Chapter 1088: Not Giving a Chance (Big Chapter)

  Chapter 1067: Not Giving a Chance (Big Chapter)
With the commissioning of the Roma, the smell of gunpowder in the world immediately intensified. The relationship between the two giants, Shen Luo and Britannia, is tense, and all the countries are afraid of being involved in it accidentally, being stirred to pieces.

Then, an interesting scene appeared. After the Vienna and London governments announced their shipbuilding programs, kicking off a naval arms race, the countries of the world turned a deaf ear.

Not to mention follow the construction of “super battleships”, even the conventional warships are few countries to set up projects. It is as if everyone has made up their minds to fight this “arms race” with ignorance.

Thinking about it, the superiority of Shinra and Britannia has long been established. The naval strength of any one of them is stronger than the three, four, five or six countries behind them combined.

The gap is so wide, no matter how much struggle is useless, then simply resigned to fate. In any case, how can not turn the plate, why go up to give themselves a bad time?
The most important thing is that everyone wants to follow the trend, but there is no way to follow. Britain and Shen Luo’s industry is strong, can build a super battleship, does not mean that other countries can also.

Other problems not to mention, just the power system this piece, we can not handle.

Don’t look at “Rome” power system power has reached 23,000 horsepower, think power technology has been very developed, in fact, the vast majority of warships using the power system, the power is less than 10,000 horsepower.

The original space-time Americans built the South Carolina-class battleships, equipped with compound steam engine power, the power is only 16,500 horsepower.

That has been ten years later, right now at this juncture, steam turbine technology breakthrough, only Britain and Shen Luo.

Power can’t keep up, means speed can’t keep up. You can’t catch up with the enemy when you can win, and you can’t run away from the enemy when you can’t win. There was no point in having a snail-class battleship other than wasting resources.

Not only was the power technology substandard, but the armament, fire control, armor, and a host of other technologies were all challenges that prevented everyone from moving into the age of the dreadnought.

Of course, if a country is rich and generous, completely regardless of wear and tear, cost, rely on money to smash is also able to smash out.

Unfortunately, it is now 1900, which is not suitable for the survival of tycoons at all. Wealthy and technologically backward, that is the dish of the great powers, there is no opportunity to smash the development of money.

There is no follower, so that this arms race has become eclipsed. Originally wanted to rely on the export of dreadnought technology, make a fortune Franz greatly disappointed.

There is no way, these days the countries of the world are still too poor. Simply can not afford to play with such expensive toys, can only let the British and Austrians two tycoons play.

Even the ambitious tsarist government, after learning the construction cost of the “Rome”, have been silent, let alone other countries.

I do not know whether it is because no one to support the show, so that the British and Austrian two performers greatly disappointed, in the next competition, both governments are more time to talk, take practical action less.

The kind of today you announced to build two ships, tomorrow I announced to build three ships, the day after tomorrow you announced to build four ships of the scene, did not happen.

The Vienna government announced a “five ships in five years” program, and the London government only came with a “seven ships in five years” program. Including the “Rome” already in service, the gap between the two countries is only one ship.

The British pressed forward, but did not gain an absolute advantage. After all, the Shen Luo Navy is mainly nested in the Mediterranean Sea, has the geographic advantage.

In the competition between the two governments, the two governments have maintained “restraint”, which is a great disappointment to the audience, but also followed by a sigh of relief.

Want the British and Austrian bad luck, but hope that the two countries immediately started the war, but there are not many. Especially a group of small countries in Europe, but also worried about the two “devil fight” spilled over these mortals.

The scene is not intense enough, in the final analysis, or Britain and Austria’s competition is not white-hot. The conflict between the two countries is mainly centered on the hegemony, the core interest focus on the currency.

Shield and the British pound of the world’s currency struggle, from twenty years ago on the prelude, although not able to distinguish between victory and defeat, but the scope of their respective interests is basically delineated.

Generally speaking, the European continent, Africa, the Middle East, the South Seas and other regions are the circulation area of the S.D.A.; while the Americas, South Asia, the Far East and other regions are dominated by the pound sterling.

In addition to the struggle for monetary hegemony, in overseas trade Britain and Austria have not been less conflict, only the fight is not so fierce.

Because of the industrial structure, the current trade pattern is: British industrial and commercial products in the textile industry and other traditional areas of dominance; and Shen Luo in the emerging industries, agricultural processing and other areas of the upper hand.

As for colonial strife, on the contrary, it is not worth mentioning. Shen Luo did not expand into India, and the British did not expand their sphere of influence in Africa, neither breaking through the other’s bottom line.

Conflicts can be accumulated, and the fact that the immediate conflict of interest is not big enough does not mean that the future conflict of interest will not be big enough.

Time is on his side, Franz has enough patience to wait, it is the British who should be anxious.

Of course, with Britain’s special system, it is estimated that the top levels of the London government will not be too worried.

A “potential threat” is still a “potential”. For politicians, as long as the mine does not explode during their term of office, everything is negotiable.

Whoever is in power is the same, the continuation of the glory of the “Victorian era” is far more important than the early pierce the windowpaper to eliminate the “potential” threat.

