At Taïti was the former British consul Pritchard thrown in to the jail by the French government at that island. The London newspaper Times dated 7 August pointed out that the United Kingdom had to take care of her navy which had to be good and well manned. The navy had to be so strong that a potential navy didn't attack fearing for extreme losses. The newspaper didn't understand why a French politician even had the intention to begun a war between both countries. Times were past that France assisted by Spain could send 50 ships of the line into the Channel. France had hardly a fleet in the Mediterranean and was also there not able to sustain an open communication between Toulon and the African coasts.
