What was the first ship that could easily defeat the combined Trafalgar fleet?
Short answerHMS Warrior is the choice: her speed, armour, and firepower would leave the sailing fleet with no practical answer.
NotesWarrior's steam power and speed let her choose the range against sailing ships that could not match her mobility. Her armour left the Trafalgar-era fleet without a practical means of inflicting decisive damage, while her guns could dismantle wooden opponents. The answer is therefore less about a notional duel than about a change in the entire balance of naval technology. The French Gloire prompted Britain to build Warrior, tying the ship to industrial capacity and Anglo-French competition as well as its headline performance.