Chapter 153

January 10, 1903, Sydney Harbour, Australia.

It is another National Day, and Sydney is still crowded, but the place where people gather has changed from the central square in front of the government building to the open space in Sydney Harbour.

Because it is a naval parade, and the Australian government and the royal family have preheated it across Australia a month in advance, the open space near the port is full of onlookers, and many people don’t even have a place to stay.

The crowd is crowded, and people sitting or standing on the flat ground are almost shoulder to shoulder. In some narrow places, it is even difficult to stretch out their hands.

But this does not affect the enthusiasm of Australians to participate in the parade. It was just over five in the morning, and the open space was almost full of people, and it was still increasing rapidly.

If the open space in the port was not large enough, and the Australian government had prepared a flat concrete ground for this naval parade, even Sydney Harbour might not be able to accommodate so many onlookers.

Although the more onlookers represent the higher people’s trust in the government and the royal family, too many people crowded in a small place is not a good thing.

Because there were so many people, it was very easy for stampedes to occur. In addition, people were talking so much that they could not even hear each other's shouts.

In order to ensure the safety of these people, the Ministry of Public Security specially transferred many police forces from other places, and even pulled over the troops in training near Sydney.

Including the police and the army, more than a thousand people were dispatched, which was barely enough to maintain the order on the scene.

Of course, everyone knew. Before the parade ceremony began, the order on the scene was relatively quiet.

When the real naval parade begins, I am afraid that the scene will become more chaotic and noisy.

While everyone was standing on the field and waiting for the parade to begin with expectation, the public security department was still urgently mobilizing personnel, and even mobilized a group of doctors from Sydney and the nearby New South Wales State Parliament, in order to be ready to deal with accidents at any time.

This naval parade will dispatch at least ten ships, including four armored cruisers, five coastal defense frigates and a coastal defense gunboat.

These three types of warships represent the current main battleships of the Australian Navy, which are equipped with warships and patrol ships in large quantities.

Compared with other countries, the Australian Navy is completely a level lower. The coastal defense cruiser, which is currently the main battleship of the Australian Navy, is only an auxiliary warship of the fleet in other countries. Australia does not have a single battleship, which is the main battleship of the current world navy.

Of course, this is not because Australia does not have the strength to equip battleships. On the contrary, Australia has currently mastered the independent construction technology of a main battleship, and has even negotiated to build a battleship for the island country in the treaty with the island country.

But the current battleships seem to be a bit high and low, although the current battleships can indeed greatly improve the strength of the navy and make people satisfied with the strength of the navy.

But how long can such a battleship last? The dreadnought will be born in 1906, which is more than three years from now.

It takes one or two years to build a warship. Is it necessary to spend millions of pounds to build a former battleship that can only last for one or two years?

By that time, when all countries in the world start the construction plan of dreadnoughts, the pre-dreadnoughts built by Australia will become scrap metal.

It is better to wait until three years later and start the large-scale launch of the navy. If we start building dreadnoughts with all our strength, there is still hope to have an impact on the current world naval class.

Although such a plan is indeed beneficial, it can only temporarily force all Australians in the short term.

Although Arthur and the officials know that Australians attach great importance to the navy, even the launch of a small armored cruiser has attracted the attention of many Australians.

But there is no way, in order to prevent the country from losing millions of pounds in vain, this is the only option for the time being.

However, although the battleship construction plan needs to be shelved for the time being, these small and medium-sized warships do not need to be.

These warships can be used as auxiliary warships of dreadnoughts in the future, and form a battleship fleet with a powerful dreadnought.

And the cost of these small and medium-sized warships is very cheap, even the profit from arms trade with island countries is enough to build more than a dozen ships.

In the noisy waiting of the crowd, the first ringing of the port bell finally came.

This is a big bell specially prepared for the National Day event. Its ringing also represents the official start of the National Day event of Australia's third anniversary.

As usual, the host of the National Day event is still the then Prime Minister Evan. After more than two years as Prime Minister, Prime Minister Evan's temperament has become stronger and stronger, and has more of the flavor of those Western politicians.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Sydney Harbour Naval Review in Australia. Today is January 10, 1903, and it is also the third birthday of our great motherland Australia. For this reason, on behalf of all government members, I would like to welcome you all and extend my sincere greetings to our great Duke. If there were no Duke, I am afraid that Australia would still be a region consisting of six colonies. A large part of our income still needs to be paid to the colonial government, and we cannot travel to other states conveniently and quickly because the policy between colonies is isolated. So, ladies and gentlemen, let us say to His Royal Highness with the most sincere words: 'Long live His Royal Highness!'" Prime Minister Evan stood on the stage and said respectfully.

"Long live His Royal Highness!"

With the guidance of Prime Minister Evan, the entire port and all the stands immediately rang with deafening shouts, as if all Australians were announcing to God the achievements of their respected Duke.

Seeing that his guidance was successful, Prime Minister Evan respectfully asked Arthur to say a few words.

"Long live Australia!" Arthur's first sentence was not anything else, but a response to the people's shouts just now.

"Long live Australia! Long live His Royal Highness the Duke!"

The shouts that had just fallen silent broke out again, even stronger than at the beginning.

This is also Arthur's purpose, to promote nationalism at a time when all Australians can accept it.

Only when all Australians unite together to form a new nation and highly recognize the country, can Australia have a better hope of becoming a strong country, and Arthur's rule will be more stable.

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