IN THE MASTERTON LIBRARY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8445, 18 May 1907, Page 6

IN THE MASTERTON LIBRARY.

[lt is our intention to publish, from time to time, short reviews of some of the standard works in the Maaterton Library— with a view to interesting the reading public in what is known as "The Reference Library." The article which will appear next Saturday will have for its subject Arthur Diosy's "New Far East."—Ed. W.A.] THE INFLUENCE OF SEA POWER UPON HISTORY.— (Captain A. T. Mahan). The average reader of novels does not know how much absolute enjoyment ho or she misses by passing over, without a thought, the little array of more solid literature that graces in the far corner of the Library. The book, the subject of this article, is a work ihat admittedly stands alone as the greatest explanation ever given from a popular standpoint, of the true uses and functions of an armed navy. The nature of the subject, the completeness of the writer's information, and his lucidity of style all combine to produce a work calculated to rivet the attention and delight the mind of the reader. The position of us in New Zealand, depending entirely for our markets and our very freedom upon all control by friendly Powers of the Sea should cause this book to be sought for, and mastered by every citizen who desires an intelligent understanding of the problems we may be called upon to face in the future—yet, when the writer took the book out the other day, he found the leaves uncut. The introduction and the first chapter of the book deal with the general underlying principles of sea power. The si bsequent chapters are, in fact, a history of the great wars from 1660 to 1783. It is impossible, within the scale of a short article, to attempt a review of the historical part of the work—it is sufficient to say that if any man cnres to read of the great deeds of the great sailors of all the nations—as told by a practical sailor possessing a full appreciation of the relative importance of each event to the shaping of the history of the worldthen Captain Mahan's book is par excellence the book for that man to read. The underlying principles upon which the author insists, and which he thoroughly illustrates and proves in the course of his wbrk, are as follows: —

(1) That every nation that has risen to wealth and greatness has done so by reason of her having an oversea commerce.

(2) That, having a commerce, it is necessary to have a fleet to protect that commerce.

(3) That the war fleet n its growth should properly follow the growth of the mercantile fleet. Attempts to create a war navy without a pre-existing commercial navy have not met with permanent success, the main reason being that only from seafaring men, with the seafaring instinct developed, can a nation successfully man and maintain a fleet, and unless there is a mercantile marine there is no seafaring instinct.

(4) That colonies, by fostering trade with the Home Country, and by affording naval bases for coaling, for refilling and for supplies, are favourable to the successful development of sea power.

(5) That the great wars are all ultimately determined by the question of the command of the sea, and for the following two reasons — (a) Transport by sea is easier than by land; and (b) if you blockade the enemy's ports and cut off his trade you ruin him financially and thus reduce him to submission.

(6) That the proper use of the war fleet is not to defend isolated posts from attack by sea in case attack should be made, but to search out and destroy the enemy's fleet wherever found, and so to prevent him from having the command of the sea and attacking anywhere. (7) That it is essential that the fleets of a nation-should be directed from one central headquarters, and not be scattered in small squadrons which would be liable to be successivey detail and captured or destroyed by an overwhelming CDncentrated force of enemy's ships. These two last principles, in the light, of the Australian cry for an Australian fleet under local control are of great immediate interest to New Zealanders to-day. This article does not pretend to be a comprehensive review of Captain Mahan's book its object is to arouse some interest in a great work of surpassing merit and charm. The writer trusts that this object will be in some measure attained, and that the dust will not hereafter bj permitted to accumulate in the library upon "The Influence of Sea Power upon History."