misses and 91 misses;
a difference in errors made of a little more than 1 per cent.

The conclusion to be drawn is too obvious to be stated. Perhaps
the conclusion is not broadly new; but possibly the idea is new
that so small a difference in errors made will, under conditions
of sufficient difficulty, produce such a tremendous difference
in results.

Now, a division is more complex and more difficult to handle perfectly
than is a battleship; a squadron more so than a division; a fleet
more so than a squadron; a navy more so than a fleet.

_Necessity for Knowledge of the Naval Machine_.--There is no machine
or tool so simple that knowledge of it is not needed in order to
use it skilfully. This does not mean that intimate knowledge of
the details of construction of a machine is necessary in order to
operate it; it does not mean, for instance, that a sharp-shooter
must have a profound knowledge of the metallurgy of the metal of
which his gun is mainly made, or of the laws of chemistry and physics
that apply to powder, or of the laws of ballistics that govern
the flight of the bullet to its target. But it does mean that any
skilful handler of any machine must know how to use it; that a
sharpshooter, for instance, must know how to use his machine--the
gun.

Of course, a sharpshooter's skill is exercised in operating under
very limited conditions, the conditions of shooting; and it does not
include necessarily the maintenance of his gun in good condition.
The operating of some machines, however, includes the maintenance
of those machines; and a simple illustration is that of operating
an automobile. An automobile is constructed to be operated at
considerable distances from home; and a man whose knowledge and
skill were limited to steering, stopping, starting, and backing
the car--who had no knowledge of its details of construction and
could not repair a trifling injury--would have very little value
as a chauffeur.

A like remark might truthfully be made about the operation of any
complex machine; and the more complex the machine, the more aptly
the remark would apply. The chief engineer of any electric plant,
of any municipal water-works, of any railroad, of any steamship
must have the most profound and intimate knowledge of the details
of construction and the method of operation of the machine committed
to his charge. Recognition of this fact by the engineering profession
is so complete and perfect as to be almost u