Owen Dixon Society eJournal
Date of this Version
8-1-2001
Document Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Extract:
From the first settlement in Virginia in 1607 until the retrocession of Hong Kong in 1997, the British overseas empire spanned just 10 years short of four centuries. It is remarkable that it was only in the last quarter of that period of four hundred years that British governments first adopted a systematic policy of extending English law to the colonies and possessions under their control.