OCR Text |
Show i Income of the Czar. I am sometimes asked to give an idea of the annual income of the czar, who is described as the richest sovereign iu Europe, his court being assuredly as-suredly the most magnificent and extravagant, says Marq.iis de Fontenoy iu Chicago Tribune. It is difficult to give any preeise reply, for his private e-taios are so colossal, embracing as they do a large, porcoiitfige of the total area of the empire, and his miiies of every description both developed and undeveloped un-developed are so incalculably rich that it is impossible impos-sible to convey any idea of his income derived from his own personal" estates, and from the "domaine privee" or property of the imperial house of which be lias absolute control. ; j T can only state that last year .SOO.OOO was drawn from the national treasury under- the head of "civil list" for the expenses of the court and the imperial household. Inasmuch as the whole of the j .national revenue of Russia belongs theoretically. to j the czar, he deserves considerable credit for.having I contented himself witli so little. |