ASQ ee THE NICARAGUA CANAL. 
mouth of the gulf of California in one direction, or 
upon the coast of Peru in another. 
Tt will thus be seen how long would be the arm, how 
effective the power of a swift and well-conditioned fleet, 
ready to act on either coast, and drawing constant 
strength and nourishment from this admirable lake 
base. With a strong naval force in Hampton Roads, 
another in California, ready to move effectively at a mo- 
ment’s notice, then a similar fleet in lake Nicaragua 
would complete what may be called the naval strategic 
defence of our nation. There would be many addi- | 
tional details in any complete scheme of defence. Key 
West must be held, and the mouth of the Mississippi 
protected ; a strong force, auxiliary to the Hampton 
Roads fleet, must hold the sounds and channels of Long 
Island and Nantucket ; Puget sound must be held, and 
the gulf of California loumita tied 
The three great divisions of our fleet, to protect our 
coasts and our vital interests to the southward, must, 
however, hold positions similar to those above men- 
tioned, in a large and well-considered scheme of stra- 
tegy. 
It would be possible for the lake Nicaragua force to 
join the Hampton Roads fleet and engage an enemy 
off Havana, and thence, allowing two days for coals and 
provisions in the lake, it could join the California fleet 
off cape St. Lucas, and fight an enemy in the gulf of 
California, and this within twelve days of the first 
battle. 
Let me ask your forbearance for a few moments 
longer, while I quote some sentences from a remarkable 
pamphlet written in 1846 by Louis Napoleon, after- 
wards emperor of the French. It is as follows: 
‘The geographical position of Constantinople is such 
as rendered her the queen of the ancient world. Occu- 
pying as she does the central point between Europe, 
Asia, and Africa, she could become the entr epot of the 
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