What if a rival reached the dreadnought first?

What if another country had beaten Britain to a dreadnought?

Britain could respond through its building capacity, with the size of the rival's lead affecting the outcome.

An earlier foreign dreadnought would still face Britain's ability to outbuild competitors. The response would depend on how far ahead the rival started. Gloire and Warrior provide the comparison: introducing a type and sustaining the subsequent building competition are different advantages. British construction capacity could overcome an initial lead.