India and Russia. Historical Sketches.
Warwick. 1885. Stock ID #219749 A curious example of the broad-reaching, and widely disseminated rhetoric surrounding the Great Game. This book is a consolidation of a series of lectures delivered by the author at the Warwick School of Arts in Queensland, where he served as one of the Vice-Presidents of the organisation. When referring to this item please quote stockid 219749.
47pp, 21 x 13.5cm. Leaves somewhat foxed, light pencil annotation in margin of page 27, a prior owner's signature neatly penned front free endpaper, some tape repairs by a prior owner to endpapers, and pages 44-45, spine reinforced with buckram. A scarce title, we have only been able to find one institutional copy.
The content of the book is split into two parts. The first part centres on British dominion in India within the context of a poor - though typical for the time - understanding of the subcontinent's history and society. The second part assesses the threat posed by Russia to Britain's interests in Central Asia, overall in a tone of belittlement and ridicule. The synthesis of both parts culminates in highlighting the importance of British control of India to the continued sustenance of the empire, and the dire consequences should purported Russian designs on the subcontinent be realised.
Price: $600.00 AU