Chapter 1117: Declining Expectations
Chapter 1096 – Declining Expectations
Not able to achieve the purpose, Lloyd George can only sigh: the world is changing too fast, the French government is not good at fooling.
Unlike the pro-British Bonaparte dynasty, the Bourbon Restoration and the British government is not a dime. Even to avoid suspicion, the Carlos government deliberately distanced itself from the British.
With the facts in front of us, no matter how much benefit Lloyd George promised, it could not cover up the ultra-high risk of participating in the War Against Shinra.
France was now greatly wounded, and the family wealth accumulated over hundreds of years of colonial empire had been depleted, so it simply did not have the capital to go against Shinra.
The country could not afford to be tossed around, and the king could not afford to be tossed around even more. Although the Bourbon dynasty is orthodox, but in the middle of a few times by the strong dragon meddling, the foundation of the rule is far from as solid as the outside world sees.
If it were not for the blindness of the previous government and the scourge of the Russians, the people of Paris would have been afraid of the “revolution”.
Otherwise, given the current economic situation in France, it is estimated that the Carlos government would have been ousted long ago.
I have to admit that it is easier for people to mature when they are beaten by society. After a series of failures, the middle-aged teenagers in France are almost extinct.
Without these cannon fodder mainstays, the revolutionaries have fallen silent. There’s no way around it, this happens to be the time when the population is most anti-revolutionary, and there’s simply no basis for a revolt.
No one is a fool. The troops of the Anti-French League are still stationed in France. A rebellion at this time would not only be against the Carlos government, but also against the Antifa.
Smart people can see that it is meaningless to revolt now, except for losing one’s life.
As for the fools who can’t understand the current situation, they have already died, and even those who managed to escape will not be able to make it.
The most important thing is that after Carlos came to power, although the domestic economy did not have much color, but the population of France has been greatly reduced.
The population has decreased, the per capita share of resources will naturally increase, everyone’s life will go on.
Experienced the war to know the preciousness of peace, was tossed afraid of the French people, now want to live a few days of peace. Even if life was hard, it was still better than being displaced.
In the social background of the people’s hearts and minds, the internal situation of France, on the contrary, quickly stabilized.
Did not fool the French, Lloyd George was very disappointed, but now he did not have time to be sad. This trip to Europe was not just for a France.
In addition to the Holy Roman Empire, which is 100% certain to be the enemy, all European countries are the object of the British government’s solicitation.
Although geopolitical influence, want to pull people over unrealistic, but play a “in the camp in the heart of Han” is also good.
Do not ask countries to stand on their own side, as long as to make everyone in the battle for hegemony to remain neutral, or passive, for Britain is a great victory.
It was not hopeless to achieve this. Just because the countries of Europe are now attached to the Holy Roman Empire doesn’t mean that everyone is really willing.
No one likes to have a “mother-in-law” in charge, and if possible, everyone would prefer to go back to the era of multiple powers.
If the Holy Roman Empire seized the world hegemony, that is the real meaning of “one big”, countries can only prostrate in the behemoth under the trembling.
The Vienna government now pays attention to the appearance of food, does not mean that after the dominance of the family still pay attention to the appearance of food, no one is willing to bet on the integrity of the Vienna government.
After all, governments need to change. Franz era is a special social background, must pay attention to eating, retained the basic temperament, but this does not mean that the next era also have temperament.
If it were not for the previous play too slippery, using the war against France to leap forward, I guess the anti-Austrian alliance would have been established long ago.
From this aspect, the Holy Roman Empire can rise, France is also a great credit.
If it was not for their bullishness and coaxing in the front to pull hatred, affecting the judgment of the countries, the rise of the Holy Roman Empire is definitely not so smooth.
Perhaps Lloyd George was born with a life of labor, his name begins with “Lloyd”, and now he is even running all over the world as a British envoy.
Unlike later generations of convenient transportation, although there are also airplanes these days, but politicians basically do not dare to sit.
The most luxurious train, the average speed can not catch up with the latter-day green train. The fastest and most comfortable is naturally the special train, but unfortunately Lloyd George can not enjoy this level of treatment.
The identity of the British plenipotentiary envoy to foreign countries can scare a piece of people overseas, but in mainland Europe, many people do not give a damn about him.
Every country has a special train waiting, if Edward VII personally visited, it is more or less.
Long hours in the car, obviously not a kind of enjoyment. Fortunately, most of the European countries are some small countries, if each one is like God Luo, Russia, Lloyd George must be suffocated crazy.
Front in the cause of the British Empire, the rear is not idle. In order to military budget issues, the British Parliament has held seven meetings.
As of now, the Royal Navy with the total tonnage ratio of the Shinra Navy, remains at 10:6.5, battleship tonnage ratio is also as high as 4:3, only in the super battleships above no advantage.
