London, 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister's Residence.

In a small, languidly warm-toned room on the second floor, where wood crackles in the fireplace and on a fluffy sofa wrapped in a gold-painted silk cover, the new owner of the residence, former Arqueth Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Asches. Lloyd's. George, holding a freshly lit cigar in his hand, listened to the new First Sea Lord, Henry Brown, through the curling smoke. General Jackson's report.

The defeat at the Battle of the Bay of Bengal and the subsequent Battle of Bengal disgraced Asquith's cabinet, but it did not shake the foundation of the Liberal Party. Under George's mediation, Labour and the Conservatives agreed to remain in the Liberal-led coalition government.

At the end of November, a new cabinet was inaugurated, with Churchill, the Liberal backbone of the old cabinet, remaining as Secretary of State for the Navy, Kitchener retaining as Secretary of War and former First Sea Secretary (equivalent to Chief of Staff of the Navy or Minister of Military Orders) John Brown. Marshal Fisher was made a scapegoat for the defeat and was transferred back to the reserve after his departure. In addition, the commander-in-chief of the Combined Entente Fleet, John Brown, who was wounded in the Battle of the Bay of Bengal. Admiral Jericho is still hospitalized, and Vice Admiral Betty, the former commander of the reconnaissance unit, was promoted to admiral and appointed commander of the Home Grand Fleet. Vice Admiral Jerram was appointed commander of the dilapidated Combined Fleet of the Indian Ocean Entente.

“…… The Grand Fleet currently stationed in Scapa Bay consisted of four battleship detachments and one battlecruiser detachment, with a base strength of 20 dreadnought battleships, including the 6th, and 3 battlecruisers. ”

Jackson first reported on the current state of the Grand Fleet, after the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, Lloyd. George's primary concern was the safety of his homeland – and the German High Seas Fleet was clearly not going to miss this opportunity.

Of the 20 battleships, 10 were early dreadnoughts armed with 12-inch (305 mm) guns, nine were super-dreadnoughts armed with 13-point 5-inch (343 mm) and 14-inch guns (356 mm), and one was a Queen Elizabeth-class high-speed battleship armed with 15-inch (381 mm) guns, the USS Malaya, which had fought in the Battle of Lingayen Bay. The three battle cruisers were all 'Invincible' class with 12-inch guns, which was the first group of battlecruisers we built......"

"Two new ships with 15-inch guns are still on trial and are expected to enter service in February next year: the second ship of the Vengeance-class high-speed battleship, the Determination, and the lead ship of the Prestige-class battlecruiser. We will also be able to bring the Vengeance-class Ramillis and the Prestige-class Counter Strike into active service by June of next year. ”

"The five 13-point 5-inch super-dreadnoughts with 13-point 5-inch guns that survived the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, as well as the high-speed battleship Barham with 15-inch guns, are waiting for repair and refit, and it is expected that all works will be completed by the middle of next year."

"In total, by the middle of next year, even if the American battleship detachment is transferred to other theaters, the Grand Fleet will maintain the strength of 20 battleships and 5 battlecruisers: among the battleships, 9 are super dreadnoughts with 13.5-inch guns, and 4 are high-speed battleships with 15-inch guns; Among the battle cruisers, 2 were of the new prestige class with 15-inch guns. ”

"The two Tejas class fleet carriers, the Victory and the Glory, are still on trial voyage and are expected to enter service in March next year, and we will also have the lead ship of the new Indefatigable class fleet aircraft carrier by the middle of next year, as well as the auxiliary aircraft carrier USS Campania, which has been converted from the Atlantic mail ship. However, we will need time and resources to make up for the large number of skilled pilots lost in the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, which will depend on the close coordination of the Army......"

Speaking of this, Jackson subconsciously glanced up at Secretary of War Kitchener.

Kitchener's blue eyes narrowed, and he interjected resentfully: "In India, the army handed over all the planes to the navy, and the result? ”

"Now is not the time to settle accounts for things like this." The Prime Minister immediately spoke, "Henry, go on. ”

Jackson tilted his neck and twisted his fingers to turn to the next page of the folder.

"According to reliable information, the 10 German dreadnoughts sunk and heavily damaged during the raid on Kiel, except for 2 that capsized and sank, the other 8 have been docked for repair, 6 of which are believed to have participated in the Battle of the Gulf of Riga in August, and it is estimated that the other 2 should have been repaired by this time, together with the battlecruiser D-Vellinger, which was damaged by our submarine in the Battle of the Gulf of Riga. In other words, we are currently facing a high seas fleet with 13 dreadnoughts and 1 battlecruiser, of which only 2 are super-dreadnoughts armed with 13.8-inch (350 mm) guns. ”

"By the middle of next year, it is estimated that two new battleships with 13.8-inch guns and one or two new battlecruisers with 12-inch guns will join the German fleet, which will retain the strength of 15 battleships and 2 or 3 battlecruisers: of the battleships, only 4 are super-dreadnoughts armed with 13.8-inch guns, and the rest are early dreadnoughts armed with 11-inch (280 mm) and 12-inch guns; The battle cruisers were all D'Fllinger-class guns with 12-inch guns. ”

Lloyd's. George frowned slightly, and turned his inquiring eyes to his most trusted political partner, Admiral Winston, who was protected by him and the entire Liberal Party from being responsible for the defeat in the Bay of Bengal. Churchill.

