Dante Alighieri is a stronger rival than the French Gloire was to HMS Warrior, so the Royal Navy must clear a higher bar to erase Italy's claim to leadership. The proposed package combines triple turrets, fifteen 14-inch guns, and a guaranteed speed margin. It beats the Italian ship in armament, speed, and the visible characteristics used to define the new type. If delivered quickly, that ship would redefine the category so thoroughly that Dante would be remembered as the almost-dreadnought rather than the standard itself.
Notable Point · 1:44:02-1:46:31
Turning Dante into the almost-dreadnought
A ship with fifteen 14-inch guns and 26-knot speed would reclaim the dreadnought label and relegate Dante Alighieri to a transitional status.