Chapter 262 Suez Canal

The plan can never keep up with the rapid changes. The main purpose of the Vienna government was to create conflict, use military threats to threaten the Egyptian government, and force them to sign a treaty.

Anyway, the Sinai Peninsula is not valued, the only role of existence is to act as a buffer between the Ottoman Empire, and the local indigenous tribes also accept the leadership of two governments at the same time.

As a result, the conflict was created, but the operation was too violent, and the place was occupied. The Egyptians didn't take drastic action either, they just ran over to protest.

If possible, Franz would prefer the Egyptians to call him regardless, then things will be easier to deal with later. Anyway, he has no pressure to single out Egypt.

Obviously, the Egyptian government is not stupid. Military threats are no longer appropriate at this time.

Franz always pays attention to his appearance and creates an excuse to come to his house to ask for trouble, which has already set his lower limit, and his conscience is very uncomfortable.

Now they have occupied the places that are considered cities for the time being, and it would be too much trouble to find them.

The Egyptian government does not care about the cause and effect of the incident, no matter whose fault it is, the parties involved are dead anyway, and the debt will be eliminated. Now only the Austrians are evacuating without any compensation.

Franz asked with a headache: "How do you think this problem should be solved?"

He admitted that he was not black enough to do such a domineering thing. If possible, he is more willing to solve problems by peaceful means.

It is a pity that Austria's influence in Egypt is not large enough to compete with Britain and France. It is forced to resort to this and seek a breakthrough in the Sinai Peninsula.

Metternich replied calmly: "Your Majesty, the Sinai Peninsula itself is not of great value. We occupy this place mainly to seize the opportunity so that we can intervene in the excavation of the Suez Canal.

Since the Egyptian government wants to negotiate, we will negotiate with them. The big deal is to spend money to buy these areas, anyway, the sand is not worth a few dollars.

Now Britain and France do not know our purpose. Even if it is to interfere, they are only worried that we will continue to expand our power in Egypt and affect their interests.

At most we assure them that we will not continue to seek expansion into Egypt. As for the issue of the Sinai Peninsula, we are also foreign powers and need face! "

Although the approach is a bit excessive, it is indeed very powerful. Right or wrong, when colonizing overseas, everyone was very domineering.

The Vienna government is willing to spend a little money symbolically, that is, to go down the steps to the Egyptian government. If the Egyptian government does not agree, I will occupy the space anyway, and see what you can do?

Is it to fight a war with Austria on the Sinai Peninsula for a desert with nothing? It is estimated that the Egyptian government does not have the courage.

Don't look at the fact that the Egyptian government is preparing for modernization, it seems to have the meaning of enriching the country and strengthening the army. In fact, after losing the last war to the Ottoman Empire, they recognized their strength.

Prime Minister Felix reminded: "The French have already obtained the right to dig the Suez Canal. Will this be a hindrance?"

Metternich explained: "Don't worry, our attention to the Sinai Peninsula does not need to occupy the entire Sinai Peninsula, as long as it is enough to get a foothold on it.

The Suez Canal has not yet started construction, and whether it can be navigable in the future is still unknown. Now we are just planning ahead.

As far as I know, the British are strongly against the digging of the Suez Canal. They are ideally located to enter the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope and do not need this Grand Canal. "

The attitude of the British towards the Suez Canal in this era is so indifferent. Many British people believe that the opening of the Suez Canal will weaken their advantage in maritime trade.

After all, in terms of distance, the opening of the Suez Canal is more beneficial to the Mediterranean countries, and the way for France, Austria, Spain and other countries to enter the Indian Ocean has become closer.

They, who were originally the closest on the route, suddenly became farther than their competitors. This will undoubtedly make the cost of sea freight of British goods exceed that of competitors and reduce market competitiveness.

Whether it is unfounded or not, there is always nothing wrong with this sense of crisis. It is this sense of crisis that has brought the British Empire to where it is today.

