ting improvements; and the entire process has been superintended
by men of the highest practical and scientific intelligence, naval
architects and seamen, constantly exchanging ideas, not only with
their own countrymen, but, through the scientific publications of the
day, with the whole world. What Ruskin said of the old ship of the
line is still more true of the modern battleship: no higher exhibition
of man's creative faculties is probably anywhere to be found. In view,
therefore, of its genesis, and of the practical results of yearly
cruisings, the battleship in its service of peace is entitled to the
confidence we give to the work of competent men in all departments;
nor should that confidence be withdrawn because of a single
occurrence, if the _Maine_ prove to have fallen victim to internal
accident. If, on the other hand, her destruction proceeded from an
external cause,--that is, if she fell as ships fall in war,--it may
safely be said that, in actions between ships, no means of injury now
in use on shipboard could effect the instantaneous and widespread
destruction manifested in her case, unless by a shell finding its way
to her magazine. This is a remote possibility, though it exists; but
when it comes to fighting, men must remember that it is not possible
to make war without running risks, and that it is highly improbable
that one-tenth as many seamen will die from the explosion of their own
magazines, so occasioned, as from the direct blow of the enemy's
projectiles.

NOTE.--Since this article was written, in January, 1898, it
has become known that the attitude of Japan towards the
United States, regarded as a power of the Pacific, has been
reversed, and that--as already remarked in the preface to
this volume--her leading statesmen, instead of resenting the
annexation of Hawaii, now welcome cordially the advance of
the United States to the Philippines. This change, occurring
as it has within four years, affords a striking indication
of the degree to which the attention of mankind has been
aroused by the character of Russia's progress in northeastern
Asia, and upon the Pacific, as well as of the influence
thereby exerted upon the currents of men's thoughts, and upon
international relations.

FOOTNOTES:

[5] From a telegram from Berlin of March 2, 1898.

[Illustration]

_Uniform with "Lessons of the War with Spain and Other Arti