10: Attitudes to Empire - the Role and Influence of Individuals
Joseph Conservative Colonial Secretary 1895-1903. Believed the effective used of the empire with
Chamberlain reinforced imperial bonds would sustain British prosperity and prestige. He summoned and
chaired two further colonial conference (after the failure of the first 1887) in 1897 and 1902
At these he proposed an imperial defence and customs union for the self-governing white
colonies but these ideas were both rejected. He conducted a campaign of tariff reform
and for imperial preference. A tariff reform league was set up which distributed leaflets
and played messages in public meetings. He believed imperial preference would benefit
Britain and reduce unemployment. He was a strong advocate for 'colonial development'
and promoted government investment in the less profitable areas of Empire both to
promote and out of feeling it was an imperial duty, 'I believe that the British race is the
greatest of the governing races that the world has ever seen'. When the Boer war broke
out in 1899, Chamberlain was viewed as a national hero, something which faded as the
war dragged on. He initiated the building of the Ugandan Railway, sanctioned the
conquest and annexation of Ashantiland and, in 1900, supervised the acquisition of the
territory of Royal Niger Company. His idea of colonial preference split the conservative
party and he resigned in 1903
Cecil Prime Minister of Cape Colony in 1890. Driven by a strong conviction that British civilisation
Rhodes and control was key to the betterment of the world. Using his vast fortune, political power
and control of the Cape newspapers, Rhodes impressed upon audience at home and
abroad the right and duty of Britons to dominate Africa and beyond. In 1890, he sent
settlers to establish Fort Salisbury in Matabeleland, opening up the territories that from
c1899 were to be known as Rhodesia in his honour. One of his projects to outflank the Boer
Republic of the Transvaal and the Germans in the rush to Central Africa, was the railway
line north from the Cape through Bechuanaland. He hoped it would eventually reach the
Nile to ensure British domination of all east-central Africa. This dream of Cape to Chiro was
blocked by the German occupation of East Africa from 1891 and never completed in his
lifetime. He resigned after the Jameson Raid in 1896 and died 6 years later. His fortune
helped promote Empire after his death e.g. in his publicity work of the Round Table, an
imperial pressure group established in 1910 by a like-minded ally of Rhodes - Alfred Milner
Viceroy Lord Salisbury appointed him as Viceroy of India in 1899. Concern about Russian
Curzon expansion led him to create the North West frontier province in 1901 and dispatch military
expedition into Tibet. He believed in a moral imperialism and took great pride in
representing Britain and its imperial mission. He established both commissions and
legislation to improve India's administration and agriculture - making provisions for famine
relief and irrigation projects. He oversaw the re-arming of native regiments, the expansion
of provincial police, the promotion of scientific and medical education and the
construction of a further 6000 miles of railway track to consolidate British control of India.
Founded the Imperial Cadet Corps to give Indian nobles a military role and the prospect
of officer commissions. He lavished hospitality and rewards on its members at his elaborate
Delhi durbar of 1903, both this and his costly restoration of the Taj Mahal were his way of
honouring colonial India. He was wary of giving Indians too much responsibility as he had
a low opinion of their abilities. In his own province, an Indian lacked an Englishman's
authority and outside his province this would be even harder. Curzon refused to appoint
Indians to more senior posts for fear that they were unequal to emergencies and 'rather
inclined to abdicate or to run away'. He believed dividing the troublesome province of
Bengal in 1905 would weaken the Raj's internal enemies. Instead partition backfired and
Curzon resigned the same year
Evelyn Consul-General in Egypt between 1883-1907. Saw himself as a moral reformer, he was
Baring (Lord certain that Christian values should be base of Empire. He believed the long occupation
Cromer) of Egypt was essential and he established a new guiding principle - the 'Granville Doctrine'
which allowed Baring to dismiss Egyptian minister who refused to accept British directives.
