Did rivals drive British battleship construction?

The closing question asks viewers to distinguish the scale of British construction from the characteristics chosen for individual classes. The tables make it difficult to explain the Royal Navy's sustained output as a simple one-for-one response to any single rival. A foreign programme could still justify a desired feature, such as the Duncans' speed, without causing the broader commitment to maintain a large worldwide battle fleet. The launch totals therefore become evidence in a debate about procurement motives, threat claims, and institutional continuity.