The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-22
THE COST.
EngIishmen Estimate the Expenses Of
"a 1'ransvaal War.
London Morning Leader

One of the most extraordinary circum-
stances about war is that no nation, wheth-
er rich or poor, thrifty or extravagant, ever
gives a thought to the question OF expense.
Citizens who loudly complain Of an extra
f1O,OO spent on useful education. don't seem
to care a straw when the government
spends E1O,OOO,OW on destructive war.
Yet We get our own back, SO to speak,
when we spend il on education. Will we get
1t back if we spend it on a Boer war? The
bill will be a big one. and it will be liquidat-
ed not by those who will obtain the benefits,
but by the taxpayers Of England.
1t must be remembered that in the Beers
We should have an enemy the like of whom
our troops have not faced since the Crimean
campaign. To insure victory we should at
least have to pit man against man. Prob
ably, however, our government would fol-
low the excellent example Of the late Egyp-
tan campaign. and put an overwhelming
IRSreebn the neld o,i Let us assume en "1, tnat tn ne
all arms. and calculate the cost on the basis
of previous wars.
In the Abyssinian war Of 1866 we had a
fighting force of 1900 men. The actual
number OF troops landed in the country was
1920 Europeans and natives" together
with the enormous number of q, 600 follow
ers of all kinds. This war, fought by 1900
men, cost us $1,000 O0. War nowadays
would be at least so per cent. more expen-
sive, and, at this rate, a Boer war engage
ing 5000 men would cost 965. 0 .0O0.
The Egyptian campaign of 1888 cost us a
total of f13. 1000 Increase this by so per
cent, and multiply ii by three, and you
have the probable cost of a Boer war fought
by $1,000 men. 1t works out at a little over
Eel, 900, 900. and thus confirms the approXi-
mate correctness of the previous estimate
Now take the Afgha war. The gross cost
Of this was ga. 800 900. but the military
operations alone Exclusive of railway con-
struction) cost less than go. 200, 900. Calcu-
lating from this campaign as in the other
cases we have a total cost for the Trans
vaal war of 10000
Then there would be the value of the men
killed. An average working man twenty
five years old is worth about $500 to the
men, value 9600. 900. in a Boer war. Many
more would come home disabled. Children
would be left fatherless and wives husband
less. And the total cost by loss of life
would not fall short of f1. CO., 600.
Then there would be considerable diSlo-
cation of industry. The men sent out to
Africa would have to be replaced at nome.
And a draft of 5000 from the various in
dustries would be a serious matter. Our
shipping trade. too. would suffer. Some
military authorities say that IL takes one
ton OF shipping 10 transport a soldier and
five tons to transport a horse. But in the
Egyptian expedition of 1852 forty-seven ships
carry 1900 men and 5000 horses. Thus il
would take about 400.o ~ tons of shipping to
carry our forces TO Africa. This number OF
ships withdrawn from their usual occupa-
tion would mean a serious loss.
In fact. we may set down the total loss
10 this country. should We enter on a Boer
war. at f75.0o.oo0. or about go los per family
Of I'VE. or course. IL would go to swell the
national debt. and thus neutralize all the
sacrifices we have been making to pay off
that incubus. As part of the national debt
L would cost us over e. 600 900 a year. which
would probably be taken out of the poor
rs pocket through tobacco or beer or