Ok so this technically isn't 1700 to 1800 but I think it's an important event that also had quite an effect on Britain's thinking. I'm talking about the Dutch raid on Medway and the Chatham naval docks in 1667, which at the time was where Charles had the British fleet laid up and is considered by many historians as Britain's greatest naval defeat.
It seems to be a largely ignored piece of history but the fact is the Dutch navy was able to sail down the river Medway and the Thames estuary largely unchallenged over the course of several days and lay waste to a better part of the British fleet.
Despite pre-warnings from english spies in the Dutch court, and warnings from fleeing merchant ships and warnings from Chathams warden the British government and the Admiralty failed to react in time to organise an effective defense.
The Dutch wanted to shame the English by taking the battle home to them after the attrocities commited by the brits during 1666 during several engagements and therefore decided to raid the British fleet at Chatham. The Dutch fleet of around 90 ships sailed down to chatham and engaged around the 10th of June and in the course of the attack burnt 3 British capital ships, sunk a futher 10 lesser ships and towed off Unity a previous prize ship captured from the Dutch and the Royal Charles, the actual Flagship of the Royal Navy!!
To really rub salt into the wound the Naval command element in fear of a direct attack on London deliberately sunk around 30 of their own ships in attempt to stop the Dutch getting further up despite being told otherwise, some of which carried around 70 guns!
Furthermore the new fort under construction at Sherness to first abandoned by the token scottish force defending and was then captured by Dutch marines (Kudos for developing the first trained marine force) followed up by the fact most of the crews that should of been manning the fleet had buggered off because they hadn't been paid, in some cases for years, an example would be of 800 men expected to arrive at the dock only about 12 turned up in an utter state of panic and of 30 sloops pulled in for the defence only 10 actually turned up and only 2 senior naval officials were actually present.
Naturally this lead to the mother of all screw ups by the Royal Navy and had a massive effect on the running of the navy. It was estimated damage to the dock was around £20,000 (old money) and the damage to the fleet £200,000 not including the cost to repair and rebuild the four lost capital ships. It also meant that for several years the Dutch had the most powerful fleet in the world until Charles brought in a new shipbuilding program at the Chatham docks in 1670 to rebuild the fleet and generaly reinforce all areas of the navy...
Also some small intriuging points about the Chatham docks for anyone interested...
1588 - Battle of Gravelines - Armada finally scattered, damaged ships return to Chatham docks for repair.
1667 - Dutch raid Medway, Chatham records show British casaulties at 8 sunk, 7 burned and 2 captured for no Dutch losses
1685 - Chatham docks are Modernised with the construction of 2 Drydocks and 21 storehouses.
1688-70 - Shipbuilding program brought in which confirms hatham dock as the PREMIER dock for ship construction.
1765 - HMS Victory constructed and launched from Chatham Docks.
1770 - Nelson joins his first ship at the Chatham docks.
1800-1803 - Victory is rebuilt at Chatham.
1805 - Battle of Trafalgar, Victory and several other Chatham built ships partake in the battle.
Just thought it was worth mentioning about chatham as a militray dock as the campaign screenshot shows portsmouth as the seemingly military dock while it was in fact secondary to Chatham during the period and it appears both may be on the map. I live in Rochester and Chatham is practically glued on along with Gillingham and all them lot! and Rochester and Chatham have been blessed with the likes of Charles Dickens, Samuel Pepys and Sir Joseph Williamson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Joseph_Williamson for those who don't know him ( he's a legend btw, talk about cash for honours )