are paid into the privy
purse, f231, ,260 are applied to the pay
ment of salaries of the Royal household,
E44, $40 for retiring allowances and
pensions to servants, Els, POO for "Roy-
al bounty, aims, and special services"
the unappropriated surplus of f36,3O0
being applied, if necessary, in aid of
the general expenditure of the Court.
In addition to this the Queen receives
the revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster,
which have averaged, after all deduc-
tiOns, f35, 78S year for the last decade,
amounting now to E43, 900 per annum,
the sum increasing steadily. Her
Majesty's private means are very large,
but her income therefrOmi is not known,
and if it were would not figure in this
estimate.
The Prince of Wales has 940,000 a
year, exclusive of the revenue of the
Duchy of Cornwall An 1910 these av-
eraged about Els, 900 year, but under
his fathers prudent management they
have increased vastly. In 1876 the
Princes net income from this source
was t70,375, or rather more than G15,-
600 in increase of the net revenue for
1867. 1t is no secret that the heir to the
throne is seriously troubled with debts
debts, too, which he has been COM
PEELED to incur through the duty of en-
tertaining devolyed upon him during the
Queens seclusion. The Princess of
Wales has an allowance of 100000 a
year, to be trebled in the event of her
widoWhOOd.
Since he attained his majority, in 1866,
the Duke of Edinburgh has had an al
lowance of E15,000, a further allowance
of 100000 year being made in 1874 at
his marriage. Should she survive him,
the Duchess will have an income of &c.
600 The Duke of COnnaught has had
915,00O year since he came of age, in
1871; this allowance it is now proposed
to increase by 100000. When in due
course he succeeds the Duke of Cam
bridge as Commander-in-C Chief, an office
for which he is in training, he will have
largely augmented income, especially
if he holds an equal plurality of Colonel
cies. Prince Leopold, who came of age
in 1874, has E15,O00 a year-so the
" "Peerage " asserts, though the States
mans Year-BOob makes the charge for
him upon the Consolidated Fund only
$4,000 year. His unmarried sister,
the frequently reported-t -be-engaged
Princess Beatrice, has as yet no allow
ance, though in due course she will re-
ceive her marriage portion. The Prin-
cess Royal, the future Empress of Ger
many, has $4,000 a year for life in adj
dition to the dover of f40,000 granted
her at her marriage; the Princess Alice
of Hesse, the Princess Helena (wife of
Prince Christian), and the Princess
Louise, each received 100000 dover
and an annual allowance of $4,000 for
life on the occasion of their espousals.
Besides the Queens children there are
other members of the Royal family in
receipt of direct allowances from the
people. The Duke of Cambridge has
an annuity of G12,O0O year; his moth
er, the Dowager Duchess, has $4,000 a
year, and his two sisters, the Princess
Mary of Teck and the Grand Duchess of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz, are allowed re-
spectively E5,0 900 and $4,000 year.
Such is the cost to England of her
Royal family, excluding the salaries and
allowances to which such of its men,
bers as hold positions in public services
may be entitled.