An original perspective on the question. But if I’m not mistaken, the British navy’s budget was generally the largest among European countries throughout this period, as was the number of vessels. The colonial empire was also immense, which must have conferred a strategic advantage (more allied ports from which to project power against the enemy or to retreat to). It’s difficult to disentangle the various factors, but as Stalin reportedly said, ‘How many tanks?’ Here, ‘How many ships?’
An original perspective on the question. But if I’m not mistaken, the British navy’s budget was generally the largest among European countries throughout this period, as was the number of vessels. The colonial empire was also immense, which must have conferred a strategic advantage (more allied ports from which to project power against the enemy or to retreat to). It’s difficult to disentangle the various factors, but as Stalin reportedly said, ‘How many tanks?’ Here, ‘How many ships?’