Why could the Royal Navy not simply crush the American Revolution?

Why did the Royal Navy not simply crush the American Revolution?

Britain was fighting much of Europe, and stopping maritime trade along the extensive American coast would have required more ships than the Royal Navy could spare.

Suppressing the revolution from the sea required more than defeating an enemy battle fleet. Britain would have needed enough ships to watch a vast coast and stop the trade moving through many ports and inlets while simultaneously fighting European naval powers. A comparison with the Union blockade during the American Civil War shows how geographically and numerically demanding sea control can be.