《The Rise Of Australasia》


 Chapter 1: Just After Time Traveling, My Father Dies

    Chapter 1: Just After Time Traveling, My Father Dies


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°His Royal Highness Arthur, His Royal Highness Arthur, wake up! Something terrible has happened, the Duke has been assassinated! Her Majesty the Queen wants to see you!¡± The door to thevishly decorated room was suddenly pushed open, and a gentleman, who appeared to be reliable and steady, rushed in with red eyes, shouting at the top of his voice.


    ¡°Hmmm, what?¡± Connaught Arthur, who was fast asleep, was instantly awakened and climbed out of bed, hastily asking the elderly gentleman, ¡°Hunter Steward, what has happened?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to exin, Your Highness Arthur, go quickly to Her Majesty the Queen. The Duke was assassinated this morning on the streets of London, and now the royal family and the entire government are investigating the matter.¡± The steward, called Hunter, with red-rimmed eyes and a slight sob in his voice, exined.


    ¡°Ah? What¡¯s going on? How could my father be assassinated?¡± Connaught Arthur was greatly shocked and asked incredulously.


    Connaught Arthur¡¯s father, Arthur William Patrick Albert, was one of the greatest monarchs in the history of the British Empire, the third son of Queen Victoria, and the esteemed Duke of Connaught and Strathern and Earl of Sussex.


    Connaught Arthur could hardly believe that such a distinguished prince and duke would be assassinated in his own country¡¯s capital city.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, everything was fine at first. Who could have imagined that assassins would suddenlye to kill the Duke? There¡¯s no time to think too much about it now, Your Highness. First, go to Her Majesty the Queen, where at least everything is absolutely safe for now.¡± Hunter, the steward, spoke with sadness and concern.


    Speaking of the background of the old Hunter Steward, although it was not spectacr, it was profound.


    Ever since Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught, had been granted his title in 1874, the Hunter Steward had been overseeing the entire duchy and the Duke Arthur, a role now spanning more than twenty years.


    During these more than twenty years, not only had Duke Arthur been supervised step by step by Steward Hunter to be apetent Duke, but also Connaught Arthur himself had been raised under the steward¡¯s watchful eye.


    That was why Hunter Steward was so grieved after hearing the news of the assassination of Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught.


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Connaught Arthur had been in this body for just a few months and still didn¡¯t know much about his current environment during this time.


    In addition, his previous understanding of the British Empire had been only superficial, knowing only that Queen Victoria was one of the greatest monarchs in British history, and that she was known as the grandmother of the European royal family.


    Under these circumstances, he didn¡¯t know what to do after learning that the father of his original body, Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught, had been assassinated.


    ¡°First, go to Her Majesty the Queen. The most important thing now is to ensure your safety, Your Highness.¡± Hunter Steward spoke decisively.


    After losing Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught, who was like a son to him, Hunter Steward could not bear the thought of any harm befalling Connaught Arthur, whom he had also watched grow up.


    ¡°Alright, Hunter Steward.¡± Connaught Arthur also understood the importance of the matter and nodded his head.


    Buckingham Pce, Queen Victoria¡¯s meeting room.


    At this time, the meeting room was filled with high-ranking officials and royal family members from the United Kingdom, all of them at least at the ministerial level.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please ept our condolences. It is a great pity that the Duke of Connaught has passed away, but now the most important thing is to find out the cause of the assassination and identify the real culprit behind it,¡± said Robert Selby, the current British Prime Minister, with a look of sorrow on his face.


    Regardless, the assassination of a Prince and an esteemed Duke of the British Empire in the capital was a great humiliation for both the royal family and the government.


    This not only challenged the dignity of royal family, but also the dignity of the British Empire.


    It should be noted that the British Empire was now the undisputed world superpower, with its navy far surpassing that of the second and third strongest countries.


    Under these circumstances, anyone daring to plot the assassination of a British Empire duke and prince in the capital of London, London, was openly pping the British Empire and the British Royal Family in the face.


    ¡°The Prime Minister is right. Start the investigation immediately! Within three days, I want all the information about the culprit and whether there is anyone behind him. Arrest all those involved in the assassination and only release them after confirming they have no suspicion. I will make sure that those who dare to harm Arthur understand that the dignity of the royal family is not easily provoked,¡± said the eighty-year-old Queen Victoria, her face marked with sorrow and anger from the head of the table. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Arthur William Patrick Albert, Prince of Wales, had been Queen Victoria¡¯s favorite son since his birth. Although his younger sister, Princess Beatrice, shared some of his mother¡¯s affection, he remained Queen Victoria¡¯s favorite son.


    Especially after her second son, Prince Alfred, went to Germany to inherit his title and her fourth son, Prince Leopold, died of hemophilia in 1884, Prince Arthur received even more attention from Queen Victoria.


    In addition, her eldest son, Prince Edward, had never been loved by Queen Victoria, and after numerous scandals about his private life, she was even less concerned about him.


    That¡¯s also why there were rumors circting in the British political and public circles that Queen Victoria wanted to appoint Prince Arthur as Crown Prince.


    Although Queen Victoria did not take any action to depose Crown Prince Edward, it was not known whether she had privately considered such a move.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡±


    There was suddenly a knock on the door, interrupting Queen Victoria¡¯s angry outburst.


    Everyone turned their attention to the door, trying to figure out who dared to interrupt Queen Victoria¡¯s anger at such a time.


    ¡°Grandmother.¡± Arthur walked slowly in, his eyes red, and called out.


    With that one word, ¡°Grandmother,¡± Queen Victoria¡¯s anger was instantly quelled. Looking at the face so simr to her favorite son, her eyes brimmed with tears, and she choked out her words.


    ¡°Good child,e to your grandmother. Don¡¯t worry, with your grandmother here, no one can hurt you.¡± Queen Victoria stepped forward, took Arthur¡¯s hand, and led him to the head of the table.


    ¡°Your Highness, Arthur.¡± Government officials bowed to Arthur one after another.


    ¡°Send the order. All of Arthur¡¯s titles shall be inherited by little Arthur, including all castles and property. Arthur shall be buried with the treatment of a prince, and the nation shall fly the g at half-mast for three days.¡± With tears in her eyes and sorrow in her voice, Queen Victoria lovingly caressed Arthur¡¯s face.

 Chapter 2: Funeral

    Chapter 2: Funeral


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°Block all exits from London, the murderer must not get away. I want to hear good news from the government within three days.¡± Queen Victoria said coldly.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Prime Minister Robert Selby responded solemnly.


    Prime Minister Roberto Selby knew that if he couldn¡¯t capture the murderer within the time limit set by Her Majesty, his days as Prime Minister would most likely be numbered.


    Although the United Kingdom is one of the most representative constitutional monarchies in the world, the power of the British monarch has been greatly restricted.


    But no one can deny that Queen Victoria, who single-handedly created the glorious Victorian Era, has regained a great amount of power, and the appointment and removal of the Prime Minister is merely a matter of a simplemand.


    ¡°Where is Arthur now?¡± Queen Victoria asked sadly.


    ¡°At the Royal Hospital, Princess Louise is also there.¡± Prime Minister Robert Selby replied.


    Princess Louise, the Duchess of Arthur, is the niece of King Frederick IV of Prussia and Emperor William I of Germany, and the first cousin of the current Emperor William II of the German Empire, as well as Arthur¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see Arthur for thest time and take a look at my poor child.¡± Queen Victoria seemed resigned as she sighed; her already aging body seeming even more hunched over.


    The Royal Hospital is an ancient hospital built in thest century and is also the private hospital for the entire British Royal Family.


    It gathers famous doctors from all over the United Kingdom and even the world, and is considered one of the top hospitals globally.


    A procession of horse-drawn carriages slowly set off from Buckingham Pce, heading straight towards the Royal Hospital.


    In the Royal Hospital,


    Two hours had passed since Arthur was rushed to the hospital for treatment, and his breath and heartbeat had been lost forever just one hour earlier.


    Sitting in front of Arthur¡¯s body were his wife Princess Louise and two daughters Margaret, Patricia.


    Even the youngest daughter Patricia was fourteen years old, already past the age of innocence.


    Seeing their once kind and gentle father suddenly lying on the bed with pale breathless face, both Margaret and Patricia could hardly ept it and they sobbed loudly on Arthur¡¯s remains.


    Princess Louise, on the other hand, was slightly better off, managing to hold back her somewhat copsing emotions, instead ofpletely losing control like her two daughters.


    However, the redness of her eyes and the haze of tears in the corners of her eyes proved that Princess Louise was not feeling well either.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    With the sound of noisy footsteps, Princess Louise looked at the door and immediately saw Queen Victoria, who was slowly walking in holding Arthur¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Arthur.¡± Princess Louise tried to control her emotions and said.


    In the West, both sons and daughters-inw generally call their parents-inw by their names.


    Given Queen Victoria¡¯s esteemed identity, Princess Louise naturally could not directly address Queen Victoria by name and had changed to an honorific title.


    ¡°Louise, Margaret, Patricia.¡± Queen Victoria slowly nodded to Princess Louise and then shifted her gaze to Margaret, Patricia, and finally to Duke Arthur on the bed, struggling to say, ¡°Arthur!¡±


    ¡°Arthur!¡±


    Calling Duke Arthur¡¯s name again, Queen Victoria quickly stepped to his bedside.


    Caressing Duke Arthur¡¯s gradually cooling face, Queen Victoria slowly said, ¡°Arthur, rest assured, mother will avenge you. I will also take care of Louise and the three little ones, and never let anyone hurt them. May God guide you to heaven, my son.¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister Robert!¡± Turning her head, Queen Victoria, who was still a grieving mother, became that reigning monarch of decades, coldly saying, ¡°Investigate for me! Whether it¡¯s London or the UK, or even Europe or the Americas, as long as anyone rted to the assassin is found, arrest them all! And announce to the world that any participation or assistance in the murder is an act of war against the British Empire! Even at all costs, uncover everything!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will go immediately.¡± Prime Minister Robert Selby hurriedly responded.


    Queen Victoria¡¯s anger was an existence that the entire British political scene had to avoid, and no one dared to challenge her majesty¡¯s authority nor question her rights.


    ¡°And prepare Arthur¡¯s funeral immediately. Don¡¯t make my child wait too long. The sooner I send Arthur to heaven, the more at ease I¡¯ll be.¡± Queen Victoria instructed.


    The funeral rites of the West are somewhatplicated, especially for someone like Duke Arthur, who is to be buried in the style of a prince, making the process even more intricate.


    Not only is it necessary to hire a local bishop to pray for the deceased¡¯s soul to ascend to heaven, but also to wash the body and performmunion, among other things.


    This whole series of preparations would take at least a few more days, which was intolerable for Queen Victoria.


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness.¡± Prime Minister Robert naturally could not refuse and quickly agreed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It was not until after Queen Victoria had given a long series of instructions to Princess Louise, Margaret, Patricia, and the others that she left with Arthur and the rest.


    January 7, 1900, Burke County Windsor Royal Cemetery.


    This private cemetery of the royal family contains the remains of many dignified kings and members of the royal family over the past centuries. And now, there was to be another bodyid to rest here, Duke Arthur.


    Early in the morning, Queen Victoria attended the funeral with all the royal family members, apanied by a procession of royal guards for ceremonies and vignce.


    The noble and distinguished Duke had had a short and colorful life serving in South Africa, Canada, Irnd, Egypt, and India as an officer, and was now the Commander-in-Chief of Irnd and the holder of the title of ¡°Chief of the Six Nations¡± and United Kingdom Army Marshal.


    As a result, many citizens volunteered to send Duke Arthur off at his funeral.


    Duke Arthur¡¯s coffin left the Royal Hospital and slowly proceeded on the royal-exclusive horse carriage, arriving at the Royal Cemetery.


    With the farewell of many British people, all royal family members and government officials, Duke Arthur¡¯s coffin was ced in a pre-prepared tomb, with the bishop giving the final blessing.


    Arthur looked at everything, feeling somewhat at a loss.


    He had traveled through time for just over three months when he lost his father, the kind Duke Arthur. What should he do next?

 Chapter 3: I Want to Go to Australia!

    Chapter 3: I Want to Go to Australia!


    Trantor: 549690339


    January 9, 1900, the third day after Duke Arthur¡¯s funeral.


    It was the third day since Queen Victoria had issued orders to the government, and five days since the assassination of Duke Arthur.


    Buckingham Pce, Queen Victoria¡¯s office. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Early in the morning, Queen Victoria sat at her desk with a pale face and red eyes.


    The files that were piled up on her desk had been thrown aside in her anger.


    The reason for her fury, at the age of eighty-one, was the recent assassination of her favorite son, Duke Arthur.


    Thanks to the British Empire¡¯s vast intelligencework, within just a few days, a list of all those involved in the assassination plot and their detailed information had made its way to Queen Victoria¡¯s desk.


    Because the information pertained to royal secrets, no one else knew of its existence.


    ¡°Arthur! My poor Arthur, I have failed you.¡± Queen Victoria¡¯s eyes brimmed red as she looked at the list, which stated that Duke Arthur had been killed by a loyal gunman under themand of Crown Prince Edward.


    ¡°Albert, I have doomed our child. Arthur never wanted topete with Edward, yet he still died in the midst of the struggle for the throne,¡± said Queen Victoria, tears filling her eyes with regret.


    Prince Albert was the true love of Queen Victoria¡¯s life, and even after nearly 40 years since his death, she still missed him dearly.


    Duke Arthur was Queen Victoria¡¯s favorite son.


    Since Prince Albert had died while visiting Crown Prince Edward, Queen Victoria, who deeply loved Prince Albert, had never been fond of Edward and had not allowed him to participate in government affairs.


    It was only in recent years, as Queen Victoria¡¯s health had deteriorated, that Edward had gradually been given the opportunity to handle various government affairs.


    At the same time, Duke Arthur, as the only prince currently residing in the British maind, not only held high positions in the military but had always been favored by Queen Victoria.


    This ring disparity was the reason behind the persistent rumors that Queen Victoria wanted to appoint a new heir to the throne.


    Perhaps it was due to Crown Prince Edward¡¯s dissatisfaction with Queen Victoria¡¯s favoritism towards Duke Arthur, or the loyalties of those serving Edward who wanted to clear the way for their master, but either way, Duke Arthur had indeed died at the hands of Edward¡¯s supporters.


    Although the assassination plot had been well-hidden, with several stages used to dissolve any suspicion towards Edward and his supporters, it was ultimately discovered by the intelligence agency.


    ¡°Edward¡­¡± Queen Victoria¡¯s gaze flickered over the word ¡®heir¡¯ on the documents in front of her, and her emotions surged, but she found herself at a loss for words.


    After a long time, Queen Victoria finally regained herposure from her extreme grief. She spoke to those in the hallway, ¡°Beatrice, call Little Arthur in.¡±


    Princess Beatrice was Queen Victoria¡¯s youngest child and her main support during the 40 years since her husband¡¯s death.


    Now that Princess Beatrice had also lost her husband, she had been a constantpanion to Queen Victoria, serving as her unofficial secretary and closest confidante.


    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± replied Princess Beatrice as she hastily left the room.


    Before long, Little Arthur was escorted by Princess Beatrice into Queen Victoria¡¯s office, with Old Hunter Butler apanying them to the door before waiting patiently outside.


    As she observed the young boy approaching, Queen Victoria finally revealed a long-lost smile and whispered softly to Little Arthur, ¡°Arthur,e to your grandmother.¡±


    Arthur quickly quickened his pace and helped Queen Victoria back to her seat, saying, ¡°Grandmother, Arthur is here.¡±


    ¡°Arthur, how have you been sleeping these past two days?¡± Queen Victoria tried her best to maintain her usual appearance, but her slightly trembling voice gave away her emotions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sleeping well, Grandmother. But you mustn¡¯t be too sad. Even without my father, our country still needs you, as do I and the rest of the royal family,¡± Arthur said, aware that losing a beloved son had been a cruel ordeal for the elderly queen.


    ¡°My dear child, don¡¯t worry about your grandmother. I¡¯m doing well. In due course, we shall officially hold a ceremony for you to inherit the titles, and if there¡¯s anything you need, just let your grandmother know,¡± said Queen Victoria with a smile, gently patting Arthur¡¯s head.


    ¡°Grandmother¡­¡± Hearing Queen Victoria¡¯s words, Arthur wanted to speak up but wasn¡¯t sure where to start. Perhaps his request would be too much for the elderly queen to bear, and seeing how much she cared for him, Arthur hesitated to voice his thoughts.


    ¡°What is it, child? Don¡¯t worry, you can tell me anything. I¡¯m here,¡± Queen Victoria seemed to understand Arthur¡¯s hesitation, and with a reassuring smile, sheforted him.


    ¡°Grandmother, I don¡¯t want to stay here any longer. I want to leave and clear my mind,¡± Arthur finally managed to voice his request, clenching his teeth.


    Queen Victoria didn¡¯t react as angrily as Arthur had expected; instead, she remained silent.


    After a long time, the queen hoarsely asked, ¡°Where would you like to go, Arthur?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, maybe Australia or New Zend. I¡¯ve heard they have beautiful ocean views, so maybe they would be good ces to clear my mind,¡± answered Arthur.


    It was clear to the queen that this lie couldn¡¯t deceive her. There was no need for him to travel thousands of miles to Australia just for the ocean views, since there were already beautiful coastal sceneries in Britain.


    However, considering the reason why Arthur needed to leave, Queen Victoria didn¡¯t know how to address the issue.


    ¡°Arthur, will you evere back?¡± she asked.


    Would he return? Arthur questioned himself. If there were nopelling reasons, he probably wouldn¡¯t.


    While Queen Victoria held power, Little Arthur could travel freely throughout thends of the British Empire.


    But how much longer could Queen Victoria hold on? In the original history, she had died in January 1901.


    Now, having once again experienced the pain of losing a child, it would be hard to say whether she could make it to January of next year.

 Chapter 4: The Queen’s Decision

    Chapter 4: The Queen¡¯s Decision


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°I understand, Arthur. I approve of you going, but not now.¡± Queen Victoria remained silent for a long time before she finally nodded with difficulty and spoke. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother.¡± Arthur breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, gratefully looking at Queen Victoria.


    ¡°Once things are settled in this period, I will apany you to Australia for a visit!¡± Queen Victoria suddenly proposed, her words startling.


    ¡°You want to go to Australia?¡± Arthur was taken aback, then thought of Queen Victoria¡¯s arduous journey to White Ind in northern New Zend inte 1900, just to reminisce about the good times spent with Prince Albert and their children as her life approached its end.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Queen Victoria seemed to be lost in the pleasant memories, taking a while to regain herposure. She looked at Arthur and smiled, ¡°At that time, I can spend some more time with Arthur before we might not see each other again.¡±


    Hearing Queen Victoria say this, Arthur¡¯s nose suddenly felt sour, and it seemed as if tears were welling up in his eyes, but he forcefully held them back.


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen, Grandmother. You will still be with Arthur for a long time, and you must live to be at least a hundred years old,¡± Arthur hurriedly said.


    Indeed, Queen Victoria had learned of her health condition during her trip to White Ind, but she still chose to make the arduous journey to remember her husband and children.


    Now, having experienced the pain of losing a child once more, Queen Victoria might have felt that her body was not as strong as it used to be and was considering drawing a satisfying conclusion to her life on White Ind.


    ¡°Ha-ha, fine, I will live to be a hundred.¡± Queen Victoriaughed, nodding her head without contradicting Arthur¡¯s words, but her slightly sad eyes and trembling hands revealed that she did not believe it.


    ¡°Arthur, do you really want to go to Australia?¡± After regaining herposure, Queen Victoria looked at Arthur seriously and asked.


    ¡°You should know that Australia is not the same as the United Kingdom. It used to be our penal colony, and although it is no longer so, there are still arge number of Australians who cannot be domesticated.¡± Queen Victoria exined, ¡°If you want to go to Australia, you must always be prepared. The people there are not submissive, and you must hold tight to your guns and wealth to ensure that you and your most important people are not harmed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am ready, Grandmother,¡± Arthur nodded, his tone equally serious.


    ¡°Alright then, Arthur,¡± Queen Victoria touched Arthur¡¯s head and said, ¡°I will tell the government that the territories you have inherited will be exchanged for Australia, and your title will also change to Duke of Australia. Of course, if you cannot stand the life in Australia, you are always wee toe back to your grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother,¡± Arthur gratefully nodded.


    After all, Queen Victoria was not bad to her family, especially to Duke Arthur and Princess Beatrice, to whom she was the most beloved mother.


    Now, Arthur could feel Victoria¡¯s love for him, especially after the unexpected death of Duke Arthur, whether intentional or unintentional, Queen Victoria¡¯s care for him increased.


    Queen Victoria moved quickly, and the very next day, the British government announced the merger of several Australian colonies into the territory of the Duke of Australia, to be ruled by Arthur.


    As for the original titles that Arthur inherited from his father, they would be returned to the British Empire.


    This territorial swap on the surface was a huge loss for Arthur, as although his two original dukedoms were notrge, they were indeed located in the core areas of the British Empire.


    Australia, on the other hand, was once a penal colony of the British Empire. It now only constituted a colony with vastnd but a sparse poption and agging economy and industry.


    Even though the integrated territories formed apletend, theck of infrastructure made them unable to catch up with Arthur¡¯s original dukedoms for decades toe.


    Although both the British government and themon people were surprised by this territory swap, they understood something when considering the recent assassination attempt on Duke Arthur.


    January 31, 1900.


    By this time, 20 days had passed since Arthur¡¯s territory swap, and everyone, including Queen Victoria and Arthur, hade to ept it.


    During this period, besides the asional care shown by Queen Victoria to Arthur, Princess Louise, Margaret, and Patricia, Princess Beatrice and Prince Edward had also paid a visit.


    Perhaps aware that after exchanging territories with Arthur, there would be no more trouble securing his own inheritance, Prince Edward was very kind to Arthur, even promising to provide him with funds when he went to the territories.


    Because Queen Victoria deliberately concealed the truth, Arthur did not yet know that his father¡¯s killer was his own uncle, Crown Prince Edward.


    Regardless, Arthur would not refuse the generosity from Prince Edward.


    After all, the future development of Australia would require both time and a substantial amount of funds to support.


    Although Arthur possessed a method to obtain arge amount of funds, possibly enough to support Australia¡¯s development for the next several years, he could not ess this unexpected wealth in the short term ¡ª at least not before fully mastering Australia.


    After 20 days of preparations, Queen Victoria announced to all her children and the government that she had chosen to drag her weary body to White Ind, New Zend, for rest and recuperation.


    The Queen¡¯s decision caused turbulence in British politics, as once before in 1861 when Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria had gone into seclusion for over ten years.


    Although Queen Victoriater became active again and received a great reception from the British public during the 50th and 60th anniversary celebrations of her ascension to the throne, it did not mean that her seclusion had little effect on British politics.


    On the contrary, the current Queen Victoria, both in the realm of British politics and throughout the entire British Empire, yed an irreceable stabilizing role.


    Queen Victoria was considered the unique and great monarch in the hearts of both the British political arena and all itsmon people.


    This phenomenon would also appear in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, where long-term rule greatly raised the prestige of the queen and royalty among the people. Furthermore, given the great rise of the British Empire during the Victorian era, Queen Victoria was even more crucial for Britain.

 Chapter 5: The Crown Prince’s Gift

    Chapter 5: The Crown Prince¡¯s Gift


    Trantor: 549690339


    Actually, not only for the British Empire but also for most of the royal families of European monarchies, Queen Victoria is indeed the benchmark of monarchy.


    Queen Victoria, known as the ¡°Grandmother of Europe,¡± is not called so without reason. Many royal families of various countries have close blood rtionships with Queen Victoria. Even Emperor William II of the German Empire, one of the great powers, is her direct grandson.


    ording to the original history, when Queen Victoria died on White Ind, she was surrounded by her many descendants, including Crown Prince Edward and Emperor William II of Germany.


    With the prestigious status of Emperor William II, it is evident how lofty Queen Victoria¡¯s status is for the royal families of Europe.


    As expected, most people opposed Queen Victoria¡¯s idea. No one would want to see the 80-year-old Queen Victoria travel thousands of miles to White Ind.


    Even though many people understand Queen Victoria¡¯s longing for herte loved ones, neither the British Empire nor the European royal family can ept the loss brought by her absence. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, once Queen Victoria made up her mind, no one could stop her ¨C not even Prime Minister Robert or Crown Prince Edward.


    The only constion is that Queen Victoria did not decide to set off immediately but to wait until Arthur had settled all matters and then go to Australia together.


    Although the young Duke of Ase was assassinated, he left Arthur with a substantial amount of wealth and property.


    Not to mention the two ducal territories and one earl territory that have already been transferred to Australia, just the several castles and two armament factories, one steel factory, and one shipyard under the control of Duke Arthur are worth at least over ¡ê100 million.


    Duke Arthur also left behind arge number of industrial and other industries¡¯ factories orpany shares, the valuation of which is at least tens of millions of pounds.


    Now that Arthur is going to Australia, most of these properties need to be relocated or liquidated entirely to achieve maximum effect.


    For Arthur, all of the shares in his hands must be liquidated. Although these shares may appreciate in the future, Arthur, who is about to go to Australia, apparently does not have much time to wait for these stocks to appreciate.


    It¡¯s better to turn them all into pounds and contribute to Australia¡¯s development.


    As for those shipyards, steel mills, and armament factories, it would be better to relocate them all to Australia if possible.


    These factories are very scarce for Australia, which can not only fill the long-standing industrial gap in Australia but also elerate Australia¡¯s industrial and technological development.


    As for the several castles left by Duke Arthur, as expected, Arthur will not return to the British Empire, so there is no need to keep them.


    These castles are all ancient castles with over a hundred years of history, covering a veryrge area, withprehensive supporting facilities, gardens, multiple restaurants, and arge number of valuable artworks.


    The value of these castles alone might exceed ¡ê60 million, a full quarter of the British Empire¡¯s total annual fiscal revenue.


    The good news is that Hunter Steward was previously in charge of managing Duke Arthur¡¯s property and is very familiar with all his property.


    After learning that Arthur ns to sell all his property and go to Australia, Hunter Steward did not object but silently helped Arthur sell the properties he had built up by himself.


    It may be because of the prosperity of the British Empire that many wealthy people are created, the sale of Duke Arthur¡¯s properties goes well. In just one month, most of the stocks and castles have already been sold.


    Especially the castles, which are very weed by the nobility. They not only sold all of them but also brought Arthur a total of ¡ê70 million.


    Plus the ie from the sale of shares, Arthur¡¯s cash on hand has reached a terrifying ¡ê87 million.


    March 3rd, Buckingham Pce.


    This is Arthur¡¯sst day in the British Empire and the day before Queen Victoria decides to travel.


    The British Government is especially busy today, not only dealing with daily affairs but also reconfirming the arrangements for Queen Victoria¡¯s departure tomorrow.


    As the Queen of the British Empire, there is no way the pomp and circumstance of Queen Victoria¡¯s trip can be low.


    This time, Queen Victoria will not only bring along two thousand royal guards but also be escorted by two battleships, five cruisers, and a fleet.


    Apanying her are members of the royal family and pce officials, including Princess Beatrice, Arthur, Princess Louise, Margaret, and Patricia, as well as Pce Steward Harvey and Deputy Prime Minister John.


    To take good care of Queen Victoria¡¯s daily life during the travel, an additional twelve servants, three maids, five chefs, and two pastry chefs will be brought along.


    After making all the final preparations, Queen Victoria began her final farewells with government officials and Crown Prince Edward.


    Crown Prince Edward¡¯s farewell to Queen Victoria was very stiff, perhaps because both of them had their concerns.


    But after all, his wish has been fulfilled, and at this moment, Crown Prince Edward appeared very rxed and happy. He smiled and told Arthur who was next to Queen Victoria, ¡°Arthur, when you go to your territory, remember not to act recklessly. Your people are the foundation of your territory. Only a popr ruler can rule a country for a long time. Learn from your grandmother and strive to be a qualified ruler.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡± Although Arthur didn¡¯t understand why Crown Prince Edward seemed so lively, Arthur took it as his uncle¡¯s advice before his departure.


    ¡°Edward, Arthur is about to leave. Don¡¯t you, as his uncle, have any gesture to make?¡± Suddenly, Queen Victoria, who had been silent, spoke and looked deep into Edward¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Oh, damn it, how could I forget such an important matter?¡± Crown Prince Edward immediately broke out in a cold sweat, and then quickly said, ¡°Arthur, I promised a gift to you before you leave for your territory. I heard that you have been selling everything recently. Here¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll give you ¡ê20 million privately, and then let The Bank of London give you an interest-free loan of ¡ê30 million. This is a bted birthday gift for you. I couldn¡¯t celebrate your birthday with you due to special circumstances before, but I still want to wish you a happy seventeenth birthday.¡±

 Chapter 6 - Six: Mobilizing a Massive Force

    Chapter Six: Mobilizing a Massive Force


    Trantor: 549690339


    Rather than a bted birthday gift, it could be said that this was a symbolicpensation for Arthur given under Queen Victoria¡¯s threat and her own satisfaction of achieving her goals.


    Arthur¡¯s 17th birthday fell on January 13th. Though influenced by Duke Arthur, he spent the day quietly with his family without any celebrations or gatherings.


    However, this did not mean that the British royal family, led by Queen Victoria and Prince Edward, were unaware of it.


    On the contrary, as the Crown Prince and Prince of Wales since childhood, Prince Edward had cultivated a substantial amount of power. Though insignificant to Queen Victoria, he definitely knew about Arthur¡¯s birthday.


    Regardless, the 50 million pounds bestowed by Prince Edward were genuine, and naturally, Arthur did not decline them.


    Though 30 million pounds of it came from a loan from the Bank of London¡ªwhere a significant portion of shares were held by Prince Edward¡ªthis sum was essentially gifted.


    With this, Arthur¡¯s funds would soon reach 130 million pounds. Confident in his personal wealth, he believed he could rank among the top five in the world.


    Having not observed Arthur¡¯s reaction, Prince Edward finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Queen Victoria¡¯s rather satisfied expression.


    The Crown Prince knew that while he appeared to be the stable heir to the throne, if Queen Victoria were to announce the revocation of his crown prince status, the majority of the British public and the political arena would recognize this.


    Never underestimate Queen Victoria¡¯s position in the hearts of the Britishmoners. Britain¡¯s integration into the vast United Kingdom was essential to the supreme and unparalleled position of Queen Victoria across all kingdoms.


    ¡°Arthur, you should have be the supreme Duke of the British Empire, but since you wish to go to remote Australia, I won¡¯t stop you. As your grandmother, I have nothing good to give you but ¡ê100 million inpensation and ¡ê50 million worth of industrial equipment,¡± Queen Victoria said, patting Arthur¡¯s head.


    ¡°Australia is, after all, a remote area. Not to mention education and medical care, even basic infrastructure is far behind and highly unstable,¡± Victoria continued slowly. ¡°The money I give you is not meant for you to enjoy, but to utilize it and the industrial equipment to develop infrastructure, healthcare, education, and industry in Australia. This is for both yourself and all Australians, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I understand, Grandmother. Since I have be the Duke of Australia, I will dedicate my life to the development of the whole nation,¡± Arthur nodded solemnly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Though we travel together this time, you will go to Australia and I will go to New Zend. Your grandmother can¡¯t always be there to protect you¡ªyou¡¯ll have to continue on your own,¡± Queen Victoria continued to advise.


    ¡°On behalf of the British Royal Family, I present you with a 2,000-strong Royal Guard. Their families will also apany you to Australia. Arthur, if you can¡¯t take it, go to New Zend to find your grandmother. Don¡¯t try to toughen it alone.¡±


    Though Queen Victoria¡¯s words may seem nagging, they warmed Arthur¡¯s heart like the rays of the spring sun.


    Having been in this world for over five months, Queen Victoria was one of the few who genuinely treated him well.


    On March 4th, 1900, the fleet, prepared for over half a month, finally set sail. This time, the scale of the fleet expanded significantly, apanied by 4,000 guards, half of whom were already Arthur¡¯s private personnel.


    Speaking of the Royal Guards, also known as the Royal Guard Division, they are the private military force exclusive to the British royal family, with a history spanning hundreds of years.


    Each member of the Royal Guard is meticulously chosen from the British military. Their daily training and disciplinary standards far exceed those of ordinary British soldiers.


    Although the British Empire¡¯s Royal Navy¡¯s fame extends worldwide, Britain¡¯s army is less well-known.


    However, in reality, the fighting capacity of regr British troops ranks among the top three in Europe. Apart from being slightly inferior to the German and French armies, their soldier quality and weapons far surpass those of other European armies.


    Exquisite and meticulously selected from among these British troops, the Royal Guard Division holds its own against Germany¡¯s elite forces.


    Composed of five infantry regiments, two cavalry corps, and a reserve corps, the Royal Guard Division is an essential means for the British royal family to maintain its rule.


    The departure of the fleet was enthusiastically seen off by arge number of London citizens who remained in the harbor, reluctant to leave even after all the ships had sailed away.


    On March 14th, after a long journey of ten days, the fleet arrived at the Suez Canal¡ªthe busiest waterway in the world, both now and in the future.


    The Suez Canal connects East Africa with India and Southeast Asia, and is considered crucial by Britain for controlling India.


    As such, since gaining control over the Suez Canal, the British Empire has stationed heavy troops there to safeguard this vital waterway.


    The canal guards received advance notice of Queen Victoria¡¯s arrival and had already prepared a formation to wee her.


    Arthur also sensed the admiration and respect for Queen Victoria among the English people of this era. Victoria¡¯s reign of several decades signified the achievements made by the British Empire and instilled a sense of pride and self-importance among all who lived there. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Moving along with Queen Victoria, the two reviewed the canal guards before the fleet set out once more¡ªthis time, to India.


    This journey of Queen Victoria¡¯s may not have been as simple as recuperation, as the ultimate destination was White Ind in New Zend, with stopovers in the Suez Canal, India, and Australia.


    Each stopover held a special meaning to Queen Victoria: Australia was to be Arthur¡¯s territory, and her visit was intended to deter local forces. The Suez Canal and India were strategic areas that the British Empire could not afford to lose.


    Britain¡¯s rise to power relied half on technology advancements from the Industrial Revolution and half on a wealth ofnd, poption, and cheap resources gained from overseas colonization.


    India, in particr, with its inexhaustiblebor force, excellent ports, and abundant crop yields, was considered the pearl on the crown.


    For the British Empire, the importance of British India far exceeded that of any other colony.

 Chapter 7: Arriving in India

    Chapter 7: Arriving in India


    Trantor: 549690339


    Queen Victoria¡¯s choice of the three stopovers was, in fact, thest thing she wanted to do for the British Empire and Arthur.


    Docking at the Suez Canal and India could stabilize the hearts of the Indian people and strengthen the rule of the British Empire in India.


    On the other hand, stopping in Australia was a clear tform for Arthur, allowing him to have a good foundation in Australia.


    March 29, 1900.


    After sailing for half a month, the fleet finally arrived at the capital of the Indian Empire, Kolkata.


    India was originally managed by British East India Company, with various native states nominally independent, recognizing the British king as a joint monarch. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, after the Indian Nationalist Uprising, the British East India Company fulfilled its mission and transferred power to Queen Victoria.


    Queen Victoria was also formally crowned in 1876 as the Empress of India, establishing the Indian Empire.


    Since then, India haspletely ended its semi-independent and semi-colonial status, bing aplete colony of the British Empire.


    The current Governor of India is George Curzon, famous for dividing Bengal, dispatching troops to the north, and demarcating the Suba border.


    At noon, the fleet sessfully docked at the Port of Kolkata, and Arthur and Queen Victoria, who had been on the boat for half a month, could finally breathe on shore.


    Although the British Government had prepared a luxurious cruise ship for Queen Victoria and Arthur, equipped with various facilities, as well as two small gardens and a swimming pool.


    However, it must be said that life on a cruise ship is not as real as onnd. Although Arthur was still living well, he was looking forward to setting foot on solid ground.


    At the port, Governor George, who had already received the news, came to greet them with General Kitchener, the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.


    ¡°Your Majesty the Empress, Your Grace the Duke.¡± Both men paid their respects.


    Because Queen Victoria also held the title of Empress of India, the two purposely used the honorary title of Empress instead of Queen when they paid homage.


    ¡°Marquis George, General Kitchener, long time no see.¡± Queen Victoria smiled in response to the two men.


    Both Governor George Curzon and General Kitchener had one very obvious characteristic: they were both highly talented and had their own unique understanding of things.


    However, such two people often have some conflicts in certain aspects. This was the case in the original history.


    Due to disagreements between Governor George and General Kitchener that led to discord, in five years, that is, in 1905, both men were dismissed and returned to their country.


    But a little w could not hide the talents of the two men. After returning to the United Kingdom, Governor George Curzon also served as a Lord Privy Seal, a wartime cab member, and a Minister of Foreign Affairs.


    As for General Kitchener, in 1909 he was made a Marshal, served as Secretary of the Army, and recruited arge number of volunteers without the approval of the cab before World War I. Although he was somewhat arbitrary and autocratic, it was indeed his vision and insight that he could ensure that Britain had arge number of professional armies to fight against Germany.


    ¡°George, it should have been two years since youst returned to Britain, and you¡¯ve been staying in India all this time. You¡¯ve had a hard time.¡± Queen Victoriaughed andforted Governor George.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, it has been two years. But I am not tired. India is one of the most important regions in the entire empire. It is my honor to be appointed by Your Majesty as the Governor of India. I must not fail Your Majesty¡¯s trust and let India fall into crisis.¡± Governor George said solemnly.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. The stability of India in the future still depends on you and General Kitchener¡¯s joint maintenance. I hope that the dazzling pearl of India will not be tarnished in your hands.¡± Queen Victoria smiled with relief and said.


    Queen Victoria still trusted Governor George¡¯s abilities; otherwise, he would not have held such an important position as Governor of India at the young age of 39, which was quite young for a politician.


    ¡°General Kitchener, your merits in South Africa are very notable, and people are pleased to call you the hero of Britain.¡± Queen Victoria smiled at General Kitchener and said.


    ¡°I just did what I was supposed to do, Your Majesty.¡± General Kitchener saluted and said.


    ¡°Anyway, you have indeed made great contributions to the British Empire. It was originally nned to award you after you returned to Britain. I think it would be better to reward you directly on this asion.¡± Queen Victoriaughed and said.


    Then, Queen Victoria immediately put away her smile, became serious, and solemnly said, ¡°General Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army!¡±


    ¡°At your service, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°In recognition of your outstanding contributions in Egypt and South Africa, I award you the title of Baron Kattumu and allow you to return to Britain once this year. In addition, this 50,000 pounds is your reward. The Empire never forgets those who have made contributions to it.¡± The Queen said solemnly.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty and the Empire!¡± General Kitchener excitedly received the 50,000 pounds banknotes handed to him by the servant.


    The real reason for General Kitchener¡¯s excitement was not the 50,000 pounds, but the reward of the barony, which moved this talented soldier.


    Though the Baron is only the lowest link in the traditional aristocratic system, with Viscounts, Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes ranked higher.


    However, in practice, due to different cultural differences, the aristocratic levels of each monarchical country in Europe are not the same.


    For example, in Britain, the ranks are generallyposed of Barons, Viscounts, Earls, Dukes, Princes, and Kings. It is already difficult formon people to be granted a barony or viscountship based on merit.


    Ordinary Earls and Dukes are usually inherited by royal family members or old aristocrats, and ordinary people have no share in them.


    After the brief wee ceremony, Queen Victoria took a horse carriage and stayed in George¡¯s Governor¡¯s Mansion with Arthur.


    As for the Guards, they were stationed outside Kolkata, leaving only a small contingent of more than 200 royal guards to ensure Queen Victoria¡¯s safety at all times.


    Unlike in other ces, Queen Victoria would stay in India for three days to review India¡¯s achievements during this time and rest for a while, just in time for the fleet to replenish supplies.


    Considering Queen Victoria¡¯s age of over 80, the swaying life on the ship was still somewhat tiring for Her Majesty, despite the ample supplies on the cruise ship.


    Especially after the sea voyage thatsted for half a month, it was time for Queen Victoria to rest for a few days.


    After everyone had disembarked, the crews of the transport ships began loading supplies onto the ship to ensure that the coal and living supplies on the ship couldst until the next destination, Australia.

 Chapter 8 - Eight: I’m Here, Australia!

    Chapter Eight: I¡¯m Here, Australia!


    Trantor: 549690339


    On April 2, 1900, the fleet set sail again after a brief three-day respite. This time, their destination was Arthur¡¯s final stop, Australia.


    Speaking of Australia, up until the present moment, Australia is merely a regional term. The actual Australia isposed of six colonies: West Australia, South Australia, Queennd, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania.


    Despite the Australian continent, where these six colonies are located, being a region of intact and identical culture.


    Due to Britain¡¯s various colonial issues in history as well as colonial strategies, the integral Australia got divided into these six colonies, each of which governs independently, without interference from the others.


    From the modern era, the colonies of Australia have faced some shared issues, including tariffs, transport, postal service, defense, and restricting Asian immigrants, which made these six colonies consider convening colonial meetings to negotiate a unified standard.


    In November 1880, the Melbourne Colonial Convention agreed to establish a Federal Committee, and the most populous and developed New South Wales Colony undertook the development of Federal Committee Bills. This was a sign of the unity and federation of Australia.


    The Federal Committee was established in 1883, and the colonies began asking the British Government for support of the Federal Committee¡¯s bill a yearter.


    In 1891, the first party of Australia, the Labour Party, was established. The growth of union movement broke the long-standing boundaries among the colonies, and the demand for free trade and unity among the colonies grew increasingly louder.


    In 1893, the Federal Committee held a Federation League Conference in Crowa, calling on and suggesting all colonies start implementing measures to prepare for establishing a Federation.


    Even in 1898, the Australian Federal Committee already began preparations for a citizen vote on establishing a Federation. However, due to theck of consistent order among the colonies, the progress of the vote was not substantial.


    Not until recently when Queen Victoria announced to make Australia Arthur¡¯s new territory, and decided to unify these six colonies into aplete Australian Principality, did the call for unity among the colonies begin to weaken, and the anticipation for the new Australian Principality emerged.


    On April 27, after about half a month¡¯s voyage, the fleet arrived in the capital of New South Wales, Sydney.


    New South Wales is Ennd¡¯s earliest colony in Australia, and currently the most popted and economically advanced one.


    In the course of Australia federation, New South Wales also holds the most power to speak, bearing the responsibility to draft Federal Committee Bills.


    Based on the situation in Australia, as long as one controls New South Wales, one effectively controls the situation in Australia.


    At this time, Sydney Harbour was already filled with crowds of onlookers. At the front of the crowd were the Prime Ministers and officials from each of the colonies, standing densely together, making it extremely lively.


    Off to the side of the weing crowd, a group of soldiers excitedly stood on tiptoe. They belonged to the army of each colony, directly at themand of the Ministry of Defense and Queen Victoria.


    After the fleet slowly approached the shore, the weing crowd burst into strong cheers instantly. Following the bounding ceremonial music, Arthur, holding Queen Victoria, stepped onto thend of Australia.


    ¡°Long live Her Majesty the Queen! Long live His Highness, the Duke!¡± The surrounding crowd consciously broke into cheers, enthusiastically weing the arrival of the two rulers.


    Unlike in the Suez Canal and India, Queen Victoria didn¡¯t step forward, but hinted at Arthur with her eyes.


    Arthur instantly understood, gently stepped forward, looked up at the excited crowds, and finally stood in front of the six Prime Ministers.


    ¡°Your Highness, wee home!¡± The six Prime Ministers said in unison.


    Arthur was taken aback, then had a sudden realization. Australia was now his only territory, and his home would be in Australia from then onward.


    Unless something special happens, he would basically not be returning to the United Kingdom.


    ¡°You must be the Prime Ministers of each colony, right? How is Australia doing recently?¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Please allow me to introduce the Prime Ministers from each colony to you.¡± A man leading the bunch replied with augh, adding a slight ttery.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Arthur signaled him to proceed. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Your Highness, I am Evan H. Parks, the Prime Minister of New South Wales.¡± The man continued: ¡°These are Walter ck, Victoria¡¯s prime minister, Andrew Kim Potter, Queennd¡¯s prime minister, Richard Noble Chapman, Tasmania¡¯s prime minister, Pierre Silvio Berlusconi, West Australia¡¯s prime minister, and Thomas Chekhov, South Australia¡¯s prime minister. The moment they knew of your arrival, they rushed her from their regions to wee you and Her Majesty the Queen at the earliest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, did you guys bring these people here as well?¡± Arthur curiously looked at the excited crowd and asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case, Your Highness. You may not know that the six separate colonies of Australia no longer amodate the present situation. The differing systems from the colonies made trade andmunication incredibly difficult, causing significant inconvenience to both the colonies and the citizens. People have long anticipated the federation of Australia. Now, thanks to you, Australia has the opportunity to unify. We thank you, Your Highness!¡± Prime Minister Evan H. Parks bowed slightly to Arthur again while narrating, visible gratitude guiding his action.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Prime Minister Evan. From now on, I am also a part of Australia. Isn¡¯t maintaining the unity of Australia something all Australians should do?¡± Arthurughed and helped Prime Minister Evan up.


    ¡°Alright, Prime Minister Evan, please lead us to rest. A long journey at sea is exhausting enough. By the way, let these people get back to their lives so they won¡¯t dy their work and life because of weing me.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, please follow me. I¡¯ve already allocated the top floor of the Administrative Building for you. Though the conditions aren¡¯t the best, we¡¯ll have to reluctantly amodate you and Queen there for a bit.¡± Prime Minister Evan exined, hinting a slight apology as he led the way to Arthur and Queen Victoria.


    Before the Australian Federation was established, Australia¡¯s economy mainly relied on selling mining products and agricultural and fishing products, which improved from having to import food from Britain during the early colonial times. But it barely made ends meet.


    Moreover, different colonies were isted, which rendered the overall Australian economy underdeveloped, with a backward industry. Finance of all colonies was in a severe shortage.


    Even though the wealthiest New South Wales was better off, it was a wild dream to wish to build a pce that suits Arthur and Queen Victoria.

 Chapter 9 - Nine: The First Meeting

    Chapter Nine: The First Meeting


    Trantor: 549690339


    A sliver of morning sunlight pierced through the leaves outside the window, striking the ss of the room, and then reflecting into Arthur¡¯s eyes.


    Arthur, unustomed to it, reached a hand to shield himself from the naughty light beam, but found himself unable topletely block it.


    After a while, Arthur finally opened his eyes slowly as his brain suddenly jolted awake. He sat up abruptly, and looking up at the clock on the wall, he realized it was already past seven in the morning.


    ¡°Shoot, it¡¯s almost eight o¡¯clock. Let¡¯s hope I can make it to the meeting,¡± Arthur muttered whilst not dallying, and hurriedly got dressed.


    Traditionally, Arthur¡¯s all daily routines should be taken care of by his servants, but Arthur was not all thatfortable with the brutish idea of having someone else dress him, so he chose to do so by himself.


    After a rushed wash and refreshing, it was already over ten minutester when he finally managed to make his exit.


    Stepping outside, the two guards at the door immediately saluted Arthur respectfully: ¡°Good morning, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Morning, the Prime Ministers did note looking for me, did they?¡± Arthur inquired.


    Today was April 29th, the third day after Arthur and his entourage arrived in Australia.


    ording to the arrangement made by Arthur and the prime ministers, a preliminary meeting about the detailed system of the Australian Principality would be convened at eight o¡¯clock this morning in order to better improve the country¡¯s system.


    It¡¯s getting closer to eight o¡¯clock, and Arthur certainly didn¡¯t want to bete to their first meeting.


    As Monarch, even if Arthur waste, no one would say anything, but being new in his position, Arthur still wanted to leave a good impression on his subordinates and the residents of the colony.


    ¡°Not at all, Your Highness,¡± The guard replied.


    Phew!


    Arthur sighed in relief and headed downstairs to the meeting room.


    In his two days visit to Australia, Arthur managed to take a brief tour of the Administrative Building and the nearby city of Sydney.


    At present, sleeping in Australia, or New South Wales, gives Arthur initial impressions of tradition and backwardness.


    Due to the main sources of ie primarily from mining and agriculture, and significant revenue previously required to be sent back to the British maind, the economic conditions in these colonies were not particrly good, resulting in low earnings for the colony residents.


    Overall, Australia is currently in a phase of reconstruction. However, having gained independence as a new Duchy, the economic conditions would surely improve drastically.


    Entering the meeting room, the six prime ministers had already been waiting for quite a while.


    ¡°Good Morning, Your Highness.¡± The gathered crowd greeted politely.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s not dawdle and get started,¡± Arthur dered after taking his seat at the head of the table.


    ¡°Your Highness, although under orders of Her Majesty the Queen, Australia is nominally a unified and independent country. However, to date, our system is still based on the sixrge colonies. I think we need to change the colonial system first. I suggest changing the six colonies to six self-governing states and the decision on capital location being determined by voting. We can then form a unified federal government ordingly, with us, the prime ministers, bing governors of the new self-governing states, responsible primarily to Your Highness.¡± New South Wales Prime Minister Evan suggested.


    Having previously drafted the federalmittee act, Prime Minister Evan has a clear understanding of the present situation in Australia.


    The current biggest problem in Australia is that the colonies are each self-governing and do not interfere with each other. Although it is nominally unified into a single country, it actually acts more like six independent countries.


    ¡°On this matter, do any of the other Prime Ministers have any thoughts?¡± Arthur turned to look at the other people, smiling as he asked.


    Prime Minister Evan¡¯s suggestion is essentially equivalent to Australia¡¯s historical progression of establishing a federal government with numerous self-governing states.


    The advantage of this is that it allows the formation of a unified federal government with the least alterations while the power in the hands of the Colonial Prime Ministers remains unchanged, only the title has been altered to that of governor.


    Perhaps due to the consensus reached by all the colonies in the previous federalmittee, no Prime Minister had any other suggestions at this time.


    ¡°I believe, establishing a unified government as soon as possible is crucial.¡± Seeing that nobody was speaking, Arthur chuckled, ¡°However, the structure of the government still requires careful deliberation.¡±


    ¡°In my perception, Australia used to consist of you six major colonies, which governed themselves without interfering with each other. But now, as it forms a single unified country, the denomination of ¡®colony¡¯ should indeed be abolished,¡± Arthur stated, looking at Evan andughed, ¡°Prime Minister Evan¡¯s suggestion is excellent, I agree that the six colonies should be renamed to six states, with unchanged names and capitals, but all unified under the responsibility of a new national government.¡±


    ¡°As to whether the newly established states should be granted autonomy, in my opinion, each state should only be responsible for its own state affairs. Defense and other affairs should be managed by a unified national government. What do you all think?¡± Arthur looked at them all andughed.


    ¡°Your Highness, might I ask about how you envision the electoral system of the new government? Would it be following the system of the British Empire?¡± Prime Minister Evan asked cautiously.


    If one could name a representative of a constitutional monarchy, then the British Empire would absolutely im the top spot.


    As one of the first countries to implement a constitutional monarchy, the British Empire rapidly became a world-dominating power with the help of the Industrial Revolution.


    The advanced system of the British Empire contributed a lot to this, and this was the reason for Evan¡¯s previous query.


    ¡°It¡¯s undeniable that the British Empire¡¯s system was inherently advanced. However, every country has its own national conditions, and we cannot simply copy and paste. But there are many aspects we can refer to. I n to establish the Houses of Parliament, having Lower House members elected by each state, allocating seats ording to the proportion of the poption,¡± Arthur spoke, smiling, ¡°The Upper House will contain members of the royal family and nominees appointed by me along with elected Lower House members. The Lower House would responsible for proposingws, electing cab members, etc., while the Upper House will be responsible for reviewing the proposedws of the Lower House, examining the elected cab members, supervising officials, etc. The Houses of Parliament should be among the most important administrative organizations of our country, so the election of members must be handled carefully.¡±


    The Upper and Lower House system Arthur proposed was quite simr to the British system; the Lower House governed by political parties andmon people, the Upper House controlled by the Monarch.


    Even though the Lower House has the power to propose and amendws and elect cab members, the Upper House will always have the final say.


    Without approval from the Upper House, everything proposed or elected by the Lower House can be dered void, serving as one of Arthur¡¯s trump cards.


    ording to Arthur¡¯s n, the future Upper and Lower Houses would essentiallynd under Arthur¡¯s jurisdiction, Cab members may also be reced with those loyal to Arthur.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 10 - Ten: Monarchism

    Chapter Ten: Monarchism


    Trantor: 549690339


    If the prime ministers were previously unaware of Arthur¡¯s thoughts, they were now.


    In their original n, they only needed to deceive Arthur and get him to agree to the establishment of a federal governmentposed of autonomous states. In this way, they could retain a significant amount of power for themselves.


    Even if they could not enter the national government of Australia, they could continue to serve as governors of their states and even attempt to undermine Arthur¡¯s authority.


    But ording to Arthur¡¯s proposal, both Houses of Parliament would be at his disposal, and the cab elected by the House of Commons would naturally follow suit.


    The states, which evolved from the colonies, would lose their other powers; they could only be governors, waiting for their term to end, seeking re-election, or giving up.


    The prime ministers remained silent, looking to Prime Minister Evan for direction.


    Prime Minister Evan gave a bitter smile, but didn¡¯t dare to speak out. He fully understood the intentions of the other prime ministers, but in reality, they were all colonial governors dispatched from the British Empire to Australia. Although they had gained considerable power in Australia, their actual control was divided in two ¨C they held administrative power, while the militarymanders controlled the rest.


    Now that Arthur had arrived in Australia, the Australian Army would inevitably hand over itsmand to him.


    Moreover, with Queen Victoria present, who would have the audacity to contradict Arthur?


    Queen Victoria¡¯s destination was White Ind in New Zend; her stays in the Suez Canal and India had been brief.


    But in Australia, Queen Victoria had already stayed for three days without any sign of leaving. Wasn¡¯t this an expression of support for Arthur?


    ¡°Very well, since none of you have any objections, we can begin preparing to change the colonies into states and establish both Houses of Parliament. It is almost May now, and I hope that by mid-May, we can officially start nationwide elections for the House of Commons,¡± Arthur said with a smile, seeing that no one refuted him.


    It seemed that these men were also quite sensible and did not dare to contradict Arthur.


    Considering that the entire Australian garrison had no more than 6,000 men, scattered across the six major colonies.


    Meanwhile, Queen Victoria and Arthur¡¯s Guards totaled 4,000 men. Even if someone tried to incite a rebellion, it could be immediately suppressed.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness,¡± the six men reluctantly agreed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Before the formal establishment of the national government, Prime Minister Evan will temporarily serve as the acting prime minister, with the other prime ministers as acting cab members. We still need your collective efforts to build Australia, striving topletely overhaul andplete the construction of the government by the end of May,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Arthur understood the principle of bncing the stick with the carrot. After depriving the six prime ministers of their desired state autonomy, he promoted them to the temporary cab, urging them to put their best efforts into the government¡¯s establishment and speed up the process.


    If they proved theirpetence, Arthur would not mind giving them a hand in securing a cab seat or even the prime ministership once the government was established.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Sure enough, upon hearing Arthur¡¯s arrangements, the prime ministers seemed to suddenly be energized, responding one after another.


    ¡°At the same time, the establishment of a national government requires a set of guiding principles. It¡¯s time to enact a constitution of our own, called the Australian Constitution. The content of the constitution will reference the monarchies of Europe and be revised based on our domestic situation. Did the Federal Committee have any previous proposals for the constitution?¡± Arthur asked.


    A constitution specifies the detailed division of power among national institutions and clearly outlines the rights and responsibilities of various social sses.


    Both for the ordinary people of Australia and Arthur himself, a detailed and clear constitution is needed to ascertain their rights.


    ¡°We have considered developing a constitution, but it is obvious that it would not be suitable for our current situation,¡± replied Prime Minister Evan.


    The previous Federal Committee had been more inclined towards a federal republic, which was entirely different from the current Australian Principality.


    Prime Minister Evan, being quite tactful, did not mention their prior ideas for a constitution, lest he angered Arthur and lost his position as acting prime minister.


    ¡°Let¡¯s briefly discuss it for now. Do any of you have good suggestions for our constitution?¡± Arthur asked with a meaningful smile.


    As far as constitutions are concerned, the United Kingdom is a rather unique country. Unlike other nations with explicit constitutional systems, the UK has no written constitution but is instead governed by abination of writtenws, customaryws, and conventions.


    This has also led to British monarchs, in theory, having a considerable amount of power, including the appointment and dismissal of all officers, colonial governors, bishops, and senior clergy, as well as the convening, stopping, and dissolution of Parliament, the approval ofws, and the deration of war and peace.


    However, in practice, a significant portion of these powers has been transferred to the Cab, and the power of British monarchs has been severely restricted.


    Yet, it cannot be denied that if a British monarch holds substantial influence, they can indeed easily wield these theoretical powers.


    Take the current British monarch, Queen Victoria, for example. If Queen Victoria wished to appoint or dismiss any officer of the British Empire, it would be unlikely that the British political arena would argue against her.


    However, if it were Crown Prince Edward who took the throne, his capacity to swiftly appoint and dismiss important officers would depend on Parliament¡¯s willingness to persecute him.


    ¡°Your Highness, I believe our first constitution should first rify the division of rights and responsibilities among various departments, and specify the system and institutions of our country. In respect for you, your rights should also be detailed,¡± Prime Minister Evan said with a respectful smile.


    Although Prime Minister Evan spoke nicely about clearly defining Arthur¡¯s rights out of respect for him, the fact is that once a monarch¡¯s powers are defined, it also means that the monarch¡¯s power is limited.


    After all, only the rights stated in the Constitution are legal; wouldn¡¯t anything not stated in the Constitution be illegal?


    ¡°I think the German system, with its clear constitution, is quite good, and Australia is also suitable for establishing a bicameral monarchy,¡± Arthur said with a smile. ¡°The House of Commons would be responsible for legition and elections, while the Upper House would oversee and dismiss officers, reviewws and election results passed by the House of Commons. The House of Commons would be responsible to the electorate, and the Upper House would be responsible to me. Meanwhile, Australia¡¯s ruler, that is, me, would hold all the powers of both Houses of Parliament and the right to dissolve the Cab and Parliament at any time.¡±

 Chapter 11: The Queen Departs

    Chapter 11: The Queen Departs


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°Our cab government is elected by the House of Commons, approved by the Upper House, and after my appointment, it takes office for three years. In theory, each cab official can be re-elected for up to two terms, or serve for a maximum of five terms. The Cab Government has administrative power and is responsible to me. All our military forces, except the Guards, are managed by the Ministry of Defense. Based on these foundations, as the ruler of the country, I have the highest power, including the highest military power. If the cab government does nothing, I can dissolve it and ask the House of Commons to hold new elections. What do you all think?¡± Arthur said with a smile, but his words sent chills down the spines of the prime ministers present.


    The prime ministers¡¯ idea was simple ¨C relying on their existing colonial powers to build a federal state.


    Even if Arthur would take away some of their power, they could still use their original colonial foundations to be high-ranking officials in the new Duchy.


    However, following Arthur¡¯s n, apart from their original experience and advantages in governing, they would have topete with all Australians.


    In other words, all their privileges would be stripped away. To enter the upper echelons of Australia, they would have to rely on their own abilities and reputation among the Australian people.


    ¡°Your Highness, ording to your proposal, does our national monarch have too much power? Of course, I don¡¯t doubt your abilities. But when ites to the next ruler or the one after that, if they are mediocre rulers, our country might fall into decline,¡± Prime Minister Evan said tentatively.


    It is clear now that Arthur wants to establish a bicameral monarchy, but the prime ministers want a self-governing federal union, twopletely opposing concepts.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what we should be considering now. Besides, if the power of the monarch is insufficient in the future, he can also entrust his power to the Upper House to exercise it. With the help of the Upper House, I believe the country would not fall into crisis,¡± Arthur said with a smile, directly rejecting Prime Minister Evan¡¯s probe.


    The political system of the country and his personal power are Arthur¡¯s bottom lines. Australia is now and will be his biggest base in the future, and he will not allow anyone to threaten his position.


    Moreover, now is the best time to establish high royal power in Australia, and if Arthur were topromise now, it would not be easy to increase royal powerter.


    Seeing Arthur¡¯s determination, the prime ministers had no good solutions for the moment and could only remain silent, frowning as they pondered countermeasures.


    ¡°Lastly, it¡¯s the changes to the states. Thergest administrative divisions in ournd will be the Six States, which are the existing six colonies. The position of governor is very important for both the states and the government, so the selection of the governors must be carefully considered. Governors will be elected by the State Parliament, and after being approved by the Upper House, they will officially take office. Each governor will serve for four years, and in principle, can be re-elected for up to four terms, or serve for a maximum of six terms. Governors have administrative power within their states and are responsible to the Upper House and me. The judicial power of each state is withdrawn, and the judicial system adopts a unified national rule. This can quickly eliminate the previous istion between the colonies and promote the cultural and economic exchanges between the states,¡± Arthur said with a smile, but his words were like a heavy bomb, exploding in the hearts of the six prime ministers.


    If the previous agreement for them to serve as temporary cab members made them feel that Arthur waspromising, the new regtions for the states were like knives plunging into their chests.


    ording to Arthur, each state would have only administrative power and would also be responsible to the Upper House and Arthur. Although allowed to serve up to four consecutive terms, it might not be easy to keep the governor¡¯s position without significant aplishments.


    This meant that if the six prime ministers wanted to strive to enter the upper echelons of Australia, they would have to try to make an impact on the Upper House and the positions of the new cab government.


    However, these two institutions are not easy to enter, and more importantly, they have to gain Arthur¡¯s support.


    As a result, all their escape routes have been cut off by Arthur. If they want to continue in the high ranks of Australia, they have to showcase their abilities and gain Arthur¡¯s trust.


    The prime ministers are not without thoughts of resistance, but facing Queen Victoria¡¯s resolute stance and the fleet stationed outside the harbor, they wisely give up the idea.


    Once the prime ministers chose to ept their fate, the progress of the meeting became rapid.


    Arthur and the prime ministers quickly determined the structure of the government, the powers of various institutions, and the reforms of the states, and the meeting was officially dered over.


    Over the next few days, Arthur apanied Queen Victoria on a leisurely tour of Sydney¡¯s streets and reviewed the now unified Australian Army.


    After a few days of rest, Queen Victoria¡¯splexion had finally improved significantly, and she began to smile from time to time.


    During these days, the prime ministers, who are also temporary cab members, had begun to reform their respective colonies.


    All residents of the colonies received the news of the colony¡¯s reform as a state, and for a while, everyone was discussing Arthur¡¯s merits.


    Yes, Australians have longed for the unity of the colonies and the establishment of aplete country. Although it was not the democratic republic they had imagined, Arthur had already announced the establishment of the Houses of Parliament to give Australians their due rights.


    Under such circumstances, how could the Australian people not be grateful to Arthur, the ruler who allowed them to trade and travel freely throughout Australia?


    On May 7th, 1900, Sydney.


    By this time, ten days had passed since Arthur¡¯s arrival in Australia. During these ten days, Australia had undergone earth-shattering changes.


    The progress of the colonies¡¯ transformation into states was very fast due to the wee it received from all Australians.


    Within just over a week, the original boundaries and checkpoints of the states were all canceled and reced by state boundaries and patrol posts.


    The residents of the former colonies now identified themselves as state residents and began to freely shuttle and travel across other states. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The establishment of the Houses of Parliament also gained traction, with government officials in each state notifying all residents to participate in the uing House of Commons election and looking for the location of the State Senate in the capital.


    However, there was also bad news for Arthur ¨C Queen Victoria was about to leave.

 Chapter 12: Speech and the Australian Constitution

    Chapter 12: Speech and the Australian Constitution


    Trantor: 549690339


    May 8th, 1900, Sydney.


    Today is Queen Victoria¡¯sst day in Australia. Early tomorrow morning, the fleet will set sail once again, heading for its true destination, Wight Ind of New Zend.


    In recent days, as a result of thepany of Arthur and Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria¡¯splexion has indeed improved significantly. However, to the naked eye, after the severe shock, the queen¡¯s body has deteriorated considerably, even requiring assistance to walk.


    As the day of the fleet¡¯s departure approaches, Arthur increasingly feels reluctant and heartbroken.


    Since ascending the throne at a young age, Queen Victoria has been bound to the seemingly free throne, experiencing the departure of many close rtives and even missing them until her dying days.


    After fulfilling her wish to visit White Ind, Queen Victoria¡¯s reason for holding on may vanish. Perhaps next time they see her, it will be on her deathbed.


    Although Arthur wished to retain Queen Victoria, Her Majesty¡¯s intention to leave was firm, and there was no other choice but to let go.


    The central square on Sydney Street.


    This square was originally a military base used by the old colonial government. After several expansions of the city, it became a public square.


    Now, this square has a glorious mission, hosting Arthur¡¯s coronation speech.


    Australia¡¯s Australian Principality is different from countries that dere independence and establish their kingdoms through the monarchy. The time of the establishment of a monarchical country is generally based on the time of the monarch¡¯s coronation.


    Arthur¡¯s coronation took ce on January 10th, 1900, meaning that the Australian Principality was established on that day. As such, Arthur prepared a coronation speech.


    Since the colonies began to reform into states a week ago, people from not only New South Wales State, but also nearby South Australia State, Victoria State, and Queennd State flocked to Sydney upon hearing that Arthur would give his coronation speech there.


    As the morning sunlight bathed the earth, the birds in the trees chirped as if urging the passage of time.


    Ding! Ding! Ding!


    With three chimes from the bell tower, it announced the arrival of eight o¡¯clock. The crowd in the square began to stir, with everyone looking at the high tform in the center of the square, craning their necks and seeming to be waiting for something.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Arthur arrived on the tform, escorted by a group of guards and followed by several members of the temporary cab, who also held positions as temporary governors.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, good morning!¡± Arthur stepped forward, smiling slightly as he greeted everyone. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Thankfully, loudspeakers had been invented by this time, making it easier for everyone in the square to hear Arthur¡¯s voice.


    Once they heard Arthur¡¯s greeting, the square immediately became quiet. Everyone listened intently to their future ruler¡¯s first public speech.


    ¡°I realize that most of you don¡¯t know me, so please allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Connaught Arthur, and I am the Duke of Australia. It does not matter where Ie from or my background because in the future, we will all share amon identity as the great and noble Australian People!¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°Long live Your Highness! Long live Australia!¡±


    It was clear that Arthur¡¯s words had resonated with the majority of the people present. After hundreds of years of division, almost every Australian dreamed of living in a united and prosperous Australia.


    Now, with Arthur¡¯s arrival, the goal of unification had been achieved. All Australians hoped that this new monarch could lead this newborn country to prosperity.


    ¡°I believe you have all heard of the constitution that was promulgated a week ago. Our most urgent need now is to break the barriers and istion among the states that were maintained during the colonial era. Regardless of which state the people are from, they are all great Australians who should live freely and without restraint in any part of the country. There should be free trade among the states, and we can sell goods to any state in Australia and purchase whatever we need in any state, without worrying about any state policies.¡±


    The only party in Australia, the Labour Party, was established to protect the interests of the workers and promote free trade in Australia.


    When Arthur made such remarks, it meant that his policies were in line with the objectives of the Labour Party, indirectly forming an alliance with its members.


    As the only party in Australia, the Labour Party, although still in its infancypared to major parties in the UK, was already a giant force in the Australian political environment.


    In future House of Commons elections, the Labour Party would have many seats. Although Arthur did not worry about the party¡¯s struggle for power, it was best to have control over this force.


    ¡°Australia is and of treasure. We have vast tracts of arablend, as well as abundant mineral and natural resources. In the past, when thisnd was a colony, both immigrants and Australians faced high taxes and exploitation. As the Duke of Australia, I do not wish to see this happen. Therefore, I have decided to lower the taxation of all Australians and allow all Australians to have a prosperous life first!¡± Arthur continued to agitate the people, and his words were indeed enticing.


    Looking at the colonial-era taxes, one-third of Australians¡¯ annual ie became tax revenue on the colonial ounts, which was then transported to the United Kingdom.


    However, after Arthur¡¯s decision to reduce taxation, Australians only need to pay one-seventh of their annual ie in taxes, cutting it by more than half.


    It is worth mentioning that Australia¡¯s annual tax revenue was over two million pounds. After the reduction, it would be a miracle to have more than one million pounds in tax revenue.


    Was this an impulse decision by Arthur, who had too much money? Not really.


    Firstly, drastically reducing taxes would quickly win popr support in Australia, facilitating Arthur¡¯s establishment of a stable monarchy and a series of reform ns.


    Secondly, Australiater became known as a country sitting on a cart of minerals. Every year, the sale of abundant mineral resources alone generated huge amounts of foreign exchange ie.


    Under such circumstances, the tax revenue of the Australian people was just a drop in the bucket. It would be better to proactively reduce it and gain everyone¡¯s goodwill.


    For ordinary people, a government reducing taxes is certainly a reason to celebrate.


    Furthermore, this tax reduction was not insignificant, cutting more than half of the people¡¯s taxes.

 Chapter 13: House of Commons Elections

    Chapter 13: House of Commons Elections


    Trantor: 549690339


    On the bustling square, a few birds tentativelynded on the branches, ready to search for insects among the leaves, only to be scared off by the cheers of the crowd below them. They left behind some feathers that floated gently down, proving the birds¡¯ brief presence.


    Atop the high tform, Arthur was very satisfied with the cheering crowd. It seemed that his n to reduce taxes and win the people¡¯s hearts had been very sessful. If the Australian people had been eagerly anticipating Arthur¡¯s rule based on their desire for unification, then after the tax reduction, they had begun to wee and appreciate Arthur¡¯s arrival.


    Since that was the case, Arthur didn¡¯t mind adding more fuel to the fire. He signaled for the crowd to quiet down, as he had more important news to announce.


    Sure enough, after seeing Arthur¡¯s gesture, the boisterous square suddenly went quiet in a lightning fast manner, as if the previous lively atmosphere had never existed.


    Satisfied with the effect, Arthur smiled and said, ¡°At the same time, I have another crucial announcement to make. Despite our nation being a monarchy, I am more than happy to grant my citizens their deserved rights. I dere the establishment of the Upper House and the House of Commons. The elections for the House of Commons will take ce from May 10th to May 17th, every two years. The18th to 24th of May will be the period for counting the votes, and the elected members of the House of Commons will officiallymence their duties on May 25th after the results are announced. Now, every Australian can proudly proim that you can fight freely for your own rights!¡±


    ¡°Long live the Your Highness! Long live Australia!¡±


    As Arthur¡¯s bombshells kept dropping, all the Australians present were growing more and more satisfied with him. Everyone was thankful that the Federal Committee had been blocked by the United Kingdom during their time, or else the colonial rulers would have continued to govern Australia. Now, Arthur had not only reduced taxes but also granted rights to the Australian people.


    ¡°My fellow citizens, everyone in the House of Commons election can participate, and every adult Australian has one vote. During the elections, I will send the royal guards to inspect the polling sites to ensure that our House of Commons elections won¡¯t have any fraud. The House of Commons has the power to create and amend ordinaryws and to elect cab members. It is one of Australia¡¯s most important departments. Now, as the Duke of Australia, I grant this power to all my people. Let all Australians participate and bear witness to the rise of Australia in this beautiful world. Long live Australia!¡± Arthur became more and more excited as he spoke, eventually raising his voice into a shout.


    At this point, no one noticed Arthur¡¯s slightly improper behavior, as everyone was immersed in the joy and excitement, shouting along with him.


    Cheers and apuse apanied his speech, as Arthur wlessly concluded his coronation address.


    If before, Australians regarded Arthur as a mysterious and highly anticipated figure, now they held him in even higher esteem than Queen Victoria, who had ruled them for tens of years. He was seen in the eyes of the people as an incredibly kind and outstanding monarch.


    If Arthur could maintain his poprity and reputation among the Australian people, his position in Australia would be unshakable.


    May 9, 1900, Sydney Harbour.


    After staying in Australia for more than ten days, Queen Victoria finally had to continue her journey to White Ind.


    Looking at the boy who had grown taller than herself, Queen Victoria couldn¡¯t help but feel moved and said with a smile, ¡°Arthur, your speech was excellent. I believe under your leadership, Australia will be the most dazzling jewel of Oceania.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, you must take care of your health. Arthur is still looking forward to attending your 70th anniversary coronation celebrations!¡± Arthur didn¡¯t respond to Queen Victoria¡¯s praise but said with an unwilling expression.


    ¡°Hahaha, good child, your grandmother knows. Your mother and two sisters still need your care in Australia. I have already arranged for the best teachers from Ennd to teach you and your sisters. I hope the next time we meet, my Arthur will have grown into an outstanding ruler, and I will be proud of you.¡± Queen Victoria kissed Arthur on the forehead then left with Princess Beatrice and her fleet, without looking back.


    If Queen Victoria¡¯s trembling shoulders hadn¡¯t betrayed her true feelings, perhaps the parting would not have been so poignant.


    After bidding farewell to Queen Victoria, Arthur was ready to receive her precious legacy.


    A full 2,000 British Royal Guards and their families, nearly 8,000 people in total, along with two British chefs, two maids, six servants, and one personal tailor.


    In addition, there were 237 million pounds and 50 million pounds worth of industrial equipment, as well as two armament factories, one steel factory, and one shipbuilding factory in Britain, where important equipment and skilled workers had been all relocated to Australia.


    To be honest, Arthur was grateful for being born into the British Royal Family and being the only son of Queen Victoria¡¯s favorite son, Duke Arthur.


    Even when hisnd was changed to the industrial and infrastructure free Australia, he still had a start-up capital of over 200 million pounds, 50 million pounds worth of industrial equipment, and several factories.


    It was not a question of what a huge sum of money 200 million pounds could do. Even just 50 million pounds worth of industrial equipment, and these factories could enable Australia¡¯s industrial sector to expand rapidly and bridge the gap with Western countries.


    What was even more important was that Australia had an abundance of mineral resources, including coal, iron, aluminum, petroleum, natural gas, gold, silver, and various other minerals. Each mineral supply was rich and abundant, which couldpletely build Australia into a powerful industrial nation.


    Australia also had incredibly rich natural uranium mines, a keyponent to produce atomic bombs. Even inter generations, the world¡¯s avable natural uranium reserves barely reached 5 million tons, with Australia having more than 610,000 tons- more than one-ninth of the total reserves.


    With such abundant mineral resources,rge start-up capital, and massive industrial equipment, as well as support from the strongest industrial power of the British Empire in the short term, Arthur had full confidence in raising Australia¡¯s industrial level to European second-tier status or even challenging the top European countries.


    Moreover, Australia held a unique geographical advantage at this time. Competitors in Oceania were nonexistent, and two potential rivals, an ind nation and the United States, had their reasons and restrictions that wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to Australia in the short term.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 14: Election Extravaganza

    Chapter 14: Election Extravaganza


    Trantor: 549690339


    May 10, 1900, Sydney Street.


    As usual, Henry was walking on the streets of Sydney, heading towards the government building where he had worked for half his life. It was now called the New South Wales Parliament.


    To make room for the uing House of Commons election, many government agencies were relocating these two days, giving up their original locations one after another for the State Parliament.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Henry. Are you going to participate in the election of the members of parliament?¡± A middle-aged woman who obviously knew Henry saw him on the street and immediately approached him, speaking excitedly.


    ¡°Ah, Miss Katie Taylor, how is your son? Is he feeling better?¡± Henry quickly recognized the woman greeting him and replied with a smile.


    ¡°I really have to thank you for that day. If it wasn¡¯t for your lending me 7 Pounds, I¡¯m afraid Lampard¡¯s illness wouldn¡¯t have been cured.¡± Talking about her son, Katie seemed to have opened her chatterbox, looking at Henry gratefully while speaking with relief.


    There is no clear statistic for the average ie in Australia, but in the previous year, 1899, the per capita annual ie in Britain was about 50 Pounds. The annual ie of a skilled worker had already reached 200 to 400 Pounds.


    Please do not be misled by this data. The reason for such arge per capita ie in Britain is actually due to the extraction of arge amount of wealth from major colonies.


    As a senior officer of the Sydney City Council, Henry¡¯s annual ie was only about 20 Pounds, which showed the gap between the British maind and the colonies.


    Hence, lending a third of his own annual ie to a person with no connection to him, shows Henry¡¯s courage andpassion.


    ¡°It¡¯s all trivial. Besides, after His Royal Highness Arthur came to Australia, he directly exempted most of our taxes. Compared to what His Highness has done, what I¡¯ve done is nothing.¡± Henry promptly waved it off.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But anyway, Mr. Henry, just like His Highness, you are a good person. Australia has such a great monarch and an outstanding officer like you, there is no reason our nation won¡¯t revive.¡± Katie smiled softly and said.


    Since Arthur announced a tax reduction throughout Australia a few days ago, he became a great ruler in the hearts of all Australians.


