The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-07-14
MISCELLANY.
Pay of an Emperor.

"Vorsichtl bite" and l was COM
PEELED to give the right Of way to Gu
rious team, guarded by military es-
cort of cuirassiers in cleaning steel ar
NOR, which had just left the vaults of
the Reichsbank, making Decline for
the Kaiser's palace, says writer in
the Washington Post. One of the po-
lice captains on duty, an old acquain-
lance, satisfied my curiosity by explain
ing that this is the Emperor's salary for
the next quarter. Some hours later,
seated comfortably with the aforesaid
loquacious captain by sort of gallon
measure :of Munchener bier, / gather
ed the following highly interesting in
formation.
Emperor William receives his salary
quarterly in advance. The money is
thrice counted by different functional
ries at the national treasury, and is af-
terward placed in number Of strong
boxes and carried 10 the royal mail
wagon, waiting at the door between q
troop of mounted gendarmes. After
the load has been placed in the vehi-
Gle the Ministers of Finance of the EN-
pire and of the Kingdom place the
seals of their respective offices upon
the door and accompany the Minister
of the Royal household in his carriage
to the palace, the mail wagon, with its
escort of gendarmes, following imme-
diately behind. Not until the money
is actually deposited in the vaults OF
the Emperor williams Berlin palace
does the Minister of the household
sign the receipts, which are made out
in the name of "Wilhelm Rex" and
civilian Imperator," respectively
one-half of the sum being derived from
the Treasury of the Kingdom of Prus-
STA and the other half from the Treas
ury of the German Empire.
Two days afterward the court func'
tionaries receive their pay, but, al
though the Emperor receives his salary
in advance, not one of the employees il
similarly favored, so that the Emperor
is practically always three months be
hind in the pay list of his household
The only exception which the Emperor
makes is in the favor OF his consort
whose personal allowance of e50,00C
per annum, is paid to her quarterly IL
advance.
At no great court in Europe are tn,
salaries 80 low as that of Berlin, thu
so-called great dignitaries having t
satisfy themselves with a pittance O.
e400 year, while the Minister himsel
receives but e600. This is not surpris
ing when the enormous number of per
sons who figure on the pay roll is takeI
into consideration. For instance, ther'
are no less than 500 housemaids an(
1900 livered footmen. Every servant
high or low, is entitled to q pension
after working in the royal household
for twenty years.
Over and beyond the civil list re
ceived by the Emperor from the treas
ury of the Empire and that of th'
Kingdom, he draws from the War De
partment full salaries for the differen
military commands he assumes. Al
Commander-in-c of the army he il
continually appointing himself Colonel
in-chief of this or that regiment, which
has thereupon the right to style itsel
the "leib or body regiment of Hi
Majesty. Whenever one reads in thu
iment in the army, one may take it fol
granted that it entails an addition tt
his income in the shape of Colonel'l
pay and allowances. Inasmuch as a
the present moment he holds the Colon
elcy of some fifty different regiments
it will readily be seen that this con
stitutes no uncomfortable addition te
his income, all the more as the Colonel
cies carry with them forage allowances
for about 200 horses.
Out of this civil list the Emperor il
expected to pay the allowances of the
various members of his family. Blu
this is not heavy drain on his purse
His brother, Prince Henry, and hi'
brother-in-law, Prince Frederick Leo
pold, have each inherited immense
private fortunes, and are PRACTICAL.
Independent of any allowance, while
the only other Princes of his house
Prince Alexander, and the eccentric
yet talented Prince George, all three
elderly men, are exceedingly wealthy
Indeed, they figure among the riches
princes of the blood in Europe.