The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-10-12
Who win Foot the Bills?

/ ( "io HIiI Eoot Jne BlIlS
T. In all the talk about resnon sih;1it;os =,
/ Egypt, SO far nothing has been said in
regard to the payment of the hills tbat
must accrue from the disciplinno of
Arabl and his rebel army. The credits
uFmanaed by Gladstone above the ordi-
nary budget OF. the year, which is S425.-
wv ooo' do not exceed Sl5, 200, 900. AS the
bfitish army and navalifofces already in
Egypt on the way thither or in prepara-
tion for departure exceed 40, 1000, the
sum OF Sl3,0O0.0 900 appears to be but a
small part of the sum total that viii he
required, even for one campaign, should
the E.g,Vptians make a good FIGHT. The
average yearly cost of the whole British
army IN time of peace for the past ten
years may be stated at $50, ,00O..OOO: of
The navy, S55, 5,O09, 900; making :, Grand
total OF Sl35,000, 900 a year But an
army IN motion and an army at rest are
oliieieht things in reckoning the ex-
| pense. In the American Revolutionary
war England never at anv time had
| more than 25,000 men in this country;
| yet the expense of that war for the
seven years Of its continuance amount
ed to sG10. 0.000,O0O, or an aver
| age of SS7, 100000 a wear. Our
war with Mexico, lasting two years, cost
us round S100,000,0OO. We did not
average more than 25,000men in Mexico
on every line of advance. The cost per
man was $4,000 q year. The cost Der
man to the British Government in the
seven years American wan was still
more, owing to the large fleets of trans
ports amt armed cruisers Englaad had to
maintain. The Egyptian war will be,
III al respects, an expensive one. The
naval force must be kept upat the maxi
mum, and all. supplies and munitions
Wil have to be transported from En-
gland, Malta, India and Gibraltar. An
extra expense of $1,000 per man for one
year Is the lowest estimate that can be
made OF the cost of this war with safety.
ltWlll sum up $50, 900, 600. 1t will cost
as much per month as the Crimean war,
and probably" more, for England's con-
tingent in that war was not us much as
10000 men. When the Crimean war
began the debt of England was SO. 700. =
0p,o90 in round numbers. When the
war bills had all been audited the debt
was, placing it in round numbers,
$4,000, 0O0,000. But this by no means
represents the whole cost of the war, for
the yearly budgeg was increased more
than 80,0)0,000, The Crimean war
did not cost England less than $3.50, 000,- /
pV If Arab; fights. his way stub
gbornly Dack from the Nile delta to Cairo
and makes a resolute stand there, the
Egyptian war will cost al. least half as,
much. even if the campaign is success
fully finishedtby nextsp pringa taI
A 80 Tar there is no sign that any other
Power will take Il hand in the contest
but Turkey and it will cost England rs
much to watch the Turkish army andtl
keep it from fraternizing with the enemy
rs to fight GArabi.a If, then, England is
compelled to supply the army and navy
ather own cost, the Powers represented !
inIthe, Conference refusing 70 share the |
eNpenses, it is certain that England Win |
seek intleninity in.some shape or other.
This is .wlrat. the Lenaon- Times insinu- |
ate5 when it says England's resolve is
not to retire from the country-until she |
has ''niae.e. sure that the difficulty shali1
not again rectir ;' adling that, "When
it becomes necessary to Seek the sane |
ton of other Powers for this result, the
concert of Europe will be invoked in a /
Sense very different from that. with
which we have Nately been familiar"
That is, England, having borne all the
expenses of the war, will hold as much
ground in Egypt as will repay her, and
if the Powers protest, they win be told
that they must either share the costs of
the war and the additional cost of forti-
tications to secure the future safety. of
the canal, OF hold tIieir peace. nd -.
at is at this pointlof the business that
the most serious difficulties will be en-
countered, threatening a general Eu-
rnpean war. :. France and Russia will /
protest against sharing theexpenses of a
war which they say England has forced
for exclusive advantage to herself. But
as. long rs the British party is backed up
by Germany ands Austria French and
Russian growls will be harmless. The
one thing of the future that may be
counted ON with upswerTing, confidence
s that England, being master of
Egypt by means of her military and ma
val power, anl at her sole expense, will
not surrender her position without cx-
,ctine territorial indemnify San Fran,
s9Sc0