What the first salvos at Tsingtao might have done

HMS Birmingham would probably be destroyed if the three Japanese heavy cruisers opened fire, though she could shoot back first. At point-blank range her 6-inch shells could penetrate deeply and devastate bridges and other superstructure, potentially mission-killing the Japanese ships for months. HMS Foxton's 4-inch guns might also damage unarmoured areas at such short distance. Foxton is the likeliest British survivor because Japanese guns were concentrated on Birmingham, and she might remain afloat long enough to transmit news of the attack. This is a tactical counterfactual rather than a claim about an engagement that actually occurred.