Giving William White the Nelson-class plans in 1895

What could William White do if he received the Nelson-class ship covers and drawings for one week in 1895?

The designs could be copied quickly and give White's team a major head start by showing which technical ideas would eventually work.

The plans would give William White and his team evidence that unfamiliar arrangements could work. Some of the people who later contributed to the Nelson designs are described as beginning their careers in his organization in 1895. Knowing that a solution is possible would remove part of the difficulty of developing it. A week would be ample time to make copies, so returning the originals would not erase that knowledge. The scenario also gives the team the Royal Navy's 1895 budget, which is contrasted favorably with its position around 1920. Sixteen-inch guns are among the possibilities raised, without a detailed replacement design being proposed.