Of Cargoes, Colonies and Kings

Book excerpt: "Of Cargoes, Colonies and Kings" gives an offbeat account of Andrew Stuart's wide-ranging experiences. Never a stereotypical colonialist, as the son of a missionary, he knew the people, the politicians and the kings of Uganda from his childhood and worked with them until 1965, four years after independence, when he joined the British Diplomatic Service. As a diplomat, before ending up as British Ambassador to Finland, he was soon drawn back into the closing stages of the British Empire. The end of empire in British and French territories from Africa to the Pacific, the rise of China to near superpower status and the opening of political fissures on the Indian subcontinent - all are themes of global and enduring importance. Andrew Stuart's eventful career as a colonial administrator and diplomat took place against this international backdrop.