This thesis examines the context and causes of signal reform in the British Royal Navy during the American War of Independence. It argues that changes in the ethos of the officer corps before and during the American War of Independence led to a complex period of signal reform. The original system was tied to the General Printed Sailing and Fighting Instructions, more often referred to as the Fighting Instructions. For around a century (ca. 1690 to ca. 1790), the Royal Navy utilized the Fighting Instructions as its main system of communication. During the American War for Independence, however, some sea officers began to question the system and devise new methods of signaling. This change was brought on by changes within the officer corps. Among the changes were trends of centralization and the influence of Enlightenment ideals. Both of these shifts helped to inspire the signal reformers, while also creating the environment to sustain signal reforms. This thesis examines the signal reforms of the three principal signal reformers of the war: Richard Howe, Richard Kempenfelt, and George Rodney. / Master of Arts / This thesis examines the context and causes of signal reform in the British Royal Navy during the American War of Independence. It argues that changes in the ethos of the officer corps before and during the American War of Independence led to a complex period of signal reform. For nearly one hundred years, the navy utilized the same system of signaling to communicate between ships: the General Printed Sailing and Fighting Instructions, more commonly known as the Fighting Instructions. During the American War of Independence, some British sea officers began to question that system and propose alternate systems of their own design. Influenced by their lengthy naval experience, shifts in trends of centralization, and the influence of Enlightenment ideals, officers like Richard Howe, Richard Kempenfelt, and George Rodney experimented with new methods of signaling.

Dès les batailles de Lexington et Concord le 19 avril 1775, la guerre d’Indépendance américaine retient l’attention en France, et ce, à la fois des diplomates français, mais également de l’opinion publique française. Parmi les deux groupes, on retrouve des éléments qui tentent de favoriser et de préparer une intervention officielle de la France dans cette guerre. L’objectif de ce mémoire est donc d’étudier l’interaction qui eut alors lieu entre l’opinion publique et la diplomatie. Le premier chapitre étudie comment l’opinion publique crée les conditions opportunes à l’intervention de Beaumarchais auprès du gouvernement français, puis l’impact de cette intervention. Le second chapitre s’intéresse quant à lui aux arguments mis de l’avant par le ministère des Affaires étrangères – par l’entremise de sa propre gazette, les Affaires de l’Angleterre et de l’Amérique – pour convaincre et préparer l’opinion publique à l’intervention de la France dans la guerre d’Indépendance américaine. / As early as the battles of Lexington and Concord, April 19th 1775, the American War of Independence holds the attention in France of both French diplomats as well as French public opinion. Amongst both groups, we find elements trying to favour and prepare an official French intervention in this war. The aim of this thesis is therefore to study the interaction that took place then between public opinion and diplomacy. The first chapter studies how public opinion created the opportune conditions for Beaumarchais’ intervention to the French government and the impact of this intervention. As for the second chapter, it is interested in the arguments put forward by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – through its own newspaper, the Affaires de l’Angleterre et de l’Amérique – to convince and prepare public opinion to the intervention of France in the American War of Independence.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of History, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-64).

The author attempts to analyse how the impact of the American War of Independence influenced the political and economic situation on British Isles in 1777. The main aim is to record the changing atmosphere on British Isles throughout the year 1777 with an emphasis on the varying situations after the battle at Saratoga and understanding the whole conflict amongst the British politicians. One of the author's aims will be an analysis of the british international trade between the years 1773-1782. To achieve diploma's aim, the author will answer four basic research questions. The author will analyse primary sources and modern day scientific literature related to the given topic while not forgetting to place the whole given period into a complicated contemporary context. Keywords Great Britain, The American War of Independence, the Year of the Hangman, lord Frederick North, The British Isles, International Trade of Great Britain in 18th Century, 1777, Battle of Saratoga 1777