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Naval battles of the world

Chapter 43: PREFACE.
By Edward Shippen
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About This Book

A chronological survey of naval warfare examines significant sea engagements from antiquity to the modern era, recounting causes, tactics, and outcomes while tracing technological and organizational changes in ships, armament, and training. The work pairs narrative accounts of renowned battles with analyses of maritime strategy, ship design, and the emergence of organized navies, and it treats recent conflicts alongside a practical account of naval institutions, administration, and auxiliary services. Illustrations, notes, and concise background context accompany each chapter to show how naval combat and maritime institutions evolved over time.

Naval Battles of America

PREFACE.

At one time in the history of the United States, when the population was comparatively small, and most of it concentrated in what are now termed the Eastern States, almost every one was familiar with the exploits of our naval officers and seamen during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812-15, the Mexican and the Florida Wars—beside the encounters with pirates in many parts of the world. Since these memorable encounters the way of the population has largely gone westward, so that the East, where maritime affairs are necessarily better understood, has been left much in the minority. When a war occurs—which must be largely naval—the people of the centre and West are naturally inquiring—“Why do we not have more ships?” The answer is, that Congress (their own representatives among them) has not seen fit to increase the navy in proportion to our increase of population and the increase of our responsibilities.

Many representatives do not at all realize that it takes years to build a modern battleship, and that the men to man them are not to be picked up on the wharves of any seaboard city, but must be put through a long training to be efficient.

Recent events, however, will prevent any serious opposition to naval increase for years to come. The lesson has been too striking an one.

Yet Congress has not been illiberal—according to its lights. Since 1883 it has authorized the construction of seventy-seven vessels, of all rates, sixteen of which are not yet completed. The cost of these was more than $134,000,000, yet that has only about been spent in a month of war preparation, which might possibly have been saved if we had had ready a naval and military force which would have rendered impossible any armed opposition to our demands.

Fifteen years ago there was not a modern gun afloat in the United States Navy, and we had no facilities for the manufacture of heavy armor. Now our establishments for gun-making, armor-forging, and ship and engine building compare favorably with any in the world.

It is well that it is so, for this is an age of progress, and the art of war progresses with as much rapidity as peaceful arts.

Other nations take full advantage of these improvements, and so must we. A great and rich nation, as ours is, cannot afford to do otherwise.

We must, in future, be armed at all points, and especially in the naval points.