§ The coming financial year will be very remarkable for the great number of ships which will be completed and added to the effective list. It may be anticipated that the following ships will be finished, and passed into the 1st Reserve, as ready for commission:—
| Armoured ships | 10 |
| 3 of "Admiral" class—"Rodney," "Howe," "Benbow." | |
| "Warspite." | |
| "Hero." | |
| 5 belted cruisers (contract-built) | |
| Protected ships | 2 |
| "Severn." | |
| "Thames." | |
| Torpedo cruisers | 7 |
| 6 of "Archer" class. | |
| "Fearless." | |
| Torpedo gun-boats ("Rattlesnake" class) | 3 |
| Composite sloops & gun-boats ("Buzzard" & "Rattier" classes) | 3 |
| 25 |
§ At the end of 1887–88, another armoured ship, the "Campordown," will be nearly finished, and so will be the protected cruiser "Forth." The "Anson" will be approaching completion.
§ The belted cruisers "Immortalité" and "Aurora" will be far advanced; the "Trafalgar" and "Nile" will be the great causes of further liability.
§ The "Renown" and "Sanspareil" are to be delivered, according to contract, in October, 1888, and if no unforeseen hindrances arise, there is good reason to believe this date will be kept.
§ Out of thirty-seven ships, building or incomplete, at the commencement of 1887–88, it is hoped twenty-six will be complete by the end of the year, leaving only nine out of the programme of 1885, and two other ships not belonging to this programme, to be finished in subsequent years.