Why the Tillman designs were politically plausible

The political origin of the Tillman studies matters as much as their technical range. Tillman had enough influence to make the Bureau of Construction and Repair produce studies over naval objections. Winston Churchill, even as First Lord, could not simply bypass the Third Sea Lord and Admiralty Board to demand a design that the Navy opposed. The range of Tillman studies may have offered an illusion of choice, with the comparatively balanced Tillman III positioned as the option officials would accept. A costed bill, votes in Congress, and Charleston construction made adoption plausible while Tillman lived. If construction began, Tillman would resist any Washington settlement that cancelled the ships. A long run of cruiser orders for Charleston offers the only possible compromise discussed here.