ates" or "spheres of influence." By this process
the interests of the nations of Europe reach out into all the far corners
of the earth, and constant care and arrangement is needed to prevent those
interests clashing. Where the interests of the different Powers do clash in
an uncivilised or semi-civilised part of the world a general international
agreement is often necessary to put things straight; for instance, during
recent years the interests of Germany, France, and Spain--and to a less
degree those of many other countries--were continually clashing in Morocco,
till it became necessary in 1906 to conclude a general international treaty
called the Algeciras Act, whereby the relations of all the Powers with
regard to Morocco were defined in great detail.

Sec.3. _The Balance of Power._--It is this continual attempt to arrange
matters and to keep the different Powers clear of each other in order that
their interests may not clash, which is the real underlying cause to-day of
what is known as the "Balance of Power." The doctrine of the "Balance
of Power" grew up at the end of the seventeenth and beginning of the
eighteenth century when Europe was threatened by the policy of aggression
and conquest undertaken by Louis XIV. of France. From that day onward,
European statesmen have sought to establish a definite European system and
to limit the growth of the European States in such a way as to ensure that
no State should be so strong as to threaten its neighbours.

The history of this attempt has been somewhat as follows. A coalition of
the States of Europe was formed against the aggressions of Louis XIV.
After a series of wars a peace was signed at Utrecht in 1713 defining the
boundaries of the European States in such a way as to establish equality
and a balance of power between them. For about ten years European statesmen
attempted to maintain the system thus set up by means of what has since
come to be known as the "Concert of Europe"--that is, by means of a series
of international congresses where opportunity was given for the settlement
of disputes between the different States. Soon, however, it became
impossible to satisfy the ambitions of the rulers and peoples of Europe by
this means, and the Concert of Europe broke up. Wars followed, during which
those statesmen, especially in England, who believed in the "Balance of
Power" sought to prevent any European nation from being overwhelmed by its
enemies. To this end, En