Navy - The French Wars 1793 - 1815

Question 1

3 roles of navy in French Wars:

Answer 1

1) Supported overseas campaigns
2) Blockaded French ports to strangle trade
3) Protected British commerce on high seas

Question 2

2 strengths of navy:

Answer 2

1) British navy outnumbered the French one
2) Horatio Nelson was an aggressive commander

Question 3

Where did most naval officers come from and compare their experience with French?

Answer 3

• Professional middle-class
• Both British and French naval officers had gained valuable experience from American War of Independence, but many French officers were guillotined during French rev

Question 4

How many ships of the line, smaller frigates and sailors did the British navy have in 1792 compared to 1802?

Answer 4

• SOFL: 135 to 202
• Frigates: 133 to 277
• Sailors: 16000 to 135000

Question 5

Frigates:

Answer 5

• Smaller but faster ships
• 28 to 26 guns

Question 6

2 types of blockade:

Answer 6

1) Close blockade –> Main fleet sailed near enemy port
2) Open blockade –> Main fleet was at home port and frigates patrolled the coast off enemy port

Question 7

Give 3 examples of competent admirals in the navy:

Answer 7

• Samuel Hood
• Richard Howe
• John Jervis
• Horatio Nelson

Question 8

Give 3 strengths of Nelson as a naval commander:

Answer 8

• Leadership
• Bravery
• Bold grasp of naval tactics

Question 9

Initially, what problems did the navy have in 1793?

Answer 9

• Strained logistics
• Administration problems
• Dockyards in poor condition
• Shortages of home-grown timber

Question 10

Which battle made Nelson famous and why?

Answer 10

• Battle of Cape St Vincent
• Took 74 gun ship HMS Captain out of line of British ships and into close quarter combat despite severe damage
• Captured 2 Spanish warships, increased rep and was promoted to rear-admiral

Question 11

How was the navy significant in the failure of Napoleon?

Answer 11

Britain’s naval strength could defy French attempts at an European trade embargo and cripple French maritime operations both commercial and naval

Question 12

Give another example of a battle where Nelson was responsible for victory, what happened and its significance:

Answer 12

• Battle of the Nile
• Nelson slipped half his force between French ships and coast in order to attack from both sides (13/17 ships captured/destroyed)
• Left most of Napoleon’s army stranded in Europe

Question 13

What fighting qualities did Nelson place importance on? (2)

Answer 13

• Comprehensive destruction of enemy
• Capturing enemy ships as prizes

Question 14

What was the Peace of Amiens (1802-3) and why was it formed?

Answer 14

• Peace treaty
• Formed due to GBR’s fear of League of Armed Neutrality (Sweden, Denmark and Russia) as a possible danger to Britain’s maritime trade

Question 15

Why did Peace of Amiens not last?

Answer 15

• French refused to agree trade deal with Britain
• Britain declared war on 18 May 1803

Question 16

What innovation in 1780s improved British vessels, why and how?

Answer 16

• Coppering = Covering a ship’s wooden hull w/ copper sheets
• Protected wood and nails from corrosion
• Warships made faster and remained at sea for longer

Question 17

What was the key to winning a sea battle?

Answer 17

Gunnery (achieving fast rates of fire)

Question 18

What was Nelson’s favourite ploy?

Answer 18

• Break enemy’s line so his ships could fire in turn
• Sent broadsides (terrible damage) to rake enemy ships from bow to stern

Question 19

Broadsides:

Answer 19

Firing of all guns on one side of ship simultaneously

Question 20

What were navy’s main ships called and generally how many guns did they have?

Answer 20

• Ships of the line
• Around 70 guns

Question 21

What did ammunition for muzzle-loading guns include? (3)

Answer 21

Solid iron balls, chain shot and heated shot

Question 22

What did naval strategy often include and how was this part of managing ships?

Answer 22

• Waiting and guessing where they enemy would be
• Captain had to keep crew fit to be able to do this

Question 23

What did Napoleon order French and Spanish troops to do in October 1805 and how did this backfire against him?

Answer 23

• Sail to Italy to support his campaign against Austrians
• Nelson used this opportunity by initiating Battle of Trafalgar

Question 24

How many ships of the line did Nelson have compared to Napoleon and where did the fighting take place?

Answer 24

• GBR: 27, FRA: 33
• Cape Trafalgar in southern Spain

Question 25

Describe the events of Battle of Trafalgar: (2)

Answer 25

• British ships formed 2 columns, one led by Nelson (HMS Victory), the other by Collingwood (HMS Temeraire)
• Both ships fought broadside into French Redoutable
• Nelson died

Question 26

How many French men were lost in the Battle of Trafalgar?

Answer 26

490/643 men

Question 27

After Battle of Trafalgar, what did Napoleon focus more on?

Answer 27

Economic warfare and supremacy on land rather than beating GBR’s naval supremacy

Question 28

Give 3 reasons why French maritime trade was weaker than the British’s and how the British contributed to this:

Answer 28

• France had fewer ships,
• Britain dominated maritime trade w/ more than 21000 vessels by 1815
• France relied on imports of British colonies
• French relied on neutral shipping but British navy insisted on stopping and searching these as well

Question 29

What was the Continental System?

Answer 29

1806 –> Napoleon introduced Berlin Decrees forbidding Europe to trade with Britain