Page 225 - The interest of America in sea power, present and future

2o6 Preparedness for Naval War.

although the subjects of it are men, is itself a
piece of mental machinery. Once devised, it
may be susceptible of improvement, but it will
not become inefficient because filed away in a
pigeon-hole, any more than guns and projectiles
become worthless by being stored in their parks
or magazines. Take care of the pence and the
pounds will take care of themselves. Provide
your fit men, — fit by their familiarity not only
with special instruments, but with a manner of
life,— and your mobilization is reduced to a
slip of paper telling each one where he is to go.
He will get there.
That a navy, especially a large navy, can be
kept fully manned in peace— manned up to
the requirements of war— must be dismissed
as impracticable. If greatly superior to a prob-
able enemy, it will be unnecessary; if more
nearly equal, then the aim can only be to be
superior in the number of men immediately
available, and fit according to the standard of
fitness here generalized. The place of a reserve
in any system of preparation for war must be
admitted, because inevitable. The question of
the proportion and character of the reserve,
relatively to the active force of peace, is the