Economic Acceleration

The period 1750-1830, traditionally marking the classical industrial revolution, achieved in Great Britain what Professor Rostow has called the economy's "take-off into self-sustained growth". A revolution in transportation was part of the complex of changes - industrial, agricultural, mercantile and commercial - occurring roughly concurrently.

The impetus to transport change is to be sought in the acceleration of economic activity, which explains why Britain, the first home of industrialization, had by 1830 transport facilities superior to those of any other country.

This pamphlet deals with the causes, the development and significance of the British transport revolution.