"Gentlemen, I have received the cabinet's authorization. Given that the Germans have now surpassed us in the development of new battleships, the Royal Navy must expedite the construction of our vessels to reclaim our advantage over the German Navy." Sir John Fisher spoke with great enthusiasm at the naval conference.
With the full backing of the cabinet, he was no longer burdened by concerns over budget shortfalls. Substantial financial allocations would enable the Royal Navy to swiftly construct the battleships it desired.
"Your Grace, while we can indeed accelerate the pace of battleship construction, the 343 mm guns have yet to achieve any significant breakthroughs. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the next class of battleships can commence construction," remarked a British naval officer.
"That is of little concern; we can finalize the designs in the meantime. I am confident that the armaments factory will soon make groundbreaking advancements. The technological prowess and heritage of the British Empire will not fall short even against the Germans," Sir John Fisher expressed unwavering confidence in their technological capabilities.
Indeed, the British Empire of today was not the future version that clung to America for support but rather a singular superpower commanding global dominance. Its technological advancements were on par with the best in the world. The United States, in the eyes of these European powers, was merely a sudden upstart, boasting industrial strength yet lacking in sophistication. In high-tech domains, especially in military technology, it still lagged significantly behind its European counterparts.
"Indeed, Your Grace," the naval officer nodded in agreement.
"Your Grace, if we expedite the construction of the 'Bellerophon-class' battleship, it could potentially be completed by mid-next year. Can we commence construction on the next class, the 'St. Vincent-class,' immediately?" inquired an official from the naval shipbuilding department.
Sir John Fisher hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Let us begin the construction of the 'St. Vincent-class' battleships at once. As soon as the designs for subsequent battleships are completed, we shall commence their construction. We must rapidly bolster the Royal Navy, striving to establish a formidable fleet of dreadnoughts in the shortest possible time."
Although Sir John Fisher had discerned through intelligence that the new German battleships set to enter service would outclass their own 'Dreadnought' and even the 'Bellerophon-class' under construction, the Royal Navy had no alternative. With technological constraints limiting their ability to launch more powerful new designs, they were left to produce only marginal improvements on the 'Dreadnought.' Their aim was to achieve overwhelming numerical superiority over the German Navy's newer battleships, thereby securing an advantage in the naval race.
Consequently, the British Navy proceeded to construct four classes of nine battleships based on the 'Dreadnought,' including three 'Bellerophon-class' battleships, three 'St. Vincent-class' battleships, one 'Neptune' battleship, and two 'Giant-class' battleships. Alongside three 'Invincible-class' battlecruisers and three 'Indefatigable-class' battlecruisers, the Royal Navy would total fifteen new capital ships.
Of course, these vessels, displacing around twenty thousand tons and armed with 305 mm guns, would undoubtedly be less formidable than the heavily armored German battleships. In the event of conflict, it would not be uncommon for them to be easily overwhelmed in naval engagements.
As the British Navy hastened the construction of its new vessels, other nations were likewise influenced. While the British Empire remained the undisputed maritime power, other countries harbored their aspirations regarding naval supremacy. Though unable to compete directly with the British, they still needed to safeguard their overseas interests. After all, how could they protect their colonies abroad? Thus, various nations began to strengthen their naval forces, launching their own new battleship programs.
Across the ocean, the United States abandoned the construction of pre-dreadnoughts in favor of dreadnoughts. However, due to technological disparities with Europe, the U.S. Navy opted for a strategy emphasizing firepower and protection, sacrificing speed for sturdiness. Each class of capital ship would consist of only two vessels, seeking to make gradual progress in their new battleship capabilities.
From the 'South Carolina-class' battleships to the subsequent 'Delaware-class,' 'Florida-class,' and 'Wyoming-class,' the U.S. Navy initiated the construction of two new capital ships each year. Starting with the later 'New York-class,' the caliber of their main guns surged from 305 mm to 356 mm, highlighting their ambitions for naval power.
Having emerged as the world's largest industrial nation, American ambitions grew alongside its industrial prowess. They aspired to achieve a more prominent status on the international stage and to potentially supplant Britain as the global hegemon. However, they recognized the difficulty of this task and thus focused on gradually building their strength while awaiting shifts in global dynamics.
France, as a traditional European power and a significant naval force, had been a primary challenger to British maritime hegemony centuries prior. With the advent of the dreadnought era, the French were determined not to lag behind.
Although their greatest adversary lay on land in the form of Germany, France, with its vast overseas colonies, gritted its teeth and began designing the 'Danton-class' battleships, initiating the construction of six vessels simultaneously. However, France had to prioritize its military resources for land forces to counter potential German offensives, which meant their naval investments could not compare to those of other nations. Reluctantly, they found themselves relegated from the first tier of naval supremacy.
Italy and Austria-Hungary, as allies of Germany, also sought to keep pace with the naval arms race while the Allies embarked on their dreadnought programs. The Italian Navy began designing the 'Dante' battleship, equipped with twelve 305 mm guns, while Austria-Hungary followed suit with the 'Tegetthoff-class' battleship, armed with four triple-mounted 305 mm guns.