Book contents
- The British Home Front and the First World War
- The British Home Front and the First World War
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables and Charts
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- A Note on the Illustrations
- Introduction
- 1 The United Kingdom in 1914
- Part I Government
- Part II Resources
- 7 Iron and Steel
- 8 Timber
- 9 Fishing
- 10 Agriculture
- 11 Coal
- 12 War Finance
- Part III People
- Part IV Production
- Part V Social Impacts
- Conclusion
- Index
7 - Iron and Steel
from Part II - Resources
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 February 2023
- The British Home Front and the First World War
- The British Home Front and the First World War
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables and Charts
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- A Note on the Illustrations
- Introduction
- 1 The United Kingdom in 1914
- Part I Government
- Part II Resources
- 7 Iron and Steel
- 8 Timber
- 9 Fishing
- 10 Agriculture
- 11 Coal
- 12 War Finance
- Part III People
- Part IV Production
- Part V Social Impacts
- Conclusion
- Index
Summary
At the outbreak of the First World War the United Kingdom produced the majority of its iron and steel from high grade non-phosphoric hematite iron ores. Over the preceding three to four decades demand had outstripped home production of those ores and the associated steel alloy minerals, and the country was heavily reliant on imports. Those imports were increasingly vulnerable to enemy action at sea and, since the iron and steel industry responded to the demand for munitions, not just for the British forces but also for the French who had lost the majority of their steel industry to German advances, significant changes were required.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The British Home Front and the First World War , pp. 137 - 152Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023