The world war : $b a history of the nations and empires involved and a study of the events culminating in the great conflictMarshall, Logan
History
The world war : $b a history of the nations and empires involved and a study of the events culminating in the great conflict
Marshall, Logan
Europe -- History -- 1789-1900; Europe -- History -- 1871-1918; World War, 1914-1918 -- Causes
Great Britain, the remaining party to the five-fold war of great
European Powers, is an island country of considerably smaller area than
those so far named. Including Ireland it has an area of 121,391 square
miles, about equal to that of the American State of New Mexico and not
half the size of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Its population,
however, surpasses that of France, amounting to 45,221,615. If the
outlying dominions of Great Britain be added it becomes the greatest
empire in the world’s history, its colonial dominions being estimated
at over 13,000,000 square miles, and the total population of kingdom
and colonies at 435,000,000, the greatest population of any country in
the world. And Britain differs from France in the fact that much of
this outlying population is available for war purposes in case of peril
to the liberties of the mother country. At the outbreak of the war of
1914 the loyal Dominion of Canada sprang at once into the field,
mobilized its forces, and offered the mother land material aid in men
and gifts of varied nature.
The same sense of loyalty was shown in Australia and South Africa and
in others of the British oversea dominions, while India added an
important contingent to the army and much other aid.
As for the immediate kingdom, it is not of high value in agricultural
wealth, being at present divided up to a considerable extent into large
unproductive estates, and it is quite unable to feed its teeming
population, depending for this on its large commerce in food products.
Its annual imports amount to about $3,000,000,000, its exports to
$2,250,000,000.
Commercially and industrially alike Great Britain stands at the head of
all European nations. Its abundant mineral wealth, especially in coal
and iron, has stimulated manufactures to the highest degree, while its
insular character and numerous seaports have had a similar stimulating
effect upon commerce. Its revenue, aside from that of the colonies,
amounts to about $920,000,000 annually, and its public debt reaches a
total of $3,485,000,000.
The British government depends largely for safety from invasion upon
its insular position and its enormously developed navy, and has not
felt it necessary to enter upon the frenzy of military preparation
which pervades the continental nations. No British citizen is obliged
to bear arms except for the defense of his country, but all able-bodied
men are liable to militia service, the militia being raised, when
required, by ballot. Enlistment among the regulars is either for twelve
years’ army service, or for seven years’ army service and five years’
reserve service. The peace strength of the army is estimated at about
255,000 men, the reserves at 475,000; making a total of 730,000.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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