Chapter 683

Now, Navy Minister Swindin said, "It's impossible for the Russians to purchase such a large fleet. The Russian-Austrian Naval Agreement is just a cover-up. The Austrians' real target is us.

The Empire must take countermeasures and use absolute strength to dispel the enemy's unrealistic fantasies. "

This was an open secret, and anyone with a discerning eye could see it. To deal with the Japanese Navy, two super battleships were enough as the main force.

The size of the Shinra Navy itself was not small. If 13 super battleships were added, then the Royal Navy's advantage would no longer exist.

Although strength on paper did not represent ultimate combat effectiveness, the Royal Navy could not afford to gamble. No one could guarantee that Shinra would not take the initiative to attack if the balance was broken.

Although the Government of Vienna had always claimed to be "peace-loving," and Emperor Franz also promised the outside world that he would not initiate a war.

But in the face of interests, these guarantees could not withstand the test. Not breaking promises only proved that the temptation of interests was not great enough.

If they really wanted to start a war, would they be afraid of not being able to find a reason?

Minister of Finance Asquith said, "It is necessary to take countermeasures, but how can we be sure that the enemy is really building ships?

In the past years, because the enemy deliberately released false information, our pace of building ships was often interrupted.

A large number of warships appeared at the same time. It seemed to reduce the cost of building ships, but in fact, it sacrificed performance optimization and increased maintenance costs.

It doesn't matter if it happens once or twice, but the overall performance of the Empire Navy's warships will be pulled down a level by the enemy's despicable means.

If we can't change the passive situation, then we will always be led by the nose by the enemy. Sooner or later, we will have to pay the price. "

There was no other way. They met an opponent like Franz who paid attention to intelligence. Shinra had always kept a close eye on the shipyards.

Based on the information collected, it was almost impossible to understand the core.

Even if they infiltrated, there were more than a dozen shipyards in Shinra that could build large warships, unless there were people in key positions in these factories.

Although Britannia was full of talents, they did not have the luxury to send dozens of senior engineers to be undercover agents.

Ordinary intelligence personnel, even if they became management, would not be able to get specific parameters.

Most of the time, he collected information in a borderline manner and then analyzed it. Unfortunately, these could be faked. Before the ship was launched, no one knew whether it was a merchant ship or a warship.

Similar frauds had happened many times in the past. Because the intelligence was not accurate enough, the Government of London often made misjudgments.

Of course, the inaccuracy of the intelligence was mutual. The British government couldn't figure out the situation of Shenluo's shipbuilding, and the Vienna government also couldn't figure out the parameters of the British warships.

The main reason why the British government was in a passive position was that they were defending the arena, and many things were laid out in the open.

As the challenger, it did not matter how many warships the Shenluo Navy had. After all, they were not a match for the royal navy.

The British couldn't do that. They had to ensure that the Royal Navy had a 100% advantage. Any time they were at a disadvantage, the enemy might take advantage of it.

Under such circumstances, the British government had no choice but to bite the bullet even though they knew that they might be fooled.

The Government of the United Kingdom could only bite the bullet, even if they knew they might be fooled.

It was just that they could be fooled once or twice. If they were continuously fooled, it would be unjustifiable. However, there were only a few knowledgeable people in this world. Most of them didn't know anything.

Many members of parliament thought that these mistakes were made by the Royal Navy in order to cheat ship building funds. Not only did the military have to bear the pressure, but the Ministry of Finance was also the first to bear the brunt. They were often criticized for "wasting taxpayers' money."

The Minister of the Interior, Azevedo, explained, "This is something that can't be helped. The Austrians blocked the news very tightly. Our people can't get close at all.

The Minister of the Interior, Azevedo, explained, "There's nothing we can do about it. The Austrians have sealed off all information. Our people can't even get close.

You have to know that before the hull is formed, there is a chance to change the use. Unless we delay for a few months before making a decision, it is inevitable that we will make a mistake in judgment. "

Not to mention changing the use of the hull before it was formed, even if the main structure was made, it could still be modified.

Not to mention changing the use of the hull before it was formed, even if the main structure was made, it could still be modified.

Warships were expensive not only because of the high construction cost, but also because of the high maintenance cost. In contrast, merchant ships were different. They could create value by themselves.

In this context, Shinra spent money to carry out strategic deception. After the Britannia followed suit, the price they had to pay was ten times more.

So now, the Government of the United Kingdom only cared about the super battleship. The other small warships simply did not care and went directly according to their own rhythm.

Naturally, the Government of the United Kingdom was angry about this unfavorable situation. If it were not for the main force of the Shinra Navy hiding in the Mediterranean Sea, they would have already rushed forward.

Unfortunately, the reality was cruel. The Shinra Navy seemed to be determined to stay in their comfort zone and not come out.

They wanted to provoke, but although the main force of the navy did not move, the land force was more active than anyone else.

Britannia had Shinra's weakness in their hands, and Shinra also had Britannia's weakness in their hands. If they really fought, the final result would most likely be a lose-lose situation.

