Choosing between global and regional cruiser designs

Should large protected cruisers be divided between global and regionally supported designs?

Yes; global service rewards sailing endurance, while regional service can exploit machinery and bases, and a hybrid rarely achieves the best of both.

Global cruisers needed sailing endurance for distant routes and weak infrastructure, including the trade and clipper routes connecting Britain with Australia and the Far East. A sailing rig could conserve coal and keep a cruiser useful where resupply and repair were uncertain. Regional ships could instead trade rig for twin screws and higher machinery performance because established bases supplied coal, maintenance, and stores. Trying to merge both missions usually creates an awkward hybrid, so designers must choose a primary role rather than expect one hull to optimize both.