Why twin 7.5-inch turrets make Hawkins much heavier

Would replacing Hawkins's single 7.5-inch guns with six twin turrets better prepare Britain for the next generation of cruisers?

It would create a more powerful turreted cruiser, but the mounts and supporting structure would probably raise displacement to around 12,000 tons.

A six-turret battery would carry twelve 7.5-inch guns and require much more weight for rotating structures, ammunition handling, and hull support than the historical single mounts. Fitting the turrets fore, aft, and on the wings would also complicate the layout and firing arcs. A seventh twin mount might better preserve the desired broadside arrangement. Whichever exact layout is chosen, the ship grows toward about 12,000 tons, although the turreted battery could make later conversion to a more useful configuration easier.