This was the British Empire, who dominated the Suez Canal and owned South Africa as a puppet. The Scramble for Africa heavily influenced the British to gain a dominate position in Africa. The scramble began because of the Berlin Conference of 1884. However, the French originally owned the Suez, but due to poor funding, was eventually sold to the British.
While France controlled much of West Africa, Great Britain controlled the vital ports in Egypt and South Africa. By controlling these ports, Great Britain could control trade to and from India and Asia as well as grow its wealth from the tariffs it collected at these ports.
When the delegates to the Virginia convention debated the Constitution in June 1788, they did so under the assumption that an aye vote there would provide the vital, deciding ninth affirmative needed for ratification.
