Cruisers, readiness, and procurement priorities

Roosevelt's procurement record as Assistant Secretary of the Navy puts his theory into concrete terms. No new American battleships were laid down during that short tenure, but he helped build the case for acquiring the New Orleans-class protected cruisers before the Spanish-American War. The example supports the argument that he cared more about a fleet's readiness and suitability than attachment to one capital-ship formula. A deterrent also had to look capable when concentrated, because numerous visibly ineffective ships would merely offer an enemy more targets. Training doctrine therefore shaped choices about ship type, procurement, and credible force presentation.