Stations and blockades

[TheBibliophile]

This is something I don't know much about and would welcome some guidance. When I think of blockades, I often think of "The Brest Station" or "Cadiz Station". Mentally I see a group of ships, anchored in stationary position, a little way off the coast forming a chain, or kind of barricade, and being in that position almost constantly for years at a time. I suppose a little bit like a siege, but without cannon fire.

Is this correct?

[post captain]

I seem to recollect reading somewhere, that Nelson favoured an open blockade, always wanting to tempt the enemy out for a punch up, keeping the main fleet out of site and leaving a screen of frigates on the blockaded port, and keeping a watchful eye to see if they ever prepared to put to see, then signal back to the main fleet.
Also, i seem to recall that the Channel fleets in rough weather usually put into the nearest port and left the frigates to keep watch.

[TheBibliophile]

Ahhh I see... sounds a little bit like what Wellington did with his armies, keeping them hidden on the reverse slopes to conceal his strength and numbers... with regard to the Frigates, is that what is known as the "inshore squadron"? Ive read about those, in fact I think Nelson might have been in charge of one when he served as a commodore in the Med under Jervis...

[post captain]

Lavery has a good section devoted to blockade in his book 'Nelson's Navy' He mentions that St Vincent favoured close blockade as he thought this kept the ships and officers better disciplined. Always keeping the fleet in perpetual motion so as to keep the crews busy.
As to the inshore squadron, Lavery states that this was a force of ships of the line, usually of shallower draught and employed closer to the the enemy base. This method tended to become standard practice and Nelson did indeed command such a squadron in 1797 off Cadiz.
At Brest the inshore squadron operated off the entrance to the harbour while the main fleet was about 30 miles away off Ushant.

[TheBibliophile]

Thats interesting... 30 miles is quite a distance

[TheBibliophile]

There are a number of books on blockade listed in Manwarings "Bibliography of British Naval History" :

P H Colcomb "Blockades" 1887
G E Cooper "Methods of Blockade, etc, during the Napoleonic Wars" 1916

and more broadly:

Sir C Bridge "Naval Strategy & Tactics at the Time of Trafalgar" 1910
W J Fletcher "Naval Tactics of the past" 1903

I've not been able to find any of those on my usual sources, however....

[Monty Stubble]

I know the turning point for the Brest blockade was 1800 because it was only then that they introduced lemon juice. This permitted a really close blockade.

[TheBibliophile]

I know the turning point for the Brest blockade was 1800 because it was only then that they introduced lemon juice. This permitted a really close blockade.

Presumably this made it easier to stay at sea longer?

[Monty Stubble]

Certainly ... the introduction of citrus juice in 1795 came in on the far-flung foreign stations first. Up until then close blockade was a hazardous business.

Lord Howe in 1784 said "stationing a large fleet off the coast of France is a very improper and hazardous measure. The ships, particularly the large ones, are liable to receive great damage and the crews get sickly". He affirmed the Brest station was a dangerous one and "should never be taken but upon great emergencies".

It was necessary politically, as it had been in the Seven Years War, to blockade Brest to give the various military excursions around the West Indies a free hand.

The Brest blockade was made flesh by the instigation of a very skilled group of administrators back at the Admiralty. Even then the 'Sir Humphreys' were a vital part of the mix. George, the 2nd Earl Spencer was First Lord and he had an eye for administrative detail. He gathered around him a bevy of private advisers and secretaries. He even (unlike his predecessor) was happy to correspond with Captains at sea and keep himself up to date like that. He was also a great diplomat and was able to see his way through crises both great and small.

Spencer was ably supported by men like Nepean and Marsden in the Secretariat and Gambier, Man and Young on the Board. They, despite often being despised by Admirals, previously unfettered by administrative control, drove the close blockade on.

[Monty Stubble]

Ship No on Sick List Prevailing diseases

Royal George 45 Scurvy
Sans Pareil 36 Do, increasing rapidly
Invincible 52 Contagious fever and scurvy
Valiant 35 Obstinate venereal complaints and scurvy
Formidable 22 Very bad Ulcers and scurvy
Irresistable 35 Scurvy increasing fast
London 41 Slight Scurvies
Brunswick 30 Scurvy increasing
Royal Sovereign 30 Scurvy, upwards of 80 scorbutics doing duty
Queen 43 Scurvy and obstinate venereals
Triumph 29 None
Prince George 53 Scurvy increasing fast. Some bad cases
Bellerophon 24 Scurvy approaching

Sorry if it's difficult to read - I can't seem to make to make a list format.