Although fireships continued to gather some interest from the navies of some European nations, increased knowledge of shipbuilding techniques and marine gunnery eventually reduced the appeal of fireships to the world's naval powers. During the Napoleonic Wars, fireships were more of an afterthought, despite the existence of purpose-built British vessels for suicide attacks against enemy fleets and installations. The last known use of fireships of any decisive effect was during the Greek War of Independence in which patriot forces successfully used fireships to sabotage and hinder the Ottoman fleet in Greek waters. Thus from this period, the fireship lapses into obscurity, although its place would be taken up by the electric sea-mine and the torpedo, which were substantially cheaper in comp