Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom
In 1859
Lord Palmerston instigated the
Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom because of serious concerns that
France might attempt to invade the
UK. Great improvements in gunnery (with
RML and
RBL designs) and the widespread introduction of steam propulsion in ships (the French
La Gloire and British response
HMS Warrior are examples) convinced him that Britain's coastal defences were inadequate to prevent invasion by
Napoleon III if the
Royal Navy were lured elsewhere.
The Royal Commission resulted in a huge wave of building around the navy's
dockyards and
harbours at
Portsmouth,
Chatham,
Plymouth,
Portland Harbour,
Milford Haven and elsewhere. These forts became known as the
Palmerston Forts.
By the time the fortifications were completed in the
1880s it was clear that the French had not seriously planned to invade, and the
Franco-Prussian War of
1870–71 removed the threat. Palmerston was widely criticised, and these forts are often called
Palmerston's Follies. As a key purpose of
fortification is deterrent, this judgement was harsh, but with the rapid development of
warship design during the period, the time taken to plan and implement the works would always have caused problems with ensuring that the defences were capable of defeating a French attack force.
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London Defence Positions*
Royal Commission*
Royal Engineers Museum Coastal Defence
