In Defence of Naval Supremacy

In the early years of this century, Britain attempted to solve fundamental strategic problems through the secret development of technologically advanced weapons: a kind of "Edwardian Star Wars". Professor Sumida charts the Admiralty's efforts to maintain Britain's naval supremacy, despite parliamentary financial restrictions, through the introduction of technically advanced capital ships which became known as battle cruisers. This newer warship class depended on the perfection of advanced analogue computers to control and direct naval gunfire from vessels moving at high speed in battle, but divisions within the Admiralty and political wrangling led to shortcomings in the installation of British naval equipment that were to have serious consequences at the battle of Jutland. This study is based upon archival research into naval finance and gunnery technology and raises fundamental questions about the currently accepted view of British naval planning before 1914 and of naval operations during the First World War.