Describe the main features of the pace of industrial change in Britain in the nineteenth century.
The main features of the pace of industrial change were as mentioned below : The most dynamic industries in Britain were clearly cotton and metals. Growing at a rapid pace, cotton was the leading sector in the first phase of industrialisation up to the 1840s. After cotton, the iron and steel industry led the way because with the expansion of railways, the demand for iron and steel increased rapidly. By 1873 Britain was exporting iron and steel worth about 77 million double the value of its cotton export. The new industries could not easily displace traditional industries. (a) Ordinary and small innovations were the basis of growth in many non-mechanised sectors such as food processing, building, pottery glass work, tanning, furniture making and production of implements. Technology changes occurred slowly as these were expensive and their repair was too costly
