Why the Royal Navy wanted at least seventy cruisers

How would larger British and American cruiser programs affect later treaty fleets?

Britain would welcome the extra tonnage because it sought at least seventy modern cruisers and could reuse overage ships in secondary roles.

A larger treaty allocation would suit the Royal Navy because its planning requirement called for at least seventy modern cruisers to cover worldwide stations. Older cruisers still mattered after leaving treaty totals: they could become anti-aircraft ships, destroyer leaders, or vessels for secondary and tertiary theaters. Raw treaty tonnage and actual fleet utility were not the same thing.