    After all, to ordinary people, those who can provide them with practical benefits are truly great.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Henry. You go on, I will definitely vote for you and wish you a sessful election.¡± Looking at the time, Katie hurriedly ended the chat with Henry. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Henry¡¯s residence was only a little over ten minutes away from the current State Parliament, due to asionally encountering acquaintances on the way, it took him half an hour to arrive.


    Fortunately, Henry had anticipated this situation and had set out half an hour early to catch the opening of the House of Commons election.


    In order to allow as many Australians as possible to vote, this House of Commons election was held simultaneously in three cities in each state.


    As the capital city and the most populous city in Australia, Sydney had thergest share of seats in the House of Commons, with a total of 198 seats. The most populous state of New South Wales was allocated 71 seats. And as the most populous city in New South Wales, Sydney also got 22 seats.


    However, this doesn¡¯t mean that participating in the election in Sydney would make it easier. In fact, Sydney is the most populous city in Australia, with a total poption of 420,000.


    The poption eligible to participate in the election reached a terrifying number of over 300,000. Even though most people didn¡¯t intend to participate in the election, there were certainly nock ofpetitors.


    Under such circumstances, Henry was already prepared for the possibility of not being elected to the House of Commons. After all, even if he failed to be elected, as long as his votes were good, he could enter the lower-level New South Wales Parliament.


    There were a total of 136 seats in the state parliament. Their number varies ording to the state¡¯s poption. And Henry was quite confident that he could fight for a seat.


    Entering the gate of the State Parliament, Henry found that the number of participants in this election far exceeded his expectations.


    The seemingly vast state parliament was now filled with a sea of voters. Although the majority of them were not candidates, it was enough to astonish Henry.


    ording to Henry¡¯s estimation, today was the first day of the election. Many people should have been observing and nning. Why was the state parliament so crowded on the first day?


    All of this might only be med on the appeal that Arthur had in the hearts of all Australians at the moment.


    On just the first day of the election, arge number of citizens in Sydney had already participated in the election. Many people were still rushing to the scene, even though there was no ce to stand in the State Parliament now.


    ¡°Henry, hey! Over here!¡± Just as Henry was at a loss, a familiar voice caught his attention.


    Looking ahead, it was Henry¡¯s colleague and good friend Martin.


    Henry was delighted and quickly walked across, smiling and saying, ¡°Martin! Are you here to participate in the House of Commons election too?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Martin nodded as a matter of course, saying, ¡°This is a right we¡¯ve never had before. Since His Highness has given it to us, why would we give it up?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation now? How many candidates are there today?¡± Henry looked around at the crowd and asked curiously.


    ¡°Haha, do you know what time I came this morning, Henry?¡± Martin didn¡¯t answer directly but smiled mysteriously.


    ¡°What time? Did youe at five or six o¡¯clock in the morning?¡± Henry looked at his friend incredulously, asking with half doubt and half belief.


    He knew his friend¡¯s character. He could do anything for things he was interested in. Buting to the State Parliament at five or six in the morning was a bit too crazy, right? After all, the election didn¡¯t officially start until eight o¡¯clock. Except for facing the very familiar wooden door, what else could Martin do at five or six in the morning?


    ¡°Bingo! You¡¯re right, buddy. Do you know what I saw this morning? People! These guys are crazy! I thought I would be early enough bying at five or six in the morning. Who could have thought that by the time I got here, the entrance was already full of people? If it weren¡¯t for my familiarity with the ce, I wouldn¡¯t even have a ce to sit and would have to wait until now.¡± Martin gave Henry an ¡°I told you so¡± face while pouring out his grievances.


    Martin had thought thating early in the morning would give him an advantage, but he was not the only one with this idea. The State Parliament, which didn¡¯t start its election until eight o¡¯clock, was already surrounded by people at five in the morning, wasn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 15: Arthur’s Visit

    Chapter 15: Arthur¡¯s Visit


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°No way, is it really that crazy?¡± Henris was half convinced, half skeptical. Although he knew his friend wasn¡¯t exaggerating, he still dared not fully believe it.


    ¡°Oh god, can¡¯t you believe me? I swear, when I arrived this morning, there were at least a few hundred people already here. I¡¯ve never seen this building so crowded before.¡± Martin said confidently.


    Seeing his friend so sure, Henris believed himpletely and continued to ask, ¡°Martin, so how many people are running for election today? We are not going to be shut out of the State Parliament, right?¡±


    The massive number of people caused even the usually confident Henris to doubt himself. Sydney had the fiercestpetition in Australia, and even the well-liked Henris worried he wouldn¡¯t even make it into the State Parliament.


    ¡°Probably over a thousand, I¡¯m afraid. At least several thousand contenders throughout this week¡¯s election period. But you don¡¯t need to worry too much, Henris. Over the years you¡¯ve been in office, you¡¯ve helped hundreds, if not thousands, of families. As long as half of them still remember your kindness, you can win this election.¡± Martin looked at his worried friend and couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit amusing.


    For officials like them in the city government, running for office automatically offered some advantages.


    After all, legitors were involved in the nation¡¯s development and construction, and even a small state legitor could elect a governor and help shape state development policies.


    This also meant the position required certain political aptitude, which was an advantage they had over ordinary Australian people.


    On top of that, Henris had been quietly helping many poor families in Sydney, which had earned him an excellent reputation in the political arena.


    With all these factorsbined, Henris was one of the most advantaged candidates. Even if he couldn¡¯t make it into the House of Commons, getting into the State Parliament would be more than enough.


    ¡°I hope so. There¡¯s always the next chance if I don¡¯t make it into the House of Commons this time, right? Elections are held every two years.¡± Henris felt relieved and more rxed after being reassured by his friend. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before long, a path was suddenly cleared through the packed State Parliament, and several guards carrying a roster entered. They stood in the center, signaling for everyone to be quiet before announcing, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, by order of His Highness the Duke, the first House of Commons election for the Australian Principality officially begins! Here is a list of registered participants. Once you register, you will be considered an official contestant. From now until May 17th, you may campaign and canvass throughout the entire Sydney district, but bribery and coercion are forbidden. Additionally, all candidates¡¯ votes for themselves will be considered abstentions and will only count votes cast for them by others. Voting closes at 24:00 on May 17th, andte votes will be invalid. These are the rules, and those who want to participate may now line up to register.¡±


    Scenes like this yed out in all the designated cities for voting. As it was Australia¡¯s first House of Commons election, guards were tasked both with supervising the process and clearly exining the rules and procedures for voting to all participants.


    Among the rules, they specifically emphasized the prohibition of bribery and forceful methods to gain votes, which were strictly forbidden by Arthur throughout the entire voting process.


    ¡°Martin, let¡¯s go! If we wait any longer, we might miss our chance!¡± Seeing the long line in front of the guards, Henris hurriedly urged his friend.


    For Australians, casting a vote was easy¡ªjust register their name, home address, and the candidate they support, and it would be considered a sessful vote.


    But for a candidate, winning the election wasn¡¯t that simple.


    At least several thousand participants would emerge in Sydney alone throughout the week, and standing out among them to be one of the few who would ultimately enter the House of Commons was as difficult as climbing to heaven.


    However, once they made it into the House of Commons, they entered the upper echelons of the Australian political establishment and even had the qualification to be elected to the Cab.


    Perhaps with dreams of personally developing their country in mind, or fulfilling their politician dreams, or simply out of curiosity to try participating in an election once, the House of Commons election was widely weed by the Australian people.


    May 10th, 10 PM.


    When Arthur saw Sydney¡¯s election figures for the day, he was astonished.


    In just a single day¡¯s time, Sydney had 1,342 candidates and 96,300 ballots cast. Among them, the candidate with the most votes already had nearly 500 votes, gaining some advantage in the election process.


    This piqued Arthur¡¯s curiosity about the election, and he decided to check it out in person.


    May 17th, Sydney, New South Wales Parliament.


    It was thest day of the entire Australian House of Commons election and the craziest day of the election process.


    After six days of continuous voting, there were over 5,300 candidates in Sydney alone, with more than 250,000 votes cast.


    Although the statistics for other states didn¡¯t reach Arthur due to the short timeframe, he was able to infer from Sydney¡¯s figures that the number of participants in this election was by no means small, and itpletely exceeded his original estimation.


    As it was already thest day of the election, Arthur decided to visit the election site in person and see if he could gain some popr support in the process.


    At the familiar State Parliament, Martin and Henris stood outside, discussing their respective poll numbers.


    As it was already the final day of voting, no matter how many more speeches were given, the number of votes obtained would be very limited.


    Thus, Martin and Henris nned to let fate decide, waiting to see if their efforts over the past few days had paid off and if they could enter their dream House of Commons.


    Just then, the pair heard shouts from the crowd, ¡°His Highness is here! His Highness is here!¡±


    ¡°His Highness ising? Let¡¯s go, hurry! We may miss it if we¡¯re toote.¡± Martin was instantly excited and dragged his friend towards themotion.


    Outside the State Parliament, Arthur stepped out of his horse carriage. As he smoothed his attire, he smiled and greeted the excited and fanatic crowd around him.

 Chapter 16: Pre-hospital Inquiries

    Chapter 16: Pre-hospital Inquiries


    Trantor: 549690339 N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Long live Your Highness!¡±


    Amidst the cheers, Arthur calmly descended from the horse carriage and, escorted by a few guards, proceeded towards the State Parliament.


    Upon entering the State Parliament, Arthur noticed Governor Evan directing his subordinates to count votes.


    As the state with thergest poption in Australia, New South Wales State¡¯s elections were also the most intense.


    Although having thergest number of seats in the House of Commons among Australia¡¯s six states, the difficulty in running for office was immense, making it truly a struggle to get elected.


    As governors of the six states of Australia and interim cab members, a few governors were approved by Arthur, earning them qualifications to directly enter the House of Commons.


    Of course, this only applied to the current elections. If the governors fail to win their respective gubernatorial elections and lose in the next House of Commons election, they will have to temporarily say farewell to Australian politics.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Vignt Governor Evan caught sight of Arthur¡¯s arrival and hurriedly stopped what he was doing to greet him.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Everyone in the State Parliament followed the greeting.


    ¡°Hmm, Governor Evan, how¡¯s the election going? Are things going smoothly?¡± Arthur nodded and, looking at the half-person tall stack of documents beside Evan, asked.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. As of now, everything is going on in an orderly manner. We have not yet found any instances of cheating, which is good news worth celebrating.¡± Governor Evan said with a smile.


    Ever since Arthur affirmed his royal status in their previous meeting, Evan had resigned himself to his fate.


    Rather than recklessly struggle for power with Arthur, it was better to use one¡¯s own capabilities to gain Arthur¡¯s position, which would at least grant a ce in the upper echelons of Australia.


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s good. How many more candidates have signed up today?¡± As Arthur asked, he walked out of the State Parliament and arrived at the candidate registration area.


    ¡°Today¡¯s candidate registration has significantly droppedpared to the previous six days, perhaps due to theck of advantage in signing up on thest day. Therefore, today¡¯s candidates only number these few,¡± Governor Evan pointed at the people in line.


    Arthur nced around, and although there was arge crowd, there weren¡¯t many registering to run; it appeared to be less than fifty.


    This was a significant reductionpared to the bustling elections of the previous days, and since it was the final day of registration, even participating today wouldn¡¯t bring in many votes.


    Arthur smiled as he approached a particrly enthusiastic-looking man and asked, ¡°Sir, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Con¡­Conwright, Your¡­Your Highness.¡± Seeing Arthur getting closer and even striking up a conversation, the enthusiastic man became over-excited, beginning to stutter.


    ¡°Conwright is it? No need to be nervous; this is just a normal conversation. Are you here to run for office?¡± Arthur did not mind the man¡¯s anxiety and stuttering, and asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. If it weren¡¯t for the great distance from Sydney, I wouldn¡¯t have arrived just today,¡± said Conwright with a calmer demeanor, though still not daring to look into Arthur¡¯s eyes and keeping his gaze on his toes.


    ¡°Good luck, sir.¡± Sensing Conwright¡¯s embarrassment, Arthur patted his shoulder and turned his attention to others.


    ¡°Are you two also here to run?¡± Arthur asked, spotting two middle-aged men who seemed out of the ordinary amidst the onlookers.


    Besides excitement and eagerness, nervousness and uneasiness were also disyed by the people around when faced with Arthur¡¯s gaze.


    These were typical reactions frommon people as they faced the supreme ruler of their country, Arthur.


    The pair appeared somewhat nervous, butpared to others, they were far moreposed.


    After confirming that Arthur was addressing them, the two men eagerly replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Can you give a brief self-introduction?¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± Henris started to speak but was preempted by Martin.


    ¡°My name is Martin, an officer of the Sydney City Council.¡± Martin respectfully said.


    Seeing his friend getting ahead of him, Henris didn¡¯t mind and waited for Martin to finish before continuing, ¡°Your Highness, my name is Henris, and I also work for the Sydney City Council.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, can you tell me the purpose of your candidacy? Or what do you intend to do after bing a member of Parliament?¡± Arthur was slightly interested in Henris¡¯sposure and level-headedness, asking an extra question.


    ¡°Of course, it is to develop our country and strive to improve the living standards of all Australians,¡± Martin replied.


    While most Australians descended from Western immigrants, their living standards were far from that of developed countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the Powerful Nations such as the United States.


    Hence, upon being questioned by Arthur, Martin¡¯s first thought was to raise the economic ie and living standards of all Australian people.


    ¡°Hmm, how about you?¡± Arthur turned his gaze to Henris and asked further.


    The man Arthur was most interested in was Henris, and he eagerly awaited his answer to this question.


    ¡°Your Highness, during my decades as a city government official, I have seen far too many cases of people dying due tock of medical treatment and families going bankrupt in order to save their loved ones. I know thatpletely solving this problem will not happen overnight, but I am willing to fight for it,¡± Henris said, seeing Arthur¡¯s interest in his words before continuing, ¡°Of course, I know that all of this relies on the premise of national development. All Australians should not be preupied with immediate interests but prioritize our country¡¯s development to be a prosperous nation. Only then will the government have sufficient funds to help the poor and improve everyone¡¯s living standards. When the people trust the country and the country protects the people, there is no reason why Australia cannot be a strong nation, and there will be no reason for Australians¡¯ lives not to improve.¡±


    p, p! p, p!


    Arthur was the first to apud,ughing as he spoke to Henris, ¡°Well said, Henris. As long as the people are full of trust in our country and work together to develop our homnd, once our country has prospered and gained enough economic strength, we can give back to our people. The people and the countryplement each other, and the country¡¯s revival and wealth for the people are our ultimate goals!¡±

 Chapter 17: Election Results

    Chapter 17: Election Results


    Trantor: 549690339


    After listening to Arthur¡¯s speech, the surrounding crowd erupted into enthusiastic cheers and apuse, with Martin and Henris naturally being no exception.


    People in this era naturally didn¡¯t know about drawing a big pie, and unconsciously, they were eating the big pie drawn by Arthur with a sense of entitlement and gratitude.


    However, Arthur indeed had the ability to make everything he nnede true, and the big pie would soon turn into reality. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Gentlemen, I know that many of you who are running for office do not have a clear purpose for running. Perhaps like Martin, you want to participate more fully in the development and construction of our country, and improve the living standards and economic ie of all ourpatriots. Some, like Henris, have witnessed the miserable conditions of the poor in this country and want to make an effort and change for the better. No matter what your purpose is, being a member of the House of Commons is a very important and powerful position. I hope that after you seed in winning the election, you will not forget your original intention and seek benefits for the country, government, and all Australians. Of course, those who fail in the election should not be discouraged. There will be elections every two years, and as long as you learn from your experience and lessons, you will always seed.¡± Arthur looked solemnly at the onlooking crowd and said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    The crowd seemed to respond to Arthur in unison, very neatly and in harmony.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not just bing a member of the country¡¯s parliament that allows one to contribute to the development and construction of the country. Even as an ordinary citizen, as long as we all work hard and abide by thew, we are making a contribution to the development and construction of our country, aren¡¯t we? As long as all Australians unite as one, Australia will be the greatest country, and Australians will be the greatest nation.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Such a speech, tinged with nationalism, was weed and respected by all Australians.


    Although Australians were born as a new nation from the mixing of Western immigrants and indigenous people, it doesn¡¯t mean that Australians see themselves as inferior.


    What Australia has alwayscked is a leader with great ambition and vision. Now that Arthur is here, Australians are sure to show their true colors.


    ¡°Of course, all of this cannot be achieved only by your participation and change. Both the royal family and the government must make changes in order for the country to be stronger and the people¡¯s living standards to improve significantly.¡± Arthur threw out his final ace and dered loudly, ¡°So, as your monarch, after learning that there are many impoverished Australians who cannot afford medical care or education, I have decided to take action: With immediate effect, the Royal Assistance Committee will be established, with a group of officials loyal to the royal family and the people appointed, and I will personally supervise them. They will be responsible for assisting low-ie Australians who cannot afford medical care or education. I will invest 5 million pounds as the operating funds for the Assistance Committee and promise to allocate at least one million pounds annually to themittee. I hope that all Australians can be protected from the cold, hunger, and diseases, and be able to afford clothing, food, medical care, and education. Although Australia¡¯s rise at present only seems like empty talk, I am still willing to make every effort for it. All Australians, are you willing to join your Duke in building this great country and making both the Australian people and Australia stand at the forefront of the world?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s words were like a stone that stirred up a thousand waves. In this country where the average annual ie is less than 10 pounds, the 5 million pounds invested by Arthur is undoubtedly a huge sum.


    More importantly, in the eyes of Australians, Arthur is definitely a monarch who respects and loves all Australians and is the perfect Duke in their hearts.


    ¡°We¡¯re willing! We¡¯re willing!¡±


    For a while, the cheers of the crowd broke through the sky, making it hard to tell whether this was the scene of the Lower House election or Arthur¡¯s speech.


    Subsequently, the crowd¡¯s cheers gradually turned into ¡°Long live Duke! Long live Australia!¡±


    With the Duke in front and Australia behind, it¡¯s evident how much these Australians love and adore their monarch, even though Arthur has only been crowned for a few months.


    Unknowingly, Arthur¡¯s reputation among the people of Australia had far surpassed that of the former Prime Ministers of several colonies, who are now the governors of several states.


    This is a good thing for the development of Australia, after all, a country¡¯s development only needs one voice, and with Arthur¡¯s foresight and vision that willst for many years, Australians won¡¯t need someone to sing a different tune.


    ¡°Alright, gentlemen, continue with your elections! On the day when the results are officially announced by the Lower House, I look forward to some of you bing formal members of the nation.¡± Arthur was very satisfied with the crowd¡¯s reaction. Amid their cheers, he left the parliament.


    After a long while, the crowd gradually resumed order and continued with what should have been a smooth election.


    Compared with before, the enthusiasm of the crowd to participate in the election and vote has greatly increased. Everyone¡¯s faces are full of excitement and excitement, which is enough to show that Arthur¡¯s speech just now was indeed very sessful.


    May 25, 1900, Sydney, New South Wales Parliament.


    After a brief yet long seven-day Election Day, the first election of the Australian House of Commons was finallypleted rtively smoothly.


    However, Arthur¡¯s speech was spread throughout Australia by newspapers, causing all Australians¡¯ enthusiasm for participating in elections and voting to increase significantly, and the data was harder to count than expected.


    With the help of many officials working overtime for several days, the final results of the first House of Commons election were finally counted.


    Today is May 25th, the nned day for the announcement of the election results.


    Early in the morning, before dawn, the entrance to the State Parliament was already surrounded by people waiting for the announcement of the results. As time went by, the crowd was growing rapidly, even causing some traffic congestion at the entrance of the State Parliament.


    Everyone is looking forward to the final list of members, even though many people know that they probably failed in the election, they still hold a little hope, just in case today the Goddess of Luck gives them a little extra favor.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, the door of the State Parliament finally opened.


    Two guards came out of the door with a list, looked at the crowd, and said loudly, ¡°Gentlemen, the results of the election are here. After I read all the names, officials from the City Council will go to inform each sessful candidate. Now, please be quiet so that everyone can hear the names of all the members.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Eighteen: The First Meeting of the House of Commons

    Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen: The First Meeting of the House of Commons


    Trantor: 549690339 I


    The crowd instantly got silent after hearing the guard¡¯s words, and they all turned their expectant eyes towards the guard, or rather, the list of names he held in his hand.


    Seeing the crowd gradually quiet down, the guard began, ¡°What is now being announced is the list of elected members of the House of Commons for the entire New South Wales State. Once the list is announced, the members shall officially assume their duties for a two-year term.¡±


    ¡°Albert¡­ Martin¡­ Henris! These 71 people are the newly appointed members of the House of Commons. Soldiers will soon go to these members¡¯ residence to notify them. ording to His Highness¡¯smand, the first official meeting of the House of Commons is scheduled for June 10th, by then, all elected members should attend unless there are special circumstances,¡± The guard solemnly reminded after announcing all the names.


    Because it was the first time that the House of Commons held a meeting, Arthur decided to preside over it in person.


    This greatly elevated the solemnity and seriousness of the meeting, therefore, theoretically, members are not allowed to be absent without any reason.


    ¡°Sir, when will the State Parliament¡¯s members be announced?¡± a person who considered himself eligible but hadn¡¯t been elected for the House of Commons, eagerly asked.


    Without being included in the House of Commons, bing a member of the State Parliament was currently the only path for those dreaming of a career in public service.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t know the list of the State Parliament, you might have to wait for them to announce itter.¡± The guard spread his hands, remarking apologetically.


    Hearing the guard¡¯s response, those who had failed in the election were instantly crestfallen, their eyes filled with envy as they watched the sessful candidates around them celebrating.


    As two of the more senior officials of the Sydney City Council, Henris and Martin were quite sessful in this election. Both were sessfully elected to the House of Commons.


    Upon hearing their names being announced, both of them looked at each other with joy.


    ¡°Hey! Henris, did you hear that? We were elected sessfully! From now on, we are respected members, man,¡± Martin said excitedly to Henris.


    ¡°Of course, Martin. You¡¯re right. We¡¯re members, now,¡± Henris responded, his face also full of joy, only he better controlled his wild excitement, replying with a smile.


    For small officials from the city council, being sessfully elected as a member was definitely a huge boost for their career in office.


    For any country with a parliament, members are prestigious and powerful politicians. Even in a monarchy like Australia, members have a certain say in the political arena.


    ¡°Alright, gentleman. This is the entrance of the State Parliament. If there¡¯s nothing else, you shouldn¡¯t gather around here. The members of the House of Commons don¡¯t forget your meeting on the tenth of next month, as for the rest, wait patiently for the announcement of the State Parliament.¡± After finishing reading the list of members, the guard stuck it onto the announcement board at the entrance of the State Parliament, gave a final reminder to the crowd and returned to the Administrative Building.


    Upon hearing the guard¡¯s reminder, the crowd wisely dispersed from the State Parliament. As the saying goes, some families are happy, some are sad. Those who were sessful in the election were naturally ted while those whose names weren¡¯t mentioned could only watch others around them cheerfully celebrating with feelings of envy and jealousy.


    June 10th, 1900, Sydney, Australian National Government Building.


    Ever since Arthur¡¯s arrival, this Administrative Building, originally used as the office of the New South Wales Colony¡¯s government, was temporarily converted by Arthur into the Australian National Government Building.


    Thanks to the sufficientlyrge-scale nning during the construction of this building, it was able to amodate the government bodies of the entire country.


    This, however, was only a temporary solution, as Arthur was determined to construct new government buildings and a royal pce. Neither the location of the national government nor the residence of the royal family should be too modest. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At seven in the morning, the front of the Administrative Building was surrounded by a crowd of people dressed formally, their expressions solemn.


    This group of people weren¡¯t officers from the Administrative Building, nor were they onlookers, rather, they were all the members of the Australian House of Commons who had been elected on Election Day.


    Knowing that this day was very important for all members, everyone dressed in a very serious and formal manner. Normally jovial, the members were all stiff at the entrance of the Administrative Building.


    After a while, the front doors of the Administrative Building swung open and a troop of guards slowly walked out, addressing the crowd, ¡°Gentlemen, today¡¯s meeting will take ce at the first Meeting Room on the east side of the Top Floor. Please, remain solemn and quiet as you all make your way up.¡±


    Following the guards¡¯ instructions, the crowd began to move towards the Top Floor of the Administrative Building.


    The Top Floor of the Administrative Building served as the temporary residence for the members of the royal family, such as Duchess Louise, Margaret, Patricia, along with Arthur and was equipped with two meeting rooms, a restaurant, and two offices.


    The First Meeting Room, as mentioned by the guard, was the biggest meeting room at the top floor of the Administrative Building. It could amodate up to 300 people simultaneously, making it more than sufficient for these 190 members.


    Everyone carefully made their way up to the Top Floor. Under the guidance of the guards, they started to enter the Meeting Room.


    While passing through each floor, none of the members dared to look around, as the guards were keeping an eye on them ail the time. If they looked around¡¯ the ce, it would not only give Arthur a bad impression, but also possibly expose them to censure.


    Upon entering the Meeting Room, everyone took their seats ording to their designated seating arrangements. Most people chose positions in the middle or towards the back. Apart from a few governors and members who were rather audacious, there were also a few unlucky ones who camete and had to sit nervously at the front because there were no spots left at the back.


    At eight o¡¯clock, with a chime, the door was pushed open by a guard and Arthur walked in with a smile.


    First, he scanned the room, where he saw familiar faces, he then smiled and said, ¡°Gentlemen, congrattions. You have distinguished yourselves from thousands, even tens of thousands, to be the first members of the Australian House of Commons.¡±


    Phew!


    Seeing Arthur¡¯s first sentence wasn¡¯t too serious, all the members breathed a sigh of relief, relieving much of their tension.


    ¡°However, I must remind you all, your status has changed. You are now the formal members of the Australian Duchy House of Commons, you are important officials who can determine the election of the cab and thew of this country. Previously, you may have beenmoners, or maybe officials at the city council. But now, you are all respected members. During your term, I hope not to see any instances of corruption or bribery, I hope you all canmit to this important position with the purpose of developing Australia and building our beautiful home,¡± Arthur suddenly changed his tone, bing solemn and serious.

 Chapter 19 - Nineteen: The Bad News from the Queen

    Chapter 19: Chapter Neen: The Bad News from the Queen


    Trantor: 549690339


    New Zend, White Ind.


    The first meeting of the House of Commons went smoothly, but this couldn¡¯t bring joy to Arthur. Word hade from Queen Victoria that Her Majesty¡¯s health was deteriorating rapidly, so much so that she might notst until winter.


    Arthur had already anticipated this situation, but he couldn¡¯t bear epting it.


    In recent years, Queen Victoria¡¯s health had be increasingly precarious, and some state matters were transferred to the Crown Prince for handling.


    Further, she had recently experienced the pain of losing a son again. Although Queen Victoria appeared strong on the outside, Arthur understood deep down that the loss of Duke Arthur had dealt a tremendous blow to Queen Victoria. What kept Her Majesty going, apart from her grandson Arthur and other princes and princesses, was her deep-seated memory of Prince Albert and herte sons. This was also why Queen Victoria had made the long journey to White Ind.


    Upon hearing the news, Arthur urgently dispatched a warship to visit the Queen on White Ind.


    After an entire two days of sailing, Arthur finally arrived on White Ind, where Queen Victoria resided.


    Princess Beatrice, Arthur¡¯s aunt, was there to greet him.


    When Princess Beatrice saw Arthur, she was red-eyed and said, ¡°Arthur, please go and see your grandmother. She¡¯s waiting for you.¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As he stepped into the modestly-decorated room, Arthur immediately saw Queen Victoria lying in bed.


    Compared to when theyst met, the Queen had noticeably lost weight, her eye sockets were hollow, and she seemed to have aged more than a decade.


    ¡°Arthur! My child,e to your grandmother.¡± Queen Victoria instantly noticed Arthur as he entered, and she said excitedly.


    ¡°Grandmother!¡± Arthur replied, stepping forward and holding the Queen¡¯s hands, now full of wrinkles.


    ¡°Arthur, how are things in Australia? Have you adjusted well?¡± The Queen gently stroked Arthur¡¯s forehead, asking with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well, grandmother. Thanks to the Guards you entrusted to me, I¡¯ve sessfully taken control of all of Australia. Under my guidance, Australia has established a bicameral monarchy, elected a House of Commons, and is preparing for its cab elections,¡± Arthur replied cheerfully.


    ¡°Ah, a bicameral monarchy? Are there none in the government who oppose you?¡± Queen Victoria, who had been quietly listening, became slightly surprised upon hearing the phrase ¡°bicameral monarchy¡± and asked.


    ¡°Not as far as I can tell, because the Prime Ministers of the original colonies don¡¯t have military power. Furthermore, I offered them temporary cab positions, so up to now, there haven¡¯t been any officers who explicitly oppose the national system,¡± Arthur pondered for a moment before responding earnestly.


    ¡°Mm, have you kept all the Guards in Australia?¡± asked Queen Victoria.


    ¡°Yes, grandmother. Although I¡¯ve ensured the support of most Australians through speeches and various policies, I¡¯ve kept the Guards in Australia just in case,¡± Arthur confirmed, nodding.


    ¡°Mm, good job. As a ruler of a country, no matter how favorable the environment, you must never lose your caution. It¡¯s good that your reforms in Australia have been sessful, but this can also be a bad thing. Everything may appear well now, just as you imagined. But if an unexpected event urs, we can¡¯t guarantee which state your opposition will emerge from,¡± Queen Victoria said approvingly, seemingly relieved after a barrage of questions.


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you came this time, Arthur. We just received a group of servants from the homnd. You and Louise need more servants to take care of you while living in Australia. When you return, take some chefs, doctors, and housemaids with you. As ruler of Australia and a member of the royal family, don¡¯tpromise your standards in this regard,¡± Queen Victoria, as if recalling something, said.


    ¡°Yes, grandmother,¡± Arthur responded, unable to oppose Queen Victoria¡¯s ardent request.


    ¡°Grandmother, how¡¯s your health been recently?¡± Arthur quickly changed the subject, expressing his concern for Queen Victoria¡¯s health.


    ¡°Just as it is, Arthur. I¡¯m old, cannot move well, and can¡¯t even walk to the beach outside the manor house without losing energy and experiencing leg pain. But, it¡¯s probably for the best. I might finally reunite with your grandfather and your father soon,¡± Queen Victoria sighed in resignation upon mentioning her health, her remark revealing a light-heartedness about her predicament.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t speak like that, grandmother. You will certainly live until a hundred. By that time, I¡¯lle to visit you with your great-grandchildren,¡± Arthur immediately interrupted Queen Victoria¡¯s gloomy words,forting her with a smile.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Queen Victoria chuckled softly, shaking her head, and decided not to continue her previous train of thought.


    ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ll take you for a stroll around the ind. Does that sound good?¡± Arthur stood up, nning to take Queen Victoria for a walk around the ind to lift her spirits and counteract her physical and mental decline.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to West Beach. Both Albert and Arthur loved it there,¡± Queen Victoria surprisingly agreed, smiling and nodding.


    While Princess Beatrice was helping Queen Victoria into a wheelchair, Arthur beckoned Dr. Markoto, the Queen¡¯s personal physician, and whispered, ¡°Dr. Markoto, how is my grandmother¡¯s health, really?¡±


    Dr. Markoto looked around, cautiously retreated a few meters, and then quietly said, ¡°Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen isn¡¯t suffering from any particr disease, but that¡¯s the problem. The various diagnostic results show that Her Majesty¡¯s health is declining due to old age, and her physical functions are nearing their end. At a conservative estimate, Her Majesty may only survive until autumn.¡±


    She could only survive until autumn, and it was already early June.


    This indicated that Queen Victoria might only have around three months left to live. Although this was shorter than in the original history, it was a reasonable oue considering she had endured an additional loss.


    Although Arthur had anticipated this news, when he heard it straightforwardly from Dr. Markoto, his heart sank.


    ¡°Is there no other way, Dr. Markoto?¡± Arthur asked, unwilling to admit defeat.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other way, Your Highness. Her Majesty¡¯s body is just undergoing normal aging. Given our current medical technology, we are simply powerless to stop it,¡± Dr. Markoto shook his head again, sighed softly, and said.

 Chapter 20: Beach Conversation

    Chapter 20: Beach Conversation


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Arthur wanted to ask more questions, but he wisely closed his mouth when he saw Queen Victoria, assisted by Princess Beatrice, slowly approaching in a specially-made wheelchair.


    Although it was an open secret within the British Empire that Queen Victoria¡¯s health was failing, discussing her condition in her presence might make her upset and even worsen her condition.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Arthur. The weather is perfect for enjoying the sea view,¡± Queen Victoria seemed in a good mood, as she was pushed by Princess Beatrice toward Arthur with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother.¡± Arthur obediently followed.


    Queen Victoria had not yet fully experienced the beauty of the sea on White Ind since her arrival, due to the cold weather. She had only caught a glimpse of it before staying at the Manor House for an extended period.


    Although the Manor House was once inhabited by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert¡¯s family, Queen Victoria still felt more nostalgia for the beach.


    The setting sun illuminated the waves thatshed against the rocks, creating a beautiful rainbow. It was on such a beach that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, along with their children, had spent the happiest days of their lives.


    Perhaps it was the result of revisiting old memories. Queen Victoria looked healthier and more vibrant than when she was in bed, herplexion much improved.


    ¡°Arthur, walk with me,¡± Queen Victoria said as she stood up from her wheelchair, gesturing for Arthur to join her while she walked towards the sandy beach.


    As Queen Victoria approached the beach, her feet began to sink into the sand. It should have be more difficult for her to walk, but she seemed to be getting more and more at ease. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Arthur hurried to follow and support Queen Victoria.


    A grandmother and grandson strolled aimlessly along the beach, without the assistance or presence of servants or guards.


    ¡°Arthur, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve kept from you for a long time. I¡¯ve given it much thought and believe it¡¯s time I tell you,¡± Queen Victoria finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Please tell me, Grandmother. I am listening,¡± Arthur responded respectfully, with a smile.


    Arthur knew that whatever Queen Victoria had concealed from him was for his own good.


    ¡°I found out long ago who was responsible for the assassination of your father, Arthur. However, the royal family¡¯s secrets must not be disclosed, so the results were not made public. In fact, no one else besides me knows the truth,¡± Queen Victoria stopped walking and turned to Arthur, looking very solemn, ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    Arthur shook his head. Aside from the inheritance he had received from his father, Arthur had no influence in Britain and would not be able to find out who had carried out the assassination.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Seeing Arthur shake his head as she had anticipated, Queen Victoria sighed heavily and then, with regret, said, ¡°Your father was assassinated by the forces of your own uncle, Edward. I didn¡¯t tell you this before, worried that you would lose your sense and perhaps be targeted as well. I had no choice but to keep it from you. You don¡¯t me me for that, do you?¡±


    Arthur was momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained hisposure and decisively replied, ¡°Of course not, Grandmother. Why would I me you? I know that everything you do is for my well-being. Knowing the truth earlier would have only been detrimental.¡±


    Seeing that Arthur held no grudge against her, Queen Victoria affectionately touched his forehead, then said, ¡°When I first learned the truth, I was ready to strip Edward of his title immediately and make you the Crown Prince. But reason told me that would not be wise. Deposing the Crown Prince without cause would only reduce the prestige of the royal family and potentially threaten its existence. Besides, Edward¡¯s influence in Britain is deeply entrenched, and I cannot eliminate itpletely for you. Under such circumstances, even if you were to inherit the throne, you wouldn¡¯t be secure after my death. Fortunately, you proposed going to Australia, which has removed you from the danger and put my mind at ease.¡±


    Moved by Queen Victoria¡¯s words, Arthur understood that removing a Crown Prince would never be easy, even for someone as influential as Queen Victoria.


    That she had considered it demonstrated the depth of her love for Arthur.


    ¡°Ah, the cursed throne is to me. I remember my father once said that he had no interest in it,¡± Arthur sighed, his voice tinged with helplessness.


    Arthur had vague memories of his father, Duke Arthur, expressing no interest in the throne on numerous asions, both publicly and privately.


    It was clear that Crown Prince Edward¡¯s vision had been clouded by power and profit, causing him to turn against his own kin.


    However, it could not be denied that if Duke Arthur had not died, Arthur would only have been able to inherit the title upon his father¡¯s abdication or by earning it in battle.


    Either way, it would have been toote to develop his territories once obtained.


    ¡°Arthur, I want you to let go of your hatred and focus on developing Australia instead. As it stands, Edward has already gained the support of numerous nobles and interests across Britain, making his ascension as king all but certain. Comparatively, Australia seems like a ripe target for the British Empire, both now and in the future. Edward will face his punishment, but I hope you won¡¯t be trapped in a vortex of hatred. The most important thing now is to take care of your mother and your two sisters,¡± said Queen Victoria with a sigh, her face grave.


    Seeing Arthur, who looked so much like her favorite son, Queen Victoria did not want him to be consumed by hatred. She did not want him to provoke Edward further, knowing full well that rebelling against the British Empire was impossible.


    ¡°I understand, Grandmother. I won¡¯t do anything irrational. My focus now is to develop Australia as its Duke,¡± Arthur nodded and replied.

 Chapter 21: A Special Gift

    Chapter 21: A Special Gift


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°That¡¯s good, child.¡± Queen Victoria affectionately touched Arthur¡¯s forehead once again and asked with a smile, ¡°What are your preliminary ns for the development of Australia? Do you have enough funds?¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, I think that currently, the most important thing for Australia is to develop basic industry and education. Compared with European countries, Australia is weak in all aspects and needs to rapidly enhance its most fundamental industrial capabilities. Both industry and other sectors require the cultivation of arge number of talents to develop. Therefore, education is also an important aspect that must be grasped,¡± Arthur thought and said.


    This was Arthur¡¯s prenned scheme. To develop various advanced industrial systems in Australia in a short period of time is simply impossible.


    Firstly, Australia¡¯s basic industry is extremely backward; secondly, there is a seriousck of talent reserves and ack of essential conditions for the development of advanced industries.


    Instead of aiming too high, it is better to focus on building basic industries and promoting education in a short period of time.


    After several years, when the preliminary development produces results, the goal can be set on building advanced industries and technologypanies to catch up with European countries.


    ¡°Hmm, Arthur, I¡¯m d you¡¯re not ambitious and arrogant due to temporary sess. Even with the support of arge amount of funds, it is impossible for Australia to catch up with the development of European countries within five years. However, through the umtion of basic industries and the umtion of talents in education, as well as attracting arge number of talents and immigrants from Europe, it is very hopeful that Australia will bepletely renewed in ten years,¡± Queen Victoria nodded in satisfaction, looking very pleased as she spoke to Arthur.


    ¡°For you, Australia¡¯s current environment is also very favorable. To the west is the territory of the British Empire, and to the east is the vast Pacific Ocean. No matter whether it¡¯s the Great Qing Dynasty or the ind nation in the north, they wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to attack you. Under such circumstances, you have a lot of time to develop,¡± Queen Victoria continued to walk, holding Arthur¡¯s hand, and talking as they walked.


    Arthur kept nodding his head. What Queen Victoria said was correct. Australia is indeed in a golden developmental stage. In terms of geographic location and mineral resources, Australia has the capital to be a strong country.


    The only thingcking is the poption resource, which can be exploited by introducing immigrants during the current dark clouds of European wars and mass emigrations of European poptions.


    Overall, Australia is definitely a top country in terms of development potential at this stage. As long as the rulers do not make major mistakes in their decisions, Australia will surely emerge as a strong country group in a few decades.


    ¡°You should still be living in that government building, right?¡± Queen Victoria suddenly asked.


    When Queen Victoria was previously in Australia, she and Arthur were arranged to stay in the administrative building¡¯s top floor.


    Although the top floor was simply decorated, it was still a modest decoration and not suited to Duke Arthur¡¯s status.


    Now that Arthur has over 200 million pounds in assets and an entire country, this building is even more unsuitable for him.


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother. If even you stay in such amon manor, it would be too high-profile for me to live elsewhere,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Arthur knew what Queen Victoria wanted to ask. After all, with the power andrge amount of funds in his hands, it seemed natural for him to build a pce for himself.


    But in reality, Arthur does not have such a n in the short term. Even a very simple pce would cost an absolutelyrge sum.


    What¡¯s more, under the circumstances of underdeveloped basic industry and infrastructure in Australia, even the construction of a small pce would take a long time.


    Besides, once the pce is built, it will inevitably attract the attention of all Australians.


    Just after Arthur had solemnly pledged to make Australia great, spendingrge amounts of money to build himself a pce would inevitably disappoint some people, even if the money was Arthur¡¯s own.


    It¡¯s better to invest all the funds in the country¡¯s development first, and then recover the funds once the country is built. This way, when Arthur builds a pce, Australians would not only oppose it but even think it¡¯s natural.


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s actually what I wanted to tell you. Although it seems you now have more than 200 million pounds of funds, even richer than the royal families of some European countries, once these funds are poured into the country¡¯s development, you¡¯ll find that they are but a drop in the bucket. It¡¯s great that you¡¯ve gained a lot of prestige in Australia, so you must never lose it easily,¡± Queen Victoria nodded with satisfaction again, looking at the boy who was now taller than her, and said with emotion, ¡°Originally, I was worried about you all along, but it seems now that you have initially grown into a qualified ruler. Arthur, I am proud of you, and your father must also be very relieved if he knew everything.¡±


    Arthur did not say anything, just holding Queen Victoria¡¯s hand with more strength. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Happy times are always short. As Queen Victoria and Arthur strolled and stopped, the afternoon passed quickly, and by the time they realized it, the sun had already set in the west.


    ¡°Alright, Arthur, let¡¯s stop here. I know there¡¯s still a lot going on in Australia, but you don¡¯t need to apany me all the time. Grandmother isn¡¯t that weak yet,¡± Queen Victoria finally patted Arthur¡¯s hand and said with a smile.


    ¡°Grandmother,¡± Arthur said reluctantly. He had originally nned to stay on White Ind for a few more days to apany Queen Victoria, but she was already driving him away after just a few hours.


    ¡°My child, go back to Australia. No matter when, you must always remember not to be swayed by emotions. As the ruler of a country, the country is the most important thing for you,¡± Queen Victoria touched Arthur¡¯s forehead and instructed.


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother, I understand,¡± Arthur nodded vigorously and bid farewell to Queen Victoria for thest time.


    Harbor.


    When Arthur stepped on the ship to return, Princess Beatrice came over leisurely, handed Arthur a briefcase, and said, ¡°Arthur, this is what your grandmother asked me to give you. Your grandmother said there are things you will needter, but she also warned me not to use the things in here for at least five years, even for her sake.¡±

 Chapter 22: Returning Home

    Chapter 22: Returning Home


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Above the ship cabin, Arthur looked at the not-so-heavy briefcase in his hand and fell into a moment of contemtion. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Honestly, Arthur had basically guessed what was in the briefcase that Queen Victoria had given him.


    That Princess Beatrice would personally deliver it and even specially instruct that it could not be used for five years, it must be very important to both Arthur and Queen Victoria.


    Combined with the conversation with Queen Victoria today, the contents of the briefcase are bing obvious.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Arthur sighed, his heart full of gratitude to Queen Victoria.


    Queen Victoria¡¯s ability to entrust such important things to Arthur actually meant that she chose thetter between her son and grandson, even if the future actions of thetter would cause a huge impact on the British Empire created by Queen Victoria.


    It took two days from Australia to New Zend and four days from New Zend to Australia.


    It wasn¡¯t that Arthur took a detour in the process, but he was in a hurry when he came and wasn¡¯t so rushed when he left.


    As one of the fewrge colonies in Oceania apart from the Australian maind, New Zend is different from Australia.


    If Australia is the country sitting on the mining cart, then New Zend is the kingdom of livestock and the kingdom of sheep.


    Moreover, due to its excellent geographical location, New Zend can serve as a barrier to Australia¡¯s east and control the entire Oceania by controlling Australia and New Zend.


    Therger areas of Oceania, apart from Australia and New Zend, are just British New Guinea, which is divided between Britain and Germany.


    In 1906, British New Guinea was handed over to Australia for administration, and now it seems that the time frame can be moved forward.


    As far as the German territories are concerned, as long as Germany participates in World War I, Australia can take the opportunity to upy them.


    In other words, the territory of New Guinea is basically a nailed-down piece of fat for Australia and can serve as an excellent northern barrier and springboard for Australia.


    The reason Arthur slowed down on his way back was to investigate the distance and geography between New Zend and Australia.


    Unlike the fate of British New Guinea, New Zend has always been in the hands of the British Empire, and even after 1907 when it became a self- governing territory, politics, diplomacy, and the economy were still under the control of the British Empire.


    It wasn¡¯t until 1947 that New Zend gained full independence but became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, still following the British monarch as the head of state.


    All of this can be attributed to Britain¡¯s long-standing policy of continental equilibrium, i.e., at least two evenly matched countries must emerge on a continent.


    But with Queen Victoria¡¯s bottom cards in his hand, Arthur might not be unable to take control of New Zend from Edward unless he does not want to lose the throne.


    Four days passed in a sh, and by the time Arthur finished his exploration, the warship had already sailed into Sydney Harbour.


    Because of a low-profile approach, not many people greeted him, only Hunter Steward and Governor Evan waiting in the harbor.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Seeing Arthur escorted down from the warship by several royal guards, both men came forward and said, respectfully.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, how are my mother and Patricia?¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    Hunter Steward had been taking care of Arthur¡¯s family since the time of Duke Arthur and was an assistant Arthur trusted very much.


    ¡°Very well, Your Highness. It¡¯s just that the two youngdies have always wanted to go out and y in Sydney, but ording to your orders, they are only allowed to move around near the Administrative Building, so they had to give up.¡± Hunter Steward¡¯s face instantly filled with a smile when he mentioned Patricia and Margaret.


    ¡°Well, if they want to go out, let them. Australia is now stable, but they must have the necessary guards. Give the two youngdies 1000 pounds a month for expenses, let them have a good turn in Australia for the next couple of days!¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Previously, because he had just arrived in Australia, Arthur ordered his two sisters not to leave the Administrative Building too far away for safety reasons.


    Now, Australia¡¯s situation has stabilized, and the economy is booming.


    It¡¯s time to lift that order and let them explore their new home.


    ¡°Alright, Your Highness.¡± Hunter Steward nodded.


    ¡°Governor Evan, how is the voting in the House of Commons going?¡± Arthur turned his gaze to Governor Evan, who had been waiting for a long time, and asked out loud.


    In Arthur¡¯s absence, he had given a task to the House of Commons, which was to vote to determine the first Cab officers.


    In order to ensure the authority and justice of the vote, the voting was divided into two rounds. In the first round, three candidates were elected for each Cab position, and in the second round, the detailed list of the Cab Government was determined.


    ¡°Very smoothly, Your Highness. Two days ago, we sessfully determined the final list of candidates, now we are just waiting to elect the final list of the Cab Government under your witness.¡± Governor Evan said with a smile.


    The election of the Cab Government was a rtively significant event for the country. Even though Arthur had ordered a speedy election, the House of Commons dared not determine the final list of Cab members without Arthur¡¯s presence.


    Therefore, the final election day has been continually postponed, and even now, just the first round of selection has just ended.


    ¡°Hmm, the progress needs to speed up. Notify all congressmen that the final election will be held in three days and determine the candidates for our Cab Government as soon as possible. The government¡¯s various development projects should also be undertaken as soon as possible.¡± Arthur nodded and ordered.


    Australia¡¯s various developments are now in the golden age, but national development cannot proceed without a Cab Government.


    Therefore, it is necessary to decide on the final list of the first Cab Government as quickly as possible and then move into the process of national development as soon as possible.


    After all, the ultimate decision-maker for Australia¡¯s development is still Arthur, and the Cab Government¡¯s main role is to execute Arthur¡¯s orders.


    Therefore, for all Cab officers, loyalty is more important than ability.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Governor Evan hastily nodded.


    For Governor Evan, this time is the easiest time for him to enter the cab.


    First, he holds the positions of both governor and interim prime minister, and although his power is not very great, he has the highest prestige among all officers.


    Secondly, because the capital of Australia is in New South Wales State, Governor Evan has been in contact with Arthur more than any other governor.


    Winning Arthur¡¯s favor and trust would only increase his chances of entering the Cab Government.

 Chapter 23: Cabinet Government

    Chapter 23: Cab Government


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    June 23,1900, Australian National Government Building.


    This is the third day since Arthur returned from White Ind, and it is also the final election day for the nned Cab Government.


    For Australia, this is an extremely important day. Australia will soon give birth to its first official cab government, and Australia¡¯s transformation from a colony to a Duke¡¯s Territory will also usher in a phased sess.


    For Arthur, this is also a very important day. After confirming the official members of the Cab Government, he can start building aplete government and formte ns and take action for Australia s future development.


    Eight o¡¯clock in the morning, the vast majority of MPs have already arrived at the entrance of the Administrative Building, waiting quietly for the doors to


    open.


    For the lucky ones among the MPs who have been selected as candidates, this day is definitely a day worth looking forward to.


    Once they continue to be lucky and seed in the next vote, they will truly rise to the top of the Australian political arena.


    Even those MPs who failed in the first round of voting are quite expectant.


    Although they are not eligible to participate in the election this time, they can brag to the outside world in the future that this cab government was voted for by their votes.


    Click!


    With a crisp sound from the wooden door of the Administrative Building, this century-old building is about to start its day¡¯s work. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    There was no guard to lead the way this time, but these MPs were already familiar with the route, and they walked quietly to the meeting room on the top


    floor.


    Some officials are currently working in this Administrative Building, but due to the temporaryck of formal candidates for the core cab, the current government¡¯s duties are only to maintain stability and security, without too many development ns.


    As all the MPs took their seats, Arthur also walked in under the escort of several guards and sat in the central position.


    ¡°Everyone, I know you are looking forward to the official members of the


    Cab Government, and I am looking forward to it. Now, let us formally start the election of cab members.¡± After looking around and finding that everyone¡¯s faces were filled with anticipation and excitement, Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°You have a list of cab positions in your hands. Fill in the name of the candidate you think is most suitable after each position. When you have filled in all the names, just hand the list to the guard next to you,¡± Arthur exined


    the rules.


    ¡°But I must remind you, the cab elections are very important for Australia, and I hope you can follow your heart and not your interests.¡± After Arthur¡¯s final warning, the cab voting officially began.


    To prevent idents, Arthur chose to continue to supervise on-site instead of leaving some MPs private space like the first meeting.


    This also instantly discouraged some MPs who wanted to exchange ideas, frowning and looking bitter at the list on their desks.


    Because Australia had just been established, the Australian political arena is far less chaotic than those in European countries.


    This also led to most elections in Australia being quite pure, following their innermost thoughts rather than being influenced by the outside world.


    However, this is also the most difficult for some MPs. Because of their original status as ordinary people, they often lose judgment or be confused when faced with important choices like this.


    But for the majority of MPs, they had already decided who to support before today, and now they are writing with godly skills, and they soon finished the list on the table.


    The rules for the first round of voting are that you cannot write your own name, and the rules for the second round of voting are that you can only write the names of the candidates, and the candidates cannot write their own names.


    Such a rule is actually to avoid confusion in the voting. After all, in the unfamiliar situation, if they can support themselves, it is believed that arge part of them will choose this option.


    About half an hourter, Arthur looked at the people who had basically stopped writing, smiled and said, ¡°Well, it has been half an hour, and I believe everyone has written almost everything. I will give you a few more minutes to check your list. Once you have confirmed that it is correct, hand it over to the guardse We will determine the final candidate of the Cab before noon.¡±


    Seeing Arthur say this, some MPs who have not yet determined their candidates hurriedly started to write, choosing the eye-catching candidates they saw and writing them down.


    In a few minutes, the guards began to collect the lists.


    The next counting process is rtively simple but also rtively cumbersome. The guards need to count the highest number of votes for each position and then publish the results, which will be the final candidate for the cab position.


    Australia has preset ten departments: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Public Security Department, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Medical care, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of Agriculture. There are a total of thirty candidates and one hundred and ny-eight voters.


    After working hard for more than an hour, the guards have finally counted the final results and handed them to Arthur.


    This list surprised Arthur. It not only contained many familiar names but also several strange names. Even before this, Arthur had never heard of these


    names.


    This indeed means that the randomness of this election is significant, and it does not mean that those who originally held high positions or were well- known in the political arena can be sessfully elected.


    Holding the list, Arthur didn¡¯t sell the suspense but announced, ¡°Gentlemen, it¡¯s time to announce the list. The winner of the Australian Cab Government Minister of Agriculture is¡ªHenris Klee!¡±


    Yes, it was Henris who had chatted with Arthur. Arthur was also surprised when he saw this name.


    Unexpectedly, this small official of the City Council could break through the siege all the way, not only entering the House of Commons but also sessfully being elected as the first cab government Minister of


    Agriculture.


    ¡°The Australian Cab Government Minister of Industry is served by Pierre Silvio Berlusconi!¡± Arthur continued to announce.


    Pierre Silvio Berlusconi is the Governor of West Australia and one of the most prestigious people in Australia.


    Arthur feels relieved to have him serve as the Minister of Industry, which is rtively important for Australia.


    ¡°The Minister of Transportation is served by Conwright Dianno.¡±


    This is also a rtively familiar name, the first man who talked to Arthur in the


    State Parliament.

 Chapter 24: Cabinet Members

    Chapter 24: Cab Members


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°The Minister of Health will be Bradford Dillman,¡± Arthur continued to announce.


    This seemed to be a rather unfamiliar name, not a government official or seasoned politician, but amoner from an ordinary family background. The reason for his election as Minister of Health was very simple ¨C he was a rare graduate from a renowned European medical college and a well-known doctor in New South Wales.


    More than half of the more than 3 million people in Australia were attracted by gold mines and gold rushes, and less than one-third were talents attracted by major colonies.


    In such an environment, it is not surprising that talents like Bradford Dillman, who have a high level of knowledge in a certain field, are being promoted.


    ¡°The Minister of Education will be Richard Noble Chapman,¡± Arthur continued to announce.


    Richard Noble Chapman is the governor of Tasmania, and the one with the least voice among the six governors.


    Compared to other states, Tasmania, with a poption of just over 70,000,ckspetitiveness. Even though Arthur has already taken good care of Tasmania in the allocation of seats in the House of Commons, Tasmania has only won seven seats in the House of Commons.


    But Richard Noble Chapman did one thing very well: knowing that he couldn¡¯tpete with other colonies in terms of economics, he made a correct decision ¨C to run schools and develop education.


    Moreover, the natural advantage brought by the small poption made Tasmania¡¯s literacy rate reach a horrifying 80%, and the primary school graduates ounted for 70% of the total poption. It is the state with the best education conditions among the six Australian states.


    His appointment as Minister of Education was precisely because the Members of Parliament treasured his ability and experience in developing education.


    Soon, Arthur announced all the cab members.


    Among them, the Minister of Public Security was appointed by the former Governor of South Australia, Thomas Chekhov, who was sessful due to his own reputation and advantage, and does not need further exnation.


    The Foreign Minister was appointed by the Governor of Queennd, Andrew Kim Potter. Like Governor Thomas Chekhov, it does not need further exnation.


    The Minister of Civil Affairs is appointed by Governor Victoria, Walter ck. Walter ck has developed decent civil affairs in Victoria and has a good reputation in Australia. It is only natural for him to be elected Minister of Civil Affairs.


    Positions of Minister of Defence and Finance Minister are held respectively by Kent Crawford Rowan and Roger Joseph Albert.


    Kent Crawford Rowan is the son of Hunter Steward and a talent graduated from a British military academy.


    Arthur was very relieved to have him as Minister of Defence.


    As for Roger Joseph Albert, he was a talent left to Arthur by Duke Arthur. Roger and Hunter Steward are responsible for managing all of Duke Arthur¡¯s assets, with Roger in charge of factory-type assets and Hunter Steward in charge of the castles.


    Roger¡¯s contribution to the development of the factories left by Duke Arthur to their present scale is absolutely indispensable.


    Both of them came to Australia with Arthur from the very beginning and changed their nationality to Australia in the first ce, which enabled them to participate in the election of the House of Commons and achieved sess.


    And the most important position of Prime Minister was won by Governor Evan.


    As Governor Evan was the most influential figure in the original colonial Australia and the leader among the governors, his appointment as the most important Prime Minister of the Cab Government not only satisfied the original colonial forces but also stabilized the situation in Australia.


    Of course, Arthur doesn¡¯t suffer any loss in this arrangement and can even win the favor of several governors.


    After all, at the very beginning, Arthur greatly weakened the rights of the Cab Government and significantly lowered the power of the Prime Minister.


    The current cab government only has administrative power and is still subject to the supervision of the Upper House and Arthur.


    In the Cab Government, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence, which hold the greatest powers, are controlled by Asa ¨C in this case, no one can have enough power to challenge Arthur, and the Cab Government is only a tool for Arthur to rule Australia indirectly.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all the members of the Cab Government. Let us congratte them on their election and the official formation of the Cab!¡± After announcing all the names, Arthur smiled and said to everyone.


    p! p!


    In an instant, the meeting room was filled with enthusiastic apuse, and those who were sessfully elected showed happy and excited smiles.


    The Australian Cab is different from other monarch cabs. Take the British Empire¡¯s Cab Government, for example. After the election of the Prime Minister of the Government, the Prime Minister is responsible for forming the entire Cab.


    In other words, the Cab members can be appointed by the Prime Minister of the Government. Although the tenure of such cab members is basically the same as that of the Prime Minister, the benefit of such a cab is that all cab members unite under the leadership of the Prime Minister, enabling the government to work better.


    But Australia does not need this. All members of the Cab are elected by the House of Commons, not appointed by the Prime Minister of the Cab.


    This greatly disperses the unity of the Cab, turning it into a tool for Arthur s rule, rather than a power institutionparable to Arthur.


    ¡°Upon bing a member of the Cab, all other duties should be automatically removed. Those of you holding other positions should submit your resignation letters to the original institutions within a week. Governors of each state should hold an acting position for the time being, and after the elections in the State Parliaments decide on the new governor, you will automatically lose your governorship,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Membership in the Cab Government is definitely superior to all other positions, and Arthur would not allow officials to hold important positions in the states while concurrently holding important positions in the Cab.


    Otherwise, they would be overburdened and unable to fulfill their duties properly. Also, too much individual power could lead to political factions and cause trouble, even though it would not threaten Arthur¡¯s power.


    ¡°Yes.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The governors of each state have already prepared for this. Compared to the powerful cab memberships, the governorship seems to have immense power, but is actually controlled by Arthur, the government, upper and lower parliaments, and even the state parliaments. The power that can be exercised is reduced one after another.


    Under such circumstances, it is clear to anyone which position to choose and give up the rtively unimportant position, it is not so regrettable.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for the House of Commons meeting. The election of the Government hase to an end. The current task for all Members of Parliament is to deeply investigate the current situation in Australia and to fill in the gaps in the Australian Constitution in terms ofw,¡± Arthur said with a smile. ¡°All Cab members, starting in the afternoon, take office. Your top priority is to get a clear understanding of the departments you are responsible for and the relevant circumstances. We will hold a cab meeting in a week.¡±

 Chapter 25: Funds Crisis

    Chapter 25: Funds Crisis


    Trantor: 549690339


    The one-week period that Arthur had reserved was not only meant to give the newly elected cab members some time to familiarize themselves with their positions but also to allow them to ess and deeply understand the various data and information about the country.


    Eleven cab members, apart from the six original governors, were also from governmental backgrounds; however, they did not have permission to ess the data and information at the national level in Australia, so their understanding was not very clear.


    Under such circumstances, if they were immediately thrown into cabwork, they would be as confused as a swarm of flies.


    Therefore, it was better to give them some time to understand and adapt, so that the cab government could work better.


    In the blink of an eye, a week had quickly passed, and soon it was time for the cab meeting that Arthur had mentioned.


    The cab members were very obedient and had resigned from their previous jobs before today.


    However, because of the different election situations in the state parliaments, the governors of the original states still had to hold their positions temporarily.


    The familiar Administrative Building and the familiar meeting room, but the number of people attending the meeting had been reduced from 199 to 12.


    Sitting in the central position, Arthur looked at the expectant crowd and said with a smile, ¡°Gentlemen, I believe that after a week of understanding, you have learned about the basic situation of Australia. Now we can officially start discussing the Australian development n and set the country on the path to prosperity.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the status of each department and your thoughts. Feel free to speak your mind, as long as it benefits the country¡¯s development, everyone can propose ideas for discussion together,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Although Arthur had the soul of a Time Traveler, and would not make a mistake in the overall direction of national development.


    But as the saying goes, many hands make light work, and those who were elected to the cab were more or less capable, and some of the opinions they put forward might not have urred to Arthur.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Ministry of Finance. What is the current financial situation of our country? How much is left in the national avable funds?¡± Arthur looked at Finance Minister Roger Joseph Albert and asked.


    As the saying goes, the troops will not move without adequate supplies. The development of the country is the same. Before formting various development ns, it is essential to ensure that the country has sufficient funds for development.


    Without enough funds, developing the country would ultimately be just an empty talk.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s not very ideal. Although the integration of the six original colonies into a single country has resulted in some growth in our economy and various industries, the government¡¯s funds are currentlycking and can only support its operation,¡± Roger Joseph Albert shook his head with regret.


    After all, Australia¡¯s integration had taken too little time. Although the economy had already shown signs of growth, it would be impossible to achieve more financial revenue without several years.


    Furthermore, Arthur had previously reduced many taxes for Australians, which directly led to a decrease in the Australian government¡¯s revenue.


    ¡°How much money is avable in the government¡¯s financial ount?¡± Arthur inquired as he furrowed his brow.


    After the colonial reform, the states¡¯ tax collecting methods were changed from independent development to collecting taxes from the states, with most of the funds going to the government and a small portion kept for their use.


    However, so far, taxes have only been collected once, and due to Arthur¡¯s substantial tax reduction, the government¡¯s tax revenue is only slightly over one million pounds.


    Adding other ie sources, Australia¡¯s total government revenue is still less than 3 million pounds. After covering various expenses, the government¡¯s avable funds are less than two million pounds.


    ¡°Your Highness, after deducting all expenses, the government¡¯s avable funds are now just over 1.9 million pounds,¡± said Minister Roger Joseph Albert. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    There was still so much money left because the previous temporary Australian government had hardly taken any action, so the only expenses were the sries of government personnel.


    But less than two million pounds of funding for Australia¡¯s development is undoubtedly a drop in the ocean, not even enough to make a ripple.


    Hearing Minister Roger Joseph Albert¡¯s statement, the crowd was in an uproar.


    As the others imagined their departmental ns, Minister Roger Joseph Albert¡¯s words undoubtedly poured cold water on them, extinguishing their barely-born n in their minds.


    ¡°Minister Roger, is that true? With so little government funding, it¡¯s not even enough to buy equipment,¡± Prime Minister Evan, who was the most surprised, said. During his tenure as the Prime Minister of New South Wales, the annual tax revenue of New South Wales was as high as two million pounds. How could the government¡¯s funds after integration be less than two million pounds?


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. ording to our tax policy, if we want to get more ie, we¡¯ll have to wait until October this year,¡± Roger Joseph Albert nodded.


    People¡¯s eyes turned to Arthur since the main reason for the currentck of funds in the Australian government was Arthur¡¯s substantial tax cut.


    The people¡¯s wishes were simple; now that the government was in trouble, it was only right for Arthur, the ruler, to find a solution.


    ¡°Alright, this is what I¡¯ll do! On behalf of the royal family, I¡¯ll grant an interest- free loan of ¡ê100 million to the government and provide another 50 million pounds worth of industrial equipment to the government at market price. That way, the government won¡¯t have to buy industrial equipment at high prices from Europe, and there will be enough money for development,¡± Arthur decided, ending the awkwardness of the meeting.


    Seeing that the government had funds, and their ns could be realized, everyone was motivated and tried to get more funds allocated to their departments.


    ¡°The industry is of paramount importance. Let¡¯s start with the Ministry of Industry¡¯s n,¡± Arthur called on Pierre Silvio Berlusconi.


    Minister Pierre Silvio Berlusconi was not at all intimidated, standing up and saying, ¡°Your Highness, our country¡¯s industrial development is severelygging behind, whether it is basic industry or advanced technology industry, it is extremely scarce. My suggestion is to focus on developing basic industries. Relying on our western mining resources, we can build arge industrial base. Once our basic industries are developed, it will not be toote to study those advanced technology industries.¡±


    Australia is currently weak in its foundation, and it cannot be a superpower overnight.


    Only by fully constructing Australia¡¯s basic infrastructure and industries can we concentrate on researching more advanced technologies and industries and catch up with European nations.

 Chapter 26: The Three-Year Plan for Industry

    Chapter 26: The Three-Year n for Industry


    Trantor: 549690339


    Australia is known as a country sitting on a mine cart, and although some of the famousrge-scale mineral deposits in Australia have not been discovered yet, it is already a country rich in mineral resources based on the known deposits.


    As for the indispensable iron ore and coal mines for industrial development, several have been discovered in the uninhabited areas of western Australia, with total reserves reaching 360 million tons and 1.9 billion tons respectively.


    Perhaps these two numbers seem huge at first nce, butpared to Australia¡¯ster discovered iron ore reserves of 150 billion tons and 900 billion tons, these numbers are just a fraction of the total.


    But whenpared to other countries of this time, Australia¡¯s already discovered mineral resources are already quite substantial.


    Even considering the current steel production of the British Empire, Australia¡¯s iron ore alone would be enough to supply the United Kingdom for thirteen years.


    Although the British Empire¡¯s steel output will not remain constant, it would be impossible for Australia to catch up with the UK¡¯s steel production without a few or even ten years.


    This also means that even if Australia now puts all its energy into developing industry, there is no possibility of ack of mineral resources within more than a decade.


    Well, as a country rich in mineral resources, Australia will always be in shortage only of funds, equipment, and talents, not the readily avable minerals.


    ¡°Minister Pierre, tell me your n in detail.¡± Pierre Silvio Berlusconi¡¯s proposal was in line with Arthur¡¯s own ns, so Arthur expressed his interest to Minister Pierre.


    ¡°Your Highness, our country¡¯s western uninhabited area has arge amount of mineral resources, among which coal and iron ore are essential for industrial development. I propose that first, we buildrge-scale industrial production bases in the western uninhabited area, utilizing the equipment provided by Your Highness. We will increase our steel production to at least 100,000 tons and 200,000 tons within three years. Meanwhile, using the steel we produce, we will construct railways between the western industrial area and our urban cities, building a transportationwork. After three years, when our steel output reaches a new level, it will not be toote to seek technology industries.¡± As Arthur showed interest in his proposal, Minister Pierre¡¯s voice became louder.


    ¡°Minister Pierre, does your n mean that we first increase steel output, and other matters can be put aside for the time being?¡± Arthur asked with a smile. Increasing steel output may be difficult for other backward countries, but it is actually quite simple for Australia.


    Australia holds 50 million pounds worth of industrial equipment from the United Kingdom, which was carefully selected by Arthur, including some basic industrial equipment such as steel furnaces.


    The advantage of this is that Australia can quickly master the use of these industrial equipment, and once they are fully absorbed and utilized, Australia will be able to reach a top twenty position in world industrial powers.


    ¡°No, Your Highness. My proposal is that we must first prioritize the development of basic industries, including steel factories. This does not mean that we have to abandon other industrial development initiatives in the short term. I believe that our ultimate goal is to develop Australia into an independent research and production industry with aplete system. I think our final goal for technology industries, including military factories and shipyards, is to achieve independent research and development. Therefore, we must import talent from Europe on arge scale and fill in the talent gap in our country caused by ack of basic education while we¡¯re developing our basic industries. In the industrial aspect, the development of industry and the attraction of talent must go hand in hand.¡± Minister Pierre said.


    Compared to some countries also seeking development, Australia has significant advantages.


    Because of the same race and geographic location far away from Europe, Australia basically does not have any major conflicts with European countries and can attract advanced technology and talents from various European countries. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    What Minister Pierre refers to is actually a request for Australia to have the strength to independently research and develop advanced technology and equipment in the future, rather than just importing it from Europe.


    This means that Australia must attract arge number of talents from Europe, otherwise independent research would just be an empty talk.


    Arthur nodded, Minister Pierre as a talent previously sent to Australia by the British Empire was indeed not to be underestimated.


    If the introduction of equipment for the development of basic industries is well underway, then attracting talent and enhancing R&D capabilities would be seeking the future.


    In order for a country to rise and even dominate one region, it is absolutely indispensable for the nation to have independent research and development capabilities in science and technology.


    If a country¡¯s advanced industrial products can only be imported from abroad, then even if the country relies on arge number of imported advanced equipment and significantly enhances its strength, it will ultimately be restricted by others and cannot truly be a powerful nation.


    ¡°Minister Pierre, what are our current steel and iron outputs, respectively?¡± Arthur asked.


    It had to be said that the colonial period was also a time when the gap between Western countries and backward countries was at its widest.


    At a time when Western countries¡¯ steel output had already broken through millions, even reaching tens of millions, the ind nation which wouldter rely on the Meiji Restoration to take its ce among the great powers had a steel output of just over a thousand tons.


    Australia¡¯s situation was slightly better, but only by a little. Due to the presence of arge amount of iron ore and coal mines, Britain had established small- scale steel factories in Australia.


    ¡°Your Highness,st year¡¯s annual steel output in the Six States was about 3,700 tons, and iron output was 5,000 tons,¡± Pierre said without hesitation.


    These figures were all the real data on Australia that Pierre had learned during the week, and knowing that this data would likelye in useful, Minister Pierre remembered them well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you three years to triple Australia¡¯s steel output each year. Can you do it?¡± With a smile, Arthur looked at Pierre, who seemed quite confident.


    Triplicating every year is not an easy task. The first year may be simple, but the difficulty level will multiply in the second year.


    Triple of five thousand tons of iron is fifteen thousand tons, and triple of that is forty-five thousand tons.


    Not to mention thest year when the triple of forty-five thousand tons will reach nearly 150,000 tons, with a total steel output of around 250,000 tons.


    ¡°No problem, Your Highness! As long as you provide me with sufficient funds and equipment, I promise to triple the steel output every year for the next three years,¡± Minister Pierre replied decisively without any hesitation.

 Chapter 27: Education

    Chapter 27: Education


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Seeing Minister Pierre decisively agreeing to his request, Arthur nodded contentedly andughed, ¡°Minister Pierre, as long as you can sessfullyplete this three-year n, your merits will undoubtedly be great. But do not forget one thing, while developing our steel industry, don¡¯t forget to build other industries that we need.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Pierre nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Industrial development burns money quickly, Minister Pierre. I¡¯m allocating you twelve million pounds in funds, to be paid off in three years. All the industrial equipment will also be handed over to you. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing your achievements,¡± Arthur said,ughing.


    With adequate industrial equipment, twelve million pounds in funds over three years, which equates to four million pounds per year, is certainly not low.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness! I promise toplete the task!¡± Minister Pierre stood up vigorously, speaking very solemnly to Arthur.


    ¡°Well, now that the industrial sector¡¯s n has been temporarily finalized, it¡¯s time for the education sector, right? As the saying goes, education makes a country prosperous. With arge number of talents invested in the country¡¯s development and construction, Australia will truly have the hope of rising.¡± Arthur turned his gaze to Minister of Education Richard Noble Chapman, asking with a smile.


    ¡°Your Highness, our country¡¯s education situation is currently very backward, with only just over 60% literacy rate. This doesn¡¯t seem like much, but our primary school graduation rate is only 51%, with nearly half of the people not even graduating from primary school. This is partly due to our low per capita ie, where some people cannot afford the cost of education. It is also because the current education environment in Australia is very poor, and we do not have enough schools to amodate all the school-aged children.¡± Minister of Education Richard Noble Chapman stood up, saying with a bitter smile.


    Although Minister Richard had done a good job in education in Tasmania State, it does have a smaller poption, which greatly reduces the difficulty of developing education.


    Looking at the whole of Australia, topletely solve the education problem, in addition to building enough schools to amodate students, it is also necessary to reduce tuition and misceneous fees as much as possible so that most Australian families can afford the tuition.


    ¡°Does the Ministry of Education have any good solutions?¡± Arthur inquired.


    Arthur is also aware of the education situation in Australia.


    Logically speaking, most of Australia¡¯s poption should be European immigrants and therefore have a high level of education.


    But in reality, most of these people are gold diggers attracted by the gold mines and the gold rush. These people were also poor in Europe and couldn¡¯t afford to eat, so they traveled across the ocean to Australia in search of opportunities to survive or even get rich.


    Under these circumstances, the fact that both the literacy rate and primary school graduation rate in Australia can be maintained at over half is already an unexpected result.


    ¡°Your Highness, I believe that our current education policy should prioritize the development of basic education and quickly improve the literacy rate and the poprization of basic education. ording to the general trend, with the construction and development of our country, arge number of high-ie positions will be born. These positions generally have one thing inmon: they involve some specialized knowledge and fields. Although our basic education cannot teach the workers these skills, at least when theye into contact with them, they can adapt more easily,¡± Minister Richard exined.


    A person with a knowledge and cultural reserve is more likely to learn new things faster than someone without a reserve.


    Australia must be home to many technical positions in the future, and Australians will naturally be responsible for these positions.


    It also means that the government must now rapidly improve the knowledge and culture level of the Australian people as quickly as possible, and at least greatly increase the literacy rate so that they can adapt quickly when they take on these positions in the future.


    ¡°Well, go on,¡± Arthur agreed, nodding and motioning Minister Richard to continue.


    ¡°Your Highness, the priority of basic education also has another advantage ¨C that the demand for scientific research equipment and teacher reserves is not so urgent. I think our primary task is to quickly poprize basic education in Australia, at the same time, concentrate some funds to build a key university, which can meet the domestic vacancy of universities, and also be the cradle of our future talent. If this university has arge amount of research funds, it may also contribute to our talent recruitment work in Europe,¡± Minister Richard said with a smile.


    European countries have done a great job in education, with universities training arge number of talents every year.


    But because of this, there will always be some frustrated talents who are dissatisfied with their treatment and seeking other ways for their dreams.


    If Australian universities offer arge amount of research funds to all talents, it will definitely attract some scientists who are passionate about research but cannot get much research funding to conduct research in Australia.


    Once these talentse to Australia, it bes easy to control them.


    This is also the purpose of Minister Richard¡¯s proposal of unlimited funding for university research ¨C to attract talent to Australia through arge amount of research funds.


    ¡°Well, how much funding does the Ministry of Education need in total? How long will it take to see the results of basic education construction?¡± Arthur asked.


    Minister Richard¡¯s proposal is excellent, not only can it save resources for the government as much as possible, but it can also improve Australia¡¯s education situation, and even attract talents to Australia in the future.


    However, before seeing the actual results, all this is ultimately just empty talk.


    ¡°Your Highness, if we are only poprizing basic education, we need to build urban and rural primary schools in various cities and states. As the scale varies, so does the funds needed. ording to my conservative estimate, the funds needed for poprizing basic education will be around two million pounds. The construction of primary schools will bepleted in half a year and the education environment will be improved in one year,¡± Minister Richard thought for a while before slowly saying.


    ¡°What about the cost of building a university?¡± Arthur inquired. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    No matter what, the construction of a university, the cradle for cultivating top talents, must be carried out, even if the cost is high.


    Therefore, the cost of university construction must also be included and executed as soon as possible.


    ¡°Your Highness, just the cost of building an advanced university may be around a million pounds. If we include the funds needed for purchasing research equipment and recruiting talent, a conservative estimate is two million pounds,¡± Minister Richard thought for an even longer time before finally giving a surprising answer.

 Chapter 28 - Twenty-Eight: Cleaning Plan

    Chapter 28: Chapter Twenty-Eight: Cleaning n


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Building an advanced university along with the follow-up expenses, and the cost of constructing many primary schools across Australia arc considerable.


    It may seem surprising and absurd at a nce, but upon further consideration,


    it is perfectly sensible.


    Primary school construction, as the start of basic education, actually costs very little, even some high school graduates can serve as primary school teachers.


    Under these circumstances, the cost of hiring teachers for a university has been significantly reduced, and primary schools do not require any scientific research facilities, just textbooks and desks and chairs. An rudimentary primary school is ready to go.


    ¡°Minister Richard, I am giving you a total of five million pounds in funds, and I am allowing you to apply for an additional budget of one million pounds over the next three years. My requirement is to see at least one hundred primary schools established by the end of this year, and the construction of the university should also be realised within two years. Can you manage that?¡± Arthur looked at Minister Richard, smiling meaningfully as he asked.


    The difficulty of founding an education system and building an industrial system is different, building an industrial only needs to stick to the rules, designate an appropriate industrial area, and start producing equipment.


    However, building an education system, in addition to considering the rational allocation of teaching staff, textbooks, and supplies, also needs to consider the source of students and the demand for schools in various cities.


    If schools are established blindly, it may not only waste a huge amount of funds, but also serve no purpose, wasting efforts.


    ¡°No problem, Your Highness! I promise that we will see the results of basic education within a year, and the fruits of the university within two years.¡± Minister Richard Burke stood up and said solemnly.


    What Arthur had given him was a rather challenging task, but if he couldplete this task, he would gain considerable credit.


