Chapter 480

Upon hearing the shocking figure of '300 million Divine Shields', Wesenberg would have spat out the wine in his mouth if not for the fact that he was used to all sorts of situations.

Frankly speaking, he really wanted to make a counteroffer of "3 million." However, he considered that it would be too childish and would damage his great image.

"Your Excellency, you must be joking! Throughout the history of mankind, there has never been such an expensive colonial transaction.

Only half of the land in Morocco is valuable. According to your offer, the average price per square kilometer of land is as high as 150 Divine Shields.

With this kind of price, you can even buy land in your country. Other than the surrounding areas of the cities, most of the rural land in your country is at this price. "

This was an exaggeration. Although the land in Spain was not valuable, it was not cheap to the extent of 150 Divine Shields per square kilometer.

Unless it was the worst mountainous area, including the areas that could not be cultivated, it would probably be possible to buy it.

No matter how bad the land was, it was fine as long as it could be bought. According to the standards of this era, the land in Europe must be the most expensive.

Without special resources, the worst mountainous area in Spain was more expensive than the fertile land in Morocco.

This price was determined by market supply and demand. Compared to the sparsely populated colonies, Europe had more people and less land. Naturally, the price of land would rise accordingly.

Brad was unmoved. "If we only calculate the value of the land, Morocco is indeed not worth 300 million Divine Shields. However, with the strategic and political value, it is completely different.

If your country takes over Morocco, you will have locked the door to the Western Mediterranean and can easily keep the British out.

After turning the Mediterranean into an inland sea, your country will be in an invincible position in the following international competition.

If your country is willing, you can also take the opportunity to buy Portuguese Africa. I think the Portuguese government will not refuse.

If everyone else withdraws, the British alone will not be able to hold on for long. The African continent will be your country's sooner or later.

Other than the strategic value, the political value is equally great. The Holy Roman Empire that sits on the Mediterranean is the real Roman Empire.

The restoration of the glory of the Roman era is definitely an important plus for your government. Don't tell me you don't want to complete this great cause? "

It was impossible not to be tempted. If it wasn't for the fear of negative influence, the Government of Vienna would have attacked Morocco long ago.

Napoleon had learned from his mistake. In order not to arouse hatred, the government of Vienna had been very careful after it became the overlord of Europe.

Even though the Vienna government knew the significance of Morocco, they still restrained their desire to show the European countries that they, the new hegemon, were harmless.

With effort came returns. After a series of political shows, the European countries' vigilance towards Shinro had indeed decreased a lot.

The Anti-Shinra Alliance was finally gone. However, the Vienna Government was also hampered by this, and it was difficult for them to continue expanding.

If he couldn't expand, then he wouldn't expand. In any case, Shinro was already full.

The leadership of the government in Vienna right now was a bunch of old men who were way past the age of stupidity. Everything they did was based on stability.

They knew that if they took over the Moroca region, they would be able to win their reputation in life and bring them a higher evaluation in history. However, in order to avoid provoking the European countries and leading to the emergence of the Anti-Shenluo Alliance, everyone held back.

The more restrained the Government of Vienna was, the more restless the Spanish government was. Especially after the Japan-Spain War, the Spaniards, who were beaten by society, successfully realized that they were not strong enough and restrained their ambitions.

Especially after the Japanese-Spanish War, the Spaniards, who had been severely beaten by society, successfully realized that they were not strong enough and restrained their ambitions.

After a few more rebellions, the sober Spanish government finally realized that Morocco was a hot potato in their hands.

Since they could not take it, they might as well take this opportunity to exchange a large sum of money from the Government of Vienna. They could also return the favor they owed to Shinra.

Since he couldn't eat it anyway, he might as well use this opportunity to exchange for a large sum of money from the Vienna government. At the same time, he could also return the favor he owed Shinro.

The added value of Morocco was too great. Even if the deal required money, the government in Vienna had to consider the Spanish government's goodwill.

