March 28, 1848, Western Mediterranean.
Edward Clinton dispatched ten battleships and twenty auxiliary vessels of various types, as London had planned, to Durrës to prepare to blockade the Adriatic Sea.
His plan was to use his main force to suppress the French Grand Orient Fleet, then use a detached squadron and Durrës's advantageous position to blockade the Austrian Navy.
Although this would leave the British Mediterranean Fleet at a numerical disadvantage compared with the French Grand Orient Fleet, the change of regime in France made it difficult to be sure the French would have enough fighting strength.
Besides, Edward Clinton had ample confidence in his fleet. Never mind the Grand Orient Fleet—even if the French brought in the Great Western Fleet as well, he could still escape if he couldn't win.
After all, British warships were the fastest in the world at the time. In the windless belt of the Mediterranean, the French couldn't work miracles, which was why he was so confident.
As for using twenty battleships to blockade the Austrian Navy, Edward Clinton felt that was overkill.
It wasn't that he doubted the Austrians' intelligence. But the Austrian naval commander had to be an idiot, because he actually wanted to build an iron-hulled ship.
In fact, Edward Clinton still didn't believe an iron-hulled ship could float at sea. And he wasn't alone: the vast majority of British naval commanders also thought ironclads were utter nonsense.
Then, taking into account some unflattering rumors about the House of Habsburg, Edward Clinton easily concluded that Friedrich was a fool.
Especially after the latter married an Arab woman, he was completely convinced the fellow had something seriously wrong with him.
And even if the Battle of the Adriatic Sea were lost, the British Navy could still retreat into Durrës Harbor.
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