    Both Minister Pierre and Minister Richard, they were born of British political elites, and now they are at the prime age of politician, in their forties and fifties. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    They did not want their political careers to end, they were willing to strive, even if it is horrendously difficult, to say nothing of a task that is only somewhat difficult.


    ¡°Very good.¡± Arthur nodded in satisfaction, then spoke to Minister Richard and Minister Pierre: ¡°The tasks of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Industry in these three years are heavy, but if they arepleted smoothly, you will all gain considerable credit. Currently, Australia is in its most crucial period of golden development, and this is exactly when we need talents like


    you.¡±


    Seeing Arthur say this, both Minister Pierre and Minister Richard looked excited, and they became even more determined in their hearts to aplish their tasks over the next three years.


    ¡°Minister Thomas, how is the situation in the Department of Public Security? After the integration of the police stations from the six states, how many policemen does Australia have now?¡± Arthur turned around and looked at Minister Thomas Chckh of Public Security, and asked.


    With the establishment of Australia, the original police stations of the six states were naturally integrated, and were included under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Security.


    However, because the police stations of each state had been doing their own things previously, it would take some time to manage these police forces reasonably.


    ¡°Your Highness, there are currently 41 municipal police stations and 6 provincial police stations in Australia, and a total of over six hundred police officers. However, neither the current number of police stations nor the number of police officers can meet the needs of maintaining normal public order in Australia. Plus, the distribution of police stations is very unbnced, the number of police stations in New South Wales State is close to the total number of West Australia and South Australia.¡± Minister Thomas Chekh of Public Security stood up and reported truthfully.


    Arthur was taken aback by this, he hadn¡¯t expected thew enforcement in Australia to be so sparse, no wonder the economy didn¡¯t flourish in the previous colonial period.


    ¡°What is the crime rate in our country? Since the establishment of the country, how many cases have been reported?¡± Arthur asked with a serious look.


    The weakness of the public security forces means that the social order in Australia is not stable.


    Added to this thex management of the states previously, street fights and even shootouts are quitemon.


    If such serious cases ur and the police station cannot handle it in time, people may be somewhat disappointed in the government.


    Once such incidents umte, even if they can be solved one by one in the future, the damage to the government¡¯s image cannot be restored.


    Therefore, the problem ofw and order needs to be resolved urgently. This will not only improve the public security situation in Australia but also indirectly enhance the attractiveness to immigrants.


    After all, who would want to migrate to a country where gunfights are frequent? When one¡¯s personal safety cannot be guaranteed, even with many temptations, it will make people hesitate and even give up.


    ¡°Your Highness, due to the inefficiency of each police station at present, the crime rate could not be well documented. But based on my investigation, in New South Wales State alone, since the establishment of Australia, there have been over a thousand cases, at least fifty of which were murder cases.¡± Minister Thomas lowered his head with a trace of shame.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, Minister Thomas. Theck ofplete data before was not your fault.¡± Arthur looked at Minister Thomas, who was somewhat ashamed, and consoled him.


    ¡°But I hope that the chaotic situation in Australia can be resolved within a year. I hope that next year, the crime rate in Australia can be significantly reduced, and preferably, no murder cases should ur. If there are serious crimes such as murders, they must be handled swiftly and fairly, and a certain amount ofpensation should be given to the victims¡¯ families.¡± With a shift in the conversation, Arthur made his demand.


    ¡°Also, I hope we can set up police stations in all our cities, even if they are small police stations with only two or three people. Australians should be a prosperous and advanced wonderful home, not the cradle of these damned criminals.¡± Arthur looked around, adamantly saying: ¡°But this does not mean that there are no requirements in the Public Security Department when recruiting police officers. First of all, all police officers must undergo strict identity and background checks, and then undergo long-term training before they can be assigned. Before our police officers are fully trained, we cannot just sit and watch the terrible public security situation in Australia. The public security department should immediately carry out investigations, any group with a gang background should be a focus of your investigation. As for any individual or force, once criminal evidence is found, they should be arrested directly. If you need more manpower, I can assign a thousand soldiers from the military to assist you.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s words directly sentenced all dangerous gangs in Australia to death.


    Even the most powerful gang can¡¯tpete with a country.


    Everyone felt pity for those gangs. In the face of a thousand strong regr military forces, even if all the gangs in Australia were added together, they would not be able topete..

 Chapter 29: Duke Arthur Winery

    Chapter 29: Duke Arthur Winery


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    July 1,1900, in the outskirts of Sydney.


    The meeting yesterday made it clear to Arthur just how backwards Australia is in every aspect. Although he had made detailed ns with the various ministers and mobilized up to thirty million pounds of funds, he probably wouldn¡¯t see the results until at least a yearter.


    But the good news was that after the cab meeting, Arthur would have some time to rx. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    That wasn¡¯t to say he really had nothing to do, butpared to the previous busy days, he had a lot more free time on his hands.


    What Arthur didn¡¯t expect was that on the very first day he was invited by Hunter Steward to the outskirts of Sydney as his private winery was about to bepleted.


    As Roger Joseph Albert, who previously managed Arthur¡¯s assets alongside Hunter Steward, had be the Finance Minister of Australia, the full responsibility of managing Arthur¡¯s private assets now fell on Hunter Steward.


    It was no easy task, Arthur¡¯s current private assets included two steel factories, a military factory and a shipyard, plus 130.2 million in cash and a loan of 150 million pounds to the government.


    After handing over all these assets to Hunter Steward, Arthur essentially stopped poking his nose into it.


    European nobility have a special affection for red wine. For nobles, red wine is as important as a banquet dress.


    In Europe, you may not be regarded as a low-ranking noble if you don¡¯t have a castle, but if youck your personal winery, you are likely to be seen as a fallen or low-ranking noble.


    Wine in Europe has been endowed with special significance, seen as a blessing from God and adored by all European nobles.


    Duke Arthur also had his private winery in the United Kingdom, but he had sold it off.


    Aftering to Australia, Hunter Steward had already started scouting locations for Arthur¡¯s winery and hadpleted over half the winery construction while Arthur was busy with state affairs. Now, it was just waiting for Arthur to visit in person, name the winery with a noble title, then production could officially begin.


    Upon hearing that Arthur was heading to the outskirts of Sydney, Margaret and Patricia both wailed, insisting on going with him.


    Left with no choice, Arthur agreed to let them apany him but on one condition ¨C Duchess Louise had toe with them.


    After all, given Margaret and Patricia¡¯s erratic personality, without Duchess Louise¡¯s supervision, who knows what they¡¯d do.


    Thus, what was initially a solitary trip for Arthur, became a grand procession involving the entire Australian royal family.


    In addition, there were numerous servants and guards. The scale of the entire entourage was in the hundreds.


    By the time the grand procession arrived at the winery, it was already noon.


    Hunter Steward had been standing outside the entrance early on, waiting for Arthur and the royal family¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, how are things?¡± asked Arthur, as he slowly got off the horse carriage.


    ¡°Everything is going smoothly, Your Highness. We¡¯re merely awaiting the arrival of you, Duchess Louise, and the two young princesses,¡± replied Hunter Steward, giving a gentlemanly bow.


    Once Duchess Louise and the two princesses had alighted from the carriage, Arthur then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see how the winery has turned out.¡±


    Although called a winery, it¡¯s more urately abination of a vineyard and a winery.


    And with the current vastness of Australia and its sparse poption, the size of this winery has reached a staggering three square kilometers, or three hundred hectares, the equivalent of 4,500 acres.


    Just how big is this winery? If you wanted to walk around the estate, it¡¯d take at least six kilometers. Even walking briskly, it would take over an hour.


    Thankfully, Arthur didn¡¯t conceive the idea of walking around the estate, otherwise whether he could return here within an hour would be questionable.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, where do we get the grape trees for such arge red wine estate?¡± Arthur asked curiously.


    Under normal trellis grape vines, about 140 grape trees can be nted per acre. This is a suitable spacing that ensures each grape tree gets enough sunlight without wasting too muchnd area.


    Although a part of the winery¡¯s area is used for the production and fermentation of wine, hence the nting area for grape trees isn¡¯t as big, it would still require at least 600,000 grape trees.


    So many grape trees, even if you searched all over Australia, you probably wouldn¡¯t be able to collect them all.


    ¡°Your Highness, ever since you sold off the red wine estate in Ennd, I had already started hoarding grape tree seeds. Our winery now has almost five hundred thousand grape seeds and we¡¯ve also purchased ten thousand grape trees from Australia, as well fifty thousand grape seedlings and tens of thousands of fruit trees. Until the seeds grow into grape trees, our winery should be able to produce about 130,000 liters of grape wine each year.¡± Hunter Steward exined with augh.


    While mature grape trees are difficult to purchase, good grape seeds are readily avable everywhere.


    Although most of the winery¡¯s ntations are grape seeds, it would still yield arge number of mature grape trees in two or three years¡¯ time.


    Arthur was somewhat surprised, as he hadn¡¯t expected that Hunter Steward had started nning the Australian winery back when they were still in Ennd.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, surely our current yield is enough, right? If the yield is toorge, it can¡¯t be sold, at least for several years, our wine can¡¯t possiblypete with French red wine.¡± Arthur asked in slight surprise.


    Currently, the most famous wines in Europe are mostly produced in France, due to geographical location and climate factors.


    Without therge European market, no matter how much red wine the winery produces, it can¡¯t sell, resulting in losses.


    ¡°Your Highness, the winery¡¯s annual expenses are less than a hundred thousand pounds, entirely within our eptable range. Although we won¡¯t be able topete with European wines in the short term, we can steadily dominate the Australian market. As immigration increases, Australia¡¯s red wine market will gradually expand too, maintaining a bnce in ie and expenditure isn¡¯t difficult for the winery. When the European wine market fluctuates, we can then enter the European market, it would not be toote. Besides, aged wines have a richer tastepared to newly produced wines. We can create two brands, one high-end to operate in the European market, and one low-end to operate in the Australian market.¡± Hunter Steward exined.


    As for red wine, the newer it is doesn¡¯t necessarily mean it¡¯s better to drink. On the contrary, aged red wines have a richer taste and attract more European nobility.


    Wine produced by the same winery this year versus wine produced ten years ago could have a price difference of several times..

 Chapter 30: Vacation Manor House

    Chapter 30: Vacation Manor House


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Hunter Steward¡¯s intention was simple, after all, the red wine estate only cost about 100,000 pounds a year, which was nothingpared to Arthur¡¯s fortune of hundreds of millions.


    Even if the red wine produced by the winery in recent years could not upy the European market, it could still barely maintain its existence in the Australian market.


    Especially in the current chaotic situation in Europe, once wars break out among European countries, or any unexpected situations arise, leading to a decrease in the production of European wineries, it would be Arthur¡¯s winery¡¯s time to seize the market share.


    At worst, it could upy the markets in Australia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia by selling cheap red wine and make a profit.


    After all, now Europe is the most dazzling pearl in the world, and the Western culture is very popr among people in other regions, not to mention the widely popr grape wine pursued by European nobility.


    This is the normal psychology ofparison, thinking that foreign things are always better than domestic ones.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Arthur nodded, agreeing with Hunter Steward¡¯s view.


    ¡°Your Highness, our winery includes several areas such as the square, exhibition hall, winery, vineyard, storage, and underground cer, with an estimated maximum production of over 4,4.00 tons per year. ording to the capacity of barrel wine, our winery can produce a maximum of about 39,000 barrels of grape wine per year. If it is packed in bottles, it can produce more than 6 million bottles.¡± Hunter Steward exined to Arthur with a smile.


    Barrel wine is a rtivelymon packaging for grape wine in the United Kingdom. In Britain, even cheaper grape wines can cost a barrel of several pounds, with slightly more expensive ones being over ten pounds.


    Even if the red wine produced by Arthur¡¯s winery sells for only five pounds a barrel, it could still maintain a bnced revenue and expenditure.


    If sold in bottles, the profit would be even greater. Most bottled grape wines are marketed as high-end, so the prices are generally higher than the same amount of barrel wine.


    Generally, a barrel of grape wine can sell for ten pounds, but if it is divided into hundreds of 750ml bottles, each bottle can be sold for at least three shillings ¡ª that is more than double the price for the same amount of grape wine.


    At present, the winery¡¯s maximum production capacity can fully meet Australia¡¯s consumption. At least, until Australia¡¯s per capita annual ie sees a considerable increase, Arthur¡¯s winery can stockpile arge amount of red wine every year.


    ¡°Uncle Hunter, when can we drink the grape wine?¡± Patricia asked eagerly.


    Seeing the expectant looks of Patricia and Margaret, Hunter Steward smiled and said, ¡°The grapes won¡¯t be ripe until August, andbined with the winemaking time, you young highnesses will have to wait untilte September to enjoy the red wine produced by our new winery.¡±


    Hearing Hunter Steward¡¯s words, Patricia and Margaret couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed and felt dissatisfied with the waiting time.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t we still have a lot of red wine from the United Kingdom? That should be enough for you tost until October,¡± Duchess Louise said with an annoyed look at her two daughters and continued with a smile.


    In reality, neither Patricia nor Margaret wanted to drink the new wine; they were just curious about it.


    The red wine that Arthur had brought back from the United Kingdom was all high-end red wine produced by Duke Arthur¡¯s winery, totaling about 1,000 bottles. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In addition to Arthur, the royal family has only Duchess Louise and her two sisters, so the consumption of grape wine is actually very small, and there are still over 900 bottles left after drinking for several months.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Seeing their mother start to teach them a lesson, Margaret and Patricia quickly hid behind Arthur, reluctantly replying.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look at the winery.¡± Arthur timely saved his two sisters and said with a smile.


    Hearing Arthur say that, Margaret and Patricia quickly went back to their mother¡¯s side and began to tour the entire estate¡¯s scenery.


    It must be said that the overall geographical environment of the vineyard is excellent, with mountain and water views, and a small hill behind the vineyard has sufficient sunlight exposure, which is suitable for the growth of grape trees.


    There is a clear river in front of the winery, running through the square in front of the vineyard. The river is crystal clear, and asionally you can see groups of fish swimming past.


    Such a superior geographical environment wouldn¡¯t only be fitting for a vineyard, but even for building a vacation manor, it would be perfect.


    Although it¡¯s already summer, the cool breeze and the sound of the creek by the ear make Arthur feel a bit reluctant to leave.


    ¡°Your Highness, I have specially built a small manor inside the vineyard, close to our fruit ntation, with a creek just in front. Summer has arrived, and the administrative building is spacious but hot. In my opinion, Your Highness can temporarily stay in the manor, both to avoid the heat and to entertain the two younger Highnesses so that they won¡¯t be so bored.¡± Hunter Steward suggested.


    When selecting the location for the winery, Hunter Steward noticed this excellent geographical environment.


    With a mountain backing the winery and water beside it, behind the vineyard is a small basin surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one side, making it a perfect address for a vacation manor.


    Therefore, Hunter Steward decided on his own initiative to allocate the best piece ofnd within the vineyard for Arthur and the royal family to build a small manor.


    Although the manor¡¯s area isn¡¯trge, the location and natural environment are excellent, making it a great ce to escape the heat in the summer.


    Seeing that his two sisters were both intrigued, Arthurughed and asked, ¡°Has the manor been built already?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± Hunter Steward nodded and said, ¡°The manor was built along with the winery, and it has now beenpleted. All it needs is the furniture moved in, and then you can move in.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Arthur also became interested and said with a smile.


    In Europe¡¯s major monarchist countries, the royal family has their private estates. Some more powerful royal families even own multiple or even more than ten private estates.


    These estates are for the royal family to temporarily live in, use for travel and rest when living in the pce isn¡¯tfortable.


    Take the British Royal Family as an example, for instance, Queen Victoria has countless estates, including famous ones such as Balmoral Castle, Buckingham Pce, Windsor Castle, Herreli Pce, rence Pce, Kensington Pce, Saint James Pce, Hampton Court Pce, Sandringham Estate, and other luxurious estates, making her vacation choices difficult every year.


    However, up to now, the Australian Royal Family only has the National Government Building as their residence, which seems rather shabby and left out, which is why Hunter, as the royal family steward, wanted to build a manor here.

 Chapter 31: Shipyard Site Selection

    Chapter 31: Shipyard Site Selection


    Trantor: 549690339


    It was not until Arthur saw the estate with his own eyes that he understood that the small estate mentioned by Hunter Steward was not so small, even quiterge.


    Although it could not bepared with thoserge estates and pces of the British Royal Family, it still upied a full three hectares, or 30,000 square meters.


    If this area was converted into housing ording to future generations, amunity built on 30,000 square meters could amodate at least one thousand people, but here at Arthur¡¯s, it was just a manor house for the four royal family members to live in.


    The main body of the estate consisted of a living area, a garden, a small stream, awn, an orchard, fountains, and an artificialke.


    The total construction area of the estate was not veryrge, just under 3,000 square meters, with the pavilion and stable taking up more than 500 square meters.


    The actual living area was less than 2,500 square meters, which was a small pce built in imitation of a British pce, in the shape of the letter H. The highest point of the house was in the middle, where the royal g hung.


    Although the estate was notrge, this small, three-story pce had more than fifty rooms, including more than ten small rooms for servants and subordinates, and more than forty other rooms avable for allocation.


    Among these, the meeting room, dining room, reception room, broadcast room, office, and royal family bedrooms took up twenty spaces, with the remaining twenty rooms avable for storing items and serving as guest


    rooms.


    Thergest room in the mansion was the public conference room, with a total size of more than 300 square meters. A huge oval conference table could amodate more than fifty people.


    Around the oval conference table were small tables arranged in circles.


    A total of four circles of tables could amodate more than 300 officers for meetings, fully meeting the needs of Arthur living in the estate for House of Commons meetings, and even amodating an expanded lower house in the future.


    In the center of the innermost oval conference table was a raised, fifteen-centimeter oval step.


    A podium would be ced on the step, right across from the top position of the conference table.


    This podium was for the representatives to speak during the meetings, and the position facing the top also showed respect for Arthur.


    After finally visiting the entire estate, it was already one o¡¯clock at noon.


    Even though Arthur and the others had had a luxurious breakfast before setting off, they began to feel hungry after a morning of sightseeing.


    ¡°Your Highness, I have already prepared lunch and cleaned up the dining room of the estate. Should we dine now?¡± Hunter Steward was considerate and asked just at the right time when Arthur started to feel hungry.


    Arthur nodded his head and looked at Margaret and Patricia, who were also eagerly anticipating, and smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch first, as we must be starving after walking all morning.¡±


    Unlike the makeshift rooftop of the administrative building, the estate had a total of five different dining rooms, including private dining rooms for the exclusive use of the royal family, as well as public dining rooms, banquet halls, and party halls.


    The banquet hall was the most formal and elegantly decorated dining room, while the party hall was thergest dining room.


    This time, Arthur and the others were heading to the private dining room on the west side of the third floor of the manor.


    The decoration of the private dining room was entirely based on the preferences of the royal family members. Since Hunter Steward knew that Arthur disliked ostentation, the decoration of the private dining room was rtively simple, with a few oil paintings as the only adornment.


    The lunch was an authentic British meal, although Britain was not known for its gourmet food.


    The main course was sausage and mashed potatoes, topped with a bit of gravy for added vor. The main dish was fish and chips, made by removing the fish bones and head, cutting the fish into strips, and frying them in a wet batter.


    There was also a Wellington steak made from Italian beef, with a crispy, golden-brown exterior and a slightly bloody interior when cut open.


    These dishes were some of the better-tasting British foods and were more eptable to Arthur.


    After finishing this rathervish meal, Duchess Louise took Margaret and Patricia back to the Administrative Building.


    They would still have to stay at the Administrative Building for a while before the estate was fully renovated.


    As for Arthur, he stayed briefly and then went with Hunter Steward to the next location.


    In a deste area south of Sydney Harbour.


    It was not far from Sydney Harbour, but due to the undevelopednd around it, it was still a deste area for now.


    It must be said that the vastness and sparseness of the Australian poption are terrifying. Thisnd is located in the southeastern in of Australia, which is fertile.


    However, due to the extremely small poption of Australia,rge areas of fertilend like this remained undeveloped. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After walking around the area and observing the terrain, Arthur finally nodded satisfactorily and asked Hunter Steward, ¡°Hunter Steward, when can our shipyard be built?¡±


    This ce was actually the location chosen by Hunter Steward for the new shipyard, a rtively close area to the harbor.


    The advantage of this location is its proximity to the harbor, making it convenient for the transportation of materials. Considering the overall terrain, it is an excellent ce to build a shipyard.


    ¡°Your Highness, our equipment and staff have basically been shipped to Australia. All we need now is the time to build the factory and install the equipment. I estimate that it will not take long before our shipyard can be put into operation, perhaps within three or four months,¡± Hunter Steward replied.


    This shipyard was one of the valuable assets left to Arthur by Duke Arthur, allowing the Australian shipbuilding industry, which had no shipbuilding capabilities, to take a significant step forward.


    This shipyard could independently design and build small warships of up to five thousand tons and had participated in the manufacture of ten-thousand-ton- ss heavy cruisers.


    That is why Arthur insisted on relocating this shipyard intact to Australia. Having a shipyard with the ability to independently develop and produce small warships was an invaluable resource for Australia.


    The same logic applied to the military factory and steel nt, which could bring a lot of knowledge and experience to Australia¡¯s weak industrial base, as well as save many detours.


    Thanks to Duke Arthur, Arthur was able to have these vital factories. Moreover, it was Duke Arthur who enabled him to transport these factories intact all the way to Australia.


    Without these factories, Australia would have to spend at least ten years to master these technologies.

 Chapter 32: Current Status of Military Factory

    Chapter 32: Current Status of Military Factory


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°What is the current status of our steel factory and arms factory?¡± Asher asked the question he was equally concerned about.


    The steel factory could be ignored for now because Australia could build more and more steel factories at any time with those equipment avable, but it would take some time for the workers to be proficient at their jobs through training.


    However, the military factory was different. In this era when military technology had not yet taken off, the most advanced weapons avable were machine guns and firearms.


    Duke Arthur, the formermander-in-chief of Irnd, naturally became very interested in weapons and equipment, and founded the Connaught Integrated Military Factory.


    What is an integrated military factory? It is arge military factory that integrates the research and development of light and heavy weapons and firearms.


    Most of the employees in this military factory were even excavated by Duke Arthur from the Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory.


    The Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory has a very famous name in Britain, and the Lee-Enfield rifles developed and manufactured by the factory are the standard equipment of the army throughout the British Empire.


    The performance and power of the Lee-Enfield rifle even surpassed that of another famous rifle, the Kar98k rifle.


    It is worth noting that the Karg8k was the standard-issue rifle used by Germany during both World War I and World War II and was one of the infamous sniper rifles in the world.


    Interestingly, both rifles were born around the same time. The prototype of the Lee-Enfield rifle appeared in 1888 and was officially renamed the Lee-Enfield magazine rifle five years before.


    The Kar98k rifle¡¯s predecessor, the Model 1888 rifle, was also born in 1888, but due to many shorings in its design, Mauser Company developed a new rifle in 1898, which was the Mauser 98 rifle.


    During World War II, Germany was absorbed in the research and development of tanks and aircraft, not paying much attention to the development of light weapons.


    Therefore, the shortened Mauser 98 rifle, also known as the Kar98k rifle, officially took the stage of history.


    The reason why the Lee-Enfield Rifle did not be as famous as the Karg8k Rifle in history is that the British did not attach importance to the already very important sniper tactics during World War II. This caused the Lee-Enfield Rifle, which already had a slight advantage in sniping, to be far less famous than the Kar98k Rifle and Mosin-Nagant Rifle equipped with a four-times scope.


    However, at the present point in time, no one can deny that the Lee-Enfield Rifle is one of the most powerful rifles, and its lead can be maintained for at least another fifty years.


    As an integrated military factory that Duke Arthur ced high hopes on, under his strong influence, the Connaught Military Factory introduced the production line and technology of Lee-Enfield, capable of independently producing Lee-Enfield rifles and their essories and bullets.


    In terms of heavy weapons, Connaught Integrated Military Factory also has impressive achievements. After the Maxim heavy machine gun became well-known worldwide, Connaught Military Factory quickly introduced this technology and researched and produced the imitation MA-96 Maxim machine gun.


    Besides, the Connaught Military Factory was also involved in the field of firearms. Although it had not mastered the research and production of heavy artillery, it had almost mastered small caliber firearms technology.


    For example, the 37mm machine gun, the 65mm howitzer, the 88mm mortar, and the 105mm howitzer.


    It is worth mentioning that Connaugt Military Factory has made remarkable achievements, especially in 37mm caliber firearms. They have made significant progress in firearm automation and independently developed the 37mm Machine Gun, also known as the CA-1 Machine Gun.


    How powerful is the firepower of the CA-1 Machine Gun? Due to the preliminary realization of semi-automation, the caliber of this firearm is small, but its rate of fire is as high as 70 rounds per minute. In terms of firepower output, it can easily overpower other caliber firearms.


    The reason why semi-automatic technology is only applied to 37mm caliber firearms is because the powerful recoil generated byrger caliber firearms during shooting is enough to destroy the automated device. Current technology cannot yet achieve semi-automation forrger caliber firearms. However, semi-automation of small-caliber firearms is impressive enough. Other countries¡¯ semi-automatic firearms will not appear until two yearster in 1902, and Connaugt Military Factory is a full two years ahead.


    ¡°The steel factory will be built after the government has finished nning the industrial area, but before that, we will continue to pay our employees their wages,¡± exined Hunter Steward. ¡°The location of the military factory has not been determined yet and will have to wait until you, Your Highness, decide.¡± Whether it is a steel factory, military factory, or shipyard, the most valuable assets for Arthur are not just the equipment but also the employees who have traveled far toe to Australia with Arthur. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    These factory employees have very high welfare benefits, far exceeding the average level in the United Kingdom, let alone Australia.


    This is also the reason why Arthur can easily persuade these employees toe to Australia. No one is willing to give up such a stable and high-paying job, even if it means moving to another country.


    These factories did indeed live up to expectations, operating at a loss. During the previous time in the United Kingdom, the monthly losses were not significant. However, now thebined monthly losses of the four factories exceed ¡ê200,000 for Arthur and amount to a total loss of ¡ê2,400,000 in one year.


    But the achievements gained from these losses are absolutely worth it. Though Steel Factory is not considered yet, even the Military Factory and Shipyard can be considered technologically advanced factories in Europe.


    The employees, equipment, and the technology of the military factory and shipyard are invaluable, and cannot be exchanged for even hundreds of millions of pounds.


    It took Duke Arthur several decades and his strong power to create these factories.


    ¡°How are the workers? Is anyone dissatisfied with their current lives?¡± Arthur asked.


    After all, they havee to a new country, and it would be normal for their emotions to fluctuate, even when the factories are not yet in operation, and Arthur is still paying their wages.


    ¡°Generally, everything is fine, Your Highness. We continue to pay our wages, and we have also arranged amodation and citizenship for all employees. At least for now, no one has shown dissatisfaction. They are all adapting to life in their new country,¡± Hunter Steward exined with a smile.


    Indeed, although they have moved to a different country, they can bring their entire family and receive living amodations for their entire family. The wages are still paid normally even when there is no work.


    This treatment is much better than that of the greedy capitalists in Europe, and this kind of treatment is notmon even in the whole world.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, Hunter Steward. The location of the Military Factory will be determined soon, the industrial area is expected to be in the western mining area, and the Military Factory will be located in West Australia. The construction of the steel factory should start quickly, and before the military factory ispleted, it should have at least a certain steel production capacity,¡± Arthur instructed.


    The Military Factory is also an iron-consuming behemoth. If Australia does not have a certain steel production capacity before the Military Factory ispleted, then they can only watch the various weapons blueprints and shed tears when the timees..

 Chapter 33: Hessman

    Chapter 33: Hessman


    Trantor: 549690339


    After more than a month of thorough renovations, Arthur and his entire royal family moved into the Manor House in the winery.


    The top floor of the Administrative Building was transformed into the Cab Office, Meeting Room, and House of Commons meeting room.


    Just a few days after moving in, Arthur¡¯s Manor House received an unexpected guest, Hessman from the Nethends.


    This name might not be well-known in history, but it yed a significant role in the development of the World Football Association.


    Hessman was the Secretary-General of the Dutch Football Association at that time.


    In thete 19th Century, modern football gradually spread from Europe to the rest of the world. In developed countries, it had already be a popr sport.


    More and more people were willing to spend their leisure time on the green field, experiencing excitement and exhration they had never felt before.


    Even after football entered the Olympic Games for the first time eight years ago, the sess of football indirectly measured whether a country was powerful or not, and many national football associations were established.


    However, as the Secretary-General of the Dutch Football Association, Hessman should not have had any connection with Australia. After all, Australia did not have a football association or any football clubs at that time.


    Despite his doubts, Arthur did not decline to meet this guest. After all, Hessman was one of the first initiators of FIFA, which would not be established until four yearster.


    What does FIFA represent? The World Cup created by FIFA is one of the most popr sports in the world. Held every four years, the World Cup attracts attention from arge number of countries and individuals worldwide.


    It is necessary to win the favor of such talent. After all, once FIFA is established in the future, Arthur could take advantage of today¡¯s goodwill to win the opportunity to host the World Cup for Australia.


    Hosting such an event would greatly enhance Australia¡¯s poprity and attractiveness.


    In the reception hall of the Manor House, Arthur was meeting this guest who hade from afar.


    Hessman may not look impressive, but who would have thought that the Dutch Football Association and the French Football Association, led by Hessman, would jointly promote the establishment of FIFA, one of the most famous sports associations in the world?


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Hessman. What important matter brings you all the way to Australia?¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    ¡°Your Highness, please allow me to state my purpose. Football has undergone a long period of development in Europe, and I believe it is time to establish a unified world football association to manage and coordinate yers and matches between national football associations. However, my view has not been endorsed by most European countries, or rather, they are not intending to fully support the establishment of FIFA,¡± Hessman said directly.


    ¡°So? If European countries don¡¯t agree, you should persuade them. Australia doesn¡¯t have the power to make European countries agree to establish FIFA together,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    On the surface, the establishment of FIFA is just a matter for clubs and football associations, but in reality, without the consent of European governments, it would be nearly impossible to establish FIFA.


    ¡°Your Highness, European countries do not oppose the establishment of FIFA, but they will not do anything for FIFA either.¡± Hessman said with a bitter smile, ¡°Unless the FIFApetition is rigged to ensure their victory, they will not provide financial support.¡±


    Football is a highlypetitive sport, and due to its participation in two Olympic Games, it has garnered great attention from countries around the world.


    Under such circumstances, if the newly established FIFApromises and rigs the championship, the reputation of the new organization could be severely damaged, or even quickly dissolved.


    Hessman is not foolish. Although he eagerly anticipates and desperately hopes for the establishment of FIFA, it does not mean that FIFA mustpromise with any power.


    In fact, as the most authoritative and official organization in the future football industry, FIFA must be fair and just.


    Therefore, Hessman and the French Football Association decided to look for countries willing to support FIFA and not put forward too many demands.


    ¡°So you think Australia would support you?¡± Arthur asked with a lightugh after understanding Hessman¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Why not, Your Highness? If you are willing to support the establishment of FIFA, I can assure you that Australia will have the right to host two World Cups within thirty years,¡± Hessman said with a smile. ¡°I believe you are aware that football has gained significant influence in Europe, and even the football team that wins the Olympic Games will be sought after by the entire country. Under such circumstances, hosting a globalpetition would attract arge number of people worldwide, and the revenue generated by tourists alone could be enough to cover the costs. With the spotlight on hosting thepetition, you can significantly increase your country¡¯s immigration influence. If all it takes is a small investment, why not go for such a good deal?¡±


    Hessman had a sharp eye, targeting Australia¡¯s need to increase its international reputation and attract immigrants incessantly tempting Arthur.


    In fact, the first World Cup was hosted by Uruguay, the Olympic football champion at the time, and attracted a lot of attention in South America.


    However, due to tight schedules and financial constraints, many teams did not participate in the World Cup, which greatly reduced its influence.


    But it cannot be denied that the World Cup was a sess. The stadiums were almost full, and the Uruguayan government even had to deploy the military to maintain order.


    If Australia could host a World Cup, it might significantly increase its influence internationally when given enough time.


    ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re making me tempted,¡± Arthurughed heartily, but his smile faded quickly, and he said with a deeper meaning, ¡°If I support the establishment of FIFA, where will FIFA¡¯s headquarters be located?¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn


    That was indeed a crucial question. Hessman looked at Arthur¡¯s subtle smile and knew that if he said the FIFA headquarters would be located elsewhere, the meeting would probably end right there..

 Chapter 34 - 34 Thirty-Four: Promise

    Chapter 34 Thirty-Four: Promise


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°Your Highness, currently football has gained widespread attention and wee in Europe. If the headquarters of FIFA are set up outside Europe, wouldn¡¯t there be too many problems?¡± Hessman asked nervously.


    Although Hessman knew that trying to wrest the location of FIFA from Arthur¡¯s hands was virtually impossible, he still decided to give it a shot.


    ¡°Oh? What specific problems are there? Could Mr. Hessman please borate?¡± Arthur looked at Hessman with interest and chuckled.


    Seeing that Arthur wasn¡¯t being tyrannical, Hessman was ted and quickly said, ¡°Your Highness, at present, most of the countries in the world that have football associations or are about to establish football associations are in Europe. This shows that FIFA will be weed and recognized by Europe. I believe that FIFA¡¯s headquarters should be located in Europe, which makes the management of football affairs and organization ofrge-scale events more convenient. After all, Europe is at the center of the world, and so is football.¡±


    Looking at Arthur¡¯s expression and finding that Arthur did not show any dissatisfaction or anger because of his words, Hessman sighed with relief and continued, ¡°If the FIFA headquarters are located outside Europe, firstly, there are not many football associations and clubs in other regions, and football isn¡¯t as popr. Secondly, FIFA is here to manage and coordinate football affairs globally. Being outside Europe mightplicate dealing with worldwide affairs and organizing events due to reasons of distance and time. It might not garner global response, especially within Europe, from the majority of countries.¡±


    What Hessman said was indeed correct. Historically, the inaugural World Cup organized by FIFA was just like that. Because it was held in South America, most European nations didn¡¯t participate, and the impact of the first World Cup was primarily felt in South America.


    However, Arthur didn¡¯t care much about this. If FIFA was established with the support of Australia, then its headquarters must be located in Australia. Regarding the hosting of events, Australia should be given priority, and this was Arthur¡¯s bottom line.


    Arthur was no saint, he wouldn¡¯t contribute his ample funds to FIFA for nothing.


    If they wanted Arthur¡¯s support to establish FIFA, then the future FIFA must also give something in return in order to gain Arthur¡¯s support.


    ¡°None of these are issues, Mr. Hessman. FIFA is a unified football association worldwide. We can¡¯t limit our vision to Europe because of the current development of football. If you are willing to establish FIFA¡¯s headquarters in Australia, then Australia will support your establishment of FIFA and be willing to contribute to FIFA¡¯s events. My debating words may seem like a hidden threat, but they are indeed firm and resolute.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, if FIFA is located thousands of miles away in Australia, I¡¯m afraid FIFA¡¯s various events won¡¯t be weed in Europe. Due to temporal and geographical reasons, plus financial limitations, possibly not many countries would participate in the events in the future.¡± Hessman hastily reminded Arthur.


    Hessman felt the hint of a threat in Arthur¡¯s words. Although the demands of Australia currently seemed fairpared to demands from European nations, who could guarantee that FIFA would not be influenced by the Australian Government in the future?


    After all, you have to lower your head under someone else¡¯s roof.


    ¡°Mr. Hessman need not worry about this. If FIFA intends on hostingrge- scale events worldwide in the future, Australia is willing to cover all the costs of the event, including the travel expenses of any clubs and national teams. I believe that Mr. Hessman has seen Australia¡¯s sincerity. If Mr. Hessman still doesn¡¯t believe it, then I¡¯m afraid I can offer nothing more.¡± Arthur cut off Hessman¡¯s exnation with a wave of his hand and stood up,ughing softly.


    If Hessman wanted Australia¡¯s support, yet didn¡¯t want to give Australia any benefit, Arthur could only call this wishful thinking. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    FIFA and its creation, the World Cup, even inter generations, were significant and influential sporting institutions and events.


    Being able to seize control of FIFA in its early stages at this time would allow Australia to greatly enhance its international reputation and attract immigrants through the future World Cups.


    For a new-born country like Australia, international reputation and the attraction of immigrants are the two most important things. To be a recognized superpower by the world, it¡¯s crucial that the world knows you, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Alright, Your Highness. I agree to your terms. I will discuss it with the French Football Association and expedite the establishment of FIFA and move its headquarters to Australia.¡± Hessman, after much deliberation, eventually chose topromise with Arthur rather than giving up on the great deed of establishing FIFA that would secure his ce in football history.


    ¡°Very well, Mr. Hessman, you¡¯ve made the right choice,¡± Arthur smiled and said, ¡°Australia will fully support you to lobby the European Football Associations to create FIFA and elect you as the first Secretary-General of FIFA.¡±


    As the saying goes, show a stick then a carrot. After taking many benefits from Hessman, Arthur didn¡¯t mind pushing him to the lofty position of FIFA¡¯s leader, letting him truly make a mark in football history.


    ¡°Thankyou, Your Highness. Rest assured, after I return to Europe, I¡¯ll get right to uniting the French and other countries¡¯ football associations to speed up the creation of FIFA. Please prepare the funds needed in advance, and we can start building FIFA by the end of this year at the earliest.¡± Atst, Hessman¡¯s face showed joy and excitement.


    One of the reasons Hessman was keen to create FIFA was to make a significant mark in the development history of football. The second was his genuine desire to elerate the development of the field of football.


    As the Secretary-General of the Dutch Football Association, Hessman¡¯s passion for football can¡¯t be doubted.


    However, whenpared to his own reputation, it is probably only Hessman who knows whether passion is important or not.


    Hessman was clearly pleased with the situation¡¯s development. The establishment of FIFA was progressing well, and Hessman had also received Arthur¡¯s promise to support his election as the first Secretary-General of FIFA. The double fulfilment of his career and passion made Hessman, a man nearing fifty, experience a surge of excitement and enthusiasm that he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time.

 Chapter 35: Relief and Security

    Chapter 35: Relief and Security


    Trantor: 549690339 I


    Heathman quickly embarked on his journey back to Europe after sessfully obtaining Arthur¡¯s support. He aimed to seek the support of other European football associations to create the international football federation he longed for.


    What? You ask how Heathman will manage his work as Secretary-General of the Dutch Football Association?


    Heathman is not a fool. Anyone would choose the position of Secretary-General of FIFA over that of the Dutch Football Association.


    August 11,1900, Sydney.


    The Administrative Building was particrly busy on this day, or rather, a specific room within the Government Building was bustling.


    It wasn¡¯t any special day, but it was a day worth celebrating andmemorating for all Australians.


    After secretly investigating and preparing for several months, the Royal Assistance Committee Arthur promised outside the New South Wales State Parliament finally began its first round of action: distributing free food in all Australian cities.


    Although the Assistance Committee screened the Australian poption based on the results of the investigations, the distribution of food excluded individuals with an annual ie of over ten pounds or families with an annual ie of over twenty pounds.


    However, even so, the number of people receiving food was estimated to be over one-third of the Australian poption, reaching more than 1.2 million.


    Thankfully, Australia had already achieved self-sufficiency in food production. The Assistance Committee could purchase enough food for distribution within the country.


    8 o¡¯clock in the morning, Sydney Street.


    Due to theck of manpower, the Assistance Committee had only one food distribution point in each city, but the food distribution wouldst for one and a half months.


    During this period, as long as it was confirmed that they were low-ie individuals, they could receive one free ration of food.


    Although it was only one ration, the amount was quite substantial. Each ration consisted of two bags of flour, one bag of potatoes, one bag of seasonal vegetables, and one box of milk.


    This food was enough for each person to eat for several months with leftovers, showing Arthur¡¯s determination to help all impoverished Australians.


    The cost of the food was around 1 pound and 5 shillings per ration. If all the impoverished Australians received these rations, the Assistance Committee would have to spend at least 1.5 million pounds.


    However, this expense was definitely worth it. Firstly, it allowed Arthur to fulfill his promise and maintain his position in the hearts of Australians.


    Secondly, therge-scale food distribution could also improve the Australians¡¯ favorability towards Arthur.


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t like a monarch who would step in to help them during difficult times?


    As the food relief continued, Arthur started inspecting the streets of Sydney. At thest cab meeting, Arthur had emphasized that the Public Security Department must maintain security in a short time and greatly reduce the crime rate in Australia.


    From the current situation, Australia indeed had changed a lotpared to before. The streets were much cleaner, thanks to the government¡¯s hired cleaners. It looked more like a modem city, although the buildings surrounding it were not tall.


    Arthur was indeed pleased with how Sydney had progressed since his arrival. It had be less messy and more orderly and clean.


    ¡°Minister Thomas, the Public Security Department has done an excellent job. Sydney now has a more modern feelpared to before,¡± Arthur said with a smile to Thomas Chekhov, the Minister of Public Security, who was respectfully following him.


    ¡®Yes, Your Highness. Thanks to the one thousand troops you sent, we quickly crushed several notorious gangs and reestablished order. Now, not only are the streets of the cities much cleaner, but the crime rates in major cities have also decreased significantly,¡± Minister Thomas replied respectfully, not forgetting topliment Arthur again.


    ¡°How is the construction of the police stations in each city going? Are there any issues with police recruitment?¡± Arthur continued.


    Australia had no formal police academy. Police were recruited from the Australian people, and after a short period of training, they could start working. This system was full of loopholes because carrying a gun, which was part of the police officers¡¯ job, required a strong sense of duty and responsibility. One could only imagine what would happen if a police officercked those qualities.


    ¡°Your Highness, the police stations in each city are under construction, but their progress is not consistent. However, we won¡¯t be badly affected by this issue, at least not before our new police officers havepleted their training. Whether the police stations are built or not won¡¯t affect the current security situation,¡± Thomas exined.


    Arthur had changed the police training process, not only increasing the training time but also emphasizing the cultivation of responsibility and dedication in the police.


    Police officers, who originally only needed to be trained for a week, now had to be trained for at least three months to ensure their loyalty to the country and the royal family, as well as their sense of responsibility for the position.


    That¡¯s not all. After bing a police officer, they still had to go through a three-month trial period before they could officially be assigned a gun.


    Compared to the rudimentary police training system in some other countries, this training system was much more advanced and significantly reduced the ¡¯ issue of police officerscking professional ethics. During the six-month screening process, most police officers developed a strong sense of responsibility for their positions. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Yes, you are doing the right thing. The training and establishment of police stations should not be rushed. Although Australia¡¯s security forces currentlyck manpower, we must adopt an attitude of selecting the best and cultivating elites. The police in Australia will y a vital role in maintaining security in the future. The strictness of police selection should even bepared to that of the military. I don¡¯t want any problems with the police in the future, especially with armed officers,¡± Arthur ordered.


    In many countries, especially colonies, the police system was very imperfect and chaotic.


    Under such circumstances, the power of an armed police officer was greatly magnified. If the police officercked ethics and professionalism, they could pose a huge threat and hidden danger to themon people.


    But the question was, who would take the me for the problems caused by the police? Naturally, it would be the government.


    In the context of Australia, the ones taking the me for the police in the future would be the government and the royal family. However, the ultimate power rested in Arthur¡¯s hands.


    This meant that if any problems arose in the future, Arthur himself would be the one to bear the responsibility.


    This was absolutely uneptable for Arthur, who valued his reputation and prestige among themon people. This was why he repeatedly emphasized the importance of the police selection system.

 Chapter 36: The People’s Will Can Be Utilized

    Chapter 36: The People¡¯s Will Can Be Utilized


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Minister Thomas. It seems that the ce where the Royal Assistance Committee distributes supplies is just ahead. Since we havee this far, let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Arthur suddenly noticed the bustling crowd in the street ahead, with people apparently lining up for something. He said to Thomas with a hint of interest.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Minister Thomas immediately followed, respectfully responding.


    In front of the crowd, several Relief Committee officers were busily and orderly registering and distributing grain.


    Although merely estimating from the several lines of queues, there were at least a few thousand people. Surprisingly, these thousands of people formed three long lines, stretching from the central streets of Sydney to the Harbor Road Southside.


    Not only that, but Arthur also noticed that there were hardly any cases of people cutting in line or fighting along the way. People in the queue were anxious but orderly, poor but polite, and some strong men even gave way to the elderly behind them.


    ¡°Thomas, is this also the work of your Public Security Department? Being able to maintain such order among so many people during the distribution of supplies without any chaos or fighting, it seems that the achievements of your department go far beyond that!¡± Arthur looked at the orderly advancing queue with astonishment and couldn¡¯t help expressing his inner doubts.


    ¡°No, no, no, Your Highness. It¡¯s not the credit of the Public Security Department; it¡¯s your credit!¡± Minister Thomas quickly shook his head, exining, ¡°Everyone knows that the grain is being distributed by Your Highness. Most people arc just filled with joy and gratitude as they line up. asionally, some selfish individuals who try to cut in line are taught a lesson by those who respect you. And that is why so many people appear to be so orderly.¡±


    Arthur suddenly understood that he had not expected to have such appeal in Australia. Seeing the orderly crowd in front of him, Arthur felt an iparable heroic spirit welling up in his heart.


    ¡°His Highness is here!¡±


    ¡°Long live His Highness!¡±


    Finally, a few sharp-eyed people still found Arthur¡¯s arrival, disregarding their ces in line and rushing to Arthur, shouting with both excitement and fervor.


    ¡°Long live His Highness!¡±


    It is said that a thousand words can be condensed into one sentence, and that is precisely the case with the Australian people at this moment. Faced with a monarch who reduced their taxes and freely provided them with grain, they did not hesitate to express their love and admiration.


    ¡°Folks, I know you maye from the British Empire, France, Germany, or even other parts of Europe. But now you are in Australia, in this beautifulnd. Now, please tell me loudly, who has exempted most of your taxes and who has provided you with free grain in times of your difficulties, freeing you from worrying about food?¡± As the crowd cheered loudly, Minister Thomas had quietly arrived at the highest spot near the distribution area where the Royal Assistance Committee officers were located.


    As a minister who had risen from a small official to a councilor and even the Prime Minister of the Colony, Thomas¡¯s oratory skills were exceptional.


    Seizing this opportunity, Minister Thomas decided to show his favor to Arthur. Any intelligent person could see that Arthur valued cultivating his status and prestige in the hearts of Australians. As such, Thomas took advantage of this grand asion to publicize a few of Arthur¡¯s aplishments.


    It must be said that Minister Thomas had excellent eloquence, and it was likely because the Australian people were very satisfied with Arthur¡¯s actions so far.


    After Minister Thomas¡¯s two inquiries, the nearby streets echoed with continuous shouts of ¡°Your Highness!¡± and ¡°Long live Your Highness!¡±


    Arthur¡¯s eyes shed with satisfaction, but he remained calm on the surface, gesturing for the crowd to stop and then saying, ¡°My people, as your monarch, this is what I should and must do. Australia is a great country, and Australians are a great nation. I hope we can join hands and push Australia to the pinnacle of the world, with Australians standing at the summit of the world!¡±


    ¡°Long live His Highness!¡±


    ¡°Long live Australia!¡±


    There is nothing more fortunate than having a monarch who loves his people and his country, at least in the hearts of modern Australians.


    If there were a way to gauge the people¡¯s sentiments, Arthur would be confident that his approval rate in Australia would exceed eighty percent, with at least half of the more than one million Australians receiving grain bing his supporters.


    ¡°How is the grain distribution going? How many people have received our grain today?¡± After calming the crowd, Arthur began to inquire about the grain distribution status from the officers in charge.


    New South Wales, as the state with thergest poption in Australia, does not have the highest number of impoverished citizens.


    There is a significant difference between the immigrants in New South Wales and those in other states. The immigrants in New South Wales are regr immigrants attracted from Europe, so their overall quality is higher and more capable. Thus, their ie is rtively high among all states. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    On the other hand, especially in West Australia, although there are many immigrants every year, most of them are gold diggers attracted by the gold rush. While a small number can sessfully make a fortune through the gold rush, there are still a significant number of people working as goldmine workers, living a hand-to-mouth existence.


    ¡°Your Highness, as of now, our grain relief has been underway for two days. Just in Sydney alone, during these two days, more than 9>3OO rations have been distributed, and we have given away an extra ration to three particrly impoverished families.¡± The officer reported.


    Generally speaking, relief grain is only allowed to be given once per person. However, when encountering exceptionally poor families or individuals, an extra ration of grain may also be given as appropriate.


    This level of poverty is determined by the officers distributing the grain, but generally, as long as it falls within the particrly impoverished range, there are hardly any restrictions.


    After all, Arthur intended to build his reputation and prestige with the grain distribution and would notpromise his reputation for minor gains.


    Therefore, this grain distribution was based on the principle of being willing to distribute an extra thousand rations but not missing out on a single person, with some additional rations prepared.


    ¡°Well, in addition to the distribution of grain, be sure to register the names and addressespletely. Many more relief policies will be implemented, and much of it will rely on the information registered now.¡± Arthur instructed.


    Since there was no proper identification system, finding a poor person in Australia was challenging.


    It was then that the officers of the Relief Committee came up with this method: registering the names and addresses of the recipients during grain distribution, making it more convenient to find people for future policies..

 Chapter 37: Australian National University

    Chapter 37: Australian National University


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    September 23rd, 1900, Sydney.


    Seizing the moment during which the whole of Australia was still caught in a wave of celebration and thanksgiving, Arthurunched an attack and established the first university in Australia, the Australian National University, in Sydney. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was arge-scale university funded jointly by the Australian government and the royal family, with the government investing a little over one million pounds and the royal family another million, totaling over two million pounds. Although it had just beenpleted, the Australian National University upied an impressive area of over two square kilometers, spanning over three thousand acres of campus.


    Although the university did not need such a vast area, Australia, known for its wide-open spaces and sparse poption, had no shortage ofnd.


    Hence, these excessnd was nned as a green area and artificialke, both to improve the natural environment of the campus and make good use of the additional area.


    As the sole cradle in Australia that could independently nurture talented individuals in a short span of time, Arthur cherished the Australian National University deeply. The moment it waspleted, he personally visited the site and, together with Minister for Education Richard Noble Chapman, was due to attend the first meeting of the Australian University.


    The era had rtively low demands for the campus environment. Therefore, most of the Australian National University¡¯s campus consisted of simple rough rooms, with only a few preciseboratories requiring extensive decoration, generally costing several times, even up to tens of times, more than ordinary architecture.


    Australian National University.


    ¡°Sir Principal, will His Highness and the Minister be truly attending our conference?¡± anguage lecturer inquired with a hint of surprise, having journeyed all the way from Europe.


    In Europe, even as a seniornguage lecturer at a university, the highest-ranking individuals he had ever encountered were the education officials from various countries.


    However, just a few days after arriving in Australia, not only could he meet Australia¡¯s monarch and the Minister for Education, but he could also actively participate in a conference with them. It was simply beyond ecstatic.


    On hearing this inquiry from a colleague, the other teachers, hired from Europe or elsewhere, perked up their ears, fearing they might miss any single word that came from the principal.


    ¡°Certainly, Lecturer James. Has His Highness ever not kept his word? Besides, it¡¯s almost time for the conference. You will find out soon, won¡¯t you?¡± replied Wilfred Freeman Waynebcrg,ughing.


    On hearing Wayneberg¡¯s answer, the other lecturers had no more questions and nodded understandingly.


    Although therge majority of them had only arrived in Australia in recent months, they were well-versed in all that Arthur had achieved in Australia.


    For such a monarch who always delivered on his promises, it was genuinely challenging to catch him going back on his words.


    Indeed, as Wilfred Freeman Waynebcrg stated, Arthur arrived at the campus with Minister Richard within a few minutes. Led by several guards and lecturers, he came to the conference area, where everyone was waiting.


    The area where the teachers and school leaders were located was one of the few ces in the school that was rtively well-decorated. The walls had been smoothed with ayer of cement, followed by ayer of lime, giving it a clean and tidy look.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Seeing Arthur enter, everyone stood up to pay their respects.


    Arthur nodded and sat down at the head of the conference table, saying, ¡°All right, let¡¯s not waste time. Let¡¯s start the conference!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Principal Wilfred Freeman Waynebcrg stepped up, first showing respect before continuing, ¡°Your Highness, Minister, and all lecturers. The Australian National University has undergone more than three months of construction since the project kicked off. So far, our teaching area, office district, and residential area are essentially finished and ready for use. Some advancedboratories involving precision and environmental needs may still require two to three months more of construction before they can be used. However, overall, the Australian National University is almost ready for student intake and officialmencement next month.¡±


    From the educational aspects of the university alone, the current arrangements of the Australian National University were more than sufficient for use.


    Theboratories still under construction were meant for scientists and senior professors attracted from Europe. As there were not many scientists and professors at the moment, a little dy did not matter much.


    ¡°Very well, Principal Wilfred Freeman Waynebcrg. The Australian National University will be the most crucial cradle nurturing talents for Australia for many years toe. I am very relieved to see itpleted and ready for use within such a short stretch of time. Now, let¡¯s discuss your enrollment issues. How many students does the Australian National University n to admit this year, and what are the limits per major?¡± Arthur asked, signaling his approval with a nod and then proceeding to pose this crucial question concerning enrollment.


    ¡°Your Highness, currently due to the limited number of teachers, our school can only offer five majors: Mechanical major, Physics and Chemistry major, Architecture major, Medicine major, and Literature major. Among them, Mechanical and Physics and Chemistry majors are crucial for our industrial development. Therefore, the number of these two majors must be maintained at least above 200 students. The Architecture and Medicine major helps to fill a considerable number of vacant positions in our national infrastructure and medical development. These two majors also need quite a number of students, needing at least 150 students each. Next is the Literature major. Australia is a multicultural countryposed of locals and immigrants from abroad. We have an urgent need to cultivate a unified culture among Australians, so it is also necessary to admit at least 100 students. Judging from this, our first batch of enrollment should be at least 800 students to fill the talent vacancy in the country after graduation,¡± Wilfred Freeman Waynebcrg proposed.


    This is indeed Australia¡¯s shoring. Although it had abundant mineral resources andnd, Australia was indeed short of talent, with numerous industries needing a significant amount of talent for national development.


    ¡°I approve, and I allow you to increase the number on the basis of 800 as deemed fit, but preferably not exceed 1500 students,¡± Arthur noted, offering his immediate reassurance.


    Arthur appreciated Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg¡¯s pragmatic style. Conferences indeed needed people who cut the fluff and got straight to the matter..

 Chapter 38: Public Opinion Preparation

    Chapter 38: Public Opinion Preparation


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Is an enrollment of 800 students really a lot? Arthur just wants to say that it¡¯s not much, really not much.


    Compared to the tens of thousands of students in higher education institutions inter generations, Australian National University, as the only university in Australia, has a very small enrollment of 800 students.


    But this also depends on the poption of Australia. At present, there are only about 3.7 million people in Australia. The number of high school graduates who are between 18 and 30 years old and suitable for attending university is even less, probably less than 10,000 people in the whole country.


    ¡°Principal Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg, how many people do you estimate will apply this time? Can the enrollment standards be met?¡± Arthur asks.


    The number of enrollees must be aligned with the number of applicants. If there aren¡¯t many applicants, setting high enrollment numbers won¡¯t do any good and would only cause ridicule.


    ¡°Your Highness, after preliminary calctions from the data provided by the Ministry of Education, there are about 21,000 eligible Australians who have graduated from high school and are of the suitable age. Excluding those with stable high-ie jobs, there are less than 10,000 potential enrollees. Under normal circumstances, at least 1,000 people would apply for enrollment, but with your call, this number can multiply several times.¡± Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg said, subtly implying that Arthur should encourage Australians of the right age to apply for the university.


    ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s fine. You are all elites in the education industry, so you naturally know that talent is something to be refined. I hope you can select and cultivate about 1,000 of the most outstanding talents from the applicants. They will be the backbone of Australia in theing years.¡± With augh, Arthur agreed to Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg¡¯s proposal. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid we must consider another issue, which is whether the families of the applicants can afford the high fees of the university? I believe the royal family and the government should pay for most of the students¡¯ fees, or else many of them might have to quit halfway through their studies.¡± Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg continued to suggest.


    As one of the leading talent in the education industry, Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg has spent most of his life as a principal or dean at various universities in the British Empire.


    This time he was hired by the Australian government with a high sry, and Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg asked for only one thing ¨C authority in the development of the university.


    Of course, Arthur didn¡¯t mind, as professional matters should be handled by professionals. Although he had a lot of experience and knowledge fromter generations, as a monarch, delegating tasks to his subordinates was what made him qualified.


    ¡°No problem, the royal family promises to pay 70% of all students¡¯ tuition fees, and provide advance payment for the remaining 30%. The future performance of these outstanding students, after they graduate and enter various industries in Australia, will determine whether the prepaid tuition fees will be waived.¡± Arthur nodded and said with a smile.


    Arthur is not some great phnthropist, so he doesn¡¯t mind waiving part of the tuition fees for these students, but only part of them.


    The rest of the tuition fees will be prepaid by the royal family, with one reason being for these students to serve the royal family, and another to bring these talents closer to the royal family, indirectly cultivating talent for the royal family.


    Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg also saw Arthur¡¯s intention, but he did not stop him.


    His goal was only to develop Australian National University into one of the world¡¯s top institutions, and he didn¡¯t care about or want to deal with other matters.


    ¡°In addition, the royal family will set up the Royal Schrship within the university, which will be awarded to 200 outstanding students with financial difficulties every year, providing them with a financial aid of at least ten pounds.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    This statement is nothing but a bombshell. In an era when university talents are one in a million, a university student is regarded as a genuine talent anywhere they go.


    Besides the different development of education in various countries, the high cost of attending university is also a factor that creates this phenomenon.


    Although everyone present is an elite in the education sector, they have only heard of receiving partial waivers for attending university, but they have never heard of getting paid to attend university!


    Arthur has already waived most of the fees and offered to pay the remaining fees in advance. That is to say, attending university can bepletely free, and under such circumstances, the royal family still provides schrships. Isn¡¯t this tempting everyone to study in Australia?


    But after careful consideration, it seems that Arthur¡¯s annual expenditure is not much, only about 2,000 pounds per year.


    However, this move will definitely significantly increase the attractiveness of Australian National University to those students. After all, everyone has the idea to gamble once with a 25% chance to receive a schrship.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all for the policies. You can adjust the university¡¯s admission numbers ording to future application situations, but don¡¯t exceed 1,500 people at most and don¡¯t go below 800 people at least. I will mobilize public opinion and call on all Australians to apply for the university. How to select the most outstanding talents from them is up to you.¡± Arthur had finished hisst sentence, then left the meeting room with his royal guards.


    After Arthur left, everyone didn¡¯t idle around but instead entered a new round of quotapetition.


    Although Arthur had limited the enrollment numbers for the entire school, he did not restrict the actual enrollment numbers for each major.


    This led to each major being able to increase a certain number of theoretical enrollees, allowing their major to have the highest number of enrollees during this time.


    As the teachers of the five majors were fighting fiercely for their enrollment quotas, Arthur had returned to the Manor House and started preparing to mobilize public opinion.


    There are now newspapers in Australia, inherited from the original colonies, which are now collectively purchased by Arthur.


    No doubt, newspapers are the best way to control public opinion in this era. Controlling the newspaper cirction of a country is actually controlling the public opinion of that country.


    After all, in an era without much entertainment and activities, the only way for most people to gain ess to external information is to buy newspapers from newspaper agencies or to read other people¡¯s newspapers.

 Chapter 39: Newspaper Publication

    Chapter 39: Newspaper Publication


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    September 27th, 1900, Sydney Street.


    On this day, David Corliss was walking home from work as usual. As an ordinary person with no special skills, he was fortunate to have entered the selection process for the Sydney Police and was hired.


    Although he¡¯s now only in the training phase, he can still earn over two pounds a month to support his family.


    Getting this job made David Corliss very satisfied, so he worked enthusiastically and passionately in his training every day.


    Passing a newsstand, David Corliss instinctively nced at the stall, originally just a casual look, but he didn¡¯t expect all the newspapers on the newsstand to be the same, and there was also a thoughtful billboard next to it, saying that His Royal Highness Arthur has a new policy.


    Wait, Your Highness?


    Full of questions, David Corliss backed up and picked up a newspaper, taking out a penny under the watchful eyes of the stall owner and handed it to him.


    With the newspaper in hand, David Corliss¡¯ carefree expression was long gone. Although he was still walking down the street, his eyes were fixed on the newspaper as if he wanted to see everything in it.


    Finally, after more than ten minutes¡¯ journey, David Corliss rushed home.


    This house was located in the suburbs of Sydney. Although the house looked a bit old, David Corliss¡¯ family simply decorated it with flowers and nts, making it feel somewhat warm and weing.


    ¡°David!¡± Hearing the sound, David Corliss¡¯ wife came out first, smiling and handing him a ss of water. ¡°How was the training today? Your superiors didn¡¯t give you any trouble, did they?¡±


    ¡°Haha, why would they do that? The training today went smoothly, and the boss paid me this month¡¯s sry. Look, exactly two pounds, five shillings, and three pennies!¡± David Corliss handed his sry to his wife with a smile, while speaking.


    ¡°Oh, thank God for giving you such a good job! Plus the food we get, we¡¯ll have afortable New Year.¡± David Corliss¡¯ wife took the sry from David with a surprised face, and gratefully said.


    ¡°You should thank His Royal Highness, Emily. If not for him, you wouldn¡¯t have received so much free food, and I wouldn¡¯t have found such a high-paying job.¡± David Corliss promptly interrupted his wife¡¯s incorrect remarks and corrected her.


    ¡°Oh, yes, please forgive me.¡± Emily immediately corrected her mistake and apologetically said to her husband.


    ¡°Alright, Emily. Go and prepare dinner. I want to take a good look at this newspaper. It is said that His Royal Highness has a new policy.¡± David Corliss picked up his beloved newspaper and instructed his wife.


    With all the newspapers in Australia being integrated into one by Arthur, the once chaotic and un-unified newspaper industry in Australia was basically controlled by him.


    Currently, there are two major newspapers in Australia, the Australia Daily, which focuses on lifestyle and entertainment, and the Victoria News, which focuses on political news.


    Although the two newspapers are responsible for their own areas on a daily basis, when the government and the royal family have important policies and announcements, they will work together to print the important news.


    The newspaper David Corliss got today was the Victoria News. However, because it was a special day, the content of both newspapers was the same, regardless of the type.


    Picking up the newspaper, a very prominent headline appeared on the front page, boldly stating Arthur¡¯s Educational Policy.


    When it came to education, David Corliss¡¯ already serious heart became even more concerned. He quickly concentrated and began to read the news word by word without missing a single letter.


    The content of the news was actually quite simple. It mainly talked about Arthur¡¯s several reforms in education and the corresponding welfare policies.


    Not only the previously agreed upon university admissions, but in order to improve Australia¡¯s basic education environment, Arthur will invest at least two million pounds a year for ten years, encouraging all Australian families to send their school-age children to school for learning.


    To this end, the royal family will pay at least forty percent of tuition fees for each child, and children who perform well can be exempted from all tuition and misceneous fees.


    In order to amodate poorer families, Arthur promised to provide interest- free loans to students from impoverished families to meet their learning needs.


    Schrships will also be set up in all schools nationwide, with the number of ces ounting for about ten percent of the total school poption.


    Under various policies, arge number of concessions have been made for both primary and higher education students, basically eliminating the problem of wanting to go to school but not being able to afford it. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It can be imagined that the new round of Australian school enrollment will be full, especially in basic education, which doesn¡¯t cost much. There would definitely be arge number of students enrolling.


    Although most Australians are part of the poor poption, they have all immigrated from Europe and understand the importance of education, especially basic education.


    Given the choice, these people would also choose to give their offspring a good education, so as not to fall behind others at the starting line.


    ¡°Oh! Emily! Emily! Come here!¡± Seeing this, David Corliss became a little flustered and hurriedly called his wife.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± Emily quickly walked over and asked her husband in amazement.


    ¡°Damn, look at this, Emily! His Highness is investing in improving education conditions. Now¡¯ our children can go to school!¡± David Corliss excitedly eximed.


    ¡°Where? Where?¡± Emily also got closer, looking all around.


    ¡°The royal family promises to pay seventy percent of tuition and can pay the remaining thirty percent on behalf of us, allowing us to repay it after graduation?¡± Emily read with disbelief in her eyes.


    ¡°Schrship established at the Australian National University that selects at least 200 students of good character and rewards them with at least ten pounds of schrships?¡± Reading to this point, Emily couldn¡¯t remainposed anymore, and incredulously asked, ¡°Oh my God,


    David, these students¡¯ schrships are almost half your annual ie. Does this mean that going to university not only costs nothing but could actually make money?¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear. Not only can Rick go to university, we might not even have to pay!¡± David Corliss nodded heavily and said to his wife.


    Rick Coles was the only son of David Corliss and his wife Emily, and their pride.


    At just 19 years old, Rick Coles was already an enviable high school graduate. However, due to the family¡¯s inability to afford the high cost of university, he had to reluctantly give up.


    But now it seemed that Rick might still have a chance to go to university, and even without having to spend money on it.

 Chapter 40: Arrival of the Examinees

    Chapter 40: Arrival of the Examinees


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    The back of the newspaper clearly showed the majors and quotas for this year¡¯s enrollment at the Australian National University. There were a total of five majors and eight hundred ces.


    Although Arthur specifically allowed the number of ces to expand to about fifteen hundred, Principal Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg considered it carefully and still limited the enrollment to eight hundred people.


    Although the facilities and funds were more than sufficient, the faculty at the Australian National University was still at a disadvantage. If too many students were recruited, it would inevitably affect the efficiency of students¡¯ learning and the quality of teaching.


    Wilfred Freeman Wayneberg aimed to build a world-ss university, which could not be aplished in a short time, nor could it be achieved by the number of ces alone.


    This also means that thepetition for university enrollment this time will be fierce. Under Arthur¡¯s call, most eligible Australians will probably sign up.


    Under such circumstances, only the top eight hundred students can be selected to enter the university, which is enough to show the intensity of thepetition.


    On October 17th, after more than half a month of preparation, the entrance examination for the Australian National University is about to begin.


    In order to make it easy for these candidates from all over the country, Arthur specifically announced that amodation and food would be provided free of charge to all candidates until the end of the exam.


    By the day before the official exam, more than thirteen thousand people had registered, more than half of whom were candidates from other states.


    As the exam approached, the streets of Sydney were filled with the figures of these candidates. To cope with the possible difficult exam, Sydney¡¯s few bookstores and newspaper stands were all swept through by these candidates, trying to find some information they might see in the exam.


    Sydney, Central Street Residential Area.


    This was originally a residential buildingplex for the families of Sydney City Council staff. It was temporarily vacant due to relocation and was now requisitioned by Arthur for candidates to live in.


    In order to make it more convenient for candidates to live and rest, these buildings were divided into rooms of roughly the same size. There were about a thousand such small rooms avable for candidates to live in.


    However,pared with the number of candidates taking the exam, the number of rooms was still too small. Therefore, it was only a temporarypromise to allow candidates from nearby Sydney to go home and rest, leaving the precious rooms for candidates from other states and regions.


    In this way, with six or seven people reluctantly squeezed into each room, more than ten thousand candidates were finally amodated in Sydney.


    It was now the day before the exam, and most of the candidates had given up on reviewing and chose to stroll around Sydney or rx.


    Only a few people were still cramming at thest minute, hoping that they could bump into the questions that might be on the test and add a few more points to their chances.


    In a room of the residential building.


    ¡°Sam, what do you think they¡¯ll test us on this time? The things we learned in high school?¡± John Wilshirey on his bed, looking expectantly and fantasizing at his roommate.


    ¡°Oh, God, you¡¯re talking nonsense again, John.¡± The boy named Samined helplessly, but did not stop flipping through the books in his hands.


    ¡°Hey, Sam, stop flipping through those useless books, man. Sydney is indeed more prosperous than West Australia. Why don¡¯t we go out and walk around? Who knows, you might meet a pretty girl and fulfill your father¡¯s wish for you to get married early.¡± John jumped off the bed and looked at Sam with a face that seemed to be watching a good show. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Stop it, John. Haven¡¯t I told you? As an honorable Australian, I just want to study hard and build Australia. His Highness, as the Duke of Australia, not only did he not gain any benefits from Australia, but he also selflessly provided his own funds to help all Australians and build Australia. Under such circumstances, shouldn¡¯t we study hard and serve the Duke?¡± Sam patiently exined while pping his friend¡¯s hand off his shoulder.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t serve the Duke, pal. But don¡¯t you think we should also find a bnce between work and rest? Only by resting well can we study well, right?¡± John reluctantly said as he saw that his friend did not give him any face.


    ¡°Fine, John, this is Sydney, the capital of Australia. I know you¡¯re curious about everything here, but don¡¯t you think that if we sessfully enter the university, we can stay here all the time, right?¡± Sam patted his friend¡¯s shoulder and said: ¡°You know, this time the admission quota is only eight hundred. But looking at the current situation, I¡¯m afraid there will be at least several thousand people signing up, maybe even more. If we don¡¯t pass the exam and have to go back with our tails between our legs, that would be much more embarrassing than now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, Sam. You¡¯ve sessfully persuaded me, brother.¡± John reluctantly nodded and joined the ranks of the review.


    Simr conversations were taking ce in many of the rooms at the same time. In this era, those who graduated from high school sessfully were mostly talented in learning and had decent family backgrounds.


    Although the examination did not emphasizepetition, in the high school environment of Australia, they still felt a sense of pride, not wanting to fall behind in suchpetitions.


    However, there were also some exceptions. After all, Sydney was the most developed city in New South Wales, and New South Wales was the most developed and populous state in Australia.


    Most of the students who came from all over Australia to Sydney for the first time had never seen arge city before.


    Under such circumstances, it is no wonder, and even quite natural, for these candidates toe up with the idea of going out and exploring.


    In the current Australia, the family backgrounds of these high school graduates are basically considered decent, all above the poverty line in Australia.


    Their arrival also drove Sydney¡¯s economic development to some extent, adding momentum to Sydney¡¯s already weak retail and tourism economy.


    But most people still chose to continue reviewing. After all, in this era, the term ¡°university¡± is quite impressive, and university graduates are usually the offspring of nobles and capitalists or extremely important talents.


    Especially in Australia, the only way to be a university student is to study abroad, which requires not only a considerable amount of tuition fees but also an outstanding ability to perform.


    However, things are different now. As long as you pass the Australian National University¡¯s entrance examination, you can basically attend university for free and be a bona fide university student.


    No one could resist such temptation, even young people who had already entered the workforce.

 Chapter 41: University Begins

    Chapter 41: University Begins


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    On October 18,1900, the first-ever recruitment exam of the well-publicized Australian National University officially began.


    Due to the nature of the talent needed for Australia cultivated by the Australian National University, this recruitment examination is rted to the five majors. There are five papers corresponding to each major; candidates will be admitted based on their abilities and not on other considerations.


    This method effectively filters out students who have a talent for each major, instead of producing generalists who seem knowledgeable about everything but have not mastered any specific skill, as seen inter generations.


    What Australia needs now is talent in specific fields rather than so-called university graduates who have a superficial understanding of everything but practical skills in none.


    Arthur did not review the papers prepared by the teachers in coboration, but he could tell from the candidates¡¯ moods and conversations during the two-day examination that the specialized tests were by no means as simple as they seemed.


    Due to the vast number of papers, Arthur urgently mobilized a group of teachers and educated officers to work overtime on grading the papers. Finally, after more than ten days, all the papers were graded, and the results werepiled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    On November 2nd, in Sydney, thousands of candidates gathered anxiously at the entrance of the Australian National University.


    Some of them might be excited, while others may be agitated, but all were eagerly looking forward to the entrance of the school.


    To them, there¡¯s no dilemma in choosing a major because, after passing the specialized exams, each major will admit them based on their scores.


    However, precisely because of this, if they scored well in some majors but were not admitted, it would inevitably show how poorly they had performed in other majors.


    Soon, the university¡¯s teachers came out with a bulletin board full of names, ced it in the most conspicuous ce at the school gate, and made the following announcement.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the Australian National University admission list for each major is here. You can carefully check for your names, but please refrain from making noise or causing anymotion at the entrance. Admitted students will officially enroll in three days. If you didn¡¯t make the list, don¡¯t be discouraged. You can apply again when the next enrollment period begins in September.¡±


    After the teachers briefly introduced the admissions process, they returned to the school, while the eager candidates hurried towards the announce ment board to search for their names.


    Time passed quickly, and three days psed in the blink of an eye.


    The newly admitted students couldn¡¯t wait at the school gate, eager to enter the campus they had dreamed about for so long.


    Those who were not admitted left with their heads down on the very same day. After all, Arthur¡¯s offer for free amodation for the candidates was only valid until the end of the examinations. Those who were not admitted had to pay for their amodations in Sydney.


    Before long, the university gate opened, and amidst the cheers, over 800 new students officially entered the Australian National University campus.


    At this time, Arthur stood atop the highest building on campus, looking at these promising young students with a satisfied smile.


    All the expenses of these 800 plus university students would be covered by Arthur, including food, lodging, and misceneous fees.


    As long as a few courses in ideological education were added to the university curriculum, Arthur could guarantee that these students would be his loyal followers and the most devoted members of his team.


    One advantage of these young people is their forward-thinking mindset, which allows them to ept and support any of Arthur¡¯s reforms in Australia.


    Moreover, the youth tend to be passionate, and their passion can also influence their families and hometowns.


    With the graduation of one batch of passionate university students after another, Arthur will have future control over Australia¡¯s grassroots and middle-ss elites.


    The opening of the new semester cannot be without an opening ceremony. Besides, this is the first opening ceremony for the first batch of students at Australia¡¯s first university.


    Arthur attached great importance to this opening ceremony, even deploying the Guards to handle the protocols.


    The purpose was to make these newly-enrolled university students full of zeal and dedicate their minds and spirits to serving the country and Arthur.


    The opening ceremonymenced with a speech by Arthur. He reviewed Australia¡¯s history from being a colony to bing an independent country, boasted of his achievements, and reaffirmed his goal of making Australia a great nation.


    Then he encouraged these young students and officially announced the establishment of schrships.


    Under these schemes, the newly-enrolled university students could only be at the mercy of others, like brides getting married.


    Next came the speeches by the University Principal and Deans of each department, but Arthur had no interest in listening to their endless chatter and left the stage early.


    Although Arthur only attended the opening ceremony for less than an hour, the impact was enormous.


    All Australians remembered the reforms and policies he had introduced in Australia, especially these 18 and 19-year-old youths. Due to theirck of experience in society, they can easily be influenced by public opinion, forming a blind affinity or malevolence towards a person.


    Under the influence of the media controlled by Arthur, he became a perfect monarch and a savior for Australia in the hearts of these young people.


    Given Arthur¡¯s encouragement, one can imagine the enthusiasm and impulsiveness that these young university students can unleash.


    Precisely because of this, the university¡¯s semi-militarized management was implemented smoothly. Although every day from 7 am to 8 pm, with almost 11 hours dedicated to learning, no student had anyints, and they all threw themselves into the tide of learning.


    In order to make these valuable university students acquire sufficient skills and not only engage in theoretical discussions, Arthur specifically allowed each major to have practical experience once a week, and he required all departments to cooperate with the students¡¯ practice sessions.


    For the mechanical engineering and architecture students, this would be a tough task. Since Australia¡¯s industry is still under construction, there is a lot of heavybor and equipment transportation that needs workers. These somewhat experienced students are perfect candidates.


    Although it seemed like they were being treated likeborers, practical experience allowed them to learn a lot, so none of the students opposed this arrangement. In fact, they all looked forward to their weekly hands-on activities.


    Arthur was also happy with this arrangement, while the industry sector couldn¡¯t wait for these somewhat skilled students to rece the unskilled workers. And so, the decision was made.

 Chapter 42: Queen Victoria Critically Ill

    Chapter 42: Queen Victoria Critically Ill


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Along with the opening of the university, Australian Primary Education Schools, also known as elementary schools, opened as well.


    Compared to the stricter enrollment requirements of universities, Australian primary schools have very low requirements, even virtually none.


    Compared to universities, basic education does not require expensive tuition fees, and since Arthur has already waived half of the fees, Australian people are still willing to let their children receive basic education.


    More importantly,pared to the rtively high investment in universities, the investment in primary schools is virtually close to zero except for teachers and textbooks.


    Even an ordinary high school graduate can barely be a primary school teacher, and under such circumstances, the cost of operating a primary school has been reduced to the bare minimum, with the total cost of constructing Australian primary schools equivalent to the cost of one Australian National University.


    On October 21st, Arthur set out on his journey to White Ind again. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It has been more than four months since hisst visit to White Ind, and under Arthur¡¯s management, Australia has shown a booming development trend and order, and has basically stabilized.


