British disarmament ideals and imperial cruiser needs

David Lloyd George hoped disarmament could reduce the chance of another continental catastrophe, while Britain still had to defend distant routes and possessions. Britain wanted two new battleships to replace older ships and resisted numerical cruiser limits. The imperial plan expected Dominion cruiser squadrons to patrol sea lanes and counter surface raiders, with destroyers and possibly submarines alongside them. The treaty limited cruiser size while leaving total numbers unrestricted, with the Hawkins class supplying the benchmark. Balfour's political connections, the First Lord's responsibility for obtaining the naval budget, and the ambassador's knowledge of American contacts brought different experience to the delegation. Britain's cruiser plans still depended on Dominion governments paying for forces that most did not build on the scale London envisaged.