ABSTRACT
When it is once taken God knows what will be the consequence, but the least bad must be bad enough.
the taking the proper measures for maintaining and improving the Old Alliance…only solid system of Europe…I am afraid your Royal Highness will find this more difficult with our friends in England, than your Royal Highness imagines, I doubt the great objection to me and my politics is my known and firm resolution never to vary from that principle
Any account of how Britain achieved naval and colonial mastery by 1763 must necessar ily include a discussion of such matters as naval strength and administration, military planning, the neutrality of Spain until 1761 and the too-oft overlooked question of respective financial strengths.3 It is important to remember the role of chance, not least in the defeat of the French invasion plans of 1759 at Lagos and Quiberon Bay. It is also necessary to look at the objectives of British policy and power, not least the determination to concentrate resources on North America. This constituted an obvious contrast with Britain’s previous conflict, her participation in the War of the Austrian Succession. Britain signalled her commitment to fight in 1742 by sending troops to the Austrian Netherlands, whereas in 1755 she ordered her ships to prevent the despatch of French reinforcements to Canada. In 1743 Britain’s military effort had centred on the western parts of the Empire, where George II fought an unexpected battle at Dettingen, in 1744-8 on the unsuccessful defence of the Low Countries.
