Holy Roman Empire

Drucker's words obviously meant something. The few people sitting here are the ruling classes of various countries and belong to those with vested interests. No one wants to see their national interests damaged.

Mark Oliver's face changed drastically. He dared to guarantee that if he did nothing this time, he would definitely be retaliated by domestic capitalists after returning to China.

Capitalists immigrating to America?In fact, this is only the patent of big capitalists and financial groups. Small and medium-sized capitalists are lucky if they go to an unfamiliar place and don't get swallowed up by others.

Real capital has no borders, and it can only be realized after order is established and everyone becomes aware of eating.

Drucker's purpose is to remind everyone to sit upright, not to accept money from the northern government, and to lean toward the Americans in terms of political stance.

After calming down, Mark Oliver said with a smile: "The United States is indeed too strong, it is better to weaken it.

I remember that in the "Declaration of Independence", the federal states of the United States have the right to withdraw. Now that the seven southern states have become independent, let's recognize their status! "

This is fatal, once the European countries recognize the independent status of the southern government.The Civil War was no longer the American Civil War, but a war between two independent nations.

Politically, it was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the northern government.Once the legal status of the southern government is established, it will be easy for countries to find excuses to intervene in this war in the future.

If everyone is willing, as long as the southern government sends an invitation letter, everyone can use force to intervene in the mediation.

The northern government's plan to use the abolition of slavery to create pressure on public opinion and cut off the support of European countries for the southern government failed at the very beginning.

The British made this decision, and the Canadian issue was also involved behind it.The continuous expansion of the United States has long been dissatisfied with the British.After the Revolutionary War, the Anglo-American conflict continued.

In 1812, the retiring President Jefferson made a bold statement: "This year, the Canadian region will be annexed... and finally the British power will be completely expelled from the American continent!"

Soon the Americans launched an attack on the Canadian region in an attempt to dominate the American continent.

John Bull, who was furious, immediately took military action, making Americans feel what is called the iron fist of the British Empire.The Americans who fought on the battlefield looked for their teeth all over the place, and even set fire to the White House.

Time is the best weapon, and the horror of the British is gradually forgotten by the Americans. In 1844, the No. 11 President James Polk's campaign slogan was: "(Britain) either hand over Oregon or go to war!"

At this time, the United States is no longer weak and weak, and it is no longer so easy to fight.

At that time, after weighing the pros and cons, the London government admitted to giving up the Oregon region, but it held back its breath.

You can hold your breath, but the British also feel the threat of the United States.It's just that the capitalists have exerted influence on Congress for their own benefit and reconciled the contradictions between Britain and the United States.

No matter what he said, Qiu still remembered it.After Mark Oliver discovered the anti-American stance of the two countries, he immediately decided to hit the Americans with a sap.

French representative Alfred objected: "It's not good to directly interfere in the internal affairs of the United States. European public opinion supports the abolition of slavery. If we do so, it will easily cause trouble."

Interests determine the position, and the French have very few interests in North America, so they naturally don't mind the United States becoming bigger.Anyway, after the United States became bigger, the British were the first to bear the brunt.

The Austrian representative Drucker explained in righteous words: "This is just a small problem. The southern government can also abolish slavery. Now they are protecting private property as sacred and inviolable.

Withdrawing from the United States is also completely legal.There is no provision in the U.S. Constitution that prohibits states from withdrawing. We must abide by the spirit of the contract!

To put it bluntly, the main reason for the North-South conflict is the tariff issue.The northern government's proposal to raise tariffs has seriously damaged the principle of trade fairness! "

Trade fairness is false, but it is true that it harms everyone's interests.Once the Americans raise tariffs, we not only lose the source of cheap raw materials, but also lose a commodity market.

Even the French who support the United States to add chaos to the British have to admit that the northern government's approach has harmed their interests.

This is also the reason why the French government's internal policies on the issue of the United States often change.Many times, they themselves don't know what to do.

