Pax Britannica: the climax of an Empire.

The 2d volume of the author's trilogy; the 1st of which is Heaven's command; the 3d, Farewell the trumpets.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 524-526).

The heirs of Rome : the Diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria, its celebration as a festival of Empire and the explosion of national emotion known as the New Imperialism -- Palm and pine : the extent of the British Empire at its climax, and something of its tangled origins -- Life-lines : the shipping routes, mails and cables that bound the British possessions together -- Migrations : how the existence of the British Empire disseminated seed and stock across the world -- Pioneers : an imperial frontier town, Salisbury, Rhodesia -- The profit : the first incentive of imperialism : gain -- The glory : secondary motives : aspects of glory, aggressive, defensive, romantic, evangelist and plain patriotic -- Caste : attitudes of the British towards their subject peoples, and reasons for the aloofness that was fundamental to their method -- Islanders : an island fortress : St Lucia in the Windward Islands

Imperial order : the theoretical structure of Empire, its basic system and its laws -- Imperial complexity : exceptions, anomalies and complications of Empire, from larrikins to Lord Cromer -- Imperialists in general : the run of Empire-builders : their type, look and social aspirations -- Imperialists in particular : two explorers, three soldiers, an admiral, two administrators, two politicians, a couple of adventurers and a Queen -- Proconsuls : Simla and the British Government of India -- Consolations : some pleasures of Empire, sporting and social -- Challenge and responses : adventure : living dangerously and dying young -- Stones of Empire : imperial architecture, sacred and sucular, with parks and gardens too -- Tribal lays and images : imperial muses : painting, sculpture, literature, music and intimations of folk-art -- All by steam! : the British Empire as a development agency : irrigation, roads, railways, mapping, medicine and a specimen millennium

Freedmen : a self-governing colony of the Empire : Canada -- On guard : the armies of the Crown, British and Indian : their past glories and their present weaknesses -- At sea : splendours and absurdities of the Royal Navy, with glimpses of elan -- Imperial effects : spoils and influences of Empire, and what they did for England -- Overlords : the other island : Ireland -- Omens : troubles of Empire and possible threats to its future, with plans for evading them -- "The song on your bugles blown" : did the British Empire have an idealogy? : religion, Englishness, imperial monarchy, radicalism and fiar play -- Finale : Queen Victoria writes up her diary, the British survey their position in the world, and we bring the Empire to a close.

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