High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Duncan class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Navy. From 1889, Britain`s “rank as a first-class power was bound up with its Mediterranean position” and these lightly armoured fast ships were intended to help meet combined Russian and French threats. Their period of maximum operational significance was short. By 1904, Britain had formed the Entente cordiale with France whilst Russia was decisively defeated at the Tsushima the following year. This battle led to the design of HMS Dreadnought launched 1906 which eclipsed the Duncans and all previous ships.