The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-06

the war footing of Spain. The same is
true of Spain's navy, which is and has
been on war footing. This, then, would
give her the advantage of having her or
ganization of war in actual operation,
where as the United States would be pre-
cipitated from a state of peace into one
of war. Doubtless war footing of~Spain
capable of dealing with Cuba would have
to be very materially enlarged in dealing
with the United States. but at least lit
would serve as a nucleus-it would save
that extraordinary cost of a first start. Up
to this time, however, Spain has known no
need of war footing beyond that above
given, which, in detail is as follows:
Infantry .... .132, 900 Engineers -. II OPT
Cavalry ........ 17,156lStaff .. II ,14O
Artillery ....... 2,166I Hospital corps . 4SS
Total .1S3 972
While this is the war footing of Spain,
yet provision has been made by which, in
an extraordinary emergency, 1,OS3, SIS men
could be put in the field. This vast num-
Der, in country having but 100000 pop
ulation, is phenomenal in the annals of
warfare. 1t is not conjectural, however,
but is based on careful estimates made
by Spain as to her utmost resources in
case of need. 1t contemplates the estab-
llshment of military depots in every Span.
ish district, and making it the center of a
regimental organization of recruits and re-
serves.
With these forces to draw FROM Spain's
first cost would be in armlng ana equIpplng
those in addition to the force now in Cuba
and the Philippines and disposing them
in the army and navy. What this cost
would be has been roughly estimated by
competent authorities at the outset at l.
0O0O pesetas. The basis for the esti-
mate is the cost of the Cuban conflict to
the present time. The war budget for 1885,
SO was 100000 pesetas regular and 49,
OO0OOO pesetas extraordinary. This has been
mounting up ever since. until the cost of
the war up to this time is estimated at
S2SO,OOO,O00, or $S5 O00, 900 a year. With the
increases requisite for a conflict with the
United States. the cost would be more
than double that of holding Cuba, and by
most conservative estimate the total of
1000 10000 pesetas, or $500, 100000, was
made by one well fitted for an intelligent
view of the subject.
Many interesting details are developed
in the course of the estimate for main
tanning the war for six months For in
stance, the item Of new guns for the
United States troops would be a large ele-
ment of cost during the first stages of the
war. At present tho -Jorgensen gun
manufactured. But there are not more
than 5000 Of these guns available There
are some 200,00O old Springfield rifles, but
in war with Spain-her men handling one
of the most deadly of modern arms-the
United States would hardly expect 10 place
Springfelds in the hands of its soldiers.
The new rife costs from $l7 to $40, and to
arm 100000 men the cost OF this one item
of rifles would be 100000.
The estimate included a ration allow
ance of 10 cents day, which, for 100000
men, for six months, would be another S4.-
100000. Another detail in reaching the total
estimate for six months was the cost of
uniforms, two suits at IS each being al
lowed. This, for 100000 men, would be about
$,60OOO. In the item of ammunition. the
estimate contemplated 200 rounds for each
man in six months. Five dollars would
about cover the cost of 500 rounds. which.
for 100000 men, would be about 81 .OOOOO0.
With the modern use of machine guns
every company of infantry would doubt
less have q gun OF this character They
cost about $1,000 each, making another Of
about 100000 These details of
equipment are almost infinite, and with
force of 100000, the cost in every instance
runs into the millions. Aside from the FIRST
cost, there is the additional cost OF trans