How quickly would Britain's ironclads disappear if the Royal Navy received an enlarged pre-dreadnought fleet?
Short answerVery quickly, because the newer ships would reinforce Fisher's case for releasing the crews and budgets tied up in obsolete ironclads.
NotesThe proposed fleet is only modestly larger than Britain's historical pre-dreadnought construction, so it does not transform the strategic balance. It does, however, provide even less reason to retain older ironclads. The panel stresses that Fisher recognized obsolete ships consumed crews and money better used elsewhere, rather than treating HMS Dreadnought alone as the cause of their retirement. Modernization therefore includes decommissioning policy and personnel allocation, not merely new construction.