The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21

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No book by an American citizen has ever beer
welcomed in England with such eagerness. We
may oven say with suoh enthusiasm. as the work
on The Influence Of Sea Potrer Upon History, by
Capt. A. 7. MAHANo Of the United States navy. The
work Of which we speak procured for Its author
tho degree Of d.. c. L. from Oxford and that of
IL. d. from the English University Of Cam
bridge. One can easily understand the feelings
which prompted such recognition. Not only
was tho book in itself worthy Of high commenda-
ton in respect Of research, Of thought, and of
style, but 1t appealed with peculiar force to q
country whose influence on history since
the campaigns of Marlborough has been
duo mainly to Its power upon the ocean.
1t IN not, however, wholly out Of gratitude
to his English admirers that Capt. Ma
han has now given to the world n new
LIZ Of Nelson little. Brown g. Co.., but
rather because tho naval hero, inscparably
associated with the battles Of Cape st. Vim
cent, of tho Nile. Of Copenhagen, and OF Ira
falgar, may be considered the embodiment Of
tho sea power of Great Britain. The author
recognizes in his preface that the life Of Nelson
has been written 80 often. from Southey's ven
ture down to our own times, that an explana-
tion, almost an apology, seems duo for any re-
newal of the attempt. Aside, however. from the
attractivencss of tho theme In itself, Capt.
Mahan deems 1t essential to tho rounding of
Of his own discussion OF tho influence OF sea
power that he should present n study, from
his own point of view, of tho one man
who in himself summed up and incar-
mated tho greatest Of the possibilities which
sea power comprehcnds; the man for whom
genius and opportunity worked together to make
him the personification Of the navy Of Great
Britain, which had been the dominant factor in
the periods treated In the authors previous work.
The method followed by the author in this
study has been to make o careful examina-
ton Of Nelson's voluminous correspondence.
analysing 1t, in order to detect the leading fea-
lures of temperament, traits OF thought and
motives Of action: and thence to conceive within
himself. by gradual familiarity even more thnn
by formal effort, the character therein revealed.
The impression thus produced he has sought to
convey to others, partly In the form Of ordinary
narrative and partly by such groupings Of Incl
dents and uttcrances. not always or even
nearly simultaneous, as may serve, by their
joint evidence, to emphasize particular traits or
particular opinions more forcibly than when
such testimony is scattered far apart, as 1t
would be IL recounted in n strict order of time.
A like mode of treatment has been pursued in
regard to that purely external part of Nelson's
career in which is embraced his military
action rs well as his public and private life.
The same aim is kept in view of showing clearly
not only what he did. but the principles which
dominated his military thought and guided his
military action throughout his life; or it
may be such changes as must inevitably
occur in the development of a man who truly
lives. Again, it is pointed out that this
cannot be done satisfactorily without con-
centrating the evidence from time to time, and
such concentration Is, therefore, a duty owed by
Q writer to his readers, II they wish such &c
with his subject as he thinks he has
in acquiring for himself. In the pres
emit relatively brief notice Of two volumes, each
OF which comprises several hundred pages, we
must contine ourselves to a glance at the earlier
Of Nelson's career. and then dwell
mainly on his services In the battle OF Cape st.
in the battle Of the Nile, in the battle
Of Copenhagen. and in his final battle at Trafal-
gar. At the same time, we cannot entirely pass
over Nelson's relations with Lady Hamilton, |
seeing that, as Capt. Mahan reminds US, they
profoundly affected the life Of the Admiral.