A Town-class cruiser as a one-type navy

If your navy could use only one gun-era vessel type, which ship would you choose?

A Town-class cruiser is the preferred choice because a six-inch cruiser is flexible enough for small-ship work while its torpedoes preserve a threat against battleships.

A single-design navy needs a cruiser able to handle both small combatants and larger threats. The preferred choice here is a Town-class six-inch cruiser. Its torpedoes provide a practical anti-battleship weapon, which also forms the defense of that choice against the Des Moines class. The preference rests on covering several roles with one type of ship.