When was the dreadnought first built

The Navy was at the centre of national life - politically powerful and a major cultural force as well, with images of the jolly sailor Jack Tar used to sell everything from cigarettes to postcards.

The th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar just months earlier had served to remind anyone who doubted it of the Royal Navy's power, size and wild popularity. So if the British public had come to expect their Navy to be world-beaters, they were delighted with Dreadnought, and eager to hear all about her.

There was plenty to hear, for Dreadnought, says John Roberts of the Museum of Naval Firepower, "really transformed naval warfare rather like the tank did on land warfare. In fact Dreadnought was described at the time as 'the most deadly fighting machine ever launched in the history of the world'". Dreadnought brought together for the first time a series of technologies which had been developing over several years.

Most important was her firepower. She was the first all big-gun battleship - with ten inch guns. Each gun fired half-ton shells over 4ft tall and packed with high explosive. They weighed as much as a small car.

Standing next to one today, it is easy to see how a single broadside could destroy an opponent - and do so at 10 miles' distance. These great distances caused problems of their own - in controlling and directing the fire - and Dreadnought was one of the first ships fitted with new equipment to electrically transmit information to the gun turrets. For potential enemies on the receiving end this was a terrifying prospect. They forced Germany to pour huge sums into its own navy, making it difficult to effectively finance its war effort.

However, the massive cost of the ships, at a time when the British Empire was in severe financial distress, was ruinous in the long term. By the end of the war, the nation had nearly bankrupted itself building close to 30 dreadnoughts that faced significant threats from torpedo ships operated by even small navies.

In so doing, she bankrupted the Empire and lost her position as the world's premier navy forever. The Dreadnoughts were developed to do more with less while simultaneously addressing issues with previous battleships. For one thing, battleships of the era found it difficult to hit their targets. All ship guns were unguided, with gunners using splashes in the water to judge missed shots and adjust their aim.

However, because both the target and the gun were constantly moving, by the time the gun was reloaded and ready to fire, any information gleaned about range and direction was nearly useless. Pre-dreadnought ships included a variety of gun sizes, as smaller guns were quicker to reload and fire but did limited damage to capital ships at range. DOI : Version 1. Dreadnought, HMS. By John Abbatiello. The question of fire control , London; New York Routledge. Massie, Robert K. Sumida, Jon Tetsuro: In defence of naval supremacy.

Financial limitation, technological innovation and British naval policy, , London; New York Routledge. Metadata Subjects. Author Keywords. GND Subject Headings. LC Subject Headings. Asquith took this advice and Churchill was appointed to the post on 24th October, McKenna, with the greatest reluctance, replaced him at the Home Office.

This move backfired on Lloyd George as the Admiralty cured Churchill's passion for "economy". The "new ruler of the King's navy demanded an expenditure on new battleships which made McKenna's claims seem modest".

The Admiralty reported to the British government that by Germany would have 17 dreadnoughts, three-fourths the number planned by Britain for that date. At a cabinet meeting David Lloyd George and Winston Churchill both expressed doubts about the veracity of the Admiralty intelligence. He in turn discussed the issue with H. Lloyd George wrote to Churchill explaining how Asquith had now given approval to Fisher's proposals: "I feared all along this would happen.

Fisher is a very clever person and when he found his programme in danger he wired Davidson assistant private secretary to the King for something more panicky - and of course he got it.

On 7th February, , Churchill made a speech where he pledged naval supremacy over Germany "whatever the cost". He claimed that Churchill was "clever enough" to realise that the British public would support "naval supremacy" whoever was in charge "as his boundless ambition takes account of popularity, he will manage his naval policy so as not to damage that" even dropping "the ideas of economy" which he had previously preached.

The Admiralty reported to the British government that by Germany would have seventeen dreadnoughts, three-fourths the number planned by Britain for that date. According to George Riddell , a close friend of both men, recorded they were drifting wide apart on principles". The economic rivalry and all that do not give much offence to our people, and they admire Germany's steady industry and genius for organization.