The F/CL/1916 design is a much better ship

The F/CL/1916 design still has single mounted guns, with some on the broadside, but the caliber is now 15cm and there are two superfiring guns, one forward and one aft. The other parts of the armament also increased and the maximum speed is now 32 knots. The design has a long forecastle and a lower quarterdeck. This is the Springsharp report:

F/CL/1916, France Light Cruiser laid down 1916 (Engine 1920)

Displacement:
 7,866 t light; 8,116 t standard; 8,850 t normal; 9,438 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 548.36 ft / 545.00 ft x 54.00 ft x 18.00 ft (normal load)
 167.14 m / 166.12 m x 16.46 m  x 5.49 m

Armament:
      4 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns in single mounts, 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1916 Model
   Quick firing guns in deck mounts with hoists
   on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
      4 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns in single mounts, 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1916 Model
   Quick firing guns in deck mounts with hoists
   on side, evenly spread
      4 - 3.54" / 90.0 mm guns in single mounts, 22.24lbs / 10.09kg shells, 1916 Model
   Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
   on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
      16 - 1.85" / 47.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 3.17lbs / 1.44kg shells, 1916 Model
   Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts 
   on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
 Weight of broadside 963 lbs / 437 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 120
 6 - 21.7" / 549.9999 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 3.00" / 76 mm 380.00 ft / 115.82 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
 Ends: 2.00" / 51 mm 132.00 ft / 40.23 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   33.00 ft / 10.06 m Unarmoured ends
   Main Belt covers 107 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 3.00" / 76 mm 2.00" / 51 mm  3.00" / 76 mm
 2nd: 3.00" / 76 mm 2.00" / 51 mm  3.00" / 76 mm

   - Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 3.00" / 76 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Geared drive, 2 shafts, 84,462 shp / 63,009 Kw = 32.00 kts
 Range 5,400nm at 15.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 1,322 tons

Complement:
 456 - 593

Cost:
 £1.293 million / $5.170 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 120 tons, 1.4 %
 Armour: 1,553 tons, 17.5 %
    - Belts: 643 tons, 7.3 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
    - Armament: 97 tons, 1.1 %
    - Armour Deck: 785 tons, 8.9 %
    - Conning Tower: 28 tons, 0.3 %
 Machinery: 2,953 tons, 33.4 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,240 tons, 36.6 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 984 tons, 11.1 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   8,597 lbs / 3,900 Kg = 83.5 x 5.9 " / 150 mm shells or 1.1 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.28
 Metacentric height 3.1 ft / 0.9 m
 Roll period: 12.9 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 57 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.34
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.14

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak
 Block coefficient: 0.585
 Length to Beam Ratio: 10.09 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 23.35 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 60 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 3.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: 2.00 ft / 0.61 m
 Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
    - Stem:  26.00 ft / 7.92 m
    - Forecastle (20 %): 23.00 ft / 7.01 m
    - Mid (67 %):  23.00 ft / 7.01 m (15.00 ft / 4.57 m aft of break)
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
    - Stern:  15.00 ft / 4.57 m
    - Average freeboard: 20.60 ft / 6.28 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 118.8 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 156.7 %
 Waterplane Area: 21,219 Square feet or 1,971 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 105 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 90 lbs/sq ft or 439 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.95
  - Longitudinal: 1.66
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent