The fleet comparison takes January 1904 as its reference point because hostilities begin in February. Its provisional all-type construction totals are 60 British vessels, 86 French, 58 Russian, and 25 Japanese. The initial count of eight British battleships under construction is then revised towards ten. Roughly forty further ships at varying stages in British yards could potentially be brought under the Royal Navy flag in wartime. Different counting boundaries therefore change the apparent construction balance substantially. These figures concern possible future reinforcements, and completion dates determine when individual ships could become available.
Chapter · 39:01-41:00
What the January 1904 fleet comparison leaves uncertain
Counting boundaries and unfinished hulls in British yards complicate estimates of the reinforcements available after war begins.