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

which the last war gave In the measure of
cost OF war, and many other military au-
thorities base their ideas on the practical
experience which that conflict afforded to
our own people. 1t was a lesson not only
an the assembling of men and supplies, but
IN the best methods to be followed in rails
ing great sums of money for emergencies.
When President Lincoln called on Con-
gress for 100000 men, he also asked for
Si00,00000O. 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-twenty-
third part of the money value owned by
men who seemed ready to devote their
whole" This gives another percentage
one-tWenty- third-as a basis of calculating
what amount of the wealth of country
should be summoned to aid in its defense
Secretary Chase, then at the head of the
treasury, estimated $500, 10000 as the sum
required to begin the war This proved to
be short of the requirements The army
appropriation bill passed by the extra ses-
sion of Congress after the firing on Sum
ter carried 500, 900 900 The navy appropria
ton bill carried S56,000,000. These estimates
and appropriations were made 1t must be
remembered, with no conception of what
the war was to be, and with an idea that
at most it would close within six months
The first estimates of war are usually I'M
der rather than over what the cost proves
to be-
With this experience at hand, some gem
eral idea can be had of the cost of going
to war at the present time The circum-
stances are much different and yet this is
the only experience of our own in modern
warfare from which lessons can be drawn,
and If anything the elements of cost are
greater now than then. In a war with
Spain the conflict would be essentially diff
ferent from that between the North and
South, in that Spain and the United States
would be fighting across an ocean instead
of hand to hand in one country.
This would make it. essentially a naval
warfare and war on commerce, and to
that extent the elements of cost would be
different from land warfare. But with
both countries having long lines of coast
10 protect, with Cuba as a field of land
conflict, the element of providing for the
cost of land warfare would be hardly less
than that of the marine struggle. Pru-
dence would also dictate that the scale
Of preparation would take into account
the possibility. even probability. OF
SPANS forming alliances with European
powers by which her fighting strength
on lands and sea would be largely aug
mented.
with these considerations existing. the
time could not be estimated far below the
cost when the first crash of arms came
in 1861. There would not be the need of
the vast land force, at first 100000 ana
fast increasing. until the armies exceeded
the tabled forces of Xerxes a million men
being in the field at one time But The
manning of ships of war and merchant
men, the assembling of sufficient forces a.
vulnerable points on our seaboard and
borders. would require the men drawn
from the field. In the rough general esti-
maize of cost at the outset and for the
first six months a considera BILE reduction
was made from the first cost In 1861, in or
der to give wide margin of conservatism
in estimates, although il is believed the.
circumstances OF a conflict with Spain ana
her allies would justify an estimate fully
up to the cost of opening the civil war.
AS to Spains flrst cost in going 70 war
with the United States. il must be borne
in mind that Spain is now practically on n
war footing and has been since the Cuban
struggle became serious. The war footing
Of Spain is 1882 men, and this footing
has been reached, If not exceeded. in Cuba
alone. The forces there have fluctuated
but the official figures a year ago gave
l2l,1S6 men in Cuba Adding the reserve
force in Spain and those in the Philippines
and Puerto Rico. the total Is fully up TO