New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-06
"ST. BAKSHEESH."
ropsu1p NOT CONFINED TO THE
EAST
.,o,,s rERoursITEs OF QUEEN VICTORIA
c." .,.r srr.RGEoNs-INDIA sHAwLS
CORONATION GIFTs-EMoLU-
OF COURTIERS.

cOpONATION CIR IS-f-hObS-
,,rvTs OF COURTIERs.
,.o are accustomed to regard "bak-
AI'no'e distinctly Oriental institution and
sheeS" Il with other characteristic phases
to ASST peculiar to the semi-civlized coun-
OF ." ,sia and Africa, yet 1t thriVes quite as
tres - =, hotter. on Western soil. and has be-
We" .,s, as much OF a recognized practice III
come +. would not become me as a foreigner
Euop ,.,or,ca-as in the Lands Of the Rising
10 "UD rr,o only difference between the orient
sun accident is that in the latter pax
anu ~ l. csued by different names. Some peo-
shee' !, "nerouistes." others vested rights
pie s." again describe II as tips. But no
'whi' ut name Is used for the purpose, IL IS
ma'N .osa one and the same thing. namely
IN eve. lis If the dictionary. IAN emolument, or
IN INC ,hed 10 some place. office or transac-
gu" o. o,d above the settled remuneration
ton wv -, If extra income beyond the amount
Is 1, the bond. Nor is any one exempt
shpw"' no,ency of it's charms. Monarchs
ron ....smen and plutocrats are just as alive
grea' INJECTIONS Of the system Of perquisites
to INC .,h,est restaurant waiter; and there Is
as '"e -. M shrine that possesses so many
a''1 NJ every class and race, both civilized
deVo'' ,or g that of St. Baksheesh.
anu .orials should banker for tips. and that
IT," .,orv and even municipal legislators
pain a insist on their perquisites, is only nat
shou' ,,-.,,o evne,, il of them and they are, as
'''- careful not to disappoint the public an
..,nation. But there are assuredly man! Fe'u-
"'pA rho Tribune who will be interested 10
,.o-r that European soVerelgns' great u'siI'-
ie"," .a mobiles are Just as eager and greedy
-,l.a sd to reg
.,.,as a. Is a Doodle Alderman OF New
Panamaist politician at Paris. In
10 tho most enthusiastic and fervent discl-
ueou' =. psksbeesh are to be found at the
~ and Imperial courts, where rich pickinss
IVY rbesa sometimes treble in amount the
-, merely nominal emoluments Of the function
o' .Roo and il is this that renders the main
80 Of a Roval or Imperial household 50 eX-
80 -. True monarchs have often en-
soayoraa 10 check the practice; but how can
they attempt TO embark upon any SUI" e"''
ar,sa Of reform So long as they themselves con-
tinue not only TO demand ou' eve" 10 i''iS' "i'0'
their own perquisites!
Ono of the worst offenders in this respect is
Queen Victoria whose perQuisites are numerous
and whimsical in character. Among 'he hioS'
curious Of them is her right to every whae or
s,rrgeon CAPTURED on the coast OF the Unlted
Kingdom and brought 10 land Both OF these
nerouisites date back to the days of the Norman
kings and it appears that in the case OF the
whales the monsters were divided between the
Sovereign and his Consort, the Queen taxing
the head in order that her wardrobe might De
renenished with the whalebone needed FOR the
stieening Of her royal garments. While l 90
not remember hearing Of Queen Victoria laying
claim to any whale captured or stranded on the
coast-possbly because she has long since be-
come indifferent TO the advantages to be derived
from vhalebone-yet the fact remains that every
sturgeon caught is at once impounded by the
local authorities no matter who the captor. and
forwarded 10 Her Majesty. Another OF the
Queens baksheesh is a certain number OF mag
nifcent Cashmere shawls, which are dispatched
to her every year from the Kingdom Of Cash
mere. They vary in value. as a rule. from $500
10 1920 apiece. and the Queen is accustomed TO
present one of them as a wedding present TO
every young girl Of the aristocracy or In whose
future she is in any way interested. Every
tailor holding a patent Of "Purveyor to Her
Majesty" If he conforms to ancient tradition
and usage should present her with silver nee
die each year Another class of Royal pur-
veyors are called upon to present annually 10 her
q tablecoth. while from other sources again she
Is entitled TO an annual contribution OF such
varied baksheesh white doves. white hares,
cataputs, currycombs. fire tongs scarlet hosiery,
nightcaps. knives. lances and cross bows More
over at the coronation, the Lord OF the Manor
Of Addington must present to the Sovereign
dish Of pottage" composed Of almond milk,
Drawn of capons sugar and spices, chickens par
boiled and chopped" And at the same cere-
mony the Lord Of the Manor of Hayden Is
obliged by virtue Of his tenure from the Crown
TO present the monarch with towel, the LORD
Of the Manor Of Worksop giving the Sovereign
q "right-handed glove" These are only few
OF the various baksheesh to which Queen Vic
tora Is entitled by tradition and usage though,
Of course not by statutory law. and ! may add
that she has likewise a vested right in all
treasure trove wreckage ownerless animals and
In the estates Of people dying intestate and with
out any legal heirs
Nor should omit the perqusites which she
annually receives from the fat Duke Of yelling
ton, and likewise from His dmnutive Grace Of
Marlborough. These consist Of a small Royal
English standard from the former and a French
flag from the latter That presented by the
Duke Of Wellington is delivered to Her Majesty
"" eHC anniversary Oh the bdttic vi w hNNAi'''
while the Duke of Marlboroughs French flag is
presented on the anniversary Of the Battle Of
blenheim. At the end of each year they become
The perquisites of the officer Of the guard who
happens 10 be duty at the Castle Of Windsor
On those two respective days.
This Is by no means the only baksheesh OF the
omcer OF the guard and, indeed. there is hardly
single member OF the court from the Lord
steward and Master of the Horse. who are at
me head thereof. down to the official rat
catcher. who does not supplementary. some
unes double or trebIe-his official pay by means
VI perqusites. And it is this stated above.
'hat interferes with every project of economic
,e'orm attempted by the Queen suggested by
"' ADVISERS. Her husband, the late Prince Con-
UT did quite a good deal to put a stop to the
"sem and incurred no end OF unpOpularity in
NseQuence But since his death little has
IN reflected. and the Queens recent decision to
so'ash the Hampton Court stud farm and horse