The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-08-05
WHAT WAR WILL COST.
$54 10000 ESTIMATED AS DAILY
TOLL FOR BIG EUROPEAN
CONFLICT.
Outlay for Each Man Would be About
$3.12 Per Day for Each OF 10000
OON Men i'm Field Without Taking

A daily expenditure of 54,000,O 900.
That is the estimated cost of arm
cd Conflict between France, Russia,
Germany and Austria. Were England
and tho Balkan nations included it
would bring the total to a much high
er sum.
At the time Of the Russo Japanese
conflict there was much discussion of
a possible European war, although no
one accepted it seriously at that time.
II. Jules Roche, the famous French
statistician, however, studied the prob
lem carefully and estimated that a
war involving the four nations named
would cost $4OO,OOO,O 900 the first two
months, or $6,OO0,OOO n day each.
Most of the conclusions arrived at
by M. Roche were based on figures Of
expenditures for previous years. He
allowed for the difference in cost, for
modern warfare is more costly even
than warfare at the time Of the
Franco-Prussian' war. His calcula-
tiOns may be thus summarized:
In January, 1871, the actual cost
per day to the French treasury, ac-
cording to the Boreau-La janadie Off
cial report, was 100000 francs Cor
$4,000, O,OO0); this for 100000 men un-
der arms. The actual cost per day of
every man under arms during the en-
tire period Of the war was exactly 13
francs SO centimes. Into the costs of
forage and Of. keep of horse. which
are usually figured at. the rate Of say
one dollar, a day for each horse, M.
Roche did not go. But even with the
figures for the war Of 1901 before
him, he admitted that it was no easy
matter to estimate the financial eX-
penditure of great war that might
hapt~n in osr times. ~He2ceati,ped:
conditions genetally have con.
siderably changed.s .s within the last
thirty years and warfare is now far
more expensive. To begin with, the
number Of men under arms in France
onia declaration ofswar, would be fan
greater than in 1870. France then be-
gan by putting 100000 men into the
field; but in the next great war in
which she may be engaged, her mill
tary organization is such that within
forty-eight hours she can mobilize, ir
round figures, 100000 men and Goo
600 horses and mules. The first troops
to be called up would be the thirteen
classes Of active and active reserve
troops. Each class" numbers 16O,-
600 men, SO that the actual number of
men to be modified at once would be
2,OSO,OOO. Against this the Germans
can pit 2,550,00O men, the Austrians
100000 men, and Italy 100000
men,"
Considering that if Franco, Russia,
Germany. Austria and Great Britain
went to war there would be some
where near 1O,OOO,OOO men in the
armies alone. not to mention the ma
vies Of the powers nor the armies of
Scrvia, Roumania. Montcnegro
Greece, and'ozher small nations either
now involved or likely to become in
volved. it can be seen that NJ. Roche's
estimate in reality is a conservative
one as applied to the present situation.
since M. Roche did not figure on Great
britain or the Balkan nations.
The estimates Of NJ. Roche are based
on an outlay Of $3.12 day for each
man in each army. 1t may be that
NJ. Roche has far underestimated the
cost. DIR. Charles Richet, statistician
OF the University Of Paris. published
very exhaustive calculation at the
time of the Balkan war i'm which S54.-
ooo'O0O was the estimated daily ex-
penditure. DR.. Richet estimates the
expenditures as follows, if Germany.
England. France, Russia, Italy. Aus
tria and Roumania were all engaged.
Provisioning of troops .Sl2.5OO. OOO
Feeding OF horses. -. 49,. 1000. 900
'!. =. go. $3.50. 600
Wages. arsenals and har-
o'"'' :. :. 100000
Mobilization. . oOo 0oo
Transport of foodstuTs -.