The particular contrivances of the story do reflect his long term beliefs in an English Speaking Union or alliance for certain. My point was more that he had the flexibility of imagination to deal with some interesting scenarios that would have been beyond some more…prosaic…contemporaries. In any event, his part will play out in time.
The first orders of priority will be a dual track approach: prepare defence for the Boer War AND strengthen the country at home with ‘Round 1’ of the reform process. The circumstances of an 1897 kick off open the door to certain opportunities around the world; the big challenge to spending the largesse will be concealing or obscuring its origins, but I have a few ideas.
1795
Rescue Dauphin
Invasion of the Cape
(Polish King)
Eliminate Bonaparte off Egypt
St Vincent
Nelson success at Tenerife
Follow Up Embassy to open China, Japan and Korea
Edward Jenner Smallpox vaccine
Antibiotics, antiseptics, hand washing, germ theory
Royal Commission on the Health of the Army
Joseph Lister report
’Discover’ iodine, betadine,
The Cause, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever
Jay Treaty
Mungo Park exploration
- Aircraft used for various purposes and airships for exploration
- Industrial and economic boom
- Golden Age of Canals
- Bicycle invention
- 1798 suppressed
- Abercromby descends upon Porto Rico with 25,000 men
- Manage victory over Revolutionary France
- Nelson surviving Trafalgar analogue
- Pitt lives much longer and does not resign in 1801
- RN building programme
- Enfield rifled musket with Minié balls under Wellington, .625 Hall rifle as Baker rifle, revolvers, Gatling guns and 6pdr, 12pdr and 24pdr field guns
- Follow up with Martini-Henrys ASAP
- 120 Regiments of Foot with 2, then 4, battalions; 4 Rifle Regiments x 4 battalions; 4 Guards Regiments x 4 battalions; 24 KGL battalions
- Eventual British conscription
- Regular Canadian regiments
- Aluminium Home/Imperial Service Helmets
- Guncotton in 1797, moving towards smokeless powder, then nitroglycerin, dynamite, gelignite, ballistite and cordite
- Seize of Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Florida, Guam and California; Dominica, Porto Rico and Central America as stretch goals
- Sell Florida to the USA
- US-British action vs Barbary Pirates
- Enough gold to pay for entire National Debt and French Revolutionary/ Napoleonic Wars cost
- UK of the Netherlands
- Early anti-slavery moves: Abolition in 1800
- Different Congress of Vienna, including Italy
- Buy Azores and Cape Verdes; seize Canaries and Balearics
- Keep Corsica
- Early opening of China
- Deep origins of football and cricket
- Very different Corn Laws, including Canada and Argentina
- Seize and populate Cape Colony
- Take Egypt in ~ 1807
- Maintain capacity to win an 1812 analogue in decisive terms
- Malthus
- Origin of foods, MSG and more
- Take the East Indies
British GDP
1800: 345 million
1801: 367 million
1802: 318 million (-)
1803: 314 million (-)
1804: 334 million
1805: 365 million
1806: 369 million
1807: 395 million
1808: 386 million (-)
1809: 422 million
1810: 465 million
1811: 445 million
1812: 452 million
1813: 486 million
1814: 465 million (-)
1815: 479 million
1816: 426 million (-)
1817: 442 million
1818: 459 million
1819: 429 million (-)
1820: 36232/435 million
1821: 417 million (-)
1822: 397 million (-)
1823: 415 million
1824: 446 million
1825: 493 million
1826: 432 million (-)
1827: 450 million
1828: 450 million
1829: 435 million (-)
1830: 42228/451 million (93.63)
1831:
1832:
1833:
1834:
1835:
1836:
1837:
1838:
1839:
1840: 53234/542 million (98.22)
1850: 63342/544 million (116.4375)
1860: 81760/781 million
1800-1810: 465/35%
1810-1820: 614/32%
1820-1830: 798/30%
1830-1840: 1085/36%
1840-1850: 1400/29%
1850-1860: 1848/32%
1860-1870: 2347/27%
1870-1880: 2934/25%
1880-1890: 3668/25%
1890-1900: 4767/30%
1836 Variant
- Fix Ireland, Canada, South Africa, Australia and India
- Head off the Mutiny, avoid famine and improve development
- Gain Egypt and Israel early
- NZ gained with no Waitangi
- Kuwait and Bahrain
- Easter Island
- Definitely take Siam
- Annex Tahiti, New Caledonia, Ivory Coast, Dahomey
- Consolidate and develop West Indies
- All of Borneo, New Guinea, Madagascar
- Take Alaska in *Crimea
- True Victorian dominance
- Afghanistan
- Help Spain
- Stymie America
- Save the Alamo
- Head off Marx
- Influence Darwin (saving his daughter Annie)
- Eglington Tournament
- Prevent Potato Famine
- Breechloading rifles, artillery and machine guns
- Different units
- Begin reformation of Royal Marines; Colonial Marines for WI; Colonial Army
- British infrastructure and education reform
- Conversion and construction of steam SoLs, frigates and more
- Warrior et al as steam ironclad 3 decker
- Invest in Army and RN before Gladstone rise; entrench strength
- RBLs from the start
- Open Japan and Korea in 1836
- Different Opium War
- Canal and rail boom + oil and mining booms
- Different children of Victoria and Albert after haemophilia ‘cure’
- Brunel and the Wonders, Great Western, Great Eastern and Great Britain as the Grand Ship
- Earlier solution to cholera
- Polar exploration
- Powered flight and the Age of the Airship
- The Renaissance of British Food
- Street Food: Invent the hamburger, hot dog, fried chicken, beefsteak sandwich, roast beef sandwich, wraps, fish and chips
- John Ericsson stays in England
- Migration hose and colonial grand strategy
- Faraday, Babbage, Brunel, Burton, Livingstone, Rhodes, Armstrong, Whitworth, Vickers, Beardmores
- Gordon, Wolseley, Roberts,
- Patagonia, en route to Argentina
- Transcontinental Canadian Railway
- Support Austria, build Italy and Greece; Support France and Sweden
- Buy Lourenço Marques from Portugal to open Rhodesia to the sea
- Establish a Foreign Legion
- Green and Pleasant Land
- Debt free Victorian Age
1861 Variant
- Increase GDP growth through the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s from 18.39%, 16.79%, 19.88% and 18.63%
- Implement an earlier Green Revolution + Haber Process to eliminate the Long Depression
- New scientific boom
- Growth of Empire: Congo, Burma, China, Siam, Hawaii, New Caledonia, Alaska (25 million), SW Africa, Togoland, Cameroon, East Africa, Madagascar, Somalia, Libya, Samoa, Tangiers, Spanish Guinea, Guam, Patagonia
- British Panama Canal
- Boer threat removed
- Greater British population growth in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa; British West Indies, Kenya, Rhodesia
- Secure the Holy Land and Levant
- Different British rifle evolution (1860s Lee Enfield) plus Maxims in 1860s and 12pdr 'Armstrong Guns', plus 'Winchester' repeating rifles
- British super conglomerates (Vickers, Armstrong-Whitworth, Beardmores...)
