The Burden of War Preparations
PROGRESS in military affairs since the beginning of the Boer war has rendered obsolete a great portion of the equipment of the Italian army, as the Government of Italy is now offering for sale 600,000 rifles, which it bought in 1887, with 48,000,000 cartridges for the same; 1,200 nine-pounder cannon, and 500 seven-pounders, with 200,000 shells; and 170 seven-pounder mountain guns, with 17,000 shells. And now the already over-taxed Italian people must purchase another outfit of modern weapons, to be similarly discarded within a few years. The same thing is occurring in other nations. The work of preparation for war will go on until the people, in very desperation, will welcome a great war in order to be rid of the constant nervous tension and the constant grinding burden of keeping the country continually prepared for war.