Politicians were all realistic people. They were living a good life, and no one was willing to risk their entire fortune.

Prime Minister Campbell sighed and said, "It is impossible to delay for a few months and wait for the matter to be confirmed before making a decision.

The Holy Roman Empire is not an ordinary enemy. Their industrial strength is very strong. If they find a loophole and start working on more than a dozen super battleships at once, it will be too late for us to regret it.

Let's make preparations first and let the intelligence personnel confirm as much as possible. If there are no problems found, then we will finalize our ship-building plan as soon as possible.

The situation is not that bad. Other than not being sure if the Austrians are playing tricks, there is also good news.

The Russo-Japanese war has broken out, and the threat of India is temporarily removed. I don't believe the Government of Vienna will not be tempted by such a good opportunity to weaken the Russians.

Don't look at Emperor Franz's solemn promise to do his best to support the allies.

Looking at the past few decades, when did the Russians miss out on any of their foreign wars, and when did they do their best to support them?

Shinra's interests in the Far East are very small. The enthusiasm shown by the Government of Vienna has long exceeded the limits of an ally. There must be a problem here.

The Russians are not fools. They will come back to their senses sooner or later. If Shinra's support is not strong enough and causes them to suffer heavy losses in the war, Russia and Austria will go their separate ways.

If we take the opportunity to manipulate them, it is very likely that they will turn against each other. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be prepared to rope in the Russians. We need a strong ally now. "

If they did not compare, they would not have known. Although Britannia's shipbuilding industry was developed, the number of large shipyards was still very limited. There were even fewer that had the ability to build large warships.

If they really went all out and competed in production, their chances of winning were not high. After all, there was a huge gap in industrial strength between the two sides. No one knew where the limits of Shinra were.

Unknowingly, Britannia had already put themselves in an extremely awkward situation.

Although they were aware of the crisis, life still had to go on. Whether the hegemony would fall or not, it would be determined on the battlefield.

"Flowers don't bloom for a hundred days, people don't have a thousand days of happiness."

The situation was getting more and more serious. What the Government of the United Kingdom could do now was to continue the glory of Britannia as much as possible and not let the glory fall in their hands.

Of course, while the situation was not good, the British Empire was still very powerful. It was far from being at the end of its tether.

The main reason for being in a passive position was the lack of strong fighters on the European continent. It was difficult to gather the general trend of anti- Shinra.

The French could not be counted on. The Russians had become Britannia's only hope. However, "hope" was also not very reliable. Even if they formed an alliance, the possibility of a backlash was very high.

Now that they had to pick a general from the short, they could only "choose the long from the short." No matter how unreliable the Russians were, they were still more useful than the European continent's fence-sitters.

With the United Kingdom and Russia taking the lead, the anti-" Shinra "alliance almost had the foundation to be born. Together with the United States, Japan, Chile, Colombia, and other countries, the lineup was almost enough.

Even if they could not destroy Shinra, they could still continue the hegemony of Britannia for many years. At least in their generation, the hegemony could be maintained.

Foreign Affairs Minister Adam Wenjiard: "Don't worry, Prime Minister. We have done what we can. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already expressed goodwill to the Russians through a third party. Unfortunately, the Tsarist government did not buy it.

Now they still have illusions about Shinra. Especially after getting a loan from the Government of Vienna, the Russians do not take us seriously.

It is not a matter of a day to change the political position of the Tsarist government. I hope this war can wake them up. "

Although he was complaining, it could be seen from the smile on his face that Wen Jiard was not angry.

The United Kingdom and Russia were originally enemies. Now that Britannia was supporting their enemy, the Japanese, as long as the Tsarist government was not stupid, they would know what to do.

Wen Jiard knew that it was impossible, but he still did it. Naturally, it was not that he wanted to make things difficult for himself.

From the beginning, the Government of the United Kingdom did not expect to release so-called "goodwill" to ease the relationship with Russia.

The main purpose of using a third party as a transit was to inform the Russians and let the Tsarist government understand that other than the Holy Roman Empire, they had another choice. They did not want to go down the same path as Shinra.

"Turning an enemy into a friend" was never a simple thing. This was true between people, and the same was true between countries. It required the right time, the right place, and the right people.

Now the British Foreign Affairs only planted a seed in the hearts of the Russians. As for whether it could take root and sprout, it would depend on the future development of the situation.

…

While the British were taking action, the Government of Vienna was not idle. Although they did not form alliances everywhere, they were also strengthening the relationship with their existing allies.

With the excuse of sanctioning Britannia's unauthorized violation of free trade, under the call of the Government of Vienna, on April 26, 1904, the Third World Economic Summit was held in Vienna.

The scene was intense, but unfortunately, the word "world" did not live up to its name. Except for the European countries who sent their influential figures to participate, most of the other countries were just dealing with the matter.

The three words "fence-sitters" were vividly and vividly used in the historical romance.

