I'm studying the Decline of the British Empire and the foreign and defence policies behind it, and I realised there was a large hole in the course. It focusses on the reforms made to the military before the First World War but not the Navy.
How much did the navy change pre-war? And, for my own knowledge, how much did the changes to the navy affect the British public? (I know of the "We want 8" campaign, anything similar)
WOOOO! Something I actually have just been doing lots of reading about.
From Dreadnought to Scapa Flow Volume I by Arthur Marder is a great resource!
The three largest changes are:
Hardening of the "Two Power Standard"
Concentration of the fleet in the Home Islands to fight Germany
Rise of the Dreadnought and Battlecruisers.
And at the heart of all of them was Jackie Fisher
In the era before 1904 the fleet was made up of pre-dreadnought battleships with 4 or so heavy caliber guns and a large battery of medium guns. Which made long range gunnery and accuracy at any range difficult. There were also dozens of ships of old age and minimal combat value spread throughout the Empire showing the flag which were nothing but a drain on men and resources.
The main fighting strength of the navy was concentrated in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Fleet, with the Channel Fleet being made up of older less effective ships for home defense. With France and Russia considered the most likely enemy. The Navy was also notoriously old fashioned, and very much focused on appearance and "smartness."
All of that changed with the arrival of Jackie Fisher to the Navy Board and then to the post of First Sea Lord.
Virtually every major reform in the lead up to WW1 is the result of him or one of his key subordinates. He introduced a new training scheme and the Royal Navy colleges, which striven to bridge the gaps between engineering and line officers.
He redistributed the fleet to the Channel Ports and oriented it to fight a war in the North Sea as Germany's navy rose as a result of the Navy Laws in the first few years of the 1900's. He also scrapped many of the older ships , angering the Diplomats, but freeing up men for service elsewhere.
He also revamped the Reserves. Essentially keeping 2/3rds of the Channel Fleet in port with 1/3 of their crew. Enough to stay active and drill, but also saving money. He also slowly added each new Dreadnought as it was built to the Channel Fleet so as to not tip their hand too early that they were refacing to fight Germany.
He supported advances in technology, gunnery, and training, taking the standard engagement range from 2k yards, to over 10k yards. And the rise of the all big gun Dreadnoughts and BC's meant each ships fighting power was immensely increased.
And by August 1914 the RN has 37 capitol ships(with 30 of them in the North Sea) to 20 for Germany. Very close the "Two Power Standard" which Asquith had refined to essentially just being able to have 2 hulls or every 1 German one.
The yearly Naval Estimates were always a source of public commentary, and were a source of much conflict at times. In particular over how many hulls ought to be built each year. This was a source of much conflict in certain years between Fisher and the Liberals.
EDIT:
I also had the pleasure of working through a copy of Fisher's Face; or,: Getting to Know the Admiral by Jan Morris back at school and very much intend to get one for my own, wonderful window into a man who's shear force of will essentially created the Royal Navy as it was in August of 1914 for better and worse.