There are a number of features necessary for a nation state to be considered an empire. Centralized control of colonies, adequate communications networks, trade routes, and a military force capable of defending extra-territorial holdings are all important. However, the "traditional" view that empires are grounded in military conquest should not be taken as the only model of imperialism. Rather, empires can demonstrate imperialic attitudes to governments, territories, or institutions through trade, protection, advice, technological support, and metaphysical or religious activities. The effect is to make foreign institutions so reliant upon the empire that they become colonies. We will take several examples of British imperialism from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries to demonstrate these "non-traditional" imperialistic techniques.