Page 263 - The interest of America in sea power, present and future

244 -A Twentieth-Century Outlook.

most striking of the many forms in which it is
presented to us, is surely the mission which
Great Britain, sword ever at hand, has been dis-
charging towards India; but that stands not
alone. The history of the present century has
been that of a constant increasing pressure of
our own civilization upon these older ones, till
now, as we cast our eyes in any direction, there
is everywhere a stirring, a rousing from sleep,
drowsy for the most part, but real, unorganized
r
as yet, but conscious that that w hich rudely in-
terrupts their dream of centuries possesses over
them at least two advantages, — power and
material prosperity, — the things which un-
spiritual humanity, the world over, most craves.
What the ultimate result will be it would be
vain to prophesy, — the data for a guess even are
not at hand ; but it is not equally impossible to
note present conditions, and to suggest present
considerations, which may shape proximate
action, and tend to favor the preponderance of
that form of civilization which we cannot but
deem the most promising for the future, not of
our race only, but of the world at large. We
are not living in a perfect world, and we may
not expect to deal with imperfect conditions