which God forbid--such an impious war were to arise
again, doubtless the same phenomena would be repro-
duced.

At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, Bis-
marck wrote to the Belgian Minister in Berlin on July
22, 1870:--

In confirmation of my verbal assurance, I have the honor
to give in writing a declaration, which, in view of the
treaties in force, is quite superfluous, that the Confederation
of the North and its allies [ Germany] will respect the neutral-
ity of Belgium on the understanding of course that it is
respected by the other belligerent.

Belgium was a barrier state for England, because
the guaranteed neutralization of Belgium prevented a
strong power from getting control of the coast and
threatening England. Early in 1852 Queen Victoria
wrote to the King of the Belgians, assuring him against
the alleged designs of Napoleon III, and stating, "Any
attempt on Belgium would be casus belli for us."

Mr. David Jayne Hill, an eminent authority on
international law, says:--

While this arrangement prevents making their territories
the scene of hostilities, it does not deprive these States of the
right of self-defense. On the contrary, it imposes upon them
the duty of defending their neutrality to the best of their abil-
ity; but, as they enjoy the guaranty of the powers that they
will aid them in this respect, it is improbable that their neu-
trality will ever be violated.

The neutralization of Belgium has a counterpart in
the Monroe Doctrine of the United States. This doc-
trine originated in conversations between Ministers
of the United States at London and members of the

-238-