Breadth 2 Navy Flashcards
Why was the British an example ofnaval supremacy
The Royal Navy was successful because of the experience of seamen
When was the age of sail
16th to mid 19th century, ships float around sea and would catch wind
What was broadside
When ships lined up against eachother and shot cannons into eachother broadside as they sail past eachother
Biggest ship with most cannons would win
What was breaking the line
New tactic used in 1805 by Nelson at the battle of trafalga, used as a more aggressive tactic. The British sailed directly at the French, to break the line
Also known as crossing the T
What does ‘ship of the line’ means
Example of first rate ship
Ranking system of ships Royal Navy used
HMS victory
Stats on the ‘rates’ of ships
1st and 2nd rate ships, 80-120 cannons - sits deep in water
3rd rate ship, 76% of navy
4th rate ship
5th and 6th rate ship, speedy, ‘frigates’ would sit low in water
The battle of trafalgar
• Britain vs France and Spain
• Part of the napoleonic wars 1796-1815
• France Spain lost 22 ships, Britain 0
• Most decisive battle for the war and a key turning point
• Nelson died.
What was privateering
• legal piracy
• king would issue ship commissioners during wartime and allow ships to attack foreign vessels and take them as prizes
• captured ships would be sold
• % of profit went to the king
• Holding a commission showed privateering was not piracy
HMS Victory and its ‘tech change’
• 1st rate ship
• triple gun deck
• 104 guns
• sails
• wood
• used in battle of trafalgar
Coal powered
HMS Cyclops
• large paddle wheel, powered by steam from burning coal
• sails
• 6 guns meant to have 16 but did not fit
Steam power
HMS nemesis
• 2 pivot mounted 32 pound guns
• 4, 6 pound guns
• shallow in water, sail up river
• sails
• iron clad protected from cannon fire
Ocean steeam powered, could sail up river
Iron class
HMS warrior
• copied French with propellor screw propulsion,
• used in American civil war
IRON CLADS
armour plating
Steam
Naval guns
HMS devastation
87 meters long
Two 35 ton guns
Hull armour 250-300mm thick
Maritime turning point as traditional sailing techniques in the past
Reliant on coal, needed coaling stations now
HMS dreadnought
• Made all existing battleships obsolete
• most deadly fighting machine ever
• ‘all big gun’
• 21 knots
European arms race
What was the two power standard
The idea that the Royal Navy should be as strong as the next two largest navies combined
Naval defence act
1889
Britain committed 10 battleships, 42 cruises, 18 top speed gunships
Required government to match expenditure of next 2 navies.
What is naval hegemony
Strongest naval power in the world
Navy arms race
• Royal Navy has 1 dreadnought in 1906
• Japan and US all ordered ‘all big gun’ ships in 1904/05 with satsuma and South Carolina
• lots of European countries followed suit
Age of steam
C.1840-1914 and beyond
Age of iron
C.1860-1914 and beyond
Consequences of the end of the age of sail
• eliminated britains main advantage
• led to continuous arms race from 1850’s
• access to new areas via river
• had secure coal stations in the rest of the world
• expensive
Efforts to fight against the slave trade
A new squadron was created in 1808 to stop transatlantic slave trade, but only two ships were dispatched to control 5km of West Indies coastline
The estimated annual number of slave ships across the Atlantic actually increased from 1800 in 80k to 135k in 1830
Squadron highly undesirable. Long periods at sea, mosquitoes, no cities.
Eventually Grew to 32 warships in 1847
When was the west African squadron established
1808
Which ships were protected by the navy in terms of commerce protection (goods on board)
Sugar
Tea
Slaves
Opium
Spices
Facts on piracy
• After 1720 became rare due to anti-piracy measures by the navy
• 1820, 10k pirates at sea
•500 a year captured
Acquisitions to protect against piracy
Singapore to protect straits of malacca
Captured mountains from French in 1810
Aden captured and used to protect against Arab pirates.
What were Barbary states
All of north africa
Robert succour
• Successful French pirate
• Regularly attacked British
• Working out of isle de France (Mauritius)
• awarded French legion of honour.
Ching shih
Widely considered to be most successful pirate in history based on the fact that she commanded the largest crew ever assembled.
Commanded a fleet in the south china seas, 1808 Chinese government tried to destroy her in battles, shih managed to pillage and take over government ships.
