Baltic Fleet (United Kingdom)

The Baltic Fleet, also known as the Baltic Squadron, were a series of formations of the British Royal Navy which existed between 1658 and 1856. They consisted of ships assembled at Spithead, a naval anchorage in the English Channel, for various naval operations in the Baltic Sea. The formations were under the ultimate command of the Commander-in-Chief, Baltic Fleet. ^[1]

Baltic Fleet
Ensign of the British Baltic Fleet March–August 1854
Active	1658-1856
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Fleet
Part of	Royal Navy
Garrison/HQ	Spithead, Hampshire, England
Commanders
Notable commanders	Vice-Admiral James Saumarez

Overview

The Baltic fleet sailing from Spithead, 11 March 1854

The Baltic Fleet comprised a series of temporary fleets assembled for various naval campaigns of the Royal Navy from 1658 to 1854 under the command of a Commander-in-Chief, Baltic Fleet. The fleet operated from a number of bases including Spithead in Hampshire but also the Nore.^[2] During the Crimean War of 1853–1856, the final Baltic Fleet was the largest assembled since the Napoleonic Wars, and in terms of armament the most powerful naval force the Royal Navy possessed in the mid-19th century.^[3] Pictured right is the fleet sailing from Spithead on 11 March 1854.

History

In November 1658 Vice-Admiral William Goodsonn was appointed to command the English Baltic Fleet of twenty ships – he was transporting General at sea Sir George Ayscue, who was being loaned to Sweden to assist in their naval operations against Denmark and the Dutch during the Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660).^[4]

In 1715 Sir John Norris was sent with a fleet to the Baltic Sea to support a coalition of naval forces from Russia, Denmark and Hanover taking part in the Great Northern War of 1700–1721 against Sweden. Tsar Peter of Russia took personal command of the coalition fleet and appointed Norris as his deputy in 1716: together they protected British and other allied merchant vessels from attack by warships of the Swedish Empire.^[5]

In 1717 the Baltic fleet formed again – this time under the command of Sir George Byng. It set out for the Baltic following information received by the Admiralty that Charles XII of Sweden was meditating a new movement in support of the exiled Stuarts.^[6] The Danish admiral Peter Raben in his flagship Printz Christian received orders from the Danish admiralty in June 1717 to work fully with the British admiral.^[7]

Following the death of Charles XII of Sweden on 30 November 1718 O.S., Admiral Sir John Norris returned to the region as Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet to protect British merchant shipping from attack by Russian raiders.^[8]

In 1726 Sir Charles Wager was appointed to take command of a large battle fleet sent to the Baltic to protect Sweden and Denmark from the threat of a recently mobilized Russian fleet. Stopping first at Copenhagen, he met with the court and completed arrangements for co-operation with the Danish navy.^[9] Wager took his twenty ships of the line to Reval (in present-day Estonia). He had orders to engage and destroy the Russian fleet if it came out. To reassure Sweden, the combined fleet stayed at Reval all summer. The British fleet arrived back in Britain on 1 November 1726.^[10] but actually lifted the blockade on 1 October^{[11][12] [Note 1]}

In 1801 Sir Hyde Parker was appointed to command the Baltic Fleet destined to break up the northern armed neutrality (Denmark–Norway, Prussia, Sweden, and Russia), with Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson as his second-in-command. Copenhagen, the first objective of the expedition, fell in the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801.^[13][14]

In 1808 Rear-Admiral Sir James Saumarez was given command of the British Baltic fleet with his flag in HMS Victory. His mission involved protecting the British trade interests that were of vital importance for Royal Navy supplies (naval stores and timber), in addition to blockading enemy ports such as those under French control in northern Germany. The Russian fleet was also kept under blockade until Alexander I reopened Russian ports. In 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia – the Baltic fleet succeeded in obstructing French operations.^[15]

The fleet in the Baltic, 1854

In February 1854 Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Napier was appointed to command the Baltic Fleet. It sailed on 11 March for an expedition to the Baltic to attack the fortresses at Kronstadt and Sveaborg. Napier reported back to the Admiralty that despite his attempts the fortresses were impregnable – he was relieved of his command in December 1854.^[16][17]

On 20 March 1854, Vice-Admiral James Dundas taking command of the fleet stationed at Spithead, Hampshire, it proceeded to the Baltic Sea where it was employed on blockading duties to prevent Russia from receiving supplies at its Baltic ports until 13 August 1854.^[18][19]

On 27 June 1855 the fleet was stationed at Spithead under the command of Rear-Admiral Richard Dundas. The very large force consisted of some 93 naval units in total, as reported in the Melbourne Argus newspaper at the time.^[20]

In command

Post holders included:

Commander-in-Chief, Baltic Fleet
rank	name	date/s	notes	ref
Vice-Admiral	Sir William Goodsonn	1658-1659		[21]
Admiral	Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich	1659	in command as General at Sea	[22]
Admiral	Sir John Norris	1715–1716		[22]
Admiral	Sir George Byng	1717		[22]
Admiral	Sir John Norris	1718-1725	second appointment	[22]
Vice-Admiral	Sir Charles Wager	1726		[23]
Admiral	Sir John Norris	1727	third appointment	[22]
Admiral	Sir Hyde Parker	1801		[22]
Vice-Admiral	James Saumarez	1808-1812		[24][22]
Vice-Admiral	Charles Napier	February – March, 1854		[25]
Vice-Admiral	James Dundas	March, – August, 1854		[18]
Rear-Admiral	Richard Dundas	February, 1855 – April 1856		[26][27]

