How battlecruisers became the public image of the dreadnought

Invincible's three funnels, large guns, and sleek shape made engine power and speed visible parts of her presence mission. The battlecruiser designation also distinguished the new ships and helped project an image of exceptional capability. Overseas observers were more likely to encounter battlecruisers on imperial cruises than battleships intended for fleet combat. Those encounters could make the battlecruiser the vessel people pictured when they thought of a dreadnought. Public memory followed the ships people saw, even though the battleship supplied the heavier fleet-fighting force.