This, doubtless final, edition of my letters upon War and Neutrality contains, by renewed kind permission of _The Times_, the whole series of such letters, covering a period of no less than forty years. To the letters which have already appeared in former editions, I have now added those contained in the "Supplement" of 1916 (for some time out of print) to my second edition; as also others of still more recent date. All these have been grouped, as were their predecessors, under the various topics which they were intended to illustrate. The explanatory commentaries have been carefully brought up to date, and a perhaps superfluously full Index should facilitate reference for those interested in matters of the kind. Such persons may not be sorry to have their attention recalled to many questions which have demanded practical treatment of late years, more especially during the years of the great war. Not a few of these questions are sure again to come to the front, so soon as the rehabilitation of International Law, rendered necessary by the conduct of that War, shall be seriously taken in hand. T. E. H. OXFORD, _April_ 25, 1921. CONTENTS CHAPTER I MEASURES SHORT OF WAR FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL CONTROVERSIES 1 SECTION 1 _Friendly Measures_ 1 The Petition to the President of the United States (1899) 2 Commissions of Enquiry and The Hague Convention (1904) 3 The League of Nations (1919) 7 " " " " ( " ) 8 " " " " (1920) 9 SECTION 2 _Pacific Reprisals_ 9 The Blockade of the Menam (1893) 10 Pacific Blockade (1897) 11 The Venezuelan Controversy (1902) 13 The Venezuela Protocol (1903) 18 War and Reprisals (1908) 18 CHAPTER II STEPS TOWARDS A WRITTEN LAW OF WAR 22 Count von Moltke on the Laws of Warfare (1881) 23 Professor Bluntschli's Reply to Count von Moltke (1881) 26 The United States Naval War Code (1901) 29 A Naval War Code (1902) 31 CHAPTER III TERMINOLOGY 33 International Terminology (1918) 33 CHAPTER IV CONVENTIONS AND LEGISLATION 36 Government Bills and International Conventions (1911) 36 The present Bill in Parliament (1914) 38 The Foreign Enlistment Bill (1912) 39 CHAPTER V THE COMMENCEMENT OF WAR 41 SECTION 1 _Declaration of War_ 41 The Sinking of the _Kowshing_ (1894) 41 SECTION 2 _The Immediate Effects of the Outbreak of War_ 44 Foreign Soldiers in England (1909) 45 The Naval Prize Bill: Civil Disabilities of Enemy Subjects (1911) 47 Enemy Ships in Port (1917) 49 CHAPTER VI THE CONDUCT OF WARFARE 50 SECTION 1 _On the Open Sea_ 51 The Freedom of the Seas? (1917) 51 SECTION 2 _In Other Waters_ 51