In the House of Commons on Friday week (January 31st)
Mr. Brodrick presented a supplementary estimate for £5,000,000 for military expenses in South Africa. He gave at the beginning of his speesh some interesting figures as to the cost of the war. In 1899-1900 £33,000,000 was voted; in 1900-1901, the original estimate of the amount that would, be required—namely, £31,500,000 —was more than doubled; for 1901-1902 the original estimate was £56,070,000. With the addition of the sum now asked for the expenditure for the year would reach a total of £61,070,000, rather less than the amount voted in 1900-1901. As to the numbers, he stated that on May 1st last year we had in South Africa 138,000 Regulars, 58,000 Colonials, 23,000 Yeomanry, 20,000 Militia, 10,000 Volunteers,—in all nearly 250,000 men, On January lab this year there were 141,000 Regulars in Africa, .57,000 Colonials, 13,650 Yeomanry, 20,000 Militiamen, and 5,400 Volunteers,—a total of more than 237,000 men. Thus the force had been maintained throughout the year at practically the same figure.
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