In this interpretation, Admiral John Byng's failure to relieve Minorca did not mark the loss of an already secure global supremacy. By 1759, the Western Squadron and victories such as Quiberon Bay made the claim of British naval superiority much firmer. That change rested on roughly a century of infrastructure, regular funding, officer development, and a more professional naval service after the Medway raid. Even then, the system was not so deeply embedded that political incompetence could no longer damage it.
Notable Point · 15:15-17:56
From Byng at Minorca to durable naval superiority
Byng's 1756 failure at Minorca came just before the Seven Years War demonstrated the professional and institutional foundations of British naval predominance.