Frederick wanted maritime help in the Baltic, but the Royal Navy had commitments in other theatres and could not spare a squadron. The practical result was an attempted blockade without the naval means to enforce it, forcing Prussia to improvise a navy of its own. A fleet must also be viable and sustainable, because nominal possession of ships does not create usable sea power. Later theorists such as Mahan and Corbett used history to force present-day decision-makers to confront these material conditions of strategy.
Notable Point · 1:35:21-1:40:14
Sea power as a prerequisite for maritime strategy
Prussia's inability to blockade without ships becomes a blunt lesson: a maritime strategy needs a viable and sustainable naval force.