Why was the middle gun in the Town class triple turret set farther back, and was it a separate gun or rifle arrangement?
Short answerThe stagger simplified loading and turret balance while keeping the turret and hull narrower; reduced blast interference was an additional benefit.
NotesMoving the middle barrel aft made the loading and balancing machinery easier to arrange without widening the turret. A narrower turret allowed a narrower, faster cruiser hull and reduced the amount and weight of deck and belt armor required. Reduced interference between simultaneously fired guns was useful, but the ship-design consequences mattered at least as much as dispersion.