The Perdicaris affair illustrates how a local crisis could invite great-power naval displays. The United States sent roughly seven cruisers amid discussion of acquiring an Atlantic port, alarming France over its expected position in Morocco. HMS Prince of Wales then anchored between the French and American squadrons at Tangier. The ships' physical presence limited how far the dispute could escalate.
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The Perdicaris affair and naval brinkmanship
An American kidnapping case in Morocco brought US, British, and French naval interests uncomfortably close together.