Royal Navy presence as conference diplomacy

Arthur Nicolson called in the combined Atlantic and Mediterranean fleets at the moment their presence could reinforce the conference. The deployment reminded predominantly land powers that access to Morocco depended on maritime power. Walking through a well-maintained warship and watching a drilled crew conveys readiness and latent force more clearly than a paper order of battle. Ceremony matters, but visitors also see an organization built for combat rather than display alone. This is deterrence as an immediate political signal: controlled power is visible before anyone has to use it.