Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/659

 Europe of To-day 621 miles, with a native population of some thirty-seven mil- lion; almost the whole territory is tropical or subtropi- cal, inhabited by lower races, and incapable of colonization. Italian aspirations took similar shape from 1880 onwards, Italian though the disastrous experience of the Abyssinian expedi- colonization, tion has given a check to Italian imperialism. Her posses- sions in East Africa are confined to the northern colony of Eritrea and the protectorate of Somaliland. Of the other European states two only, Portugal and Belgium, enter directly into the competition of the new imperialism. Spain may be said to have definitely retired from imperial competition. The large and important pos- sessions of Holland in the East and West Indies, though involving her in imperial politics in some degree, belong to older colonialism; she takes no part in the new expansion. Russia, the only active expansionist country of the north, Russia, stands alone in the character of her imperial growth, which differs from other imperialism in that it has been princi- pally Asiatic in its achievements and has proceeded, by direct extension of imperial boundaries, partaking to a larger extent than in the other cases of a regular colonial policy of settlement for purposes of agriculture and industry. The recent entrance of the powerful and progressive The United nation of the United States of America upon imperialism States - by the annexation of Hawaii and the taking over of the relics of the ancient Spanish empire, not only adds a new formi- dable competitor for trade and territory, but changes and complicates the issues. As the focus of political attention and activity shifts more to the Pacific states and the com- mercial aspirations of America are more and more set upon trade with the Pacific islands and the Asiatic coast, the same forces which are driving European states along the path of territorial expansion seem likely to act upon the United States, leading her to a virtual abandonment of the principle of American isolation which has hitherto domi- nated her policy.