Sir Harry Johnston (1858–1927) is remembered as a key figure in the New Colonial period of the late nineteenth century. This volume forms part of the Cambridge Historical Series and expresses Johnston's perspective on the process of African colonization. Whilst areas of the book are inevitably outdated, it remains an invaluable document of the colonial age, and its mindset, written from first-hand experience. This 1913 edition includes extensive changes from the 1899 original, reflecting the author's wish for the text to remain relevant to the contemporary political context. It will be an important resource for anyone with an interest in Africa, colonial history and historiography.