The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-14
What Royalty C08f.
British Taxpayers Pay High for The txtravagao
{ Sum Required by Queen ofGreat Britain
fSnecial Correspondence to the Chicago
kecurd.)

fSpecial Correspondence TO the Chie'7'
Eecurd.)
Washington. ID. c., Nov. 1.-Koyalty
"a an expensive luxury. 1T costs 'ht
British taxpayers great ueai ~ i'i''h''
to support Queen Victoria ana h'' az
teresting family, every mehiper Vi VIM
men and women. receives an ahhui'! ~
cash and the use OF palace " ~
I'm. 1t costs the people or the on,'e"
States about S9l.000 to Maintain 'h'i'
ruler. This includes his salary, the sai-
arv OF his clerks and the other expenses
of maintaining the W hlte HOUSE ~,
Great Britain the total runs up oe! o''',
81 100000 Il year. Inc princess VI
Wales alone receives as pin money for
her wardrobe and personal expenses aii
amount equal to the salary OF me ireSi-
dent of the United States. and TINS does
not include any of the expenses OF MARI
borough house. in which she lives. f1er
husband has just four times as much'
and her sons ana daughters nearly four
times as much more.
Theoretically the queen of Great brl-
tain receives no compensation. hu1 Is cli-
titled To what are known as the "eridi
fairy revenues of the crown. According
to law She is free from all taxes, rates.
assessments and charges but III lof-
during the crisis over the income taN'
Sir Robert Peel announced III farllamenl
that Her Majesty had been graclously
pleased to declare her voluntary deter
mination that her income should be SUP
iect to the same deduction that was
suffered by all officials and servants or
the government n lieu &C - '"""''>"
and property tax. This proclamation
was received with hearty applause and
most complimentary comments by the
newspapers. but SIR Robert either had
no authority for making it or else her
majesty on second thought was gracious
" pleased to change her mind, for she
did not carry out the promise and mas
never paid copper into the treasury
as taxes since she was crowned. :.
"The hereditary revenues of the crown
make n curious inventory. In early
times almost everybody had to pay a
ROYALTY upon the proceeds of his indus
try or his property; hence the origin
of that word, which il IN common nsH
ali over tie country so-c---. : .>"-ceS
age of all private incomes went 10 me
sovereign. the first fruits of the fields
and one-tenth of all they produced.
These taxes were first levied by the pope
1000 years ago to carry on the crusade.
After the reformation Henry VIII. re-
auired them to be paid to him as the
head of the church. In 1104 Queen
Anne surrendered them to the church
to increase the stipends of the clergy;
hence they are known as Queen Anne,
bounty" and under that name are col
lected and applied to this day.
In early times the king granted all IL
censes, for whatever occupation or pur-
pose they were required, and the fees
went to his own pocket. The receipts OF
1he postoffice were a royal perqulste nm
iii 1877. and even now the sovereign
of England is by law entitled TO all con-
traband goods seized, all treasure troye
all the property of fclons, outlaws, and
persons executed. all shipwrecks, all
ietsam and fiotsam. all waits and strays,
all abandoned property. all lands that are
forfeited by their owners or to which
no proper title can be proved, and all
estates that are without heirs; and up
to the time of Queen Victoria the re-
venues of the crown from these sources
would average S1,5O0,000 yearly.
Queen Victoria is entitled by law TO
all whales and surgeons captured by
British fishermen. for they are known,
as royal fish" The '.droits of admiral
ty." which were the proceeds of prizes
captured by the navy at sea, always
went to the sovereign and in twenty
FIVE years during the reign Of George
Ill. they amounted to f9,562,614, which
Is nearly $50.O00000. The crown j,
also entitled to the fees received for the
attachment Of the great seal of state tC
legal documents. commissions, grants
and patents, which are called the Re
ce;pts Of the Hanaper," and amount tC
several millions Il year. The queen en-
joys another valuable perquisite in tllG
revenues of the Island of Barbados
which were granted 10 the crown ii
1868 and amount to about S230,000 q
year. She also inherits from Henry "
the title of duchess of Lancaster, and
the revenues of that county which she
still actually receives. They amount tC
about $21j,000 year. The sovereign
of England also receives the revenue,
OF the iuchy of Cornwall until the birth
of A son, who then becomes entitled tC
them as long as he is Prince of Wales
The fields, forests, orchards, vineyards
parks, gardens, mines and fisheries be
longing to her majesty amount 70 sew
eral hundred thousand acres. Her for
ests alone cover an area Of 11f.529, and
the net revenue derived from the crown
lands average about $2,500,000 annu
ally.
In 1880 William w. made an arrange.
nient with parliament, which was con.
frmed by Queen Victoria upon her ac
cession in 1897. under which all Of the
hereditary revenues Of the crown AM
the proceeds Of the royal estates were
surrendered in exchange for Il perman
ent civil list amounting to f40S.000. II
was IA very good trade on both sides
The proper and legitimate revenues ot
the queen at the present day would
largely exceed this sum, but there woui(
be infinite confusion and very larg,
expense attending their collection. Or
the other hand. she is relieved entirel,
from responsibility. and not only contn
ues to receive this fixed allowance bu
liberal appropriations have been mad,
by parliament for I'LL the members from
fine Ia time until thq nuuuitias nov