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History: British Warfare > The British Navy 1793-1802 > Flashcards

The British Navy 1793-1802 Flashcards

(55 cards)

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1
Q

Volunteers to the Royal Navy

A

• given his shilling and two months pay in advance (but pay meant to be used for a hammock and clothes)
• Debt prisoners allowed to join

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2
Q

Impressment/ press gangs into the Navy

A

• a King’s shilling placed into a man’s pocket by the gang after he got drunk, then involuntarily recruited into the Navy
• merchant navy often targeted

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3
Q

What were the Quota Acts?

A

• Passed in 1795
• every county was required to supply to the navy a quota of men in proportion to population and number of ports
• Prisoners allowed to join, but brought typhus into healthy ships

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4
Q

Advancements in British docks 1796-1801

A

• dry docks introduced
• steam engines drained ports
• this meant that turnaround time for ships in port was made quicker, and put an end to problem of excessive number of ships that needed repairing

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5
Q

Size of Navy 1792 compared to 1812

A

• 1792 - 125 ships in commission, 20,000 officers + seamen
• 1812 - 140,000 men, 1000 ships

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6
Q

Gunnery practice on boats

A

• from 1745 completed daily
• Cannons manned by 7 sailors, had to be moved back into position after every shot m
• British could carry out broadsides every one and a half minutes
• taught discipline

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7
Q

Who were naval officers?

A

• No purchase of commission
• Started as midshipmen, then learnt practical skills, maths, astronomy and navigation
• some fast tracked if they had right family connections

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8
Q

Poor wages of British navy

A

• 1793 - seamen paid 22s 6d a month (£2 a month)
• No wage increase since 1652

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9
Q

18th century developments in navy

A

• each gun had to be fired 30 times before it could be accepted by the Ordnance Board
• Broadsides made faster by new gunlocks - guns ignited and fired using a lanyard (rope)

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10
Q

Pensions

A

• introduced for those who had served 20 years and were physically incapable of serving in the army
• aged between 40+50
• very low and not guaranteed

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11
Q

What were carronades?

A

• Smaller, shorter, could swivel - developed before the French Wars
• used grape shot for ammunition, splintered on impact (deadly)
• French didn’t use carronades, put them at disadvantage

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12
Q

How were ships better protected from decay,

A

• hull of ship lined with copper

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13
Q

Facts about HMS Victory (ship of the line)

A

• Lord Nelson’s Flagship at Battle of Trafalgar 1805
• 104 guns
• Flagship (lead ship)

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14
Q

What were frigates and what were they used for?

A

• patrolling and scouting
• 28-36 guns
• smaller and faster
• conveying merchantmen

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15
Q

What were sloops and gunboats used for?

A

• convoys and blockades, small ships

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16
Q

How much of the navy was made up of quotas?

A

1/5 (15-55 year olds)

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17
Q

When did the capture of Toulon occur?

A

• 1793
• British Admiral Hood seized main French base in Toulon, capturing + destroying a large number of ships
• Significant as it was the gateway to the Med

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18
Q

When was the Battle of Glorious First of June and what happened?

A
  • 1794, height of French Revolution
  • Britain blockaded French ports on the Atlantic coast, led by Lord Howe, trying to prevent grain ship from reaching France (failed)
  • British sunk 7 French ships and killed/ captured 7000 French sailors, French navy weak
  • 1200 British casualties
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19
Q

Developments in leadership French wars 1795 - 96

A

• Sir John Jervis took command of the Navy in the Mediterranean, good relationship with Nelson + disciplined the Navy

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20
Q

Was the British blockade of French ports successful (concerning Battle of the Glorious First of June)

A

• no - tried to stop grain ships from entering France but unsuccessful, blockade ended

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21
Q

Threat of French invasion

A

• 1796
• Netherlands and Spain join France, Britain outnumbered 2-1 in blockade of Brest
• 44 French ships and 14,000 sailors break out of Brest + try to land in Ireland but failed after a week of gales

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22
Q

When did the Battle of Cape st Vincent occur and what happened?

A
  • 1797
  • Jervis was outnumbered 2:1 at Cadiz, but managed to cut though the enemy line
  • Jervis captured 4 ships, 5000 French dead, wounded or prisoner compared to 73 British Dead
  • Jervis became Earl of St Vincent
  • first major British victory, proved the value of coppering the hull of the ship (stronger)
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23
Q

Role of Nelson Battle of Cape St Vincent 1797

Study These Flashcards
A

• Spanish fleet had been split up due to the wind and were attempting to join together
• Nelson spotted this and without order left the line of battle to prevent this manoeuvre - British ships then engaged the Spanish ships

24
Q

When did the Battle of Camperdown occur and what happened?

Study These Flashcards
A

*1797
* against Batavian fleet who were trying to find French fleet to invade Ireland
* Admiral Lord Duncan’s North Sea Fleet smashed the enemy line using two parallel lines like Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar
* captured 11 ships, Batavian fleet not able to fight as an independent force again
* Boosted Britain’s morale, but things were bleak: threat of French invasion, Austria and Germany at peace with France - Britain had no major ally in Europe

