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
Key Wars for the Royal Navy (5)
1775-1783 = American Independence = Defeat in Chesapeake Bay (1781) + Breaking the line tactics at Battle of Saintes (1782)
1792-1815 = French Revoluionary / Napoleonic Wars = RN blockaded French ports, Battle of Trafalgar won by Lord Nelson (1805) - breaking the line.
1827 = Ottoman Greek Wars = Last battle with sailing ships
1839-42 = First Opium War = RN gunboat diplomacy, HMS Nemesis.
1854-7 = Crimean War = RN involved against the Russians in the Black + Baltic Sea
RN Bombardments (3)
Aden (1840) - Acquired as a strategic base
Alexandria (1882) - Punishment for riots and started occupation of Egypt
Zanzibar (1896) - RN bombardment lasting 38 mins
Key examples of a Navy Victory (2)
Battle of Saintes (1782)
Battle of Trafalgar (1805)
Key example of superior navy technology
First Opium War (1839-42)
Key example of superior tactics
Breaking the Line - Trafalgar (1805)
Key example of enormous Naval power
Bombardment of: Aden, Alexandria + Zanzibar*
Gunboat Diplomacy
The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of naval power - implying or constituting a direct threat of warfare, should terms not be agreeable to the superior force
Don Pacifico Affair
1850
Jewish British citizen attacked in Greece
Palmerston sends a naval squadron to blockade the Greek coast until compensation was paid
‘Civis Romanus Sum’
Example of RN acting as a deterant
Portguese accept Brazillian indpendence due to British ships anchoring in Tagus.
RN actions to rival other navies’ prestige
La Gloire - French Ship (1859) - in response British launch the far more impressive HMS Warrior (1860)
Germans expand Navy in 1890s - Admiral Fisher responds with dreadnoughts (1906)
Significance of Gibraltar
Retained in 1783 from French-Spanish Attack
Crucial location at the entry to the Mediterranean
Useful base for Napoleon before Trafalgar (1805)
Vital refuelling station during the age of steam
Significance of Ceylon
Acquired in 1815 for sheltering fleeing Dutch Royal Family
Only source of cinnamon
Naval base in the Indian Ocean, protecting EIC
Detered French in India
Became a vital coal re-fuelling port
Significance of Cape Colony
Acquired in 1815 for sheltering fleeing Dutch Royal Family
Strategic Reasons - defended Indian trade route (before Suez)
Refuelling port
Tobacco + Cinnamon trade
1860s - Diamond Trade
Significance of Malta
Acquired in 1815 by Maltese request
Valuable deep-water port at Valetta
Confirmed British Naval dominance
Valuable refuelling station
Significance of Falkland Islands
Acquired in 1833 to prevent seal trade monopoly / promote free trade
Useful for trade into South America (informal empire)
Seal Trading port
Repairs / Supplies
Significance of Aden
Acquired in 1840 by Haines from the EIC (bombarded)
Hoped to open trade with East Africa
Never made any money
Haines was imprisoned
Some development as a refuelling port after Suez
Significance of Cyprus
Acquired in 1878 as compensation for protecting Ottomans from Russians
Protected the Suez
Monitor Russians
Control Mediterranean + Black Sea
How did strategic bases develop RN
Increased Geographical Range
Coal Re-fuelling centres
Strategic Benefits
Commerical Importance
What caused public pressure to increase ? (4)
Extending the Franchise - 1832, 1867,1884 - by 1884, 2/3 men over 21 could vote.
Increased literacy rates - education policy
Improved communication - increased newspaper circulation (40 million -1836 to 120 million - 1854)
Jingoism
Examples of public pressure on Govt.
RN used to suppress slave trade - Anti-Slavery society, Clarkson/Wilberforce - increased size of the prevantative squadron + increased navy powers
Don Pacifico Affair - RN squadron blockade Greek ports - ‘civis romanus sum’
Bomardment of Alexandria (1882) - due to outrage at riots.
Expansion of the Navy - ‘we want 8 and we wont wait’ - 8 Dreadnoughts built 1906-14.
How did Rivalry affect RN development ? (3)
France - La Gloire (1859) / French interests in India
- HMS Warrior (1860)
Russia - Great Game, Ambitions in Balkans, Port Arthur
- Weihaiwei (1898), Cyprus (1878)
Germany - Naval Laws, Fear of food blockade
- Dreadnoughts (1906)
How did technological improvement develop the Navy ?
Britain was at the forefront of ship design
Pioneer in steamship development
Ironcladding
Torpedoes / Submarines (1890s)
