Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-03
COST OF BOER WAR
England Has Already Expended About Fifty
Million Dollars.
MORE ExCHEQUER BILLS TO BE ISSUED
Liabilities Continue to Pile Up at an
Enormous Rate,
CHANCELLOR HlCKS-BEACH DISSATISFIED
Charges Rapidly Accumulate Against the
War Department.
CIVILIANS AND The MILITARY CLASH
CHANCELLOR HlCKS.BEAcH DISSATISFIED
CIVILIANS AND The MILITARY CLASH
Politicians want to Reap What
BENEFIT They Can from the Friction
between Contending Elements
Supplies for Troops.

Copyright, 1892 by Press Publishing co..
LONDON, Dec 2.-(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram )-The British
war office has expended almost the whole Of
the $50, 900 appropriated by the House
of Commons for the war. 1t is reported, and
the treasury will issue some more exchequer
bills to meet accruing liabilities.
The chancellor of the eXchequer, Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, is said to be highly
dissatisfied with the system OF expenditures
adopted by the war department and there is
considerable friction between his depart
ment and that one. In fact, charges are
rapidly accumulating against the war de-
partment and 1t is recognized that one
inevitable result of the war will be its COM
plete reorganization.
The military chiefs complain of interfer-
ence from civil heads and say that the policy
of the treasury prevented the war depart
ment from keeping pace with the other
European powers in many important re-
spects, particularly quick firing guns.
The military chiefs insist on the neces-
sity of establishing an espionage in con-
tinental countries, voting a special secret
service fund for that purpose. The Sails
bury government intends to dissolve Parlia-
ment early next year, probably in March or
April-or when Pretoria is taken-hoping to
reap advantage for the present lingo furore
and secure fresh lease of power. Unless
there should be some unexpected calamity
causing a reaction in public feeling it is
taken for granted because of the hopeless
dissensions among the liberal leaders that
the tories will sweep the country again.
Feeding the Army.
The arrangements for provisioning the
British troops in South Africa were made
on the basis of having four months sup
plies at the seat of war for 10000 troops
and transport helpers and for $1,000 mules
and horses. Four months supplies for this
force include 10000, 900 pounds of preserved
meat the same quantity OF biscuit, 100000
pouAds OF coffee, 1000 poGnds Of tea, 2o0s-
900 pounds of sugar, 100000 pounds of COM
pressed vegetables, 100000 pounds OF salt
and 1000 900 pounds of timed mixture OF
meat and vegetables 100000 tins of con-
densed milk and 1,450,000 pounds of jam.
This last was found to be an excellent food
in the Soudan, greatly relished by the
troops and valuable for it's anti-scorbutic
where supplies Of fresh vegetables
are unobtainable.
Then there are $4,000 gallons of rum, 1900
bottles of whisky, $4,000 bottles or port,
400 900 pounds in weight Of lime juice, eighty
tons of alum for purifying water and 1000
pounds OF tobacco.
The medical departments four months
supplies include 5000 pounds OF carbonic
acid powder, twenty tons Of chloride OF lime,
10 900 gallons of izal, $4,000 pounds of
candles.
For the horses and mules, $4,000 tons Of
hay 81 900 tons of oats and 5000 tons OF
bran.