Chapter 1036 The Enemy Is in Congress
"Where does the money come from?"
Chancellor of the Exchequer Pawel Lisician sent soul-crushing.
How poor the tsarist government is, no one can give a definite answer to this question. In short, it is certain that there is no money to repair the Siberian Railway.
As early as 1891, the Tsarist government organized road experts to launch the Siberian Railway Exploration Project. That's right, it was launched after Nicholas II was assassinated in Japan.
Although Alexander III was a peaceful faction among the tsars, he was also a good father. If it were not limited by traffic, it is estimated that after the end of the Anglo-Russian War that year, the Russo-Japanese War would have started earlier.
Whether it was because of momentary anger or early preparations, the Siberian Railway project was launched.
The results of the exploration were dire. Starting from Moscow, we had to pass through vast pine forests, cross the Ural Mountains, and cross the vast Siberian tundra before finally reaching the Pacific Ocean.
It's just a long journey, no matter how far it is, it can't compare with Shinra's circular railway. The key is the harsh natural conditions.
It is also the construction of railways. If the construction cost of the plain railway is 1, then the construction cost of the Siberian Railway may be 2, 3, 4...
I have no money in my pocket, and I am not stubborn in doing things. Just when the Tsarist government hesitated to start the Siberian Railway construction plan, the Vienna government took action.
The same alluring "Central Asia Railway Plan" was released, which made the Tsarist government even more hesitant. It's just that before the Russians hesitated for long, the Vienna government made up their minds for them-"aid construction"!
Open the map and you will know that whether it is the Siberian Railway or the Central Asian Railway, the construction cost is astronomical.
It is undoubtedly a fatal thing for the tsarist government, which is not rich to bear the expenses. In the original time and space, in order to build the Siberian Railway, the Russians also saved money.
From 1891 to 1901 alone, the Tsarist government invested 1.46 billion rubles, far exceeding the military expenditure in the same period.
After 13 years of hard work, the longest railway line in the world was opened to traffic on July 13, 1904, and the follow-up project finally continued until 1916 due to bumps and bumps.
In contrast, the construction conditions of the Central Asia Railway are still a little bit better, and of course only a little bit better.
Although it is not necessary to be accompanied by permafrost all year round, the continuous mountains in Afghanistan are also miserable.
Whether it was for strategic needs or for the sake of its own wallet, the Tsarist government decisively chose the Central Asian Railway.
Even if it knew that the Vienna government was calculating the relationship between Britain and Russia, the tsarist government had no room to refuse.
In the words of an optimist minister in the tsarist government: "No matter how many calculations the Austrians have, the Central Asian Railway is always beneficial to the empire. Whether to go south or not, the initiative is still in our hands."
There is nothing wrong in theory, the initiative to go south is indeed in the hands of the tsarist government, and the Vienna government cannot make decisions for them.
It's just that this can fool ordinary people. If such a large piece of fat in India is placed on the dining table, and you don't use a knife and fork to divide it, is it still a bear?
In essence, the Minister of Economy proposed to help the Russians build the Siberian Railway. As long as the railway is open to traffic, there is no need to do anything, and the greedy bear will go out for food by itself.
Mao Xiong's eastward advance will certainly harm the interests of Britain, but it is clear at a glance whether it is more important than going south to India.
When the time comes to curb the growth of the Russians, it will not be the business of the British family, and Shinra will not watch the Russians complete the "Yellow Russia Project".
If it is done properly, the final outcome will evolve into: Britain and Austria will pit the bears together.
It is estimated that after a proxy war, the Russians will suffer five labors and seven injuries. There are too many to guarantee, it is not difficult to let them live in peace for ten years.
The most important thing is to plant a thorn in the middle of the Russia-Austria alliance. With this thorn, even if the two countries do not meet each other in battle, it is impossible for them to be as close as they are now.
If everything goes well, the Tsarist government will try to hold back Shinra in the future British-Austrian hegemony.
The plan is very perfect, the only problem is: Where does the money for the construction of the "Siberian Railway" come from?
The relationship between Britain and Russia is not as close as that between Russia and Austria. The Vienna government helped the Russians build the Central Asian Railway, and it only helped to advance part of the funds.
It is mainly the cost of project exploration, design, management, etc. The labor and raw materials are still provided by the tsarist government itself.
For the sake of the Russia-Austria alliance, even if some people in the country raise objections, the Vienna government can handle it.
Putting it on the head of Britain will not work. The blood of the Anglo-Russian war in Afghanistan has not been dried yet?
At this time, if you donate money and work hard to help the Russians build the railway, the families of the soldiers who died in the Anglo-Russian War will have their hearts torn apart.
If it really arouses public anger, the opposition party will definitely add fuel to the flames. Although national interests are important, party interests are even more important.
I oppose what the enemy supports, and support what the enemy opposes. It has never been uncommon in politics. As for whether it is correct or not, it does not matter, the key depends on what is needed.
If there is only a funding gap of 1.8 million pounds, everyone can still find a way to make up for it, hide it from the public's attention, and use special expenses to even out the account.
But for the Siberian Railway, without an investment of hundreds of millions of pounds, there will be no trains at all.
Even if the Russians are to provide labor and materials, it will cost tens of millions of pounds. want
With such a large sum of money, no matter what method is used, it cannot be kept secret.
Secretary of the Navy Flora: "It's not just about money. The relationship between us and the Russians is so tense. Even if we offer to help build the Siberian Railway, I'm afraid the Tsarist government will not believe it.
