British cruiser choices show why the largest available gun is not automatically the best armament. A triple six-inch mounting can put more shells downrange than a twin eight-inch mounting while saving weight elsewhere in the ship. Britain also had to decide whether it wanted a smaller number of cruisers acting like miniature battleships or a larger force of six-inch ships. For the Royal Navy's expected war, the six-inch option delivered more useful capability per pound spent.
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Why Britain favoured more six-inch cruisers
Triple six-inch mounts offered rate of fire and fleet numbers that could matter more to Britain than the heavier punch of twin eight-inch guns.