Jellicoe's path toward a 30-knot fast battleship

Jellicoe historically wanted a much faster battleship, and earlier small-tube-boiler development would make that ambition easier to pursue. In this scenario Dreadnought is the first generation, Orion the second, and the Queen Elizabeth type the third, with each inheriting mature work from its predecessor. The Royal Navy's frequent one-off battlecruiser designs would also offer room to experiment with boilers and guns. Continuous funding changes which gun projects firms consider worth advancing, so the next practical step after 14 inches might reach 16 or 16.5 inches rather than follow the historical sequence. About 16.5 inches is treated as the upper end at which contemporary salvo ranging and director control could still exploit a useful rate of fire. One proposed Queen Elizabeth design carries twelve 16.5-inch guns in four triple turrets and aims for 30 knots, although the eventual calibre remains uncertain. The scenario considers a 28- to 30-knot ship with very heavy guns and keeps the roles distinct: a fast battleship maintains contact with the cruiser line, while a battlecruiser ranges beyond it.