Holy Roman Empire

It's not about money.As a member of the anti-French alliance, the Spaniard is also one of the sellers, and it is impossible to sell the warship to his enemy anyway.

It's useless even if you buy it, the Spaniards will definitely find a way to get their necks stuck.It is impossible for warships to return home before the war is over.

In this context, the Vienna Peace Conference is completely tasteless to the Japanese government, and there is no need for the Prime Minister to personally act.

……

St. Petersburg in January is already covered with silver.Under the biting cold wind, the streets and alleys became deserted.

The Fick Star Cafe, which used to be full of people, is now silent.In the huge living room, there were only six or seven scattered people.

From the demeanor and temperament of everyone, it can be seen that except for the two protagonists, the rest are bodyguards.

……

As one of the protagonists, Russian Foreign Minister Oscar Jimenez interrupted with a wave of his hand: "Your Excellency, there is no need to repeat these words that are not nutritious.

We have never had a friendship with your country, and now Austria is our ally.It is impossible to destroy the Russia-Austria alliance from our side. "

Being interrupted, instead of being angry, Richard showed a satisfied smile.

It is really difficult for Britain and Russia to have a relationship with friendship. In the past 30 years, the two countries have fought twice, and both sides have suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties.

In contrast, the Russia-Austria alliance, which has lasted for decades and almost never broke out in major conflicts, can be called "friendship."

However, the problem cannot be seen on the surface.If the relationship between Russia and Austria is really close, there will be no such secret meeting in these icy and snowy days.

Richard, who is good at observing words and expressions, has already discovered the problem from the conversation just now.

Of course, it is more likely that the Russians sent a signal deliberately, otherwise Oscar Jimenez would not be able to use the word "now" with an emphasis.

"Your Excellency, I know that there are many misunderstandings between your country and Britain, but those are in the past tense, and we must look forward.

With the end of the European War, the decline of France is a foregone conclusion.If we don't act, the new Continental hegemon will be Austria.

Now that your country and Austria are allies, it does not mean they will always be allies.You must know that true allies only exist when their strengths are equal.Once the balance is broken, the situation is very different.

Even if your country gives up the plan to move westward, there is no guarantee that the Austrians will not move eastward.After all, the only thing that can affect Austria's hegemony in continental Europe now is your country.

Your country's real ally was Austria 30 years ago, not the reborn Holy Roman Empire. "

In international competition, there has always been a trade-off.Austria became stronger and the Russian Empire was relatively weaker.

The British felt threatened by the rise of Austria, and so did the Tsarist government.Even because the two countries are neighbors, the tsarist government feels even deeper.

For the benefit of the Russian Empire, or the tsarist government to reassure themselves, this secret meeting was held.

Only after contact, Oscar Jimenez was very disappointed.The British are still sowing discord in the same old way, all asking what the Russian Empire should do, not what Britain should do.

It is not impossible to tear up the Russia-Austria alliance, but the premise is that the interests must be large enough.Obviously, the British, who like empty-handed white wolves, did not offer enough price.

"Your Excellency is right, but that is only a possibility. The future has not yet arrived, and no one can predict what will happen in the end.

At least for now, the Russia-Austria alliance is still unbreakable, and we will not give up our allies just because of a possibility.So just tell me what your purpose is, there is no need to go around in circles here. "

The Russia-Austria alliance has developed to the present, and has penetrated into various fields of the two countries, and it cannot be dissolved simply by saying that it can be dissolved.Once turned, both sides will suffer heavy losses.

In this context, despite wanting to restrict the development of Austria, the tsarist government restrained itself and did not take any targeted actions on the surface.Instead, they pinned their hopes on the enemy and counted on the British to interrupt Austria's development momentum.

In this regard, Britain and Russia have similar thoughts, and no one is willing to be the first bird at this time, jumping out to draw the hatred of Austria, and let the opponent fisherman benefit.