As the Foreign Minister of Shinra, Wesenberg could not do something helpless. As Shenluo's Foreign Affairs Minister, Weissenberg couldn't do anything that he couldn't do.

If possible, I would like to agree to this deal, but your country's appetite is too big.

If possible, I would also like to agree to this deal, but your country's appetite is too big.

After all, Morocco was an independent country. The value of Morocco is high, but it is based on your country's complete control. But your country has not achieved this.

The value of Morocco is high, but that is based on the fact that your country has complete control over it. However, your country has yet to achieve this.

I don't expect your government to have complete control over the Moroccan region. If your government can't do this, I can only pay 30 million BD according to the highest premium. "

If your government can't do this, I can only pay 30 million BD according to the highest premium. "

There was no base price. Before this, Wesenberg didn't know that the Spaniards were so determined to sell Morocco. The Government of Vienna naturally didn't discuss it.

Wesenberg had no idea how much the Moroccan region was worth without making an assessment beforehand.

Moreover, things like value had always been determined by demand. The more they needed it, the higher the price they could offer. It was normal to pay a premium.

If they weren't sure how much it was worth, they could just pay the price. Anyway, the most important thing in a negotiation was to talk. Such a large deal wasn't like buying vegetables at the market, where a deal could be reached with a few words.

For the Government of Vienna, the most important thing was to get the Morocco without causing a negative impact. The price wasn't important.

The Spaniards talked about the value of Morocco to Shinra, and Wesenberg talked about control. Anyway, he was sure that the Spaniards couldn't take Morocco.

…

The reception was never a secret place. The Spaniards wanted to sell Morocco, so they didn't want to keep it a secret.

Although the Government of Vienna was determined to be the only buyer, there was no logic when it came to politics.

If they spread the news, wouldn't they be able to sell it at a better price if some country jumped out to compete with Shinra?

Of course, the probability of this happening was too low. The main reason was that the Spaniards' asking price was too high. Even if someone wanted to snatch it from the tiger's mouth, they didn't have the money!

"300 million BD" was equivalent to more than a thousand tons of gold. There were only two countries in the world that had this kind of financial resources.

Coincidentally, these two countries were in a state of competition. The two countries had been causing trouble for each other for a long time. The Spaniards' intentions were self-evident.

…

London

Ever since he received the news that the Spaniards were interested in selling Morocco, Prime Minister Robert Cecil had a headache.

Frankly speaking, Robert Cecil was also an unlucky bastard. As soon as he took office, he welcomed Britannia's biggest competitor in the past three hundred years.

Compared to the current Holy Roman Empire, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Russia were all weak.

"The Spaniards want to sell Morocco. What's going on? Why didn't we receive the news before?"

There was no doubt that this was nonsense. Britain and Spain first formed a grudge over the Philippines issue, and then they had an argument over Cuba.

As an old-fashioned empire, the Spaniards also had a temper. No matter how much they hoped that the British would jump out to raise the price, they wouldn't send themselves to their doorstep.

Foreign Minister Cameron: "The long years of war have caused the Spanish government to have financial problems. The high debt has already made them unable to breathe.

In order to get out of the financial crisis, they have to find a way to save themselves. Although the Morocco region was a Spanish colony in name, they had never really controlled it.

From the beginning of the colonization until now, the Spanish government's gains from the Morocco region were far less than what they paid.

A colony that doesn't make money is worthless. For the Spanish government, the Morocco region is a piece of chicken rib that is tasteless and a pity to throw away. "

"Chicken rib for another, bear paw for me."

The Morocco region, which was meaningless to the Spanish government, became invaluable in the eyes of Britannia and Shinra.

Secretary of the Navy Flora: "In any case, we can't let the Morocco region fall into the hands of Shinra. Otherwise, everything we have in the Mediterranean Sea will be over."

As the world's hegemon, Britannia's tentacles were all over the world. The British naturally had their own arrangements in such an important area as the Mediterranean Sea.

