The Dreadnought Era

February 10, 1906, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, England. A grand launching ceremony was being held for a warship. Even Admiral Sir John Fisher, the Naval Minister, had traveled from London to attend. Many high-ranking officers of the Royal Navy of the British Empire were present as well, demonstrating the immense expectations the British Navy held for this battleship.

This warship was none other than the Royal Navy's most cutting-edge battleship: the HMS Dreadnought. Her keel had only been laid on October 2 of the previous year. Yet, to be launched after a mere four months of construction was nothing short of a miracle. Naturally, it was unlikely that any shipyard other than those of the British Navy could achieve such a pace.

"Your Excellency, the construction work has proceeded very smoothly thus far. Once the ship is launched, fitting-out will begin immediately. We expect to complete construction and begin sea trials in another six to eight months. We have built the world's most powerful battleship in just one year," the Shipyard Director said with a look of pride.

Indeed, such a construction speed had set a brand-new record. Of course, this was also due to the British shipyards having accumulated a vast amount of experience, placing them far ahead of other nations. At the same time, the performance of the Dreadnought in various aspects was not particularly outstanding among the many dreadnoughts that would follow. However, as the world's first all-big-gun battleship, the launch of the Dreadnought was of epoch-making significance.

Admiral Sir John Fisher looked at the massive battleship on the slipway and nodded with satisfaction. Once again, the British Navy was leading the world. The type of battleship they were pioneering would render all existing battleships of other nations obsolete overnight.

The Dreadnought adopted a long-forecastle hull design and eliminated the underwater ram at the bow. The biggest difference between the Dreadnought and previous battleships was the adoption of the "All-Big-Gun" concept, utilizing ten 12-inch main guns of a uniform model with identical ballistic performance. Five twin-gun turrets were arranged on the centerline: one at the bow, one at the stern, one behind the boiler room amidships, and two symmetrically on either beam between the two boiler rooms. The ship's maximum broadside firepower consisted of eight main guns, with a theoretical forward firepower of six guns, exponentially increasing her combat advantage. The uniform ballistic performance of the main guns made a unified fire-control system possible. Secondary armament was limited to guns under 3 inches in caliber, intended solely for defense against small torpedo craft. The Dreadnought was the first large warship to utilize four steam turbine sets, resulting in a speed faster than any previous battleship. While increasing the maximum speed to 21 knots, she could maintain high speeds for long periods with excellent reliability. Compared to older reciprocating steam engines, these were more powerful and reliable. The Dreadnought's armor protection was second to none, utilizing surface-hardened steel with a thickness of up to 11 inches in critical areas, providing comprehensive protection. The hull's watertight compartments below the waterline eliminated transverse communication doors, strengthening the watertight structure and improving the ship's survivability.

The ceremony began shortly thereafter, and Admiral Sir John Fisher delivered a speech: "Gentlemen, the Royal Navy of the British Empire has been the most powerful navy in the world for centuries. We have provided protection for the British Empire's colonies across the globe while simultaneously deterring other nations. However, we must observe that since entering the 20th century, other nations, unwilling to see maritime power held solely by the British Empire, have begun to increase their naval investments. But what we should be proud of is that the British Navy remains the world's number one, and will continue to hold that title for a long time to come. Our number of battleships is more than double that of our main rival, the Germans. And now, we are about to welcome the world's most powerful battleship. This will ensure that the Royal Navy of the British Empire continues to reign supreme; no one can challenge us! Long live the British Empire! God bless the British Empire!"

"Long live! God bless the British Empire!" countless navy personnel and shipyard workers cheered. They felt proud and honored by the might of the British Empire.

The Dreadnought, having completed her main construction, slid slowly into the sea. As she entered the water, a massive spray was kicked up. The hull swayed as if it might capsize, but the excellent design allowed the ship to stabilize quickly.

Bottles of champagne were smashed against the hull of the Dreadnought, bringing the entire launching ceremony to its climax.

Admiral Sir John Fisher did not stay long at the shipyard. After the ceremony concluded, he returned directly to London to report on the status of the Dreadnought to the British Prime Minister, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.

The British Prime Minister was also very concerned about the construction of the navy's new battleship. After all, the British Empire was a maritime power, and the strength of the navy was directly linked to the fate of the nation.

That evening, Prime Minister Sir Bannerman set aside time after dinner to hear Admiral Sir John Fisher's report.

"Sit down, Naval Minister. How is our new battleship?" Sir Bannerman asked.

"Prime Minister, although she has only just been launched, I must say she is a magnificent warship. I am certain that when she enters service, she will shock the entire world. We have incorporated a great many brand-new design concepts into this battleship. I am confident that her emergence will render all previous battleships obsolete overnight. Of course, this includes not only our rivals' battleships but our own as well," Admiral Sir John Fisher said with confidence.

The British Navy possessed the world's largest fleet of battleships, with dozens cruising the world's oceans to protect the British Empire's overseas interests. It could be said that it was precisely these massive battleships that effectively maintained Britain's overseas colonies and ensured the smooth operation of the global colonial system built by Britain, allowing the British Empire to continue to dominate the world.

Sir Bannerman nodded with satisfaction: "If that is the case, then it could not be better. Although it renders our dozens of existing battleships obsolete, that does not matter. The British Empire has sufficient financial resources to maintain a powerful navy. Our shipbuilding capacity ensures that we can rapidly build more battleships to further guarantee our advantage."