Skip to main content
Palgrave Macmillan
Book cover

The Law of Nations and Britain’s Quest for Naval Security

International Law and Arms Control, 1898–1914

  • Book
  • © 2016

Overview

  • Presents a fresh perspective on arms control efforts prior to the First World War

  • Explores a key aspect of pre-war diplomacy studies

  • Uncovers the ambitions of statesmen to advance national interests through treaties

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (10 chapters)

Keywords

About this book

As the centenary of the Treaty of Versailles approaches, this book presents the pre-1914 precursors to the interwar naval arms treaties arising from the peace of 1919, providing a fresh perspective on arms control efforts through an interdisciplinary approach. Interweaving historical investigation with legal analysis, Scott Keefer traces the British role in the development of naval arms control, outlining the pragmatic Foreign Office approaches towards international law. By emphasizing what was possible within the existing legal system rather than attempting to create radically powerful international institutions, statesmen crafted treaties to exploit the unique pace of naval construction. Utilizing previously-overlooked archival resources, this book investigates how the great powers exploited treaties as elements of national security strategies. The result is a fuller analysis of the Hague Peace Conferences, Anglo-German discussions, and lesser known regional agreements from the American Great Lakes to South America, and a richer exploration of pre-1914 diplomacy, providing insights into how a past generation perceived questions of war and defence. 

Reviews

“Keefer’s book provides a useful and cogent introduction to international law in the context of British arms limitations negotiations and policies in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He successfully shows how international law operated as a significant part of British diplomacy prior to the First World War. … Keefer’s new book should prove fruitful reading by naval historians seeking to enhance their existing understating of international law and its functioning in the pre-First World War period.” (Alan M. Anderson, International Journal of Maritime History, Vol. 30 (03), August, 2018)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom

    Scott Andrew Keefer

About the author

Scott Keefer is Lecturer at Bournemouth University, UK. He has previously worked as an international lawyer, as well as teaching at the University of Heidelberg and the London School of Economics.  His research on the history of international law has included a Fulbright Fellowship at the Max Planck Institute.  

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Law of Nations and Britain’s Quest for Naval Security

  • Book Subtitle: International Law and Arms Control, 1898–1914

  • Authors: Scott Andrew Keefer

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39645-3

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2016

  • License: CC BY

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-39644-6Published: 22 November 2016

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-81930-3Published: 27 June 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-39645-3Published: 13 November 2016

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XI, 326

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: History of Modern Europe, History of Britain and Ireland, Peace Studies, History of Military, Legal History

Publish with us