172 A Century of /Science 



United States either immediately or remotely, our 

 government has with unexpected emphasis declared 

 itself interested. 



On the other hand, one does not seem to find in 

 the treaty any provision which would have covered 

 two or three of the most serious questions that have 

 ever been in dispute between the United States and 

 Great Britain. One of these questions, concern- 

 ing the right of search and the impressment of sea- 

 men, was conspicuous among the causes of the ill- 

 considered and deplorable War of 1812. But it 

 may be presumed, with strong probability, that no 

 difficulty of that kind can again arise between 

 these two powers. The affair of the Trent in 1861 

 seems also to be a kind of case not provided for. 

 But that affair, most creditably settled at a mo- 

 ment of fierce irritation and under aggravating 

 circumstances, was settled in such wise as to estab- 

 lish a great principle which will make it extremely 

 difficult for such a case to occur again. As for 

 the Alabama Claims, they could apparently have 

 been adjusted under the present treaty, as large 

 pecuniary claims involving international principles 

 of grave general importance. 



On the whole, there seems to be small likelihood 

 of any dispute arising between this country and 

 Great Britain which cannot be amicably settled, 



