The Tucker and Sampson classes were ordered before the 1915 Naval Act, which governed the ships that followed them. The distinction matters when provisions introduced in 1915 are attributed to the larger 1916 program. Establishing the Chief of Naval Operations gave fleet operations and war planning a designated officer under the Secretary of the Navy. Congress also authorized six destroyers capable of at least 30 knots at no more than $925,000 each, excluding armor and armament. Three had to be built on the Pacific coast, where construction could not cost more than Atlantic construction plus transfer. The industrial criticism is that dividing such a small order among yards constrained the funds available for developing regional capacity.
Chapter · 9:45-16:30
The 1915 Naval Act combined fleet planning with a constrained destroyer order
The 1915 act laid groundwork for later expansion and required six destroyers under a price ceiling, with half built on the Pacific coast.