THE PRINCE’S TOUR

Evening Star, Issue 18626, 6 May 1924, Page 2

THE PRINCE’S TOUR

ONLY £13,000 REQUIRED. The visit of the Prin.cc of Wales to South Africa will ho decidedly tho least expensive of any Royal tour on tiiis scab (says tho ■Observer’). It has just been decided that not more than £13,000 will bo required from tlte public purse for the purpose. It is highly improbable that the sum will bo exceeded.

Previous tours on tho part of tho Prince to distant parts of the Empire Jiavo called for tho expenditure of considerably greater sums. This Ims been largely accounted for by reason of the fact that tho cruiser Renown had then been utilised for tho accommodation of tho Princo and those in attendance upon him. On this occasion His Royal Highness and his suite are to travel on board tho Union-Castlo liner Arundel Castle, where special quarters will be provided for them. Hitherto, moreover, tho band of the Royal Marine Light Infantry has accompanied tho Prince overseas.* This is not now to ho tho ease, and his staff will also bo smaller. It must not bo assumed, however, that the sum assigned is all that this tour will cost. Tho South African Government is bearing a considerable share of tho total cost, and it is possible that tho Pri nco will find it necessary to draw on his private resources. His Royal Highness, howovor, is fully alive to tho fact that these aro not tho times when lavish expenditure can be incurred even upon a Royal tour, and, indeed, lie was tho first to suggest that, instead of a warship being provided for his conveyance to South Africa and back, accommodation should be secured for him on an ordinary liner. It is interesting to compare tho amount now to bo expended with what similar Royal visits nave cost in tho past. Disraeli aroused some protests m tho House of Commons when, in 1876, he suggested that £60.000 would be an adequate sum for tho voyage of tho Prince of M ates (King Edward) to India. The House was anxious to vote a considerably greater sum, and even a quarter of a million was suggested. In the event, however, Disraeli proved to bo right, and when tho whole of the expenses had been defrayed it was found that thero was a small surplus which tho Princo was invited to dispose of as seemed best to him. When the present King and Queon made their tour of the Empire, as Duko and Duchess of Cornwall and York on board tho Ophir, it was estimated that the total cost to tho Exchequer was about £IOO,OOO. It was recognised, however, that this was a very o special occasion, ns was their Durbar* visit to India; and it is improbable that there will ever again bo expenditure on a corresponding seals on a Royal visit to any part of tho Empire.