Should Britain have adopted more diesel propulsion?

Should Britain have used more diesel power plants before World War II?

Probably not: Britain's industrial and training base favored steam, though adopting a later, higher-pressure boiler standard could have delivered better efficiency.

Germany's existing industrial infrastructure supported diesel machinery. Britain would have needed to fund the construction capacity, support systems, and training required for a larger shift to diesel, taking resources from other naval priorities. Continuing with steam is therefore the preference here. The British wartime plant is associated with a design choice around 1935, compared with American choices around 1937-38. Selecting a later British boiler design could have brought higher pressure, improved efficiency, and greater range.