The Washington herald., 1911-05-22
COST OF THE CORONATION.

Middle Ages. There is no doubt II this
writer could revisit our mundane sphere
this summer and witness the coronation
in England and behold its vast expendi-
ture he' would gasp with amazement
Already the stream Of gold is beginning
to flow. and before 1t ceases the total will
be staggering.
| The expenses Of the coronation cere-
mony and festivities Immediately asso-
ciated with it alone will come to a good
ly sum. The estimate provides for an
expenditure of s1S.O0O. in addition to a
substantial balance in the hands of Lord
Beauchamp. who is the national host.
Besides. King George. 1t is said. will
spend at least another s1OO,OOO out of his
privy purse Here We have the startling
4 item of 100000 at the very beginning.
But for every pound spent on royal
ceremonials and banquets scores will be
laNlshed by the nation and her guests
| from over the seas on this carnival of
rejoicing. From the United States alone
1t Is said at least 100000 persons are going
to England. many of them millionaires.
one palatial liner will take over SO many
| American Croesuses that for months ac-
comniodation has been at premium.
Every berth in every boat that crosses the
poiu III MAY ana June long mas Dcen
| taken. In fares alone the arrivals from
the United States will spend at least
| i2'vU.OOO besides the gold they bring
| with them to leave in English pockets.
| Assuming that Of say. 100000 Americans
| each spends only ESQ ian absurdly small
| SUM. there is another item of some
| 100000 to be added TO the coronation
bill. Canada is sending 5000 persons,
Australia 10000 and so on through the
| long list those Whn will
| the seas. 1t is a low estimate TO say
| That London during coronation week will
| be the host to 100000 persons. They may
| return to their remote homes perhaps
| richer by the experience of having wit
| messed a coronation. but undoubtedly
| poorer by no less than ES,O00,OO0.
For the privilege of sightseeing alone
it is easy to calculate that a sum run
| ming FAR into seven figures will be paid
| Fabulous amounts have already been
paid for houses and flats in Mayfair St
James. and Bclgravia in South Kensng-
ton. and the purlieus of Hyde Park For
the daT of the coronation procession it.
self 1000 guineas is the cost of a fat in
Pail Mall, and on the following day-the
day of the royal progression guineas
will be disburscd for the same fiat: 800
G2N7.O0O a year, The lowest price asked
by one agent for solitary window over
looking the professional route is 50 guin-
cas- and single seats range from TO y
Guineas.
The millionaire who wants a house TO
himself. say. in Queens Gate must be
prepared TO pay something like 5000 for
it In fact. one rich American has al |
ready secured "A n
venur street for 1000 guineas and is quite |
pleased with his bargain while another |
Crocsus has paid 800 guness for house |
in GrOSvcnor square Il is true that such |
rents cover a longer period than the cOrO- |
nation festivities; but as the coronation |
Is the attraction which fixes the prices |
th"y may fairly be put down to its ac- |
count. Hundreds of flats in st. James |
street and similar places of vantage are
being let for sums ranging from GI00 to !
1'p Tor the coronation day alone. the |
lucky tenants thus paying the years |
rent and pocketing a substantial sum in
addition for vacatng their quarters for
a single day.
And practically all this expenditure. as
estimated above. is for the metropolis
alone What about the money lavished
not only in the provinces OF the United
Kingdom. but in the cO'onies. from Can
ada 10 CeylOn. where loyalty will be as
rampant at home? 1t is but a poor
town in England which is not already
committed to spend at least f1.O00 in pub
lie rejoiCings. while. IF course. cities like
Liverpool. Glasgow. Manchester. &c, will
spend no less than twenty times that
amount
Provincial public celebrations will con-
sumo GlJ00O0. but private disbursements
will cover at least twice that much not
TO speak of the outlay in the towns and
ssirf
believe that tho total cost and expendi-
ture of the coronation will foot up in the
neiEhhUrhOod of no less than G20.0OO, COO
Quite a tidy sum-cui bono?
The rUm0r which has been re-echoed
in the press of both hemispheres that
King George is showing a disposition to
Ignore American peereSses and hostesses
has been effectively disposed of by his
dining recently with the Duke and Ouch
ess of ROxburghe at Chesterfield House
Before her marriage the duchess was
Miss May GOelet of New York, one OF
the most beautiful and popular dollar
princesses'' of America.
The mansion in which the royal pair
was entertained is one of the most inter-
esting in all London. At the time of the
last coronation the then owner, Lord
Burton. lent it to King Edward for the
accommodation of foreign royalty, and
for the first time in its long history a
sentry then was posted at its gate
When Chesterfield House was built by ,
the fourth Earl of Chesterfield in the
middle Of the eighteenth century. II was
surrounded by fields. a thing hardly con-
Ceivable to the residents of the Mayfair
OF to-day. A celebrity whose personality {
was greatly associated with the mansion
was DR.. Johnson, and one of the rooms
in the building to this day still is called
DIR. JohnsOns room.
The King while dining with the Rox-
burghes the other night took occasion
to admire the magnificent staircase Of '
Chesterfield House, a superb piece Of In
terror architecture which had been trans
fered bodily from Canons, the seat of the {
Dukes OF Chandos.
Palace of the team Of polo players be- I
fore its departure TO the United States.
where they are representing England. {
recalls the fact that King George played I
regularly when he was a naval ieuten-
ant. He was a good player and could
hold his own with rome of the best tai
ent of the two services. Almost every
form of the manly exercises has been
practiced by the King. and every sort of
sport will be benefited as long as he is .
on the throne.
Shooting of course. holds the warmest
At,..T "