Holy Roman Empire

Russian Minister Nikolayevich: "No, we are very sincere. Your Excellency Minister, don't forget that we have even staked our gold reserves, and there is no possibility of default at all."

Wesenberg was unmoved. If it were not for the purpose of obtaining the Russian gold reserves and promoting currency hegemony, he would not have talked to the Russians here at all.

The so-called territorial mortgage, the Tsarist government has no sincerity at all.Perhaps in order to prevent Austria from entering the Black Sea, none of the territories mortgaged by the Russians had access to the sea.

The Bulgarian area and the area west of the Dnieper River (central and western Ukraine + Moldova), which were mortgaged by the Tsarist government, all lacked the most critical coastal areas.

In the sea power era, there were no ports, and all of them were inland areas. Naturally, the value of these territories was greatly reduced.

From the Russians' standpoint, they have a reason why they have to.It is easy to let the Austrians into the Black Sea, but it is difficult to expel the Austrians.

As far as the broken ships of the Black Sea Fleet are concerned, once the Austrian Navy enters the Black Sea, Russia's interests in the Black Sea region will be seriously threatened.

In the face of interests, the tsarist government did not dare to test Austria's integrity.If the interests are too great, maybe the Vienna government will deliberately let them lose for the sake of collateral.

Even with the current territorial mortgage, the tsarist government made a risky decision after weighing the pros and cons again and again.

"If your government took out all of its gold reserves as collateral, we naturally wouldn't worry that you would default, but your country only took out half of its gold reserves.

Your country has always been a major producer of gold. Every year, dozens or even hundreds of tons of gold are mined. It is not difficult to replenish this reserve.

Your Excellency the Minister should know that we are not interested in your territory.Not all land is invaluable, especially after the loss of the sea port, it is greatly depreciated. "

Minister Nikolayevich frowned. It is not difficult to replenish the gold reserves. This is for Britain and Austria.It is very difficult for other countries in the world to increase their gold reserves.

It is true that Russia is the world's major gold-producing country, but it can't stand the outflow every year!Especially when a war is about to take place, a massive outflow of gold and silver is unavoidable.

Taking out all the gold reserves means handing over all of your economic lifeline to the Austrians. If you don’t want the ruble to become waste paper, Russia can only be a little brother.

Minister Nikolayevich: "Your Excellency Minister, this is impossible. Mortgage of half of the reserves is already our bottom line.

The land mortgage can be negotiated, and we can add some ports.In return, your country guarantees our loans to the Nordic Federation and guarantees that your navy will never enter the Black Sea. "

In order to raise money, the tsarist government has repeatedly lowered the bottom line.Especially after the bad news from London, the bottom line of the tsarist government was lowered again.

Today, Alexander II has no way out.If the war is not launched in advance, it will be too late when the enemy is ready.

The word "compromise" has never been in the Russian dictionary.The Russian-Prussian War has essentially become a way for the tsarist government to shift internal conflicts, and once it stops, the consequences will be disastrous.

Knowing that a war is breaking out now, the losses may be heavy, and the tsarist government has to bite the bullet.

Wesenberg: "Yes, but your country must provide equivalent collateral. Once your government defaults, we will repay this debt on your behalf, and safety must be guaranteed.

The navy will never enter the Black Sea, which I cannot guarantee.However, we can make an agreement that as long as your government does not default, the Austrian Navy will not enter the Black Sea. "

"Collateral" has almost become Nikolayevich's dream, as long as he thinks of the word, his scalp tingles.This Russia-Austria negotiation has consumed a lot of his energy.

On the contrary, it is a small problem whether the Austrian Navy can enter the Black Sea. No amount of guarantees for this thing are nonsense. As long as the interests are in place, no one can stop it.

Nikolayevich hurriedly said: "Your Excellency, this is just a normal commercial loan guarantee, and we can pay the guarantee. There is no risk, and your country can rest assured."

Wesenberg shook his head: "Sorry, Your Excellency the Minister. The war is about to break out. If your country can win the war, then I believe there will be no problems.

Once your country loses the war, or is tied.At that time, your government will be unable to repay the debt, can you really fulfill the contract? "

It's almost a matter of saying directly, doubting the credibility of the tsarist government.In his view, if the tsarist government lost the war, it would definitely be able to perform its contract normally, but it would not be guaranteed if it won the war.

The defeated Russian Empire, even if it wants to refuse, the Nordic Federation can send troops to get it by itself, and everyone is good at getting down.

By contrast, Austrian collateral is somewhat troublesome.Parts of Western Ukraine are likely to fall into the hands of the Commonwealth after the war, and the Vienna government wants to acquire these areas, which is another turmoil.

