Arizona republican., 1898-04-13
HOW NATIONS DECLARE WAR.

HOW NATIONS DECLARE WAR.
 The relations between several of the great powers have recently been so severely strained that the question as to how, in the event of war, they will probably proceed to hostliities is of deep interest at the present time.
 Notwithstanding the fact that most people consider a formal declaration of war necessary before active meas ures can be taken, it is usually the case in these go ahead times that no warning whatever is given.
 When Rome was mistress of the world a declaration of war was sol emn function, attended with so much ceremony that special college of her aids was always kept in readiness to perform it when necessary. In me diaeval times letters of defiance serv ed to give warning of hostile inten- tions, and still later heralds were sent to throw down the gauntlet and make a verbal declaration of war.
 In such times formal declarations were necessary to differentiate be- tween the private brawls of few barons and a national war for which the community was responsible,- but at the present day total concealment as long as possible is the almost univer- sal rule. The objects of this are usu- ally either to anticipate the designs of some other power, to avoid the Onus of admitting a state of war as long as possible, or to gain time by swiftness of attack.
 The latest instances of formal declar- ation by herald were in 1653,, when Louis XIII sent a herald to declare war | against Spain and in 1857 when Swed- en declared war against Denmark by herald sent to Copenhagen; while as late as 1871 war between England and Holland was declared by solemn proc lamation.
 The first instance of the modern custom of sweeping down upon an enemy without warning was that oi the Armada in 1888; while the latest was the case of the Graeco-Turkish war, as the Greeks, who were the az gressors, have not yet declared war although the struggle is over and they are paying the penalty due to their rashness.
 In the greater number of the Eigh- teenth century wars no declaration was made till the war was we'll ad- | vanced, and in some cases had gone on for years; while in few instances the war began, continued and ended without any modification whatever During the later part of the century however, commendable custom arose of issuing manifesto or modification of the state of affairs to all nations that were expected to observe the laws of neutrality-a custom which has also been observed in most of the wars of the present century.
 AS the most recent cases are those likely to influence the conduct of na- tions in the immediate f future, the wars of the present century are of the greatest interest at the present crisis
 In the quarrel between Russia and Turkey, which immediately preceded the Crimean war, formal declaration was issued at Moscow by proclama- tion of the czar, and three days later after the Turks were well aware of the state of affairs, operations were con- menced in earnest.
 In the cases of Britain and France less consideration was shown. War was formally declared by Britain on March 22, 1854, and on the 31st it was proclaimed by the high sheriff of Lon don from the steps of the exchange but these declarations were made mere ly to justify the step to the people and to ask for their approval and help Before that time active operations had commenced by the entry of the Brit 1sh and French fleets into the Darden- elles, contrary to treaty, and the forced retreat of the Russian fleet to Sebasto- pol when the allies reached the Black Sea.
 On February the Russian minister was withdrawn from London and the British and French ministers from St. Petersburg. Although such a step us- ually proceeds war and is often regard ed as equivalent to a declaration, it only signifies that all hope of success full diplomatic negotiations has been abandoned and that war is likely to ensue; it does not necessarily imply a state Of war, such a state requiring some definite act of hostility.
 In the opium war of 1840, the Italian wars of 1S47 and 1S49, the Anglo-Per- sian war of 1856, the wars between Austria and France in 1859. Holland and SchleswigH Holstein in 1863 and Brazil and Uruguay in 1864 various hostile acts were committed before any declaration of war was made, although in some cases manifestoes were issued to neutral powers. In the Austro- Italian war in 1859, the Austro-Prus- sian war in 1866 and the Russo-Turk- ish war of 1877 the declaration and active operations were practically synonymous. In the last mentioned case, for example, the porte received a copy of the declaration on the even- ing of the 24th of.April, the very day