Holy Roman Empire

When he said this, Alexandrovich was strongly stimulated deep in his heart. For a loan, he actually asked him, the crown prince, to beg for help.

There is no way, people have to bow their heads under the eaves.If he didn't do it himself, Alexandrovich was sure that the bureaucrats of the Foreign Ministry would never be able to negotiate a result.

This is not because they are incompetent, but mainly because the British want to put on a political show to improve the government's reputation among the people.

Compared with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, talking with him, the crown prince, can add more topicality.

Alexandrovich also needs this qualification to increase his prestige in the country, and both sides can be regarded as taking what they need.

Foreign Secretary Maclean smiled slightly and said calmly: "We are also happy to help our friends, but there is a little trouble now.

The tariff barriers set up by your government have seriously affected the normal operation of the relationship between the two countries.If your country can join the free trade system, then these will not be a problem.

This is a win-win choice. Once you join the free trade system, your country's agricultural product exports will not be subject to any restrictions.It will be of great help to your country in solving financial problems. "

The free trade system was proposed by the British in order to open up the markets of European countries.While expanding the British commodity market, it was also accompanied by the pound-gold settlement system, or the promotion of currency hegemony.

At present, the Russians are still pursuing the gold and silver bistandard system. Once they join this system, they must carry out the reform of the gold standard currency system.

The reform of the monetary system of the tsarist government had already begun, but it had always been carried out with the help of Austria.As the relationship between the two countries has cooled, the Russian currency reform has also come to a standstill.

This made the British see an opportunity and wanted to take the opportunity to replace it.The aegis-gold system, which the Russians stepped into from half a foot, was pulled into the pound-gold system, thereby widening the distance from competitors.

Now in the international currency market, there are three popular systems: British pound-gold system, Aegis-gold system, franc-gold and silver system.

There is no doubt that the British own Canada and Australia, two major gold producing areas. With so much accumulation of colonial plunder, the pound-gold system naturally has the upper hand.

Followed by the Aegis-gold system, Austria's domestic gold production is not low, and with the supplement of gold from the African continent, it also occupies an important position in the international currency market.

However, there is still a long way to go before the British. In order to make up for this gap, the Vienna government has been wooing the Russians to join.

It's just that Alexander II didn't want to be a younger brother, and this issue has never been discussed.After the financial crisis of the tsarist government broke out, the two sides started negotiations again, but the bottom line gap between the two sides was too large, and it still ended without a problem.

In contrast, the French gold and silver bistandard system is more tragic.Gold production in France was too low to meet demand, and a bimetall system had to be adopted.

Although most countries in this era adopted a mixed standard, the value of gold and silver coins changed frequently, which brought great difficulties to settlement.

To maintain the stability of the franc's currency value, the French are also working hard.However, this still cannot stop the fact that silver depreciates.

The gold standard has insufficient production capacity, and the silver standard has excess production capacity.Silver production in this era has begun to skyrocket, and the growth rate far exceeds the growth rate of social wealth.

Alexandrovich remained silent. Joining the free trade system dominated by the British involved too much, and it was simply not up to him to decide.

Don't look at McLean's saying that loans are not a problem. It sounds very good, but in fact there are serious problems.

Among other things, once the tariff protection is lost, can Russia's fragile industry and commerce survive?

Why did no industrial power join the British free trade system?It's not that I'm worried that the domestic industry and commerce have been impacted. In this era, British manufacturing is the guarantee of quality.

The economy has been affected, and the politics will also be affected.After joining the free trade system dominated by the British, Austria's response must also be considered.

Don't look at the cooling of the relationship between the two countries. It's just political, and the people-to-people and commercial exchanges are still very closely connected.

The second Prussian-Prussian War has already appeared, and both sides are preparing for the war. At this time, the importance of Austria has become irreplaceable.

Even if it joined the British free trade system, it was impossible for the London government to support the Russian Empire in the Prussian War. Prussia and Poland were their loyal younger brothers.

