Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-09-16

ally wiped up the ground with the Roman
troops there were only $4,000 men enga ged.
Livy says Hannibal's force OF 5000 piled
up 10000 Roman corpses on the field The
per centage OF the casualties I'm this battle
was 558. At the battle OF Hastings, when
William the Conqueror changed the course
of history by defeating Harold. It is said
that one-fourth OF the Normans were slain.
Bows and arrows and axes were used in
this battle.
with the battle Of Crecy the feudal sys-
tenn of providing troops received its death
blow. At this battle gunpowder is said to
have been used for the first time. Bonn
bards," an ancient writer quantity says,
threw with fire little iron balls to brighten
the horses" Whether the 'bombards"
frightened the horses or not. the English
troops of Edward III, following the Bla *
Prince, caused 200 knights and 30 On foot
men. fighting under the French colors, 10
bite the dust. More than 30 per cent of the
troops lost their lives in this battle.
Battles of Last Century.
Some of the great battles and wars of the
last century seemed bloodier than they ac-
tually were in comparison. The battle Of
Waterloo was one OF the bloodiest of the
contests OF the century OF those who
fought under Wellington and Napoleon in
this battle. 35.s per cent gave up their lives
or were wounded. The battle of Leipsc
ranked next, with % per cent OF casual
ties On the field OF Gettysburg the per-
centaEs was 206. Judging by percentages,
the battle of Mukden in the recent war
vas bloodier than any OF these. It's per-
centage OF casualties was 1858. Taking some
OF the recent wars as a whole. the percent
ages have been: American civil war, 90;
Franco Prussan war. 1917; Boer war, 10.
A comparison Of the cost of providing n
gun and firing It, It has grown within
the last century. gives a good impression as
TO the increase in the cost OF warfare. II
is said that in the time of the war for the
overthrow OF Napoleon Bonaparte. when
solid shot were used, a thirty-two pound
ball cost only 5 shillings, or 3.25. At the
time OF the Crimean war, in the '5Os, these
had been replaced by thirty-two pound
/ shells. The shells cost, ready flled for FIR
ing. S. The charge OF powder and waddlng
cost 50 more. A xty-eight-pound she'll,
powder, etc, cost $3.50. The cannons
weighed from three 20 five tons, and cost
from S325 to 1915 each A twelve-inch gun,
an inch larger than the great howitzers
used by the Japanese at Port Arthur, costs
the United States government $1,000. II
weighs from hfty-four TO sixty tons, and
Of $40, or the cost OF a cannon less than
nifty years ago.
That war relatively cost less in the mid
die ages than today is indicated by the
fact that one English king was prevented
from going to war because he was a debtor
for $4,000 and could borrow no more.
Another English king, by evading several
wars he was expected 70 undertake and saw
ing the money which he had received for
carrying them on. laid the basis OF for
tune which at his death amounted to So
England.
Bonding the Cost of War.
Two OF three centuries ago II was dis
covered that money for warfare could De
secured more easily and in larger quantities
by bonding the nation for II and taxing the
people to pay the interest. Wars began 70
cost more In less than 300 years Great