A proposed 28-knot battleship carrying twelve 13.5-inch guns would offer substantial speed and firepower. The objection is that another ship at Orion's gun calibre would not deliver the status expected of Britain's next capital-ship generation. Britain knew about larger American guns and was pursuing heavier weapons of its own. France's use of more guns of smaller calibre supplies the comparison with a navy unable to obtain the same larger weapons. The argument places national prestige alongside tactical speed: a more powerful Orion-level ship could still fall short of the desired status.
Notable Point · 2:17:31-2:19:32
Why speed alone could not confer capital-ship prestige
A very fast ship with smaller guns might gain tactical freedom, but it would not satisfy the prestige demands that drove prewar capital-ship procurement.