San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-08-19
THE HORRORS OF WAR.
STARTLING NUMBER or LIVES
LOST IN BATTLE.
Estimated at Twelve Hundred Millions In
Thirty Centuries-The Evils Result
Ing From This Waste Of
Blood.


Camille Flammarion, tho French
author. has a passion for big figures
General statistics he says. prove
that since the Trojan var ), OOO
years ago not single year mas
elapsed in which some war has not
killed its proportionate number Dur
ing the thirty centuries which nave
elapsed since the beginning OF Aslatlc
and European history, loss oil 4O'-
co.. 900 a century makes the total
number destroyed by war to be !.
200. OO0, 900. a number very nearly
representing the total population oil
the globe at the present day.
The sword is ceaselessly drawing
blood from human veins Eighteen
million cubic meters have been shed
In summeS at Paris the Seine de-
livers to the two parts of the bridge
Pont Neuf about a hundred cubic
meters Of water every second, moving
with a force of 3 500 horsepower
Every hour $50, 600 cubic meters OF
water pass under the arches OF the
bridge. or 5. 64O. 600 cubic meters N a
day. Imagine the river to be human
blood instead OF water, for If the blood
shed in all wars was put into a basin
between the quays it would form such
river, aud We would have to remaia
standing on the parapet fifty hours TO
see it flow away.
That quantity OF blood weighs IS
900. 900. 0U0 Kilograms. 1t is an UNI
falling stream which every hour
since history began has increasingly
poured So litres of blood to dye the
royal purple worn by the occupants
of imperial thrones
If the l. 200 600. 900 skeletons
should rise and climb one upon the
other the ladder thus formed would
reach the moon. coil about that body
and. continuing onward would mount
into infinite space four times as far
again. that is. 500 zoo leagues in
height. The corpses. if thrown into
the channel at Calais. would form
bridge between France and England
and separate the ocean from the
North sea by a weir II only the
heads OF the men slaughtered in war
were taken and placed side by side
band would be formed reaching six
times around the world.
War is not only an unnecessary
scourge. but Is more injurious than
all others. for it never cSmes alone;
: SICKNESS ruin and famine ALWAYS fol-
low in its path.
A great amount of money is neces-
sary in order to kill in a proper man
ner for each man slain costs about
81. 600. The increasing and multi
plying taxes OF all nations are never
sufficient to pay for the butchery OF
human troops. Every year Europe
spends more than 81. 20l, 600 900 in
shedding her caildren's blood; and
France spends 500, 600 every day.
From the Crimean war down to that
of 1901. the civilized nations OF
Europe and America spent in destroy
ing one another $40 000 0O0. coo OF
the ordinary budget and moro than
$ll. GOO. 600 900 raised expressly for
the purpose. making total OF SOL
Goa OOO. 600. The wars OF the last
hundred years have cost SlI0. 001,-
600. 600 without counting the sorrow.
the loss of men and other results.
For a part only Of this fabulous
sum all the children might have been
brought up and educated gratuitously;
all lines of railways might have been
built; provisions might have been
made for her attempts to realize
aerial navigation; customs town dues.
and all obstacles to freedom OF trade
might have been suppressed; all des-
tltution might have been removed ex-
cept that caused by idleness and in
trinity.
Can the armies of the world be
abolished 1t is impossible A
mechanic has calculated the cost of
making wooden soldiers of natural
size and good condition. As. after all
the victims OF to-day are only an
affair of number money and stratarem
he decided that all the armies could
be reproduced for 6. OOl. 600 tOJ
francs. or 81. 200 0 0 O0J a year
SOLDIERS in fir. under officers IN oak
officers in rosewood. captains in
mahogany colonies in cedar and
generals in ivory. and that they could
be drilled by steam power the artillery
being included IN the calculation.
he leaders of the two nations at war
and their staff officers would conduct
the strategy at their risk and peril.
The victory would belong as hereto
fore to him who by his skill should
succeed in checkmating his adversary
and in destroying the greatest number
OF contestants. The improvement on
ordinary armies would have the ad-
vantage OF leaving the husbandman
to his field the workingman in his
factory and the student 10 his studies.
and would promote public prosperity
and happiness.
That may answer rs advice TO
future ministers of war when men.
having finally reached the age OF
reason. shall reuse to fight But for
centuries ministers and generals can
rest upon their laurels.