"Your Excellency, Austria's growth is a very serious threat to us, and I believe that your country is unwilling to live in the shadow of Vienna.

In order to eliminate this threat, we propose that the two countries join forces to sabotage the Vienna peace conference, smash Austria's ambition to establish a new international order, and bring the international situation back to the era of tripartite forces, where our three countries jointly rule the world. "

Oscar Jimenez shook his head: "We feel the sincerity of your country, but it is not enough.

The Vienna Peace Conference was destroyed, and the Russian-Austrian alliance came to an end.The price we have to pay is too great, and it may even lead to the collapse of the domestic economy.

If your country defaults later, we will bear the wrath of Austria alone.The risks involved are too great and have exceeded our tolerance. "

Minister Richard assured: "High risks lead to high returns. As long as the general trend of Austria's gathering is interrupted, all the efforts are worthwhile.

As for your country's losses, we can find ways to make up part of them.In short, we will not let our friends suffer. "

……

In the Gatchina Palace, Alexander III, who holds the conditions of Russia and Austria at the same time, is undergoing a difficult inner struggle at the moment.

According to the conditions given by the British, as long as the immediate impact is overcome, the Russian Empire may soar into the sky, replace Austria, and become the new European hegemon.

However, the greater the benefit, the higher the risk.In case the operation fails, or the British default halfway, the Russian Empire may be over.

Even if you don't think the British will default on this issue, who can say for sure about politics?

The London government is also elected every few years. If you are unlucky and encounter a tough guy who messes around a bit, the Russian Empire will be miserable.

It is not that this kind of thing has never happened in history, and the Russian Empire itself was a victim.If it weren't for Peter III's divine operation, the Russian Empire would have become the overlord of the European continent long ago, and there would be no such troubles at all.

Of course, for Alexander III, it is better to have these troubles.After all, if Peter III didn't mess around, he might have given them away to butterflies.

In contrast, the conditions offered by Austria are much safer, and the benefits are naturally much smaller.Continental hegemony is impossible, and South Asian hegemony can still look forward to it.

Looking out the window, Alexander III asked, "How much does the Central Asian Railway cost? Has it been evaluated?"

Alisher Gurov, Minister of Finance: "The main line of the Central Asian Railway is 3864 kilometers long, and the total length of the subsidiary lines exceeds 15600 kilometers.

Not only must it withstand the test of harsh weather, but also pass through many harsh terrains on the way. The estimated construction period is 12 years, and the initial estimate is to cost 12.76 billion gold rubles. "

Railways have always been a pain in the Russian Empire.Don't talk about comparing it with developed countries in Europe, even the railway in British India next door is better than them.

It's not that the tsarist government didn't work hard, it's that the strength doesn't allow it!The Russian Empire is not only vast in size, but also has a harsh climate.

When other countries build railways, after the exploration is completed, the design drawings are produced, and they can just start working.

The Russian Empire can't, their railways must be able to guarantee normal operation in the ice and snow.Occasionally, there will be a big drop in temperature, and there will even be extreme weather of minus [-] to [-] degrees.

You get what you pay for, the railways in the Russian Empire have high requirements, and the construction costs are naturally high.

The completion of the railway is only the beginning, and the bigger trouble lies in the later operation.The harsh natural climate directly increases the cost of operation and maintenance in the later stage, which is simply a bottomless pit.

Foreign countries are flocking to repair capital, so there is no need to worry about funding; while the Russian Empire is building railways, only the government pays for it.

No way, who made the railways of the Russian Empire lose money for many years!No one was doing loss-making business, capital was unwilling to invest, and railway construction naturally slowed down.

If it weren't for Austria's instigation, and there was French reparation to look forward to, the tsarist government would never start the Central Asian Railway at this time.

"Can the construction period be shortened?"

There was no request to reduce construction costs, because Alexander III knew what kind of bureaucrats were in the country.If the construction cost is reduced, no one can guarantee that the completed railway can be opened to traffic smoothly.

