If Britain had preserved one Royal Navy ship every twenty years, which ships would First Sea Lords choose?
Short answerMostly large flagships or ships they had commanded, because prestige and interior space make those vessels easier to defend and operate as museums.
NotesA policy of preserving one ship every twenty years would favor larger vessels rather than representative small craft. Capital ships and flagships have prestige that makes the public case easier, while their state rooms and internal volume can support exhibitions and visitors. A First Sea Lord would also be drawn toward a ship he commanded or used as a flagship, adding personal memory to the institutional choice. Surviving museum fleets can overrepresent famous large ships even when smaller vessels did much of a navy's daily work.