The Royal Navy and imperial sea power (1707–1914)

1. Acts of Union merge Britain’s naval forces

   May 1, 1707Labels: Acts of, Royal Navy, Scotland

   • Britannica
   • RN History

2. Treaty of Utrecht secures Gibraltar for Britain

   Apr 11, 1713Labels: Treaty of, Gibraltar, Royal Navy

   • Britannica
   • Gibraltar Gov

3. Quiberon Bay victory blocks planned French invasion

   Nov 20, 1759Labels: Quiberon Bay, Royal Navy, Seven Years'

   • Quiberon
   • RN History

4. Treaty of Paris expands Britain’s overseas empire

   Feb 10, 1763Labels: Treaty of, British Empire, Royal Navy

   • Britannica
   • Treaty Text

5. Battle of the Nile strengthens Britain in the Mediterranean

   Aug 1, 1798Labels: Battle of, Nelson, French fleet

   • Britannica
   • Nile

6. Trafalgar confirms long-term British naval supremacy

   Oct 21, 1805Labels: Trafalgar, Royal Navy, Napoleonic Wars

   • Britannica
   • Trafalgar

7. West Africa Squadron begins slave-trade suppression patrols

   Jan 1, 1808Labels: West Africa, Royal Navy, Abolition

   • WAS
   • Legislation

8. Navarino shows allied naval intervention power

   Oct 20, 1827Labels: Navarino, Royal Navy, Greek War

   • Britannica
   • Navarino

9. Treaty of Nanking ends First Opium War

   Aug 29, 1842Labels: Treaty of, First Opium, Royal Navy

   • Nanking
   • Opium War

10. Suez Canal opens, reshaping imperial sea routes

    Nov 17, 1869Labels: Suez Canal, maritime route, British Empire

    • Suez
    • Britannica

11. Britain buys major stake in Suez Canal shares

    Nov 1, 1875Labels: Suez shares, British government, Khedive

    • TNA
    • Hansard

12. Bombardment of Alexandria signals canal-route enforcement

    Jul 11, 1882Labels: Bombardment of, Royal Navy, Egypt occupation

    • Alexandria
    • Britannica

13. Naval Defence Act formalizes the Two-Power Standard

    May 31, 1889Labels: Naval Defence, Two-Power Standard, Royal Navy

    • Hansard
    • Act Summary

14. Entente Cordiale reshapes naval strategy and alliances

    Apr 8, 1904Labels: Entente Cordiale, Britain, France

    • History com
    • Guardian

15. HMS Dreadnought launch triggers new naval arms race

    Feb 10, 1906Labels: HMS Dreadnought, Royal Navy, battleship

    • Dreadnought
    • Arms Race

16. Prewar naval buildup positions Britain for 1914 conflict

    Jul 28, 1914Labels: Prewar buildup, Royal Navy, Germany

    • Arms Race
    • Britannica