Enthusiasm for 20-inch weapons is compared with the paper appeal of a 10-inch gun. The intermediate weapon seems to promise cruiser-like handling with heavier striking power, just as a fourth-rate ship of the line once appeared able to combine cruising and battle-line roles. In practice, shell weight denies the 10-inch gun an 8-inch weapon's loading speed and rate of fire, while it remains far below a 12-inch gun's hitting power. In the period discussed, cruiser weapons generally topped out around 8 to 9.2 or 9.4 inches, while battleship weapons began around 11 inches. The 10-inch gun occupied an awkward gap with poor combat value once the full system was considered.
Notable Point · 18:28-20:06
The 10-inch gun illustrates the danger of paper compromises
The apparent middle ground between cruiser and battleship weapons can inherit the disadvantages of both, a warning that also applies to proposed 20-inch guns.