British expenditure on the Royal Navy between 1900 and 1905.[1]
1900-01 £32,131,062 7s 3d
1901-02 £33,726,491 10s 11d
1902-03 £34,201,994 4s 8d
1903-04 £39,221,000
1904-05 £42,001,400
This represents a remarkable 31 percent (£9,870,338) increase in the naval budget over the five year period.
[1] HC Deb 29 February 1904 vol 130 c124.
Shale oil in 1914? There’s nowt new under the sun.
Mr. EDGAR JONES asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has caused any experiments to be conducted for the extraction of oil fuel from coal or shale, or caused any inquiries to be made as to the comparative cost of oil extraction by any of the processes now being adopted by commercial concerns?
Mr. CHURCHILL The Admiralty have made some experimental extractions on a small scale of oil from certain shales in the United Kingdom, and the various commercial processes for extracting oil from coal and shale are being watched with the keenest interest. It is not practicable to give any comparative details, as much experimental work is still being done.
Source: United Kingdom. Hansard Parliamentary Debates, 5th ser., vol 58, cc920-1 (1914).
Royal Navy battleships in commission with full crews, 1st April, 1905.
There were thirty four battleships in commission. Of these, twenty were assigned to Home waters, eight were with the Mediterranean Fleet, five were on the China Station, and one was employed on trooping service.
Home waters:
Albemarle
Atlantic (at Gibraltar)
Caesar
Cornwallis
Duncan
Exmouth
King Edward VII
Hannibal
Illustrious
Magnificent
Majestic
Mars
Montagu
Prince George
Revenge
Russell
Royal Sovereign
Swiftsure
Triumph
HMS Albemarle, 1903.
Mediterranean:
Bulwark
Formidable
Implacable
Irresistible
London
Prince of Wales
Queen
Venerable
HM Bulwark, IWM Q 21052B.
China:
Albion
Centurion
Glory
Ocean
Vengeance
Other:
Barfleur was also temporarily in commission with full crew in trooping service.
HMS Barfleur, from “The Navy and Army Illustrated” 1897.
Source: United Kingdom. Hansard Parliamentary Debates, 5th ser., vol. 47, col. 635-7W.
‘Were I to die at this moment “want of frigates” would be found stamped on my heart.’ Horatio Nelson, 1798.
In 1983, 30-years ago (which scarcely seems credible to this old fart), in the midst of the it-seemed-hot-enough-at-the-time Cold War, in the immediate aftermath of the Falklands Conflict, the Royal Navy planned for a force of 50 frigates and destroyers (HC Deb 28 November 1983 vol 49 cc661-737).
HMS Achilles (F12) Leander-class frigate at HMNB Portsmouth, 1983.
In 1993, post Cold War, already in draw down and reaping the so-called peace dividend, the Royal Navy was facing reductions to a force of 40 frigates and destroyers (HC Deb 25 February 1993 vol 219 c717W).
HMS Amazon (F169) Type 21 frigate sold to Pakistan as PNS Babur (D182) in 1993.
By 2003, in the midst of the Global War on Terror and with the Iraq War coming to the fore, the force had been reduced to 31 frigates and destroyers… of which only 26 were operational (HC Deb 12 May 2003 vol 405 cc47-50W).
HMS Glasgow (D88) Type 42 destroyer at HMNB Portsmouth, 2003. Copyright Kev Slade.
Today, 2013, realpolitik, Spain rattles its sabres over Gibraltar, Argentina remains bellicose over the Falklands, there is continued instability in Libya, Syria and Egypt, there are standing demands for counter-narcotics patrols in the Caribbean and counter-piracy patrols off the coast of East Africa, and the war of terror continues, and there is always the need for a Fleet Ready Escort… well… we’re down to just 19 frigates and destroyers (13 surviving Type 23, 5 Type 45 in commission, 1 Type 45 undergoing sea trials).
HMS Dragon (D35) Type 45 destroyer, off Gibraltar, 2013. Crown copyright.
Just 19. And not a single Type 26 on order. Talked about, but not ordered. Spec’d, but not ordered. Number to be purchased undecided.
Type 26 Global Combat Ship. (Copyright © 2013 BAE Systems)
I don’t want to think about how things will be in 2023.
Naval Matters 