Nelson and Rodney provide the precedent for retaining a 35,000-ton individual capital-ship limit and 16-inch guns. Ships completed after the First World War would become replaceable at twenty-six years, while ships that served in that war could be replaced at twenty. The different ages recognise a distinction between the existing wartime fleet and later construction. Britain and the United States would each receive 700,000 tons, enough for twenty ships at the individual limit, instead of the earlier 525,000-ton total. Japan's corresponding allowance would be 490,000 tons, or fourteen ships. That additional space is intended to encourage declared construction of regular treaty battleships and reduce the attraction of a secret super-battleship programme.
Notable Point · 31:05-32:25
Capital-ship limits and replacement ages
The proposed settlement retains 35,000-ton ships and 16-inch guns while increasing fleet allowances and replacing wartime ships sooner.