HMS Folkestone adds local knowledge at Tientsin

Folkestone could not offset three Japanese heavy cruisers in combat. Her presence turned HMS Birmingham into a small squadron and signaled that Britain was conducting a controlled recovery mission. Repeated local visits gave the sloop practical knowledge of the harbor approaches, and her position ahead of the released merchant ship discouraged reboarding. Training her four-inch guns still added a contingency threat while Birmingham covered the Japanese cruisers and shore headquarters with six-inch weapons.