Evening star., 1937-03-21
CORONATION BILL
PUT AT S2,27O,OOO
viii Be Cost|iest in British
HIstory--PoIitiCaI Sig-
nificanCe Cited.
By the Associated Press

LONDON.-The coronation of King
George VI and Queen Elizabeth in
May will be the costliest affair of It's
kind in the history of Great Britain.
1t will take approximately s2,27O,0OO
out of public funds, according to treas
ury estimates.
In reality, the government will spend
about s2,620,OOO, but S350000 will be
returned in the form Of revenue from
procession grandStand seats.
This is a far greater sum than has
been spent on any previous corona
ton.
The expenses of the royal house
hold in connection with the corona
ton, including the entertainment of
royal and foreign promlnents, are esti-
mated at S5OO.O0O
Previous Coronation Costs
The costs of previous cOronationS,
In round figures. were as follows.
George " in 1921, 100000.
William " in 1881 S2ll,OO0
Victoria. 1888. S35O.OOO
Edward VII in 1902, 1865 600.
George V in 1911, $10OO,0OO.
A million dollars is now being spent
In the construction of stands along the
coronation procession route, IN prepa-
ration of Westminster Abbey for the
coronation proper, and in the con-
struCtOn of an annex to the abbey.
Various government departments
are being allotted a total of $3.50 600
for entertainment of guests and Wis
iting ContlngentS: The India Office is
settlng 100000, and the admiralty
sll5O00, to include the cost of the
coronation naval review.
What the public will get for this
money it is now evident, is a public
show and pageantry of almost stu
pendous proportions.
Political Significance.
The political significance of the
crowning of King George VI is not
denied, both as concerns Britain and
the empire. The coronation is to be
the most vital step so far in the cam
paign to strengthen the link" of
empire provided by the royal family
anu " pOpUldl lLt lI!t IlbN NlIlS dilU
Queen throughout the empire
Far different, by example, were the
admitted motives of King George "
VINO made his coronation grand show
to attract attention away from his
marital difficulties. The furor caused
by his Queen Caroline, who, estrangec
and living on the continent, returned
to Britain and tried to "gate-crash'
the coronation, only to be refused ad-
mittance to the abbey, still rings louC
in British history.
Parts Of London already have 6
changed appearance in preparation fol
the coronation.
Statues, trees and even buildings are
being blocked out by tiers of grand
stand seats along the route to be fol-
lowed by the coronation procession,
TrelIis of Scaffolding.
Parliament Square is now hardly tc
be recognized The grass plot in the
center of the square is hidden behind
a trellis of scafolding for what is tc
be a covered stand.
Old Palace Yard likewise is being
covered with stands, While the entire
front of Westminster Hospital. oppo-
site the abbey, is being converted into
tered accommodations for paying
spectators.
The transformation of Westminster
Abbey for the coronation ceremony
proper also nears completion
Tombs within the abbey have beer
boarded over and will be decorated
with crimson and gold draperies: thu
only exception being the Tomb of tht
Unknown Warrior To permit thi.
tomb to stand revealed a hole vii
be cut in the blue carpet. 173 fee
long and II feet wide, and made IL
one piece without any sea, which vii
cover the professional way within tht
abbey.
So crowded will be the abbey. where
the favored thousands will watch thu
actual placing of the crown on tht
Kings head, that some of those at.
tending will have to enter the abbey
through the windows A plate glas.
window has been removed from behinc
Poets Corner and a staircase is beine
constructed to the window from the
street outside.