Cruiser carriers force a different 1930 London Treaty bargain

Historically, Britain and the United States supported bringing sub-10,000-ton carriers into the carrier category, making Japan's Ryujo count against its allowance. Because Ryujo was built later, she also lacked the experimental status that allowed immediate replacement of older carriers. In this alternate path Britain would own many small carriers and oppose reclassification alongside Japan. A hard American position could therefore threaten the London conference. The economic pressure described here includes economists urging warship construction to support employment, although the British government remained reluctant. Britain would regard the ships as instruments of trade protection, making restrictions on them a threat to a service on which imperial power depended. The scenario ultimately favours a negotiated light-carrier category, while leaving treaty collapse as an alternative.