Chapter 969 Central Asian Railway
To be able to counterattack from rubber stamps to become a real emperor, Emperor Meiji is not a master who is easy to fool. Lu Jun's sworn "guarantee" not only did not reassure him, but made Emperor Meiji even more uncertain.
As a knowledgeable emperor, Meiji knew very well what kind of troops European countries sent to overseas colonies. Defeating a colonial army dominated by indigenous people is nothing at all.
Moreover, the protagonist of this war is not the army. What really determines the outcome is diplomacy, followed by the navy.
Ignoring Dashanyan's guarantee, Emperor Meiji said seriously: "There are only three months left before the Vienna Peace Conference, and we should also prepare.
Prime Minister, this time you will be the one to lead the team. Don't expect Britain and Austria to support us, but at least keep them neutral.
The rise and fall of empires is here..."
Ito Hirobumi's face changed, and with what he knew about Emperor Meiji, it was certain that Meiji's confidence had been hit.
Sending him to visit Europe was not only to attend the Vienna Peace Conference, but more importantly, to find a way back and prepare for the worst.
Anyone with discernment knows that participating in the Vienna Peace Conference is a joke. With Japan's current international status, it is not even qualified to be at the negotiating table.
It can be seen from the content of the invitation letter that the Anti-French Alliance is only inviting them to participate in the warship auction.
When it comes to establishing a new international order, it is not yet the Japanese government's turn to speak. After all the dust is settled, they will just abide by it.
Because of the Philippine war, even this warship auction, the Japanese government can only play soy sauce.
It's not about money. As a member of the anti-French alliance, the Spaniards were also one of the sellers, and in any case it was impossible to sell the warships to their own enemies.
Even if you buy it, it's useless, the Spaniards will definitely find a way to get their necks. It is impossible for warships to return home until the end of the war.
In this context, the Vienna Peace Conference is completely useless to the Japanese government, and there is no need for the Prime Minister to come out in person.
...
St. Petersburg in January has been dressed in silver. Under the biting cold wind, the streets and alleys became inaccessible.
The Fikexing Cafe, which used to be a crowded city in the past, is now silent. In Nuoda's living room, there were only six or seven people scattered.
From the demeanor and temperament of everyone, it can be seen that except for the two protagonists, the rest are bodyguards.
...
As one of the protagonists, Russian Foreign Minister Oscar Jimenez waved his hand and interrupted: "Your Excellency Minister, if these are not nutritious, there is no need to repeat them.
We have never had friendship with your country, and now Austria is our ally. It is impossible to destroy the Russian-Austrian alliance from our side. "
Being interrupted, Richard was not only not angry, but showed a satisfied smile.
It is indeed difficult for Britain and Russia to have a relationship with friendship. In the past three decades, the two countries have fought two wars, with hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides.
In contrast, the Russian-Austrian alliance, which has been maintained for decades and has hardly erupted into major conflicts, can be called "friendship".
However, the problem cannot be seen on the surface. If Russia-Austria relations were really close, there would be no such secret meeting in these icy days.
Richard, who is good at observing words, has already discovered the problem from the conversation just now.
Of course, it is more likely that the Russians deliberately released a signal, otherwise Oscar Jimenez would not have to aggravate his tone when using the word "now".
"Your Excellency Minister, I know that there are many misunderstandings between your country and Britain, but that is in the past tense, and we must look forward.
With the end of the European War, the fall of France is a foregone conclusion. If we don't act, the new continental hegemon is Austria.
Now that your country and Austria are allies, it does not mean that they will always be allies. To know that true allies only exist in the case of equal strength. Once the balance is broken, the situation is very different.
Even if your country abandons its plans to go west, there is no guarantee that the Austrians will not go east. After all, the only thing on the European continent that can influence Austrian hegemony is your country.
Your country's real ally is Austria three decades ago, not the reborn Holy Roman Empire. "
In international competition, there has always been one ups and downs. Austria became stronger, and the Russian Empire weakened relatively.
The British felt threatened by the rise of Austria, as did the tsarist government. Even because the two countries are neighbors, the tsarist government feels even more deeply.
For the benefit of the Russian Empire, or the Tsarist government to reassure itself, this secret meeting was held.
Just after contact, Oscar Jimenez was very disappointed. The British are still the same old-fashioned sowing discord, all asking what the Russian Empire does, not what Britain is going to do.
It is not impossible to tear up the Russian-Austrian alliance, provided that the interests must be large enough. Obviously, the British who liked the white wolf with empty gloves did not offer enough price.
"Your Excellency is right, but it's only possible. The future has not yet come, and no one can predict what will happen in the end.
At least for now, the Russian-Austrian alliance is still unbreakable, and we will not give up our allies just because of one possibility. So just say what your purpose is, there is no need to go around in circles here. "
The development of the Russian-Austrian alliance to the present
, has penetrated into all areas of the two countries, and it is not at all that it can be lifted. Once the face is turned, both sides will suffer heavy losses.
In this context, despite wanting to limit Austria's development, the tsarist government refrained and did not take any countermeasures on the surface. Instead, they pinned their hopes on the enemy, expecting the British to interrupt Austria's development momentum.
In this regard, both Britain and Russia think about the same. No one wants to make the first bird at this time, jump out to draw Austria's hatred, and let the rival fisherman benefit.
"Your Excellency Minister, the enlargement of Austria is a very serious threat to us, and I believe that your country is not willing to live in the shadow of Vienna.
In order to remove this threat, we propose that the two countries join forces to sabotage the Vienna Peace Conference, smash Austria's ambition to establish a new international order, and return the international situation to the era of three-legged power, where our three countries will jointly dominate the world. "
Oscar Jimenez shook his head: "We feel the sincerity of your country, but it's not enough.
