Every Messenger, it was found, received about four hundred a year for himself, and six hundred for travel-outlay. Some of the journeys, we learn from the parliamentary paper, were enormously expensive; railways on the continent were at that time comparatively few, and the old system of posting and horse-riding had still to be kept up over very long distances. One single journey from London to Frankfurt was set down at L.46; to Berlin, L.70; to Turin, L.83; to Vienna, L.86; to Madrid, L.123; to Rome, L.143; to Naples, L.162. The giant items were: London to St Petersburg viâ Berlin (1964 miles), L.166; and London to Constantinople viâ Vienna (2192 miles), L.269. It is probable that at that time there was scarcely any rail beyond Vienna, whatever may have been the case on this side; and that the Messenger to Constantinople had to travel by relays of horses or of post vehicles more than eleven hundred miles of his journey. The outward journey alone is mentioned in each instance; the homeward was probably about equal to it in cost. One Messenger, Mr Crotch, went from Calais to Paris (carrying despatches which had come from London viâ Dover) sixteen times in the year, and sixteen times in the reverse direction; receiving about L.25 per journey for expenses and emoluments.
In 1868 the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs resolved that the time had come for remodelling the system. In a circular addressed to all British representatives abroad, he pointed out numerous ways in which the number of despatches sent might be reduced, and the expense lessened still more considerably. The post and the electric telegraph might safely be intrusted, under the improved modern arrangements, with many of the questions, answers, and instructions hitherto conveyed by Queen’s Messengers. It was also pointed out that, when telegrams were sent, an unnecessary verbiage was indulged in, tending to increase the cost without in any way conducing to the intelligibility of the message. The employment of cipher-writing[A] would be available by post and by telegraph as well as by Messenger, so long as the key to the cipher is known only to the Foreign Office.
Irrespective of the quantity of circumlocution involved in the matter, there is the question of emolument to the Messengers employed. The Foreign Secretary found, on close examination, that these gentlemen were in the receipt of eight hundred a year each on an average. The amount had doubled itself in the course of twenty years, chiefly by means of the profit derived from the allowance for travelling–economical railway and steam-boat fares being charged to the government as if they were the expensive old-fashioned fares. Thus the mileage profit increased as the mileage expenditure decreased. All these lumbering arrangements were swept away, and a fixed salary decided on, just as for government clerks, &c. Five hundred a year was the amount decided on, to be paid whether the Messenger were employed or unemployed, whether at home or abroad.
It need hardly be said that by the introduction of railways the duties of these Messengers have been immensely simplified. ‘For many years they have scarcely if ever been called upon to travel on horseback; the communication with Constantinople, which was formerly carried on partly by that means, having for some time past been wholly kept up by railway and steam-vessel. In consequence of the accelerated rate of travelling by railway, they are rarely kept out of bed as formerly, for six, eight, ten, or even more nights; and even when they are travelling at night, they are almost always able to enjoy uninterrupted rest, instead of being obliged, as formerly, to be constantly on the alert, in order to stimulate the exertions of postillions and owner.’
The salary was subsequently settled by making the amount five hundred guineas instead of pounds.
Important personages in their way are these foreign Messengers, sufficiently high in social position to comprise among their number (at the present time) an ‘honourable,’ a major, and six captains. Evidently the post is eagerly sought for when a vacancy occurs. One of those at present in the service has been a Messenger during the long period of thirty-five years: what a prodigious amount of travel he must have gone through! Good salaries are not the only attractions; several past Messengers have retired on pensions, pretty well wearied of knocking about Europe; while widows of Messengers receive allowances under exceptional circumstances.
Smart-looking personages are these messengers, as attired to distinguish them from ordinary civilians. The official regulations on this subject tell us that ‘the Messengers must be furnished with a uniform–consisting of a dark-blue cloth double-breasted frock coat with turn-down collar; blue single-breasted waistcoat, buttoned up to the throat, with edging of gold-lace; trousers of Oxford mixture, with a scarlet cord down the side seams; gilt buttons embossed with the royal arms encircled by the crown and garter, and having a greyhound pendent; blue cloth cap with leather peak, band of black braid, and the royal cipher and crown gilt in front; a badge of the regulation size, with the royal crown and silver greyhound pendent, suspended from the neck by a dark-blue ribbon. This uniform, and more especially the badge, must be always worn by Messengers when travelling; but the badge must not be worn at any other time.’
We have said nothing of home Messengers, those who carry despatches to and fro within the limits of the British Islands. Nor indeed is there much to say concerning them. They are fewer in number, and less handsomely paid than those employed abroad. Under the system which prevailed before the reforms effected eight or nine years ago, each home Messenger had quite a medley of emoluments–so much fixed salary, so much board wages, so much excess or surplus above actual travelling expenses of all kinds. This is now altered; each Messenger receives a definite annual remuneration for his services–less than formerly, but quite sufficient for the kind of work done. In fact postal facilities and the electric telegraph are gradually lessening the necessity for the adoption of the Messenger system. Nevertheless there are times when a home Messenger is thrown upon his own resources. When the Queen is at Balmoral, and floods and snow-storms block the railways and render the roads impassable, the Messenger must perforce get on somehow or other with his despatch bag, at any cost of money, toil, and anxiety; and he does get on, although the newspapers are not told much about it.