Where to look for early quadruple 12-inch gun proposals

Were there preliminary designs before 1912 with quadruple 12-inch guns?

Possibly; Vickers, France, and the United States are suggested as likely sources, but no specific design is confirmed.

Vickers, French designers, and American designers are suggested as places to look for preliminary designs with quadruple 12-inch guns before 1912. The identification is tentative and does not name a specific project. These sources are associated with an interest in four-gun mountings, while triples are described as the more usual preference elsewhere.