Churchill fell into silence. Although he had anticipated that the current plan might not unfold smoothly, the arrival of news regarding its failure was nonetheless difficult for him to accept. Yet, he was not one to shy away from reality. As the First Lord of the Admiralty, he bore the responsibility for the British Empire; no matter how dire the circumstances, he must lead the Royal Navy to victory in this war.
"How did Admiral Beatty meet with defeat? Were the losses significant?" Churchill inquired.
"Sir, the Germans were well-prepared. In addition to their six battlecruisers, they deployed three even more formidable ones," Admiral John Jellicoe responded.
Churchill furrowed his brow. "We dispatched seventeen warships. Even with the Germans augmenting their forces by three battlecruisers, it shouldn't have led to our defeat!"
"Sir, those three German battlecruisers are equipped with 380mm main guns—far more powerful than we anticipated. It is astonishing that they managed to arm their vessels with 380mm artillery before us. They struck a devastating blow this time," Jellicoe said through clenched teeth.
"I shall hold the intelligence department accountable for this oversight," Churchill muttered.
Subsequently, Admiral Jellicoe recounted the events of the naval engagement. Upon learning that the British Navy had suffered the loss of seven battleships and three battlecruisers, with an additional battleship and battlecruiser heavily damaged, Churchill found himself at a loss for words.
Admiral Beatty's defeat could not merely be termed a failure; it was an utter catastrophe. The loss of so many capital ships, particularly new ones, was a staggering blow to the Royal Navy. Such losses were unsustainable, even for an empire of Britain's stature. This had effectively crippled the Royal Navy.
"Damn it, how could we sustain such staggering losses? This will severely impair the Royal Navy's strength! If the Germans launch a decisive attack now, we will be utterly defenseless!" Churchill said, his voice tinged with panic. He even feared that, in terms of the number and combat capability of modern warships, the German Navy had now surpassed the Royal Navy, emerging as the new dominant force in the world. This realization filled him with dread.
"Sir, the Germans' combat strength truly took us by surprise. Admiral Beatty has repeatedly mentioned in his dispatches that the defensive capabilities of German vessels are formidable; they have been struck numerous times yet remain unpierced. Our ships, however, suffer grievously due to their weaker armor. When hit, they often sustain critical damage or even sink. In this scenario, we are at a significant disadvantage during naval engagements," Admiral Jellicoe explained.
In truth, this issue had already been laid bare when the battlecruiser *Lion* was sunk, yet it had not been given due consideration. However, this latest engagement had once again brought the problem to the forefront, making it impossible to ignore.
The predicament was that these ships had already been constructed; there was no possibility of returning them to the shipyards for modifications to enhance their armor. Such measures would disrupt the balance of the vessels, potentially compromising their combat effectiveness or even leading to capsizing.
"This issue may prove quite challenging to resolve. At most, we can emphasize this concern in the construction of future warships," Churchill stated.
Admiral Jellicoe nodded in agreement.
"Then, Admiral Jellicoe, with so many capital ships lost, can the Royal Navy still contend with the Germans? Will we be able to defeat them in the decisive battle to come?" Churchill pressed.
"Sir, it is evident that the Germans have concealed their full strength. It appears they now have warships equipped with 380mm main guns, and their pace of advancement far exceeds our own. However, if the decisive battle occurs after the deployment of our *Queen Elizabeth*-class and *Ravage*-class battleships, we may still stand a chance. Of course, given our substantial losses of capital ships, I urge the Navy to commence construction of newer classes of warships immediately, with the utmost speed, aiming for deployment within the next eighteen months," Admiral Jellicoe asserted.
Churchill nodded, understanding that the Royal Navy's primary forces were severely depleted and required urgent reinforcement. Otherwise, the Royal Navy might be incapable of securing victory in future engagements.
"I will report to the Prime Minister. However, future warships must not suffer from the problem of weak armor. These are hard-earned lessons that the Royal Navy has paid for with blood and lives!" Churchill sighed.
If only the Royal Navy could be granted another opportunity, they would undoubtedly prioritize robust defenses over firepower and speed in their shipbuilding philosophy. Regrettably, fate offers no such reprieve.
"Admiral Jellicoe, please prepare the design documents for the new warships. I shall meet with the Prime Minister," Churchill declared. The Royal Navy's catastrophic defeat could no longer be concealed. Furthermore, the Navy required the Cabinet's support to construct additional capital ships; otherwise, where would the funding come from?
"Yes, sir," Admiral Jellicoe replied, saluting before preparing to depart.
At that moment, another staff officer burst in, clearly agitated.
Both Churchill and Admiral Jellicoe exchanged uneasy glances, sensing an ominous premonition. Could there be more dire news?
"Report! The fleet has sent a telegram indicating they have been ambushed by German submarines. Over ten submarines participated in the attack on our convoy, resulting in heavy losses. To date, fourteen merchant vessels have already been sunk," the staff officer reported.
Churchill and Admiral Jellicoe's faces turned ashen. Truly, what could be worse than this deluge of misfortunes? Just when the Royal Navy had suffered significant losses to its capital ships and was desperately in need of new construction to compensate, the merchant fleet had also incurred devastating damage. This would exacerbate their scarcity of war materials and could severely hinder their shipbuilding plans.
"Those damned Germans intend to eradicate us! No matter what, I will not allow their machinations to succeed!" Churchill gritted his teeth.
Though he appeared fierce, internally, he was consumed by profound panic.