THE WEALTH 

 OF THE SEA 



CHAPTER I 



The Sea 



THE ocean has often been said to be the seat 

 of enduring power, for the nation that is able 

 to rule the ocean rules the world. Even small 

 states, able by their powerful navies to maintain 

 control of the sea, have dominated the world. Greece, 

 Tyre, Pisa, Genoa, Venice, Portugal, and Holland 

 were all great powers merely because they ruled the 

 waves. When Carthage lost control of the Mediter- 

 ranean she soon bowed to Rome. The defeat of the 

 Spanish Ai'mada marked the end of the ascendancy 

 of Spain. The failure of Germany in the World War 

 may be largely ascribed to her inability to wrest 

 control of the sea from the British either by 

 submarine or marine warfare. 



The best schools for hardy, daring sailors are 

 fishing and whaling fleets. Such men come to know 

 the sea, and easily learn how to sail ships of war. 

 Skill in the construction of war-ships is obtained 

 by the training gained in the building of fishing 

 and merchant vessels. The captains of fishing and 



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