Sending a G3 after every Lexington port visit would advertise insecurity and make Britain look like the weaker power. In places with established Royal Navy relationships, a normal cruiser visit and diplomatic hosting could quietly upstage a rare American appearance. Elsewhere Britain could send the largest ship able to arrive first, making the Americans appear to follow, or ignore the visit and create greater attention at a nearby port. Naval presence works through perception, scheduling, and relationships as much as through ship size.
Notable Point · 54:56-58:28
How the Royal Navy would answer an American capital-ship port visit
Presence diplomacy depended on timing, routine relationships, and confident signaling rather than chasing every Lexington with a G3.