At the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street in London, England, Secretary of the Admiral Fisher heard from British Prime Minister Henry Fisher. Campbell. Bannavin said that the Indian fleet was completely annihilated, and couldn't help but shake his head helplessly, for this result, after Britain declared war on the Chinese Empire, the British Admiralty had already expected it, Fisher had asked Prime Minister Henry . Campbell. Bannavin suggested that the British Indian fleet should be withdrawn from Asia to avoid the powerful navy of the Chinese Empire. Campbell. Banavin vetoed his suggestion.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banervin believed that if the British Indian fleet withdrew from Asia, it would have a very negative impact on the colonial army forces of India, Burma, Nepal and Bhutan, and that the combined expeditionary fleet of the Entente and the Central Powers had been formed, and that the British Indian fleet would be able to rest easy as long as it supported the arrival of the joint expeditionary fleet in Asia. Campbell. Banavin underestimated the ferocity of the Imperial Chinese Navy and overestimated the combat effectiveness of the British Indian fleet.

Of course Fisher as Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banervan's henchmen will not say anything at this time to make Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Bannavin was even more embarrassed, Fisher said: "Prime Minister, our British Indian fleet, blocked by the main fleet of the Chinese Empire's navy in the port of Chitta, is already in a very dangerous situation, the commander of the Indian fleet, General Carragher, led the entire Indian fleet to fight bloodily with the main fleet of the Chinese Empire's navy, most of the warships were sunk by the warships of the Chinese Empire in the naval battle, and finally in a hopeless situation, General Carragher in order to save the lives of more officers and men of the Indian fleet, As a last resort, he led the remaining warships to surrender to the navy of the Chinese Empire. There is no way to do it. ”

Carragher had been a good friend of Fisher for many years, and was responsible for the total destruction of the Indian fleet this time. It should definitely not fall on Carragher, after all, Carragher also called the British mainland several times. Wanted to lead the entire Indian fleet out of Asia, but without consent.

There is also a layer of meaning in Fisher's words, that is, the Admiralty will not hold Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banavin will not let the Indian fleet withdraw from Asia, and you will not hold Carragher accountable, Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banervin now has some regrets in his heart, he knew that he would let the Indian fleet withdraw from Asia, but he really didn't expect that the Indian fleet would be defeated by the Chinese Imperial Navy so quickly, and it would be the end of the total annihilation.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. In addition to the high-sounding reason, one of the most important reasons for Banavin not to allow the Indian fleet to withdraw from Asia was that his family owned a large number of plantations and industries in India. If the British colonial army in India could not resist the attack of the Chinese Imperial Army, then Henry. Campbell. The loss of the Banavon family will be enormous, Henry. Campbell. Although Banervin was the prime minister, he had to consider the interests of the entire family and keep the Indian fleet in Asia, so that the Indian fleet could help India's British colonial army defend India.

Henry. Campbell. Banavin nodded and said to Fisher: "I understand the situation of General Carragher, he can lead the Indian fleet to inflict very large losses on the navy of the Chinese Empire, and he has done his best. I fully understand his last reluctant move. ”

For the meaning of Fisher's words, Henry. Campbell. Banavin understood very well and immediately made it clear that he would not hold Carragher responsible for leading the remnants of the Indian fleet to surrender.

Fisher then said: "At present, the joint expeditionary fleet of the Entente and the Central Powers has arrived in the Arabian Sea, and I believe that the joint expeditionary fleet will avenge our Indian fleet." ”

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Bannavin turned to the British War Secretary Henry Willy and asked, "General Henry Willy." How is your body? ”

Henry Wiley, the British War Secretary, coughed and said, "Thank you Prime Minister for your concern, but I have some cold, cough - some cough." It wouldn't be a big deal, if I hadn't suddenly become ill. I went to Paris for myself. ”

After the crushing defeat at the Battle of Chelyabinsk, the combined forces of the Entente and Central Powers were shocked by the strength of the Imperial Chinese Army. In addition to Russia, six countries sent representatives to gather in Paris, the capital of France, to hold a conference to increase the strength of Russian troops on the battlefield, and Britain was originally going to send War Secretary Henry Wiley to attend the meeting in person, but because War Secretary Henry Wiley suddenly fell ill, Lambertst, chief of staff of the British War Office, attended on behalf of Britain.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banavin continued to say to Henry Willy: "How is the Army's expansion plan completed? ”

Before Britain declared war on the Chinese Empire, a new round of military expansion had begun, in which the army was preparing to expand by 1.2 million troops.

Henry Wiley nodded and said: "Because of the expansion of 1.2 million troops, most of which are colonial troops dominated by Indians, and thanks to our reserve system in India, nearly 1 million colonial troops have been completed in India and Burma, and the 200,000 local army has also been formed. Nearly 1.85 million were colonial troops formed by locals. ”

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Bannavin said: "I hope that the army of nearly 2 million can resist the attack of the Chinese Imperial Army and keep these colonies of our British Empire in Asia!" In addition, General Henry Wiley, according to the results of the battle of Chelyabinsk in the Russian theater, it can be seen that the war with the Chinese Empire will not end so easily, and I hope that the War Department will continue to formulate an expansion plan, and the cabinet will try to support it as much as possible in terms of funds. ”

Henry Willy said approvingly: "Ahem, cough, cough - this meeting in Paris, we in Britain must send more troops into the Russian battlefield, and the War Office also believes that our British Empire needs more regular troops with relatively strong combat effectiveness, so our War Office has plans to expand the army by another 500,000 to 800,000 troops on the mainland." ”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Marquis of Lansdowne, then said: "Prime Minister, according to reliable intelligence, several countries of the Central Powers, led by Germany. As well as our ally France, after the end of the battle for the city of Chelyabinsk. All have plans to continue to expand the army. ”

