Luce succeeded in founding the Naval War College at Newport, where
the study of war as an art in itself was to be prosecuted, and in
enlisting Captain Mahan in the work. In a few years Mahan gave to
the world that epochal book, "The Influence of Sea Power upon History"
(embodying his lectures before the War College), which stirred the
nations of Europe to such a realization of the significance of
naval history, and such a comprehension of the efficacy of naval
power, that they entered upon a determined competition for acquiring
naval power, which continues to this day.

Meanwhile, a little before 1880, the people became aroused to the
fact that though the country was growing richer, their navy was
becoming weaker, while the navies of certain European countries
were becoming stronger. So they began in 1880 the construction of
what was then called "the new navy." The construction of the new
ships was undertaken upon the lines of the ships then building abroad,
which were in startling contrast with the useless old-fashioned
American ships which then were flying our flag.

The construction of the material of the navy has progressed since
then, but spasmodically. At every session of Congress tremendous
efforts have been made by people desiring an adequate navy, and
tremendous resistance has been made by people who believed that we
required no navy, or at least only a little navy. The country at
large has taken a bystander's interest in the contest, not knowing
much about the pros and cons, but feeling in an indolent fashion
that we needed some navy, though not much. The result has been, not
a reasonable policy, but a succession of unreasonable compromises
between the aims of the extremists on both sides.

Great Britain, on the other hand, has always regarded the navy
question as one of the most difficult and important before the
country, and has adopted, and for centuries has maintained, a definite
naval policy. This does not mean that she has followed a rigid
naval policy; for a naval policy, to be efficient, must be able
to accommodate itself quickly to rapid changes in international
situations, and to meet sudden dangers from even unexpected quarters--as
the comparatively recent experience of Great Britain shows. At the
beginning of this century the British navy was at the height of
its splendor and self-confidence. Britannia ruled the waves, and
Britannia's ships and squadrons enforced Britannia's policies in
every s