theatre french revolutionary wars theatre french revolutionary wars series campaigns related major european conflict known french revolutionary wars fought new allies shifting alliance rival powers indian_ocean separated vast distance principal theatre conflict western_europe played significant role economic importance region great_britain france constant opponent colonies india far eastern trade protection british interests region fell primarily royal_navy supported military forces naval strategy sought eliminate enemy forces region provide convoy protection large east merchant ships smaller company ships transported goods wealth britain asian colonies trade partners french_navy maintained commerce raiding operations region war particularly light frigate squadrons deployed effort disrupt british trade supported conflict developed allies french course war particularly spain declaration war britain newly formed february british forces indian_ocean held considerably stronger military position immediately utilised seize french territories india remaining french forces continued operating base remote island particular conducting highly campaign british commerce attempts royal_navy commanded rear admiral limit effectiveness resulted number clashes partial blockade french islands declaration war britain newly formed led successful invasions colonies dutch ceylon dutch cape colony operations dutch_east_indies british control region challenged large powerful french frigate squadron sent indian_ocean squadron operated british trade years little success attempts raid china trade coordinate squadron manila philippines ending failure growing resentment cost maintaining squadron eventually required ships return france survivors forced operate independently subsequently defeated captured royal_navy series individual engagements british control indian_ocean assured deploying ships trade protection duties red_sea support invasion egypt end war peace reverted situation region pre war state britain returning seized colonies ceylon background february amid mounting tensions following french revolution recently formed war prussia declared war great_britain act spread french revolutionary wars europe encompass british french dutch colonies americas britain france rivals having fought campaigns indian_ocean seven years war american war independence recently british french naval forces fought anglo war conflict controlled british interests french supported kingdom battle french defeat little impact war saw extract significant concessions ruler political climate europe britain controlled large stretches indian coast including significant ports calcutta bombay madras war began northern coast calcutta highly lucrative port remote lacking naval facilities madras open harbour little way defences bombay western coast point communication europe strongest naval base region east british merchants operated small linked directly great centre dynasty china principal cause british interest connection dominance lucrative network intercontinental trade exploration france controlled number trading indian coast including governed larger port strongest french position region isolated island later known mauritius subordinate bases small settlements madagascar france centred capital important commercial agricultural features economy dominated african slave labour islands commercially viable left troops supported islands came blockade corresponding economic difficulties food shortages island valuable naval base situated ideal position raiders intercept british trade europe east indies french revolution reached accusations senior officials leading arrests arrival news abolished slavery august island civil war intervention governor prevented conflict held dutch cape colony dutch_east_indies indonesia governed highly lucrative port centre east asian trade reaching far nagasaki period japan supported towns ports including cape colony southern tip africa far significant acting principally resupply harbour little commercial activity penetration surrounding countryside commercially significant island ceylon strategic importance weakly garrisoned attack colonies defended dutch naval squadron sent region aftermath american war independence somewhat distant european colonies region commercial survived large subsidies significant towns manila hosting powerful spanish naval squadron portuguese presence existed indian port source concern british represented weak point defenses portugal controlled chinese port number trading posts east african coast portuguese european nations including denmark sweden traded increasingly american merchant ships important british war effort pivotal position maintaining british revenue trade controlled shipment large quantities valuable india china asian markets europe fleet large armed merchant ships known east supplemented smaller local trading vessels known country ships maintained standing army india small fleet designed protection commerce navy supplemented royal_navy forces depleted forces shortly outbreak war rear admiral ship line madras frigate calcutta french forces region comprised frigates commodore saint supported squadron smaller vessels large force orders operate british commerce outbreak war news french declaration war arrived ship calcutta having traveled british ambassador alexandria june immediately sailed blockade seizing ammunition supply ship entering port plans eliminate french presence india drawn british forces commanded land colonel moved rapidly seizing resistance proved stronger forced city days french commander colonel agreed surrender blockade augmented large east proving sufficient drive french frigate accompanying sought resupply garrison august french firmly driven india returned european waters protection shipping french forces left small number light warships trade route proved particularly vulnerable september east princess royal captured squadron large january armed squadron east commodore sent patrol ensuing campaign attacked january mitchell defeated largest january fought inconclusive engagement captain january subsequently captured repairs fort late february french squadrons returned indian_ocean dutch frigate subsequently captured french early spring major campaign atlantic british force led captain gun ship line including hms hms resistance sent indian_ocean force diverged