Page 261 - The interest of America in sea power, present and future

242 A Twentieth-Century Outlook.

side, by men who belonged to a generation even
then passing away. The influence of their own
youth reverted with the return of peace, and
was to be seen in the ejection — by threat of
force — of the third Napoleon from Mexico, in
the acquisition of Alaska, and in the negotia-
tions for the purchase of the Danish islands and
of Samana Bay. Whatever may have been the
wisdom of these latter attempts,— and the
writer, while sympathizing with the spirit that
suggested them, questions it from a military, 01
rather naval, stand-point, — they are particu-
larly interesting as indicating the survival in
elderly men of the traditions accepted in their
youth, but foreign to the generation then
rapidly coming into power, which rejected and
frustrated them.
The latter in turn is now disappearing, and
its successors, coming and to come, are crowd-
ing into its places. Is there any indication of
the ideas these bring with them, in their own
utterances, or in the spirit of the world at
large, which they must needs reflect or, more
;
important perhaps still, is there any indication
in the conditions of the outside world itself
which they should heed, and the influence of