British battlecruisers are envisaged with 16.5-inch guns, while battleships carry 18-inch weapons. The smaller calibre is associated with a somewhat faster rate of fire. Guns of 20, 21, or 22 inches are also raised as possibilities. Those larger weapons are framed as potential choices for status or flagship prestige, without a definite requirement for them throughout the fleet.
Notable Point · 1:32:00-1:32:35
Possible gun calibres without Washington restrictions
The unrestricted-building scenario distinguishes working calibres from still larger prestige weapons.