Clarke objects to Holger Herwig's description of the German navy as a 'luxury fleet'. His concern is that the title appears to settle the strategic judgment before the evidence has been examined. Even an author approaching the subject with good intentions could begin with a conclusion embedded in that framing. The objection concerns the book's starting assumptions; this exchange does not demonstrate an error in its spending figures.
Notable Point · 1:43:40-1:44:48
How the 'luxury fleet' label can pre-judge the evidence
Calling the German navy a 'luxury fleet' risks building the strategic verdict into the title before the evidence is assessed.