THE DECLARATION OF LONDON.
[To THE EDITOE OP TSB "SPECTATOR.")
Snie,—May I make a point in reference to the Declaration of London which does not appear as yet to have met with the attention which its importance deserves P It is this The significance of any such declaration for us, so long as we maintain our maritime supremacy, must lie wholly in the points we concede, and not at all in the points, if any, which other nations concede to us. For we maintain, and I think history bears us out, that we have, on the whole, used our sea power with justice and humanity, and, in any case, we may always mend our ways in future, without the aid of a. Tribunal at The Hague. But if other nations misuse their naval forces, it will be no use for us to appeal to The Hague ; on the contrary, it will be The Hague. Tribunal which will have to appeal to us to enforce its decrees. It will therefore in the future, as in the past, devolve upon us to make good any concessions which may be made to us; while no one who advocates the ratification of the Declaration will be found to admit that the concessions we make therein are not meant to take effect unless, or until, some other nation acquires the power of enforcing them against us.—I am, Sir, Sse.,
The Hard, Hythe, Southampton. EDWARD T. Dixon:
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