The times., 1897-09-26
SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER IS, 1897.
The American Mediterranean.

The American Mediterranean.
one OF the most valuable contributions
90 the naval literature and, We might
add tie patriotic literature of the da y is
contained in Capt. Mahan's article in the
October number Of Harper's. The paper
IS entitled The Strategic Features OF the
Cult OF Mexico and the Caribbean Sea
il is tc lie regretted that Limitations Of
space CO not allow us to give this mas
terly essay the full review and analysis
which its enormous Importance, as well
as ts.e distinguished ability Of its author,
woulG Justify. We only can address our
selves to a few Of its salient features. and
beg. every AElerilan WHO has at heart
the good and glory Of his nation TO pro
cure the paper itself, and TO read and
study It's presentIaeut with the most
earnest attention. We have reached "A
point in the history Of our evolution as a
people at which we must vigorously and
quickly pul! ourselves together and make
up ouT minds To prepare for the inevitable.
What that is there should befew thought
ful and advanced Americans who cannot
give the answer
II brief the logic Of our position con
fronts Us with the stern necessity 20 arm
ourselves with the power to maintain and
defend tie commercial, and hence the in
ternatlansl. interests, which the future
proIliseS. Should We fail TO do So, there
is not a man living, competent 70 express
an opinion on the trend OF cOsnic politics,
who VIII rot say that In the failure We
VIII devote ourselves 70 the pains and
penalties OF sutOrdination 10, if not To sub
jugation by, the competing commercial
ana naval powers Of Europe, to whom
and TO whose people the growth Of Amerl-
can population, wealth and trade are
nenaces with which they must and win
count, and which they VIII. not allow
10 become dominating forces in the struc-
tUre OF the next century's civilization
without some effort 70 subdue or control
them. We have lived too long in pro-
vincial fools paradise. We must wake up
TO the fact that we have entered into a
bitter struggle for existence with the
other producing and industrial popula-
tions OF Earth. Survival for US is involved
in our abil'ty to back crops with cruisers
and manufactures with battleships.
Captain Mahan begins lns paper by some
tcrse reference to the important part in
the world s international affairs which has
been played by the Mediterranean Sea:
holding, as It has, and still does, the
solution of the problem Of intercommunI
cation between Europe and the East.
Analogoosly, the Gulf Of Mexico and the
Caribbean Sea, more particularly the lat
ter, under modern conditions, bear the
same relation 10 The future Of civilization
and trade, and consequently 10 the dorni-
nation Of the waters. thatthe Mediterranean
formerly cid TO the less complex relations
OF commercial and military nations in the
past.
Important, and indeed of the first Inn
porJance, 10 all powers, the question Of
paramount position and influence in these
regions becomes almost one OF life and
death TO the Government and the teernlng
population OF this great Western Repub-
lie. This, Of course, in view of the GER
tG,Dty that the ditch between the At
lantic and Pacific oceans viii be dug
10y somebody, and that through il will
pass the trade Of the round world. Capt.
Mahan writes:
when II tthe Isthmus) shall he pierced By
q canal, lt viii present narit fine center
enalessous % the mouth of the MiSsissippi
They VIII differ in this, that in the latter
case The cOnyeTging water roItes on one
side are In terioT TO a great State whose re-
sources they bear, " hereas the roads
which, On either side, converge uDcn The
lsJhmusi lie wholly upon the ocean the
Common possession OF all ma tons Control
u the latter, therefore. rests either upon
control OF the LIST linus itself, or fndlracfIy
upon control OF its approaches, or Gpon a
distinctly prepuIEdeTant navy. In naval
questions he latter is ALWAYS the dominant
factor, exactly on land [ ile mobile army
the army IN The field-Iuusc DONNA .e The
question OF fortresses, unless war Is TO be
tmp0tent.
Thus, according to Captain Mahan, in the
Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sea, we
have the two centers around chrevolve
all The military study ofthe situation. In
the map, reproduced from the paper, which
wiz be found in today 'sissue Of The Times.
Captain Mshan has indicated. by means
of small black squares, the strategic posi-
tons which. by and large, should be taken
as dominating the area under considera.
ton. A few OF them are at present under
Our control. We have the mouth OF the