The Washington and London treaty systems imposed increasingly detailed limits on fleet planning. Their rules shaped what each category of warship could contribute. Total cruiser tonnage was the central constraint for Royal Navy planners, with the cap on one ship only part of the problem. Scarcity encouraged heavy destroyers to take fleet work while full-sized cruisers remained available for distant stations, where endurance and diplomatic facilities mattered.
Notable Point · 21:37-22:41
Naval treaties, total tonnage, and the division of fleet roles
Successive naval treaties made total cruiser tonnage a central constraint, shaping how the Royal Navy divided work between cruisers and heavy destroyers.