Why distant naval enclaves matter to a fleet

Why did places such as Gibraltar become distant British enclaves?

They served places where the Royal Navy needed to stop, replenish, store supplies, and support ships moving along major routes.

The answer frames enclaves such as Gibraltar and Waterford through naval logistics rather than map colour. Fleets require reliable stopping points for water, storage, port services, dockyard work, and other support. Possession of those sites lets ships move along major routes without depending entirely on another state's facilities. Maritime power therefore rests on a chain of usable bases as well as on warships.