Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 62, 12 November 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

THE COST OF WAR. United Press Association. London, November 10. In the House of Commons, Mr Asquith said that owing to technical mishaps he was unable to move a four hundred million war vote, but he proceeded with his statement, and will move the vote on Thursday. This vote marks an aggregate of war .credits in the current financial year of thirteen hundred million, and a total since the war began of 1662 millions. The total issued o'ut of credit votes from, April till November was £786,500,000. The Treasury retained £113,050,000, which, with the unexpended army and navy balances, was sufficient to carry on till the end of November. Thus the last credit vote had provided for our necessities longer than was anticipated. The net expenditure from April till November wa s £743,000,000, and the average net daily expenditure from September 12 to Nvember 6 was £4,350,000. The army and navy and munitions, between April and November had cost 517 millions, repayments to the Bank of England 104 millions, and loans 98 millions. The upward tendency in the expenditure had continued, and he could not hope that the expenditure would not increase for munitions, and loans to foreign Powers and the dominions. Loans to the Allies since the commencement of the year had been 59 millions, and; to the dominions 39j millions. i The war cost from September 12 till November 6 wafe* '£4,130,000 daily, and the net daily expenditure last week was well within ; the £5,000,000 previously estimated. . It is expected that during the next wo and.ft, half, months it will not'exceed £5,0b0,000 daily, and this vote ought to bo sufficient to carry on until the middle of Fedbruary.

THE WAR COUNCIL. ' London, November 10. Mr R. McKenna, in the House of Commons, said that the special committee had long been considering every possibility of economy, particularly in the -army and navy, and had been examining contract prices for the" elimination, of competition between the Allies. Regarding contracts, they were convinced that there was still, much to do. In concluding, he mentioned that an important sbheme pad been adopted to enable a. more intimate inter-communication between thri «Allies'.’ I wW hoped b boon I to establish something in the nature of a common- War' Council, on which Anglo-French Ministers would be] assisted ' by eijiert ■ advice ' from 'the united General Staff. This War Council would control our conjoint military and naval operations. (Cheers.) Our General Staff would _be and it> had , been arranged for an interchange of officers in the War Office]|with those at the front. Distinguished French officers were in daily r Communication with the War Office. He did ndt doubt that the Allies’ fine spirit and their resources would bring the war to a triumphant conclusion. (Cheers.) i