Once larger British and French fleets arrived during the Crimean War, the Russian fleet sensibly prioritized self-preservation rather than seeking a hopeless contest. Under Alexander II, Russian naval capability continued to grow, and torpedo boats demonstrated a new way to disable larger Ottoman ironclads. Yet operations against the Ottoman Empire were constrained by the likelihood of British intervention if Russian success threatened the Balkans, the Middle East, North Africa, or the routes toward India. Control of both the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal would have transformed Russia's access to warm water and global communications, making even a successful regional naval campaign strategically dangerous to other powers.
Chapter · 20:17-22:48
Torpedo-boat innovation under the threat of British intervention
Later Russian forces expanded their capabilities and used torpedo boats against Ottoman ironclads, but British interests limited how far victory could be pressed.