The class was driven to 34 knots when many contemporary cruisers were designed for roughly 30 to 32 knots. Each additional knot above 30 demanded disproportionately more machinery and displacement within the treaty ceiling. The result was very thin protection around magazines, decks, turrets, and the conning position. Compared with the American Pensacola class, the modestly greater speed came with fewer guns and far less armour because the ships remained scouting cruisers rather than purpose-built heavy cruisers.
Chapter · 8:04-12:03
The cost of a 34-knot cruiser
Duquesne traded protection for exceptional speed, illustrating how rapidly extra knots consumed treaty-limited displacement.