THE COST OF THE WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11955, 2 May 1902, Page 4

THE COST OF THE WAR.

The official estimate of the cost of the South African War to the British taxpayers is sufficiently enormous. It is calculated up till the end of the cm-rent financial year, March 31, 1903, as close upon two hundred and twenty-three millions sterling. But vast as this amount is, and much as such loss of wealth is to be deplored, it is consoling to know that it falls upon a national income well able to bear it. Spread over the three and a-half years which will then be concluded it is approximately about sixty-four millions sterling per annum. But the British income tax assessment for 1899-1900, when the war commenced, was over seven hundred and eightyeight millions sterling, and this was steadily increasing at the rate of nearly thirty millions yearly. The war-cost, therefore, does not amount to more than eight per cent, of the officially assessed incomes of the British public, from which assessment the' great mass of the people are exempt. The total wealth of the United Kingdom has been approximately estimated at twelve thousand millions sterling, which is being constantly added to. This stupendous possession is only exceeded by that of the United States, which is approximately estimated at over sixteen thousand millions sterling. Great as is the cost of the South African War it is insignificant as compared to the resources of the United Kingdom ; a fact very practically brought home to the world by the twenty-fold subscription by which the recent loan was met. After the present war is finished and paid for Britain will not only have the lowest percentage of national debt to national wealth of any European Power, but wilt be in a sounder financial position than any of them. A hundred years ago British pluck and British gold fought singlehanded the whole of combined Europe, and there is every reason for her enemies to suppose that upon an emergency she could do the same again. To combat Britain would require of them the expenditure not of hundreds but of thousands of millions of pounds, for the hoards of the

Mother Count| r have not heeVnT ticeably affect* and kindred States would fight will her in every quart** of the world. J '..-':., -