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a % Battle cruiser H. M. S. Hoop at full speed, during recent war maneuvers—Both powerful and fast Naval Disarmament Is a Gamble Our Naval Leadership Is Gone—Status Quo Has Not Been Maintained— Cruiser Equality Has Lapsed—-Naval Strategy Determines National Policy By Capt. A. W. Hinds, U.S. N. HAVE heard it said that a book written and France declined as their power at sea weak- by an American naval officer was the cause ened. It. was mainly the influence of Mahan’s of the World war. The title of the book books that brought about the decision of the Ger- is The Influence of Sea- mans to build a strong navy— Power on History, and _ its Why We Need a Navy a decision the British could not author was the late Rear Ad- De? WE realize how definitely accept. Be Pp e ‘9 4} . pie Sere cups Vaal the ler strength of other powers, means World a pressure for reduction man Kaiser read the book and restriction of the national will in naval armament. Among was so impressed with Mahan’s and purpose insofar as all rela- the other leading naval powers, analysis of the effect of naval tions with foreign nations and the British Empire, Japan, strength on national welfare edge se are ae France and Italy, the pressure that he had all officials, army, oe he aioe aEae oe his is due to national poverty. In navy and civil read it. The pyrnose. He said in part: “It the United States the pressure book deals mainly with the his- seems very difficult to get the is due partly to a wave of econ- tory of England, France, Hol- American people to learn about omy and partly to a national land and Spain and shows in their navy. If we can once get spirit of generosity. The a clear, simple manner how ve eee oe ce ey United States is not a warlike closely allied national prosper- then op responsibility ends. nation and those of her citizens, ity and sea-power were in the After that, it is only a question who are pressing for general cases of these great powers. of our duty to keep what ships naval disarmament, undoubted- It shows conclusively how Eng- ‘the nation gives us in efficient ly feel that America will be land built up in wealth and in- fighting condition. safe even with her naval fluence as her navy increased in comparative strength reduced to a very low limit. It ig not strength and how the influence of Spain, Holland believed for an instant that any American would work for disarmament if he thought he was there- Th thor, Captain Hinds, i hief of staff, battleship divisi f A s ‘s ee espera ee ee en Se 6 by placing his country in a dangerous position. dd