Britain's proposed sequence of 12, 13.5, 15, 16.5, and 18-inch guns created smaller steps than the two-inch jumps expected elsewhere. The extra increments gave planners more room to moderate technological escalation while the Royal Navy also managed a numbers race with Germany. HMS Canada introduced a 14-inch-gun exception during the First World War. The Queen Elizabeth class gained enough speed to influence range and manoeuvre, while the slower Revenge class reinforced the 21-knot battle line. Britain could choose which performance dimension to advance without setting the most extreme possible benchmark.
Notable Point · 49:29-58:14
British gun calibres and controlled escalation
Britain used smaller calibre steps and balanced Queen Elizabeth and Revenge designs to gain useful advantages without forcing every rival into a more intense race.