Trade-protection estimates extended to sloops as well as cruisers. Restrictions on the questions planners could ask and the evidence they could cite limited their case for using Article 8 of the First London Naval Treaty to build more sloops. Similar constraints are placed in the earlier Washington treaty years. In the anecdote, Admiral Henderson steered a parliamentarian to the relevant pages without formally using the study to make his case. The evidence pointed to a shortfall in sloops and, looking ahead to the Second World War, frigate escorts.
Notable Point · 16:27-17:38
Treaty limits and the case for more escorts
The sloop example shows how the questions officials authorised could shape Britain's use of interwar treaty exemptions.