Experience at the Admiralty could leave Chancellor Lloyd George more familiar with the Navy's case, even while opposing reckless spending. A regular capital-ship formula might avert the We Want Eight campaign. The preferred version here is five battleships and one battlecruiser per order, with 15-inch-gunned Tiger derivatives accompanying the Queen Elizabeth and Revenge classes. The projected force would have two Tigers and two 15-inch-gunned Tiger derivatives, compared here with the historical Renown and Repulse. Another possibility is four battleships and two battlecruisers, so the construction formula is not fixed. Trade-protection priorities would also favor destroyers and anti-submarine work within the limited capabilities of the period.
Chapter · 55:30-59:04
A post-1908 capital-ship building standard
Prior experience at the Admiralty could lead Chancellor Lloyd George to accept a steady annual mix of battleships and battlecruisers without the We Want Eight crisis.