Under the expanded treaty bargain, Britain could reach eighteen capital ships because its retained ships averaged about 27,782 tons once the 13.5-inch ships and Nelson and Rodney were set aside, well below the 35,000-ton individual ceiling. That total could support an additional battle squadron, which then raises the question of where to base it. Direct basing at Singapore becomes less attractive once Fascist Italy and Mediterranean tension demand flexibility closer to the Suez route. Trincomalee in Ceylon or Bombay (Mumbai) on India's west coast would signal a visible commitment to Australia, New Zealand, and Britain's Eastern possessions. Ships stationed there could also move through the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Suez Canal to reinforce the Mediterranean from an unexpected direction. The basing choice connects imperial defense with European war planning.
Notable Point · 1:06:08-1:09:48
An eighteen-ship fleet could support another battle squadron
Ceylon or western India offers a politically Eastern but operationally flexible base for the extra squadron created by a larger treaty fleet.