More navies could buy and sustain a large 9.2-inch cruiser than could afford a battleship or battlecruiser. If Germany concentrated on capital ships, it could have fewer suitable designs to sell to these customers. A sale could give the supplier a relationship with the buyer's navy and a route to informal information. One example involves a British admiral serving with the Greek navy who ordered a ship from a German yard. The purchase made sense for Greece and gave British-connected inspectors a legitimate opportunity to see work in German yards.
Notable Point · 58:02-59:38
Warship sales and access to foreign yards
A cruiser that more governments could afford would matter for exports as well as for Britain's and Germany's fleets.