PROBLEMS OF EMPIRE.
Army has not only to defend our own coaling stations: it will have to co-operate with the Navy in the capture of the Colonies and coaling stations of the enemy. The capture of St. Pierre and Miquelon, of Diego Suarez or New Caledonia, would not, perhaps, be great achievements for the British Army, but the conquest of Algeria would test its powers to the utmost. With Algeria hostile in time of war, the trade route up the Mediterranean could never be absolutely secure, and it might be advisable to abandon it altogether. For the Eastern trade this would only mean serious inconvenience. For the trade with the Mediterranean and Levant it would mean absolute extinction for the time and British trade with the Mediterranean bears a large proportion to the total trade of the country.
To those who have studied and grasped the principles of warfare which are applicable to a sea power like Great Britain principles which we have to thank Captain Mahan for so clearly setting forth the relative proportions of naval and military expenditure in the British Empire appear strange indeed. If these proportions were reversed, the British Empire would be infinitely better defended than it is at present. For our naval expenditure we obtain a Navy powerful indeed, but by no means sufficient for our needs. For our military expenditure we are able to provide the defences and garrisons of our coaling stations, we have a Home Army from which we hope to be able to reinforce the Army in India in case of need, but which is in any case most costly, and insufficient in numbers to undertake offensive defence.
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