"Prime Minister, this intelligence has been obtained at great peril to our operatives, resulting in the loss of two exceptionally skilled agents," declared Sir John Fisher, the British Navy Minister, as he placed the documents on the desk of Sir Edward Balfour, the Prime Minister.
Putting on his glasses, Sir Balfour scrutinized the intelligence acquired through such sacrifice. Upon examining the accompanying photographs, his expression grew grave.
"Sir Fisher, is this the new capital ship of the German navy?" Sir Balfour inquired.
"Yes, Prime Minister. This should indeed be the Germans' dreadnought. It appears that it is nearing completion. Based on my experience, these battleships are already undergoing preparations for outfitting, and they are expected to be in service by the end of this year," Sir John Fisher replied somberly.
"My God! How is this possible? How can the Germans construct their ships faster than we can? While we have only begun the construction of a single new battleship, they are launching multiple vessels at once. Do they not fear that this could be a trap set by us?" Sir Balfour exclaimed, astonished.
Initially, the British had only constructed one dreadnought, before embarking on mass production. Even then, the British navy's Perseus-class battleship had only started construction last year and would not enter service until 1909. The subsequent St. Vincent-class battleships had yet to commence. This meant that once the German capital ships were commissioned, the British navy would be at a disadvantage in terms of the number of modern dreadnoughts. Such a scenario was utterly unacceptable for the Royal Navy, as maintaining the British Empire's maritime supremacy and global colonial system depended on possessing the world's most formidable navy.
"Prime Minister, it is hard to believe that the Germans would be so resolute. Yet, the facts are undeniable: in the race for new capital ships, the British Empire finds itself at a disadvantage," Sir John Fisher remarked with a bitter expression.
"What of their ships' performance? Can German vessels truly compete with our battleships?" Sir Balfour asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, as if reluctant to accept the possibility of the Royal Navy's defeat.
Sir John Fisher hesitated before responding, "As we lack the specific data on the German capital ships, it is difficult to assess their precise capabilities. However, one thing is certain: their battleships boast a larger displacement than ours, allowing for thicker armor and superior defensive capabilities. Yet, this may compromise their speed. In terms of firepower, we have five twin 305mm turrets, while the Germans employ three triple turrets. Although we are unsure if the Germans have resolved any issues with their triple turrets, in terms of firepower, we should hold our ground."
Sir John Fisher's conclusions were merely speculative, leading him to err in judgment. The German Nassau-class capital ships did not suffer from lower speeds due to their larger displacement. In fact, the adoption of oil-fired boilers and steam turbines granted the Nassau-class a faster cruising speed, fully comparable to, if not superior to, that of the British battleships.
In terms of firepower, the three triple turrets could fire broadside simultaneously, exceeding the British capability to unleash fire from a maximum of four twin 305mm guns. Moreover, the German ships utilized 50-caliber main guns, clearly possessing greater armor-piercing potential than the Royal Navy's 45-caliber guns. Once conflict erupted, the British would soon realize the might of the German main armament.
Sir Balfour's expression darkened further.
"My God! It seems the Royal Navy is now in grave peril. We must address this matter with utmost seriousness, lest we face catastrophe," Sir Balfour asserted.
"Indeed, Prime Minister, I wholeheartedly agree. The situation may be more dire than we anticipated. The Germans have more than just those battleships in development. In addition to those vessels, our intelligence operatives have discovered three more warships undergoing outfitting. Although they are lagging behind the others, our operatives suspect these three ships may be battlecruisers, akin to our Invincible-class. The duplicitous Germans likely intend to utilize these ships to strike at our maritime supply lines. This is undoubtedly a nefarious scheme," Sir John Fisher said through gritted teeth.
Sir John Fisher had championed the construction of battlecruisers within the Royal Navy, hoping to create a new type of vessel that could rival cruisers in speed while matching battleships in firepower, thereby safeguarding British maritime supply lines. Initially, this was merely a precautionary measure, but it had unexpectedly proven to be prescient.
"Those treacherous Germans are truly despicable," Sir Balfour remarked, his face pale. He understood all too well that for an island nation, any disruption to maritime supply lines would spell disaster for the British Empire.
"Yes, Prime Minister. Thankfully, we have also constructed battlecruisers; otherwise, we would be utterly defenseless against the German vessels," Sir John Fisher responded, visibly relieved.
"Can our Invincible-class battlecruisers effectively contend with the German battlecruisers?" Sir Balfour inquired.
"Prime Minister, that may prove challenging. From the photographs, it is evident that the German battlecruisers are larger than our Invincible-class vessels. Their increased displacement affords them greater defensive capabilities. While they may not match us in speed, they should not be underestimated. More critically, the German battlecruisers are nearing completion, while our Invincible-class may not be ready until late next year or early the following year," Sir John Fisher explained.
"My God! This means the Royal Navy is trailing behind the Germans in both battleships and battlecruisers!" Sir Balfour exclaimed in shock.