Economy without sacrificing capability

The Treasury pressed the Navy to pay as little as possible for an effective ship, and lower speed offered a controlled way to reduce machinery, length, and cost. That demand differed from selecting the cheapest possible answer regardless of whether it could perform the mission. On this reading, the prewar R class remained fully viable because its economy preserved guns, protection, and battle-line compatibility. The design choice also supports a warning about modern defense advice that removes capability instead of finding an economical way to deliver it.