Ships in service and under construction show the Royal Navy pulling away from its rivals in 1912. Britain had roughly eighteen dreadnoughts and battlecruisers in service and twelve more under construction, while Germany's eight operational ships and ten building already looked outmatched. The United States also fielded eight and had four under construction, making it a major part of the global balance. French, Italian, Austro-Hungarian, Brazilian, Japanese, Australian, Ottoman, Chilean, and Spanish programmes broaden the picture beyond the North Sea. Hull totals posed a separate strategic problem from the latest gun, armour, or propulsion specification.
Chapter · 19:20-21:00
The 1912 balance of dreadnought fleets
A 1912 fleet count shows the Royal Navy pulling ahead while the United States, France, Italy, Japan, and several smaller powers continued to add dreadnoughts.