New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-07
SEIFANT.S IN ENGLAND.
ILOnl INe ROSkOn IiernLd.

From, The Boston Herald.
How these society people manage to find room in
these not over large houses for tine rctlnue of
wants which they keep is mystery which may not
be explained to their credit OF all those of
any social prctensions keep private carriages in
the manipulation of which coachman and foot
man are required. The old style of having footmen
stand behind the chariot has now been generally
abandoned, and the custom of wearing knee
ing INTO disuetude The coachman. now, is chiefly
distinguished by his top boots while the footman
sits beside hn. wearing an evening dress suit.
when NJ home. these are, no doubt, accommodated
III the stable; but where can the butler and his male
assistant tue housekccper the cook and his or her
assistants, tho waiting, scullcry and ladys maids,
find lodgngsY Surely the servants in the town
establishments OF the fashionable English families
must put up with accommodations which our
ordinary American servant would refuse to accept.
Inc English servant question Is one 50 closely as
naturally suggests itself in this connection. That
the English have admirable servants is pretty well
known but 1t is not so genera lily recognized that
their virtues are circumscrlbed within narrow
range. They are good so far and no furteer Each
one has certain specified duties to perform. which
are by no means Oner0us, and these services, among
the upper grade of servants. are performed to per-
lection BIT the girl whose duty it is to look after
the hre Will take her discharge before she will
consent to dust the room. The man VINO assists the
bntler III waiting on the table would consider him
while even the cooks assistant must have scullery
maid to wash the dishes. Consent to these divi-
sions ana the machinery works with delightful
perfection; attempt to change them, and there is
deadlock Mt once.
The wages given to servants are much lower there
So per week, would be considered high pay for
women servants. and most of them do not get more
than fl2 or Ella year. The get from ego
winch would be paid for . footman with his cloth
ingl up to $50, which would be about the average
OF the pay given TO tiist-class male cooks. When
one takes into account the relatively small amount
of service which any servant be called upon
to perform. this pay is not low at first sight it
would appear. In an American household, where
twice as much Is paid, the servants do usual twice
as much work. II one attempts to introduce the
American system in England, the result is not at all
satisfactory. The high grade of servants will not
submit to it, while he low grade. from which most
OF the servants for the humber citizens are drawn
furnishes domestics Of a. type whose inferiority
willing To limit the demands we put upon household
servants to a small routine, should have good
service as they have in England. When one hears
OF an ordinary private gentleman's establishment
near London, whore the members OF the family
number twelve that has twenty three indoor ser
wants, some idea may be formed of tho subdivision
OF duty and the small amount which falls to each
one TO perform.