Now Admiral Swindin: "It is impossible for the Russians to purchase such a large fleet, the Russian-Austrian naval agreement is only to hide people's eyes, and the real goal of the Austrians is us."

The Reich must take countermeasures and use absolute strength to dispel the enemy's unrealistic illusions. ”

It's an open secret, and anyone with a discerning eye can see it. To deal with the Japanese Navy, it was enough to use 2 super battleships as the main force.

The size of the HRE Navy itself is not small, and if you add 13 super battleships, then the advantage of the Royal Navy no longer exists.

Although strength on paper does not represent the final combat effectiveness, the Royal Navy cannot afford to gamble. No one can guarantee that Shinra will not preempt the first move after the balance is broken.

Although the Viennese government had always advertised its "love of peace", Franz the Great also made a promise to the outside world: he would not take the initiative to provoke war.

However, in the face of interests, these guarantees cannot stand the test. If you haven't broken your promises, it only proves that the temptation of profit is not big enough.

If you really want to start a war, are you afraid that you won't find a reason?

Chancellor of the Exchequer Asquith: "Countermeasures are necessary, but how can we be sure that the enemy is building ships?"

In the past years, it was because the enemy deliberately released false information that our ship-building pace was often interrupted.

A large number of warships appeared at the same time, which seemed to reduce the cost of building ships, but in fact, it was at the expense of warship performance optimization and increased maintenance costs.

It doesn't matter once or twice, the overall performance of the warships of the Imperial Navy has been pulled down a notch by the enemy with such despicable means.

If we can't change the situation of passive response, then we will always be led by the enemy, and sooner or later we will have to pay the price for it. ”

There is no way, I ran into Franz's intelligence-focused opponent, and HRE has always regarded the shipyard to death.

Judging from the information gathered, it is almost impossible to understand the kernel.

Even if the infiltration is carried out, there are more than a dozen shipyards that can build large warships in the HRE, unless there are people in key positions in these factories at the same time.

Although Britain is full of talent, it does not have the luxury of sending dozens of senior engineers to work undercover.

General intelligence officers, even if they become management, will not be able to get specific parameters.

Most of the time, it's a side-kick way to gather intelligence and then analyze it. Unfortunately, these can be faked, and no one knows whether it is a merchant ship or a warship that is built before the ship is launched.

Similar frauds have happened many times over the years. Because of the lack of accurate information, the London government often miscalculated.

Of course, intelligence inaccuracies are mutual. The British government could not figure out the situation of Shinra's shipbuilding, and the Vienna government was also unclear about the parameters of the British warship.

The reason why the British government fell into passivity is mainly because they are defensive, and many things are clearly placed.

As a challenger, it doesn't hurt to have a few more or fewer warships in the HRE Navy, and they are no match for the Royal Navy anyway.

The British could not do it, they had to ensure that the Royal Navy had a 100% advantage, and any time they were at a disadvantage could give the enemy an opportunity.

In this context, many times the British government can only bite the bullet knowing that it may be deceived.

It's just that being fooled can be one or two, and if you continue to be hit, then you can't talk about it.

Those who know understand that the government is forced to do so. But there are always a few people of insight in this world, and the most are still unknown.

It is only that there is criticism among the people, and it is the parliament that is in trouble. Many MPs believe that these mistakes are false information fabricated by the Royal Navy in order to defraud the construction of ships.

Not only the military needs to bear these pressures, but the Ministry of Finance is the first to bear the brunt, and is often sprayed with "wasting taxpayers' money".

Interior Secretary Azevedo explained: "There is no way to do it, the Austrians have blocked the news so badly that our people can't get close to it at all."

Even if they bought off shipbuilders, they could not resist the enemy's use of the technical standards for building warships to build merchant ships. It is important to know that before the hull is formed, there is a chance to change the use.

Unless we delay our decisions for months at a time, errors in judgment are inevitable. ”

It is not said that the hull is used to change before it is formed, even if the main structure is made, it can also be modified.

The cost of warships is not only the high cost of construction, but also the high cost of later maintenance. In contrast, merchant shipping is different, and it is able to create value in itself.

In this context, HRE spends money on strategic deception, and after Britain follows up, the price it needs to pay is tenfold.

So much so that now, the British government only cares about super battleships, and other small warships, simply ignore them and go directly at their own pace.

Naturally, the British government was very angry at this unfavorable situation. If it weren't for the main force of the HRE Navy, most of them hiding in the Mediterranean Sea as overlords, they would have been reckless.

It's a pity that the reality is cruel, and the HRE Navy seems to be iron-hearted, but it can't come out of its comfort zone.

I want to provoke, but although the main force of the navy is not moving, the army is moving more actively than anyone else.

Britain has the weakness of the HRE in its hands, and the HRE also holds the key points of Britain. If there is a real quarrel, the final result is probably a lose-lose situation.

