The alternative category cannot be reserved for Britain, the United States, and Japan. Under the proposed proportional tonnage formula, France and Italy might each receive an allowance for roughly nine ships. That would redirect their construction choices and alter the relationship between cruiser, carrier, and capital-ship quotas across the treaty system. A broader distribution of useful modern tonnage might make the settlement more equitable and durable than a framework focused almost entirely on battleships.
Notable Point · 2:14:58-2:16:28
French and Italian allowances reshape the treaty balance
Giving France and Italy their own high-end cruiser tonnage could make the treaty more equitable while forcing both navies into a new design competition.