| THE ROYAL NAVY June 1906 |
| At the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries, the Royal Navy was the unquestioned most powerful naval force in the world, though it faced challenges from Germany and America in particular. Nonetheless, the RN, under the leadership of First Sea Lord Sir John Fisher, was embarked on a period of transition intended to allow it to retain its preemininet position. These reforms included redistributing ships, with a renewed focus on Home Waters, decommissioning older (and costly to maintain) battleships, and, most notably, constructing new types of capital ships. Eventually, the all-big-gun battleship and battlecruiser would help revolutionize naval warfare, However, in June 1906 these changes were still "in progress". HMS Dreadnought, the namesake of the all-big-gun battleship, had been launched but had not yet commissioned, and the first battlecruiser was still a ways off. Fleet redistribution was underway, with the battleships concentrated in the Atlantic, Channel, and Mediterranean Fleets. Eventually, I hope to provide the same level of coverage as I have done for the US Navy at various points of its history, but for now I will be focusing on the forces afloat rather than the shore establishment. Since I am not an expert on the RN, there is a chance I may misread info from the Navy List - if you spot an error please contact me to let me know. Please also examine similar material posted on the Royal Navy for October 1932 - an entirely different era in naval history. FORCES AFLOAT Channel Fleet Mediterranean Fleet Atlantic Fleet Other Atlantic Stations Eastern Fleet Destroyer Flotillas Miscellaneous Ships Torpedo Boats Submarine Boats Reserve Fleet Coast Guard & Reserves Other Vessels List of Flag Officers Royal Marines Honorary Distinctions RN in 1932 HOME Contact me: [email protected] |
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| HMS DREADNOUGHT, which helped revolutionize naval warfare, shortly after being launched in February 1906. Photo from the US Naval Historical Center's On-Line Library. As far as I know it is in the public domain. |
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