Similar things have not happened before.In the previous railway construction, in order to save money, some idiots compressed the gauge and length of sleepers without authorization.

If you want to carefully study the railways that have been successfully opened to traffic, they all have a common feature-budget overruns.

To put it simply, it is to report a low-price project first.When the project is halfway through, there will be no money, forcing the government to increase investment.

"If the construction is contracted to Austrian Railways, the total construction period can be reduced by a quarter, and the main line can be extended to the border of Afghanistan within eight years.

However, their quotation is very high. If we provide labor, it will cost 18.86 billion gold rubles; if the construction is completely done by them, the budget will be as high as 30 billion gold rubles. "

Such a price difference, Alisher Gurov is also very helpless.The budget of domestic railway companies is indeed low, but it is a pity that they cannot be successfully completed every time.Not only the construction period cannot be guaranteed, but also the additional budget.

The Austrian railway company's asking price is indeed high, but their construction period is guaranteed, the quality is reliable, and they are all quoted at one time. Even if there is an increase in the future, the increased budget will not be too much.The final cost is, on the contrary, lower.

If this is the case, the Tsarist government should introduce the Austrian Railway Company to reduce construction costs.In fact, on the contrary, almost no Austrian railway companies undertook projects in the hands of the tsarist government.

It's not that the tsarist government was unwilling to issue the contract, but that no Austrian railway company was willing to accept the order.The reason is very realistic, the tsarist government was poor and the payment was not guaranteed.

So much so that the construction of a railway funded by the tsarist government has become a bargaining chip for Austria to negotiate terms, and it is still a very attractive bargaining chip.

As long as the railway is built to Afghanistan, the door of the Russian Empire to India will be opened.

Naturally, the Tsarist government did not dare to neglect such an important project.If the entrustment is not human, the investment will be in vain.

The biggest advantage of handing over to the Austrian Railway Company for construction is safety.Everyone knows that the Vienna government wants the Russian Empire to go south and fight the British, and it will definitely guarantee the quality of this railway.

Even if there is a problem with the mid-term budget, there is no need to worry about stopping work. The Austrians will advance funds for them to complete the project with a fearless spirit of internationalism.

2 Thirty Chapters High Risk

The insider trading in front of and behind the scenes continued, and the casualty reports of the European war finally came out.There is no doubt that both sides suffered heavy losses, and the war was the worst in history.

According to the statistics of the Vienna government, the war directly caused the population of continental Europe to drop by more than 200 million.Except for the more than four million immigrants who left, the rest died in the war.

Statistical data:

Among them, 237.7 million soldiers of the anti-French alliance died in action, and 192 million civilians died. (Deaths include death in the later period) The specific data are as follows:

Austria: 74.2 soldiers killed in battle, 2.8 civilians killed; (including colonial wars)

German Confederation: 58.2 soldiers and 58.7 civilians were killed;

Belgium: 27.3 soldiers killed in action, 55.6 civilians killed;

Spain: 2.1 soldiers killed in action; (civilian deaths are ignored)

Switzerland: 0.6 soldiers killed in action; (civilian deaths are ignored)

Kingdom of Sardinia: 17.6 soldiers died in battle, 46.5 civilians died; (including guerrillas and local uprisings)

……

France: 320.6 million soldiers were killed, including 136.8 million colonial legions, 41.7 Italian soldiers, 142.1 million native soldiers, and 88.6 civilians. (including civil war)

Looking at the sets of cold data in his hands, Franz sighed.In addition to the slightly shorter duration, the tragedy of the war is not weaker than the first battle in the original time and space.

In particular, the number of civilian casualties far exceeded that of World War I in the original time and space.In addition to the wide spread of the warring area, what is more important is the expulsion action.

Even if the Vienna government took rescue action immediately, it failed to reduce the death rate much.

