A quantitative naval race could be judged by ship numbers, while a qualitative race depended partly on public impressions of technological superiority. Newspapers predicting Russian success at Tsushima from gun counts provide an example of a poor measure of fighting capability. Public information about fleets was limited. A new gun calibre could therefore influence perceptions even when it did not settle the wider comparison between ships.
Notable Point · 1:34:46-1:35:13
Why gun counts could distort perceptions of naval superiority
Predictions based on Russian gun numbers at Tsushima illustrate the limits of public comparisons of fleet strength.