Older ironclads and battleships disappeared only after they lost all value in first-, second-, or third-line roles. This produced a different procurement logic from modern one-for-one class replacement: the Navy built new ships because its global commitments required more capability, while useful older hulls remained part of the force until treaties or obsolescence removed them.
Notable Point · 2:13:17-2:16:39
When navies built for need instead of one-for-one replacement
Before treaty limits hardened replacement cycles, the Royal Navy kept old ships for lesser duties and added new construction to meet expanding requirements.