British Empire
Sir: Much has been broadcast and published recently about the British Empire: emphasising, and dramatising, the inevitable, but few mistakes, failures and disasters, and ignoring the most outstanding enactment of any government, at any time — the abolition of the trade in slaves (1808) and the emancipation of slaves throughout the British Empire in 1838.
The official committee for abolishing the slave trade had been initiated by Wilberforce, with the support of Pitt, in 1787. These surely are dates in the history of mankind which mark the most crucial advance in the social mentality of government since the Mosaic code; and indicate the evolution, of man the savage to man — the human being.
It was this concept of civilisation that provided the impetus for the policy throughout the Empire, from that time onwards, of creating nations, by affording peoples military protection, economic aid, and model judicial and political institutions; which together resulted in the emergence of the British Commonwealth of today.
In other respects the British imperial administration should be judged as all other empires have been judged, in the context of their age.
The uniqueness of the British Empire is the mentality of its government, which was unprecedentedly humane; which may account for the gratifying fact that so many young people from the states created by the British Imperial administration come to Britain — for their education.
No proper assessment of the British Empire can be established unless these substantive facts are borne in mind; for they overwhelmingly outweigh its defects.
F. E. Isaac 124 Lexham Gardens, London W8
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