The Royal Navy would negotiate from a materially different starting point than its rivals. Existing Tiger Cubs could be grandfathered into the settlement and replaced when Britain chooses, preserving a mature force without immediate new construction. The United States and Japan, by contrast, must invest in designs and yards during the 1920s to fill the new category. That timing gives Britain flexibility while locking its competitors into early interwar designs and redirecting their infrastructure toward catching up.
Notable Point · 2:00:28-2:01:47
Britain's grandfathered cruiser advantage
Britain enters the treaty with existing Tiger Cubs, while the United States and Japan must spend the 1920s building their own high-end cruisers.