Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 1093 - 107, Ever-Decreasing Expectations

Chapter 1093: Chapter 107, Ever-Decreasing Expectations

Having failed to achieve his goals, Laohe-George could only sigh that the world was changing too swiftly, and the French government was no longer easy to cheat.

Unlike the pro-British Bonaparte Dynasty, the restored Bourbon Dynasty had nothing to do with the British Government. To avoid suspicion, the Carlos Government even deliberately kept its distance from the British.

The facts were right in front of everyone, and no matter what great benefits Laohe-George promised, they couldn’t cover up the extremely high risk of participating in the war against the Holy Roman Empire.

France was now severely weakened, and the wealth accumulated over centuries of colonial imperialism had been depleted. Simply put, there was no capital left to oppose Shinra head-on.

The nation couldn’t withstand the chaos, and the King could endure it even less. The Bourbon Dynasty was legitimate, but its rule had been interfered with by stronger forces multiple times, making its foundation much less stable than it appeared to the outside world.

If it wasn’t for the previous government’s reckless actions and the calamities brought about by the Russians, which had made Parisians recoil at the mention of “revolution”,

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then given France’s current economic situation, it’s likely that the Carlos Government would have already been ousted.

One has to admit that harsh societal realities tend to hasten maturity. A series of failures had nearly obliterated France’s adolescent delinquents.

Without these cannon-fodder recruits, the Revolutionary Party had quieted down. There was no helping it; the public was most resentful of revolutions at this time, leaving no foundation for rebellion.

No one was a fool. The troops of the Anti-French Alliance were still stationed in France. To revolt at this time was to oppose not only the Carlos Government but to oppose the Anti-French Alliance itself.

Any clever person could see that rising in rebellion now, aside from risking one’s life and assets, was utterly pointless.

As for fools who couldn’t read the situation, most of them had already perished, and the few lucky survivors couldn’t stir up any real trouble.

What was most important was that under Carlos’s rule, although the nation’s economy had not improved much, the French population had significantly decreased.

With fewer people, the average resources allocated to each person naturally increased, making life bearable for everyone.

Having experienced the turmoil of war, they now understood the true value of peace, and the traumatized French people just wanted to live some peaceful days. Even if life was hard, it was still better than being displaced and homeless.

In a society where people were finally settling down, the domestic situation in France quickly stabilized.

Disappointed at having failed to persuade the French, Laohe-George was deeply disheartened, but he had no time for sentimentality. His trip to Europe was not solely for the sake of France.

Besides the Holy Roman Empire, which was one hundred percent confirmed as an enemy, all European nations were potential allies for the British Government.

Though geopolitical realities made it unrealistic to pull everyone to their side, playing a game of “appearing loyal while harboring other intentions” was also acceptable.

Britain didn’t need all countries on its side; it was a significant victory if they could remain neutral or passively resist in the hegemonic struggle.

Achieving this was not without hope. The current reliance of European nations on the Holy Roman Empire did not mean they were content with the situation.

No one liked having a “mother-in-law” to oversee them. If possible, everyone would prefer to return to an era where multiple powers stood side by side.

Should the Holy Roman Empire truly achieve world hegemony, it would be a genuine case of “one power ruling alone,” forcing nations to prostrate in fear under this enormous entity.

The Vienna Government being cautious with its image now didn’t mean it would remain so once it held supreme power. No one wanted to bet on the integrity of the Vienna Government.

After all, governments need to be renewed. Franz’s era had a special social context that required maintaining decency, but that didn’t mean the next era would do the same.

Had it not been for their clever moves before, riding on the coattails of the Anti-French war to sudden prominence, an Anti-Austrian alliance would likely have been established long ago.

From this perspective, France had made a substantial contribution to the rise of the Holy Roman Empire.

Had they not so arrogantly drawn hatred and influenced the judgment of nations, the rise of the Holy Roman Empire would not have been so smooth.

Perhaps Laohe-George was born to a life of toil, his name starting with “Lao,” which means “labor,” and now he scurried across the world as a special envoy of the United Kingdom.

Unlike the convenience of transportation in later generations, although airplanes did exist at that time, politicians basically dared not fly in them.

Even the most luxurious trains couldn’t match the speed of green trains of later generations. The fastest and most comfortable were the special trains, but alas, Laohe-George was not yet entitled to such treatment.

The identity of a plenipotentiary representing Britain might scare many overseas, yet on the European Continent, there were plenty who didn’t give him any regard.

In each country, he had special trains at his disposal, but this courtesy would be more fitting if Edward VII himself were visiting.

Spending long hours on a train was certainly not a pleasure. Fortunately, most European countries were small; if they were all like Shinra or Russia, Laohe-George would have gone mad with impatience.

