PRECIS 
AND 
TRANSLATION. 
“REVUE MILITAIRE DE L’ETRANGER.” 
JULY, 1892. 
“THE MILITARY AND NAVAL POWER OF THE UNITED 
STATES.” 
TRANSLATED BY 
LIEUT.-COLONEL J. H. G. BROWNE, late R.A. 
In a session of the American Senate, on the 14th February, 1891, one of the 
members, Mr. Gibson, urged the necessity of placing the organisation of the 
military forces of the United States on such a footing as would enable the country 
to make its influence felt outside, and to intervene in general foreign politics. 
After having expressed the opinion that in order to take up this attitude they 
must be prepared to assume the offensive whenever the honour of the country 
demanded it, Mr. Gribson added that, as soon as the Government declared war 
they would have the whole country at their back, without distinction of political 
parties. In the further course of his speech he described the American nation 
as an “ ambitious and aggressive people,” called attention to the national excite¬ 
ment at the time of the English Extradition Treaty in 1889, and concluded by 
reiterating his assertion, that if either political party, republican or democrat, 
declared war, the people would fly to arms at the sound of the first cannon-shot. 
As no protest was raised against Mr. Gibson’s theories it may be assumed that 
the desire to make the United States a great military power is a reality; a fact 
which had already been demonstrated by other circumstances. 
The President’s message, at the opening of the 51st Congress in 1889, plainly 
indicated the intention of the Government to take in hand the re-organisation of 
the military and naval forces. He recommended the strengthening of the fleet, 
both in men and materiel, the establishment of a naval reserve and of a complete 
system of coast defence, the augmentation of the artillery, &c. ; while the Secre¬ 
tary of the Marine Department talked openly of taking the offensive, and made an 
immediate demand for eight armour-plated cruisers. 
At the same time, the proposals made by General Schofield, Commander-in- 
Chief of the Federal Army, in his report addressed, in 1889, to the Secretary for 
War, indicated new ideas with regard to the organisation and instruction of the 
land forces. Until the last few years, the Federal Army had been engaged in 
5. VOL. XX. 
