Retention of Gibraltar, 1783 Flashcards
what was Gibraltar considered the gateway to?
The Mediterranean
which 2 seas did it seperate?
therefore, what did retaining it create for the French?
French Atlantic and Med.
Major obstacle to move warships and supplies between its main ports
when did the French discreetly take Gibraltar?
what did this give them the ability to do?
1778
Match Royal Navy in Atlantic
Under which treaty did the French support the Spanish reconquest of Gibraltar?
what did their combined navies have?
Britain even lost control of where?
Treaty of Aranjuez
30 more ships than Britain
English Channel
What did the admiralty send to Gibraltar between 1780 and 82?
Supply convoys escorted by warships
Why did the British successfully retain Gibraltar from Franco-Spanish forces?
Spanish forces had poorly experienced crews etc
What did the retention provide?
Line of defence which tied up Franco-Spanish forces potentially concentrating on Britain
What were Britain then able to do between 1792 and 1815?
Return to dominance in wars
what did Gibraltar provide for British fleets in Med?
give an example of this
Vital staging post
Resupplied at Gibraltar before Battle of Trafalgar in 1805
