A comparison of numbers between the Grand Fleet and the High Sea Fleet in the early part of the War shows the following figures. Only ships that had completed their training and were fit to fight in the line are included:

BATTLESHIPS

(B., British; G., German)

DateDreadnoughtsPre-DreadnoughtsBattle cruisersLight cruisersDestroyersAirshipsCruisers
August 4th, 1914
B 20 8 4 12 42 9
G 13 16 3 15 88 1 2
October 1st, 1914
B 20 12 6 12 42 10
G 15 16 3 14 88 3 2
January 1st, 1915
B 21[B] 8 6 17 44 14
G 16 16 4 12 88 6 1
April 1st, 1915
B 23 8 9 18 54 17
G 17 16 4 14 88 6
October 1st, 1915
B 25 10 10 25 66 15
G 17 16 4 15 88 12

[B] 21 completed, but two of these (Monarch and Conqueror) were seriously damaged and one other battleship was refitting.

The above list gives the vessels nominally available.

In comparisons of the strength at Germany’s selected and our average moment, the following facts should be remembered, and were necessarily taken into account by me at the time:

(a) We usually had at least two battleships, one or two light cruisers, six destroyers, one or two cruisers, and perhaps one battle cruiser under refit, in addition to any other vessels that might be temporarily disabled.

(b) Germany would see to it that none of her ships was refitting when planning an operation, and she could reinforce her Fleet by several light cruisers and two or more flotillas of destroyers from the Baltic.

(c) The pre-Dreadnoughts were not a very important factor on either side owing to inferiority of speed, and, in the case of our ships, the comparatively short range of their guns, due to the small amount of elevation of which their mountings admitted.