How 1688 changed English expectations of invasion

The fleet's inactivity in 1688 may have made a seaborne invasion appear easier than it actually was. The battle fleet had previously developed through attacks on Dutch commerce, trade protection and expeditions to distant waters. From 1688, fear of invasion became a principal influence on its development. A hostile France could threaten trade and possessions, while naval defence against invasion remained uncertain. William also needed English resources to protect his Dutch territories on land, leaving the relationship between naval power and the wider war unsettled.