Chapter 385
The Russian navy suddenly occupied the Baltic region, and the entire European world was stunned by the news. Many people thought that the Kingdom of Prussia was doomed.
Open the map and know that the coastline of the Kingdom of Prussia is in the Baltic Sea, which is the sphere of influence of the Russian Navy.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Danish Navy has blocked the Prussian sea transportation channels, and the strategic materials supported by Britain and France can only be transferred from land.
The early tsarist government ignored the role of the navy, did not attack the Prussian coastal areas, and simply fought on land. The Kingdom of Prussia still had the strength to fight.
It's different now. The land has been unable to break through. The Russians turned their attention to the sea and used their naval superiority to attack the Kingdom of Prussia.
This is an unsolvable problem. The Russians can launch a landing operation at any point, but Prussia cannot fully defend.
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Vienna Palace, Foreign Minister Weisenberg said: "Yesterday afternoon, the Russian minister submitted a new loan application to us. They are going to use the Common Saxony region as collateral for a loan of 30 million Aegis."
Taking the enemy's territory as collateral for loans, this is what the tsarist government can do. No, this may not be a mortgage, it may be a sale.
Given the financial situation of the tsarist government, the possibility of being able to repay on time is very small, and the possibility of selling the collateral to repay the debt is very high in the end.
The premise is that the Russians win the battle and tear this piece of flesh from the Kingdom of Prussia.
Franz asked with concern: "What is the opinion of the Saxon government? Are they interested in paying to buy back this land?"
Prussian Saxony was assigned to Prussia at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Now the Kingdom of Saxony is a part of the new Holy Roman Empire. If this part of the land is returned, it will naturally be returned to the Kingdom of Saxony.
The Commonwealth of Saxony occupies 40% of the territory of the Kingdom of Saxony, and the Kingdom of Saxony has always wanted to take it back. When they joined the Shinra Empire back then, Prime Minister Felix made a promise.
Now the opportunity has come, can the Saxon government hold back?
Franz was very skeptical.
If the Saxon government can't bear it, then the Vienna government has no way to stop it on this issue, after all, Franz also has to consider the popular will.
The price of 30 million Aegis is not unbearable for the economically developed Saxony Kingdom. As long as they are willing to find a way, they can raise it.
Prime Minister Felix replied: "The Saxon government should be inclined to pay for the purchase of the Commonwealth of Saxony. Prime Minister Fraser will arrive in Vienna this afternoon."
Franz thought for a while and said, "Place them first. Now that these lands are still in the hands of Prussia, the promises of the Russians are impossible to count.
We must have other collateral to reduce loan risk.
You can make a promise to the Saxon government, and the precondition for approving the Russian-Austrian loan is that the Russians agree to sell the general Saxony area, and the price must be agreed in advance. "
This matter is very troublesome, it can be said that the Russians chose a good time.
Most people now think that the Russians will win the war. At this time, the use of the Commonwealth of Saxony as bait cannot be rejected by the Vienna government.
The loan collateral is false, and the real purpose of the tsarist government is to raise funds to continue the war.
As long as the news spreads, the people of Saxony will demand to buy back this land. The Saxon government cannot refuse, and Vienna has to cooperate.
Franz didn't want to be taken advantage of. If the Russians have won the war, let alone 30 million Aegis, he will give even 50 million Aegis.
But now it's just an unknown. If the tsarist government were defeated, or if the land was not ceded from Prussia, the loan would likely be lost.
Moreover, mortgage and sale are two concepts. Now the tsar is short of money, and in order to raise military funds, he naturally dare not open his mouth, lest he scare away the gold master, and the future is uncertain.
At that time, the primary and secondary translocations will take advantage of the people's eagerness to take back the hearts of the common Saxony area, and they will not sell for a sky-high price?
Foreign Minister Weisenberg said worriedly: "Your Majesty, since the Russians have thrown out the Commonwealth of Saxony, I am worried that they may promise the Rhineland to the French in exchange for loans."
Franz's face changed, this is not possible, but very possible.
Running out of money, what can the tsarist government do?
Moreover, it is still generous to others. Once the French are tempted, will the Paris government continue to support the Kingdom of Prussia with such dedication?
On the same conditions, the Berlin government could not promise. Not everyone is a Bismarck who dares to make empty promises to the French.
Diplomacy can not make random promises, if not for Bismarck's strong skills and good luck, the original time and space of the Rhineland area will fall into the hands of the French.
As part of the German region, the Rhineland has long been regarded as a possession by the Vienna government. How could it be easily obtained by the French?
To destroy, we must destroy the Franco-Russian deal!
This is Franz's first reaction, and then he has a headache again, how to destroy the possible French-Russian transaction.
