Trafalgar helped prevent a possible invasion, but victory over Nelson alone would not have solved the French strategic problem. A damaged Allied fleet would still have faced other Royal Navy forces available near the Channel and Brest. The French needed the Toulon, Spanish, and Brest fleets to come together if they were to have a real chance against British numbers. The battle secured Britain's global position because it rested on an already substantial preponderance of sea power.
Notable Point · 9:18-11:22
Why defeating Nelson would not have opened Britain
A victory over Nelson alone would have left a damaged Franco-Spanish fleet facing Britain's Channel and Brest forces before any invasion could begin.