Q&A · 31:42-35:10

Could British yards fit Dutch battlecruiser orders?

A survey of slips and hull size supports the case that Britain could build several Dutch large cruisers despite its own naval program.

Question

Where would British yard capacity come from for Dutch battlecruisers without sacrificing Royal Navy carriers?

Short answer

Britain had enough active or readily reopened large slips to accommodate four Dutch ships.

Notes

The proposed Dutch ships were about 30,000 tons and roughly 241 meters overall, so they would not overwhelm Britain's large yards. A rough count compares the carrier and battleship slips already occupied with the wider pool of active and recently closed facilities. Britain had an estimated thirty slips capable of taking such ships once readily reopenable yards were included, leaving room for four Dutch orders. American neutrality made United States yards a less dependable choice in 1939, especially before Pearl Harbor transformed public and political attitudes toward the war.