Mr. Smith goes to China : three Scots in the making of Britain's global empire /Jessica Hanser.

"This book delves into the lives of three Scottish private traders - George Smith of Bombay, George Smith of Canton, and George Smith of Madras - and uses them as lenses through which to explore the inner workings of Britain's imperial expansion and global network of trade, revealing how an unstable credit system and a financial crisis ultimately led to greater British intervention in India and China."--Provided by the publisher.