The Washington Treaty made Nelson and Rodney a pair

The Washington Naval Treaty did not simply freeze a fleet; it set replacement allowances, a 35,000-ton standard-displacement ceiling, and a 16-inch maximum gun calibre. Britain was permitted two new capital ships in exchange for disposing of several older battleships, even though the Royal Navy preferred a three-ship class. The service therefore accepted Nelson and Rodney as a pair while losing more old tonnage than the United States surrendered for its two completions. The result was a powerful but scarce capability that commanders treated with great care. This watch point makes the Nelson class intelligible as a negotiated treaty outcome rather than an unconstrained design choice.