HMS Bristol received Brown-Curtis turbines because John Brown built her. Britain benefited from having Brown-Curtis and Parsons compete for a large flow of naval orders. Shipyard relationships often influenced which machinery system a particular cruiser received. A steady order book allowed both firms to keep developing turbines and retain the construction knowledge needed to remain competitive.
Notable Point · 9:33-10:37
Industrial competition behind British turbine development
Bristol's Brown-Curtis turbines introduce the competitive industrial base that kept two British machinery suppliers at the technological edge.