Tanker speed was an industrial allocation problem as much as a design question. High-pressure machinery and the skilled labour behind it could equip a fast oiler or support destroyer and cruiser construction. A large fast-tanker force was most valuable in the Royal Navy's Far Eastern contingency, while the same industrial resources could answer more immediate demands elsewhere. Understanding the value of speed did not remove those machinery and workforce constraints.
Notable Point · 20:36-21:34
Fast tankers competed with combat-ship production
Fast oilers needed scarce high-pressure machinery that could also support destroyer and cruiser construction.