Churchill nodded and commented: "If this information is indeed reliable, then from now on, we will not have to worry about the threat of the German High Seas Fleet for the next six months." ”

"What will happen in half a year?" Lloyd's. George clearly doesn't plan to stay in this position for just half a year.

Churchill winked at Jackson, and the new First Sea Lord, who was much easier to get along with than Fisher's weird-tempered old man, consciously flipped through the folder in his hand and continued fluently: "It is reported that Germany has successively started construction of 4 new battleships equipped with 15-inch guns since 1913, and after the start of the war, it plans to build 7 or 8 new battlecruisers equipped with 13.8-inch guns, and 3 or 4 of them may be commissioned around 1917, but with the large-scale entry of the US army into the French front, The pressure on its land battlefield increased abruptly, and we were extremely suspicious that the Germans had the means and the reason to carry out all the plans. ”

Jackson paused, and raised his chin slightly with confidence: "But even if they can complete all the plans in 1918, we can handle it." ”

"In the second half of 1916, our fleet will be expected to receive ships IV and V of the Revenge class. Beginning in 1917, by the end of 1918, five Irish-class high-speed battleships armed with 16-inch (420 mm) guns and four Hood-class battlecruisers armed with 15-inch guns were to be commissioned. In addition, the L Meter Battleship equipped with an 18-inch (457 mm) gun and the G Meter Battlecruiser equipped with a 16-point 5-inch gun have completed all design work and will be ready to start as soon as the budget is approved. ”

"In the second half of 1916 we will also get 2 new Indefatigable class fleet carriers, and throughout 1917 we will add 3 more powerful Ark Royal-class fleet aircraft carriers, and 3 more auxiliary aircraft carriers converted from warships or cruise ships......"

"It was enough to maintain superiority over the German high seas fleet." Churchill concluded decisively.

"Even if so, what about the Indian Ocean? Will the Chinese be allowed to walk from now on? "Lloyd's. The worry on George's face did not subside in the slightest.

Jackson lowered his head helplessly: "The main force of the Indian Ocean Combined Fleet retreating to the Gulf of Aden now has only 8 dreadnought battleships and 7 former dreadnought battleships, of which only the flagship Canada is equipped with 14-inch main guns, and the rest are old 12-inch main gun battleships. The fleet is now covered by a combined army-navy air force of about 100 shore-based aircraft, with no aircraft carriers and a serious lack of destroyers. At present, we can only rely on the cruiser detachment in Mumbai and the submarine detachment in Ceylon to carry out a limited operation to break up diplomatic relations, and once Chinese occupy Ceylon and station the main fleet, we will have to interrupt the shipping routes to Mumbai and even be forced to transfer the capital ships in the Gulf of Aden......"

"Unfortunately, we don't have the strength to confront the East Asian Combined Fleet head-on, unless we are willing to venture in the North Sea. Now we can only hope that the Army will delay a little longer on land, and when the Americans have enough strength and will to launch a counterattack, our chance to regain lost ground will come......"

Kitchener sneered: "Don't joke, it's better to count on those colonial troops than to count on the Chinese to show mercy." As soon as the Indian National Government in Kolkata was formed, the entire Indian population was disheartened, and even the Congress Party, which was originally the most obedient, fanned the flames behind the scenes. There were rebels everywhere, and Tirak's hometown of Mumbai had been barricaded again, and the army in the rear had not had time to suppress the rebellion and had no time to support the front line. ”

"The situation was even worse at the front, Chinese put electric horns on tanks, played Tirak's speech day and night before the attack, planes dropped leaflets that were prettier than snow, Indian soldiers fled in droves, and one regiment was left with only British officers and their orderlies overnight...... If it weren't for those British brigade commanders, Tirak would have been sitting in the broadcasting center in New Delhi and continuing to humiliate us. ”

"If this continues, when do you expect the Chinese to get through to Turkey?" Lloyd's is known for its calm and wise mind. George asked without emotion.

Kitchener folded his hands in front of his knees: "We have lost more than half of our field forces in the Bengal campaign, and we are no longer able to stop the enemy's advance on the Gangetic Plain, and the enemy may at any time land in a few harbors south of the east coast, or directly capture Ceylon and seize the well-equipped naval base there. In addition, the squadron attacking Turkestan had already advanced to the Persian border, and the pro-Turkish-Chinese forces of Persia had established separatist regimes in western and eastern Persia respectively, and the influence of the Tehran court controlled by the Russians had become insignificant, while the South Persian foreign rifle corps we supported only controlled the narrow southern coast, barely protecting the oil fields of the Anglo-Polish oil company......"

At the end, Kitchener summed up in a tone of half-despair and half-indignation: "Without substantial support, within six months we will almost be doomed to lose control of the Persian Gulf." ”