Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1898 — WAR A COSTLY GAME [ARTICLE]

WAR A COSTLY GAME

Liberal Estimates Place Expense to United States at $150,000,000. LIST OF SOME OF THE BIG ITEMS. r» American* Killed, SO3) Wounded, 1,408 Spaniard* Killed, 2,200) Wounded, 3,o2s—What the Conflict Ha* Coat Spain. Washington, Aug. 8. —Estimating liberally that the expenses of the war were $1,000,000 a day since April 25, the war has cost the government up to this time, $103,000,000. But there are some items to be added to this which raise the grand total to $150,000,000. But as it is it appears that the popular loan of $200,000,000 is more than enough to meet all the expenses of the conflict. The heavy expenditure of money has been since July 1 with the army in operation. Some of the big items of expense to be met are: Mobilization of troops and troopships $17,000,000 Additions to the navy 20,000,000 For ordnance and arms 10,000,000 Commissary supplies 15,000,000 Pay for army and navy 27,000,000 Ammunition 8,000,000 Ammunit’n for navy at Santiago. 4,000,000 Coal for warships. 5,000,000 For Cuban relief 2,000,000 Harbor defenses and mine 5........ 10,000,000 Total $118,000,000 Victim* of the War. Washington, Aug. B.—Official tables on the total killed and wounded on each side since war was declared have not been compiled, and probably will not be for months yet. From the best sources obtainable the tables will approximate the following figures: At Manila: American killed... American wounded 5 Spanish killedsso Spanish wounded...62s At Santiago: American killed or afterward died of wounds received in battle 266 American woundedl,2B7 Spanish killedl,3so Spanish wounded...2,ooo The Americans subsequently lost In Cuba from yellow fever and camp disease, so far as can be told now’, 202. In other Cuban engagements: Americans killed, 35; Americans wounded, 116; Spanish killed, 300; Spanish wounded, 4CO. Total American killed or died, 503; wounded, 1,408. Total Spanish killed or died, 2,200; wounded, 3,025. No attempt is made in tlie American list of dead to include those who died in camp after the mobilization of the state troops and volunteers. These number scores, but the official tables must be awaited before they can be given accurately. At the worst, the total American dead will not exceed 700. Spain’* - Heavy* Penalty. Washington, Aug. B.—Spain, for the sake of false pride, bigotry, politics and a child king, has buried in the depths of the sea 35 vessels of her navy, valued at $36,500,000. By their rusting hulks lie the bodies of more than a thousand gallant tars. Spain has surrendered in territory to the United States directly Cuba, with a population of 1,500,000 and an area of 45,000 square miles, and Peurto Rico, with an area of 3,670 square miles and a population of 810,0Q0; also the Ladrone islands, area 417 square miles and population 15,000. Her total direct loss of territory in square miles is 49,087 and loss in population 2,325,000. She has also jeopardized, probably beyond all future control by her. flie Philippine islands, with an area of 114.326 square miles and a population of 8,000,000. So that in the end it appears the ! Spanish kingdom for the sake of the wrong has given tin 165,Q00 square miles of territory and over 10.000,000 of tax-paying population. This loss is the gain of the United States, which, to bring it about, placed in service a first-class navy, with 10.000 men and 50 effective vessels, and a volunteer and regular army of 278,500 men, of which New York gave the largest number. Pennsylvania next and Illinois the third. The Spanish El Nacional concedes that in the destruction of Cervera's fleet ' Spain lost alone $20,000,000 of invested | money. The Cristobal Colon was val--1 ued at $4,400,000 and the Vizcaya at $3,1 600,000. The estimated trading capacj ity of the territory of Spain which the United States has taken is placed at $200,000,000 per annum at the present time, and that must be tributary hereI after to American coffers and not to the I blood-stained ones of Castile and AraI gon.