Ole Feldbæk. Dansk Neutralitetspolitik Under Krigen 1778–1783: Studier I
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Modern Europe be warned, however, that the author conceives without an actual stake in the conflict, Den of these notions exclusively in terms of tech mark-Norway desired to stay neutral in the nological innovations. His study begins in the war that commenced between England and early eighteenth century and follows Liegeois France in 1778. coal mining through the Habsburg, French, Denmark was to some extent greatly ham Dutch, and Belgian regimes up to 1850. Caulier pered in its wish to reap the benefits that fall to Mathy catalogs even the most incidental devel a neutral nation by the fact that it had entered opments in coal mining technology in abun into an alliance with Russia in 1773; Danish dant, and sometimes excruciating, detail. He maneuverability was indeed greatly restricted, supplements his text with twenty-one illustra but through the efforts of able statesmen it tions, five graphs, and eleven statistical appen may be said that the country weathered this Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ahr/article/80/1/131/293648 by guest on 25 September 2021 dixes. There is even a glossary, so that if you particular storm with flying colors. have been bothered by what a bouxtay is, or a The so-called League of Armed Neutrality pahage, or even a tocoue-jeu, your troubles are was formed in 1780, and it proved a rather suc over. As Lucien Febvre once objected of a cessful undertaking. Denmark, for one, experi book under review, "Est l'homme dans tout enced an economic boom from 1780 to 1783, cela?" Caulier-Mathy lays great stress on the with the shipping and trade industries flourish role of both engineers and entrepreneurs in ing. Although the country suffered in many initiating the various innovations, but in his ways and went through a difficult time, the account they are only engineers and entrepre government managed to exploit to the fullest neurs, not people. The miners themselves in extent the alternatives that flow from a neutral vented nothing of value, and thus they appear status. largely as the collective breathers of gas and The nation's relations with the outside world raisers of the annual yield. It may be useful were guided, then as now, by three overriding to learn, for example, that the Mueseler lamp considerations-political, economic, and those replaced the occasionally explosive Davy lamp relating to security. How the Danish govern in 1838, or that Lefebvre d'Hellancourt was ment succeeded in putting behind it what may probably the real author of the ministerial cir be likened to an obstacle course, how it weighed cular of 18 Messidor of the Year IX. But until the economically desirable against the politically we relate such "facts" to human experience, we possible, and how it assigned priorities to the are not going to learn much more about such various conflicting interests are well brought subjects as "modernization" and the "Indus out in this interesting case study. trial Revolution." The author, who is an associate professor of GEORGE FASEL history at the University of Copenhagen, has University of Missouri produced not only a very readable volume but Columbia also a fine contribution to the study of this period in Danish history. OLE FELDB..EK. Dansk neutralitetspolitik under ERIK J. FRllS krigen I778-I783: Studier i regeringens prior A merican-Scandinavian Foundation itering af politiske og ¢konomiske interesser [Denmark's Neutrality Policy during the War of 1778-1783: Studies in the Government's As JOHNNY LEISNER et al., editors. Festskrijt til sessment of Political and Economic Priorities]. Povl Bagge po' halvfjerdso'rsdagen, 30. Novem (Kjilbenhavns Universitet, Institut for Okono ber I972: Fra en kreds af elever [A Festschrift misk Historie, Publication number 2.) Copen for Povl Bagge on His Seventieth Birthday, 30 hagen: G. E. C. Gads Forlag. 1971. Pp. 212. November 1972: From a Group of His Pupils]. 34.50 D. kr. Copenhagen: Danske Historiske Forening. 1972. Pp. 400. 95 D. kr. The American War of Independence, in which France, Spain, and Holland were also involved, A miscellaneous collection of articles with an affected in no small measure many of the appended bibliography reveals something of minor European powers. One of these was the both the person honored and its contribu dual monarchy of Denmark-Norway, which dur tors. The bibliographical listing at the end pro ing the previous century had developed into a vides a complete view of Bagge's work, which maritime nation of some importance and was runs mainly to editing-with Aage Friis, docu also an imperial nation of sorts with far-flung mentary collections on Schleswig-Holstein; the colonies in Greenland, the West Indies, West Excerpta Historica Nordica; the Historisk tid Africa, and India. Like most trading nations skrijt from 1943 to 1966; and others-s-and the.