28 THE DECENTRALISATION 



British production of manufactured goods went 

 on at a gigantic pace. In the course of less 

 than seventy years from 1810 to 1878 the 

 output of coal grew from 10 to 133,000,000 

 tons ; the imports of raw materials rose from 

 30 to 380,000,000 tons ; and the exports of 

 manufactured goods from 46 to 200,000,000 

 pounds. The tonnage of the commercial fleet 

 was nearly trebled. Fifteen thousand miles of 

 railways were built. 



It is useless to repeat now at what a cost 

 the above results were achieved. The terrible 

 revelations of the parliamentary commissions 

 of 1840-1842 as to the atrocious condition of 

 the manufacturing classes, the tales of " cleared 

 estates/' and kidnapped children are still 

 fresh in the memory. They will remain standing 

 monuments for showing by what means the 

 great industry was implanted in this country. 

 But the accumulation of wealth hi the hands 

 of the privileged classes was going on at a speed 

 never dreamed of before. The incredible riches 

 which now astonish the foreigner in the private 

 houses of England were accumulated during 

 that period ; the exceedingly expensive standard 

 of life which makes a person considered rich on 

 the Continent appear as only of modest means 

 in Britain was introduced during that time. 

 The taxed property alone doubled during the 



