Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-06-04
The Effect of War upon n ya.
lions Wealth.

The firing of ninc-inch shell gun, Ike
those used on m0st Of our naval steamers
Gusts Ss,oi at each discharge. Now. the
burning Of 50 worth of coal in one of our
cotton, or carpet, or steamengine manufsc-
tories, generally results in the uronurtio,
OF from SO to $50 worth Of value 10 som.
other kind Of property; but the barring of
powder IN warfar does not produce auv
other property its only products are noise.
and smoke, and death, which are not salea.
bic IN any market. Of all modes of con-
suming wealth unproduetiyely, the mcst
rapid are confagration and war. ~
Ii is frequently the case that the produc-
tive power of people is so great that the
aggregate Of individual savings more than
counter balances the public waste Of wealth
IN war, anc thus the national wealth. NAV
increase even during the contipuauce NJ
expensive ware. MaeauIay saws tbst ,h;s
has been the case with England mall az
her wars; and was most conspicuous in
the most expensive one that she ever en-
gagged IN, The long contest agasns. TIE
opinions Of The French Revolution, which
continued. with two brief intervals. from
lI?J TO 1915. Ia this gigantic struggle.
England not only supported her own ar
mics, but she also contributed vast sums 10
her allles-the other governments of Eu.
rope-to enable them to keep I'D the fight.
IL Is true that large portion OF this money
was raised by borrowing, the national debt
having been increased during the period
about two thousand mi!liohs OF dollars
But government can not borrow unless
sOmehody has II to lend, aud this whole
immense sum was saved ~ the English
peoble right Ia the rnidst Of the war, and
loaned to the government. "a
If We put aside the vail which the in
terposition Of money throws over the trims.
action. We shall End what really took Mac.
was this. Ii does not require the whole of
the labor IN any community to produce
the food and clothing needed, and when a
SUFFICIENT number of laborers are employed
in :he production Of these first neeessaries.
the remaining labor Of community is di.
rected 70 making such articles as are most
desired In :imes of peace this surplus
labor Is principally devoted to making
machinery, constructing steam engines,
building railroads, aid, in short. in in
creasing the various kinds of active capital
which facilitate industrial operations and
thus augment the annual production Of
wealth. But in war, this labor is diverted
to the production of food, clothiae. powder.
muskets, cannon, &c 70 be worn ont and
destroyed by the armies and thus the
accumulation Of wealth lie stopped or at
lraSt checked.
In some cases indeed, so large por-
ton OF the community is taken from pro.
duciive labor and put to the work of des-
troying property 10 fighting, that the na-
tIobal wealth is rapidly diminished.-
When Frederick the Great, Of Prussia, was
eontending with Austria for the possession
Of SIlesia, he said that he would fight "a
long a. there was potato In the kingdom.
and Macaulay says the; he did fght till the
great mass Of the FeoIle had nothing to
eat but potatoes, and every private fortune
in the country was destroyed Louis XIV,
too, kept France at war with combined
Europe till tbs very mobiles were reduced
TO a diet of black bread. and numbers Of
the people died OF starvation.-.ScieHtife