route cruising force encountered captured armed warship renamed brig sailed poorly intercepted captured short battle blockade maintained year october attempted eliminate attacking ensuing battle hard fought particularly ferocious duel ultimately british squadron forced withdraw india campaigns feather hands dutch sword hands france decided renew blockade concerned false rumours french battle squadron sailing july news arrived india significantly changed strategic situation winter overrun reforming country allied client state named control dutch colonies loyalty uncertain main priority principally strategic positions intercontinental trade routes immediately organised operations seize largest force personal command descended smaller force captain resistance sailed hoped dutch commanders peacefully transfer control colonies british provision governor resisted invasion ceylon went ahead short bombardment august wrecked landing operation principal fort taken remaining towns ceylon surrendered following month trading port india force able seize resistance august control dutch cape colony risk british shipping rounding cape good hope substantial force sir sent britain eliminate arriving early august initially attempted governor surrender eventually authorised landing simon town august expeditionary force fought skirmish clashes continued august major dutch attack september arrival large fleet carrying british reinforcements troops came ashore outnumbered dutch surrendered delayed expeditionary force sent retake control cape arrived august forced surrender british consolidation arrival cape officially placed overall command squadron great distances involved meant immediate operational control remained july sailed attacked shipping seizing number merchant ships reports attack reached took squadron eastwards dutch_east_indies leaving squadron watch assumed command sending restore blockade taking hms madras arrived january france operation reinforce indian_ocean squadron frigates ships line planned repeatedly delayed lack suitable ships commitments summer plans abandoned completely following losses battle french intervention attempted spring renewed blockade lifted december deployed forces continued blockade february small squadron captain attacked city secured total surrender remaining garrison island march word arrived madras attempt recapture cape colony returned westwards monarch followed echo east force success seizing considerable stores february supplies march value captures significant captains involved received successes offset complicated political position discovered dutch_east_indies spent entirety remainder year defeating series uprisings local return india february alarmed distance forced travel defend cape admiralty separated command cape spring october recalled britain sending squadron comprising renew blockade sent augment squadron damaged storm december detachment blockade squadron led captain hms crescent attacked destroyed french port foul point madagascar seizing french merchant ships squadron reaction french convention operations eventually inspired reinforce region british actions french ones orders arrived formally slavery island wealth relied slave labour simply ignored order matter taken ordered agents enforce ruling agents escorted squadron frigates sailing march command born comprising board soldiers companies artillery general louis voyage started badly losing accident french coast british frigate patrols european waters passage joined squadron capturing lord proved bigger problem stage pair attempted kill pulled apart squadron took following day encountered unsuccessfully pursued june seized squadron arrived unopposed june blockade squadron having departed coast days earlier arrival government agents possibly met armed troops agents demanded attack colonial troops refused forced corvette instructed agents manila sea overruled captain ordered france refitted squadron dividing forces largest comprising sail eastwards command second comprising recently arrived corvette ordered westwards operate sailed july reaching ceylon august unaware stage ports eastern india prolonged stay leaving warships protect madras calcutta consequently sent scout subsequently captured british frigate documents detailing strength found aboard information supply false information british battle squadron anchor madras operations region raided sailed attacking sought raid british trading post september squadron intercepted northwest sumatra british ships line hastily detached commerce protection duties forces fought inconclusive action retired damage british madras remained january emerging cruised search annual convoy escorted half convoy safely return india half sailed ambushed january captain saved convoy ships royal_navy squadron making aggressive moves ships intimidating french admiral withdrawing combat subsequently returned learned error french dispersal campaign ended failure little disruption british trade naval operations taken losses active small ship captured timber ship october country ships russell diana mouth january seriously captured pilot boat seize large french reinforcements reached complex strategy developed land army ireland use invasion fleet attack india secondary objective ambitious plan collapsed completely failed december thousands french troops drowned strategic situation europe shifted france spain signed treaty transferring spain ally britain ally france british attention shifted french island territories defence squadron badly damaged hurricane april dock extensive repairs british forces commanding ships line fourth rate ship frigates extensive plans developed conjunction sir governor general india colonel major attack manila led sir treaty consequent end war coalition europe caused cancellation plans britain fought france allies fears raised sultan attack british colonies india ensure safety china fleet spanish attack july deployed hms fox escort convoy east seeing charges harbour december captain investigated manila accompanied fox discovered weak state spanish squadron british ships operating july resistance force troops captured subsequently driven armed uprising citizens town street fighting british troops killed resistance subsequently lost july accidentally destroyed crew unexplained ammunition explosion originally survivors died injuries remaining sailors captured