The evening times., 1902-06-13

The cost of the Beer war from a
financial point OF view is generally esti-
mated IN the journals of this city and
even by those more or less in touch with
business affairs, at 81. .250. coo 600, though
Why these figures were adopted inteIIi-
gent investigation fails 70 reveal. Of
course. the actual cost of the war to
Great Britain viii be nothing like the
amount figured. and it is even doubtful
il 1t will reach the more conservative
total OF $3.50. .G00. 600 recently given by
writer in these columns. The probabili-
ties are that the cost to Great Britain
win not exceed $500 ,0o0 600 and may
even be less than that
When the war began in 1899 the British
government was paying something like
800, ,000, 900 for its army-the expendi-
ture in 1893, in fact, was exactly that
figure. OF 81, ,797, ,995 less than the gross
estimates for the year The expenditures
in 1900 Ieaped up 20 S218, ,900. coo, which
were almost doubled in 1901, the figures
being s45s, $50 600, while the estimates
voted for 1901 1902 were sf5s. .90s, ,695. The
actual expenditures have not yet been
reported, but as Lor6 Kitchener has re-
duced the expenses about s., 900, 900
month by his admirable system, they
viii be, in all probability, not more
than S3gs, ,000. 900 But this is the ex-
penditure for the whole army engaged in
South Africa or elsewhere at home or
abroad Obviously q good round sum
must be deducted in order 70 give the
actual expenditures upon the forces en-
gagged Ia. subduing the Beers The total
expenditures for the army in the three
years, 1860, 1901, 1902. would be $1,O75.-
$50, 600 which in themselves are $780,
000, 900 less than the cost OF the war,
as usually given by the newspapers. De-
duct from this amount the usual army
expenditures for three years. taking as a
basis the figures for 1899 and amounting
to $3.50 900 600 IN round numbers, and
the result is $715,550 600, from which
again must be deducted the cost OF the
China troubles, upon which SIS, 300, 600
was expended. This brings the actual
cost Of the war to s6S7, ,250, 600 up TO
July !, 1902.
There remains yet to be taken into
consideration the cost Of maintaining
the forces IN South Africa until civil
rule is permanently established. Judg-
ing from the spirit displayed by the
Beers this viii not be more than a year.
if that; at any rate, the number of
troops viii be rapidly diminished with
the dIsarming OF the colonial popuIa-
tion and the enormous cost of transport
service viii be materially lessened. Ac-
cepting Secretary Brodrick's statement
OF the economical genius of Lord Kitch-
ener as q basis the cost of the forces
in South Africa for I9G2-I903 ought not
to exceed $3.50. 900. 600; but granting that,
adding in the $4,000 600 for restocking
BoeT farms and the cost Of retranspo--
tation Of Boer prisoners. it viii reach
5000 GOO coo, the grand cost of the war up
to july l, 1908. viii have been only 1851
Z5o. 600
1t is interesting to note the direction
in which these moneys have been ex-
pended. The greatest item outside CT
the actual pay Of the soldiers has been. |
as viii probably be conjectured, that of
provisioning the troops. In 1901 this
cost $4S. .000. 600. which. with the addition /
of the cost OF feeding the. Boer prisoners |
in the reconeentration camps, increased |
in 1902 to $40, 40, 600. The next big item !
IS the cost Of transportation service, |
which il 1J00-15o1 was $46. 600. 900, and in |
the following year something more than |
SI6 GOO GOO For warIike stores the cost
in 1901 was S27. coo 900. and IN 1902 was
$54, 75e 600. The pay of the men reached
$43. 500 900 in 1861 and increased 20 s75.-
7S7, 500 in 1902. The clothing Of the men