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banavin nodded and said with a sigh: "The army of the Chinese Empire is too strong in combat, and all the countries participating in the war understand it. More troops had to be prepared for this war. ”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Marquis de Lansdowne, hesitated for a moment and then said: "In addition, because the news of the total destruction of the Indian fleet of the British Empire has been reported in the newspapers, and some opposition parties are using this as an excuse to carry out public opinion attacks on the cabinet. ”

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. When Banavin heard this, his brows suddenly furrowed, and he also knew that after the destruction of the Indian fleet, there had been a lot of rumors outside, and these remarks were very unfavorable to him. It seemed that he had to find a way to reverse the situation, and after a moment of contemplation, he said: "You can't let those opposition parties say whatever they want, so be it, Marquis de Lansdowne, arrange a press conference at once, and I will personally attend the press conference to give the people an objective account of the total destruction of the Indian fleet of the British Empire." ”

Soon in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in London, England, a press conference was held. Because of this press conference British Prime Minister Henry . Campbell. Bannavin personally attended, not only British journalists, but also many journalists from other countries, who rushed to the Foreign Office building after learning the news. Attend this press conference.

The form of this press conference was first popular from the Chinese Empire, and the government of the Chinese Empire would hold press conferences from time to time. The measures will be announced to the public, and the spokesperson of the press conference will also answer any questions raised by reporters.

The press conference, which took place in the British Foreign Office building, came three days after the Battle of Chittagong. That is, on the morning of November 9, 1908, the number of journalists from all over the world who attended the press conference reached nearly 30. In addition to correspondents from the Entente and Central Powers, there were also correspondents from the United States, Japan, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Bannavin read out to the reporters the results of the Battle of Chittagong, in which the losses of the Imperial Chinese Navy were at least exaggerated several times, and then it was time for reporters to ask questions, according to the rules of the press conference, each reporter could only ask a maximum of two questions.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banervin casually ordered a reporter to ask him to question, and the reporter stood up and said, "Hello Mr. Prime Minister, I am a reporter from the British Guardian, may I ask Mr. Prime Minister, I heard that you did not allow our British Empire's Indian fleet to evacuate Asia?" The reason is that the Prime Minister's family owns numerous plantations and industries in India, and you want the Indian fleet to stay in India's ports and help India's colonial forces to hold India, I wonder if this is true? ”

Founded in 1821, the British Guardian has always been known for its political radicalism.

The first journalist went to Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banervin was a big embarrassment and hit Prime Minister Henry all at once. Campbell. Banervin's weakness, but Prime Minister Henry Brown. Campbell. Bannavan's face did not fluctuate, and he still replied with a smile: "It is the decision of our British Empire Admiralty to let the Indian fleet of the British Empire stay in Asia, our Royal Navy of the British Empire is the most powerful navy in the world, and it has developed after one war after another, our Royal Navy of the British Empire is not afraid of war, nor is it afraid of war, the Indian fleet has not withdrawn, it is to maintain the honor of our Royal Navy of the British Empire, and the Royal Navy of the British Empire has no tradition of fleeing without a fight, As for whether I have selfishness or not, I believe that time will tell, next! ”

Don't look at Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Bannervin was silent and kept smiling, in fact, he wanted to strangle the first reporter to ask the question, are you British, how can you ask such a question that damages your image in front of so many foreign reporters, you must know that you are the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, representing the image of the British Empire, that is, you really think so, and you should not ask this question as a British journalist.

At this time the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Marquis of Lansdowne, went to the Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banervin was beside him, whispered a few words, and then Prime Minister Henry Brown. Campbell. Banavin pointed out another British reporter, who stood up and said: "Mr. Prime Minister, I am a reporter from the British Times, this time our British Empire's Indian fleet was completely annihilated, in the Russian battlefield, the Allied and Allied forces also suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Chelyabinsk, and at present, the area east of the Russian Ural Mountains is occupied by the Chinese Empire, may I ask Mr. Prime Minister, what are the plans of the Entente and the Allied Powers for this war?" ”

The British Times was born in 1785, this newspaper was more conservative in politics and mostly supported the views of the British government. Campbell. What Banavon said was to ask him to ask the Times reporter to ask questions, at least not to ask Henry. Campbell. Bannavin is an awkward question.

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. Banavin then said: "At present, our British, as well as the representatives of France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, have gathered in Paris, France, to discuss a meeting to further strengthen the Russian battlefield forces, and Russia is also increasing the scale of its military expansion, and I believe that our Entente and the Central Powers, with their strong land forces, can completely turn the tide of the Russian battlefield." I would like to announce to you here that the regular army of the British Imperial Army will be expanded in a new round of size, and the size of the expansion will be at least 500,000 or more. The joint expeditionary fleet of our Entente and Allied powers is also about to arrive in the waters of the Chinese Empire, and the scale of that joint expeditionary fleet is clear to all reporters here, and it may not be long before everyone can receive the good news of the victory of the joint expeditionary fleet! ”

Then another reporter from the British Observer asked: "Dear British Prime Minister, as far as I know, it was your decision not to let the British Indian fleet withdraw from Asia, and now that the Indian fleet has been completely destroyed, someone should be responsible for this, I don't know if you are responsible for this matter, or the commander of the British Indian fleet, General Carragher, who led the Indian fleet including more than a dozen warships of the Bellerophon-class dreadnought battleship to surrender to the Chinese Imperial Navy, is responsible for the destruction of the Indian fleet?" ”

Prime Minister Henry. Campbell. The corners of Banervin's mouth twitched, these reporters were so annoying that they clung to the fact that they did not let the Indian fleet withdraw from Asia, and they were all British reporters. (To be continued......)