In October 1914, the Empire's negotiations with Britain, France, the United States, and the Netherlands came to a standstill, and the four powers began preparations for war in the Pacific, and by the end of November, the four countries had amassed considerable naval forces.

In the South Seas, the British, French and Dutch navies assembled a total of 7 dreadnought warships and battle cruisers:

British "Giant" class battleships - "Giant", "Hercules" (standard row 20,825 tons, 10 main guns 305 mm, speed 21 knots),

British "Queen Elizabeth" class battleship - "Malaya" (27,500 tons, 8 doors 381 mm, 23/24 knots),

British "Indefatigable" class battle cruiser - "Australia" (18,150 tons, 8 doors 305 mm, 25 knots),

French "Danton" class battleship - "Danton" (21,300 tons, 12 305 mm guns, 21 knots),

Dutch "Java", "Sumatra" (German-made "Helgoland" class, 22,808 tons, 12 doors 305 mm, 21 knots);

4 Old Ships:

2 British ships of the "Nelson" class - "Nelson", "Agamemnon" (16,000 tons, 4 doors 305 mm, 10 doors 234 mm, 18 knots / completed in 1908),

2 ships of the "Edward VII" class: "African", "Britannia" (17,000 tons, 4 doors 305 mm, 4 doors 234 mm, 18 knots / completed in 1906);

10 armored cruisers:

British "Drake" class - "Drake", "Cape of Good Hope" (14,000 tons, 2 234 mm guns, 16 152 mm guns, 23 knots/completed 1902-03),

British "Monmouth" class - "Monmouth", "Bedford", "Kent", "Essex" (9800 tons, 14 152mm guns, 22-23 knots/completed 1902-04),

British "Devon Scher" class - "Argyll", "Rosenberg" (10,800 tons, 22-23 knots, 4 7.5-inch guns, 6 6-inch guns, completed in 1905),

French "Ferry" class - "Ferry", "Gambitt" (12,000 tons, 4 7-point 6-inch guns, 16 6-point 4-inch guns, 22.5 knots / completed in 1905);

14 protective cruisers and small cruisers:

British "Qiangsheng" - "Qiangsheng", "Terrible" (14,200 tons, 2 234 mm guns, 12 152 mm guns, 22 knots/1897-98 service),

British "Weymouth" class - "Weymouth", "Falmouth", "Yarmouth", "Dartmouth" (5200 tons, 8 152mm guns, 25-27 knots),

British "Bristol" class - "Liverpool", "Newcastle" (4800 tons, 2 152 mm guns, 10 102 mm guns, 26 knots),

British "Fordwood" class - "Fordwood", "Forissette" (2800 tons, 10 12-pounder guns, 25 knots),

French "Annan" (2,600 tons, 4 5.5-inch guns, 22 knots), "Guba" (4,200 tons, 4 6-point 4-inch guns, 6 5.5-inch guns, 20 knots),

Dutch "Batavia", "Palembang" (2,500 tons, 8 12-pounder guns, 24 knots);

and more than 30 destroyers, small destroyers and gunboats.

In addition, the Royal Australian Fleet is anchored by 4 capable protective cruisers:

"Chatham" class - "Sydney", "Brisbane", "Melbourne" (5400 tons, 8 152mm guns, 25.7 knots / completed in 1913),

"Birmingham" class - "Adelaide" (5400 tons, 9 152mm guns, 25.5 knots / completed in 1914).

On the US side, since China launched the "Anlan" and "Jingyuan" operations on an unprecedented scale, the main force of the US Navy has gradually shifted from the east coast to the west coast, and by this time, the United States has assembled a total of three fleets in the Pacific:

One is the Philippine detachment stationed in the Philippines, with the main strength of the following:

3 Montgomery-class protective cruisers: USS Montgomery, USS Detroit, USS Marblehead (2,235 tons, 2 152-mm guns, 8 127-mm guns, 18 knots)

As well as 3 small destroyers and 3 gunboats of the class "Brizi-class".

The second is the Pacific Fleet stationed in Hawaii, with the following main forces:

8 armored cruisers -

4 ships of the "Fort Peters" class: "San Diego", "Huron", "Pueblo", "Fort Peters" (13,680 tons, 4 254 mm guns, 14 152 mm guns, 22 knots),

4 ships of the "Memphis" class: "Missoula", "Charlot", "Memphis", "Sitrie" (14,500 tons, 4 254 mm guns, 16 152 mm guns, 22 knots);

8 protective cruisers -

2 ships of the "Columbian class": "Columbia", "Minnepolis" (8270 tons, 1 203 mm gun, 2 152 mm guns, 8 102 mm guns, 22.5 knots / 1894 service),

6 ships of the "Denver" class: "Denver", "Des Moines", "Chattanooga", "Goviston", "Tacoma", "Cleveland" (4700 tons, 10 127mm guns, 16.5 knots / 1903-1905 service);

8 destroyers: 4 of the "Smith" class and 4 of the "Paulding" class.

The third is the so-called "Grand Fleet" temporarily stationed on the west coast, and its main forces include:

14 dreadnoughts -

South Carolina class: USS South Carolina, USS Michigan (16,000 tons, 8 305mm guns, 18.5 knots),

"Delaware" class: Delaware, North Dakota (20,000 tons, 10 305 mm guns, 21 knots),

"Florida" class: USS Florida, USS Utah (21,825 tons, 10 305mm guns, 21 knots),

"Wyoming" class: Wyoming, Arkansas (26,000 tons, 12 305 mm guns, 20.5 knots),

"New York" class: USS New York, USS Texas (27,000 tons, 10 356mm guns, 21 knots),

"Nevada" class: USS Nevada, USS Oklahoma (27,000 tons, 10 356mm guns, 20.5 knots),

"Pennsylvania" class: Pennsylvania, Arizona (31,400 tons, 12 356 mm guns, 21 knots),

A total of 80 305-mm guns and * 356-mm guns;

8 former dreadnought old warships -

4 ships of the Virginia class: USS Virginia, USS New Jersey, USS Nebraska, USS Georgia (14,948 tons, 4 305mm guns, 19 knots),

4 ships of the Connecticut class: USS Connecticut, USS Louisiana, USS Kansas, USS Minnesota (16,000 tons, 4 305mm guns, 18 knots),

a total of 36 305-mm guns;

2 armored cruisers -

"Petersburg" class "Frederick" and "Huntington" (commissioned in 1905);

3 protective cruisers -

"St. Louis" class "St. Louis", "Milwaukee", "Charliston" (10,964 tons, 14 6-inch guns, 22 knots / 1904-1906 service);

In addition, there are 16 destroyers of the Paulding class.

Thanks to the incredible code-breaking capabilities of the Imperial Intelligence Service and the terrifying overseas intelligence network, the above information was delivered in its entirety to the Naval Staff and the Imperial General Staff, and indeed, in the last months of 1914, the Imperial Army and Navy possessed a precious "clairvoyance".

For Admiral Sa Zhenbing, the commander of the Combined Fleet aboard the "Pinghai" on the Truk-Marshall Islands route, that clairvoyant eye is the key, but not the only one......