Gladstone and Disreali Course

Britan And The World - 1860's

• 19th Century - Literally true that Britain ruled the waves "Britania ruled the waves"
• The empire
• 25% of the earth's surface
• Over 400 million people part of the British empire
• 1/4 of the worlds population
• 1815-1914 (Imperial century)
• Loyal and expanding
• 19th Century - looking to expand, finding Africa
• Explorers - Richard Burton, John Speak
• Got people in India
• They have an imperial army
• Australia, India, Canada- British colonies = big!
• Marituis, Malta and Gebrallta --> Smaller colonies

• How was Britain protected on all sides?
• -Marituis - controlled trade route through meditaranian
• -Malta- Naval basis
• Gebrallta- Guards the meditaranian
• Marituis and cape protect the east.
• Gebrallta is the only way into the meditaranian and so they are protected on all sides- so everyone trades with them :)

• Gebrallta (18th century) and Malta (1815)
• Crimean war 1815-1856
• - Russia -v- Briton, France and the Ottoman empire
• Brief overview on the Ottoman empire
• - Huge power in the 18th century but 19th century it starts to lose power
• - Who's going to take over it? (Eastern question)
• - If Russia got it it would threaten British Empire trade routes
• Known as the sick man of Europe
• Crimean victory
• 1856 (Treaty of Paris) End of Crimean war
• Russia due to their naughtiness are banned from placing their war ships in the black sea and can not fortify the meditaranian.
• Now British Army has no threat from Russia
  
• French- 1858, work begins on the Suez canal under the free leadership
• Because shorter trade routes to the meditaranian via the Suez to the British Raj
• 1869- once completed, 2nd ship through= massive tradeship of the British empire
• Railway in Egypt, from Alexandria (North of Egypt, Cairo). First railway in Africa and middle east
• Built by 1851- 1856 ---> this means that they can expand to Africa
  

• Disreali described it as the "Jewel in the crown"
• India- masses of resources such as cotton, tea and spices (most important)
• They then forced people to make tea
• Market; cotton, tea
• 1857- Indian mutiny--> Indian soldiers
• Cartridges in new guns made with unkown animal grease
• Cow sacred to Hindus and Pork sacred to Muslims ...
• The soldiers rebelled
  
• The British army sorted this out...
• After 1857- The British empire had complete control on India
• Biggest number for imperial army - 100,000 men -

• Navy = impressive
• 100,000 men in their navy
• 2 power standards
• Vowed to have more ships than their two biggest rivals
• Biggest rivals at this point (middle of 19th century) Russia and France
• 1890 more ships than the whole world

• HMS warrior - 1861 - fastest, strongest and most powerful
• Puts all the best elements for ships together

Admirality Charts

• Traffic routes, hazards etc
• To date there has only been 3000 of these charts ---> of which by 1855 the British navy had discovered 1981 of these charts.
• Discovered and controlled 2/3's of the sea

• 1850, merchant ships can carry 3 and a 1/2 million tonnes of steering wheel...
  
• By 1866 merchant ships can carry 5 million tonnes of steering wheel...
• Shows that the need for it has increased
• Also shows that their capabiltiy to get raw materials has improved

Famous Example

• The Cutty Sark ---> Famous for its captain
• It carried tea
• It is a STRONG merchant ship...
• These ships had a race who could get to the destination the fastest...
• Cutty sark lost its rudder (steering wheel) nevertheless it came second ... lagging behind by only 2 weeks.
• Thus bringing confiendence in the British Empire that it is strong and undefeatable!