American treaty-era cruiser totals can mislead because legal categories did not always match design purpose. The Pensacola class was conceived as an 8-inch-gunned scouting cruiser under the Washington Treaty system, when cruiser numbers were still unrestricted. The First London Naval Treaty later classified cruisers with 8-inch guns as heavy cruisers. Pensacola retained the protection and mission of a scouting cruiser despite the new label. Force comparisons therefore need to account for a ship's designed role as well as its treaty category.
Notable Point · 30:18-31:17
The Pensacola class keeps its scout-cruiser role
The Pensacola class began as 8-inch scouting cruisers, and the First London Naval Treaty's later category changed their label without changing their designed role.