Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:20:13-1:20:31

Why the Royal Navy did not send fireships into American ports

A short operational answer makes expendable hulls, rather than reluctance to raid, the limiting factor for fireship attacks.

Fire ShipsNaval OperationsRoyal NavyWar of 1812
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Question

Why did the Royal Navy not raid Norfolk and Boston with fireships during the War of 1812?

Short answer

It did not have suitable ships it was willing to expend; with disposable hulls available, it probably would have attempted the raids.

Notes

The Royal Navy lacked vessels it was willing to consume as fireships for raids on ports such as Norfolk and Boston. The obstacle was therefore the availability and value of suitable hulls, rather than an institutional objection to using the tactic.