The Royal Navy and Intelligence Gathering in the Western Atlantic c. 1700-1750

Pooley, Matthew Adam

Abstract

This thesis investigates English, and after 1707, British intelligence gathering and the role of intelligence in operations around the Atlantic Ocean during the first half of the eighteenth century and the
years immediately leading up to it. Rather than providing an operational history of this period, it examines naval activity through the lens of intelligence gathering to understand and explain the influence of intelligence exchange, which was crucial to naval operations in the Americas. Attention is drawn to the often- overlooked need for intelligence, which was pivotal to naval operations in Britain’s developing empire in the Atlantic, an increasingly important area of economic opportunity for Britain. Intelligence is often present in the literature of naval activity but is rarely examined in depth. This thesis therefore seeks to provide a detailed consideration of the collection, validation, and deployment of intelligence material to fill this lacuna in the historiography.
This thesis also uses a broad array of sources, including governmental and other, civilian sources, and goes beyond what they say about operations, battles, and cruises, and instead examines what they reveal about the frequently overlooked but ever-present process of intelligence gathering. These sources illustrate the range of correspondents in the complex systems of exchange during the eighteenth century, with a cross-section of individuals involved from across society. They have been used in parallel examination with one another to investigate the extent to which systems of intelligence gathering coexisted and drew in actors and correspondents from diverse sources. The range of sources allows the historian to blend both the civilian and the military spheres of intelligence gathering, emphasising the fluidity and flexibility of the exchange during this period.

Citation

Pooley, M. A. (2024). The Royal Navy and Intelligence Gathering in the Western Atlantic c. 1700-1750. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4919158

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Nov 15, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 21, 2024
• Keywords: History
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4919158
• Additional Information: Department of History; Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education; University of Hull
• Award Date: Apr 9, 2024