Book excerpt: The purpose of this substantial work is to study British policy towards India during the second half of the nineteenth century as formulated in Britain and India by the highest authorities. The period from the Revolt and the assumption by the British Government of direct responsibility for the administration of India to the end of Curzon's viceroyalty is a crucial one and 1905 may be taken as the end of the first phase of the Crown's rule in India. Thereafter political and constitutional developments become more important than the efforts of the administration.