Story of the War in South Africa, 1899-1900

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, New Age, History, Fiction & Literature
Cover of the book Story of the War in South Africa, 1899-1900 by Alfred Thayer Mahan, Library of Alexandria
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Alfred Thayer Mahan ISBN: 9781465547309
Publisher: Library of Alexandria Publication: March 8, 2015
Imprint: Language: English
Author: Alfred Thayer Mahan
ISBN: 9781465547309
Publisher: Library of Alexandria
Publication: March 8, 2015
Imprint:
Language: English
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR THE THEATRE OF THE WAR The war in South Africa has been no exception to the general rule that the origin of current events is to be sought in the history of the past, and their present course to be understood by an appreciation of existing conditions, which decisively control it. This is especially true of the matter here before us; because the southern extreme of Africa, like to that of the American continent, has heretofore lain far outside of the common interest, and therefore of the accurate knowledge, of mankind at large. The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, in themselves remote, tempestuous, and comparatively unproductive regions, for centuries derived importance merely from the fact that by those ways alone the European world found access to the shores of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The application of steam to ocean navigation, and the opening of the Suez Canal, have greatly modified conditions, by diverting travel from the two Capes to the Canal and to the Straits of Magellan. It is only within a very few years that South Africa, thus diminished in consequence as a station upon a leading commercial highway, has received compensation by the discovery of great mineral wealth. Thus separated from the rest of the world, by lack of intrinsic value as a region producing materials necessary to the common good, the isolation of South Africa was further increased by physical conditions, which not only retarded colonisation and development, but powerfully affected the character and the mutual relations of the European settlers. Portuguese mariners, after more than half a century of painful groping downward along the West African coast in search of a sea route to India that vague tradition asserted could there be found, in 1486 rounded the Cape of Good Hope, which then received the despondent name of the Cape of Storms from its first discoverer, Bartholomew Diaz. Vasco da Gama, following him in 1497, gave to it its present auspicious title, which was to him of sound augury; for he then passed on to explore the East coast and to find the long-desired Indies. It was, however, the latter which constituted the Portuguese goal. Africa was to them primarily the half-way house, where to refresh their ships on the long voyage to Hindustan, which then took near a year to complete. For this purpose they established themselves on the island of Mozambique, and gradually took possession of the country to this day known as Portuguese East Africa
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR THE THEATRE OF THE WAR The war in South Africa has been no exception to the general rule that the origin of current events is to be sought in the history of the past, and their present course to be understood by an appreciation of existing conditions, which decisively control it. This is especially true of the matter here before us; because the southern extreme of Africa, like to that of the American continent, has heretofore lain far outside of the common interest, and therefore of the accurate knowledge, of mankind at large. The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, in themselves remote, tempestuous, and comparatively unproductive regions, for centuries derived importance merely from the fact that by those ways alone the European world found access to the shores of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The application of steam to ocean navigation, and the opening of the Suez Canal, have greatly modified conditions, by diverting travel from the two Capes to the Canal and to the Straits of Magellan. It is only within a very few years that South Africa, thus diminished in consequence as a station upon a leading commercial highway, has received compensation by the discovery of great mineral wealth. Thus separated from the rest of the world, by lack of intrinsic value as a region producing materials necessary to the common good, the isolation of South Africa was further increased by physical conditions, which not only retarded colonisation and development, but powerfully affected the character and the mutual relations of the European settlers. Portuguese mariners, after more than half a century of painful groping downward along the West African coast in search of a sea route to India that vague tradition asserted could there be found, in 1486 rounded the Cape of Good Hope, which then received the despondent name of the Cape of Storms from its first discoverer, Bartholomew Diaz. Vasco da Gama, following him in 1497, gave to it its present auspicious title, which was to him of sound augury; for he then passed on to explore the East coast and to find the long-desired Indies. It was, however, the latter which constituted the Portuguese goal. Africa was to them primarily the half-way house, where to refresh their ships on the long voyage to Hindustan, which then took near a year to complete. For this purpose they established themselves on the island of Mozambique, and gradually took possession of the country to this day known as Portuguese East Africa

More books from Library of Alexandria

Cover of the book On the Migration of Fables by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book Mystery Tales Including Stories by Feodor Mikhailovitch Dostoyevsky, Jörgen Wilhelm Bergsöe and Bernhard Severin Ingemann by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book St. Augustin: Homilies on the Gospel of John; Homilies on the First Epistle of John; Soliloquies by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book Northwest! by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book The Romance of a Mummy and Egypt by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book My Mother's Rival by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book Nile Gleanings Concerning the Ethnology; History and Art of Ancient Egypt as Revealed by Egyptian Paintings and Bas-Reliefs With Descriptions of Nubia and its Great Rock Temples to the Second Cataract by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book Things Seen in Spain by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book Robin's Rambles by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book The Pianolist: A Guide for Pianola Players by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book L'archeologie Egyptienne by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book The Civil War Centennial HandBook by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book Garman and Worse: A Norwegian Novel by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book The Smuggler: A Tale (Complete) by Alfred Thayer Mahan
Cover of the book The Minute Man of the Frontier by Alfred Thayer Mahan
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy