Writing in 1948 the author was of the opinion that the Royal Navy's (RN's) response to the advent of nuclear power should be considered under three main subheadings:
• Passive defence against atomic weapons aimed at a ship or squadron.
• Nuclear energy, as a source of power in a ship for propulsion and auxiliaries.
• The ship as an offensive unit armed with atomic weapons.
In the author's opinion the above order of precedence was the most logical and desirable one in relation to the safety of the RN's fleet and the scientific resources available at the time.