Treaty cruiser gun limits and British 9.2-inch hopes

Why did the Royal Navy accept eight-inch cruiser guns when it had previously used 9.2-inch weapons?

Treaty negotiations drove the choice. Britain probably would have preferred 9.2-inch cruisers, while the Hawkins precedent and the American negotiating position pushed the heavy-cruiser standard toward eight inches.

Treaty negotiations converted national design preferences into the eight-inch heavy-cruiser category. Britain probably would have preferred 9.2-inch guns, while American negotiators insisted on using the 7.5-inch Hawkins class as their baseline. The resulting limit was eight inches. The 7.5-inch gun is also judged a useful intermediate choice for the Soviet Navy between light- and heavy-cruiser armament.