- Powered flight in 1864, airships in 1870s
- Smashing victory vs Zulus
- Modern and expanded Army, with Reserves, TA and Militia
- Clandestine support of Austria in Austro-Prussian War
- Anglo-French cooperation over Dano-Prussian Crisis and Maxims at the Dannevirke
- Build different infrastructure
- Ironclad three decker appears in Scapa Flow
- Support of Napoleon III and Second Empire France as a frenemy
- 1860s De Bange breach
- 25 inch coastal artillery
- Incorporate Steampunk elements
- Massive Victorian Gothic architecture and style boom
Cruiser/Armoured Cruiser: 1867
10,000t, 2 twin 9.2" RBL, 12 x 6", 20kts
6000t, 8 x 6", 22kts
Frigate
Corvette
Sloop
Torpedo Boat/Destroyer: 1870
Gunboat
2 Warriors: Warrior, Black Prince
2 Defence: Defence, Resistance
2 Hectors: Hector, Valiant
1 Achilles: Achilles
3 Minotaurs: Minotaur, Tiger, Northumberland
12 Prince Consorts: Prince Consort, Ocean, Caledonia, Royal Oak, Bulwark, Robust, Repulse, Zealous, Royal Alfred, Hermes, Pitt, Kent
Pallas, Bellerophon, Hercules,
1864: Captain, Monarch
36 x Battleships:
1867: Devastation, Thunderer; Swiftsure, Triumph;
1868: Audacious, Invincible, Iron Duke, Vanguard; Ark Royal, Eagle
1869:Superb, Magnificent, Temeraire, Lion; Dreadnought, Inflexible;
1870: Agamemnon, Ajax, Neptune, Colossus
1871: Victoria, Royal Albert, Sans Pareil, Windsor Castle
1872: Trafalgar, Nile, Agincourt, Crecy
1873: Collingwood, Rodney, Anson, Howe,
1874: Camperdown, Benbow, Hawke, Blake
Predreadnought
1875: Royal Sovereign, Empress of India, Repulse, Ramillies, Resolution, Revenge,
1876: Royal Oak, Resistance, Centurion, Barfleur, Indefatigable, Victorious
1877: Nelson, Hood, Waterloo, Duke of Wellington
1878: Majestic, St. George, Prince of Wales, Duke of York,
1879: Royal Arthur, Jupiter, Mars, Atlas,
1880: Hector, Hannibal, Caesar, Illustrious
1881:Albion, Canopus, Goliath, Ocean,
1882: Glory, Vengeance, Orion, Hero
1883: Formidable, Irresistible, Implacable, Leviathan,
1884: London, Queen, Venerable, Bulwark
Dreadnought
1885: Dreadnought
www.fwi.co.uk/news/times-were-tough-back-in-1900-buteciu.net/analysis/reports/2024/analysis-of-uk-farm-cropping-plans-and-estimated-impact-of-the-wet-winter-on-productionCollated and Revised Notes
Aviation (Done)
Automotive (Done)
Domestic Policy, Infrastructure and Development (Health, Education, Welfare) (Done)
Economics, Finance and Tax (Done)
Food and Agriculture (Done)
Foreign Policy (Done)
Industry (Done)
Imperial and Colonial Policy (Done)
Politics, Pop Culture, Crime, Law and Misc (Done)
Minerals and Metallurgy (Done)
Science, Medicine and Technology (Done)
Underlying Boosts
- Black Mount, Argyll gold mine with 4 million oz per year with 125 years
- Matlock, Derbyshire gold mine with 2 million oz per year x 125 years
- Hawksworth/Sherwood oil field of 250 km2 with 100 years of 2.5 million bbl of oil
- Vale of Pickering oil field of 2 million bbl x 100 years
- Wytch Farm with 1.5 million bbl x 100 years
- Hatfield Moor oil field with 1.5 million bbl x 100 years
- Cannich iron ore deposit of 2500 million tons of 65% iron ore
- Parys mountain copper deposit with 500,000t p.a. for 200 years
- Tara silver, zinc and lead deposit a la BH
- South Wales coalfield swelled to 100 million tons/year capacity x 100 years (vs 56), Great Northern 100 million tons (vs 56 million tons), Scotland 100 million tons (vs 42.5) South Yorkshire 50 million tons (vs 33.5), Lancashire 50 million tons (vs 26), South Staffs 50 million tons, North Wales 20 million tons (vs 3.5 million), Kent 10 million tons/year, Somerset 10 million (vs 1.25 million), Cumberland 10 million tons
- Irish coal swelled to 10 million tons/years Leinster; 10 million tons/year in Connaught; 15 million tons/year in Kanturk and Ballingarry, Munster; 15 millions tons/year in Coalisland and Antrim, Ulster
- Derryveagh mountains: ‘Super Olympic Dam’ with 500,000t copper p.a. + 2500t silver p.a. + 100t gold p.a. + 6000t uranium p.a.
- Cleveland iron ore 'recharged' to 10 million tons p.a.
- Drakelands 1 million tons p.a. tin and tungsten
- Natural gas field in North Wales of 10 trillion cubic metres
- Knowledge of East Texas Oil Field to buy up land title and reap rewards
Vehicles and Equipment
- 2 Jeeps
- Land Rover
- 4 x LZ 132 airships
- 1 x Avro 504,
- Wright Flyer blueprints
"Do unto others as they would do unto you, but do it harder, more often and first."
Automotive
- The motor car has already been developed as a base idea, but there is a lot of room forward
- I'm tossing up whether to invest in Henry Ford's company whilst setting up an earlier British company named Ford (or one with a different name) or some other path
- The moving assembly line will be patented by a British subject and introduced into British manufacturing, along with an earlier British equivalent to the Model T
- Major early companies will be Rolls-Royce, Austin, Morris, Vauxhall, 'Ford', Wolseley (Vickers), Siddeley (AW), Daimler, Standard, Triumph, Leyland and a few new ones named Imperial and British Motors
- Morris and Austin to be 'encouraged' to an early start
- These would progressively merge and settle into 5 major groups, some of which will be integrated with industrial titans/British zaibatsus such as Vickers, Rolls-Royce and Armstrong-Whitworth
- Investment into facilities across the Empire in Canada, Australia, South Africa and India
- No restriction on lorry manufacturing and some standard types/classes
- Much earlier production of particular models and types, such as the Austin 7
- A 'Great War jeep'
- Historical American production of 4192 in 1900, 33,500 in 1906 and 181,000 in 1910; British production in 1910 was 14,000
- "By 1913, Henry Ford had built a new factory in Manchester and was the leading UK carmaker, building 7,310 cars that year, followed by Wolseley at 3,000, Humber (making cars since 1898 in Coventry) at 2,500, Rover (Coventry car maker since 1904) at 1,800 and Sunbeam (producing cars since 1901) at 1,700, with the plethora of smaller producers bringing the 1913 total up to about 16,000 vehicles."