Whether the Suez Canal can be navigable is not only doubted by the British, but also by many people in the Austrian government.

There has never been such a long Grand Canal on the European continent. The total length of 190 kilometers is beyond everyone's ability to bear.

Franz has no way to convince everyone that the Suez Canal will be navigable. Even if this cargo capacity is navigable, it will also be a test.

If only a few boats can pass, then the same fails. For strategic considerations, Austria needs the Suez Canal to be able to navigate at least 40,000-ton ships.

Otherwise, in the age of dreadnought ships, this canal will be abolished. At that time, if they want to continue to expand the canal, the British will definitely hinder the construction, so that the Austrian warships can only navigate through the Strait of Gibraltar, thus establishing a strategic advantage.

Franz said with confidence: "Don't worry about the issue of navigation, historical records record that in the 6th century AD, there was a great empire of the Sui Dynasty in the east that built a north-south Grand Canal with a total length of more than 2,700 kilometers.

Even after geographical changes and later diversions, the new Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has a length of 1,797 kilometers, and now ships of 500 tons can be sailed normally.

With the technology of the ancients, such a long strip can be dug out manually without using any machinery.

When the Grand Canal comes, can't we dig a canal less than 200 kilometers with our current level of technology?

From the topographical point of view, the construction difficulty of the Suez Canal is far from comparable to that of the North-South Grand Canal, so what is there to worry about? "

Prime Minister Felix exclaimed: "Your Majesty, are you sure there is such a long Grand Canal in the east?"

Franz replied affirmatively: "Of course, don't you think I'll lie? The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is still operating normally, in the rotten Manchu Empire, you can find out by checking the information."

Felix First Line quickly explained: "No, I didn't mean to doubt you.

It just feels incredible. More than 1,300 years ago, someone dug a grand canal with a length of more than 2,700 kilometers.

If true, then this should be the greatest project in human history. That big empire must be very powerful, to be able to complete such a huge project. "

Franz smiled without saying a word. He couldn't explain that because the excavation of the Grand Canal had exhausted the people's strength, the empire died directly, right?

So why don't you all...

Oh, no need to worry at all. To dig the Suez Canal, there is no need to transfer labor from Austria, as long as you have the money ready.

It is even possible to directly produce food. In any case, except for the salaries of technicians and management personnel, ordinary laborers can take care of the meals.

The biggest expense, labor cost, was saved in this way. The Suez Canal has historically cost £18.6 million, more than double the budgeted cost.

This is mainly because the British planned the slave labor riots and created public opinion pressure and condemnation, so that the French had to pay salaries to hire people later, resulting in a substantial increase in construction costs.

As the price of opening the canal, 120,000 laborers were buried here.

This issue is not within the scope of the Austrian government's consideration. Franz also resolutely chose to see nothing but to see nothing. Any major project in this era is piled up with human lives.

Austria's large railway network is an example. In just five or six years, Austria's domestic railway has become the first in Europe, and tens of thousands of laborers have also fallen behind.

It can be said that the faster the construction speed in this era, the greater the human casualties, and the efficiency is piled up with human life.

London

Upon receiving the news that Austria had attacked the Sinai Peninsula, the first reaction of the British cabinet was: the Austrians were going to invade Egypt, and they had to stop it.

Prime Minister Granville asked suspiciously: "Who told me what the Austrians were doing? Could it be that the Vienna government has lost its mind and wants to go to the Sinai Peninsula to eat sand?"

On the surface, the Sinai Peninsula has no colonial value. The richest places in Egypt are all in the Nile River Basin, hundreds of kilometers away from the Sinai Peninsula. There is a desert barrier in the middle, and it is not qualified to be a springboard.

Foreign Secretary John Russell said with a smile: "It is said that this was done by an Austrian civilian colonial army, who originally wanted to do things in Egypt, but found that they were insufficient.

