The cruiser's size is linked to the breakdown of the naval treaty system rather than treated as an isolated design choice. Before that breakdown, treaty rules did not permit the larger cruiser under discussion. Escalation clauses allowed designers to move beyond the earlier limits. The combination of a larger hull and a substantial five-inch secondary battery shows how changing treaty rules opened new design choices.
Notable Point · 15:15-15:48
How treaty escalation clauses opened the way to larger cruisers
A ship's size is explained through the point at which treaty limits weakened and escalation clauses permitted larger cruiser designs.