A large Spanish building program would attract Royal Navy attention and prompt reinforcements at Gibraltar. Keeping the Spanish fleet smaller would not remove that reaction. The same principle applies to the hypothetical fortification of Heligoland opposite Germany. A position so close to the enemy could justify 15-inch coastal guns earlier than Singapore received them, even though Britain had found smaller calibers sufficient at other stations. Historical procurement choices cannot simply be carried unchanged into a scenario with different threats.
Notable Point · 25:46-26:38
British responses would change with Spanish construction
A Spanish naval expansion would bring a British response at Gibraltar, while a Heligoland comparison shows why changed threats can justify different coastal batteries.