After destroying the Vienna Peace Conference, the Russian-Austrian alliance came to an end. The price we have to pay is too great, and it may even lead to the collapse of the domestic economy.
If your country defaults later, we will bear Austria's wrath alone. The risks here are too great, beyond our ability to bear. "
Minister Richard assured: "High risk comes with high reward. As long as the general trend of Austria's gathering is interrupted, all the efforts will be worth it.
As for your country's loss, we can find a way to make up part of it. In short, we will not let friends suffer. "
...
At the Gatchina Palace, Alexander III, who holds the conditions of Russia and Austria at the same time, is currently undergoing a difficult inner struggle.
The conditions given by the British, as long as the immediate impact is overcome, the Russian Empire may soar into the sky, replace Austria and become the new hegemon of the European continent.
However, as the benefit is, the risk is so high. If the operation fails, or if the British breach the contract midway, the Russian Empire will be doomed.
Even if you don't think the British will default on this issue, who can say for sure when it comes to politics?
The London government is also held every few years. In case of bad luck and encountering a Tie Hanhan, the Russian Empire will be miserable.
It is not that such a thing has not happened in history, and the Russian Empire itself has been a victim. Without the divine operation of Peter III, the Russian Empire would have long since become the hegemon of the European continent, and there would not be so much trouble at all.
Of course, it was good for Alexander III to have these troubles. After all, Peter III didn't mess around, and the tsar's position was not theirs.
In contrast, the conditions given by Austria are much safer, and the benefits are naturally much smaller. Continental hegemony is impossible, and South Asian hegemony can look forward to it.
Looking out the window, Alexander III asked, "How much does the Central Asia Railway cost, have you estimated it?"
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alisher Gulov: "The main line of the Central Asian Railway is 3,864 kilometers long, and the total length of the auxiliary lines exceeds 15,600 kilometers.
It not only has to withstand the test of harsh weather, but also passes through many harsh terrains along the way. It is estimated that the construction period will be 12 years, and the preliminary estimate is that it will cost 1.276 billion gold rubles. "
Railroads have always been a pain in the Russian Empire. Not to mention the developed countries in Europe, even the railways of the British India next door are better than them.
It's not that the tsarist government doesn't work hard, it's really not allowed by its strength! The Russian Empire is not only vast, but even more frightening is the harsh climate.
Other countries build railways. After the exploration is completed, the design drawings are produced, and the work can be started directly.
The Russian Empire can't, their railways must be able to guarantee normal operation in the ice and snow. Occasionally a big cooling, and even extreme weather of minus 40 to 50 degrees.
You get what you pay for. The railway requirements of the Russian Empire are high, and the construction cost is naturally high.
The completion of the railway is just the beginning, and the bigger trouble lies in the later operation. The harsh natural climate directly increases the later operation and maintenance costs, which is simply a bottomless pit.
Foreign capital for repairing is swarming, and there is no need to worry about funding; while the Russian Empire builds railways, only the government pays.
No way, who made the railways of the Russian Empire lose money for many years! No one is doing the business at a loss, and capital is unwilling to invest, and the construction of the railway is naturally slow.
If it weren't for Austria's agitation, plus the French indemnity to look forward to, the tsarist government would not start the Central Asian Railway at this time.
"Can the construction period be shortened?"
There is no requirement to reduce construction costs, that is, Alexander III knows what the domestic bureaucracy is. If the construction cost is really reduced, no one can guarantee that the repaired railway will be able to open to traffic smoothly.
Similar things have not happened. In the previous railway construction, some idiots compressed the gauge and the length of sleepers without authorization in order to save money.
If you want to take a closer look at the railways that open to traffic, they all have one common feature - budget overruns.
Simply put, it is to apply for a low-cost project first. When the project is halfway through, there will be no money, forcing the government to increase investment.
"If the construction is contracted to Austrian Railways, the total construction period can be reduced by a quarter, and the main line can be extended to the Afghan border within eight years.
However, their quotation is very high. If we provide labor, it will cost 1.886 billion gold rubles; if they are completely responsible for the construction, the budget is as high as 3 billion gold rubles. "
Such a price difference, Alisher Gulov is also very helpless. The budget of domestic railway companies is indeed low, but unfortunately it cannot be successfully completed every time. Not only the construction period cannot be guaranteed, but also the additional budget.
Austrian railway companies are indeed asking for high prices, but they have guaranteed construction periods, reliable quality, and they are all quoted at one time. Even if there is an increase in the future, the increased budget will not be too much. The final cost is lower.
If so, the Tsarist government should have brought in Austrian Railways to reduce construction costs. Quite the contrary, almost no Austrian Railways took on projects in the hands of the Tsarist government.
It is not that the tsarist government is unwilling to issue contracts, but that no Austrian railway company is willing to take orders. The reasons are very real, the tsarist government was poor and payments were not guaranteed.
So much so that the construction of a railway funded by the tsarist government has become a bargaining chip for Austria to negotiate conditions, and it is still a very attractive bargaining chip.
As long as the railway is repaired to Afghanistan, the gate of the Russian Empire to India will be opened.
Such an important project, the tsarist government naturally did not dare to be careless. If the trust is not human, the investment will be wasted.
The biggest benefit of handing over to Austrian Railways for construction is safety. Everyone knows that the Vienna government wants the Russian Empire to go south and fight the British to the death, and it will definitely guarantee the quality of this railway.
Even if there is a problem with the budget in the middle, there is no need to worry about the shutdown. The Austrians will advance the project for them with the spirit of fearless internationalism.