Politicians are realistic, they live a good life, and no one wants to risk their whole money.

Prime Minister Campbell sighed and said: "It is impossible to delay for a few months and wait for the matter to be decided before making a decision."

The Holy Roman Empire was no ordinary enemy. Their industrial strength is very strong, and if they find a loophole and start construction of a dozen super battleships at one time, we will regret it.

Let's get ready first, and then let the intelligence officers confirm as much as possible, and if no problems are found, then finalize our shipbuilding plan as soon as possible.

The situation was not so bad either, and there was also good news, except for the uncertainty of whether the Austrians were playing tricks.

The Russo-Japanese War had broken out, and the threat from India had been lifted for the time being. With such a good opportunity to weaken the Russians, I do not believe that the Viennese government will not be moved.

Don't look at Franz the Great's promise to support the allies with all his might, that's to say.

Looking at the several foreign wars of the Russians in recent decades, when have they been missing, and when have they supported them with all their might?

The interests of the HRE in the Far East are small, and the enthusiasm shown by the Viennese government has long exceeded the boundaries of allies, and there must be something wrong with this.

The Russians are not stupid either, sooner or later they will come to their senses. If the support of the HRE is not enough, resulting in heavy losses in the war, Russia and Austria will have to part ways.

If we take advantage of the opportunity to manipulate it again, there is a good chance that they will turn against each other. For the Foreign Ministry to be ready to woo the Russians, we now need strong allies. ”

It's not better than not knowing, it's more frightening. Although Britain's shipbuilding industry is developed, the number of large shipyards is still very limited, and even fewer can build large warships.

If they really go all out to fight for production capacity, their chances of winning are not high. After all, there is a huge disparity in the industrial strength of the two sides, and no one knows where the limits of the HRE are.

Before you know it, Britain has put itself in an extremely embarrassing situation.

Aware of the crisis, life still has to go on the same way. Whether the hegemony will fall or not will ultimately be seen on the battlefield.

"Flowers are not red for a hundred days, and people are not good for a thousand days".

The situation is getting more and more serious, and what the British government can do now is to continue the glory of Britain as much as possible, and not let the glory fall in its own hands.

Of course, the situation is not good, but the national strength of the British Empire is still strong, and it is far from the time when the oil is exhausted.

The most critical reason for the strategic passivity is the lack of strong fighters on the European continent, and it is difficult to gather the general trend of anti-Shinra.

The French could not be counted on, and the Russians had become the only hope for Britain. It's just that "hope" is also not very reliable, and even if it is an alliance, the possibility of backlash is very high.

Now the short man picks the general, and he can only "take the long from the short". No matter how unreliable the Russians are, they are more useful than the wall-to-wall grass on the European continent.

With Britain and Russia taking the lead, the anti-"HRE" alliance almost had the basis for the birth of the alliance. Coupled with the United States, Japan, Chile, Colombia and other countries, the lineup is almost enough.

Even if you can't kill the gods, it will be able to extend the hegemony of Britain for many years. At least for their generation, hegemony can be maintained.

Foreign Secretary Adam Wingard: "Don't worry, Prime Minister. We did what we had to do, the Foreign Ministry had already released goodwill to the Russians through a third party, but unfortunately the tsarist government did not buy it.

Now they still have illusions about the HRE, especially after getting a loan from the Vienna government, and the Russians don't take us seriously.

It is not an overnight problem to change the political stance of the tsarist government, and I hope that this war will wake them up. ”

Complaining is complaining, and it can still be seen from the smile on his face that Wen Jiade is not angry.

Britain and Russia were enemies in the first place, and now Britain was supporting their enemies, the Japanese, and the tsarist government knew what to choose if it didn't have a water in its head.

Knowing that he couldn't do it, it was naturally not that Wen Jiade was full of food and wanted to ask for his own hardship.

From the outset, the British government did not expect to release the so-called "goodwill" to ease relations with the Russians.

Now through the third-party transit, the main purpose is to inform the Russians that the tsarist government understands that in addition to the Holy Roman Empire, they have another option, not to go down the same path as the HRE.

"Turning enemies into friends" has never been a simple matter. This is true between people, and the same is true between countries, and it is necessary to have the right time and place at the same time.

Now the British Foreign Office has only planted a seed in the hearts of the Russian top brass, and as for whether it can take root and sprout, it remains to wait for the future development of the situation.

……

The British were on the move, and the Vienna government was not idle. Although there is no alliance from all over the world, it is strengthening and consolidating relations with existing allies.

Under the pretext of sanctioning Britain for sabotaging free trade without authorization, the Third World Economic Summit was held in Vienna on April 26, 1904, at the call of the Vienna government.

The scene is thick, but it's a pity that the word "world" has become unworthy of the name. Except for the European countries that have sent important figures to participate, most of the other countries have coped with the situation.

The three words "grass on the wall" are vividly interpreted by various countries.

