aph, and telephone to the
proper officials, but other plans must also provide means whereby
the officers and men shall actually march on board the _Kearsarge_,
her ensign and commission pennant be displayed, all the fuel,
ammunition, provisions, and equipment be on board and the _Kearsarge_
sail at once, and join the commander-in-chief at sea.

Doubtless the most complicated and comprehensive plans are those for
sending a large expedition on an offensive mission to a far-distant
coast, especially if that coast be guarded by an efficient navy,
if it have outlying islands that would afford good bases for her
destroyers and submarines, and if there are not good harbors which
our fleet could seize as advance bases, from which to prosecute
its future operations. The complexity of the task of planning such
an expedition, taking due account, but not exaggerated account,
of all the factors, favorable and adverse, is appalling; but the
task must be undertaken and accomplished. The most tedious part
is the logistics--the arrangements for supplying the fleet on the
way and in the distant theatre of operations with the necessary
provisions, equipment, and ammunition and, above all, the fuel.
The average superdreadnaught consumes about 460 tons of coal per
day at full speed, and about 108 tons at 10 knots; and coal or
other fuel for all the dreadnaughts, battle cruisers, cruisers of
various classes, scouts, destroyers, submarines, ships, aircraft
of different kinds, hospital ships, ammunition ships, transports,
and the fuel ships themselves, must be provided by means that _must
not fail_.

While the work of planning an offensive movement to a distant coast
is the most tedious and complex, the work of planning a defensive
measure against a sudden attack on the coast needs the most
concentration of effort; for whatever the plans require to be done
must be done at once. This necessitates that the orders to be issued
must be as few as possible; that they be as concise and clear as
possible; that the things to be done be as few and as simple as
possible, and that all possible foresight be exercised to prevent
any confusion or misunderstanding, or any necessity on the part
of any one for requesting more instructions.

When the fateful instant comes, the final command to mobilize puts
into execution whichever of the plans already made is to be followed;
and for this reason it is clear that the various plans must be
kept separate from