Navy Flashcards
Characteristics of the age of sail (3)
Sailing ships with cannons mounted on the sides
The use of broadsides - key tactic
British admirals trained to adopt hyper-aggressive tactics
Timeline of ship types (8)
1/2nd Ship of the line - 80-120 cannons, flagships strongest gunpower, low maneuverability, relatively few built - eg. HMS Victory
3rd Rate ship of the line - 80% 0f 1814 fleet, 64-80 cannons, 500 man crew, unsuitable for costal patrolling due to low maneuverability
6th rate ship of the line - frigates, single gun deck, faster + more maneuverable, used to capture ships (prize money)
Hybrid sail-steamer - Sails for ocean travel + steam for rivers, eg. HMS Nemesis (1842- Nanking), opened up new territory for the Navy.
Steam battleship - First steam propelled frigates launched 1843, Ocean-going travel became efficient, increased maneuverability, 1941 - explosive shell firing technology installed on ships
Ironclad Battleships - Iron plates fitted to armour wooden ships, eg. HMS Warrior 1861, made wooden fleets obselete, ironcladding was effective in American Civil War
Mastless battleship - HMS devastation (1871), key turning point as there were no sails (end of age of sail)
Dreadnought class - HMS dreadnought (1906), costs £1.7 mil, made all existing ships obeselete, started a new naval arms race
Significance of change from sails to steam (3)
Gave access to inland river systems (eg. China)
Ships were faster + more maneuverable
The British naval advantages changes from superior seamanship to superior technology
Significance of the Dreadnought (3)
Made all previous ships obselete
Started a new naval arms race, eg. Germany + USA
Increased the risk of war.
Which development in ship types was the most significant + why ?
Dreadnaught Class (1906)
Restarted naval arms race
Exposed the British to new naval rivalry
All previous ships became obselete.
Why did the British navy take a role in exploration, shipping and scientific development ?
Improve Safety and reduce losses at sea
Develop accurate maps
Explore new lands + possible ports
To improve scientific knowledge
Captain James Cook (key points)
Three scientific explorations
Circumnavigated the globe (1768-71)
Skilled cartographer, understood science, skilled seaman and took care of his crews
Broad impacts of Cook (4)
Stimulated further exploration
Exapanded the Empire
Increased British Prestige
Scientific Progress
How did Cook stimulate further exploration ?
Showed that with effective crew management, longer voyages could be made.
Eg. Captain Ross - Voyage to the antartic (1839-43)
How did Cook expand the Empire ?
Claimed new lands in Australia, New Zealand + Pacific
First Voyage - charted 5,000 miles of new coastline
How did Cook increase the British prestige ? (2)
Forestalled new territorial acquisitions by the French, eg. in Australia
The Hydrographic Office (1795) - Prestigious producer of ‘accurate’ maps
How did Cook increase Scientific progress ? (3)
Used the Chronometer to accurately measure longitude
Found new botanical specimens
Increased understanding of Scurvy - citrus
How / why did RN become involved in the suppression of the Slave trade ?
Slave trade banned - 1807
Prevantaive Squadron to patrol W. Africa coast
End of the American Civil War - cut off demand for slaves
Failures of the RN in suppressing the Slave Trade
Only 2 ships could be spared for patrols during the wars with France (1808-15)
Slave conditions were worsened - eg. thrown overboard when British patrols were spotted.
Only about 10% of African slaves were freed
Successes of the RN in suppressing the Slave trade
32 warships on patrol by 1847
1,000 ships seized
Balck Joke captured 11 ships in one year
1835 - all ships with slave equipment on could be seized
1845 - Brazillian ships could be intercepted
Liberated slaves were able to settle in Sierra Leone.
How did the suppression of the slave trade change the RN ? (2)
Technological Development - Increased the importance of small maneuverable ships to persue slave ships
Role - RN took a leading role in the moral crusade, winning cooperation from other states. RN became the policemen of the seas.
Why was piracy a problem in the 18th century?
The profits of slave trade attracted pirates
The Barbary Pirates sold captured slaves and crews for profit.
Barbary pirates - capturing c. 1 million Europeans (1500-1800).
Did not pirate British or French Ships, targeted small nations
Piracy threatened free-trade
Malacca Straits
Significance of the bombardment of Algiers (1816)
British accused of only caring about black slavery, not the white slavery in the Mediterranean
Lord Exmouth Bombards Algiers
40 ships sunk in Algiers
3,000 Slaves freed
Demonstrates British police role - altruism ?
Decline in Piracy
After Algiers, Barbary Pirates were significantly weakened
Age of Steam helped end slavery as they could easily catch pirate sail boats
By 1850, there were few pirates remaining
1856 - Declaration of Paris outlawed piracy
1877-8 - still 7 RN ships patroling the Red Sea
Why did RN adopt their role against slavery + piracy ? (3)
Moral + Christian Reasons
Economic + Commercial Reasons
Political Reasons
Characteristics of the Merchant Navy (3)
British ships that transported cargo and people during peace time
Benefitted from RN protection
Captured rival merchant ships during wartime
Characteristics of the Royal Navy
Fleet of armed ships whose principal purpose is to defend British shipping + territory
Relied on impressement
Fleet size fluctuated - 1,000 ships = peak, Napoleonic Wars, only 200 ships by 1820
How was the relationship between the merchant and royal navy symbiotic
Mutually Beneficial relationship
Both Navies depended upon the sale of commercial goods.
The RN protected the MN in order to protect British wealth and allow for future RN investment.
Impressement helped the RN during times of war
What key changes affected the role of the Navy (5)
Increased Free Trade
Piracy in Europe
Trade related violence
End of wars with France
1807 - Abolition of the Slave trade
