Page 207 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

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this tra de bccame very importane an d Ponugal could develop Brazil undcr che ac·
gis of the Brit:isb navy. Brirish nn d Dutcb traders wc re acri ve in their arrempts w
open che dosed Spaoish syscem of colonia.lcrade and severa l armed coofronrations
rook piace berween rhese interlopers and che Spanish navy. The Ducch craders did
noc receive much support from cheir govemment an.d throughouc che eighcccnrh
cenrury, che Ncthcdands rcfrained from any ancmpc co increase her American pos·
sessions. Lo Brit:ù.o, pol.idca.l dcmands for a more aggressive Atlaotic policy wcre
growing, bue up co rhc late 17 30s che Walpole cabinet rried co rcscrain che m.

Great Britain on che Offensive
Thesc resrraints finally disappearcd in 1739 when GreacBricain arcacked Span·
ish colonies and eracle io tbe W est lndies. Altbough rhis war, which lasted undl
1748, gcaduaUy became inrermingled wirh various conflicrs in Europe, ir was also
the firsc of rhree AdanQc wars berwecn Brit:ùn, Spain an d France. Large battle fleecs
were foc rhe firsr time sem across the Adandc co fighe over colonies and rhe mari·
cime lines of communicarion berween Europe and America. Up co 1748 che Brirish
navy had increased mucb in size, from a lircle l.ess than 200000 cons in 1740 co
around 27') 000 rons in 17'>0. The Frencb navy suffered grear losses bue built many
new sbips and bad a Large program of new conscrucrion in progress when che war
ended. By 17')0 che navy was of around 115 000 rons. Spain suffered severe 1osses
and had.a navy of only around 40000 cons in 17')0. As che rwo Bourbon powers
ren years earlier had had a combined force almosr as large as Greac Brirain, ic is
evidenr thac che larrer nacion during che 1740s cook d1e 1ead in che compecicion
for nava.l conrro1 in rhe Adantic. The Bridsh navy in 1750 was almosr rwice the
size of che combiued forces of france and Spaio.
Whar foUowed was a grear Bourbon efforr in shipbuilding which ended in
a disma.l failure ro coordinare rhe rwo navies in che second srruggle for supremacy
in che Adamic and in America. Acche cime of rhe peace in 1748, France decided
co quicldy creare a navy of 60-baalesbips, a goal char was 1argely achieved by che
mid-17')0s. Spain decided co make an equa.lly grear efforr - nol lcss rhan 38 bar·
deships were 1aunched from 1749 co 17'>6. In 1755 che [WO navies cogechcr were
equal co the British, abouc 27'>000 cons. The cocal srrengrh of che rhrec navies was
now 550000 rons, a grear increase from 380000 cons in che early 1740s.
The change in French nava.l policy is especially marked. Up co che 1740s, France
had consciousl.y avoidcd chaUenging Bridsh naval suprcmacy bur lud been sue·
cessful in mainraining her posicion as che mosc powerful coucinencal natio n in Eu-
rape. Now France reduced ber concinenta.l commicmems in order co rdease resoucccs
for an Adantic scruggle. This policy becamc apparenc in 17')6 rhrough the aUiance
with che old coocinenrol enemy Ausrria, a friendship chac sertlcd old conflicts in
Germany and Jtaly. Bue during che Seveo Years War France suffered severely from
being in rhe middle of a transformacion fcom continencal co mari cime prioriries.