The formal Act of Union still lay thirty-one years ahead of Stromboli, so English remained the technically correct constitutional label for the main fleet. In practice, Scottish officers and sailors already served in it, while Scotland's separate naval establishment was small. Shared service under the monarchy supports an argument for describing this as a de facto British fleet. That practical integration should be distinguished from the legal union of 1707.
Notable Point · 22:41-25:54
A de facto British fleet predates the 1707 Union
Scottish officers and sailors were already serving alongside English personnel even though the political Act of Union still lay three decades ahead.