States as to the right interpretation of the Darien 1856. Congress of Paris. Turkey admitted to the European Concert. Black Sea and chief rivers thrown open. Declaration of maritime rights, the sanctity of the neutral flag, immunity of private merchandize; privateering condemned. Lord Clarendon proposes the clause advising recourse to the good offices of a friendly Power. 1857. The Sound freed from toll, by purchase, by the Powers. 1858. Convention between the United States and Japan, opening certain ports. Arbitration between the United States and Chili (under the King of the Belgians). 1859. Declaration of merchants at Bremen, in favour of the immunity of maritime commerce in war. 1859. Arbitration between the United States and Paraguay, New Granada, and Costa Rica. 1860. Commercial Treaty, Great Britain and France. 1861. Emancipation of the serfs in Russia. 1863. Napoleon III. proposed a General Congress-not accepted by the Powers. 1864. A detailed Code of Instructions drawn up for the United Arbitration between the United States and Peru. Red cross Arbitration (Puget Sound) between Great Britain and the United States. Arbitration between Ecuador and Colombia. 1865. Monetary League between Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland. 1865-6. Slaves emancipated in the United States. 1866. 1867. Austria accedes to the Geneva Convention. Conference at Paris on the treatment of the sick and wounded in time of war; 1869 at Berlin. 1867. Treaty of London. Luxemburg neutralized. Russia accedes to the Geneva Convention. 1869. International Telegraphic Conference and Treaty at Berne. 1870. Russia repudiates the clause of the Paris Treaty neutralizing the Black Sea. Arbitration agreed to between Great Britain and the United States on the Alabama claims. The award Arbitration between the United States and Mexico. 1872. St. Juan Arbitration, between Great Britain and the United States, under the Emperor of Germany. Arbitration between Japan and Peru, under the Emperor of Russia. 1873. Turkey and Roumania accede to the Geneva Conven tion. 1874. Persia accedes to the same. Dispute between Switzerland and Italy referred to United Dispute between China and Japan referred to British. Seistan dispute between Afghanistan and Persia referred International Postal Treaty at Berne. Postal Union established. International Conference and Declaration of Brussels on the Laws and Customs of War. 1875. Arbitration between Great Britain and Portugal (Delagoa Bay), under Marshal MacMahon. International Telegraph Conference at St. Petersburg. 1878. Congress of Berlin, summoned by Germany to revise the Treaty of San Stefano between Russia and Turkey. 1879. Telegraphic Convention in London. Accession of Bolivia, Chili, Peru, and the Argentine 1880-1. Concert of the Powers to secure rectification of the frontiers of Montenegro and Greece. 1883. Convention at Paris on the protection of industrial property. 1881. Convention between Great Britain and the South African Republic (under British influence). 1885. International Telegraph Conference at Berlin. African Conference at Berlin. The new Congo State sanctioned. 1886. Commercial Convention between Great Britain and Spain. 1887. Conference at Tokio for the revision of the Treaties. Combination of the European Powers for the coercion First British Colonial Conference in London. Convention between Great Britain and Turkey, in respect of Egypt. Abortive through lack of agreement amongst the European Powers. Convention between Great Britain and China, in respect of Burmah and Thibet. Conventions between China Conference at St. Petersburg between Great Britain and Joint Commission at Washington to arrange the fishery Convention signed at the Hague, between Great Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and sea. International Copyright Convention between Great Sugar Bounty Conference in London. GREAT BRITAIN. Political Facts. GREAT BRITAIN proper, with Ireland and the neighbouring groups of islands (capital London) is in some but not all senses a European country -the nearest point of the Continent being at a distance of twenty-one miles. Though not conterminous with any other country, it has been in parts specially affected (the more so on account of its maritime and commercial enterprise) by the nations facing its several coasts. Thus between Scotland and Norway, between the eastern counties and the shores of the Baltic, between the south coast and France and the Netherlands, between Ireland and the United States, there have been reactions of various kinds in earlier or later times, by the interchange of races, products and commodities, manners and customs, and political sympathies. On the other hand, by its Colonies and Dependencies (over forty in number) Great Britain is conterminous with many other countries, and in this way it reaps the advantages and disadvantages, the profits and the dangers, which naturally accrue to conterminous States. It is the close neighbour of France in regard to the Channel Isles, India, Newfoundland, and Australasia; of Germany in South Africa and New Guinea; of Russia in Central Asia; of Spain in Gibraltar and Australasia; of Italy in Malta; of Holland in New Guinea, the Straits Settlements, Guiana, the West Indies, and British India; of Denmark in Heligoland and the West Indies; of Turkey in Cyprus, Aden, and virtually in Egypt; of Portugal in South Africa; of the United States in Canada; of China in Burmah and Hong Kong; and of minor independent States in different parts of the world. No year passes in which Great Britain does not find embarrassment, or a strain upon her resources, side by side with many valuable gains, from this indirect contiguity with other nations. The following table shows approximately the Area, Population, Revenue and Trade of the three sections of the empire. By comparison with other nations, the empire of Great Britain is first in point of Area, Russia being second. In Population Great Britain stands second amongst the nations, China coming first. In Colonial Possessions, Great Britain far exceeds all other countries put together. The British Navy (about 375,000 tons) is more than onefifth greater than that of France, which stands second. The British Army (about 360,000 men, including the Indian forces) is exceeded by those of Russia, Germany, France, and Italy. |