The British government called the battle an unwanted event because annihilating the Ottoman fleet undermined the strategic balance the intervention was supposed to protect. In purely naval terms Navarino resembled another Trafalgar, yet a peacetime coercive mission required an opponent to retreat without forcing that destructive proof of strength. Public enthusiasm and Codrington's popularity with his sailors prevented outright disgrace, but Wellington removed him from Mediterranean command and the crews did not receive expected prize money. The contrast with the honors received by Van Heiden and de Rigny exposes the gap between tactical victory and policy success.
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A naval victory Britain did not want
Navarino secured Ibrahim Pasha's withdrawal but weakened the Ottoman barrier against Russia, leaving Codrington celebrated as a victor yet removed and denied the normal rewards of success.