The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-06-24 00:00:00

THE COST OF THE WAR.

We have now the authority of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer for the statement that the Zulu War, three
months ago, was costing the country half-a-milion per
month. This, even accepting It as accurate as regards the
inonths of February and March, can hardly be retarded as
an approximate estimate of the expenses incurred during
the last three months. Mince the beginning of April, with
the augmentation of the army, the extension of the area
of operations, and the ditticulUes of traruport, the ,met of
moving about our military inachlhe must have inunensely
in.-missed. We do not blame the Chancellor of the
Exchequer for hesitating to lay an estimate for this year's
war expenditure on the table. He knows what was being
spent in the early days of the war, but he tells us that he
is not in a position to say that the expenditure is now
going on at the same rate. Sir Stafford Northcote may
rest *soured that the expenditure is sof at the old rate. If
it costs half -a-tuition a month to keep a small army stand.
inc still, it will take a very different sum to put a large
army in motion and keep it marching. Ilalf-a-milion a
week is probably much nearer the amount which the
country I. at present paying for an unrighteous war. A
large army, during the last three months, has been
transported from the sea to the Transvaal frontier, and
every mile it moves, from ita borne Is covered at greater curt
and trouble.

FACTS AND FANCIES.
Tram Pun.

LAST gliT.-Will be do lt f (Beaconsfield has
mimed erith Sir Bartle Frere and fauaim.ford, Ind shies
Wok** M Ketchwayo.)
•• -

"No DOOR Al9Ol iT." Grandmother : "Now
Manic what Is the plural of penny r Minnie :—" Rural
of peony, grandma' Why, twopence, of °Dune."
" Pitmen" AT INZ NIVOR X —nu, members of the
Reform Club who hare been of late black-baling all the
advanced Liberal candidates evidently regard
se public benefactors —they pose, in fact, as "Fillers" of
the Mate,

A 8017 Ayswita, er.—Coster (to Swell,_ who has
accidentally knocked up against him)—'?ion then;
d7* leer, who a' you a-shovin' or r" Swell 'MY EOM
man, what a preposterous question ! A w how the dame
do I know r
A (I) TIRING ting.—Young lady (pettiAli, to dotm"
maker) :—" Oh bother! I wanted this dram for the sea-
side, and it seems quite an indoor thing. You seldom me
theme dreams warn out."—Dressmaker :—Oh, no, mint ; it
Ii au& good material it will last all the mason."

SENDING COALSCUTTLES TO NATAL
According to the Daily Won, an application was lately
made at the store depot, formed at the Amatakulu River,
for 803gle to arm the cavalry; on which the officer in
charge replied that be had unfortunately but 30 in stock.
all told; but that if coalscuttles would do, he could,
thanks to the generous forethought of the home author.
ties, give out any number. What it was supposed oar
troops in South Africa would do with these coalscuttles
we cannot as;. Perhaps they were intended to carry the
coal, of fire which soma pee* think we ought to heap on
the Zulus' heads ;or moue wag at Woolwich may have
thought they would prove tia4ul for the con veyance of
ammunition to the front when it was wished "to keep up
• hot flre.' But in any cam the sabres might have been
sent eie well ; and the fact that they were not, and that
In consequence our troopers when they a& for swords are
offered coalscuttles, Is • proof, we think, that the corn.
mime:Mt has learned little since the Crimean war, and ls
well nigh as fisidiehly impencticable as ever.