PART I

NAVAL PRINCIPLES 1. THE VALUE OF HISTORICAL STUDY 3

2. “THEORETICAL” _versus_ “PRACTICAL” TRAINING 8

A Historical Instance 8

What is Practical? 10

3. ELEMENTS OF SEA POWER 16

4. DEFINITION OF TERMS: STRATEGY, TACTICS, LOGISTICS 49

5. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES 50

Central Position, Interior Lines, Communications 50

Concentration 60

6. STRATEGIC POSITIONS 68

I. Situation 69

II. Military Strength 70

III. Resources 74

7. STRATEGIC LINES 75

Communications 75

Importance of Sea Communications 76

8. OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS 79

9. THE VALUE OF THE DEFENSIVE 87

10. COMMERCE-DESTROYING AND BLOCKADE 91

Command of the Sea Decisive 98

11. STRATEGIC FEATURES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN 100

12. PRINCIPLES OF NAVAL ADMINISTRATION 113

Opposing Elements 113

The British System 118

The United States System 122

13. THE MILITARY RULE OF OBEDIENCE 125

14. PREPAREDNESS FOR NAVAL WAR 128

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