The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-12-01
COST OF SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.
Direct Expenditures by ENGLAND O.
=. Hundredw of Millions Alreadx

Hundreds of Millions Already.
The cost of the South African war has now
practically no one in authority In England
seems able to make a definite calculation of
what it may ultimately amount to- The bor-
rowing powers era nted to the British .vovern
nlent by the late parliament are nearly ex-
eaustea, ana heavy arrears. amounting to be-
tween $2OO, OOU,UUJ and $3.50, 600 coo are pres,
titg LOT payment Against these liabilities the
government has about SIS, OGo, coo immediately
available, the unexhausted borrowing mower
amounting to O,OO0, 900, and the balance of
loans issued yet to be paid up, $45, COO OOO OF
the payments in arrears much consists of the
pay due the army and debts to contractors.
L ne ina,rect cost has been estimated, and the
result is highly interesting In September last
the shrilIkage in value of the full list OF secri-
Ties quoted on the London stock .xch anse had
as a. dlrect consequence of the war. reached
the enormous figure Of nearly $1,000, COX, 900.
Inc oecllne In the market value of consols
alone has been serious, and the fall has been
equally marked in municipal stocks and rail
way and other obligations. The Increase to
the national debt with the additional taxation
10 meet the interest payments has also to be
taken into account. Then there is the expense
OF the permanent garrison, estimated at 50, 600
men which will have to be kept up for an
undetermined period out Of the pocket of tile
British taxpayer, for there is no present visible
source of revenue in South Africa from which
the cost can be paid.
But the matter does not end here Tho in
crease and The reorganization of the army have
TO be provided for, and millions will have to
and other war material up to the rcuuire,nants
or the new policy. Already orders for $50 900
Ooo worth Of new guns have been placed 10
be followed by others the amount of which
has not yet been decided on.
1t is not, however, in England only that the
olrect cost OF the war Is making itself felt by
the taxpayers. The shortage of revenue in
cape Colony this year is estimated by the min
lister OF finance at not loss than Si2915, 1000
which he proposes to borrow, though the re-
ceptlon which proposal to raise a small loan
In the London market a few months age met
WIN Goes not not seem to encourage crnsh
cure OF things it will be some years before the
waste and destruction worked by the war
nave been made good and meantime the
course of trade which in the past was favor
able to Cape Colony will take other channels
L'uroan, in Natal, and Lorenzo Marques are 20
much nearer to Bloemfontein and Pretoria
thar. Cape Town that supplies ard traffic may
De expected 70 take the shorter routes. This
will affect the revenues of Cape Colony. de-
rivable from the railways. "a. ,If.sl. =
+ No boom Is TO be looked for after the war
ers or imposed on them having been too great
to permit their launching out into extruva-
Eance Of any kind for a long time to come. The
reduction Of the imperial expenditure conseo
Guent on the withdrawal from the country Of
the great portion Of the British army will
cause a sudden reduction il, the trade dereni-
Ing on it and bring about a great curtailment
Of the profits Of those engaged in it, and on
which they depend for their living. The latest
accounts from the late Orange Free State de-
scSlhe IL as reduced almost to the condition
OF DESERT the Boer homesteads in ruins and
the nocks and herds either carried off 10 supply
the wants Of the army Of occupation of Scat
tered over the veldt where they are a. prey
TO the wild beasts that are making their an
p par nee, IN considerable numbers result Of
the disappearance of the population. The ces-
sat1on OF the production of gold during the
period of the war is also among the indirect
losses caused by it.-New York Sun.