While he was striving for the Great British Empire’s enterprises upfront, the home front was not idle either. The British Parliament had already convened seven times over the military budget issue.

As of now, the total tonnage ratio of the Royal Navy to the Shinra Navy still maintained at 10:6.5, with a battleship tonnage ratio as high as 4:3, the only disadvantage being in super battleships.

Now that the Vienna Government had increased its budget by 100 million Divine Shields (equivalent to 50 million pounds), the Royal Navy would need to add at least 70 million pounds to maintain its current advantage.

This number did not sound large, but in reality, it was extremely burdensome. It was important to note that the annual fiscal revenue of the British Isles barely reached 100 million pounds.

Even accounting for colonial incomes, this was still a staggering figure. Once this military budget was approved, it was certain that the British Government would be facing a fiscal deficit this year.

If the original military budget was also factored in, this year’s Royal Navy military budget would break through 100 million pounds—equating to the height of the arms race in the original timeline.

Of course, it was the most intense period of the arms race now as well, the difference being that it skipped any preliminaries and went straight to the finals.

This approach of bypassing the preliminaries and heading directly to the fight for the championship was something the British clearly weren’t used to, the Parliament at least hadn’t caught up.

Many were suspicious whether the Royal Navy and the Shinra Navy were in cahoots, performing a “double act” to cheat a huge military budget.

Similar occurrences had happened before. Although the Anglo-Austrian navies had never truly colluded, when it came to military budgets, they tacitly raised the “threat theory” together.

Once, twice, thrice, four times… When it happened too frequently, it seemed less like coincidence to those who paid attention.

Rumors of the English-German navy colluding to cheat funds for the military had circulated in the original timeline, and now, whispers of the English-Austrian navy doing the same seemed no big deal.

Ordinarily, people would not believe it, but there were, of course, extraordinary circumstances.

Although the British Government was financial robust, this did not mean they had unlimited funds. Spending more on military expenses would inevitably mean cuts in other areas.

Behind each member of parliament stood support from interest groups. An increase in the naval military budget meant gain for some and loss for others.

Interests are not rational, and opposing for the sake of opposition was completely normal behavior.

Moreover, Shinra’s shipbuilding plan was shrouded in secrecy; everyone had good reason to suspect it was a ploy concocted by the enemy.

It was well-known that when naval military budget increased, it wasn’t just a one-time investment. After ships were commissioned, each year brought increased maintenance costs.

The British Government had been duped more than once by similar schemes. After all, the Royal Navy wouldn’t dare penetrate the Mediterranean; the Vienna Government had no fear of the plan backfiring.

Looking at the total tonnage comparison, for a lengthy period, the two navies’ total tonnage ratio was maintained at 10:7, but now it had shifted to 10:6.5.

The change in ratio might seem insignificant, but the money spent was substantial. Especially since the Royal Navy had also mothballed numerous Legal warships; otherwise, the disparity in total tonnage would have been even more marked.

Originally, the leading tonnage was a good sign, meaning the hegemony of the Royal Navy was unbreakable. Unfortunately, with the advent of “The Era of Super Battleship,” all that had changed.

After witnessing the combat power of the Super Battleship, the Royal Navy suddenly realized that their “warships were outdated.”

Overnight, a naval revolution in technology occurred; before the Super Battleships, traditional capital ships had become mere children’s toys.

Accompanied by a reshuffling of naval power, the Royal Navy’s overwhelming advantage over the Shinra Navy gradually faded away.

Seeing the Minister of the Navy being berated by the members of parliament, Prime Minister Campbell became somewhat restless. Judging by the current situation, they’d still be arguing when the enemy was at their doorstep without having made any decisions.

“Order!”

“Members are to observe the order of the meeting and refrain from personal attacks.”

The Speaker’s voice rose, temporarily restoring order to the chamber. It was clear that everyone still held their status in regard; it had not yet devolved into a street brawl.

But this was only temporary—almost every session needed the Speaker to intervene several times.

This was still the Upper House, where the members were of nobility and generally able to restrain their emotions; the Lower House was even more boisterous.

A quarrel was child’s play compared to the all-out brawls that occasionally happened.

There is a saying that’s always circulated among the British public: “To be a qualified member of parliament, you need not only eloquence but also good physical health.”

Seeing that the room had calmed down, Prime Minister Campbell spoke, “Ladies and gentlemen, the situation is extremely dire.

The Holy Roman Empire Parliament approved an increase in naval budget last month, and now the major shipyards of Shinra have begun construction.

Based on intelligence we have gathered, they are currently building an astonishing 13 Super Battleships.

We all understand what this means. Ordinary warships have no chance of surviving against Super Battleships.

If we don’t keep up immediately, once the enemy’s fleet is operational, the advantage of the Royal Navy will be completely gone.

