How the Royal Navy preferred to bend treaty rules

Could Britain use Japanese-style treaty interpretation to hide enlarged County-class cruisers?

No. The proposed displacement and gun size would be too conspicuous; the panel instead emphasizes British influence over treaty definitions.

A 15,500-ton County with 234 mm (9.2-inch) guns could not credibly be reported as a 10,000-ton, 8-inch cruiser. The panel characterizes British treaty advantages as subtle and plausibly deniable, with particular emphasis on influencing the wording of the rules. Standard displacement provides its example of a definition favorable to British requirements. Water's protective value also enters that argument, connecting displacement accounting with protection. This interpretation concerns advantages in definitions rather than an ability to conceal a visibly larger hull and battery.