    However, at the same time, Queen Victoria¡¯s health has gradually declined. Although her life has been extendedpared to the previous private doctor¡¯s prediction of three months, she is indeed at the end of her rope.


    This time the notification to Arthur came from Prince Edward, who traveled a long way from the United Kingdom aboard a warship.


    Seeing his uncle again, Prince Edward seemed to have changed from the gloom of a few months ago to a bright and radiant appearance, full of happiness.


    Although the bad news of Queen Victoria made Prince Edward lose his smile, the inner satisfaction and rxation also showed involuntarily.


    ¡°Arthur, long time no see!¡± Upon seeing Arthur, Prince Edward patted him hard on the shoulder and said with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, uncle, it¡¯s been more than six months since west met.¡± Arthur¡¯s calm nod betrayed no ripples, as he calcted Prince Edward¡¯s intentions in his heart.


    ¡°How have you been in Australia?¡± Prince Edward asked with a smile.


    ¡°Very good.¡± Arthur nodded.


    The atmosphere was a bit awkward, but the good news was that they soon arrived at the harbor of White Ind. The warship slowly docked, and Prince Edward and Arthur disembarked.


    This time, there was no one to greet them, as everyone was preupied with taking care of Queen Victoria and couldn¡¯t spare any hands.


    ¡°Come on, Arthur, let¡¯s go see your grandmother.¡± Prince Edward chuckled lightly and walked straight towards Queen Victoria¡¯s estate.


    Entering the manor, Arthur smelled a strong scent of medicine, apanied by the pungent odor of disinfectant.


    Servants in the manor were busy with their duties, and some didn¡¯t notice the arrival of Prince Edward and Arthur. Some who did notice were signaled by Prince Edward not to salute.


    Swiftly entering Queen Victoria¡¯s room, the room was already filled with her descendants, and Queen Victoria was chatting andughing with them all.


    Seeing Prince Edward and Arthur enter, Queen Victoria¡¯s eyes lit up, and she said hurriedly, ¡°Arthur! Come to grandmother.¡±


    Hearing Queen Victoria¡¯s words, everyone quickly made way for Arthur, allowing him to easily reach her side.


    ¡°Arthur, you are such a good boy. How has it been in Australiately?¡± Queen Victoria shakily held Arthur¡¯s hand and asked with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, grandmother. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. With the Guards there, I am the safest in Australia.¡± Arthur responded with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good, child. You are so pitiful, my good child. Australia is and of poverty and hardship. You have suffered there.¡± Queen Victoria expertly touched Arthur¡¯s forehead and said.


    ¡°Mother, since everyone is here, why don¡¯t we have our meal first? These little ones must be hungry, so let¡¯s eat and then chat, alright?¡± Princess Beatrice noticed that Queen Victoria was in good spirits and asked at once.


    In recent days, perhaps due to abination of physical and mental ailments, Queen Victoria¡¯s appetite has waned, and she only barely eats two slices of bread and drinks a cup of milk per day.


    This time Queen Victoria¡¯s mood improved significantly, and Princess Beatrice wanted her to enjoy a good meal.


    Seeing the queen nod, Princess Beatrice immediately ordered the servants to serve lunch.


    Since the room could not amodate so many people dining at the same time, most of them had to go to the restaurant next door to eat.


    Seeing Arthur about to leave, Queen Victoria hurriedly pulled him back, saying, ¡°Arthur, have lunch with your grandmother today, alright?¡±


    Seeing Queen Victoria¡¯s hopeful eyes, Arthur found it difficult to refuse and could only nod emphatically.


    Queen Victoria¡¯s lunch was simple, consisting of mashed potatoes and milk as the main course, and a few pieces of stewed, tender beef.


    ¡°How is the life in Australia? There aren¡¯t many delicious foods, especially when Australia is barely self-sufficient in food production.¡± Queen Victoria stirred the mashed potatoes in the bowl and asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad, grandmother. Australia has arge area for cultivation, and even if the poption increases in the future, it can easily support everyone. Although the variety of food may not be as rich, it¡¯s more than enough for me. However, you, on this remote White Ind, depend heavily on the support from the British maind for basic food supplies, even though New Zend¡¯s animal husbandry is quite developed. If only Australia had some specialty products, I¡¯d really like to send you something every once in a while.¡± Arthur said apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you founded a university in Australia a while ago. How is it going? Do you need support from the UK?¡± Queen Victoria asked tirelessly.


    ¡°It¡¯s going very well, grandmother. Considering Australia¡¯s student poption and the number of teachers, the university only admits 800 students per year. The enrollment for this year has beenpleted, and the university has officially started operating. So far, the founding of the university has been very sessful. Conservatively speaking, in three years, the university will be able to train at least 800 outstanding graduates for Australia per year. These graduates will enter various industries in Australia, elerating Australia s development and construction.¡± Arthur was generally satisfied with the university¡¯s achievements.


    In this era when university scale is generally small, Australian National University, enrolling nearly 1,000 students per year, is already considered a ratherrge university.


    Although the current teaching quality of the university is not high, the graduates it can produce are more than sufficient for Australia¡¯s development and construction.

 Chapter 43: German Emperor William II

    Chapter 43: German Emperor William II


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    After hearing how well Arthur had organized the construction of Australia, Queen Victoria nodded with satisfaction and began eating lunch.


    Perhaps because of her good mood, Queen Victoria managed to finish almost all of her mashed potatoes, and even drank more than half of her juice.


    After a simple lunch, everyone gathered around Queen Victoria again, chatting with her.


    Perhaps one of the happiest things in life is being able to spend time with one¡¯s family during their final moments. At least for now, Queen Victoria¡¯s face was filled with smiles, and she was no longer looking as sickly as before.


    In the afternoon, another distinguished figure arrived on the ind ¨C William II, the Emperor of the German Empire.


    Although Germany and the United Kingdom are currentlypeting with each other and have joined opposing military blocs, William H¡¯s rtionship with Queen Victoria was not too strained and could even be described as warm.


    It was Prince Edward, who had gradually taken control of political affairs, whose rtionship with William II had deteriorated.


    Arthur also had a chance to meet his cousin, William II. It must be said that the rtionships between European nobility are veryplex, as Arthur¡¯s connections extended to more than half of Europe.


    Because there were so many nobles and officials visiting Queen Victoria, Arthur only spent some time chatting with her at the beginning. The rest of his time was spent strolling around White Ind.


    White Ind, although only about four square kilometers in size, is a beautiful ind with an active volcano.


    The many hot springs and fountains that could be found all over White Ind were its most attractive features. Lying in the warm andfortable hot springs, and admiring the beautiful scenery around them, people couldn¡¯t help but rx and immerse themselves in the stunning surroundings.


    However, Arthur was not in the mood to enjoy the hot springs, so he simply walked around White Ind alone.


    He did not bring any guards because after Queen Victoria¡¯s arrival on the ind, 2,000 Royal Guards were stationed there.


    In addition to the heavy security within the manor house, guards could be seen patrolling everywhere on the ind, so there was no need to worry about security issues.


    The center of White Ind was shrouded in smoke due to the active volcano, which was still umting energy and waiting for the next eruption.


    Since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had lived on White Ind, the volcanic ind had experienced dozens of eruptions of various sizes. Although no eruption was serious enough to cause significant damage to the ind, the frequency of eruptions was rtively high.


    ¡°Arthur, are you interested in this volcano?¡±


    Suddenly, a strange voice reached Arthur¡¯s ears. Turning around, he saw William II, whom he had met for the first time only that afternoon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m your cousin Arthur,¡± William II chuckled, skillfully positioning himself to Arthur¡¯s left and leaning on the railing.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the German Emperor,¡± Arthur saluted. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so distant, Arthur. I am your cousin, and you can call me Cousin William,¡± William II said with a smile, patting Arthur¡¯s shoulder with his right hand. ¡°You know, we haven¡¯t had a proper chance to meet, and it¡¯s only through opportunities like this that we can see each other.¡±


    Cousin? Arthur suddenly thought of a certaindy and shivered.


    ¡°I regret not being able to attend your uncle¡¯s funeral because of pressing domestic affairs at the time. I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± William II deftly moved his body slightly to better hide his left arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cousin William. As a monarch, one¡¯s domestic affairs take precedence over everything else,¡± Arthur responded with a nod.


    ¡°Arthur, what do you think of Germania?¡± William II suddenly asked. ¡°Germania? The German people are a great nation and Germany is a great country. Despite its short history, it has be a powerful country thatbines industry, military, and economy. Presently, Germany¡¯s gap with established powers is decreasing, except in the area of colonies,¡± Arthur answered truthfully.


    It had to be admitted that the German Empire¡¯s unification process had been short, but it had grown into a powerful country, with a strong industrial, military, and economic foundation, in just that short period of time.


    Germany¡¯s industrial strength, needless to say, ranked among the world¡¯s top three in steel production. Although it couldn¡¯t match the United States¡¯ leading industrial power, it had already slightly outperformed the United Kingdom.


    In terms of military power, the German Army was undoubtedly the best in the world, and its navy was also catching up to Britain¡¯s. Itsprehensive military power was undoubtedly ranked second worldwide.


    Whenparing the French, an old power holding vast colonies, it began tog behind both Britain and Germany in the areas of economy and industry.


    If France were to transfer all its colonies to Germany, there¡¯s a good chance that Germany would be able to make a bid as the world¡¯s number one superpower.


    This was also the reason why Germany and France had entered into direct conflict. France was declining, but still held the title of the world¡¯s second-rgest colonial empire.


    Despite its strength, Germany ranked behind other powers in terms of colonial range, with its colonies¡¯ total value even lower than those of the Nethends in Southeast Asia.


    Under such circumstances, the Germans¡¯ dissatisfaction with the colonial partition and their resentment toward their old neighbor, France, was only natural.


    ¡°Ha ha,¡± William IIughed at Arthur¡¯s candid response and said, ¡°You are right. What Germany currentlycks are the resources and markets brought by arge number of colonies. However, most colonies worldwide are held by Britain and France. While Britain, as the world¡¯s preeminent power, is justified in ruling so many colonies, France has be weak and is no longer entitled to enjoy such an exclusive hold on them. Why not join our camp to resist old powers, Arthur? Australia¡¯s geographical position is crucial, as it could have a significant impact on French colonies in Africa and Asia. If you are willing, Germany can provide you withplete sets of industrial equipment and arge number of immigrants to help you establish a sophisticated industrial system in a matter of years and quickly be a strong industrial nation.¡±


    Arthur was secretly surprised; he had not expected William II to take advantage of this situation to try to win him and Australia over.


    At present, the confrontation in Europe was escting, and conflicts between the two major military blocs were bing increasingly frequent. The arms race had exhausted all the countries in both blocs. </p

 Chapter 44: Germany-Australia Treaty

    Chapter 44: Germany-Australia Treaty


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Honestly, if Arthur hadn¡¯t known about Germany¡¯s fate, he would have agreed to William Il¡¯s terms very simply.


    Although there is a lot of equipment from the United Kingdom, it would take at least ten years for Australia to develop aplete industrial system.


    But with Germany¡¯s help, this time can be shortened infinitely, and Australia¡¯s industry could even undergo earth-shattering changes every year.


    In terms of industry, Germany definitely has the strength topete with Britain, and even if it had the same amount of colonies as Britain and France, Germany¡¯s industrial strength could confront the United States.


    Seeing Arthur hesitating, William II continued tough and said, ¡°If Arthur thinks this is not enough, Germania can also provide Australia with over 500 million marks of low-interest loans and send industrial experts to Australia to help you build aplete industrial system.¡±


    Five hundred million marks is roughly equivalent to ¡ê25 million, which is not a small amount of money.


    More importantly, after Germany¡¯s defeat in World War I, the German mark would be devalued wildly. The current 500 million marks is worth ¡ê25 million, but in the future, it may not even be worth 500,000 pounds.


    If this loan is repaid twenty yearster, wouldn¡¯t it mean that Germany would have given Arthur more than 20 million pounds for free?


    ¡°Cousin William, although I am tempted by your proposal, you know that Australia is a vast and sparsely popted agricultural country. We are very backward in industry and economy, and I am afraid we cannot help Germany,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Although Germany¡¯s conditions are very tempting, it is still too simple to want Australia to enter the whirlpool of World War I with such conditions alone.


    ¡°Of course, Arthur. Once the war in Europe breaks out, most of the French army will be concentrated on the European and African battlefields, including their fleets. All you have to do is harass their African and Asian colonies and continuously cause damage. The great German Army will crush them on the front lines, no matter how many people they have,¡± William II said proudly.


    William II indeed had the confidence to say such words. Like the British Empire¡¯s undisputed first navy, the German Empire was also the undisputed first army, both in terms of the individual quality of its soldiers and its overall military strength. The second and third-ranked countries had not inconsiderable gapspared to Germania.


    ¡°Cousin William, Australia can¡¯t help if we join your camp and oppose France, but we can still do something if we secretly support you and pose a small threat to France,¡± Arthurughed and said, ¡°But you also know Australiacks everything. Even if we want to do something for Germany, we don¡¯t have the power to do so. I hope that in addition to support in industry and finance, Germany can also support Australia in terms of firearms and warships. In return for Germany¡¯s support, Australia promises to choose the right time during the war to sabotage France¡¯s African and Asian colonies, attracting some of the French military¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Arthur. I am d to see you stand by my side, not like Uncle Edward. I originally thought that based on our blood rtionship, Germany and the United Kingdom could be good allies. But I didn¡¯t expect Uncle Edward to insist on standing with France, so I can only say sorry to Grandmother Victoria,¡± William II nodded in satisfaction and smiled at Arthur.


    Because of his own blood rtionship, William II was initially closer to Britain.


    But due to Germany¡¯s growing rise, it naturally formed an opposition to Britain. Even if William II wanted to mend the rift between them, it was toote.


    ¡°Cousin William, I hope that Germany¡¯s aid will arrive in Australia soon. At least before the European war breaks out, Australia needs to build aplete industrial system so that it can help Germania during the war,¡± Arthur said with a smile, not minding William H¡¯sints about the Crown Prince Edward.


    For Arthur, the sooner he gets his hands on Germany¡¯s aid without any cost, the more at ease he will be.


    As for the future issue of loan repayment, it may not even cost a fraction of the current loan.


    ¡°Haha, no problem, Arthur. I promise you that the industrial equipment, financial support, and personnel I offered will arrive in Australia before Christmas. But I hope that the rtionship between Germany and Australia can be kept secret for now, and it would be best not to mention this matter to anyone. This way, Australia can deliver a fatal blow to France at a critical moment and make the best use of the treaty,¡± said William II with augh, not at all concerned.


    For William II, this support is just a drop in the bucket for the national losses.


    But if it can exchange for Australia¡¯s serious damage to French colonies during the war, even doubling this condition would be very worthwhile for Germania.


    After all, most of France¡¯s economy and raw materialse from colonies. Once the colonies are destroyed and threatened, it means that France¡¯s economy and industry are facing significant threats.


    ¡°No problem, Cousin William,¡± Arthur agreed hurriedly.


    Arthur was originally hesitating about how to bring up the request so that William II would agree not to publicize Australia¡¯s rtionship with Germany.


    Given the current situation, even with Australia¡¯s full support, Germany has no hope of defeating Britain and France. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    If Australia is drawn into Germany¡¯s whirlpool and bes a defeated country in World War I, it would be contrary to Arthur¡¯s vision of Australia¡¯s rise.


    Australia can participate in World War I, but it must be as a victorious country. This way, Australia can seek its own interests after the end of World War I and establish its sphere of influence in the South Pacific Ocean.


    ¡°As for the construction technology of firearms and warships you requested, I allow you to introduce it from Germany. As for what technology can be purchased, it depends on the ability of your diplomats,¡± William II said with a smile.


    Many of Germany¡¯s more famous technologies are controlled by capitalists who have established military factories and shipyards.


    Although many of these are government-designated factories, it isn¡¯t that simple for William II to ask them to give up their technology on a singlemand.


    ¡°Of course, Cousin William. We are very sincere in introducing German technology, and I will send a diplomatic mission to Germany after returning,¡± Arthur said with a smile.

 Chapter 45: Conversation

    Chapter 45: Conversation


    Trantor: 549690339


    The conversation with William II went smoothly, which greatly improved Arthur¡¯s mood that had been at an all-time low due to Queen Victoria¡¯s critical


    illness.


    Seeing that Queen Victoria wouldn¡¯tst much longer, even though Arthur and Queen Victoria had deep feelings for each other, he had to consider Australia¡¯s


    future.


    Once he lost Queen Victoria¡¯s protection and support, he would essentially lose support from the United Kingdom.


    Although Prince Edward appeared to have a good rtionship with Arthur on the surface, he definitely would not go to great lengths to help Arthur and


    Australia rise.


    Arthur certainly had leverage over Prince Edward, but if such leverage were made public, not only Prince Edward¡¯s status and reputation would be greatly impacted, but even the status of the British monarchs, nobles, and monarchs worldwide would be greatly affected as well.


    As a member of the British royal family, to a certain extent, Arthur shared the fortunes and misfortunes with the British royal family.


    If the British royal family¡¯s status was dramatically impacted, Arthur¡¯s legitimate status in Australia might also be affected.


    After all, although monarchism is still the mainstream in European countries, in reality, democracy and the liberal faction have already dealt a huge blow to monarchism.


    Instead of exposing this evidence and leverage, using it to gain enough benefits from Prince Edward would be the more appropriate solution.


    However, by doing so, Arthur would naturally move towards opposition with Prince Edward, and although they would not breakpletely with the British Empire, close cooperation between Australia and the British Empire during Prince Edward¡¯s reign would be impossible.


    Both William II and Arthur felt happy after achieving their rtively satisfactory goals, making the already stunningly beautiful White Ind scenery even more outstanding in their eyes.


    ¡°Arthur, what do you think of the current European situation? The European confrontation is now clear. Do you favor our Triple Alliance more or the French-Russian so-called St. Petersburg Military Pact?¡± On the way back to the manor house, William II suddenly asked Arthur.


    ¡°The European situation?¡± Arthur was taken aback but continued, ¡°Given the current confrontation, I think the strengths of the two major military blocs are almost bnced. France and Russia have a vastnd area and poption, while Germania has a strong military and advanced industry. I think that if a short war breaks out, the advantage lies with Germania. But if the warsts for a long time, the advantage will gradually shift to the French-Russian side.¡±


    This was actually the answer from the original history. Although Germany fought bravely in the early stages of the war, the conflict quickly turned into a war of attrition. Germany waspletely outmatched by Britain, France, and Russia, three countries with vast territories and poptions.


    Especially when their maritime transport routes were cut off, Germany, despite its enormous industry, would stagnate due to ack of raw materials.


    ¡°Hahaha, Arthur, you underestimate one thing: the greatness of the Junker nobility and the power of the German forces. No matter how vast the territories of France and Russia are, they will not withstand the furious assault of the German forces. Once the war breaks out, all German troops are confident that, just like thest Franco-Prussian War, they will swiftly capture Paris and quickly end the war,¡± William IIughed, directly refuting Arthur¡¯s point of


    view.


    The war William II mentioned was the establishment of the German Empire and the famous Franco-Prussian War.


    The Franco-Prussian War began with France¡¯s initiation and led to Napoleon Ill¡¯s surrender with his army in less than two months.


    Even when France experienced a revolution and continued to resist Prussia, they still met defeat in the face of the relentless onught of Prussian forces, resulting in the capture of Paris and the forced signing of a humiliating peace treaty by the French government of the time.


    This war directly led to the copse of the Second French Empire and the establishment of the Third French Republic as a result of the revolution in


    France.


    It also reimed the coal-rich Alsace and Lorraine regions, which had been upied by France, forcing them to payrge reparations. This led to France¡¯s decline during the Second Industrial Revolution, causing them to fall behind other powers and lose their dominant position in Central and Western Europe, as they were overtaken by Germania in every aspect.


    This was the reason for William Il¡¯s confidence. If the German forces had triumphantly captured Paris a few decades ago, why couldn¡¯t they achieve this great feat again now, when they were even more powerful?


    It could be said that because of his childhood physical defects, William II had developed a prideful yet insecure personality.


    Furthermore, due to his single-handed ousting of Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor, from German politics, William II gained considerable influence in German political circles.


    All of the Germans were fantasizing about defeating France quickly after the war broke out, and who could have imagined that the war wouldst for several years, ultimately bringing about the copse of the once invincible German Empire?


    ¡°Cousin William, perhaps you¡¯re right. But France and Russia, as individual powerful nations, each dominate their own corners, while the strength of the Allied Nations is barely matched by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I¡¯m not very optimistic about Italy¡¯s performance. Italy has direct regional conflicts with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and although these are overshadowed by even greater conflicts with France, who can guarantee that France won¡¯t back down to win over Italy?¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Reminding William II wasn¡¯t to show that Arthur wanted to support the Alliance, as a more intense conflict within Europe would be beneficial to Australia as well.


    For the first World War¡¯s situation to be truly clear, they would have to wait for the United States to decide to join the war. Before that point, both major military blocs would have their wins and losses, and the war would be rtively bnced.


    So why couldn¡¯t the one to stir up the situation be Australia? With ten years of development, Arthur was confident that he could build a decent industrial system and even have the power to directly influence World War I. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    There¡¯s a significant difference in post-war status between a neutral country and a victorious one. Moreover, there were many lucrative ns in ce during World War I. These established powerful nations had been exploiting their colonies for hundreds of years. Why couldn¡¯t Australia do the same for a while? ¡°Perhaps, Arthur. But we have no extravagant expectations of Italy, either. All they need is to remain neutral during the war and not turn to the French- Russian side. Germania has the confidence to defeat France in a short time and end the war once and for all.¡±


    As an extremely proud yet extremely confident fanatic, William II would not be easily swayed by Arthur.


    Of course, Arthur didn¡¯t intend to persuade William II either. What is more important for Arthur and Australia now is how to obtain benefits from the two major military blocs to allow Australia to develop rapidly.

 Chapter 46: The Will of Queen Victoria

    Chapter 46: The Will of Queen Victoria


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    By the time Arthur and William II returned to the Manor House, it was past four in the afternoon.


    Queen Victoria¡¯s grave illness was no longer a secret among Europe¡¯s upper echelons, and thus numerous dignitaries from all countries came to express their sympathy towards the Queen. The tiny harbor of White Ind found itself congested.


    When Arthur saw Queen Victoria again, it was already past five in the afternoon.


    Throughout the afternoon, hundreds of European dignitaries, royalty, as well as Queen Victoria¡¯s descendants, took turns to have brief chats with her.


    Tallying up Queen Victoria¡¯s life, she had made significant contributions both to the British Royal Family and the United Kingdom.


    Under Queen Victoria¡¯s reign, Britain became the world¡¯s leading nation, establishing the British Empire, and ascending to the throne of global hegemony.


    In the hearts of all British people, Queen Victoria was an irreceable great monarch, a witness to the Golden Age of Britain.


    In hidden corners of the British maind, various colonies, and even various parts of the world, one could see people spontaneously offering blessings and prayers for Queen Victoria.


    This elderly woman, who had worked a lifetime for the British Royal Family and the government, gained the recognition of not only all British people but also most Europeans, at the end of her life.


    Compared to at noon, Queen Victoria¡¯splexion was visibly worse by the afternoon. Her breathing was even morebored, her chest rising and falling rapidly.


    The most obvious difference could be seen in the number of doctors and nurses in the room, which had grown from a few at noon to a crowd by the afternoon. Perhaps sensing her own physical condition, Queen Victoria started to call anxiously for someone.


    People close to her listened carefully and finally heard whom Queen Victoria was calling for.


    ¡°Arthur! Arthur!¡±


    ¡°Quick, find Arthur! Her Majesty wants to see Arthur, hurry!¡± The people began rying Queen Victoria¡¯smand.


    At that moment, Arthur had already arrived inside the Manor House and was slowly making his way towards the room.


    After hearing people¡¯s anxious call, Arthur gave a start. He quickened his steps and in a few strides reached Queen Victoria¡¯s room, pushing open the door. ¡°Arthur!¡± Upon seeing Arthur entering, Queen Victoria¡¯s dim eyes brightened as she called out.


    ¡°Grandmother, I am here. Arthur is here.¡± Arthur stepped forward quickly, grasping the hand that Queen Victoria had hanging in mid-air.


    ¡°Arthur, your grandmother loves you. Please forgive me, but the prestige of the British Royal Family cannot be damaged, otherwise, everyone will be doomed. I have told Edward topensate you further and help Australia establish its industry. Arthur, live well with your father¡¯s and my wishes. Don¡¯t dwell on the past anymore, okay?¡± Queen Victoria held onto Arthur¡¯s hand tightly, saying with difficulty.


    ¡°I understand, grandmother. Don¡¯t worry, Arthur has never med you, grandmother.¡± Arthur nodded hastily in response.


    That¡¯s good, child. Your father was my favorite son and you are my favorite grandson. Arthur, I know you have your ambitions, but they also require a long period of umtion, don¡¯t they?¡± Queen Victoria exerted herst bit of strength, smoothly caressing Arthur¡¯s forehead, saying with a smile.


    ¡°I understand, grandmother. Don¡¯t speak anymore, rest well. When you get better, we will chat more.¡± Arthur, sensing the dwindling strength in Queen Victoria¡¯s hand, responded reluctantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, child. Go call Edward over.¡± Queen Victoria continued to speak.


    Prince Edward had already been waiting nearby. Hearing Queen Victoria mentioning his name, he quickly knelt by the side of the bed.


    ¡°Edward, no matter what, Arthur is your nephew, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s already lost a father and will soon lose a grandmother. Protect this child well; this is my final request to you.¡± Queen Victoria looked at Edward as she spoke.


    ¡°Yes, mother. Rest assured, as long as I¡¯m alive, no one will be able to harm


    Arthur.¡± Prince Edward hurriedly nodded in response.


    ¡°All the attendants and guards I brought with me, including their families, will be gifted to Arthur upon my death.¡± Queen Victoria dered, ¡°The administration of British New Guinea is left to Australia, while Britain gives up all sovereignty and administrative power. At the same time, Arthur is officially recognized as the Governor of New Zend for a term of twenty years. No one is allowed to revoke the position of Governor in any way. In twenty years, ording to New Zend public opinion, a decision will be made as to whether to remain with Australia or return to Britain.¡±


    ¡°This is, yes, mother.¡± While Prince Edward hesitated greatly, he ultimately had toply with Queen Victoria¡¯smand.


    This was because he saw Queen Victoria¡¯s fierce gaze; if he dared to say a single word of refusal, her will might contain uses handing the session over to someone else.


    This had caused quite amotion. After all, thebinednds of British New Guinea and New Zend cover several hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.


    More importantly, both locations are very close to Australia. If Australia were to gain full control of these areas, it would naturally dominate the South Pacific, beyond the reach of any other nation.


    As for Queen Victoria¡¯s appointment of Arthur as the Governor of New Zend for twenty years, it seemed to everyone there like she was simply handing New Zend over to Arthur for free.


    Could New Zend possibly escape Australia¡¯s grasp after being under its control for twenty years? N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Edward, I want you to promise that for twenty years, the British Empire will not engage in any activities rted to Australia, even diplomatic threats. Moreover, for a decade, the British Empire will provide all kinds of support to Australia, including military assistance, acknowledging and ensuring Australia as a fully independent country. During this time, you have to provide at least 5milhon pounds of various supports annually to Australia, without any excuse to stop immigration to Australia.¡± Queen Victoria continued.


    Prince Edward reluctantly continued to make promises to Queen Victoria.


    Once these promises were implemented, Australia would not have to worry about any foreign enemies for ten years, as the British Empire would provide support at the first sign of trouble.


    As for the eventuality of Prince Edward not keeping his promises, with most European leaders and royal families present, if Prince Edward were to betray his words, he would instantly lose prestige and credibility among other countries¡¯ dignitaries and the British people.


    Queen Victoria¡¯s goal was simple: to make Edward promise under such public scrutiny, leaving him no chance to resist or refuse.

 Chapter 47: Death of the Queen

    Chapter 47: Death of the Queen


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Arthur was deeply moved. At the end of her life, Queen Victoria was concerned and worried not about the British Empire she managed all her life, nor about her many offspring revolving around her, but about Arthur.


    Queen Victoria poured all her love into Prince Albert. After the loss of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria transferred all her love to Duke Arthur.


    Yet once again, after the loss of Duke Arthur, Queen Victoria transferred her love untouched, to Arthur.


    Perhaps Queen Victoria, due to loss of husband followed by the loss of a son, led to significant deterioration in her mental and physical condition, but no one can deny that Queen Victoria¡¯s love for Prince Albert, Duke Arthur, and Arthur was so pure, so wholehearted. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At this point, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on Arthur. Everyone knew that, besides Queen Victoria, Arthur had be the main character of the day, and was even about to be the most watched noble in the world in theing time.


    Do not underestimate Queen Victoria¡¯s influence. In original history, it was because William II held Queen Victoria¡¯s hand tightly at the end of her life, which caused the British people who originally had no good feelings about Germany to generally have a favorable impression of William II. Perhaps, if it was not for William H¡¯s obsession with defeating France and challenging the maritime power of the British Empire, everything might have had a turn of events.


    Now, during the important stage of making a will, Queen Victoria mentioned Arthur first, and Arthur was always by her side.


    Under such circumstances, who dares to reject any conditions Queen Victoria promised to Arthur in the future?


    ording to Queen Victoria¡¯s towering prestige in the United Kingdom, plus Arthur¡¯s tragic background of losing his father and grandmother, even Prince Edward has to weigh whether he can withstand the consequences of threatening Arthur.


    ¡°Arthur,¡± said Queen Victoria after instructing Prince Edward, looking at Arthur trying to maintain her smile. ¡°I leave British New Guinea and New Zend to you, hoping that you can manage these two regions well,bining Australia, creating a powerful country, never worrying about any dangers. Grandmother might not be able to apany you in the future, Arthur. You have to go on, grandmother will be watching over you from heaven.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t talk like that.¡± Even if Arthur¡¯s heart is mature, he is moved to tears facing this situation, and can only hold Queen Victoria¡¯s hands tightly, expressing hisplicated and tangled feelings.


    ¡°Child, don¡¯t cry. You are the Duke of Australia, a noble I¡¯m proud of. Even in the face of any situation, don¡¯t cry, okay? You have to remember, you still have millions of people waiting for your management and rule, you cannot show this in front of them,¡± Queen Victoria wiped away Arthur¡¯s tears with a smile, speaking gently.


    The next step was for Queen Victoria to formally confirm the will. Throughout this stage, Arthur was in a daze and did not listen to all of Queen Victoria¡¯s will.


    Fortunately, this stage was one that everyone could listen to together. Also, there would be a special person recording it to prevent any tampering with the will.


    It was only when Queen Victoria had finished all the will, that Arthur gradually came back to his senses. Looking at Queen Victoria who was utterly exhausted, Arthur was deeply moved and reluctant, but death isn¡¯t something ordinary people can stop. Seeing Queen Victoria¡¯s condition gradually worsening, everyone understood that perhaps today would truly be thest day.


    ¡°Arthur, Arthur!¡±


    In the quiet, Queen Victoria¡¯s weak call sounded desperately strained.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here! Speak up, grandmother, Arthur is here.¡± Arthur quickly tightened his grip on Queen Victoria¡¯s hand in response.


    ¡°Live well. Your grandmother and father will pray for you in heaven. Arthur, you are a good boy, your grandmother is proud of you.¡± Queen Victoria¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed, using thest bit of energy to squeeze out a few words: ¡°Albert, Arthur, I¡¯ming.¡±


    It ended. Everything ended.


    The great monarch, vital to both the British government and ordinary people, Queen Victoria, who single-handedly created the Victorian era of the British Empire during her 63-year reign over Britain and 24-year reign as Empress of India, bid farewell to everyone this way.


    When Queen Victoria¡¯s hand droppedpletely, Arthur understood that he had lost his beloved grandmother, and perhaps, from now on, Britain would truly have nothing to do with him.


    ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Grandmother!¡± ¡°Great-grandmother!¡± ¡°YourMajesty!¡±


    Each callout of the chaotic and heavy voices represented the mood of everyone at the scene.


    When everyone surged forward , pushing Arthur down in front of Queen Victoria¡¯s bed, Arthur gradually came back to his senses. Everything seemed so incredible, yet it was so real.


    ¡°Alright everyone, the departure of Her Majesty the Queen is something none of us wanted to see. But at least Her Majesty left with a smile, without any worries or troubles. Let¡¯s all pray for Her Majesty, everyone, there is no need to shout here.¡± William II stood up and said to everyone.


    Although everyone¡¯s sadness and breakdown over Queen Victoria¡¯s departure was understandable, if they continued to scream and howl in such a situation, it would appear disrespectful to Queen Victoria.


    ¡°Folks, we all can¡¯t bear the departure of Her Majesty the Queen, but it¡¯s not in our control. Her Majesty¡¯s departure was a happy one, she was apanied by all her offspring, and she fulfilled all her wishes. But Her Majesty¡¯s departure has a profound impact on everyone, on the entire British Royal family, and even on the entire British Empire. It is uneptable. I suggest that all nations organize activities tomemorate Her Majesty the Queen. All nations shall half-mast for a week in memory of Queen Victoria.¡± Crown Prince Edward would not let William II steal the show under such circumstances, and so, he continued speaking.


    Given Britain¡¯s status in Queen Victoria¡¯s era, having all major European nations half-mast tomemorate Queen Victoria was entirely eptable.


    The reason Crown Prince Edward said this was, on one hand, to highlight the status and power of the British Empire. On the other hand, it was to subtly remind William II that although on noble level, being an Emperor William II is the most noble, but this ce is still Britain¡¯s territory, and he, Edward, will soon be King of Britain and Emperor of India.

 Chapter 48: Returning to Australia

    Chapter 48: Returning to Australia


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    October 24,1900, the first day after Queen Victoria¡¯s death.


    As soon as the queen stopped breathing yesterday afternoon, someone was assigned to collect Queen Victoria¡¯s body and transport it back to the British maind for burial.


    Although Queen Victoria always wanted to stay on White Ind, as the monarch of the British Empire and the queen admired and revered by all British people, her body was ultimately to be buried in the royal cemetery on the British maind.


    The transportation of the body was very difficult; traveling from White Ind to the British maind took at least half a month, and the time could be even longer if resupplying along the way was taken into ount.


    To have Queen Victoria transported to the British maind as soon as possible, Crown Prince Edward ordered the HMS Renown to be responsible for the operation.


    As one of the fastest warships in the Royal Navy, the Renown could cover the voyage from the British maind to New Zend in just over twenty days.


    While Britain was busy transporting Queen Victoria¡¯s body, there was no reason for the royal families and upper echelons of other countries to continue staying on White Ind.


    Everyone bid each other farewell and then boarded warships to return to their own countries.


    Among them, the only one with some friendship with Arthur was William II. Before leaving, William II specifically called Arthur aside, and the two talked for a while.


    William II was very surprised by Queen Victoria¡¯s care and love for Arthur. Originally, he nned to stay beside his grandmother Queen Victoriast night to win the good graces of the British people.


    However, to his surprise, it was because of Arthur that he, as an emperor, did not approach Queen Victoriast night.


    However, William II did not mind; he only reaffirmed the cooperation treaty between Germany and Australia.


    After all, it is evident to anyone with eyes that after Queen Victoria handed over the administration of British New Guinea and New Zend to Arthur, Australia would be the most powerful country in the Southern Hemisphere with no rivals in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.


    The onlypetitor to Australia, the British Empire, not only had the soon-to- be King Edward agree to a non-aggression treaty under Queen Victoria¡¯s request but also promised to protect Australia as an independent country for ten years.


    With ten years and the dual support of the British Empire and Germany, Australia could undoubtedly fully integrate the power of British New Guinea and New Zend, and even the British Empire would be helpless to deal with this monster it created.


    However, William II was still happy about it since Germany had little interest in this area other than a piece of German New Guinea.


    But in reality, whether it¡¯s British New Guinea or German New Guinea, the poption is not veryrge; even the entire New Guinea has just reached a poption of 1.4 million.


    In William H¡¯s heart, if he could exchange German New Guinea for the strong support of the integrated Australia for Germany in World War I, that would be eptable.


    If the Australia before integration could only harass France¡¯s colonies from the rear, the integrated Australia would have the ability to threaten France¡¯s colonies in future wars, and even annexation of some remote areas would not be a problem.


    Take French New Caledonia, for example, which is very close to the Australian maind. If a conflict between Australia and France broke out, could France defend this area?


    It should be known that the logistical costs brought by distance are measured in tens of times, and the cost of defending this area by France may far exceed the value of the area itself.


    Therefore, William H¡¯s intention to win Arthur over was even more apparent, even specifically promising to arrange support for Australian industry after returning and expedite German-Australian cooperation.


    The reason for William Il¡¯s urgency was that, before Queen Victoria¡¯s death, she had specifically instructed the British Empire to provide at least 5 million pounds of support to Australia each year for ten years and not to cut off the source of immigrants.


    This would bring Australia, which was already breaking away from the United Kingdom, even closer to the United Kingdom, which was not in the interests of William II.


    In order to win over Arthur, William II decided to initiate a n for German immigration to Australia. As long as more than half of Australia¡¯s poption was German, wouldn¡¯t Australia¡¯s policies subtly lean towards Germany?


    Arthur did not know William Il¡¯s inner thoughts, but even if he did, he would only give a light smile.


    To change the poption structure of Australia, at least 4 million Germans would have to emigrate to Australia.


    Such a huge number is simply impossible for Germany to aplish even in twenty years, let alone ten.


    And during these twenty years, Australia could attract millions or even tens of millions of immigrants from all over Europe and even the world, making it even more impossible to change the entire immigrant structure.


    The only way to turn the majority of Australians into German descendants is to introduce immigrants only from Germany to Australia in a short period of time.


    But Arthur is not stupid, although the German poption has a rtively high literacy rate and is generally more educated.


    However, after all, in an immigrant country like Australia, it is necessary to ensure the advantage and proportion of the main ethnic group.


    Although Arthur is willing to ept immigrants from other countries, this must be based on the condition that the proportion of Australians of British descent remains more than fifty percent of Australia¡¯s total poption. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    An immigrant country needs diversification, but the right to speak requires only one. In order to prevent future immigration from giving birth to many problems, it is necessary to increase the proportion of the main ethnic group.


    After saying goodbye to William II, Arthur also set sail for Australia on a warship.


    But this time, in addition to Prince Edward, there were two thousand Royal Guards and hundreds of attendants around Arthur.


    The Royal Guards are naturally the elite troops of the British Army. With Arthur¡¯s original guards, the scale of the guards will reach four thousand, making Arthur¡¯s position even firmer.


    Queen Victoria¡¯s gift of these attendants to Arthur is not without intent. After all, Arthur is an outsider in Australia, and although he has sessfully seized power and gained the support of most Australians, some things still need to be guarded against.


    In addition, Arthur¡¯s forces in the United Kingdom have beenpletely thrown away. It would theoretically be very difficult for Arthur to recruit loyal attendants.


    After all, no one can guarantee the loyalty of the newly recruited attendants. People¡¯s hearts are separated by their stomachs.


    But the attendants of Queen Victoria are different. Most of them have served in the British royal family since childhood, with extreme loyalty to Queen Victoria.


    After Queen Victoria gave these attendants to Arthur, their loyalty changed to Arthur as well.


    These people are much more loyal than the attendants Arthur had painstakingly recruited in Australia, and they are even more experienced in serving people and as subordinates.

 Chapter 49: The Crowd at Sydney Harbour

    Chapter 49: The Crowd at Sydney Harbour


    Trantor: 549690339


    October 26,1900, Sydney Harbour.


    After a journey of more than a day, Arthur finally led over two thousand soldiers and followers from White Ind to Sydney.


    Transporting these two thousand people was not an easy task, and the weak Australian navy could not manage it alone.


    Fortunately, William II saw Arthur¡¯s dilemma before leaving and dispatched a transport ship from German New Guinea, which transported these people to Australia intact.


    Sydney Harbour.


    At this moment, the port of Sydney was already filled with the crowds and officials weing Arthur.


    After a few days of news spreading, the world had already learned of the departure of one of the greatest monarchs of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria.


    Arthur¡¯s deeds would also be known to people worldwide, apanying Queen Victoria¡¯s will and instructions in her final moments.


    At this time, the crowds at the port all came to wee Arthur, whosest words as Queen Victoria¡¯s sessor were spread, followed by major newspapers and known to everyone in the world.


    That sentence ¡°You have lost your father, and you will soon lose your grandmother¡± touched many people.


    The reason these Australians chose to stand at the port to wee Arthur was actually to express an attitude: Australians will always stand behind Arthur, and Australia will always be Arthur¡¯s support.


    Do not underestimate Queen Victoria¡¯s prestige in any region of the British Empire, nor Arthur¡¯s prestige in Australia now.


    It was precisely because of the addition of Queen Victoria¡¯s and Arthur¡¯s prestige, as well as Queen Victoria¡¯s instructions in her final moments, that the British began to sympathize with Arthur, apassionate fellow member of the British Royal Family who is not yet of legal age and forced to go to Australia.


    However, Australians have a different affection for Arthur; they have personally experienced his various welfare policies, and they are the only beneficiaries of his tax reduction policy.


    They have already epted and recognized, and even highly respected, Arthur, this neer ruler, and believed that he is the outstanding monarch who can genuinely lead Australia to rise and make Australians proud.


    Under such circumstances, some passionate Australians could not help bute to Sydney Harbour to let their monarch, Arthur, know that Australians will always love and support Arthur, and Australia will always be Arthur¡¯s backing.


    In any case, perhaps Queen Victoria¡¯sst instructions were just a manifestation of her true feelings, without any ulterior motives.


    However, these warm words did indeed win Arthur the favor and sympathy of all the British people and made most Australians choose to stand together and support this benevolent ruler.


    As soon as the warship approached the harbor, cheers from the crowd on the harbor prated the thick steel tes into Arthur¡¯s ears.


    Arthur was taken aback, and he did not expect so many people to gather at the port at this moment, and they were all shouting vigorously.


    As he stepped off the warship and onto the harbor, the shouts of the crowd grew louder and even drove the birds in the sky to flutter away.


    ¡°Long live Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Australians will always be with Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!¡±


    Although the shouts of the crowd were chaotic, Arthur could still hear several unified ones quite clearly.


    Upon hearing the shouts of the crowd, even the heavy-hearted Arthur could not help but be moved.


    As it turned out, the various policies Arthur implemented in Australia were not fruitless. In this age where monarchism still prevails, a kind and loving monarch like Arthur will inevitably win the love and loyalty of most people.


    The moment Arthur stepped off the warship, Prime Minister Evan led all cab members to greet him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Everyone bowed to Arthur, and then tried to persuade Arthur to grieve less.


    ¡°Prime Minister Evan, what is this?¡± Arthur pointed to the surrounding crowd and looked at Prime Minister Evan with doubts.


    ¡°Your Highness, this is not arranged by the government. These people, upon hearing of Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s passing, spontaneously came to wee and console you.¡± Prime Minister Evan hurriedlyughed and exined.


    ¡°Alright, let everyone disperse! Everyone has work to do; there is no need to gather here. Tell everyone that I will not fall because of setbacks, and neither will Australia. We have received support from the United Kingdom, and the country will only develop more rapidly.¡± Arthur waved his hand, gesturing for the crowd to disperse.


    Although thousands of peopleing to greet Arthur was impressive, in reality, Australia was currently undergoing rapid development, and most of these people had jobs.


    Just for weing Arthur, not getting their work done, or having to dy work for a day would be counterproductive.


    ¡°Your Highness, is it true that we will rule over British New Guinea and New Zend?¡± At this moment, a question suddenly emerged from the crowd.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Arthur looked at the source of the sound, a teenager who just came of age.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Arthur asked with interest.


    Many Australians participated in the cheering, but few dared to face Arthur and ask questions loudly, even essentially absent.


    ¡°Harry Murray, Your Highness, William Henry Harry Murray.¡± The young man replied.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Arthur was somewhat stunned, not expecting that someone randomly encountered among the crowd would have some fame inter generations.


    Harry Murray, or William Henry Harry Murray, was an Australian soldier during World War I and was generally described in World War II as receiving the highest honor among British soldiers.


    The honor received by William Henry Harry Murray is the Victoria Cross, which was proposed by Queen Victoria.


    How difficult is it to obtain this medal? From its birth date in 1856 untilter generations, it has only been awarded more than 1,300 times, and only 13 times since the end of World War II and inter generations.


    This medal was initially proposed by Queen Victoria to award heroes in the Crimean War and eventually became the highest honor for British soldiers, the highest medal that all British soldiers dreamed of.


    The fact that one person could receive this medal shows that William Henry Harry Murray made significant contributions and achievements in World War I.


    ¡°Nice name, Harry. Indeed, Her Majesty the Queen has entrusted British New Guinea to Australia, and I¡¯m to be appointed as Governor of New Zend. British New Guinea will be a part of Australia in the future.¡± Arthur nodded and said.


    As soon as Arthur said this, the surrounding crowd immediately erupted into strong cheers. Nothing makes people happier than expanding the territory of the country, especially peacefully expanding the territory without losing a single soldier.

 Chapter 50: Australian New Guinea

    Chapter 50: Australian New Guinea


    Trantor: 549690339


    After hearing what Arthur said, everyone present fell into a frenzied celebration. Even the cab officials who had already entered the upper echelons of the government were all beaming with joy.


    The peaceful expansion and development of the country were definitely what everyone wanted to see, not to mention thends of British New Guinea and New Zend, which were very close to Australia. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    British New Guinea is located not far north of Australia, with a poption of about 700,000.


    The value of thisnd is not very high, and the poption is not veryrge, but it can be an important gateway to the north of Australia and a stepping stone for spying on Southeast Asia.


    To the west and northwest of British New Guinea lies the Dutch East Indies colony of the Nethends.


    The development potential of the Dutch East Indies should not be underestimated, with a total area of nearly two million square kilometers and a total poption of over 20 million.


    More importantly, the inhabitants of the Dutch East Indies are so-called indigenous peoples who are not regarded as human beings by Westerners and are ves.


    As long as a piece of the Dutch East Indies can be obtained, arge amount of freebor can be obtained, which can also serve as cannon fodder for the development of Australian industry.


    In Arthur¡¯s view, these people who cannot be integrated into Australia¡¯s diverse culture and cannot be true Australians have the greatest use of sacrificing their lives for the development of Australia.


    As for New Zend, it goes without saying that although its various mineral resources are not as prosperous as those of Australia, it is a good country in terms of animal husbandry and can just make up for the shortage of arablend in Australia.


    If Australia can fully integrate British New Guinea and New Zend, it will not be a problem for the merged country to amodate a poption of hundreds of millions.


    It must be said that even in thest moments of her life, Queen Victoria fought for a lot of benefits for Arthur and his Australia, giving Australia the capital necessary for its rise and the potential to be a superpower.


    However, for the United Kingdom, the departure of Queen Victoria is a pure loss. As a queen who has ruled the country for more than sixty years, Queen Victoria¡¯s prestige in the United Kingdom is unparalleled, and the monarch¡¯s power she has gained cannot bepared with that of the soon-to-be ascended Prince Edward.


    It can be said that when Queen Victoria was willful, she could dismiss and appoint prime ministers ording to her own wishes without worrying about being criticized by the government and the people.


    But if Prince Edward dares to do so, then the next day the streets will be full of news using Prince Edward, and protests against tyrants in various parts of the empire.


    After all, the United Kingdom is still a constitutional monarchy, with limited power for the monarch.


    Even with someone like Queen Victoria, who has umted prestige over a long period of time and enjoys the support of the people, it is difficult for her to regain some say in government affairs. But when the throne is passed down, these temporary powers cannot be inherited by the new monarch.


    Prince Edward has two things to worry about in the short term: one is to arrange Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral well, to satisfy both the European royal families and the British royal family, and to satisfy the British people who love Queen Victoria.


    At the same time, Prince Edward has tomunicate well with the government, after all, the government that Queen Victoria can suppress may not necessarily be suppressed by Prince Edward.


    However, Arthur was not aware of Prince Edward¡¯s troubles. After settling the guards and attendants presented by Queen Victoria, he called a Cab meeting the next day to discuss how to take over British New Guinea and New Zend.


    ording to the agreement with Prince Edward, once Australian soldiers arrive, all British soldiers and forces will be withdrawn from British New Guinea, which will then be officially handed over to Australia for management.


    As for whether to turn it into a new state of Australia or continue as a colony, that is something Australia needs to worry about.


    It was for this reason that Arthur decided to take over British New Guinea as soon as possible.


    With the remaining prestige of Queen Victoria, it is still very easy for Australia topletely control and take over British New Guinea.


    But if we wait until the end of Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral or even longer, when Queen Victoria¡¯s prestige gradually dissipates, whether British New Guinea is willing to ept Australia¡¯s management is uncertain.


    It was still familiar meeting room on the top floor of the administrative building, with the same familiar group of people in the cab.


    Arthur sat at the head of the table, smiling as he threw out a difficult question to everyone: ¡°ording to Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s final will, we will take over British New Guinea, and I will serve as the Governor of New Zend for twenty years. Now it is time to discuss the issues of British New Guinea and New Zend. How shall we manage these two areas? Everyone, please share your thoughts.¡±


    British New Guinea is fine as it is already on Australia¡¯s te, basically unassable.


    But New Zend is different. Arthur is only the governor of New Zend for twenty years. If Australia¡¯s policy towards New Zend is biased, then it is likely that Australia will lose its management rights in New Zend after twenty years, allowing New Zend to return to Britain¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Your Highness, why not directly rename British New Guinea to the New Guinea State and make it our seventh state in Australia?¡± Minister of Agriculture Henry suggested: ¡°British New Guinea is very close to Australia and has excellent harbors. Making it a state directly is not a problem, just as smoothly as our previous colony-to-state transitions.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good idea, any other thoughts?¡± Arthur nodded expressionlessly, looking at the others.


    ¡°Your Highness, I believe that we cannot make New Guinea our new state in the short term, and we should manage it as a colony first.¡± Prime Minister Evan stood up and offered a different opinion: ¡°British New Guinea is different from our states in Australia. Although it has a poption of more than 700,000, there are only more than 30,000 British and European immigrants, and the rest are local natives. If we manage British New Guinea as a new state directly, what will happen to these natives? Wouldn¡¯t it be too unfair to our Australian citizens if we counted them all as our legal citizens?¡±


    Prime Minister Evan¡¯s point is simple: if British New Guinea is directly made a state, then the disposal of these natives bes a thorny issue.


    But if British New Guinea remains a colony, who would care about the life and death of the natives of the colony?


    ¡°Your Highness, my suggestion is to continue to manage New Guinea as a colony. What we need now is the Australian New Guinea Colony, not the New Guinea State ¡®{@id=my_sdata[¡®dataset_id¡¯]}¡±¡®, Prime Minister Evan said solemnly, looking at Arthur..

 Chapter 51: New Zealand

    Chapter 51: New Zend


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Prime Minister Evan, who had governed the New South Wales Colony for over a decade, certainly had a stronger perspective on issues than Henris, who had previously served as an ordinary city council officer.


    Simr to Arthur¡¯s thoughts, Australia¡¯s current development focus remains on industrialization and other infrastructure within its nativend.


    Now incorporating New Guinea into Australia would only add burden and not bring much practical benefits.


    Maintaining the New Guinea colony is a more cost-effective approach for Australia, which allows them to continue oppressing New Guinea and using nearly 700,000 indigenous people as freebor while focusing on the development of Australia¡¯s nativend.


    However, being a monarch, Arthur couldn¡¯t directly discourage the enthusiasm of his subordinates. Therefore, it was necessary for another officer to present Arthur¡¯s perspective, or a more correct perspective, and Arthur just needed to agree.


    It was clear that Prime Minister Evan had some experience in this regard; at least he knew what the best choice for Australia was and what Arthur was likely to choose.


    After Prime Minister Evan expressed his point of view, Arthur did not immediately support anyone¡¯s opinion, but smiled at everyone, saying, ¡°Since we all have only these two ideas, let everyone vote on them. We are a democratic government, and if there are differences, let¡¯s decide democratically.¡±


    Although that was said, the intelligent among them already knew which viewpoint should be supported. Most people could see the difference in Arthur¡¯s attitude towards the two ideas, and even though it was not obvious, they could still discern which one he was more satisfied with.


    However, such voting method still satisfied the political novices like Henris, who thought his opinion had been fully respected¡ªeven if it was not adopted, it was not obviously rejected, wasn¡¯t it?


    Soon the voting result was sessfully announced, and everyone agreed to continue treating New Guinea as Australia¡¯s colony and renaming it Australian New Guinea.


    The system and policies of New Guinea remained unchanged, only the loyalty object changed to Australia.


    As for the candidate for Governor of New Guinea, Arthur rmended Anibal Enrique Fernandez, who was also approved and supported by all cab members.


    Anibal Enrique Fernandez was also one of Duke Arthur¡¯s subordinates and a versatile talent.


    Although Anibal Enrique Fernandez didn¡¯t have exceptional single-direction skills, his overall ability was generally above the passing line, and he was fairly loyal to Arthur and the royal family, hence a good choice for Governor.


    After all, Arthur didn¡¯t have high expectations for what could be achieved in New Guinea under Anibal Enrique Fernandez¡¯s rule; his main task was to maintain the stability of Australian New Guinea and transport the wealth and resources collected from Australian New Guinea to Australia each year.


    After solving the administration issue of the New Guinea Colony, Arthur turned to the government with the problem of New Zend.


    New Zend, unlike British New Guinea, was one of the United Kingdom¡¯s self-governing colonies and had a poption of nearly 1,000,000.


    Like Australia before, New Zend was also seeking political and economic independence, bing a British dominion in 1907 andpletely independent in 1947 when it joined the Commonwealth of Nations.


    Although New Zendgged far behind Australia in terms ofnd area and poption, it couldn¡¯t be denied that New Zend was a country seeking independence, and the policies and systems towards New Zend should be carefully considered, lest the dissatisfaction of New Zenders lead to a separation from Australia.


    Moreover, Arthur had no sovereignty over New Zend and only served as Governor of New Zend for twenty years on Queen Victoria¡¯s orders.


    Although during these two decades, Arthur had gained control and ruling advantages over New Zend.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean New Zend was firmly in Arthur¡¯s hands. Without legal reasons, the only hope for Arthur was that, after 20 years, most New Zenders would choose to stay under his rule and form a joint country with Australia during the New Zend referendum.


    Such a joint country had historical precedent; one of the great powers today, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was formed by the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, with Austrian Emperor Francis also being the King of Hungary.


    But, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had a significant drawback: the union of the two countries was not close, and although the Austrian Empire was the main driving force, Hungary still maintained a substantial degree of autonomy, more like a dual state.


    Even though Francis¡¯ outstanding abilities kept this patchwork of a country functioning and maintaining its power,


    However, such a country couldn¡¯t withstand unintended destruction; after World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided into several smaller countries, and the once-powerful empire vanished.


    New Zend was too far away from Australia to be annexed directly as a new state of Australia. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Therefore, a better solution in the future would be to merge the two countries and establish a new country with New Zend.


    ¡°Gentlemen, how should we deal with New Zend? We only have twenty years to rule New Zend, and if we can¡¯t properly resolve the New Zend issue within this period, we will have no choice but to watch New Zend return to Britain or be a new independent country after twenty years,¡± Arthur said, casting the mostplex problem before everyone.


    Seeing that no one came forward to answer directly, Arthur started calling names.


    ¡°Prime Minister Evan, as the former prime minister of the New South Wales Colony, you should be able to empathize with the desire for independence in a colony like New Zend. Tell us, what should we do to deal with the administration issue of New Zend? Should we continue to see New Zend as a colony, or manage it as a new region? Facing New Zend¡¯s independence issue, should we sit idly by, or let New Zend¡¯s independence movements go unchecked?¡± Arthur asked.


    These questions were not easy to answer. Arthur was currently the Governor of New Zend, and there would be no advantage for him in allowing New Zend to dere independence directly.


    However, if the quest for independence was suppressed in New Zend, would the people still feel good about Arthur?

 Chapter 52: Diplomatic Arrangements

    Chapter 52: Diplomatic Arrangements


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°Your Highness, I believe the issue of New Zend cannot be resolved in a short period, and the method of resolving it depends on your opinion of New Zend.¡± Prime Minister Evan gritted his teeth and stood up to answer.


    ¡°Oh? Prime Minister Evan, please borate!¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    The issue of New Zend was a headache for Arthur as well, so gathering collective wisdom was a good approach. At least the prime ministers from each major colony were more familiar with New Zend¡¯s situation, so their suggestions might be useful for Arthur.


    ¡°Your Highness, the policy toward New Zend actually depends on your thoughts.¡± Seeing that Arthur didn¡¯t refute but instead was very interested, Prime Minister Evan continued, ¡°If you see New Zend as a colony like New Guinea, believing it¡¯s not within our core region in the future, I think we should suppress the independence movement in New Zend, at least during your reign, it shouldn¡¯t gain independence or even have any independent actions.¡±


    ¡°But if you want topletely integrate New Zend with Australia and establish a new country, I think you should fully respect the will of the people of New Zend, and perhaps promote New Zend¡¯s independence at an appropriate time, allowing them to join Australia¡¯s family as an independent country,¡± Prime Minister Evan exined, ¡°In my view, the desire for independence for both Australia and New Zend is unstoppable. Even if it may be suppressed by the policies and methods of the ruling government in a short period, such a situation won¡¯tst long. Whether it¡¯s ten years or several decades, New Zend will definitely erupt in stronger independence actions. Therefore, before we establish a management policy for New Zend, we should rify its position in Australia¡¯s future, and if we want to have New Zend firmly under control, then at this moment, it should be treated as an independent country, not our colony.¡±


    In the end, the status of New Zend was simr to that of Australia, both seeking to transition from a colony to an independent country.


    Even though New Zendgged far behind Australia in terms ofnd area and poption, public opinion could not be ignored.


    ¡°Hmm, well said, Prime Minister Evan,¡± Arthur nodded approvingly to Prime Minister Evan.


    ¡°New Zend is the thirdrgest region in Oceania and a natural barrier to the east of Australia. I believe it¡¯s an integral part of Australia¡¯s future influence and we should value and respect the interests of New Zend and its people. I think it¡¯s very possible for Australia and New Zend to establish a close united country, whether it¡¯s a federal or confederate state or a united country. In any case, New Zend is very important to us and Australia, and it¡¯s an important territory we cannot lose. During the entire governance of New Zend, we should hold a permissive and supportive attitude towards their independence, as long as they are willing to unite with Australia and establish a new country, it doesn¡¯t matter whether New Zend is independent or not to Australia.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    New Zend¡¯s important geographical position determined that Australia could never give it up.


    To Arthur¡¯s eyes, as long as the people of New Zend were willing to establish a new country with Australia, their independence didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Your Highness, then should we implement all of our policies for Australia in New Zend? I¡¯m afraid if we build up New Zend, they might turn around and deny the debt, and directly dere their independence, which would be terrible,¡± Finance Minister Roger Joseph Albert hurriedly asked.


    Although Australia¡¯s finances still had nearly ny million pounds after various expenditures,


    Don¡¯t forget, even these funds were borrowed from Arthur, plus the fifty million pounds¡¯ worth of equipment, the Australian government already owed the royal family one hundred fifty million pounds.


    Although it was an interest-free loan, the feeling of owing money was definitely unbearable, which made Finance Minister Roger Joseph Albert carefully manage the finances. It was not easy to meet the requirements of national development and save funds as much as possible.


    ¡°No, not that. Your Highness. If we promote all Australian policies in New Zend now, it might cause New Zend¡¯s people to rejoice in the short term. But what aboutter? What methods do we have to keep these New Zenders? Once these people be dissatisfied and want new welfare policies, what should we do? Don¡¯t forget, our foundation is in Australia, and controlling New Zend must be based on controlling Australia.¡± Prime Minister Evan quickly stood up and reminded, ¡°Your Highness, I believe that currently, New Zend needs stability rather than change. We only need to maintain British policies in New Zend, and when its independence fervor is unstoppable, our policies will be the condition for us to win over New Zend¡¯s people.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Prime Minister Evan makes a lot of sense. Our foundation will always be Australia, and we should prioritize the opinions of the Australian people. Maintaining stability in New Zend for the time being is sufficient. When it seeks independence, the policies we have implemented in Australia will also attract New Zenders. As long as they continue to ept Australia¡¯s rule, Australia won¡¯t mind considering New Zend as part of itself and implementing all preferential conditions equally in New Zend.¡± Arthur nodded, agreeing with Prime Minister Evan¡¯s ideas.


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s words, Roger Joseph Albert breathed a sigh of relief.


    If all Australian policies were implemented in New Zend simultaneously, it would mean at least a cost of millions or even tens of millions of pounds.


    For Australia, which is in urgent need of funds for development, this money is naturally saved as much as possible. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°However, at the same time, it is necessary to appropriately draw closer to and approach New Zend. Minister Andrew, this task is yours; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for getting closer to New Zend and striving to sign a series of treaties with them, narrowing the distance between Australia and New Zend in all aspects. In these areas, we should give New Zend the respect it deserves, with the treaties being fair and just to both parties, satisfying all New Zenders,¡± Arthur ordered.


    Under the premise of keeping major policies unchanged, signing a series of trade and other treaties with New Zend in advance and narrowing the distance between Australia and New Zend can also be beneficial for the possible merger of Australia and New Zend in the future..

 Chapter 53: Heading to Europe

    Chapter 53: Heading to Europe


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    On October 30,1900, after a few days of brief preparations and settling domestic affairs, Arthur set off on his journey to Europe with arge diplomatic visitation group consisting of a series of officials including Foreign Minister Andrew, Minister of Industry Pierre, and Minister of Defence Kent.


    This diplomatic visiting team had two purposes: one was to apany Arthur to attend Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral, and the other was to seek support and more technology from the United Kingdom and Germany.


    As for Germany, it goes without saying that William II still wanted Australia to harass France¡¯s Asian and African colonies during wartime and would naturally not be stingy with industrial and technological support at this time.


    As for the United Kingdom, although Queen Victoria had passed away, her will, along with her funeral, would be broadcasted throughout the United Kingdom and even the entire world.


    At this rather special moment, neither Prince Edward nor the British officials would risk angering the British people in defiance of Queen Victoria¡¯s will.


    Therefore, it is quite easy for Australia to obtain greater support from Britain and Germany at present, and it is only natural to sign some immigration and trade treaties at this time.


    The 31st of October, which was close to the 30th, was the famous western holiday, All Hallows¡¯ Eve.


    However, there were no children on Arthur¡¯s warship, so the All Hallows¡¯ Eve, which should have been spent joyously, was alsomandeered by Arthur to make the officers work overtime and hold relevant meetings.


    This diplomatic visiting team was extremely formal, not only with the presence of the three cab ministers, but also with officers from almost every department joining, seeking support from both Britain and Germany in various aspects.


    The fact that such a sensation could be caused among the various cab departments was due to the joint efforts of Queen Victoria and Arthur, the British Empire, and the German Empire in providing support to Australia, which was basically free and selfless.


    Of course, the greatest contribution belonged to Queen Victoria.


    With the support of the world¡¯s first naval power and first army power, what could Australia grow into?


    On November 27, nearly a monthter, the Australian fleet finally docked at


    the Port of London.


    Although referred to as a fleet, it was actually just a few warships made up of the navies of the original colonies.


    Due to the small scale of the directly affiliated naval forces of each colony, the size of the Australian navy was notrge, consisting only of a few light cruisers, escort ships, and some coastal artillery ships.


    It was only these few light cruisers and escort ships that coulde to the fore, representing thergest scale fleet dispatched by the Australian visitation team.


    After docking at the port, Princess Beatrice, representing the royal family, greeted them at the port.


    During this time, warships from various European countries and even the world¡¯s major countries hade to the United Kingdom in order to pay their respects and attend Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral.


    As a member of the British royal family, Arthur was arranged to stay in his original room in Buckingham Pce.


    Other royal family members and senior officials of other countries did not have this treatment, and apart from some members of the royal families of powerful nations, the others could only stay in various hotels or small manor houses in London.


    Arthur¡¯s original room was located at a corner of Buckingham Pce, next to the room where Prince Duke Arthur once lived.


    This huge corner and the nearby various constructions were once owned by Arthur¡¯s family, but sadly, everything has now changed.


    Returning to his familiar room, the furnishings and decorations had remained the same. Even though it had been unupied for almost half a year, it was evident that the room was cleaned daily, remaining immacte and tidy.


    This room was Arthur¡¯s most familiar ce in the United Kingdom. During his first three months in the UK, he spent most of his time in this room reading books, as he was unfamiliar with the surroundings.


    He had scarcely enjoyed a few moments of silence in his room before a royal guard came to deliver a message that Prince Edward desired hispany for dinner.


    Without hesitation, Arthur followed the guard to the Banquet Hall. Although now in the United Kingdom, Arthur was not worried about his safety. Queen Victoria¡¯sst will had spread throughout the country and even the world, and even in her final moments, Arthur had held Queen Victoria¡¯s hand. At the moment, all the British people had a preliminary good impression of Arthur. Many who had respected Queen Victoria began to pay attention to Arthur after her death. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If something were to happen to Arthur in Britain before Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral, the British Government and the Royal Family would face the wrath of the people.


    No Briton would allow anything to happen to Arthur, who had been loved and cared for by Queen Victoria even in her final moments, during his visit to the United Kingdom for her funeral.


    In other words, as long as Arthur did not actively oppose the British and did not say anything to hurt the British people, Queen Victoria¡¯s actions during her lifetime would be his final safeguard. As long as Queen Victoria¡¯s prestige in the hearts of the British people was notpletely erased, Arthur would receive their affection and care.


    Upon arriving at Buckingham Pce¡¯s Banquet Hall, Arthur couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    It used to be the ce where Queen Victoria entertained foreign guests, and now Prince Edward was using it to entertain him.


    The implication was clear ¨C Prince Edward wanted to remind Arthur that he was now the undisputed master of the United Kingdom, and Arthur, even with the sympathy of the British people, was merely a guest of Prince Edward and Britain.


    Shaking his head with a smile, Arthur sat down quietly, waiting for Prince Edward¡¯s arrival.


    In a short while, Prince Edward appeared with a friendly smile.


    Arthur stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Uncle Edward.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been a long time, Arthur. It¡¯s been a month since west met on White Ind. You haven¡¯t been to the United Kingdom in a while; how does it feel to be back?¡± Prince Edward greeted him before asking with a meaningful smile.


    ¡°Well, Uncle, the United Kingdom is indeed much more prosperous than Australia, but after getting used to Australia, I feel somewhat out of ce in the UK,¡± Arthur replied.


    It was indeed the truth; he preferred the freedom of life in Australiapared to the constraints he experienced in the United Kingdom.


    ¡°Hahaha, that must be because you¡¯ve lost your grandmother and aren¡¯t used to it, Arthur. Don¡¯t worry, you still have me here in the United Kingdom. You can talk to me about anything during this time, and I can help you solve it.¡± Prince Edwardughed heartily upon receiving the answer he wanted..

 Chapter 54: Urban City Planning

    Chapter 54: Urban City nning


    Trantor: 549690339 I


    ¡°Are all your officials settledfortably? We¡¯ve had many guestsing to Enndtely, so I couldn¡¯t greet you personally, Arthur. I hope you can forgive your uncle.¡± Prince Edward smiled and said.


    Having received a satisfactory answer from Arthur, Prince Edward¡¯s smile became even warmer, and he didn¡¯t forget to show concern for the officials Arthur had brought with him.


    ¡°They¡¯ve all been settled with the help of Aunt Beatrice. It¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t have time with your grandmother¡¯s funeral and the affairs of the United Kingdom to attend to,¡± Arthur replied.


    Although gaining support from the United Kingdom was inevitable, the extent of support still depended on Prince Edward¡¯s attitude.


    As long as it didn¡¯t break rtions, Arthur didn¡¯t mind maintaining a good rtionship with Prince Edward. After all, Australia¡¯s interests and those of the British Empire were not in conflict in the short term, and Australia was in no position to confront the United Kingdom before the empire declined.


    ¡°Hahaha, as long as Arthur doesn¡¯t mind. Come, try these. They are all the foods you enjoyed in Britain. I specifically instructed the chef to prepare them for you. Having spent so long in Australia, I¡¯m sure you must miss them, right? Even though you have the chefs your grandmother gave you, it¡¯s not easy to recreate authentic British taste in Australia.¡± Prince Edwardughed and invited Arthur to taste the food that had been prepared.


    Under the tacit understanding between Prince Edward and Arthur, the banquet hall experienced a warm uncle-nephew dinner.


    During the dinner, Prince Edward and Arthur talked about their own interesting experiences as if they were ordinary rtives, chatting for a long time.


    It wasn¡¯t until the night deepened that the two, prompted by a nearby royal guard, ended the dinner as if they had just realized howte it had be.


    Although most of the exchanges during the dinner were trivial, Arthur still learned a few important pieces of news.


    Firstly, the arrangement for Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral. After consulting with the UK Cab Government and Prince Edward, it was decided that the formal funeral would be held on the 29th of November, two dayster.


    The second matter was the formal coronation ceremony for Prince Edward. Although in theory, Prince Edward automatically received the title of King of the United Kingdom upon Queen Victoria¡¯s death,


    it wasn¡¯t until the coronation ceremony that he would officially be the King of Ennd.


    Prince Edward¡¯s coronation was scheduled for the seventh day following Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral, which was the 6th of December, 1900.


    As for the discussions on supporting Australia, it would have to wait until Edward officially seeded to the throne and convened a meeting, where the decision would be made.


    Overall, this was eptable for Arthur since he maintained considerable poprity and recognition among the British people.


    Entrusting the UK Cab Government with the decision to support Australia meant that the party-based government would have to take the British people¡¯s opinions into ount.


    From this perspective, it was undoubtedly more advantageous for Asher and Australia.


    Returning to his room exhausted, Arthur briefly tidied up his bed and went to sleep. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    During the two days before Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral, Arthur and the Australian diplomatic visiting group had a rtively rxed time.


    Since there was nothing to do, Arthur spent these two days touring London with the diplomatic group, admiring the beautiful scenery of the British capital city, and discussing the possibility of implementing various advanced projects in Sydney.


    While Sydney was a good capital city for New South Wales State, it was only satisfactory as the capital of Australia.


    Due to its status as a mere colony at the time, Sydney¡¯s urban nning was not very thorough.


    Although the current poption was not veryrge, and various problems were not yet prominent,


    as more immigrants were introduced to Australia, Sydney¡¯s poption would gradually increase, eventually reaching 500,000 or even 1,000,000 people.


    Under these circumstances, Sydney¡¯s urban nning seemed somewhat outdated, and many problems would be more severe over time.


    Now, by touring London with the diplomatic group, they were seeking solutions. As the capital of the United Kingdom and one of its most developed cities, London¡¯s poption had already exceeded two million.


    In terms of development, London was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant pearls in the world. Although some parts of its urban construction were not perfect, overall it was still worth referencing and learning from.


    As long as problems like severe industrial pollution were avoided, London¡¯s urban construction would be considered excellent.


    Most of the diplomatic group¡¯s representatives had seen the world, so apart from admiring London¡¯s beauty, they also discussed which aspects of the city¡¯s construction could be implemented in Sydney, or, to put it another way, how Sydney¡¯s urban development could be improved by taking London¡¯s example.


    Unlike in the original history, Australia¡¯s current capital city was Sydney, not Melbourne.


    Melbourne was Australia¡¯srgest city, and Sydney, close behind, ranked second.


    The reason for choosing the secondrgest city, Sydney, as the capital was that Sydney was the capital of New South Wales State, while Melbourne was the capital of Victoria State.


    In terms of size and influence, New South Wales State had a greater impact than Victoria State, which was why Arthur chose Sydney as the capital.


    However, both Sydney and Melbourne had their shorings; neither had been designed with the possibility of bing vast cities in mind. With Sydney¡¯s current urban design, it could amodate at most over one million people; any more would cause significant problems for the city and lead to chaos.


    Although a poption of one million might seem high, million-plus cities were already quitemon among the great powers and developed countries of today.


    If Australia wanted to be a strong country, its capital¡¯s upper limit had to be more than just one million. It had to be at least in the millions or even several million to amodate an expanding poption.


    This meant that the government would inevitably have to improve the construction of Australia¡¯s major cities, especially the capital Sydney.


    Otherwise, although this would not have an impact in the short term, oncerge waves of immigrants arrived, Australia and Sydney would suffer from the effects of inadequate urban nning, spawning chaos.


    In addition to visiting London¡¯s sights, the three ministers were also assigned tasks by Arthur: gathering intelligence about the members of the British Cab Government and building good rtions with one or two of them to prepare for the uing aid conference.


    After all, British support for Australia would be decided by a Cab meeting, so building good rtions with British Cab officials in advance would help Australia gain more aid in the future.


    Given the rtionship between Australia and the United Kingdom, as well as Arthur¡¯s reputation and the prestige of thete Queen Victoria, the three ministers should not find it too difficult to build a rapport with British Cab officials..

 Chapter 55 - Fifty-five: The Funeral Begins

    Chapter Fifty-five: The Funeral Begins


    Trantor: 549690339 I


    On November 29,1900, the long-prepared funeral of Queen Victoria finally began solemnly.


    As a highly esteemed former monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria had very detailed arrangements for her own funeral, all of which Edward allowed.


    Among them, a particrly personal touch was Queen Victoria¡¯s specific request that all those attending the funeral should have elements of white present, even the horses at the funeral were to be draped in white cloth.


    Of course, this also included the protagonist of this funeral, Queen Victoria. The Queen, dressed in pure white wedding dress with a white veil over her head, symbolized the queen¡¯s fidelity to love and marriage.


    In order to abide by Queen Victoria¡¯s will, William II, Edward, Arthur, Princess Beatrice, and the queen¡¯s confidante, James Reed, together with three faithful servants, positioned at the queen¡¯s head and at her sides, gently ced the queen into the coffin.


    This was no easy task, as Queen Victoria had been dead for a month already. Despite the well-preserved body, Arthur and the others had to be extremely careful when lifting her, to avoid unnecessary damage to the queen¡¯s remains.


    The queen¡¯s massive sarcophagus was filled with thick charcoal, then Princess Albert¡¯s bathrobe wasid on top.


    Even though Prince Albert had been dead for over 40 years, Queen Victoria still kept her husband¡¯s bathrobe, demonstrating just how deep their love was.


    In the space specifically designated for grave goods, Queen Victoria had specific instructions. Unlike other monarchs who liked to cerge amounts of jewelry and gold coins, Queen Victoria¡¯s grave goods were her favorite handkerchiefs, rings, books as well as photos, jewelry boxes and bracelets, and other small items.


    After enjoying most of her life in luxury, what Queen Victoria wanted after death was not extreme luxury, but as much warmth and memories as possible. Although each piece of grave goods might not be of high value, they held special meaning for Queen Victoria.


    Orphaned in her childhood, widowed in her middle age, and bereaved of a son in her old age, Queen Victoria encounter all the tragic circumstances in life.


    Combined with the hegemony of Britain in the Victorian era, various feats had pushed this great queen to the point of legend.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the morning, Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral officially began in London.


    Even before the state funeral of Queen Victoria began, royal and high-level individuals from various European and world countries had already arrived at Westminster Cathedral, or Westminster Abbey.


    Before the funeral began, Westminster Cathedral rang its bell 81 times in tribute to Queen Victoria¡¯s 81-year legendary life.


    Due to Queen Victoria¡¯s request for a militarized funeral, the queen¡¯s coffin was ced on a gun carriage before the funeral began, and was pulled by hundreds of Royal Navy soldiers.


    ording to the arrangements made in Queen Victoria¡¯s will, it should have been pulled by eight white military horses.


    But on Arthur¡¯s suggestion, it was changed to have the gun carriage pulled by hundreds of Royal Navy soldiers. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Edward VII and British officials agreed to the change because it would enhance the ceremonial feel of the entire funeral. It was at least more solemn and human than the horse carriage.


    The custom of cing the coffin on a gun carriage, and having it pulled by soldiers, which was established by Queen Victoria, subsequently became a high-level royal tradition.


    In original history, another queen with an even longer reign, Queen Elizabeth, also recreated Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral style.


    With the coffinden gun carriage slowly escorted by navy soldiers towards Westminster Cathedral, countless British people along the route vividly expressed their high respect and infinite blessings for this great queen.


    Although the entire funeral route was only a few kilometers long, the gun carriage took more than two hours to allow Queen Victoria to receive the final send-off from as many people as possible.


    Edward VII and Arthur, along with other senior members of the royal family, followed behind the coffin of Queen Victoria in procession, also taking part in her final journey.


    Both Edward VII and Arthur were dressed in military regalia, adorned with the medals and honors of their nation.


    But at this time, Arthur¡¯s mood was very heavy. With the loss of Queen Victoria, it seemed he truly only had himself to rely on.


    While Duchess Louise and his two sisters did show concern for Arthur, they could provide little more than emotionalfort; their actual ability to assist him was limited.


    At eleven o¡¯clock in the morning, Queen Victoria¡¯s coffin officially arrived at Westminster Abbey, marking the start of the state funeral.