With Shinra’s ambition, they certainly won’t miss this chance to challenge us.

Although I am full of confidence in the Royal Navy and believe that even with older ships, our officers and men can win with their professional training against stronger opponents,

such a victory would come at a great cost, giving other countries an opportunity to exploit.

As an island nation, we must ensure our maritime superiority at all times without fail.”

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Mention of the “Shinra Empire Parliament” made Campbell enviously reflect. Both being parliaments, the difference between the two was too great.

The Shinra Empire Parliament could make a decision in just a few hours at best, and at most half a month.

Such efficiency was something the British Parliament could never achieve.

Had it not been for the inability to get it through parliament, Campbell would’ve liked to add an efficiency clause to the “Parliamentary Act”, after the manner of the Holy Roman Empire, mandating decisions within a certain timeframe.

Just thinking about it was one thing—the Shinra Empire Parliament had how many members compared to the British Parliament; there was simply no comparison.

More people might mean more strength, but it also invariably led to “reduced intelligence”. He couldn’t be certain of other effects, but during arguments, the more people there were, the more emotive the scene.

Compared to the Holy Roman Empire Parliament with only a few dozen members, the populous British Parliament was obviously more difficult to manage.

No sooner had Campbell finished speaking than an opposition member leaped out, challenging him:

“Prime Minister, we all know that the Empire is facing challenges, but that does not mean taxpayers’ money can be squandered at will.

A one-time increase of 70 million pounds in the military budget, and that’s just for one year? Does Your Excellency really think British pounds are as cheap as grass, and we can print as much as we like?

Since the enemy has increased their military budget by 5000 pounds, then we should match them accordingly. Surely the Royal Navy isn’t afraid of them under equal conditions?”

Times are changing, and so are the expectations in people’s hearts; the development planning of the Royal Navy is also continuously lowering its standards.

It started with the strategy of being one of the top three naval powers, then shifted to being in the top two, followed by lowering it to a 5:3 ratio with the ‘second-best,’ and then to 10:7, 4:3.

Grinding our teeth and persevering to the current moment, many people’s expectations have once again dropped. It has become somewhat reminiscent of the British Government’s attitude towards Americans after the First World War.

At first, they were tough, ready to suppress the Americans with the power of the Royal Navy, but after trying, they found their wallets insufficiently bulging and were forced to make concessions.

Although it hasn’t come to that yet, the ever-increasing military expenses of the Royal Navy are still making the British Government somewhat overstretched.

If it were just a matter of holding on for a few years, then with Britannia’s accumulated foundations, naturally, it wouldn’t be a problem.

However, the Holy Roman Empire is a rising power, and they can’t just be surpassed in a short while. No one knows when this sudden naval arms race will end.

Looking at the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, many British have prepared for a prolonged war, planning to use the advantage of the Channel to wear down the enemy slowly, waiting for the situation in Europe to change.

If this were one hundred years ago, such a plan would naturally be unproblematic. It’s a pity that times have changed; if it drags on for a long time, Britannia will be at an even greater disadvantage.

Frowning, Campbell helplessly explained, “Your Excellency, you only see the military budget but overlook the reality.

Although we have the most advanced shipbuilding industry in the world, the cost of constructing warships is still 10% to 15% higher than that of the Austrians.

Shipbuilding is a complex engineering task, and each warship’s birth ties in with hundreds of industries.

Whether we like to admit it or not, in terms of the whole industrial supply chain, the Empire is indeed lagging behind the Holy Roman Empire.

Not just in ship construction, but also in infrastructure development related to ships, and the maintenance costs of ships after they’re built, we are slightly higher than our opponents.”

There’s no helping it; with an industry like shipbuilding that involves so many related enterprises, one cannot avoid the impact of the industrial system.

The Holy Roman Empire, being the world’s leading industrial power, obviously has an edge in this regard.

The production cost of parts with the same function is lower in the Holy Roman Empire than in other countries, and the higher the technical content of the parts, the more pronounced this cost advantage.

In the era of free trade, with no limitations, British shipyards could also procure parts from Shinra, with just a bit more transportation fee; there wasn’t a significant cost disadvantage.

But with the collapse of the free trade system, those good days are gone for good. Imports now require the payment of high tariffs, losing their cost-effectiveness.

Local enterprises that were on the brink of bankruptcy have finally turned around, and now it’s natural to recuperate.

As the purchase price of parts goes up, the quoted price from the shipyards naturally rises too.

For the health of the industry, the British Government has to foot the bill. Reducing costs can only be awaited until the related enterprises complete their technological innovations.

Of course, while costs have increased, it’s still not as egregious as a direct 40% hike.

Campbell’s explanation was more about diverting the MPs’ attention to secure a higher military budget and ensure absolute dominance over the Shinra Navy.