The French transatlantic breakout plan

French and Franco-Spanish forces were to evade blockade, draw British pursuit across the Atlantic, unite at Martinique and return to Europe. A diversionary landing in Ireland and a fight against any remaining Channel force were also built into the scheme. Its apparent strength was the prospect of concentrating around forty-nine ships of the line. Its weakness was cumulative: every phase depended on coordinated escapes, favourable sailing conditions and repeated failures by separate British commands to maintain contact.