Treaty limits applied to total submarine tonnage, which made each boat's size a force-structure decision. Larger submarines consumed more of the allowance and reduced the number of hulls the Royal Navy could field. Smaller boats preserved numbers for Mediterranean and North Sea service, while larger designs covered Atlantic and Pacific distances. Geography, endurance, and arms-control rules therefore shaped the submarine fleet together.
Notable Point · 14:29-15:17
Treaty tonnage linked submarine size to fleet numbers
Limits on total submarine tonnage encouraged the Royal Navy to balance large ocean boats against more numerous smaller boats for confined waters.