SOME PRINCIPLES OF WARFARE. 617 



supply. An army, as the saying is, moves on its belly. An invading 

 force must ordinarily provide for all its needs from some safe place in 

 the rear, called a 'base of operations'; it must also provide that the 

 line of transit of its provisions and ammunition to the front shall not be 

 liable to interference. Assuming that at 'F' is a strongly fortified city, 

 the railway line or the adjacent rivers would furnish 'A' with a practical 

 base; his line of advance would be in the direction 'FG', called the 'line 

 of operations'; 'G', a fortified pass, the proximate, and 'J', the capital 

 of 'B', the ultimate objective point of the campaign. But it will be 

 noted with what facility a determined enemy could fall upon 'AY com- 

 munications from the point 'H', which would also be the case were the 

 advance made from 'K' towards 'L'. 



Of course, in the end, the larger resources will prevail; but it may be 

 that 'A', baffled and exasperated by a stubborn resistance, and finding 

 that 'B' is being supplied through the neutral and insignificant country 

 'D', may finally conclude, "in the interests of a higher civilization," to 

 violate their territory, seize the port 'M', and thus, by a far-reaching 

 and bold flank movement, gain entrance into 'BY country. Such de- 

 vices are not unknown in the history of war. Such a course 'would be 

 a distinct violation of the 'law of nations'; but there would be apologies 

 and ample indemnity to 'D', with which, doubtless, she would be satis- 

 fied. 



In imagining such a campaign no account has been taken of the at- 

 titude of the country 'C, or of that of any foreign nation. In war these 

 things must be reckoned with. Neutral nations are always liable, how- 

 ever disposed to maintain neutrality, to be touched at some sensitive 

 point by one or the other of the contending parties. 



