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INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS


CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
London: FETTER LANE, E.C.
C. F. CLAY, MANAGER

_Edinburgh_: 100, PRINCES STREET
_London_: STEVENS AND SONS, LTD., 119 AND 120, CHANCERY LANE
_Berlin_: A. ASHER AND CO.
_Leipzig_: F. A. BROCKHAUS
_New York_: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
_Bombay and Calcutta_: MACMILLAN AND Co., LTD.

[_All Rights reserved_]



INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS

FOR

DISCUSSION

IN CONVERSATION CLASSES



BY

L. OPPENHEIM, M.A., LL.D.

WHEWELL PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
ASSOCIATE OF THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW



Cambridge:
at the University Press
1909

_Cambridge:_
PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M.A.
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.




Transcribers' Note: Inconsistent punctuation printed in the original
text has been retained.



PREFACE


For many years I have pursued the practice of holding conversation
classes following my lectures on international law. The chief
characteristic of these classes is the discussion of international
incidents as they occur in everyday life. I did not formerly possess
any collection, but brought before the class such incidents as had
occurred during the preceding week. Of late I have found it more useful
to preserve a record of some of these incidents and to add to this
nucleus a small number of typical cases from the past as well as some
problem cases, which were invented for the purpose of drawing the
attention of the class to certain salient points of international law.

As I was often asked by my students and others to bring out a
collection of incidents suitable for discussion, and as the printing of
such a little book frees me from the necessity of dictating the cases
to my students, I have, although somewhat reluctantly, made up my mind
to publish the present collection.

I need hardly emphasise the fact that this collection is not intended
to compete either with Scott's _Cases on International Law, selected
from decisions of English and American Courts_, or with Pitt
Cobbett's _Leading Cases and Opinions on International Law_, both
of which are collections of standard value, but intended for quite
other purposes than my own.

I have spent much thought in the endeavour to class my incidents into a
number of groups, but having found all such efforts at grouping futile,
I therefore present them in twenty-five sections, each containing four
cases of a different character. Experience has shewn me that in a class
lasting two hours I am able to discuss the four cases contained in
these sections.

I have taken special care not to have two similar cases within the same
section, for although there are no two cases exactly alike in the
collection, there are several possessing certain characteristics in
common. It is one of the tasks of the teacher and the students
themselves to group together such of my cases as they may think are
related to each other by one or more of these traits.

It has been suggested that notes and hints should be appended to each
case, but the purpose for which the collection is published is better
served by giving the incidents devoid of any explanatory matter. Should
this book induce other teachers of international law to adopt my method
of seminar work, it must be left to them to stimulate their classes in
such a way as to enable the students to discover on their own
initiative the solution of the problems.

I gladly accepted the suggestion of the publishers that the cases
should be printed on writing paper and on one side of the page only, so
that notes may be taken and additional cases added.

I am greatly indebted to Mr Dudley Ward, of St John's College,
Cambridge, my assistant, who has prepared the cases for the press and
read the proofs. In deciding upon the final form of each case so many
of his suggestions have been adopted that in many instances I do not
know what is my own and what is his work.

L. O.

WHEWELL HOUSE,
CAMBRIDGE,
_June 12th, 1909_.




TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                        PAGE

SECTION I.
    1. A Councillor of Legation in Difficulties            1
    2. Neutral Goods on Enemy Merchantman                  1
    3. American Coasting Trade                             3
    4. A German Balloon in Antwerp                         3

SECTION II.
    5. Use of the White Flag                               5
    6. A South American "Pseudo-Republic"                  5
    7. A Tavern Brawl                                      9
    8. A Threatened Diplomatic Rupture                    11

SECTION III.
    9. Death Sentence on Russian Terrorists               11
   10. The Case of De Jager                               13
   11. A Kidnapped Chinaman                               15
   12. A Case of Bigamy                                   15

SECTION IV.
   13. A Shot across the Frontier                         17
   14. A Revolted Prize                                   17
   15. Investments Abroad                                 19
   16. Russian Coasting Trade                             19

SECTION V.
   17. Exceeding the Speed Limit                          21
   18. A New-born Island                                  21
   19. An Irate Queen                                     23
   20. An Incident in the Black Sea                       23

SECTION VI.
   21. The Case of the _Trent_                            25
   22. A Double Murderer                                  25
   23. A Masterful Customs Official                       27
  