Why Mahan was American rather than British

Why was Mahan American rather than a British naval thinker?

Britain had comparable thinkers, but Mahan communicated his naval argument more effectively to a broad audience.

Britain had comparable naval thinkers, including John Knox Laughton and Julian Corbett, who worked on related questions of maritime history and strategy. Mahan's distinction lay in presenting his argument especially effectively to political and public audiences. The answer makes communication part of strategic influence: an idea that reaches decision-makers can overshadow equally serious work expressed within a narrower professional circle.