Final answer:
Most British navy ships during the war maintained a blockade of American ports and, while engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, were able to exert significant but not total naval force against the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the war, most British navy ships were engaged in multiple duties due to Britain's naval supremacy. Although the bulk of the British Navy was preoccupied with the Napoleonic Wars, they still managed to deploy a significant fleet against the United States. With approximately eighty-five ships at their disposal, they remained a formidable force. Their primary actions included maintaining a blockade of American ports and engaging in the occasional naval encounter. The British blockade was effective in stifling American maritime activities, as the nascent U.S. Navy consisted of less than twenty ships, with only a few larger vessels like the USS Constitution. Meanwhile, the British ships of the line brought overwhelming fire power to bear on both coastal defenses and enemy ships at sea. Despite their superior numbers, the British had to commit large parts of their navy to the fight against Napoleon, which prevented them from exerting their full strength against the Americans.