Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-07-16
CLOSE OF WAR COSTLY.
Victors in Modern War Demand Bio
Indemnities.

1t is rather early yet to speculate as
TO what terms victor Will impose on
vanquished in the present Russo Japan
eSe war: but from the enormous indem-
mites which have been paid to end strife
between nations in the past. it is evi-
dent that the cost of stopping a war is
only a little more than the cost of wag-
ing it.
Throughout the history of the world
no country has treated vanquished
foe SO generously as the United States.
Instead of forcing Spain to pay a big
indemnity this country was satisfied at
taking over part of her territory, even
paying for what ii might have had for
nothing.
This was also true of the Mexican war;
when the United States annexed Texas.
dollars for it. The United States. how
ever, is an exception among nations.
At the conclusion of the war between
empire was compelled to pay Il sum of
S23,ON.WU A goOdly portion of this in
demnity went to British merchants by
way OF compensation for the destruction
of their property by the Chinese. Con-
sdering that the war cost considerably
over $lOOOO.G0O, it cannot be described as a
very profitable bargain.
To close the second war between China
and Great Britain, the former country
had to pay an indemnity of $l0,OuOUUU.
The war cost England s5J0o0.0O0.
AT one time Schleswig- liOlstein be-
longed to Denmark. and Bismark hav-
ing cast covetous eyes on the harbor OF
Kiel. situated in Iiolstein, he caused
Jutland to be invaded by the Prussians.
On his forces being routed he cunningly
inveigled Austria into supporting him.
and the allied troops proved too strong
for their adverSaries
The victors, however, quarreled between
themselves as to the disposition of the
spoils. and this gave rise to the war be-
tween Austria and Germany in 1866. The
latter power proved victorious. and insist
nifty sum that. with the amounts levied
on the five small states that helped them.
reached nearly $32, 100000.
But that did not anything like approach
the severity with which Bismarck treated
the French at the conclusion of the Fran
cO-Prussian war of 1901.
In the $1,000, 100000 which he exacted az
indemnity, he compelled France to pay
the dearest price that any nation ever
gave for peace. price that astonished
the world. 1t was thought that the infiic-
Ton OF this enormous fine would crippla
France forever. but. largely owing to the
patriotism of the thrifty French peasants,
the money was actually paid before the
final installment fell due.
Although this sum exceeded by very
many millions the sum spent by the Ger
mans on the war, they and the willy Bis
marck never ceased to regret that they
did not make it double. Considering tAat
france had to sacrifice two of her fairest
provinces in addition. Germany made an
unprecedented and enormous profit.
When Russia administered a crushing
deleat on Turkey, after suffering severe
reverses herself, in the struggle Of Isl.
81 she &C consented to accept the sum of $780,
mn.Wo as the price of peace after demand
ing much larger amount This was little
more than the actual cost of the cam
pa1sn, and the victors would not entertain
any lower terms. as the damage inflicted
ny the war on their subjects and com
merce was such as to fully equal those
figures. large though they were So far.
turkey th ; has raid little more than half OF
Inc Inc 1nsemnity; and there is not much
full amount. '
Like her former enemy. Turkey few
years back was compelled to substantially
reduce claim for indemnity The sultan
claimed O.0O0 from Greece as the con-
dition of peace; but. by the Intervention
or the European powers, he was compelled
to accept just one-fifth of that amount
AS Greece was practically in a state OF
bankruptcy. it would have been impossible
Ior that country to have complied with
the original demands of Turkey
IN order to secure peace after the war
with Japan eight years ago. China had to
pay considerable sum by way OF in
uemnify, though not nearly SO much as