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Show ,1+- added to their hazy code of international conduct up to the time when the revolt of the English colonies, their declaration of independence, their short-lived confederation as thirteen national sovereignties, and their formation into a "more perfect Union," drew to this continent a dissevered portion of the sovereignty of England, here to repose partly in the federal government of the United States as one of the family of nations and partly in the governments of the several States forming the Union, with a large residuum deposited in the people themselves.8 This first lodgment of sovereignty upon the continent of North America was brought about in a nationally unusual way,- and the governmental structure finally provided for its resting place was somewhat of a political novelty. It will be remembered that prior to July I4, 177&, "the thirteen English colonies were entirely independent of each other except as to their common (italics added.) Consult also, Bolton & Marshall, The Colonization of North America lij.92- 1783} and the historical discussion in Martin v. Waddell, 16 Pet. (U»S.) 367, 10 L. Ed6 997 (18i|2), Antwerp is said to have had as many as five hundred ships at her docks in a single day when at the zenith of her greatness under the free navigation of the Scheldt preceding the Treaty of Munster. Sec 2 Encyclopedia Britannica,156. 'G. Kaeckenbeock, International Rivers, 3^ (1 Grotius Society Publications), reviewed in (1919) 28 Yale L.J* 519. This decree of the "Conseil Bxecutif" was issued November io, 1792. c "Albert Bushnell Hart in an article on American Ideals of International Relations, (I907) 1 Ajn. J. of Int. Law," 62i+, 62U-626, saidj "The great disturb- ing element in modern history is the opening up of an unknown continent to European civilization. The conventional subdivisions of Europe were disturbed, the old fashioned balance of powers was broken up, when Spain, chiefly through the wealth derived from America in the sixteenth century, rose; to be the first military, naval, commercial and territorial power in Europe; then the Protestant Reformation set England off as the enemy of France and Spain. That America was rich seemed, to Drake a reason for plundering it; that his colonies were plundered led Phillip II to fit out the Invincible Armada of I588; that the Armada was defeated caused Spain in I60I4. to yield a peace in-which the English would make no pledge against colonization in America; the peace of I60I4. opened the way for* the English to plant Virginia in 1607; that Virginia was planted was a new r-eascn for hostility between the two naval and colonizing powers. From'that time Spain, Holland, France and England were rivals, not only in European wa_rs and in contests for the carrying trade, but in seizing America. Their trading companies quarreled and fought each other for the possession of harbors likze New York s~nd fur preserves like Hudson Bay. The little colonies sent embass ies and naval expeditions upon each other; and more than once rivalries in the colonies led to wars in Europe. . . . With Holland the tra- ditional fr-iendship between two neighboring Protestant powers was broken in I65I, when England began to iriove against the Dutch commerce; and four naval wars followed, within twenty years, in the course of which the Dutch lost New Netherlands which was their footing in the American continent. The French were strongly seated on the St. Lawrence,, and notwithstanding two wars, held their own both th_ere and in Nova Scotia. ? . Thus prepared by a century and a half of relation_s with other countries, the revolting colonies in 1775 early took up the talk: of a nation; and no part of the triumph of the Revolution is more |