Droits of Admiralty.

These revenues being principally derived from the seizure of enemies' shipping which, through stress or accident, might be driven into British or Colonial Ports, it is needless to say have disappeared from public ken. But in what are called the "Good old days" our Sovereigns profited largely through these droits whenever the nation went to war. For instance, take the Parliamentary Return of 1818, showing 25 years' proceeds under George III., and amounting in total to £8,494,719 12s. 7d. This and much more of Casual Crown Revenue was applied without any control of Parliament, to defray the debts of Sovereigns, or page 146 further the political aims of their ministers, until 1830, when William IV. surrendered the whole of the Crown Revenues for his Civil List. Perhaps it would be a suitable termination to those remarks on Miscellaneous Hereditary Revenue if we give a copy of the following :—