HMS Barfleur, a Centurion-class second-class battleship, shows why close fighting remained the assumption even as long-range technology improved. Better barrel metallurgy reduced distortion from repeated firing and helped guns remain aligned on target. Improved explosives allowed larger charges and therefore greater reach. A navy could imagine a heavily armed proto-dreadnought in the 1890s, but without reliable long-range fire the extra guns were an expensive concentration that offered less value than spreading them among several hulls.
Chapter · 38:11-40:13
HMS Barfleur and the limits of pre-dreadnought gunnery
HMS Barfleur illustrates why stronger barrels and better propellants had to mature before battleships could exploit reliable long-range fire.