The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1915. A YEAR OF WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 5 August 1915, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1915. A YEAR OF WAR

YEAR ago to-day the cables brought us. the Yj momentous news that Britain had declared war 011 Germany, but the great European conflagration had actually broken out a few days previously, when Germany declared war on Russia, violated the neutrality of Luxemburg, and crossed the French fronv* ' tier. On such an anniversarythe grimmest, so far, and the most tragic in all history the mind naturally turns to review the past and present position, and endeavors in some sort, also, to look forward to the days to come, and to form some vision, however dim and blurred and imperfect, of the end and outcome of it all. Janus-like, we turn the face of memory to the past, and that of imagination to the future. With memory, it must be admitted, we are on the more solid ground. * There are so many points of view from which the great topic of the war may be approached, and there is so much to be said under each aspect of the subject, that .it would require a volume or volumes anything like

adequately to cover the ground. One of ‘ the first features which' claims our attention'is the vast range and r scope of the conflict, as indicated by the territorial area and proportion' of the world’s . population that are now directly involved. The fig tires are sufficiently- impressive. . The oceans, covering 139,400,000 square miles, /are not included in the territorial estimates, which we give, below, although the Atlantic and Pacific have been the scenes of some of the most important operations of the' war. ' The polar regions, with 6,970,000 square miles of territory' and 300,000 inhabitants, have also been .excluded, . because, although in part the territory of :i one or other of the belligerents, they are necessarily .'immune.’ Portugal, however, and its African possessions have been included, because Portugal is in alliance with Great Britain, is subject, to treaty call by Great Britain for thirty thousand troops, and is reported to • have been in conflict with German troops in Africa. The tiny republic of San Marino, which, with its 32 square miles of territory and less than 11,000 population, has cast in its lot with the Allies against the TurkoGermanic alliance, has also been accorded a place in the reckoning. The figures used are based on the latest statistics available, and have in every case possible been .verified by .us by reference to the recognised standard authorities. Here, then, is an accurate and comprehensive statement as to the territory which, after the first year of struggle, is now directly affected by war:— . Area.

t-Total ... - ... ■ ..: 987,340,626 31,775,014 The population of the earth totals approximately 1,732,000,000. As the above table shows, the total population affected directly by the war is 987,340,626 —so that more than one-half of the inhabitants of the earth are more or less embroiled in war in which their governments are involved. A similar proportion holds as to the area affected. The total area of the earth is 57,641,000 square-miles. The total area directly concerned in,the war after the expiry of the first year is 31,775,014 square miles—nearly three-fifths of the entire surface of the earth. The total cost of the war in money and material loss, to those involved, it is impossible to estimate, even approximately. Not until months after the close of the conflict will any statistics under this head be of the slightest value. All that can be safely said is that no war In history has approached the present war in financial wastage and in destructiveness of property and useful industry. Equally .unparalleled and appalling has been the loss of human life. On this point it is now possible to form at least a rough approximate estimate. Figures in regard to the losses of the principal powers engaged have been compiled by the German Red Cross Society; and they illustrate with tragic eloquence the immensity of the conflict which has raged during the past twelve months. These figures apply only to the fitst six months of the fighting and though they may

