Nonetheless other 19th century contemporaries were much more sceptical ; for example , British jurist Sir Robert Phillimore discussed the partition as a violation of international law ; German jurist Heinrich Bernhard Oppenheim presented similar views . Nonetheless other 19th century contemporaries were much more skeptical ; for example , British jurist Sir Robert Phillimore discussed the partition as a violation of international law ; German jurist Heinrich Bernhard Oppenheim presented similar views .