Page 211 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

THE i\11..\NTIC DAntE FtnTS 177
Conclusion
Tbe driving force bebind the ex:pansion of che Adanric navies during che c:ighc·
eemh cenrury was primarily tbc: srruggle for eracle and colonies oucside Europe.
Tbe powecs tbac incended co use armed force co expand or defend cheir inrerescs
increased cbeir navies nnd tbe sequences of naval shipbuilding may be swdied as
a quanciradve manifesta don of che growtb of their ambirion and fear. The Ducch,
who tried t0 defend cheir incerests rhrough neurraliry, d id oor increase cheir navy
unti l tbat policy failed in 1780. ln rheir shipbuilding efforrs rhe concending powers
concenrrared scarce rcsources imo forces ince:nded ro fighe forche lines of commu·
nicarion across che Adanric. As wc know &om economie: hisrory, che Ada n dc eco n·
omy in rbis peri od iocreasiogly became che moror in an e.xpanding world economy
on che brink of che indusrrial revolurion. The politica! decision-makers of tbc Ac·
lancie powers could noc i.magine that a grear rcansformacion of rbe Europea n socie·
ties was abour ro rake piace bur chey grew iocreasingly aware chat che future of
cheir scaces depended more and more on tbe successful imegracion of rr!lns-Adantic
rrade aod rerrirories within tbeir spberes of imerese.
The navies of rhese srates of course aJso had otber rasks, mainly defensive or
limited offensive casks io purely European wars. Bur from tbC" 1740s ro che 1790s
these rasks received a low prioriry and che wesrecn navies refraioed from imerven·
rions in che Levam and rbe Balric. Duriog che Seveo Years War a British naval
intervemion io the Balric ro support Prussia againsr Russia and Swedeo was ex-
pected bue it oever marerialized because Brirain preferred to send her warships
co Canada, che Wesc lndiC"S and che lndian Ocnn ro fighe for rhe expansion of
che empire. Trans-Adanric efforrs musr bave appeared more profirable and deci·
sive rban concinenral commitm.encs.
Tbe shipbui.lding effons of rhe rhree grear comenders were different io one
aspect. France and Spain, especially rhe laner. usually builr most of their warships
in cimes of peace while Brirain"s efforcs were concenrrated ro rhe war periods. The
peaces of 1748, 1763 an d 1783 were foUowed by periods when rhe Bourbon pow·
ers started co build a large oumber of battleships while Brirain mainly completed chose
which had been laid down during che wars. Anocher differente was chac a large
parr of tbese British warcime efforcs was c:omracred our ro privare shipbuilders whilc
France and Spain builr nearly ali their battleships and many lighcer vessels in rheir
naval dockyards. The Briris.b abiliry co mobilize privare produccion resources gave
this srare a grear flex:ibility. Brimin could limit her eJforrs. in cimes of peace and
rhen suddenly increase the navy in a fcw ye:ars during wan:ime. These expansions
were based on che superior Bricish fi.nancial system whicb aUowed che govcrnmem
ro wage wars on credit. The sysrem failed, however, in che lasc of rhe ebree wars,
mainly because che war starred as a civiJ war wirhin the Brirish empire. That gave
France ac leasr rwo ycars for peacetime preparations in her greac sbipbuilding ef-
forr; an early lead that proved decisive in 1781.