vi PREFACE 



of view or by some incident of diplomatic con 

 troversy. There have been more tempting oc 

 casions for misunderstanding and armed con 

 flict between the British Empire and the United 

 States than between the United States and 

 all other nations of the earth combined. The 

 points of contact between the British Empire 

 and the United States are many, and each point 

 of contact is a point of possible friction. Their 

 commercial interests are often in keen rivalry. 

 In times past theirterritorial ambitions have been 

 in sharp conflict with each other. Notwithstand 

 ing, a full hundred years has passed during which 

 war between them has been avoided. This fact is 

 of itself an eloquent testimony to the temper and 

 self-restraint of the English-speaking peoples and 

 a noble tribute to the statesmen who have in 

 succession guided their policies and conducted 

 their international business. The long invisible 

 line which separates the United States and the 

 Dominion of Canada has been left unguarded 

 despite the fact that two energetic, rapidly ex 

 panding peoples have been pushing steadily west 

 ward on either side of it. This long, invisible, 

 unguarded line is the most convincing testimony 

 that the world has to offer to the ability of 

 modern self-disciplined peoples to keep the 



