Of the introduction of the “Dreadnought” and super-“Dreadnoughts” I have already spoken.
Apart from the above matters of high policy, a number of other reforms or advances have been made during the past five years which are beyond all criticism. Opinions may differ as to the details of some of these services, but there is no dispute as to their immense contribution to the fighting efficiency of the Navy. Some of these may be thus briefly enumerated:
1. Complete reorganisation of the dockyards. [6,000 redundant workmen discharged.]
2. Improved system of refits of ships, and limitation of number of vessels absent at one time from any fleet for repair.
3. Introduction of the Royal Fleet Reserve, composed only of ratings who have served for a period of years in the active service.
4. Improvements of Royal Naval Reserve, by enforcing periodical training on board modern commissioned ships in place of obsolete hulks or shore batteries.
5. Establishment and extension of Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
6. The establishment of a service of offensive mines and mine-laying vessels.
7. The introduction of vessels for defensive mine-sweeping in harbours and on the open sea.
8. A complete organisation of the service of auxiliary vessels for the fleets in war.