Churchill's 1912 estimates speech counted docking capacity alongside ship construction. He identified nine docks able to take Invincibles, Lord Nelsons, and earlier ships, with five suitable for the latest battleships. Planned floating docks and new facilities at Portsmouth and Rosyth would expand capacity, while private docks supplied additional options. A floating dock and workshops could support a northern subsidiary base before permanent facilities were complete. Dock planning had to look several years ahead because accommodation for a growing fleet could not appear as quickly as an immediate requirement. The ships therefore depended on investment in the infrastructure that kept them operational.
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Churchill's dock programme and the infrastructure behind a fleet
Churchill's dock-capacity account explains how floating docks, private facilities, and long-term construction supported fleet expansion.