File:Heresies of sea power (1906) (14595811567).jpg

Identifier: heresiesofseapow00jane (find matches)
Title: Heresies of sea power
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Jane, Fred T. (Frederick Thomas), 1865-1916
Subjects: Sea-power Naval history War
Publisher: London, New York and Bombay : Longmans, Green, and co.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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WAR In many ways the state of affairs at the outbreakof the first Punic war recalls the situation at thebeginning of the Peloponnesian war. Carthage was the mistress of the Western Mediter-ranean. Absolute Sea Power was hers. Her shipswere many, her crews well trained and practised.Born of the sea, she lived by it. A Phoenician colony, the Carthaginians preservedto a large extent the Phoenician characteristics. ThePhoenicians were ever a peculiar people. Nationalfeeling, as possessed by other races of their time, theyhad none: they cared nothing for politics, and what-ever military power was in the ascendent, to thatthey willingly became tributary so long as they wereallowed to retain their existence upon the seas. Of this sea existence Carthage was a pied a terre;and being the best harbour in Africa, it rapidly rose togreat importance. The pressure of circumstances and the rivalries oftrade brought about a consolidated empire, and thenations round about her were enrolled as subjects,
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42 HEEESIES OF SEA POWEK paying tribute and furnishing troops, the officers ofwhich were Carthaginians. The system by which in the present age the Britishhave soldiers of Indian, Egyptian and other nationali-ties, drilled and officered by British, grew at Carthagefrom similar small beginnings till it became practicallythe only dependable system. A Carthaginian citizenwas regarded as too valuable a man to make a rankerof,1 and the world was searched for the best materialthat Carthage could purchase. From the BalearicIslands came the best slingers, from Liguria the bestinfantry, African tribes made ideal light cavalry andthe pick of all served in the fleet. When any militaryoperations were in progress the commander-in-chiefwas invested with supreme command for no fixedterm; and invested with almost dictatorial powers.But he was carefully subjected to the civil authority,2and always accompanied by a civil commission whichhad the sole power of making treaties and so forth. 1 The Carthagin

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