This has to do with the Industrial Revolution.
2006-12-19 13:33:31 · 4 answers · asked by shadowpal2 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
England.
It had the most extensive colonial trade relationships - supplying it with cheap raw materials and hungry markets.
It had the most industrial capacity per capita - Germany was not far behind, and America was far behind, till about 1943.
It had the greatest navy. Just ask China. (America was catching up in naval power, however.)
It had the greatest length of railroads.
It consumed more coal than any other nation.
It was the source of much of the world's technological innovation over the previous century, including blast furnace steel production, steam engines, and repeating rifles.
2006-12-19 18:07:00 · answer #1 · answered by umlando 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The UK (Wales, Scotland and Ireland were there too!).
Overall we had the most powerful industry though the US and Germany were better in a few areas (the Germans had a very good chemical industry IIRC)
Also A LOT of the industry in other countries was owned by British companies
2006-12-20 10:10:23 · answer #2 · answered by kakaze.t21@btinternet.com 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
germany
2006-12-19 21:41:09 · answer #3 · answered by todd s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The US.
2006-12-19 23:00:32 · answer #4 · answered by mr_ljdavid 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