Mr. R. B. Marston sent to the Times of Tuesday
a letter, written on October 14th, which he had received from the late Admiral Mahan. Admiral Mahan says that he was surprised that the torpedoing of British men-of-war by submarines had not been more frequent in the peculiar circumstances. He did not doubt that there had been many more failures than successes, and he adds : " I have not shared Sir Percy Scott's dismal fore- bodings, believing that the question of the submarine would reduce itself to one of scouting and look-out, yet I have not ventured so positive an adverse opinion as sometimes I see attributed to me." As regards the progress of the war on land he says : " I do not permit myself anxiety, though it is hard to avoid when so interested; besides, I am sure that if Germany wins by a large margin she is likely to be nasty to us." He ends up with an earnest wish for the success of Britain, and we are sure that every reader of the letter here will rejoice in the manner in which this distinguished American identified himself with our cause. He could not have written more feelingly had he been an Englishman himself.
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