Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-09-22
WHAT IT COST SPAIN.
LIVES AND HONEY SACRIFICED
By THAT COUNTRY IN HOPE
LESS WARFARE.
Malaria, Yellow Fever and 0thel
Tropical Scourges Carried off More
Spanish Soldiers Than Did
Bullets of Americans.

article about the expenses incurred by
Spain on account Of the war with the
United States and the instructions
in her colonies just preceding that war.
The report, which gives the official
figures, IL dated June 30 and the ex-
penses incurred since then must be
added to the amount here stated:
The amount available for war ex.
penditures were as follows:
Pesetas
Sale of the so-called "Bill-
etes de Cubs'. S,2l1, ia
Sale of Cuban notes (treas-
ury notes.. 80. 2s,s24,4s4
4oo, 00O, 900 loan secured by
customs revenue. ....... s72, zoe ,Ooe
Profits Of transactions at
Paris, silver sales, etc.. 4,ss1,esl
loan Of Bank of Spain, Sc
cured by Cuban bonds. .292, 0O0, 00(
Loan Of Bank of Spain, Sc
cured by customs. .241 ,000, 00t
Loan of Bank of Spain, se-
cured by internal rev's. q. 1850, 900 ,00l
New Spanish 4 per cent gov
eminent bonds popular
subscription .145, 000, 0Ot
New loan secured by reve-
nue. from Philippine isis. ISL, 000, 0Ot
All this money was spent before thu
date of the report, and there wers
then due, and not paid, the Iarg,
amounts for transportation and sup
plies for Cuba and the Philippines, ana
the soldiers pay for several months
past. The amount for the first is mo-
as yet fully known, but the back pay
will foot up to fully 800, 0o0, COO pese
tas.
According to La Estafeta, even th'
fund of the national subscription ha'
already been drawn on to the amour
of q, 200 900 pesetas.
II these expenses represent an awfu
loss for Spain the losses of human
lives sacrificed in q useless and hope
less war are still worse. From March
1895, until March, 1898, Spain sent t
Cuba 1s0,431 men, 6,222 non-commiss
toned officers, 615 commissioned Off
GERS and 10 generals. There were the
$4,000 Spanish soldiers in Cuba, max
ing an army Of zoe, 900 men altogether
The actual war losses are rather small
One general, so officers and 1,31
soldiers fell in battle; one general, 8
officers and 704 soldiers died Of I'll 81
wounds; 463 officers and s,164 soldier
who were wounded have recovered.
Compared to these losses, malaris
the yellow fever and other epidemi
scourges have played terrible. havo
in the Spanish ranks; 313 officers an
1 5000 men died of yellow fever; IL
officers and more than 4 10000 men sue
cumbed to other diseases. OF ever
thousand men sent to Cuba but to-
died in battle or from their wounds;6
died with yellow fever; POI of othe
diseases, and 143 were returned dis
abled to their homes In Spain and 10
remained In Cuban hospitals on Marc
1 of this year.
This means that one-half of tn
Spanish army in Cuba had been ioi
before the trouble with the Unite
States began. Officially, the SPANS
army In Cuba has been estimated 9
$50 900, effective strength, includIn
10000 Cuban volunteers. This ind
rectly admits q loss of abont 100,0(
men In Cuba alone.
La Estafeta comments upon tn
statement of actual losses: "If any
body should now, after the loss Of 100
600 lives and 2,O00, o0O, 600 pesets
(s4oO, 900 ,0Oo) still desire to continu
the war and risk further losses
would entail fearful sacrifices upol
the nation. 1t would be necessary I
raise all the taxes nov existing and I
create new sources of income; pay
ments of specie and the interest o
government loans would have to b
stopped, and all male citizens frol
the age Of II to As would have to :
cafled on for military duty. Such
misfortune never befell any 9th,
nation"