    Approximately a thousand guests attended the ceremony, among them were numerous heads of state and members of royal families from around the world.


    The Archbishop of Canterbury began by praising the Queen¡¯s achievements,uding her for modeling her life after Christ and dedicating her life to serving the nation and its people.


    There were plenty of praises for Queen Victoria, who indeed had an impressive list of aplishments including the rise of the British Empire as the world¡¯s strongest power, the spread of British territories across the globe, and the establishment of the Indian Empire, among others.


    Prime Minister Robert of Britain also read a passage from the Gospel of John in the Bible during the funeral.


    The ceremony proceeded with a three-minute silence for Queen Victoria, observed simultaneously throughout the British Empire.


    This time of silence was prearranged to start at 11:55 AM on 29th November and to end at 58 minutes past the hour, with every colony and region observing it in synchrony.


    At the end of the ceremony, the British national anthem ¡°God Save the Queen¡± filled the church and the state funeral officially concluded.


    After this, Queen Victoria¡¯s coffin would be moved to Wellington Arch at the southeast corner of Hyde Park in London, from where it would be transferred to Windsor Castle for burial.


    The procession of Queen Victoria¡¯s coffin was indeed enormous, with over 2000 soldiers and hundreds of civilians involved.


    Due to the high prestige of Queen Victoria in Britain, soldiers and police maintained order on both sides of the route.


    The Grand Bell Tower chimed every minute. Amidst the slow tolling of the bells, the coffin of Queen Victoria, apanied by the procession, slowly advanced through the capital¡¯s streets. A continuous mile-long line of mourners lined the streets as the vast procession set off for Windsor Castle.


    Upon arrival at Wellington Arch, the coffin of Queen Victoria was transferred to a new state hearse and proceeded directly to Windsor Castle.


    At this point, the number of British people present to pay their respects was at its highest, as ordinary citizens would not be allowed to enter once the coffin arrived at Windsor Castle.


    Therefore, the journey from Wellington Arch to Windsor Castle was thest opportunity for the British public to catch a glimpse of Queen Victoria¡¯s coffin.


    As the hearse passed through these streets, the crowds, osciting between hysteria and mourning, threw flowers at the carriage and apuded.


    People were reluctant to let go of their queen, yet they had to ept her departure. Hence, they expressed their profound respect for Queen Victoria in their frenzy. The bundles of flowers thrown at the hearse were a testament to the ce Queen Victoria held in the hearts of the British people.


    It¡¯s worth noting that due to Queen Victoria¡¯s funeral, the cost of flowers in the whole of London had skyrocketed.


    Under such circumstances, the people purchased bouquet after bouquet of flowers solely to throw as the Queen¡¯s hearse passed, which spoke volumes about the status and poprity Queen Victoria held in Britain..

 Chapter 56: Conversation After the Funeral

    Chapter 56: Conversation After the Funeral


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Around 3 PM, the hearse officially arrived outside Windsor Castle and continued to move along the Long Walk of the castle.


    This was thest stretch of road leading to Windsor Castle, with thousands of British citizens gathered on both sides of the route to wait.


    Under the reluctant gaze of the British people, Queen Victoria¡¯s hearse entered the Windsor Castle enclosure, disappearing from the sight of everyone present.


    The final funeral ceremony was held at St. George¡¯s Chapel within Windsor Castle, a church often used by the royal family for weddings, christenings, and funerals.


    The burial ceremony was presided over by the Bishop of St George¡¯s Chapel, David Connor. Since the burial ceremony was by invitation only, only about 4.00 guests attended.


    The main attendees of the ceremony were the royal family and current and former staff of the private estate, symbolizing the end of Queen Victoria¡¯s reign.


    The royal crown, symbolizing sovereignty, and the monarch¡¯s orb and scepter was removed from the top of the coffin by the crown jeweler. Queen Victoria was separated from her crown for thest time.


    Then, under the leadership of Edward VII, all the British royal family sang hymns in St. George¡¯s Chapel, including Arthur.


    After thest hymn, the Guard of Honour ced their regimental g on the coffin, representing the highest-ranking honor guard responsible for monarch travel ceremonies.


    Finally, the church resounded with blessings and songs of ¡®God Save the King,¡¯ sending Queen Victoria into the Royal Moss Tomb, buried beside Prince Albert.


    With this, the funeral of Queen Victoria officially ended, marking the end of the Victorian era and the beginning of the new era under Edward VH¡¯s rule.


    As Edward VH¡¯s title had already been confirmed, his official title would be King Edward VII of Britain and Emperor of India.


    As Queen Victoria¡¯s coffin entered the tomb, the focus of the audience gradually shifted to Edward VII.


    As the reigning king of Britain and the helmsman of the British Empire, Edward, with the remaining prestige of Queen Victoria, would hold considerable power and influence in Britain.


    Edward¡¯s attitudes and actions would also determine the future policies and actions of the British government.


    As the current leading superpower, all nations were waiting for Britain¡¯s stance on the current European situation and which side they would choose.


    However, Edward VII remained extremely low-key during the funeral, maintaining a serious and reserved attitude and refusing any attempts at conversation or contact with others.


    With no other option, the attendees dispersed but did not leave Britain.


    That was because another grand ceremony awaited them in seven days: the coronation of Edward VII.


    These spectators would witness the change of power in Britain, as well as the transition between the old and the new, both today and seven dayster.


    Arthur, mixed in among them, was just about to sneak away when he heard a familiar voice calling him from behind.


    ¡°Arthur, long time no see!¡±


    He turned and saw that it was William II, whom he had not seen since their parting on White Ind a month ago.


    William II was simrly low-key today, firstly because the protagonists could only be Queen Victoria and the British Royal Family, and secondly, because his poprity in Britain was indeed less than that of Edward VII.


    However, William II didn¡¯t care about these things. On the contrary, the fewer people paying attention to William II on the scene, the more rxed he was.


    ¡°Cousin William, it has indeed been a long time,¡± Arthur replied with a smile and a bow.


    Previously, the farewell procession could only be made up of members of the British Royal Family, so even though William II was an emperor, he had to wait at Windsor Castle.


    ¡°Arthur, what about having a meal togetherter?¡± There were too many foreign officials and royals around, and William II had no ns to discuss matters with Arthur now.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Arthur nodded and followed William 11, one in front of the other, out of Windsor Pce.


    One was the emperor of the German Empire, and the other was a noble duke specially protected by Queen Victoria¡¯s testamentary will. The departure of William II and Arthur attracted a lot of people¡¯s attention, including Edward VII.


    Edward VII watched the two leave like good friends, a deep light shing in his eyes, before striking up casual conversations with his guests like nothing happened.


    William Il¡¯s reserved restaurant was in a private estate in the suburbs of London and was not open to the public.


    It was a restaurant only for nobles and high-ranking officials. Clearly, its owner was William II.


    One cannot deny the luxury of Western monarchs and nobles. Inter generations, such top-tier restaurants as the ¡°Tire Three Stars¡± could notpete with the many private restaurants, which were visited only a few times a year.


    After inquiring about Arthur¡¯s tastes and preferences, the kitchen staff began to prepare lunch for William II and Arthur. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As for ordering, it simply wasn¡¯t done in such a restaurant.


    After dismissing the royal guards, William IIughed and looked at Arthur, saying, ¡°Arthur, I didn¡¯t expect your great-grandmother to care so much about you. The first thing she mentioned on her deathbed was to give you British New Guinea and New Zend.¡±


    Arthur smiled and shook his head, saying, ¡°Compared to these two territories, I would rather my grandmother not leave.¡±


    ¡°Enough of the heavy stuff, Arthur. Your great-grandmother has left, but life must go on, right? After acquiring British New Guinea and New Zend, Australia can im to be the dominant power in the South Pacific and establish regional hegemony,¡± said William II, changing the subject with a smile.


    ¡°Cousin William, you are exaggerating. Where is the regional hegemony? Australia, at best, has some say in ces like Oceania, surrounded by small colonies of the powers and the Dutch East Indies to the north which are protected by various countries. We can only focus on developing in Oceania, and in any case, it is unrted to hegemony,¡± Arthur shook his head and denied.


    Given another ten years or even longer for Australia to develop, establishing regional hegemony in Oceania and Southeast Asia may be possible.


    But if it¡¯s just now, Australia is merely a weak regime that has barely gained independence from its colonies, and at best, it can barely ensure its own independence.


    ¡°Arthur, how did the negotiations with Uncle Edward go? Did Britain agree to give Australia arge amount of aid?¡± William II got to the point, curious to ask.


    By lineage, there is no doubt that Australia is closer to Britain. Most Australians are British immigrants and exiled criminals, as well as indigenous Australians. After decades or even a hundred years of blending and evolution, a new nation has been formed.


    After Arthur¡¯s integration of Australia¡¯s six colonies, the concept of Australians has be vague and can be used to refer to all citizens in general.


    If viewed in this sense, more than half of Australians are of British descent, and the vast majority have British ancestry..

 Chapter 57: The Conditions of William II

    Chapter 57: The Conditions of William II


    Trantor: 549690339


    For William II, he would prefer to see Australia lean towards Germany. Even if it cannot directly participate in future wars, at the very least, it could pose a significant threat to France¡¯s colonies in East Africa and Asia.


    However, if Australia forms a close partnership with the closer and friendlier United Kingdom, it will be easier to win over Australia due to the UK¡¯s strong power and closer blood rtions.


    At that point, Australia may not only fail to be the surprise element in the war, but may even be a supply base for the British and French, potentially threatening German overseas colonies.


    This is something William II is unwilling to see, and the extent of British assistance to Australia may also change Australia¡¯s stance in future wars.


    If it were an all-out war, William II is confident that the German army is not inferior to any other and could even create a huge advantage against any adversary.


    However, this doesn¡¯t mean that William II has lost all rationality. If Germany were blockaded, with all its sea routes cut off, and France and Russia supported by vast territories and colonies, then no matter how brave and skilled the German military is, it would be no match for the seemingly endless logistical supplies of the enemy.


    Drawing closer to Australia and causing some damage to France¡¯s colonies and sea routes during the war may suffice for William II to have faith inpletely defeating France, and even resolving the war.


    This is also why William II is so concerned about the British aid to Australia. Compared to the distant, unrted Germany, Britain holds a more significant position in the hearts of Australians.


    ¡°The real negotiations haven¡¯t started yet, but I estimate that the annual aid won¡¯t be too much, probably around the 5 million pounds set by my grandmother,¡± Arthur pretends to sigh and shakes his head helplessly.


    Arthur knows what William II wants to find out, so he doesn¡¯t mind making William II a bit happier.


    After all, William II would definitely be happy to see Britain reducing support for Australia and keeping it at 5 million pounds as the best answer.


    Is 5 million pounds a lot? On its own, it¡¯s not too little ¨C it¡¯s the total annual ie of more than ten thousand skilled workers.


    But when ced against the backdrop of national industrial development, it seems somewhat insignificant.


    With the support of a vast amount of industrial equipment, Australia¡¯s annual investment in industrial development is as high as 4 million pounds, and that is just a small-scale development n.


    For industrially strong countries like Britain and Germany, 5 million pounds is the price of just two main battleships.


    ¡°Haha, I thought it would be more, Arthur. Uncle Edward is really stingy. Australia is developing so poorly, yet he is unwilling to spend more money to help Australia grow. My grandmother had asked him to take care of you, but in the end, it only took 5 million pounds to make it happen.¡± As expected, William IIughed when he heard about the 5 million pounds, his words full of disdain for Edward.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much of a problem, after all, Uncle Edward doesn¡¯t have the final say in Britain, and 5 million pounds for Australia is enough. At least it can get Australia¡¯s industries off the ground.¡± Arthur continues to feign misery while waiting for William II to speak further.


    ¡°Alright, Arthur. As your cousin, I feel obliged to help you and Australia in this difficult time. While the German Empire may not be as wealthy as the British Empire, we can still afford to provide substantial aid.¡± William II patted Arthur¡¯s shoulder with his right hand and stood up, speaking with an air of righteousness.


    ¡°Our previous agreement of a 500 million mark low-interest loan is canceled. As a token of good faith, I will give you that amount to serve as the seed money for your industrial development. Also, I will mobilize major German banks to contribute jointly, providing you with at least 1 billion marks in low-interest loans, which you can use to purchase industrial equipment and resources anywhere in Germany. I believe that, from both an interest perspective and our blood rtions, Germany and Australia should be friends, right?¡± With a wave of his hand, William II granted Arthur the previously promised 500 million marks.


    ording to the exchange rate between marks and pounds, the funds provided by William II totaled about 25 million pounds in sponsorship and 50 million pounds in low-interest loans, both of which are significant for any country. ¡°Really? Cousin William, I¡¯m truly grateful. On behalf of Australia and all Australians, I thank Your Majesty and all the Germans for assisting Australia. Long live the friendship between Australia and Germania.¡± Arthur was momentarily taken aback, not expecting William II to be so generous. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and immediately began praising William II.


    Praising others won¡¯t cost Arthur anything, especially after William¡¯s II generous offer.


    With abined sponsorship and loan amount of 75 million pounds, this is a huge sum for Australia¡¯s development.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t end there, Arthur. As the saying goes, it¡¯s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Germany will send a team of industrial experts to make a practical contribution to Australia¡¯s industrial development. As long as it does not involve strategically important technologies, Germany can sell anything to Australia at market prices. We hope that Australia can develop and be the dominant power in the South Pacific Ocean, providing important assistance to Germany in the future. We don¡¯t see Australia as a subordinate or weak, but as an extremely important ally, Arthur.¡± Afterying out all the conditions, William II turned to Arthur with a smile and asked, ¡°What do you say, Arthur? Are you willing to lead Australia and be a vital ally to Germany?¡±


    ¡°If Australia can develop smoothly, then we will help Germany in future wars. If the sea routes are not cut off, Australia can export various mineral resources and other supplies to Germany, helping it win the war.¡± Instead of giving a direct affirmative answer, Arthur responded in a more indirect manner.


    But as far as William II is concerned, it essentially means Arthur has agreed. After all, not every young lord like Arthur can resist such temptations. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In William H¡¯s view, even though Arthur has many ideas, he is not much different from others his age; he tends to be impulsive and idealistic.


    William II believes that as soon as Germany puts forth such terms, even if Arthur doesn¡¯t immediately change his heart, he would shift his stance towards Germany once William II fulfills his promises.


    What William II doesn¡¯t know is that Arthur is not someone who would be influenced by external factors. Furthermore, as a time traveler with advanced ideas and experiences, Arthur would only choose what is best for himself and Australia..

 Chapter 58: Edward’s Coronation Ceremony

    The conversation with William II went smoothly, not only finalizing Germany¡¯s financial assistance to Australia, but also roughly agreeing on a series of ns for industrial assistance and future war support.


    At least in the eyes of William 11, he has initially and sessfully tied Australia to the war chariot of Germania, which will have one more ally in future wars.


    Arthur and William II set the time to go to Germany around mid-December.


    By then, if the negotiations go well, they could spend a pleasant Christmas in Germany before returning to Australia.


    However, before heading to Germany, there is a slightly more important matter to settle, which is the aid treaty between Ennd and Australia.


    Although Britain will certainly not be as generous as Germany, for Arthur, whoever does not want this free assistance is a fool; naturally, it is best to have as much as possible.


    Moreover, the assistance from Germany and the United Kingdom does not conflict. Both countries have very strong industrial capabilities, one focusing on army equipment and the other on naval warships, each with their own world-leading technologies that Australia can study and absorb.


    After leaving William II, Arthur returned to Buckingham Pce and called a meeting of the core members of the diplomatic visiting group in his office room.


    Fortunately, Buckingham Pce isrge, with ample room allocated for each royal family member. It not only has its own exclusive reception hall and meeting room but is also quiterge, amodating more than a dozen people for meetings without any problem.


    Actually, the focus of this meeting is to determine the direction of assistance needed from Britain. After all, with Germany¡¯s support, many industries and technologies no longer need British support.


    It is not to say that German technology is more advanced than British technology in certain aspects, but rather that using limited support in the same direction would be somewhat wasteful and extravagant.


    Australia is currently in a golden development stage, and Arthur naturally will not tolerate the waste or miss of these precious resources and development opportunities due to such negligence.


    The meetingsted for several hours, and finally, it was determined that the technologies needing British support were mostly concentrated in the shipbuilding industry.


    This was also an inevitable result. Compared to Germany¡¯s industry, Britain¡¯s obvious advantage lies in its shipbuilding and warship industries.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In terms of warship manufacturing, Britain is still the world leader and will not be surpassed by any other country in the short term.


    The members of the diplomatic delegation unanimously believe that it is the most reasonable and effective to focus Britain¡¯s limited resources on shipbuilding, especially in the field of warships.


    Although Australia upies the entire Australian continent, it is actually arge ind nation with many overseas territories andnds.


    This means that Australia must have a powerful fleet to protect its overseas territories and spheres of influence.


    After all, for a non-continental country like Australia, the navy is more important than the army in many ways, and the safety of the coastline is the first line of defense in national territorial security.


    Arthur¡¯s original shipyard was one with advanced British shipbuilding technology.


    Although it was just a small shipyard that could only build small-sized warships, the technology used was all rtively advanced shipbuilding technology from Britain.


    If they can introduce and absorb some more advanced technologies on top of that and build medium and evenrge warships, then Australia¡¯s navy has a chance to rise.


    As for purchasing warships from the major European powers, first, the cost of ordered warships is generally expensive, usually around twice the cost.


    Secondly, Arthur is well aware of the incident in Turkey. Under the increasingly intense naval arms race among European countries, ordering warships now inevitably poses such risks.


    Having one¡¯s own means of building warships is the best method, and even if ites at a price, it is worth it to Arthur and all the members of the diplomatic group.


    Having determined the direction for seeking support, the subsequent tasks of the diplomatic group be more rxed. They need to establish good rtionships with British politicians and buy a few small newspapers, urgently print newspapers, and raise the favorability of Arthur and the Australian people among the British people.


    Although this task seems more urgent, in reality, it is the easiest to aplish.


    With a background in the British royal family, along with a slightly tragic situation and Queen Victoria¡¯s will, as well as the heat of the Queen¡¯s funeral still not subsiding, Arthur¡¯s current poprity in Britain is not low and even quite admired.


    With Arthur and the members of the diplomatic group busy, the coronation ceremony of Edward Vll soon arrives.


    On the 6th of December, 1900, the official coronation ceremony of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom begins.


    Different from the sad atmosphere of the Queen¡¯s funeral a week ago, after a week of transition, the streets of London have be festive, with the previous white seem to have disappeared, as if the past events did not happen.


    To show respect for thete Queen, King Edward VIl¡¯s coronation ceremony was streamlined, with a total duration of only about two hours.


    This is much simplerpared to Queen Victoria¡¯s coronation ceremony, let alone Britain being the undisputed world¡¯s strongest country.


    However, King Edward VIl¡¯s move has gained a lot of favor from the British people.


    After all, Queen Victoria still holds a ce in the hearts of the British people, so this time a grand coronation ceremony would not be a good thing.


    The person in charge of the coronation ceremony is the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop in the Church of Ennd.


    In fact, more formal weddings, baptisms, and funerals for royal family members are usually presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury.


    In the absence of the Archbishop, only another bishop appointed by the monarch will preside, but this is rtively rare.


    All the procedures of the coronation ceremony were carried out ording to a red ceremonial manual from Westminster Abbey, which had never been published in nearly a thousand years.


    Afterpleting the grand ceremony, the royal musicians yed celebratory music, and then, King Edward VII rode in a gilt horse carriage, cheered on by most British people as he took the route to Buckingham Pce.


    Although there were fewer British people on both sides of the roadpared to the previous funeral, it was still fairly crowded.


    King Edward VII waved to the crowd in satisfaction, walking towards Buckingham Pce amid the cheers.


    As the world¡¯s strongest country, the coronation of the British king still attracted many British people to watch.


    If it were not for the influence of the recent Queen¡¯s funeral, the number of onlookers would have been even greater..

 Chapter 59: Isle of Wight Treaty

    Outside the church, tens of thousands of people braved the cold, damp weather to wait.


    To not miss the coronation of Edward VII, at least a hundred people set up tents by the side of the tree-lined avenue in front of Buckingham Pce the night before, staying overnight.


    The price of seats on the simply constructed viewing stands rose to over ten pounds, with the best spots overlooking the road costing even up to hundreds of pounds per seat.


    After Edward VII delivered his coronation speech, the Archbishop of Canterbury lifted the St. Edward¡¯s Crown high before putting it on the head of the undisputed king.


    The St. Edward¡¯s Crown, made of gold and adorned with numerous diamonds, is the oldest and most valuable crown of the British royal family, exclusively used for the coronation of monarchs.


    There is another crown simr to St. Edward¡¯s Crown, the Imperial State Crown, which is only worn during ceremonies and for ceremonial purposes.


    ¡°Long live the King!¡±


    Under the leadership of Prime Minister Robert, the British people present began to cheer for the new British monarch.


    After the grand coronation ceremony came Edward VII¡¯s first banquet as king. This banquet wasrge in scale, attended not only by the royal families from other countries who had participated in the funeral and coronation ceremony, but also by the grand nobility and upper echelons of Britain to offer their blessings and congrattions to Edward VII.


    Being the sole protagonist of this banquet, the main theme of the event focused on congratting Edward VII, leaving Arthur rather bored.


    After having a simple conversation with Edward VII and expressing his ¡°heartfelt¡± congrattions, Arthur found a slightly quieter corner and sat down alone.


    Perhaps anticipating this situation, William II did not attend the banquet, instead sending Crown Prince William as his representative.


    After meeting with Arthur that day, William II returned to Berlin.


    Fortunately, the banquet did notst long,sting only about two hours from eight o¡¯clock to just after ten o¡¯clock.


    Barely enduring the two-hour event, Arthur quietly returned to his room as the banquet ended.


    Although Arthur wanted to ask Edward VII about the time of their negotiations with the British government, seeing the crowd of congrattory guests surrounding Edward VII at the banquet, Arthur could only give up helplessly.


    Unexpectedly, Arthur received good news the very next afternoon: on December 10th, just two dayster, the British government had decided to begin discussions and negotiations with the Australian diplomatic visiting group regarding assistance ns.


    This was good news for Arthur; the sooner he could finalize the treaties with both Britain and Germany, the better.


    Staying in Britain indefinitely was not the solution, as Australia was in need of rapid development, requiring Arthur¡¯s personal presence.


    Time passed quickly, and December 10th arrived in the blink of an eye.


    After two days of extensive preparation, the Australian diplomatic visiting group officially visited Whitehall in Westminster District, London, where various government offices were located such as the Prime Minister¡¯s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Privy Council, the Ministry of Finance, and others.


    The negotiations took ce in the conference room of the Prime Minister¡¯s Office, with officials from both sides attending the meeting including one Prime Minister, six ministers, and more than forty important department officials.


    As King Edward VII had delegated the decision-making power to the British government, it would not be appropriate for Arthur to personally participate; he could only let the diplomatic visiting group take full responsibility.


    This was also a clever move by Edward VII. If both monarchs were to be present, as Arthur¡¯s uncle, Edward VII would have to concede several points.


    As it stood, Edward VII had delegated negotiation rights to the British government; and since Edward VII did not appear in person, it would not be appropriate for Arthur to appear in such a diplomatic setting either.


    After all, as a member of the royal family and a distinguished Duke, it would be detrimental to his dignity and the image of the nobility and the royal family to participate in such negotiations.


    However, if Arthur did not show up, the Australian diplomatic visiting team, in terms of position, status, and number of people, would not be on par with the British officials, putting them at a disadvantage.


    Arthur had made arrangements in advance. Ultimately, the oue of the negotiations depended on the efforts of all members of the diplomatic visiting group.


    As Arthur anxiously awaited, the sounds of negotiation echoed through the Prime Minister¡¯s Office. Disagreements asionally arose but were quickly resolved.


    Around eight o¡¯clock in the evening, a knock on Arthur¡¯s door brought familiar voices: ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯vee to an agreement!¡±


    The door was opened by three ministers of the visiting group. Their faces showed excitement, indicating that the negotiations had gone smoothly and the agreed terms met their expectations.


    ¡°Tell me, what are the results of the negotiation?¡± Arthur asked emotionlessly after sitting down in his office and having the royal guard serve coffee to everyone.


    ¡°Overall, the negotiations went smoothly, Your Highness,¡± said an excited foreign minister, Andrew.


    As diplomatic means were required, Andrew had been appointed head of the visiting group, with Minister Pierre and Minister Kent assisting as deputy heads.


    ¡°Were our demands met? Has the aid n been signed formally?¡± Arthur nodded indifferently, before continuing his questions.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We¡¯ve pretty much gotten everything we wanted, Your Highness. Today, we¡¯ve discussed all the details of the treaty with the British government and agreed to formally sign the treaty tomorrow and start its implementation the day after for a period of ten years,¡± said Minister Andrew with a smile.


    The ten-year term was decided by Queen Victoria, and neither Britain nor Australia had any intention to change it.


    For Britain, they did not want to take on any long-term unconditional support, as this would still incur costs in silver and gold.


    For Australia, however, ten years of aid was entirely eptable. After all, greed had its limits, and both Arthur and the officials were satisfied with this timeframe.


    How much funding can the aid treaty provide us each year? How much industrial equipment and talent can be provided? Was the immigration issue discussed during the negotiations?¡± Arthur continued asking.


    Australia needed support in many areas, especially in addressing immigration, which was the biggest challenge for Australia before its rise.


    Whether it was developing industries or building infrastructure, arge amount ofbor and poption was required.


    For a country like Australia with a poption of less than four million, the only way to get enough development was to attract arge number of immigrants from Europe, and increase Australia¡¯s poption as much as possible..

 Chapter 60: Immigrants

    Chapter 60: Immigrants


    Trantor: 549690339 <sup>1</sup>


    ¡°Your Highness, the British Government agrees to provide us with support worth 55 million pounds in funds or other industrial equipment. This funding will be paid over ten years, with a share of 5.5 million pounds per year,¡± Minister Andrew Wilson exined with a smile: ¡°Prime Minister Robert agreed that we could choose either funds or industrial equipment and the way resources are paid for. In theory, apart from British strategic technology and industrial equipment, any industrial equipment and resources can be exchanged equally with these support funds.¡±


    ¡°Can we also exchange for the naval technology we need?¡± Arthur asked with some interest.


    British naval technology is one of the key factors leading the Royal British Navy¡¯s global dominance, along with its massive investment in the navy and its ¡°two-power¡± policy.


    It has to be admitted that even the German Empire, which ranked second in overall strength,gged considerably behind the British Empire in terms of naval power. Aside from submarines, Germania was basically behind Britain in every aspect of naval technology.


    Although Germany began to catch up with British naval power after its rise, the disparity umted over a long time would take a long time to close gradually.


    ¡°A majority of naval technologies can be exchanged, Your Highness. However, Prime Minister Robert has specifically instructed that the blueprints of all British battleships andrge warships in service are not included in the scope of support,¡± Defence Minister Kent said helplessly.


    Even after lengthy negotiations between the two parties, the British Government still refused to include the blueprints of battleships andrge warships in service in the scope of support.


    Having the blueprint doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that Australia can produce warships, but blueprints are the most essential element for warships.


    With the blueprint, one can easily study a warship¡¯s weaknesses, especially for potential enemies of the British Empire, such as the blueprint for a navy ship in service, which would undoubtedly be a treasure.


    In fact, during the confrontation between the two major European military blocs, especially after Britain joined the Allies, the number of spies sent by European countries increased sharply, and one of their essential tasks was to steal warship blueprints and data.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Minister Kent.¡± Hearing that Britain was unwilling to share warship blueprints, Arthur was not angry at all. On the contrary, he evenughed.


    Your Highness, if we want to build a navy, we can only purchase warship blueprints from Germany. However,pared to British warships, German warships are slightly inferior in performance,¡± Minister Kent frowned and said reluctantly.


    British reluctance to share naval blueprints with Australia annoyed Minister Kent.


    The British were willing to teach all aspects of naval technology, but they would not share the warship blueprints. Wasn¡¯t it equivalent to a chef providing all the cookware to an apprentice without passing on the recipes? What¡¯s the use of that?


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Minister Kent. Australia¡¯s industrial strength is limited, and for the time being, our navy will mostly consist of small and medium-sized warships. Our shipyards can produce such warships. All that is needed is for the workers to get familiar with the shipbuilding equipment, and production can start,¡± Arthur smiled andforted: ¡°Our shipbuilding industry is currently weak, and even with the British blueprints, we will not be able to digest them in a short period. I think German warship designs are very suitable. Compared to Britain, Germany offers us more significant support, and our mastery of their technology can be much faster. Using British naval technology to build warships based on German warship blueprints may result in even better performance, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s words reassured Minister Kent, and his displeasure at Britain withholding warship blueprints quickly dissipated.


    In reality, the main reason why Arthur didn¡¯t care about those warship blueprints was the uing birth of the dreadnought.


    As outrageous as it sounds, the gap between pre-dreadnought battleships and the dreadnought ships is so vast that they are practically obsolete after the birth of thetter.


    Although this is not as exaggerated in reality, pre-dreadnought battleships can hardly resist dreadnought ships. Whether looking at the on-paper data or actualbat capabilities, dreadnought ships can undoubtedly crush their pre-dreadnought counterparts.


    The gap between the dreadnoughts and the pre-dreadnought ships is not due to one aspect but due to an all-around dominance.


    For a warship, itsbat capabilities are determined by its sailing speed, armor thickness, firepower intensity, agility, and the quality of its soldiers, among other factors.


    Excluding the external factors of soldier quality, dreadnought ships can dominate pre-dreadnoughts in aspects such as sailing speed, armor thickness, firepower, and agility.


    To draw a fittingparison, the difference inbat capabilities between a dreadnought and a pre-dreadnought is like that between a university student and a primary school student.


    Following the birth of dreadnoughts, the blueprints for Britain¡¯s current warships would be virtually useless.


    Eventually, the naval arms race among nations will center around dreadnoughts, and the deciding factors for naval strength will no longer be these outdated warships but the number andbat capabilities of dreadnoughts.


    These existing warships won¡¯t have much time to bask in glory, and this is the real reason why Arthur doesn¡¯t care about these ship blueprints.


    ¡°What about the issue of immigration? Immigration should be one of the most critical issues for Australia, and we need to attract immigrants urgently,¡± said Arthur.


    Europe is currently in a chaotic phase, and the increased European poption has led to a wave of immigration in major European countries.


    ording to rough estimates fromter generations, about 60 million Europeans immigrated overseas between the beginning of the 19th century and the early 20th century, with 35 million of them immigrating to the United States.


    As Europe¡¯s most powerful nation, Britain had over 8 million people emigrate overseas during this roughly 100-year period.


    Especially with the confrontation between the two major European military blocs and the increasingly severe arms race, since 1890, the number of European immigrants has gradually increased, with about 700,000 to 800,000 Europeans choosing to settle overseas permanently every year.


    Although more than half of these immigrants opted to go to the United States, since it is one of the great powers on par with European nations and, while not excelling in military matters, its industrial and economic development has surpassed many powerful European countries.


    However, Arthur wasn¡¯t greedy. Absorbing a vast number of immigrants like the United States in a short period was impossible. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, relying on Arthur¡¯s poprity in Britain coupled with the support of British-German immigrants and extensive promotion in Australia, upying one-tenth of European immigrants is entirely possible.


    The British Government has pledged to help with the immigration issue. They promise never to oppose immigration to Australia in Britain and help promote various immigration policies in Australia as much as possible,¡± Foreign Minister Andrews said: ¡°Although the British will not oppose our efforts to attract immigrants, I¡¯m afraid there is little hope of them directly assisting us..¡±

 Chapter 61: Heading to Germany

    Chapter 61: Heading to Germany


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°I have never thought about asking the British Government to help us with immigration.¡± Arthur nodded and said with a smile, ¡°For us, as long as the immigration n is not obstructed or opposed by the British Government, it is a sess.¡±


    Although Australia cannot currently prevent more than half of the immigrants from going to the United States, it can still attract some immigrants to Australia by virtue of its own development and friendly rtions with the United Kingdom and Germany.


    As long as they can attract about one-tenth of the total European immigrants, there will be as many as seven or eight hundred thousand Europeans going to Australia every year.


    Is one-tenth arge proportion? Actually, it is not. In the original history, since the establishment of the federal government, Australia has liberalized its immigration policy and began to attract immigrants on arge scale.


    This has led to a poption boom in Australia, from just over 3.7 million people at the beginning of the 20th century to nearly 19.4. million people at the beginning of the 21st century, an increase of nearly six times.


    During this one hundred years, on average, more than one hundred thousand people immigrated to Australia every year, bing permanent residents and official citizens of Australia.


    Among them, European immigrants ounted for arge part, with at least fifty or sixty thousand Europeans going to Australia every year.


    All of this is based on Australia¡¯s achievements without any help. Now, under Arthur¡¯s help, Australia has sufficient development funds, as well as the assistance of the United Kingdom and Germany. Its sphere of influence has also expanded to New Zend and British New Guinea ahead of schedule.


    With no external enemies or internal problems, Australia has a golden period of development. Attractiveness in the eyes of Europeans can be enhanced, not necessarily surpassing the extent to which Australia attracted immigrants in its original history.


    The three ministers also unconsciously nodded their heads, agreeing with Arthur¡¯s point of view.


    As long as the British Government does not interfere with Australia¡¯s policy of attracting immigrants, relying on Arthur¡¯s good reputation among the British people, it is still hopeful to slightly increase the proportion of British immigrants going to Australia.


    Moreover, Arthur has many trump cards that he hasn¡¯t used yet, and the development of Australia has just begun.


    On December 11,1900, witnessed by many media and arge number of British people, the British Empire Government and the Australian Government signed a treaty on assisting Australia, and took effect on the first day after the signing of the treaty, for a full ten years.


    Because it bears the signatures of both monarchs, Edward VII and Arthur, this treaty officially has legal effect.


    In order tomemorate Queen Victoria¡¯s contribution to this treaty, at Arthur¡¯s suggestion, the treaty was officially named: ¡°Treaty of the British Empire based on Queen Victoria¡¯s will on White Ind regarding various assistance to Australia¡±, also known as the British-Australian ¡°White Ind Treaty¡±.


    Because this treaty does not have any diplomatic or military conditions, it merely stiptes and deres the British assistance to Australia¡¯s funds and resources, equipment. Therefore, this treaty did not receive the attention of various countries, only looking at the British Empire¡¯s assistance to its own affiliated countries.


    The reason for proposing to add the names of White Ind and Queen Victoria to the treaty is that this is indeed a treaty signed in ordance with Queen Victoria¡¯s will. If it weren¡¯t for Queen Victoria¡¯s instructions, Britain would not have recognized this treaty.


    Furthermore, the treaty gains authority by using the lingering prestige of Queen Victoria.


    It is believed that even if the United Kingdom changes its monarch again, this treaty will still be carried out meticulously. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The reason why Edward VII agreed to such a naming is that he naturally has his own selfishness in it.


    By mentioning Queen Victoria¡¯s will again, it also tells all British people that their new King Edward VII has executed thest will of his predecessor very well, and can also win over the hearts of the people.


    Both monarchs, with their own ns in mind, achieved a brief unity in the naming of the treaty; though their goals were different, they shared amon interest.


    Following the signing of the treaty, the diplomatic visiting grouppleted its mission in the United Kingdom, and there was no need to stay any longer.


    Thus, with the ¡°reluctant and sincere¡± pleas of Edward VII for him to stay, Arthur resolutely led the Australian diplomatic visiting group to their next destination, the German Empire.


    The British public, still under the influence of the media¡¯s publicity, was slightly moved by this and thought that Arthur was leaving his beloved hometown out of necessity due to his busy state affairs.


    Although there were no tangible benefits, Arthur¡¯s favorability increased slightly among the British people, and many even sympathized more with his circumstances.


    This demonstrated the advantage of controlling public opinion. Although it was only a few small British newspapers, they could y a significant role at times.


    Since the capital of Germania, Berlin, is located in the heart of Central Europe, the fleet had to travel bynd after stopping at the German port of Hamburg.


    As William II had been informed beforehand, when the Australian fleet arrived at the Hamburg Port, they saw a weing team from Germany.


    Although called a team, it wasn¡¯t extravagant. Since Australia had not yet established significant international prestige, it was untenable for high-ranking German government officials to greet them.


    To demonstrate their attention to Australia, William II sent his son, Crown Prince William, to receive them.


    As heir to the German Empire, the Crown Prince¡¯s status was certainly worthy enough.


    Additionally, as he was of a simr age to Arthur, William II naturally assumed that Crown Prince William and Arthur could have a good rapport.


    At that time, Crown Prince William was already receiving military education in Potsdam and was regarded as a satisfactory sessor by William II.


    When Arthur and the diplomatic visiting group set foot on Hamburg¡¯s port, Crown Prince William approached them with a smile, without any pretension as a Crown Prince: ¡°His Royal Highness Arthur, wee to Germania!¡± Actually, in terms of seniority, Arthur was Crown Prince William¡¯s cousin. However, addressing him as ¡°uncle¡± in such a public setting was impossible due to the Crown Prince¡¯s exalted status. ¡°Your Highness¡± was an excellentpromise, demonstrating both respect for and deference to Arthur while not embarrassing the Crown Prince.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Arthur politely nodded and replied with a smile.


    ¡°I had nned to apany Your Highness on a tour of Hamburg for a few days before heading to Berlin. However, due to my father¡¯s insistence, I must first see you to Berlin. Once everything is settled, I will apany Your Highness on a tour of Germania,¡± Crown Prince William exined apologetically.


    Both William II and Arthur wanted to expedite treaty negotiations and signings as much as possible.


    This resulted in Arthur and the visiting group rushing to Berlin immediately after arriving in Hamburg.


    Only by doing so could they reach Berlin within the nned timeframe andmence negotiations with Germany officially.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Your Highness. Moreover, heading to Berlin promptly was my intention,¡± Arthur said with a smile as he shook his head..

 Chapter 62: Banquet at the Berlin City Palace

    Chapter 62: Banquet at the Berlin City Pce


    Trantor: 549690339


    The distance between Hamburg and Berlin is actually not far, about two hundred and thirty kilometers. If traveling by horse carriage, it might take more than ten hours.


    Fortunately, at this time, automobiles had been invented, and although they had not been widely promoted for various reasons, they had be a new mode of luxury transportation favored by some aristocrats and wealthy people.


    Although the current production of automobiles is not high, even if Europe and Americabined, the annual production of cars is less than 10,000.


    But as one of the most powerful industrial countries in the world, Germany not only has automobile production technology but is also one of the earliest countries to invent automobiles.


    It is precisely because of this advantage that cars have be a more convenient means of transportation for German nobles. As a guest of William II, several brand new cars were specially prepared for Arthur on this trip to Berlin.


    Although the current automobile technology is not mature, there are many problems, whether in terms of speed, stability, or safety.


    Butpared to the slower horse carriage, the car at least has a certain speed advantage.


    For a horse carriage, reaching a speed of around 20 kilometers per hour is considered quite good, and even if it can reach speeds above 20 kilometers per hour, it would basically not choose to run this fast.


    Because too fast a speed would make the horses more tired, the horse carriage would also have more problems due to the bumps, and it would greatly reduce thefort of the ride.


    However, with automobiles, this problem is somewhat reduced. Generally speaking, maintaining a speed of around 30 kilometers per hour is rtively safe and reassuring.


    At around six o¡¯clock in the evening, Arthur and the diplomatic visitation group officially arrived in Berlin. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The pce where the German royal family lived is the Berlin City Pce, a huge pce with a history of more than four hundred years.


    The Berlin City Pce was the pce of the former Kingdom of Prussia and is now the pce of the German Empire, located in the center of Berlin.


    When everyone arrived at the Berlin City Pce, a weing ceremony had already been prepared for Arthur in the square in front of the pce.


    Under the Neptune Fountain Square, a well-ordered ceremonial team stood in strict array. Next to it, the military band had prepared joyful music.


    The moment Arthur stepped out of the car, the ceremonial team saluted Arthur, and the military band began to y the music.


    ¡°His Royal Highness Duke Arthur of Australia, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, I wee your arrival. His Majesty is already in the Berlin City Pce and has prepared a sumptuous feast and a wee banquet for you, Your Highness. Please follow me.¡± An old gentleman stepped forward and humbly said.


    Passing through the huge square and entering the interior of the Berlin City Pce, Arthur discovered that this pce was not as monotonous and simple as he had imagined. Over the centuries, with the expansion of many monarchs, the Berlin City Pce has be a luxurious pce no less than Buckingham Pce.


    Passing through the garden inside the pce, they arrived at the huge reception hall area. Led by the old gentleman, Arthur and his party came to a huge dining room, which was already full of food, and many servants were bustling about.


    ¡°Your Highness, gentlemen. This is where the banquet will be held shortly. His Majesty the Emperor will be here soon, please be patient for a few moments.¡± The old gentleman said politely after bringing Arthur and his party to the ce.


    Arthur nodded, took a cursory look at the banquet arrangements, and then began to wait patiently.


    Soon enough, William II and Crown Prince William arrived one after another.


    At this point, William II had finished a busy day and changed into more casual attire, walking over with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Your Majesty the German Emperor!¡± Arthur and the members of the diplomatic visiting group bowed.


    As this was a public asion, they naturally had to follow protocol. ording to Emperor William H¡¯s status, he should be addressed as Your Majesty.


    ¡°Arthur, gentlemen, please sit. I know you¡¯ve had a long journey from the United Kingdom and have been riding in cars all day. Today¡¯s weing banquet is a bit simple, without too many formalities and customs. Please have a seat and taste the cuisine of Germania,¡± said William II after walking up to Arthur, patting his shoulder and smiling at everyone.


    Only after William II took the main seat did everyone else sit. The enormous rectangr dining table was upied by everyone, with more than a meter between each person, providing ample space for various dishes and drinks.


    Following the Crown Prince William¡¯s cue, the maids stepped forward and began to pour red wine into the cups of the guests.


    ¡°Come on, taste the German red wine. A toast to the friendship between the German Empire and Australia!¡± William II raised a ss of red wine and said, smiling at Arthur.


    ¡°To friendship, cheers!¡± Arthur also raised his ss of red wine and smiled.


    Others followed suit and quickly raised their sses in front of them.


    Arthur took a small sip and then gently put down his wine ss. The red wine served at the banquet was all produced from William H¡¯s private winery. Even the most ordinary bottle sold for a high price in the market.


    Moreover, the red wine used to entertain guests by William II was naturally selected from the better grape products of that year,bined with meticulous brewing and preservation, the taste and texture were absolutely superb.


    ¡°Arthur, I¡¯ve heard about the treaty you signed with the United Kingdom. Although the terms look good, the support it provides is somewhatcking. Germaniacks many things, but definitely not industrial equipment and funds. Don¡¯t worry, Arthur. I have alreadymunicated with the government, and all the conditions previously agreed upon will be implemented. We sincerely recognize the potential of Australia and hope to establish a good rtionship with Australia,¡± said William II, putting down his wine ss and smiling at Arthur.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± Arthur said with a smile and appreciation.


    ¡°Enough of that, let¡¯s not talk about those political affairs for now. Come, everyone, taste the cuisine of Germania and see how it differs from the taste of the United Kingdom and Australia,¡± William II looked at the servants as they brought out dish after dish, stopped talking, and smiled at everyone.


    William II was right; it undoubtedly was cuisine in the German style.


    German people generally have a taste for big meals with meat and wine, especially sausages and beer as their favorite food and drink.


    Although there was no beer at the banquet, there were many traditional German sausages apanied by Kdnigsberg meatballs, cheese noodles, beef rolls, and vinegar-braised horse meat, forming a simple but diverse range of main dishes.


    The staple food was mashed potatoes and potato pancakes, with side dishes of beef soup and half a chicken. Paired with several desserts and numerous cakes, the banquet consisted of simple yet abundant dishes.


    The long journey had made everyone feel hungry, so they wasted no time eating the dishes as the servants brought them out.


    However, as this was someone else¡¯s turf, and with high-ranking nobles like William II and Arthur present, everyone maintained a civilizedposure while eating. They carefully chewed slowly and cautiously, lest they embarrass themselves in such a setting..

 Chapter 63: Negotiations with the Head of Office Room

    Chapter 63: Negotiations with the Head of Office Room


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    On the 18th of December, 1900, it was Arthur and the rest¡¯s second day in the German Empire.


    After thevish banquet the day before, William II had arranged amodations for Arthur and his party at the Berlin City Pce,plete with luxurious guest rooms and servants.


    It was due to these arrangements that, after a night and a morning of rest, Arthur finally regained his energy and began nning the negotiations with


    Germany.


    The support n to be discussed with Germany differed from that with Britain; Arthur and William II had already agreed on the general outline of the n with the German Empire.


    All that was left was for the diplomatic mission and the German officials to define the details of the support as well as the manner of cooperation between Australia and Germany, and then negotiations coulde to a sessful conclusion.


    Lunch was delivered by a royal guard and was skillfully prepared by the chef of the German royal family. It was a variety of snacks and main dishes epassing both German and British vors.


    After a simple lunch, Arthur endeavored to find William II, hoping to advance


    the date of their discussions.


    Fortunately, the Berlin City Pce was not only the home of the German Royal Family but also the core working ce of William II.


    In William IPs office, Arthur sessfully met with him and Prime Minister Bernhard von Bilo, a trusted advisor of William II.


    Bernhard is a renowned German politician and the current Prime Minister of the German Empire and Prussia.


    Perhaps his most famous statement, revealing a new foreign expansion policy for Germany, is ¡°Let other nations carve up the continent and the seas, our German era of contentment under the blue sky has passed; we too demand our share ofnd under the sun.¡±


    Two months prior, after Prince Hohenlohe stepped down, Bernhard took on the position of Prime Minister, bing the second Prime Minister of Germania at the turn of the 20th century.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Prime Minister Bernhard, good afternoon,¡± Arthur said in greeting.


    Before journeying to Germany, Arthur and the officials of the visiting group had done their homework, thus they were well aware of important German officials and the fast-rising new Prime Minister.


    ¡°Ha-ha-ha, had a good rest, Arthur? I had intended to find you in the afternoon, but it seems you beat me to it,¡± William II responded with augh meeting Arthur¡¯s salute.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Duke,¡± Prime Minister Bernhard echoed in response.


    ¡°I am well-rested, Your Majesty. I believe we can start preparing for the negotiations, hopefully concluding our agreement before Christmas,¡± Arthur exined with a smile.


    Year-end and the new year are significantly important periods for any country, and Australia is no exception.


    The official establishment of the Australian Principality was the day when Arthur exchanged territories, which was January 10th, 1900.


    Although Arthur could not return tomemorate the day of establishment, preparations were already made for some small-scale celebration activities and gift distribution during this day to enhance the Australian People¡¯s sense of identity with their country.


    A crucial event pertains to the annual meeting of the government. Even though the government has not been formed for a year, it is still necessary to have an annual meeting and review.


    Arthur has to attend not only the Cab Meeting but the government¡¯s annual report as well.


    This implies that the delegation¡¯s time was limited; they had toplete the negotiations with Germany before Christmas, celebrate a simple Christmas in Germany, and then embark on the journey back to Australia.


    ¡°I was just discussing this matter with Prime Minister Bernhard, Arthur. It¡¯s a good time for you toe, let¡¯s sit down and discuss it,¡± William II said with an understanding smile.


    The German Empire shares a simrity with Australia, as both monarchs retain considerable power.


    Especially under the circumstance of Prime Minister Bernhard¡¯s presence, the three¡¯s decision thoroughly represented Germany and Australia.


    The trio moved into the conference room adjacent to the office, taking their respective seats.


    ¡°Arthur, we foresee a bright future in our rtionship with Australia. Germania sincerely wishes to aid Australia¡¯s development,¡± William II initiated the conversation once they were seated.


    ¡°Australia also values our rtionship with Germania, Your Majesty,¡± Arthur responded.


    ¡°In that case, I believe we can discuss the substantial part of the aid agreement, and as to the detailed requirements and areas where you might need aid in the future, these matters can be left to the officers to discuss,¡± William II suggested, nodding and smiling at Arthur. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°With pleasure, Your Majesty,¡± Arthurughed lightly as he nodded in agreement to William Il¡¯s suggestion.


    If left to the officials to discuss, the negotiations may be extended due to various details.


    For William II and Arthur, since they fundamentally tended towards cooperation, spending additional time on negotiations was unnecessary.


    As William II and Arthur were essentially capable of deciding the affairs of the German Empire and the Australian Principality, it would be better to directly establish the treaty and delegate the specific matters to the officials.


    ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s about the pre-agreed 500 million Mark sponsorship and the 1 billion Mark loan with a low-interest rate. I have already ordered this matter to Germany¡¯s major banks, and the funds can likely be gathered by the new year, before handing them over to you,¡± William II said with a smile.


    The 500 million Mark sponsorship was funded by the German government, and the 1 billion Mark loan was to be raised by Germany¡¯s major banks.


    This method would lessen the financial burden of the German government, while also creating revenue for Germany¡¯s major banks. Thus, William II could achieve the result he wanted without any loss.


    ¡°No problem, Your Majesty,¡± Arthur nodded.


    The amount of funding had been agreed upon prior to this, gathering funds required time, and Arthur naturally held no objections.


    ¡°Next is the issue of resource and industrial equipment aid. I understand that your mineral resources will suffice for your industrial development, so you should not need to import any mineral resources. When ites to equipment, we¡¯ll have to wait for our industry experts to arrive in Australia to understand the detail, so it¡¯s not within the scope of our current discussion,¡± William II continued.


    Seeing Arthur continue to nod, William II said, ¡°Then it¡¯s about the dispatch of industrial experts. I¡¯ve selected over a hundred experts from various German factories and the military industry sector. They¡¯ll station in Australia for at least five years, providing as much help as they can during that period.¡± ¡°However, all expenses for these experts need to be covered by Australia. Arthur, do you have a problem with that?¡± William II enquired with a smile.


    ¡°Not at all, Your Majesty. It¡¯s appropriate to cover the expenses of these experts, including their travel and various fees. Australia is more than willing to take on these expenses,¡± Arthur shook his head as he responded.


    The industrial experts dispatched by William II are undoubtedly more capable than those attracted by Australia from Germany on its own.


    Investing a small amount of funds to attract talent is effective, even if it¡¯s only for five years in duration. For Arthur and Australia, it¡¯spletely worthwhile..

 Chapter 64: Military Industry Introduction and Production Line

    Chapter 64: Military Industry Introduction and Production Line


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°However, just a group of industrial experts is not enough. I hope to introduce some skilled technicians and immigrants from Germany to fill the gaps in Australia¡¯s industrial development.¡± Arthur said with a smile, ¡°At the same time, I hope that Australia can send a hundred students to study in various universities in Germania every year. I believe that the German education system can cultivate outstanding talents for Australia andpletely solve the loopholes in the basic talent and middle-level talent vacancies in Australia.¡±


    For Australia¡¯s industrial development, what iscking is far more than just skilled technicians, but also various capable talents and arge number of immigrants.


    To establish aplete industrial system, arge amount of mineral resources and poption are needed, so that there will be enough workers,borers, and intellectuals. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In terms of mineral resources, Australia is notcking, and even extremely rich.


    The minerals Australia possesses are enough to make it one of the world¡¯srgest mineral resource exporters, without worrying about resource reserves.


    However, in terms of poption, the problems manifested by Australia are very serious.


    The current European powers, any one of them is a superpower with a poption of tens of millions. It is because of having tens of millions of people that they can establishrge-scale industries.


    One of the reasons why small countries cannot develop is that, in addition to mineral resources andnd area, poption size is also a crucial factor.


    If Australia wants to rise and establish a strong industry, it must have a poption of at least 20 million.


    Of course, this is Arthur¡¯s future goal for Australia. The current n is to introduce immigrants and increase Australia¡¯s poption to over 5 million, heading towards 10 million.


    ¡°No problem, Arthur. The great Germanic tribes are a good source of immigrants, and more German immigrants will help us establish better rtions.¡± William II nodded and said, ¡°There is also no problem with the exchange students. Under the condition of satisfactory grades, any university in Germania wees their arrival.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s proposal is entirely within William H¡¯s n. For William II, tying a country firmly to his war chariot and making half of its poption German is a good choice.


    When half of Australia¡¯s poption is German, even if Arthur is unwilling, he will have to take into consideration the feelings of all Germans in the country.


    Under such circumstances, wouldn¡¯t Australia¡¯s policies naturally lean towards Germany?


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± When putting forward his proposal, Arthur understood that William II would not oppose it.


    Even his proposal might be weed by William II. After all, binding Australia more firmly to Germany¡¯s war chariot is something William II wants to aplish.


    ¡°Your Majesty, besides all these, we would like also to introduce various military industrial technologies and industrial technologies from Germany. Germania, as one of the most powerful industrial countries, has given birth to the world¡¯s top military and industrial technology. We yearn for this technology and dream of owning it.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Sitting in front of them, William II is an extremely arrogant and self-conscious person. Due to physical reasons, William II has a psychological deficiency.


    As for Prime Minister Bernhard, he is also quite proud of Germania and himself. In their eyes, the German Empire is not inferior to any other country, and the various foreign policies of Germany under Prime Minister Bernhard¡¯s tenure can attest to this.


    Because of this, upon hearing Arthur¡¯s praise of Germania¡¯s industry, both William II and Prime Minister Bernhard showed quite proud smiles.


    They may feel inferior in terms of naval strength, but in terms of industry, they believe that Britain is no longer a match for Germania.


    ¡°Of course, Arthur. Besides some core strategic technology, other industrial and military technology can be sold to you in the form of production lines.¡± William II said with a smile.


    There is quite a difference between selling production lines and selling technology. Although mastering production lines can also control the production of products, once there are problems with the production lines, they can only rely on Germany¡¯s help.


    Arthur did not object, smiling and saying: ¡°I hope to introduce German rifle production technology, as well as the famous Culver Company¡¯s artillery technology. Australia has vast territory and also needs a strong army and equipment to guard it.¡±


    ¡°Which rifle do you mean for the production line?¡± William II frowned and asked.


    ¡°Of course, it is the new standard rifle produced by the Mauser Company, the 1898 model rifle.¡± Arthur replied with a smile.


    The reputation of the 1898 model rifle is not famous, but its improved version, the Mauser 98k, is one of the most famous rifles in the world.


    ¡°Gew98? Arthur, as far as I know, you should have control of a military factory built by your original uncle Arthur. The rifle production technology it has is not weaker than Gew98. In my opinion, there is no need to exchange Gew98 production lines. It¡¯s better for a country to have one standard rifle, otherwise, it would be a big problem for logistics.¡± William II was taken aback and then reminded.


    William II was talking about the Lee-Enfield rifle produced by Arthur¡¯s military factory. Lee-Enfield, as a standard British rifle, is not inferior in performance and power to the Mauser 98k, let alone the current 1898 model Mauser rifle.


    Under the circumstances where the production process and bullet caliber of the two rifles are different, in William H¡¯s view, Arthur¡¯s behavior is unnecessary and will also affect the logistics of the Australian Army.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Your Majesty. Both the Lee-Enfield rifle and the Gew98 rifle, in my opinion, are among the best rifles in the world. They canplement each other and perhaps give birth to a better rifle, right?¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Both of these rifles have a long lifespan, and their improved versions have been used until after World War II.


    Although they are notparable to the various semi-automatic and fully automatic rifles that emerged in thete stages of World War II, in this era when automatic weapons are not widely avable, these two rifles are the two best rifles in the world for the next 40 years.


    Moreover, Arthur¡¯s introduction of the Gew98 rifle production line is not to equip the Australian Army with this rifle, but to export it inrge quantities during World War I.


    Although major European countries have stockpiled arge amount of weapons and resources for future wars, the consumption of war is enormous, and even if the major countries have transformed some civilian factories into military production, the huge gap still cannot be filled.


    This has led to countries like the United States, which did not participate in the war in the early stages, making a fortune in war. The export of various resources, including weapons and equipment, grain, and medical supplies, became the most profitable method at the time, and the United States made a pot of money,ying a certain foundation for the true rise of the United States..

 Chapter 65: Shipbuilding Technology

    Chapter 65: Shipbuilding Technology


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Seeing Arthur¡¯s persistence, William II didn¡¯t say anything, but just nodded. I will discuss the matter of the Gew98 with Mauser Company, but what kind of price they will sell to you depends on your negotiating skills.¡±


    Naturally, Arthur wouldn¡¯t refuse such a condition. As the standard weapon of the German Army, the fact that the Gew98 production line was to be sold to Australia was a great show of support.


    As for the funds needed to purchase the Gew98, Arthur did not consider it a significant expense. After all, the Gew98, once improved, would be one of the world¡¯s most powerful rifles for the next 40-50 years.


    Born in the traditional German military industry, Arthur was also not worried about the sales of the Gew98.


    Whether it was the Germanic Allies in World War I or other countries that were infatuated with German weapons, they would all wee the export of this rifle.


    The funds needed to purchase the Gew98 production line would be recouped in future weapon exports, even making a huge profit.


    ¡°As for Krupp¡¯s artillery technology, some of the firearms arc essential for warships, so it¡¯s no harm to hand them over to you. Some of the cxtrarge-caliber firearms involve the secrets of the German Forces, so they may not be given to you. Specifically, I will let Culver Company talk to you, and it¡¯s not a problem to hand over conventional artillery technology to you.¡± William II said with a smile.


    In the area of artillery, Germany, with renowned military industrypanies like Krupp, is definitely a dominant force of the industry.


    The famous Krupp Giant Cannon produced by Culver Company is also a powerful weapon of the German Empire in attacking and capturing cities.


    William H¡¯s response was within Arthur¡¯s expectations. Germany¡¯s willingness to transfer ordinary artillery technology to Australia was already an


    unexpected surprise for Arthur.


    There are no powerful enemies or strong fortresses around Australia for the time being.


    Under such circumstances, bulky and inconveniently transportedrge-caliber artillery would be a burden for Australia.


    Although they have an unstoppable advantage in attacking and capturing cities, it is not of much use for Australia. In addition, the trouble of logistics and the precision problems caused by extrarge calibers make it seem like a chicken rib, it¡¯s better not to have it at all.


    ¡°Like with the Mauser Company, your diplomatic team will need to discuss the specific matters. Let your officials negotiate the specific prices with the Mauser Company and the Culver Company.¡± William II said.


    Arthur nodded without objection.


    As a monarch, of course, not everything can be left to him. In the case of an authoritarian monarchy like Australia, Arthur¡¯s primary role is to determine the overarching framework, while officials are required to perfect the details.


    ¡°Do you need assistance with warships and shipyards?¡± William II continued the topic and asked: ¡°German-made warships may not be on par with the British Empire, but they are definitely world-leading. If you need it, we can help you expand shipyards.¡±


    William II was aware of the shipyard that Arthur owned.


    However, such a small-scale shipyard is not enough for an ind nation and even less so for Australia, which wants to stabilize its overseas territories.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. Although we have signed an Aid Treaty with Britain on warships, the British side mostly provides technology, not practical warship blueprints. I hope to obtain some advanced warship blueprints from Germany to make up for theck of Australian warship blueprints. To show our gratitude to Germania, we arc willing to share the advanced technology obtained from Britain with Germania simultaneously and purchase these warship blueprints at the market price.¡± Arthur naturally nodded and said with a smile.


    Although dreadnoughts will be born in a few years and obsolete what were advanced warships at the time.


    But if Australia cannot master the current shipbuilding technology and the rtively advanced warship blueprints, then when the dreadnought is born in the future, Australia will not have the ability to build it.


    It¡¯s like primary school and middle school knowledge. Although the knowledge learned in primary school would be obsolete upon entering middle school,


    But if the umtion of primary school knowledge is not there, it would be very difficult to master middle school knowledge.


    As the saying goes, ¡°a little adds up,¡± and Australia has nothing to umte. Although the German Navy is far less powerful than the Royal British Navy, as a newly unified nation in just a few decades, the German Empire has made huge investments in the navy and achieved impressive results.


    If Australia can master German shipbuilding technology and blueprints, allowing them to have the future ability to build dreadnoughts, it will be an assured gain.


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s suggestion, both William II and Prime Minister Bernhard nodded their heads.


    As the second major powerpeting directly with the British Empire, the German Empire naturally cannot obtain technological support from the British Empire.


    This has also led to the naval development of Germany and Britain in almost two different directions. If they can obtain some advanced British technology, it could not only improve some of the shorings of German naval technology but also be familiar with the characteristics of the British Navy, achieving the effect of knowing oneself and the enemy.


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem, Arthur. You can choose between the Brunswick-ss battleships and the Deutsch-ss battleships, and their design drawings and detailed data will be sold to you at market prices. But I have a requirement that the design drawings and data must not be resold or leaked any information in any form to other countries or forces within fifteen years.¡± William II said after a long contemtion.


    ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t object to your sales of the warships, but the selling price must be consistent with that of Germania to avoid maliciouspetition.¡± William II continued.


    The cost and selling prices of warships are very different, and for some warships, there is a two-fold difference.


    That¡¯s why William II said this. After mastering the construction technology, if Australiapetes with the German shipyards by lowering the selling price, it would also cause losses to German interests.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. The gap between Australia¡¯s industry and Germania¡¯s industry is enormous, and the same is true for shipbuilding. Australia will notpete with Germania, nor docs it have the ability to do so. Our goal is to master the technology of buildingrge warships and to be well-prepared for the future development of the Australian Navy.¡± Arthur did not deny it, smiled, and exined.


    Neither in terms of industrial scale nor national prestige docs Australia have the ability topete with Germania. Naturally, it is impossible for Australia to be so arrogant as topete with the German Empire.


    Arthur¡¯s goal is only to master the technology of building battleships and to be prepared for the birth of dreadnoughts in the future. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In any case, before the birth of dreadnoughts, Australia needs to master the manufacturing of battleships so that when dreadnoughts are born, they can try to build them instead of starting from scratch..

 Chapter 66: Christmas Warship Visit

    Chapter 66: Christmas Warship Visit


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    Arthur and William H¡¯s negotiations went very smoothly, taking less than three hours to determine the framework of the aid treaty, including the purchase of important technologies in military industry.


    No matter what William Il¡¯s purpose is, this treaty is only beneficial for Australia, with no drawbacks.


    With the help of Germany and assistance from the United Kingdom, Australia¡¯s economy and industry will enter a period of explosive growth.


    Although the signing of the aid treaty is apanied by some agreements on military matters, the good news is that William II does not explicitly require Australia to join a future war.


    Australia only needs to provide resource support to Germany within six months after the outbreak of the war and take the opportunity to harass France¡¯s major colonies. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    For Arthur, this ispletely eptable. Without directly getting mired in the quagmire of war, causing more intense conflicts in Europe is not harmful to Australia.


    After all, war often creates many wealth opportunities. Australia¡¯s military industry, supported by Britain and Germany, will naturally be more eptable to both countries.


    Given the choice, the same standard equipment is more familiar and has higherbat effectiveness than different equipment.


    December 19,1900, the second day after talks between Arthur and William II.


    After the two monarchs confirmed the framework of the treaty, officials also began to finalize the details of the contract.


    Since the general framework has been determined, the negotiations progress quickly. The more difficult issues have already been resolved by Arthur and William II, and officials from both countries only need to discuss the types of assistance and specific amounts.


    However, it still took about five days to fully negotiate the massive aid n, which includes up to 75 million pounds in funds, various advanced technologies, and outstanding workers.


    Luckily for Australia, William II decided to conclude the treaty negotiations before Christmas, so on December 23, the day before Christmas Eve, some contentious issues were quickly resolved by officials from both countries by Germany¡¯spromise.


    This was the only way, and for the two countries that genuinely want to conclude a treaty, the aid-provider Germany had to make some concessions.


    December 24,1900, Berlin, Germany.


    Just before Christmas Eve, Germany and Australia finally agreed on all the details of the treaty and printed the officially signed treaty by both monarchs, which went into effect.


    The official name of the treaty is the ¡°German-Australian Berlin Agreement on Assistance and Cooperation,¡± abbreviated as the ¡°Berlin Agreement.¡±


    Since the agreement contains parts about military operations and diplomatic support during wartime, considering both sides, only part of the content of this agreement will be disclosed, and other cooperation ns will not be revealed.


    Under the media¡¯s spotlight, William II and Arthur held up their respective copies of the treaty and smiled for a group photo.


    After the political resolution waspleted, Arthur and the diplomatic visiting team spent the remaining few days for rest and entertainment.


    After a short Christmas vacation, Arthur had to prepare to return to Australia to attend the government¡¯s annual report meeting and New Year¡¯s n meeting.


    Having been away from Australia for almost two months, most of the time was spent on the sea journey.


    Arthur actually missed his manor in Australia and the freedom it brought.


    In order to make up for the previousck of hospitality, William II specifically held a grand banquet on Christmas Eve, inviting Arthur and all members of the diplomatic visiting group to attend.


    Of course, holding a banquet on Christmas Eve was a tradition. However, taking advantage of the banquet to get acquainted with many German nobles and upper echelon figures was very beneficial for the short-term development of Australia.


    Thanks to William H¡¯s strong rmendation, Arthur attracted a lot of attention at the Christmas Eve banquet.


    Especially as a duke with real power and a direct grandson of thete Queen Victoria, Arthur was already quite famous.


    Many nobles wanted to establish an alliance with Arthur through marriage, but they were all rejected by him.


    Arthur enjoyed his current free life and did not want to get married so soon. Of course, perhaps he also did not want to be too close with Germany.


    After all, following World War I, German nobility would be overthrown, and regardless of the Hohenzollern family or various dukes and earls, they would eventually lose their titles of nobility and be ordinary wealthy people.


    However, Arthur did not refuse to establish good rtionships with them.


    Including traditional military industry families such as Culver Company and Mauser Company, Arthur sought to attract them all.


    When Germany failed, it might not be impossible to win over these military-industrial enterprises and attract some talent to join Australia.


    After the Christmas Eve grand banquet, the Christmas vacation quickly followed.


    As a traditional Christian holiday, the German Empire took a break on this day, which also included William II.


    However, to entertain Arthur, William II specifically invited him to visit a Brunswick-ss battleship and get a taste of the strength of the German navy.


    It must be said thatpared to this massive battleship, Australia¡¯s small warships were simply insignificant.


    At the time, battleships were the most powerful warships and represented the mainstream naval power of countries around the world. Battleships, in terms of their size andbat capabilities, showcased a nation¡¯s strong navy.


    Even in 1900, there were not many countries in the world that possessed battleships, with fewer than twenty.


    Among them, even fewer countries had the ability to produce battleships. Aside from a few major powers, hardly any country could master battleship construction technology, even for those that had already fallen behind in that era.


    Many regional countries dreamed of owning battleships. The Ottoman Empire once eagerly sought to acquire two battleships, going so far as tounch arge-scale national fundraising campaign, attracting the enthusiasm and donations of people all over the country. This shows just how important battleships were to these countries in this era.


    Britain¡¯s dy in delivering these two battleships also yed a significant role in Ottoman Turkey¡¯s decision to join Germany in World War I.


    After all, these were two battleships that caused a nationwide sensation. Britain¡¯s dy in delivering them, and even tant refusal, angered both the Turkish higher authorities and the public.


    In this era, a battleship brought a huge boost to a navy¡¯sbat capabilities.


    Currently, the Australian navy was hardly worth mentioning. But with just one battleship of active service quality from the major powers, Australia¡¯s navy would directly rank among the top thirty in the world..

 Chapter 67: Benson and Mercedes-Benz

    Chapter 67: Benson and Mercedes-Benz


    Trantor: 549690339


    In order to fully demonstrate the might of the Brunswick-ss battleship to Arthur, William II specially ordered the German Navy to sail this massive warship around the Western Baltic Sea twice.


    Although the battleship appears massive, it was not unwieldy once it started to move.


    The sight of such a heavy beast free-roaming in the sea can¡¯t help but make people admire the change and improvement that technology has brought to mankind.


    At the same time, Arthur is even more looking forward to the advent of dreadnoughts. As a new type of main battleship that surpasses battleships in every aspect, dreadnoughts have also made considerable progress in speed. Pre-dreadnought battleships usually cruise at around seventeen to eighteen knots, while dreadnought-ss battleships cruise at a terrifying twenty-one knots, not to mention the main battleships that other countries built using dreadnought designs.


    After disembarking the warship, Arthur and William II rode in the same car and set off on the return journey to Berlin.


    in the car, Arthur remembered that he still had a task to aplish, that was, to acquire the automobile production technology.


    Although at this time, revolutionary breakthroughs had not yet been made in various automobile technologies, resulting in cars only being a luxury for the rich.


    But as someone from the future, Arthur deeply understood the potential market and importance of cars in the future, especially how crucial they are for the development and various constructions of a country.


    Visibly, the introduction of the Model T car was only a few years away. If he wanted to plot the European car market, he would have to act quickly.


    The main issues facing the car industry at this time were stability and price. Current cars are essentially handcrafted. Not only is the production speed extremely slow, but also they often run into various problems. Ordinary people can¡¯t afford them.


    However, with the creative assembly line production technology of the Ford Company, not only has the production speed of cars significantly improved, but the production cost has been effectively reduced, allowing cars to enter thousands of households.


    At the same time, because car production uses universal parts, the specifications and models of various parts are unified. This not only reduces car fault problems but also significantly reduces the difficulty of repairs.


    As a result, the inexpensive and rtively stable Ford Model T quickly dominated the car markets in the United States and even the entire world, directly creating a world record for single-vehicle type production.


    You should know that the reason cars are so weU received is not only because they drastically improve travel efficiency but also because they bring about enormous changes to society and a country.


    For a country, the development of the transportation industry could stimte the development of infrastructural construction and the economy, thus driving the development of various industries.


    More importantly, the significant increase in transportation efficiency brought by cars could also be applied to the military.


    Whether it¡¯s the transportation of strategic supplies and equipment or the movement of soldiers and the military, it was a headache in the past.


    Although railways and trains could solverge-scale transportation problems, train stations weren¡¯t everywhere.


    People who wished to move to another city needed to go to the train station to board the train. Moreover, they had to worry about whether the railway would be blown up during the journey.


    But cars are different. As smaller vehicles, the dependency on roads isn¡¯t as stringent as trains.


    If nothing else matters, cars can be driven uphill, on steep slopes, and even through forests. In terms of small-scale transportation, cars are much more powerful than trains.


    At present, the most sessful in terms of cars are America and Germany. Although the assembly line was invented by the Ford Company, in reality, it¡¯s just a new production concept rather than a technology.


    The core of the assembly line is to divide the production of the whole car into the production and assembly of parts. Each worker only needs to be responsible for the production and assembly of their own parts, unlike before where they were responsible for the production and assembly of the entire car. One person doing one thing greatly improves the production efficiency of cars and reducesbor and time costs.


    Provided they have car production technology, they can slowly research the assembly line and eventually find a suitable assembly line production method. After hearing that Arthur wanted to purchase car production technology, William II nonchntly nodded his head in agreement.


    Although William II also understands the potential market and role of this new type of transportation tool, the car, because it has been developing for quite a while now and the two main defects have not yet been solved, the importance of cars in William Il¡¯s heart has been reduced.


    Moreover, other countries are also studying this technology, it¡¯s just a matter of progress.


    Selling this to Australia wouldn¡¯t lead to any objections from William II. However, William II left Arthur with a tough question. He had to choose a suitable car manufacturer to buy the technology from.


    This is quite a significant problem. The famous car manufacturers inter generations hardly existed in this era.


    However, Arthur was familiar with the great name of Carl Fitzgerald Benton, the father of cars.


    On January 26,1886, Carl Benton sessfully developed the world¡¯s first single-cylinder three-wheeled automobile. This day was also designated as World Car Birthday.


    Therefore, Arthur unhesitatingly mentioned Carl Benton¡¯s great name. William II was taken aback for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect that Arthur would have some knowledge about Germany¡¯s car brands.


    At present, the Benz Iron Casting and Machinery Factory founded by Carl Benton and his friend, Augustus Ritter, has thergest automobile factory in Germany.


    And the Victoria Motorcar invented by Benton brought tremendous honor to hispany.


    However, in reality, although the car had advanced performance, its seUing price reached a whopping 3875 marks, or about 193 pounds.


    You must know that such a high price is a huge sum for ordinary people. Even excellent workers with high ie would need tomit at least half a year¡¯s wages to afford it.


    This isn¡¯t the end, this cost is only the purchase price of the car. Subsequent maintenance, repair, and fuel costs would cost a significant amount, directly discouraging the vast majority of people with medium and low ies.


    This led to a severe problem. Although Benton¡¯spany has achieved decent results in terms of honor and size.


    But as apany boss and shareholder, Benton was unsessful. This invention did not bring much ie to thepany, but instead plunged it into a debt crisis.


    After all, whether it was Benton himself or his friend Ritter, they were all ordinary people, who couldn¡¯t bear thepany¡¯s vast expenses. Although recently, based on suggestions, Benton developed a cheaper ¡°Bicycle,¡± which in reality is a cheap car that cut out many features. Because they achieved initial mass production and cut some functions, this so-called ¡°Bicycle¡± brought some sales volume to Benton and hispany, allowing thepany to barely hang on. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In other words, thergest car manufacturer in Germany is currently in a severe debt situation.


    Having achieved a degree of sess in the automobile field and facing serious financial issues. This makes it the most suitable acquisition target for Arthur. If he could acquire Benton¡¯s automobilepany and inject arge amount of capital, who could guarantee the Bentonpany wouldn¡¯t surpass Ford and be the creator of car sales records?

 Chapter 68: Meeting with the Father of Cars

    Chapter 68: Meeting with the Father of Cars


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    December 26,1900, the first day after the Christmas vacation.


    As the time to return to Australia drew closer, the entire diplomatic visiting group began to busy themselves, packing their luggage for the journey home. The crew of the fleet were also taking inventory of the supplies, stockpiling in preparation for the maritime consumption.


    In the midst of such busyness, Foreign Minister Andrews and Minister of Industry Pierre jointly headed to Laburg to meet Carl Benton, whom Arthur had specifically instructed to win over and befriend.


    Although the two ministers didn¡¯t know much about Carl Benton and thepany he belonged to. However, because it was Arthur who personally instructed this, the two regarded it as important and did not underestimate Mr. Benton at all.


    In a small restaurant in Laburg, the two ministers sessfully met ¡°the father of cars¡± Carl Benton.


    By this time, Mr. Benton was 56 years old, but he was still striving in the frontline of the automobile industry¡¯s research and development.


    Perhaps because of being invited all of a sudden, Mr. Benton¡¯s clothes were full of dust with a few conspicuous oil stains, which made him look no different from the lower-ss citizens.


    ¡°Gentlemen, who might you be?¡± The Mayor of Laburg had informed Mr. Benton, causing him naturally to assume that the two ministers were high officials in Germany.


    ¡°Arc you Mr. Carl Friedrich Benton, the owner of Mercedes-Benz Rhine Automobile Ltd.?¡± Minister Andrew patiently asked.


    Two senior officials born of British politics would not despise Mr. Benton who appeared somewhat scruffy. After all, he was someone who Arthur personally instructed to win over.


    ¡°Yes, I am, sir. Is there something you need?¡± Mr. Benton nodded his head and asked with curiosity.


    Although Mr. Benton and his car had caused quite a stir at the previous Munich Expo, this was only in the business world.


    In front of officials with significant backgrounds, Mr. Benton was merely amoner with a bit of fame.


    ¡°Let me introduce ourselves, Mr. Benton. I am Andrew Kim Potter, the Foreign Minister of the Australian Principality. And this is Pierre Silvio Berlusconi, the Minister of Industry of the Australian Principality,¡± Minister Andrew smiled and introduced themselves to Mr. Benton.


    ¡°Ministers from Australia? ¡­¡± Mr. Benton was first very surprised, and then he fell silent.


    He really couldn¡¯t think of why two national ministers woulde to see him personally, even if they were from a small country like Australia.


    After all, the treaty between Germania and Australia had just been signed and had incited much discussion in Germany.


    ¡°So, what brings the Ministers here? Is it that Australia wants to order our cars?¡± Mr. Benton couldn¡¯t figure out why the two ministers from Australia hade to see him personally. Besides manufacturing cars, he doubted he had any other abilities.


    ¡°No, sir. Just yesterday, our Duke requested His Majesty the German Emperor to purchase automobile production technology from Germania. With the Emperor¡¯s permission, the Duke has chosen you and the Mercedes-Benz Rhine Automobile Ltd. you own,¡± Minister Andrewughed and shook his head as he exined.


    ¡°The request of His Highness the Duke? Approved by His Majesty the Emperor? The Duke has chosen me?¡± Upon hearing Minister Andrew¡¯s exnation, Mr. Benton waspletely shocked and surprised.


    If it weren¡¯t for the ministers¡¯ years of official demeanor and the armed guards behind them, Mr. Benton would really have questioned the ministers¡¯ true identities.