French representative Alfred asked in disbelief: "Your Excellency, are you not joking, the southern government will abolish slavery?"

After the propaganda of the northern government, in the eyes of many people, the southern government is an evil slave trader.The plantation owners originally relied on the exploitation of slaves to make profits, so how could they give up their financial resources?

Drucker replied confidently: "Nothing is impossible, and plantation owners can also learn from capitalists' business model.

In this world, there are many black-hearted capitalists who only pay a small salary, or even do not pay a salary, right?

In name, slaves were indeed given free status, but in fact the salaries they paid were only enough for these people to survive.

If they are old or sick, they will be kicked out to fend for themselves.Could it be that if one method is converted, the cost will really increase?

Plantation owners feared nothing more than that the slaves would leave when they were freed.This problem can be solved by means of employment contracts. "

What Drucker was talking about is the social reality of this era, which is true in all European countries.In name, everyone abolished serfdom, but in fact the lives of the people at the bottom have not improved much.

On the surface, after becoming a worker, everyone got a salary and their living standards improved.In fact, this is all in exchange for increased labor.

Encountered an economic crisis, if you say you are unemployed, you will be unemployed.Workers cannot be treated for their illnesses, and once they are treated, their families will be destroyed, and there is no security at all.

Mark Oliver echoed: "Yes, in terms of cost, it is also a good choice to switch to another way of employment. There are so many labor export companies in the United States, and planters will not be short of labor at all.

As the leader of the civilized world, we are obliged to help the southern government to gradually abolish the evil slavery and join the big family of civilized society. "

The issue of slavery was resolved, and the French representative no longer objected.It didn't matter whether the southern governments abolished slavery or not, as long as they made a gesture of intentional abolition.

The representative of Spain proposed: "In order to abolish the evil slavery as soon as possible and for the peace and stability of the world, we must now persuade more slave states to join the southern government."

Obviously it is to balance the strength of the North and the South, and when it is said from the mouths of politicians, it becomes high-sounding.

As for whether the southern government will accept everyone's kindness, there is no need to think about it at all, they will definitely accept it.

It's a political gesture, not an imminent action.Just doing a show can be recognized by the international community, who has the courage to refuse?

French representative Alfred said: "This is a good proposal. France is willing to help these slaves get their freedom."

……

On February 1861, 2, regardless of the opposition of the northern government, the four countries of Britain, France, Austria and West jointly issued a diplomatic announcement, recognizing the independence of the southern government and establishing formal diplomatic relations.

Chapter 3 The French Response

On March 1861, 3, the Austrian Navy set off from the port of Venice to start a global tour. The first stop was the Ottoman Empire.

It's a pity that the Sudanese government moved its capital to the inland area, otherwise they could feel the pressure.Even if the capital was moved, the Sudanese government was still shocked.

Seven ironclad ships plus a dozen auxiliary warships constitute the most powerful fleet in the world, which cannot be compared with the sail fleet at all.

When it is said to be a visit, it is just a visit.This time Franz didn't plan to make extra troubles. After frightening the Sudanese government for a while, he visited the Mediterranean countries and went straight to Asia.

Paris

Napoleon III, who was stimulated, announced at the government meeting: "We will build a larger armored fleet to let the world know the power of France."

Napoleon III had no choice but to react violently, even if the navy was not as good as the British.He can also comfort himself that the British are a pure sea power country, and France is amphibious on land and sea, and he can't bear it if he is not as good as the Austrians.

Now the advantage of the French navy over the Austrian navy is only in terms of tonnage and combat experience.

It's a pity that these experiences have stayed in the era of sailing warships. In the era of ironclad ships, many things are outdated, and tactical concepts have also changed.Even if the tonnage has several times the advantage, the sail warship cannot beat the ironclad ship.

There is no way, the artillery of the sailing warship is also used to deal with the sailing warship, and it is not enough when the enemy suddenly becomes an ironclad ship.