- Aim for Wolseley and Siddeley to reach 10,000 apiece by "1910", plus 6000 each Austin and Morris, Imperial 5000, British Motors 4000, Humber, Sunbeam and Rover 3000 for 50,000
Motor Vehicle Production (Thousands)
1907
USA 45
Canada 3
France 25
Britain 12
Germany 4
Italy 0
Czechoslovakia 0
Russia 0
1913
USA 485
Canada 15
France 45
Britain 34
Germany 14
Italy 2
Czechoslovakia 0
Russia 0
1924
USA 3504
Canada 135
France 145
Britain 133
Germany 18
Italy 35
Czechoslovakia 2
Russia 0
1928
USA 4359
Canada 242
France 210
Britain 212
Germany 90
Italy 55
Czechoslovakia 13
Russia 1
1935
USA 3971
Canada 173
France 165
Britain 404
Germany 240
Italy 44
Czechoslovakia 10
Russia 97
Aviation
- From an earlier 'invention' of powered flight, there will be a somewhat faster move to civil aviation, including the world's first 'airline'
- There will be a heavier British role in airships (move to helium)
- The role and evolution of aviation will depend on how long a Great War type conflict lasts; with a 12 month war, there will be less scope for competitors to catch up
- As observed last year by Steve, one constraint on aircraft development is metallurgy, but this isn't a permanent stricture so much as something that will also need to be progressively addressed
- 21 years out from the ISOT (although I am considering 1895) will see a different world full stop, but particularly insofar as aircraft are concerned
- Using patent plans, 3D models and detailed technical information, a prototype of the Wright Flyer will be made and flown in late 1900 in front of a crowd and with extensive photographic and moving picture documentation. Possible to have it piloted by Patrick Alexander or A.V. Roe, but not entirely necessary.
- From there, further experimental aeroplanes will be developed using future knowledge of what works and what are developmental dead ends. Particular aviation pioneers from @ will be identified and encouraged with funding, hints and information from the government sponsored Royal Aero Society and Royal Aircraft Factory (named as such in 1904 or 1905). The first to cross the Channel will be an Englishman and both the Army and RN will have their own aeronautical corps, with the RFC the first in the world.
- There will be an aim to get to the likes of the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2, Avro 504, Curtiss JN and similar immediate pre WW1 or early WW1 type aircraft by 1905/06, then aircraft with performance equivalent to SE.5s, Vimys and Camels/late 1910s-1920 aircraft by 1911/12. I'm malleable with these dates, but want to push the envelope as far as it can go within reason and the limits of technology, materials and so forth.
- These will be accompanied by an airship development programme with a goal towards the use of helium over hydrogen.
- By 1915-1920, there will be a new generation of 1930s level monoplanes, skipping a generation of planes. I'm interested in ideas and perspectives.
- First experimental jet flight by 1920
- Aeroplane carrier experiments to begin in 1907/08
- Development of a very strong British aviation industry with government support and assistance. The aim is to get the technology and ideas into the hands of the right men and companies, working hand in glove with HM Government.
- A guiding principle will be to 5 years ahead of the European and American competition in the 1900s, at the minimum. It won't be possible to keep all developments under wraps and there will be leakage of technology and ideas, but the crown jewels will be kept very, very close and secret.
- Getting a jump is the first key, then having a clear plan how to capitalise on each successive invention and advantage. There will be black funding from a number of sources.
Domestic Policy and Development
- Boston to be built up as a major port, gateway and industrial centre
- New city at Milton Keynes ‘Victoria’
- Telford as Wellington
- East Anglian city…
- Alnwick city
- Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Reading, Nottingham, Newcastle, Southampton, Hull, Middlesbrough, Exeter, Leicester, York, Lancaster, Warwick, Bath, Bradford, Salford, Coventry, Derby, Lincoln, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Winchester, Gloucester, Worcester, Guildford, Chichester, Northampton,
- Emphasis on infrastructure and law and order
- Unemployment to below 2%
- Build 100,000 houses (x £125 each) annually (£12.5 million)
- Balfour Education Act of 1901 includes Nonconformists and combines Fisher Act of 1914 (secondary education compulsory up to 14, then part time 14-18)
- Introduction of a true tripartite system - grammar, technical and secondary - along with rigorous testing
- Gradual overhaul of curriculum
- Large expansion of universities
- Conservative introduction of NHS during Boer War
- National Insurance in 1908 + expanded NHS + Free School Meals + Old Age Pensions Act for 65 + Child Support of 2p/child per week
- Elimination of paupers/poverty (916,377 in 1910)
- Build up railways
- Modernise canal system
- Water supply secured
- London Docks
- Construction of new deepwater ports and Dry Dock Network across Britain and Empire
- Full electrification of British homes by 1925
- Slum clearance to be complete by 1935
Economics, Finance and Tax
- Use of GDP as measure of national worth
- Statistically informed policies
- Elimination of burden of national debt
- Bank of England remains nominally independent, with a caveat
- Lead Great Powers in economic growth, averaging 40% over 1900-1910, 45% over 1910-1920 and 50% over 1920-1930 vs 12.5%, 2.4% and 17.5% for @ Britain; 29.6%, -19% and 51.7% for Germany; 47.3%, 28.9% and 29.5%/42% for the USA; and 5.17%, 2.4% and 50.4% for France
- Run a consistent Current Account Surplus
- Build up world's leading gold reserves and an Imperial Sovereign Fund yielding 250 million pounds/year
- Chamberlain Plan at home and Churchill Plan in the Empire
- Institute Tariff Reform
- Keep income tax low, abolish several other taxes and maintain competitive lead
- The tariff policy will be highest against Germany at 25-30%, Russia at 20%, France at 17% and the USA at ~15%, or the lowest of any country not in the Empire or an effective part of it, such as Argentina
- Avoid Great Depression and indeed any major depression
- Future proof the economy, through both Sovereign Wealth and other funds, so that the British economy can be ultra-competitive levels of taxation
- Shift cotton imports from USA to India and Egypt; timber from E Europe, Scandinavia and Russia to Canada and Newfoundland; Aluminium, Iron Ore, Tin, Oil and Copper to domestic;
- Long term aim to eliminate Financial/Debt Interest, fund Pensions through SWF and fund Welfare through NI
- 1900 Budget: 12.2/25.6 million education, 4.2/10.2 Protection, 10.7 Welfare, 5.7 Health, 71.3 million Defence, 23.2/41.9 Interest, 22.5 Transport, 4.8 General Government, GPO Comms 12.8, (Waste Water 4.3, Water Supply 7.1, Housing 1.2, Fuel and Energy 11.6)
- Eventual Numbers: Housing 100 million, Transport 200 million, Education 250 million, Pensions 100 million, Health 150 million, Welfare 150 million and Defence 1000 million for ~ 2000 million from GDP of 8000 million
(Possibly requiring funds of 3000 for Health, 3000 for Welfare, 2000 for Pensions, 2000 for Housing, 5000 for Education. Nominal total of 15000)
Food and Agriculture
- Make food for the working class a lot cheaper
- Increase British production of meats, milk, cheese, eggs, butter, wheat, sugar, potatoes and vegetables to post WW2 levels of self sufficiency
- Beef production to aim at 1.5 million tons by 1920 and 2.5 million tons by 1940
- Historical total cattle rose from 6 million to 15.2 million 1875-1974
- Aim for 20 million cattle, 50 million sheep, 15 million pigs and 100 million chickens; 2.5 million tons of sugar from domestic sugar beet industry
- 1940 was 3.3 billion dozen eggs
- Farming workforce of 1 million
- Arable land goals of 7.5 million Great Britain and 1 million Ireland (2.5 million wheat, 1.5 million barley, 625,000 potatoes with 425k Britain and 200k Ireland) , with 150,000 hectares of orchards
- Mass mechanisation of agriculture
- Stockpiles of sugar and tea
- Development of better Spam and Salt Beef/Loof in 1900s
- Restoration of Ox Roasts
- Establishment of Food Standards, Meat Grades, Registered Origins
- Restaurant Grading system
- Ranking of 'Best Ingredients'
- The English Menu and National Food
- Royal Chef and State Banquets + Royal Feasts
- Books on Foods of the World
- Encouragement of Allotment system, British Restaurants, Victory Gardens and Community Farms
- Shift from 45% of Butter imported from Europe
- "In 1914, Britain imported over 60% of its total food supply, and 80% of its wheat. Crucially, that imported food was consumed disproportionally by the poorer people. Four-fifths of wheat eaten in Britain came from abroad (only one loaf in five was made from British wheat), almost all of the sugar, four fifths of lard, three quarters of cheese, two thirds of the bacon and half of the condensed milk. British meat and fresh milk were expensive and more likely to be consumed by the wealthier classes. Cheap cuts of meat, brought in chilled from South America and Australasia were much cheaper than home raised meat but vulnerable to blockades and submarine attacks.