Unless we just pay money and don't touch the railway survey design and construction, otherwise they won't feel at ease at all. "
This is the inevitable result. Suddenly one day, the enemy suddenly came to help you repair the railway, and anyone would suspect a conspiracy.
From the standpoint of the tsarist government, the British offered to help build the Siberian Railway. It is estimated that the first reaction of the Russians was: this is for sabotage.
After all, the construction of the Central Asian Railway has reached a critical moment, and it will be opened to traffic in a few years. It is normal for the British to feel pressure.
For the safety of India, Britain took action to sabotage the construction of the Central Asian Railway, and there was nothing wrong with it.
Although the Russian Empire was huge, the tsarist government's material mobilization capabilities were limited. The construction of the Central Asian Railway has mobilized a lot of manpower and material resources. If the construction of the Siberian Railway is started again, it will obviously increase the logistical pressure.
An explanation is a cover-up. No matter what the British government says, the Russians will think that this is a British conspiracy to use the Siberian Railway plan to delay the construction progress of the Central Asian Railway.
Not to mention helping with survey design and construction. Who knows if the railway built by the British can be used in the end?
As Flora said, unless it was just money and the Russians had to deal with everything, otherwise the Tsarist government would not be at ease at all.
The problem is that the British government is still not at ease when it comes to money. Who can guarantee that after the Russians get the money, it will be used for the construction of the Siberian Railway, instead of being used for military expenses going south to India?
The British government did not have such a thing as morality, and neither did the Tsarist government. It is too difficult for two countries that lack the most basic trust to cooperate.
Foreign Secretary Cameron: "The issue of trust is actually not difficult to solve. It is not convenient for us to come forward. A third country can come forward to communicate with the Russians.
It is not difficult to persuade the Russian military industry to agree to build the Siberian Railway. The current tsar is Nicholas II. The unpleasant trip to Tokyo has always made Nicholas II very grateful.
From the personal standpoint of Nicholas II, going east to seek revenge from the Japanese is probably more tempting than going south to India.
After all, we are not soft persimmons. Even if the Central Asian Railway is opened to traffic, the odds for the Russians are still not high.
Compared with going south, the success rate of going east is significantly higher, and the benefits will be greater.
If the Russians can realize the Yellow Russia plan before the end of the hegemony struggle, then it will be a tripartite confrontation again.
If you can be the boss by yourself, no one wants to be the younger brother, let alone an arrogant bear.
Although Russia-Austria relations seem to be very good, in fact, many Russians are not convinced by the Holy Roman Empire as the European hegemon.
This bait is enough to make the Russians take the bait. As long as the tsarist government takes this step, the Russian-Austrian alliance will be over.
Vienna can tolerate a powerful Russian Empire, but absolutely cannot tolerate a Russian Empire that threatens itself.
In a sense, the Russians posed a much greater threat to the Holy Roman Empire than we did.
After all, they are both land power countries, and they happen to be neighbors. Although the European continent is vast, it cannot accommodate two overlords.
In contrast, the problem of funds is not easy to solve. Those gentlemen in Congress would never agree to fund the Russians, not even if it was strategically necessary. "
"The enemy is in Parliament", this is the feeling that every British government will have. If you don't brag or criticize, the troubles brought to the government by the British Parliament are indeed greater than any enemy.
The international situation would not have evolved to the present situation without the Congress and the opposition party holding back.
As early as the middle of the European Continental War, the previous British government wanted to send troops to intervene, but it wasted a lot of time in quarrels in Congress and games with the opposition parties.
Before the discussion comes to a result, the French will be gone. There is no need to say that the dust has settled, so naturally the only thing to do is to sell teammates. It can be considered to be an ally with Britain, but it is impossible to share suffering.
Similar things happened not only once, but going back further, there are a series of international events such as the previous Ottoman wars, France's annexation of Italy, Austria's annexation of South Germany... and so on.
Britain in 1895 could not do anything to the Holy Roman Empire, but Britain 40 years ago was absolutely capable of preventing Austria from expanding.
Not to mention preventing Austria from annexing South Germany, at least it can destroy Austria's colonial plan. The absolute advantage of the Royal Navy lasted until the early 1980s.
Before that, the Austrian Navy was a little brother. It wasn't until the advent of the pre-dreadnought that the gap was narrowed to the ability to have the ability to hurt both sides.
Of course, because of the times, the two big bosses of France and Russia attracted firepower ahead, so that politicians at the time underestimated the threat of Austria.
When the British government began to pay attention, the Holy Roman Empire was about to come out, and it was too late to do anything.
There is everything in this world, but there is no medicine for regret. The hegemony of Britain was met with its gravest challenge when the hegemony of Britain was not heeded.
The problems that our predecessors have encountered are now once again falling on the head of the British government.
If the Congress cannot be settled, the funds for the construction of the Siberian Railway will not be available; without this railway, there will be no way to bring disasters to the east;
The ultimate plan of the Austrian League will eventually become "the moon in the water, the flower in the mirror".
After hesitating for a while, Robert Cecil nodded: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs first finds a third party to contact the Russians, and there is a layer of separation in between, so we can at least avoid the anger of the people.
As for the issue of the Congress, you should first communicate with the members of the party in private, and I will visit the Queen. "
There is no other way. Facing the pressure of Congress alone, Prime Minister Robert Cecil also hesitated and had to seek more help.
In the Victorian era, the British royal family was not a rubber stamp. Although the aging Queen Victoria has rarely been involved in politics, no one can ignore her existence.
To suppress opposition voices in Congress, the strength of the Conservative Party alone is not enough. For the sake of the bigger picture, Robert Cecil had to turn to Queen Victoria for help.