The old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled couldn't stand the toss, and many people who were not strong enough fell on the way to escape, and it was too late to receive help.

The statistics are only the number of civilian deaths on the European continent.If the number of civilian deaths in the upper colonies is counted, the final figure may be doubled.

With so many deaths, let alone casualties.Because the number of casualties can be accumulated, repeated statistics are prone to occur, and it is impossible to be accurate anyway, and the Vienna government is too lazy to bother.

After a while, Franz said with emotion: "Judging from the current situation, France is basically abolished! If there is no accident, they don't want to recover in 30 years."

No matter from which point of view, the current situation of the French is worse than that of the original time and space.

Although they also suffered heavy losses in the First World War in the original time and space, France was the victorious country and got the dividends of the war, and neither the colonies nor the mainland suffered losses.

It's different now. Not only did they suffer heavy losses, but they also lost all their assets. What awaits them next is a long career of repaying debts.

Even if it wants to emulate De San's rebirth from the ashes, France does not have the capital for revival.Not to mention the collapsed economy in the country, the more important thing is that they don't even have a revived population.

As the protagonist of the European War, France's population loss was not small.The number of direct deaths alone is as high as more than 200 million, and the number of disabled people is estimated to be not much lower than this.Adding in the departure of immigrants, the number is even larger.

Based on empirical estimates, Franz can conclude that the labor force in France is about to break, especially the sharp shortage of male labor.

If these problems cannot be solved, the population of France will fall into negative growth for a long time to come.

You can see this by looking at the Russians next door.It was originally the No.1 country with the largest birth rate in continental Europe. As a result, after several wars, the birth rate dropped rapidly, and even experienced negative growth for a time.

The bear can recover in just a few years, because the Russians are highly motivated to give birth, and the French people are not keen on making humans.

If the economy fails, it is estimated that the birth rate in France after the war will hit a record low.

In the original time and space, the population growth rate of France after World War I is very informative, with an increase of more than 20 million people in 100 years.After excluding the population growth brought about by immigration, France's population growth rate is directly negative.

In the era of Industry 2.0, if there is not enough labor, then don't think about it.Austria's ability to become the world's largest economic power depends on its population far exceeding its competitors.

If Austria, like France, had fallen into a population bottleneck in the nineteenth century, no matter how hard Franz worked, he would not be able to create a large empire.

"The French still have some wealth, as long as the war is over, they will still be able to maintain it.

Now the worst is Belgium and the newly independent Italian states. Their economies have completely collapsed in the war, and they are a complete mess.

If it weren't for our support, they would have been hungry long ago.To restore the economy, the difficulty is no less than another European war. "

It can be seen that Prime Minister Karl is having a very headache now.When fighting a war, it is naturally better to have more allies. It is definitely cheaper to fight alone than to fight alone.

When the war was over, things were very different.In any case, everyone has squatted in the same trench.Carrying guns together, shed blood together.The little brother couldn't get along and came to ask for help. It really doesn't make sense not to help.

It's no problem to pull it up, the key is that it can't be pulled up with one stroke.The trauma left by the war is too great, whether it is Belgium or the Italian states, they are now poor and white.

When will we be able to be self-sufficient? No one can answer this question.Anyway, I haven't worked hard for a few years, so I don't want to relax.

As the biggest victor of the war, the outside world only saw the scenery of Austria, and no one knew that the Vienna government was too shy.

Although the war is over, the debt of the Austrian government is still rising sharply.The domestic aftermath needs money, the reconstruction of the Rhineland region needs money, the unification of the German region still needs money, and the support of younger brothers still needs money.

If it weren't for the title of a "hegemon", the capital market's confidence in the Austrian government has risen to an unprecedented level, and the Vienna government is now not far from a financial crisis.

Franz rubbed his forehead: "You can't give money directly. The war is over, they must learn to be independent. After the Vienna Peace Conference is over, we will have a showdown with them.