The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-06
THE QUEENS SERVANTS.
MORE TO VICPoRIA THAN COURT
IERS AND STATESMEN.

STATE ana EeI5OAh4 1OdClnan-GOT-
Reous Liveries and salaried Posi-
tions-The Queens Indians and Ger
man Jaegers-she Treats Them As
Equals.
(CopVrt0ht.l
New YORK, Nov. 5.-Queen Victoria,
although burdened with the cares
and anxieties involved by SOW
ereignty over one OF the greatest empires of
the universe, is exempt from all trouble and
worry in connection with that lighting
curse on the existence of ordinary people,
namely, the tormenting and everlasting
servant problem. Her domestics-and they
are many in number-may be described as
perfection. Their fathers and their fathers
fathers before them have lived and died in
the service of the royal family, and,
brought up from their earliest Child
hood in an atmosphere impreguRusd
with sentiments of discipline and loyalty,
they possess infinitely more tact and finer
appreciation Of the border line that sepa-
rates obsequious servility from manly, self
respecting devotion to their royal masters
and mistresses, than do many oaurtiers,
born and bred in more exalted spheres of
society. They enjoy the advantage of hav-
ing been trained under the eye of their
parents and deriving all the benefit Of the
experience of the latter, naturally possess a
more perfect kno Wedge of their duties than
could be expected from any stranger.
They never ask for higher wages, never
give warning, and are content with both
the relatively moderate pay and the strict
discipline, aware that after a certain num-
Der of years service they not ouly receive
pensions for the remainder of their days.
but also friendly care and helping hand
in providing for the future of their chill
dren. Contrary to what might be imagined,
the perquistes and "vails'' of domestic
servants in royal employ are very small, the
late prince consort having some forty years
ago effected sweeping reforms in connec-
ton with the royal household which put a
stop to the fragrant abuses which up to that
time had cost many thousands of pounds
every year to the privy purse Of the sover-
egn. Indeed, from financial point of
view, there is no doubt that a groom, a
coachman, a footmau or a gamekeeper
would be infinitely better Off in the service
of a nobleman or plutOcrst than that of a
monarch. Certain it is, at any rate,
that no servant either of the queen
or of the Prince Of Wales has ever en-
ioyed so large al income as that footman
OF the Earl OF NorthbroOk, who some time
ago testified under oath in a court Of law
that although his regular wages amounted
to but $500 annually, yet that he received
from $4,000 to $500 more year in the
shape of tips from the earl's guests, who he
was called upon to valet during their stay
at Stratton.
The queens chief or state coachman, por-
trayed above, is a man by the name of Ed
win Miller, who during the earlier portion
Of his career was employed to assist In the
care Of thirty-five saddle horses kept for the
use Of the royal family. After the death
of the prince consort he was transferred
fFOFfA Wfndanr fO IA RIVAL sta bioa =
ingbam palace as one of the assistant coach
men. For nearly twelve years his duties
consisted in driving the carriage ofeCol. Sir
Charles Maude, who bears the
title of crown equerry and who
has the direction not only Of the entire
royal stables, but also OF the royal stud at
Hampton Court palace, where annual and
very profitable sales are held of the queens
yearlings. Subsequently he was intrusted
with the charge OF breaking in all young
horses used for the queens carriage, and it
is owing to his marvellous treatment of
them that they are all so quiet
and docile in their behavior, her
majesty having never been subs
jected to any kind of carriage accident
throughout her long reign. Some four
years ago he was promoted TO the post OF
principal state coachman, which be now
holds 1 may add, in connection with Mr..
Miller's duties, that an important point in
training the queens horses consists In max
ing them accustomed TO the sound OF drums
and bands OF busio. 1t is the practice at
the royal stables for the children belonging
to the various employees of the News
to be sent into the stables frequently
with their toy drums and trumpets,
and in every way possible the horses are in-
ured to noise. It is only r&ely that Mr..
Miller has the opportunity Of driving the
queen, the last occasion having been at the
TINA OT har {nni1ao fnr Anr bar ord pa NV
visit to London she usually goes about in a
bsrouche drawn by four horses mounted by
postillions. These postillions on such &C.
oaslons wear top boots, white leather
breeches, black jackets and hats. On state
occasions, however, they don velvet caps,
white wigs and gold embroidered scarlet
jackets.
The queens personal coachman, who
drives her at Windsor, Balmoral and
Osborne, and who likewise accompanies her
during her annual visits to the continent, is
an elderly man of the name of Thomas
Sands, and Is great favorite of hef
majesty, in whose service he has been very
long indeed. The queen is exceedingly
kind and considerate to him, and greets him
always with friendly good day" FIRE.
quently, when the drives are long. the
queen causes the carriage to be
stopped and the tea euuipage. which
she generally carries with her. to
De extracted from the rumble. Tea is there
upon brewed by means of a spirit lamp, and
In partaking of this gentle stimulant with
her ladies in attendance, the queen does not
forget her coachman, but invariably makes
a point of pouring out a cup for him, too.
On one occasion, when her daughter, the
widowed Empress of Germany, was with
her and attempted to pour out
the tea for the coachman herself
the queen took the cup away from her
under the pretext that she did not know
how Thomas liked to have his tea sugAred
and creamed,n and fixed it for him herself.
Thomas is very fond of relating this story
as an illustration of his mistress kindness
and consideration for her old servants.
Both he, as we'll as the state coachman
above referred to. are decorated with the sill
yer medal conferred upon them by the
queen on the occasion of her jubilee, and
they wear it on the left breast of the coat
OF their livery.
The latter is Of four-fold character. On
ordinary occasions both Mr.. Miller and Mr..
sands, as we'll az their suhordinates, wear
nVeries OF plain black, white brooches and
top boots, together with hat fanked by
the royal cockade. On more ceremopious
occasions, such as, for instance the fetching
OF royal visitors from the railroad stations.
ETC., they wear a black-faced scarlet coat
AVID gold buttons, instead of black one,
while the hat is aJOrnad with "a cold hand