A 50,000-ton ceiling would make 18-inch guns the natural upper limit for capital ships. British work had moved through 12-, 13.5-, and 15-inch weapons toward a 16.5-inch intermediate step and eventually 18 inches. The G3 design had already retreated from an 18-inch aspiration because of weight and infrastructure, while the N3 concept returned to the larger caliber. A qualitative treaty would encourage each power to maximize the fighting value of every permitted hull rather than compete only in total numbers. Britain could use a high ceiling to win the qualitative race while continuing a large construction program.
Notable Point · 1:38:01-1:42:07
Why the battleship race jumps to 18-inch guns
A qualitative competition favors roughly 50,000-ton ships and accelerates Britain's move beyond 16-inch weapons.