Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-15
GUARD DUTY LONDON.
sentrie- who watch ~. James Paiaee
and the Bank of England.


Any one, says Mo7crn Society, who
has had the curiosity TO look 1.-THE guard,
room OF the Palace OF st. James Will
have been struck with the marked com
trast between the accommodations ior
the officers and that of the non-commls-
stoned officers and privates, The lu1u-
rious fittings and comfortable bedrooms
Of the one and the cold passages and
dreary walls Of the otherare very lnstruc-
tive. Atthe officers mess those IN charge
of the sections of the Queens Guard
and the cavalry guard come to dine III
the evening. the Government allowing
an annual sum Of about $4,000 for the
purpose of keeping up the mess. me
only duty which these officers have 10
perform is to inspect batch OF sentrles
once or twice during the day. and to go
"the rounds once in the night, the re-
mainder OF the time being passed IN
louncing.to and fro between the Guards
Club. in Pail Mall, and the guard-room
mess. The rank and file have TO make
themselves as comfortable as they can
during long, dreary day and night with
two hours sentry go every four hours.
The Queens Guard consists OF hye OIL
ficers and 40 rank and file. This is d.
yil1d into three sections, the ~. James
Palace Guard, consisting of three. OIL
fcers. four fifers and drummers, three
seroeants. and sixty-Dine rank and hle
It bears in it's charge for twenty-iour
hours one Of the colors Of the regiment
tbe Queens colors on royal birthdays or
if her Majesty is in town, and the regl-
mental colors on ordinary days when the
/ Conrt is absent. The other sections are
the Buckingham Palace and Horse
/ Guards. each consisting OF Al oihcer, q
bugler. and about forty rank and me-
The pomp and circumstance attending
the mounting Of the guard and the troop
ina OF the colors on the Queens birth
day are well known.
On royal birthdays every member o.
the guard under the command OIL th'
captain Is allowed sum OF money
drink the health OF the Prince or Prln
cess whose birthday it is-which average
about four pence per man. The oihcer
receive a guinea each. On her Majesty
birthday the sum is doubled. Such ha'
been the wonderful multiplication o
roval princes and princesses OF lat
years-and 1.-The cry IS still thel
come that the soldiers are not with
ont hone of having before long to cele
brate birthday every day III the year
This is the only thing wanting, barring
fine absurd differences between he &C
commodation for the officers and tina
for the men, to make life in the serve
of the household troops as near periec
ton AS Door human nature can wish ioi
The bank picket has the finest time o
if. though. This extraordinary guar
takes up It's quarters inside the Bank
ENGLAND every evening at Z o'clock a
tine wear round. remaining there until
the next morning. 1t Is an officer
ouard and consists of drummer, wv
serocauts. and over thirty men. rae
man receives shilling from the ban
authorities Immediately on his arnya
a serpeauts share being two shilling
The officer is allowed a dinner land i(
two with three bottles OF wine, and
nermittcd to invite friend. The guar
is comfortably housed, each man BEN
served ont with q watch-coat and
blanket. Sentries are posted during Il
nipht at the bullion house and counting
house psrlor. This is vast improy
ment on ST. James Palace, but, the
those who pay the piper choose the tun
which makes all the difference.