Chapter 500: The Angry Faction and the Rational Faction

The conference room fell into a stalemate again.

Asquith rubbed his temples. A headache that had started with the telegram this morning was now worsening. He looked out the window; rain still fell, and occasional cars splashed water on Whitehall Street. The world outside kept running normally, but in this underground conference room, the British Empire's maritime supremacy was facing a crisis not seen in a hundred years.

"Gentlemen," Asquith finally spoke, his voice low but silencing everyone, "We now face three problems."

He raised three fingers.

"First, how do we explain the loss of the Hood to the public and our allies? We cannot say it was sunk by a coordinated five‑gun barrage; that would cause panic. We need a… relatively respectable explanation."

"Second, how do we counter the German Navy's threat? The Bismarck Class has proven its power, and we have reason to believe the Germans will use this victory for even bolder actions."

"Third," Asquith paused, his gaze sweeping each person, "the most important question: where is the future of the Royal Navy? Do we continue to rely on Lanfang's technology—if we can still trust them—or seek a new direction?"

The conference room fell silent.

"I'll say a few words."

Speaking was Sea Affairs Minister Admiral Jeliko. He rose, walked to the chart, and pointed to the Hood's sinking location.

"When the war broke out in 1914, I commanded the Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow," Jeliko's voice was steady and strong, with the cadence of an old sailor, "At that time we believed the Royal Navy's advantage was overwhelming. The Jutland Sea Battle changed my view—German warship design places greater emphasis on protection and survivability, and our battlecruisers have defensive shortcomings."

He turned to face the crowd: "The procurement of the Hood class came right after the Jutland Sea Battle. We needed to quickly acquire a platform capable of countering Germany's cutting‑edge battleships, and Lanfang's design seemed the best choice at the time. In fact, in the East Sea battle, the Hood proved its worth."

"But that was in the Pacific—" someone began to interrupt.

"Let me finish," Jeliko raised his hand, "The Hood sank yesterday; that's a fact. But why? Was it a design flaw, a tactical error, or sheer bad luck? I think all three played a role."

He walked back to his seat but did not sit.

"Design‑wise, the Hood class, as a battlecruiser, has relatively thin horizontal armor. That was a trade‑off to reduce weight and gain speed; all battlecruisers share this issue—including the German Devringer class."

"Tactically, Major General Wilshire closed the distance in the storm, trying to trade hit rate for survivability. That decision made sense given the circumstances, but the result proved fatal. Had he kept range for long‑range fire, the Hood might have held out longer until the main fleet arrived."

"As for luck..." Jeliko smiled wryly, "The shell hit right at an armor seam and detonated the magazine. Such a low‑probability event might occur only once in a hundred tries. But war is like that—one is enough."

Kichina wanted to rebut, but Jeliko kept speaking.

"Now returning to the Prime Minister's third question: where is the future of the Royal Navy?" Jeliko inhaled deeply, "Gentlemen, we must face a harsh reality: in main‑ship design and construction, the British Empire has fallen behind."

A collective inhalation rose in the conference room.

"After the Jutland Sea Battle, we launched the 'Elizabeth Queen Class' improvement program, but progress was slow. In just a few years, the Lanfang people produced revolutionary ships like the Hood class and Bismarck class. The Germans, after acquiring the Bismarck class, may have made upgrades, and we have seen the results."

Jeliko's gaze fell on Belfort: "Naval Minister, I ask you a direct question: can our shipyards now design and build a warship that surpasses the Bismarck class? How long would it take?"

Belfort remained silent for a full ten seconds. "Design... perhaps possible. But building a 45,000‑ton capital ship from groundbreaking to commissioning takes at least three years. Moreover, we must solve many technical issues: high‑power steam turbines, heavy naval gun production, new armor‑steel smelting..."

"Three years," Jeliko repeated the phrase, "The Germans now have two Bismarck class ships and may order more from Lanfang. The Royal Navy cannot wait three years."

"So what is your recommendation?" Asquith asked.

"My suggestion is to stop blaming and complaining and start solving the problem," Jeliko's voice grew firm, "First, immediately launch our own super‑battleship program, regardless of budget. Second, adjust tactics before the new ships enter service to avoid one‑on‑one duels with German capital ships. Third..."

He paused briefly.

"Third, seek external assistance. But not from Lanfang."

Everyone in the conference room understood his meaning.

"Meilika," Foreign Minister Sir Gray said softly.

"Yes, Meilika," Jeliko nodded, "Their industrial capacity is the world's best, their technology rivals Lanfang's, and more importantly—they are neutral but closer to us. President Wilson may publicly claim neutrality, but privately he has always leaned toward the Allies."

Lord Kichina finally calmed down. "Do you suggest we purchase warships from the Meilika, or their technology?"

"Both are needed," Jeliko said, "But more importantly, industrial cooperation. We need the Americans to help rebuild our naval industrial system, supplying the technology and materials we lack. This is not merely a matter of buying a few ships; it concerns our maritime supremacy for the next twenty years."

"Will the Meilika agree?" Finance Minister McKenna frowned, "It requires astronomical funds and would draw them deeper into the war."

"Therefore we need the highest‑level diplomatic effort," Sir Gray continued, "Prime Minister, I believe Admiral Jeliko's recommendation is correct. We must send a senior delegation to Washington to meet President Wilson and congressional leaders directly."

"At the same time," Kichina added, reluctantly acknowledging reality, "we need a public explanation plan. We cannot blame ship design flaws—it would hurt morale. Nor can we lay all blame on commander error; that would be unfair to Major General Wilshire and Colonel Tovi."

"Just say it was an encounter in extreme weather," Asquith decided, "The Hood fought bravely, but a lucky shell hit a vital spot. Emphasize the survivors' rescue efforts, highlight the Queen Ship's tenacious fight, and stress that the Royal Navy's spirit never sinks."