Mahan on Naval Warfare. Edited by Allan Westcott. (Sampson Low.
12s. 6d. net..)--Dr. Westcott, an instructor at the United States Naval Academy, has made an interesting and representative selection of passages from the writings of Admiral Mahan, to which he has prefixed a short memoir. The Admiral's earlier historical works are well known, but his later books and articles on naval questions are less familiar to the British public. In any case, it is convenient to have these salient passages collected and systematically arranged. Mr. Roosevelt said of Admiral Mahan that he " was the only great naval writer who also possessed the mind of a statesman of the first class." That is the reason why his writings stand the test of time. His prophetic articles on the German naval menace have been justified. But his discussion of fundamental naval principles'is of greater value. He was a firm believer in the offensive. His reasons for advomting a large American Navy are of special interest at the present time.
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