"Where does the money come from?"
Chancellor of the Exchequer Pavel Lisizian issued a soul-crushing question.
How poor the tsarist government is, no one can give a definite answer to this question. In short, there is no money to repair the Trans-Siberian railway for sure.
As early as 1891, the Tsarist government organized road experts to launch the Siberian Railway exploration program. That's right, it was started after Nicholas II was assassinated in Japan.
Although Alexander III was a pacifist among the tsars, he was also a good father. If it were not limited by traffic, it is estimated that after the end of the Anglo-Russian War, the Russo-Japanese War would have started ahead of schedule.
Whether it was because of a moment of anger or because of preparations, in short, the Trans-Siberian Railway project has been launched.
The results of the exploration were very terrifying. Starting from Moscow, we had to pass through vast pine forests, cross the Ural Mountains, and cross the tundra of Siberia before finally reaching the Pacific Ocean.
It’s just a long journey, no matter how far it is, it can’t compare to Shinra’s ring railway. The key is that the natural conditions are harsh.
The same is to build a railway. If the construction cost of the plain railway is 1, then the construction cost of the Siberian railway may be 2, 3, 4...
No money in my pocket, no hard work. Just when the tsarist government hesitated to start the construction of the Siberian railway, the Vienna government took action.
The equally tempting "Central Asia Railway Plan" was released, which made the tsarist government even more hesitant. It's just that before the Russians hesitated for a long time, the Vienna government helped them make up their minds - "aid construction"!
When you open the map, you will know that the construction cost of either the Siberian Railway or the Central Asian Railway is astronomical.
It is undoubtedly a fatal thing to let the tsarist government, which is not rich, bear this expense. In order to build the Siberian Railway, the Russians also thrift.
From 1891 to 1901 alone, the tsarist government invested 1.46 billion rubles, far exceeding the military expenditure in the same period.
After 13 years of hard work, on July 13, 1904, the world's longest main railway line was opened to traffic, and the follow-up project finally continued to be completed in 1916 under the bumps and bumps.
In contrast, the construction conditions of the Central Asia Railway are still a little better, of course, only a little better.
Although there is no need to be accompanied by permafrost all year round, the continuous mountains in Afghanistan are also miserable.
Whether it was a strategic need or for the sake of its own wallet, the tsarist government resolutely chose the Central Asian Railway.
Even if it knew that the Vienna government was calculating Anglo-Russian relations, the tsarist government had no room for rejection.
In the words of an optimist minister in the Tsarist government: "No matter how much the Austrians have calculated, the Central Asian Railway is always beneficial to the Empire. Whether or not to go south, the initiative is still in our hands."
There is nothing wrong in theory, the initiative to go south is indeed in the hands of the tsarist government, and the Vienna government cannot make decisions for them.
It's just that this can fool ordinary people. India has such a large piece of fat on the dining table, and they still don't move a knife and fork to divide it. Is that still a bear
In essence, the same goes for the Minister of Economy's proposal to help the Russians build the Trans-Siberian Railway. As long as the railway is open, there is no need to do anything, and the greedy bears will go out for food by themselves.
Of course, Mao Xiong's eastward march will harm Britain's interests, but it is clear at a glance what is more important than going south to India.
When the time comes to curb the growth of the Russians, it will not be a matter of the British family, and Shinra will also not watch the Russians complete the "Yellow Russia Plan".
If done properly, the final outcome will evolve into: British and Austrian together with the bears.
It is estimated that after a proxy war, the Russians will suffer five more injuries. There are too many to guarantee that it will not be difficult for them to settle down for ten years.
The most important thing is that a thorn is buried in the middle of the Russian-Austrian alliance. With this thorn, even if the two countries do not fight against each other, it is impossible for them to be as close as they are now.
If all goes well, in the future Anglo-Austrian hegemony, the Tsarist government will try to hold back Shinra by all means.
The plan is perfect, the only question is: where will the money for the construction of the "Siberian Railway" come from
The relationship between Britain and Russia is not as close as the relationship between Russia and Austria. The Vienna government helped the Russians build the Central Asia Railway, and only helped to advance part of the funds.
Mainly the project exploration, design, management and other expenses, labor, raw materials are provided by the Tsarist government itself.
For the sake of the Russian-Austrian alliance, the Vienna government was able to deal with it even if there were objections in the country.
It's not enough to put it on Britain's head. Haven't the blood of the Anglo-Russian war in Afghanistan been done yet
At this time, I went to help the Russians to build the railway. The family members of the soldiers who died in the Anglo-Russian War may have torn their hearts.
If it really arouses public anger, the opposition party will certainly add to the flames. National interests are important, but partisan interests are even more important.
I oppose what the enemy supports, and I support what the enemy opposes. It has always been common in politics, and it doesn't matter whether it is correct or not, it depends on what is needed.
If there is only a funding gap of 1.8 million pounds, everyone can find a way to make up for it, hide from the public's eyes, and settle the account with special expenses.
But for the Trans-Siberian Railway, without the investment of hundreds of millions of pounds, it is impossible to open the train at all.
Even if the Russians were to provide labor and materials, it would cost tens of millions of pounds. To use such a large sum of money, no matter what method is used, it cannot be kept secret.
Admiral Flora: "It's not just about money. Our relationship with the Russians is so tense that even if we offer to help build the Trans-Siberian Railway, I'm afraid the tsarist government won't believe it.
