INTRODUCTION. 



The various questions of Foreign Policy, dealt with in this volume, 

 have occupied my attention for several years past, not only in 

 my pubhc capacity as a lecturer in various parts of Great Britain 

 and Ireland, but, also, as an essayist and contributor to the 

 public press, more particularly when these important questions 

 affecting International Relations were in the front rank of public 

 interest, and, therefore, occupying the attention of Governments, 

 and of Statesmen throughout the Empire. 



These questions of Foreign Policy, that I have selected for pub- 

 lication, from a large number of subjects of international interest 

 and importance, which have for upwards of a quarter of a century 

 past excited public interest, I now present, in a compact form, to 

 the public eye, in each and every instance considerably enlarged both 

 in scope and in character, and, also more complete in their historic ■ 

 references, at least, so far as my humble research and earnest con- 

 sideration of them have permitted. 



They embrace three periods of time, the past, present, und 

 future; and although the events of the past — which cannot be 

 revoked or erased from the records of the Political History of 

 European nations — iriay, generally, be considered to have a limited 

 bearing only on the political events of the present time, or upon 

 the Foreign Pohcy of the future, yet, so interwoven are the 

 events of the past, to which some of the subjects in this volume 

 relate, in their relations with, and their influence upon, the future, 

 that I have considered them to be of sufficient international 

 importance to be suitably included in a volume bearing the title of 

 "The Foreign Policy of Europe." 



Under the category of the events of the past, I include, " The 

 Wars of Queen Victoria's Reign," being the history of the wars 

 waged by England during a period of 50 years, from the Accession 



