Testing 14-inch guns and triple turrets earlier

Gun development requires firing, fatigue testing, and sometimes destructive trials, all of which become faster when several barrels are available. Government money could fund six or nine barrels from the outset, compared with the one to three a firm might risk itself. Governments usually helped fund a second batch after company testing, but earlier support could use the manufacturing already being set up for the first batch. Elswick had a 14-inch 45-calibre proposal, while Vickers had triple-turret concepts that British yards had not yet been paid to prove. A three-gun turret could fire a ranging salvo without relying on another heavy turret. Funding would make existing proposals testable and establish whether the guns and mountings were suitable for service.