How many times total in history did Britain shut the Suez Canal?

Shut completely, or simply block usage by a particular entity? The later happened in 1905 when Britain prevented the Russian Baltic Fleet from transiting the canal on its way to Japan. IIRC, a second division of the Baltic fleet, composed of the monitors and older ships, departed Russia after the main fleet by which time Britain had decided to reopen the canal to Russian naval vessels. That’s why the main part of the Russian fleet had to go the long way around Africa in 1905.
 

raharris1973

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simply block usage by a particular entity

It is adequate any time they blocked usage by a particular entity.

Thanks for the providing the example.

How did they implement this decision?

Declaring it was closed to Russia for the duration in advance?
 
It is adequate any time they blocked usage by a particular entity.

Thanks for the providing the example.
How did they implement this decision?

Declaring it was closed to Russia for the duration in advance?
I was fuzzy on the details so I did a bit of, very quick, digging. It seems that I had remembered the British as explicitly forbidding the Russians from transiting the canal when in truth it was more of an unstated threat that Britain used to discourage the main fleet from trying its luck in passing the canal. Legally, the canal was neutral waters and Russia had every right to pass through it, if it chose to. However Britain, having de facto control of the canal, had the flexibility to interpret the rules more or less as it wanted and so could potentially use or invent a pretext to delay the fleet's passage, prevent it from using the canal, or detain the fleet outright. Russia didn't feel confident in being able to pressure Britain in adopting a favorable position, especially with the all-important 2nd Squadron. However, when the 3rd Squadron came around the British had cooled down a bit, and the Russians, ultimately could afford to lose the 3rd Squadron if was prevented from passaing the canal. That made the chance worth it, and in the event Britain did not do anything to hinder the Russian force using the canal.

I'm a referring to a couple of posts on AskHistorians here, fyi, because they're easier to find than scholarly material. Specifically these: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...id_only_a_portion_of_the_russian_navy_travel/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori...heard_the_voyage_of_the_russian_baltic_fleet/
 
The Russians had fired on the Dogger Bank fishing fleet and the Channel fleet shadowed the Russians south. The Russians also used France’s base network to get to the Pacific and there were more bases along African coast.
 
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