……

After a war of words, on October 1879, 10, Russia and Austria signed the "Russian-Austrian Commerce and Trade Agreement" in Vienna. The treaty stipulated:

The Russian Empire mortgaged the area west of the Dnieper River and the Russian Balkans, and raised 4.8 million Aegis funds from Austria, including 1.8 million Aegis loans and 3 million Aegis bonds. (Note: Odessa and Constantinople are not included)

Loan interest: 3.5‰/month

Bond interest: 8.4%/year

Handling fee: 3%

……

A week later, representatives of the three countries of Russia, Austria, and the Nordic Federation signed the "Debt Guarantee Contract" in St. Petersburg. The Vienna government provided security guarantees for the debts of the two countries.

Chapter 227 The War Breaks Out

Shortly after the Russia-Austria agreement was exposed, the Berlin government also tit-for-tat disclosed the "England-Prussian Debt Agreement" and "French-Prussian Debt Agreement".

Secrecy is non-existent, and now is the time to boost morale.If there is no good news, how can the people at home bravely participate in the war?

International loans have always been linked to politics. While providing funds, it also means that everyone is standing in line.

Britain and France supported the Commonwealth, Austria and the Nordic Commonwealth supported the Russian Empire, and the rest of Europe lined up.

Countries such as the Netherlands, Monaco, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and the German Confederation are more inclined to the Commonwealth of Nations, while Greece and Montenegro support Russia.

In terms of international support, the Pubo Federation still has an advantage, but the Russian Empire has a stronger war potential, and the two sides are evenly matched.

At the Vienna Palace, Franz was not surprised by the diplomatic defeat of the Russians.With the diplomatic ability of the tsarist government, being able to win over the Nordic Federation is a super-level performance.

Denmark has played an important role here. If it weren't for the efforts of the Danes, even with the guarantee of Austria, the tsarist government would not have made it so easy for the Nordic Federation to pay.

After all, the grievances between the Russians and Sweden have passed for decades. The older generation has died, and the new generation does not feel deeply; but the grievances between Prussia and Denmark are different.

No matter how much hatred the Russians have, the war with Prussia is for Denmark, and most Danes have a favorable impression of the tsarist government.

Although the Nordic Federation is Sweden at its core, the central government must also consider the sentiments of the Danish people in the country when making decisions.

Moreover, the conditions given by the tsarist government are really tempting.With the guarantee of the Vienna government, the risk of debt default has been greatly reduced.

In the worst case, it can also take the opportunity to make a fortune in war.The krona is not an international currency, and the Russians have nowhere to use it except to buy it in the Nordic Commonwealth.

If you are lucky, you can also take Finland without a fight, and you will make a lot of money.

The public opinion in the outside world has already exploded. For this upcoming war, everyone has different opinions.

Some people even divided the European world into two camps, and regarded this Prussian-Russian war as a game between Britain, France and Austria.

These messy news did not affect Franz's good mood.The current situation is completely in accordance with the plot he set in advance, and there are at most a little difference.

Putting down the newspaper in his hand, Franz: "First allocate 1 million Aegis to the Russians, and let the tsarist government do it boldly!"

Loans also need to be paid in installments, and banks cannot transfer hundreds of millions of Aegis in cash in a short period of time without affecting their own operations.

Not to mention the bonds, which have only just begun to be listed, and cannot be sold within a few months, and the Tsarist government will not be able to get the money in the short term.

Being able to get 1 million Aegis in a short period of time is definitely a preferential treatment, and normal commercial loans are definitely not so fast.

……

Money is heroic, and the Russians who got the money completely let go of their hands and feet and immediately recruited soldiers across the country.

The Winter Palace, where Alexander II is listening to his son's return.Unable to get support from Britain and France, Alexandrovich's trip to Europe naturally came to an abrupt end.

"You mean that Britain, France and Austria conspired to make us both lose?"

It was no surprise to Alexander II that the situation was beyond his previous expectations.

Originally, Alexander II also fantasized about easing relations with Britain and France, which would allow them to remain neutral in the war, at least at the beginning of the war.

Alexandrovich nodded: "Although there is no direct evidence to prove this, it can be seen from the current practices of the Three Kingdoms.

Negotiations were so difficult in the front, and an agreement was suddenly reached later, which is obviously abnormal.

If you analyze the time turning point of the negotiations, you will find that after the two countries reached an agreement, the Austrians suddenly made a major concession to us and no longer asked us to mortgage all the gold.

It is now the end of October, and it will be winter in two months at most. In such a short period of time, it is impossible to tell the winner.

However, the money is in place at this time, and the enemy has begun to expand his army.

If the war is delayed until the spring of next year and then breaks out, the enemy we face will not be the hundreds of thousands now, but millions of well-armed troops. "

The Russian army has a certain advantage in winter operations, but this advantage needs to be divided into time and place.

This is an advantage when defending at home. If you want to take the initiative to attack, the situation is different.

Not all winters are as cold as Russia, at least not in Poland.

After wandering for a few steps, Alexander II mocked himself: "It doesn't matter, it's still in our favor.

It seems that the impact of our last defeat has not subsided, and the Austrians are not optimistic about us and are worried that we will fail completely.