He placed British officials in key ministries and created the vailed protectorate in which
British officials held the actual power. He effectively controlled Egypt until 1907, the
arrangement worked well for the first 10 years of British control, however, Tewfik died in
1892 and was succeeded by Abbas Hilmi II, who wanted to throw off British rule and
encouraged the nationalist movement. He regarded Egypt as something of a
battleground between 'civilised' Christianity and Islam, which he viewed as a set of
outdated Arabia customs that were detrimental to modern Egypt. Baring was particularly
concerned with the Islamic society's acceptance of slavery, its antiquated justice system
and its treatment of women. His moral mission both echoed and informed public opinion
Joseph Conservative Colonial Secretary 1895-1903. Believed the effective used of the empire with
Chamberlain reinforced imperial bonds would sustain British prosperity and prestige. He summoned and
chaired two further colonial conference (after the failure of the first 1887) in 1897 and 1902
At these he proposed an imperial defence and customs union for the self-governing white
colonies but these ideas were both rejected. He conducted a campaign of tariff reform
and for imperial preference. A tariff reform league was set up which distributed leaflets
and played messages in public meetings. He believed imperial preference would benefit
Britain and reduce unemployment. He was a strong advocate for 'colonial development'
and promoted government investment in the less profitable areas of Empire both to
promote and out of feeling it was an imperial duty, 'I believe that the British race is the
greatest of the governing races that the world has ever seen'. When the Boer war broke
out in 1899, Chamberlain was viewed as a national hero, something which faded as the
war dragged on. He initiated the building of the Ugandan Railway, sanctioned the
conquest and annexation of Ashantiland and, in 1900, supervised the acquisition of the
territory of Royal Niger Company. His idea of colonial preference split the conservative
party and he resigned in 1903
Cecil Prime Minister of Cape Colony in 1890. Driven by a strong conviction that British civilisation
Rhodes and control was key to the betterment of the world. Using his vast fortune, political power
and control of the Cape newspapers, Rhodes impressed upon audience at home and
abroad the right and duty of Britons to dominate Africa and beyond. In 1890, he sent
settlers to establish Fort Salisbury in Matabeleland, opening up the territories that from
c1899 were to be known as Rhodesia in his honour. One of his projects to outflank the Boer
Republic of the Transvaal and the Germans in the rush to Central Africa, was the railway
line north from the Cape through Bechuanaland. He hoped it would eventually reach the
Nile to ensure British domination of all east-central Africa. This dream of Cape to Chiro was
blocked by the German occupation of East Africa from 1891 and never completed in his
lifetime. He resigned after the Jameson Raid in 1896 and died 6 years later. His fortune
helped promote Empire after his death e.g. in his publicity work of the Round Table, an
imperial pressure group established in 1910 by a like-minded ally of Rhodes - Alfred Milner
Viceroy Lord Salisbury appointed him as Viceroy of India in 1899. Concern about Russian
Curzon expansion led him to create the North West frontier province in 1901 and dispatch military
expedition into Tibet. He believed in a moral imperialism and took great pride in
representing Britain and its imperial mission. He established both commissions and
legislation to improve India's administration and agriculture - making provisions for famine
relief and irrigation projects. He oversaw the re-arming of native regiments, the expansion
of provincial police, the promotion of scientific and medical education and the
construction of a further 6000 miles of railway track to consolidate British control of India.
Founded the Imperial Cadet Corps to give Indian nobles a military role and the prospect
of officer commissions. He lavished hospitality and rewards on its members at his elaborate
Delhi durbar of 1903, both this and his costly restoration of the Taj Mahal were his way of
honouring colonial India. He was wary of giving Indians too much responsibility as he had
a low opinion of their abilities. In his own province, an Indian lacked an Englishman's
authority and outside his province this would be even harder. Curzon refused to appoint
Indians to more senior posts for fear that they were unequal to emergencies and 'rather
inclined to abdicate or to run away'. He believed dividing the troublesome province of
Bengal in 1905 would weaken the Raj's internal enemies. Instead partition backfired and
Curzon resigned the same year
Evelyn Consul-General in Egypt between 1883-1907. Saw himself as a moral reformer, he was
Baring (Lord certain that Christian values should be base of Empire. He believed the long occupation
Cromer) of Egypt was essential and he established a new guiding principle - the 'Granville Doctrine'
which allowed Baring to dismiss Egyptian minister who refused to accept British directives.
He placed British officials in key ministries and created the vailed protectorate in which
British officials held the actual power. He effectively controlled Egypt until 1907, the
arrangement worked well for the first 10 years of British control, however, Tewfik died in
1892 and was succeeded by Abbas Hilmi II, who wanted to throw off British rule and
encouraged the nationalist movement. He regarded Egypt as something of a
battleground between 'civilised' Christianity and Islam, which he viewed as a set of
outdated Arabia customs that were detrimental to modern Egypt. Baring was particularly
concerned with the Islamic society's acceptance of slavery, its antiquated justice system
and its treatment of women. His moral mission both echoed and informed public opinion
