"Bring the car; I must go to the Prime Minister's residence at once!" Churchill, having perused the telegram, sat in silence for a considerable time before calling out to his secretary.
"Right away, sir," the secretary replied hastily, understanding that Churchill was in a state of furious agitation and keen to avoid inciting his ire.
A few minutes later, Churchill boarded the automobile and made his way to the Prime Minister's residence.
By the time he arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, it was already midnight. Prime Minister Asquith had long since retired for the evening. Although the decisive naval confrontation between the Royal Navy and the German Navy was a matter of paramount importance for the British Empire, Asquith, due to his advanced age, had succumbed to fatigue and turned in early.
"Churchill, what has happened? Is there a result from the naval battle?" Asquith inquired anxiously, clad in his night attire.
"Prime Minister, I regret to inform you that we have suffered defeat!" Churchill responded, his face etched with anguish.
"Defeated? Have we truly lost?" Asquith sank despondently onto the sofa. Despite having anticipated such an outcome, he had secretly hoped for a miraculous triumph over the formidable Germans, which might have allowed the Empire to secure victory in this war.
Winning the war and being defeated were utterly divergent outcomes. To maintain the glory of the British Empire, it was imperative to devise means to emerge victorious; otherwise, the Empire would cease to exist. As for negotiations or a dignified end to the conflict with the Germans, such notions had proven untenable. The terms proposed by the Germans had been excessively harsh, and the British Empire could never accept such conditions. Consequently, the Cabinet had resolutely decided to continue the war in hopes of achieving victory on the battlefield and preserving the Empire's interests.
However, the current performance of their forces on the battlefield was undeniably dismal.
"Churchill, what is the extent of our losses? How much damage have we inflicted upon the Germans?" Asquith queried, harboring a glimmer of hope. If the Royal Navy's losses were not severe and they had inflicted significant damage on the Germans, then their defeat might not be as catastrophic.
Churchill understood the Prime Minister's intentions, but this time he was destined to shatter his hopes.
"I'm afraid, Prime Minister, the losses have been substantial. Nearly all of our capital ships engaged in the battle have been lost. According to reports from the Grand Fleet, we have lost 22 battleships and 5 battlecruisers to the Germans. Additionally, three battleships and one battlecruiser have been heavily damaged. Our cruisers and destroyers have also suffered severe losses. In contrast, the damage we inflicted on the Germans was minimal; we sank only one German battleship and heavily damaged a few others. Their losses among cruisers and destroyers are also far less than ours," Churchill stated, forcing the words from his lips.
"What? We have suffered such devastating losses, yet have inflicted so little on the Germans? How can this be? How could the Germans possibly be so superior?" Asquith found it difficult to accept this outcome. It was simply too hard to believe. Before the outbreak of this war, the Royal Navy had stood as the undisputed maritime power, the embodiment of the strongest naval force in the world! Though the German Navy was in pursuit, they were still significantly behind the Royal Navy. Yet now, through a few naval battles, the Germans had decisively vanquished the British, even breaking the very backbone of the Royal Navy. Such a result was unacceptable to anyone.
"Churchill, you must be jesting! While we have lost, surely it cannot be to such an extent?" Asquith pleaded, wishing fervently that this was all a jest, which would imply that the Royal Navy's strength still remained intact.
"Prime Minister, I too wish this were merely a jest. Alas, it is not; it is the grim truth! The Royal Navy has indeed suffered a calamitous defeat in this engagement. We have no other recourse," Churchill replied.
The glimmer of hope in Asquith's eyes extinguished completely.
"It's over; it is utterly over. The British Empire has met its end!" Asquith lamented.
Churchill remained silent, sharing the belief that Britain was now genuinely in a state of crisis. A moment's inattention could lead to irrevocable disaster.
"The failure of the Navy to achieve its objectives significantly increases our likelihood of defeat in this war. What shall we do to safeguard the core interests of the British Empire?" Asquith murmured.
Though he had once been considered one of the most powerful figures in the world as Prime Minister, the gravity of the Empire's peril had stripped him of his former prestige, leaving only fear and unease in its wake.
Should Britain lose this war, Asquith and the entire Cabinet would likely be condemned as traitors, which would mean their once-cherished power would slip from their grasp. Such an outcome was intolerable to them.
"Prime Minister, I deeply regret that the Royal Navy has let you down," Churchill expressed.
"Churchill, this is not your fault, nor is it solely the Navy's doing. The officers and men of the Royal Navy fought valiantly; it is simply that the Germans are far too formidable! Over the years, our naval strategies have faltered, allowing the Germans to catch up and ultimately surpass us. This is not anyone's individual fault," Asquith contended.
Churchill nodded, recognizing that attributing blame to any one individual for this failure was clearly inappropriate. However, the reality of defeat and the Empire's consequent dire predicament was indisputable.
"Summon the other Cabinet members immediately; we must convene to discuss our next steps," Asquith commanded.