The Oxford intelligencer., 1861-05-29
Effect of War upon a Nations Wealth.


The Scientific American says the firing Of
nine-inch shell gun, like those used on one Of
onr naval steamers, costs 50 81 at each dis
charge Now, the burning Of 50 worth Of coal,
in one of our cotton or carpet or steam-engine
manufactures, generally results in the produc-
ton Of from $40 to $40 worth Of value in some
other kind OF property; but the burning Of
powder, in warfare, does not produce any other
property its only products are noise, and
smoke. and death, which are not saleable in any
market OF all modes Of consuming wealth
unprcductyely, the most rapid are conhagra-
tons and war.
1t is frequently the case that the productive
power Of people is so great, that the aggre-
gate Of individual savings more than counter
balances the public waste Of wealth in war, and
thus the national wealth may increase, even
during the continuance of expensive wars.
Macaulay says that this has been the case with
England in all OF her wars and was most con-
spicuous in the most expensive one that she
ever engaged in, the long contest against the
opinions of the French revolution, which con-
tinued, with two brief intervals, from 1893 to
1915. In this gigantic struggle England not
only supported her own armies, but she also
contributed vast sums to her allies--the other
governments Of Europc-to enable them TO keep
up the fight 1t is true that large portion Of
this money was raised by borrowing. the ma
tional debt having been increased during the
period about two thousand millions of dollars.
But a government cannot borrow, unless soiac-
body has it to lend, and this whole immense
sum was saved by the English people right in
the midst of the war, and loaned to the govern
mont
In somc cases, indeed, so largo portion of
the community is taken from productive labor
and put to the work Of destroying property in
fighting, that the national wealth is rapidly di-
minished. When Frederick the Great of Prus-
sia, was contending with Austria for the possess
sion of Silesia, he said that he would fight as
long as there was potato in the kingdom, and
Macaulay says that he did fight till the great
mass Of tile people had nothing to cat but pota-
toes, and every private fortune In the country
was destroyed Louis XIV, too kept France
at war with combined Europe till the very no.
bles were reduced to a diet of Black bread, and
numbers of the people died of starvation.
IF we put aside the veil which the intcrpo-
siton of money throws over the transaction, we
shall find that what really took place was this.
It does not require the whole Of the labo-, in
any community, to produce the food and cloth
ing needed; and when sufficient number Ct
laborers are employed in the production of
these first neccssarics, the remaining labor of
the community is directed to making such arti-
clcs as are most desired. In times of peace,
this surplus labor is principally devoted to maxi
ing machinery, constructing steam engines,
building railroads. and, in short, in increasing
the various kinds Of active capital which facili-
tate industrial operations and thus augment
.he annual production OF wealth. But in war,
this labor is diverted TO the production of food,
clothing, powder, muskets, cannon, etc., to be
worn out and destroyed by the armies; and
thus the accumulation of wealth is stopped, or,
at least checked