Page 195 - The Interest of America in Sea Power Present and Future

176 Preparedness for Naval War.

able to say, frankly, " This one is chief ; to it
you others must yield, except so far as you
contribute to its greatest efficiency," either the
pendulum of the government's will swings from
one extreme to the other, or, in the attempt
to be fair all round, all alike receive less
than they ask, and for their theoretical com-
pleteness require. In other words, the con-
tents of the national purse are distributed,
instead of being concentrated upon a leading
conception, adopted after due deliberation, and
maintained with conviction.
The creation of material for war, under mod-
ern conditions, requires a length of time which
does not permit the postponement of it to the
hour of impending hostilities. To put into
the water a first-class battle-ship, fully armored,
within a year after the laying of her keel, as
has been done latterly in England, is justly
considered an extraordinary exhibition of the
nations resources for naval shipbuilding; and
there yet remained to be done the placing of
her battery, and many other matters of princi-
pal detail essential to her readiness for sea.
This time certainly would not be less for our-
selves, doing our utmost.