Published at 13th of February 2023 07:00:01 AM

"Your Majesty, the bay at the southern mouth of the Suez Canal is very narrow, only about five kilometers wide. We only need to leave three to four battleships to completely block the bay. Moreover, we can gather all our firepower to target the mouth of the canal. Once you find a German warship, open fire immediately. Even the German capital ship may not be able to resist such concentrated fire." Admiral Anton House suggested.

"Do we need to keep so many capital ships? We only have 16 capital ships. If we keep four, it is equivalent to leaving a quarter of our strength." Karl I was a little bit reluctant. The Austro-Hungarian Empire has collapsed, and they are now people who have left their homeland. Their navy also loses one warship if it loses one warship, and it will never be replenished. This time leaving so many battleships, Karl I was reluctant.

"Your Majesty, there is no way. If we don't try to stop the Germans from pursuing us, we may be caught up by them. At that time, it will be very difficult for us to escape. The Germans are probably not far away from us now. .Our fleet is not fast due to the low speed of those old warships. I am afraid it will be very easy for the Germans to catch up." Admiral Anton House persuaded.

"What warships do you need to keep?" Karl I asked.

"The four 'Caesar-class' battleships we purchased from the Germans last time, all remain!" Admiral Anton House said.

"What? Those four warships are our real elite!" The reluctance in Karl I's eyes became even stronger.

Although, the Austro-Hungarian Navy built four "Austro-Hungarian Monarch-class" battleships. But both Karl I and General Anton House knew it. In fact, the four "Caesar-class" battleships purchased from the Germans are the most powerful battleships in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Although I don't want to admit it, even the three "Moltke-class" battlecruisers are more powerful than their "Austro-Hungarian Sovereign-class" battleships. Therefore, abandoning the four most powerful capital ships is even more unacceptable to Karl I.

"Your Majesty, the German capital ships are almost all cutting-edge capital ships, and their defenses are very strong. If the capital ships with too weak firepower are left behind, I am afraid they will not be able to penetrate the armor of the German capital ships. It doesn't make any sense." Admiral Anton Howes explained.

"Can the 'Caesar-class' battleship we bought from the Germans penetrate the armor of the German 'New Kaiser-class' battleship?" Karl I asked.

Admiral Anton House thought for a while, then shook his head: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid this will not work. The main guns of the German 'New Kaiser-class' battleships have a caliber of 410mm. The important armor thickness is also 400mm. The 50 times the caliber and 343mm equipped on the 'Kaiser-class' battleships we bought from the Germans may not be able to penetrate the armor of the German 'New Kaiser-class' battleships."

"So, this means that if the Germans let the powerful 'New Kaiser-class' battleships take the lead when passing through the canal, then even leaving four 'Caesar-class' battleships behind will have no effect. .They will be quickly sunk under the crush of the powerful German battleship!" Karl I said.

Admiral Anton House suddenly didn't know what to say. The actual situation is just as Karl I said.

"Your Majesty, in that case, we can at least buy us some time. We can get rid of the pursuit of the Germans and enter the Indian Ocean." Admiral Anton House said.

Karl I shook his head: "Our current strength is limited. Every naval officer and every warship is precious to us. After losing our motherland, we can no longer get supplements. Therefore, we cannot Abandon our warships and officers and men at will. Speed up the fleet as much as possible, as long as we can enter the Indian Ocean before the Germans catch up, we can get out safely."

Admiral Anton House saw that Karl I was very resolute, so he sighed and stopped insisting.

However, in order to avoid being followed by the destroyers of the German Navy, Admiral Anton House still left two light cruisers and two destroyers to intercept the destroyers of the German Navy.

However, after only one day, the two light cruisers and two destroyers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy were dealt with. The vanguard of the German Navy's combined fleet, a formation of four light cruisers and four destroyers, has already passed through the Suez Canal. The main force of the United Fleet has also reached the northern part of the canal and began to cross the canal.

After Admiral Anton House learned the news, he immediately reported to Karl I.

"Your Majesty, the Germans may have caught up. The light cruisers and destroyers we left in Suise Bay have been attacked by the Germans and have been sunk!" Admiral Anton House reported.

Karl I was silent for a moment, and now their fleet is still in the Red Sea.

The Red Sea is very narrow and long, with a length of 2,100 kilometers. At the speed of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, it would take at least three and a half days to cross it.

"Do we need poisoned wine to cross the Red Sea?" asked Karl I.

"At least a little more than two days!" Admiral Anton House replied.

"When will the Germans catch up?"

"It is estimated that they will be able to catch up with us not long after we left the Red Sea. In other words, the Germans rushed over as soon as our fleet entered the Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden. However, the German light warships will come first. , Follow us." Admiral Anton House looked worried. He knew that this time the Austro-Hungarian Navy might not be able to escape. Once caught up by the German navy, the war will inevitably break out. The strength of the Austro-Hungarian Navy was originally much weaker than that of the German Navy. Therefore, the final result is very likely to be the result of their defeat by the German navy, or even annihilation of the entire army.

Karl I's face was also very ugly. After the country was destroyed, he had only one goal, which was to lead the Austro-Hungarian Navy to the United States, and then with the support of the Americans, continue to resist Germany and strive to fight back to Europe one day , defeated Germany, and restored their own country. But now it seems that they cannot escape. His goal will no longer be possible.