THE EMPIRE

In 1837 Victoria was crowned as the British Queen. She and her husband, Albert, came to symbolise many virtues: a close-knit family life, a sense of public duty, integrity, and respectability. These beliefs and attitudes are often known as “Victorian”.

Britain's empire had first been built on trade and the need to defend this against rival European countries. Britain watched the oceans carefully to make sure its trade routes were safe, and fought wars in order to protect its "areas of interest". In 1839 it attacked China and forced it to allow the profitable British trade in opium from India to China. The "Opium Wars" were one of the more shameful events in British colonial history. Colonial wars were in all parts of the world. For example, the war in Afghanistan (1839-42), in Pakistan, India (1857).

Britain joined the Turks against Russia in Crimea in 1854. Britain succeeded in taking over large areas of Africa. The colonisation of Australia, especially after the gold rush of 1848, and of New Zealand, was intensified. In South Africa Britain defeated the Boers only with great difficulty. In 1882, Britain invaded Egypt "to protect international shipping", and it did not leave until forced to do so in I954.

By the end of the nineteenth century Britain controlled the oceans and much of the land areas of the world.

But other countries, Germany particularly, had greater natural wealth, including coal and iron, and wheat producing lands. Besides, British workers produced less than those in other countries, and Britain was behind other countries in science and technology, as well as in management skills, and did little to change this. Britain found that Germany, France and the USA were increasingly competing with her.

Suddenly Britain realised that it no longer ruled the seas quite so assuredly, and that others had more powerful armies and more powerful industries.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1438