Trade and Commerce: 1857-1914 Flashcards
Through 1857-1890 what was the Empire’s defining feature?
Expanding trade
1857-1890 commerce was strictly regulated in a system of…
Mercantilism
What were colonies obliged to do in 1857-1890?
Obliged to send most of produce to Britain, to buy British only and to use British ships for imports and exports
In 1857-1890, what idea was promoted instead of protectionism?
Free trade, Britain was the world’s foremost (most important) trading nation
Whilst the British Government were supportive of free trade in 1857-1890, what were they ready to resort to?
They were ready to resort to force to achieve deals, as seen in the case of Opium Wars.
How would British use force to establish trade in 1857-1890?
-British navy could be relied on to enforce terms
-Dominance was established through limited application of force, known as “imperialism of Free Trade”
What were the empire concerned about in 1857-1890?
That non-colonial trade could be restricted, as shown during the American civil war
However colonial markets always stayed open
In the period 1857-1890 why did colonies want to trade with Britain?
Partly out of loyalty and mostly because it was straightforward. Trading patterns had been well established, the countries of the Empire used common language and currency
Free trade saw investment grow enormously, creating an industrial empire. Here, the colonies…
..supplied raw materials and Britain converted them into finished products, which often the colonies bought back
What was the assumption in 1890?
-That the Empire made Britain wealthy. India, for example took about 20% of all British exports, worth almost £150m
-In return, India exported huge amounts of goods to Britain
In the period 1890-1914 what exports came from SA, Australia, NZ and Canada?
South Africa / Australia = wool and sugar
New Zealand = dairy produce and lamb
Canada = beef and wheat
Between 1890 and 1914 what was the increase in Canadian land set aside for wheat production?
A six-fold increase (6x)
When and why was the Imperial Federation League active?
-Created in 1884 to promote closer colonial trade
-Disbanded in 1893, indicative of declining interest in Empire’s commercial importance
By the twentieth century, Britain’s trade was growing with the non-imperial world, particularly with the USA. In 1894 Britain imported how much wheat from which countries?
64 million tonnes of wheat:
30 million from USA
17.2million from Russia
3.6million from Canada
What was the Empire’s main food supplier
Cheese, apples, potatoes and meat
What was Empire’s total trade in 1896 worth?
And what was trade between colonies worth?
Total trade = £745m
Trade between colonies = £183m
In 1890-1914 the Empire was growing, however trade became static. In 1897, the whole of Africa took only _% of British exports?
1.2
What were middle-class Britons opinion on trade and commerce?
They believed the Empire cost them more than it benefitted them. They paid for imperial defence in their taxes, and the empire was blamed for Britain’s failure to modernise its industry
How were Britain dealing with rubber as opposed to other European powers?
-Britain relied on rubber imports from Africa or Asia
-Whilst the French, Russians and Germans had successfully started synthetic rubber production
What were qualities of Ships and shipping in 1857-1914?
-British clippers ships sailed everywhere by the 1860’s, suited for low-volume high profit goods
-Steamships used for bulky/heavy goods, more efficient by invention of steam engine 1850s
-Steamship companies reduced travel time between Britain and West Africa by less than three weeks
-Opening of Suez Canal caused construction of more steam ships
What were the qualities of Railways?
-Building railways key to ensuring control. Britain provided materials needed and could expect colonies to depend on them
-Canada forced to accept defence policies in 1860’s for railway construction
-Railways largest single investment among COWS and Dominions
-In less developed colonies such as West Africa Railways provide vital link between inland industries and sea
What were railways used for in Canada, South Africa and India?
Opened the Canadian prairies, allowed South Africa to extent commercial interest to interior of Africa, linked cotton growing areas of north with mills of Bombay and Calcutta - enabling rice to reach ports for export
What were the qualities of canals and rivers in 1857-1914?
-Internal river systems important means of transporting products
-Rivers sometimes had be straightened, deepened
-In India, new canals developed on much larger scale after 1857
-In Canada, after 1867, canals were deepened around the St. Lawrence seaway system and Welland Canal built to overcome height differences between Lakes Eyrie and Ontario
What were the qualities of Agriculture 1857-1914?
-Most colonial economies agricultural. Canada, Australia and New Zealand have vast tracts of land permitting production of cheap food and raw materials
-Tropical colonies (South Africa for example) produced goods not available in Britain such as sugar, coffee, cocoa, groundnuts and palm oil. Native farmers sell whatever price offered
-Elsewhere products grown on plantations run by British. Indian “coolies” transported to work in West Indies for fixed periods in returns for their transport.
