as close to the enemy's base as possible; because, if placed
there, our fleet, if it were the more powerful, could do more to
injure the enemy's fleet, or prevent its going out, than if placed
at any point more distant from the enemy's base; and if it were
less powerful, it could do more to cut the enemy's communications,
because it could attack them at or near their source.

A poor position would be one far away from both countries, and
far away from the line joining them. In the case of a war between
this country and Norway, for instance, a very poor position for a
naval base would be a spot near--say Juan Fernandez--in the south
Pacific.

In case the enemy country has two home bases of equal importance,
the best position for our base clearly would be one equidistant
from them, and as near to each as practicable. If the distance
from our base to a point half-way between the two bases is shorter
than is the distance to it from either base, then a fleet at our
base could probably prevent the junction of two forces issuing
from those two bases--assuming, of course, that we had a proper
system of scouting. Our fleet would be able to operate on what
are often called "interior lines"--a technical expression that has
great efficacy in confusing a simple matter. It is also assumed
that our fleet is considerably stronger than either of the two
separated enemy forces; otherwise our case would be hopeless.

If the two home bases of the enemy are unequal in importance, it
would seem that our base should be nearer to the important base
than to the other. More strictly speaking, it should be nearer
to the base from which the larger force may be expected to come
out.

If the enemy country have three or more bases, from which parts of
a fleet may be expected to come out, the question seems a little
more complex; but nevertheless, since the first duty of our fleet
would probably be to prevent junctions or a junction, of the separated
parts of the enemy's fleet, the best position for our home base
would be at a point about equally distant from them all, and as
close to them as possible. In the wars between Great Britain and
France in the early part of the nineteenth century, the base of the
British fleet for operations on the western and northern coasts of
France was as close to the enemy home bases as practicable--though
the base was England itself. For operations on France's southern
coast, the base was at Gibraltar, or some M