Mr. E. F. Knight, the well-known traveller and war correspondent, in this volume gives a description of what he calls the Nearer Empire--_i.e._, the British possessions in the Mediterranean, Africa, and America. The book is no mere collection of geographical facts. It seeks to show what the Empire is, how it came to be, and what is the history of its growth. It deals also with the political development and the economic resources of the Colonies. The descriptive parts have an additional charm through being to a large extent a record of personal observation. To quote from the Preface:--"The author has travelled in most of the countries over which the British flag flies. He has witnessed, and on some occasions taken part in the making of several portions of that Empire in times both of peace and war, and has therefore been able to draw on his own personal experiences and observations when writing this short account of Britain beyond the seas." End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of General Gatacre, by Beatrix Gatacre