Of course, as long as the tsarist government is willing to give up its hatred and not take revenge on Pubo and Poland, then the British can also mediate the conflict between the two sides.

This thought flashed through Alexandrovich's mind.It is true that he is a pacifist, but he is definitely not a saint, he will be so brain-dead that he can't even adjust his position.

After thinking for a while, Alexandrovich asked: "Your Excellency, I also know the benefits of free trade.

Your country's industrial strength is number one in the world. Once there are no tariff barriers, my country's nascent national industry may be crushed in a short time.

At present, the industrial population of the Russian Empire has exceeded 600 million. Once a problem arises, it will trigger a wave of unemployment and seriously endanger national security.How to solve these problems? "

The Marquis Maclean explained unhurriedly: "His Royal Highness, you are really worrying too much. Maybe many industries will be affected, but your country also has many advantageous industries.

Take agriculture for example. Your country's agriculture has the most potential in Europe. Once you join the free trade system, it will sooner or later surpass Austria.

No one knows the scale of Austria's agricultural product processing industry better than you.

If your country relies on the advantages of local food production and develops supporting processing industries, it will not be afraid of anyone's competition at all.

Just for the export of agricultural products, your country can create an export volume of hundreds of millions of pounds. Isn't the profit in it enough to make up for the lack of other industries?

Not only agriculture, your country is rich in resources, which is also an inherent advantage.As long as it is integrated, there is no fear of competition at all. "

Aleksandrovich did not show it on the surface, but deep down he was already very disgusted.Except for provoking Russia-Austria relations, the other content is all fake.

The international grain market is already saturated, and now that the Russian Empire joins in, at most it will get a share of the pie.If you want to reach the level that McLean said, first defeat Austria and then talk about it!

My family knows their own affairs, and there is a serious gap between Russia and Austria in terms of agricultural production technology, which cannot be bridged overnight.

Poor natural conditions are also an important factor restricting the export of Russian agricultural products.Among other things, the high freight alone increases the cost.

In addition to these problems, agricultural product processing technology is also a problem.First of all, these machinery and equipment must be imported, and the quality of locally produced machinery and equipment is not up to standard.

Secondly, the lack of skilled workers has led to a high rate of defective products produced.This is a common problem in Russian industry and commerce. Even with the same machinery and equipment, the rate of defective products produced by them is higher than that of European countries.

So many problems, all added together, have greatly increased the cost. How can they compete with their opponents in the export of agricultural products?

The Russian Empire is rich in resources, and one more sentence should be added at the end-traffic backwardness.No matter how abundant the resources are, what is there to say if they cannot be transported out?

It is okay to join the free trade system, but it requires the British to take advantage of it.What Alexandrovich needs are tangible benefits, not a illusory pie.

"Your Excellency, what you said is only the direction of future development. In the short term, the Russian Empire will not gain any benefits from joining the free trade system.

But the price we have to pay is very heavy. Not only will the domestic industry and commerce be affected, it will even lead to the breakdown of the Russia-Austria alliance.It's not a reciprocal transaction, and you shouldn't be so hypocritical with your friends. "

Alexandrovich deliberately emphasized his tone, expressing his dissatisfaction to McLean.

……

In the first round of confrontation, the two sides failed to test each other, and the negotiation came to an end for the time being.

But Alexandrovich is really tempted. Regardless of whether the British are drawing cakes or not, it is indeed very tempting to be able to gain dominance in the agricultural export market.

Just thinking about his competitors made him feel hopeless.In this era, the Russian Empire only exported grain, but not other agricultural products. There were not so many reasons, but the transportation problem.

Things like fruits and vegetables were transported from the Russian Empire to European countries for sale, and they almost rotted halfway.

Wheat, potatoes, beans, and corn are the flagship products of the Russian Empire.The acreage of economic crops is too small, and the export share is very small.

For example: cotton.Due to factors such as production technology, geographical conditions, and transportation, Russian cotton lost its competitiveness.

