The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-16
THE SINEWS OF WAR.


Financial Aspect OF the Franco-Prussian
The London Spectator has the following re-
marks on the financial aspect of the war be-
tween France and Prussia
1t is clear, we think, that the war for the time
it lasts must be one of the most costly which
has ever been waged. This is an inevitable con-
sequence of the magnitude of the armies that
are 10 fight. The Italian war of 1859 cost
France at least GO, 600, 900, though it lasted
only six weeks and France made no such effort
as she will now be called upon to make. Prussia
in 1866 spent nearly as much on three weeks
actual campaigning, and in spite Of acquisitions
on all her neighbors, recourse to borrowing was
still necessary to make good the exhaustion of
her treasury.
But Prussia in 1866 was only half the power
with which France now enters the lists and
had no equal antagonist to cope with. 1t is plain
that If these previous wars, short as they were,
were so expensive, the cost to either combatant
will now be vastly in excess. What it may
mount up to we almost fear to put into figures.
The parliaments of each power have begun by
voting credits for f25, 600, 600, or rather more,
apiece, but even these large sums will be mere
instalments
The only parallel we can think of is that of
the American civil war, when the North, which
by itself was hardly so great State as either
France or Prussia, kept million of men under
arms at cost of not less than G200, 900, 900 a
year. Much OF this expense was caused by high
pay and bounties, waste not likely to be so
batants now engaged; but if we say e100, 900 900
year to keep million of men fighting in Eu-
rope, we should be far within the mark.
The normal army budget of either combatant
is nearly El5OO0OOO, and war will at once
treble and qsadruple this by increasing the men
under arms who have to be equipped and fed.
On this account alone there will be an additional
expense of G20, ,000, 900 or E25 600 600 to each
State by the change from peace TO war
footing, and it is not extravagant to estimate
the wear and tear of a war-the ammunition
spent, the gunpowder blown away, the loss OF
mdtertet, the cost of transport, the extra expen-
dituTe for supplies in haste-to be at least double
that amodnt
That the war will cost each party from
96,000,000 to 10000, 600 month"; besides its
ordinary war budget, Is very moderate calcu-
lation. No doubt each side has been preparing
since 1866 accumulating stores and supplies,
victualing fortresses, and otherwise anticipating
the current expenses of a war. But the amount
thus anticipated would be mere trife in the
lavish outlay OF few months fighting. The
war will not last many weeks before both com
batants have spent above twenty millions
| apiece, and in very few months the figure on
| each side may sum up to the hundred millions
Both powers are good for many months war,
| even at The tremendous rate of expenditure in
| volved. There is certainly no doubt about
| France, in spite of the chronic deficits and in
| creasing debt which have been characteristic OF
| the empire. French finance has been dreadfully
misnanaged, and the people have heavy taxes
| TO bear from which economy would have saved
them; but when all is said, the hard fact remains
| that there still is capacity in France 10 bear q
heavy additional load-the French revenue il
| elastic and a few years natural increase viii
provide for good deal more interest. To pu
! the annual growth at three quarters of a million
only, which is under the mark. the progress o.
n ten years would nearly cover the annual inter
| est of the loans required for war expenditure
of 100000, COO
OF course the French Government would no
| be able to borrow all that at four per cent, bu
the anticipation of another year or two's re
covery of revenue would permit the offer of
higher rate. There is this further consideration
that great war, such as is implied by an expen