Building larger destroyers earlier would have allowed France to fit six 65 mm guns and more torpedoes from the outset. Fewer existing construction facilities could have built those larger ships, reducing the numbers France could produce. Gradual growth preserved access to more yards while delaying the increase in individual capability. Whether that compromise was preferable remains an open question. The destroyers' principal tasks stayed familiar: fleet screening, flotilla attack, and defence. Infrastructure was the persistent obstacle to obtaining ships suited to those needs.
Notable Point · 53:24-55:48
Larger destroyers compete with the need for more hulls
Earlier growth could have brought six 65 mm guns and more torpedoes, but fewer yards could have built the larger ships.