Sorry about that . . .
Though I would suppose that, with a government involved, drawing in a few more ship building concerns, the vessel might have doubled as the world's largest ice breaker, possibly one retired to museum-class in the 1980s.
And you are correct about the 2 centuries being a bit much. I was thinking of only one mission under competition, not several. The drain in private industry, though, would become a bit "titanic," possibly resulting in a trickle-down that would replenish the middle class and provide a stepping stone for the poor.
Kind of interesting when you consider all the angles.