There is nothing to be angry about, which is to be expected. In this world of the jungle, small countries have always been precarious, and it can be said that every time they stand in line, it is a choice of fate.

If you don't grass on the wall, you have to grow grass on the grave. In order to survive, everyone can only rely on the strong.

To be able to send someone to the meeting is to save face. Those who send important people to participate can basically default to "standing in line".

In a sense, the Vienna Economic Summit is another geopolitical test.

European countries support the HRE, on the one hand, they are optimistic that the HRE can win, and more or more they have no choice.

If you don't attend the meeting, what if you are treated as a British accomplice and sanctioned together?

This is considered lucky, I am afraid that before the war for hegemony breaks out, the Vienna government clears the scene in advance and cleans them up first.

As for offending the British because of this, there is no way to do it, and everyone can only try to remedy it as much as possible.

If Franz was not mistaken, at the same time as the delegation departed, a secret delegation also rushed to London.

Knowing is knowing, and when it is time to be confused, you must be confused. It's human nature to weigh the pros and cons, and everyone just plays like this to survive.

Franz never had much expectation of these allies, as long as these guys could follow the flag and shout in normal times and not cause chaos at critical moments.

The struggle for hegemony is still to be done by yourself. Relying on allies, even if you win, your foundation will not be solid.

When a friend comes, he must be received. Franz is fortunately, as the old birthday star of the European monarchical world, he has enough privileges.

Being able to show up at the welcome banquet is to give everyone enough face, and more to think about.

Frederick, by contrast, was tragic. As the crown prince of the empire, he is the center everywhere he goes, and he is surrounded by a group of people every day.

However, in the face of these uninvited guests, Frederick could not send them away at will, so he could only go out to socialize.

Looking at his somewhat haggard son, Franz didn't know what to say. It seems that back then, I was also ......

Well, this contrast doesn't fit. The situation was completely different, Franz succeeded to the throne as soon as he came of age.

The emperor and the crown prince are different, because of the difference in identity, the way and method of doing things are also different.

"You can push the entertainment in the back, don't participate in any banquet, there's no need for that.

I really can't save face, so let a few of your cousins deal with it, don't carry everything by yourself. ”

Frankly, Frederick was so busy, and Franz was also responsible. Had it not been for the fact that he had sent his other sons overseas, Frederick would not have been tired of dogs.

"Cousin", although he is also a member of the Habsburg dynasty, is still inferior in status, and the meaning he can represent is also different.

If nothing else, just from the title. Even if the emperor's son is not a prince, a grand duke title is still indispensable, but the son of the grand duke is not necessarily the grand duke.

Especially after the completion of the reform of the aristocratic system, some nephews who have not yet completed the gilding may have only one "lord" on their heads.

Of course, the aristocratic world does not only look at the title, but also pays more attention to the surname behind it.

Although it is suspected of being sluggish to let these little guys go into battle, Franz believes that the people who can come over are friends, and he will not mind such a small flaw.

Tasting the hint of blame, Frederick explained: "Knowing my father, I will pay attention." The main reason is that a few old friends who haven't seen each other for many years came, and there was a little more time for socializing. ”

Hearing the word "friend", Franz was not good. After coming to this world for so many years, I have everything but no friends.

There is no way, the world of the monarch is lonely. As a young man, Franz showed exceptional maturity and could not play with his peers.

Everyone is still reading and playing, and he has become the emperor. The gap in identity has increased the distance.

Not to mention the older generation, all of them are old foxes, and they have to be guarded against being calculated together, not to mention "friends".

There are gains and losses, and there is nothing perfect in this world. If it hadn't been for Frederick's mention, Franz would have almost forgotten the word "friend".

After coming back to his senses, Franz waved his hand and said, "Okay, you just know it yourself."

This economic summit will go through the motions, and it is best to reach a few economic agreements, and do not force them to negotiate if they cannot be reached.

The next focus of work is to "build ships". Although we released fake news, it is estimated that we will not be fooled for a few days.

The next thing is to compete with the British in speed, whose warship is the first to serve, then in the next battle for supremacy, who will be able to occupy the first hand.

Over there at the shipyard, you spend more time staring. Speed up the process as much as possible without compromising on quality. ”

In order to compete for supremacy at sea, it is naturally indispensable to "make dumplings". Several of the major shipyards of the Holy Roman Empire are already in operation.

Such a big movement naturally can't be kept secret, and Franz didn't expect it to be kept secret.

The release of smoke bombs to disrupt the judgment of the British is mainly to provide fodder for the British Parliament to quarrel.

True and false, false and real, the number of ships built in multiple versions, no matter which one the British believe, will have to be discussed for several days.

To make a decision immediately, that would not be in line with the basic conditions of Britain. Even if the government can reach an agreement, the parliament will have to quarrel a few times.

For the Holy Roman Empire, which wants to grab time, every day is now crucial. For each additional day, the Navy's chances of victory are greater.