The Crown Colonies compressed much of the Town-class armament and machinery into a shorter hull. The Fiji group carried twelve six-inch guns, while the Ceylon group had nine and more pom-poms. The large difference between standard and full-load displacement makes the nominal 8,000-ton figure questionable, though it does not establish false reporting. The transom stern improved performance, but the small published speed gain from additional power also draws skepticism.
Chapter · 41:36-57:27
Crown Colony specifications and doubts about displacement
A detailed comparison with the Town class tests whether the claimed 8,000-ton standard displacement was credible.