Half of Tunisia and the Maltese Islands were harvested by the British in the Mediterranean Sea.

In the mid and early 19th century, Britannia even controlled the hegemony of the Mediterranean Sea through these tentacles.

Unfortunately, the glory was a thing of the past. With the rise of the Fao and the FAO, Britannia's hegemony in the Mediterranean Sea was quickly suppressed by the two regional hegemons.

During the Shinra era, the situation worsened. Not to mention hegemony, even the main force of the Royal Navy didn't dare to set foot in the Mediterranean Sea.

If even Morocco fell into the hands of Shinra now, then the door of the Mediterranean Sea would be completely closed to Britannia. Malta and Tunisia, which were originally important military places, would also become meaningless.

Secretary of War Skaibulu: "Sir is right. We can't let the Morocco region fall into the hands of Shinra no matter what. We must destroy this deal, and it's best if we can take Morocco. "

There was definitely a problem if the positions of the Army and Navy, which were supposed to be opposed, could suddenly become the same.

In addition to major national interests, there was only military expenditure. Compared to the former, the latter's energy was actually stronger.

"It's easy to take the Morocco region, as long as we are willing to spend money. The problem is, what should we do after taking the Morocco region?

Everyone is clear about the situation in Africa. Our colony in South Africa has now shrunk to the Cape of Good Hope; the colony in East Africa is now less than half of its peak.

If we hadn't stationed a large number of troops to stabilize the situation in the later stages, we would have long been driven into the sea by those greedy barbarians.

Although Morocco has the Sahara Desert to block the enemy from the south, the east is also facing a threat. It also happens to guard the door to the Mediterranean Sea, which is a place that the military will fight for.

If they wanted to defend this land, it would be very difficult to do so without 200,000 troops. If war breaks out between us and Shinra, even if we deploy 500,000 troops, we might not be able to defend it. "

It wasn't that Cameron looked down on the lobster soldiers, but it was that Britannia allocated too little resources to the army. How could they make bread without flour?

Although Britannia was rich and imposing, it was more of the accumulation left over from hundreds of years of colonization. In terms of government revenue alone, Britannia was already far behind Shinra, even with the addition of colonization.

In the context of fully developing sea power, creating another continental army would have to empty the Government of the United Kingdom.

The Minister of War, Skybru, did not buy it and said, "The difficulty is indeed great, but we have no other choice, right?

Facing the Holy Roman Empire, the Empire has already retreated again and again. We have already lost the European continent, if we also lose the African continent, what will the Empire have left?

Perhaps everyone will feel that the Empire's interests in Africa are not big, so it doesn't matter if we lose it. Anyway, we still have Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

But under this situation, the enemy's strength is getting stronger day by day, and the Empire is constantly declining in retreat.

It won't be long … "

Whether it was the truth or alarmist. Britannia was going downhill, it was an indisputable fact.

The Victorian era was the peak of Britannia, and it was also the beginning of the decline. With the rise of Shinra, it was an era of replacement of the old and new hegemons.

As an old-school Empire, if Britannia did not want to decline, it had to find a way to hold down Shinra.

The Government of the United Kingdom had already worked very hard, but it was difficult for manpower to defeat the general trend. Facing Shinra, which was closing in step by step, Britannia was very passive.

After hesitating for a while, Prime Minister Robert Cecil slowly said, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent someone to the Spanish government to reveal that the Empire is interested in buying the Morocco region.

At the same time, news has been released that Shinra is threatening the Spanish government and wants to forcibly occupy the Morocco region. Create public pressure on the Vienna government.

If necessary, the Empire can stand up and publicly support Spain in sending troops to occupy the Morocco region and disrupt their negotiation process as much as possible.

Even if we can't stop them from reaching a deal in the end, we can't let Shinra easily take the Morocco region. "

Knowing that it was the Spanish government's scheme, Robert Cecil had to cooperate. From the standpoint of Britannia, they would rather let the Spanish benefit than let the Holy Roman Empire easily get the Morocco region.