Sea power. Britain's development between 1714 and 1837 had an important international and military dimension

Britain's development between 1714 and 1837 had an important international and military dimension. An empire based on commerce, sea power and naval dominance consolidated British overseas settler societies.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Britain possessed colonies along the eastern seaboard of North America, numerous sugar islands in the Caribbean and a foothold in Bengal. Georgia became a British colony in 1732. Britain acquired the Ceded Islands in 1763.

The triangular slave trade was an important feature of British transatlantic commerce.

Despite the disastrous loss of the 13 North American colonies in the American War of Independence in 1783, Britain subsequently acquired settlements in New South Wales, Sierra Leone, Trinidad, Demerara, Mauritius and the Cape Colony. She also extended her hold over Bengal and Madras.

British oceanic enterprise provided the shipping, commerce, settlers and entrepreneurs that held these far-flung territories together. In the Indian Ocean, the English India Company dominated trade with India, south east Asia and China.

In the Atlantic Ocean, most trade was carried out by private merchant vessels.

The triangular slave trade was an important feature of British transatlantic commerce, taking over three million black slaves as workers for the plantations in America and the West Indies until the trade was abolished in 1807.

Trade was backed by naval power and by efficient handling of private and public credit, including substantial public borrowing via the Bank of England.