Composition of the fleet 1855

As of 27 June 1855:^[20]

Composition of the Baltic Fleet June 1855
#	rate	ships	notes	ref
1.	First-rate	HMS Duke of Wellington	Flag Ship, 131 guns	[20]
2.	First-rate	HMS Royal George	120 guns newspaper report gives 102 guns	[20]
3.	Second-rate	HMS Exmouth	91 guns	[20]
4.	Second-rate	HMS James Watt	steam- and sail-powered, 91 guns	[20]
5.	Second-rate	HMS Orion	91 guns	[20]
6.	Second-rate	HMS Caesar	launched 1853, 91 guns	[20]
7.	Second-rate	HMS Nile	90 guns	[20]
8.	Second-rate	HMS Majestic	81 guns	[20]
9.	Second-rate	HMS Colossus	80 guns	[20]
10.	Second-rate	HMS Sans Pareil	70 guns	[20]
11.	Third-rate	HMS Cressy (1853)	launched 1853, screw propelled, 80 guns	[20]
12.	Third-rate	HMS Blenheim	74 guns	[20]
13.	Third-rate	HMS La Hogue	74 guns source gives 60 guns	[20]
14.	Third-rate	HMS Ajax	ditto	[20]
15.	Third-rate	HMS Hastings	ditto	[20]
16.	Third-rate	HMS Pembroke	60 guns	[20]
17.	Third-rate	HMS Cornwallis	60 guns	[20]
18.	Third-rate	HMS Hawke	60 guns	[20]
19.	Third-rate	HMS Russell	74 guns, source gives 60 guns	[20]
20.	Third-rate	HMS Edinburgh	74 guns, source gives 58 guns	[20]
21.	Fourth-rate	HMS Euryalus	screw frigate, 51 guns	[20]
22.	Steam frigate	HMS Imperieuse	51 guns	[20]
23.	Frigate	HMS Arrogant	46 guns	[20]
24.	Frigate	HMS Amphion	36 guns, source gives 34 guns	[20]
25.	Frigate	HMS Horatio	steam frigate, 24 guns	[20]
26.	Sloop-of-war	HMS Malacca	17 guns	[20]
27.	Corvette	HMS Cossack	wooden screw, 20 guns	[20]
28.	Corvette	HMS Tartar	20 guns	[20]
29.	Corvette	HMS Pylades	wooden screw, 20 guns	[20]
30.	Corvette	HMS Esk	21 guns source gives 20 guns	[20]
31.	Screw sloop	HMS Archer	15 guns	[20]
32.	Paddle frigate	HMS Magicienne	steam powered, 16 guns	[20]
33.	Paddle frigate	HMS Odin	ditto	[20]
34.	Paddle frigate	HMS Vulture	6 guns	[20]
35.	Paddle frigate	HMS Centaur	6 guns	[20]
36.	Paddle frigate	HMS Dragon	6 guns	[20]
37.	Paddle sloop	HMS Bulldog	6 guns	[20]
38.	Paddle steamer	HMS Lightning	3 guns	[20]
39.	Screw sloop	HMS Desperate	8 guns	[20]
40.	Screw sloop	HMS Conflict	8 guns	[20]
41.	Screw sloop	HMS Cruizer	17 guns, source gives 15 guns as HMS Cruiser	[20]
42.	Screw sloop	HMS Harrier	17 guns, source gives 15 guns	[20]
43.	Screw sloop	HMS Falcon	ditto	[20]
44.	Screw sloop	HMS Ariel	9 guns	[20]
45.	Paddle sloop	HMS Basilisk	6 guns	[20]
46.	Steam sloop	HMS Rosamond	6 guns	[20]
47.	Paddle sloop	HMS Driver	6 guns	[20]
48.	Paddle sloop	HMS Geyser	6 guns	[20]
49	Paddle sloop	HMS Gorgon	6 guns	[20]
Ironclad floating batteries total 5
1.	Aetna-class	HMS Glatton	16 guns	[20]
2.	Aetna-class	HMS Meteor	16 guns	[20]
3.	Aetna-class	HMS Aetna	16 guns	[20]
4.	Aetna-class	HMS Thunder	16 guns	[20]
5.	Aetna-class	HMS Trusty	16 guns	[20]
Mortar vessels total 28
8	Bomb vessels	Blazer, Firm, Manly, Mastiff, Hardy, Havock, Porcupine, Porpoise.	All built between 1854 and 1855, 1 gun each	[20]
10	Gunboats	Gleaner, Pelter, Ruby, Pincher, Teazer, Badger, Snaper, Biter, Boxer, Clinker	Between 2 and 3 guns each	[20]
10	Gunboats	Cracker, Dapper, Fancy, Grinder, Snap, Jackdaw, Jasper, Jack, Magpie, Redwing	Between 2 and 3 guns each	[20]
Gunboats total 8
8	Gunboats	Skylark, Hind, Starling, Stork, Twinger, Thistle, Weasel, Pigmy	Between 2 and 3 guns each	[20]
Other vessels/units total 3
1.	Hospital ship	HMS Belleisle		[20]
1.	Shell magazine	Aeolus		[20]
1.	Powder magazine	Volage		[20]
The fleet consisted of 93 naval units of all types