Why the ten-inch gun is an awkward cruiser weapon

Why would major navies avoid ten-inch cruiser guns in a world without treaty limits?

They combine near-twelve-inch weight and rate-of-fire penalties with too little advantage over 9.2-inch guns.

A 10-inch gun sits awkwardly between useful design categories. Its mounting and ammunition approach the weight and slow handling of a 12-inch weapon. Yet its shell does not gain enough over a 9.2- or 9.4-inch gun to justify sacrificing the cruiser's rate of fire. A navy willing to accept capital-ship handling would move to twelve or fourteen inches, while a navy wanting cruiser performance would stay below ten.