The dreadnought race beyond Germany

Prewar fleet competition extended beyond the Anglo-German dreadnought race. The Royal Navy watched German ship numbers, while technical developments in the United States and Italy drew closer attention. Delaware shows why: its centreline battery, machinery alternatives, and promising hull offered ideas worth studying even though the class is less familiar than British or German dreadnoughts. A comparison across several navies shows a wider field of experimentation than battleship totals alone suggest.