Japanese pocket battleship design most suitable for British Empire according to the Australian newspaper The Age dated Tuesday 22 February 1938

Imaginary Japanese pocket battleship Kadekuru. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

British Leander-clas light cruisers. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Australian HMS Adelaide part of the Town-class Birmingham-subclass.  

©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Australian heavy cruisers HMAS Australia and Canberra. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item reported that the Australian Federal Cabinet would share her considerations with the purchase of a new cruiser during the preliminary budget disucussions in 1938. A new cruiser was to be built in the United Kingdom to get the latest overseas ideas in cruiser design. Allready British experts stated that the most effective cruiser type for the British Empire defence co-operation would be the Japanese pocket battleship ideas. If was decided to built the cruiser would the Australian navy number 5 major warships something what was suggested after the latest Tasmanian manoeuvres. The navy possessed at that moment over 3 cruisers, 1 flotilla leader, 2 destroyers, 2 sloops and a survey vessel. The cruiser HMAS Adelaide was lying in the Cockatoo Island dock to be converted into an oil burner and would then temporarily replace the HMAS Australia which was to be fitted out at the same dock with heavier armour plates. The Canberra Times dated Tuesday 22 February added that such a pocket battleship would be the most effective in co-operating with Singapore and Hong Kong in the British Empire defence. The light cruiser HMS Leander type Sydney was the last cruiser added to the fleet commissioned in 1935.

Source

Trove.nla.gov.au