Page 306 - The interest of America in sea power, present and future

284 Strategic Features of the Gulf of

that there are not others which possess merits
of various kinds ; or that those indicated, and

to be named, exhaust the strategic possibilities
of the region under examination. But there
are qualifying circumstances of degree in par-
ticular cases ; and a certain regard must be had
to political conditions, which may be said to
a great extent to neutralize some positions.
Some, too, are excluded because overshadowed
by others so near and so strong as practically
to embrace them, when under the same politi-
cal tenure. Moreover, it is a commonplace
of strategy that passive positions, fortified
places, however strong, although indispensable
as supports to military operations, should not
be held in great number. To do so wastes
force. Similarly, in the study of a field of
maritime operations, the number of available
positions, whose relative and combined influ-
ence upon the whole is to be considered, should
be narrowed, by a process of gradual elimina-
tion, to those clearly essential and representa-
tive. To embrace more confuses the attention,
wastes mental force, and is a hindrance to cor-
rect appreciation. The rejection of details,
where permissible, and understandingly done,