Spain's December 1804 declaration of war raised the combined Franco-Spanish paper strength to 102 ships of the line against 83 British ships in seagoing condition. That numerical advantage did not create a single usable fleet, because the allied squadrons remained scattered among Toulon, Cartagena, Cádiz, Ferrol, Rochefort, Brest, and the Texel. Royal Navy pickets watched the principal French and Spanish harbours while Nelson's squadron covered Toulon. Fleet totals concealed the real problem: coordinating distant forces under blockade pressure.
Chapter · 0:50-4:05
The 1805 invasion crisis and allied fleets
The strategic setting for the Trafalgar campaign: Spain's entry enlarged Napoleon's fleet, but the French and Spanish squadrons remained dispersed.