Atlantic Warfare Yesterday : 375 



could be expressed as a value C for Reds and K for Blues; the for- 

 mula then reads: 



2 — VVl2 



CR2 = KB 



In other words, "The fighting strength of a force is proportional 

 to the square of its numerical strength multiplied by the fighting 

 value of its individual units." 



Apply this to Nelson's battle plan for Trafalgar and see how much 

 he gained by splitting the enemy exactly in half. 



It is interesting to note that this simple formula of Lanchester's 

 was rediscovered during World War II and served as an impetus in 

 creating an AppHed Mathematic Branch and thus in stimulating the 

 growth of a large and complicated science of military mathematics. 



In practice, both Nelson and the combined fleet had fewer ships 

 than were contemplated in the memorandum. The combined fleet 

 still had an initial superiority in number and Nelson's attack, though 

 simplified, involved the same principle of an initial division of the 

 enemy. Though Nelson died during the battle, his fleet won one of 

 the greatest and most complete naval victories. 



Between 18 16 and the Civil War there was on the Atlantic an age 

 of rapid and profound development. The packet and the clipper 

 evolved and sail reached the peak of use and development, steam 

 power was introduced at sea, the propeller came to supplement and 

 then supplant the paddle wheel, iron was used for armor and con- 

 struction — but in all this the U. S. Navy played a small part. As 

 usual, in time of peace, the navy suffered reduction and congres- 

 ional neglect. 



Belatedly in 1841, owing to fortunate political support, steam and 

 screw found a place in the navy's Princeton, and in 1842 Missouri 

 and Mississippi, the first United States steam warships, were com- 

 pleted. Three years later George Bancroft, as secretary of the navy, 

 secured from the army Fort Severn at Annapolis for use as an acad- 

 emy for the training of naval officers. 



The navy came to life not only in the matter of training and the- 

 ory but also in far-flung practical activity. Texas came into the 

 Union as the twenty-eighth state in 1845 but there was a restless 

 uncertainty about what was to be the fate of large sections of the 

 southwest and California, vast regions claimed by Mexico but thinly 

 settled and loosely held. In 1846 a small Pacific squadron under 

 Commodore John Drake Sloat, later under Captain Robert F. Stock- 

 ton, assisted by land forces raised by Major Fremont, occupied Mon- 



