Regional variations in naval construction: The British experience, 1895–1966

Abstract

Todd D. (1981) Regional variations in naval construction: the British experience, 1895–1966, Reg. Studies 15, 123–142. Spending for defence material has important consequences for regions. This study analyses one aspect of defence contracts, namely those placed for British Navy warships over the period 1895–1966, and considers the regional distribution of naval output. Generally, three kinds of shipbuilding regions are identified: those centred on state dockyards, those organized by steel-armaments firms, and those primarily oriented to the construction of merchant vessels. Admiralty contracts to the various regions have varied according to the level of international tension and the type of warship currently in demand. Regions opting for serious participation in warship construction have been able to do so either through diversification of the range of vessels offered or by specialization in a limited number of ship categories. Shift-and-share analysis is used to gauge the effects of changing procurement programmes and also to help decipher the implications of regional specialization in warship construction.