滿清以少數民族入主中原，建立全國統治，仿效明代的鎮戍制度，在地方設立綠營防守鞏固統治。在東南海防上，清廷依靠綠營水師為主力，消滅海上反對勢力。然而，水師在海上作戰時面對諸多困難，所以清廷盡力截斷內地物資的供應，削弱海上反對勢力。為了確保整條海岸線的安全，綠營水師亦被安排駐防不同據點，導致力量分散。在嘉慶朝與海盜的戰爭中，廣東水師便多次被擊敗，徹底暴露武器、戰船、缺乏人才等弱點。

Manchu ruled mainland China with minority, and the Ming Dynasty’s garrison system was the reference for Manchu to build up the Green Standard Army, so as to consolidate their rule. The Green Standard Army's navy also took responsibility to eliminate the counterforce from southeast sea of China. However, the Green Standard Army's navy suffered difficulties on the sea battle. Therefore, the Manchu government was determined to cut off the supply of goods from the Mainland in order to weaken the enemy. To ensure safety of the entire coastline, the Green Standard Army's navy was garrisoned on different positions along the coastline, which dispersed their power. During the Jiaqing’s era, the Green Standard Army's navy of Guangdong lost a series of battles to the pirates and that completely exposed its weaknesses of weapons, war ships and lack of manpower.