British historiography of British policy in north-west frontier of India in late 19th century

The second half of the 19th century was a dramatic period in the history of British policy in Central Asia. The Crimean War in 1854-1856 and ''Sepoy Uprising'' in 1857-1858 in India had a significant impact on the state of international relations in Asia and forced the British authors turn their attention to the study of the goals and objectives of British policy in Central Asia and its role for the British India. During the second half of the 19th century there was escalating rivalry between the two great powers - Russia and the UK, and British historiography "Great Game" was formed, which influenced the works of British writers of the time. In Soviet historiography, the study of basic ideological concepts of British colonial policy was put "on a grand scale." In the 1960s - 1980s numerous papers were published in the Soviet Union which analyzed the aims and objectives of British policy in British India and neighboring countries. Unfortunately, none of these studies bore the imprint of the ideological confrontation between the Soviet Union and the West. Only now, when the ideology does not have such a strong influence on the study of history, a more balanced approach to the assessment of British policy in Asia is possible, including in the north-western borders of India in the immediate vicinity of the lands of the Russian Empire. This article aims to review the works of British historians of the late 19 th century in terms of their assessment of the goals and objectives Britain had in the region throughout the nineteenth century. Summing up, it is worth noting that the problem of policy in the north-western border of British India occupied an important place in the historiography of the British colonial period. Regardless of affiliation to one of the schools ("masterly inactivity" or "forward policy"), it was seen by British historians, politicians and diplomats in the late 19th century from the point of view of security of British colonial possessions. All other aspects of foreign policy: economy, trade, transport and communication - were subject to a single task. This task was to ensure stability in the north-western borders of India, which had the proud name of "jewel in the crown of the British Empire''.

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