COST OF THE WAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 3 September 1915, Page 4

COST OF THE WAR.

/_ ;7 — The- estimate put: forth on Ministerial authority that the wai; costs England three millions* day, baa ieen received with remarkable equanimity (says Sir HenryLUcy). It is a nice round sum, easily remembered, and though large, not beyond^ financial resources. It is not generally known that the maintenance <df the British soldier in the field costs 10s 6d a day. This is an exceptionally high rate. Taking the average, including the enemy and our Allies, & French etatistibian brings the sum down to the precise figure of 8s sd. Basing his calculation on this estimate, he fixes the daily cost of the war, including the Belgian, Serbian, Turkish, and Japanese armies, at the colossal sum of £9,200,000. These sums have a fascination for the tutored mind. In a paper read before the Royal Statistical Society it was estimated the total cost of the war up to the 31st day, of July -would reach the fantastic sum of £9,147,900,000. Beyond this neither the force, of fancy nor the range of figures can go. It is. the first time in the world's history that such a sum has been totted up as an actuality to be faced. Leaving out the thought of the sacrifice of life and the irremediable ravages in > historic towns' and fruitful countries, the worst aspect of the business is that all these billions of t hardly-earned money drawn '>. from the pockets of -the taxpayer are literally blown awayv And ■ ith6u^h. it be idle ■td'>eflect*;u^n;^tne/4mwint:'>[)f happiness and prosperity they might have brought to the human race had they been spent upon social and industrial improvements, yet- the reflection must come, and add to the totality of the'tremendous tragedy.