The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
THE COST OF ROYALTY.
The Income of the Various European Mo
archs and Their Families.

archs and Their Families.
New York Sun.
In these practical days, when people are in
the habit OF counting the cost of everything, it
IS not surprising that the cost of royalty in
Europe is beginning to attract attention. and is
being talked about by the subjects OF the many
monarchs there with freedom that once would
not have been tolerated. This is particularly
the case In England, where ministers are grow
ing more and more reluctant to face Parliament
with resolutions for increasing the royal expend-
iture. The royal families of Europe cost the
people close upon $65, 000 600 year in direct ex-
penditure for their maintenance, but no man can
calculate what they cost indirectly, in the shape
of increased naval and military expenditure to
say nothing of occasional wars brought about by
the ambition of kings.
Germany stands at the head of all European
nations in the matter of royal expenditure
That empire, with population of not more
than As. 600 000 has to support twenty-five royal
princely and ducal families, and the direct cost
of their II aintenance is SIG, 500, 600. In Prussia
and several of the other German States the
reigning family, besides its public income
possesses very large private estates, and, in
deed, in some of the States the princes are the
chief landowners. In Mecklenburg- Strelitz, for
instance, which is nearly as large the State of
Rhode Island, the reigning family owns three
fifths of the land, and the Grand Duke governs
without the aid of any representative institu-
lions whatever. This perhaps accounts for the
fact that the population of this model princi
palty is decreasing
Turkey comes next to Germany in its royal
expenditures. the total amount absorbed by
the Sultan and his family being about SIG, $50,
O00 The imperial family of Russia costs that
country $l2, go, 900, the greater part of which
comes in the shape of rents from the crown do
mains, which consist of more than million
square miles of land, besides gold and silver
mines. The Austrian imperial family is toler.
ably well off, having revenue of 81 $780, 600. all
of which comes directly from the public revenue
of the country. The British royal family comes
next, with cost to the country Of g. SOC, 600.
This sum includes the revenue derived from the
DuchieS of Lancaster and Cornwall which
amounts to about $3.50, 900 yearly. The sum ex-
pended on account of the British royal family
will soon be increased by $50, 900 year in the
coming marriage of the Princess Beatrice, and it
is expected that there will shortly be call for
an income for the oldest son of the Prince of
Wales These constant calls on the British tax
payer are not responded to very cheerfully.
John Bull grumbles, but still he pays. These
royal personages who neither toll nor spin, and
have no cares like ordinary mortais, live long
as the taxpayer knows 20 his cost The old
Duchess of Cambridge, now lightweight years
of age continues to 0raw from the British Treas
ury $50 600 a year besides enjoying the royal
palaces at St James and Kew as her residences.
Her son, the Queens cousin, receives about
safe him for the loss of the throne which would
have been his had the Queen died without an
heir, or had never been born.
Italy pays her royal family So 500 900 year,
which is very large sum in proportion to the
means of the country, while Spain disburses on
the same account s., 900, 600. This ends the list
of European monarchies of large population.
But the minor monarchies also pay their royal
families very large sums. Belgium. with about
as large population as the State of New York.
pays $500, 600 year to her king and Portugal,
with three-quarters of million less population,
pays $685., coo. Monarchy costs Sweden and
Norway 1857 500 annually; Denmark 1910, 000;
Holland, $3l5, 900; Rouinania, $40, 1000, and
Greece, $4,000. But 900 of this last sum is
paid by England France and Russia. Repub-
ican France gives her President $3.50, 900, two
thirds of which is in the form of salary and one
third for household expenses.
The Swiss Republic pays its President SO, 600
year, which is probably the smallest sum that
the head of any civilized nation in the world re-
ceives All the expenditures of Switzerland are
on correspondingly low scale. With a popula-
ton approaching 100000, the entire expendi-
ture Of the confederation does not reach $40, 000
600 annually.