Dreadnought, HMS

Dreadnought, HMS

British battleship launched in 1906 that established the pattern of the warships that dominated the world's navies for the next 35 years. It was equipped entirely with big guns because recent improvements in naval gunnery had made preparation for short-range battle unnecessary. Powered by steam turbines instead of the steam pistons then common, it sailed at a record top speed of 21 knots. It displaced 18,000 tons (16,300 metric tons), was 526 ft (160 m) long, and carried a crew of about 800. By World War I it was nearly outclassed by faster “superdreadnoughts” carrying bigger guns. It was placed on reserve in 1919 and broken up for scrap in 1923.