The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-03-13
OUGHT TO FORT1YY.

Captain Mahan. the Naval Expert, Writes
Regarding the Nicaraguan Canal.
NEW YORK, March 1S.-In paper on
1.-The Nor TOE Doctrine and Our Navy"
Captain A T. Mahan says:
''The settlement and growth Of our
Pacific coast and the questions arising
about China, its future government and
its trade make it necessary to connect
our Atlantic and Gulf seaboard with the
Pacific by canal across the isthmus,
establishing thereby consecutive water
communication between the two, as well
as shortening the access from our east
ern shore to Asia. The isthmus and its
immediate surroundings thus become
the greatest Of our external interests.
Scarcely secondary to them is the Ger
ibbean sea, because all sea roads to the
isthmus run through it, and it contains
many strong positions, the acquisition
Of which by q formidable European
state would in war endanger our ship
ping, mercantile and naval alike, pass
ing between our Atlantic ports and the
Pacific by the canal.
Must Re Prepared to Resist.
eve must remember that other ma
tions, and especially European, because
the most active. are interested likewise
in using that canal, and for the sup
port Of their interests, in gaining posi-
tions. To their doings we oppose the
Monroe doctrine. Therefore. if we in
tend to make good the affirmations Of
the latter we must be prepared to resist,
forcibly if need be, any attempt to OBJ
tain adjacent territory or ports which
may serve "a stations for a navy hostile
to ourselves.
in a maritime region like the Caribbean,
is a navy large enough to be effective.
Ports are quite secondary. They are
necessary 10 navy which needs a
local base of operation, but they a
! useless without it, especially III the
Caribbean, because conditions there are
80 backward as to give no local resources
Positions held there not only mus,
be fortified, but everything to suppor,
shipping must he imported, and a steady
stream Of supply maintained. This can
only I've done by the navy, keeping the
sea open, which at the same time Sc
cured our other merchant shipping.
Must Have strung Navy.
ITO do these things. which is called
controlling the sea, the navy should
strictly be superior to any which can b.
brought against it, but this extreme con
clusion is qualified by other cn'cum
stances, such as our nearness to the
Caribbean sea, our national power
through our great resources, the danger.
to which our possible opponents may bt
exposed III other quarters and from
!. other enemies. We cannot in the neal
future expect to have a navy nearly al
large as that which Great Britain mus
keep. but it is easily within our mean
to rival that of France or Germany.
Relations upon this condition will
indicate the size necessary for our wa
fleet, and also the wisdom of cultivatin.
these cordial relations to which Grea
Britain has invited us, which our inter
ests and our institutions advise and th
, existence Of which will put it ont of tn,
power or wish of any other state Il
quarrel with us about the Monroe doc
trine 1t is to the interest of Grea
, Britain that We should take naval charge
of the American isthmus. provided sh'
can feel sure that we will do it effect
lively or that our preparations and on
deeds will answer to the words o
Washington and Monroe.
Forcing the Mayas sack.