The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-02-21

section OF the city than she
Queen Victoria is supposed to have
been the richest woman In the world.
Her financial affairs have been shel.
tered from public knowledge with
scrupulous caution. but those who
have the best facilities for obtaininf
information believe that the popular
estimate Is not far from correct. For
nearly half a century her private inter.
ests were looked after by the late Earl
Sidney, whose devotion deserved all
the gratitude his royal mistress be-
slowed upon him. His successor IN
this important relation was Richard
Asheton Cross. better known as Wis.
count Gross, who still acts as general
manager of her majesty's estates. He
has the assistance of dozen or more
men or experience and ability. who
have devoted their lives to assisting
their sovereign In building up an enor-
nous fortune. Each has his particular
department and they only of all the
world know how great her wealth Is
and how it is invested the new king
and the rest of the family were not
admitted TO her confidence.
Her majesty had large sums invested
in the United States IN bonds anC
mortgages acquired through the Eng.
lish and Scottish mortgage companies.
1t is also supposed that she mad large
investments in Canada but as none OF
f,,I In, 1. l..
bic to ascertain the truth.
The costly presents she received
from time TO time are valued at many
millions of dollars, and the crown
jewels are worth 81 100000. hut these
are not usually incluued in the est.
mates of her wealth. and there is a
question whether they belong to her or
to the State. Some jewels OF great
value which her majesty kept in her
private apartments were received as
gifts. 1nese she has probably dis
posed of by her win.
1t was impossible 10 conceal her real
estate possessions. but even they are
not well known, because the sovereign
of England pays no taxes. and the only
way to ascertain the amount OF he.
holdings would be to examine the tax
lists of the entire British empire and
make a schedule of its items marked
Exempt, V. r." She is said to have
been the owner of 600 business blocks
and houses in Great Britain alone. ana
over 5000 aseholds-farms and city
lots upon which other people have
made improvements. principally in
South kensington-that will revert 10
her heirs at the expiration of me
leases. which extend from thirty 10
ninety mine years. She owned real es-
tate in Hong Kong, Shanghai. India,
Egypt, Italy and other countries and
was believed to be the proprietor of
number of buildings In the new resi-
dence portion of Berlin which appear
in the name Of her trustees
Her estates in York lire Oxford
shire, Berks, Kent and other counties
of England, Scotland. Ireland, Wales
the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man
are known to the public. for they could
not be easily concealed She received
rents from markets, tolls from ferries
and royalties from iron and coal mines
and stone quarries and was large
stakeholder in a theatre at Birming-
ham.
There are thousands of people upon
her payroll in various parts of the
kingdom. They knew who their mis-.
tress was and considered il an honor
to be employed by The Widow" Most
of her farms, however, are leased for
terms OF years at stated rentals or on
shares. All Of the royal palaces, ex.
cept Osborne. on the Isle of wight.
ami Baimoral, in the highlands of
Scotland, belong 10 the crown.