Why pre-dreadnoughts still made a powerful presence force

The ships were already becoming technically dated, but obsolescence against the Royal Navy did not make them irrelevant everywhere else. HMS Dreadnought had changed the technical standard without instantly erasing the combat and political value of older battleships. A concentrated formation of sixteen operational American pre-dreadnoughts represented more battle power than most navies could comfortably oppose. Ships that could steam, remain together, and operate their weapons reliably mattered more than paper specifications alone. The voyage announced that the United States had reached political adulthood and expected a place in international calculations.