Dr. James A. Williamson has revived and enlarged his excellent
Short History of -British Expansion for a new edition in two volumes (Macmillan, 15s. each). Since the book appeared eight years 'ago, the constitution of the British Empire has evolved a stage farther, and the later pages of the second volume, The Modern Empire and Commonwealth, from 1783, summarize the new doctrines and developments. The first volume deals with " The Old Colonial Empire " and its lucid pages on " The Zenith and Fall of the Mercantile Empire " may be commended to those who, ignorant of history or care- less of past experience; imagine that the Empire-Free Traders have a new policy to offer. The truth is, of course, that our self-contained "first Empire," with Imperial ' Preference fully developed, was-shattered by tariff disputes between the mother-country and the colonies as soon as their interests diverged or appeared to diverge.
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