Editing Splendid isolation (section)

== Background ==
{{Further|International relations of the Great Powers (1814–1919)|History of the foreign relations of the United Kingdom}}
[[Image:George Canning by Richard Evans - detail.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|Foreign Secretary [[George Canning]] (1770–1827), reputed originator of the policy]]
Nineteenth-century British foreign policy was characterised by a reluctance to enter into permanent alliances with other [[Great Power]]s. Often assumed to apply only to the latter part of the century, some historians argue it originated after the 1822 [[Congress of Verona]], when Britain withdrew from the post-1815 [[Concert of Europe]], guided by Foreign Secretary [[George Canning]]. His principles dominated British foreign policy for decades, and have been summarised as follows;

{{quote|Non-intervention; no European police system; every nation for itself, and God for us all; balance of power; respect for facts, not for abstract theories; respect for treaty rights, but caution in extending them...England not Europe...Europe's domain extends to the shores of the Atlantic, England's begins there.{{sfn|Temperley|1925|p=342}}}}

For much of the 19th century, Britain sought to maintain the existing [[Balance of power (international relations)|balance of power]] in Europe, while protecting trade routes to its colonies and [[dominion]]s, especially those connecting to [[British India]] through the [[Suez Canal]]. In 1866, the Foreign Secretary [[Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby|Lord Derby]] explained this policy as follows:

<blockquote>It is the duty of the Government of this country, placed as it is with regard to geographical position, to keep itself upon terms of goodwill with all surrounding nations, but not to entangle itself with any single or monopolising alliance with any one of them; above all to endeavour not to interfere needlessly and vexatiously with the internal affairs of any foreign country.''<ref>{{cite book|last=Great Britain. Parliament|title=The parliamentary debates |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bk0zAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA83|year=1866|page=735}}</ref></blockquote>

One exception was the 1839 [[Treaty of London (1839)|Treaty of London]], recognising the independence of [[Belgium]], which led to Britain entering [[World War I]] in 1914. The ports of [[Ostend]], [[Antwerp]] and [[Zeebrugge]] were so important to ensuring control of the [[English Channel]], Britain guaranteed Belgian independence, by military means if required.{{sfn|Schroeder|1994|pp=671–691}}