Passage 1 is an excerpt from The Influence of Sea Power Upon History by A.T. Mahan, originally published in 1890. Passage 2 is an excerpt from Maritime Security, Sea Power, and Trade, a speech given in 2014 by Tom Kelly, the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Political- Military Affairs.
Passage 1
The first and most obvious light in which the sea presents
itself from the political and social point of view is that of a
great highway; or better, perhaps, of a wide common, over
which men may pass in all directions, but on which some well-
worn paths show that controlling reasons have led them to
choose certain lines of travel rather than others.
Under modern conditions, home trade is but a part of the
business of a country bordering on the sea. Foreign necessaries
or luxuries must be brought to its ports, either in its own or in
foreign ships, which will return, bearing in exchange the
products of the country, whether they be the fruits of the earth
or the works of men’s hands; and it is the wish of every nation
that this shipping business should be done by its own vessels.
The ships that thus sail to and fro must have secure ports to
which to return, and must, as far as possible, be followed by
the protection of their country throughout the voyage.
. . . .
In these three things—production, with the necessity of
exchanging products, shipping, whereby the exchange is
carried on, and colonies, which facilitate and enlarge the
operations of shipping and tend to protect it by multiplying
points of safety—is to be found the key to much of the history,
as well as of the policy, of nations bordering upon the sea. The
policy has varied both with the spirit of the age and with the
character and clear-sightedness of the rulers; but the history of
the seaboard nations has been less determined by the
shrewdness and foresight of governments than by conditions of
position, extent, configuration, number and character of their
people, —by what are called, in a word, natural conditions. It
must however be admitted, and will be seen, that the wise or
unwise action of individual men has at certain periods had a
great modifying influence upon the growth of sea power in the
broad sense, which includes not only the military strength
afloat, that rules the sea or any part of it by force of arms, but
also the peaceful commerce and shipping from which alone a
military fleet naturally and healthfully springs, and on which it
securely rests.
Passage 2
One of the great strategic advantages of the United States is
that, as “America, the Beautiful” reminds us, our nation
stretches from “sea to shining sea.” The oceans have been part
of our identity – and our protection – since the founding of the
country. They have been the path through which we became
both a great commercial and a great military force. I may be a
diplomat, but I believe in naval power. It makes my job easier.
I grew up on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. My professional
background is in trade. So it’s very natural for me to see the
oceans and our maritime security as essential to our continued
prosperity.
Ninety percent of world trade is conducted on the oceans.
Our food, our fuel, our imports and exports all travel on these
global economic highways. Maritime trade is our nation’s life
blood. Keeping the oceans free for commerce – in two words,
maritime security – is key to our national security.
Today, this phrase encompasses a complex set of issues,
including both public and private activities, sometimes with
diametrically opposed interests. . . . Mother Nature reminded
us that she still controls some aspects of maritime security. . . .
Climate change is affecting the Arctic. As the ice cap shrinks,
old shipping lanes are expanding and, in some cases, new ones
are opening. Opening these Arctic lanes to commerce and
keeping them free will be important. As the lanes open, we’ll
see more demand for access to the Arctic’s natural resources,
which in turn may raise the stakes on territorial disputes.
We should remember that outside the domestic waters of the
United States, securing our own maritime security depends on
our foreign policy. Our security assistance programs. . . can be
a critical tool to support states trying to build their security
capacity, which feeds into larger foreign policy objectives
beyond achieving peace and security – such as promoting
economic growth, democracy, and human rights.
Passage 1
The first and most obvious light in which the sea presents
itself from the political and social point of view is that of a
great highway; or better, perhaps, of a wide common, over
which men may pass in all directions, but on which some well-
worn paths show that controlling reasons have led them to
choose certain lines of travel rather than others.
Under modern conditions, home trade is but a part of the
business of a country bordering on the sea. Foreign necessaries
or luxuries must be brought to its ports, either in its own or in
foreign ships, which will return, bearing in exchange the
products of the country, whether they be the fruits of the earth
or the works of men’s hands; and it is the wish of every nation
that this shipping business should be done by its own vessels.
The ships that thus sail to and fro must have secure ports to
which to return, and must, as far as possible, be followed by
the protection of their country throughout the voyage.
. . . .
In these three things—production, with the necessity of
exchanging products, shipping, whereby the exchange is
carried on, and colonies, which facilitate and enlarge the
operations of shipping and tend to protect it by multiplying
points of safety—is to be found the key to much of the history,
as well as of the policy, of nations bordering upon the sea. The
policy has varied both with the spirit of the age and with the
character and clear-sightedness of the rulers; but the history of
the seaboard nations has been less determined by the
shrewdness and foresight of governments than by conditions of
position, extent, configuration, number and character of their
people, —by what are called, in a word, natural conditions. It
must however be admitted, and will be seen, that the wise or
unwise action of individual men has at certain periods had a
great modifying influence upon the growth of sea power in the
broad sense, which includes not only the military strength
afloat, that rules the sea or any part of it by force of arms, but
also the peaceful commerce and shipping from which alone a
military fleet naturally and healthfully springs, and on which it
securely rests.
Passage 2
One of the great strategic advantages of the United States is
that, as “America, the Beautiful” reminds us, our nation
stretches from “sea to shining sea.” The oceans have been part
of our identity – and our protection – since the founding of the
country. They have been the path through which we became
both a great commercial and a great military force. I may be a
diplomat, but I believe in naval power. It makes my job easier.
I grew up on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. My professional
background is in trade. So it’s very natural for me to see the
oceans and our maritime security as essential to our continued
prosperity.
Ninety percent of world trade is conducted on the oceans.
Our food, our fuel, our imports and exports all travel on these
global economic highways. Maritime trade is our nation’s life
blood. Keeping the oceans free for commerce – in two words,
maritime security – is key to our national security.
Today, this phrase encompasses a complex set of issues,
including both public and private activities, sometimes with
diametrically opposed interests. . . . Mother Nature reminded
us that she still controls some aspects of maritime security. . . .
Climate change is affecting the Arctic. As the ice cap shrinks,
old shipping lanes are expanding and, in some cases, new ones
are opening. Opening these Arctic lanes to commerce and
keeping them free will be important. As the lanes open, we’ll
see more demand for access to the Arctic’s natural resources,
which in turn may raise the stakes on territorial disputes.
We should remember that outside the domestic waters of the
United States, securing our own maritime security depends on
our foreign policy. Our security assistance programs. . . can be
a critical tool to support states trying to build their security
capacity, which feeds into larger foreign policy objectives
beyond achieving peace and security – such as promoting
economic growth, democracy, and human rights.