Why put five 6-inch guns in an uneven cruiser layout?

Why was the Vickers five-gun cruiser proposal arranged with mixed twin and single 6-inch mountings?

The fine bow was intended to help speed, while the design bridged a large destroyer and a small cruiser. A slightly larger hull is proposed as a way to obtain a more satisfactory armament layout.

The Vickers design carries five 6-inch guns in twin and single mountings, with a twin mounting aft. A fine forward hull is intended to reduce resistance and help the ship reach a higher speed. The mixed arrangement resembles American layouts with fewer guns at the lowest forward level and more above it. The design also tries to occupy the space between a large destroyer and a small cruiser. One objection is that a modest increase in hull length could support two twin forward mounts, or justify moving to a larger cruiser altogether. La Argentina provides a comparison with three triple turrets. The proposal's lack of torpedoes is another point of criticism.