The comparison places York at roughly 628 personnel and a County at roughly 700, a saving far smaller than the headline impression of a quarter less crew. Personnel costs persist through healthcare, dependants, and pensions, while similar machinery keeps other operating burdens from falling in proportion to hull size. A six-gun broadside may require more salvos and more time to produce decisive hits, especially as damage reduces the number of weapons still firing. Cruisers must also perform peacetime presence and deterrence as well as wartime battle, so their value has to be measured across the whole service life.
Notable Point · 17:33-18:42
Operating costs undermine the cheap-cruiser case
A small reduction in crew did not offset the long-term cost and fighting drawbacks of a reduced 8-inch cruiser.