Chapter I: Preface

This volume has been called into being by the absence of any brief work covering the evolution and influence of sea power from the beginnings to the present time. In a survey at once so comprehensive and so short, only the high points of naval history can be touched. Yet it is the hope of the authors that they have not, for that reason, slighted the significance of the story. Naval history is more than a sequence of battles. Sea power has always been a vital force in the rise and fall of nations and in the evolution of civilization. It is this significance, this larger, related point of view, which the authors have tried to make clear in recounting the story of the sea. In regard to naval principles, also, this general survey should reveal those unchanging truths of warfare which have been demonstrated from Salamis to Jutland. The tendency of our modern era of mechanical development has been to forget the value of history. It is true that the 16" gun is a great advance over the 32-pounder of Trafalgar, but it is equally true that the naval officer of to-day must still sit at the feet of Nelson.

The authors would acknowledge their indebtedness to Professor F. Wells Williams of Yale, and to the Classical Departments of Harvard and the University of Chicago for valuable aid in bibliography. Thanks are due also to Commander C. C. Gill, U. S. N., Captain T. G. Frothingam, U. S. N. R., Dr. C. Alphonso Smith, and to colleagues of the Department of English at the Naval Academy for helpful criticism. As to the "References" at the conclusion of each chapter, it should be said that they are merely references, not bibliographies. The titles are recommended to the reader who may wish to study a period in greater detail, and who would prefer a short list to a complete bibliography.

WILLIAM OLIVER STEVENS

ALLAN WESTCOTT

United States Naval Academy,
_June_, 1920.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER
I THE BEGINNINGS OF NAVIES
II ATHENS AS A SEA POWER:
1. THE PERSIAN WAR
2. THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR
III THE SEA POWER OF ROME:
1. THE PUNIC WARS
2. THE IMPERIAL NAVY
IV THE NAVIES OF THE MIDDLE AGES:
THE EASTERN EMPIRE
V THE NAVIES OF THE MIDDLE AGES [_Continued_]:
VENICE AND THE TURK
VI OPENING THE OCEAN ROUTES:
1. PORTUGAL AND THE NEW ROUTE TO INDIA
2. SPAIN AND THE NEW WORLD
VII SEA POWER IN THE NORTH:
HOLLAND'S STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
VIII ENGLAND AND THE ARMADA
IX RISE OF ENGLISH SEA POWER:
WARS WITH THE DUTCH
X RISE OF ENGLISH SEA POWER [_continued_]:
WARS WITH FRANCE TO THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
XI NAPOLEONIC WARS:
THE FIRST OF JUNE AND CAMPERDOWN
XII NAPOLEONIC WARS [_Continued_]:
THE RISE OF NELSON
XIII NAPOLEONIC WARS [_Concluded_]:
TRAFALGAR AND AFTER
XIV REVOLUTION IN NAVAL WARFARE:
HAMPTON ROADS AND LISSA
XV RIVALRY FOR WORLD POWER
XVI THE WORLD WAR:
THE FIRST YEAR
XVII THE WORLD WAR [_Continued_]:
THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND
XVIII THE WORLD WAR [_Concluded_]:
COMMERCE WARFARE
XIX CONCLUSION
INDEX