"Take the news to the British, although the development of the Rhineland region has slowed down in recent years, the rich local resources and industrial base are still there, and once it falls into the hands of the French, it will soon lead to qualitative changes.
Law
Lancy is already very strong, and if it grows stronger, the London government will not be able to sleep. "
This is a disaster. The Russian-Austrian alliance is still there, and the Vienna government does not do many things against the Russians.
Prime Minister Felix proposed: "Your Majesty, shall we push and let the Russians lose the war?"
Wanting the Russians to lose the war is as simple as a sudden embargo on Austrian supplies. At present, most of the strategic materials of the Russian army on the front line are produced in Austria.
Even if the tsarist government wanted to buy elsewhere, it was too late, not to mention they couldn't find a buyer.
Europe has this production capacity, only the three countries of Britain, France and Austria. If the Russians could be pulled from their hegemony position, how could Britain and France refuse?
The Franco-Russian compromise was also built on the basis that the tsarist government was in a position to win. Napoleon III was not going to help the Russians win the war and consolidate the hegemony of the enemy.
This is also the reason why countries are afraid of the Russia-Austria alliance. The two countries have formed an alliance to complement each other's resources, and the strength that can erupt is already 1+1>2.
Franz shook his head and said, "No, we can't take action at this time.
The Prussians still have the strength to fight. As long as Britain and France are a little more generous and let the Prussians arm all the young men and women in the country, the Russians may not be able to win.
Have you noticed that Alexander II's reforms have been suspended, and after the war is over, will the tsarist government still be able to continue reforms? "
In order to support this war, Alexander II had to compromise with the domestic conservatives to ensure domestic stability.
With this compromise, it will be difficult to reform in the future. At least in the face of the same problem, the difficulty of reform has increased significantly.
From the perspective of long-term development, the Prussian-Russian war has achieved its strategic goals. An under-reformed Russian Empire is what Austria needs.
Now that the strategic goal has been achieved, there is no need to continue targeting the Russians. When the Russian-Austrian alliance has not yet come to an end, hatred can only be done by others.
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The plan could never keep up with the changes, and when the tsarist government was negotiating with Austria, it also started negotiations with the French.
Versailles, Napoleon III hesitated to the olive branch thrown by the tsarist government.
There can only be one European hegemon, and the Russian Empire is France's biggest rival on this issue.
Now lending to the tsarist government is undoubtedly funding the enemy.
In Napoleon III's view, to gain the Rhineland, the biggest problem is not military, but political.
The annexation of the Kingdom of Sardinia is enough, and European countries have created a joint defense circle against them. If the Rhineland region is annexed by force, it will inevitably lead to the intervention of various countries.
At this time, the French need allies. Unlike the mortgage of the general Saxony region, the tsarist government promised to support the annexation of the Rhineland by the French.
This is determined by geopolitics. No matter how powerful the tsar is, it is impossible to cross the German Confederation and occupy the Rhineland region. Naturally, there is no way to talk about mortgage.
With the support of the tsarist government, France would not be politically isolated. With some exchange of interests with other countries, the success rate of annexing the Rhineland region is very high.
Foreign Secretary Abraham proposed: "Your Majesty, whether or not to loan the Tsarist government, I think the key is to see the final outcome of this war.
Now the Russians have a very good chance of winning, and I can't think of how the Prussians will come back. Even without our loans, the Tsarist government could have raised funds elsewhere.
In this case, it is better to simply divide the Kingdom of Prussia with the Russians to maximize our interests. "
Chancellor of the Exchequer Allen objected: "No, the Russians are too credible to repay this loan with their financial capacity.
Our money is not blown by the wind, so we can't just waste it in vain. The same can be done to divide up the Kingdom of Prussia without giving the Russians a loan.
Once the Kingdom of Prussia is defeated, we can use the pretext of demanding debts to temporarily take over the Rhineland region and create a given fact.
Then slowly public relations, and exchange of interests with other countries, let them recognize our occupation of the Rhineland region on the line.
The support of the Russians is irrelevant at all. We have to make deals with other countries with or without them. Even if the tsarist government is against it, they have no ability to intervene.
Why spend this waste of money? "
The foreign secretary, Abraham, retorted: "Earl Allen, this is not a waste of money. With the support of the Russians, it is much easier for us to obtain acquiescence.
If there is no support from the Russians, and all European countries will oppose it, even if we eat the Rhineland region, we will still spit it out. "
The support of European countries may not be important, but the support of major powers must be there.
Except for Spain, which is in civil strife, which can be ignored, at least one of the remaining powers must obtain the support of one of the five major powers in Europe.
The lessons of history have taught the French that it is impossible to do it alone, and it is even more impossible to be reckless.
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