The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-13
WHAT WAR WOULD COST.
THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS
WOULD BE REQUIRED.
Careful Estimates Prepared by Ex
perts-Spain is Already On
a War Footing.

~ ~ - - SOtAAASs
| Thousands of millions of dollars would
be required by both the United States
and Spain should these nations become
involved in hoStilitieS. War is the most
costly thing in the world" says an emf
nent AUTHORITY. AT this time il is we'll
to stop and consider just what il means
III the way of financial expenditures
1t would cost the United States 5000. =
100000 to go to war with Spain, and
S3u0,0O00OO to maintain the war six
months
1t would cost Spain a thousand mil
lion pesetas-a peseta equals about 20
cents-to go to war with the United
states, and fifteen hundred million pc
setas to maintain the war six months
These are conservative estimates
made after talking with those in pc
sitlon TO best judge the cost of con-
f1ict between the two countries. At bes.
the estimates of the cost of war must
be in the most general terms. as all de-
ponds upon the scale of preparation, The
iaSSressiVeness of the contending par
ties. and the particular theater of war
whether on land or water. And yet the
essential requirements in waging war
are readily determined by those familiar
with military science and with this goes
the experience of our last war, when
cost the stupendous sum Of three thou
sand million dollars.
There are veterans in the public ser
vice here, such as General Hawley
Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs; Senator Morrill, who
framed the Morrill, tariff, which gave the
sinews of war in 1861. as well as many
army and navy bureau chiefs skilled in
the detailed cost of ordnance, equip
nlent, transportation, quartermasters'
supplies and the commiSsariat who
know the cost of war in all its forms.
They are naturally loath to discuss an
hypothesis of coming war, and yet it
was from men of this character that the
basis for these estimates was drawn.
With a view to getting also the cost
from the Spanish standpoint eminent
Spanish authorities We're consulted.
lCOSTLIEST THING IN THE WORLD.
War is the most costly thing in the
world" said General Hawley. a veteran
both of the field and of public life when
asked what it would cost US to go TO
war with Spain. But that is about the
only certain element in it. 1t is a cost
SO enormous as to be almost beyond
comprehension. But when ii comes o
enumeratng the items of cost, or to stat
ing in advance what given conflict will
cost, that cannot be done with any de-
gree of accuracy. In the first place, 1t
depends upon how many men are TO be
called into service, and then the kind Of
service they will have to perform. With
that much known, the thing to do is 10
consult the heads of the several bureaus
of the War and Navy Departments.
There is a fixed cost of rations, another
cost of equipment, another of clothing,
etc. By learning all these separate items
of cost some adequate idea might be
formed of the cost of going to war, but
until | knew the number of men to be
brought into service and the scope OF
prepare ton l would hesitate in making
even a rough estimate of cost. 1t is like
asking how long IS a piece of string. 1t
depends. All that 1 can say is that the
, ccst Of war is enormous-the greatest
one item of cost known"
General Hawley mentioned the exper-
fence which the last war gave in the
measure of cost of war, and many other
military authorities base their ideas on
the practical experience which that con-
flict afforded to our own people. 1t was
lesson not only in the assembling OF
men and supplies. but in the best meth
DDS to be followed in raising great sums
OF money for emergencies.
OUR EXPERIENCE IN 1861.
When President Lincoln called on Con
gress for 100000 men, he also asked for
$4,000 600. This was at the rate Of
81 900 for every man called into service
His message to Congress stated also that
the sum asked was LESS than one-twen-
ty-third part of the money value owned
by men who seemed II ady to devote THEN
whole" This gives another percentage
one twenty third-as a basis of calcu-
lating what amount of the wealth of a
country should be summoned to aid in its
defense.
Secretary Chase, then at the head oi
the treasury, estimated S32O,000,000 a.
the sum required to begin the war
This proved to be short of the require
ments The army appropriation oil
passed by the extra session of Congress
after the firing on Sumter carried S2O!, ;
600, 600. The naval appropriation oil
carried 500, 900. 000 These estimates
and appropriations were made, it must
be remem bered, with no conception
of What the war was TO be- and witt
an idea that at most it would closf
within six months. The first estimates
of war are usually under rather thar
over what the cost proves to be.
With this experience at hand. some
general idea can be had of the cost
of going TO war at the present time
The circumstances are much different
and yet this is the only experience Of
our own in modern warfare from which
lessons can be drawn and if anytiiin.
the elements of cost are greater now
than then. In war With Spain tne
conflict would be essentially different
from that between the North ano
South. in that Spain and the United
States would be fighting across al
ocean instead of hand to hand in one
country.
ESSENTIALLY Il NAVAL WARFARE
, This would make it essentially a ma
val warfare, and a war on commerce
, and to that extent the elements OF
, cost would be different from land war
fare. But with both countries havins
long lines of coast to protect, with Gu
ba as a field of land conflict, the ele-
ment of providing for the cost of lane
warfare would be hardly less than tha'
of the marine struggle. Prudence
would also dictate that the scale O
preparation would take into account
the possibility. even probability, o
SPANS forming alliances with Euro
pean Powers by which her fghtins
strength on land and sea would b,
largely augmented