    ¡°So the Ministers¡¯ purpose is to acquire Mercedes-Benz Corporation?¡± After about a minute of silence, Mr. Benton finally forced himself to believe everything in front of him and asked. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Certainly, Mr. Benton. His Highness the Duke has expressly instructed us to acquire Mercedes-Benz Corporation and all the factories andboratories owned by you, Mr. Benton. As for all the workers, if they¡¯re willing to go to Australia, we can pay for all the costs of relocation and resettlement, and arrange amodations and household registration for each worker¡¯s family,¡± said Minister Andrew, nodding and smiling.


    Since they were considering acquisition, they had to naturally acquire Mr. Benton¡¯s carpany along with all its researchboratories and factories.


    Mercedes-Benz Corporation, as a standalone entity, was apany that manufactured cars. It did not have the capability to develop new products.


    Mr. Benton nodded without expressing any dissatisfaction or resistance to the acquisition, but asked, ¡°If thepany is acquired by you, do all the factories andbs have to be relocated to Australia? Does this include all equipment and workers?¡±


    ¡°For now, yes, Mr. Benton. But rest assured, we will not force all workers to go to Australia. For those willing to go, we¡¯ll cover the costs of relocation and resettlement. For those who want to stay in Germany, in addition to paying their wages on settlement date, we will pay three months¡¯ extra sry to express our apologies,¡± said Minister of Industry Pierre, taking over the conversation and responding.


    Mr. Benton continued to nod and said, ¡°Alright, gentlemen. If you can choose Mercedes-Benz Corporation, I believe you havee prepared. I don¡¯t object to selling Mercedes-Benz Corporation, but I hope that if you can acquire it, you will treat all the workers kindly.¡±


    Although Carl Benton had established his own machinery factories, researchbs, and carpany, he was not a pure businessman.


    Compared to making money, what Benton loved more was seeing his cars being epted and weed by more people.


    Compared to being a business magnate, what Benton enjoyed more were the times he spent in theb and on the production line of cars.


    Being able to work on car technology research and production, an area he was passionate about, was the greatest acknowledgment and respect for a technical personnel.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Benton. We would also like to invite you to continue as the head of research and production for Mercedes-Benz Corporation. For this, we¡¯re ready to reserve 10% of Mercedes-Benz Corporation¡¯s stock for you. His Highness the Duke asked us to convey a message to you: He is very optimistic about the future prospects and market of cars, and he believes that under your leadership, Mercedes-Benz Corporation can be the leader of car production. Therefore, on top of acquiring Mercedes-Benz Corporation, His Highness the Duke is willing to allocate at least one million pounds of research funds to Mercedes-Benz Corporation each year, and use all his power to support the research and production of Mercedes-Benz Corporation. He hopes that you, Mr. Benton, can witness the development and rise of Mercedes-Benz Corporation in the car industry with His Highness the Duke, and witness the development of the automobile as a new means of transportation,¡± Minister Andrew said with a smile.


    For a technical personnel, what can move them is not personal interests, but the freedom of research and ample research funds.


    Arthur also believed thatpared to the funds for acquiring Mercedes-Benz Corporation, what Mr. Benton really cared about was the funds invested in Mercedes-Benz Corporation¡¯s research each year.


    If Mr. Benton was previously indifferent about hispany being acquired, he now agreed somewhat.


    After hearing the words Minister Andrew conveyed on behalf of the Duke, Mr. Benton nodded and said to the two ministers, ¡°Very well, esteemed Ministers. The words you have conveyed have deeply moved me. I agree to sell Mercedes-Benz Corporation and continue to serve as the person in charge of thepany. Please convey my promise to His Highness the Duke that I will ensure that he witnesses the rise of Mercedes-Benz and cars in the future..¡±

 Chapter 69: A Journey Home Full of Harvest

    Chapter 69: A Journey Home Full of Harvest N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    December 29,1900, Hamburg, Germany.


    The n to acquire Mercedes-Benz Corporation was very sessful, and the relocation of the entirepany andboratory was very smooth.


    With the approval of William II, this acquisition and relocation operation did not encounter any resistance. Arthur spent only two million pounds toplete the entire acquisition and subsequent handling.


    As thergest automobile factory in Germany, Mercedes-Benz Corporation has a car factory, a researchb, an iron castingpany, and a machinery factory for research and manufacture of engines.


    These factories andpanies employ a total of more than 500 employees. Among them, only a little over 100 are willing to go to Australia, and that too in the case of Arthur¡¯s high-paying job offer.


    For Arthur, it is indeed good news that more than 100 people are willing to bring their families to Australia to continue working.


    So, after three days of preparation, these employees and their family members sessfully arrived in Hamburg and boarded the transport ship to live in


    Australia.


    Apanying them were the employees of apany called Diesel Engine Laboratory and Engine Factory.


    Yes, Arthur¡¯s goal is not just Benson. In the field of engines closely rted to automobiles, there is another person known as the ¡°Father of Diesel Engine¡± who is no less famous than Benson, and that is Rudolf Christian Carl Diesel.


    Rudolf Diesel is an irreceable genius and founder in the engine industry, especially in the diesel engine industry, and is known as the father of diesel engines.


    Even the word ¡°diesel¡± in Germanes from Rudolf Diesel¡¯s name.


    Like Benson, Diesel¡¯s invention of the diesel engine has achieved certain results. The diesel-poweredpression ignition engine he invented not only has high power, low fuel consumption, but also can use inferior fuel, which has a bright development prospect.


    If Benson is a half entrepreneur and half inventor without outstanding business abilities, then Diesel is a pure inventor with no business sense at all. Although he invented an excellent diesel engine and made himself a millionaire, due to his continuous wrong choices and failed stock investments, Diesel¡¯s engine factory¡¯s financial situation got worse and worse.


    After sessfully signing the acquisition agreement with Benson and discussing the detailed relocation n, the two ministers, Andrew, and Pierre, rushed to Munich to find this engine talent.


    Rudolf Diesel is a German who received his education in Paris during his childhood. Due to the conflict between the German Empire of Prussia and France at that time, Diesel¡¯s entire family had to flee to London.


    After graduating, Diesel went to Switzend and finally began to set up his own engine researchb in Paris.


    The reason why he is currently staying in Munich is that Diesel is suffering from a more severe nervous breakdown and is recuperating in a nearby sanatorium.


    Since he invented the diesel engine, Diesel has a high reputation. After making a few inquiries, the two ministers learned about Diesel¡¯s sanatorium.


    Essentially speaking, Benson and Diesel belong to the same kind of people, both of whom are absolute geniuses in their respective fields with little business know-how.


    They are more in pursuit of research achievements and progress rather than material enjoyment.


    After hearing that Duke Arthur of Australia wanted to acquire his engineboratory and factory, Diesel¡¯s first question was not about the amount of acquisition funds, but how much funding for future research and development. Arthur would not be stingy with such talents, especially since the funds he spent would be used for legitimate purposes such as research.


    Arthur was generous with research funding for both Benson and Diesel, with an annual share of one million pounds each and the option to apply for more as needed.


    As expected, Diesel readily agreed to the acquisition, with the only requirement being a guarantee of his research funding every year and the inclusion of all his assistants in theboratory.


    In this way, the twoter generations of famous talents in the automotive and engine industries were smoothly tied to Australia¡¯s war chariot by Arthur, and the cost he paid was just a few million pounds.


    Like Mercedes-Benz, Arthur also reserved 10% of the shares in the engine factory for Diesel and continued to entrust him with the management rights of theboratory.


    The management rights of the engine factory, however, were not that Arthur was unwilling to give them to Diesel. It is because Diesel¡¯s business management ability is too poor, and he also needs more energy to devote to engine research.


    After everything was sufficiently prepared, Arthur, with hundreds of workers and two talents he had excavated, along with the visiting group and guards he had brought, boarded the warship to embark on the journey back to Australia.


    On the warship, Diesel and Benson also met Arthur, the mastermind behind the acquisition of their factories.


    Under the slightly respectful and flustered gaze of the two talents, Arthur graciously promised to prepare two vis for them in Sydney and arrange their family¡¯s citizenship.


    Yes, Arthur also requested that they join Australian citizenship and be genuine Australians.


    The two were somewhat reluctant, but under Arthur¡¯s persuasion, they both agreed.


    Seeing the two joining Australian citizenship, Arthur was satisfied.


    Now, these two outstanding talents have sessfully be Australians, which will bring significant change to Australia¡¯s industrial development.


    It takes more than a month to travel from Hamburg to Sydney, which also means that the voyage is extremely boring and tedious.


    Perhaps due to the attraction of genius, Benson and Diesel became close friends in this month and spent most of their time together in a room researching engine principles, improvements, and how to apply them more reasonably to cars.


    Arthur was happy to see this, after all, both of them achieved great results in their respective fields. Their exchanges might have a more far-reaching impact on their aplishments, which is even enough to change Australia¡¯s development.


    There is also good news because of their discussions during this period; both of them have made some new discoveries and ideas.


    Both Diesel and Benson requested Arthur more than once to speed up the fleet¡¯s progress so that they could reach Australia as soon as possible to build theirboratories and begin research.


    Arthur couldn¡¯t help butugh, ordering the fleet to elerate as much as possible, meanwhile promising Diesel and Benson that as soon as they arrived in Australia, he would find a ce for them to build theirboratories and invest funds as soon as possible for their development..

 Chapter 70: Summary of the End of 1900

    Chapter 70: Summary of the End of 1900


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    On January 30,1901, after a voyage of about a month, the fleet finally arrived at Sydney Harbour in Australia.


    Prime Minister Evan had prepared a rather grand wee ceremony, and once again, Sydney Harbour was packed with people. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It had been three months since they set off for Europe. Both the visiting group and Arthur had begun to miss Australia.


    Since the aid treaties signed with Britain and Germany were good news for Australia and Australians, Arthur would not miss such an excellent opportunity to win people¡¯s hearts. He gave a small speech at the harbour, eliciting enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.


    Afterwards, he returned to the manor house, with no other engagements. The reason was that after a long, tedious, and bumpy journey at sea, all Arthur wanted to do now was lie on the big bed in his manor and have a good rest.


    The task of settling Disel, Benson, and the workers was left to Prime Minister Evan.


    Fortunately, several residential buildings that had been vacated during the enrollment of the Australian National University were still vacant and could be put to good use.


    For Disel and Benson, Arthur also fulfilled his promise, selecting two nice separate small buildings in the City Centre of Sydney for them and their families to live in.


    January 31,1901, the second day of their return to Australia.


    After resting from the afternoon until noon the next day and enjoying a big meal, Arthur gradually felt recovered.


    Dressed in a custom-made suit, Arthur went to the Administrative Building with his guards.


    By the time Arthur arrived, all the cab members were present and quietly waiting at their respective seats.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    As Arthur entered, everyone stood up and bowed respectfully.


    ¡°Long time no see, everyone. It has been three months since Ist left Australia, and I can see the changes you have made to Australia in these three months. Although it is already a new year, it is not toote to hold our annual meeting forst year. Tell me, what ns each of your departments madest year, what you have aplished and what you are currently working on. Report briefly on the tasks the government haspleted!¡± Arthur took the main seat and smiled at the crowd.


    The annual meeting is the moment for the government to examine a year¡¯s work and see whether there are any achievements to be seen based on the department¡¯s results.


    Clearly, most of the ministers were well-prepared, even the three ministers who traveled with Arthur to Europe had read and sorted out arge amount of information in the extra day they had.


    ¡°Prime Minister Evan, let¡¯s first hear about the government¡¯s achievements! Is your summary report ready?¡± Arthur looked at Prime Minister Evan and asked.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Prime Minister Evan stood up, came to the steps in the center of the conference table, ced his materials on the podium, and then said: ¡°Your Highness,dies and gentlemen, 1900 was a great year for Australia. We finally gained independence and have a great monarch. Under your leadership, Australia¡¯s various industries began to thrive, and the country is flourishing.¡±


    Prime Minister Evan knew that Arthur didn¡¯t like this kind of ttery, so after a brief introduction, he began the main topic: ¡°During thest year, Australia experienced tremendous growth. ording to the government¡¯s rough statistics, our poption grew from about 3,788,100 at the end of 1899 to 3,867,100 today, an increase of about 2%.¡±


    ¡°The birthrate ounted for 36,000 people, the death rate for 23,000, and immigration for 66,000. Excluding special immigration of military dependents and personnel, our actual immigration is about 40,000, with Irish and British people making up more than half.¡±


    In 1900, the poption growth rate in Australia became even faster than in previous years, thanks in part to the additional 20,000 military personnel and dependents granted by Queen Victoria.


    After excluding these special immigrants, Australia¡¯s total immigration numbers had not increased muchst year, and remained at the same level as in previous years.


    ¡°After signing the immigration treaty with Britain and Germany, immigration numbers should increase significantly. The government should be prepared to invest funds in Britain and Germany to promote Australia and attract more immigrants,¡± Arthur said calmly.


    It was reasonable that immigration had not increased muchst year, as there were no immigration treaties and various infrastructure projects in Australia only began in the middle of the year. With the introduction of immigration treaties from Britain and Germany and Australia¡¯s promotion efforts, it was believed that immigration would improve in the new year.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Prime Minister Evan nodded quickly.


    ¡°How is our national economy? What is the current financial situation?¡± Arthur asked.


    After receiving Germany¡¯s assistance, Australia hadpletely resolved its funding problems, at least for the next few years, there would be no need to worry about the issue of funds.


    ¡°Your Highness, the government currently has over 110 million pounds of avable funds. If we include the loans from Germany that have not yet been received, our avable funds have exceeded 160 million pounds,¡± said Prime Minister Evan, unable to suppress a smile and speaking excitedly.


    The huge sum of money the Australian government had was a fortune, and even after spending more than 16 million pounds on various constructions, the government¡¯s finances not only did not decrease but also increased by a few million pounds.


    Arthur nodded and was not surprised by the huge amount of over 100 million pounds, but continued to ask: ¡°What about the annual ie of our residents? Has it increased during this year?¡±


    Whether the governmentcks money is undoubtedly good news for Australia, but whether the peopleck money is the key to whether Australia can maintain its course.


    If the upper echelons enjoy prosperity while the lower-ss citizens are starving and inadequately clothed, no matter how much money the government has, it will all be in vain.


    ¡°Your Highness, the construction of various industries has created arge number of jobs for Australians. To ensure the people¡¯s interests, we specifically demand that no jobs are exploited or withheld. At present, there are more than 10,000 workers in our industrial area, making a remarkable contribution to the construction and production of the factories. ording to our estimates, the per capita annual ie of Australians has increased from about eight pounds at the beginning ofst year to over nine pounds now. In particr, the industrial area has already created over 2,000 positions with annual ies of ten pounds or more. As workers continue to learn and the industrial area expands, more high-paying positions will emerge, which will further boost the per capita annual ie in Australia,¡± said Prime Minister Evan, smiling.


    Construction is bound to stimte economic growth, and the massive constructions in Australia also created many jobs, most of which were above the average annual ie.


    This has made considerable contributions to Australia¡¯s economic growth and the increase in per capita annual ie and will continue to do so..

 Chapter 71: Nursing Homes, Orphanages, and Technical Schools

    Chapter 71: Nursing Homes, Orphanages, and Technical Schools


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°Our per capita ie still has a significant gappared to European nations, and closing this gap is a long process, but we must prioritize the interests of all our people. To benefit Australians is to benefit Australia, and the various policies implemented by the government must be fully implemented, ensuring that each Australian can enjoy our policies.¡± Arthur nodded and spoke solemnly.


    Prime Minister Evan nodded and said, ¡°Regarding the welfare policy issue, as per Your Highness¡¯s instructions, we have built a certain number of nursing homes and orphanages in each state. There are a total of thirteen nursing homes, which currently house more than two thousand elderly people who are unable to live independently. In terms of orphanages, we have only built one in each state, currently amodating more than a thousand orphans. The government¡¯s next n is to continue building nursing homes and orphanages, striving to help more elderly people and young children.¡±


    If therge-scale construction of jobs benefits all adult Australians, then nursing homes and orphanages are a rescue for those elderly and orphans who cannot live independently.


    Currently, due to scale factors, nursing homes mainly amodate low-ie elderly people without children and who are unable to live independently.


    Anyway, the construction of nursing homes and orphanages has effectively alleviated the tragic plight of Australia¡¯s impoverishedmon people, allowing many elderly people and young children to survive.


    The reason why Australians respect and fervently obey Arthur isrgely due to various welfare policies and tax reduction measures.


    In the hearts of ordinary people, whether a monarch is great and respected depends on whether the monarch cherishes his citizens and whether he can respect the interests of all citizens.


    At least for now, Arthur has been quite sessful in this regard. From the moment Arthur arrived in Australia, he has continuously introduced various welfare policies beneficial to Australians and reduced more than half of taxes.


    Under such circumstances, if Australians still do not admire this people¡¯s monarch, there would really be a problem.


    ¡°The government is doing well in this regard, Prime Minister Evan. As long as there are elderly and orphans in Australia, we must continue the operation of nursing homes and orphanages. I can ept a long but effective n, but I cannot ept no progress or action. I hope that this year, more nursing homes and orphanages can be established, so the Australian people can see that their government cares about them,¡± Arthur nodded with satisfaction and instructed.


    The construction of nursing homes and orphanages does not cost much money, and the daily expenses are not high. However, these two institutions are very effective means of winning the hearts of the people.


    A small nursing home or orphanage can amodate about a hundred people, and the annual cost will not exceed 2,000 pounds.


    Because the various human rights protection policies of this era are very low, and European countries are secretly implementing a 12-hour work system, how much attention do people pay to those lonely elderly people and orphans?


    By providing them with three meals a day and some basic essentials, it would not be difficult to win many people¡¯s favor, so why not do so?


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Prime Minister Evan replied.


    This is a very simple task, but it can bring huge prestige to the royal family and the government, so Prime Minister Evan answered very decisively.


    ¡°What about the situation of education and medical care? What progress has been made in the construction of our schools and hospitals?¡± Arthur asked. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In terms of people¡¯s livelihood, in addition to various welfare policies, education and medical care are also the focus of Arthur¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Your Highness, as per your instructions, the Ministry of Education has built 107 primary schools, 11 secondary schools, and the National Universityst year. We have currently enrolled more than 12,300 students, and the number of admissions is expected to increase this year.¡± The Minister of Education, Richard Burke, stood up and replied.


    Building a hundred primary schools was the task Arthur had given to Minister Richard during a previous cab meeting, and to Arthur¡¯s surprise, Minister Richard had sessfully met the target.


    ¡°How about the university? How are our precious university students doing there?¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    Primary education is about some basic essentials and rarely goes wrong. But university is different; those few hundred precious university students will be the backbone of Australia¡¯s technical industry in theing years, and any problems would break Arthur¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Very well, Your Highness. Since the university adopts a half-theory and half-practice approach, the students¡¯ mastery of various knowledge is smooth, and the learning n is being carried out in an orderly manner,¡± Minister Richard said with a smile.


    Adopting a half-theory, half-practice teaching method for university students was also the Ministry of Education¡¯s helpless choice.


    Because industry and various constructions require a lot of technical talents, and Australia¡¯s reserves in this area are not perfect.


    As a result, these university students have be valuable technical talents and are asionally pulled into industry and other departments as temporaryborers for a whole day.


    However, there are also advantages to this approach. Because of the hands-on practice, these university students¡¯ mastery of their knowledge is very effective.


    Although it makes them physically and mentally exhausted, their learning efficiency has indeed improved, and they can solve somemon technical problems encountered by various departments.


    ¡°The nutrition supply for the university students must keep up, as they will be the backbone of our country. In addition, in order to solve the problem of the shortage of technical workers in our country, while attracting skilled workers to immigrate, I think it is necessary to establish a technical school, recruit ordinary workers for short-term training, and enable them to master specific skills to enter more advanced positions. The Ministry of Education can discuss the ns during this period, and the faculty can be hired from Europe. Our existing excellent workers and talents can also serve as temporary teachers. The main purpose of this technical college is to cultivate technical skills so that Australia can train more skilled workers and talents,¡± Arthur suggested as he looked at Minister Richard.


    Although the education at the university is very smooth, the precious university students will be the backbone of Australia¡¯s technical industry in the future. They are more research and management talents, and naturally, they cannot be allowed to work at the grass-roots level.


    This would lead to a problem, that is, the shortage of Australia¡¯s technical workers cannot be alleviated.


    Therefore, it is very necessary to establish a technical school specifically for training technical workers. They do not need to be highly educated, but as long as they can master certain techniques and abilities, and grow into qualified or even excellent workers, they will have met Arthur¡¯s expectations..

 Chapter 72: To be rich, start by building roads.

    Chapter 72: To be rich, start by building roads.


    Trantor: 549690339 I


    ¡°What about the situation in the medical sector? How many hospitals have been built in the past year?¡± Arthur asked.


    Like education, medical care is a major concern for the well-being of the people. Simrly, it is also one of the important factors for immigrants choosing their destination.


    After all, no one wants to live in a ce where education and healthcare aregging. Even if it is not for their own sake, they must also consider their family and offspring. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Your Highness, up to now, we have built one hospital in each of the six states. However, due to the shortage of medical equipment and doctors, most hospitals can only ept ordinary patients and cannot handle more difficult diseases,¡± said Minister Bradford Dillman of Health with a bitter smile.


    The medical sector is one of the areas with the lowest focus in Australia at present. In addition, Arthur has not made additional investments, resulting in a rather bad situation faced by the medical sector. Even if hospitals are built, there is not enough doctors to work and allow the hospitals to function normally.


    ¡°Include medical major in our technical schools as well. The medical industry is also an important part of Australia¡¯s development, and we must ensure that there are enough doctors in major hospitals in Australia to meet the medical needs of the Australian people. In addition, the pace of attracting talent from Europe should not stop. The Ministry of Health can apply for funds and cooperate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attract some medical talents from major European countries, especially the United Kingdom and Germany, to join us,¡± Arthur said after some thought.


    Medical care is one of the problems that must be solved as soon as possible. This is not only rted to the survival rate of newborns in Australia but also concerns the livelihood issues of all Australians.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Bradford Dillman replied with a slightly better expression and quickly responded.


    ¡°The n to build hospitals can be temporarily halted. Having one hospital in each state is temporarily sufficient for us. I hope that the Ministry of Health¡¯s work in the future can be focused on the construction of small clinics. I want to see small clinics in every city, as that is what can improve the medical environment in Australia,¡± Arthur said.


    Although hospital care can benefit more people, it also requires more medical talents to be involved.


    Moreover, for Australians, sometimes it is not that they cannot go to a hospital for medical treatment, but that they cannot afford it.


    As long as the problem of poverty is not solved, even if there are hospitals everywhere in Australia, the issue of healthcare cannot be resolved.


    Inparison, clinics are much smaller. Generally speaking, one doctor is enough.


    And the cost of clinics is lower than that of hospitals. Although they may not be able to solve bigger, moreplex diseases, Australians generally do not have the money to see a doctor, right?


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Bradford Dillman anticipated and nodded in response.


    In order to thoroughly improve the medical environment, in addition to attracting arge number of medical talents from Europe, Australia must also train some medical talents every year.


    Based on the current development of the Australian National University, it will take at least several years or even a decade of investment to alleviate the shortage of medical talents.


    Therefore, building small clinics is a rtively effective method. At least under the premise of talent shortage, it is a more reliable choice than building hospitals.


    ¡°Continue to report,¡± Arthur instructed.


    ¡°Your Highness, besides the above, our public security environment, cultivatednd, road construction, and industrial development have also improved significantly. Here are their summary reports for your review,¡± said Prime Minister Evan as he handed over several documents respectfully.


    When a country achieves unity from a divided state, its economy and various constructions will also usher in rapid development.


    Like Australia, afterpleting its unification, the formerly isted states have started full economic and cultural exchanges, which in turn has driven Australia¡¯s economic and other developments.


    Arthur nodded.


    He knew the situation of the Public Security Department. After the rectification of the police industry, the establishment of new police stations, and the training of excellent reserve policemen, it is natural for the public security environment to improve.


    In addition to these, national unification and government improvement are also important factors in improving public security conditions.


    Chaos breeds darkness. Once a country is unified, and power is centralized to the government, new policies are enacted, and darkness can only wither in the corners.


    ¡°At present, how much of the nting area we have? Can each immigrant be allocated a certain amount ofnd?¡± Arthur inquired.


    For an immigrant country like Australia, the most effective way to attract immigrants is to allocatend and property.


    The reason for the outbreak of the immigration wave in Europe, besides being caught in the whirlpool of war, is the increasing poption leading to a scarcity ofnd, which is also an important factor.


    For a country like Australia with vastnd and a small poption, what iscking the least isnd resources.


    Ifnd can be allocated to attract more immigrants, it is undoubtedly a beneficial method.


    ¡°Your Highness, at present, our new immigrants can be allocated an average of about ten acres ofnd, but most of it is wastnd, which requires the immigrants themselves to develop,¡± said Agriculture Minister Henry.


    A small poption also leads to a drawback. That is, even if there is arge area ofnd to allocate to immigrants, it will also be due to ack of poption, resulting in many allocatednds being undeveloped wastnds that require immigrants to cultivate themselves.


    ¡°We can appropriately increase the allocation ofnd and provide some assistance to these new immigrants. The cultivatednd area needs to be expanded further to feed more people,¡± Arthur nodded and said.


    The usable cultivatednd area of Australia is smallpared to its totalnd area, but because Australia has more than 7 million square kilometers ofnd, the actual usable cultivatednd area is stillrge and has great potential for development.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Henry also nodded and replied.


    ¡°How is our road construction progressing? What ns do we have for highways and railways?¡± Arthur looked at the Minister of Transportation Connelly and asked.


    As the saying goes, to get rich, build roads first. The development of transportationrgely determines the speed of economic and industrial development.


    With the talents of Benson and Disel, the development of automobiles will undergo rapid changes.


    Under such circumstances, the construction of highways in Australia must also be put on the agenda. After all, we cannot let those unreliable cars run on dirt roads. Frequent problems may bring tears to the car owners¡¯ eyes..

 Chapter 73: Population Issues and Indigenous Labor

    Chapter 73: Poption Issues and Indigenous Labor


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    ¡°Your Highness, the current number of workers andborers in Australia determines that we cannot carry outrge-scale railway and highway construction projects. Therefore, our main goalst year was to repair the streets and roads in various cities and build connecting roads between important areas and cities.¡± Minister Conwright stood up to answer.


    The construction of roads can be regarded as a major project, especially in Australia where the terrain is rtivelyplex.


    Moreover, theck of poption continues to be a disadvantage, leading to insufficient manpower for extensive road construction.


    This has resulted in the main focus of the Transportation Department being the renovation of existing urban roads and, at most, the construction of connecting roads between industrial areas and other crucial regions.


    Arthur nodded with a slight headache, and his brow furrowed unavoidably.


    Poption is currently one of the most critical factors limiting Australia¡¯s development. Although immigrants from Europe can alleviate this problem, they cannotpletely solve it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Australiacks, or rather desperately needs arge number of lower-ss people to serve asbor for its industrial development and various constructions.


    European immigrants mostly assume the roles of ordinary citizens, and if they are too severely exploited, it might reduce their recognition of and loyalty to the country, affecting social stability.


    It is necessary to introduce arge, exploitable poption from abroad to improve the conditions for Australia¡¯s industry and development.


    At present, apart from Australia¡¯s own New Guinea, the Dutch East India Colony in Southeast Asia is the nearest location to address Australia¡¯sbor problem.


    With only about 900,000 indigenous people, New Guinea can partially resolve thebor shortage. However,plete resolution still depends on colonies like the Dutch East Indies, which are home to tens of millions of indigenous people.


    The Dutch East India Colony boasts vastnd areas, and unlike Australia, it has arge indigenous poption, conservatively estimated to be close to forty million.


    However, the Kingdom of the Nethends, which governs this region, has only just over five million people, not much more than Australia.


    Worse still, the Dutch homnd is too far away from the Dutch East Indies, causing the Dutch to control only a few important areas like Java Ind and Kalimantan Ind rather than the entire region.


    The reason for the Dutch maintaining control over thisnd is not only the support of the British Empire but also the bnce of power policies of several great powers.


    Of course, in the short term, Arthur¡¯s goal is not to seize thisnd. He does not want to stir up trouble before Europe is embroiled in war.


    However, the purchase of some indigenous peoples is a hopeful endeavor.


    Since the people of the Dutch East Indies have their own religion and culture, it is not easy for the Dutch to rule them,


    Moreover, the vast indigenous poption is a burden on Dutch rule; transforming this bloated poption into a certain ie can also be a good choice.


    With this in mind, Arthur looked at Foreign Minister Andrew and instructed, ¡°Minister Andrew, make every effort tomunicate with the Dutch and see if we can introduce some native peoples from the Dutch East Indies. If the Dutch agree, we can sign a treaty to import indigenous peoples, paying them handsomely in funds and supporting Dutch rule in the East Indies.¡±


    Australia, owing to its proximity to Southeast Asia, is a unique influence on the region¡¯s bnce of power. It can always infiltrate its power into Southeast Asia. Moreover, Australia¡¯s rtionships with the United Kingdom and Germany are unusual. If it wants to affect the situation in Southeast Asia, particrly the Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies, it may well seed.


    Therefore, Arthur¡¯smitment is good news for the Dutch. After all, the resource-rich and affluent Dutch East Indies brings considerable annual ie to the Dutch government, and of course they do not want to lose thisnd.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will get in touch with the Dutch as soon as possible,¡± replied Minister Andrew, understanding Arthur¡¯s intention immediately.


    Due to huge poption shortfalls, it would take a long time for Australia to develop in an orderly manner.


    However, if arge number of indigenous people can be introduced to contribute to Australia¡¯s construction, the efficiency of Australia¡¯s construction and development can be greatly improved.


    Although doing so may result in hundreds of thousands or even millions of indigenous deaths, who would care?


    Looking at each European power and colonial country, the rise of any powerful country is apanied by bloody oppression and exploitation.


    Being able to shift such losses onto non-native peoples is a good thing for both Australia and the Australian people.


    ¡°The Transportation Department¡¯s mission this year is to build highways connecting all states. This will be the department¡¯s main task for the next few years. I hope we can strengthen the connection between our states through new roads, and improve Australia¡¯s transportation and economic development,¡± Arthur continued.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Minister Conwright nodded earnestly.


    ¡°Has the industrial sectorpleted its tasks? I remember that we were asked to triple our steel production. Have we reached that standard?¡± Arthur turned his gaze to Minister of Industry Pierre and asked.


    Arthur was referring to the industrial three-year nid out at the time.


    ording to Arthur¡¯s requirements, the industrial sector must triple Australia¡¯s annual steel production of 3,700 tons and iron production of 5,000 tons by 1899, so that steel and iron production eventually reach 100,000 tons and 140,000 tons or more, respectively.


    It has been a year since the n was drafted. In ordance with the n, steel and iron production should have reached 11,000 tons and 15,000 tons, respectively.


    ¡°Your Highness, although only a little over six months have passed since the n was made, the industrial sector has basicallypleted the tasks assigned. In terms of steel production, our newly built industrial areas have met our expectations for steel production. The annual steel production of our steel nts in the industrial areas has surpassed 13,000 tons and 19,000 tons, slightly exceeding the target. With the construction of industrial areas and the addition of more workers, we hope that our steel production will reach 40,000 tons and 50,000 tons or more by the end of the year,¡± Minister of Industry Pierre said with a smile.


    The industrial sector is one of the most important and task-intensive departments in Australia. Yet, due to the 50 million pounds¡¯ worth of industrial equipment Arthur brought from Britain, the development of industry has not been as difficult as imagined.


    Especially after receiving aid from Britain and Germany, the development of industry has entered a smooth period.


    All that is needed is tobine British and German industrial development technologies and experiences with Australia¡¯s actual situation to ensure the sessful development of Australian industry..

 Chapter 74: Laboratory Construction and Bank Plans

    Chapter 74: Laboratory Construction and Bank ns


    Trantor: 549690339


    Arthur had long expected the industrial sector toplete its development n. After all, Australia¡¯s industrial development n also started with basic industries. With industrial equipment and enough workers, it is natural for resource-rich Australia to quickly increase its steel production.


    ¡°Well done, but we must continue to work hard. Both industrial development and construction projects require sufficient steel materials. In the future, when we n to build railways, we will also need a lot of steel. With the help of the United Kingdom and Germany, I hope our steel production can quickly reach a satisfactory number,¡± Arthur instructed.


    Steel production is one of the factors measuring a country¡¯s industrial development and an essential material needed for national construction and development.


    Therefore, Australia must not be satisfied with meeting the standards but should set its sights on the future, preparing for various future constructions. ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Minister Pierre answered solemnly.


    After Minister Pierre finished his report, the year-end summary of the cab government came to an end.


    Although departments like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Defense have not yet reported, these departments have not experienced significant changes and do not need individual reports. Arthur sighed in relief and said with a smile, ¡°In general, each department performed wellst year. Although you have only been in office for six months, you have sessfullypleted the initial development n. I hope that in the new year, everyone can continue to work hard and strive together to achieve the great goal of Australia¡¯s rise!¡±


    After the cab meeting, Arthur finally allowed himself a few days of rest.


    However, to his amusement and frustration, Benz and Disel visited the very next day, requesting Arthur to immediately support the construction of their researchboratories and factories.


    On February 1st, inside the manor.


    As Arthur listened to Hunter Steward¡¯s report on the royal family¡¯s properties, he heard news of Benz and Disci¡¯s visit from the guard.


    Arthur was somewhat amused but quickly asked the guard to invite the two talents in.


    After the two entered, they first greeted Arthur and Hunter Steward, and then they hastily asked, ¡°Your Highness, when will the construction of theboratory and [factory] begin? The workers are eager to start.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just the workers who were impatient, but these two as well.


    For the research-obsessed, any time not dedicated to research is a waste of life.


    ¡°You can start by making ns. The specific construction requirements for theboratory still need you to decide. Once there are detailed ns and designs, construction can begin at any time,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s all here, Your Highness.¡±


    Hearing Arthur, the two handed over a document, exining, ¡°We¡¯ve had some free time these days and have discussed the specific requirements and construction ns for theboratory. This document includes an automobileboratory, engineboratory, and several other facilities such as automotive and engine factories. We have also integrated the research data for existing engines. In the future, Mercedes-Benz Corporation won¡¯t need an engineboratory but can directly transfer its business to Disel¡¯s side.¡±


    Arthur had not expected these two to be so well-prepared and eager to build ab.


    ¡°Since you have a n, the construction of theb and factory can start at any time. Hunter Steward is in charge of managing the royal family¡¯s estates. If you have any financial issues, you can consult him,¡± Arthur said. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Starting the construction ofbs and factories earlier also has benefits for Arthur, so naturally, he won¡¯t refuse the proposal of the two talents.


    ¡°Including research funding, I will give each of you two million pounds. Since we are buildingboratories, we need the best avable equipment for each one. If you have any questions, you cane to me or Hunter Steward. I have only one requirement of you, and that is to see the results of your experiments as soon as possible,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°No problem, Your Highness!¡± The two responded in unison.


    Under the circumstances of rtively scarce funding, the two made impressive achievements in their respective fields. Now that both of them have sufficient research funding, it¡¯s not impossible to create more significant aplishments through cooperation.


    Therefore, Arthur¡¯s requirement is considered absolutely achievable to the two and must be fulfilled.


    After sending off the two, Arthur¡¯s attention returned to Hunter Steward, who chuckled and asked, ¡°Now, let¡¯s continue, Hunter Steward. How much money and property does the royal family have at present?¡±


    Hunter Steward respectfully answered, ¡°Your Highness, in terms of property, we currently have two small steel factories with an annual output of 3,000 tons of steel, a military factory, and a shipyard. Additionally, our newly built winery will soon be put into operation. In terms of funds, we have the one hundred fifty million pounds borrowed from the Australian government and the one hundred thirty million pounds we currently have. At present, the total value of our assets has exceeded three hundred million pounds. However, due to the outstanding loan of thirty million pounds from the Bank of London, the actual assets arc only about two hundred eighty million pounds.¡±


    Arthur nodded in satisfaction.


    Even after providing an interest-free loan of one hundred million pounds to the government, Arthur¡¯s avable funds still exceeded one hundred thirty million pounds.


    This is a massive amount of money, even enough to form a highly cash-consuming navy that would rank among the top three in the world.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, prepare to establish a bank. It¡¯s time for Australia to have its own bank. I n to use the new bank tounch low-interest loan services throughout Australia. With the investment of this massive fund, I believe Australia¡¯s economy will also usher in better development,¡± Arthur thought for a moment and said to Hunter Steward.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Hunter Steward nodded.


    Australia¡¯s various industries are currently in a state of rejuvenation, which means many opportunities are hidden within.


    However, the vast majority of Australians are in the low-ie sspared to European countries.


    It¡¯s already difficult enough to support oneself and one¡¯s family, let alone find extra money to invest.


    Under such circumstances, if Arthur can establish a credible bank and provide arge number of low-interest loans to Australians, many people struggling with insufficient funds can seize opportunities, even achieve great sess.


    This measure is also extremely effective for the development of various industries in Australia, benefiting both Australia and the people.


    The only issue is loan recovery, but that is not a problem for Australia¡¯s ruler, Arthur.


    With the support of the people¡¯s livelihoods and public opinion, probably no one would dare to default on Arthur¡¯s loans. Otherwise, Arthur wouldn¡¯t mind showing them how steel is tempered..

 Chapter 75: Opening of the Royal Bank (Seeking first subscription!)

    Chapter 75: Opening of the Royal Bank (Seeking first subscription!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    On February 17th, 1901, a crowd gathered on a street in Sydney, eagerly awaiting.


    One by one, people smiled, sometimes looking gratefully at the government and where Arthur was.


    Right in front of the crowd, a building had been simply refurbished and had the sign of the Australian Royal Bank hung up, officially opening for business today.


    A mere bank opening would not attract so many spectators and supporters. What really brought these people here was a policy that Arthur introduced alongside the bank¡¯s opening: every Australian family could borrow up to 200 pounds unconditionally from the Royal Bank, and an additional loan of up to 1,000 pounds could be secured based on their assets.


    When the two types of loans werebined, the maximum loan amount that each family could obtain reached 1,200 pounds.


    Even in the affluent homnd of the British Empire, this sum was the kind of saving that only high-ie families could afford.


    For some people, this deposit could possibly change their destiny, bing the initial capital for a small entrepreneur or even the rise of a business star. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, for the vast majority of people, being able to use this money to buy morend, increase their family¡¯s ie, and improve their own lives was already the best oue.


    As the loan interest was very low, even negligible, many people nned to borrow money.


    At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, amidst the respectful and enthusiastic gazes of the crowd, Arthur arrived slowly in a horse carriage, followed by Hunter Steward and a few guards.


    As Arthur arrived, the scene gradually began to quiet down, waiting for Arthur¡¯s speech and actions.


    Arthur was here to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the bank opening, but before the ceremony, various speeches were inevitable.


    After Hunter Steward introduced the purpose and goals of the bank, it was time for Arthur¡¯s speech.


    The content of the speech was simple, covering the purpose of the loans and encouraging Australians to work hard and strive in their businesses.


    Although the content of the speech was simple, it still elicited warm wees and cheers from many Australians.


    The reason was none other than Arthur¡¯s prestige and poprity in Australia.


    Afterward, with thepletion of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Australian Royal Bank officially opened for business.


    Subsequently, under tense yet orderly queuing, the onlooking crowd entered the bank¡¯s interior, asking questions and handling business.


    Fortunately, the Royal Bank only opened in the capital Sydney for the short term, and branches in other states had to wait until next month or even longer to open.


    This greatly alleviated the bank¡¯s financial issues. Although the onlooking crowd seemedrge, many people were still undecided about loans, and only a minority had already clearly decided to borrow.


    Arthur had specifically prepared 5 million pounds in cash for the bank¡¯s opening, which seemed to be more than enough now.


    After all, most ordinary people who had already decided to borrow would likely choose the small, unconditional loans.


    Apart from the few who had real confidence that they could seize opportunities and develop their industries, most people were unwilling to bear huge loans.


    In addition to the popr loan business among ordinary people, some people came for the bank¡¯s savings business.


    Many officials and wealthy individuals, including cab members, were among them.


    Under the experienced leadership of Prime Minister Evan, Cab ministers took out their own funds and deposited them in the bank. Some ministers withrger assets even directly deposited tens of thousands of pounds inrge sums.


    It was not surprising. The previous prime ministers had all been political heavyweights, growing from senators and naturally obtaining the approval of Queen Victoria to be granted the position of Prime Minister in the colonies.


    Governors and prime ministers of colonies were actually equivalent to prominent local officials, and they held considerable power within the colonies.


    Although they did not have military power, they had enough political power. Coupled with various welfare policies from Britain, it led these prime ministers to have very high annual ies, at least in the thousands or tens of thousands of pounds, and some even reached tens of thousands of pounds.


    Therefore, when they took out tens of thousands of pounds for deposit, they did not even show a hint of pain on their faces.


    To them, making Arthur happy and supporting his cause was more important than these ten thousand pounds.


    Compared to the previous prime ministers, the funds brought out by other ministers were a bit less impressive, but still amounted to thousands of pounds.


    But this was a normal situation. Considering the ie of Australian Cab ministers, they could only barely have a savings of 1,000 pounds within six months.


    Compared to the loan business window, the number of people queuing for deposit business was pitifully small.


    It was not that Australians were unwilling to deposit money in banks, but that most Australians simply did not have savings and were unable to do so with empty wallets.


    After inspecting the bank for a while, Arthur returned to the manor house. Although business would be busier today due to the opening, most Australians would carefully consider whether or not to take out a loan, so the busiest time should be a few dayster.


    Arthur was not in a hurry, just instructing Hunter Steward to carefully examine and treat each loan and deposit business, andpile them into a detailed report.


    On February 25th, after a week of operation, the Royal Bank had sessfully made a name for itself in Australia, attracting many people from other states and cities to some extent.


    At the same time, Hunter Steward hadpleted the summary of the bank¡¯s business during its first week of operation and submitted the report to Arthur.


    One could not help butment the terrible state of poverty among Australians. From February 17th to February 24th, a full week, the Royal Bank had processed more than 2,900 operations.


    Although it seemed like a lot, in reality, over 2,800 of these operations were loans, and there were only slightly more than 100 deposit operations.


    It should be noted that this data was generated with the support of cab members and some officials.


    If the support of these officials were to be excluded, the number of people depositing would likely be even smaller, and the amount would hardly reach 90,000 pounds.


    Compared to deposit operations, loan operations seemed much busier.


    Of the more than 2,800 loan operations, more than 2,300 were unconditional loans, with an average of 80 pounds per household.


    The remaining 500-plus loans were from families who took both unconditional and secured loans. Due to the differences in their assets, the loan amounts varied but were generally more than 400 pounds..

 Chapter 76: Expansion of the Military Factory and Shipyard (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 76: Expansion of the Military Factory and Shipyard (Please Subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    These loan services, all in all, borrowed over half a million pounds from the Royal Bank, while the deposit service only brought in ny thousand pounds in cash.


    If it weren¡¯t for Arthur¡¯s abundant assets, he might not be able to support such arge consumption.


    The good news is that with this huge investment, Australia is likely to give birth to a group of middle-ss people, like farm owners or other shop owners in the future.


    With sufficient start-up funds, Australia is expected to experience a surge of entrepreneurship in the future.


    These people can also drive Australia¡¯s economic development, providing more ie for Australia and Arthur.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, when can the branches in other states start to operate? The Royal Bank is doing quite well in Sydney, it¡¯s time to extend the branches to other states.¡± After reading the report, Arthur puts it on the table, looks at Hunter Steward and asks with a smile.


    ¡°Due to the distance of other states, the time ofmencement varies. However, it is certain that all branches of the Royal Bank in other states will open in the next three months.¡± Hunter Steward reported with a smile.


    The bank doesn¡¯t require much in terms of architecture and decoration. All you need to utilize is simply refurbishing idle houses on busy streets.


    The gold vault for storing funds poses the only special requirement. The Royal Bank uses severalrge safes,bined with a heavily guarded strategy.


    Although it is notparable to future advanced surveince and security systems, anyone attempting to snatch the bank¡¯s funds under such defense would need to resort to strategic weapons, or mobilize arge army.


    The problem is that neither strategic weapons nor arge army could appear on Australian soil at the moment.


    ¡°Make sure to be careful with storing the details of deposits and keep as many backups as possible. I don¡¯t want any mistakes to ur in our bank. Otherwise, it could tarnish the reputation of the royal family.¡± Arthur cautioned.


    Disputes leading to bitterness can easily arise when ites down to the most fundamental interests, such as money.


    Arthur doesn¡¯t want his painstakingly established bank to tarnish his reputation, causing massive damage to his status and the prestige of the royal family.


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness. In addition to the bill we give to each customer, our bank will keep three bills, stored in the local bank, the head office, and the data repository. We will strive to prevent any mistakes from happening. If errors ur, we will resolve them as quickly as possible.¡± Hunter Steward


    nodded in response. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Inevitably, mistakes will ur in institutions like banks that involverge-scale funds. Although Arthur always emphasizes preventing mistakes verbally, he acknowledges that mistakes are bound to happen as long as bank employees are human.


    Compared to not making mistakes, how to properly handle the situation after making a mistake is also very important.


    ¡°We also need to select loyal people as branch managers. The Royal Bank will be an important institution for us to coordinate the Australian economy in the future. We must not lose credibility in the public¡¯s eyes.¡± Arthur reminded.


    When an error urs, people won¡¯t care who exactly made the mistake. As it is the Royal Bank, Arthur and the royal family will be the ones bearing the brunt of it.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The people selected for the branches all came to Australia with us, their loyalty is quite reliable.¡± Hunter Steward exined.


    It has to be said, apart from leaving Arthur a huge inheritance, Arthur¡¯s father, Duke Arthur, also left many loyal and reliable officers, which is extremely precious.


    Originally, they served Duke Arthur, now they will only serve Arthur. Compared to others, their loyalty is quite reliable.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good, Hunter Steward. Don¡¯t forget about the construction of the shipyard and the arms factory. In a while, aid will arrive from Britain and Germany, and our arms factory and shipyard will have the opportunity to expand. At that time, the military will have an order. Have the arms factory and shipyard ready in advance.¡± Arthur nodded in satisfaction.


    With the arrival of aid from Britain and Germany, Australia¡¯s industrial development will also enter a rapid phase.


    Especially for Arthur¡¯s arms factory and shipyard, with the technological assistance from Germany and Britain, the expansion of the two factories is an inevitable trend.


    Whether it¡¯s the production line of the Gew Rifle or the cannon technology from Germany, they are all valuable materials that the arms factory can learn and draw on.


    And an arms factory that has mastered these technologies will be the most reliable source of weapons and equipment for the Australian Army.


    The shipyard is naturally not exempt. Even though it is directly transferred from Britain and regarded as advanced, although small scale, it does have the capability of independently building small warships.


    After absorbing the naval technology aid from Britain and Germany, there is hope for the shipyard to be expanded into arge one, and possess the qualification to build the strongest main battleships currently avable.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll have the arms factory and the shipyard made ready.¡± Hunter Steward responded.


    ¡°By the way, the assistance from Germany this time also includes the blueprints and data of the Brunswick-ss battleship. Now, we can start increasing the number of workers and technical experts in the shipyard. I hope that once Germany¡¯s naval aid arrives, we can master their shipbuilding technology and this powerful battleship at the fastest speed.¡± Arthur seemed to have recalled something and hastily added.


    Compared to other naval assistance from Germany, the blueprints and data of the Brunswick-ss battleship are undoubtedly the most important.


    If Australia can quickly master the manufacturing technology of this battleship, there might be a chance to receive several battleship production orders before the birth of the dreadnought.


    Hearing Arthur¡¯s words, Hunter Steward was slightly surprised, but he swiftly responded, ¡°I understand, Your Highness. After I return, I will immediately instruct the shipyard to rapidly expand its number of employees and wait for the aid to arrive from Germany.¡±


    ¡°One more thing, Hunter Steward. Organize a team to visit Europe and America to recruit those scientists who have been unable to make progress due tock of research funding. Australia can provide ample research funding and venues for them. The requirement is that they must serve Australia for ten years. After which, they can choose where they want to belong to.¡± Arthur continued.


    For European countries that already have a well-developed education industry, not every scientist can get the ample research funding they want.


    This has resulted in many scientists being stuck in debt and frustration. This makes it the best opportunity for Australia to help them.


    Although these people might just have been forced to choose Australia due to their research funding issues.


    Their approval for Australia may not be high, and some might not have any approval at all.


    This is why Arthur set a ten-year service term. If the term were longer, it would be better for Australia.


    But it would deter many others who are not willing to serve another country for such a long time.


    In fact, ten years isn¡¯t a short period of time. If one lives in any country for ten years, without any dramatic incidents, they are likely to develop feelings for that country. This is exactly what Arthur aims for..

 Chapter 77 - Seventy-seven: Military Reform (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 77: Chapter Seventy-seven: Military Reform (Please Subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    March 3,1901, outskirts of Sydney.


    Originally a deste valley, it has been simply transformed into arge makeshift military camp.


    After more than a month of mobilization, most of the Australian garrison forces had arrived here, embarking on a lengthy phase of reorganization and training.


    Reforming the existing military was something Arthur had decided on early on, though due to various dys, it was postponed until now.


    The current Australian military wasposed of the original colonial forces and Arthur¡¯s Guards.


    Arthur¡¯s Guards amounted to 4,000 soldiers, all originating from the British Empire¡¯s Royal Guard Corps, well-equipped, and boasting strongbat capabilities.


    The remaining colonial forces were the garrison from the time of the Australian colony and were handed over to Arthur for management following Australia¡¯s independence, after which Arthur transferred them to the Ministry of Defense.


    These colonial forces totaled 6,000 soldiers, being a local conscription army.


    One feature of this army was that aside from the higher-ranking officers, all the junior officers and soldiers wereprised entirely of Australians.


    It was precisely due to this that both the armaments and the sries of this army were jointly funded by the six original colonies, hence the corresponding weapons and equipment were somewhat inferior. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t just the weapons and equipment. Whether it was the soldiers¡¯bat proficiency or military discipline, they were both somewhat inferiorpared to the regr army of the British Empire, let alonepared to Arthur¡¯s Guards.


    These soldiers could barely manage to defend Australia, but if they were to genuinely join a war, they would probably just be cannon fodder and be taken as prisoners.


    Therefore, a military reform was imperative. Selecting soldiers with the potential to be elites, equipping them with new weapons, training them in military discipline, and building a new, powerful army were all necessary steps.


    After all, the Guards were Arthur¡¯s final trump card and, under normal circumstances, sending them to the battlefield was highly unlikely.


    To better facilitate this military reform, Chris Perry, themander of the Guards, would work along with Minister of Defence Kent to supervise and train these soldiers.


    As for the drill sergeants, they were naturallyposed of the elite soldiers and officers from the Guards.


    These guardsmen were selected from the top-notch soldiers from the British Empire¡¯s domestic armies. Arthur felt assured of their abilities and loyalty.


    The first part of the training n was to select physically robust and quick-thinking soldiers.


    Since Australia has no system or institutions for military officer training, nor any wars for these officers to gain experience and enhance their abilities,


    The only solution was a simple method: select individuals who were both physically robust and quick-thinking, then develop them to mold futuremanders.


    Since themander of Australia¡¯s army had returned to the UK, this army was currently under Minister Kent¡¯s control.


    As Minister Kent was a loyal subordinate of Arthur¡¯s, there would naturally be no opposition to this military reform.


    As for the fact that this reform might cause some officers to lose their ranks, Arthur was not concerned.


    If an individualcks the capability, then wouldn¡¯t leading a troop amount to harming everyone involved?


    Just as the saying goes: a general bear and soldier bear are of the same breed. The new army, whether generals or officers, must all undergo rigorous selection and training, ensuring their absolute loyalty and sufficient capability before assuming official positions.


    Thus, under the watchful eyes of Arthur, Minister Kent, and General Chris Perry, the training of the 6,000-strong army started its first phase: physical training.


    Minister Kent and General Chris¡¯s training n was to treat these 6,000 soldiers as new recruits for training and cultivating. During the training process, they would select promising and talented soldiers for additional cultivation; these individuals would be the army¡¯s future reserves of officers.


    As for the remaining soldiers, after numerous rounds of physical and disciplinary training, followed by a few days of ideological education, they would officially be Australia¡¯s new soldiers.


    These trained soldiers would then be reorganized into the Australian 1st Defense Division.


    The future First Defense Division would be the temte and instructors for Australia¡¯s future army expansion, and also represent the strongestbat force within the standing army.


    Although the training was quite rigorous, Arthur was not stingy with logistics and supplies.


    In this era, arge number of soldiers would not have the chance to eat meat even once a year. Only the soldiers in the rtively economically developed European nations could enjoy abundant meals every day.


    Each of the three daily meals for the Australian army included beef and mutton. Although each person only received a ration of 200 grams, less than half a pound, the lunch and dinner mealsbined already exceeded a pound.


    This couldn¡¯t be helped as as a major power in animal husbandry, Australia was not in short supply of meat.


    Although the scale of animal husbandry hadn¡¯t yet reached the colossal levels of the future, there were already a considerable number of herdsmen and pastoral areas. Just the export of beef and mutton generated tens of thousands of pounds in revenue for Australia every year.


    While the army was busy training, Minister Kent was in contact with Hunter Steward to order a batch of new weapons and equipment from the military factory.


    The weapons that the previous Australian army had been equipped with, although produced in Britain, were of an assortment variety. The stronger Lee-Enfield rifles made up less than a fifth of the total, appearing somewhat shabby in front of the Guards.


    After this round of troop reorganization, all the Australian forces would be equipped with Lee-Enfield rifles and managed by Australia¡¯s own military factories, instead of importing them from Britain as before.


    Furthermore, the army would also be equipped with the currently most powerful MA-96 Maxim Machine Guns and CA-1 Machine Guns. Even after Germany¡¯s artillery technology aid arrives and the military factory starts producingrge-caliber firearms, the army would order some heavy artillery to be fitted.


    Arthur¡¯s goal was straightforward: to build Australia into a military power with simultaneous development of its navy, army, and air force.


    Although the air force was still non-existent and the navy maintained only a small scale due to various reasons,


    It did not hinder the current steps to develop the army. After equipping all troops to the teeth, the Australian military would too be a global superpower.


    In terms of training, Minister Kent spared no effort. In addition to ordering 6,000 Lee-Enfield rifles, he also ordered over 10 million bullets.


    Aside from physical and disciplinary training, these soldiers would also undergo frequent shooting training, a privilege only those in industrially powerful countries could afford.


    Sharpshooters are forged one bullet at a time. That was Minister Kent¡¯s idea. He utilized this cumbersome yet effective method to rapidly enhance these soldiers¡¯ shooting precision..

 Chapter 78: German Aid Arrives (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 78: German Aid Arrives (Please Subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    April 1,1901, while Arthur¡¯s military reform n was in full swing, a fleet also arrived at Sydney Harbour in full force, with the g of the German Empire flying on every warship and transport ship.


    What this fleet was escorting was the first batch of aid from the German Empire, which included a massive amount of equipment, information, funds, and talent worth 50 million pounds.


    It has to be admitted that Germany attached great importance to the aid and acted quickly. While there was no news of aid from the United Kingdom, Germany had already prepared the first batch of aid and sent a fleet to escort it to Sydney.


    To emphasize the importance of this aid, Arthur and Prime Minister Evan both appeared at the harbor, weing the person in charge of escorting the aid materials from Germany, Crown Prince William.


    ¡°His Royal Highness Arthur, long time no see!¡± As soon as he got off the ship, Crown Prince William came up with a smile and greeted Arthur, who was walking towards him with a smile as well.


    ¡°Long time no see, Your Highness. I didn¡¯t expect it to be you who brought the supplies this time, I thought it might be a German general or minister,¡± said Arthur with a smile.


    ¡°It was indeed the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to transport the aid, but my father sent me to be in charge of this shipment to show hismitment to Australia,¡± Crown Prince William exined with a smile.


    ¡°This is Prime Minister Evan, Your Highness. Since you¡¯vee to Australia, why don¡¯t you enjoy yourself for a couple of days? Although Australia s prosperity is far from that of Berlin, there is still plenty of beautiful scenery,¡± Arthur did not worry about why William II sent Crown Prince William andughed as he spoke to him.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± After Arthur introduced him, Prime Minister Evan saluted Crown Prince William.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Crown Prince William nodded slightly, then nced at the ship as it began to unload supplies and said with a smile, ¡°His Royal Highness Arthur, Prime Minister Evan, this is the first batch of aid from Germania to Australia, totaling 1 billion marks, 140 industry experts, Gew98 Rifle Production Line, artillery production line and blueprint materials of the Brunswick-ss battleship. These experts will formte detailed and reliable industrial development ns for Australia based on the specific situation. As for the distribution of military production lines and blueprint materials, that¡¯s up to you. But I have to say, Your Royal Highness Arthur, the blueprint materials for the Brunswick-ss battleship are of great importance to Germania, and we hope that Australia will maintain strict confidentiality for at least twenty years.¡±


    Unlike other support materials, the blueprint materials for the Brunswick-ss battleship were guarded by more than a hundred elite German soldiers and could be destroyed on their own in special situations. This is the importance of a warship blueprint. It clearly describes the entireyout of the warship, listing the weakest parts in aplete and detailed form in both images and text.


    If it falls into the hands of a hostile country, it would mean handing over one¡¯s own lifeline to the enemy, and the bnce of the war would shift instantly.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Australia has no reason and would not leak this warship blueprint. The friendship between Australia and Germania is far more important than the blueprint of this battleship,¡± Arthur said with a smile, indeed, what he said was not wrong. Before World War I broke out, the German Empire was undoubtedly the world¡¯s second major power, with the world¡¯s first army and second navy.


    Maintaining the friendship between Australia and the German Empire is far more important than a single warship blueprint, especially one that will be obsolete in a few years.


    There are still many things in the German Empire that have not been discovered by Arthur. Before that, Arthur would not take the initiative to damage the friendship with the German Empire.


    ¡°Hahaha, I believe you, of course! Not just me, but my father also trusts Australia very much. It¡¯s just that the importance of this blueprint is indeed very high, and my father asked me to remind Your Royal Highness once more,¡± Prince Williamughed, putting an end to the topic.


    In addition to the 100-plus industry experts and 1 billion marks in funds, it would not be easy to take an inventory of the other aid materials, which might even take several hours.


    Arthur and the others naturally wouldn¡¯t stand here foolishly waiting. So, at Arthur¡¯s invitation, Crown Prince William went to Arthur¡¯s winery.


    Nine months had passed since thepletion of Duke Arthur¡¯s Winery. In this time, the grape seeds and mature grape trees were nted and thriving, and the first batch of grapes had already been harvested and fermented.


    As a beverage highly sought after by the Western aristocracy, owning a wine estate is also one way for Western nobles to showcase their status.


    Crown Prince William, as the next ruler of the German Empire, naturally had his own private winery. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the Western nobility¡¯s wine estates were not as extravagant as Arthur¡¯s, who had used arge area ofnd for cultivation.


    Generally, a noble¡¯s small private winery would upy about ten hectares, which was quiterge. Larger aristocratic wineries were only a few dozen to a hundred hectares.


    Arthur¡¯s winery, on the other hand, epassed a staggering 300 hectares, which equates to about three square kilometers ofnd.


    It¡¯s worth noting that inter times, there were two countries withnd areas less than three square kilometers. Aside from Vatican City, a special religious center, the Southern European city-state of Monaco had and area of only two square kilometers, with about 0.5 square kilometers being reimednd. Such a vast wine estate was evenparable in size to some small towns in Europe.


    William¡¯s curiosity and surprise were naturally piqued by such a massive area ofnd.


    However, after considering the immense territory of Australiabined with its sparse poption, William suddenly felt a bit relieved.


    ¡°Arthur, when will your first batch of red wine be produced? The climate here seems very suitable for the growth of grapes, perhaps it will produce a fine red wine,¡± Crown Prince William said with a smile.


    When ites to famous European red wines, one cannot ignore France, a well-known major red wine producer.


    French red wines even dominated most of the European aristocracy¡¯s wine market, making them one of the most sought-after red wines among European nobles.


    While the German Empire also had many wineries, the red wines produced there were of both lower quality and quantity than France. They onlypeted within the domestic market.


    ¡°The first batch of red wine has already been produced, Your Highness. You¡¯vee at just the right time, as the first batch of red wine has only recently beenpleted and is perfect for a taste,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Entertaining guests with one¡¯s own private winery¡¯s red wine has always been a tradition of the Western aristocracy. Although Arthur¡¯s winery had only been built for less than a year without breaking into the red wine market, Arthur had already tasted their freshly made red wine. The wine had a rich aroma of grapes, with a hint of fruitiness and sweetness, making it exceptional.


    Although it couldn¡¯tpare to the long-established Western red wine brands in terms of production and reputation, Arthur believed that in terms of taste, his winery¡¯s wine was not inferior to too many European varieties.


    In fact, even inter times, Australia would be one of the world¡¯s top five red wine producers.


    Although Australian wine would slightlyg in qualitypared to Western countries like Spain, Italy, and France, it would definitely be one of the better red wine producers..

 Chapter 79: Scientists and Awards (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 79: Scientists and Awards (Please Subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    April 7,1901, after seeing off Crown Prince William, the various supplies were transported to the ces in need.


    A billion marks in funds were delivered to the Ministry of Finance for safekeeping. Although all the aid from Germany was in German marks, it would be useful since many things would be purchased from Germany in the future.


    The industry expert team went directly to the industrial area of West Australia. One had to admire their meticulous attitude towards work, even though Arthur tried to keep them in Sydney for two more days, they refused the offer with the excuse of having important work.


    Compared to the future experts, these industry experts from Germany were almost model workers.


    The production lines for Gew98 rifles and a series of firearms were transported to Arthur¡¯s Arms Factory. Since these were assistance for the Australian government, the factory had to pay two million pounds to lease these production lines, and after mastering the technologypletely, a new production line had to be built for the Australian government.


    Although it was necessary to spend two million pounds and build new production lines for the Australian government after mastering the technology.


    It was still a profit for the arms factory. After all, the technology contained in these production lines was not something that could be obtained with just two million pounds under normal circumstances.


    Even with a considerable amount of funding, it would still require extensive research time and talent toe up with the technology.


    Most importantly, the blueprints and information for the Brunswick-ss battleship were delivered to Arthur¡¯s Shipyard for protection.


    The Australian government will work with Arthur¡¯s Shipyard to form a specialized expert team to study these blueprints, strive to master them as soon as possible, and produce battleships ording to the drawings.


    Even with the assistance of British and German naval technology, it would be impossible to have the ability to build battleships independently without a few years of research.


    Arthur was fully prepared for this, and as long as the technology to build battleships waspletely mastered within five years, it would be considered a sess.


    Fortunately, there were several shipbuilding experts among the industry expert team sent by Germany, who stayed at the Sydney Harbour Shipyard and would be mentors to the Australian expert team.


    To win the favor of these German experts, Arthur prepared a separate vi for each of them in Sydney, and on top of their original sry, provided each person with at least five hundred pounds a month in subsidies. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was considered a fulfillment of themitment made in Berlin, not only to pay the sries of these people but also to cover all their expenses in Australia.


    Of course, all of this was worth it, otherwise, Arthur would not have done so. The changes and benefits that these expert teams could bring to Australia were definitely not as simple as the funds invested.


    As many experts as possible were naturally needed, even if the annual expenses for each person were a huge amount of money.


    April 11, Arthur¡¯s Manor House.


    As various industries began to rapidly develop due to Germany¡¯s assistance, Hunter Steward brought good news to Arthur.


    About a month and a half had passed since Arthur asked Hunter Steward to send people to Europe and the United States to find talent, and Hunter Steward had already begun to look for frustrated scientists in Europe, with some progress having been made.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, tell me, what good news is it?¡± Arthur sat down, smiling at Hunter Steward.


    ¡°Your Highness, I have sessfully sent people to Europe, and after a week-long investigation, we have found a piece of great news for Australia. There are many talents like Benson and Disel in Europe, and many are in debt andck funding. ording to our investigation, arge number of these people are research fanatics. As long as we are willing to provide them with sufficient research funds and venues, there is no reason they cannote to Australia.¡± Hunter Steward didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said it all.


    By exploiting the colonies, Europe established a prosperous industrial and economic system, bing the brightest pearl and most developed and prosperous region in the world.


    Due to the emphasis on education by European countries, arge number of talents and scientists were born in Europe during this period. They also made a significant contribution to the rise of Europe.


    However, funds and resources were always limited. Even the prosperous and developed European countries could not guarantee sufficient research funds and opportunities for every scientist.


    This led to arge number of scientists in Europe having to suspend their research for various reasons. Some were fortunate to be discovered by capitalists, while others had to either sell their property and invest in research or live unfulfilled lives.


    Such talents weremon in Europe, not because their abilities were poor, but because theycked support and seemed weak in the highlypetitive environment of Europe.


    But for Australia, these talents were the critical pirs that Australia needed. Many of them could even be the founders and pioneers of various industries in Australia.


    Australia only needed to spend a certain amount of capital to attract these talents, and in return, they would receive arge number of talents and scientists, definitely making it a profitable investment.


    ¡°If we can confirm that these people are genuinely talented, then what¡¯s the problem with spending some capital to bring them to Australia?¡± Arthurughed and said, ¡°The more talents like them Australia has, the better. Hunter Steward, I grant you the power to allocate 20 million pounds to dig out such talents in Europe and the Americas extensively. No matter what industry or field, as long as it¡¯s confirmed they have the ability, they can be drawn in.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, I believe we should raise Australia¡¯s status in the minds of all scientific researchers. As long as we make Australia a holy ce for these scientists, there will be no shortage of scientistsing,¡± Hunter Steward tentatively said.


    ¡°Oh? How do we raise it?¡± Arthur asked with interest.


    Hunter Steward must have had some ideas and ns in mind since he could say such a thing.


    Arthur was very interested in them. If Australia¡¯s status in the minds of scientists could be truly raised, it would be much better than spending money recruiting them.


    ¡°There are many scientists in Europe whock funding, so why don¡¯t we set up research awards? We can invite scientists from all over the world to participate in our award selection, and the winners will receive sufficient research funding and prestige. They will also be provided with free research facilities and support for their research projects by the Australian government. In this way, after a long period of development, it is not impossible to gain the attention of these scientists,¡± Hunter Steward suggested with a smile..

 Chapter 80: The Future or the Present (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 80: The Future or the Present (Please Subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    Speaking of awards in scientific research, Arthur immediately thought of the famous Nobel Prize inter generations.


    Covering physics, medicine, chemistry, literature, and peace, it is one of the most authoritative and international scientific research awards inter generations.


    If Arthur remembered correctly, the famous Nobel Prize inter generations should be officially awarded this year, in 1901.


    Although it is unclear exactly when, it can be deduced from the response of the European scientific researchmunity that the Nobel Prize has not been awarded so far.


    If Arthur acts quickly, it may not be impossible to create and award his own prize before the first Nobel Prize is awarded, recing the status of the Nobel Prize inter generations.


    The Nobel Prize originated from the will of the famous Swedish chemist Alfred Bernhard Nobel.


    Nobel used most of his estate to establish the Nobel Prize, which is worth about two million pounds. In this era when Europeans¡¯ per capita annual ie is only a few dozen pounds, this amount of money is a huge sum for everyone.


    This is also why the Nobel Prize quickly became one of the most attention-grabbing awards in the world¡¯s scientific researchmunity.


    Even the winners of the first Nobel Prize can receive a bonus of at least 150,000 Swedish crowns, which is the sry of a senior professor in Sweden for twenty years.


    Receiving an award that can equal at least twenty years of sry would tempt any normal person, let alone those scientists struggling with funding problems.


    ¡°Do you have any specific ns?¡± Arthur asked.


    Creating awards is definitely an effective method, especially when none of the major awards inter generations have been established and gained fame.


    As long as arge amount of funds can be invested and extensive publicity can be carried out in Europe, the newly established award will definitely be a sought-after award in the entire European scientific researchmunity within a short period of time.


    ¡°Your Highness, our goal is to attract people to Australia, and Australia currentlycks talent in all aspects. Therefore, my suggestion is that we should not focus only on the scientific researchmunity; research in other fields that is useful to the country is also eligible for awards. We create an authoritative and traditional award, and then subdivided it into many small awards in various fields. Adopt the form of awarding once a year or every six months, rewarding all contributors worldwide.¡± Hunter Steward smiled and said, ¡°Trust me, Your Highness. As long as people learn that the prize money is higher than their lifetime sry, even a fool could produce something.¡±


    No one would refuse arge sum of money that they cannot earn in their lifetime. Even those scientists who only know about research would also worry about insufficient research funds and be moved by this sum of money.


    Moreover, once the newly established award enjoys a reputation worldwide and is backed by authority, the recognition brought by the award would be another irresistible temptation.


    Both fame and fortune are irresistible temptations that no one in the world can refuse.


    Based on the current per capita ie in Europe, mostmon people have an annual ie below fifty pounds.


    As for those professors and scientists with some aplishments in scientific research, their annual ie is only around a few hundred to a thousand pounds.


    Only those with exceptional abilities or who have started their ownpanies to achieve revenue can increase their annual ie to more than a thousand pounds.


    ¡°Good suggestion, Hunter Steward. If I fully support it, when is the earliest we can officially start awarding the prize?¡± Arthur nodded with satisfaction and asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, Australia is too far from Europe. I conservatively estimate that it will take at least six months before the awards can be officially presented, around October.¡± Hunter Steward calcted for a while and replied.


    Six months is not a long time, considering the shortest voyage between Australia and Europe takes a month.


    However, establishing an award in Australia has a significant drawback: due to the distance from Europe, it is difficult to cause a sensation throughout the continent.


    ¡°Hunter Steward, how about we create the awards in Europe first? Creating awards in Europe would allow us to receive applications from scientists more quickly and create a stronger sensation in the European scientific researchmunity. After our established awards have gained a certain reputation and authority in Europe, we can then move the review organization to Australia.¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    After all, Europe is the center of the world right now. Creating an award in Europe is an excellent choice for quickly gaining authority, fame, and recognition from others.


    Australia is still regarded as a wildnd in the eyes of Europeans. Awards established in Australia are at a disadvantagepared to those in Europe.


    Even if Arthur offers more generous financial rewards than other awards, it would not be easy to gain recognition from the entire European scientific researchmunity.


    However, it¡¯s different if they are first established in Europe. European awards would be more recognized by Europeans, and the huge financial rewards would also speed up the process.


    Once the awards created by Arthur are recognized as authoritative by the entire world scientific researchmunity, even if the award is established in the wilds of Africa, it would still be the most authoritative award.


    This is just like the capitalists inter generations: during the market seizing stage, they try to cater to the public as much as possible, even at the expense of their own interests.


    Once they sessfully capture the market and be the dominant force in a certain industry, the entire market is dictated by them.


    By that time, even if they recoup all their previous losses, no one could say no. Those who are qualified to say no have already perished in the process of capturing the market, and the remaining ones simply have to go along with it. ¡°Establishing in Europe would quickly improve the prestige of the awards we establish, and Europeans would be more receptive to our awards. However, our n to quickly elevate Australia¡¯s status in the hearts of scientists would be ruined. It might take a few more years to get those scientists to immigrate to Australia on their own.¡± Hunter Steward frowned and replied. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This is the fish-and-bear¡¯s-paw problem. Is it to quickly enhance the recognition of the award in the hearts of Europeans, or to use the benefits of the awards to attract more scientist immigrants to Australia immediately? This is a difficult choice.


    It¡¯s not that the first choice cannot achieve the benefits of the second choice, but the drawback is that it requires a longer waiting time.


    Australia is now in the golden stage of development, and any waste of time is a heavy loss for Australia.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Hunter Steward. We need to take a longer-term perspective. While it may seem faster to establish awards in Australia in the short-term, establishing awards in Europe and then moving them here can achieve the same purpose, can¡¯t it? A recognized award can bring changes to Australia that hastily established awards cannot. What we need is arge number of immigrants over a long period of time, not a small number of immigrants in a short period. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Arthur made his final decision,ughing..

 Chapter 81: Heading to Australian New Guinea (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 81: Heading to Australian New Guinea (Please subscribe!)


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    April 19,1901.


    After resting for a few days, Arthur became busy again. This time, his destination was New Guinea, situated north of Australia, which is now Australian New Guinea.


    Since being taken over by Australia, Arthur visited and inspected thisnd for the first time.


    It¡¯s not that Arthur didn¡¯t value thisnd; just that there were too many pressing matters in Australia, leaving him no time to manage this territory.


    The entire poption of Australian New Guinea is under one million, and the vast majority of them are indigenous to the ind. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Most of these indigenous people live in isted tribes, maintaining their unique customs and rarelymunicating with the outside world.


    This has also led to the emergence of many taboo cultures on thisnd, such as the horrifying existence of cannibalism that changes people¡¯s color when heard.


    If we look only at the poption and economy, the importance of thisnd would decline significantly, and its development potential would be almost nonexistent.


    However, the ind¡¯s rich mineral resources and superior geographical location make up for this gap, turning New Guinea into a treasure trove fought over by the British Empire, the German Empire, and the Dutch colonialists.


    After handing over control of British New Guinea to Australia, thisnd has returned to a three-way bnce ¨C the Western part being controlled by the Dutch East India Colony, the northeastern part being controlled by the German Empire¡¯s New Guinea Colony.


    The southeastern part, naturally, is controlled by Australia¡¯s Australian New Guinea Colony.


    Arthur agreed to maintain the status of the New Guinea colony because he believed that it was truly more suitable for it to remain a colony.


    In terms of poption size, although it has more than 900,000 inhabitants, the vast majority are native to the region, with less than 10,000 European immigrants.


    All of these indigenous people belong to independent tribes that are difficult to assimte. Although they do not pose a threat to Australia¡¯s rule, their taboo culture is also not something Australia can change.


    At the harbor, Anibal Enrique Fernandez, the first Governor of Australian New Guinea, weed Arthur.


    Anibal Enrique Fernandez was one of the talents left by Duke Arthur. After being appointed as Governor of New Guinea, he had been diligent and had not shown any signs of self-indulgence.


    In the faraway Australian New Guinea, as the governor with the most power, Anibal Enrique Fernandez¡¯s performance naturally also gained Arthur¡¯s trust. Uponnding at the harbor, most of the staff at the Governor¡¯s Mansion had congregated.


    Everyone eagerly awaited Arthur while also feeling a bit apprehensive.


    Some of the Mansion¡¯s officers originally belonged to British New Guinea and chose to settle on thisnd, bing true immigrants and residents of the territory.


    After Australia took control of thisnd, they had no choice but to ept Australia¡¯s rule and be Australians.


    Skipping the weing ceremony, Arthur led the group directly to the Governor¡¯s Mansion.


    This visit aimed to inspect the work in Australian New Guinea and devise ns for Australian industry development.


    Although the indigenous people of Australian New Guinea have various shorings, they are useful when ites to Australia¡¯s industrial development.


    Before the Nethends agreed to sell indigenous people to Australia, these New Guineans were the bestbor force for Australia¡¯s industrial development.


    ¡°Governor Anibal, I suppose you know the purpose of my visit?¡± Inside the Governor¡¯s Mansion, Arthur looked at Governor Anibal Enrique Fernandez and asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Governor Anibal nodded respectfully in response.


    ¡°How many indigenous people are there in the entire New Guinea Colony, and how many can go to Australia to work?¡± asked Arthur, only nodding with satisfaction after Governor Anibal¡¯s affirmative reply.


    ¡°Your Highness, there are too many isted tribes on thisnd whose poptions we cannot determine. If we only count those tribes that have been in contact with us, there are more than 800,000 indigenous people in Australian New Guinea,¡± blurted Governor Anibal Enrique Fernandez.


    Seeing that Governor Anibal Enrique Fernandez clearly mentioned the poption of the entire Australian New Guinea, Arthur nodded again with satisfaction and asked, ¡°What is your opinion on the government¡¯s n? Can the transportation of indigenous people from New Guinea to Australia forbor be realized?¡±


    Any country that wants to transition from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy must go through a bloody and brutal oppression process. Whether it is oppressing the domestic people or exploiting the colonies, this process is inevitable.


    Arthur¡¯s and the Australian Government¡¯s n is to buy as many indigenous people as possible from the colonies and abroad to substitute Australians, contributing their lives to Australia¡¯s industrial development.


    Although it may not seem humane,pared to oppressing Australians and having the rare and precious Australian people risk their lives to develop the industry, it is much better.


    ¡°Your Highness, I think it can be done, and Australia does need the contributions of these indigenous people. However, doing so will cause panic and anger among them. If we want to maintain the stability of New Guinea, my suggestion is to eradicate the roots as much as possible and take this opportunity topletely eliminate all the indigenous people of New Guinea. Otherwise, the hatred of exploitation and oppression will umte over time, and keeping these indigenous people will not be good for the stability of New Guinea,¡± said Governor Anibal Enrique Fernandez, seriously. He was slightly nervous when speaking, clearly worrying that his words might offend Arthur.


    The strategy proposed by Governor Anibal Enrique Fernandez was bloodierpared to the Australian Government¡¯s n.


