<uCHAPTER 1 BRITAIN IN 1914>u
A. <uTHE BRITISH ECONOMY>u
(1) <uThe Ending of Dominance>u
In the first half of the nineteenth century Britain could reasonably claim to be
the workshop of the world. In 1830, for instance, she produced over three-quarters
of Europe's mined coal, half of Europe's cotton and iron, and most of Europe's steam
engines. But such a situation could not be expected to last. The industrial
revolution in Britain, which gave her such predominance, was followed by similar
economic developments in France, Germany, Russia and the United States. In 1914
Britain still held more than half the world's trade in cotton goods; British
shipbuilders were still producing over half the world's new tonnage; and Britain
still had the largest share (31%) of world trade in manufactures (P. Thompson,
<uThe Edwardians>u, p. 185). But though she produced 287 million tons of coal in 1913,
more than she would ever do again, . . .
