Scattered unsupported along the coast, the
United States ships kept their places, singly or in small detachments,
in face of an extensive network of inland water communications which
favored secret concentration of the enemy. Behind the first line of
water communications were long estuaries, and here and there strong
fortresses, upon either of which the enemy's ships could always fall
back to elude pursuit or to receive protection. Had there been a
Southern navy to profit by such advantages, or by the scattered
condition of the United States ships, the latter could not have been
distributed as they were; and being forced to concentrate for mutual
support, many small but useful approaches would have been left open to
commerce. But as the Southern coast, from its extent and many inlets,
might have been a source of strength, so, from those very
characteristics, it became a fruitful source of injury. The great
story of the opening of the Mississippi is but the most striking
illustration of an action that was going on incessantly all over the
South. At every breach of the sea frontier, war-ships were entering.
The streams that had carried the wealth and supported the trade of the
seceding States turned against them, and admitted their enemies to
their hearts. Dismay, insecurity, paralysis, prevailed in regions that
might, under happier auspices, have kept a nation alive through the
most exhausting war. Never did sea power play a greater or a more
decisive part than in the contest which determined that the course of
the world's history would be modified by the existence of one great
nation, instead of several rival States, in the North American
continent. But while just pride is felt in the well-earned glory of
those days, and the greatness of the results due to naval
preponderance is admitted, Americans who understand the facts should
never fail to remind the over-confidence of their countrymen that the
South not only had no navy, not only was not a seafaring people, but
that also its population was not proportioned to the extent of the
sea-coast which it had to defend.

IV. _Number of Population._--After the consideration of the natural
conditions of a country should follow an examination of the
characteristics of its population as affecting the development of sea
power; and first among these will be taken, because of its relations
to the extent of the territory, which has just been discussed, the
number of the people wh