PRESIDENT OF THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, DELEGATE PLENIPOTENTIARY TO THE LONDON NAVAL CONFERENCE AUTHOR OF "THE LAWS AND USAGES OF WAR AT SEA AND OF A MANUAL OF CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON PREFACE THE deplorable war which is being carried on at the time of this writing, extending, as it does, to three of the great continents of the world, has created many complex problems and delicate situations in connection with international law. It has been said by good authority that there have arisen more vexed questions in international law during the first six weeks of this war than during the entire period of the Napoleonic contests. From this fact alone arises the importance not only of increased knowledge of the tenets of this subject but also the necessity for treatises that are abreast the times. A number of books upon the subject have become out of date, especially in the body of their text, by changes that have occurred, partly as the results of the recent tribunals and conferences of The Hague and of the London Naval Conference of 1909. These results have taken the form of important conventions and declarations, amounting, in fact, to a partial codification of the laws and usages of war ashore and afloat. In addition to the changes referred to there have occurred new situations, international in character, brought into existence by the various negotiations and treaties incident to the construction of the Suez and Panama Canals. There are also changes in aspects and conditions arising from the development of maritime and aerial warfare in recent wars. We can add, also, to this statement of recent developments in international law, the mention of the increase in the range and number of treaties providing for arbitration and other methods for the pacific settlement of international disputes. Although these |