1) Retention of Gibraltar - navy

Question	Answer
What year was the retention of Gibraltar?	1783.
In 1779, the combined navies of France and Spain had how many ships of the line in comparison the Britain?	They had 121 ships of the line, while Britain had 90.
What date did a Franco Spanish fleet launch an offensive on Gibraltar?	September 1782.
What did the Franco-Spanish fleet consist of?	5,000 men on 'floating batteries' and 18 ships of the line.
Why did the Franco-Spanish fleet fail?	Because the accurate cannon fire of the British garrison sank 3 batteries and damaged the others.
Where was Gibraltar situated, and why was this useful?	It's situated between Europe and Africa, where the sea is only 13km wide. Therefore, the port allowed Britain to control the gateway for ships to enter the Mediterranean.
If Britain had closed the Strait in 1783, why could this have affected the outcome of the American War of Independence, in favour for Britain.	Because, in 1783, a French fleet slipped through the Strait, therefore allowing them to join another fleet and American privateers in raiding British merchant shipping, and so the French were now able to match the Navy in the Atlantic.
Gibraltar also provided what for British fleet in the Mediterranean?	It provided a vital staging post for British fleets, Eg for resupplying Nelson's fleet before the Battle of Trafalgar (1805)

Resource summary

	Created by Lauren Le Prevost almost 7 years ago