More importantly, because the Holy Roman Empire, this “potential threat” to Britain’s threat is too great, just as a person suffering from “terminal cancer”.

It’s easy to get into surgery, but hard to get off the operating table. If you win the bet, you can live a few more years, but it is more likely that you will be paralyzed in a hospital bed for the rest of your life.

On the contrary, conservative treatment, can live and drag on for a period of time. Although the back is definitely finished, but that is also the back.

Times are moving so fast, it’s possible that just in the last few months, medical technology suddenly breaks through.

Now the British government, most likely this is what they think. On the one hand, it is trying to find ways to contain and suppress Shinra, but on the other hand, it doesn’t want to tear its face off directly, waiting for the international situation to change.

……

No matter how many calculations there are, the days always have to pass. The cabinet government, which has been in charge of the Vienna government for more than twenty years, finally ushered in the curtain call in this year.

This time there is no need for Franz to retain, the aging body has not allowed this group of old ministers to continue to fight for this empire, a change is necessary.

“Change of government” is a major event in any country, and Shinra is naturally no exception.

In a sense, the fact that the arms competition had not expanded was not unrelated to this change of government.

Before the new leadership came out, the Vienna government’s top priority was to sort out its internal affairs, and it simply didn’t have the time to go around making things happen.

The same applies to Britain, where the London government had just completed a general election a few months earlier. Only this time the Brits didn’t fold and the London government guys won re-election.

……

Vienna Palace, Franz is savoring the art in the artifact gallery. Of course, this is an outsider’s view, but personally, Franz feels that the term “artsy-fartsy” is more apt.

“Art”, this kind of high things, is not ordinary people can taste out. Even Franz once suspected that this thing is the elite class deliberately pounded out, harvesting outbreaks of leeks in a way.

Doubtful as doubtful, Franz did not have the intention to look deeper. As the top of the ruling class, he held a very large tolerance for anything favorable to rule.

Despite the lack of artistic cells and average creative talent, this did not prevent Franz from becoming a great artist.

Thanks to the Emperor’s special status, as long as his name was attached to it, whether it was calligraphy, or painting, or any other artifact, it would be turned into a work of art.

Franz had no doubt that his own scribblings could be sold at a sky-high price.

Just think about it, as a rich emperor, Franz was not reduced to the point of selling his works. Even if there were occasional works that went out, they were still given away.

Rarity is precious, once the number of any artwork is large, it will not be worth much. Worthless is a small matter, the key is to go down the style.

As the emperor, Franz can not care about the price of the works, but the compulsion absolutely can not be lost.

Looking at Franz leisurely waving the pen and ink, practicing calligraphy on the paper, Frederick, who hurriedly came, was instantly bad.

In order to change the government, he is the Crown Prince is about to be busy, however, the rightful owner is like nothing, who will be unbalanced in his heart.

Unbalanced also can not help, a “exercise your ability”, is enough to block all his words.

Too late to rest, Frederick panted and said: “Father, this is the final list of alternatives. There are forty-six in total, with three to five candidates for each position in the cabinet.”

“Well!”

“Put it down first, and find yourself a place to rest until I have finished.”

Franz replied carelessly.

“Okay.”

The scene that took place in front of his eyes forced Frederick to accept the reality that the hardworking emperor of old was no longer there.

Recalling his former memories, Frederick snapped to the realization that in the depths of his own memory, it appeared that he had never seen his father busy.

Even if he occasionally needed to work overtime, it was during special times. During normal times, Franz was a stickler for the four-hour workday and took unscheduled vacations.

Frederick had never understood why his father, who was so idle, had become the representative of “hard work”.

After a while, the work was finally completed, only to see Franz put away the pen, move his shins for a while, and then opened the document to browse up.

“Not bad, the candidate’s information is perfect enough, the evaluation given is also very pertinent, did not let the indiscriminate people mixed in.

It seems that you usually do your homework well, these candidates are all top choices in terms of both their political achievements and their political maneuvers.

Whoever you like better, just put their names in front of them, and at the next imperial meeting, just nominate them for election.”

Unlike the election of government leaders in other countries during the same time period, Shen Luo’s popularity was still the nomination of the emperor and the election by vote of the Imperial Council.

There were two qualification criteria for the candidates, firstly, they had sufficient political achievements and superior political skills, and secondly, they had to be politically committed members of the royalist party.

Especially the second point is particularly important, ability to lack a little bit is acceptable, but any political flaws, that can not be tolerated.

The Holy Roman Empire was so big that the last thing it lacked was capable officials. According to the provisions of the constitution of the Holy Roman, the emperor nominated the cabinet candidates, high officials and above officials can be.

From the big hundreds of people to select a cabinet government, almost also one in a hundred, the choice is completely large enough.

Those who can climb to this position are not stupid. Lack of ability has long been in the front of the competition, has been pulled down.

Are the main government over a side of the main, no matter who in the cabinet government, can guarantee the normal operation of the government.

Otherwise such an important work, Franz would not have been ignored, all handed over to Frederick in charge.

After so many years of hard work, the small states within the territory of God Luo, also by Franz pull together almost. Individuals who are disgruntled do not dare to act out due to the general situation.

