Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:51:30-1:55:25

Four British battleships for Ottoman entry into the war

A proposed battleship bargain distinguishes expendable older ships from modern Queen Elizabeths and follows the replacement pressure into Britain's building program.

HMS AgincourtOttoman EmpireRenown Class BattlecruisersRevenge Class BattleshipsRoyal NavyWarship ConstructionWorld War I
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Question

Would Britain accept an Ottoman offer to join the Allies in exchange for four British battleships?

Short answer

Possibly for four older ships, but not four Queen Elizabeths; transferring dreadnoughts would create much more replacement pressure than transferring pre-dreadnoughts.

Notes

Britain might accept a bargain involving four pre-dreadnoughts or older dreadnoughts. Four new Queen Elizabeth-class ships are considered too much to surrender. The Grand Fleet's margin would be tighter in 1914 than in 1915 or 1916, when more new ships became available. A transfer of older dreadnoughts could therefore encourage rapid completion of additional Revenge-class ships and alter the decision to build Renown-class battlecruisers instead. Giving away pre-dreadnoughts would place much less pressure on the replacement program.