Gibraltar and Suez as Mediterranean naval gates

Did the Royal Navy consider stronger defences at Gibraltar to close the strait?

Yes; controlling Gibraltar and Suez was fundamental to containing rival Mediterranean fleets.

Gibraltar's central strategic purpose was control of the western entrance to the Mediterranean. Suez provided a corresponding gate at the eastern end. British control of both chokepoints could restrict French, Italian, and Russian naval movement into the wider oceans. Stronger defences at Gibraltar therefore served a theatre-wide containment strategy rather than local protection alone. This role explains why a small territory carried disproportionate value in imperial naval planning.