A cruiser was a peacetime presence asset as well as a wartime combatant. Italy's force of eight-inch cruisers set the visible regional standard, so a British ship had to appear able to match it. This helps explain why the loss of any British eight-inch cruiser mattered, even while Britain was building more numerous six-inch ships and destroyers. Visual credibility supported deterrence because a cruiser had to look capable of meeting the regional benchmark before any shooting began.
Notable Point · 33:31-35:46
Why heavy cruisers mattered in the Mediterranean
In the Mediterranean, cruisers had to signal that they could meet Italy's eight-inch cruiser force as well as fight a war.