Shame indeed Brian and Deano for instilling such inaccuracies into you at a tender age. The British Empire was founded to enhance commercial interests supported by the mighty weight of an efficient and competent and well equipped military force. It beat and bullied its way around most of the world to achieve it goald. Its often hard to be critical of this now as it just joins other similar episodes in the depths of history ie the Romans, the Vikings, the Conquistadors and most of us continue to reap the financial benefits of same, but critical we must be. like the Crusades, it wasn't a gloriou episode for this country but a shameful one. Hopefully history teachers these day teach critical thought and analysis albeit under threat by the new primary curriculum.