Flagships of Imperialism

The P&O Company and the Politics of Empire From Its Origins to 1867

Bibliographic Data

ID23533741
AuthorsFreda Harcourt, Sarah Palmer (0000-0002-9188-1194)
Year2006
Pages1-16
Publication date2006-07-30
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueFLAGSHIPS OF IMPERIALISM: THE P&O COMPANY AND THE POLITICS OF EMPIRE FROM ITS ORIGINS TO 1867. (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherManchester University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.7228/manchester/9780719073939.001.0001
OpenAlexW2504580898
Open LibraryOL22733148M
ISBN9780719073939
LanguageEN
Citations received12

This chapter presents an introduction to the book “Flagships of imperialism,” which focuses on the intersection of P&O's history with British imperial politics until 1867. The objective of the company was to operate the main trunk routes to the East, from the Iberian Peninsula through the Mediterranean, to India, China and, ultimately, to the Antipodes with the help of government contracts and then to monopolize them. Despite the role played by the mail contracts in the expansion of the company, they once also threatened the very existence of the company itself. The monopolistic character of its business also exposed it to intense public and political scrutiny whereas the management of its managing directors (MDs) invited internal criticism from stockholders and some ordinary directors. Arthur Anderson, the most forceful of the company's original three managing directors was accused of autocracy, secrecy, mismanagement and pursuing commercially irrelevant political connections.

Political science · Colonial History and Postcolonial Studies · Historical Economic and Social Studies · Scottish History and National Identity · 19th century · 20th century · Colonies · Commerce · Ferries · foreign relations · Great britain · History · Imperialism · Ocean liners · Ocean travel · Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company · Political activity · Public contracts · Shipping

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