…Maritime Risk in the War of 1812.
"Obscure and inconsequential in terms of political or strategic achievements, the War of 1812 made its major impact on the pockets of merchants, tradespeople and consumers. This essay will examine the growing cost of the war to maritime trade on both sides of the Atlantic, thereby contributing to the pressures that compelled both sides to seek an end to the conflict by 1814. Britain's blockade of American shipping, a rigorous convoy policy, and
skyrocketing marine insurance rates drove trade down and prices up. Once the US and Britain realized that the cost of continuing the war outweighed any possible gains, either
economic or political, both sides agreed to peace.
In 1812, neither nation could afford all-out war. In the nineteenth century, the intent of commercial warfare was not to destroy an enemy's trade completely but rather to drain its wealth by halting its exports. British troops in Spain, and later in North America, depended on American foodstuffs transported to them legally under licence or covertly from blockaded ports. Despised by privateers and navies on both sides, the licensed trade was a necessary evil that kept markets open and generated profits to help defray the cost of the war. For the first time, a small but feisty American navy challenged British naval dominance
with seafaring and sea-fighting skills that rivalled Britain's. British merchant interests, harassed by hundreds of enthusiastic American privateers, continually lobbied the
Admiralty for better convoy protection. The Royal Navy (RN) found itself bedeviled by a "political" obligation to protect trade while trying to meet the strategic demands of war at sea…"
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Imho one of the worst mistakes Napoleon made… was not to accepted an strong Aliance with USA against the British… thas was the only chance to put England over a real economic problem…
Hope you enjoy!
Amicalement
Armand
looks at some new terrain products, which use space age technology!