What was the British title of Herman Melville's novel?

The British title of Herman Melville’s novel was The Whale.

Melville’s book was published in London on October 18, 1851, by Richard Bentley in a three-volume edition titled The Whale. The American edition appeared later that year, on November 14, with the title Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. The British edition therefore used the subtitle’s phrase as its main title rather than the name of the white whale.

The difference arose partly from publishing circumstances. The London edition was prepared while the manuscript was still being finalized, and Bentley’s version also contained cuts and alterations to the text. Melville’s American publisher, Harper & Brothers, issued the work under the more distinctive title Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, which became the standard title worldwide.

A common mix-up is to answer Moby-Dick, which is the familiar American title and the name used in modern references. The question asks specifically for the British title, making The Whale the canonical answer.