Excerpt from The New Empire

Last spring I undertook to prepare for publication several essays and addresses which I supposed were connected together closely enough to present a consecutive chain of thought. On attempting an arrangement I found that I was mistaken, and that to be understood I must recast the whole. When I reached this conclusion it was too late to withdraw from the task, and the consequence has been that I have written the following volume much faster than I have ever before done similar work. I fear that the literary form may have suffered, but I apprehend that, in substance, the book is comprehensible.

All my observations lead me to the conclusion that geographical conditions have exercised a great, possibly a preponderating, influence over man's destiny. I am convinced that neither history nor economics, can be intelligently studied without a constant reference to the geographical surroundings which have affected different nations. I therefore make no apology for having dwelt, upon geography, but I wish to say a word concerning my maps.

To illustrate my text thoroughly I should need to publish an atlas. This being impossible, I have contented myself with presenting a few rough sketches, on a small scale, to accentuate the more salient theories.

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