author
Earl of James Bruce Elgin
1811–1863
A British diplomat and colonial administrator, he played major roles in Canada, China, Japan, and India during the height of the British Empire. His career is remembered both for helping establish responsible government in Canada and for his part in the imperial conflicts that reshaped East Asia.
1 Audiobook
Letters and Journals of James, Eighth Earl of Elgin
by Earl of James Bruce Elgin
About the author
Born in London on July 20, 1811, James Bruce became the 8th Earl of Elgin in 1841. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, and went on to build a career in imperial administration.
He served as governor of Jamaica, then as Governor General of the Province of Canada from 1847 to 1854. In Canada, he is often noted for working within the developing system of responsible government, helping define a less partisan role for the governor general.
Later, Elgin was sent to China and the wider Far East as a diplomat, where he was involved in the negotiations that opened relations with Japan and in the conflicts of the Second Opium War. He finished his career as Viceroy of India, dying in 1863 while still in office.