This reliance on imported food had been flagged up by farmers and landowners for many years as a justification for the protection of prices for home-produced goods. However, a policy of laissez-faire had seen the country, if not farmers, prosper, while confidence in the superiority of the Royal Navy to keep trade routes open and protect shipping had informed the policies of successive governments."
everydaylivesinwar.herts.ac.uk/2015/03/farming-in-the-first-world-war/Foreign Policy
- The main principle is to prevent the emergence of a hostile rival, let alone a rival bloc
- Splendid isolation is neither splendid nor truly isolated. Being the big boy and separate from the others can result in potential trouble
- Britain’s future does not lie in any permanent bloc, alliance or grouping in Europe, as it is more of a global power than the land-centric states
- Germany is the most immediate rival of the British Empire, but not the only one. Removing Berlin’s capacity to impede British interests, taking key colonies and removing any fleet challenge are the initial issues, but beyond that, an Imperial Germany isn’t necessarily a blood enemy of Britain
- Keeping Austria-Hungary intact keeps a balance of power possible and prevents the creation of a vacuum that can only be filled by Russia or Germany
- There are few colonial issues remaining with France and no territory that is particularly enticing/necessary. Paris will seek some form of alliance against Germany eventually, but there is not a basis for a long term marriage. Allow France to grow too powerful and problems will emerge
- Italy is well down from Britain in every indice of power, so does not present a threat at this time. Harnessing their issues and desires is part of creating a new, stable Concert of Europe. Keeping it out of the Dodecanese is a good start, but denying it Libya is also advantageous
- Spain is the sick man of Western Europe, yet with some encouragement and support, can play a role in the European dance. They are in need of a friend and sponsor
- Portugal is an old ally and easy to support and cultivate. Preventing her fall into internal strife and regicide preserves them as part of the Invisible Empire
- Sweden is a regional power but tended more towards Germany in @. Forging ties can break this shift and complement the friendly status of Norway, which will become an independent state
- Greece is a potentially friendly state in the Eastern Med that can grow and work towards a friendlier and more stable Balkans
- After a Boer War blip, the Netherlands is generally friendly to Britain, as is Belgium. Formal control of Katanga is difficult to engineer, but it is an area of interest
- Russia is a major rival as of 1899 and this would be maintained historically apart from the brief Entente tie. By virtue of size, position and ideology, the Russian Empire is a rival, but one that mostly exists within the current international system. If it falls to Bolshevism, this changes, the threat increases and the ‘public relations’ picture shifts.
- Russia is on a collision course with Japan and with some help, can lose as badly or worse than historical. This will make it more malleable regarding Persia, Afghanistan and Tibet
- The Ottoman Empire is a weak state that holds lands of strategic and economic interest to Britain. It’s European territories cannot be held. In the Middle East, Arabia, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia are areas Britain needs. Taking Libya to boot secures the Med to a large extent
- Taking these territories brings with it costs and trials of their own
- Japan is a rising power that could grow into a threat if if pulls a Steve Bradbury. Without that, it remains back in the pack. An AJ Alliance has short term utility, but long term costs vis a vis US relations.
- Furthermore, allowing Japan to expand into the Pacific is a trigger to later issues. Japan occupied Tsingtao (also creating issues), provided some cruiser escorts and ASW work in the Med in a different war. None of that is really a decent return on investment
- Rather than a formal alliance, some interim form of cooperation will be sought in order to temper Japanese expectations and encourage a more circumspect approach to China. Heading off a Japanese imperialist expansion well before it begins is in British interests
- The USA is an increasingly friendly state, but at the same time a current and potential rival. Whilst certain advantages can be engineered, it is difficult to alter America’s trajectory towards economic and industrial superpower status
- This does not automatically transfer to hard power, specifically naval power, without events intervening. The USN is well back from the RN in numbers and composition at this point and now is at a disadvantage technologically. This needs a specific post in its own right
- Competition will come in the form of commercial interests rather than the more direct rivalries of the European empires
- In 1896/97, China is interestingly poised. There is a narrow window to eliminate Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi and Yuan Shikai and permit an extended period of Imperial reform under Kwang-Hsu
- Additionally, Sun Yat Sen can be accidentally knocked off in London prior to the kidnapping by the Chinese Legation that saw him rise to prominence in the West. In the medium and long term, his vision for an arisen China, Pan Asianism, Socialism, the Abolition of Unequal Treaties and Chinese Nationalism is contrary to the interests of the British Empire. Tsou Jung can also be dealt with
- Crackdown on Serbian terrorist groups and kill off Black Hand members prior to 1901
Imperial and Colonial Policy
- Development rather than neglect
- Malaya to advance well up the Kra
- SW Africa and German East Africa are in the way and German New Guinea is too close to Australia
- Form a South African state post war and have Smuts as a South African Expeditionary Force commander
- Encourage British and European migration to South Africa to shift the position of the Afrikaners
- Rhodesia and Kenya to also get sponsored migration
- West Indian colonies being nudged together
- Move towards Imperial integration in stages
- Gandhi vs Zulus
- No partition of Bengal
- Hong Kong to be expanded up past the @ New Territories, which will be ceded in perpetuity
- Libya to be taken from the Ottomans in whatever 'short, glorious war' occurs
- The HK border expansion doesn't completely remove Chinese troubles much later down the line, but changes the complexion of the issue
- German Pacific colonies, including their islands, to be snapped up by British forces in any war, rather than left to Japan and future trouble
- Aden to be separated from British India earlier
- Kenya to serve as the basis for British East Africa (incl Uganda and Tanganyika when it is conquered)
- Engineer a 'creative' solution to the Congo Free State outrage. One course of action that comes to mind is transferring it to German control, minus Katanga...
