The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-05-18
The Startling Cost of War.

modern warfare, especially when
large naval operations are involved.
Our civil war cost the nation about
four millions per day during the last
year OF the conflict, but we had mil
lion men in the army and navy, or
nearly ten times as many as will be
employed in the present war with
Spain, and our money was depreciat.
ed an average Of 10 per cent.
The cost of first class modern
war vessel is s4,000,000 in round
numbers, but the cost of equipping
and using such vessel in warfare
surpasses all general calculations. A
single twelve-inch gun costs about
$4,000 when placed on tile ship
ready for action. The maximum Gu
pacity of this immense war engine Is
eighty shots; the minimum thirty.
It is not safe to count on these guns
firing more than fifty rounds. The
intense heat and strain are likely to
make the gun useless any time after
thirty to eighty rounds are fred from
it, after which it is valuable only as
old steel. The cost in wear and tear
in firing these guns may be safely
estimated at $1,000 fcl every dis
charge.
In addition to the cost Of $1,000
for every round fired from these guns
in wear and tear, the powder and
steel-pointed missile with which the
gun is loaded, cost the government
$1,000 every time the gun is fired.
It is a safe estimate to say that every
time twelve-inch gun is fired in war
the cost is about $4,000.
Our war vessels and cruisers are
each supplied with torpedoes and
pneumatic tubes from which to dis
charge them against an enemy They
are effective at about 500 yards, and
the torpedo with which the air gun
is charged is one Of the most delicate
and complicated machines of modern
times. It is constructed with re-
volving attachment at the rear, not
only to guide it on its deadly mission
through the water but to accelerate
its movement, and it is exploded by
concussion. One of these torpedoes
striking the biggest ship in any navy
would entirely destroy the vessel.
These torpedoes cost $4,000 for each
one.
The cost Of ammunition for our
land forces has also been increased
probably tenfold. One pound of lead
costing only few cents, would make
sixteen cartridges for rifle used in
our civil war To-day the cartridges
used by our infantry cost little if any
less than ten cents each. With a
modern gun these little missiles car
ry three miles, and at a range OF a
mile they will go clear through three
men, and probably more if they are
not too greatly obstructed by boring
clean holes through bones of the hu-
man anatomy. They are much light
er than the old cartridge, and the
soldier will carry one hundred rounds
with the same ease than the soldier
of our civil war carried forty. The
cost Of cartridges for an efficient rifle
man in action now would be about 81
per minute.
As the war with Spain is likely to
be chiefly naval war, it is well worth
considering how much the war will
cost Spain. The figures we have CIV
en- as the cost of constructing and US
ing vessels in war, are On the gold
basis. American four per cents sell
at about lis; Spanish four per cents
sell at about thirty-three, or one-thlrd
less than their face.
Thus while it yill cost our govern
ment 100000 to construct and
equip a battle-ship, and $4,000 for
every round fired from one of our
large guns, and $500 for every tor
pedo we hurl against the enemy, the
cost to Spain is just three times the
amount of the cost of the same to the
United States.
Vessels and munitions OF war can
be obtained only on the gold basis,
and every round fired from the Span
ish twelve-inch gun must cost that
government not less than $500, and
every torpedo sent on its mission of
death from Spanish boat must cost
a like sum. Spain is now enjoying
the luxury of cheap money that is
demanded by many demagogues in
our own country, and s!3e pays for
the luxury in trebliug the cost Of
every slot they fire against their
foe,
The present war with Spain will be
the most costly war of any time.
However brief it may be, our com
prehensive preparations for it will
count upin the hundreds Of millions,
and if it shall continue for a year, its
aggregate cost will probably not be
less than Sl,000,00O,000 and may be
more. In short, modern warfare is
the most costly saragery in the his
tory Of the world.-Philadelphi;s
Times.
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