It is the belief of the author, however, that the time is close at hand when aeroplanes and dirigibles of large size will be capable of offensive operations of the highest order, including the launching of automobile torpedoes of the Whitehead type.
_Skill_ .-- The question of skill bears a relation to the question of the material power directed by it that is very vital, but very elusive.

If, for instance, ship _C_, firing ten 12-inch guns on a side, fights ship _D_, firing five like guns on a side, the advantage would seem to be with _C_; but it would not be if each gun on _D_ made three hits, while each gun on _C_ made one hit; a relative performance not at all impossible or unprecedented.

Similarily, if the head of the admiralty of the _E_ fleet were a very skilful strategist, and the head of the admiralty of the _F_ fleet were not, and if the various admirals, captains, lieutenants, engineers, and gunners of the _E_ fleet were highly skilled, and those of the _F_ fleet were not, the _E_ fleet might be victorious, even if materially it were much the smaller in material and personnel.
In case the head of the admiralty of the _E_ fleet were the more skilful, while the officers of the _F_ fleet were, on the average, more skilful than those of the _E_ fleet, it would be impossible to weigh the difference between them; but as a rough statement, it may be said that if the head of the admiralty of either fleet is more skilful than the other, his officers will probably be more skilful than the officers of the other; so pervasive is the influence of the chief.
The effectiveness of modern ships and guns and engines and torpedoes, when used with perfect skill, is so great that we tend unconsciously to assume the perfect skill, and think of naval power in terms of material units only.

Yet daily life is full of reminders that when two men or two bodies of men contend, the result depends in large though varying measure on their relative degrees of skill.
Whenever one thinks of using skill, he includes in his thought the thing in the handling of which the skill is employed.

One can hardly conceive of using skill except in handling something of the general nature of an instrument, even if the skill is employed in handling something which is not usually called an instrument.