- Separate the Chagos Islands from Mauritius as a distinct entity
- British (South) Pacific Island colonies to be progressively worked together towards a federation (Tonga, Samoa, Solomons, New Hebrides, Nauru, Cook Islands + Niue, Gilberts and Ellices and Fiji*)
- Offer to buy Easter Island and the Galapagos Islands
Industry
- There are the current heavy industries (steel, coal, ships, metalwork, engineering, chemicals) ; future heavy industries; near future medium industries (automotive, plastics and aviation); emerging consumer goods/light industry (household goods, radios, bikes, food and pharmaceuticals) and long term high tech industries (nuclear, computing, electronics, rocketry/space and telecommunications)
- Rational focus and planning means not giving any focus to matters so far in the future as to be irrelevant more than what is warranted to prepare the ground/manpower and ‘systems’
- That British ‘traditional heavy industry’ declined post WW2 in @ is no reason to expect or accept the exact same outcome here from an 1896 start
- A policy of realism, not inordinate pessimism
- British needs to build more steel, modernise/improve its coal sector, improve the arms, rail and textiles sectors to world leadership and accelerate ahead in shipbuilding
- A lot more catching up is needed in chemicals, electrical engineering, machine tools and optics
- In machine tools, there will be investment in 'mega machines' such as superheavy presses
- British oil sources* are world changing. Those in the Middle East are also very useful and will be totally secured
- Oil refineries in Fawley, Coryton, Shell Haven, Isle of Grain, Pembroke, Milford Haven, Tees, Humber, Mersey, Severn, Ellesmere, Scarborough, Immingham, Kent, Harwich, Heysham, Grangemouth, Portland, Exmouth
- Offshore oil platforms in North Sea supported by shipbuilding facilities in England and Scotland
- The new industries of electronics, automobiles and aviation to get a kickstart
- Electrification of the nation
- A New Industrial Revolution and a New Workshop of the World
- Invest, plan, adopt new technologies, educate the populace and future workforce and provide ultra cheap energy and world best infrastructure
- Increase shipbuilding capacity to annual 5 million tons
- London Docks and shipbuilding development plan
- 12 British industrial areas: London, South East England, East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northern England, Scottish Lowlands, Northern Ireland, South Wales, East Anglia, Dublin
- Ball bearing plants x 4
- Vickers to build South Wales 'super arms manufactory' at Port Talbot to match Barrow, along with Port Talbot Steelworks (6 blast furnaces), whilst AW build a plant at Longannet on the Forth
Politics, Pop Culture, Law/Crime and Miscellaneous
- Delay and complicate rise of Labour Party as a distinct element
- Minimum Wages implemented gradually, with reference to Harvester judgement
- Trade Boards: Coal mining, steel making, textiles, chemicals, rail, automotive, armaments, shipbuilding, electrical, hollow ware making, shirt making, sugar confectionery and food preserving, tin box making, and linen and cotton embroidery, laundry industry, chain-making, ready-made dresses, paper-box making, and the machine-made lace and finishing + farm labour
- Take a hard line on crime, using the full raft of future knowledge and wisdom
- Write better laws to close loopholes and prevent future potential issues with capital crimes
- Modernise policing and prisons, yet not soften them or make historical errors
- Keep an eye on known criminals and trends, but not fixated upon them alone
- Take a firm look at capital and corporal punishment
- Maintain the option of hard labour and JCP in statute
- Drill down into data
- Cut off drugs issue before it occurs
- Take a different path on gun policy, one that isn’t the modern US nor the hoplophobia of @
- Create a BBC with entrenched Reithianism and a well written charter. No license fee issue
- Broken windows on culture
- Keep sensible censorship powers, rather than cut loose; understanding of consequences
- Music, literature, theatre, film and sport are largely beyond the direct influence of the Government, but can be ‘nudged’ in certain areas to increase British wealth, power, influence, stability and societal success
- Develop a British Hollywood
- Fund and encourage sports success and dominance, in both Olympics and general sport
- Promote physical fitness through education system, sports and exercise culture
- Likely lack of moves towards the 'Permissive Society' on divorce, abortion, homosexuality, adultery, morality, profanity, censorship, contraception and law enforcement, in line with 1890s reactions to a revealed future
- Rather, work towards an elimination of poverty, want, idleness, disease and squalor and building a fair, decent society
- Preempt some of the issues involved with women’s liberation and second wave feminism through practical measures on pay and tangible right
- Muscular Christianity and Revival
- Establish and maintain National Service and the cultural effect that comes with it
- British Empire Exhibitions and promotion of an 'Imperial mindset'
- Protection of animal rights and animal cruelty whilst preserving hunting and country culture
- Develop and preserve traditions and the real sense of what it is to be English and British
- “After all, most Britons’ cultural preferences at this time were for middle-of-the-road fare. The most popular leisure pursuits were watching television, gardening, and DIY; Cliff Richards sold more singles than any other artist or group; ‘The Sound of Music’ soundtrack was the best-selling album of the decade in Britain; and the largest new voluntary organisation was the Consumers’ Association, who were best known for publishing Which magazine.”
microform.digital/boa/posts/category/contextual-essays/484/the-transforming-effect-of-the-1960s- Unified nationalism and identity: Empire, King, Royalism, Christianity, History, Achievement, Mission, Industry, Trade Unions, Wars, NHS*, Welfare State*, NES*, Language, Glory
- England is not just a culture of ideas, set of values and principles, but a homeland, a people, a nation and a race
- Nudge creation of holiday camps much earlier with Butlin's*, Warners* et al, including West Indian extension
- Intersection of social/population planning and infrastructure, housing, education, health, environment and human amenity
- Aim to reduce poverty from ~25% by a minimum of 8% per decade
- Institution of a 'mixed system' of welfare, combining state assistance with enhanced role for charity and the Churches
- Fuel subsidies (supporting coal production from enhanced reserves)
Minerals and Metallurgy
- 'Creation' of Vickers Armour, advancing beyond Krupp Armour (STS)
- Armstrong Steel = Ducol
- Duralumin
- Maraging steel
- High speed steel
- Stainless steel
- Exploit mineral deposit knowledge
Science, Medicine and Technology
- Medicines handbooks, Oxford Handbook, medical textbooks, journal articles and drug development instructions
- 1900 penicilin, then ampicillin, amoxicillin and streptomycin
- 'Discovery' of insulin
- Vaccines for smallpox and polio
- Tissue culture
- Risks of smoking
- Antipsychotics
- Oral rehydration therapy vs cholera
- Edinburgh method of combined therapy for TB
- Beta blockers, statins, ACE inhibitors and angioplasty
- Kidney dialysis
- Prevent Spanish Flu pandemic, saving at least 228,000 lives in Britain alone
Steel
- Black Country remains major steel player
Wales: Richard Thomas, EP&W Baldwin Ltd, Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Company, Dowlais Iron and Steel Works and Cardiff Iron and Steel Works
Scotland: Colvilles
Yorkshire: Hadfields, English Steel, Firth Brown, Edgar Allen & Co/Imperial Steel Works, Park Gate Iron and Steel Company
Lancashire: Barrow Hematite, Lancashire Steel
Northern England: Newburn Steelworks (Tyne, closed 1926 and demolished in 1933), Dorman Long (Teesside), Consett
Lincolnshire: United Steel Companies, John Lysaght (GKN), Redbourn Steelworks (owned by Richard Thomas and Co)
Midlands: Stewarts & Lloyds (Corby), Round Oak (Black Country), Shelton Bar
The easy mergers to encourage are in South Wales and Scotland (gathering the latter under Colvilles), followed by the Lincolnshire/Scunthorpe cluster. The 'Northern Group' can probably be split, with each 'Group/Conglomerate' ideally having some operations in Sheffield; it is best not to make such a vital location a single 'company town'.
