Foreign sailors in a British fleet

Could French, Spanish, or Dutch sailors serve in the Royal Navy?

Such men could and did serve, with loyalty and usefulness more important than national origin.

Nelson's Trafalgar fleet included sailors from several European backgrounds. Such mixed crews were normal for a maritime service operating in an international seafaring world. The practical concern was whether a sailor would be loyal and able to serve effectively, not a simple national exclusion. Birthplace alone cannot describe the loyalties or careers of mobile seafarers.