By the eighteenth century, Britain was experiencing a severe shortage of energy. A. The development of blast furnaces for the manufacture of pig iron made the Britain less dependent on wood. B. After the medieval period, both Russia and Britain began to look for alternative sources of energy, such as steam power, in order to maintain the growth of their iron industries. C. Two inventors designed the first steam engines in order to overcome the disadvantages of relying on horses to power the pumps used in mining coal. D. James Watt was able to improve upon the efficiency of the steam engine and make it useful to several industries. E. The puddling furnace increased the availability of charcoal to a variety of industries from cotton to iron production. F. Steam power increased coal production, which in turn allowed extraordinary growth of the iron industry and the British economy.