French capital-ship choices could weaken British Mediterranean strategy

Could France freely use its treaty tonnage for very large heavy cruisers, and how would Britain respond?

Doing so would consume capital-ship allowance, weaken France against Italy, and might lead Britain to distance itself because France could no longer hold the Mediterranean balance.

Treaty tonnage cannot be separated from strategic geography. France had an empire to protect but also needed to deter an Italian fleet linked to it by the treaty settlement. Spending capital-ship allowance on cruisers would weaken that balance, oblige Britain to shoulder more of the Mediterranean burden, and potentially reduce the alliance's value to London.