For some months the state of war that has been impending between
Russia, and the Allied Powers,--England, France, and Turkey,--has now
become actual; and though there have been many acts of preparation and
precaution on the part of England and France, we have not been, up to
the present crisis, engaged in what is termed by international
writers, Public and Solemn War; such a position of affairs has at last
arrived.

[Sidenote: Solemn War.]

The War then, that England has entered into, is of the most Public and
Solemn kind. Public War is divided into Perfect and Imperfect. The
former is more usually called Solemn. Grotius defines Public or Solemn
War to be such Public War as is declared or proclaimed.

Imperfect Wars between nations, that is such wars as nations carry on
one against the other, without declaring or proclaiming them, though
they are Public Wars, are seldom called wars at all; they are more
usually known by the name of reprisals, or acts of hostility. It has
often been important to determine, on the re-settlement of peace, what
time war commenced, and when reprisals ceased.[2]

According to the Law of Nations, two things are required for a Solemn
War; first, it must be a Public War; that is, the contending parties
must be two nations, or two parties of allied nations, contending by
force under the direction of a supreme executive; and secondly, it
must be proclaimed, notified, or declared. And probably it must be
general in its character, and not simply local or defensive. Presuming
that the coming contest will be of the widest character, I shall