When war broke out with Revolutionary France in 1893, the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet was launched into a long and complex war. Operating at arm's length from London, the fleet assumed traditional responsibilities for trade protection, blockade, and high-seas warfare, but also diplomatic and counter-revolutionary activities across the region. It was the theatre that produced some of the most iconic moments of British naval history, and made a legend out of Horatio Nelson. However, the reality of the Mediterranean war has long been overshadowed by its famous battles and huge personalities.
