The large spreadsheet shows how quantitative reference material supports naval history. It is a data store, rather than an argument built to force a particular conclusion. The table combines many sources so specifications can be compared quickly across ships and projects. Keeping the same compiled figures in one place reduces the risk of using one source for a ship in one discussion and a different, incompatible source later. This is a practical lesson in transparent comparative method as well as a guide to the numbers used for Scharnhorst.
Notable Point · 25:01-25:55
How a historian keeps warship comparisons consistent
A compiled data table lets the same figures support multiple projects while making quick comparisons without silently switching sources between ships.