Taking Measure: Railroad Lines, 1830–1850
Great Britain quickly extended its lead in the building of railroads. The extension of commerce and, before long, the ability to wage war would depend on the development of effective railroad networks. These statistics might be taken as predicting a realignment of power within Europe after 1850.
Source: B. R. Mitchell, European Historical Statistics 1750–1970 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1975), F1.
Question to Consider
What do the numbers shown in this graph say about the relative positions of Germany (the German states, including Prussia but excluding Austria), the Austrian Empire, and France?