25
When was the Spithead mutiny and what happened?
• 1797 off the coast of Portsmouth • industrial dispute - April 1797 government agreed to increase pay and conditions through legislation • May 1797 - fresh mutiny breaks out, Lord Howe visited ships to re-establish trust with mutineers and make sure conditions were met
26
When was the Nore mutiny and what happened?
• May 1797 - wanted power of veto, longer leave and pardons for deserting • blocking the Thames supply line • 28 ringleaders were hung • as a result 1797 Incitement to Mutiny Act passed (disaffection in armed forces a capital offence)
27
What was the significance of the 1797 mutinies?
Illustrated a fundamental weakness in defence, poor conditions.
28
When did the Battle of the Nile take place and what happened?
• 1798 • Nelson defeated the French fleet, as a result regaining control of the Mediterranean • Attacked the French fleet at nightfall - unconventional, risky but paid off as the French were unprepared • Attacked French ships from the rear + both sides • 11/13 French ships destroyed, flagship L’Orient destroyed
29
Tactical success of Nelson at 1798 Battle of the Nile
• Used only 9 signals during battle - band of brothers, trusts his crew, good discipline, good communicator • Risk taker- attacked at night which paid off • Continued to lead despite suffering an eye injury
30
Importance of victory at 1798 Battle of the Nile
• Napoleon wanted to invade Egypt and travel overland to India (direct threat to British Empire) •French presence in Egypt was therefore dismantled • Nelson becomes a national hero
31
What happened at the Battle of Copenhagen and when was it?
• 1801 • British attacked to break the League of Armed Neutrality in Copenhagen that challenged British dominance of the seas - blockade affecting Baltics • Each ship took in turns to advance through a narrow ship of shallow water to target a ship or floating battery (gun) • Resulted in a truce
32
Strength of Nelson during 1801 Battle of Copenhagen
• Danes didn’t give in during British advance, Nelson ordered to stop but pretended not to see signal by holding telescope to blind eye • illustrates his good judgement, yet also disobedience • Nelson sent a letter to crown prince saying if the Danes continued to resist he would destroy batteries with people on them • ruthless, good at negotiating, results in a truce
33
What happened between 1802 and 1803
Europe at peace
34
What happened 1804?
• Britain declare war against France again with third coalition, Britain allied with Austria and Russia
35
Threat of French invasion 1804
• Spain + France allied and chase was on • Napoleon tricked Nelson into making the British Med fleet follow the French fleet to the Caribbean out of threat of colonies being invaded • This left Britain vulnerable
36
Threat of French invasion averted 1804
• when Nelson found out about being tricked to go to the Caribbean, he sent a fast frigate back to warn of the danger • French fleet intercepted and two ships captured, threat of invasion averted for now
37
Who won the Battle of Copenhagen 1801 and what did it achieve?
• British won as Danish- Norwegian fleet backed down • meant that the Denmark- Norway allegiance with France was weakened
38
Was Nelson in charge of the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen?
No - second in command to Admiral Parker
39
How did the Battle of Trafalgar occur?
• Nelson took charge of fleet at Cadiz, wanted to lure Villenueve out of port • Nelson focused on boosting morale and confidence among his officers • Villeneuve ordered to sail to Italy by Napoleon, Nelson gave chase
40
Villenueve outnumbering Nelson’s fleet 1805 Battle of Trafalgar
• Villeneuve: 33 battleships and 30,000 men • Nelson: 27 battleships and 27,000 men
41
Tactics used by British during 1805 Battle of Trafalgar
• Nelson used two columns when approaching Villenueve, which broke the enemy line( disordered by the wind) • Victory’s Carronades were deadly - destroyed French flagship Bucentaure and killed 400 Frenchmen
42
Outcome of Battle of Trafalgar for the British
• No ships lost • 450 died • 1200 injured
43
Outcome of Battle of Trafalgar for French
• 18 ships captured, 3 scuttled (sunk) • only 5/33 left seaworthy • 2000 French died, 1000 injured • 8000 Prisoners including Spanish
44
What did Napoleon implement after the Battle of Trafalgar?
• Implemented the continental system 1806/7 • however Britain fought back by blockading Europe from any imports, impacted French more
45
Nelson’s decisiveness and boldness:
• Battle of the Nile 1798 - took a calculated risk in attacking the French fleet at night in Aboukir Bay despite being outnumbered • Battle of Copenhagen 1801 - Ignored orders, claiming he couldn’t see the signal to retreat - trusts his own judgement (Disregard for authority)
46
Nelson’s inspiring leadership at Trafalgar
Famous line: ‘England expects that every man will do his duty’ - rallying cry, created unity amongst his forces • personal charisma - inspired sailors to fight until the end despite overwhelming odds
47
Nelson’s innovation and tactical genius:
• Battle of the Nile 1798 - broke from convention line of battle tactic to attack French from both front and rear • Trafalgar 1805 - Nelson attacked in two columns and attacked the French and Spanish perpendicularly
48
Nelson’s risk taking and courage at Trafalgar
• Commanded the front line and led from the front - placing himself in the thick of battle • Respected by soldiers for active involvement in battle
49
Nelson’s adaptability and resilience:
* Battle of Copenhagen 1801 - Nelson changed his tactics effectively when discovering the strength of the Danes, didn't expect their low lying batteries or courage * weakness - underestimates enemy
50
What was the East India Company known as
‘The Jewel in the Crown’
51
How was Collingwood also essential in aiding Nelson’s success as a naval commander
• Collingwood led the parallel fleet to Nelson on the Royal Sovereign 1805 Battle of Trafalgar
52
How were Nelson’s qualities as a commander not the only reason for his success?
• Sheer size and professionalism of the British Navy gave it a huge advantage - had been dominant throughout the war
53
How was Nelson successful in relating information?
• used frigates outside Cadiz during Trafalgar to gain accurate information about enemy • Similarly did this to avert French invasion in 1804 when Napoleon tricked Nelson to go to the Caribbean
54
expansion of British Navy throughout the war
- 1792 - 125 ships still in commission, 20,000 officers and seamen - 1812 - 1000 ships, 140,000 men
55
How was the 1795 Quota Act significant?
- 1/5 of Navy reliant on quotas by 1805

History: British Warfare (9 decks)

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