Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-08

NEW YORK, Aug. s.--Army and
navy experts who are figuring upon
the cost of the European war in cash,
not to speak of the destruction of
lives and property, are willing to cons
lcede that the daily expense will not
fall far short of s50,0OO,O00 day, or
$1S, 250, 900, 900 for one year. II HOSTILE
ties endure for that period.
Expert opinion upon this point,
however, is divided, some maintain
ing that peace will follow the first
important land or sea engagement,
while others predict that the strug-
gle will be fought to finish.
The loss of untold thousands or
lives of young men who are needed
in the fields and workshops of Ger
many, France, Austria, Russia and
Great Britain, the nations engaged in
the greatest war in history, Will be
equivalent, experts say, to the loss OF
billions of money in the Gripping of
Industries all over Europe.
The destruction of property of all
kinds located in the pathway of the
contending armies, not to speak of
/ the destruction of costly war ships,
will foot up high in the billions, but
| how high even the most inc ginative
expert refuses to venture an opinion.
! When it is considered that in thir-
teen years the cost of maintenance
of the armies and navies of the coun-
| tries at war, as well as che cost OF
naval construction, has exceeded
$40, 000, 100000, some idea may be had
of the expense attached to war and
the preparations of European coun-
| tries for just such a contingency as
has arisen in Europe. IS
| The cost of the Panama Canal, one
of the most useful aids to the COM
MERGE of the world, was approx
tmately s370, 900, 900, but the expense
| of the preparations for war in Europe
during the time it took to build the
canal exceeded the cost of this gi-
gantic undertaking nearly sixty to
one.
The wealth of the Ave nations at
war is estimated at $4,000, 600, 900,
/ and in thirteen years the cost of
maintenance of armies and nayies,
naval construction and the like, ex-
ceeded $4,000, 100000, or about thir-
teen per cent. of the total wealth of
! the countries involved. The same
money, If spent in the construction
of railroads and extension of a mer-
chant marine, would have made all of
these nations flourish in prosperity
This activity in naval construction
| forced the other nations of Europe to
! keep pace pTopoTIlOndleIy lneSe
amounts have been expended by the
various countries for naval construc-
tion and armament since 190O:i
/ Great Britain ............ $S5S, 070, 900
/ Germany .................. 515, 500, 900
/ Austria .................... 100, 900, 600
France .................... 3S9,53O, 600
Russia ......,......,.,,.... 2SS,645,000
Total ...,.....,.....,..e,$2, LAG, 10000
The general naval expenditures for
upkeep in the same period, which
were increased from 30 to 100 per cent.
and to defray which taxes were
heavily increased, were:
Great Britain ............. 81, 53S, 800 900
Germany ."..,......,,'... 1,O4S, $4,000
Austria .....,...,......... 200 900 600
France ...,................. 1913, 345, 600
Russia .......-............. S4S, 225 900
Total ....................$ Sc, Gas, 525. 900
According to these figures the naval
expenditures of the five nations in
volved more than double the cost of
construction in the period specified.
This enormous expense, paid by the
people in the way of toes, was only
part of the imperative eNpenses of the