While the Seven Years' War showed an administrator of supreme genius working in unison with his naval and military ‘seconds,’ compelling efficiency out of an imperfect system and making the most of the weapons at his command, in the War of American Independence a slack and corrupt government entirely failed not only to cover up defects (much less to remedy them) but to exact loyal service from the many able commanders at its disposal. Granted that the difficulties and dangers of this latter war were immeasurably greater, it is hard to believe that the storms encountered by North and Sandwich would not have been weathered more successfully by Pitt and Anson. In the designing of plans for the conduct of the war, ministers appeared to have learned nothing and forgotten everything. Lord Chatham at any rate was under no delusion, since he found it necessary in time of peace to reiterate the sound and indispensable principles of naval strategy.

Although marked by almost unrelieved failure in its military aspects, the War of American Independence is of vital interest and importance in any study of naval development.

Speech by the Earl of Chatham, November 22, 1770, in the Debate on the Duke of Richmond's Motion respecting the Seizure of Falkland's Islands.