Would cruisers grow beyond 12-inch guns?

Would cruisers receive guns larger than 12 inches if battleship guns grew larger?

No; cruiser numbers and logistical support impose a practical ceiling that battleship gun growth does not remove.

Cruisers have to be available in large numbers, and supporting that force imposes logistical limits. Guns larger than 12 inches are therefore rejected even when battleships carry much heavier weapons. Battleships concentrate on fighting the enemy battlefleet, while cruiser requirements place greater weight on the number of ships available.