The sun., 1891-06-19
Our Double Seacoast,

An English naval authority, Sir GEORGE
ELLIOT, has recently called attention to
what he considers very important strate-
gtc advantage possessed by France, that
OF having coast on the Mediterranean as
well as on the British Channel. This AL
vantage would enable her. he says. to OBJ
struct the junction OF British fleets which
| should happen to be divided between the two
stations, and to attack either division with
a good prospect OF success. should she hap
pen to be superior ut the necessary point.
At the same time this double coast line of
France is pronounced by one OF the leading
authorities In strategy OF our own navy,
Capt. A. T. MAHAN. to be source not OF
strength. but Of weakness. In speaking OF
heinduence OF geographical situations upon
sea power. he declares that 1.-The British
Islands have an advantage over France
The position Of tho latter. touching the
Mediterranean rs well as the Atlantic while
1t has Its advantages is on tho whole source
OF military weakness at sea. The eastern
and western French fleets have only been
able to unite after passing through the
Straits OF Gibraltar. In attempting which
they have often rlsked and sometimes suf.
fered loss" Capt MAHAN proceeds to gIve
another illustration, which Is still moro in-
teresting: Tho position OF the United
States upon the two oceans would be either
q source OF great Weakness or u cause OF
enormous expense had 1t o large sea COM
merce on both coasts"
So far rs France Is concerned, these dlf-
ferences OF opinion suggest that one critic
may be thinking Of defensive and tho other
OF aggressive capabilities; that one may be
considering the consequences OF great sea
fight and the othor the opportunities for
preylng upon commerce and attacking
points on the south shore OF ths Mcditer-
ranean. Perhaps n ship canal like the ono
proposed from the Nc iiterraean to tho
Bay OF Bscay might have an inauenc,
on the question. But whatever the facts as
to France our own frontage on the two
oceans, while at present a source OF weak
ness. ought to be turned into ono of strength.
Tho difference between France and the
United States in this rcspert is obvious.
France has constantly upon her two coast
frontiers, and distant by only n few hours
OF steaming, two foreign navles OF cxtraor-
dinary power, Her major SEA front is al
most patrolled by the greatest OF maritime
nations; her minor front Is kept under
watch by the ironclads aud torpedo cruisers
OF Italy. Undefended as our own Atlantic
seaboard now is, the contrast as to the
proximity OF possible enemies is obvious, and
will be dec sive a few years hence, when pow
erful shore guns and battle ships have been
supplied. But still greater Is the contrast
between the Mediterranean coast OF France
and our Pacific seaboard. Throughout the
whole courss OF tho eastern coast OF the Pa
cifc. from Cape Horn to Baranofr Island,
there Is no power. present or prospective,
that We shall havs cause to fear. Cant Ma
HAN himself notes that "the weakest from
tier, the Pacific, is far removed from the
most dangerous Of possible enemies" 1t Is
true that hitherto not 0 ly a powerful Brit
ish squadron. with base at Vancouver. but
even feet from Chill. could hav- held San
Francisco itself under Its guns. Gen, MILES
testified before the last Congress that it
would bo practicable for the British feet at
Ito take absolute possession Of
Puget Sound and tho cities and towns and
dAatrev thAis s>maiarcs ah. nronartv In