Admiral Reginald Bacon's account is valuable for studying the Dover Patrol, though his personality shapes it. Bacon's preference was not simply for the biggest available gun: a 9.2-inch weapon already exceeded much field artillery and could fire rapidly. Put on a small ship able to approach the target, it offered an efficient way to adjust naval fire against shore positions. His advocacy demonstrates that technical gunnery expertise could favour a numerous, specialised platform rather than the era's prestige battleship solution.
Chapter · 39:48-43:36
The Dover Patrol case for smaller monitor guns
The Dover Patrol valued a small monitor's 9.2-inch gun because it could work close in and correct fire more rapidly than a larger weapon.