Unless we just pay and don't touch the railway exploration design and construction, they will not be at ease at all. "
This is the inevitable result. Suddenly one day, the enemy suddenly came to help you repair the railway, and anyone would suspect a conspiracy.
From the standpoint of the tsarist government, the British offered to help build the Siberian Railway. It is estimated that the first reaction of the Russians was: this was for sabotage.
After all, the construction of the Central Asia Railway has reached a critical moment, and it will be opened to traffic in a few years. It is normal for the British to feel pressure.
For the safety of India, Britain took action to sabotage the construction of the Central Asian Railway, and there was nothing wrong with it.
Although the Russian Empire was huge, the tsarist government had limited material mobilization capabilities. The construction of the Central Asia Railway has mobilized a lot of manpower and material resources. If the construction of the Siberia Railway is started again, it will obviously increase the logistical pressure.
To explain is to cover up. No matter what the British government says, the Russians will think it is a British conspiracy to use the Trans-Siberian railway plan to delay the construction of the Central Asia Railway.
Help with exploration design and construction, not to mention. The railway that the British helped to build, who knows if it will work in the end
As Flora said, unless you just give money and leave everything to the Russians themselves, the tsarist government will not be at ease at all.
The problem is that the British government is not at ease just by giving money. Who can guarantee that after the Russians get the money, they will use it on the construction of the Siberian Railway, rather than on the military expenditure to go south to India
The British government did not have this thing, nor did the Tsarist government. It is too difficult for the two countries, which lack the most basic trust, to cooperate.
Foreign Secretary Cameron: "The issue of trust is actually not difficult to solve, it is not convenient for us to come forward, and a third country can come forward to communicate with the Russians.
It is not difficult to persuade the Russian military industry to agree to build the Trans-Siberian Railway. The current Tsar is Nicholas II. An unpleasant trip to Tokyo has always left Nicholas II in his arms.
From the personal standpoint of Nicholas II, going eastward to seek revenge on the Japanese may be more tempting than going southward to India.
After all, we are not soft persimmons either. Even if the Central Asian Railway is open to traffic, the Russians' chances of winning are still not high.
Compared with going south, the success rate of going east is significantly higher, and the benefits will be greater.
If the Russians can take the lead in realizing the Yellow Russia plan before the hegemony struggle comes to an end, then it will be a three-pronged pattern.
If he can be the boss himself, no one wants to be the younger brother, let alone the arrogant bear.
Despite the fact that Russia-Austria relations seem to be very good, in fact, many Russians are not convinced by the Holy Roman Empire's position as the hegemon of the European continent.
This bait is enough to make the Russians take the bait. As long as the tsarist government takes this step, the Russian-Austrian alliance will end.
Vienna can tolerate a strong Russian Empire, but absolutely cannot tolerate a Russian Empire that can threaten itself.
In a sense, the threat posed by the Russians to the Holy Roman Empire was much greater than ours.
After all, they are both land-power countries and happen to be neighbors. Although the European continent is vast, there is no room for two hegemons.
In contrast, the problem of funding is not easy to solve. The gents in Congress wouldn't agree to fund the Russians, even if it was a strategic need. "
"The enemy is in Parliament", this is the emotion that every British government will have. It is true that the British Parliament has caused more trouble to the government than any enemy.
If there was no Congress and opposition parties to hold back, the international situation would not have evolved to the current situation.
As early as in the middle of the European Continental War, the previous British government wanted to send troops to intervene. However, the parliamentary quarrel and the game with the opposition party were a waste of time.
Without waiting for a result of the discussion, the French will be gone. There is no need to say that the dust has settled, naturally only to sell teammates. Being an ally with Britain can be considered, but sharing hardships is impossible.
Similar things have happened not only once, and going back further, there are also a series of international events such as the previous Ottoman wars, France's annexation of Italy, and Austria's annexation of South Germany.
Britain in 1895 could not help the Holy Roman Empire, but Britain forty years ago was absolutely capable of preventing Austrian expansion.
Not to mention that preventing Austria from annexing South Germany, at least it could destroy Austria's colonial plan, the absolute advantage of the Royal Navy continued until the early 1980s.
Before that, the Austrian Navy was a little brother. It was not until the advent of the former dreadnought that the gap was narrowed to the ability to lose both.
Of course, because of the times, the two big bosses in France and Russia attracted firepower in the front, so that the politicians at the time underestimated the threat of Austria.
When the British government began to pay attention, the Holy Roman Empire was about to come out, and it was too late to do anything.
There is everything in this world, but there is no regret medicine. The hegemony of Britain encountered its most serious challenge.
The problems that our predecessors have encountered are now once again the responsibility of the British government.
If the Congress cannot be dealt with, the funds for the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway will not be available; without this railway, there will be no way to talk about the disaster; if the tsarist government does not care about the east, then the ultimate plan to divide the Russian-Austrian alliance will eventually become "water." The moon, the flower in the mirror".
After hesitating for a while, Robert Cecil nodded: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs first finds a third party to contact the Russians, with a layer in the middle, we can at least avoid the anger of the people.
As for the parliamentary issue, you should communicate with the members of the party in private first, and I will visit the Queen. "
There is no other way, facing the pressure of Congress alone, Prime Minister Robert Cecil is also counseled and has to seek more help.
In the Victorian era, the British royal family was no rubber stamp. Although the elderly Queen Victoria has rarely been involved in politics, no one can ignore her existence.
To silence opposition in Congress, the Conservative Party alone is not enough. For the sake of the bigger picture, Robert Cecil had to turn to Queen Victoria.