"The battle of the Boyne, which from its peculiar religious
colouring has obtained a somewhat factitious celebrity, may be
taken as the date at which the English crown was firmly fixed on
William's head. Yet it would be more accurate to say that the
success of William, and with it the success of Europe, against
Louis XIV. in the war of the League of Augsburg, was due to the
mistakes and failure of the French naval campaign in 1690; though
in that campaign was won the most conspicuous single success the
French have ever gained at sea over the English."

Every great naval power has gone to school to Admiral Mahan; and this
country can hardly expect again to profit by those mistakes in strategy
which the gifted American writer has so lucidly exposed.

Ireland, lying on the western flank of Great Britain, commands on the
south the approaches to the Channel, on the west the North Atlantic; and
on the east the Irish Sea, all sea-roads by which millions of pounds'
worth of supplies are brought to England. On every coast Ireland has
excellent harbours. There are Lough Swilly on the north, Blacksod Bay on
the west, Bantry Bay, Cork Harbour and Waterford Harbour on the south,
Kingstown Harbour and Belfast Lough on the east--to name but
these--besides numerous lesser inlets which can serve as shelter for
small craft and destroyers. It should here be noted that Belfast
Harbour, owing to the enterprise of the Harbour Board, now possesses a
channel and dock capable of accommodating a ship of the Dreadnought
type[68].

There is no necessity to presuppose an actively hostile Ireland; but an
Ireland ruled by a disloyal faction would easily afford shelter to the
warships of the enemy in her ports, whence they could draw supplies,
where they could execute small repairs, and could coal from colliers
despatched there for the purpose or captured. Thus lodged, a fleet or a
squadron would command the main trade routes to England; and might
inflict immense damage in a short time. Intelligence of its position
could be prevented from reaching England by the simple method of
destroying wireless stations and cutting cables.

These considerations would necessarily impose upon the Navy the task of
detaching a squadron of watching cruisers charged with the duty of
keeping guard about the whole of Ireland.

Is the Admiralty prepared to discharge this office in the event of war?

If not, there falls to be