France had mass-production capacity for torpedo boats while its armour production and parts of its large-engine industry had been run down. That imbalance hindered battleship construction and limited broader naval modernization. Existing yards could readily build small destroyers, and that capacity reinforced the current scale of design. The available facilities favored numbers at that scale instead of larger or more competitive ships.
Notable Point · 11:15-12:06
Industrial specialization constrains French destroyer growth
France retained ample torpedo-boat production while reduced armour production and parts of its large-engine industry constrained major warship construction.