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

EGYPTIAN SHIP SCENE OF ANCIENT SEA POWER GREEK WAR GALLEY GREEK MERCHANT SHIP ROUTE OF XERXES' FLEET TO BATTLE OF SALAMIS SCENE OF PRELIMINARY NAVAL OPERATIONS, CAMPAIGN OF SALAMIS THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS, 480 B. C. THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE AT ITS HEIGHT--ABOUT 450 B. C. SCENE OF PHORMIO'S CAMPAIGN BATTLE OF THE CORINTHIAN GULF, 429 B. C. SCENE OF THE PUNIC WARS ROMAN FORMATION AT ECNOMUS CARTHAGINIAN TACTICS AT THE BATTLE OF ECNOMUS, 256 B. C. POINTS OF INTEREST IN THE FIRST PUNIC WAR SCENE OF BATTLE OF ACTIUM, 31 B. C. THE SARACEN EMPIRE AT ITS HEIGHT, ABOUT 715 A. D. EUROPE'S EASTERN FRONTIER CONSTANTINOPLE AND VICINITY THEATER OF OPERATIONS, VENICE AND THE TURK 16TH CENTURY GALLEY BATTLE OF LEPANTO, OCTOBER 7, 1571 CROSS-STAFF THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN WORLD IN 1450 PORTUGUESE VOYAGES AND POSSESSIONS FLAGSHIP OF COLUMBUS CHART OF A. D. 1589 THE NETHERLANDS IN THE 16TH CENTURY GALLEON CRUISE OF THE SPANISH ARMADA ORIGINAL "EAGLE" FORMATION OF THE ARMADA THE COURSE OF THE ARMADA UP THE CHANNEL SCENE OF THE PRINCIPAL NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE 17TH CENTURY BETWEEN ENGLAND AND HOLLAND AND ENGLAND AND FRANCE THE BATTLE OF PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 18, 1653 THE THAMES ESTUARY THREE-DECKED SHIP OF THE LINE, 18TH CENTURY THE WEST INDIES SCENE OF THE YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN BATTLE OF THE VIRGINIA CAPES, SEPTEMBER 5, 1781 BATTLE OF THE SAINTS' PASSAGE, APRIL 12, 1782 BATTLE OF THE FIRST OF JUNE, 1794 BATTLE OF CAMPERDOWN, OCTOBER 11, 1797 BATTLE OF CAPE ST. VINCENT, FEBRUARY 14, 1797 THE NILE CAMPAIGN, MAY-AUGUST, 1798 COAST MAP--FROM ALEXANDRIA TO ROSETTA MOUTH OF THE NILE BATTLE OF THE NILE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN POSITION OF BRITISH AND ENEMY SHIPS, MARCH, 1805 NELSON'S PURSUIT OF VILLENEUVE NELSON'S VICTORY BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR, OCTOBER 21, 1805 TRAFALGAR, ABOUT 12:30 EARLY IRONCLADS BUSHNELL'S TURTLE FULTON'S NAUTILUS BATTLE OF LISSA, JULY 20, 1866 BATTLE OF THE YALU, SEPTEMBER 17, 1894 APPROACHES TO MANILA BATTLE OF MANILA, MAY 1, 1898 WEST INDIES--MOVEMENTS IN SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN BATTLE OF SANTIAGO, JULY 3, 1898 THEATER OF OPERATIONS, RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR HARBOR OF PORT ARTHUR ROJDESTVENSKY'S CRUISE, OCTOBER 18, 1904-MAY 27, 1905 BATTLE OF TSUSHIMA, MAY 27, 1905 HELIGOLAND BIGHT ACTION HELIGOLAND BIGHT ACTION, FINAL PHASE, 12:30-1:40 BATTLE OF CORONEL, NOVEMBER 1, 1914 ADMIRAL VON SPEE'S MOVEMENTS BATTLE OF FALKLAND ISLANDS, DECEMBER 8, 1914 THE CRUISE OF THE EMDEN, SEPTEMBER 1-NOVEMBER 9, 1914 THEATER OF OPERATIONS, IN THE NORTH SEA DOGGER BANK ACTION, JANUARY 24, 1915 THE APPROACHES TO CONSTANTINOPLE DARDANELLES DEFENSES CRUISING FORMATION OF THE BRITISH BATTLE FLEET BEATTY'S CRUISING FORMATION TYPE OF GERMAN BATTLE CRUISER: THE DERFLINGER TYPE OF BRITISH BATTLE CRUISER: THE LION BATTLE OF JUTLAND: FIRST PHASE TYPE OF BRITISH BATTLESHIP: THE IRON DUKE BATTLE OF JUTLAND: SECOND AND THIRD PHASES TYPE OF GERMAN BATTLESHIP: THE KOENIG EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE OF GERMANY GERMAN BARRED ZONES OCEAN-GOING TYPES OF GERMAN SUBMARINES OSTEND-ZEEBRUGGE AREA ZEEBRUGGE HARBOR WITH GERMAN DEFENSES AND BRITISH BLOCKSHIPS BRITISH, ALLIED AND NEUTRAL MERCHANT SHIPS DESTROYED BY GERMAN RAIDERS, SUBMARINES AND MINES

A HISTORY OF SEA POWER