What if there was no WWI would a naval treaty come about in the 1920's.

How long would the naval arms race run into the 1920's if there was no WWI?
How large would the RN be and who's Fleet would be Number 2 ?
How would the smaller navies of the world look with a arms race and they receive the ships they ordered before WWI and were not delivered or finished .
 
I’m thinking that with no WW1 there are going to be quite a lot of ‘slightly used’ but ‘obsolescent’ British and German battleships on the used market in 1915 or 1916.

And a massive glut of Pre-Dreadnoughts awaiting scrapping.
 
No Great War: A lot of ships get delivered on schedule: Salamis, the Turkish pair, the Chillean dreadnought, and others. There will be attempts by the shipbuilders--especially the British ones--to minimize the used ship market in favor of minor powers buying shiny new ships. Even without the shipbuilders trying to inhibit the used ship market, the older dreadnoughts will probably linger in reserve for some time before being scrapped or sold, unless someone makes a really good offer. After all, if there's a war, they will be needed!

Without a war, an abundance of problems won't be discovered soon. I suspect that all or nothing armor will be promarily an American thing for some time yet. I've heard the standards described as "post Jutland ships before Jutland."
 
How long would the naval arms race run into the 1920's if there was no WWI?
Forever, it's just insurance for foreign investment and international trade. Armies are for domestic consumption, Navies show you off to your neighbors. Taking all their plans into account it's close to a 5:3:3:2:2:1.5:1.5:1 ratio (GB:US:Ger:Fra:Rus:Jap:Ita:A-H) not that pre-WW1 nations would bind themselves to ratios in a treaty sort of way.

How large would the RN be and who's Fleet would be Number 2 ?
RN would be over a 100 capital ships. US and German on equal 2nd with 60 each.

How would the smaller navies of the world look with a arms race and they receive the ships they ordered before WWI and were not delivered or finished .
The very smallest would be tempted to buy 2nd hand 1st gen Dreadnoughts in the early 20's but it will be more economical to build new. Most of the mid powers would have 6 to 8 capital ships, these include Spain, Turkey, The Netherlands etc. Australia had affordable plans for 8 battle cruisers by 1930.
 
Top