The threat of invasion

In 1793, France was at war with most of the countries of western Europe. Her enemies planned to march into France, take Paris, and bring the Revolution to an end. But the French fought hard and drove the invaders out. Then they went on the attack themselves. Britain sent an army to Holland to help the Dutch, but it too was beaten.

One by one, the nations of Europe made peace with the French. Britain did not have to give in, for she had the sea and her navy to protect her. At sea, the Royal Navy won a string of victories. The bold and clever Admiral Nelson became a national hero.

Britain's trade made her rich enough to afford the world's strongest navy. She was also able to give money to other states to pay for their armies. But on land the French always beat them. One reason was that they had the best generals. The ablest of them was Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1804, he made himself Emperor of France.

In 1805 Napoleon gathered a huge army and a fleet of boats on the north coast of France. He tried to trick the Royal Navy into leaving the Channel clear. But the plan failed. And a few months later Nelson crushed the fleets of France and Spain (France´s ally) in the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson was killed in the battle, but Britain was safe from invasion.

Walter Robson: Britain 1750 – 1900; Oxford University Press, 1993/2002, page 35 f.