WI: Britain won the War of Jenkins' Ear?

[Ellis MacVey]

Wikipedia Article on the War of Jenkins' Ear

Okay, so I'm not going to lie, this is a pretty minor conflict, but it might have interesting territorial implications if their had been a decisive victor instead of the conflict just sort of sputtering out, and the butterfly effect is not to be wholly discounted.

Since Spain was basically victorious, as they successfully defended their colonial possessions and ended British smuggling operations, this scenario asks what if the British had decisively won the war.

What do you folks think the results would be?

 

[unprincipled peter]

I guess the definition of win would revolve around Spain suing for peace. If all else remains OTL, I'd think an early victory is needed, before the war of Austrian Succession breaks out. The question is how does Britain achieve that victory. Too resounding a victory will likely bring the French in. IMO, that rules out an invasion of Spain proper. So, if the initial phase of the war goes in Britain's favor, maybe taking islands and Florida instead of going for the mainland,Spain may bow out after seeing that France was going to renege on their alliance and Britain eating away at colonial holdings.

Peace terms probably include a favorable settlement of British Honduras/central America and favorable trade treaties. Florida likely remains British if they've taken it. I don't see much more happening.

Spain now likely sits out the War of Austrian succession. I don't think they gained much there, but they did tie up Austrian troops. I'd have to reread WoAS to see if that opens up a butterfly effect worth mentioning.

 

[raharris1973]

I guess the definition of win would revolve around Spain suing for peace. If all else remains OTL, I'd think an early victory is needed, before the war of Austrian Succession breaks out. The question is how does Britain achieve that victory. Too resounding a victory will likely bring the French in. IMO, that rules out an invasion of Spain proper. So, if the initial phase of the war goes in Britain's favor, maybe taking islands and Florida instead of going for the mainland,Spain may bow out after seeing that France was going to renege on their alliance and Britain eating away at colonial holdings.

Peace terms probably include a favorable settlement of British Honduras/central America and favorable trade treaties. Florida likely remains British if they've taken it. I don't see much more happening.

Spain now likely sits out the War of Austrian succession. I don't think they gained much there, but they did tie up Austrian troops. I'd have to reread WoAS to see if that opens up a butterfly effect worth mentioning.

This could make Florida a British colony almost as early as Georgia. If it is held and settled and we later have a unified colonial rebellion, Florida could be one of the original states.

 

[John Fredrick Parker]

As an example -- FWIG, during Queen Anne's War, Spanish Florida was widely depopulated, with the only surviving colonial outposts being Penescola and St Augustine, both of which came under siege during the war (the former by the Creek Confederacy, the latter by Carolina colonists). If one or both of these outposts had fallen, would that mean that Britain gets Spanish Florida earlier? And if so, what does that mean for French Louisiana? After all, the only Gulf port the French had at the time of the war was Mobile, which isn't far from Pensacola.

 

[galanx]

My New Albion tl has Britain seizing the Pacific Northwest due to War of Jenkin's Ear. Anson leads flotilla to west coast of South America; accidentally sinks Manila-bound Spanish treasure ship; decides to make up for it by discovering North-west Passage; instead finds stranded Bering expedition and discovers from them the value of sea otter furs in China.