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The telegraph, co-ordination of tramp shipping, and growth in world trade, 1870–1910

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  • LEW, BYRON
  • CATER, BRUCE

Abstract

The growth of trade after 1860 has been attributed to declining tariffs, to falling transport costs, and, recently, to monetary arrangements. However, coincident with the rise of trade the second half of the nineteenth century saw the development of the first electric communication network: the telegraph. The first successful trans-oceanic cable was operating in 1865. The telegraph remained the only direct trans-oceanic communication link until into the twentieth century. Little research has been conducted explicitly linking the impact of telegraphs on international shipping and international trade. A panel is used to show that there is a correlation between the diffusion of the telegraph, co-ordination of shipping, and the growth of world trade even controlling for the impact of other well-studied effects. The telegraph reduced the time ships spent in port and allowed ships to travel farther among ports to collect more valuable cargo.

Suggested Citation

  • Lew, Byron & Cater, Bruce, 2006. "The telegraph, co-ordination of tramp shipping, and growth in world trade, 1870–1910," European Review of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(2), pages 147-173, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:ereveh:v:10:y:2006:i:02:p:147-173_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Zouheir El-Sahli, 2020. "Submarine cables, the internet backbone and the trade in services," Discussion Papers 2020-05, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    2. John E. Murray & Javier Silvestre, 2020. "Integration in European coal markets, 1833–1913," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 73(3), pages 668-702, August.
    3. Chilosi, David & Federico, Giovanni, 2015. "Early globalizations: The integration of Asia in the world economy, 1800–1938," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-18.
    4. Ejrnæs, Mette & Persson, Karl Gunnar, 2010. "The gains from improved market efficiency: trade before and after the transatlantic telegraph," European Review of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 361-381, December.
    5. Steinwender, Claudia, 2013. "Information Frictions and the Law of One Price: “When the States and the Kingdom became United”," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Docweb) 1314, CEPREMAP.
    6. Leslie Hannah, 2007. "Logistics, Market Size and Giant Plants in the Early 20th Century: A Global View," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-486, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    7. Mikio Ito & Kiyotaka Maeda & Akihiko Noda, 2016. "Market Integration in the Prewar Japanese Rice Markets," Papers 1604.00148, arXiv.org, revised Sep 2017.
    8. Dmytro Ostapenko & Diane Kirkby, 2022. "‘Australian sailors wanted’: Labour supply and Australian shipping, c. 1870–c. 1914," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 141-160, July.
    9. Meissner, Christopher M., 2014. "Growth from Globalization? A View from the Very Long Run," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 8, pages 1033-1069, Elsevier.
    10. Richard Pomfret & Markus Lampe & Florian Ploeckl, 2014. "Spanning the Globe: The Rise of Global Communications Systems and the First Globalisation," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 54(3), pages 242-261, November.

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