Why navies should build large and small ships in peacetime

Should a developing navy build many small ships first or concentrate on large ships before war?

The proposed approach combines large ships begun in peacetime with a continuous flow of smaller vessels that preserves practical construction knowledge.

Large ships require more construction time, money, and infrastructure, so they need attention before war begins. Building them exclusively would leave another problem: a navy also needs current experience of smaller ships. A continuing flow of those vessels helps establish what the service needs and what its builders can produce. The suggested peacetime programme therefore combines major construction with regular smaller-ship orders.