These notes cover how Britain administered its empire, how rule of India changed after 1858, the international threats to the empire, the conferences that led to the ‘Scramble for Africa’ and the informal empire between . They are for the new a level specification and are to an A*standard.
Section 1: The Development of Imperialism c1857-c1890 Chapter 2: Imperial and Colonial Policy
Chapter 2: Imperial and Colonial Policy
Governance
What was the Colonial Office?
• First established in 1801, it was initially combined with the war office but it functioned separately from 1854
• It was divided into 5 departments: North America; Australia: the West Indies: Africa and the Mediterranean as
well as General from 1870
• Headed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies or the ‘Colonial Secretary’
• Most colonial sectaries only served for a few years, the longest-serving between 1857 and 1890 were: the
Duke of Newcastle (1859-64); the Earl of Kimberly (1870-4); the Earl of Carmon (1874-8); the 15th Earl of
Derby (1882-5) and Lord Knutsford (1887-92)
• The work of the Colonial Sectary increased enormously in the 19th century although some white settler
colonies became self-governing in this period
• ‘Orders in Council’ were issued on the advice of law officers in London as a means of administering the
Crown colonies without local consultation
• The colonial office did not have responsibility for all British territories. Some protectorates and other areas e.g.
Egypt and treaty ports in China were under the foreign office. There was also a separate India office from 1858
White Settler Colonies Granted ‘Responsible Government’
• Canada (1848); Newfoundland (1855); New South Wales (1855); Victoria (1855); New Zealand (1856);
Tasmania (1856); South Australia (1857); Queensland (1859); Cape Colony (1872); Western Australia
(1890) and Natal (1893)
How were the white settler colonies administered?
• Following the Durham Report in 1838, Britain moved towards responsible government in the white settler
colonies
• British governors ruled with the support of representative assemblies, appointing ministers who could
command a majority
• The West Indian colonies remained under direct British rule because the number of voters (who had to be
white) was small e.g. white people represented only 1 903 of 456 000 Jamaicans in 1864
How was India Administrated and Defended?
How did the governance of India change in 1858?
• Expansion in India had originally been overseen by the British East India Company
• Under its control, millions of subjects had been added to the Empire through conquest and annexation
• The company had been granted a monopoly over English trade with Asia. After Robert Clive defeated France
at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the company ruled India until 1858. It became increasingly expansionist,
provoking the mutiny of 1857
• The mutiny of Indian Sepoys serving in the British East India Company’s army in 1857 lasted a year and
brought 1000s of deaths. British troops were disputed to support the EIC
• After the mutiny had been quelled, a change of rule was necessary to prevent recurrence
• In 1858, the EIC handed the control of India over to the British government and the company was dissolved
What were the terms of the Government of India Act (1858)?
• The EIC’s territories in India were passed to the Queen and the company ceased to exist
• The position of Secretary of State for India in the cabinet was created. They received powers and duties
formerly exercised by the EIC’s directors
• An Indian Council of 15 members, with experience of Indian affairs, was appointed to assist the SoSfI and act
as an advisory body for Indian affairs
• The Crown appointed a Viceroy to replace the Company’s Governor-General
• The Indian Civil Service was placed under control of the Sectary of State
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