The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-08
The Naval War College at Newport

The lectures which are being delivered
port will naturally direct attention to the
purpose OF IN institution whereof the
value was demonstrated during our recent
war with Spain. There was formerly some
misconception with regard to the aim OF
this establishment. 1t was supposed to
offer to tho graduates OF the Naval School
at Annapolis merely postgraduate instruc-
ton in subjects with which they were al
ready to certain extent acquainted, as,
for example. the higher chemistry and as
tronomy. Thisisa mistake. The Naval War
College has no such end In view. Neither Is
it's teaching designed to give naval officer
experiences In handling single ship, or In
keeping company with other ships. or In
firing guns. 1t IT, on the contrary, only
the great strategic and tactical problems OF
maritime warfare which are considered at
Newport; such problems as confronted
Admiral DEWEY at Cavite and Admiral
SAMPSON at Santiago. In other words, tho
establishment gives the prospective COM
mander the same kind OF instruction with
reference to great operations OF war at sea
as it's prototype. the Kriegsakademie of
Berlin, which for so many years was under
Won MoLTKE's supervision, offers to the
student Of war on land.
To exemplify the kind of service which
college OF this kind may render, let us
recall the state OF things which existed in
April, 1S9S at the time when we began
war with Spain. Our opponent then
had two fleets In being, namely, one In the
waters Of the Iberian Peninsula, which
might be used either for the defence OF Cuba
and Porto Rico, or for aggressive opera
lions against our Atlantic and Gulf ports ;
secondly, one at Manila. which might
be employed either for the protection OF
the Philippines or for an attack upon our
seaboard cities bordering the Pacific Ocean.
1t is obvious, then, that our naval strate-
gists were confronted by two complex and
momentous problems, Of kind similar
to that solved by NELSON when, hav-
ing followed, as he imagined. the Franco
Spanish fleet to the West Ind ,s. he re-
turned betlmes and reduced 1t to impotence
at Trafalgar. To keep our own seacoasts
safe and at the same time to annihilate
the enemys means OF shielding his own
transmarine possessions was an intricate
OF precisely the same kind as are involved
in the conception and execution OF a COM
prehensive campaign on land. Or rather,
when we bear in mind that Spain and the
Philippines are separated by half the diam
eter OF the earth, we can see that 1t was two
wholly independent campaigns, each Of
the highest Importance, which the staff
| officials OF our Navy Department and the
| officers in command OF vessels had to devise
| and carry out.
Now, the business OF the Naval War Col
lege at Newport is primarily to familiarize
officers, who may at any time be summoned
to assume maritime command, with naval
strategy, or, in other words, with the para
mount aims OF naval warfare. There, too,
are studied vital questions Of naval tactics
the role of which begins when strategy
has performed its part-such as were men,
orably illustrated at Cavite and at Santa go.
Touching this subject, invaluable lessons
may be drawn from the campaigns Of the
great English Admirals OF the eighteenth
century and the early part OF the nine
teenth century.
| To facilitate the historical and analytic
study Of the strategic and tactical elements
Of maritime warfare Is the main design Of
the War College at Newport Not the least
remarkable result OF that study is the
discovery that these fundamental elements
and basic principles Of the method OF con-
Quoting hostilities at sea have remained sub
stantially unchanged, notwithstanding the
many inventions OF new and formidable
engines OF war. The teaching impaired at
| ha NaWnnrt ctra toc thnt ha
essential principles Of strategy and tactics
require but slight notifications In detail as
the result Of changes in weapons and in
defensive apparatus.