Q&A ยท 3:03:11-3:03:19

Was Fisher wrong to dispose of Britain's gunboats?

The answer frames Fisher's disposal policy as a force-structure problem rather than a blanket defense of old ships.

Question

Did Admiral Fisher make a major mistake by getting rid of Britain's large gunboat fleet?

Short answer

The mistake was disposing of the gunboats without first providing a replacement for their functions.

Notes

The answer is qualified. Obsolete gunboats did not necessarily need to be retained, but their patrol and presence duties still existed; retiring them without a replacement created the real capability gap.