conscience of Governments to the Christian sense of international duty' (p. xxiv).
For the student of history, and of International Law in its historical development and historical aspects, the following parts of the Commentaries are especially useful: (1) vol. i, pt. i, ch. vi, pp. 45–61 on Treaties; vol. i, pt. iii, ch. vi, pp. 257–62 on the Narrow Seas, as distinguished from the Ocean (with references to the contentions of Grotius and Selden); vol. i, pt. iv, ch. i, pp. 553–638 on the Principle of Intervention, and more especially, in pp. 574–614, on the Balance of Power as a Corollary of the Right of Self-Defence, with historical allusions; vol. ii, pt. viii, on the International Status of Foreign Spiritual Powers, especially on the Pope, pp. 343–540, and more especially ch. v, pp. 401–14, the International Status of the Papacy between the period of the promulgation of the canon law and the Council of Trent, and ch. vi, pp. 415–26, from 1563 to 1870.
The author interprets in prudent terms the doctrine of the Balance of Power.[1] He lays stress on the Treaty of Utrecht as marking the time from which 'the recognition of the system of balance' may be dated; and the language of the treaty can be cited as evidence of the importance ascribed to the restoration of the balance. 'The treaty was made ad conservandum in Europa equilibrium.[2] The doctrine 'certainly is liable to abuse, but, fairly explained, means no more than the right of timely provision of a probable danger'.[3]
The Law of Nations of Sir Travers Twiss was published in 1861–3, in two volumes, of which the first treats of the rights and duties of nations in time of peace, and the second of their rights and duties in time of war. A second edition of the second volume appeared in 1875, and of the first volume in
