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623.
were an increasing number o: instances where expansion
of the Empire was acceptable, - Uganda and Fashoda.
Liberal opposition became more and more confined to those
occasions when Imperialism overstepped the bounds of
decency. The diplomacy leading up to the Boer War
was particularly suspect because it looked as though *
the Government were deliberately forcing a conflict on
the Boers over issues which could have been settled
peaceably. Liberals opposed the war, not beceuee they
were anti-Imperialists, but because the objectives of
British Imperialism could, in this case, have been
obtained less aggressively.
The question of African expansion had became not
one of whether expansion was right or wrong in an absolute
sonne, but which particular instances could be justified,
which were examples of true or cans Impcrialicc.