Stimson, fleet parity, and differing naval missions

Henry Stimson's mandate emphasized a navy second to none, preservation of Washington advantages, and an agreement that demonstrated American parity. A Republican lawyer with experience as Secretary of War and governor-general of the Philippines, he represented Hoover's negotiating objectives. American requirements emphasized powerful 8-inch cruisers for forces operating across the Atlantic and Pacific, while British requirements emphasized more numerous 6-inch cruisers for worldwide trade routes. The critique of equal limits concerns treating these different missions as interchangeable. A related argument questions carrier restrictions in light of aviation's growing value for reconnaissance across vast oceans. The proposed alternative would derive cruiser allowances from each navy's requirements. Its hypothetical British fleet includes thirty County-class cruisers and roughly two dozen Town-class cruisers by the outbreak of the Second World War.