The unrealised dominion cruiser bargain

After accepting capital-ship parity with the United States, Britain expected the dominions to contribute cruisers for trade defence. Washington limited individual cruiser size while leaving cruiser numbers uncapped. The possibilities considered include a forty-ship programme and an expanded forty-eight-ship alternative. Possible allocations vary: Australia and Canada might each operate four to six, perhaps eight, while South Africa and India might each have about four and New Zealand two or three. One illustrative forty-ship division assigns eighteen to the overseas governments and twenty-two to Britain, with Royal Navy ownership and crews supplementing a New Zealand squadron if necessary. These allocations remain proposed or hypothetical. The failure to sustain the wider bargain left Britain carrying more of the cost with a smaller cruiser force.