The specific specifications of the Roma were not made public, but just one look at that colossal bulk told everyone it was a fearsome weapon.
Size did not necessarily mean combat power, but most of the time, the rule still held true.
Generally speaking, the greater a warship's tonnage, the more guns and thicker armor it could carry, and the greater its advantage in naval battle.
Against every battleship that had come before it, the Vienna Government's announced displacement of 20,100 tons represented a qualitative leap.
If all that additional tonnage were allocated to guns and armor, it could entirely be possible to massacre traditional battleships.
The person paying the closest attention to you might not be your friend, but they would certainly be your enemy.
As each other's greatest rival, the Holy Roman Empire's Roma drew the British Government's intense attention the moment it was launched.
Franz's personal attendance at the launching ceremony, in particular, sent the London Government's level of concern straight to the maximum.
Countless experiences had taught the British that wherever Franz appeared in person, something was bound to happen.
Over the past forty years, this was the second time Franz had personally attended a warship's launching ceremony. The previous time had been when steam-powered ironclads first emerged.
Downing Street
Prime Minister Robert Cecil asked, "Have we figured out the Roma's specifications? Is it really as formidable as the Austrians claim?"
Ever since the Roma's launch, the Holy Roman Empire's media had been setting the pace.
"Revolution in naval industrial technology," "a new era of battleships," "the world's number one battleship"—praise after praise came crashing down as if it cost nothing.
Naturally, the British media refused to be left out of such excitement. With the Royal Navy fanning the flames behind the scenes, talk of