Just look at the Imperial Council, where Franz personally took out the proposal, has never been rejected.

Hearing that all of them were given to his own responsibility, Frederick asked incredulously, “All of the candidates were given to me to determine, isn’t it a little too …… much?”

Not waiting for Frederick to finish his sentence, Franz waved his hand and interrupted, “Not so much some. Sooner or later, you will be responsible for these tasks, but now it is just a little bit earlier.

Now you need to do is, as far as possible to elect the best government team, smooth realization of the transition of power over.

On top of that, you need to keep an eye on the international situation. In recent times, the number of laborers being shipped from France to Russia has decreased dramatically.

It looks like the Siberian Railway has enough laborers. If I’m right, it won’t be long before the Russians withdraw their troops from France.

At this point, I guess the Czar’s government has come to its senses. The French reparations are a moon in the water.

You can see it, but you can’t touch it.

France has been tossed, there is not enough benefit, the tsarist government will not die in France.

Whether the Czarist government wanted to move south or east, there was no point in continuing the garrison in France.

If it were not for the Siberian Railroad, it is estimated that they would have retreated two years earlier. It has been very hard to drag it out until now.

The Russian army can be withdrawn, but the gap left by the withdrawal of the Russian army must be filled by some means.

France was a large country with a long historical legacy. Despite the heavy blows they had suffered in recent years, their arrogance had not dissipated.

In the past years, the French have been entangled with us for hundreds of years, and it was with great difficulty that we were able to hold them down, so we absolutely cannot let them rise in the east.

The bad things the Russians have helped to do, the next thing we need to do is to spread the anti-war ideology in France, and when we’re done wearing down their fighting spirit, we can return to normal.”

It’s easy to defeat a great power, it’s hard to bring it down. The more traditional and culturally rich a country was, the harder it was to bring down.

After tossing and turning for so many years, the French still hadn’t given up their resistance. It caused the Russians to be on the verge of collapse. If the Vienna government had not borne the military expenses, the Tsarist government would have been dragged down.

However, the reality was cruel. The stronger the French showed their will to resist, the more the Anti-French Alliance could not let them succeed.

This was the time when the advantage of having many allies was manifested. No matter how much France was tossed around, there was no need to trigger the international community to intervene.

The Russian army had already done what it should have done and what it should not have done. Violence has been used, and now it’s time for politics.

Whether the French elite wants to accept it or not, as long as it is not harmlessly disposed of, France will not be able to return to normalcy.

Only when the anti-war ideology becomes the mainstream of society and the wrongfulness of waging a war of aggression is recognized can France become a normal country.

Of course, garrisoning and limiting armament was still indispensable. Franz did not want the French to arm themselves again and cause trouble for themselves.

That, in fact, the Russian army did just fine. Send all the opponents to God, and get all the young laborers of the implicated families to Siberia to work on the railroad.

Although the French hated the French with a gnashing of teeth, but under the bloody suppression of the Russian army, at the end of the day, they were not able to make a big wave.

There is no way, the mountainous area of France is too small. Bumping into a Russian general who likes to prevent the burning of mountains, the survival of the guerrillas is really not much space.

In the past few years, because of setting fire to the mountains, the Russian army had to consume hundreds of thousands of tons of fuel every year. If it wasn’t for the fact that Shinra was the world’s number one oil producer, such consumption wouldn’t really be able to withstand it.

According to the current situation, the Russian army would be able to burn their way through the forest sooner or later.

There is a successful case in, followed by follow the example of learning is. Anyway, God Luo other may not necessarily more, but the oil must be more.

And do not need to really burn the mountain, as long as to make a gesture to scare the gang of intellectuals, cut off their thoughts on the line.

Frederick reacted, uncertainly asked: “To once again divide France?”

Not Frederick think much, the main thing is that France has been weakened in recent years, not only the economy is in a mess, the domestic population is also a sharp decline.

The Vienna government wants to continue to divide France, as long as it pulls in a few allies, the success rate that is quite high.

Franz sternly replied: “Don’t think nonsense, after the continental war has liquidated France once. Now to make another wave, on what basis to make people convinced?

Unless you want to go out in the future and be assassinated every day. Otherwise, when you do something like this, you have to have a reasonable reason that can convince most people.

Besides, without France. Do you think Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Sardinia, etc., will still be so dependent on us?”

It was a common rule in European society to cede land and pay for damages after losing a battle. Not to mention that what was taken was still the homeland of Shinra, which was completely justifiable in legal terms.

Even if the French held a grudge in their hearts, they could slowly digest and accept it. Together with the Russians as the big BOSS who pulled the hatred, there were not many people who put the blame on the Habsburg Dynasty.

If now another wave of division, then there is no way to say. It is estimated that the French are one to count, all will hate the Holy Roman Empire to death, assassinate the emperor’s warriors certainly less.

Unless he was able to take out all of these guys, Franz truly didn’t dare to go out. Although he has many guards, but always walk by the river, who can guarantee not to wet his shoes?

The existence of the anti-French alliance is centered on the “French threat theory”, without the common enemy of France, people’s hearts will soon be scattered.

(End of chapter)