Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-15
WILL HAVE EASY lob
Lord CoIebrooke Gets Snug
Billet in Kings Household.
PRIVILEGE OF A PEER
Appointed Captain of His Majesty's
Honorable Corps of Gentle
men-at-Arms.
PRIVILEGE OF A PEER

LONDON, July l5-Iord Coleh-ooke
has just been appointed to one of those
many snug bilIets In the kings house
hold that are reserved exclusively for
peers He has been made captain OF his
maJestys honorable Corps OF Gentlemen
alarms at a salary OF 5000 year He
Will have very easy time OF IL earning
his pay The corps, which was founded
I'm 1902 is mustered only on great cere-
monial occasions when men in gorgeous
uniforms are needed to provide pic
turesque effects at big court functions.
1t was long ago relieved OF all RESPONSE
bility for the safekeeping OF his Elajesty's
sacred person, which was the principal
purpose for which 1t was created. Scot
land Yard detectives. who never appear
in gorgeous uniforms and seek above
all things to render themselves incon-
spicuous. now look after that.
An Exclusive Corps.
The members OF the corps are all army
officers OF good family who have done
something to distinguish themselves. But
by one OF those singular anamolies which
seem to govern the bestowaI of exalted
ornamental jobs in England. it is not
deemed essential that the commander OF
the corps should even ever have been a
soldier. He need know nothing about
military drill and discipline. The two es-
sential qualifications are that he should
be peer and of the same political per-
suasion as the party in power. For all
the best-paying soft snaps III the kings
household are regarded as part OF the
spoils OF victory at the polls and are at
the disposal Of the prime minister. The
king simply approves Of the appointments.
According to the official announcements
by which the public are made acquainted
with these appointments he Is always
pleased to approve" but. as a matter
of fact, he must approve, whether he il
pleased or not
Wholesale Turning Out.
And when there is a change Of govern
ment all the high-salaried heads OF de-
partments in the kings household are
given the sack and have to clear out OF
Buckingham, Palace to make way for an
other batch Of peers who are political ad-
herents of the new prime minister. But
these high salaried appointees have very
little to do with the running Of things at
Buckingham Palace. That is done by
permanent members OF the palace STAFF
promoted to the best paying posts.
For the most part. those who fill the
latter are simply required to put In an
appearance on state occasion, don gor-
imposing as they know how.
Lord Colebrooke's Elevation.
Lord Colebrooke was made a peer in
1909. when a barony WAS bestowed upon
him. But being a liberal. and the lib
erals being In power. his elevation to the
peerage put him In the running for court
billet, and he was soon afterward APP
pointed q lord-in-waiting, position
which he held until his promotion to the
better paying Office which Lord Denman
vacated to become the governor general
of the Australian commonwealth. There
are seven lords-in-waiting. They are
paid $500 year each. But only one
has to be on duty at time. Each OF
them In turn waits for a fortnight. and
then is allowed twelve weeks of.
But, although 1t seems extremely prob
able that the political powers Of the peers
will be greatly curtailed ere long, there
is no indication OF the existence of any
widespread desire to deprive them OF
those exalted, exceedingly we'll paid and.
for the most part, purely ceremonial Of
fees Of which they now enjoy q monopoly.
1t appears to be generally recofnized that
when ii comes to filling an ornamental
role a peer is likely to do it better than
anybody else.