▁from ▁emphas is ▁on ▁western ▁to ▁eastern ▁territ ories ▁following ▁U . S . ▁independence . ▁The ▁London ▁b ureau c racy ▁gover ning ▁the ▁colon ies ▁also ▁changed , ▁policies ▁to ▁white ▁sett ler ▁colon ies ▁changed ▁and ▁sla very ▁was ▁ph ased ▁out . ▁ ▁The ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁colonial ▁Empire ▁also ▁requires ▁discussion . ▁T ud or ▁con quest ▁of ▁Ireland ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5 3 0 s ▁and ▁C rom w elli an ▁con quest ▁of ▁Ireland ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 5 0 s ▁completed ▁the ▁British ▁colon isation ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁The ▁first ▁major ▁history ▁was ▁The ▁Exp ansion ▁of ▁England ▁( 1 8 8 3 ), ▁by ▁Sir ▁John ▁See ley . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁best s eller ▁for ▁dec ades , ▁and ▁was ▁widely ▁adm ired ▁by ▁the ▁imperial istic ▁fa ction ▁in ▁British ▁politics , ▁and ▁opposed ▁by ▁the ▁anti - imper ial ists ▁of ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party . ▁The ▁book ▁points ▁out ▁how ▁and ▁why ▁Britain ▁gained ▁the ▁colon ies , ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁the ▁Empire , ▁and ▁the ▁light ▁in ▁which ▁it ▁should ▁be ▁regarded . ▁It ▁was ▁well ▁written ▁and ▁persu as ive . ▁See ley ▁argued ▁that ▁British ▁rule ▁is ▁in ▁India ' s ▁best ▁interest . ▁He ▁also ▁war ned ▁that ▁India ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁protected ▁and ▁vast ly ▁increased ▁the ▁respons ib ilities ▁and ▁d angers ▁to ▁Britain . ▁The ▁book ▁contains ▁the ▁much - qu oted ▁statement ▁that ▁" we ▁seem ,