Absolutely not. They are important historical artifacts and represent important events. Although some of these events were not morally correct we can use it as a reminder to not repeat the past. Some of these statues are 100’s of years old. Almost no other countries destroy their historical statues due to “sensitivity”. Also keep in mind that erasing these statues would be equivalent to erasing our history and not giving any recognition to those groups of people that suffered.
Diplomacy can be used because diplomats create treaties and agreements on problems and these treaties resolve problems in such a way that it benefits both sides. If it doesn't benefit both sides, then it's usually as a result of a war effort. Good diplomats for example like Henry Kissinger can completely turn the way a politician behaves, like he opened China a bit to the west even though it was believed to be impossible.
Answer:
I'm pretty sure it was for exploration purposes and to claim more land for England and the crown.
