This work investigates the economic and political transition of the British Empire from a mercantilist colonial system to a framework defined by free trade between 1770 and 1870. Robert Livingston Schuyler, a noted historian of the British Empire, utilizes extensive archival research and parliamentary records to trace the decline of the old colonial system. He argues that the shift toward free trade was not merely a result of humanitarian reform but a calculated response to changing economic realities and the evolving relationship between the metropole and its colonies.

This text is regarded as a foundational academic study for students of imperial history and economic policy. The framing suggests a dense, scholarly approach that prioritizes institutional analysis and historical documentation over narrative prose.