The fleet was at sea, flanked by a swarm of destroyers and cruisers the nine Majestic class battleships made a great impression as they had sailed from Portsmouth. Other commands were already at sea and with the Russian forces coming down from the North the plan was to engage them within sight of land to allow cripples to withdraw to safety.
Sailing from the North was Rear Admiral Burham's 6th battlesquadron, another four battleships of the Formidable class as well as six armoured cruisers and their attendant destroyers who would engage the Russians if they turned and tried to go home. Of course the fleet was in constant communication with the Admiralty, kept abreast of the still ongoing diplomatic talks. The Government had demanded the Russian Admiral be arrested along with his staff, that repatriations be made and the fleet either stopping in an English port under the guns of the navy or to turn for home.
The Russians had refused to allow blame to be pinned on their Admiral, and instead blamed the British for provoking the encounter whilst Russian newspapers spun the story that the Retribution was crewed by Japanese sailors who had undergone training in England and had attacked with a false flag flying. The British press had thundered back that the Russians were incompetent, poorly trained and little more than Pirates who had brazenly attacked British shipping going about its peaceful buisness.
No one knew if war could be averted, no one knew if it should for national honour had been slighted in the most bold and brazen of fashion. The Meditteranian fleet was at sea whilst the reserve fleet was also being activated with the older Royal Soverigns being manned and coaled up even as the Majestic and her sisters had set sail.