pirates sold slavery sultan later released named confirmed survived maintenance blockade responsibility substantial british squadron cape colony suffered severely unrest inspired britain crews rose deposed officers found guns cape_town trained ships governor lord threatening destruction intimidated seamen surrendered incident followed executions despite squadron position contest control indian_ocean supplies manpower severely limited following incident agents reluctant offer support operations limited cruises supply reinforcements summer sent france spring followed early passed atlantic halted los april discovered gun frigate hms pearl captain sailing investigate came fire french ships forced pass firing direction chased pearl withdrew damaged rigging man killed intercepted squadron frigates brest blockade near fleeing south ship battled action june ended british frigates ashore near jason captured refloated destroyed red_sea july led french expeditionary force mediterranean invade egypt ottoman_empire initial landings successful battle confirmed control country august fleet destroyed british force sir battle august french army egypt admiralty initiated major response including squadron commodore blockade egyptian red_sea coast concern london proceed attack india egypt conjunction sultan armies force arrived december joined squadron sent visited early month plans drawn small french red_sea squadron force regional supremacy brought rendered plans obsolete attacks commercial shipping april entrance red_sea effectively blockaded british occupation july ordered frigates fox destroy french held castle town heavily bombarded attempts amphibious landings driven british attention theatre focused january french brought envoys request support supplied volunteers sent india captain mission meant covert april attacked captured east landed volunteers april action caused crisis relations obvious enthusiasm french intervention india fourth anglo war began february british armies crossed territory forced capital sultan held siege weeks city taken storm killed ensuing street fighting british dominance summer conducted commerce raiding operation captain achieved moderate success saw number crews french admiral planned joint operation spanish squadron manila sailing joined ordered join force french captain instead returned seized sold sent commerce raid defiance orders captured action february coast captured mouth action february fury seizure strongest frigates compounded condition arrived state mutiny executed crew journey immediately sent ship cruise borneo effort contain forces unexpectedly reduced sent remaining ships manila operations spanish condition spanish ships poor operations undertaken attack eventually attempted january arrival combined spanish squadron refused engage powerful british escort entire force withdrew pursued captain disappointed failure weakened losses squadron withdrew spring sent raiding cruise september fought brief inconclusive night engagement small squadron royal_navy ships led weeks later inconclusive clash october gun hms returning little month cruise intercepted blockade squadron adamant action december driven onshore destroyed sent france end september political prisoners million corvette eventually wrecked loss lives coast admiral command returned france retired navy subsequently settled french naval presence indian_ocean declined commerce raiding role taken fast vessels operated considerable success british merchant shipping protecting convoys consumed considerable proportion naval strength gradually intercepted captured including august notorious seized ship pearl october pursued sloop hms fought fierce engagement october ships destroyed men killed dangerous sailed fought significant battle october east kent eventually subdued boarding action kent lost killed including captain wounded men suffered casualties conflict continued end war large remaining sea captured interception entirely peace main priorities remained protection trade command came increasing interference london particular secretary state war henry priority invasion capture java eliminating dutch_east_indies entirely contradictory orders came lord instructing plan invasion wished abandoned operation manila confused command structure september threatened resign october renewed threat egypt focus squadron red_sea handful minor operations dutch posts java carried small force captain capturing merchant ships losing men disease process cape good hope gale december caused severe damage shipping crew danish ship line large american merchant ships red_sea campaign intended complement british invasion french held egypt mediterranean went ahead march initial operations trusted poor health struggling negotiate problems compounded wrecked entering port forces landed unopposed march french having withdrawn forces oppose mediterranean landings mission complete withdrew june sending soldiers join conflict met large reinforcement squadron captain sir army general took passage arrive campaign ended august french_navy played little opposing british campaign egypt frigate sent indian_ocean interfere supply lines red_sea ship based voyage seizing brazilian frigate atlantic conveying political prisoners sentenced exile indian_ocean battle august discovered anchor captured final operations indian_ocean saw british forces consolidate landing troops portuguese colonies region prevent enforcement terms treaty portugal agreed exclude british shipping ports attacked captured dutch island peace came effect october bringing french revolutionary wars end confirmation armistice reach india february widely expected undertaken significant naval operations interim terms treaty returned territory captured british forces original masters noted exception ceylon officially named british indian_ocean believed peace building substantial forces region historian noted doubt wax seals treaty concluding scarcely cooled new war eve forth peace short lived napoleonic wars time emperor napoleon sent substantial reinforcements french territories campaign personally benefited equivalent historian wrote said naval war indian_ocean brilliant success lack french reinforcements confused british leadership scattered priorities aborted operations manila marginal campaign red_sea consuming amounts time energy
East Indies theatre of the French Revolutionary Wars