WIF No British Gibraltar

[Alex Milman]

WIF Gibraltar remains in Spanish hands and the Brits NEVER have it?

[Rich Rostrom]

Post by Alex Milman
WIF Gibraltar remains in Spanish hands and the Brits NEVER have it?

Britain would be much more determined to hold Minorca.

But what if they don't keep Minorca?

Britain I think relied on Gibraltar as a base to
project naval power into the Mediterranean. That
would be much harder with no base at all. Not
impossible; Russia did it, so did the Netherlands
at times. But it would be almost impossible for
Britain to have fleets "on station" in the Med
with no bases closer than Britain.

One might see Britain cultivate a stronger
relationship with Portugal; or try to seize Malta;
or seize Tangier. I can't see Britain looking to
the eastern Mediterranean, and trying for Corfu
or Cyprus.

One immediate question is how Gibraltar affected
the War of Jenkins' Ear and the Seven Years War.
This seems to be obscure; I've never seen any
reference to Gibraltar being part of any important
operation in either war. Still, whatever successes
Britain enjoyed against Spanish fleets or shipping,
and also French ships in that sector of the Atlantic,
must have derived in some part from having a handy
base.

[Alex Milman]

Post by Rich Rostrom

Post by Alex Milman
WIF Gibraltar remains in Spanish hands and the Brits NEVER have it?

Britain would be much more determined to hold Minorca.
But what if they don't keep Minorca?

Would they be able to keep it without Gibraltar?

Post by Rich Rostrom
Britain I think relied on Gibraltar as a base to
project naval power into the Mediterranean. That
would be much harder with no base at all. Not
impossible; Russia did it,

Russia used one of the Italian ports as a base (without possessing it) and its presence was not permanent.

Post by Rich Rostrom
so did the Netherlands
at times.

Did they get any kind of a base?

Post by Rich Rostrom
But it would be almost impossible for
Britain to have fleets "on station" in the Med
with no bases closer than Britain.

Indeed.

Post by Rich Rostrom
One might see Britain cultivate a stronger
relationship with Portugal; or try to seize Malta;
or seize Tangier.

In which timetable?

Post by Rich Rostrom
I can't see Britain looking to
the eastern Mediterranean, and trying for Corfu
or Cyprus.
One immediate question is how Gibraltar affected
the War of Jenkins' Ear and the Seven Years War.
This seems to be obscure; I've never seen any
reference to Gibraltar being part of any important
operation in either war. Still, whatever successes
Britain enjoyed against Spanish fleets or shipping,
and also French ships in that sector of the Atlantic,
must have derived in some part from having a handy
base.

Agree.

How about Suez canal without Gibraltar?

[j***@mdfs.net]

Post by Rich Rostrom
One might see Britain cultivate a stronger
relationship with Portugal; or try to seize Malta;
or seize Tangier. I can't see Britain looking to
the eastern Mediterranean, and trying for Corfu
or Cyprus.

The English did possess Tangier from 1660 to 1680. It proved
costly to supply and difficult to defend, and Parliament was
reluctant to spend on it. Some of my ancestors had started
building harbour piers that would have greatly improved the
situation, but 20 years later Gibralter took that role.

[s***@yahoo.com]

In WWII one major role that Gibraltar played was that enemy submarines could enter the med, but due to constant inflowing currents, could not move out. Submerged battery power wasn't enough to fight the current. If it were neutral they could motor out on the surface.

Nils K. Hammer