Now that the Vienna government has increased the budget by 100 million Shendun (equivalent to 50 million pounds), the Royal Navy wants to continue to maintain the current advantage, at least 70 million pounds will have to be increased.
This figure does not sound large, but in fact it is very damaging. It is important to know that the annual revenue of the British Isles is less than 100 million pounds.
Even if you count the colonial revenue, this is still an astronomical figure. Once this military budget is passed, nothing else is certain, the British government is definitely going to have a fiscal deficit this year.
If you add the original military budget, then this year’s Royal Navy’s military budget directly exceeded 100 million pounds, have caught up with the original time and space arms race is the most intense time.
Of course, now is also the most intense arms race, the difference only lies in the lack of the previous warm-up, directly over to the final session.
This kind of play without preliminaries, directly compete for the final overall champion, the British obviously not adapt, at least the parliament did not react.
Many people are wondering if this is the Royal Navy and the Shinra Navy are singing a “double act” in order to cheat the huge military budget.
Similar things have happened before. Although the British and Austrian navies have never really hooked up, but when asking for military spending, they all tacitly raised the “threat theory”.
Once, twice, three times, four times ……, happened more often, fell in the eyes of the people who have the heart, it is no longer a coincidence.
The original time and space have spread the news of the British and German Navy joint fraudulent military expenditure, now another rumor of the British and Austrian Navy joint fraudulent military expenditure, it is not a big deal.
Under normal circumstances, everyone would not believe it, but there are still abnormal circumstances aren’t there.
The British government is rich and powerful, but that doesn’t mean they have unlimited funds. When you spend more on the military, you are bound to compress other areas of spending.
Behind every MP is an interest group backing them up. Some people will benefit from an increase in the Navy’s military budget, and likewise some people will lose out.
Interests are no-brainers, and opposition for the sake of opposition is completely normal operation.
What’s more, Shen Luo’s shipbuilding program had made a cover-up, and everyone had every reason to suspect that this was something the enemy had intentionally staged to lure them into a trap.
It was important to realize that an increase in the navy’s military budget was never a one-time investment. After the warships had been commissioned, there were annual increases in maintenance costs.
Similarly, the British government has already fallen for more than once. Anyway, the Royal Navy does not dare to kill into the Mediterranean Sea, the Vienna government is not at all afraid to play the collapse.
Look at the total tonnage of warships compared to know, in the past a long period of time, the total tonnage of the two navies are maintained in the ratio of 10:7, the results now become 10:6.5.
Seemingly little change in the ratio, but the actual toss out of all the money. Especially the Royal Navy also sealed a large number of legal warships, otherwise the total tonnage gap between the two sides will be even more disparate.
Originally, the total tonnage lead is a good thing, meaning that the Royal Navy’s hegemony is unbreakable. Unfortunately, with the advent of the “Super Battleship Era”, all this changed.
After seeing the combat power of super battleships, the Royal Navy suddenly realized that “warships are obsolete”.
Overnight, the naval revolution technology outbreak, in front of the super battleship, the traditional types of warships have become children’s toys.
Along with the reshuffling of the navy, the Royal Navy’s overwhelming advantage over the Shinra Navy gradually disappeared.
Seeing the Minister of Navy being sprayed by the legislators, Prime Minister Campbell was somewhat unable to sit still. According to the current situation of bickering like this, it was estimated that the enemy was hitting the door, and they hadn’t even made a decision.
“Silence!”
“Please observe the order of the meeting and prohibit personal attacks.”
The Speaker’s voice rang out, and order was temporarily restored to the venue. It could be seen that everyone was still very self-respecting, and it didn’t turn into a “shrew’s curse” after all.
However, this was all temporary, basically every meeting, the Speaker needed to remind a few times.
This is still the upper house, the members of the parliament are all of noble origin, most of them are able to restrain their emotions, the lower house is even more lively.
Quarreling can only be regarded as child’s play, staged all martial arts are happening from time to time.
There is a saying that has been circulating in the British folklore: “To be a qualified member of parliament, not only do you need to be able to speak well, but you also need to have a good body.”
Seeing that the scene had quieted down, Prime Minister Campbell: “Gentlemen, the situation has become very critical.
The Imperial Council of the Holy Roman Empire, last month, approved an increase in the Navy’s military budget, and now all of the major shipyards in Shinra have begun work.
According to the intelligence we have gathered, the number of super battleships currently under construction is as high as 13.
I’m sure everyone is aware of what this means. Ordinary warships simply do not have the vitality to survive in front of a super battleship.
If we don’t follow up immediately, once we allow the enemy to put these warships into service, the Royal Navy’s advantage will be wiped out.
With Shinra’s ambition, it will surely not let go of this opportunity to challenge us.
