Backhouse is imagined treating boiler-free machinery as an ace in negotiations over displacement. Removing boilers, water systems, steam piping, and associated protection could free tonnage and internal volume while competitors remained tied to steam plants. Designers could spend those savings on speed, weapons, armor, fuel, aviation facilities, or finer subdivision rather than simply producing a lighter ship. The advantage makes tighter treaty limits potentially favorable to Britain, because the same nominal displacement would buy more combat capability in a gas-turbine warship.
Notable Point · 24:45-29:10
Why eliminating boilers changes treaty warship design
Gas turbines turn propulsion weight and machinery volume into a potential British advantage under interwar treaty limits.