The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-20
THE BRITISH PENSION LIST.
Curiosftfes of Perpetual Pensions and
New Charges ON the Civil List.

New York SUM-
Lord Alcester, who died the other day.
received gift of nearly 100000 from the
British government for his part in the
bombardment of Alexandria in 1882 Had
less less creditabIe service to Charles II he
might have left behind him perpetual
pension to this day charge upon the
the heirs of William Penn committed for
about $4,000 the perpetual pension of near
~ $4,000 a year granted to the Penns in
possessions in America. The descendants
of Farmer Pendrell. who rendered Great
Charles ii in the Royal Oak, still enjoy
the pension of $500 year granted to
their ancestor after the restoration.
Most of the perpetual pensions have dis
appeared. When some came to be COM
muted they were found in the hands of
persons in no way the descendants of
the original pensioners. or even the heirs
of their descendants. The earldom of Bath,
carrying with it hereditary. pension of
but the pension went on. Half OF It was
commuted by Lord Melbourne in 1926 for
only ten years ago. Earl St. Vincent en-
joys a perpetual pension of $25Ou a year,
dating from 1870 and believed TO have neea
services to Charles III. There was an hered-
itary pension in the family of Lord Nelson
though he left no legitimate heir and the
Misses Ward, distant relatives of the fam
lily, have had $500 a year as charge
upon the civil list for more than forty
years Other members of the family draw
$1,000 a year. The late Duke of MARI
borough In need s Of ready r n money! iGom;
pension of the dukedom amounting to near
ly $50. 900.
been long out of fashion. in Great Britain,
but hereditary pensions for two or three
lives were conferred as late as 1868, when en-
Lord Napier of Magdala received $1,000
a year to himself and his successor for his
services in coGquering King Theodore of
Abyssinia. The present possessor of the
ma Qrpc14I
has been enjoying it since 1890, and is like
ly to enjoy it for the next twenty years,
sioners are VIGOROUSLY long lived The
present Duke of Wellington is the last hold
err of the pension of about $4,000 year yea Tor
three lives granted to the great Wellington
In 1876.
One of the oldest and most scandalous
features of the British pension list lies in
the sums paid to half dozen persons out
of the so-called fourand-one- half percent.
Barbados duties. The Assembly of the ISL
and of Barbados made grant in perpe-
tuity in 1868 for the maintenance of the
government in the island, being the pro-
ceeds of a duty levied on exports. The
grant was soon perverted. and for nearly
two hundred years has been used TO pen
sion clergymen and the heirs OF persons
that We're favorites of sovereigns long since
dead. About $1,000 year is still paid on
this score though the duties themselves
we're oa age en of some british pen
sioners is probably unmatched in any other
civilized country. There are several pen pen,
enjoying their pay, and pensioners whose
pensions were given because OF iii health
Years Some pensioners have enjoyed their
pensions since early youth. The number or
pensions in return for the abolition of this
or that Office is remarkable. "chaIW wax
not long ago was enjoying nearly $500
year 1t had been his business when he
worked to prepare the wax Ior sea1ng nov nov
living in New York says that he was once
strongly urged by friend to seek place
In, lar-
of his informant that the concern would
soon come into the hands of the. govern
m men, a e,,niov Would be- pensioned. The
New Yorker by adoption looks back from
his present vantage with satisfaction sfi 51o at
as the concern has not come into the hands
of the government.
AS the law now stands the Queen may
grant pensions amounting to $1,000 year,
chargeable upon the civil list. There is
tremendous pressure to get &c d meeay persons
doled out in driblets. The list Is now
long one, as it has been added to during
Guiding a few from her predecessors. The
history of the efforts that preceded the
granting of these pensions would W make
pensioned more than fifty years ago her
masters in French, German Italian, writ
ing, singing and dancing. Haydn, the Die
civil list s12o year. Charles Kingsley,ss
widow receives 8 geo ,oa year and some some Of Of
the poet Keats was put on the list in 1880
for $780, Tennyson had a pension of $500
which, when he became prosperous, he
was scrupulous to give to more needy lit
erary men. William Watson. the poet, aft
err long struggle with poverty and III
health, now receives 500 year. Victoria,
early in her reign, gave s125 year each
to two men whose ancestors befriended
Charles ii in the time of his adversely.
gift she would hardly repeat to-day. The
learned Dr. Murray, editor of the new Ok
ford Dictionary, receives about 81 200 year
from the civil list. T. Adolphus Trollope
of his active life in Italy.
One of the most interesting features of the
British pension list is the little group of
political pensioners. 4 Cabinet officer is
vided he needs such aid to maintain the
dignity proper to his station stat Mr.. Glad
cd this pension. His great antagonist, Dis
raeli, accepted it early and ~, with ,s reason son,
C,ladstones had a considerable fortune.
Mr. Shaw-Lefevre. who is reputed rich
ofhce and was much criticised for his ac-