The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-13
What Royalty
Costs
the World.

that the rulers of Europe are a
burden on their subjects to the
extent of from a forty-second of cent
to fifty-tWo and half cents a head,
an impost at which even the most
thrifty can scarcely grumble.
The thrones of Europe require every
year for their maintenance a sum Of
30,000,000, or three times the annual H.
come of the richest man in the world.
Even this stupendous sum, says Tit
Bits, could be comfortably packed in
three large trunks; although the con-
stituent sovereigns would form a path
way OF gold nearly yard wide, on
which the kings and queens of Europe
| could walk in stately procession from
| Charing Cross to st. PauIs.
In view of this display Of gold, it GER
ta1nly seems scarcely credible that it
only represents yearly contribution of
seven and one-fourth cents for each
subject throughout Europe.
AS might, perhaps, be expected, the
Sultan is the costliest Of monarchs, but
even in his case contribution of fifty
two and a half cents from every subject
would furnish his annual exchequer.
The Kings of Belgium and Greece
rank next to the Sultan in costliness,
but at great interval. Ten cents a
year is all the claim they make on each
SUBJECTS loyal generosity.
Austria ranks next with g. contribu-
ton of 912 cents each toward maintain
ing its imperial throne; Italy is fifth on
the list with cents; Sweden sixth, with
s; then come Russia, with a modest
Z cents for the Great White Gar:
Germany, with Is cents for it's al
mighty Emperor, and the United King
dom, with an individual 4 % cents.
Between the cheapest of sovereigns
and the dearest of Presidents there is a
great gulf Two cents from each
Frenchman would meet the yearly cost
of three Presidents, and each Swiss
with the same modest coin could secure
the services of twenty Presidents.
Victoria is thus the cheapest of all
European sovereignS If a tax were
levied on the United Kingdom alone; If
however, it be distributed over the
whole of her empire the tax would
amount to half a cent for each Of her
subjects.
AS Victoria is the least costly of
monarchs. she is also among the poor
est. Her total income available for
private purposes is not much more than
$1,000,OOO a year, or Sis an hour
revenue less than some of her own
subjects enjoy.
Her entire private fortune is, roughly,
$1,000 000-a capital which, converted
into sovereigns, might be slowed away
in a trunk six feet long and three feet
IN ne1SnC ana WlQtn.
Compared with these modest sums the
cars income and fortune are alike
stupendous. His private fortune, in
Guiding his mines, forests and his 1000,-
900 acres, may safely be estimated at
$3.50, 900, 600, and his total yearly revenue
at $12 500 900, or about $24 a minute.
The Emperor of Austria is passing
rich" on $500, 900 a year. His daily al
lowance is $40, $50, or a pile of sover-
eigns three and half times as high as
himself.
William, the German Emperor has
81, 500 900 a year less than his imperial
brother of Austria, but even this linn
tied allowance admits of an expenditure
as strong man could carry to his pal
ace at Potsdam.
All these incomes, however, look fool
jsh and small when compared with the
$50 900 600 year which the Sultan is
credited with spending. This sum, by
the way, is more than ten times as
much as his official income; fact from
which some idea may be cleaned Of the
vastness of his private fortune.
This monarch contrives to spend
twice his own weight in sovereigns
every day. For pocket money he allows
himself three hundredweight of sover-
aigns a week, and the same amount for
delicacies for his acres of tables. Four
and a half hundredweight of sovereigns
vanish every week IN presents and the
sar4,e weight of gold is required to
o1othe the many beauties of his harem.
Compared with this lavish expenditure
1t is really wonderful how the poor man
contrives to clothe himself on a paltry
$500 week. to which sum he rigidly
limits his tailors.