There were times when England took leadership in the world production, and this was not very long ago.
On the 1st of May, 1851, London housed the First World Industrial Fair. Dozens of countries participated in it: France presented silk, carpets and china, Spain — wines and wool, and Russia sent expensive furs.
But the main participant was England itself. Its exhibits were machines. They could do a lot of things, and the machines presented were not models — theya had already been working at factories all over England! So it was England that became the cradle of engineering thought in thе world!
The person whom England owed its technical glory, was James Hargrives, who invented a mechanical spinning machine. It became wide-spread, and soon produced so much yarn that workers couldn’t weave it! So soon weavers loom was invented — thanks to James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine.
The same steam engine soon made it possible to produce a steamer and a railway engine. They were also invented in England.
But unfortunately, no matter how hard England protected the inventions, they were stolen and to the USA, England’s eternal rival.
But during almost a century England held leadership in the world industry!
|
