York and Exeter cost only modestly less than full County cruisers, even under the most favourable estimate. The estimates run from £300,000 per ship down to an economic historian's calculation of about £150,000. At the lower figure, the combined saving on both vessels amounted to one-seventh of another County's price. In the comparison used here, twenty Counties consumed 208,000 tons, while twenty-five York-sized ships consumed 206,250 tons. Those twenty-five ships would carry 150 8-inch guns against the Counties' 160, so the extra hulls still provided less heavy-cruiser gun power. The saving offered a poor return for the capability surrendered.
Chapter · 13:34-20:23
The economy case versus lost fighting power
The modest budget saving is set against the capability, treaty tonnage, and gun power lost by buying smaller cruisers.