There was nothing to be angry about. This was expected. In this world where the weak were prey to the strong, small countries were always precarious. It could be said that every time they chose a side, it was a choice of fate.

If they did not choose the fence-sitter, then grass would grow on their graves. In order to survive, everyone could only rely on the strong.

To be able to send someone to attend the meeting was already giving him face. Those who sent important figures to participate could basically be default to "choose a side."

In a sense, this Vienna Economic Summit was another verification of geopolitics.

The European countries supported Shinra. On the one hand, they were optimistic that Shinra could win, but more importantly, they had no other choice.

If they did not participate in the meeting, what if they were treated as the British's accomplices and punished together?

This was considered lucky. They were afraid that before the war for hegemony broke out, the Government of Vienna would clear the place in advance and get rid of them first.

As for offending the British, there was no other way. Everyone could only try to find a way to remedy it.

If Franz guessed correctly, at the same time as the delegation set off, there was also a secret delegation rushing to London.

Knowing was one thing, but one should be confused when it was time to be confused. It was human nature to weigh the pros and cons. Everyone was only playing this game for survival.

Franz never had much expectation for these allies. It was enough as long as these guys could wave the flag and cheer for him during normal times and not cause trouble at critical times.

The hegemony struggle still had to be done by themselves. Even if they won by relying on allies, their foundation would not be stable.

When friends came, they had to receive them. Franz was fine. As the oldest person in the world of European monarchs, he had enough privileges.

Being able to show up at the welcoming banquet was already giving everyone enough face. Anything more than that was out of the question.

In contrast, Frederick The Great was tragic. As the crown prince of the empire, he was the center of attention wherever he went. There was a group of people surrounding him every day.

However, in the face of these uninvited guests, Frederick The Great could not just dismiss them at will. He could only bite the bullet and go out to socialize.

Looking at his somewhat haggard son, Franz did not know what to say. It seemed that back then, he was also …

Well, this comparison was not suitable. The situation was completely different. Franz succeeded the throne as soon as he came of age.

The emperor and the crown prince were different. Because of the difference in status, the way and methods of doing things were also different.

"Postpone the socializing later if you can. Don't attend all the banquets. It is not necessary.

If you really can't put down your pride, let your cousins deal with it. Don't bear everything yourself. "

Frankly speaking, Franz was also responsible for Frederick The Great being so busy. If he had not sent his other sons overseas, Frederick The Great would not be so tired.

Although "cousins" were also direct members of the House of Habsburg, their status was a notch lower, and the meaning they represented was different.

Disregarding everything else, it was obvious from the title alone. Even if the emperor's son was not the crown prince, he would still have the title of Grand Duke. However, the son of a Grand Duke might not necessarily be a Grand Duke.

Especially after the completion of the reform of the aristocratic system, some nephews who had not completed the gilding process might only have the title of Lord.

Of course, the aristocratic world did not only look at the title, but also the family name behind it.

Although it would be a slight to let these little guys join the battle, Franz believed that they were all his friends and wouldn't mind such a small flaw.

Sensing the reproach in his father's voice, Frederick explained, "I know, father. I will be careful. It's mainly because a few old friends that I haven't seen for years are here, so I have more time to socialize. "

Hearing the word "friends," Franz felt uncomfortable. After coming to this world for so many years, he had everything except for friends.

There was no other way. The world of a monarch was lonely. When he was young, Franz was particularly mature and could not hang out with his peers.

While everyone was still studying and playing, he had already become the emperor. The difference in their statuses further increased the distance between them.

Needless to say, the older generation was all sly. They had to be wary of being schemed against, let alone "friends."

There are gains and losses. There is no such thing as perfection in this world. If Frederick The Great had not mentioned it, Franz would have almost forgotten the word "friends."

After coming back to his senses, Franz waved his hand and said, "Alright, it's good that you know what you're doing.

This economic summit is just a formality. It's best if we can reach a few economic agreements, but if we can't, don't force it.

The focus of the next work is to "build ships." Although we released fake news, I don't think we can fool them for a few days.

The next step is to compare speed with the British. Whoever has a warship in service first will have the advantage in the battle for hegemony.

You have to pay more attention to the shipyards. Speed up the progress as much as possible without affecting the quality. "

To fight for hegemony on the sea, it's natural to have dumplings. Several major shipyards of the Holy Roman Empire have begun to operate.

Such a big movement naturally can't be kept secret, and Franz didn't expect to keep it a secret.

Releasing a smoke bomb to disrupt the judgment of the British was mainly to provide material for the British Parliament to quarrel.

There were many versions of the number of ships to be built. No matter which one the British believed, they would have to discuss it for a few days.

Making an immediate decision was not in line with the basic national conditions of Britannia. Even if the government could reach an agreement, the Parliament would have to quarrel a few times.

For the Holy Roman Empire who wanted to race against time, every day was crucial. Every day that they fought for would increase the chances of the Navy winning.