帕默斯顿被称为英国炮舰外交的始作俑者。但是,帕默斯顿并不主张四处出击,认为在不严重涉及英国利益的情况下,英国应尽量袖手旁观。炮舰外交政策下的外交原则依然是维护英国利益,英国没有永恒的盟友与敌人,外交政策须遵循英国的永恒利益,即欧洲均势与自由贸易。帕默斯顿的外交政策介于右翼领土保守主义和左翼自由民族主义之间。 Palmerston is known as the initiator of British gunboat diplomacy. However, Palmerston does not advocate a one-off attack and believes that Britain should stand by without serious concern about the interests of Britain. The diplomatic principle under the gunboat’s diplomatic policy is still the safeguarding of British interests. Britain has no eternal allies and enemies and its foreign policy must abide by the eternal interests of Britain, that is, the European balance of power and free trade. Palmerston’s foreign policy lies between right-wing territorialism and left-wing liberal nationalism.