precipitating her into the abyss from which she has not yet wholly
emerged.

Except Alaska, the United States has no outlying possession,--no foot
of ground inaccessible by land. Its contour is such as to present few
points specially weak from their saliency, and all important parts of
the frontiers can be readily attained,--cheaply by water, rapidly by
rail. The weakest frontier, the Pacific, is far removed from the most
dangerous of possible enemies. The internal resources are boundless as
compared with present needs; we can live off ourselves indefinitely in
"our little corner," to use the expression of a French officer to the
author. Yet should that little corner be invaded by a new commercial
route through the Isthmus, the United States in her turn may have the
rude awakening of those who have abandoned their share in the common
birthright of all people, the sea.

III. Extent of Territory. The last of the conditions affecting the
development of a nation as a sea power, and touching the country
itself as distinguished from the people who dwell there, is Extent of
Territory. This may be dismissed with comparatively few words.

As regards the development of sea power, it is not the total number of
square miles which a country contains, but the length of its
coast-line and the character of its harbors that are to be considered.
As to these it is to be said that, the geographical and physical
conditions being the same, extent of sea-coast is a source of strength
or weakness according as the population is large or small. A country
is in this like a fortress; the garrison must be proportioned to the
_enceinte_. A recent familiar instance is found in the American War of
Secession. Had the South had a people as numerous as it was warlike,