Acts of Union

In the Year 1884, the proposition of a more democratic Federal System for the British Empire was brought about. It proposed one thing and one things only, the rallying of the United Kingdom and her various colonies into a Federal Superstate. In the Real world aside from a few supporters in many of the dominions, the thought truly died out after World War 1 with the beginnings of the Dominions national identities.

What if however, the Federation gained real traction in the British Empire. What would be the consequences of such a union on the 20th Century and the implication of having a new potential superpower involved on the global stage. What if there was a new Act of Union.

Point of Divergence.
The British Empire, slowly but surely being caught up to by the many other great powers, begins to see the failures of running a large overseas colonial empire from a group of islands in Europe. Throughout the 1800's they have maintained a massive disparity in power compares to many of its rivals, but with a few glaring exceptions.

In December 1902 the Venezuelan Debt Crisis is in Full Swing. The Germans and British have both sents fleets to collect on Venezuelas debt and damages to europeans during its recent civil war. Blockaded by the European task force, the United States acting under the Monroe doctrine sent a fleet led by George Dewey, a war hero from the Spanish American war. The Tensions in Venezuela have increased dramatically. On December 20th President Theodore Roosevelts position on attempting to find a peaceful solution to the crisis ends, with news of British and German troops marching on Venezuelan Cities having landed a few days Prior, Roosevelt gives the order to enforce Monroe Doctrine on the European Powers.

On Christmas Night 1902, the US fleet with the  Battleships  Iowa, Kearsarge, Oregon  and  Indiana. Heavy cruisers  Olympia, Columbia  and  Minneapolis. And armored cruisers  New York  and  Brooklyn, The United States engaged the British fleet in a daring, but later considered reckless attack on the British fleet.

Christmas ambush
On the night of December 25th the US task force to Venezuela  faced a British battlegroup of fourteen ships: battleships  Renown, Jupiter, Magnificent, Mars, Barfleur  and  Prince George. Heavy cruisers  Andromeda, Argonaut, Powerful, Terrible  and  Vindictive. And armored cruisers  Cressy, Hogue  and  Leviathan.

Being a massive surprise to the British forces, the less experienced, but morale driven American forces engages the British having in an unlikely circumstance caught the British unprepared, with many of the men having been celebrating Christmas in some fashion leaving multiple ships less than prepared to face an attack. Wholly unprepared for the Americans to truly commit to a battle with the Anglo-German alliance.

At 11:30 at night, George Dewey ordered the attack, and a Battle line of American ships brought the full force of their armaments against the British Fleet. The Opening Salvo failed to score any major hits, but did serve to startle and alert the British sailors who in turn were only able to respond weakly with only the Battleships Jupiter, and Mars, alongside the cruisers Andromeda, and Vindictive managing to send off retaliation. The Second Salvo was much lukier. The British Battleships, Jupiter, Renown, and the Cruiser Argonaut all suffering relatively bad hits with the Renown being incapacitated while its crew began to fight a fire.

By 11:37 the British had begun to respond in a much more co-ordinated fashion with the US Battleship Iowa, and the Cruiser Minneapolis both suffering damaging, but not critical hits. The US responded with a a less than co-ordinated salvo as the US battle lines began to spread out and pick individual targets. The British fleet remains startled but active but now suffers a massive explosion in the heart of their battle fleet as two shells lanced into the British Battleship Prince George which begins to sink without delay. This startling explosion, alongside the critical Damage done to the Leviathan put the British at a severe disadvantage with just under half its ships completely unable to respond and the other part of the fleet frantically trying to retaliate.

By 11:52 the British have lost the Leivathan and the Andromeda, and the US have lost the Brooklyn, and the Kearsage is unable to fight any further due to a fire raging on the ship. The British have officially lost the engagement with their commanding officer having been killed during the attack.

Aftermath
The United States having won the battle, albeit with some solid losses and a stroke of luck, announces that the British Fleet was ambushed and half their number destroyed or Disabled. The US lists the British ships Jupiter, Leviathan, Prince George, Andromeda, Renown and the Hogue all destroyed or disabled. The United Takes takes any remaining crew as prisoners. The US however has suffered the losses of the Brooklyn, Kearsage, and Miineapolis, with the Iowa heavily damaged but still limping back to port, just hardly operations. The Kearsage is also salvaged from the operation and is towed back to port.

The German in response present their fleet to the United States for battle only to withdraw at the last minute. The Next day it is announced that the British will withdraw from Venezuela, and that it will be unable to withdraw debt repayment from Venezuela. The Royal navy having been humiliated by this defeat, begins an internal restructing process while Germany begins to ramp up its own naval ambitions to fill the void. The United States, emboldened by its victory and the withdraw of the European powers, begins to ramp up its own naval production with the expressed purpose of personally enforcing the Monroe doctrine without British co-operation. European Powers tacitly and quietly agree, avoiding the ire of the first nation to beat the British in Naval combat in decades.

The United Kingdom angry over the unecessary battle, shows a massive public opinion change of the United States, with disapproval of the Upstart soaring and military action being practically begged for for revenge.