My suggestions are for Scotland, group together Colvilles, a reinvigorated Beardmores and possibly John Brown; for Wales, gather them in with Cammell Laird; and the Northern pair could be Vickers and Armstrong-Whitworth, with the latter demerged from Vickers and making nice friends with Dorman Long and acquiring Consett. There could be a 'split' with Vickers taking part of Yorkshire/Sheffield and Lancashire, and A-W getting part of Yorkshire, Teesside and the Tyne/Northumberland and Durham. GKN and Austin could carry the weight on the Midlands/Lincs group, but ideally you'd also want a shipbuilding firm as well, and perhaps Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company for good measure.
The possible names, and this is just throwing out ideas, could be British Steel for the Wales group, United Steel for the Midlands/Lincs group, English Steel for Vickers/North 1, Imperial Steel for A-W/North 2 and perhaps National Steel for Scotland. These would then have nicely matching names for the coal interests attached to them.
- 2.5 million ton capacity works at Corby, Clydebridge + Clyde Iron Works, Barrow, Teesside, Sheffield (2), Ebbw Vale, Brymbo, Jarrow, Consett, Llanwern, Shelton Bar and Newburn/Newcastle, then there is a major shift in national capacity, with flow on effects upon employment, civil construction and infrastructure, capability of military construction, coal usage and a whole lot more. This would be costly, but can be spread out over 15-20 years and some sites wouldn't need the full cost of building from go to woe a la Port Talbot (https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/2591/1/parrystephen.pdf p 116-139)
- Port Talbot, Ravenscraig, Round Oak, Scunthorpe 5 million ton capacity works
- Greenwich, Barking, Thames Ironworks, Beckton steelworks in London
Army
- Actually develop a War Book and specific colour coded plans
- Develop a Ministry of Munitions and plan out infrastructure, both Royal Ordnance and more
- Expanded Esher Report: Formation of Imperial General Staff and Army Council
- Earlier Haldane Reforms (Modified) in conjunction with force increases: Territorial Force of 28 infantry + 4 cavalry divisions (East Lancashire, Wessex, West Riding, Northumbrian, Irish, 1st London, Highland, Lowland, Home Counties, North Midland, 2nd London, South Midland, 1st Welsh, East Anglian, West Lancashire, Ulster, Cornwall, Staffordshire, 3rd London, North Riding of Yorkshire, Essex, West Midlands, East Midlands, East Riding of Yorkshire, 2nd Welsh, Lincolnshire, 4th London and South Yorkshire)
- 23 Regiments x 4 Battalions: Queen's Royal West Surrey, Buffs, Royal Scots, King's Own Royal Lancasters, Warwickshire, Manchester, Middlesex, Worcestershire, Royal Fusiliers, Yorkshire Regiment, King's Liverpool, Lancashire Fusiliers, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Black Watch, South Wales Borderers, Gloucestershire Regiment, Royal Irish Regiment, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Duke of Wellington's Regiment, Connaught Rangers, A&S Highlanders, Ox and Bucks, Sherwood Foresters
- 1 new Regiment x 4 Battalions: London
- 44 Regiments x 2 Battalions: Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Devonshire, Suffolk, Somerset Light Infantry, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Green Howards, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Cheshire, KOB, Cameronians, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, East Lancs, East Surrey, DoCLI, Border Regiment, Royal Sussex Regiment, Hampshire, South Staffs, Dorsetshire, South Lancs, Welch, North Essex, Loyal North Lancs, Northamptonshire, Berkshire, Royal West Kent, KOYLI/South Yorks, KSLI, Wiltshire, North Staffs, York and Lancs, Durham Light Infantry, Highland Light Infantry, Seaforth Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, Royal Irish Fusiliers, POW Leinster, Royal Munster Fusiliers, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
- R1: 8 new Regiments: Mercian, Hertfordshire, Herefordshire, Cambridgeshire, Monmouthshire, Duke of Cambridge's Own, Wessex, Queen's Own Royal Highlanders
- R2: 8 new Regiments: Ulster, Derbyshire, Stirlingshire, West Suffolk, Bristol, Westmorland, South Devonshire, Royal Irish Rangers
- R3: 8 new Regiments: Birmingham, King's Own Royal Fusiliers/North Riding, Ross-shire Buffs, Dublin, Queen's Newcastle, Sheffield, Aberdeenshire, Perthshire Light Infantry
- R4: 8 new Regiments: South Essex, Rutland, South Lincolnshire, Royal Belfast Fusiliers, Leeds, Huntingdonshire, Glasgow Highlanders, Glamorgan
- R5: 8 new Regiments: Manx, Londonderry Fusiliers, Waterford, Loyal Limerick, Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment, Loyal Lincolnshire, Duke of York's Royal Regiment, Windsor
Royal Anglian, Royal Wessex Fusiliers, Cornwall Regiment, Royal Highland Fusiliers
- Further Guards Regiments: Welsh Guards, Irish Guards, London Guards
- Further Rifle Regiments: Scottish Rifles, Royal Irish Rifles, Welch Rifles, Queen Victoria's Rifles, (+ RB and KRRC)
- Maintain red coats as part of service uniform, whilst having khaki for field dress/uniforms
- Start testing and phasing in helmets
- Development of a Self Loading Rifle and an Automatic Rifle
- MMGs to be fielded by their own Corps at a rate of 1 platoon of 8 guns/battalion, with the LMG to be introduced initially at infantry platoon level
- New boots, great coats and webbing to be designed
- Develop better rations as a result of South Africa
- Telegraph Battalion to transform into Royal Corps of Signals and radio use to be advanced
- Army to have it’s our armoured car units and acquire standardised lorries from (certain motor companies)
- Katyushas and Nebelwerfers
- Secret development of gas masks and capes, along with phosgene and mustard as a weapon to keep in reserve in case of great need
- Annual maneuvers gradually rise to larger numbers up to corps level
- Updated maps of France and Belgium from ‘tourists’ and aviators
- Creation of detailed mobilisation and war plans against a variety of opponents
- Guns from scrapped battleships to be converted to siege howitzers and long term development of superheavy howitzers capable of cracking any fortress in the world
- Massive modernisation and improvement of coastal defences
- Anti-Aircraft Guns
- Establishment of Colonial Army (British Colonial Regiments + Imperial Regiments + African Regiments)
- Establishment of Royal Foreign Legion
- Canada to field 500,000 men, Australia to field 400,000 men, South Africa 300,000 men, NZ 100,000 men and Rhodesia 50,000 men, plus Indian Army, West Indies etc
- Artillery point of reference:
www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/field-artillery-and-infantry-on-the-western-front-during-the-first-world-war/ and
www.longlongtrail.co.uk/how-the-british-artillery-developed-and-became-a-war-winning-factor-in-1914-1918/ETO War Plan
