The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-30
' Bv HENRY BRECKENRIDGE,
Formerly Assistant Secretary o

fIsN u ~ ~tN't hiduS
persons who were sincerely in
4 tcrcstcd in the preparedness is
sue and desired that everything
reasonable should he done to give the
nation adequate defence. hut these
well mentioned and patriotic individ-
uals very naturally suffer a good deal
Of confusion of thought when 1t comes
10 working out in their minds a proper
balancing of the elements of defence
essential 30 n well rounded, efficient
and economical. military policy.
The first question I am always asked
h, such individuals is. why dc we
need an army at all II We have n large
enough navy?' And my answer is
that the question is a very natural
one. II is conceivable that IL We
had a large enough navy we should
need a very small. army-large enough
only to insure the integrity of or
caHized government within our bor-
ders and to give us such small meas
ure Of protection as is required to meet
such contingent dangers as might arise
from Canada on the north and Mexico
on the south. And then I go on to talk
somewhat in the following vein:
We have heard much of late about
the influence of sea power on history.
We cannot hear too much. The in
luence Of sea power on history has
been immense. But this truth may he
given too wide and too exclusive APP
pl.cation. The navy is our first line Of
defence. 1t should be a great navy.
The enormous length OF our coast line.
our numerous insu!ar possessions, our
great interests IN the water borne COM
n,crce Of the world (not in the mer-
chant ships carrying that commerce).
the existence Of the oceans separating
Us from our potential enemies, all die
tate the absolute. inescapable necessity
OF the maintenance OF great sea power.
The navy Is Our first line Of defence,
and under no circumstances should it
be less in power than to hold the sec
ond place among the navies Of the
Ur!d-yes. II is possible that we could
tute near.y our sole defence. But this
Is the & Of coalitions, and such a
policy would require thai our navy be
sieater in power than the combined
aavies of the strongest coalition en-
is,!nG at any one time in the world.
the expense Of such a policy would
De enormous and would excite the
keen and resentful suspicious of the
nations OF the earth. As a practical
matter i, can be put aside OF account
other reason.
furthermore. history has shown
tina, wars which upon the
sea end upon the land. We can he
harassed upon the sea. We can he
destroyed only upon the land. Great
Britain is the only Western Power of
great International Importance that
can be destroyed by sea power. She
{ cannot feed herself, and access To her
can no had only across water. And
n THIS present wal Of the nations
Ne see Great Britain. the greatest
era power of all history, driven to the
necessity Of raising armies numbered
by the million 10 accomplish her mill.
tary purposes.
As a rule, only by striking at the
feyr'fnrN npl traas,,r. ~ an onnpnN
Wh.ch by necessity are situated upon
The land, can that conclusive injury
be- done that dictates the final deter
mnatlOn Of war. AS ! said. wars may
t~e.N upon the water but usually they
end upon the land. The ultimate re-
sources Of nations cannot be brought
TO hear upon the water. They can
o. brought to bear only upon the land.
Modern war is a conflict Of entire
nations, \ modern war can be fought
out only where all the organized re-
sources II nations can be brought to
near, and that is on the land. And in
any life and death struggle that might
ever come to this nation the Anal pur-
pose for which sea power would he
Drought to bear against us would be
f'' Hl'1b'y oH' AH'NSS
transported to our shores for our con-
quest.
Now sea power is vital and must nct
he neglected. But sea power alone is
not enough. Adequate sea power mus,
he supplemented by adequate land
power.
) But, my inquiring friend will asa
II We have a big enough navy and
'hen supplement the navy by plenty
o. coast d~eiaEces. why viii n1t srch
a policy he sufficient for our needs"
Again | have tn answer that 1t u
colce!vab.e hat such a solution nigh.
ahsWer. A Gordon OF fOrtifications
night he built about our insuiar pos
essions n the coasts Of continental
vailed States that would render them
'ectlcally impregnablc. But such a
solution must be based OH the n.y.
po'hesis that all the wealth in tho
world is at our disposal.
The present coast defences. or, more
properly speaking. harbor' defences,
nov existing In United States territory
eost about 1855, 900 900. The coast nne
VI continental United States In about