Those storm-tossed ships... that helped the Grand Armee in its conquest of the world

In another thread, someone wondered what would have happened "if Britain and France had beaten the US in the war of 1812." Which led to the obvious conclusion that, barring a massive war somewhere else, they would curbstomp the States. The obvious theatre for the "somewhere else" is of course Europe, whose people notably didn't like the French (or the British, for that matter) at this time.

So: In 1800, for whatever reason, the British and French tag-team to take on Europe. They don't have to be at war with everybody all the time, but their medium-term goals are no less ambitious than Napoleon's and teh other states of Europe should know this. So, Britain-France stick: who wins?

I know the POD is one huge pile of Handwave and ASB, but I'm putting it here because I'm looking for a serious answer about Napoleonic relative strengths. ;)
 
If you can put Britain and France on the same side, then you give the French navy chance to put to sea enough to get its crews proficient, and make of them a formidable force - ie Britain isn't going to be stopping them

The US will PROBABLY decide to build some more ships - IIRC there was a law passed in the 1790s that already provides for some that were never built.

An alliance in 1800 would mean no Louisiana Sale, since France has no problem getting to it without the British blockading the seas

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 

Thande

Donor
This isn't such a big thing as the hypothetical vs. the USA thing - the great advantage there would be that the Royal Navy would be able to transport the Grand Armée or at least defend its transports on a huge amphibious operation.

Vs Europe this is much less of an advantage, as no-one on the other side had much of a navy (except Spain perhaps). So you could see Britain doing amphibious descents with impunity in support of France's conventional land invasion, but how much of an advantage is that when you're fighting people like Austria and Russia?
 

Thande

Donor
BTW, there was one case after the Convention of Cintra where the Royal Navy transported a French army home due to a temporary peace (which most people on both sides found completely incomprehensible).
 
This isn't such a big thing as the hypothetical vs. the USA thing - the great advantage there would be that the Royal Navy would be able to transport the Grand Armée or at least defend its transports on a huge amphibious operation.

Vs Europe this is much less of an advantage, as no-one on the other side had much of a navy (except Spain perhaps). So you could see Britain doing amphibious descents with impunity in support of France's conventional land invasion, but how much of an advantage is that when you're fighting people like Austria and Russia?

Probably not much but (a la the plans for WWI) splitting the enemy's forces may be enough for Boney to pull it off. As you said, it's not useful against Austria or Russia but it'll be a problem for Prussia and, say, Denmark or Portugal are screwed.

BTW, there was one case after the Convention of Cintra where the Royal Navy transported a French army home due to a temporary peace (which most people on both sides found completely incomprehensible).

The moving the army home or the peace? ;)
 
This isn't such a big thing as the hypothetical vs. the USA thing - the great advantage there would be that the Royal Navy would be able to transport the Grand Armée or at least defend its transports on a huge amphibious operation.

Vs Europe this is much less of an advantage, as no-one on the other side had much of a navy (except Spain perhaps). So you could see Britain doing amphibious descents with impunity in support of France's conventional land invasion, but how much of an advantage is that when you're fighting people like Austria and Russia?

It makes a pretty big difference - Britain has an army, too, plus lots of money - plus, you don't have the economic warfare between France and Britain. Also, France had no way of reaching St Petersburg in OTL; in this it does. Without having to worry about the British, far fewer resources need to be devoted to defending the French empire, e.g. Italy.
 
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