The final design interpretation suggests that British designers chose a less efficient arrangement because they wanted the ship to look as much like a conventional battleship as possible. That visual impression reinforced the presence mission that treaty limits made increasingly important. With battleships and carriers restricted in number, heavy cruisers became unusually prominent and precious symbols of power. An all-forward cruiser with nine eight-inch guns is offered as a possible alternative to the conventional layout.
Notable Point · 56:21-57:52
A cruiser designed to project battleship-like presence
The County's conventional silhouette may have been a deliberate attempt to make a treaty cruiser project the authority of a traditional battleship.