New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-07
REPUBLIC PAYS DUKES.
Big 4nnuities ReceiUed By Royalist
Mobiles from French Government.

Some time ago I mentioned in these letters the
ment has been paying for nearly one hundred years
past large annuities to noblcmen who identi-
fed with the royalist cause and who endeavor-
ing by every means in their power to overthrow the
republic These annuities were In the majority of
cases. conferred along with the titles of duke,
prince and count upon generals. statesmen and
court dignitaries by the first Napoleon and have
been paid since without interruption to the
descendants in the male line of the original grantees
by the French treasury. no matter whether the
government that of the Empire, Of the house
of Orleans. of the Bourbon dynasty Of the
public
Proposals often made to abolish these per-
petual pensions. But the Minister of Finance of
the day has always taken the ground that. in view
of the fact that these annuities were inscribed on
the so-called Grand Lvre de France" (the Grand
Ledger of France). the credit of the nation would
be affected tnturiously these obligations re-
pudiated
The government however has now taken steps
to compound the annuities by means of a most lib
eral compromise and the negotiations in connection
with the transaction have brought to light for the
first time the number of the annutants. their iden
tity and the size Of the which they have been
drawing each year from the treasury of the gov
eminent which they were endeavoring to overthrow.
The nobleman who figures for the largest amount
is the Prince and Duke Of Wagram. who draws
yearly 2416 francs. which is about 1000. AS the
Berthier married the late Baroness Bertha de
Rothschid, of the Frankfort branch of the great
banking house. who brought him a colossal fortune.
in which he has life interest he scarcely needs
the money. and well afford to dispense there
with The fat Prince Of Essling, who is likewise
Due de R;voli and grandson of Napoleon's
shall Massena. draws $1,000 year from the French
treasury, although he, like the Prince of Wagram,
is very rich man. his wife. who died last year.
having been the heiress OF the immensely rich Nine.
Hene-Furtado.
The Due de Montebello, great-grandson of Mar
shaI Lannes Napoleon Ney, Prince de la Moskowa,
great grandson Of Marshal Ney; the Duo DAT
bufera. whose mother the heress Of multi
millionaire Berlin merchant and who is grandson
OF Marshal suchet: the Duo de Massa. grandson Of
Marshal Regnier; the Duo de Reggie. grandson of
Marshal Oudinet; the Duo de Trevise, grandson OF
Marshal Mortier; the Duo de Bassano. great-grand-
Of the first Napoleon's secretary and Minister
OF State. Maret: the Due de Behune, grandson OF
another OF the first Napoeons followers; the Duo
de Elchingen. another OF the great-grandsons OF
Marshal Ney and King Oscar of Sweden great
grandson OF the French field marshal Bernadotte.
among the most notable OF the forty-odd annui-
tants.
The basis on which the government OF the repub-
lie has compounded these annuties is on the very
liberal of one and twenty years purchase-thaf
is to say. the payment in lump OF a sum equal to
twenty-one years of the annuity.
One cannot but admire the attitude of the French
government In the matter For the dukes and
mobiles of minor degree, to whom these large annul-
ties have been paid until now are among the most
bitter foes OF the republic. and, Judging by their
attitude III the past the government has no guar
antee that the big sums about to be turned to
them by the treasury IN settlement of the an
nuities will not be used In eonspiracies and plot
tings to upset the administration and to bring
about Royast restoration. For. ouriously enough.
all the dukedoms created by the first Napoleon
are now held by who give their political
allegiance to the head of the house of Orleans
rather than to the chief Of tho house of Bonapars
The Prince OF Wales whose fame as a phiiatelist
is worldwide, and whose collection of stamps
Ia valued at about $4,000 stamps costing, by
reason of their extraordinary rarity, as much
5000 apiece. has just given fresh manifestation
Of his interest In this particular hobby by writing
the Introduction to a work entitled The Postage
Stamps OF Great Britain published by Frederick
J. Melville. In this introduction the prince, who
writes over his own name, relates how the new
stamps now in throughout the British Empire
came to be chosen. Numerous designs. taken from
photographs submitted to the King, but failed
to meet his approval. and ultimately drawing
made by Emile Fuchs was chosen for the purpose
the artist in question likewise designing the border
and framework decoration.
The original sketch and border then photo
graphed and submitted the King The King
signed this with his written approval and the
original photograph, with the monarch's indorse-
ment. now figures in the Prince of wales's stamp
collection After this the Queen suggested a slight
modification in the way of reducing the width of
the wreath design, which adopted
The prince. in his Introduction. likewise explains
why the little books Of stamps issued by the
British postoffces often found with inverted
watermarks. 1t seems that to facilitate the bind
ing of the stamps into books half of the stamps on
a sheet printed upside down.
Lady Curzons illness has been a terribly heavy
drain upon the purse of her husband and 1t is esti
mated that the expenses in connection Herewith
have amounted to something like $50 000-that is to
say, half OF the salary. though not of the allow
ances which he receives Governor General of
India. Sir Thomas Barlow and one or two other
equally famous specialists lived for days together
Walmer Castle, with fees OF $500 apiece a dsv
while each time additional medical attendance ar
even indictments were needed from London spe-
cial trains were employed. 1t is fortunate under
the circumstances. that Lady Curzon is very rich
woman. since otherwise 1t would take her husband
several years in the Far East retrieve his losses
Lord Gosford. who is Queen AIexandra's cham
berlain whose wife Is sister Of the late Duk. Of
Manchester and whose son. Lord Acheson. is well
known in this country, where he has spent much Of
his time has just effected sale of the major part
of his extensive estates in the North Ireland for
castle itself and the sporting rights over the prop
critics. Young Lord Acheson has left the army and
has started in business under the auspices of the
Rothschilds in London His father will now be in
a position TO place a considerable amount OF capital
at his disposal
Although what is generally known as Lord
Mayors Day falls November g. yet II is to-rnor-
row. November 8, that only the chief rnagis-
trate OF the city of London. but likewise the Mayors
OF all the cities and towns OF the United Kingdom
are sworn into office. by virtue OF act of Para-
ment passed in the reign King George IF is