 The United Kingdom possessed the largest navy in the world for the whole of the ironclad period . The Royal Navy was the second to adopt ironclad warships , and it applied them worldwide in their whole range of roles . In the age of sail , the British strategy for war depended on the Royal Navy mounting a blockade of the ports of the enemy . Because of the limited endurance of steamships , this was no longer possible , so the British at times considered the risk @-@ laden plan of engaging an enemy fleet in harbor as soon as war broke out . To this end , the Royal Navy developed a series of ' coast @-@ defence battleships ' , starting with the Devastation class . These ' breastwork monitors ' were markedly different from the other high @-@ seas ironclads of the period and were an important precursor of the modern battleship . As long @-@ range monitors they could reach Bermuda unescorted , for example . However , they were still armed with only four heavy guns and were as vulnerable to mines and obstructions ( and enemy monitors ) as the original monitors of the Union Navy proved to be during the Civil War . The British prepared for an overwhelming mortar bombardment of Kronstadt by the close of the Crimean War , but never considered running the smoke @-@ ridden , shallow @-@ water gauntlet straight to St. Petersburg with ironclads . Likewise , monitors proved acutely unable to ' overwhelm ' enemy fortifications single @-@ handed during the American conflict , though their low @-@ profile and heavy armour protection made them ideal for running gauntlets . Mines and obstructions , however , negated these advantages — a problem the British Admiralty frequently acknowledged but never countered throughout the period . The British never laid down enough Devastation @-@ class ' battleships ' to instantly overwhelm Cherbourg , Kronstadt or even New York City with gunfire . Although throughout the 1860s and 1870s the Royal Navy was still in many respects superior to its potential rivals , by the early 1880s widespread concern about the threat from France and Germany culminated in the Naval Defence Act , which promulgated the idea of a ' two @-@ power standard ' , that Britain should possess as many ships as the next two navies combined . This standard provoked aggressive shipbuilding in the 1880s and 1890s . 
 The United Kingdom possessed the largest navy in the world for the whole of the ironclad period . The Royal Navy was the second to adopt ironclad warships , and it applied them worldwide in their whole range of roles . In the age of sail , the British strategy for war depended on the Royal Navy mounting a blockade of the ports of the enemy . Because of the limited endurance of steamships , this was no longer possible , so the British at times considered the risk @-@ laden plan of engaging an enemy fleet in harbor as soon as war broke out . To this end , the Royal Navy developed a series of ' coast @-@ defence battleships <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'</mark></a>, starting with the Devastation class . These ' breastwork monitors ' <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> markedly different from the other high @-@ seas ironclads of the period and <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> an important precursor of the modern battleship . As long @-@ range monitors they could reach Bermuda unescorted , for example . However , they <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> still armed with only four heavy guns and <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> as vulnerable to mines and obstructions ( and enemy monitors ) as the original monitors of the Union Navy proved to be during the Civil War . The British prepared for an overwhelming mortar bombardment of Kronstadt by the close of the Crimean War , but <a href='None' title='6'><mark>never</mark></a> considered running the smoke @-@ ridden , shallow @-@ water gauntlet straight to St. Petersburg with ironclads . Likewise , monitors proved acutely unable to ' overwhelm ' enemy fortifications single @-@ handed during the American conflict , though their low @-@ profile and heavy armour protection made them ideal for running gauntlets . Mines and obstructions , however , negated these advantages — a problem the British Admiralty frequently acknowledged but <a href='None' title='7'><mark>never</mark></a> countered throughout <a href='None' title='8'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='9'><mark>period</mark></a> . The British never laid down enough Devastation @-@ class ' battleships ' to instantly overwhelm Cherbourg , Kronstadt or even New York City with gunfire . Although throughout the 1860s and 1870s the Royal Navy was still in many respects superior to its potential rivals , by the early 1880s widespread concern about the threat from France and Germany culminated in the Naval Defence Act , which promulgated the idea of a ' two @-@ power standard ' , that Britain should possess as many ships as the next two navies combined . This standard provoked aggressive shipbuilding in the 1880s and 1890s . 
Da United Kingdom possessed tdalargest navy in the world fir the whole of the ironclad period . The Royal Navy was the second to adopt ironclad warships , and it applied em worldwide in their whole range of roles . In the age of sail , the British strategy for war depended on the Royal Navy mounting a blockade of thdaorts of thedaemy . Because of the limited endurance of steamships , dis was no longer possible , soo the British at times considered the dak @-@ laden plan of engaging an enemy fleet in harbor as soon as war broke out . To this end , the Royal Navy developed a series of ' coast @-@ defence battleships  , starting with the Devastation class . dem ' breastwork monitors ' was markedly diff from the odar high @-@ seas ironclads of the period and was an important precursor of the modan battleship . As long @-@ range monitors they could reach Bermuda unescorted , for example . However , they was still armed with only four heavy guns and was as vulnerable to mines and obstructions ( and enemy monitors ) as the original monitors of the Union Navy proved to be durin the Civil War . The Bridah prepared for an overwhelming mortar bombardment of Kronstadt by the closdaf the Crimean War , but don't never considered running the smokeda@ ridden , shallow @-@ water gauntlet str8 to St. Petersburg with ironclads . Likewise , monitors proved acutely unable to ' overwhelm ' enemy fortifications single @-@ handed during the American conflict , though their low @-@ profile and heavy armour protection made themdeal for running gauntlets . Mines and obstructions , however , negated these advantages — a problem the Britisdadmiralty frequently acknowledged but don't never countered throughout no period . The British never laid downn enough Devastation @-@ class ' battleships ' to instantly overwhelm Cherbourg , Kronstadt or even New York City w gunfire . Although throughout the 1860s and 1870s the Royal Navy was still in many respects superior to its potential rivals , by the early 1das widespread concern bout the threat from France and Germany culminated in the Naval Defence Act , which promulgated the idea of a ' two @-@ power standard ' , dat Britain should possess as many ships as the nxt two navies combined . This standard provoked aggressive shipbuilding in the 1880s and 1890s .