The Admiralty asked for six ships, the economists offered four, and the resulting compromise somehow became eight. The anecdote captures the peculiar arithmetic of bargaining between naval requirements and financial restraint. The actual program produced five R-class battleships, while two related ships were converted into battlecruisers. In this case, compromise enlarged the capital-ship program instead of splitting the difference.
Notable Point · 2:25:47-2:27:00
How a six-versus-four demand became eight capital ships
A procurement compromise illustrates how the Admiralty's demand for six ships and the economists' offer of four ultimately yielded eight capital ships.