- Have the ability for a 1,000,000 man BEF (24 regular, 12 Army Reserve and 12 Territorial divisions) to go to France and smash 3 German field armies in Belgium and set loose the cavalry and tanks
- One army to land at Antwerp to reinforce Royal Marines
- Concentration on long range artillery; 24" howitzers; MMGs, LMGs and SLRs; hundreds of aircraft; and hundreds of tanks and armoured cars
Palestine War Plan
- British, Indian I, II, III and IV Corps, ANZAC + Desert Mounted Corps and Australian Mounted Corps
Mesopotamia War Plan
- Indian V, VI Corps, Imperial Service Corps, Gurkha Corps, East Indies Corps + Imperial Mounted Corps + Indian Cavalry Corps
East Africa War Plan
- 2 African Divisions, Indian Expeditionary Force, Colonial Army, British brigade and Royal Marines
West Africa War Plan
- 1 African Division
SW Africa War Plan
- 2 South African divisions, 1 'British South African Division', Zulu Division + South African Cavalry Brigade and Rhodesian Mounted Brigade
RAF Brainstorming
- RAF to be let loose on the Germans in Belgium 1914 with 1000 bombers, 1500 attack aircraft and 1500 fighter-bombers
- RAF to have Imperial Policing role in Middle East, Africa, India, Far East with multirole fighter, bomber, ground attack, gunships, strike and transport squadrons and RAF mobile ground force brigade
- Royal Air Force stormtroopers, RAF Commandos and RAF Regiment
- Main roles to be Strategic Bombing, Home Air Defence, Imperial Policing, Army Support (F and B)
- Rocket development
- Emphasis on airships, AWACS and aerial refueling
- The RAF needs a decade to develop tech, doctrine and training, a war to put it into action, and a decade of an established role afterwards
- Establishment of Strategic Bomber Zones in Britain, Egypt, Sharjah, India, Malaya, Saipan and Australia with 2500 mile radius of operations
RN Brainstorming:
- The German 28cm L/45 carried on the historical Nassaus could penetrate 11” of belt armour at 11,000 yards and 8” at 13,000 yards. Defending BBs against that is straightforward and BCs a bit more difficult
- Jerry then went to a 12”/50 for the bulk of their other Dreadnoughts. That could penetrate 13.6” at 11,000 yards and 12” at 13,000 yards
- There isn’t any data on Navweaps for the 35cm as it never went to sea, but approximate figures can be extrapolated from the performance of their 38cm gun
- As it is too costly to field DN1s with 14” belts, there needs to be the tactics and weapons to fight at more than 13,000 yards
- The Nassaus and Helgolands had 300mm belts and the Kaisers and Konigs 350mm. To penetrate 12” and 14” at 15,000 yards, a 12”/50 needs the superheavy shells used by the Yanks on the Alaskas
- British turrets will have a higher maximum elevation of 30 degrees, allowing much longer ranged fire; deck penetration needs a few other tricks
-
www.admiraltytrilogy.com/pdf/Jutland_Impact.pdfThis is a shorter version of a subject gone into great detail in The Riddle of the Shells in Conway’s Warship journal.
- Rather than Lyddite, there is time to get Shellite developed and used for naval shell filling
- The 15”/50 DN2 shells will be 2000lb in their ordinary version and have the capacity to penetrate German belts at every reasonable combat range for the era
- 12” on the DN1s and 15” on the DN2s makes for strong ships, but their advantage in guns, fire control and speed over their opponents exacerbates this. Throw in secondary fire from 5”/45 twin turrets for extra seasoning
- To add insult to injury, as it were, the 9.2”/50 offers some useful potential for development, particularly once it’s dispersion issues are addressed and a superheavy shell introduced. They aren’t meant to be used in the main fleet battle, but have the potential for long range use in other engagements against colonial squadrons
- In destroyers, the RN already had generally larger prewar ships than the Germans in @. This will be more pronounced, with better guns, better torpedoes and greater speed
- German CLs carried 4.1” after British use of the 6”, so that wouldn’t change here overnight. The British ships will start at C/D class size and grow, with an emphasis on high speed and armament
- The 13.5" was officially designated the '12" A' historically, so there are grounds to fudge the size of the SDN armament, locking in the opposition to certain choices before the truth comes out
- Fleets to consist of the Grand Fleet (Home) Atlantic Fleet (Gib), Mediterranean Fleet (Malta), East Indies Fleet (Singers) + China Station, North America and West Indies Station, South Atlantic Station, Australia and New Zealand Station, West Africa Station, Cape of Good Hope Station, East Africa Station and Pacific
- realistic training - every level, from the lowliest swabbie to the CNO.
- Pay the people, so there's an incentive to keep good quality in service.
- R&D and engineering workups for future ships, including a NACA like facility for testing hulls and propulsion systems (did such an animal exist in OTL - with sufficient funding?) An earlier shift to oil?
- R&D for ships weapons (do the torpedoes, current main and secondary guns and ammunitions perform to expectation? That should include financing live fire tests of everything)
- R&D for aviation (what's the most reasonable expectations for types of aircraft - LTA/HTA, Carriers or Long-range Land based)
- R&D for expeditionary power projection ( Marines and their necessary equipment, how to sustain a field force over thousands of miles for a long time - not so crazy, as that was kinda-sorta the backend part of Plan Orange).
- Do the design work, and prototype better landing craft - including earlier Roebling and Higgins types
- Pre plan for how to significantly upgrade dockyard/building and repair facilities, in case war does come with little warning. (i.e. the US Army was woooooooefully unprepared for the DoW in WW1. They had to buy land for bases, beg, steal, borrow, pillage textile sources just to come up with tents, blankets, cots and uniforms. The navy wasn't in that bad of shape, but the Army's experience should serve as a cautionary event)
- Ships (second on the priority list)
- Get more cruisers and sea-going escorts of various sizes built.
- Get more supply ships either built, or subsidized: colliers, oilers, tankers, repair and salvage ships, and basic cargo haulers. Get the legal paperwork done to appropriate passenger ships as needed for Expeditionary work in time of need.
- No 'lull' in naval construction in the mid 1900s, but consistent yearly programmes of advanced and capable ships, once their designs/weapons/facilities are ready
- Rather than build the 6 Duncans as second class battleships, they will be ordered as incrementally improved Formidables
- They will be followed by an improved KEVII 'semi-dreadnought' class better than the Lord Nelsons
- Meanwhile, the 'Super X4' variant of Dreadnought will be designed, which will be laid down in 1903. Emphasis will be placed on firepower, protection, speed advantage over potential enemies and range, in that order.
