One alternative path from Washington to London treats the 10,000-ton ships already being built as light cruisers and postpones new heavy cruisers until the category can be reconsidered in 1930. Existing armoured cruisers could remain in service and count against national cruiser tonnage during the pause. Navies were already drawing ships to light-cruiser requirements even as the Washington limits encouraged them to use the largest permitted guns and displacement. A later negotiation would have to define a true heavy cruiser instead of allowing the treaty ceiling to become the design standard. Delaying the category's definition lets operational purpose guide later procurement.
Chapter · 51:04-52:30
Reconsidering the 10,000-ton cruiser category in 1930
Treating 10,000-ton ships as light cruisers and pausing heavy-cruiser construction would leave the 1930 negotiations to define the category around purpose rather than Washington's maximum.