difficult to navigate, often enshrouded in mist, the United Kingdom lies athwart the principal water-routes of the world, not only those which connect Europe with Canada, the United States, and the West Indies, but equally those which bring to the Northern European States the products of Africa, South America, India, China, Australia, and Japan; and, so long as she commands the English Channel and the North Sea, it will be in her power to seal up the navies and mercantile fleets of any of her neighbours—Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Northern Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and those of Northern France.
And if Great Britain's geographical position is unique, her resources for defence surpass those of her most powerful competitors. Small in extent, she is yet one of the strongest countries in the world: strong in the industry and ingenuity of her
