Dutch battlecruiser plans depended on access to heavy-ship materials and production capacity abroad. In a proposed alternative treaty system, Britain and America would have continued building capital ships at a reduced rate. Even a couple of ships every two years would have maintained regular demand for armour and other specialized inputs. Keeping those facilities active could have increased supply and made Dutch construction easier and cheaper.
Notable Point · 46:30-47:24
Continuous capital-ship orders and Dutch building costs
Reduced but continuous battleship orders could have preserved the industrial supply needed to make Dutch battlecruisers more affordable.