The military view of the empire 1870–1899: As seen through the journal of the royal united services institution

Abstract

With hindsight, the Empire appears a dominant characteristic of the Victorian age, which, we might think would have dominated military thinking. But in a study of the annals of the Journal of the then Royal United Services Institution, Paul Adams finds that there was in fact little specific discussion of empire and its military challenges. In the first of two articles, analysing the width and depth of subjects covered in the Journal from 1870 to 1899, Mr Adams shows that among the intelligent and experienced Army officers who spoke, wrote and took part in debates at the Institution, views of Empire, imperial defence and their importance took second place to ideas on European norms and tactics, the most thoughtful exception being Callwell's essay in the Journal which became his famous Small Wars. When discussion was centred on imperial topics, emphasis was placed on support services and logistics, and the martial characteristics of different races. In Part 2, Mr Adams concludes that despite the readers and contributors of the Journal being those most closely engaged with the expansion and defence of Empire, their concerns remained stubbornly Eurocentric, with the Empire generally regarded as a fringe interest.