not be, and indeed cannot be, mathematically correct m eveVy detail, they may \be taken as substantially accurate/ and as furnishing, as we have said, at least a rough approximation to the truth. - According to this statement, the total killed in the first six months of fighting was 146,000, divided as follows:—Germany, 482,000; Austria, 341,000; France, 464,000; Great Britain, 116,000 Russia, 733,000. The losses of . the Belgians, Serbians, Montenegrins, Turks, Italians, and Japanese are not included in the summary, exact figures not being obtainable. .The Red Cross records"shbw that ever// day of the war up to March 1, the losses of all the countries engaged averaged 41,300, divided as follows: Dead, 10,140; wounded, 23,000; prisoners, 8300. he total losses of the Allies averaged 28,000 daily, while those of the central powers, Germany and Austria-Hungary, are stated as averaging 13,300 a-day. Following is the Red Cross complete’list:—Germany Dead, 482,000; slightly wounded, 760,000; seriously wounded, 97,000; prisoners, 233,000 ; total, 1,572,000... Austria-Hungary—Dead, 341,000; slightly wounded, 618,000 : seriously wounded, 83,000 prisoners, 183,000 total, 1,225,000. —Dead,' 464,000; slightly wounded, 718,000: seriously wounded, 439,000; prisoners, 495,000; total, 2,116,000. Great BritainDead, 116,000; slightly wounded, 185,000; seriously wounded, 49,000 ; prisoners, 83,000 ; total, 433,000. Russia —Dead, 733,000; slightly wounded, 1,500,000: seriously wounded, 482,000 : prisoners, 770,000 ; total, 3.485.000. Summarising these figures, we have the following results for the first hall of the year, exclusive of Belgians, Serbians, Montenegrins, Turks, .Italians, and Japanese:—Killed, 2,146,000: wounded, 4,931,000. The casualties during the last six months have been at least as great ; and multiplying by two, we get the following hideous total of losses for the year:—Killed, 4,292,000; wounded, 9,862,000. Taking in the countries not included in the above statement, we are well within the mark in assessing the total killed at 5.000. and the total wounded at not less than 10.000. men. * In summing up the situation at the end of this first twelve months of war, it must be admitted that in spite of the tremendous carnage, and of the colossal effort put forth, no decisive result has yet been obtained on either side. The German plan for a swift smashing blow at France, and the project for an invasion of England, have come utterly to nought; and in this original sense of the expression, as it was understood and hoped for by the Kaiser and his War Lords, victory for Germany has now become impossible. One after another her colonies have been taken from her; her commerce has been brought to a standstill ; and her cruisers have been driven from the trade routes or destroyed. By sea, the British Navy dominates the situation : and the German Fleet has not been able to venture upon any more important operations than a number of raids which have proved annoying but not seriously harmful, and of absolutely no military significance. Nevertheless, Germany has some substantial achievements to her credit, and it would be blind and foolish not to recognise the amazing strength which she is still able to display. The Germans have overrun the greater part of Belgium, and a considerable part of the north of France, and in the Eastern theatre of war their entrenched line in Poland is now in close proximity to Warsaw. After twelve months of warfare against Russia, Britain, Prance, Belgium, and Serbia, the German nation continues not only to live its own life, drawing from its own resources, but is able to send reinforcements of all kinds to Turkey and Austria, to achieve new conquests, plan large operations, and win noteworthy successes over the Allies. Austria-Hungary, weakened and dazed as she was by the punishment dealt her by Russia, has now been greatly rehabilitated and strengthened by timely succor from her ally.. Roughly speaking, the two groups of belligerents are, for the moment, equally balanced. What is there then that can be looked to to turn the scale ? For ourselves, we are disposed to count on the follow-

ing factors:.. (1) The fresh, 1 magnificent; army which Britain is sending, or has already sent, to take the field. (2) The prospect of an adequate supply \of heavy guns and , high explosives, which should enable, the Allies to wipe but the * initial advantage which Germany’s long and. careful preparation had given her. (3) The enterprise at the Dardanelles, the success of which alone would be sufficient to constitute a turning-point. And (4), the Allies’ invincible determination to carry on the struggle to a successful issue, and their unabated confidence in the ultimate attainment of that result. On this point, at least, there can be no manner of doubt; and this fine spirit is not confined to Britain and France but is shared to the full by harassed and harried Russia. The time is fast approaching when strenuous efforts will be, made on both sides to put an end to the deadlock that has continued so long. When that hour comes, we can look forward with quiet hopefulness and confidence to the result.

Country. Population. S<|. Miles Serbia 4,600.000 34,000 Austria-Hungary 50,000,000 260,034 Belgium 7,423,784 11,373 Belgian Congo 9,005,465 900.000 British Empire 434,286,650 13,153,712 France (con’I,.) 39,601,509 207,054 Colonies 7,079 4,776,032 German Empire in Europe... 64,925,993 208,780 Colonies 13,946,200 1,027,820 Italy (con’l.) 35,240,000 110,623 Colonics ... 1,800,000 596,000 Russian Empire ,000,000 8,647,657 Japan 52,985,423 147,655 ■ Corea & other dependencies 18,774,507 110,611 Montenegro ... 520,000 5,650 Portugal ;.. 5,957,985 35,490 Colonies;-;-• ... 8,900,4.55 832,267 San Marino 10,655 32 Turkey ..... ... ' ... 21,274,000 710,224