Gun-calibre escalation had to be explained to politicians and Treasury officials as a procurement case. A larger weapon increased the cost of the ship and of shells, handling, transport, and support around the world. If Germany's 11-inch guns were the only benchmark, a 13.5-inch British weapon could look unnecessarily expensive. American, Italian, and other 12-inch battleships made the cost of retaining a larger British margin easier to justify.
Notable Point · 13:46-14:48
The fiscal case for larger British guns
A 13.5-inch gun was hard to justify against Germany's 11-inch weapons alone, but rival 12-inch fleets made the added cost and ammunition burden intelligible.