The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-16
OUR NAVAL WAR COLLEGE.
ERs oBysoT or THE INSTITUTION
ar COAsTERs HARBOR IsBlNR

AbtpfAtns sea CosvissiuE Cousstisr % Tss-
ts.e.s - zee vsius ofthe wort st watch
~ At.s--stuaytse FrobIerns OF Naval OPP
erssiees Esd Coast Defence.
The Interest that has been excited In naval
circles ~ 10 the future Of the War College at
Newport may we'll End an echo in public senti-
uent. since the Subject involved IL Of far more
than merely professional lmp ortance.
A knowledge OF war operations has become
verT necessary for our navy since the creation
OF q new naval force. which. orsditsble In its
ships and guns. constitutes a military factor
Of great future Importance II used skilfully.
This skilirl use must be learned. Tho art Of
war can be mastered like the science Of law.
only By the study Of principles and presidents.
On these presidents. as found IN naval and
military history. are based the rules and
principles OF naval war The principles OF the
warfare OF the past. dedueed from attentive
study Of naval history, will guide In prepara-
ton for future war.
mBut the changes in weapons due to modern
science, the great speed Of our ships the In
PRODUCTION Of torpedoes, dynamite guns. and
various Ingenious mechanisms will compel US,
while remembering that the fundamental
principles Of warfare remain unchanged, to
medify those principles and take account OF
thess changes In our future strategy and tao
tics These notifications must be sought
for By our own incessant practice with
vessels when they can be spared. and
at all times with steam launches. and
By recording and discussing the results Of this
constant practice at some school or college
prepared for this purpose II IL for these
studies OF war history. these practical exer-
eisss and Investigations. that the Naval War
College was some years ago placed ct Coasters
Harbor Island. in Narragansett Bay.
The opinions Of some dlsting uished officers
on the value OF such instruction as IL given
In the Naval War College may be interesting
10 elite st this time.
Capt. Hammill OF the English Navy. CON-
menting on the want OF naval tactics for our
modern msn-of-war, says: What We suffer
from appears 10 me to to be this; that we have
no school for tactics whatever In tho navy.
The only way. In my opinion. In which we can
learn modern tactics 10 By thoroughly discuss
Ing the systems that might be adopted and By
practising them In peace time. so that we may
be prepared to follow some system in time Of
war"
J. K. Laughton. NJ. A. II n, lecturer on naval
history at the Royal Naval College. England,
In On address on the last great naval war. In
cludes 10 his remarks the following: Il fear
. great many Of our officers are incline cd, rather
to say. or at any rate to think. that Nelson was
no doubt very nne fellow In his way. but 1t
was poor way after all. He knew nothing Of
have 10 study now 10 the application of these:
not the obsolete tactics Of sailing ships Do
not. beseech you. be led away by any such
sophistry. Let me impress you that the art Of
war. like other sciences. 10 based on fixed prin-
ciples which never become obsolete: which arc
the same now as they were three thousand
years ago. and that the exact history OF any
great commander. the exact detail Of any
great battle By sea or by land. OF any glorious
81. A.. 49, -
sstudasnt, fun Of matter for deep and earnest re.
.Frsderick III. In his Order of Service for
ss to 2tsls nsS the
plumber Of officers Of the necessary capacity.
to the Various arms and thus to en-
Count Molsts q b. ordsT q TssskIns for
msnssi give and take Sstwssn ssschsr and pSt
GRAFTON Ike this viii never Be seen where S the
But 4 Win naturally be produced .by the com
binsuon Of clear exposition with practice In
sdss gained. Secordinsiy. the iectSres are.
e far a. possible. to be interspersed with
give Tsgm ents q dIscon q ectsd EnowIsdSe."
.sss a. atsS ne: ySSSsos ~ on the
strSeio1 to which. above al prssmin ssSt Inn nm
portAncs must be attached. is By
sssehing And by setting problems to make
eonditions 81 modern ' battle. u!'rs 0' The
teacher must throughout endeavor to make
by exercises on the map and 10 the open per air
Ia this he win be successful in proportion as
and q rsesns warfare" 81 miiisaSy Ristor1
t ~ nss sag: Ihs lectures upon military his
wa during peace and q s1aEsninS t ssna ne
Interest IN the study Of Important campaigns
0 81 1sG &
thslr relation to cha Tsa 81 9 tactical forms. and
sn9Sd PSSss IN true g fS the influence q
that Of mere material instruments. These
csssioa Of uneonnscted descriptions OF military
occurrences. They must regard events In
selves With the isadsrship' and Unjust mSst at the
same time bring cut the ideas OF war peculiar
he teacher suosssds IL CrissiSs into into" sHsrcise
the lndEment OF his pupils. This judgment
sriels%. but must sotSs tsslf IL the icrm 81
S sn Ssn sasss..iSas e TO what ought to have
Further on. In the Order OF Teaching, Count
Moltks. IN describing the purpose OF all these
stsdtss In military history goes on to say:
Be ssauired only from historical study. pur-
the theory can meyer have an Independent ex.
istsaes; e nu.t siwaEss derive its susten.nee |
OF which IL IL the abstract Historical study |
wh VII az n?t Yield theory would be barren
Capt, MAh4n N. says; The name and re- |
Puts Of Admiral Philippe Horribly. H. n, Is known. |
presume. to all naval oficsrs; certainly 10 his
owe service. Fhere he has commanded the |
nost modern nsets with distinction, his opin-
Ions are quoted with respect not far removed |
from Ievsrenes. In . letter he was kind
enough r. write me on 2 published work OF
tures Al this college he said am glad to |
see that like the German army. you base your |
concessions upon the history OF the profess
!. Iks preface Of Capt Mahan's work. entitled
Rsvolution.H declares that the present work,
ike its predecessor, IL wholly a result OF the
authors eonneetion with the United States
tosy snd naval tactieA The cordial reception
given 70 the work the hrst Onsl by bis
As we'll As at home. has been to him
a9t cely 9O1s srntiiyins; but Wholly pns3Pset;
be = all dessrved, IL - to be Ascribed simply |