Whether  the  war  is  prolonged  or  not  will  depend  much  more  on  the  temper  and
resources  of  the  belligerents  than  on  what  neutral  States  can  do.  If  neutrals  by
enjoying  under  the  rme,  as  it  now  stands,  a  commerce  in  time  of  war  which  they
ooukl  not  enjoy  if  they  were  themselyes  belligerents — if  by  that  means  they  haye
an  additional  inducement,  as  they  obviously  will,  to  keep  out  of  war,  that  surely
is  a  great  gain  for  humanity.  I  will  only  repeat  my  yery  airdent  sympathy  with  the
principle  of  humanity  in  the  name  of  which  the  immunity  of  pnyate  property
IS  adyocated,  and  my  regret  that  there  are  the  difficulties  I  naye  mentioned  in  tha
way  of  its  realisation.  I  belieye  that  nine-tenths  of  the  philanthropic  objects
mimed  at  by  that  principle  may  be  gained  without  the  abrogation  of  a  rule  whi(^
may  in  certain  respects  still  be  salutary.
