The Royal Navy claimed to want smaller cruisers while it was building the large Town-class ships. Officials could argue that vessels named for major British cities were politically difficult to cancel, even while the design supplied the numerous rapid-firing guns the service wanted. The class was marketed as a counter to commerce raiders, giving the ships a clear operational justification as well as political protection. Public procurement rhetoric, ship naming, and naval requirements could therefore reinforce one another.
Notable Point · 6:50-7:22
City names strengthen the case for large light cruisers
The Admiralty could profess a preference for smaller cruisers while city names and rapid-firing six-inch batteries helped preserve the larger Town programme.