My rationale for high-speed ships is for strategic mobility

I'm all but convinced that the Italian Captani Romani class scout cruisers would not be able to reach 43 knots in service. If they had, they would be the ideal ships for operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Their range-speed combination gave them ability to stage mining operations at night at a considerable distance. The British Abdiel class were an attempt to perform a similar mission, but with a less-capable ship. I have to agree with the American view that speed for tactical purposes is less important, once we got past the point of fighting Jutland-style battles. The ability to move ships a considerable distance in a short time is still a needed capability, even in modern times. In WWII that ability was needed even more than now.