CONDITION OF KUROPE. 335 



consequence, the piling up of gigantic National Debts, and of 

 gigantic military budgets, eating like a canker, sucking like a huge 

 octopus, the life-blood of nations. 



Throughout Europe, states have been racing for upwards of 

 half a century, in the absurd race, in the ruinous rivalry for 

 the glory, as it is called, but we would rather say the inglory, of 

 ,the "biggest battalions," the mightiest armies and navies, and, strange 

 infatuation, the piling up of the heaviest budgets. 



The public expenditure of Europe has leaped, in this period of 

 fifty years, from _;^389,ooo,ooo to ;£847,ooo,ooo, three-fourths 

 of which has been, and is still being, poured into the bottomless 

 abyss of war. 



The National Debts have swelled in the same proportions, from 

 ;^2,626,ooo,ooo to ;^5,228,i78,737; 



Every military department of each militant State in Europe, has 

 helped, by their wicked and cruel wars, and by their huge prepara- 

 tions for war, to build up this tremendous military fabric. 



The following Table will show, at a glance, the comparison of the 

 Standing Armies, Annual Expenditure, and National Debts of the 

 principal European Powers in 1840 — 1890. 



