Would 16.5-inch British guns push America to 18 inches?

What would the US Navy adopt if Britain had already fitted the Queen Elizabeths with 16.5-inch guns?

An 18-inch gun is predicted despite American reservations, while a high-velocity or heavier-shell 16-inch alternative is defended in the discussion.

An American move from 14-inch to 16-inch guns would still leave it below the British calibre in this scenario. Alex Clarke therefore expects pressure for an 18-inch weapon, despite the reservations about its testing raised during the exchange. Another proposal keeps 16-inch guns but increases velocity or uses a shell said to be 30 percent heavier. That case relies on explaining performance beyond the bore diameter. A separate illustration suggests advertising shell weight directly, contrasting 1,500 lb and 2,200 lb projectiles. The reply argues that a visibly larger calibre would carry more prestige in the arms race. These are competing responses to the hypothetical British design, rather than an agreed American development plan.