The Minister of the Navy, Dicko, replied confidently: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. We have already started to build an ironclad fleet. Currently, two ironclad ships are in service, and there will be three more ironclad ships in service by the end of the year.

The Ministry of the Navy plans to build ten ironclad ships, and they can all be built in a maximum of two years to let the world know our strength. "

The technical barrier has been passed, and the construction of ironclad ships is no longer a problem.This is still the speed of shipbuilding in peacetime. If you are willing to hurry up, the construction time of a warship only takes a few months.

During this period, the tonnage of ironclad ships has not skyrocketed.The big ones are only eight or nine thousand tons, and the small ones are only two or three thousand tons.The shipyard does not need to be remodeled, and it can basically meet the needs of shipbuilding.

Napoleon III said with satisfaction: "Good!"

The world's No. [-] navy can't get the title, and the world's No. [-] navy can't lose it anymore. The French also want to save face.

Now according to the ranking of international military power, the French army and navy are both second, followed by the Austrian army and navy, and both are third. The apparent military strength of the two countries is very close.

Before the advent of the ironclad ship era, the strength of the Austrian navy was still swaying.As a result, when the ironclad ship arrived, it overtook the car and leapt away from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Many people now believe that the Austrian Navy can compete with the French Navy.This concept has a very good market in the Mediterranean region, and Napoleon III has no idea.

From the perspective of naval tonnage, the Austrian Navy is close to 70.00% of the French Navy. Considering the bonus of armored ships' combat effectiveness, this statement is very convincing.

Therefore, the French Ministry of the Navy announced the long-planned shipbuilding plan. When these warships enter service, the naval strengths of the two countries will be stretched again.

As for Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal, they have fallen behind at this time and are unable to participate in this naval feast.

After a pause, Minister of the Navy Dicko added: "Your Majesty, our navy's military budget is insufficient. To build so many ironclad ships, the government needs to increase funding."

Obviously, the navy invited Napoleon III to see the Austrian naval fleet in person, and it was not without purpose.On the surface, the French Navy was ashamed, but in fact it was still for shipbuilding funds.

Having no time to pay attention to the small calculations of the Admiralty, Napoleon III asked, "How far is it?"

The Minister of the Navy Dicko replied seriously: "At least another 1.2 million francs will be allocated before we can complete the plan."

Simply building a ship will definitely not cost that much money, and basic training, staffing, and new technology research and development must also be considered...

The appropriation of the current appropriation is only the initial cost. Once the construction is completed, the follow-up maintenance cost of the navy will also increase in the future. In other words, the navy's military expenditure will increase.

Before Napoleon III could answer, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Monier, couldn't wait to jump out and say, "No, you are talking like a lion.

How much does it cost to build an ironclad ship?How could it be 1.2 million francs, and at most it will not exceed 8000 million francs. If you save some money, 7000 million francs may be enough. "

Now the fiscal revenue of the French Empire has reached 17.2 billion francs (approximately 6880 million pounds).

(Remarks: The statistical chronology checked, it seems that only the local area is counted)

However, no matter how high the fiscal revenue is, the money will never be enough to spend.The Ministry of Finance still needs to save money, and must resolutely crack down on this kind of lion's big mouth.

The Minister of the Navy, Dicko, explained solemnly: "Your Excellency, how can this be saved? In the era of ironclad ships, we are one step behind the Austrians. The main reason is insufficient military expenditure.

Now if military spending is reduced, how can we develop new technologies?

Ironclad warships are different from previous sail warships. Our soldiers have to be retrained after serving to be able to operate them proficiently, which is another expense.

In addition, the tonnage of ironclad ships is much larger than that of sail warships. Many of our original military ports need to be rebuilt, and all of these require money. "

Chancellor of the Exchequer Monier disagreed and said: "Don't talk nonsense, except for research and development and application of new technologies, other projects are allocated funds every year, so don't even think about repeating the budget.

