The Empire Cruise carried battlecruisers and light cruisers because Britain no longer needed to prove that it possessed a battle fleet. Instead, the formation demonstrated the naval machinery of worldwide commerce warfare. Light cruisers could locate and seize enemy merchant shipping, while a fast capital ship such as Hood, Renown, or Repulse could destroy an opposing surface raider. Different ship types advertised different capabilities. America showed that a battle fleet could cross oceans, while Britain showed how its global network could suppress trade and protect imperial routes.
Notable Point · 1:47:39-1:49:40
Why Britain's Empire Cruise emphasized battlecruisers and cruisers
The British cruise displayed a worldwide commerce-war system, contrasting with America's demonstration that its battleships could arrive and fight abroad.