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Can I introduce you to the British Empire, pre-steamships: https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/sailingtimes.htm https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/sail
by mcguire 4y ago
Can I introduce you to the British Empire, pre-steamships: https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/sailingtimes.htm https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/sailingtimes.htm
Or in 1914: https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter1/the-setting-of-global-transportation-systems/travel-time-between-london-world-1914/ https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter1/the-setting... (post-steamships)
The Spanish Empire was probably worse at its height.
- nickelcitymario 4y agoAll those areas beyond 1 month travel? No longer a part of the empire. They kicked off the American revolution and the Indian independence movement. So yes, it's possible to create an empire beyond a month travel. But I maintain that no one has held onto one, which is the point the author was making I believe.
- mcguire 4y agoThe North American colonies belonged to the British Empire from early 17th C. (1607-ish) to the late 18th C. (1783); nearly 200 years. India was ruled by the British East India Company from 1760-ish to 1858 and by the British Crown directly until 1947; again, nearly 200 years. And by the time the British Empire started to collapse, travel time had been significantly reduced for something like 75 years.