Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ...resources, and calls on all her sons to do their duty, and willingly do they respond. Possibly some day or other, the eyes of the world may be fixed on North America, watching a life and death struggle for the honour of the English name. In such a case are other fragments of the Empire to despatch correspondents to give interesting accounts of the proceedings and--nothing else. The naval power of the United States, drawn from 10,000 miles of Atlantic coast, would, if we do not prevent it, be concentrated on the St. Lawrence. Considering that an Englishman in Canada bears a far heavier military burden than an Englishman in the United Kingdom, surely, in common justice, we would be bound to sacrifice our whole naval power rather than permit her being invested by blockade. This involves our sending, besides a naval force superior to hers, a strong war garrison to Halifax, and a movable and purely military force for strategical coast distribution, and for counter attack. But let us turn to the South; are we then to leave Bermuda without force, and abandon to their fate the English West Indies? Our only movable military force, which is also the reserve for India, is but 100,000. This force would be at once absorbed by requirements in the West Atlantic. We may be in no danger of invasion at home, and sorely pressed for troops abroad, but meantime we shall have a military force of 300,000 men in the United Kingdom, which the principle of " home defence" has made it impossible for us to move It is illegal to send them where they are required; therefore they must remain where they are not wanted, and look on at Englishmen being slaughtered, with the calm consciousness that, thousands of miles away from the fight, they are striking...
