- Traders had an important role to play in the development of attitudes to Empire. Once commercial enterprises had established a foothold somewhere, British administration often followed.
- East India Company led way towards British control of India and commercial exploits of Cecil Rhodes, William Mackinnon and George Goldie established British growth in Africa in 19th century. Protected British interests.
- CECIL RHODES
- Owned all South Africa’s diamond mines (90% of global diamond production) and had wealth to pursue ‘furtherance of the British Empire and the bringing of the whole of the uncivilised world under British rule.’
- Rhodes granted a charter to establish British South Africa Company in 1889, through concessions and treaties. In his honour, named ‘Rhodesia’ in 1895.
- Rhodes said his ambitions were moralistic and for the bettering of the human race.
- WILLIAM MACKINNON
- Self-made Scottish businessman who began coating trade around Bay of Bengal. In 1856, he founded Calcutta and Burma Steam Navigation Company. This became British India Steam Navigation Company and grew into a huge business organisation, trading through Indian Ocean, Burma and Persian Gulf.
- Founded Imperial British East Africa Company in 1888 with a charter supported by British government as a means of establishing influence in region.
- GEORGE GOLDIE
- Bought a palm oil business in 1875. Palm oil was popular due to lubricating qualities.
- Formed Central African Trading Company in 1876, visited in 1877 and in 1879, persuaded all local trading firms to join family-run firm to establish United African Company, which controlled 30 trading posts.
- Application for a royal charter in 1881 was rejected. Goldie managed however to find way to convert palm kernels à These later exceeded value of palm oil. Goldie therefore was able to offer concessions to local tribal chiefs, who signed treaties to trade only with his company’s agents whilst Goldie promised to buy up all spare goods. Established cocoa and coffee plantations.
- Managed to secure 450 local treaties which allowed company to have control over their territories and ultimately led Britain to securing protectorate over Northern and Southern Niger at the Berlin Conference 1884-5.
- Goldie’s firm chartered as Royal Niger Company in 1886 and was knighted in 1887.
- CECIL RHODES
- East India Company led way towards British control of India and commercial exploits of Cecil Rhodes, William Mackinnon and George Goldie established British growth in Africa in 19th century. Protected British interests.
