What is the appeal of the sixteen-gun 'machine-gun battleship' concept?
Short answerIts 14-inch shells are individually less powerful, but sixteen barrels produce enough extra fire to create a major hit-probability advantage.
NotesA nine-gun 16-inch opponent would enjoy a heavier long-range hit, but the sixteen-gun ship could fire nearly three times as many shells over comparable salvos. The design therefore turns battle into a contest between individual shell power and the probability created by much greater volume of fire.