This is a good thing, and this judgment will allow the Vienna government to increase its support for us in the early stage.If you can take advantage of this opportunity and hit the enemy hard this winter, the situation will be completely different. "

After many years of imperial career, Alexander II has matured and become a qualified monarch.Able to find the favorable side in the shortest time, and try to amplify this advantage.

The foundation of the Pubo Federation is not solid, and if it fails once, its vitality will be greatly damaged.If it was hit hard, a winter would certainly not be over.

In contrast, the advantage of the Russian Empire is much greater. With the advantage of population, even if it fails, one winter is enough to recover.

Crown Prince Alexandrovich hesitated to speak, and proposed a conspiracy of Britain, France and Austria to prevent the outbreak of war, but the reality told him that it was impossible.

The power of hatred is huge, and even knowing this news has not shaken Alexander II's determination to wage war.

Deep down, Alexander II was also unwilling to start a war at this time.But he had no choice, and neither did the Russian Empire.

If they don't act now, when the enemy is ready, their odds of winning will be even lower.

The Russian Empire is really too big. Several main railway lines have been constructed. The traffic cannot be greatly improved again in the short term, but the enemy on the opposite side can.After another year or two, the railway network in the Commonwealth of Pubo was connected.

……

Minister of War Paradru Wald: "Your Majesty, we are ready for war, and we can launch an attack only at your command.

As of yesterday afternoon, we have mobilized 160 million troops, and this number is still increasing at a rate of 15 per month, of which 82 troops have assembled on the border.

All kinds of strategic materials on the front line are ready, enough to support the half-year combat needs of 100 million troops.

In addition, we have also stored a large amount of food in major cities along the way, which can be deployed nearby to minimize logistical pressure. "

There is no doubt that the Russians were much better prepared in this war than the last.A large number of strategic materials were transported to the frontline for storage in advance, so that the army and other logistics would not be embarrassed as soon as the war started.

As it turns out, Alexander II's reforms were not in vain.Compared with before, the efficiency and execution of the tsarist government have been greatly improved.

It is true that war makes people grow.After being beaten once, the tsarist government just established a wartime mobilization mechanism amid the bumps.

What the effect is, this needs to be tested.However, the mobilization mechanism of the trash is also better than the original direct pull of serfs to the battlefield.

After pondering for a while, Alexander II made a decision: "Shame can only be washed with blood. Now that you are ready, declare war!"

……

At the same time that the Tsarist government decided to launch a war, the war machine of the Pope Federation was also running. The top officials of the Berlin government were having a meeting around a sand table of about ten square meters.

As early as a year ago, Marshal Mao Qi resigned as prime minister and returned to the general staff.

Mao Qi, who took up the baton, was much better than being the prime minister.In fact, for so many years as the prime minister, he was still busy with the construction of the army for most of his time, and rarely asked about political issues.

As a prime minister himself, he is the result of the compromise of the interests of all parties, and his personal ability is the least important.

Prussia is an army-owned country, and the Commonwealth of Prussia has inherited this very well.The military has a very large voice in politics. There is no Bismarck who is open, but no one can suppress this group of arrogant soldiers.

William I was very capable, but as a king, it was impossible for him to end everything himself, and he could only find a way to balance it politically.

While pointing at the sand table with a baton, Mao Qi explained: "Your Majesty, you see that the blue flag is the military division of the Russian army. The enemy has deployed about [-] troops along the border.

This is just the beginning. The enemy has also hoarded a large number of troops in the rear, and they can add troops to the front line at any time.

It is now October and winter is not far away.If you want to fight quickly, it is almost impossible to defeat the enemy in a short time.

The staff planned to launch an attack from the Polish region before winter came, to try to burn the war to the Dnieper River and cut off the enemy's water transportation channel. "

The Dnieper River originates from the southern foot of the Valdai Hills, flows southward through Belarus and Ukraine, and empties into the Black Sea.Most of the rivers are navigable, and the strategic value and economic value are very high.

Through this water lifeline, the Russians can directly transport materials from Austria to the front-line Russian army.

In the last war, it was also after the Prussian army cut off this water lifeline, which increased the transportation pressure of the Russians, and the Russian army on the front line fell into the predicament of insufficient supplies.

……

Chapter 228 The Trouble of the French

A piece of fallen leaves were scattered on the ground, paving a golden "golden road".

Stepping on it makes a "clack" sound from time to time, which makes people feel so comfortable, as if stepping on a cotton blanket, there is no extra leaf, every leaf is a golden leaf, which is memorable.

The joy of the harvest fills Vienna, and the Franz family, who are out in the suburbs, have been lingering in the beautiful scenery and cannot extricate themselves.

Franz, who is prosperous in poetry, is writing hard at this moment, preparing to leave a beautiful chapter for future generations.However, he really has no talent, and the content he writes can never satisfy him.

The craftsmanship is too heavy, as if it was created for the sake of creation, and there is no such agility as "poetry is born in nature".