These problems cannot be solved overnight. It is too difficult to make up for the innate deficiencies the day after tomorrow.

……

Chapter 76 It's all acting

The Anglo-Russian negotiations were not kept secret, and Franz, who was far away in Vienna, received the news, and even the contents of the negotiations were restored in sevens and eights.

Everyone understands such a simple truth.The Russians deliberately leaked the news, obviously waiting for Austria to bid.

It doesn't have to be taller than the British, as long as it is almost the same, the Tsarist government will definitely choose to stand with Austria.

This is determined by interests. The value of the Russia-Austria alliance is much more valuable than the Anglo-Russian alliance, and the British will not form an alliance with them.

Open the map and you will know that the long border between Russia and Austria does not have so many natural dangers as a line of defense.If there is no covenant, the pressure of national defense alone will be a headache.

Especially for the already exhausted Tsarist government, the situation was even more serious.If you turn your face against Austria, it means that all countries bordering them are enemies, or potential enemies.

When the Russian Empire was strong, it fought east and west and established a great reputation, but now it is showing signs of fatigue, and it has become a pack of wolves devouring tigers.

The last Russo-Prussian War told the Tsarist government how many enemies they had.If the second Russo-Prussian War fails again, then the Nordic Federation should also rush forward to share the meat.

It's no secret that Finns and Swedes hook up.When the Russian Empire was strong, the Swedes were very peaceful, but with the defeat of the Russo-Prussian War, Karl XV dared to publicly meet the leaders of the Finnish independence movement.

Of course, this potential threat did not deter the Russians.It is difficult for the Russians to fight out, but it is not a big problem to keep their current foundation.

Although there are many enemies, not many are willing to contribute.Except for the Kingdom of Prussia, the Kingdom of Poland, and the Ottoman Empire, there is no possibility of easing the feud between these three families, and the rest of the enemies will only make things worse.

Now the tsarist government is so poor that they have no other cards except the domestic market as a bargaining chip, so naturally they want to sell it at a good price.

Originally, they wanted Britain, France and Austria to bid together, but unfortunately the French are very busy now and are unwilling to participate in the competition.

……

Putting down the teacup in his hand, Franz asked with a gloomy face: "The Russians have already revealed their chips. Do you think we should compete with the British?"

It was obvious that he was in a very bad mood.The tsarist government's actions at this time completely hit Austria's vitals.

The gold in South Africa has not yet been mined. In the struggle for currency hegemony, the Aegis-gold system was already at a disadvantage. At this time, the tsarist government turned to the British, and it was basically possible to declare the victory of the pound-gold system.

Prime Minister Felix replied angrily: "Your Majesty, we cannot allow the Russians to blackmail us. We need to teach them a profound lesson."

In order to win over the Russians to join the Aegis-Gold system, Austria also paid a considerable price.All the benefits were taken, and this happened again when things came to an end. In the eyes of Prime Minister Felix, this was betrayal.

Franz nodded, and without waiting for others to speak, he said decisively: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded the Russians that the Russian-Austrian alliance is about to expire. Their actions are very chilling!"

It is impossible to bid, how can it be possible to sell the same item twice?It was none of Franz's business that the tsarist government was short of money.

Regardless of the reason, as long as you violate the agreement, even if it is a verbal agreement, it is also a betrayal.

After a pause, Franz stopped again: "Forget it, there is no need to be annoying at this time. Send an invitation letter to the Prussians, and King William I knows what to do."

How can verbal threats be deterrent with actual actions?If the Russians dared to fall to the British, he would support Prussia in the next Russian-Prussian war.

Although the Berlin government can't come up with bargaining chips, the pie drawn by them is big enough!

Unless Alexander II can get the Prussians down before the end of the Russia-Austria alliance, then Franz has nothing to say, he is not a perfidy, and Austria will definitely be neutral.

