Page 333 - The interest of America in sea power, present and future

Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. 3 1 1

Gulf of Mexico to the North American coast,
by the Strait of Florida; and, 4, from the
Isthmus to Europe, by the Anegada Passage.
Third, the principal military positions through-
out the region in question have been laid
down, and their individual and relative impor-
tance indicated.
From the subsequent discussion it seems
evident that, as " communications " are so lead-
ing an element in strategy, the position or
positions which decisively affect the greatest
number or extent of the communications will
be the most important, so far as situation goes.
Of the four principal lines named, three pass
close to, and are essentially controlled by, the
islands of Cuba and Jamaica, namely, from the
Mississippi to the Isthmus by the Yucatan
Channel, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic
coast of America by the Strait of Florida, and
"
from the Isthmus to the Atlantic coast by the
Windward Passage. The fourth route, which
represents those from the Isthmus to Europe,
passes nearer to Jamaica than to Cuba ; but
those two islands exercise over it more con-
trol than does any other one of the archipel-
ago, for the reason that any other can be avoided