Evening star., 1898-07-23

year Of war in 1876
The cost of our great civil conflict has
been put down at SO. .lS9 .929 goo, but that
estimate includes all expenses growing out
of the war. as well the actual cost OF the
military and naval operations. The direct
outlay OF the United States government in
carrying on the war for four years was So
100000. 900. and in the course Of the strug-
gle 2.S59,1S2 Union troops were engaged. Ii
Is estimated that the number of troops ac-
tOatiy engaged on the Union side averaged
2.S26, 16S for three years. Hence ft-appsars
that the direct cost of the war, counting Il
on this three years basis, was about 81
466 100000 per year. But Mr.. Diugley has
told us that il will cost $500 600 900 to keen
10000 men fighting Spain for one year.
which is more than one-third as much as
1t cost the government 10 keep 2.326.pOO
men lighting the confederate states for the
same length of time.
Leading Items in the BILL
1t is easy to understand why modern
warfare is so much more costly than the
old-fashioned kind, If We turn to a few of
the leading items in the military and naval
expenditure of our time. The average cost
of a first-class battle ship is $1,000 600 The
cost Of the neyer-to-be-forgotten Maine
Which was battle ship Of the second
ciass was S2,5O,OO0. An armored cruiser
of the Brooklyn type costs 100000 An
armored ram like the Katahdin costs ST.
100000. dou5e-turreter monitor COSTS
ABOUT 81 ,Joo.oo1. A single-turreted monitor
costs about 100000 a protected cruiser
costs all the way from 81 600 900 TO 81 yea
200; the Charleston cost the former and the
Columbia the latter sum. An unprotected
cruiser of the Detroit type costs 5000 900
An unarmored gunboat like the Concord is
worth 100000. A composite gunbost Of
the Newport class costs Sg-sO 900 A dyna-
mite gunboat like the famous Vesuvius is
worth S31OoUO A torpedo boat of the Far
ragut pattern costs S225. 800.
We have not lost any Of our vessels in
the war with Spain. The Maine DESTROYED
IN Havana harbor before the war began fs
the only item of this kind that will figure
IN the coming bill of costs. The Maine cost
about S2.Jo0,uU0 10 build. A more serious
item Will be compensation for the lives OF
the 26o American sailors that were de-
stroyed with her. This may well Justify y
claim of H5,OOO,000 more. 10 be distributed
among the surviving families of the men
VINO were thus treacherously killed Other
items in the bill will coNer our general var
expenses OF all kinds; for coal used at sea-
lor transportation of our soldiers by land
ana sea, Tor war supplies of all kinds for
the pay Of our soldiers and sailors and for
me losses sustained by the interruption and
disturbance Of our trade and commerce
not only with Cuba itself but win othor-
parts Of the world
Inc quai te; masters department has es-
tmated that $44.go0oo0 Will be needed TO
pay the transportation charges alone of o,,r
armies now engaged in fighting Spain for
SIX months. The Navy Departments latest
estimate of the cost of furnishing our rests
IN time OF peace with all their necessary
equipment-of which coal is the leading
article-was nearly $l,J00.Oc0 a year The
exlgencies of war have certainly doubled II
ms mas nothing to do with th, cost of the
guns, or the ammunition, OF the torpedo,-s.
IL covers only such things as coal. hemp
wire, anchors. cables, chains nautical in
struments, lamps, bunting and other things
ti-at come strictly under the head Of ships
equipments"
Guns and Ammunition.
The high cost of modern ordnance and
ammunition will also help swell Spain's in
demnity bill. A complete supply OF am
muniton TO fill once all the vessels sent to
sea against Spain costs about $4,000.
One battleshp's full supply of shot and
shell costs about 100000. Every time one
of our monster 13-nch guns is fired the
charge costs $l,J00; great many of these
charges are already included in our little
account against Spain. The smaller guns
are fired at a cost running all the way
from s2'tO up to $1,000 for each charge. The
guns thems elves are costly, too. The bill
for 100 high-power steel guns for seacoast
defenses, built a Bethlehem, Pa is $3,5no,-
oeo-ayeraging S55,@oo apiece.
Mr.. Dingleys estimate Of 500, 600 900 as
the cost of our war operations against
Spain for year covers all these things and
is probably a calculation well within the
actual expenditure. Even though Spain
sues for peace quickly, ii is not possible
Tor our government to avoid a large portion
of this estimated outlay, as the troops have
been called out. and contracts Of all kinds
have been made for many months ahead.
Can Spain Pay s355, 200, ,OOOf
The indemnity demanded of Spain, there
fore, will probably be not less than the
cost Of nine months Of war based on Mr..
Dingley's estimate-$37 100000. But, then,
there is the alternative Of territory Where
the victorious nation has elected TO take
large areas of territory from the conquered
nation, it has usually been counted as part
of the indemnity. So that If the owner
ship of the Philippines, the Ladrones. Cuba
and Porto Rico passes from Spain to Uncle
Sam, or to the people of these islands un-
der the protection Of the United States,
that may be allowed to cut down the
amount of the indemnity very G. 1siderably.