Although I have full confidence in the Royal Navy, even if the warships are lagging behind in performance, our officers and men will be able to overcome the strong with the weak by virtue of their professionalism.
However, this will require a very painful price to pay and will give other countries an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
As an island nation, we must always ensure the superiority of sea power, and we cannot afford to slow down for a moment.”
Mentioning the “Shinra Imperial Council”, Campbell was secretly envious. It was also a parliament, but the difference between the two was too great.
The fastest it took for the Shen Luo Imperial Council to make a decision was only a few hours, and the slowest it took was no more than half a month.
Such efficiency, that was something that the British Parliament would never be able to achieve.
If it is not because the parliament can not pass, Campbell wants to follow the Holy Roman Empire in the “parliamentary law” to increase the efficiency of the provisions, mandatory provisions of the parliament must be made within a certain period of time to make decisions.
Just think about it, the Holy Roman Empire Parliament only how many members, the British Parliament and how many people, the two are not comparable.
Many people are powerful, but many people will also be forced to “lower the wisdom”. I’m not sure about anything else, but when it comes to quarreling, the more people there are, the more touching the scene is.
Compared to the Holy Roman Empire Parliament of only a few dozen people, the British Parliament, which is full of people, is obviously more difficult to manage.
As soon as Campbell’s words fell, an opposition MP jumped out and questioned:
“Your Excellency the Prime Minister, we all know that the Empire is facing challenges, but that doesn’t mean that the taxpayers’ money, can be squandered at will.
Increasing the military budget by 70 million pounds at once, and that’s just for one year, does Your Excellency think that pounds are just straw paper and we can print as much as we want?
Since the enemy has increased the military budget by 5,000 pounds, then the equivalent amount will follow. Is the Royal Navy still afraid of them under equal conditions?”
Times were changing, everyone’s heart expectations were likewise changing, and the Royal Navy’s development plans were constantly lowering their standards.
First, from the initial three strong strategy, it became a two strong standard, then it was lowered to 5:3 against the oldest two, then 10:7 and 4:3.
Gnashing their teeth to support the present, many people’s heart expectations, once again occurred to reduce. Rather like the British government’s attitude toward the Americans after World War I.
Just started tough, ready to suppress the Americans by virtue of the Royal Navy, tried to find their own wallets are not bulging enough, forced to make concessions.
Now, although not to that point, but the Royal Navy’s annual swelling military expenditure, or let the British government some unbearable.
If it only lasted a few years, then with Britain’s accumulated reserves, it would naturally not be a problem.
But the Holy Roman Empire has become a big power, a moment simply pk can not go on. This sudden outbreak of the naval arms race, who does not know when it can end.
Referring to the Hundred Years’ War between Britain and France, many British people have made plans to fight a protracted war, ready to use the advantage of the Channel to slowly wear down, waiting for the situation in Europe to change.
If put aside in a hundred years ago, such a plan is naturally no problem. Unfortunately, the times are different now, if you really want to spend a long time, on the contrary, Britain is more disadvantageous.
Frowning, Campbell helplessly explained: “Your Excellency only saw the military budget, but ignored the actual situation.
Even though we have the most advanced shipbuilding industry in the world, the cost of building our warships is still 10% to 15% higher than the Austrians.
The construction of warships is a complex project, and hundreds of industries are involved behind the creation of each warship.
Whether we are willing to admit it or not, the Empire does lag behind the Holy Roman Empire in the overall industrial chain.
Not only the construction of warships, but also the construction of related supporting facilities and the cost of maintaining warships in the later stages, we are slightly higher than our enemies.”
There is no way out, warships this kind of industry that involves a lot of related enterprises, have to be affected by the industrial system.
As the world’s first industrial power, the Holy Roman Empire is obviously more favorable in this regard.
The same function of spare parts, the Holy Roman Empire’s production costs, is to be lower than other countries, and the more technical content of the accessories, the more obvious this cost advantage.
In the era of free trade, there is no restriction, the British shipyards can also purchase spare parts from the Holy Roman Empire, only a little more freight, there is no obvious disadvantage in cost.
But with the collapse of the free trade system, these good times were gone. Imports were subject to high tariffs and cost effectiveness was lost.
Local companies, which were originally driven to the brink of bankruptcy, have managed to turn around with great difficulty, and now naturally need to replenish their blood.
The purchase price of spare parts went up, and the unit price quoted by the shipbuilders, naturally went up.
For the healthy development of the industry, this single can only be bought by the British government. If you want to bring down the cost, you can only wait for the relevant enterprises to complete the technological innovation.
Of course, although the cost has increased, or not directly increase 40% so excessive.
Campbell’s explanation was still more for the purpose of diverting the attention of the parliamentarians in order to obtain a higher military budget and ensure the absolute suppression of the Shen Luo Navy.
(End of chapter)