“The suppression of piracy and the attack on Algiers in 1836 proves that the Royal Navy’s role had
developed to a force for global peace by the mid-19 th century.” How far do you agree with this
statement?
After the attack on Algiers until the year 1914, the Royal Navy had summed the role of the world’s
police force known as pax Britannica however, although the navy acted to protect people, keeping
them safe and preventing piracy, the Royal Navy used their dominant force for economic and trade
reasons rather than enforcing peace.
After the battle of Trafalgar came to an end in 1805, the Royal Navy had a dominant force in the
world, to help with this they adopted the two-power standard in which they maintained their navy
to be as strong as the next two largest navies. As a result of the size of their navy they could patrol
and protect the seas, they assigned 32 of their vessels to patrol the seas as well as naval bases in
which they were quite successful at freeing slaves that were being transported on ships, freeing
150,000 saves which accounted for 10% of all slaves. This highlights that the Royal Navy was using
their force for good by freeing slaves still being transported overseas. However, this is undermined
when the growth of slave shipping increased from 80,000 to 135,000 by 1830 which suggests that
they are not doing enough to enforce global peace as the number of slave transport has increased.
However, a place in which the Royal Navy was successful in implementing global peace was during
the British attack on Algiers in 1816 where the navy bombarded Algiers and the barbery pirates, who
were taking Europeans as slaves, twice in which after 30,000 cannonballs fired and 40 vessels sunk,
the Royal Navy was able to save 3000 slaves as well as receiving £80,000 in ransom, here the royal
navy has used their dominant force to establish peace in the barbery states including Algiers.
Overall, although the royal navy had developed a dominant force In which they did intend to enforce
global peace, some of their actions are undermined through means of protecting trade, increasing
slave transport and horrific events that occurred when they pursued slave transport.
Arguably, the royal navy used their dominant force in the navy to protect, establish and repay for
trade with other countries, a notable example was when the Royal Navy signed treaties to protect
British commerce in 1802 with the Iman of Mocha and the Sultan of Aden however, in 1920, the
navy bombarded Mocha until the Iman accepted the treaty as well as blockading Berbera during
1827-1832 until the British received compensation for the attack on their shipping. During the
confrontation in Mocha, it is clear that the Royal Navy only acted with force in order to enforce and
establish a treaty that protected their commerce which doesn’t advocate global peace but more for
financial benefit to the British. Furthermore, during the first opium war with China, the navy
defended opium traders by deploying a naval squadron because China had destroyed 1000 tonnes of
British opium. The war resulted In treaties in which gave the British more territory over Hong Kong in
which the population grew to 300,000 in 1900 giving them more people to sell opium to which had
around 4-12 million users. China was also held responsible for the war, so they had to pay the British
6 million for the destroyed opium and 12 million in reparations. As a result of the opium war with
China, it is clear that they Royal Navy used their dominant naval force as a use to expand their
territory which therefore increased the number of people they could trade with for more profit.
As well as the Royal Navy using their dominant force in the navy for economic benefit and trading, it
could be argued that the navy was not adequate at establishing global peace, this is evident when
the navy aimed to pursue all ships that were still transporting slaves overseas. During the pursuit of
Spanish slave ships Regulo and Rapido, they threw 150 slaves overboard whom were all chained
together, as a result they drowned. This event indicates that horrific events occurred when the Royal
developed to a force for global peace by the mid-19 th century.” How far do you agree with this
statement?
After the attack on Algiers until the year 1914, the Royal Navy had summed the role of the world’s
police force known as pax Britannica however, although the navy acted to protect people, keeping
them safe and preventing piracy, the Royal Navy used their dominant force for economic and trade
reasons rather than enforcing peace.
After the battle of Trafalgar came to an end in 1805, the Royal Navy had a dominant force in the
world, to help with this they adopted the two-power standard in which they maintained their navy
to be as strong as the next two largest navies. As a result of the size of their navy they could patrol
and protect the seas, they assigned 32 of their vessels to patrol the seas as well as naval bases in
which they were quite successful at freeing slaves that were being transported on ships, freeing
150,000 saves which accounted for 10% of all slaves. This highlights that the Royal Navy was using
their force for good by freeing slaves still being transported overseas. However, this is undermined
when the growth of slave shipping increased from 80,000 to 135,000 by 1830 which suggests that
they are not doing enough to enforce global peace as the number of slave transport has increased.
However, a place in which the Royal Navy was successful in implementing global peace was during
the British attack on Algiers in 1816 where the navy bombarded Algiers and the barbery pirates, who
were taking Europeans as slaves, twice in which after 30,000 cannonballs fired and 40 vessels sunk,
the Royal Navy was able to save 3000 slaves as well as receiving £80,000 in ransom, here the royal
navy has used their dominant force to establish peace in the barbery states including Algiers.
Overall, although the royal navy had developed a dominant force In which they did intend to enforce
global peace, some of their actions are undermined through means of protecting trade, increasing
slave transport and horrific events that occurred when they pursued slave transport.
Arguably, the royal navy used their dominant force in the navy to protect, establish and repay for
trade with other countries, a notable example was when the Royal Navy signed treaties to protect
British commerce in 1802 with the Iman of Mocha and the Sultan of Aden however, in 1920, the
navy bombarded Mocha until the Iman accepted the treaty as well as blockading Berbera during
1827-1832 until the British received compensation for the attack on their shipping. During the
confrontation in Mocha, it is clear that the Royal Navy only acted with force in order to enforce and
establish a treaty that protected their commerce which doesn’t advocate global peace but more for
financial benefit to the British. Furthermore, during the first opium war with China, the navy
defended opium traders by deploying a naval squadron because China had destroyed 1000 tonnes of
British opium. The war resulted In treaties in which gave the British more territory over Hong Kong in
which the population grew to 300,000 in 1900 giving them more people to sell opium to which had
around 4-12 million users. China was also held responsible for the war, so they had to pay the British
6 million for the destroyed opium and 12 million in reparations. As a result of the opium war with
China, it is clear that they Royal Navy used their dominant naval force as a use to expand their
territory which therefore increased the number of people they could trade with for more profit.
As well as the Royal Navy using their dominant force in the navy for economic benefit and trading, it
could be argued that the navy was not adequate at establishing global peace, this is evident when
the navy aimed to pursue all ships that were still transporting slaves overseas. During the pursuit of
Spanish slave ships Regulo and Rapido, they threw 150 slaves overboard whom were all chained
together, as a result they drowned. This event indicates that horrific events occurred when the Royal
