WEALTH OF THE GREAT POWERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16505, 5 August 1919, Page 3

WEALTH OF THE GREAT POWERS.

The latest computer of the wealth of tho Powers is Dr. J. C. Stamp, C.8.E., Assistant-Secretary to tho Board of Inland Revenue. Addressing tho Royal Statistical Society, he reasserted his own estimate of £14,300,000,000 (prewar) as against tho higher figures of Mr. Crammond and others, and put tho income at £3,250,000,000. Germany stood at £16,550,000,000 capital and £2,150,000,000 income, though certain German writers had tried to stimulate optimism during tho war by putting forward inflated figures. On Dr. Stamp’s figures. Great Britain had £314 per head against Germany’s £244—a difference less marked than some English writers had suggested; but the income of tho United Kingdom was £SO a head against £3O a head in Germany. The thrifty habits of tho French were reflected in a- capital of £303 a head, whereas Italy and Austria had £l2B and £l2l a head respectively. The wonderful position and progress of the United States was shown by its pre-war capital of £42,000,000,000 (£424 a head), ind income of £7,250,000,000 (£72 a head). The figures for 1919 as far as the United States was' concerned would probably be treble the 1914" figures. In fact, all valuations at .the present time would bo inflated far beyond tho 1914' figures. For Japan, Dr. Stamp estimated her pre-war wealth at £2,400,000,000, equal to £44 a head of population, and the income at only £6 a bead of population. As the debt of the United Kingdom on March 31 next is estimated to be £7.680,000,000, practically half the wealth on Dr. Stamp’s computation is mortgaged for tho debt.