This naval shipbuilding order, regardless of how much of a sensation it caused around the world, was indeed a genuine boost to the spirits of the Australasian people.
After all, this was still an era of strong ships and powerful guns. While the people might not have much concept of the size of the army, they did pay great attention to the size and strength of the navy they possessed.
Why was the British Empire the undisputed world superpower? Wasn't it because of a navy that could crush the second and third largest navies in the world?
As for the British Empire's weak army, it was kindly overlooked by the people of other nations. After all, Britain was an island country, and the navy was the first line of defense for the native land.
What could other countries do with their powerful armies? As long as they couldn't defeat the British navy, they had no chance of landing on British soil.