The failure was such that thereafter no further attempt to modernise old ships was ever made; instead, a policy of “scrapping” all such was introduced. This is probably the best service that the _Rupert_ ever rendered to the Navy. She demonstrated for all time that--so far as the British Navy was concerned--modernising was a hopeless task. It took France and Germany many years to learn a similar lesson. To-day, it is generally recognised that, as a ship is completed, she represents the best that can be got out of her; and that any attempt to improve her in any one direction merely spells reduced efficiency in some other. Hence the apparently early scrapping of many ships of later date and the present day proverb, “Re-construction never pays.” The whole of the series, however, can only be regarded as improvements on the old _Prince Albert_ idea. Sir E. J. Reed’s real answer to the _Captain_ was the _Devastation_, designed in 1868, but not completed till 1873; at which date he had left the Admiralty. The _Devastation_ and the _Thunderer_ (completed four years later than her sister) cost Sir E. J. Reed his position. In them he introduced all his ideas as to what the sea-going turret-ship should be. He carried the Admiralty with him; but before ever the _Devastation_ was set afloat, it was “proved” to the satisfaction of the general public that she was an “egregious failure.” The date of her design is about 1868, though, as mentioned above, she was not completed till 1873. The _Dreadnought_ of more or less these times was nothing in the way of novelty compared to the _Devastation_ of the later sixties. Details of the _Devastation_ (laid down Nov., 1869), were:-- Displacement--9,330 tons. Length--385ft. Beam--62ft. 3ins. Mean Draught--25ft. 6ins. H. P.--6,650. Guns--Four 35-ton M.L.R.[108] Belt Armour--12in. and 10in. (iron). Turret Armour--14in. (iron). Coal--1,800 tons. Speed--13.84 knots (twin-screw). Where Built--Portsmouth Dockyard. Builder of Machinery--Humphrys. Launched--1871; completed, 1873. Cost--Hull and Machinery, £353,848. On her trials the _Devastation_ proved completely successful. An interesting and little known item in connection with her is that as designed she was to carry two signal masts,[109] one forward of the turrets, one aft. For these, on completion, a single mast on the superstructure was substituted. [Illustration: THE _DEVASTATION_, AS COMPLETED, 1873.] How the _Devastation_, even after successful completion, was received by the public can be gleaned from the following extracts from the contemporary press:--[110]