so I am working on a steampunk TL which is predicated upon two POD's, one is a slightly ASB one involving a lot less petrolium on the earth or making it much much harder to get to, thus eliminating it as a feasable fuel source, the second is the good ole standby of babbages analytical engine being built in the 1850's. The main gyst of it is, that without oil as a source plastics and internal combustion engines are much less underused than in OTL. Also with the existence of mechanical computing devices in the mid 19th century science gets a bit of a jump start, and machining processes become more precise allowing for more advanced technology earlier on.
However I, need to know a couple things. First off were there any forward thinking industrialists from the south in the time leading up to the American civil war? Would the British be willing to allow babbage to sell analytical engines to other countries or would they treat such technology as a national secret? Can dirigibles assisted by propellers support heavy enough weight for armor(that's right air dreadnoughts)?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
However I, need to know a couple things. First off were there any forward thinking industrialists from the south in the time leading up to the American civil war? Would the British be willing to allow babbage to sell analytical engines to other countries or would they treat such technology as a national secret? Can dirigibles assisted by propellers support heavy enough weight for armor(that's right air dreadnoughts)?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.