ABSTRACT
On the open ocean, a weaker fleet will usually contest command of the sea by denying the free use of the sea to the stronger fleet. This situation can also exist in a narrow sea when a stronger navy establishes a blockade or tries to prevent movement of the weaker navy through the sea's only exit. Because of the characteristics of the physical environment in a typical narrow sea, the superiority of a stronger fleet does not prevent offensive tactical actions by the weaker fleet. The threat of submarines, land-based aircraft, coastal missile batteries, and mines makes the presence of large surface combatants very risky. The multitude of islands and islets and a highly indented coastline allows a small navy to challenge the dominance of a stronger fleet operating in a narrow sea. So long as the enemy fleet is in existence and uncontained, control of at least a part of a narrow sea will always be contested or in dispute. The Entente navies secured early on in World War I a working control of the sea, but the Germans disputed that control. The Germans in fact came at one stage close to rendering the Royal Navy's control of the North Sea useless. The Royal Navy never gained control of the Baltic, which remained to all intents and purposes a German lake. The Germans also effectively controlled a part of the North Sea. Control of the Adriatic was also successfully contested by the Austro-Hungarian Navy throughout the entire war.1
