Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:14:36-2:15:16

Why a 15,500-ton treaty cruiser limit was unlikely

Treaty numbers emerged from ships and negotiators' immediate reference points rather than abstract ideal limits.

Hawkins Class Heavy CruisersNaval Arms ControlTreaty CruisersWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

Could the United States have secured the 8-inch gun limit while Britain obtained a 15,500-ton cruiser limit?

Short answer

Very unlikely without a large built cruiser to justify 15,500 tons. The 8-inch gun limit itself came from rounding up the Hawkins class's existing 7.5-inch armament.

Notes

The 8-inch limit did not begin as an American negotiating target. The Hawkins class carried 7.5-inch guns, and rounding that existing armament upward supplied the eventual ceiling. A 15,500-ton cruiser limit would likewise need a sufficiently large ship already built to justify the figure. A working design therefore mattered more than a preference for a particular number on paper.