bility to fit out a fleet; while, on the other hand, the
position of distant bases, such as Hong-Kong, Malta, or Gibraltar,
relatively to the coasts of an enemy, is vital in the extreme. It
is the positions of these three bases that make them so valuable
to their holders; placed at points of less strategic value, the
importance of those bases would be strategically less.

Home bases are valuable mainly by reason of their resources. This
does not mean that position is an unimportant factor; it does not
mean, for instance, that a naval base would be valuable if situated
in the Adirondack Mountains, no matter how great resources it might
have. It does mean, however, that the "position" that is important
for a home base is the position that the base holds relatively to
large home commercial centres and to the open sea. New York, for
instance, could be made an excellent naval base, mainly because of
the enormous resources that it has and its nearness to the ocean.
Philadelphia, likewise, could be made valuable, though Philadelphia's
position relatively to deep water is far from good. "Position,"
as used in this sense, is different from the "position" meant by
Mahan, who used the word in its strategic sense. The position of
Philadelphia relatively to deep water could be changed by simply
deepening the channel of the Delaware; but no human power could
change the strategic position of Malta or Gibraltar.

Yet for even home bases, position, resources, and strength must
be combined to get a satisfactory result; the "position" not being
related to foreign naval bases, however, but to large industrial
establishments, mainly in order that working men of various classes
may be secured when needed. The requirements of work on naval craft
are so discontinuous that steady employment can be provided for
comparatively few men only; so that a sort of reservoir is needed,
close at hand, which can be drawn up when men are needed, and into
which men can be put back, whenever the need for them has ceased.
And the same commercial and industrial conditions that assure a
supply of skilled workers, assure a supply of provisions and all
kinds of material as well.

_Distant Bases_.--Distant bases have two fields of usefulness which
are distinct, though one implies the other; one field being merely
that of supplying a fleet and offering a refuge in distress, and
the other field being that of contributing thereby to offensive and
defensive operati