Convoys also carried the transports and victuals needed to sustain Saumarez's own fleet. In 1809 British shipping was strained by commitments in Spain and the Walcheren expedition, making hired transport difficult to obtain. By 1810 the transport and victualling organizations had adapted well enough to support far-reaching strategy in the Baltic. Napoleon's defeat in Russia then weakened the Continental System and reduced the need for the Baltic concentration. Warships could consequently be reassigned to the North American station, linking logistics directly to global force allocation.
Notable Point · 2:40:29-2:41:25
Victualling the Baltic fleet under global strain
Baltic convoy protection depended on transport and victualling boards already stretched by Spain and Walcheren, then released ships to North America when Napoleon's system unraveled.