In 1880, the colonial official Sir Henry Bartle Frere was recalled from his office as High Commissioner for Southern Africa and charged with misconduct by the newly elected Prime Minister William Gladstone. Frere was accused of acting recklessly in his attempts to expand the British Empire both during his earlier career in India, where he had overseen a humiliating retreat from Afghanistan, and in South Africa, where in the space of three years, he had brought the colony into conflict with many of its neighbours. While campaigning for his Midlothian seat in the 1880 election, Gladstone had used Frere as an example of the mismanagement of foreign affairs committed by the government of the then Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. This pamphlet was published by Frere following his return to Britain in response to Gladstone’s accusations in an attempt to vindicate his actions both in South Africa and with regard to Afghanistan.
This book was formerly in the library of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Writing in her journal at Osbourne on 30 July 1880, Queen Victoria stated 'Heard from Mr Gladstone, that as the plan of Confederation [Frere's plan for Southern Africa] has fallen through, it was thought best to recall Sir B Frere, which I think very wrong, but wrote that I would not refuse my sanction… but could not approve of this change'. The Queen would go on to meet Frere at Balmoral on 10 October 1880 where he spoke of his thoughts about his recall.