- These will be accompanied by a battlecruiser design that is not the historical Invincible, but a much tougher ship akin to a 12" Tiger with 10" on the belt
- Monmouth/County class armoured cruisers to be slightly redesigned to carry 4 x 9.2" and 12 x 6"
- All subsequent cruisers to be of the armoured type, so no Challenger or Topaze class
- This will result in a light armoured cruiser/6" light cruiser type, (a 7.5" medium armoured cruiser) and a 9.2" heavy armoured cruiser
- No historical scout cruisers or enlarged variant, just a greater number of light cruisers and a much, much improved DL/Swift type a bit down the line
- After a while, the DL and DD lines will merge as the latter catch up to the former
- Development of a coastal destroyer/TB will be pursued, taking time to design a smaller vessel that can still dominate in its role whilst being affordable in large numbers should a major armament programme become necessary
- There will be no attachment to historical calibres when there are superior alternatives.
- Introducing a decent ~5" gun as a battleship 'secondary' in ~1900, rather than buggerising around with 4" and 6". This has flow on consequences and utility for smaller vessels
- Follow up building plans with continued programmes even through a war for postwar purposes
- I can see Heavy and Light Armoured Cruisers/Cruisers emerging prewar, but it would be interesting for a Medium Armoured Cruiser/Medium Cruiser to come along as well. The natural split would be 6", 7.5"-8" and 9.2"-10". The lights are for the fleet and general purpose role, the mediums for trade protection and colonial duties and the heavies for carrier escort, heavy trade protection escort, colonial flagships and fleet work
- The most significant aspect to come out of a war (in terms of the shape of the postwar RN) is a very strong force of modern destroyers. These would be substantively larger than the prewar 'Standards' of 1250-1600t, coming in at just over 2400t with 5" or 4.9" guns and consequently greater range and more space aboard. The 288 prewar destroyers (minus however many wartime losses) will start to leave service between 1918 (A/B) and 1928 (V/W/Y/Z), being replaced by at least 256 of the newer ships of 1915-1918, which will have 20 year service lives
- Key PDNs and DNs will be saved as museum ships, whilst plenty of others will be sold or see service as depot ships/auxiliary ships/colonial guardships/crane ships/repair ships/etc. A principle will be not to waste a single ship, but to get good value, whether it be in money or service
51 PDNs: 8 Royal Sovereign, 9 Majestics, 8 Canopus, 6 Formidable, 6 Duncan, 6 London, 8 KEVII
3 Foreign Purchases:
Very Rough RN Construction Plan
Stage 1
1897: 8 x Canopus class PDN, 8 x Cressy ACs
1898: 6 x Formidable class PDN, 4 x Drake ACs
1899: 6 x Duncan class PDN, 8 x Monmouth ACs
1900: 6 x London class PDNs (as repeat Formidables), 8 x 'Monmouth' ACs, , 24 River class DDs, 12 x A class submarines
1901: 8 x KEVII semi-dreadnoughts (4 x 12", 8 x 9.2", 12 x 6", 24 x 3", 12" belt, 20kts, ~20000t), 8 Devonshire ACs, , 24 River class DDs, 12 x A class Submarines
Stage 2
1902: 4 x Dreadnought DNs, 2 x Invincible BCs, 4 x Warrior HACs, 4 x MACs, 8 Town class CLs (6250t, steam turbines, 12 x 6" in 4 x 2 and 4 x 1, 12 x 12pdr/3", 3" belt, good range and speed of 30+ knots), A/B class DDs, 8 Black Swan sloops, 12 B class submarines
1903: 4 x St. Vincent class DNs, 2 x Invincible BCs, 4 x Warrior HACs, 4 x MACs, 8 Town CLs, C/D class DDs, 8 Black Swan sloops, 12 B class submarines
1904: 4 x Colossus class DNs, 2 x Implacable BCs, 4 x Warrior HACs, 4 x MACs, 8 Town CLs, E/F class DDs, 8 Black Swan sloops, 16 C class subs
1905: 4 x Neptune class DNs, 2 x Implacable BCs, 4 x Warrior HACs, 4 x MACs, 8 Town CLs, G/H class DDs, 8 Black Swan sloops, 16 C class subs
Stage 3 (16 BB + 8 BC)
1906: 4 Orion class SDNs, 2 x Lion BCs, 4 x Warrior HACs, 4 x MACs, 8 x Arethusa CLs, I/J class DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates, 8 Black Swan sloops
1907: 4 Victorious class SDNs, 2 x Lion BCs, 4 x Warrior HACs,4 x MACs 8 x Arethusa CLs, K/L class DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates, 8 Black Swan sloops
1908: 4 x Iron Duke class SDNs, 2 x Australia BCs, 4 x MACs8 x Arethusa CLs, M/N class DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates, 8 Black Swan sloops
1909: 4 x KGV class SDNs, 2 x Australia BCs, 4 x MACs, 8 Arethusa CLs, O/P class DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates, 8 Black Swan sloops
Stage 4 (16 BB + 8 BC)
1910: 4 x Queen Elizabeth class SDN2s, 2 x King Alfred BCs, 8 x C class CLs, Q/R DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates
1911: 4 x Nile class SDN2s, 2 x King Alfred BCs, 8 x C class CLs, S/T DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates
1912: 4 x Royal Sovereign SDN2s, 2 x Renown BCs, 8 x C class CLs, U/V DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates
1913: 4 x Royal Oak class SDN2s, 2 Renown BCs, 6 x County class CAs, 8 x D class CLs, V/W DDs, 16 Hunt class frigates
Stage 5 (24 BB)
1914: 4 x Nelson, 4 x Hoods, 80+ R/S/V/W class
1915: 4 x Nelson, 4 x Saints, 80+ R/S/V/W class
1916: 4 x Majestic, 80 x R/S/V/W class
1917: 4 x Britannia, 80 x R/S/V/W class
Destroyers
112 A, B, C, D/older TBDs to be redesignated TBs in 1906
River class to be built as 875t oil fired turbine ships with 4 x new 12pdr/3" and 4 x 18", 32kts
New 12pdrs to be based of the 3 inch 20cwt with an emphasis on rate of fire for surface use.
Reclassified TBs in 1910
Follow up classes to be designed as a 1600t-1800t ship with 4 x 4", 2 x 2pdr and 4 x 1" + 6 x 21" TT.
Next jump is to 2400t for a 4 x 5” Fletcher type (320 x R/S/V/W)
Cruisers
Decommission 9 Pearls, 21 Apollos, 8 Astraeas, 9 Eclipses, 4 Arrogants, 11 Pelorus as CLs are built (62)
Decommission 2 Blakes, 9 Edgars, 2 Powerful, 8 Diadem AC/PCs as CLs and Warriors build (21)
This is on top of 2 Nelson ACs, 2 Imperieuse ACs, 7 Orlando ACs, 2 Iris PCs, 9 Comus class PCs, 4 Leander PCs, 2 Calypso PCs, 2 Surprise PCs, 4 Mersey PCs, 2 Scout PCs, 7 Archer TCs, 5 Marathon PCs, 4 Barracouta PCs, 2 Barham PCs (54)
These 137 older cruisers are to be replaced by 96 LACs, 40 MACs and 24 HACs, with the 24 Monmouth/Devonshires to move to reserve and 8 Cressys and 4 Drakes to be sold to foreign buyers (Spain, Greece)
