Chapter 108: The Most Suitable Country to be an Ally

  Chapter 108 – The Most Suitable Country to be an Ally

To the opening of colonies, Franz was also very interested. However, his view was different from the others, and it wasn’t simply to plunder wealth from overseas.

The Habsburg dynasty had existed for too long, and the old empire meant conservatism and solidification, and even if there was a reshuffle because of this rebellion, the avenue of upward mobility was still narrow.

As a member of a vested interest, Franz certainly could not choose to push back. The only way then was to make the cake bigger, and with a bigger plate naturally came more opportunities.

Expansion in Europe is too difficult, even if successful the aftermath is not small, overseas colonization is different, with Austria’s strength to get a share of the pie, there is no problem.

Almost do not have to spend too much cost, you can get the mainland several times the size of the colony. Then slowly develop from the German region immigrants, to know that now the main force of the European immigrants is the German region, not worried about manpower problems.

If the colonization plan is successful, Austria’s internal problems are also solved. A group of second-generation aristocrats also have a use for them, saving them from staying behind and waiting for death.

Don’t think that nobles are all rich people, in fact this is pure bullshit. Just look at the church, many of the missionaries and nuns in it are of noble origin, the reason is very cruel is – poor.

The downtrodden nobles could no longer afford the expenses of their second son’s marriage, and could not afford to pay the dowry of their women’s marriages, so for the sake of their poor noble dignity, they had to do so.

These people are not provincial goods, they have received a good education, and many of them are not willing to be subjected to fate, the main force of the colonization movement in European countries is them.

The missionaries who were hanging around overseas in the 19th century, they basically had to be something else – colonizers.

It was too early to discuss this, and Franz decided to put it off a bit longer.

“We will discuss this issue later. British Foreign Secretary Palmerston has already entered Austria and will not be long before he arrives in Vienna.

The purpose of Palmerston’s visit is most likely related to the war in the Sardinian Kingdom, what do you all think we should do about the Sardinian Kingdom?”

Mention of the Sardinian Kingdom crowd have a bellyful of fire, the powers are dignified, for the challenge that must be severely punished.

Foreign Minister Metternich opened his mouth and said, “Your Highness, just got the news, June 23rd Paris broke out workers’ uprising, it is said that because the French workers opposed the government to support us and the Russians to suppress the Polish revolution.

If this is true, I’m afraid that at this time the French government will have to give up dividing the Kingdom of Sardinia with us in order to maintain domestic stability.”

Upon hearing this news, everyone was stunned. Who could have thought that the main factor of the June Revolution in Paris was actually to support the Polish Revolution?

It was a joke to say this out loud, but Franz knew that this news was indeed true, and that the people of Paris in this era already possessed the spirit of internationalism.

Of course just because they supported the Polish revolution did not mean that they would also support the Italian revolution, the French still spied on the Italian regions.

Only after this uprising, France was going to be in internal chaos for a while longer. Don’t expect them to send troops until their leadership stabilizes.

“This is an opportunity, Russia and Prussia are holding each other back because of the Pudan War and won’t create an obstacle for us, the French are preoccupied with their own affairs, as long as we can withstand the pressure from the British, we can annex the Kingdom of Sardinia!” Archduke Louis said excitedly

Austria hadn’t expanded abroad for too long, everyone was suffocating, now the opportunity was delivered to the door, the Sardinian Kingdom was looking for its own death this time, catching up with the good times.

Metternich shook his head and said, “I’m afraid it’s not that simple, if the French and us act jointly, then it creates an established fact, and the countries will most likely just recognize it.

If we take Sardinia alone, even if the Russians don’t object, we won’t get their support, and Prussia is busy with the war with Denmark and most likely won’t be able to care about us.

We will be able to withstand the pressure of the British alone, but what about the annexation of Sardinia?

When the French have resolved their internal conflicts, and the Russian-Prussian conflict has ended, then Britain and France will jointly intervene, or even Britain, France, Prussia and Russia will jointly intervene and demand that we withdraw from the Kingdom of Sardinia, then what should we do?”

Obviously, Metternich’s diplomatic judgment was still very accurate, easily running through the veins of the relationship between the powers.

Not interfering now is not the same as not interfering in the future, Austria’s annexation of the Kingdom of Sardinia is not recognized by the Great Powers.

When everyone frees up their hands and passes, they can still settle scores. Historically, Austria took advantage of the Crimean War to send troops to occupy the Danube River Basin, but in the end did not also spit it out?

Prime Minister Felix nodded and said: ”Mr. Metternich is right, it is not difficult to eat the Sardinian Kingdom, the key is the attitude of the countries.

If we make diplomatic efforts, it is not difficult to neutralize Prussia and Russia, but to gain their support, we have to spend a big price, and it may even be more than we can afford.

The attitude of the French is clear to everyone, they will never tolerate us to monopolize the Kingdom of Sardinia, and when they have stabilized their country they will intervene with the British.

This time is as long as two or three years, or as short as a few months, do we have the certainty that we can eat the Kingdom of Sardinia in such a short period of time and digest it?

If we can’t do that, by that time, surrounded by strong enemies outside and guerrillas ravaging inside, the newly occupied territories won’t be able to hold on at all.”

After a pause, Minister of Finance Karl proposed, “If we can’t annex Sardinia, then how about extorting a war indemnity or ceding part of the territory?”

Metternich said confidently, “This depends on the attitude of the British, whether it is to demand war reparations or cede territory, the Kingdom of Sardinia must pay its fair share.

If we can’t make up for our war losses, then this war won’t end, I believe the British will give us an explanation.”

This confidence comes from strength, and there is a set of code of conduct between the powers, and usually people don’t flip the table.

The British had the advantage of being alone overseas and a navy that spanned the world, giving them a supreme position in Europe.

Again this was their weakness, as an island nation, focusing on the development of sea power, naturally giving up land power, to implement the strategy of European balance, they needed to cooperate with the European powers.

Among the many European powers, the most suitable ally for the British now was undoubtedly Austria. To be precise, Austria in this era had the basis for an alliance with any of the European powers.

It had a certain amount of strength in itself to cooperate with the actions of its allies, and was constrained by internal problems and lacked the power to dominate the world.

For Britain, France and Russia, three countries aspiring to world hegemony, as long as Austria did not unify the German region, it was the ideal ally.

(End of chapter)