especially under the Elector's grandson King Frederick William,
the next King found himself, as Alexander had done, the chief of
an army more highly prepared for war than any other. By means of
that army he made himself Frederick the Great, and raised Prussia
from a minor position to the first rank of European Powers. Pursuing
Frederick William's system of progressive preparation, Prussia
continued her prosperous course till William I defeated Austria,
then France, and founded the German Empire. This does not mean that
the only result of developing national efficiency to its highest
point is to secure success in war--in fact, we know that it is not.
But it does mean that the same quality--efficiency--which tends
to prosperity in peace tends also to victory in war.

Preparing for war was a simple thing in the olden days compared
with preparing now, for the reason that the implements of war are
much more numerous and complicated than they used to be, especially
in navies. A navy is not ready unless all preparations and plans
have been made, tested, and kept up to date, to insure that all
of the vessels of every kind and all the shore stations will be
in material condition, fully equipped and manned by a sufficient
and efficient personnel of officers and crews, in time to meet
the enemy on advantageous terms, and unless the central authority
has already decided what it will do, when any probable emergency
shall arise. This was the condition of the German army in 1870.
This was also the condition of the British navy, when war broke
out in August, 1914; the British navy was ready; and therefore it
was able to assume command of the sea at once, drive its enemy's
commerce from the ocean, and imprison its fleets in sheltered ports.

In all countries the peace establishment of the army and navy is