The battle of Algiers
1816
Pirates and slaves had operated out of Algiers and other moth African ports like Tunisia since 16th century. Well armed and organised enough to capture shipping.
Royal Navy had secured safety for British ships after bombarding Tripoli in 1675 and Algiers in 1682.
It was decided to invade North Africa, an expedition was sent into North Africa. Backed by a naval squadron, they secured treaties with the beys of all ports.
Before return to England, 200 massacred on the Algerian island of Bona.
How effective was the battle of Algiers
Not entirely effective. As the beys were heavily reliant on piracy, raiding continued.
Britain bombarded Algiers in 1820 and piracy was not eliminated until France conquered Algiers in 1830.
Showed Britain was willing to use might of navy to protect foreigners under British protectiokn
Captain cook and scurvy
None of cooks men died of scurvy on his first voyage
Provisions such as ships biscuits, salt beef, pork, fish, cheese were food taken on long voyages, missing vitamin C
Symptoms included feeling tired.
In the 18th century, more sailors died from scurvy than died in combat
Cook ensured cleanliness and ventilation in the crews quarters
He insisted on an appropriate died that included sauerkraut.
What was the problem faced at sea
How did they resolve
Couldn’t figure out the longitude
A competition was launched under the longitude act 1714, a public reward for such person or persons as shall discover longitude at sea. John Harrison won.
Captain cook facts
The most important British explorer of the pacific was cook
His first voyage 1768-1771 to the south seas named in spec
Was the first to circumnavigate New Zealand, explore Australia east coast, northwest coast of Canada, coast of Alaska.
First to use chronometer at sea
Evidence for a paragraph on the significance of cooks first voyage
Use of chronometer
Disproved counter weight argument
Found Australia
Scurvy prevention
The retention of Gibraltar
18th century maritime powers Britain and France
Port was a gateway for British ships to enter the Mediterranean.
Britain had captured Gibraltar and Minorca in early 1700’s in the Spanish war of succession.
Recovering was a priority for France and Spain. American war of independence presented an ideal opportunity.
In this war France Spain Holland all against British 134-94 ships.
When Spain attacked Gibraltar, British won and garisson held out until 1783
Strategic bases up to 1815, and years
Gibraltar 1783
Marla 1815
Ceylon 1815
Cape Town 1815
How British acquired Gibraltar and key reason for the acquisition
1783
Captured during war of Spanish succession
Strategically placed port for the navy, Beat the french
Malta reason for acquisition
Base for Suez Canal on the med
Ceylon how acquired and reason
1795 invasion of Ceylon
Main producer of cinnamon.
Next to Indian
Naval base that could pay for itself.
Cape Town reason for acquisition
1815 central for Indian Ocean
Coaling station
Falklands how British acquired and reason for
1833 after Vernot had been colonised, Britain felt threatened so sent a ship to retain
Seal industry
trade with South American
Rivallry with Spanish
Ship repair
Access to west coast of America
Aden reason for acquisition
1839
Deep water port
Water station
Coaling station
Protectorate
Route between Egypt and India
Equidistant Zanzibar, Suez, Bombay
What is gunboat diplomacy
Conducting foreign policy by deliberately displaying naval power as a means of intimidation
The role of the navy up to 1815
Commerce protection. Navigation acts, protection of slave trade, protection of trade routes to the americas and Caribbean, far east and Indian
Maritime police force, west African squadron
exploration and mapping - cook and Harrison chronometer
Fighting the French seven years war; American war of independence, napoleonic wars, piracy in Mauritius
Suppression of piracy in straits of malacca, Barbary states, Aden, south China seas, Mauritius
Cyprus base.
1878
Acquired congress of Berlin expressly to protect the Ottoman Empire from Russia = British protectorate
Britain had to make annual payment to the ottoman sultan for possession of Cyprus
Key naval base on route through suez to India
Used as a base for in bastion and occupation of Egypt.
Helped Britain dominate the eastern Mediterranean.
Used as a protectorate until 1914
Significance of Cyprus in terms of strategy for the empire
A new way of thinking that justified the seizure of territory by the need to protect existing territory rather than seek additional profits.
protectorates
Egypt
Aden
Zanzibar
Transvaal
Afghanistan
Zulu-land.