    However, on second thought, there was nothing wrong with what Governor Anibal Enrique Fernandez said.


    New Guinea¡¯s indigenous people and Australians are two nationalities that can never merge, and Arthur will definitely not amodate the indigenous people of New Guinea.


    Under such premise, since they chose to oppress and enve these indigenous people, it is better to be more ruthless and eradicate thempletely after exhausting all of their value so as to eliminate future problems.


    After all, Australia needs stability, and only the dead will not resist.

 Chapter 82: The Birth of Practical Cars (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 82: The Birth of Practical Cars (Please subscribe!)


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    ¡°You¡¯re right, Governor Anibal. History has taught us that we must not be too merciful to these indigenous people. As the saying goes, people from different tribes harbor different intentions. Under the overarching goal of Australia¡¯s rise, it is not unreasonable to sacrifice all of the natives of New Guinea.¡± Arthur paused for a while before resolutely replying.


    Seeing that Arthur agreed with his view, Governor Anibal Enrique Hernandez¡¯s heart leaped with joy, and he hurriedly continued, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured, just give me an army of two thousand men and I guarantee that all the natives of New Guinea will be the strongest driving force for Australia¡¯s development.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur, having made up his mind, no longer hesitated. Looking at the eager Governor Anibal, he smiled and said, ¡°Governor Anibal, I¡¯ll allocate two thousand troops to you. The requirement is to provide at least ten thousand natives per month for Australia¡¯s nativend, and the mining development in New Guinea must not be interfered with in any way. Can you do it?¡±


    ¡°I am happy to serve!¡± Governor Anibal immediately stood up respectfully, his firm gaze and tone representing his attitude.


    After receiving Governor Anibal¡¯s affirmative response, Arthur nodded with satisfaction and ended the discussion.


    How to execute the n afterwards is what Governor Anibal should be worried about; Arthur is only responsible for issuing the n.


    Later, apanied by a series of colonial officials including Governor Anibal, Arthur inspected the army, minefields, government, and urban city of New Guinea and delivered some speeches in the city square.


    Admittedly, the geographical location and resources of New Guinea have greatly elevated the value of thisnd.


    Australian New Guinea is also rich in mineral resources, with gold mines, copper mines, silver mines, nickel mines, petroleum and natural gas, and other important mineral resources have been discovered, and their reserves are abundant.


    As it is adjacent to the Nethends¡¯ Dutch East Indies Colony to the west, it also serves as a springboard for nning andyout in Southeast Asia, as well as a natural northern barrier for Australia.


    More importantly, inparison to the more distant New Zend, New Guinea is not far from the Australian maind and is even very close.


    As the secondrgest region in Oceania, once Australia and New Guinea are in control, it basically has control of the entire Oceania.


    After inspecting the whole of New Guinea, Arthur encouraged all the colonial officials before returning to Australia aboard a warship amidst the respectful gazes of the crowd.


    The trip to New Guinea did bring some good news. At least before the Nethends made a move, Australia could still rely on the natives of New Guinea to achieve rapid industrial development in the early stages.


    Although this might require the sacrifice of the interests of these natives, and even the vast majority of them may die in bloodshed.


    But who cares? The history of the industrial rise of European nations is also the history of exploitation of colonial peoples around the world. Everyone will remember Europe¡¯s current prosperity, and no one would pity the exploited nations.


    As the saying goes,gging behind leads to getting beaten; in order for Australia to be a world-ss power, sacrifices must be made by other nations with pain on their part as well.


    3rd May 1901, Sydney.


    Arthur, who had returned to Sydney for just a few days, soon set off for some good news.


    The news came from Benz. After requisitioning several factories in the vicinity of Sydney, Benz and Diesel quickly established theirboratories and factories and devoted themselves to the research and production of engines and cars.


    Having researched thetest engines himself, Diesel joined forces with Benz, who had his own car research findings. They decided to develop the most advanced car in the world and make it Arthur¡¯s vehicle.


    Of course, this was also their way of showing their abilities to Arthur. After all, upon arrival in Australia, all of the funding for their research depended on Arthur¡¯s support.


    Showing their capabilities to Arthur in a timely manner would make it easier to request research funds in the future.


    Three monthster, on May 3rd, they finally worked overtime to produce a new car and eagerly invited Arthur to visit it personally.


    Frankly, Arthur was somewhat astonished when he first saw the car jointly developed by Benz and Diesel.


    Though it looked very rudimentarypared to the advanced cars ofter generations, one couldn¡¯t help but admire the Fathers of Automobiles, Benz, and the Diesel Engine, Diesel, when considering the developmental status of cars in this era.


    This unnamed car was modified based on the Victoria cars developed by Benz.


    In terms of its engine, the diesel engine developed by Diesel was adopted, resulting in a significant increase in the car¡¯s power.


    Theoretically, this car can reach a top speed of eighty kilometers per hour.


    More importantly, because of using the diesel engine invented by Benz, the car can use a wide range of unexpected energy sources, including traditional gasoline and diesel, as well as peanut oil, olive oil, and other terms that no one would ever think of, as fuels of the car.


    Unlike themon car design inter generations, the steering wheel of this car is installed in the center. In addition to the main driver¡¯s seat, there are three seats in the rear row for passengers.


    ording to the perspective of this era, this is almost the most advanced car in the world. Benz¡¯s engine ensures the stability of the car, and while it can¡¯t prevent the noise of the engine¡¯s operation, a car that can travel at 30 to 40 kilometers per hour for over two hundred kilometers is definitely attractive.


    ¡°Mr. Benz, Mr. Diesel, is this beauty really the product of your three months of work? I think that with a little modification, it could be put on the market and would definitely be sought after by many.¡± Arthur said to the two with some surprise.


    Although it is far inferior to the cars ofter generations in terms of performance and design, it is alreadypletely marketable in terms of practicality.


    This is precisely what astonishes Arthur. As far as performance is concerned, this car is on par with the T-model, which was born a few yearster; this car is a practical vehicle that can open the automobile market entirely.


    ¡°To be precise, it is a car improved based on our previous research results, Your Highness. We are confident in iming that this car is the world¡¯s strongest in terms of performance. However, the bad news is that the cost of manufacturing this car is too high. It is probably impossible to poprize it in the market,¡± Benz said with an embarrassed smile, exining to Arthur.


    Benz¡¯s previously developed Victoria cars were like that, although they were among the most advanced cars at the time in terms of performance, their high cost made them unattainable for the vast majority of people.

 Chapter 83: Assembly Line Production and Car Testing (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 83: Assembly Line Production and Car Testing (Please subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    Arthur was dumbfounded, having forgotten that cars were currently handcrafted, resulting in highbor and time costs for production.


    Common cars on the market typically cost hundreds of pounds, and more advanced cars like the Victor Dea were nearly 200 pounds.


    However, the cost of a car was much more than this. Since each part of a handcrafted car varies in size and shape, maintenance costs and time increase significantly.


    It was also due to handcrafting that the stability of the cars was not very good, and they were prone to frequent issues.


    Consequently, the potential of cars far exceeded horse carriages, but these factors have prevented their global poprization.


    ¡°Mr. Benz, I know of a new car production method that might solve the problems of production cost and construction time,¡± Arthur said, looking at the downcast faces of the two men.


    ¡°Really? Your Highness, what is the method?¡± As expected, the dispirited duo perked up and eagerly asked Arthur for details.


    ¡°Right now, you have a team working together to build a car, correct?¡± Instead of directly answering, Arthur posed his own question.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Only by having several workers who are familiar with each other work together in a team can the production time and error rate of the car be reduced,¡± Benz replied, nodding.


    ¡°Then why not try breaking down aplete car into parts?¡± Arthur suggested, smiling: ¡°Aplete car can be divided into modules like doors, wheels, body, engine, and many more. Each person is responsible for one part, assembling the car piece by piece from one end of the production line to the other. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±


    Since the concept of assembly line production did not yet exist, Arthur had to describe it in concrete terms.


    Nheless, the two men quickly grasped the idea of the assembly line and pondered its potential impact and advantages.


    ¡°Divide aplete car into multiple modules?¡± Benz pondered, his brow furrowed. After a moment, he looked excitedly at Diesel, who likewise expressed the same enthusiasm in his eyes.


    ¡°If one person onlypletes one module, not only will it increase the speed of car assembly, but also reduce the error rate of parts production and car assembly. My goodness, Your Highness, this is a brilliant idea. Thank you, this could save the car market and even be applied to other industries,¡± Benz said, shaking with excitement.


    Indeed, Ford Company¡¯s assembly line production technique waster applied to various industries.


    This technology discovery greatly increased the production speed of the mechanical industry, promoted the poprization of cars and market expansion, and greatly contributed to other industries worldwide.


    ¡°If possible, I hope the car factory can be modified based on this theory. If the assembly line production method can speed up car production and reduce costs, our car factory will lead the world¡¯s car market,¡± Arthur nodded and said with a smile.


    Clearly, both Benz and Diesel were captivated by the assembly line theory proposed by Arthur.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the testing of the new car hadn¡¯t beenpleted yet, the two men might have already hurriedly begun the factory transformation.


    However, the necessary experiments for the new car could not be missed.


    This car represented the culmination of Benz and Diesel¡¯s knowledge and was arguably the most advanced car in the world.


    The two were quite confident in the testing of this new car.


    Currently, car inspection technology was rudimentary, focusing mainly on speed, cruising stability, and fault rate onplex sections of the road. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In terms of speed, the new car¡¯s top speed was very satisfactory, thanks to the powerful diesel engine, reaching a terrifying 80 to 90 kilometers per hour.


    The steady cruising data was also appealing. The new car could maintain a 40 kilometers per hour speed until the fuel tank was depleted, which took over seven hours.


    Although this number paled inparison to cars ofter generations, it was already beyond imagination for a period of emerging automobiles.


    It is important to note that horse carriages were still the most widely used means of small-scale transport in Europe. Horse carriages had an average speed of about ten kilometers per hour, and any faster would cause severe jolts, even resulting in casualties and damages.


    Currently, the average speed of cars was generally between 20 and 30 kilometers per hour. One reason was that most people were not familiar with this emerging technology, which indirectly reduced the speed of cars since a vast majority of people could not adapt to high speeds.


    Secondly, frequent failures with existing cars also meant they couldn¡¯t travel too fast.


    Often, a car would break down before even half of the fuel in the tank had been used.


    Given this backdrop, the car developed by Benz and Diesel, with a top speed of nearly 90 kilometers per hour and the ability to cruise steadily at 40 kilometers per hour for almost seven hours, was a remarkable achievement.


    Setting aside production costs and construction time, this car¡¯s performance was more than market-ready and could even rival the Model T.


    Arthur, Benz, and Diesel were all satisfied with the first two speed tests.


    As for the uing stability and fault rate tests, they required long-term testing on different sections of the road and had to be conducted another day.


    However, based on the first two tests, the new car¡¯s performance was more than adequate and met Arthur¡¯s expectations for automobiles of this era.


    Now it was up to Benz and Diesel to master the assembly line theory and transform their respective factories.


    Once the transformation wasplete, Arthur¡¯s car could lead the world¡¯s car market by a step ahead of the Model T, paving the way for the global automotive market.


    With this in mind, Arthur looked at Diesel and Benz and said with a smile: ¡°Mr. Diesel, Mr. Benz. I am very satisfied with this car, and I hope you can research specific assembly line production methods and modify your factories as soon as possible. Once you can sessfully reduce the cost and construction time of car production, you will both be considered heroes of Australia.¡±

 Chapter 84: The Diplomatic Delegation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 84: The Diplomatic Delegation from the Kingdom of the Nethends (Please subscribe!)


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    Time flew by, and soon it was June 1901.


    After waiting for several months, Arthur had given up hope of purchasing immigrants from the Nethends.


    Unexpectedly, a Dutch fleet quietly arrived in Australian waters from the Dutch East Indies.


    If the Dutch fleet had not early on signaled their intentions through g symbols, the Australian Navy would have mistaken them for invaders.


    The Dutch fleet was led by Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Herbert Von and Governor William Rosbon of the Dutch East Indies. Apanying them was a guest of even greater importance, Queen Mother Emma, mother of Dutch Queen Wilhelmina and widow of thete King William III.


    The prestige of Queen Mother Emma was due not only to her being the mother of Queen Wilhelmina, but also to her having been the regent of the Kingdom of the Nethends.


    Upon receiving the news, Arthur was taken aback, and immediately ordered Prime Minister Evan to go and meet them.


    He also ordered the preparation of a weing banquet and invited his mother, Duchess Louise, to attend. She would be hosting Queen Mother Emma as an equal.


    Shortly thereafter, Prime Minister Evan brought Queen Mother Emma, Minister Herbert, and Governor William to the Manor House.


    As the first official residence of Arthur and the royal family, this small manor house essentially took over all the functions of the royal pce. It was not only a location for temporary cab meetings, but also for hosting banquets for guests.


    At the banquet, Arthur finally met Queen Mother Emma, as well as Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Herbert and Governor William.


    It was evident that the long sea voyage had taxed them greatly. Governor William seemed to be in good shape, but both Queen Mother Emma and Minister Herbert looked fatigued.


    The banquet broke into two distinct groups. Queen Mother Emma and Duchess Louise settled into one corner, joined by the two mischievous girls, Margaret and Patricia.


    On the other side of the banquet, Minister Herbert and Governor William were engrossed in serious discussions about international affairs with Prime Minister Evan, not forgetting their roles.


    This arrangement left Arthur awkwardly sitting in the middle, unable to participate in either conversation. He was left searching for the right time to leave.


    Arthur was in the dark about both conversations. Prime Minister Evan¡¯s side wasn¡¯t too problematic since any important matters they discussed would be reported to Arthur. But it was different with Duchess Louise¡¯s side. Arthur was excluded from the women¡¯s conversations and was certain to remain uninformed about them.


    However, the expressions of the two women in conversation suggested that they were quite pleased with each other¡¯spany. As two individuals of simr status and circumstances, they had quite a lot to talk about and seemed to have established a friendly rapport.


    After the banquet, Queen Mother Emma was settled into the manor house to rest, while Minister Herbert and Governor William were lodged in Australia¡¯s finest hotel.


    Although just a few apartments converted into a hotel for honored guests, this hotel was luxurious because it primarily catered to nobility and distinguished officials. The hotel had hot springs, fountains, a garden, and private meeting rooms and offices.


    Arthur waited until they had rested for a full day before inviting Minister Herbert and Governor William to a meeting the following afternoon.


    The fact that the Nethends had sent such an imposing delegation suggested that there were important matters to be discussed.


    Although Prime Minister Evan seemed to have hit it off with Minister Herbert and Governor William at the previous evening¡¯s banquet, these seasoned politicians were too cunning to reveal their true intentions at a casual banquet.


    Inside the Administrative Building¡¯s meeting room, Arthur met with Minister Herbert and Governor William once again.


    After a long rest, the two men were visibly refreshed, especially Governor William, who hadpletely shed his previous fatigue and was in high spirits.


    ¡°Your Highness, the Duke of Australia!¡±, they greeted Arthur reverently upon seeing him.


    Arthur was surprised that two high officials of the Kingdom of the Nethends would pay him such respect but quickly responded with a smiling nod.


    ¡°Minister Herbert, Governor William. What prompted your government to send you here? If this visit concerns our earlier proposal to purchase immigrants, a simple international telegram would have sufficed, and there would have been no need for such an borate visit,¡± Prime Minister Evan inquired, smiling at Minister Herbert and Governor William across the conference table.


    An official diplomatic visit involving a cab minister and a senior official, in addition to the backing of the queen mother, was equivalent to a formal diplomatic visit to any country.


    What was surprising was this. While the Nethends and Australia harbored no animosity or disputes, neither did they share anymon interest or positive rtionship.


    In fact, there was somepetition between Australia and the Nethends in Southeast Asia; while rtions between the two countries were not bad, they were definitely not particrly friendly.


    Given this, the unannounced arrival of a very official diplomatic delegation from the Nethends left everyone puzzled as to its purpose. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Your Highness, Prime Minister Evan, and Lords, please be assured that Governor William and I are here solely to foster a favorable cooperative rtionship with Australia. Upon hearing about Australia¡¯s ns, the government and Her Majesty the Queen swiftly agreed to your proposition of purchasing immigrants. We are keen to assist Australia in procuring immigrants and are d to conclude a treaty to this end,¡± Minister Herbert said sincerely, rising from his seat.


    Seeing Minister Herbert¡¯s sincerity, Arthur fell silent.


    Although he found it odd that the Kingdom of the Nethends mounted such a grand effort for such a minor matter, it did not put Australia in a disadvantageous position, so the meeting continued.


    ¡°That being the case, Minister Herbert, could you tell us how many immigrants is your government willing to sell us annually? What is the price per immigrant? How will the capture, transport, and international affairs of the immigrants be handled?¡± Prime Minister Evan nodded, asking further.


    Purchasing immigrants was not as simple as it seemed. For transporting immigrants from the Dutch East Indies to Australia, not only did one need to devise cunning strategies for capturing them, but also ensure a sessful and discreet delivery.


    This would require significant manpower and resources, something Australia, with its scarcity of soldiers and ships, did not have enough of. It alsocked the excess military power required to capture and transport the indigenous people.


    ¡°We are willing to take on the responsibility of capturing and transporting the indigenous people,¡± Minister Herbert said, smiling, ¡°We can deliver them to any port in Australia. All you need to do is receive them.¡±

 Chapter 85: Non-Aggression Treaty (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 85: Non-Aggression Treaty (Please Subscribe!)


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    Arthur and all the Australian officials fell silent. They didn¡¯t expect that during the negotiation on purchasing Indigenous Peoples, which should have been the most controversial topic, the Dutch government wouldpromise so easily.


    This means that the most difficult part of buying Indigenous Peoples, specifically suppressing their resistance, will be undertaken by the Dutch government.


    There was even a brief moment of silence in the room, only broken when Arthur coughed softly and the conversation gradually resumed.


    Prime Minister Evan asked in disbelief, ¡°Minister Herbert, are you sure the Dutch government will undertake all the work of capturing and transporting Indigenous Peoples?¡±


    An Indigenous Person is not worth much money, and even if there are thousands of them, their value will not exceed 100,000 pounds.


    What is the benefit for the Nethends to deploy its military to capture and transport Indigenous Peoples for just tens of thousands of pounds? Even if each Indigenous Person could get ten pounds in funds, it would not be a loss for the Dutch government, but it seems unlikely that they would earn substantial funds from this trade, considering the expenses of deploying the military and the fleet.


    ¡°Of course, Minister Evan. We are very sincere in our cooperation with Australia. If your government is not reassured, we can sign a treaty with explicit uses to solidify this coboration,¡± Minister Herbert nodded naturally, smiling.


    Seeing Minister Herbert speak so confidently, although everyone still felt it was somewhat strange, they were reassured.


    After signing the treaty, even if the Kingdom of the Nethends wants to back out in the future, it would depend on whether the Australian government agrees or not.


    Moreover, if the Kingdom of the Nethends wants to renege in the future, they would provide Australia with an excuse to seek more inds in Southeast Asia and even meddle in the Dutch East Indies, upying some areas of significant interest.


    ¡°Of course, besides signing the treaty for the sale of Indigenous Peoples, the Dutch government and the government of the Dutch East Indies, represented by Governor William, want to sign a non-aggression treaty of friendship with your government and the Government of Papua New Guinea. The market in the Dutch East Indies can also be partially opened to Australia. I believe that there is no conflict between Australia and the Nethends on their nativend and their colonies at present. We can sign meaningful non-aggression and trade treaties based on our current good rtionships,¡± Minister Herbert changed the subject and continued.


    Since Queen Victoria handed over the sovereignty of New Guinea and the control of New Zend to Arthur, Australia has the potential to unite Oceania and has already posed a considerable threat to Southeast Asia to the north.


    An Australia with no external threat and close proximity to Southeast Asia is not good news for all Indigenous Peoples and colonial countries in the Dutch East Indies. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The British Empire and Germany are fine, not only are they the first and second world powers, but they also have good rtionships and origins with Australia. Simrly, France, which also has its colonies in Southeast Asia, has its colonies in the rtively distant Vietnam and Laos.


    As a result, the only country with very important colonies and close proximity to Australia but having no rtionship with Australia is the Nethends. Although Portugal also possesses Portuguese Timor, which is not far from the north of Australia, this small area with a small poption is not that important to Portugal.


    But the Nethends is different. Once known as the sea¡¯s coachman, the Kingdom of the Nethends now can only hide on its own nativend.


    The once-dominant fleet has long been defeated by Britain, and its current naval size is second-rate in Europe. It can only barely defend its own colonies, of course, under the premise that other powers have no designs on the Dutch East Indies.


    Although the Nethends¡¯ strength and national power make it a bigger camel than a horse even in its weakened state, it is still much more potent than Australia.


    However, since the Nethends is far away in Europe, it takes at least a month from there to the capital of the Dutch East Indies, Batavia.


    In contrast, from the Capital Sydney of Australia to Batavia, it takes at most one week.


    The vast difference in distance represents a significant difference in logistics. If Australia truly wants to seize the Dutch East Indies and other powers do not interfere, it is uncertain whether the Nethends can hold on.


    The reason the Nethends could previously protect its colonies was that the British Empire did not allow any other power to upy such a vast territory in Southeast Asia.


    But Australia is different. Firstly, Australia is not a major power and can barely be considered a third-rate European country in terms ofprehensive national strength.


    Additionally, Australia has a deep rtionship with the British Empire, and Australia¡¯s monarch Arthur was favored by the former Queen Victoria of the British Empire.


    Australia also has a good rtionship with the German Empire, and there were even rumors that the two countries had reached a support treaty.


    Under these factors, the Dutch government generally believes that they must proactively sign a non-aggression treaty with Australia to better ensure the safety of the Dutch East Indies.


    The status of the Dutch East Indies can bepared to that of British India in the British Empire.


    If the loss of India means the British Empire cannot maintain the world¡¯s first power, then the loss of the Dutch East Indies would turn the Nethends into a third-rate or even non-mainstream European country.


    Hearing Minister Herbert speak, Prime Minister Evan looked at Arthur.


    He knew very well that the signing of treaties between nations was not something he could decide on his own.


    Only after Arthur nods can he express his opinion. Or rather, ry Arthur¡¯s thoughts.


    Seeing Arthur nod slightly, Prime Minister Evan turned around and addressed Minister Herbert and Governor William, ¡°Australia is an emerging country, and the defense forces we have are not enough to fully protect our territory, but we also have beautiful hopes for peaceful development. Australia is willing to sign a non-aggression treaty with the Dutch government, which can extend to the colonies we each have. We are willing to maintain a peaceful development situation in Southeast Asia and will make efforts to maintain the current peaceful status.¡±


    Minister Herbert did not believe Prime Minister Evan¡¯s rhetoric.


    Still, he was pleased to see Australia willing to sign the treaty.


    ¡°That¡¯s great news, Prime Minister Evan. If possible, we would also like to invite your government to send a diplomatic delegation to the Nethends and appoint ambassadors to each other. At that time, under the joint witness of the monarchs of both parties, we will sign a meaningful non-aggression treaty for both countries,¡± Minister Herbert said with a smile.

 Chapter 86: The Wedding (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 86: The Wedding (Please subscribe!) N?v(el)B\\jnn


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    For most countries in the world, the first step to maintaining good rtions is to exchange ambassadors and establish embassies in each country.


    However, for Australia, despite having sessfully gained independence, it did not widely dispatch ambassadors to various nations due to Arthur¡¯s wish to keep a low profile and his good rtionship with Queen Victoria. In fact, aside from the United Kingdom and Germany, Australia had no connections with other countries.


    Upon hearing Minister Herbert¡¯s proposal to dispatch ambassadors, Arthur realised that Australia¡¯s international presence in Europe was rtively low. It was indeed necessary to have embassies in key nations to facilitate the execution of some ns for Arthur and Australia.


    With this in mind, Arthur stood up and said with a smile to Minister Herbert: ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Minister Herbert. We should dispatch ambassadors to effectively fulfill our imminent treaty andy the foundation for our nation¡¯s friendly rtionship. I will carefully consider the ambassador candidates and notify your government ordingly. I look forward to the enduring friendship between Australia and the Kingdom of the Nethends.¡±


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s forthright approval, Minister Herbert was somewhat surprised and delighted.


    The meeting¡¯s details had already given Minister Herbert the impression that including Prime Minister Evan, none of Australia¡¯s officials were truly in control of the government.


    The mysterious Duke before him was undeniably the true ruler of Australia.


    Hearing Arthur directly affirm and agree, Minister Herbert was secretly overjoyed. With this agreement, most of the tasks that he and Governor William came to fulfill in Australia were nowplete.


    The remaining task would depend on Queen Mother Emma¡¯s performance. Nevertheless, the oue was beyond their control. Being able to aplish their objectives left Herbert well-satisfied.


    If Minister Herbert knew Arthur¡¯s purpose for agreeing to the exchange of ambassadors was to establish spy departments and information stations within Europe, Herbert might have been furious enough to flip the table.


    In the time afterwards, Minister Herbert and Governor William along with Australia¡¯s officials held detailed discussions on the quantity and transportation of the Indigenous peoples to be purchased annually and where they would be transported to. This included a discussion of each Indigenous person¡¯s cost and conditions.


    For unknown reasons, Minister Herbert, who represented the Dutch Government, maintained a humble attitude throughout the negotiations, even choosing to step back on issues that should have been heatedly debated.


    Even on the critical issue of pricing, Minister Herbert directly agreed to Prime Minister Evan¡¯s proposal of five pounds per Indigenous person.


    Considering that the Dutch Government needed to deploy military forces to capture these Indigenous peoples and utilize fleets to transport them, Arthur wondered if the Dutch were operating at a loss at this price point.


    However, as Arthur was neither the ruler of the Nethends nor had any connections with them, if the Dutch agreed to this price, he naturally had no objections.


    This concession by the Dutch helped smoothen the negotiation process, taking little more than an hour.


    Arthur and Prime Minister Evan originally expected the discussions to take a full day or even several days, but they were surprised when everything waspleted in just over an hour.


    Had it not been for the absence of Queen Wilhelmina of the Nethends, this treaty could have been signed and executed that very day.


    Although the Dutch government and Minister Herbert¡¯s repeatedpromises and concessions left Arthur and all Australian officials somewhat baffled, it was a fortunate event for Australia, leading everyone to simply conclude that the Dutchman had money to burn.


    The sessful execution of the Indigenous purchasing n brought smiles to the faces of all Australian officials, including the Minister of Industry.


    Once the treaty takes effect, at least fifty thousand Indigenous peoples will be shipped to Australia to be ves each year.


    This will supply powerfulbor source for Australia¡¯s industrial development and a variety of economic constructions, as well as a guarantee for Australia to carry outrge-scale construction.


    In the previous industrial development, more precautionary measures were taken for some potentially hazardous work.


    Although this approach effectively reduced casualties, it was indeed a drag on the progress of industrial construction.


    With these Indigenous peoples, all dangerous and unattractive tasks could be assigned to them.


    In doing so, it will ensure the progress isn¡¯t dyed and effectivelyplete all tasks. Other than a few Indigenous casualties, this situation could be seen as a Win-Win.


    Of course, no one cares about the death of a few Indigenous peoples. It¡¯s hard to guarantee that all the indigenous peoples who die annually in European colonies, which amounts to the hundreds of thousands or even millions, all died a natural death.


    After their ns were agreed upon, Minister Herbert and Governor William, as guests, spent two days touring Sydney before meeting up with a rather reluctant Queen Mother Emma to board a warship headed for the Dutch East Indies in the North.


    The Queen Mother Emma indeed appeared somewhat reluctant to leave. She was so engaged with her chats with Princess Louise during these two days that if it were not for the two ministers urging her to return, she might have intended to stay for a few more days.


    After seeing off the Dutch diplomatic delegation, Arthur finally felt rxed enough to return to the Manor House.


    With sufficient development funding and being able to purchase industrial equipment from Britain and Germany, as well as a solution to thebor shortage, he faced no obstacles to Australia¡¯s industrial development now.


    On his return to the Manor House, Arthur was met with the gleeful faces of Princess Louise and his two younger sisters.


    Since Arthur¡¯s assassination attempt, smiles had been a rarity on Princess Louise¡¯s face.


    This was the first time in a while that Arthur has seen Princess Louise smile.


    This aroused his curiosity, so he moved forward, gently stroked the foreheads of his two sisters and asked, ¡°Mother, you seem in good spirits recently?¡±


    Before Princess Louise could respond, the two sisters chimed in eagerly: ¡°Yes, indeed, brother. Didn¡¯t you know? Mother and that woman from before are going to arrange your marriage.¡±


    The woman from before is naturally the departed Queen Mother Emma.


    Arrange a marriage for me?


    Arthur was surprised, his preupation with state affairs had caused him to overlook the fact that he had turned 18, an ideal age among Western nobility for arranging engagements.


    But who was Queen Mother Emma? As the queen consort of the previous king of the Nethends¡¯ second marriage, Queen Mother Emma doesn¡¯t have a good rtionship with the old Dutch nobility.


    Who could Queen Mother Emma introduce as Arthur¡¯s betrothed? Surely not her own daughter, Queen Wilhelmina!

 Chapter 87: Queen Wilhelmina (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 87: Queen Wilhelmina (Please subscribe!)


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    Arthur looked at Princess Louise in surprise, only to see her face full of smiles. She happily said, ¡°Queen Mother Emma and I get along very well. We both agree that you and Queen Wilhelmina have very simr experiences, Arthur. This is how marriages among nobles work. I think the Kingdom of the Nethends could be a great help to you and the marriage with Queen Wilhelmina is quite good.¡±


    As she spoke, Princess Louise worried that Arthur would find it difficult to ept for a moment, and added, ¡°Although I wish to achieve this marriage, the final choice is still up to you, Arthur. I support your final decision and hope that you can make a choice that follows your heart, no matter what the oue.¡±


    Indeed, as Princess Louise said, marriages among Western nobility are mostly political alliances.


    Many nobles haven¡¯t even met their spouses before the wedding, but simplye together because of the approval of their parents and elders.


    Arthur¡¯s situation is rtively better. With the death of Duke Arthur and Queen Victoria, Princess Louise is the only one left to influence Arthur¡¯s marriage. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At least in part, Arthur can follow his own ideas, without facing the awkward situation of getting engaged without ever seeing his fiancee.


    So what does Arthur think?


    Always busy with state affairs, Arthur really hasn¡¯t thought about this question. Even when Queen Mother Emma visited, he always thought it was just a normal diplomatic visit from the Kingdom of the Nethends.


    Suddenly faced with the matter of his own marriage, Arthur was at a loss for a moment, showing for the first time the immaturity and confusion of his age.


    ¡°Mother, there¡¯s no need for it to be so early! Australia is currently experiencing a golden age of development. I think my marriage can be postponed for three or four years,¡± Arthur said awkwardly.


    ¡°In theory, there¡¯s no hurry, Arthur. But as time goes on, it will not be easy to find a suitable marriage partner like Queen Wilhelmina, Arthur. After all, Australia is still too far away from Europe. In the future, surely you can¡¯t pick a nativemoner, Arthur,¡± Princess Louise advised earnestly.


    Although Arthur was descended from the prestigious British royal family, he was a duke of a remote duchy.


    While it is not difficult to find a match among the European nobility, there are few marriage partners like Queen Wilhelmina, who have a legitimate im to the title of queen and control a second-tier European country.


    More importantly, if Arthur can actually get engaged to Queen Wilhelmina, then the Kingdom of the Nethends will be an allied country with the Australian Principality.


    Arthur would be a prince of the Kingdom of the Nethends, while Queen Wilhelmina would be a duchess of the Australian Principality.


    Such marriages between the highest sovereigns often lead to the birth of united thrones and federal unions.


    The first descendant of Arthur and Queen Wilhelmina will be the legitimate heir to both the Kingdom of the Nethends and the Australian Principality.


    Of course, there is another factor that would allow for a faster arrival of the federal union and united throne. If Queen Wilhelmina is willing to co-rule the Nethends with Arthur, he has the opportunity to be granted the title of king by the Dutch Parliament.


    Only then did Arthur understand why Minister Herbert had shown such humility during negotiations and such respect when facing him.


    All of this made sense, as everyone knew that Queen Mother Emma and Princess Louise were discussing the marriage between Queen Wilhelmina and Arthur. Once the matter was settled, Arthur would be a prince of the Nethends at the very least. It¡¯s no wonder that Minister Herbert could show such respect to a foreign sovereign like Arthur.


    After some thought, an alliance with the Nethends was indeed a good choice. Through this marriage alliance, Australia could wield a certain influence in Europe, and the deployment of certain actions in Europe would be smoother.


    At the same time, the Dutch East Indies would be allies. The resources and manpower of the Dutch East Indies could easily be mobilized, not only facilitating the development of Australia, but also giving Australia and the Dutch East Indies a considerable influence in Southeast Asia.


    Even after carefully considering, this alliance would have no disadvantages for Australia, apart from restricting Arthur¡¯s freedom to marry.


    Another advantage is that it would allow for the pursuit of a higher title. Europe is highly concerned with the concept of legality, and for Arthur, whoes from the British royal family, it would be difficult to be promoted to king under normal circumstances.


    Only by thoroughly integrating Australia, New Guinea, and New Zend, and developing Australia into a country not inferior to Italy and Spain, can one be qualified to be promoted to the rank of a kingdom.


    Of course, this does not mean that the title would be indisputable. Such kings would not be recognized by most powers unless they possess power that can be acknowledged by the powers; otherwise, they would remain as illegitimate kings forever.


    Arthur felt a headacheing on. In theory, an alliance with the Nethends is indeed more advantageous than disadvantageous.


    However, the problem is that Arthur has never met Queen Wilhelmina nor knows much about this legendary queen.


    Under such circumstances, it is difficult to agree to an engagement with Queen Wilhelmina right away.


    Arthur could only give an ambiguous answer, ¡°Let me think about it, mother. I have not met Queen Wilhelmina, and making a hasty decision now would be rash. Let¡¯s wait until Australia and the Nethends establish normal diplomatic rtions.¡±


    Princess Louise nodded, epting Arthur¡¯s evasive answer as an embarrassed response.


    Many European nobles do the same, giving such ambiguous answers until they know their fiance-in-question.


    Neither refusing nor agreeing. Marriages among nobles must be carefully considered, especially when both parties are sovereigns of a country.


    Seeing that Princess Louise was no longer urging, Arthur finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    After chatting happily with his two sisters for a while, Arthur returned to his room.


    He thought the engagement was temporarily settled, but only a few minutester, Princess Louise sent several photos and portraits of Queen Wilhelmina, along with her achievements and a brief introduction.


    Looking at the ck and white photos taken by a simple camera, Arthur unexpectedly found the person in the photos to be quite attractive.


    Shaking his head, Arthur brushed aside other thoughts in his mind and read the introduction to Queen Wilhelmina, recalling the legendary events of her life in history.

 Chapter 88: Time Development and Industrial Railway (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 88: Time Development and Industrial Railway (Please subscribe!)


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    Queen Wilhelmina¡¯s full name is Wilhelmina Helena Paulina Maria and she became the Dutch queen in 1890 until today.


    However, Queen Wilhelmina¡¯s actual ession to the throne was on September 6,1898, and she had only held power for less than three years.


    The Nethends had already established aplete constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system, with the Dutch monarch having very limited power, and in many cases, just a powerless title.


    In history, Queen Wilhelmina ruled the Nethends for 50 years, the longest of all Dutch kings and queens.


    During her reign, Queen Wilhelmina respected the Dutch constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system and tried to bnce the opposition between the Anti-Revolutionary Party, Liberal Party, and Social Party.


    During Queen Wilhelmina¡¯s reign, important historical turning points for the Nethends and the world were experienced, including World War I, World War II, the 1933 economic crisis, and the independence of Dutch colonies.


    Various feats made Queen Wilhelmina one of the more legendary queens of the Nethends, deeply loved by the Dutch people.


    Of course, the current Queen Wilhelmina has just been crowned for less than three years, and she is still quite young in politics, and even the original marriage in history did not take ce.


    Perhaps because of Arthur¡¯s butterfly effect, Queen Mother Emma surprisingly chose Arthur as the marriage partner and even went to Australia in person to negotiate the marriage with Duchess Louise.


    Thinking about these, Arthur was somewhat silent. Since the alliance with the Dutch Kingdom is beneficial to Australia and has many advantages for Arthur.


    So, is it also a good choice to get engaged to Wilhelmina?


    As he thought about these things, Arthur¡¯s mind began to grow heavy, and he unknowingly fell into a dreand.


    The n to purchase indigenous peoples from the Dutch would take some time to implement, but Australia¡¯s own transportation n for the indigenous people of the New Guinea colony had already been in progress for a long time.


    Since Arthur gave the order, Governor Anibal had been studying the specific execution methods of the n, just waiting for the troops promised by Arthur to arrive and immediately start the indigenous capture n.


    Arthur¡¯s actions were also swift, and within less than a month, a full two thousand troops were fully equipped and arrived in New Guinea.


    For the indigenous people of New Guinea, this would be a past that they could not bear to recall if any of their fires could survive. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, for Australia, the industrial development n can inject fresh vitality, guaranteeing the country¡¯s various industries¡¯ vigorous development without harming Australians¡¯ interests.


    From July 1901, at least five thousand indigenous people were reluctantly transported to Australia every month under the oppression of soldiers, and they were involved in various industries.


    They faced dangerous jobs that would make Australians frightened and might even lose their lives if they were not careful.


    Of course, the rewards they received were also very generous. The logistic department¡¯s carefully crafted ck bread and wheat paste, along with clear soup made from unknown vegetables, became every indigenous person¡¯s sumptuous meal.


    If it were ced in Germany after the end of World War I, the food for these indigenous people might be worth at least several million marks.


    Arthur felt that he was already very kind to them, not only spending a lot of money to provide them with food but also allowing them to work only fourteen hours a day, and the other time they could rest, like a very phnthropic entrepreneur of the times.


    Of course, Arthur did not know what the indigenous people thought. However, since several indigenous people who were talking nonsense were shot on the spot, it was evident that the indigenous people treated the surrounding Australians with less hatred and disgust, and more fear and submission.


    Minister of Industry Pierre and Minister of Transportation Conwright have been the happiest in recent days.


    With the sufficient indigenous manpower, the most significant changes are the Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Transportation.


    These two departments need a lot of manpower. With the joining of these indigenous peoples, the construction of industrial areas and roads has been rapidly changing without shortage of funds and equipment materials.


    Not only has the road renovation speed been rapid, but even the nned rebuilding of Sydney¡¯s urban area that was expected to take several years is now on the agenda, and the urban nning revision is in full swing.


    For Australians, they have also be ustomed to seeing the indigenous people in many ces where they work.


    Although separated by ironting and fences, the indigenous figures can still be seen very clearly.


    Seeing those indigenous people being ¡°requested¡± to work by gun-wielding soldiers, most Australians showed a proud smile.


    Don¡¯t be surprised; this is actually the normal state of modern European society. Countries that do not oppress colonial races are scorned by other countries.


    Europe¡¯s rise is a history of blood and tears of oppression. The fact that Australia can shift the bloody oppression to the indigenous people is already very satisfactory to the Australian people.


    Australia¡¯s civil admiration for Arthur grew more and more respectful and fanatical. If there is an opinion polling agency now, Arthur¡¯s approval rating is at least 99%-


    It is not surprising that it did not reach 100%, after all, there are always some uniquely talented individuals in every country.


    All Arthur had to ensure was that the vast majority of normal people respected and loved his rule.


    After the German industry experts inspected Australia¡¯s mineral resources and the geographical environment, they could not help but marvel at the potential for industrial development in Australia.


    Before there was a constraint of manpower, with the addition of enough indigenous people, Australia¡¯s industrial development was set to soar like a wild horse off the leash.


    To ensure the supply of various resources in the industrial area, and the safety of the industrial area, Arthur decided to build a railway that spans five states of West Australia, South Australia, Queennd, New South Wales, and Victoria, and named it the Industrial Railway.


    Starting from the western industrial area, crossing the capital of West Australian State, Perth, capital of South Australia State, Adide, capital of Victoria State, Melbourne, capital of New South Wales State, Sydney, all the way to the capital of Queennd, Brisbane.


    If this railway can bepleted, it will connect the existing five states on the Australian continent and elerate the economic development of southern


    Australia.


    However, the total length of this railway exceeds 4000 kilometers, and it is not a task that can bepleted in a few years.


    Under the German experts¡¯ conservative estimates, this railway would take at least ten years to build and require an investment of at least two million pounds every year.

 Chapter 89: Railway Construction (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 89: Railway Construction (Please subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    The construction of railways requires extensive funds and manpower, which is why Arthur had hesitated to build railways in the past.


    Australia¡¯s finances are quite affluent, and the royal family also possesses arge amount of surplus funds. If it were not for the insufficient steel production and scarce workforce, the n for railway construction would have started long ago.


    However, starting now would not be toote, as it would be just in time toplete the railway construction before World War I, elerating Australia¡¯s nationwide mobilization capabilities.


    The good news is that Australia did construct some railways during the colonial period, although these were simple railways built by the colony itself for transporting minerals.


    Some sections of these railways can also be included in the nning of industrial railways, with minor modifications allowing them to continue to be used.


    These railways can expedite the construction time of Australia¡¯s industrial railways while also saving a portion of the funds and resources required.


    As for manpower, Arthur has no shortage. After acquiring indigenous peoples from New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, Australia¡¯s poption has gained a boost in confidence.


    The previous various development ns involved thousands of workers, which was considered a massive scale.


    But now, construction ns involving less than five thousand workers are considered small-scale; national level construction starts essentially with ten thousand workers.


    This is very effective in pushing forward the progress of construction. Tasks that used to take months now take only around two months toplete.


    This significantly saves Australia¡¯s financial input and indirectly reduces its workforce¡¯s casualty rate.


    After all, the hard, tiring, and dangerous work ispleted by the indigenous people, and because of Australia¡¯s small poption, there are still plenty of high-paying, easy jobs waiting for the Australians.


    In August 1901, Arthur began to get busy. This was not only due to the railway negotiations nearingpletion and the imminent railway construction, but also because of the previous discussions with Hunter Steward about establishing global research awards.


    In order to more conveniently manage the royal assets, Arthur ordered Hunter Steward to establish a royal financial group, incorporating all the royal assets for Hunter Steward to manage as a whole.


    These included the shipyard, military factory, two steel factories, royal bank, private winery, all the shares of the manor house, half the shares of the Australian National University, ¡ê150 million lent to the government, and over ¡ê100 million in cash, all of which formed Arthur¡¯s current assets.


    Although Arthur¡¯s purpose was not to be wealthy enough to rival a nation, he had little interest in money.


    However, his identity dictated that his assets would never be small and would continue to grow over time.


    The royal family¡¯s limited involvement in many aspects of Australia¡¯s development was one of the issues raised by Hunter Steward.


    This was also approved and supported by Arthur. Hunter Steward would allocate at least ¡ê20 million to invest in various industries throughout Australia.


    These investments may be used to purchase mineral resources, buy shares in other industries, or create new factories and enterprises with the government.


    In any case, increasing the participation rate in some vital industries is also a way for Arthur to solidify his reputation and power.


    When the monarch of a country holds the controlling interest or share in most of the country¡¯s essential industries, they naturally possess significant power.


    This would be equivalent to abination of the financial magnates ofter generations and a monarch. One with actual power and one with nominal power.


    Thebination of the two will create a powerful rulerparable to autocratic monarchs in history.


    Industrial railways are part of the investment of the royal financial group. This is because at least ten years of construction time and at least ¡ê20 million are needed.


    The railway construction will be jointly funded by the royal family and the government. The royal family will invest ¡ê10 million, holding forty-nine percent of shares, while the government will invest ¡ê10.1 million, holding fifty- one percent of shares.


    Shares only represent control, and actual profit-sharing ¨C future railway fees, for example ¨C will be split equally between the royal family and the government. In addition to the initial investment, other additional expenses will be borne by the government.


    This is a highly satisfactory investment for both the government and the royal family. With only half the capital, the government can control railways while also sessfully constructing railways.


    Meanwhile, the royal family can enjoy long-term returns and the enormous prestige gained from investing in railway construction.


    Don¡¯t forget, constructing railways is also one of the hallmarks of an industrialized nation in this era.


    Building a railway that spans Australia not only elerates Australia¡¯s various constructions and economic development but is also crucial to enhancing Australia¡¯s national self-confidence and cohesion. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And both the government and the royal family, who provided the funds, will gain substantial prestige and a good reputation.


    On August 11th, 1901, after thepletion of the railway n negotiations, Arthur ordered the newspapers to urgently print and distribute it free of charge to the entire country.


    The forting construction of the railway that would span Australia caused a sensation among all Australians, with some even directly likening the yet to be born railway to Australia¡¯s backbone, a symbol of the nation¡¯s rise.


    As a result, both the government and the royal family gained considerable prestige, especially Arthur, who reached the pinnacle of his poprity in Australia under the promotion of Australia Daily and Victoria newspapers. Any news about Arthur would draw a crowd of Australians to scramble for the newspapers.


    This was beneficial for both Arthur and Australia. The strength of a monarchial countryrgely depends on the extent to which its people trust their monarch. Imagine, if the entire poption and army no longer pledge allegiance to their monarch, would their country¡¯s military still possessbat capabilities?


    On the contrary, if the nation¡¯s people and soldiers are all fervently loyal to the monarch, the country will exude a terrifying cohesion. This cohesion proved to be much stronger and more intense than non-monarchic countries.


    Perhaps the only thing that couldpare with this cohesive force was the religious power that once dominated Europe for a long time.


    On September 1st, 1901, with theying of the first steel rail in Sydney, the construction n of the industrial railway officially began.


    The groundbreaking ceremony attracted tens of thousands of Australians to watch. People held homemade banners, most of which read ¡°Long live the Industrial Railway! Long live the Duke!¡±


    Meanwhile, a stealthy fleet set sail from Sydney, skirting the Tasman Sea before turning and heading westwards.

 Chapter 90: Steel Crisis (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 90: Steel Crisis (Please subscribe!)


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    The fleet was naturally carrying Arthur¡¯s long-nned ambassador candidates and visiting group.


    Of course, Duchess Louise was among them, and Margaret and Patricia naturally had to follow.


    As for the reason why Duchess Louise went to the Nethends, it goes without saying.


    At the same time, Hunter Steward was also part of the group, and he would apany the fleet to Europe and be responsible for the establishment of the new award.


    For the soon-to-be-born Victoria Award in the field of scientific research,


    Arthur gave it an important name.


    Nominally, it was tomemorate Arthur¡¯s beloved grandmother, Queen Victoria, but it also inevitably borrowed the prestige of Queen Victoria to quickly make the new award famous in Europe.


    In order to prevent the yet-to-be-born Nobel Prize from impacting the Victoria Award, Arthur deliberately prepared an award of up to 300,000 pounds for the Victoria Award, so that even with six major awards including literature, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medical, and technology, each winner could still receive support worth 50,000 pounds.


    This amount of prize money has far exceeded the prize money of the first Nobel Prize in history, even three or four times as much.


    Moreover, if the winners can work in Australia for at least ten years, the


    Australian Royal Family will also provide additional research funding and venues.


    Even in the economically developed United Kingdom, the annual ie of a senior professor is only a few thousand pounds.


    The prize money of any Victoria Award is equivalent to decades or even a hundred years of ie for a British senior professor.


    Plus, with the tremendous prestige of Queen Victoria, it can be expected that the new Victoria Award will certainly be more popr than the Nobel Prize in the original history.


    The Victoria Award will also be a powerful tool for Australia to attract top talents, allowing Australia to maintain sufficient prestige and attractiveness in the scientific research field for years, decades, or even centuries toe. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The annual cost of hosting the awards is just over 300,000 pounds, which, although it seems like a lot, is entirely affordable for Arthur¡¯s property.


    Besides, the renovation of the car factory production line is also in full swing. Cars will also bring in a huge amount of ie for Arthur, which is a huge market worth billions or even tens of billions of pounds.


    Arthur chose to stay in Australia, not because he didn¡¯t attach importance to the trip to the Nethends, but because there are too many important projects currently in Australia that Arthur needs to personally oversee.


    The railway construction n is one of Australia¡¯s most important development ns at present, which has attracted the attention and emphasis of many Australians since its inception.


    This has also led to a very smooth process during the railway constructionnd acquisition.


    Most of the areas where the railway has to pass are uninhabited wastnds, and some already allocated areas are bought by Australia at twice the market price.


    Of course, for those who don¡¯t want to exchange for money, the Australian Government organises the Indigenous Peoples fornd remation, andpensate with the same area of reimednd.


    Do not ask why the Australian Government is so generous; just know that there are many Indigenous Peoples.


    Australia currently has nearly 20,000 Indigenous Peoples participating in construction, and it continues to grow at a crazy rate of nearly 6,000 people per month.


    Although various industrial constructions also lead to the bloodshed and sacrifice of hundreds of Indigenous Peoples every month, this number of deaths is insignificantpared to the huge human resource supplement.


    As one of the most valued construction projects, the construction of the railway has invested a lot of resources from both Arthur and Australia.


    In terms of workers, more than 20 German experts have been involved in the railway construction ns and surveys, and several hundred trained Australian railway workers have also joined.


    As for cheapbor, self-exnatory, at least 5,000 Indigenous Peoples have been assigned to railway construction, and are increasing in scale of at least 1,000 people per month.


    Meanwhile, major steel mills are also working overtime to produce rails. The reason why railway construction can be a symbol of industrial countries is because constructing railways not only consumes a lot of manpower and material resources, but also heavily tests a country¡¯s steel production capacity.


    Australia is constructing a broad gauge railway. This railway greatly enhances carrying capacity, and train travel is very smooth. The interior of the carriage can also be more spacious andfortable.


    Of course, the broad gauge railway also has very obvious shorings, such as upying more area, increasing the cost of bridges and tunnels, and increasing the turning radius.


    But now, because Australia is not short of funds ornd, it is clear that the broad gauge railway is more suitable.


    At the same time, most of the railway is single-track, and only a few high-traffic sections have been designed as double-track railways.


    This is not absolute, though. Even before the construction of the railway began, the entire design team already had ns to change the entire railway to double-track at any time.


    With this in ce, any section of the railway can be converted into a double-track railway after any further changes.


    This to some extent also alleviates the demand for Australian steel production.


    ording to the estimates of German experts, Australia¡¯s railway construction consumes about 170 tons of rails per kilometer, and the entire railway requires at least nearly 700,000 tons of rails.


    If the extra consumption of tunnels, bridges, train stations, and so on is added, the entire railway needs at least 800,000 tons of steel production.


    Although this is the total consumption over more than ten years, it still takes at least 80,000 tons of steel per year on average.


    Australia¡¯s current steel production capacity temporarily cannot keep up with this figure, so expanding the scale of steel mills is an urgent problem to solve.


    Cars are also a steel-consuming beast. Building a car requires arge amount of steel, ranging from a few hundred kilograms to several tons.


    Once cars be popr in the global market in the future, the steel required to build cars every year may amount to tens of thousands of tons.


    This has put a lot of pressure on Minister Pierre.


    All of the sudden, the pressure falls on Minister Pierre, and the Ministry of Industry can only speed up the construction of industrial zones and steel mills, allocate more Indigenous Peoples, and expand steel mill production capacity as much as possible.


    Fortunately, in this era, it is both difficult and simple to expand steel production capacity.


    With the prerequisites of technology, equipment, mineral resources, funds, and manpower, it is easy to expand steel production capacity.


    However, without these conditions, it is not easy to expand steel production.


    Australia is lucky enough to have all the necessary resources, equipment, technology, manpower, experts, and funds. Except for the time it takes to build new steel mills and expand capacity, there is no other problem..

 Chapter 91 - 92: Italian Cannon? (Seeking Subscriptions!)

    Chapter 92: Italian Cannon? (Seeking Subscriptions!)


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    When this gift was ced in Arthur¡¯s Manor House by dozens of indigenous people, Arthur himself was in a state of surprise.


    Who could have expected that the Kingdom of the Nethends would present Arthur with such a gift? The long cannon barrel clearly indicated that it was a cannon, but which one remained unknown.


    The guards were instructed to remove the red cloth, revealing a cannon in front of everyone.


    It was clear that this was a brand new cannon, not even used before.


    Next to it, there were ten boxes of shells, half of which being slightlyrger than the other half.


    The caliber of the firearm was notrge. Although the exact number could not be determined by the naked eye, it was confirmed to be within 100 millimeters.


    The question was, why would the Nethends send a cannon to Arthur? A national-level gift would not be an ordinary cannon; it should be something ssified as an important weapon.


    But with the current level of military industry in the Nethends, could they manufacture world-ss cannons? n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur felt strange as he stared at the increasingly familiar cannon. He finally remembered that it was an Italian cannon, the M1897 type 75mm field gun.


    Inter generations, this cannon became famous due to a ssic TV series and a line where it was called the battalion¡¯s Italian cannon.


    More precisely, the famous Italian cannon inter generations was the nickname given to the M1897 type 75mm field gun after it was introduced and imitated in the East.


    In fact, the M1897 type 75mm field gun was produced in France and had nothing to do with Italy.


    It had a prestigious name in France: French 75 Miss.


    Its fame was due to the use of a recoil device, which greatly increased the firing rate of the cannon, reaching a terrifying speed of at least 15 rounds per minute, regarded as the beginning of rapid-firing guns.


    What did this mean?


    By the time other cannons fired their first round and were reloading, Miss French 75 had already fired its second round.


    And by the time other cannons had finished reloading, the third round from Miss French 75 had already been fired.


    Just in terms of firepower coverage, it proved the power of Miss French 75 in firepower.


    In fact, as a result of this, it not only became the main cannon of the French Army during World War I but was also widely used in World War II, including in Germany, Pnd, Britain, and the United States, and even in some Eastern countries, where the cannon was deployed on arge scale.


    Although Arthur¡¯s Arms Factory also had automatic cannon technology, it was only applied to 37mm small caliber cannons.


    Forrger caliber cannons, they could not implement automatic modifications. Therefore, this French Miss was crucial for Australia.


    If the technology were studied thoroughly, not only could mass imitation and production be achieved, but their own automatic cannon technology could also be improved and applied to experiments with evenrger-caliber automatic cannons.


    After identifying the cannon, Arthur did not hesitate to immediately summon all the experts from the military factory and ordered the guards to strictly protect the cannon.


    It was an item that could revolutionize Australia¡¯s artillery industry, and Arthur had to take it seriously.


    Soon, a group of experts from the military factory arrived, apanied by some German military industry experts.


    In order to maintain secrecy, the experts were told that there was a cannon that needed their research, without specifying which one.


    However, it still caught the attention of the German experts, and there was no reason to drive them away; they could only be allowed to join silently.


    Arthur looked at the German experts who hade along and was somewhat taken aback, but did not say anything.


    Due to the presence of the M1897 type cannon, the French changed the traditional cannon positions from six cannons to four.


    The German Army firmly believed that six cannons were the most powerful in terms of firepower, and any damage to a cannon would not affect the firepower of the entire position.


    The Germans arrogantly regarded the French change as foolish, and suffered heavy losses during World War I as a result.


    It was a good thing to make the Germans understand the power of this cannon early on. It could not only greatly improve the rtionship between Germany and Australia, but also make the future World Wars more fierce, with heavier losses for Europe.


    Especially when considering the United States¡¯ actions in the war, they acted as arms dealers in the early stages and earned money by lending it back to European countries.


    They decisively joinedter, gaining the maximum profit with minimal losses, establishing their power base after the war.


    It was also good to slightly increase Germany¡¯s strength, at least creating a greater chance for Australia to rise after the future wars when everyone else would be weakened.


    After saluting Arthur, the experts immediately began observing the cannon.


    At first, the German experts seemed rxed because they were confident in their world-ss artillery technology, and believed they could master most of the technology.


    However, after careful study of the cannon, they found that some devices looked quite unfamiliar, and the German experts did not know what these devices were for.


    On the other hand, the Australian experts, being familiar with recoil devices, could see some things about automatic cannon technology, even though the technology used was different.


    ¡°Your Highness, is this a semi-automatic cannon?¡± Finally, an Australian expert could not help but ask.


    Australia had only mastered semi-automatic technology for 37mm small caliber cannons, and now, looking at therger caliber semi-automatic cannon before them, the experts¡¯ mouths watered.


    ¡°Yes. How long will it take for the military factory to research and replicate it?¡± Arthur asked indifferently.


    ¡°That might take some time, Your Highness. At least a year, conservatively. And we will need to disassemble it for a detailed study,¡± the Australian expert frowned, thought for a while, then replied.


    ¡°Wait, Duke, what do you mean by a semi-automatic cannon?¡± The German experts were puzzled, weren¡¯t they supposed to be the stars of the show?


    They felt that Arthur and the Australian personnel seemed to know more than they did. They were familiar with the automation of rifles, but what was semi-automatic cannon technology?


    It wasn¡¯t these German experts¡¯ fault. In the field of artillery, France and Germany had taken two opposite approaches.


    Germany¡¯s Culver cannons were more focused onrge-caliber and powerful cannons, with calibers as exaggerated as over 300 millimeters.


    But France was different. French rapid-firing artillery technology was far ahead, with French 75 Miss being one of its outstanding products.


    The difference in design concepts also led to disparate finished products. In terms ofrge-caliber, powerful cannons, Germany was definitely unrivaled.


    But when it came to automatic cannon technology, German experts might not know as much as the Australian experts.

 Chapter 92 - 91: Gifts from the Kingdom of the

    Chapter 91: Gifts from the Kingdom of the


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    November 23,1901. This day was an extraordinary day for Australia¡¯s industry.


    Firstly, Benz¡¯s Car Factory, with the joint efforts of Benz and Disel, finally established the world¡¯s first car factory using assembly line production technology after half a year of renovation.


    Although it was somewhat different from the more mature automobile assembly linester created by the Ford Company, the renovated factory had already achieved good results in terms of savingbor costs and reducing production time.


    Originally, to make a car with simr performance to the Victor, the factory had to mobilize more than ten excellent workers and work overtime for almost a week toplete it.


    Not to mention, the sry of these ten or so excellent workers for a week alone would be worth at least thirty pounds.


    If you add in the cost of producing various mechanical parts, the cost of the car would instantly reach over a hundred pounds. Considering the scrapped substandard products, the cost of each car would be at least 160 pounds.


    So, is it high to set the price of a car with a cost of 160 pounds at less than 200 pounds?


    The answer is not really. ording to Benz¡¯s original scale, even as Germany¡¯srgest car factory, its annual output was only less than two hundred units.


    Even if each car could generate an ie of thirty pounds, these two hundred cars could only generate an ie of 6,000 pounds at most.


    After deducting various taxes and other misceneous expenses, thepany could only make a profit of less than 5,000 pounds.


    Most importantly, even if Benz kept the price of the cars low and the profit margin thin, very few people could afford the expensive cars.


    The car, while showing great potential, still did not develop a market corresponding to it. This was the most important factor. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Luckily, the renovated car factory had significantly improved this shoring.


    ording to Benz¡¯s estimates, there are three major changes in the new factory: first, the car construction time is greatly reduced.


    Before, Benz¡¯s car factory in Germany had over three hundred employees, and the output was less than 200 vehicles per year.


    In contrast, the size of the car factory hasn¡¯t expanded now but instead has be smaller, with only more than 200 employees and an estimated output of an astonishing 2,000 vehicles per year.


    This is the radical change that assembly line production has brought to the automotive industry. Workers have shifted from being responsible for all modules of the car to just one module¡¯s production and instation.


    This will make workers more skilled in their positions, and the production and instation of parts will be faster.


    The second change is the unification of car parts.


    The previous production method led to cars being produced by different workers, resulting in significant differences in parts between cars, indirectly increasing the difficulty of maintenance.


    This is one of the reasons why people couldn¡¯t afford such expensive items as cars. The maintenance price of the car could even rise to a level simr to its cost in just a few years, and the unstable car made it a very expensive luxury.


    Now, with the same workers producing the same type of parts, the parts be more uniform, making it more convenient to repair and rece parts as one of the main methods of car maintenance.


    The third change is the significant reduction in car manufacturing costs.


    With fewer workers producing more cars, thebor cost per car is significantly reduced.


    Originally, the manual production method required at least twenty pounds ofbor cost per car.


    Now, after switching to assembly line production, thebor cost of each car has been sharply reduced to less than three pounds.


    At the same time, due to the second change, the rate of assembly errors has also been greatly reduced, indirectly reducing the cost of the car.


    ording to Benz¡¯s estimate, the new car production cost is roughly between 100 and 120 pounds, and with workers bing more familiar and improving the assembly line production method, the cost can be further reduced.


    After all, this is just Benz and Disel¡¯s preliminary attempt at assembly line production at Arthur¡¯s suggestion.


    Being able to do this is already good enough, as it has significantly reduced production costs and effectively sped up production.


    Upon learning this news, Arthur was quite surprised and satisfied. However, a cost of over a hundred pounds was still too high, and there was more room for improvement in the new production method.


    It should be noted that the final selling price of the Model T was only 260 US dors, which is only about 50 pounds in terms of British pounds.


    This means that the production cost of the car can be reduced to at least 50 pounds or less. Mercedes still has a long way to go.


    Arthur¡¯smand was to continue studying assembly line production methods and improve them.


    As long as the production cost of the car is kept below 80 pounds, it can be put into production.


    The initial selling price of the Model T was 825 US dors, or 165 pounds. If Mercedes could keep the manufacturing cost below 80 pounds, they would still make a fortune by setting the price at 150 pounds.


    On the basis of researchingrge-scale assembly line production technology, Arthur felt it necessary to expand the scale of the Mercedes car factory.


    As the selling price of cars decreases, the potential and market for cars will gradually expand and even reach a huge market of 20 million vehicles within 30 years.


    If Mercedes can seize the opportunity, it may not be impossible to create the sales record of the Model T in history and establish a huge car empire.


    Therefore, the production of cars must keep up, so as to divide the vast car market as soon as possible, at least upying the European market.


    If the initial sess of the assembly line is considered the first good news, then the return of the visiting group is the second piece of good news.


    Nearly three months have passed since the visiting group set off. Under Arthur¡¯s expectation, the fleet finally arrived smoothly at Sydney Harbour and brought good news to Arthur.


    First was the official signing of the Indigenous n.


    This n had already been agreed upon in advance, and after Queen Wilhelmina signed her name, the treaty officially went into effect.


    For Australia¡¯s development, this is good news, as the acute shortage of human resources in Australia has been basically resolved.


    The second piece of good news was the red cloth-wrapped object on the transport ships. Because it was tightly wrapped, Arthur could not tell what it was.


    But judging from the protruding long tube, the wrapped object should be a firearm.


    ording to Princess Louise, it was a gift from the Kingdom of the Nethends. Due to the signing of treaties and the mutual appointment of ambassadors, the Kingdom of the Nethends generously presented this gift, and the seriousness with which the Dutch Kingdom took it showed that the value of this gift was absolutely not small..

 Chapter 93: Australia-Germany Joint Research (Seeking Subscription!)

    Chapter 93: Australia-Germany Joint Research (Seeking Subscription!)


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    Following the principle that demonstration is better than exnation, Arthur simply ordered the experts to organize a live demonstration of the M1897 cannon.


    Because there were ten boxes of shells, Arthur generously took out two boxes, just to test the specific power of the famous French Lady.


    The test site was chosen on the outskirts of Sydney, a deep mountain, deste and safe enough to be concealed.


    Under the guidance of experts, the Indigenous Peoples prepared the targets for the shells in less than an hour and ced them on the hillside a kilometer away.


    The person responsible for shooting was a senior artilleryman in the Australian Army. Although he had never used the M1897 before, he was familiar with the Australian CA-1 machine gun, so naturally understood the principles of these automatic firearms.


    At this time, the German experts were holding their breath, staring intently at the only M1897 cannon, afraid to miss any important information.


    Soon, afterpleting all the arrangements, the new French Lady began its roar.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Following themander¡¯s order, the French Lady continuously poured shells towards the targets on the distant hillside, finally hitting the target with the third shell.


    What surprised the German experts was not the hit rate of the shells but the rather exaggerated firing rate of the M1897 cannon.


    A German-made 75mm cannon has an average firing rate of about 4-6 rounds per minute. The firing rate depends on the artilleryman¡¯s familiarity with the cannon, but it should never exceed seven rounds per minute.


    However, the M1897 exhibited a terrifyingly powerful firepower output, even with the Australian artillerymen who were not familiar with it, achieving a rate of more than eleven rounds per minute.


    That is to say, once the artillerymen familiarized themselves with this cannon, the M1897 would be able to exert the firepower of two German cannons of the same caliber, gaining an overwhelming advantage on the battlefield.


    In other words, the French only need to employ half the number of German cannons to maintain a bnce in firepower with Germany.


    What does this mean? Not only can it significantly reduce military spending, but it can also use the extra soldiers in other ces.


    Realizing this, the German experts felt uneasy and asked Arthur urgently, ¡°Your Highness, the cannon is very important to Germania, can you sell it to us?¡±


    Could it be sold? Of course not.


    This artillery is also very important to Australia, so Arthur naturally would not let it go to the Germans.


    Seeing their request was rejected, the German experts made another request¡ª to research the cannon together with Australia.


    From the perspective of artillery technology alone, Germany is extremely proficient. If they were not so arrogant and actively absorbed the designs of other countries, they would not be pushed to extremes.


    Joint research with Germany also has benefits for Australia, namely, greatly reducing the difficulty of copying this cannon.


    With the help of Germans, Australia could even master the manufacturing technology of the cannon within six months.


    ¡°Joint research is fine, but there are a few conditions we should agree on first,¡± Arthur nodded, agreeing to the German experts¡¯ request to research the French Lady together.


    ¡°Please tell us, Your Highness, as long as we can do it,¡± the German expert nodded eagerly, fearing Arthur might change his mind.


    ¡°First, all results and technology resulting from Germany¡¯s research must be unconditionally shared with Australia. Second, if Germany has any improvements to the M1897 cannon, they should teach Australia at the market price,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    It would not be difficult for Germany toprehend the technology of the French Lady in a short time with their advanced cannon technology.


    Utilizing German talent to help Australia quickly master the M1897 cannon is also a win-win situation.


    Concerning the second condition, once the Germans let go of their obsession withrge-caliber and high-power, or rather, became interested in the M1897 cannon, they could have further sess in rapid-fire firearms.


    Germany¡¯s research and development capabilities far exceed Australia¡¯s. If they could seize the opportunity to obtain Germany¡¯s future research technology on rapid-fire firearms with this chance, it would be much smoother than Australia¡¯s own painstaking research.


    ¡°This¡­¡± The German expert thought about it, and finally gritted his teeth and said, ¡°No problem, Your Highness. I hope we can start researching this cannon as soon as possible. I will report to His Majesty the Emperor and request equipment and more experts toe, so we can crack the technology of this cannon as quickly as possible.¡±


    The good rtionship between Germany and Australia was an important factor in the German expert¡¯s agreement to Arthur¡¯s two conditions.


    After all, Germany had given their own cannon technology to Australia, and Arthur¡¯s requirements were not very demanding given their good cooperation.


    Arthur nodded with a smile, agreeing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The German expert¡¯s words were what he wanted. Whether it was equipment or experts, the more, the better.


    As long as the research took ce in Australia, even if thousands of experts came at once, Arthur was willing to bear the costs.


    Of course, these German experts were worth it. Although each expert had high annual expenses, generally exceeding several hundred pounds.


    The value they brought was considerable, not only covering Australia¡¯s embarrassingck of high-end talent but alsoying a good foundation for talent cultivation.


    Under Arthur¡¯s instruction, the German experts became acquainted with several Australian experts.


    As assistants, they helped the German experts with some trivial and simple tasks.


    In fact, these Australian experts could also take the opportunity to learn some things they wouldn¡¯t have ess to otherwise.


    Arthur liked the German experts¡¯ serious, careful and cautious attitude. Australian experts progressed quickly under their meticulous teaching.


    To facilitate their research, Arthur directly handed over arge part of the military factory¡¯sboratory to the experts, as the military factory had no ns for any weapons experiments in the short term anyway.


    Additionally, he provided 500,000 pounds of funding to support the experts¡¯ research.


    As the French Lady continued to be used into the World War II period, its advanced performance goes without saying.


    If they could sessfully grasp its technology and make certain improvements, it would be appropriate to use it as Australia¡¯s main cannon for the next thirty years.


    With the research site avable, the only M1897 cannon and the remaining eight boxes of shells were moved by the German experts into theboratory with great care.


    Even if there were enough shells, these German experts would never allow the cannon to be used again.


    From now on, they would carefully research and disassemble the cannon, as any damage would be unbearable for their research progress.

 Chapter 94: Director of European Affairs (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 94: Director of European Affairs (Please Subscribe!)


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    Apart from the M1897 cannons, Hunter Steward also brought some good news to Arthur.


    After a period of preparation, the Victoria Award had officially entered the solicitation and selection phase.


    Since the prize money for any of the awards was as high as 50,000 pounds, this Victoria Award almost caused a sensation in half of the European scientific researchmunity. Even those who were not in the researchmunity were trying to invent something in a short period of time to make themselves eligible for such a lucrative award.


    Since it was the first time for the awards, Hunter Steward invited many highly regarded professors and scientists who were recognized by the entire researchmunity as judges. Each of them would receive at least 2,000 pounds in return.


    Under the attraction of money, these people were more than willing to serve as the judges for the first Victoria Award and even inquired when the next one would be given.


    These people could be considered as free advertising machines, and Hunter Steward was of course more than happy to tell them.


    Thanks to the promotion by these professors and scientists, the poprity of Victoria Award had increased tremendously in Europe, attracting the attention of many people.


    Many were moved by the fact that the Victoria Award would be awarded every year, and the prize would not be reduced.


    What does this mean? As long as someone wins the Victoria Award in any year, they would receive at least 50,000 pounds in prize money.


    Many professors and scientists with average abilities may not be able to ess such huge funds in their entire lives.


    If one were to define the attractiveness of these funds to these people, it would be like the attraction between Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu¡¯s aunt in ancient Chinese history.


    Under this irresistible temptation, although the first selection had high requirements for the works and research to be selected, thousands of works, research, and individuals participated.


    By the time Hunter Steward left, the awards had entered the selection phase, with specific winners for each award to be selected before the new year. The awards and announcements would be held at the beginning of the new year in Australia.


    To prevent and eradicate cheating in the selection, all of the judges¡¯ works and research were not allowed to participate in the selection.


    This undoubtedly made some judges slightly disappointed, but thepensation of 2,000 pounds was more attractive than the awards that were described as ¡°one in ten thousand¡±.


    Arthur was very satisfied with the progress of the Victoria Award.


    Once sessfully held, the Victoria Award would bring several top talents to Australia every year.


    Although not all the winners would choose toe to Australia, as long as half, or even a small proportion of them were willing toe, it would be eptable for Australia.


    Although the purpose of the Victoria Award was to attract top talent for Australia, the selection of the awards was still very serious and fair.


    In the end, anyone who could win any of the awards would be a talent who had made a significant contribution in that field.


    Any such talent could y a significant role in a certain industry. If Australia could gather many such talents, why couldn¡¯t it rise?


    After Hunter Steward returned to his country, the main affairs in Europe were handed over to Eric Holm, Australia¡¯s Ambassador to the Nethends, and David Martins Simons, the European Affairs Supervisor.


    David Martins Simons, of course, needs no introduction. He was one of the confidants trusted by Duke Old Arthur and was also part of Arthur¡¯s team.


    Eric Holm, the ambassador, was a talent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and one of the Australian native officers that Arthur favored.


    David Martins Simon¡¯s position as European Affairs Supervisor is, in fact, simr to Hunter Steward¡¯s position as a steward, both belonging to the royal family¡¯s private officers. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    They obeyed only Arthur¡¯s orders and were loyal to Arthur.


    As the name suggests, the European Affairs Supervisor was responsible for managing affairs in Europe.


    Although Australia is an Oceanian country, it cannot do without dealing with European nations.


    Especially the United Kingdom and Germany, one is the mother country with deep ties, and the other is a friendly cooperating country.


    The Dutch acted quickly. In the second month after the signing of the indigenous purchase treaty, which was December 1901, the first batch of 20,000 natives from the Dutch East Indies had arrived.


    Although Australia paid a purchase fee of 100,000 pounds for this, it was a winpared to the manpower brought by the 20,000 natives.


    Of course, the Kingdom of the Nethends did not suffer much loss either. These natives were not easy to manage in the colonies, and rebellions urred from time to time in the Dutch East Indies.


    Half of these 20,000 natives were assigned to the steel factories, rapidly increasing Australia¡¯s meager steel production.


    The other half were assigned to the construction of industrial railways. Currently, the construction of the railways was short of manpower. In the absence of rail and other supplies, the more natives that could work, the better.


    ording to various statistics, currently, Australia had more than 50,000 indigenous workers involved in various aspects of national construction, and the number was still increasing considerably every month.


    Of these, less than 10,000 were indigenous Australians, and the other more than 4.0,000 natives were from New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.


    In this respect, Australia was an exception. Most colonies had arge number of indigenous peoples, especiallyrge colonies like Australia.


    However, Australia was different. Even during the colonial period, there were only a little over one million native Australians.


    During their long colonial life, many indigenous people were tormented to death by diseases brought by the colonizers, and a few even moved to the deste ind areas.


    Furthermore, the increase of immigrants led to the expansion of urban cities, making the living space of Indigenous Australians smaller and smaller, with fewer and fewer people.


    These indigenous people were not included in the government¡¯s poption census, and no Australian official considered them as normal citizens.


    ording to estimates, there are still more than 700,000 indigenous Australians, and the number is decreasing slightly.


    However, this is a situation that most Australian officials are happy to see. Even at the beginning of Australia¡¯s history, there has always been a so-called ¡°White Australia¡± policy, which refers to an Australia of white people only.


    Although Arthur is not an extremist racist, he has maintained a tacit approval of his officials¡¯ policies on Indigenous Australians.


    This has led to a phenomenon where some native Australians, due to various circumstances, have also joined the ranks of the indigenous workforce.


    However, this is good news for Australia¡¯s construction, because with the input of arge number of indigenous people, the construction speed of Australia has be much faster than before, with some areas changing day by day.

 Chapter 95 - Ninety-Five: 1901 Ends (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 95: Chapter Ny-Five: 1901 Ends (Please Subscribe!)


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    By the end of December 1901, the winners of the Victoria Awards had been finalized, thanks to the collective efforts of European professors and scientists before the start of the new year.


    There were several opinions during the selection process of the Victoria Awards, but there wasn¡¯t much controversy after the winners were finalized.


    Interestingly, the first Nobel Prize, which was historically announced in December as well, made no appearance this year.


    Despite unclear reasons, there was no news about the Nobel Prize, even after the Victoria Awards had announced their winners.


    This was indeed good news for the Victoria Awards, as they benefited from lesspetition and gained more fame.


    The recipient of the first Victoria Physics Prize was German William Conrad Roentgen, a renowned physicist, also the professor of Physics at Munich University and director of its researchb.


    William won the prize based on his discovery of the X-ray, an invention seen as the start of the physics revolution in the 20th century. He is considered one of the most distinguished physicists of the 20th century.


    The Victoria Chemistry Prize was awarded to Dutch scientist Van Hove. He deserved the prize for his revolusionary work on chemical dynamics andw of osmotic pressure.


    The Victoria Medical Award was bestowed upon the German bacteriologist and immunologist Berlyn. Berlyn discovered Diphtheria Antitoxin and was the first to sessfully treat diphtheria with animal antitoxin serum, making him one of the pioneers of serum therapy.


    His sessful use of diphtheria antitoxin to treat diphtheria in children significantly lowered the disease¡¯s death rate.


    Due to this contribution, Berlyn is revered as a savior of children.


    In history, he even developed tetanus antitoxin, which was used for battlefield injuries.


    Academically, Berlyn¡¯s achievements could rival pioneering bacteriologists Lawson Bast and Cook.


    The Victoria Literature Prize was awarded to French writer Sully Prudhomme. As the saying goes, there is no first in literature, and no second in martial arts.


    So while there wasn¡¯t much controversy in other categories, literature saw diverse opinions.


    Still, Sully Prudhomme¡¯s work including his prose ¡°Destiny¡±, ¡°Happiness¡±, ¡°Eyes¡±, and his books ¡°On Art¡±, ¡°Impromptu Poetry¡±, secured his ce as the ultimate winner of the Literature prize.


    The Victoria Mathematics Prize was awarded to one of France¡¯s greatest mathematicians, Jules Henry Poincare.


    Recognized as a leading mathematician of thete 19th and early 20th century, Poincare followed Gauss to have aprehensive understanding of mathematics.


    He is one of France¡¯s greatest mathematicians, and also a theoretical scientist and philosophical scientist.


    Poincare contributed significantly to mathematics, physics, and celestial mechanics, and proposed the famous Poincare conjecture in mathematics.


    Thest award, the Victoria Design Prize, covered any designs from any industry, was awarded to Disel¡¯s Diesel Engine.


