The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-06-29


lives in battle, and Europe was Empower
;sbcd to the extent of SG,S5O,OO 1000.
S;,co 1880 il is claimed 3,0OO,000 men
have persisted in war. The Crlmean war
cost Great Britain $3j0,000,ooO, while
France and Russia spent 81 ,l1o, Ooo,ooo
10 say nothing Of the 800 600 slain. Inc
Franco Pruss;an war cost France SS1o,-
OO0 600 for the seven months that 1t last
ed. aud this does not include the lndemni-
tv 70 Germany or the value of Alsace- To-
roiuc. Russia's victory over Turkey IN
Is77-7S cost her $3.50, 1000, 600, and her
great struggle with China and Japan 2ll,-
O00, 900 men.
During the last seventy years Russia
has spent 1910, OOO,O 600 and has lost oo'-
600 lives in war. The Great Powers OF
Europe alone spend 5000, OOO,sOO year
in maintaining war forces, and it is esti-
mated that within the last six years their
war budgets have increased - per cent
In 1863 the European peace armies num-
bered 1900 900 men; today they number
more than LOO 600. Again in 1863, Ed-
rope spent $ll7, 200, 600 on her armies and
navies, whereas today she spends more
than $40, 100000
The effect of war on a country's public
debt is naturally very marked. During
the French war that began in lI92 Eng
lands debt increased to the extent OF
nearly 81, SOC, 900, and again during the
Nepoleonic wars there was an increase OF
about 81 900, 100000. During the forty
wears of peace that followed there was
decrease of $45j 100000, but, on the other
hand, over 5000, 900 600 was added during
the Crimean war and the Indian mutiny.
The north spent $4,000, OOO, 900 during
the American civil war, and the south
spent S., 300, 100000. The number of cas-
ualties in the volunteer and regular ar
mics of the United States during the war
was ms follows: Killed in battle, 07,O56;
died Of wounds, 1902; died of disease,
1919. 40; died from other causes, 40,l54;
total number of deaths, 1894. The
number of soldiers in the contedera SER
who died of wounds OF disease was about
1873, 800.
1t is claimed that while the losses in
actual battle are now less than they used
to be, in spite Of the superior excellence
of the weapons, the total losses are IN
creasng owing to the fact that larger ar
mics are engaged. Certainly the losses in
some of the great battles ot the century
were very great. At the battle of Water
loo Butcher had I24 900 men; the British
forces consisted of 1917 and the French
forces of IA ,JsS. The total loss Of the
allied armies was 22,2iS, and it is cstma-
ted that the French lost between 81 900
and $4,000 At Leipzig $4,000 and at
Borodina 81, 900 were killed aud wounded.
On the other hand, the total loss at kOen-
igsgratz was only $4,000 and at Gravelotte
- 600. At Barodino % per cent of the
entire fighting force was killed, at Water
loo, - per cent, at Koenigsgraz, "a per
cent and at Gravelotte : per cent
Interesting statistics are also furnished
by the great sea fights OF the century. AT
Boukir the conquerers lost 800, at Trail
falgar $500, at LISA only l76, at Manila
not one and Cavite four. The losses on
the side of the vanquished were naturally
much greater-namely, at Trafalgar 900,
at Navarro 5000. at LISA $50 and Manila
and Cavite considerable. That economy
in the construction OF ships does not, there
are abundant proofs. AT Trafalgar nine
teen of the enemy's ships were destroyed
or rendered useless, at Navarro titty-tive,
at LISA two and at Manila and Cavite
practically all.
The extent to which war impoverishes
aream is aptly illustrated by a story which
is told of wealthy smith, who worked
for the Prussian government during the
campaign of 500 1907. One OF his bills
was recently discovered at the war Office
in Berlin. 1t was for seven thalers and
twenty-five grochen, and underneath these
figures the smith wrote as follows:
"Being good patriot, have waited
three years Tor this money, and now beg
that it be paid"
The bill was brought to the notice of
the King, and he wrote:
"Since he is so good a patriot, he must
even wait longer, for the state has no
money"
If We accept the estimate that 2,5OO,O 900
human lives have been lost in war during
the last half century, it can readily be
shown that the average cost of each of
these lives have been about $4,000. To
what extent the people of every civilized
country are required to bear the expense
of maintaining the armies and navies,
without which war could not be carried on
may be seen from the following table,
which shows The amount paid per capita
in the various countries toward the mill
tary and naval expenses: