New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-22

triumpls Of the elder Pitt, the British navy in
creased by SO per cent: while between 1892 and
1900 under bis son, the increase was so per cent.
But for the advent Of Napoleon. Captain Mahan
thinks that the aggressive policy OF France must
have been abandoned But lie infused new life
and enthusiasm into the country By MS or
naDizinr Genius he restored her military strength.
the material OF Which stll remained, cccncmlzeI
such resources as the wastefulncSs Of preceding
Governments had left, and above all secured for
her further power Of endurance by drawing upon
the likelihood Of surrounding nations. 80 en-
baustion was for the time postponed: but II The
coursc Of aggression which Bonaparte had IN
hcrtcI from the Revolution was to continue. there
were needed not the resources OF the Continent
only. but of the world There was needed also a
dmInution of ultimate resistance below the stored
TN aggressive strength Of France; otherwise how
ever procrastinatcd, the time must come when
the latter should fail
Pitt could not forcscc, and therefore could
not predict, the tine IT. would require 10 bring
about that exhaustion OF France IN which the
security of England appeared 10 consist; bat
Captain Mahan holds that he saw clearly the
line OF Great Britains action: he foresiw tic
direction Of cYcnts. lac lorctold the Issue HOW
long the line would he, how the oouist OF events
would be retarded, how protiactcd the issue, he
could not iOretcl, because no man could ioieScc
the supreme genius Of Napoleon Ronaparte
Ii may he thought, perhaps, by some readers 'ha'
the authors estimate Of Fitts powers ana achieve
mcnts is placed too high. such an ldca
might be derived from mere review OF the
book. bccars. il Is Impossible in such Ievlcw
from mere want Of space, to prounce the array
of facts and arguments upon which the Judgment
of the historian is based. Bat it Is due to zap
tain Mahan TO acquit him of raShn's' am ii'coi
sequence Ills Gndiy-s arc i'll accord WIN H''
soundest and best accepted facts OF history an"
if his views on the influence of sea power hhN
.oo,n "a cycrpd in magnitude what most history
writer's have reached, il must be borne i'll MN"
that he speaks en- this subject with an authority
of special kind.
lie has certainly written highly interesting ana
AN important work. having. rs already poih"'
ont: lessons and suggestions which are caic"'
lated 10 I've Of hieh value to the people OF inc
Trite1 States he has made the best use OF MS
material and his pages abound with spirited ana
o,rofu, accounts of the great naval battles ana
,nono.uvrcs which occurred during thc period
,o,tod We have before had occasion TO praN
Cantain Mahan's literary style, which l. f'Aloie
pcrvous and sufficiently dicniiicd to satisfy every
reasonable demand IL is moreover, iul VI
c,orcv and m, rkcd ~ fccitOus choice oil
Iorrn,nr and it, tone and qualities are sustained
steadily throughout The author has dohe ~
worry ,,cl in these volumes and that winch pre-
codod then. that we sincerely hope he may p'
oralIcd IN fulfil ms announced purpcs" oil carry
;ro his excellent account of the influence oi sea
ro,vcr forward through the strrirs scenes OIL 'he
war of 1872 with Great Britain.