A cooking analogy separates advance design and procurement from the physical assembly of a warship. The Battle of Tsushima came too late to create the Dreadnought concept, but it supplied valuable political support for choices already under development. Fisher accepted a 12-inch, 21-knot ship instead of delaying for a possible 14-inch armament or the 23- to 24-knot speed he preferred. Proven components and Portsmouth's capacity made an exceptionally rapid build possible. Construction speed carried the deterrent message: Britain could produce a new type quickly enough that Germany could not hope to match its maritime infrastructure.
Notable Point · 1:25:36-1:29:54
Tsushima, prepared components, and construction speed
Tsushima supplied political cover for an existing design programme whose rapid assembly was meant to demonstrate British industrial power.