At the end of Ch. 12, one of the naval officer’s says “I should have thought that a pack of British boys – you’re all British, aren’t you? – would have been able to put up a better show than that – I mean – .” What is the naval officer trying to say?

At the end of chp 12. one of the naval officer’s says

“I should have thought that a pack of British boys – you’re all British, aren’t you? – would have been able to put up a better show than that – I mean – .”

What is the naval officer trying to say to the boys with this statement?