Even if the Ministry of Finance allocates funds to you, you will not be able to pass the government audit in the future.It is better to make a detailed budget again, and then we will discuss the issue of appropriation. "

These words are very political.Warships must be built. This is the will of Napoleon III, but the cost of shipbuilding is still reduced. Otherwise, how can it reflect the seriousness and responsibility of the Ministry of Finance?

Knowing that the two quarreled and acted more, Napoleon III still watched the fun as if nothing had happened.Obviously, he is still qualified as an emperor in terms of strategy.

If the people below are hugged together, the emperor's life will be difficult.This kind of small fight, even if they know it's just a routine, the conflict will still be deeply rooted in people's hearts after a long time.

The Ministry of Finance has too much power, and all departments need them to allocate funds, so they cannot afford to offend the God of Wealth.If there are no contradictions, let the Ministry of Finance sell it everywhere, and the emperor will not be able to sleep.

……

It seemed that the time had come, Napoleon III interrupted the argument between the two: "Okay, if you want to quarrel, go back to your office and quarrel slowly, don't affect my mood.

I remember that the United States seemed to be splitting up. How did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs respond? "

Foreign Minister Auvergne replied: "Your Majesty, our minister in Washington has received news that we have now reached an agreement with the three countries of Insio, and we are in agreement on matters concerning the United States.

Now that we have persuaded the southern government to agree to the abolition of slavery, the four countries have officially recognized the legitimacy of the southern government, and are currently lobbying more slave states to join the southern government.

If nothing else, the United States should be divided this time.With any luck, the opportunity for us to return to North America will also arise. "

Napoleon III asked suspiciously: "Since the southern government is willing to abolish slavery, why are they independent? Didn't the northern government make any concessions?"

Foreign Minister Auvergne explained: "Your Majesty, the main conflict between the North and the South is tariffs. In recent years, the population of the northern states has grown rapidly, while the population of the South has grown slowly. The strength gap between the two sides has been widened.

The current U.S. northern government is the spokesperson for the interests of the capitalists, and the promises they make have no credibility at all.

If the southern states do not act, their interests will gradually be eroded.

After the independence of the southern states, the neutral faction put forward a proposal to add a slave state to balance the power gap between the two sides, but was rejected by the northern government.

Some people also proposed double tariff standards, that is, to implement trade barriers in the northern states and increase the tariff rate; while the southern states implement free trade and reduce the tariff rate.

The grave of the person who made this suggestion has already grown grass.The capitalists refused to compromise on this issue, they wanted cheap industrial raw materials and markets. "

Napoleon III nodded, this explanation is more reasonable.There is no love and hate for no reason in the world. If there is no benefit, do you still expect capitalists to fight a civil war for the benefit of black slaves?

If there is such a holy mother, why don't these people treat the workers better?This is true for our own people, let alone black slaves.

"So, the Austrian Navy's global visit is also aimed at the Americans?"

Obviously, Napoleon III's political vision is still good, and Franz's true purpose can be seen at a glance.

Under normal circumstances, even if there is an exchange visit, it is impossible to send such a large team, and the navy is also very expensive to run.

"There should be factors in this area, and the Vienna government is ready to stand up.

In recent years, the Austrians have frequently opened up colonies overseas and have encountered a lot of troubles, which may be resolved during this visit. ’ replied Auvergne, Minister of Foreign Affairs

After contemplating for a while, Napoleon III made a decision: "We can't be idle either, in recent years, the speed of overseas expansion is still a bit slow.

This American Civil War is an opportunity, and even the Austrians are going to fish in troubled waters.If we miss another chance, we will really fall behind.

Come up with a plan as soon as possible, and the interests of the Americas must have France. "

In fact, the speed of French overseas expansion is not slow at all, but it has slowed down by focusing on the Kingdom of Sardinia in the past two years.

This slowness is only relative. Except for Austria, the French are currently expanding the fastest on the African continent.

Chapter 4 The Butterfly Effect