Land Revenues

An income derived from crown lands in Great Britain. These lands have been so largely granted away to subjects tliat they are now contracted within very narrow limits. The crown was so much impoverished in this manner by William III. that the stat. 1 Anne, c. 7, § 5, was passed, which, with stat. 34 George HI. c, 76, which amends and continues it, makes void all grants or leases from the ground of royal manors or other possessions connected with land for a period exceeding thirty -one years, or three live.s. Long prior to this a Scottish stat. 1455, c, 41, had made necessary the consent of parliament in case of the alienation of crown property. It is said that none of these statutes have succeeded in checking the practice. Early at the beginning of the reign of George III. the hereditary crown revenues derived from escheats, manors held in capite, e.strays, flues, etc., were surrendered by the king to the general funds, and in the place of them he received a specified sum annually for the civil list. The supervision of such property as still belongs to the crown is vested in commissioners appointed for the purpose, called the