"checkmate."

Before Mahan proved his doctrine, it was felt in a general way
that sea power was necessary to the prosperity and security of
a nation. Mahan was not the first to have this idea, for it had
been in the minds of some men, and in the policy of one nation,
for more than a century. Neither was Mahan the first to put forth
the idea in writing; but he was the first to make an absolute
demonstration of the truth. Newton was not the first man to know,
or to say, that things near the earth tend to fall to the earth; but
he was the first to formulate and prove the doctrine of universal
gravitation. In the same way, all through history, we find that
a few master minds have been able to group what had theretofore
seemed unrelated phenomena, and deduce from them certain laws.
In this way they substituted reasoning for speculation, fact for
fancy, wisdom for opportunism, and became the guides of the human
race.

The effect of the acceptance of Mahan's doctrine was felt at once.
Realizing that the influence of sea power was a fact, comprehending
Great Britain's secret, after Mahan had disclosed it, certain other
great nations of the world, especially Germany, immediately started
with confidence and vigor upon the increase of their own sea power,
and pushed it to a degree before unparalleled; with a result that
must have been amazing to the man who, more than any other, was
responsible for it.

Since the words "sea power," or their translation, is a recognized
phrase the world over, and since the power of sea power is greater
than ever before, and is still increasing, it may be profitable