This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ... skill in the great game of war. Tactics and strategy are subjects usually treated as technical, and therefore outside the interests, and almost the comprehension, of the ordinary man. Nevertheless, Nelson's countrymen, in the centenary of his death and in view of the vast changes impending in the future, should ...
Read More
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ... skill in the great game of war. Tactics and strategy are subjects usually treated as technical, and therefore outside the interests, and almost the comprehension, of the ordinary man. Nevertheless, Nelson's countrymen, in the centenary of his death and in view of the vast changes impending in the future, should consider the difference between the modern admiral's methods of manoeuvring fleets and those in force a century ago. In a note to Captain Mahan's most famous passage contained in the anthology on Nelson's three battles, the Writer of the Preface refers to the fact that admirals in Nelson's day could "at all events sleep peacefully at night, but now there will be no undisturbed rest for them day or night, harassed by destroyers by night and by submarines by day." From this it must be seen at a glance that the task of the modern admiral is harder than that of his predecessor a hundred years ago, although ships working under sail power presented a greater difficulty to the strategist and tactician than ships working under steam power. No accurate calculation could then be made with so volatile an element as the wind; there was no such necessity for instant decision with sail power as with steam power; added to this, the line of communication by signal was very slow and inefficient, even at very short distances. Line of communication by signal, semaphore, and the Morse system is now both rapid and accurate, and the line of communication by "wireless" is effective (though not yet absolutely to be relied on), particularly with ships in company or not far distant. Most of Nelson's ideas as to attack--particularly breaking the enemy's line--though splendidly effective in the case of fleets propelled by sails, would be fatal to any admira...
Read Less