US Navy authorities thought battleships needed to be 25.000-30.000 ton according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1906-1907 no. 10

An item referred to the magazine Army and Navy Journal dealing with the naval budget 1907-1908 reported that the navy commission of the House of Representatives had a last meeting on 24 January 1907. Instead of the asked 115 million US dollars by the department of navy advices the commission 96 million US dollars as mentioned in the law proposal. The Congress was advices to approve the building of two battleships of at least 20.000 ton; one was already approved a year earlier. In the proposal law was the building of 2 destroyers mentioned, each with as maximum building costs 850.000 US dollars. In an earlier meeting stated marine authorities that instead to the 20.000 ton size proposed for the battleships, this type would increase on international level on short notice to 25.000 even 30.000 tons. So in fact it was better to choose for larger battleships. The heaviest calibre of around 30cm was sufficient for the expectations. The use of turbines for the machinery for battleships was to wait until it turbines were tested while placed in scouts.