Could aircraft carriers arrive before the First World War?

Could aircraft carriers appear before the First World War in this timeline?

Possibly: earlier long-range director firing could drive demand for aircraft spotting and a carrier by about 1914 or before, but the result depends on how the technologies develop.

Longer-range guns and director fire control could create an earlier need for aerial spotting. Balloons had already been considered and found of doubtful value, though the scenario allows another attempt before turning to heavier-than-air aircraft. If director firing developed early enough, a carrier could emerge around 1914 or earlier. An unexpected radar breakthrough would alter that incentive, but aircraft are treated as the more realistic path. No fixed carrier design or introduction date follows from the argument.