Any contenders to face off against RN's Majestics?

Looking at the RN's nine Majestic class battleships of 1898, I wonder if any other nation had nine ships in commission before end the century with the ability to face them.

1280px-HMS_Mars_LOC_ggbain_16923.jpg


Name Completed
Caesar January 1898
Hannibal April 1898
Illustrious April 1898
Jupiter May 1897
Magnificent December 1895
Majestic December 1895
Mars June 1897
Prince George November 1896
Victorious November 1896
 
Last edited:

TFSmith121

Banned
White's design was foundational for what followed, and

Looking at the RN's Majestic class battleships of 1898, I wonder if any other nation had ships of this ability and sufficient quantity to face them (excluding the rest of the RN battleships of course).

White's design was foundational for what followed, and brought together a number of features that had appeared elsewhere into a very impressive whole; but having said that, they still weren't quite "perfect" - the side by side funnels were not the most efficent or effective design, for example, only two of the seven ships actually had all-around loading for their main batteries (the other five had to return the guns to a fore-and-aft position, and the secondaries were in casemates (rather than turrets).

Their protection, although certainly world class in 1895, had flaws, and Majestic herself was sunk by a single torpedo hit; granted, when that happened, she was a 20-year-old ship that had been designed in an era where submarines were barely considered, but her loss makes it clear her design - although state of the art for 1895 - did not have the capacity for upgrading for the threats she faced at the end of her life.

Best,
 
Top