▁European ▁" ad vis ors " ▁effectively ▁over see ing ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁people ▁spread ▁over ▁extensive ▁areas . ▁ ▁British ▁Empire ▁ ▁Some ▁British ▁colon ies ▁were ▁ruled ▁directly ▁by ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Office ▁in ▁London , ▁while ▁others ▁were ▁ruled ▁indirect ly ▁through ▁local ▁r ul ers ▁who ▁are ▁super vised ▁behind ▁the ▁scenes ▁by ▁British ▁ ▁advis ors . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁Z anz ib ar ▁became ▁a ▁prote ctor ate ▁( not ▁a ▁col ony ) ▁of ▁Britain . ▁Prime ▁minister ▁Sal is bury ▁explained ▁his ▁position : ▁The ▁condition ▁of ▁a ▁protected ▁dependency ▁is ▁more ▁acceptable ▁to ▁the ▁half ▁civil ized ▁races , ▁and ▁more ▁suitable ▁for ▁them ▁than ▁direct ▁domin ion . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁che aper , ▁simpler , ▁less ▁w ounding ▁to ▁their ▁self - este em , ▁gives ▁them ▁more ▁career ▁as ▁public ▁officials , ▁and ▁sp ares ▁of ▁unnecessary ▁contact ▁with ▁white ▁men . ▁ ▁The ▁Pr inc ely ▁States ▁of ▁India ▁were ▁ruled ▁indirect ly . ▁So ▁too ▁was ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁African ▁hold ings . ▁ ▁In ▁Africa ▁The ▁ide ological ▁under p inn ings , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁practical ▁application , ▁of ▁indirect ▁rule ▁in ▁U g anda ▁and ▁Niger ia ▁is ▁usually ▁trac ed ▁to ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁Frederick ▁L ug ard , ▁the ▁High ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁Prote ctor ate ▁of ▁Northern ▁Niger ia ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁Ind irect