If the Russian-Austrian alliance is disbanded and the Russian-Prussian war breaks out again, then don't blame him for making trouble.Among other things, simply cutting off the Russia-Austria trade can hurt the Russians.

If this is not enough, it is also a good choice to let the Prussian navy enter the Aegean Sea and let them join forces with the Ottoman navy to block the Russian trade routes into the Mediterranean.

Many people will play with things like adding insult to injury.If the Nordic Federation doesn't know how to close the gate to the Baltic Sea, then Franz will look down on them.

Once the two lifelines are broken, the tsarist government can't import strategic materials from the Far East to carry out the war, right?

The Siberian Railway has not yet started to be repaired. Even if it is started immediately, it will take more than ten years.

Foreign Minister Weisenberg analyzed: "Your Majesty, there is no need for us to be so proactive. The Prussians should be more anxious than us, and they will come to the door by themselves before long.

Britain and Russia began to move closer, and whether their boss will support them in the next war is an unknown.

If the Prussians cannot destroy this Anglo-Russian transaction, then they can only move closer to us.Relatively speaking, our right to speak is the heaviest in Eastern Europe. "

……

Every politician is a qualified actor. The Russians used the currency system to test it, and Franz naturally had to cooperate.

This is not a bunch of bigwigs from the Vienna government, they all put on a big show for them, showing the Russians what they want to see.

It won't be long before the content of this meeting will be passed into Alexander II's desk through secret channels, and then it will be his turn to have a headache.

True or false, even Franz himself did not know whether the content of this meeting would become a fact.

The only thing that is certain is that Franz is pretending to be "angry".Having been an emperor for so many years, he has long learned to keep his emotions and anger calm, how could he show it?

Besides, everyone has their own standpoint, thinking from the position of the Russians, there is nothing wrong with their approach.

Franz often does things that cheat his teammates, and being cheated by his teammates also happens from time to time.If he was going to be angry, Franz would have been pissed off long ago.

If he was really angry, Franz would not have the meeting.Instead, take direct actions to retaliate, for example: raising a team of pirates in the Aegean Sea to block the doors of the Russians.

Or it is to sponsor a sum of money to the Russian Revolutionary Party so that they can add obstacles to the Tsarist government.

In contrast, supporting the Kingdom of Prussia is a bad idea.Isn't it a waste of effort to fall a Russia and rise a Prussia?

Acting is for the purpose of "building the plank road brightly and crossing the old warehouse secretly".After preparing for so long, Austria has to take action.

It won't be long before the strategic value of the Persian Gulf will be reflected, and Franz will naturally intervene.In any case, the British cannot be allowed to dominate here.

If it wasn't too close to the Indian region, the British would have watched too closely.Franz had already acted.

If we don't take advantage of the opportunity of the three-nation alliance and extend our tentacles to Oman to the Strait of Hormuz, when will we wait?

Austria knocked the British's sap in South Africa, and the London government wooed the Russians to join the free trade system and pry Austria's corner.Franz took the opportunity to reach out to the Persian Gulf where the British were eyeing, and everyone used their own means.

The Russians probably never dreamed that Franz was going to sell them to the British from the very beginning.

There is no way, having robbed a large tract of land in British South Africa, and now they want to rob the Persian Gulf, which the British regard as their own, and they always need to appease the emotions of the British.

Currency hegemony is not so easy to establish, especially in the gold standard era.If the British don't have enough gold, will the pound-gold system still work?

That being the case, it is better to make the British happy for a few days first.Use the halo of victory to cover up their failure in overseas colonial expansion.

As for the Russians, I'm sorry, as the conflict of interests between the two countries is increasing day by day, this alliance is almost unsustainable, and this cannot be redeemed by individuals.

Unless the Russian Empire continues to decline, then everyone can still become good friends.Obviously this is impossible, and the reforms of Alexander II have already made Franz feel threatened.

In this reform, Alexander II imitated Austria too much.Compared with the original time and space, this social reform is much more thorough.