Removing rig promised lower topweight and potentially better behaviour as a gun platform. First Naval Lord Arthur Hood opposed the change because sail could conserve coal on distant stations and fighting-top guns still had value against other cruisers. A long-range steam cruiser that reached a station without dependable coal infrastructure could otherwise become useless despite carrying modern machinery. The debate captures a transitional fleet problem: ship design could move toward steam faster than the global logistics system needed to sustain it.
Notable Point · 46:22-47:10
Sail remained insurance against missing coal infrastructure
Sail power still mattered to coal-burning cruisers operating where dependable fuel networks did not yet exist.