Hornby's role in the Pig War dispute between Britain and the United States rested on personal diplomacy. Rather than escalate the confrontation, he built influence by hosting and supplying the American officers and troops. Food, hospitality, and sustained contact created channels through which actions could be discussed before they became a crisis. The episode shows naval diplomacy based on relationships and judgement rather than the mere display of guns.
Notable Point · 30:33-31:09
Hornby's diplomacy in the Pig War crisis
Hornby's earlier handling of American troops in the San Juan Islands illustrates the personal diplomacy that later made him effective in the Mediterranean.