SEA POWER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 107, 8 May 1941, Page 21

SEA POWER

INFLUENCE IN WAR

BRITAIN'S PAST VICTORIES

In a brief but interesting summary of 500 years of history. Mr. <-'. J. Garland, the speaker" at a luncheon of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, dealt with the influence of sea power and how vital a part it played in war. Mr. Garland said the first nation to exploit the 'control of the Atlantic was Spain, but her armada was defeated by England. In 1614 the Dutch entered upon the scene and lor a long period seemed to be the i supreme maritime Power of the then new world, Then Cromwell's Navigation Act. which provided that. England could only export and import between herself and her own British colonies, led to war between Holland and England. England had been building a strong navy, but Holland had been content with her strength, with the result that Holland ceased to be a maritime Power. A struggle between France and Bii.ain went on for 125 years, during which time there were seven wars, one of wl ich, the Seven Years' War. was essentially for control of North America, and because she did not have control of the sea France failed. In 1794. the speaker said, the combined French and Spanish fleets drove Britain out of the Mediterranean, but three years later Nelson defeated the French fleet and a year later the Spanish fleet. In ISO 3 Xapoleon did exactly what Hitler was doing to-day. He massed his army at Channel ports and had a huge fleet of barges all in preparation for an invasion of England, but the Battle of Trafalgar put an end to any hope he had of accomplishing his object. In 1803 France had aligned against Britain the whole of Europe, but that position did not last i simply because Britain and not her enemies controlled the sea.