Pictures of the battle fleet could advertise British power, but station ships would be the ones that foreign officials and publics actually saw. Fast cruising and support from widely dispersed bases would make the proposed ships available for both patrols and visits. Regular visibility could make a cruiser squadron a status asset that attracted political funding. A large battlecruiser offered greater prestige per ship, while numerous station cruisers could cover more places and routes.
Notable Point · 33:17-35:11
The cruiser as the visible face of British sea power
A cruiser that people regularly saw in port could acquire prestige of its own and make overseas stations easier to fund.