This growth was the result of imperial rule in both countries. However, there is evidence that Germany had expanded at a faster rate than Britain. Germany's coal production increased by 307 between 1880 and 1913 while that of Great Britain grew by 96.5%. The difference between the two countries has become even greater in steel production. German production during the period increased twelvefold while that of Great Britain increased sixfold. Advanced technology and increased steel production have led to “an increased availability of modern machinery” (Robert Wolfson and John Laver, 1996, p.91). At the end of the 19th century, Germany became undeniably the leading nation in the electrical and chemical industries. These technological advances have also contributed to the increase in agricultural production. The use of fertilizers contributed to this. “The sugar yield per ton of beetroot has increased from one sugar ton from twelve of beetroot to one sugar from six ton of beetroot over a 40-year period… Crop yields and the number of livestock… have also increased ” (Robert Wolfson and John Lavar, 1996,