Flotilla defence still requires a balanced fleet

British flotilla-defence doctrine paired destroyers, torpedo boats, and submarines with a battle fleet and cruisers. Small craft defended ports and critical areas, with a battle fleet available to intervene and cruisers out hunting. France's Jeune Ecole legacy became restrictive when rising capital-ship costs encouraged policy to discard the larger-ship pillar. An effective screen depended on a balanced fleet, and ordering fewer ships with ever broader roles could drive individual hulls upward in size and cost.