The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-05-24
CARS GREAT WEALTH.
He IS Said to be the Richest Man in
the World.
Baltimore Sun.

burg the other day. on semi-ofhciai
authority, that the 'czar had given
100000, 900 rubles (about SIoo,ooo.ooo
from his private treasury to the Rus
sia war fund. Probably this is the
largest single gift ever given by an
individual donor to any cause.
But the car can we'll afford it. He
is uuquestionably the richest man On
earth. Even John D. Rockefeller's
many millions would look small BY
comparison with his multiudinous
sources of wealth and the vast treas
are boarded for him by his ancestors,
for the Romanoffs were always a
saving race No living man can tell
the full. extent of his wealth. not ever
Baron Friederichs. the comptroller
of the imperial household.
The value of the emperors private
fortune and it's importance in relation
to the affairs OF the empire may be
guaged in some degree by the fact
that the Baron. his private secretary.
is counted among the greatest officers
of state, and is member of the prin-
cipaf deliberative and consultative
councils, such as the committee Of
ministers, anG the council Of state.
which helps the car TO direct the
course Of Russian policy.
The official revenue of Nicholas II
his salary, so to speak is nearly
s2.ooo.coo sterling per annum. 1t
is difficult to arrive at it exactly. for
it is paid in various ways and under
many heads, and the sum total fluc-
tuates from year to year. But SIo,-
ooo, 900 may be taken as fair average.
Cost of a State Ball
1t is only small part of his wealth,
however, and the expense of MAIN
tanning his royal state more than ac-
counts for this vast sum. If he de-
pended upon his official salary he
would find it hard to make both ends
meet. 1t is estimated that the mag
nihcent state ball which was given
lust as the war With Japan broke OUT
cost between 100000 and 5,ooo,ooo
rubles. The czar'S gifts to the Or
thodox church in the course OF the
year average from 100000. to o,ooo.-
ooc rubles. and Orthodox Russians
co31plain-con6dentially, OF course
that he is stingy in that respect. in
comparison with his predecessors.
On the other hand. the church turns
over large revenues to him. estimated
to exceed the amount which it re-
ceives.
With the sole exception of the Shah
of Persia, the czar owns a greater
fortune in diamonds and precious
stones than any other man in the
world. The famous Orlof diamond
is only the greatest star in an I'M
mense constellation. 1t was given to
a previous czar by a Count Orloff,
one of whose descendants was the
famous Count Orlof. who devoted his
life to improving the breed OF RuS-
sian horses and created the "Or!ott
horse" now used almost exclusively
by the Russian cavalry.
When Nicholas II was crowned a
few years ago the Enlir OF Bokhara
and the Khan OF Khiva. his two prin-
-cipai vassal princes. Wed with one an
other in making him the richest gifts
within their power The Khan gave
him a priceless rope OF pearls. which
is said to be the hreSt i'll the world
besides diamonds. emeraldS and rub
les galore. His presents were eSti-
mated to have been worth. at the
lowest computation. S2.ooo.ooo; but
they we're unique and not pric,
could really be put upon them. HIS
rival, the Emir. was not far behind
him; and the Hetnan OF the Don Cos
sacks, Prince Sviatopolsk Mirsk II.
came forward with some handsome
contributions. as did the leading
mobiles and princes Of the empire,
to say nothing of foreign potentates.
Born Both Lucky and Rich.
Th. czar Is the luckiest man on