Fiji and Ceylon compressed Town-class capability

The Fiji and Ceylon groups were nominally about 8,000 tons, compared with standard figures above 9,000 tons for the Southampton and Gloucester groups. At full load, however, the Crown Colony ships gained roughly 2,725 to 2,840 tons, a larger increase than the comparable Town groups. They were also about thirty-six feet shorter while retaining a broadly similar beam. Their draft was markedly shallower, implying substantially less internal hull volume. Those contrasts raise the question of where the smaller ships carried the fuel and water required to account for their large full-load displacement.