How treaty limits changed British strategy

Britain's way of war included what the discussion calls peace fighting: deterrence, diplomacy, presence, reach, and the management of conflict risk before shooting began. Capital-ship procurement supported those functions as well as battle. The treaty system reduced expenditure, eased debt pressure, and bought a period of stability after the First World War. Limiting procurement also closed off a traditional instrument of British strategy and forced the state to find alternatives. The financial aims are acknowledged as worthy, while the strategic price and the government's understanding of it remain open to criticism. Ministers and naval leaders may have undervalued the bargaining power represented by cancelled ships and programmes. Concessions made before negotiations can remove cards that might otherwise purchase reciprocal restraint.