Spain intended the class to do more than fly the flag on distant stations. Because its dreadnoughts lacked the reach and suitability for worldwide employment, these cruisers would effectively embody the Spanish Navy abroad. Their size and visibility therefore carried diplomatic and institutional weight beyond their combat power. The moment clarifies why flaws in only two major representatives mattered so much.
Notable Point · 9:45-10:30
Spain's worldwide naval representatives
Canarias and Baleares were intended to embody the Spanish Navy abroad because Spain's dreadnoughts could not perform that worldwide role.