North American Colonies of the British Empire and the Problem of Ensuring Their Security in the 60s XIX Century

The article investigates the transformation process of the imperial defense principles in the North American colonies of the British Empire. The chronological framework of the work is limited to the 60s. XIX century, when the colonial possessions of Britain in North America received a new political status of dominion, which led to changes in the field of defense. The genesis of the idea of mutual obligations in the field of defense between the metropolis and the North American colonies in the first half of the 19th century is traced. The strategic plans for the defense of Canadian territory, developed by British government and military experts at various levels are investigated in the article. The views of the British Prime Minister Gladstone are formulated, which determined the policy of imperial defense throughout the decade. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of the naval aspect of the imperial defense and its consequences for the North American colonies. 60s XIX century is characterized by a weakening of the Anglocentric model of building relations with the North American colonies, where all the obligations to ensure their security were entrusted to the metropolis. Henceforth, the colonies were to be responsible for the ground defense of their territories. Thus, by the end of the 60s. XIX century the tendency of transition to the principle of mutual control and collective responsibility in the field of imperial defense has finally completed.