The weight saving extends beyond replacing boilers and turbines: uptakes, piping, feed water, supporting systems, and accommodation also shrink. The aggregate commitment might fall from roughly 1,500 tons to 500 tons on a 10,000-ton ship, although these figures are illustrative rather than exact. British carriers still used hydraulic catapults through the Second World War, so an early gas-turbine carrier would not need launch steam. Removing boiler feed water also changes the liquid-protection calculation, since fuel could occupy some of the protective volume instead. The narrower machinery footprint could permit finer subdivision and reduce the volume that armor must protect. The prospect of these savings would give Britain a reason to accept the 1930 London treaty's tonnage limits. Released displacement could strengthen protection, weapons, or endurance, although fewer engineering ratings might require dedicated damage-control personnel.
Notable Point · 23:22-27:43
Gas turbines turn machinery weight into treaty tonnage
Smaller machinery spaces and crews could release roughly a thousand tons on a treaty cruiser for armor, subdivision, weapons, or aviation capacity.