To determine which nation had an advantage at sea when World War I began in 1914, we will calculate the total number of Dreadnoughts built by each nation up to 1914. We can do this by adding the number of Dreadnoughts constructed each year as provided in the table.
### Dreadnoughts Built by Britain
1. Before 1910: 7
2. In 1910: 3
3. In 1911: 5
4. In 1912: 3
5. In 1913: 7
6. In 1914: 3
Adding these values together, the total number of Dreadnoughts built by Britain is:
[tex]\[
7 + 3 + 5 + 3 + 7 + 3 = 28
\][/tex]
### Dreadnoughts Built by Germany
1. Before 1910: 7
2. In 1910: 1
3. In 1911: 3
4. In 1912: 2
5. In 1913: 3
6. In 1914: 1
Adding these values together, the total number of Dreadnoughts built by Germany is:
[tex]\[
7 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 17
\][/tex]
### Difference in the Number of Dreadnoughts
To determine the advantage, we calculate the difference in the number of Dreadnoughts between Britain and Germany:
[tex]\[
28 - 17 = 11
\][/tex]
### Conclusion
Britain had 28 Dreadnoughts, and Germany had 17 Dreadnoughts by 1914. Therefore, Britain had an advantage at sea with 11 more battleships than Germany at the onset of World War I.
The correct answer is:
Britain, with eleven more battleships
