Naval strategy is naval chess, in which battleships and other craft take the place of queens and other pieces.

But it is a more complicated game than chess, for the reason that not only are there more kinds of "pieces," but the element of time exerts a powerful influence in strategy while it does not even exist in chess.

The time element has the effect not only of complicating every situation, but also of compelling intense concentration of mind, in order to make decisions quickly; and often it forces decisions without adequate time for consideration, under circumstances of the utmost excitement, discomfort, and personal peril.
One dislikes intensely to criticise his own country, even to himself.
But when a naval officer is studying--as he should continually do--what must be done, in order to protect his country from attack by some foreign foe, it would be criminal folly for him to estimate the situation otherwise than honestly; and to do this, it is necessary to try to see where his country is weak and where strong, relatively to the possible foes in question.

If we do this, and compare the strategical methods employed by--say Germany and us--we are forced to admit that the German methods are better adapted to producing economically a navy fitted to contend successfully in war against an enemy.

In Germany the development of the navy has been strictly along the lines of a method carefully devised beforehand; in our country no method whatever is apparent, at least no logical method.
Congress, and Congress alone, decides what vessels and other craft shall be built, how many officers and men shall wear the uniform.
It is true that they consult the report of the secretary of the navy, and ask the opinions of some naval officers; and it is true that the secretary of the navy gets the opinions of certain naval officers including the General Board, before making his report.
But both the secretary and Congress estimate the situation from their own points of view, and place their own value on the advice of naval officers.