The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-23

We hear 50 much of Declarations or
War" now that il is just as well TO look
a little into what we are talking about
when discussing them.
II is very important there should be
declaration of war when nations fight,
because the rights Of private individuals
are most seriously affected by state of
war. The citizens Of the one Power have
no right to have any transactions Of any
sort whatever with the citizens of the
other Power when the two are at war
and contracts made between them in that
condition are void. Many penalties Of the
severest character attach to intercourse
between the citizens of two Powers at war
with each other. so that it is Of the ut
most Importance that men should know
officially and definitely when this coun-
try is at war with another nation and
when 1t IS not
Nevertheless there are but few OF the
wars of the past that have been pre-
ceded by actual declaration OF war. In
recent issue the Baltimore sun made a
statement Of the facts in regard TO the
wars Of this country which was very in
teresung indeed. and we shall make free
use OF its material
In the present century there IS only one
instance OF a European war in which act
ual hostnities were preceded by a formal
declaration OF war. and that was in the
case Of the Franco German war. The
Emperor Napoleon sent his ambassador
to King William demanding that he
should formally declare that there was
no intention to place q Prince OF the
Prussian House of Hohenzollern on the
throne OF Spain and notifying him that
unless the demand was complied with
war would follow. King William refused
10 accede TO the demand and two days
later q formal declaration OF war by
France against Prussia was published at
Paris on July 18th. Some wag remarked
of this war that 1.-THE Emperor Napoleon
went to war in watermelon season and
slipped up on the rhine
All the other wars of this century have
been commenced without any preceding
declaration of war. In 1901 England be-
lieved that Denmark was going TO place
her feet at the disposal of the Car Paul
OF Russia and she forthwith sent her fleet
after the Danish fleet TO sink and dis
perse It and this was offectually done
secumdum artem.
She did the same thing in 1907 when
her Prime Minister, Mr. Canning. thought
he had reason to believe Napoleon Bona
parte was about to acquire the Danish
feet. In both instances she made gar
upon Denmark. but there was no preced-
ing declaration Of war.
In 1896 Prussia seized Hanover without
any declaration of war and England
forthwith retaliated by sinking every
Prussian ship in sight without declaring
war.
In 1927 the combined fleets OF Great Bril-
tain. Russia and France destroyed the
entire Turkish fleet at Navarino without
any declaration Of war having been made
In 1910 England. Russia aud Austria
Joined in suppressing Mehomet Ali with
out giving him the slightest warning.
There was a formal declaration Of war
by England ana France in 1854, against
Russia (the Crimean war; but before It
was made the British fleet had entered
the Black Sea with fighting orders and
was carrying them out. In 1859 Napoleon
iii. entered Piedmont with his army be-
fore he declared war and before the Aus
TRAN army had crossed the river Licino
In 1866 the Prussian army started out on
Its march 20 Vienna before there was any
declaration OF war. though one was sent
10 Austria some days after hostllities
commenced.
in 1872 We seized all British vessels in
our harbors before we declared war
against Great Britain. and the fighting
was well advanced IN our war with Mexi-
co before We declared war against that
country.
The rule has been. therefore. to fight
first and declare war afterwards. When
war comes It is most likely to come by
gradual approaches, and the nations en-
gagged are likely 10 be actually aghting
before war n declared This VIII proba-