If we look carefully at the present century history of battleship design we shall hardly escape the conviction that it has been influenced by aims which have led to an immense augmentation of naval expenditure and which, if further persisted in, must render all hope of reducing that expenditure quite illusory. At the same time it seems as though the vast sums already expended, and perhaps even vaster sums that will be called for, have not in anything like due proportion increased the fighting powers of the navy.