The Washington times., 1901-10-27
THE GOVERNMENTS GUESTS.
EngIand's War Office Pays eI0,ooo
Annually for s'TabIe Money"

Should YOU at any time be so far hon
ored as to be the guest of a general com
manding a district or an officer holding
a naval command, you are, to an extent
at any rate. really the guest of the Gov
ernmont officers occupying such posi-
ton as above indicated are by reason OF
the same bound to offer hospitality on
certain occasions, and it is to meet such
expenditure that the Government grants
sum per annum which is termed table
money"
1t goes without saying that the sum
granted does not by any means, suffice
for the entertainment of guests consid-
cred necessary. The result is that an ofii-
Ger without ample private means is en-
tirely precluded from these high posi-
tions, however capable he may be.
The table money varies according to
the circumstances of the command. one
thousand pounds per annum is allowed to
the. headquarters in Ireland, while the
commanding officer at Aldershot has but
half that sum allowed. The command at
the CuI1agh in ireland carries with it only
e100 table money
The officers commanding at the Cape
and Gibraltar are alike in respect TO this
allowance, each being granted $500. That
small but important British possession,
Hong Kcng, mas e26s per annum set aside
for the military commander as table
money The allowance for Egypt is
about six times as much. but of course,
the necessities of the two cases are as
widely variant. The total sum disbursed
in this way, however. is not large. being
certainly less than Gi0,0O0 year. 1t may
readily be imagined therefore, how great
a sum laval and military officers COM
manding have to find out of their own
the guests Of the Government
Tine War Office may be asleep in some
things. but 1t is sharp enough on the dol
ing out of special allowances such as this
When general is appointed to the COM
mand of district, his appointment may
date from, say, September 1. but he may
not actually take over the command until
October l. The eagle eye in Pail Mall,
does not. however. overlook q little thing
ike that. and months table money
would be deducted from the general Off
GERS allowance
A command such as the Northeastern
district. with headquarters at York must
be pretty expensive for the general who
takes IL over, and the Government allow
ance will not go very far toward meeting
the cost, even OF necessary entertain
ment, while, as anyone knows, in a dis
trict which includes an archbishop and
three suffragans, besides host of nobili-
ty and county families, the general is
obliged to do much entertaining which
the Government probably would not re-
gard as necessary, though he would hear
about it If he held himself aloof.
The Government thus advertises the
army at the expense of the men they
employ.
A similar state of things prevails In the
navy. THE Mediterranean feet is a some
what expensive one to tour" Fleets of
other nations are frequently met out
there, and, of course, the usual cour-
tesies are interchanged, all of which
means expense 10 the admiral. Then
again. when a foreign port is touched,
and the Inhabitants thereof honor the
British fleet. the admiral in turn receives
cials. and dignitaries in return, and the
table money is soon seasick.
The officers In command at Portsmouth
and Deyonport receive the same pay, and
$500 each per annum in lieu of servants,
but there is 30 shillings per dav difference
iii the table money" OF course, the
Portsmouth command. being so near to
the royal residence in the Isle OF Wight,
and for other reasons. entails a good deal
of entertaining of distinguished persons,
both British and foreign
The table money allowed to the ad-
mtrai of the Channel Fleet is &3 a day.
When this feet cruises round the coast.
and there are festivities. say. at Liver
all of which are out of the ordinary rou-
tine. 1t will readily be seen that the Gov
ernment allowance does not err on the
side of generosity.
still, to the extent of nearly $1,000 a
year. the Government stands treat In re-
gard TO our defensive forces.-Pearsou'
Weekly.