To recoup their colonization costs, they robbed a tribe on the Sinai Peninsula and occupied an abandoned city. "

Colonial Minister William sneered: "This rookie colonial army must be a master of no-brainers, and perhaps the spoils they harvested are not enough to pay for the pensions lost.

In the Sinai Peninsula, we have already sent people to investigate, and the nomadic tribes on the island have nothing but camels and sheep.

These camels and sheep are worthless unless they can be shipped back to the country for sale, where they can only be sold for their fur.

The local people are so poor that they can't live any longer. The Egyptian government doesn't even bother to send people over to collect taxes, and there are still people who go to rob them. "

Everyone laughed. This kind of thing happened not once or twice in the colonial movement. Many civilian armed forces who have just engaged in overseas colonization often make this mistake.

Sheep and camels are indeed treasures, valuable in some places, but unfortunately worthless on the Sinai Peninsula because there is no buyer for these things.

At most, the animals are killed and the furs are taken to sell to a fur merchant. If you want to transport these animals for sale, it is estimated that it is not enough to pay the freight.

After laughing enough, Granville said: "Then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to keep an eye on the Vienna government, let's see what their next move is, and we are deciding on the countermeasures to take.

Anyway, it is the French who have the greatest interests in Egypt. Now that a competitor has been added, let them have a headache first! "

All the while, Granville didn't take that seriously. Overseas colonization is a game, a game of plundering wealth, which is completely different from the situation on the European continent.

As long as India is not threatened, the London government will not immediately overreact. Otherwise, the news of the colonial conflict every day can make them mad.

This is not a joke. After entering the 19th century, the average number of colonial conflicts encountered by the London government every year was no less than a hundred.

Most of the small conflicts here are handled by colonial officials, and only those who escalate the conflict need to be dealt with in person.

If you don't learn restraint and use force at every turn, then in three months, they will fight against all the colonial empires in Europe.

They were concerned about the Sinai Peninsula issue, mainly because they were worried about the Austrian invasion of Egypt. After they were determined to be the actions of the civilian armed forces, their interest naturally disappeared.

For details, please refer to the British folk colonial team, such as East India.

All of them have destroyed several countries overseas, and the London government may not necessarily know the news.

A weaker individual organized a colonial armed force, robbed a certain area today, robbed another area tomorrow, got into a big enemy the day after tomorrow, and was wiped out by the enemy...

This kind of thing happens too much. Anyway, if it is profitable, the British government will stand up for them. If there is no interest, even if it is destroyed by the group, the London government will not bother to pay attention to it, and it will not be able to manage it.

...

Paris

Napoleon III said confidently: "The Austrians have sent tentacles deep into Egypt, shall we cut them off immediately?"

France's strength in Egypt is not small, as long as the Egyptian government is encouraged to expel the Austrian invaders.

Of course, it is estimated that the Egyptian government will not listen to them now. After all, in the last war with the Ottomans, the Egyptian government was miserable by the French.

The aid was promised, but under the pressure of European countries, the Paris government resolutely counseled. Without them and your weapons and equipment, the Egyptian government was soon beaten down by the Ottoman Empire.

Foreign Minister Auvergne persuaded: "Your Majesty, let's negotiate first! We can mediate this conflict. If we can't reach an agreement in the end, it's better to take extreme measures."

He was not as confident as Napoleon III, and he encouraged the Egyptian government to rush forward, and the matter was solved.

If the situation is out of control, the Vienna government refuses to admit defeat and catches the Egyptian government and beats them up, will they go up or not?

The French government, which had just fought a war with the Russians and suffered heavy losses, did not want to fight another war with Austria. No one wanted to do such a loss-making business.

Napoleon III was just talking about it, he didn't really want to take the risk. Now he is wearing shoes, otherwise he would bet anything when he was struggling in his youth.

The reality of the war in the Near East told him that the current France is no longer the France that smashed the European continent.

Napoleon III nodded and said: "Then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will mediate this conflict, as long as it does not harm our interests!"