Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-03-04
MISCELLANEOUS.
Queen Victoria rs n Millionaire.

Queen Victoria us Millionaire.
A few days ago it was announced
that Queen Victoria had given So.
500 to the Indian famine fund. The
fact that this contribution was much
smaller than the amounts given tc
the same charity by many person,
OF wealth outside the royal circle
has served as text to numerou,
paraRraphers. In the fierce lipht
which beats upon throne" nothing
done by royalty can escape criticism
and IL Victoria does not vince I'M.
der the comments upon her alleged
parsimony toward her suffering In.
dian subjects, 1t will be because the
supply or American newspapers al
Windsor castle is limited.
1t has been pointed out to her
that with her large annual revenues
from various sources, not to speak
OF her crown jewels, she should be
ashamed to have sent anything less
than $4,000 to the secretary Of the
famine fund, that being the amount
which even a private American gen
tlemad, Mr.. William Waldorf Astor
has subscribed. There is surface
Of plausibility IN the comparison
thus drawn between the Queen anG
the private American gentleman
named, but 1t is only on the surface
1t entirely overloOks the fact thai
Mr.. William Waldorf Astor is worth
a great deal more than the Queen OF
England. In theory, Victoria il
mistress of the whole British EN-
pire, including call the wealth oI
Ormus and of Ind" In fact, there
are many private citizens, both En-
glish and American, whose available
cash resources are many times lar
ger. Mr.. Astor happens to be one
or them, and If contributions to the
Indian famine fund are to be consid
cred relatively to the purse from
which they are drawn, his gift OF
$lO,O 900 is considerably short OF
equality with the Queens gift of S.,
500.
There is a great deal of loose writ
Ing on such subjects, and many esti
mates of private fortunes are doubt
less far from the truth. 1t is, how
ever, beyond doubt that Queer
Victoria, though a millionaire, |.
not ono of the first class. Her income
from the British nation is set dowl
at about $2,000,0 900, but of this sun
only $500, 900 is paid into her owl
hands to do with as she pleases. AL
the rest Is specially appropriated by
statute for specified purposes, and i!
disbursed by the lord of the treasury
Compared with her predecessors
Victoria is an inexpensive sovereign
The annual revenues enjoyed BY
George | amounted to about S., 900,
900, which, relatively to the wealth
of the empire at that time, was a
least six times as large as the annua
income allotted to Victoria. 1t /.
well known that the Queen is Of {
frugal and saving disposition, but i
is also we'll known that the calls upor
her charity are very numerous, ant
that she responds to them that arr
worthy, though not always as liber
ally as the applicants could wish.-
There is no day In the year whel
| uppCul 10 uol w hCI kCu
erosity, and 1t Is evident that If sh,
were to give an average subscription
of 81 900 to each applicant, she
would give away $65,0OO a year ir
excess of all that the nation al
lows her for her own private purse
And If he did that, the remarl
would still he made that, for a lady
of her position and wealth, 81 ,00t
gift was small.
It Is doubtful if the Queen woul(
be classed among the milliOnaires a
all if her fortune consisted excessively
of her savings from her annual al
lowance made to her by the nation
The largest portion of her wealth
came to her by inheritance and in {
romantic way. On the 30th of Au
gust, 1852, one Of her subjects (JOhl
Camden Neild) died at the age of ~
He had inherited from his father, J
Neild, who was for some years sher
if of Buckinghamshire, a consid
cradle landed estate. He became al
eccentric miser and made no use o
his property except to hoard its &C
cumulations. He scarcely allowed
himself the necessaries of life. HI
usually appeared in a blue coat witt
brass buttons, and he would not al
low il to be brushed because tha
would tend to wear out the nap. HI
never INDUCED in the luxury of al
oyercoat. He was accustomed To &C
cep ut invitations from his tenants 0'
his Buckinghamshire estate to pa!
them long visits, because he thu
saved board. 1t Is related Of hin
that lust before railway travelling
began he was returning to LondoI
by coach from one Of these visit
when a stop was made at hotel 10
refreshment. All the passenger
except Mr.. Neild entered the inn
A good.natured member ofthe party
seeing him stand outside, looking
pinched and poverty-stricken, sen
him out glass of brandy and water
which he promptly accepted.
A few days before his death h
told one of his executors that he ha
made 4 peculiar will, remarkin
that he had right to do what n
chose with his own property. VINE