Impact of the war with France

Question 1

What was the military impact of the war with France?

Answer 1

• The army became more trained, equipped and organised.
• Being a soldier was more respectable and could have a pension after retiring.
• Drills became more efficient an uniform so the whole army did the same things and the same rules
• General David Dundas wrote ‘Rules and Regulations’ in 1792.
• After the Dutch campaign on 1799 failed, specialist light infantry corps, who had intrinsic training were made and served at the front line
• 1 in 6 britons were armed

Question 2

What was the economic impact of the war with France with food?

Answer 2

• The economic boom fell in 1792, leading to bankruptcies and strikes.
• There were poor harvests from 1794-6, reaching a level of 80s per quarter
• Merchants were hesitant to import grain because of the war
• The government brought more wheat through outside trade but was criticised by free-marketers so it resorted to temporary import bounties to encourage private speculation

Question 3

What was the economic impact of the war with France with finance?

Answer 3

Income tax created for war in 1797 - 99, disliked but people put up with it
Gov went off the gold standard
- Nation was bankrupt
- Industrial riots and looting, so there were more prosecutions and less industrial output

Question 4

What was the economic impact of the war with France with trade?

Answer 4

• Britains trade with South America was very profitable, as many countries on Europe only traded in Europe
• More of Manchesters good were sent to SA in a few weeks than it had been anywhere in the last 20 years
  -From 1813-15 £26.5 million was used in a coalition against Napoleon, which Britain was winning due to its stronger economic state
  The iron industry boomed, as more armaments were needed, American markets and the increase in uniform and greatcoats helped keep up the textile industry

Question 5

What was the economic impact of the war with France with loans?

Answer 5

Money was loaned out to other countries so that they could raise armies and for ammunition, such as to Russia, Spain and Prussia.
This caused many debts that weren’t going to be repaid quickly, so Britain was going into more debt, so money couldn’t be used elsewhere for the country.
-Pitt promised £1,250,000 per year for every 100,000 soldiers raised by Austria, Prussia and Russia, who had no intention in accepting his plans for a post-war settlement