British County-class cruisers could be completed without their intended belt armor and receive it later, a design choice visible in how high the early ships rode in the water. Italian and Japanese cruisers pressed beyond the nominal limit, while American designs accepted serious imbalance to remain near it. The recurring displacement around 11,500 tons suggests that the 10,000-ton ceiling did not match what several navies believed a viable eight-inch-gun cruiser required. The broader institutional point is that authorities lose credibility when they impose restrictions they cannot verify or enforce. Once routine breaches go unanswered, participants have less reason to trust that more serious treaty rules will be upheld.
Notable Point · 36:10-41:17
The 10,000-ton cruiser rule invited predictable evasion
County-class reserve space for later armor and chronically unbalanced American cruisers show how an unenforceable ceiling undermined the treaty itself.