The forward gun stood higher than the after weapon because M33's bow was raised above the rest of the deck. That extra height improved sea-keeping and reduced the risk of the bow being completely swamped. Cutting down the remainder of the ship saved weight rather than carrying the raised structure all the way aft. The same economy shortened construction and slightly improved speed, so one hull line served several design priorities.
Notable Point · 44:59-45:23
A raised bow balanced sea-keeping against weight
The higher forward gun position and cut-down after deck show how M33 balanced protection from swamping with low weight and rapid construction.