The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-23
Who Will Foot the Bills Il!

In all the talk about responsibilities in
Egypt, so far nothing has been said in
regard to the payment of the bills that
must accrue from the disciplining of
Arab and his rebel army. The credits
demanded by Gladstone above the ordi-
nary budget of the year, which is S425,-
900, 900, do not exceed Sl5, 900, 900. As the
British army and naval forces already in
Egypt, on the way thither or i'll prepare
ton for departure exceed 10000, the
sum of S15,0O0,0O appears to be but
small part of the sum total that will be
required, even for one campaign, should
the Egyptians make a good fight. The
average yearly cost of the whole British
army in time of peace for the past ten
years NAV be stated at $50, 000,0 900; of
the navy, S55, 900, 900; making a grand
total of S135, 900, 900 a year. But an
army in motion and an army at rest are
different things in reckoning the eX
penSe. In the American Revolutionary
war England never at any time had
more than $4,000 men in this country;
yet the expense of that war for the
seven years of its continuance amount
ed to $780, 100000, or an aver
age of SS7, 100000 year. Our
war with Mexico, lasting two years, cost
us a round 800, 100000. We did not
average more than %, 900 men in Mexico
on every line of advance. The cost per
man was $4,000 a year. The cost per
man to the British Government in the
seven years American war was still
more, owing to the large fleets of trans
ports and armed cruisers England had 70
maintain. The Egyptian war will be,
in all respects, an expensive one. The
naval force must be kept up at the maxi
mum, and all supplies and munitions
will have to be transported from En-
gland, Malta, India and Gibraltar. An
extra expense of $500 per man for one
year is the lowest estimate that can be
made of the cost of this war with safety.
1t will sum up $50, 600. 1t will cost
as much per month aj the Crimean war,
and probably more, for England's con-
tingent in that war was not as much as
10000 men. When the Crimean war
began the debt of England was $780,
100000 in round numbers. When the
war bills had all been audited the debt
was, placing it in round numbers,
S4,O00,0OO 600. But this by no means
represents the whole cost of the war. for
the yearly budget was increased more
than SSO,0OO,OO0, The Crimean war
didnot cost England less than $3.50, 0O0,-
900. If Arab fights his way stub
bornly back from the Nile delta to Cairo
and makes resolute stand there, the
Egyptian war will cost at least half as
much, even if the campaign is success
f,1l,- fiDiSb n1 ,I- pnNt S,NI,ipor
SO far there is no sign that any other
Power will take hand in the contest
but Turkey; and it will cost England as
much to watch the Turkish army and
keep it from fraternzing with the enemy
as to fight Arab If, then, England is
compelled to supply the army and navy
at her own cost, the Powers represented
in the Conference refusing to share the
expenses, it is certain that England will
seek indemnity in some shape or other.
This is what the London Times insinu-
ates when it says England's resolve is
not to retire from the country until she
has 'made sure that the difficulty shall
not again recur - adding 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 lately 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 will 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, or hold their peace.
1t is at this point of the business that
the most serious difficulties will be en-
countered, threatening a general Eu-
ropean war. France and Russia will
protest against sharing the expenses of a
war which they say England has forced
for exclusive advantage to herself. But
as long as the British party is backed up
by Germany and Austria, French and
Russian growls will be harmless. The
one thing of the future that may be
counted on with answering confidence
is that England, being master of
Egypt by means of her military and ma
val power, and at her sole expense, will
not surrender her position without ex-
acting territorial indemnity. -San Fran
cisco Chronicle.