English Channel. 31,000 French and Spanish soldiers are ready to land in England. The two Bourbon powers (the Bourbons were then reigning on the throne of France with Louis XVI, on the throne of Spain with Charles III, on the throne of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies with Ferdinand IV, and on the throne of the Duchy of Parma with Ferdinand I of Parma) have effectively allied themselves to take advantage of England’s temporary weakness. The British are engaged on multiple fronts around the world and domestically with the revolts in Ireland. Soldiers are concentrated at St. Malo and Le Havre to land at Portsmouth. The Franco-Spanish forces have maritime supremacy in the Channel. The English are on the defensive and are organizing a counterattack inland. The crescendo reaches its peak in mid-August when the English king and the Franco-Spanish believe a clash between their fleets is inevitable. Forty-five British warships, including the Arrogant, the St. Albans, the Isis, the Blenheim, and the Amelia, assemble to face the enemy fleet of 65 to 85 ships. Due to the weather and poor Franco-Spanish coordination, the battle and landing never took place. But for weeks to come, the British lived in fear of invasion, unaware of the enemy’s decisions.
