New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-14
of Keeping
Army in Field
Grows Gigantic
Geographic Society Fur
nishes Summary of Mu-
nitions Trade

The National Geographic Society,
with headquarters in this city, has re
Gently made an economic summary Of
the geography OF the great munitions
trade of the European war. Never be-
fore in the history of the world has
there been suclf an unprecedented de-
mand for materials Of every kind "a
Europe is compelled TO employ in this
epochal struggle. Discussing the vast
ness Of munitiOn consumption, the So
ciety, in statement issued to-day,
says:
when it is remembered that there
are to-day under arms more than
twenty-four million soldiers IN the Eu-
ropean war. the immensely OF the task
Of keeping these men IN the field and
keeping them supplied with the munl-
tions with which they wage war Will
appear IL has been estimated that u
costs approximately 500 70 outfit
soldier. OF this S25 goes for his gun
and S35 for his one thousand rounds OF
cartridges. The average life of uni
form under modern service conditions
is very short: that Of the ordinary rife
g. six months In all Of the history OF
war there has never been such rapid
exhaustion Of all the material with
which IL is made
"The lighting OF 100 days around Yer
dun cost. an amount which Is represent
ed by column of gold one yard square
and 3l2 feet high, or approximately as
high as the Statue OF Liberty on the
Capitol dome at Washington.
"If the outlay IN gun metal and pow
der is heavy, 10 is no more so than the
OUTLAY for materials demanded by the
present necessities OF trench warfare.
Ar officer who has studied this phase
Of the present war carefully says that
20 put a trench in a state NJ for occu-
nation in winter requires l.25O.O0O run
ming feet Of by 3 timber. 10000 run
ming feet % corrugated IRON, 6,-oO'OVu
sand bags weighing 1000 tons ana
$4,000 standards and pickets 10 inc
mile. In addition 70 this 900 miles OF
barbed wire has to be used weighing
10 tons 100
.rollod nunition plants IN Great Brit.
ain alone. or these nineteen out OF
tyenty never produced war materials
bofo,e Tho war broke out. They employ
Tosr 600 900 men and nearly 15O,OOO
Artsorities widely disagree as 10 the
,.orcentace Of Americas contribution 10
rornitione. One authority puts u as
.iovy a. 2 per cent, while another say
hat il does not exceed per cent.
Wbatever the percentage may be- tn'
GoBres Of the Department OF commerce
now that during the FIRST eight months
of 1914 our exports Of horses. mules
brass and manufactures Of brass auto
mobiles. copper and manufactures o.
conner eypiosives. india rubber prod
pcts. IRON and steel manufacture, lead
leather and manufactures OF leather
nickel. mineral oils. sugar surgical ap.
a,,stgs. lin. zinc and manufacture OF
F inc amounted 20 s433, 900, 600. DURING
the first eight months Of 1915 our e., !,
mort. Of those same materials amounted
F 10 81 9sG. 900 900. From these hgures %
would appear that our contribution 10
ne munitions trade Of Europe during
he year 1916 would approximate more
sban 81 600 900 900. Our expiration OF
cxDlosiycs alone for the CALENDAR year
w.il reach upward Of 100000 OOO. Dur
d ne The Grst nine months OF 1916 Amer
/ ,can exports 20 the Alfred nations
amounted 20 1920. 900. 900, ~ against
I $50 900 900 for all Of The other nations
Of the earth. belligersa< and neutr"'
alike.