    Disel¡¯s Diesel Engine can use gasoline and diesel as energy sources, and some unexpected things as an energy source, which is one of the important factors for winning the design award.


    Of course, Disel¡¯s decision to move to Australia might have resulted in some bias in Chief David¡¯s final decision.


    All in all, with all six awards of the first Victoria Awards announced, the winners only had to wait until the beginning of the new year for the ceremony in Australia to receive their prize money of 50,000 pounds each.


    Because Arthur had gone to Europest year, he didn¡¯t have time to attend the government¡¯s report meeting at the end of the year, postponing it to the beginning of the next year.


    However, Arthur managed to make it this year, and the meeting was held sessfully.


    Overall, the process was the same asst year¡¯s. First, Prime Minister Evan reported overall, then each department gave detailed reports, and Arthur providedments and decided on tasks and ns for the next fiscal year.


    In general, 1901 saw much more development in Australiapared to 1900, as the economy and industries have each begun to take form.


    Moving on to the state of industries, due to the start of the industrial railway n, the Ministry of Industry had to speed up the construction of the industrial area and expand the scale of existing steel factories.


    This resulted in the continuous increase of steel output in Australia.


    In early 1901, the production output of steel and iron in Australia was 13,000 tons and 19,000 tons respectively.


    By the end of the year, production had moved up to 61,000 tons of steel, and 93,000 tons of iron.


    Though still a tiny fraction of the output of the great European powers,pared to most non-great power countries, this was already a significant scale of operation.


    To achieve this, Australia employed more than 20,000 indigenous people in its industries, in which there were already at least several hundreds of casualties.


    However, the limited steel production barely met the demand for railway construction, hence reducing construction speed to an extent.


    Besides the significant increase in steel production, the construction of an industrial zone and Arthur¡¯s investment of twenty million pounds brought in dozens of new factories, most government and royal business partnerships, and a few privately-owned enterprises subsidized by the royal family.


    There are currently nearly fifty factories in the industrial area, offering more than ten thousand jobs to workers and at least ten thousand construction jobs. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This has made a pretty high contribution to raising Australia¡¯s average poption ie and economic level, as these jobs were quite well-paid.


    Throughout 1901, Australia¡¯s poption also saw a significant increase.


    It grew from 3,867,100 to 3,996,200, an increase of 129,100 people.


    The growth rate was close to 3.3%, with approximately 4.9,000 newborns, 21,000 deaths, and over 100,000 immigrants.


    Newborns increased by more than 10,000 fromst year, as Australia¡¯s average ie rose by more than one pound to over ten pounds.


    Migration was alsomendable, with a year-round immigration poption exceeding 100,000 in 1901. Immigrants from the British Empire approximately ounted for almost 40,000, most of whom were English and Irish. Over 40,000 German immigrants came from all over Germany.


    The remaining 10,000 were from other European countries, including France, Spain, Italy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire among others.


    Compared to the immigration poption of over 60,000 in the previous year, there was a noticeable increase. This was inrge part due to the implementation of immigration treaties with Britain and Germany, and there is hope for maintaining such high levels of growth in the future.

 Chapter 96: Changes in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 96: Changes in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (Please subscribe!)


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    Poption growth is crucial for Australia; to effectively alleviate the awkward situation of insufficient poption, it is necessary to maintain at least one hundred thousand immigrants and 120,000 new residents every year.


    Due to variousrge-scale constructions, Australia¡¯s per capita ie has reached more than ten pounds. Correspondingly, tax revenue has also increased.


    In 1901, Australia¡¯s total fiscal revenue was approximately 43 million pounds, while total fiscal expenditure was 13 million pounds.


    Although the fiscal bnce was extremely unbnced, this was due to the initiation of numerous constructions. Without the spending on these constructions, Australia¡¯s finances could yield a surplus of nearly two million pounds each year.


    Meanwhile, Australia¡¯s Ministry of Finance possesses arge sum of funds. Despite a huge expenditure of over 10 million pounds each year, the Ministry¡¯s avable funds still remain above 150 million pounds.


    ording to the Ministry of Finance¡¯s statistics, Australia added several thousand individual business ownersst year.


    Most of them started their own small factories and shops and became shopkeepers and bosses.


    Although their funds were small, with the highest being less than 1000 pounds and the smallest being only tens or hundreds of pounds.


    However,pared to Australia¡¯s previous situation, this was already considerable progress.


    Among these people, it is not impossible for one to be Australia¡¯s richest man and give a driving force to the development of Australian enterprises.


    In addition to these, the construction of nursing homes, orphanages, hospitals, and schools is also progressing steadily.


    Arthur attaches great importance to people¡¯s livelihoods. This has also led to a significant investment in people¡¯s livelihoods by the Australian Government.


    Of course, huge investments also brought considerable returns. The total number of orphanages and nursing homes has exceeded fifty, and the number of elderly people and orphans adopted has broken through five thousand and three thousand, respectively.


    This has amodated most of the widows and orphans, achieving significant sess in the work of caring for the elderly and orphans.


    In Australia, when mentioning nursing homes and orphanages, people will look fervently and admiringly in the direction of the Manor House, for that is where the monarch they trust resides.


    Schools, obviously, are one of the top priority projects for the government.


    So far, Australia has nearly two hundred primary schools and twenty middle schools, with tens of thousands of new students entering schools each year.


    The nurturing effect of the National University is also gratifying. Although the number of newly enrolled college students in 1901 was not much, only slightly over 600, the total number of college students reached more than 1400 in the two yearsbined.


    As the Australian National University generally adopts a half-theoretical and half-practical teaching method, these university students will have a smooth transition to work after graduation.


    With the Victoria Award attracting high-end talent to Australia, and the improvement of education alleviating the deficiency of low and middle-end talent.


    In this way, Australia¡¯s talent cultivation system will gradually take shape, providing a strong upward development potential for Australia¡¯s scientific research and other industries.


    Medical care departments are not making significant moves, still only maintaining arge-scale hospital in each state.


    However, they hold a supportive attitude towards the establishment of small clinics. They will even provide financial support to small clinics that have development potential.


    ording to the Ministry of Health¡¯s statistics, there are currently over thirty private clinics in Australia, with more than ten in New South Wales State.


    These private clinics significantly improve Australia¡¯s medical environment, and their impact is even greater than building new hospitals, especially in the face of medical personnel shortages.


    Given Australia¡¯s talent pool, even if arge-scale hospital were built in each state, it would face a severe talent shortage.


    Apart from the New South Wales State Hospital in the capital, where all departments have been gradually established and opened, other hospitals still face talent issues in certain departments. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Perhaps these situations can only be solved by the Victoria Award, which would attract world-renowned medical experts and then cultivate middle and low- end medical professionals, thus providing hope topletely solve the medical talent shortage.


    The influx of arge number of Indigenous peoples has brought about significant changes in another part of Australia, namely the Ministry of Agriculture.


    Originally, due to a severe shortage of manpower, the development of Australia¡¯snd was very slow, it could even be described as ¡°snail-paced¡±.


    The main purpose ofrge-scale immigration to Australia was not farming but mining gold and other valuable minerals.


    This was the reason for their low ies; they came to pan for gold, but very few of them made a fortune from it.


    Many people immigrated to Australia due to the gold rush, yet often ended up bing one of the poormon people of Australia.


    Now with the addition of Indigenous peoples, the development of Australia¡¯snd, especially the development of cultivatednd, has made significant progress, with not only an increase in per capitand but also a significant increase in cultivatednd area per capita.


    This has a significant impact on Australia¡¯s grain production. ording to the Ministry of Agriculture¡¯s estimates, by 1902, Australia will be able to produce enough grain for 8 million people, which means that with the current poption, Australia¡¯s annual grain production can not only feed all its people but also export arge amount.


    The animal husbandry industry is, of course, no exception for Australia. Ranches are bing more numerous and breeding households are increasing in the fields of cattle and sheep.


    This has led to a very low price for meat in Australia, which is why both the army and university students have sufficient supplies of beef and mutton in their food.


    At least in terms of logistics supply and especially food logistics supply, Australia maintains an equal level of food supply with European Nations.


    Each soldier can eat two meals with meat every day, a treatment that most soldiers in other countries do not have.


    The food supply for those treasured university students goes without saying; in addition tomon beef and mutton, schools also hire cooks from other countries to prepare other sumptuous dishes to satisfy the students¡¯ appetites while studying.


    Although this would cause the Australian National University to spend several thousand or even tens of thousands of pounds on logistics every year, in front of these university students, a little financial expenditure is definitely worth it.


    In addition to changes in agriculture and animal husbandry, Australia¡¯s road construction has also weed great changes.


    Particrly, roads between cities have entered a renewal and expansion n after therge-scale expansion of cement nts in the industrial area.


    This is not only in preparation for the future car sales but also to effectively enhance the cultural exchange and economic exchange between various states and cities in Australia.

 Chapter 97: National Day (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 97: National Day (Please subscribe!)


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    January 10,1902, Australia National Day.


    Since January 10th is the founding day of the Australian Principality, it naturally became Australia¡¯s National Day.


    However, since Arthur was in Europe during the previous National Day, he had no chance to attend, and therefore there was no preparation for grand ceremonies and rituals.


    This time was Australia¡¯s 2nd anniversary of founding, and with the achievements of various construction projects in Australia, the Cab specially prepared a number of activities for this year¡¯s National Day.


    The first among them was the National Day parade.


    It has been six months since the reform of the Australian Guards began. During the six months of training, the Australian Army has experienced significant growth and gradually be a qualified army.


    In order to train this force of 6,000, Arthur mobilized most of the Guards, and even shamelessly asked Germany to send several training experts.


    However, this move indeed has been quite effective, the discipline of the army has beenpletely renewed, and it is evident from the overall perspective that this is a strong army.


    In order to make them truly elite, the Ministry of Defense has spent a lot of resources to arm them all with thetest Lee-Enfield rifles and feed them with dozens of bullets every day.


    Although it cannot be guaranteed that every soldier will be a sharpshooter, at least they won¡¯t waste all their bullets on the air when entering a real war.


    If it weren¡¯t for the uing National Day, the Ministry of Defense would have already started reorganizing these trained soldiers.


    However, the number of Australian soldiers is still too small. Although the 6,000 soldiers can barely be reorganized into an infantry division, it only improves the backbone part.


    ording to the German infantry organization, a standard fully staffed infantry division has about 18,000 people, 4,600 horses, and more than 30 heavy machine guns.


    The next step is toplete this infantry division by conscription and equip it with arge number of heavy firepower weapons.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s heavy weapons include the MA-96 Maxim machine guns, CA-i machine guns, and various calibers of artillery supported by Germany.


    If the military industry expert can sessfully learn about the French M1897 cannon, then they will have another automatic cannon.


    In terms of firepower, the Australian Army, equipped with these powerful weapons, is no weaker than any other army and isparable in firepower to the armies of the Powers.


    Even so, under the adequate logistical support, the Australian Army, with CA-i machine guns and M1897 cannons, may even be able to suppress other Powers¡¯ armies.


    After the parade ceremony, there will be the second round of assistance for Australia¡¯s poor poption during the National Day.


    The Royal Relief Committee announced the second round of assistance for the poor poption, which is through work-for-relief, providing these poor poptions with all kinds of relief materials, including grain and some relief funds.


    This is the result of the Relief Committee after consulting. Compared to giving fish, teaching people how to fish is clearly a better way.


    The Relief Committee will look for suitable jobs for these poor poptions within the entire scope of Australia and let them get relief through some simplebor.


    Doing so can also greatly reduce the misappropriation of relief materials. After all, to receive relief supplies, you need to work at some designated job for some time.


    For ordinary people, this time is enough to find a more decent job and earn more money.


    As the National Day approaches, the atmosphere in Australia bes more and more festive.


    In Sydney, you can see the newly confirmed Australian national g everywhere.


    This is the final design of the Australian national g after the Australian Government has collected all the designs for the national g from the public.


    The Australian g is also a three-color g,posed of light blue, white, and yellow.


    The white is in the middle, representing the supreme authority of the Australian royal family and Australia¡¯s eternal monarchical system, as well as the white Australian policy.


    Yellow is on the top, representing all the Australian people, and symbolizing the most important Australian concept.


    Blue is at the bottom, indicating that Australia is a maritime country, and sea power is the most important thing for Australia. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This g design ispletely different from the national g of Australia in the original historical context, but it can still show the current style of Australia.


    To be honest, when Arthur first saw the design for the national g, he suddenly thought of the hot meme and ridicule about the French national g inter generations.


    Because the French g has a white color in the middle, with the French people¡¯s weak performance during World War II, it is said that the French national g is very convenient for surrendering, as it can quickly be made into the surrender g, the white g.


    Now, there is also a white color on the Australian national g, but it should not face such an awkward situation as France, right?


    Due to the approaching National Day, many temporary g-making workshops have opened in Australia.


    A simple piece of cloth with a fixed ratio, rendered into the national g of Australia using three colors, can then be sold.


    These small national gs usually sell at a low price but are very popr among all Australians.


    Even those who have recently moved to Australia as immigrants have to follow the trend, buy a national g and hang it at their doorstep.


    This, in turn, indirectly increases the ie for many Australians, driving the development of the Australian economy.


    This is what Arthur is happy to see, not because of the increase in the economy, but because of the degree of recognition that Australians have for this country.


    No matter what their reasons, uniting all Australians under the nation of Australia has already be the greatest sess of Arthur and the Australian Government he leads.


    This National Day event did not invite other countries to participate, but only invited the officers of the New Zend Colony and some groups of people.


    About 200 people were invited, most of whom are influential people in New Zend or active advocates of New Zend¡¯s independence.


    Arthur¡¯s invitation to them serves no other purpose but to let them see what Australia, which had the same status as New Zend, has developed into now.


    Although Arthur has been Governor of New Zend for more than a year, he did not initiate any reform in New Zend, and even his administrative measures have not been extensively involved.


    As the New Zend Garrison is under the control of the British Empire, Arthur does not have to worry about any control issues in New Zend.


    Under such circumstances, New Zend fell into a semi-left state. Arthur did not suppress the independent forces in New Zend, and New Zend did not learn much about their Governor, Arthur.


    Now, Arthur has finally freed up his hands, and it is time for the people of New Zend to understand the changes in Australia.

 Chapter 98: Grand Military Parade (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 98: Grand Military Parade (Please Subscribe!)


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    January 10,1902, 8 o¡¯clock in the morning, Sydney, the square opposite the National Government Building.


    After a long preparation, the much-anticipated Australia National Day finally arrived for all Australians.


    Early in the morning, more than ten thousand people gathered in the square. Some brought chairs and food, while others simply took their rtives and friends to a good spot and sat down to chat.


    However, it was not easy to upy a good position in this small square. The best locations near the reviewing stand and parade avenue had already been reserved. Some even arrived the day before just to secure a better spot for the parade ceremony.


    This showed the madness of Australians. What did it matter if they stayed up all night to get a good spot in order to get a closer look at their beloved Duke and the soldiers who had trained for more than half a year?


    As time passed, more and more people gathered in the square. Even outside the square, arge crowd had umted, causing the main streets of Sydney to be jam-packed.


    Fortunately, cars were not yetmercially avable, otherwise they would have beenpletely immobilized on a day like today.


    The bell tower¡¯s chimes officially announced the arrival of eight o¡¯clock.


    A car slowly drove over from a distance, it was a private car custom-built for Arthur by Benz and Disel themselves.


    After being modified, the car¡¯s body materials were made of reinforced steel andminated ss, ensuring the safety of the passengers inside as long as it was not under heavy machine gun or rifle fire.


    Because of this, the cost of this car was very high. In addition to strengthening its protection, it also ensured that the car¡¯s power was notpromised and even slightly improved.


    When the crowd saw the arrival of the car, they knew that the one sitting inside was their beloved Duke.


    The crowd burst into cheers, weing Arthur¡¯s arrival.


    The guards opened the door, Arthur walked out, smiled, and nodded to the crowd. He then joined the government officers and led them step by step up to the reviewing stand.


    On the stand was a microphone already prepared, connected to severalrge loudspeakers around the square.


    In order to allow the crowd, even those in the surrounding streets, to hear Arthur and other officials¡¯ speeches, the government had to userge amplification equipment.


    Although this caused a significant amount of noise for people close by, it would not damage their ears, as the government had already tested the results.


    As Arthur approached the microphone, the National Day ceremony officially began.


    ¡°Good morning, all citizens of Australia,¡± Arthur looked down and spoke slowly, ¡°Today is a great day for Australia. Our great mothend, Australia, was officially established on this day two years ago. In the blink of an eye, two years have passed, and we have witnessed our beloved country develop from a barren wastnd into a burgeoning nation with a certain industrial foundation. We have built industries, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, and a series of other facilities beneficial to the Australian people. Now, we can proudly proim that we have the confidence to live in Australia and to live happily in Australia!¡±


    As Arthur spoke, apuse came from the audience below, as if to also confirm Australia¡¯s development during this period.


    ¡°But this is not the ultimate goal for me, the government, and Australia. We must continue to work hard, and so must the government and all the Australian people. We want to establish a more perfect welfare system, protect and respect the rights of every Australian. We also want to develop our military to ensure our great nation¡¯s self-reliance and peace. Australia¡­¡±


    Arthur¡¯s speechsted for half an hour, with a content of thousands of characters.


    Most of it touted the achievements of the Australian government and royal family and encouraged all Australians to continue striving forward.


    Considering Arthur¡¯s status and prestige in the hearts of Australians, this motivation was very effective, making many Australians eager to devote themselves to the development and struggle of Australia.


    Seeing his speech sessfully ignited the scene, Arthur nodded satisfactorily and handed over the next segment to Prime Minister Evan.


    Of course, Arthur couldn¡¯t preside over the entire National Day ceremony, so this important task was entrusted to the most prestigious Prime Minister Evan.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I dere, the second anniversary celebration of Australia¡¯s founding officially begins! First, please have all Australians solemnly watch our national g rise in the sky and y the music!¡± said Prime Minister Evan solemnly.


    National anthems were not yet explicitly stipted, and most countries in the world still had no national anthems.


    Therefore, important events in Australia used the British national anthem God Save the King, after all, Arthur was a direct member of the British Royal Family.


    As the solemn God Save the King slowly echoed in the sky above the square, the brightly colored Australian national g gradually rose into the sky.


    Everyone at the scene, including Asa, watched the rising g solemnly and seriously.


    The Australian national g gracefully unfolded in the sky, soaring freely in the heavens.


    ¡°Next, under themand of His Royal Highness the Duke, the parade of military troops willmence!¡± said Prime Minister Evan, continuing after the g-raising ceremony.


    ¡°Come, soldiers. At this great moment of our homnd¡¯s second anniversary, let all people witness the greatness of the Australian Army under the joint witness of all Australians and myself!¡± said Arthur, smiling.


    Arthur was very satisfied with the newly trained army. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The new army was an elite force jointly trained by German training experts and British Royal Guard soldiers. With excellent discipline andbat capability, they were undoubtedly a strong iron-blooded force.


    Although this cost arge amount of training expenses, it was definitely worth it.


    Clippety-clop!


    Apanied by a neat and awe-inspiring sound of horseshoes, the Royal Guard Cavalry Battalion took the stage first.


    The prestige of the British Empire¡¯s Royal Guard did not need to be further emphasized. With uniform weapons and attire, as well as the neat and uniform steps and movements of each soldier, it was indeed an iron-blooded strong army.


    ¡°For the glory of His Highness, advance!¡± As they passed the reviewing stand, the soldiers of the Royal Guard Cavalry Battalion shouted with all their might.

 Chapter 99: The Shock of New Zealanders (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 99: The Shock of New Zenders (Please Subscribe!)


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    Young men often have an impulse to join the military, to protect their families and defend their country.


    Influenced by the soldiers of the cavalry battalion of the Guards, many Australians have embraced this idea.


    Without saying anything else, just looking at these uniformed and well- equipped Guards on horseback, marching in perfect unison towards oneself, the visual impact is enough to change a person¡¯s deep-rooted ideas.


    The cheers and apuse of the crowd filled the square, but they could not cover up the shouts of the Guards as they passed the reviewing stand.


    The Guards are troops loyal to Arthur, and in their eyes, the glory of Arthur and the royal family is above all else.


    This is why they would shout for the glory of Your Highness, rather than Australia¡¯s glory.


    This is a private army belonging to Arthur, and they are his most effective guarantee of power.


    Following the Guards¡¯ cavalry battalion¡¯s performance, it was time for the trained cavalry troops to appear. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They rode Australian wild horses produced in Australia, with weapons and equipment identical to those of the Guards¡¯ soldiers. Except for the uniforms of British regr soldiers, they looked no different from the Guards¡¯ cavalry soldiers.


    But this was an armyposed of Australians. All the soldiers andmanders were made up of Australians, with even themander being one of the best talents trained temporarily.


    Compared to the Royal Guards, who are highly regarded in the hearts of all people in the British Empire, these soldiers are undoubtedly closer to ordinary people.


    They were all trained after joining the military as ordinary civilians, which also means that everyone had the hope of bing one of them.


    ¡°For the glory of Your Highness and Australia!¡± When this unit came to the reviewing stand, they shouted just like the others, only the content of the shouts was slightly different.


    As the regr national defense force of Australia, they are also responsible for protecting and maintaining the glory of Australia.


    While both are loyal to Arthur, this is the main difference between the Australian Army and the Guards.


    Of course, during the training, Arthur has already blended a lot of ideological education so that these soldiers can ensure their loyalty to the royal family and Arthur.


    To secure his position in the military, Arthur even purposely established political instructors in these units, and in the future, there will also be instructors in the reorganized military units. They will serve as advisers to the unitmanders while carrying out patriotic education on behalf of Arthur in the military.


    Only by firmly grasping the ideology of the military and ensuring that the military is always loyal to himself can Arthur¡¯s power be fully guaranteed.


    Just as the Australian Army has caused a great sensation among Australians, it has also attracted the attention and surprise of New Zenders.


    New Zend also has a 3,000-strong garrison, with soldiers like those of the Australian Army, all from New Zend.


    Except for themander of the army assigned by Britain, most of the lower and middle officers of the army are also made up of New Zenders.


    However, such an army does not have strong fighting capabilities and can only maintain the order of the New Zend colony.


    If faced with foreign aggression, whether the New Zend garrison can defend the peace of New Zend is a very serious problem.


    Luckily, the fleet of the British Empire is very strong, and the prestige of Britain as the number one superpower is enough to ensure that the territory of the British Empire will not be invaded or provoked during peacetime.


    ¡°Your Grace, I think it is necessary to train and strengthen the garrison in New Zend as well. New Zend needs such a powerful force to protect and maintain order,¡± a New Zend official tentatively said to Arthur.


    As the governor of New Zend, Arthur¡¯s title of nobility naturally has precedence over the officials, so they chose to address him as the more distinguished Duke.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this matter be discussed with General Pierce Antony,mander of New Zend? Although I am the Governor of New Zend, I do not seem to have the authority to order Commander Pierce,¡± Arthur responded without surprise, directly asking instead.


    ¡°Your Highness, with your status as a duke and as the Governor of New Zend, convincing Commander Pierce should not be difficult, right? If you could enhance the training of the New Zend Army, all New Zenders would be grateful to Your Highness,¡± the New Zend official continued to entice.


    In fact, it would not be difficult for Arthur to persuade Commander Pierce to agree to strengthen the training of the New Zend Army ¨C it would even be very easy.


    But Arthur knew the thoughts of the New Zend officials quite well ¨C they harbored ambitions like Australia¡¯s, hoping that in the future, after New Zend gains independence, they would have a well-trained army for free.


    It should be noted that once independence is achieved, Britain will withdraw most of its forces and armymanders.


    This means that the army will lose its fighting capabilities for a short time until newmanders are trained to rece them.


    If the New Zenders were to handle this themselves, it would likely take at least one or two years to train truly capablemanders.


    But if they could train these soldiers in advance, select and train capable talents as officers, they would be able to smoothly take over the army when the Britishmanders leave.


    This window of time would be enough for the army to stabilize New Zend¡¯s order, which is essential for a newly independent country.


    But these New Zenders seemed to forget one thing ¨C Arthur is the Governor of New Zend. At least during his twenty-year tenure, Arthur does not want to see New Zend fully independent.


    Or rather, Arthur does not want to see New Zend break away from Australia¡¯s control and be independent.


    Within these twenty years, there is only one way for New Zend to be independent ¨C it must join in Australia¡¯s ruling sphere, perhaps as a semi- autonomous nation in the Australian Federation.


    Seeing Arthur¡¯s refusal, the New Zend official could only reluctantly close his mouth.


    Although Arthur doesn¡¯t pay much attention to New Zend affairs, he is still the Governor, and with his status as the Duke of Australia, he is not someone a mere colonial official can afford to offend.


    ¡°I believe that New Zend should be granted certain rights. I will personally visit New Zend in due course to investigate the well-being and public sentiment there. In the meantime, I hope that New Zend can remain stable and avoid causing trouble,¡± Arthur said tly, looking at all the New Zenders.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± they all nodded in agreement.


    Arthur¡¯s orders were not something they could refuse, whether it was based on his identity or the army behind him.

 Chapter 100 - too: Victoria Memorial Medal (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 100: Chapter too: Victoria Memorial Medal (Please subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339 |


    After giving instructions to the officials of New Zend, Arthur turned his attention back to the parade.


    Although Australia¡¯s army has just over ten thousand troops, this parade is quite substantial, with four infantry and cavalry squares and two heavy weapons inspection teams.


    The four infantry and cavalry squares wereposed of the Guards¡¯ and the National Defence Army¡¯s infantry and cavalry squares.


    Meanwhile, the two heavy weapons inspection teams were transporting the Australian Army¡¯s two most abundant heavy weapons, the CA-1 machine gun and the MA-96 Maxim machine gun, on carriages.


    In order to maintain the solemnity of the parade, the horses used to transport these weapons and equipment were carefully selected Australian wild horses. The pure white military horses, slowly pulling the weapons along the street, brought a shock to the Australian people no less than the previous infantry squares.


    These two types of heavy weapons, along with the M1897 type cannon under research, will be the most reliable source of firepower for the Australian Army.


    Such arge-scale parade was not without purpose. It was meant not only to strengthen the Australians¡¯ sense of nationhood but also to make them believe they have a powerful army to protect the nation and their safety.


    It was also intended to increase the enthusiasm of some Australian youth for joining the military. The number of Australian troops is still too small, not even enough to form aplete division.


    Moreover, Australia also has overseas colonies like New Guinea, so expanding the size of the military is necessary.


    Under Arthur¡¯s preliminary estimate, Australia wouldunch a recruitment n in the new year. This would not only be to expand the army but also to prepare for the expansion of the navy.


    On the naval side, there is hope to master the technology of the Brunswick- ss battleship within one year.


    Up to now, Australian and German experts have been working together on this battleship for more than half a year.


    Thanks to the German experts¡¯ teachings, Arthur¡¯s shipyard and Australian experts have been able to learn the technology quite quickly.


    There is hope that by the end of 1902, they would have mastered the building technology of the Brunswick-ss battleship, allowing Australia to have the ability to build battleships independently.


    Although Arthur has no ns to build main battleships at present, some cruisers and escort ships can still be built.


    Establishing a navy is not something that can be done just by having warships; naval soldiers¡¯ training may take even longer than the construction of warships.


    In the future, when dreadnoughts are born, Australia will inevitably need to build its own dreadnought.


    Although this may take some time, it does not prevent the initiation of naval training programs now.


    In Arthur¡¯s psychological expectation, by the time of World War I, Australia will have established an army of at least fifty thousand men and a sizable navy with five main battleships and dozens of medium-sized and small warships. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, it is a rather ambitious n. It requires not only arge amount of funds, but also mastering many technologies that Australia has never possessed.


    But Australia¡¯s goal is definitely not just Oceania. Whether it is the Dutch East Indies to the north, New Zend to the east, or the Indian Ocean to the west, all will be the nextnd area for Australia¡¯s ns.


    After the parade was over, the cheering and shouting of the crowd did not stop. Had it not been for Arthur stepping forward and standing by the microphone, the noise in the square would probably continue.


    After waiting for the crowd topletely quiet down, Arthur began to speak: ¡°My fellow citizens, today is a day to celebrate. I dere that, from January 10th to January 16th every year for seven days is Australia¡¯s National Day Week. National Day Week is a statutory holiday in Australia, and under normal circumstances, all businesses and factories should take time off. If there are major situations requiring overtime, it should be paid at twice the regr rate.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s words did have a significant impact among the crowd. In the era when factories generally implemented a 12-hour work system, it was not easy to have statutory holidays with overtime double pay.


    Having an extra week each year to rest or earn seven more days of money was, of course, dly epted by these Australians.


    Naturally, this all depends on the policies issued by their beloved Duke, His Highness.


    ¡°In addition, in honor of the great Queen Victoria¡¯s contribution to the establishment of the Australian Principality, and in recognition of the future contributions of all citizens to Australia, the royal family and government will establish three types of medals, namely the Victoria Memorial Medal, the Royal Knight Medal, and the Australian National Medal. The specific awarding rules for these three medals will be announced by the government and serve as rewards for those who have made outstanding contributions to the Australian government and the royal family. Each medal has different reward policies, but what they all have inmon is that the recipients of each medal can receive ten times the average annual ie of Australians as a bonus each year. This payment can continue to be imed, even if the medal winner is no longer with us, by their designated rtives and family members, up to the third generation of rtives. If no rtives have been designated to im it, the money will be divided equally among all direct rtives.¡± Arthur said solemnly.


    For a monarchial country, medals are also a means of rewarding meritorious officials. The Victoria Medal created by Queen Victoria is also an extremely valuable medal even inter generations.


    The Victoria Memorial Medal mentioned by Arthur actually has a simr meaning to the Victoria Medal.


    Whilememorating Queen Victoria, it also recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the royal family and the country, even saving the country.


    This also means that it will be very difficult to receive the Victoria Memorial Medal. As an important means for the royal family to reward citizens, Arthur does not intend to make the medals too cheap, at least not the Victoria Memorial Medal.


    Hearing Arthur¡¯s words and the subsequent introduction of the three medals and rewards, most Australians were noticeably moved.


    Not to mention other things, but just obtaining any of these three medals would allow one to receive 10 times the average Australian ie every year, and that could continue to be imed by up to the third generation of rtives. What a crazy policy!


    Just by obtaining any one of these medals, one can directly lie at home without working and still get paid. Even these payments would not only support the recipient himself, but also all his family members.


    Almost every person cannot help but think of an idea in their minds: What if they could obtain this medal?


    Everyone has certain beautiful fantasies about their future, imagining themselves as the luckiest ones.


    Many Australians are already eagerly waiting for the government¡¯ stest information on these three medals after the National Day activities.


    As long as any one of the medals is easy to obtain, it can be believed that many people will take practical action.

 Chapter 101 - One Hundred and One: Sir Title (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 101: Chapter One Hundred and One: Sir Title (Subscribe!)


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    Given the current per capita ie in Australia, one can receive at least 120 pounds a year in funding just by receiving any one of the three medals.


    This is higher than the ie of most Australian families. The average annual ie per household in Australia is just over forty pounds, not even half the basic ie brought by one medal.


    More importantly, this reward, which is ten times the per capita annual ie, is just the most basic reward of these three medals, and the detailed requirements and reward system will be announcedter.


    What does this imply? Although the ways to receive the three medals and the rewards will differ, they will definitely be more than a hundred pounds per year.


    It is no exaggeration to say that as long as you can win any of these medals, you can guarantee you and your family a lifelong supply of food and clothing, and even bless the next generation.


    This is exactly what makes these three medals attractive. Judging from the reactions of Australians in attendance, at least most of them are keen on the distribution of these three medals.


    This is exactly Arthur¡¯s purpose. By providing rewarding conditions that touch the hearts of the majority of people, it enhances the enthusiasm of Australians for these three medals.


    And these three medals can only be acquired by those who are extremely patriotic and contribute to the country and the royal family.


    Under such premises, it is absolutely possible to attract a considerable number of Australians to do something for their country and attempt to obtain this medal.


    ¡°The Victoria Memorial Medal and the Royal Knight Medal will be awarded by me personally, and the Australian National Medal will be issued by the Prime Minister at the time. I hope that many Australians will receive these medals in the future, bing role models for the entire Australian nation, a source of pride for the Australian nation, and the pirs of the country and the royal family,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Having Arthur personally award the medals is a good choice for raising the prestige of these three medals.


    As the ruler of Australia, Arthur¡¯s status is supreme in Australia.


    A medal personally awarded by the head of state is undoubtedly more valuable and memorable than an ordinary medal. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Of course, doing so will also increase the value of the medal itself and the benefits the medal can bring.


    ¡°In addition, the Royal Assistance Committee will start a new year of relief work The relief work of thest year has achieved good results. At least 800,000 low-ie people have received our relief food, ensuring that they will not go hungry at any time. In theing year, I hope that the scope of the Royal Assistance Committee¡¯s work can be expanded to include all of Australia and even the New Guinea colony. I wish all great Australian people can live a happy and content life in this country, where everyone need not worry about hunger. This will be the goal that the royal family and the government strive for!¡± Arthur asserted firmly.


    What do themon people most like to hear? Naturally, it¡¯s about their welfare policy, including various aspects of food, clothing, shelter and transportation.


    Arthur¡¯s n is simple, which is to provide jobs for the majority of Australians through domesticrge-scale construction, so that they have a decent ie.


    At the same time, relief is given to some special groups who cannot work due to physical reasons, such as the elderly who are either widows or widowers, orphans, and those who are physically challenged.


    The policy towards them is very likely to arouse the sentiment of Australians, as these people often represent the lowest level of society.


    As long as the normal lives of these people can be guaranteed, doesn¡¯t it mean that any Australian could get great relief when facing such situations?


    With the end of Arthur¡¯s speech, the National Day ceremony of that day also officially ended.


    The subsequent government¡¯s specific instructions for issuing the three medals and the Royal Assistance Committee¡¯s new round of relief ns have nothing to do with Arthur.


    In this long-awaited National Day holiday, Arthur can finally take a good rest.


    The government acted quickly, even during the prescribed National Day holiday, the detailed interpretation of the three medals has been posted on the bulletin board of the Administrative Building, and it will be made known to more people along with the new cirction of the Victoria Newspaper and the Australia Daily.


    Among the newly issued three medals, the Victoria Memorial Medal holds a somewhat unique significance.


    The Victoria Memorial Medal is the most difficult to get, although it covers a global range, it requires substantial contributions to the reputation of the royal family and the monarch, or having dealt with significant crises to the royal family and the monarch.


    Of course, its rewards are also the most lucrative among the three medals. In addition to the reward of ten times the annual per capita ie of Australia, which each medal will have, the recipient will also receive the honorary title of Australian Sir, non-hereditary.


    Although it¡¯s different from those hereditary noble titles thate withnd ownership, it¡¯s still equivalent to the lowest noble title, which is rather attractive to Australians.


    In addition, the direct descendants of the Victoria Memorial Medal recipients will have the opportunity to directly enter the university when theye of age, bypassing the admission process of the National University.


    For present-day Australia, where there¡¯s a shortage of university students, this seems a pretty good deal.


    After all, thousands of people sign up for the annual National University admission, but the final number of admitted students is always so few, with only eight hundred in the first year, and even fewer, just over six hundred, in the second year.


    Under such circumstances, an opportunity to enter a university without any need for admission examinations is quite attractive.


    The difficulty in obtaining the other two medals is simr, requiring only a substantial contribution to the royal family and the nation.


    In particr, the Australian National Medal is the easiest medal to obtain, but it also offers the least in terms of rewards.


    As a medal personally awarded by the incumbent Prime Minister, in addition to a mary reward, the Australian National Medal also includes a wide range of promotions and encouragements within Australia, including, but not limited to, newspapers and announcements.


    However, these conditions are still quite attractive to Australians. After all, under good circumstances, who wouldn¡¯t want to be known nationwide, especially when the government steps forward to make announcements and publish them in newspapers.


    Once you receive the Australian National Medal, you can be promoted as a national hero, a pride of the people. Isn¡¯t it somewhat exciting to think about? Although the difficulty in obtaining the three medals has disappointed some people, the rich mary rewards and various benefits still make many people very keen.


    What can be anticipated is that in the near future, there will definitely be a group of people trying every means to obtain the medals.


    This is often the situation that the government and Arthur want to see. After all, no matter how hard they try, the ultimate beneficiaries are bound to be the royal family and the government.

 Chapter 102: The Great Goldmine of New

    Chapter 102: The Great Goldmine of New


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    Although the Royal Relief Committee¡¯s new relief policy may seem less attractivepared to their previous free donation of supplies, it still garnered a response from many of Australia¡¯s impoverished ss.


    ording to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, of nearly four million people in Australia, more than one million had annual ies far below the current national average ie of Australia, and many of these were from less educated social circles.


    Many of these individuals were gold miners attracted from their surrounding areas and Asia by the gold rush. They were lured by wealth and came to a far- flung foreignnd.


    Who would have thought that they would find gold mining to be a futile effort for fortune?


    Although a portion of people truly made a fortune from gold mining, the majority remained poor. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    More importantly,pared to European immigrants, these people were not only unable to integrate due to cultural differences, but their levels of education were also vastly inferior.


    This is the reason they became the lower ss poption in Australia. In the face of cultural differences, the knowledge gap is enormous.


    Even though they had barely managed to integrate culturally after living there for decades.


    But the gap with European immigrants is not something that can be bridged in a short period of time. Given a choice, most Australian factories often opt for genuine European immigrants.


    This has resulted in these people remaining at the bottom of Australian society. Never mind the chance of turning their fortunes around, ensuring that every family member had enough to eat was a difficult task in itself.


    Thankfully, after his coronation, Arthur immediately established the Royal Assistance Committee to help all the impoverished people in Australia.


    This allowed them to temporarily maintain a level of food security, granting them some of the rare moments of happiness since they arrived in Australia.


    These people still supported the Royal Relief Committee¡¯s new round of relief policy. After all, if they were forced to look for work on their own, they might not have been able to find any that were better than the ones assigned by themittee.


    Bypleting the work assigned by the Relief Committee on a timely basis, they could not only get food to fill their stomachs but also earn a decent wage.


    Although the wage just met the pass line for per capita ie, it was still good ie for these low-ie groups.


    It¡¯s precisely because of these people¡¯s support that the Royal Relief Committee¡¯s new round of work-for-relief policy has been sessful.


    Just in the twenty days following National Day, over fifty thousand people signed up for the work-for-relief program.


    Most of these people were assigned to work in local urban cities, either to clean streets or do other misceneous jobs.


    Although the ie is not high, they could still earn eight to nine pounds annually, which was enough to take care of one¡¯s own livelihood.


    Some younger and stronger individuals were assigned to work in factories. Although thebor in the factories was strenuous, the money earned was more substantial.


    The wages in the factories far exceeded the average ie level. Even the lowest-ie trainees had annual ies reaching ten pounds.


    The integration of these people could also speed up the construction of industrial areas and factories. They could earn the money they wanted. This was a win-win situation.


    At the same time, the royal family could save a significant amount of relief expenses each year and use it in more needy areas, such as the construction of nursing homes and orphanages.


    The expenses associated with relief for these peoplest year exceeded two million pounds. Still, the results achieved were excellent, which meant most Australians did not have to deal with hunger.


    On February 3,1902, at Arthur¡¯s manor house.


    Soon after Arthur took his leisure time, Prime Minister Evan urgently sought an audience and brought with him some excellent news.


    As one of the earliest areas to discover gold mines, a gold mine was found south of New South Wales, which is south of Sydney, and the estimated reserves are considerable.


    This is excellent news for Australia. Since the discovery of the Barat Gold Mine in Victoria state more than 50 years ago, the second global gold rush attracted a vast number of immigrants and gold miners. Australia¡¯s gold mining industry also reached its first peak during this time.


    However, as time progressed, the discovered gold reserves became less and less, and gold mining entered a rtively steady stage.


    Not only did this reduce the attraction for immigrants, but the output of gold mines also became very scarce.


    More critically, the vast majority of gold mines previously discovered had been transported to the British maind.


    Massive wealth flowed into the pockets of Britishndlords, and there was not much left for Australians.


    Although after Arthur¡¯s coronation Australians no longer had to suffer from the oppression and exploitation of the British Empire, the output of gold mines had be very small. Even more than two years of umtion could still quite rare at a national level.


    This is why Arthur had not issued his own currency within two years of his coronation.


    In addition to the deeply-rooted status of the Pound, which no currency could rece in Australia in a short time, not having enough gold to produce banknotes is another significant factor.


    At this time, most currencies were based on the gold standard, and they could be directly exchanged for gold.


    Take the Pound for example, one pound was equal to 7.33 grams of gold. This is why the Pound was valuable.


    If Australia wants to issue its own currency, even if it¡¯s just for small-scale use within Australia, it must have enough gold for equivalent exchange.


    After all, while the confidence in a currency can be briefly maintained by the government and royal prestige, what truly determines the value and lifespan of a currency is the amount of gold the country possesses.


    We now see that the sizeable gold mine is vitally essential for Australia to issue its own currency.


    Even if it¡¯s not used to issue currency, this gold mine alone could trigger another gold rush and attract more immigrants toe to Australia.


    After learning of this excellent news, Arthur immediately, followed by Prime Minister Evan and a team of guards, ventured towards the gold mining area south of Sydney without stopping.


    In fact, the newly discovered gold mine is not just in New South Wales. The mine site is in a ravine at the border between New South Wales and Victoria state. Still, therger mining area is within the scope of New South Wales.


    This ravine, which was about two or three kilometers long and wide, had a small creek running by it.


    From a scenic perspective, it was an excellent location. But since the discovery of gold, the area¡¯sndscape was destined to be devastated.


    By the time Arthur arrived, the preliminary prospecting work was almostplete.


    ording to the report from the prospectors, almost the entire ravine was distributed with gold mines, with the deepest detected being dozens of meters underground.

 Chapter 103 - One Hundred and Three: Huge Goldmine in the Canyon (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 103: Chapter One Hundred and Three: Huge Goldmine in the Canyon (Subscribe!)


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    Of course, even though the scope of detection is already quiterge, it is just the preliminary detection range.


    But this is clearly good news. Even if it¡¯s just the initial detection range, it has already be one of thergest gold mines in Australia so far, and the scope of the gold mine may continue to expand.


    If the gold content of the gold mine is a qualifying number, then this newly discovered gold mine can be called thergest gold mine in Australia.


    This gold mine may not fail to attract another gold rush, bringing more immigrants and gold diggers to Australia.


    If it is to serve as a reserve for gold-backed currency, this huge gold mine is already fully qualified.


    As the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Minister Pierre arrived in this area very early and immediately began to explore the specific scope of the gold mining area.


    However, this cannot be determined in a short period of time. The transportation of variousrge-scale detection equipment takes time, and the calction of various data also takes time.


    Seeing Arthur and Prime Minister Evan arrive, Minister Pierre walked over with a delighted face and reported, ¡°Your Highness, Mr. Prime Minister, ording to our initial gold detection range, the scope of this gold mine may directly cover the entire canyon, or evenrger. This also means that the area of this gold mine will be thergest in Australia, and the gold reserves should be quite satisfying.¡±


    ¡°What is the purity of the gold mine at the moment? Can it meet our expectations?¡± Prime Minister Evan asked impatiently.


    Like the gold reserves, the purity of the gold mine is also one of the factors that determine the total value of the gold mine.


    If the purity of the gold mine is very low, even if it is a particrlyrge gold mine, its value may not be as good as that of a medium-sized gold mine with normal purity.


    Aside from the range and reserves of the gold mine, the purity of the gold mine is a topic that everyone cares about.


    ¡°We have currently selected many ces in the existing gold mine range for testing, and the gold content per ton is about five to six grams. Although this is only a preliminary test result, I believe that the gold content of this gold mine will not be less than four grams per ton.¡± Minister Pierre reported happily.


    This is good news for Australia. Most of the remaining gold mines in Australia are small-scale gold mines with only two or three grams of gold content.


    If a gold mine with a huge reserve and a qualified gold content can be added, it would be good news for both the Australian civilian sector and the government.


    ¡°Well done, Prime Minister Evan and Minister Pierre. The progress of determining the gold mine range should be elerated, quickly establish the entire gold mine range, and organize the development of the new gold mine.¡± Arthur smiled and nodded, instructing.


    Since there is arge and gold-containing gold mine, the first thing to do is to find out the range and reserves of the gold mine, and to start mining and digging as soon as possible.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Minister Pierre nodded quickly, and then thought of something, tentatively asked, ¡°Your Highness, what about those gold diggers?¡± Many of Australia¡¯s poption joined as gold diggers, and they ounted for a considerable proportion of the poption.


    Although most of the gold diggers have changed their identities as ordinary people apany the Australian gold mines being almost mined, a considerable number of people still continue to operate as gold diggers in Australia.


    Once the news of the newly discoveredrge-scale gold mine in Australia is heard, these people will swarm in and spread over the nearby hills and rivers, rejoining the gold mining work.


    These people have both advantages and disadvantages for the gold mining work. Therefore, Minister Pierre could not grasp their policy treatment and could only boldly try to ask Arthur.


    Arthur naturally understood the meaning of Minister Pierre. With the influx of these gold diggers, although Australia¡¯s immigrant appeal can be improved, it will also cause some chaos in the gold mine area.


    Even with the addition of too many gold diggers, a certain amount of gold will be divided by these people.


    This will indirectly harm the interests of the country, which is why many countriester banned gold diggers.


    ¡°Let those gold diggers do as they please! As long as they don¡¯t enter our core gold mine area, let them have some of the surrounding areas with cer gold.¡± Arthurughed and said, ¡°The extraction of cer gold is very troublesome, and it is just a small fractionpared to our main gold mine. If these gold diggers can attract arge number of immigrants, it is a good choice.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s purpose was clear. As long as it ensured that the interests of the government and the royal family were not damaged with the gold diggers getting the small share, it didn¡¯t matter if these gold diggers stayed on the periphery of the gold mine. These gold diggers also knew the importance of light and heavy weight, and they pursued the cer gold scattered in the forests and creeks more.


    Although this cer gold is genuine gold, because the content is really small and it is very troublesome to extract, it is somewhat uneconomical forrge- scale mining operations organized by the government. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It¡¯s better to let these gold diggers take these small-interest heads. It can not only make these gold diggers have a taste, but also revive a small gold rush, adding bricks and tiles to Australia¡¯s immigration business.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I understand.¡± Minister Pierre nodded.


    As long as the range of the gold mine can be determined quickly, the range of the gold mine distribution can be controlled and the gold mining area can be established, and people can be organized for mining, Minister Pierre canplete the task of Arthur.


    Let those gold diggers explore the gold-rich mountains and creeks outside the gold mining area.


    After a simple inspection of the gold mining area, Arthur returned to the Manor House.


    The next exploration work will take some time, and these tasks are naturally handed over to professionals.


    Arthur only needs to wait for the final result and make arrangements based on the clearly detected gold reserves and gold content.


    However, this is currently the most important gold mine in Australia, so both the government and the royal family attach great importance to it.


    The government dispatched a hundred-person police force to patrol the gold mining area, and Arthur also assembled an army for training nearby.


    In fact, ording to the current security situation in Australia, just the one hundred police officers alone can ensure the safety of the gold mining area.


    In a society where they can be fed and clothed, the vast majority of people are still willing to bew-abiding citizens.


    Even if there are still some dangerous elements, they will never be a climate and will not be able to break through the hundred police officers¡¯ patrols and enter the gold mining area.


    Of course, this is only a short-term defense. Once the gold mine is officially mined, whether it is the numerous indigenous workers or the soldiers in charge of supervising the workers, a more solid line of defense will be formed.

 Chapter 104 - One Hundred and Four: Eastern

    Chapter 104: Chapter One Hundred and Four: Eastern


    Railway Opens (Subscribe!)


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    The search for gold mines had been going on for almost half a month, even attracting the attention of German experts.


    Finally, after nearly half a month of exploration, the approximate reserve and scope of the gold mine were determined, and it was designated as thetest mining area, with entry strictly prohibited to unrted personnel.


    ording to thetest report from Minister of Industry Pierre, therge gold minepletely covers the valley and even exceeds it in some ces.


    This means that the range of this gold mine is enormous, and with the discovery of gold in the depths of the ground by the exploration team, it can be determined that its reserves are enormous.


    Although only a preliminary estimate can be made for now, the reserves of this gold mine are undoubtedlyparable to the previously discovered ultrarge gold mines in Australia, with at least tens of millions of tons of reserves.


    The gold content of the gold mine is also above the eptable line, reaching a content of 4.5 grams of gold per ton of ore.


    This also means that at least several dozen tons of gold can be refined after thepletion of the mining, and this number is only gettingrger.


    For Arthur, who wants to issue new currency, this gold is sufficient.


    After all, even if a new currency is issued, it will only circte in Australia for a short period, and the amount printed will be small.


    The discovery of a newrge gold mine in New South Wales quickly caught the attention of gold diggers.


    Although the Ministry of Industry only took almost half a month to determine the specific scale and scope of the gold mine, hundreds of gold diggers had already arrived on the outskirts of the mine within this period.


    Despite the protection of nearby police and armed forces, they dared not approach the gold mine too closely. Outside of the gold mine range designated by the Ministry of Industry, a considerable number of gold diggers can be seen carrying their belongings and tents, embarking on a crazy gold rush journey.


    Before the news of gold mines in Australia has spread, it is these Australian gold diggers¡¯ fortune-making opportunity and timing.


    As the gold mine news spreads and more gold diggers flood into the region, even arge amount of cer gold would not be enough for these people to divide.


    The good news is that because many people have received the reliefmittee¡¯s aid or found high-paying jobs in industrial areas and other ces, not many have joined the gold rush.


    Even fewer are willing to give up their hard-earned high-paying jobs for the dream of striking it rich through gold mining, and they are few and far between.


    If Arthur hadn¡¯t specifically instructed that the sries for new positions in the industrial areas should be kept above the Australian average ie, I¡¯m afraid more people would rush for gold.


    This would not be good news for Australia¡¯s emerging industries and other constructions.


    If too much talent is lost, the hard-built industrial system will copse.


    February 17th, 1902, Sydney.


    Australia received good news today as the eastern section of the industrial railway connecting Sydney and Melbourne officially opened to traffic.


    This railroad is nearly nine hundred kilometers long, connecting two of Australia¡¯s most developed states, New South Wales and Victoria, as well as the capital cities of Sydney and Melbourne.


    The actual construction of the railway was far from fast, being started on September 1st of the previous year and having only passed about half a year. Although the Australian government invested tens of thousands of indigenous peoples in the project, with more than a thousand casualties among them.


    Only about three hundred kilometers of the railway from Sydney to Melbourne waspleted. This more than nine hundred kilometers long railway had been owned by New South Wales and Victoria for a long time.


    As the two most developed regions of Australia, the construction of railways in these two states was among the first in Australia.


    New South Wales and Victoria are also two states in Australia with abundant mineral resources. Although most of the minerals are gold mines and other metal mines, which are not very important for coal mines and iron mines, their value cannot be denied.


    in order to exploit these minerals, the construction of railways in New South Wales and Victoria had begun early and was well nned.


    If it were not for the previous istion policies between the colonies, the railways between Sydney and Melbourne could have been opened earlier.


    But now it is not toote, and this railway is crucial for promoting cultural and economic exchanges between Australian cities.


    Although arge part of the opened railway is the old one, after inspection and recement, it can be put into use.


    To celebrate the opening of Australia¡¯s firstrge-scale railway, Arthur and Prime Minister Evan personally came to the train station, gave an inspiring speech, and then took Australia¡¯s first civil train to Sydney.


    In fact, to ensure Arthur¡¯s safety, this railway has been tested many times, and now it is just for show.


    But this cannot hinder the joy of Australians for the opening of this railway, which means that the people of Southwest Wales and Victoria can use a more convenient transportation method tomunicate.


    Although people in other states cannot enjoy these benefits yet, they are not anxious. After all, the construction of industrial railways is a n for five states on the Australian continent, and the vast majority of Australians can enjoy the benefits brought by this policy, right?


    As for the people of Tasmania, due to geographical reasons, they can only bear it for now. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The current train speed is not fast. Even if the length of the railway is only more than 900 kilometers, it still takes nearly 15 hours.


    However, many Australian officials have not experienced such speed. Sitting by the train window, they are excited by pointing at the scenery passing by the window.


    Arthur didn¡¯t have such a feeling anymore. After being used to the high-speed trains and subways inter generations, it¡¯s hard to be surprised at a train with a speed of only about 60 kilometers per hour.


    In fact, the changes brought to Australia by the opening of the railway are far more than these. From an economic perspective, it can greatly reduce the cost of materials transportation, make it easier for Australians tomunicate, and promote economic development.


    As for the military aspect, if the industrial railways are fully opened, it can greatly reduce Australia¡¯s national defense pressure.


    Although Australia is an ind country, it is also a continent. Australia¡¯s total area is evenparable to Western Europe, but its army is only 10,000 strong, which is a severe challenge to national defense pressure.


    With theplete opening of the industrial railway, the army can reach any state in Australia in just a few days.


    This is crucial for maintaining the stability of Australia and reducing its national defense pressure.


    In fact, both Arthur and the Australian government underestimated the impact of this small section of the railway on Australia.


    On the day of the opening, people who received the news spontaneously organized celebrations in the streets of Sydney and Melbourne. If the police hadn¡¯t specifically instructed them that indulging in parades would affect street security, they would probably have organizedrge-scale parades to celebrate it.


    Of course, from this point of view, Australians are veryw-abiding.


    The impact of the railway opening continues. With the reports of the Victoria Newspaper and the Australia Daily on the railway opening, more and more Australians learned the good news and joined the celebrations.


    Because both newspapers specifically reminded people to be cautious when celebrating and try to avoid disrupting social order, Australia has not seen any particrly unusual celebrations.


    Mostly, groups of friends gathered together to discuss the future, share their current situation, and enjoy some good wine andpany.


    A few businesses and individual operators also took advantage of this opportunity to hold promotions and attract customers and profits.

 Chapter 105 - One Hundred and Five: Expansion of Military (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 105: Chapter One Hundred and Five: Expansion of Military (Subscribe!)


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    On February 21,1902, after several days of discussion with German military experts, Australia¡¯s military expansion officially began.


    Of course, this round of military expansion was not to prepare for any military operations, but simply to increase Australia¡¯s military strength and ensure control over its own territory and colonies.


    It is quite unfortunate that Australia chose to expand its military solely because its pitifully small army could no longer meet the needs of the defense of Australia and the New Guinea Colony, and the Guards, as an essential military force to protect the royal family, could not be stationed elsewhere.


    Under such circumstances, it is essential to expand the existing military. Australia has a poption of nearly 4 million, and conservatively speaking, there should be no problem expanding the military to 40,000 to 50,000 people. Of course, the first round of expansion will not be so crazy. Arthur¡¯s goal is to enlist 15,000 people toplete the n to reorganize the active military. ording to the Ministry of Defense¡¯s n, soldiers who havepleted training will be expanded into the backbone of the First Defense Division.


    Most of the First Defense Division uses German divisional organization, with a full division having as many as 16,000 people.


    Comparatively, the Australian army has made some changes to the German divisional organization. Brigade-level organizations have been canceled, and a single infantry division consists of three infantry regiments, one artillery regiment, and one cavalry battalion.


    In terms of weapons and equipment, Arthur has high hopes for the new Defense Division, and the Department of Defense has spent a lot of funds on this.


    Regarding heavy machine guns, the First Division has five heavy machine gunpanies, each equipped with six MA-96 Maxim machine guns, totaling thirty heavy machine guns.


    In terms of artillery, the First Division has one artillery regiment and three artillerypanies, totaling four artillery battalions.


    The artillery regiment is equipped with various types of guns. Ideally, each artillery battalion of the regiment will be equipped with eight CA-1 machine guns, five M1897 automatic artillery, and three 105mm howitzers provided by German experts.


    And the three affiliated artillerypanies of the infantry regiments are each equipped with four CA-1 machine guns and two M1897 automatic artillery.


    In this way, the firepower of the First Division equals and even slightly exceeds that of the German forces.


    Especially after being equipped with arge number of semi-automatic artillery, the number and firepower output of the First Division is not inferior to that of the German army.


    Of course, the cost of such a First Division is enormous. Just the 30 heavy machine guns and dozens of artillery pieces cost over 30,000 pounds. Plus, the expenses for soldiers and rifles would add up to at least 50,000 pounds to set up the infantry division, with monthly training and maintenance costs reaching tens of thousands of pounds.


    Such a military organization is entirely benchmarked against Germany, and even if ced on the future European battlefield, it would be a powerful force. Not to mention being in Oceania. Among the surrounding enemies, the only advantage they might have over this army is numbers.


    It is worth mentioning that, after this round of conscription, the theoretical number of Australian troops would reach 25,000 people.


    Of these, the Guards will be expanded to 8,000 people, doubling their numbers. These 8,000 people will form a mixed Guard Division, consisting of an infantry regiment, a cavalry regiment, and an artillery regiment.


    And the number of soldiers allocated to the First Division is as high as 17,000. The reason for having 1,000 more people than nned is that these extra people will be reserve officers for the Second Division and instructors when the Second Division enlists in the future.


    There is a definite difference inbat power between a divisionposed entirely of new recruits and a mixed division of old and new soldiers.


    Old soldiers significantly improve thebat effectiveness of the unit and can serve as reserve officer candidates for future expansions.


    As a result, under the deliberation of the Ministry of Defense, the officers of the First Division will have an additional deputy position, and the candidates for these deputy positions are likely to be the main officers of the Division Two in the future.


    For the existing soldiers, this indirectly increased their chances of promotion.


    Even if they are not yet capable of being officers in the army, they can strive for a deputy position.


    After a period of training, won¡¯t they still be officers when the army expands in the future?


    Although it may take a longer time, it is better than having no hope for a direct promotion.


    The Australian Ministry of Defense¡¯s expansion n was weed and enthusiastically participated in by arge number of Australian people.


    As soon as the news spread, the recruitment offices set up in New South Wales State and Victoria State were crowded with people.


    As for the other states, due to the small poption, they were not temporarily considered for recruitment.


    As the capital city of Australia, Sydney¡¯s recruitment office had a neat and long line of people.


    Even one street could not amodate the people who came to sign up, and the nearby streets were also surrounded by crowds.


    Although Arthur did not personally see the scene at the recruitment office, the reports of the Victoria Newspaper and Australia Daily were at least like this.


    It is hard to say how many of them are really joining the army to serve their country, but Australian soldiers¡¯ benefits are high, and even ordinary soldiers have an annual sry of around twelve pounds, far exceeding Australia¡¯s per capita ie level.


    More importantly, there are only 15,000 recruits this time, yet they are being recruited simultaneously in the two most populous states of Australia.


    This has also led to a significantly reduced chance of each person being selected, which is why the recruitment office was so crowded from the beginning.


    After all, working hard in a factory can only earn ten pounds a year. Once they join the army, they can earn an annual sry of at least twelve pounds, and it will be even higher if they be an officer.


    Australia is surrounded by inds belonging to various great powers, and there are no directly bordering enemies. In such a situation, Australia shouldn¡¯t be going to war, right?


    Many people hold such a fluke mentality, thinking that even if they join the army, they will be very safe, and they choose to join the army under the temptation of high sries.


    Of course, this is also what the Ministry of Defense and Arthur want to see. No matter what the reasons for these people to join the army are, their various abilities, training, and ideological education will make them understand what loyalty and patriotism are, what serving the country is, and what sacrificing oneself for the greater good means.


    The crowded Australian recruitment offices have actually won the favor of German experts. In the words of the German experts, even in all of Europe, perhaps only Germany would have such a scene.


    This is not boasting from the German experts. The history of the German Empire¡¯s founding is a history of wars with neighboring powerful nations.


    As the German Empire, which achieved unification by conquering two great powers ¨C Austria and France ¨C its military capabilities are absolutely world- ss.


    Starting from the Kingdom of Prussia, the Prussian army and the Junker nobility have always been one of the dominant forces in Europe¡¯snd forces. After defeating the traditional powers of France, the status of being the leading force in Europe¡¯snd forces fell directly on the German army.


    This has also led the German people to have an overwhelming sense of recognition and pride for their country. Every time Germany expands its military, the enthusiasm of the Germans is iparable to that of other European countries.

 Chapter 106: Brigadier General, Deputy Division Commander, and Instructor (Please Subscribe!)

    Chapter 106: Brigadier General, Deputy Division Commander, and Instructor (Please Subscribe!)


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    Australia¡¯s expansion n has achieved initial sess.


    Just within a week, from February 21st to February 27th, there have been tens of thousands of people who went to various recruitment offices to sign up.


    Due to the limitation of recruitment numbers, arge number of these applicants might be screened out, and only some of them with quick minds and strong bodies will be selected to join the military.


    Those who sessfully sign up will receive one week of training in local urban cities.


    During this week¡¯s training, those truly suitable for joining the military will be selected, and the rest will be given a demobilization fee.


    Each city will have a certain recruitment quota based on its poption. Even in Australia¡¯s capital, Sydney, the quota for this recruitment is only 4,000 people.


    In just over three weeks, nearly thirty thousand people have already signed up for the military.


    The Ministry of Defense took the opportunity to suspend the recruitment n, as it should be no problem to select 15,000 new recruits from these thirty thousand people.


    For those who were not selected, the Ministry of Defense also distributed a demobilization fee of one pound each.


    This made those who were not selected not too disappointed. After all, considering Australia¡¯s current per capita ie level, one pound is equivalent to one month¡¯s ie for most Australians.


    One monthter, on March 20th, 1902, two thousand veteran soldiers and fifteen thousand new recruits were integrated together, forming Australia¡¯s first regr division, the Australian 1st Defense Division.


    Arthur personally attended the establishment ceremony of the 1st Defense Division and appointed the Commander of the Division himself.


    As the preparation of the expansion of the future military, the number of officers in the 1st Defense Division is quiterge.


    The senior officers of the First Division are Brigadier General John McLean, Deputy Division Commander Jurgen Schulz, and Instructor Bernhard Lange.


    Brigadier General John McLean is one of the senior leaders in Arthur¡¯s Guards. Both his military quality and loyalty are trustworthy, making him the natural choice for themander of the First Division.


    Deputy Division Commander Jurgen Schulz was a senior officer in the Australian garrison forces before and showed great potential after the reorganization. His position as deputy divisionmander is the perfect training ground for him. If he proves his ability and loyalty during his tenure, he will likely be the divisionmander of the Second Division in the future.


    Bernhard Lange has a unique identity. Duke Arthur left him as part of the foundation for Arthur, but his abilities are somewhat special.


    In terms of civil and military capabilities, that is, the ability to handle government affairs and lead the military, Bernhard Lange can only be considered marginally qualified.


    However, Bernhard Lange has a special advantage: he is good at delivering speeches and is extremely bewitching in his speeches.


    This characteristic is somewhat simr to the Fiihrer ofter generations. When Bernhard Lange delivers a speech, he can always arouse the emotions and resonance of the majority of the audience.


    This kind of ability seems insignificant in some aspects, but is extremely important in some other special aspects.


    Arthur decisively made him the person in charge of ideological education in the military and allowed him to choose talents and form his ideological education team.


    As a result, it is evident that Bernhard Lange sessfullypleted his task and made the previously trained veteran soldiers understand the importance of loyalty and patriotism.


    Now that the military has been reorganized, Arthur has allowed him to continue to serve as the instructor of the First Division. The position of instructor is specially established by Arthur, and as one of the senior officers of a troop, the instructor is mainly responsible for the ideological education of all soldiers and officers, and secondary responsibilities include logistics issues of the military.


    Although on the surface, the position of instructor seems to have the least influence among the three senior officers, it is precisely the opposite in reality.


    Arthur has given the instructor great power. In addition to being unable to directlymand the troops inbat, the object of daily ideological work even includes the divisionmander and deputy divisionmander.


    This move directly makes the position of the instructor the second most important person in the First Division, with authority surpassing that of the deputy divisionmander.


    The three senior officers of the First Division are like a tripod, each responsible for their respective areas, and they can supervise each other without interference, ensuring that there are no problems within the military.


    The First Division is stationed in the mountainous region, where they will undergo at least one year of training before being divided into smaller units consisting of battalions and stationed around Australia and New Guinea.


    To ensure the logistical supply of these soldiers and the various ammunition and supplies needed for their training, the Ministry of Transportation directly built a highway that leads directly to the military district under Arthur¡¯s suggestion. More than three thousand indigenous people were employed, and the construction of the twenty-kilometer highway waspleted before the soldiers arrived.


    This mountain area will also be the training site for the Australian military in the future, producing batches of outstanding military personnel for Australia. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In terms of material supply, the Ministry of Defense is very generous. Just like the previous military training, they ensure that at least two of the soldiers¡¯ daily meals have meat, and they eat at least one pound of meat a day.


    Food supplies have a wide variety, with at least five dishes to choose from in each meal, and they change daily.


    Arthur is very generous with the soldiers¡¯ food supply, but has only one requirement ¨C there must be no waste.


    With a daily supply of at least one pound of meat and a lot of physical training, these new recruits are growing in physique, and in just one month, they have gained some weight.


    Arthur is satisfied with this progress. To a certain extent, the strength of soldiers also represents theirbat effectiveness.


    No one would like to see the soldiers of their country thin and weak, easily blown over by the wind, let alone think about going into battle.


    Under Arthur¡¯s concept, the Australian military should be a strong and powerful force that not only looks powerful but is even more formidable in reality.


    Even if training these soldiers requires arge amount of funds and supplies, Arthur would spare no expense.


    Therefore, the military factories are working overtime to produce weapons, equipment, and ammunition. Whether it¡¯s the Lee-Enfield Rifle, CA-i Machine Gun, or the MA-96 Maxim Machine Gun, all need to be massively equipped.


    With round after round of target practice and weapon training, the consumption of ammunition for these weapons is also a huge number.


    Arthur¡¯s arms factory is in a state of overtime production during this time, even hiring rounds of workers for the purpose.


    Rifles, machine guns, and other weapons are continuously shipped to the military camps and handed to the soldiers for use.


    This makes the First Division more like a regr army and moving towards bing an elite force.

 Chapter 107 - One Hundred and Seven: Going to New Zealand (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 107: Chapter One Hundred and Seven: Going to New Zend (Subscribe!)


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    If the logistical supply and weaponry provision of the First Division could be considered luxurious, then the mixed and reorganized Guard Division would be even more extravagant.


    The Guard Division wasprised of the Guard Infantry Group, Guard Cavalry Group, and Guard Artillery Group, with a total of over 8,000 personnel.


    Although their numbers were only half of the First Defense Division, their firepower and weaponry were even more luxurious.


    Like the First Defense Division, the Guard Infantry Group also had more than 3,000 personnel, only having more heavy machine gun toons and naturally more heavy machine guns avable.


    Although there was only one Guard Infantry Regiment, they had already equipped with thirteen heavy machine guns, which was half of a typical German Regr Division. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Cavalry Corps not only had three horses for each soldier to exchange, but they were also equipped with long guns, short guns, and long knives for their weaponry.


    In an era before tanks existed, cavalry remained a powerful force. Although the Guard Cavalry Corps did not have heavy machine guns, they did have two full cavalry artillery toons.


    While the cavalry artillery toons nned to equip somewhat smaller caliber CA-i machine guns and M1987 automatic cannons, their firepower was not weak due to the fact that they were all automatic cannons.


    And there is no need to mention the artillery regiments. The Guard Artillery Regiment had four artillery battalions, each of which were equipped with ten CA-i machine guns, five M1987 automatic cannons, and five 105mm howitzers. With a total of eighty cannons in one artillery brigade, the firepower exceeded the level of existing European regr divisions.


    The training ground of the Guard Division was located near Sydney and not far from the city. This was actually for the purpose of guarding the capital and protecting the royal family.


    Of course, having a nearby training ground also had its benefits, as the logistical supply was not so tense.


    Even when the entire Guard Division was engaged in training, less than 2,000 indigenous people were needed to easilyplete their supply transportation.


    Aside from weaponry and equipment, the soldiers of the Guard Division had better treatment than those in the First Division in terms of sry and logistical support.


    This wasrgely due to the fact that the royal family covered the expenses of the Guard Division, while the Ministry of Defense was responsible for the expenses of the First Division.


    If the food supply for the First Division was about ensuring a certain amount of meat with some selections, then the food supply for the Guard Division soldiers was free choice.


    Yes, truly free choice. Every meal of the Guard Division usually consisted of more than ten different dishes, and the soldiers could freely choose the foods they wanted to eat.


    And on holidays, soldiers could also order meals freely. As long as the price was within a reasonable range, gourmet meals could be specially made for the soldiers.


    This level of logistical supply directly crushed most of the world¡¯s armies, winning the loyalty and goodwill of all the Guard Division soldiers for Arthur.


    Apart from the regr logistical supplies, the sry of the Guard Division soldiers was also very attractive, generally reaching around twenty pounds.


    Although this ie level was still a bit behindpared to European armies, it was already considered high-ie in Australia.


    And whether it was the Guards or the First Division, their sry levels were not fixed.


    As the average Australian ie increased, soldiers¡¯ ies would also increase ordingly. To maintain the soldiers¡¯ ie above the average, the Guard Division soldiers earned twice the average ie, ensuring their loyalty and affection towards Arthur.


    After all, military service was always somewhat risky. To win over these soldiers, not only did they have to provide good logistical support, but they also had to offer preferential sries and pay them on time.


    Arthur paid great attention to the payment of these soldiers¡¯ sries, entrusting full responsibility to the Royal Bank.


    The soldiers¡¯ sries were paid out twice a year, in spring and autumn. On the day their military sries were paid, the Royal Bank would hand out the already prepared checks to all the soldiers.


    They could use the checks issued by the Royal Bank to exchange for an equal amount of pounds or other currencies.


    Of course, once Arthur began issuing new currency in the future, they could also exchange it for the new currency to use.


    Responsibility for the sry distribution of the First Division soldiersy with the Ministry of Defense. Nheless, Arthur still urged them earnestly.


    For any country, it was important not to deduct or dy soldiers¡¯ sries, no matter what.


    After all, the military was an essential means of maintaining national stability and political stability. It included Arthur himself, who relied on the military to maintain his power.


    While building up the military, Arthur was also plotting other moves.


    On March 27,1902, the Australian Relief Committee set foot on New Zend soil for the first time, arriving in Wellington, the capital of British New Zend.


    The Royal Relief Committee¡¯s officials received a warm wee from New Zenders.


    Of course, this was also a matter of course. After all, the reason the Relief Committee¡¯s officials came to New Zend was to provide relief to the poor of New Zend and to implement simr relief policies as in Australia.


    As they were delivering money and food supplies, if the New Zenders did not wee them, wouldn¡¯t it mean their brains had a hole?


    Speaking of the history of British New Zend, it was closely rted to Australia.


    More than 60 years before, New Zend had been under Australian colonial rule and had not established a separate colony.


    It was not until 1841 that New Zend was separated from Australia and the British New Zend Colony was established.


    But this did not erase the rtionship between Australia and New Zend.


    In the original history, when Australia established an autonomous territory, New Zend had also attempted to join, but ultimately abandoned the idea.


    Although New Zend¡¯s attempt to join Australia was discouraged by Britain, it also confirmed the extent to which New Zenders recognized Australia.


    Although present-day Australia did not develop like history and instead became a new duchy, New Zend still proposed to join at first. However, the British government, then under the control of Crown Prince Edward, refused the proposal.


    And the actual queen of the British Empire at that time, Victoria, had already gone into retirement on White Ind.


    By the time Queen Victoria learned of the matter, it was already toote. However, she used new means to bring New Zend under Arthur¡¯s rule, albeit nominally for only twenty years.


    Apanying the Royal Relief Committee for the trip to New Zend was also Arthur and a bodyguard.


    As Arthur set foot in New Zend, he was filled with emotion.


    Thest time he visited New Zend, Queen Victoria was still alive. But now, returning again to New Zend, much had changed, and even Arthur¡¯s own status had shifted.


    If Arthur had been a guest visiting New Zend thest time, then as a governor this time, he was now in the role of a host.

 Chapter 108 - One Hundred and Eight: Winning the Hearts of the People (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 108: Chapter One Hundred and Eight: Winning the Hearts of the People (Please subscribe!)


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    The New Zend Colonial Government prepared a grand wee ceremony for Arthur. It took ce at the same harbor, but the weing crowd consisted entirely of New Zenders.


    Although called New Zenders, most of them were of British descent, just like Australians. They had been living in New Zend for decades or even centuries, and considered thend their home.


    For that reason, they did not resist being ruled by someone like Arthur, who came from the British Royal Family and shared their skin color andnguage. When Arthur arrived with the Relief Committee, they immediately weed him.


    Here in New Zend, Arthur sessfully met General Pierce Antony, the Military Commander of the New Zend Garrison, as well as New Zend officials who had attended Australia¡¯s National Day celebration.


    Upon seeing Arthur again, these New Zend officials were very enthusiastic and approached him one by one to pay their respects and greet him.


    After they finished their greetings, Arthur formally met with the Commander of New Zend, General Pierce.


    As militarymander of one of the British Empire¡¯s colonies, General Pierce had an impressive career. He graduated from a renowned British military college and served for over a decade in armies from the local army, the Guards, and the Colonial Army before being appointed Commander of the New Zend Garrison.


    Although he onlymands a 3,000-strong garrison in New Zend, when General Pierce returns to the United Kingdom, he is sure to be promoted to a position no lower than Brigadier General.


    Arthur had a good impression of General Pierce, considering that it was the general¡¯s 3,000-strong garrison that maintained a good security situation in New Zend.


    ¡°Wee to New Zend, Your Highness, the Duke of Australia and Governor of New Zend!¡± General Pierce stepped forward with a smile and spoke respectfully to Arthur.


    Although he held military power as the colonialmander, General Pierce understood the difference in status between himself and Arthur.


    Before Arthur¡¯s arrival, the New Zend Garrison may have been able topete with the colonial government. Still, with Arthur¡¯s presence, the New Zend Colonial Government would be unable to challenge the 3,000-strong garrison.


    If he dared to disobey any orders, Arthur could easily sideline him from his position as the Commander of New Zend through reforms.


    Keep in mind that these New Zend troops wereposed of New Zenders, and although some British officers were present, Arthur was also from the British Royal Family.


    Once Arthur gains the trust and recognition of the New Zenders, whether his 3,000-strong force listens to hismand is a question worth pondering.


    After meeting with all the officials, Arthur did not go directly to the Government Building where the New Zend Colonial Government was based. Instead, he stayed at the harbor and had the guards clear some space for him to deliver an on-the-spot speech.


    Since he was determined to im New Zend as his own, it was necessary to win the hearts and trust of the New Zenders first in the initial step.


    For a person with a distinguished nobility background and who is the legal ruler of a certain area, it is straightforward to win the people¡¯s hearts.


    Imagine that the ruler of a country, with a distinguished noble background and a promise to the people, would definitely evoke more trust than politicians!


    After all, in this era, monarchism is the mainstream, and any monarch or ruler cherishes their prestige, and would hardly make a move to break their promises publicly.


    After all, the prestige and authority of a monarch determine the credibility of the royal family, and once the credibility of the royal family is insufficient, and people no longer believe and trust in the royal family, the royal family and the monarch may lose their ruling position.


    After all, the waves of European liberalism are still very frightening, and even France, as a powerful nation, has not undergone several changes, changing from a monarchy to a republic?


    Compared to those politicians who promise everything during the campaign but do nothing once they are in office, most monarchs at least still know how to take care of their subjects.


    ¡°People of New Zend, I am Connaught Arthur, Duke of Australia and Governor of New Zend. It is an honor to act as your temporary ruler and manage this prosperous region for twenty years. In my view, all New Zenders, like Australians, are the new nations evolved from European immigrants. We even have the same origins and the same goals,¡± Arthur began, speaking to the crowds.


    ¡°Australia and New Zend alike arends in Oceania. Whether Australians or New Zenders, our essential goals are the same: to protect this greatnd and lead it to prosperity.¡±


    ¡°Now, Australia has taken the first step: raising the per capita ie of all Australians, building an industrial area, and nning to build a vast railway that runs through Australia. At this critical moment, I believe it is time to bring the wave of development to New Zend, allowing it to rise and prosper alongside Australia,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness! Will you also build industrial areas and railways for New Zend? Will you also increase the per capita ie of New Zenders?¡± New Zenders asked eagerly.


    They were once part of Australia, and New Zend used to have a simr development to Australia.


    As a colony of the British Empire, both New Zenders and Australians had low ies.


    But since Arthur¡¯s coronation as Duke of Australia, Australia¡¯s development has undergone a dramatic change. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Industrial areas, harbors, railways, highways, hospitals, schools, universities, nursing homes, orphanages.


    One by one, the buildings sprang up, not only significantly improving the living standards and basic conditions for Australians but also leaving a deep impression on New Zenders.


    After all, the reason Australia experienced such significant changes in just over two years is because they now have a monarch, right?


    Turning Australia from a colony into an independent duchy and greatly reducing the taxes of Australians.


    Compared to the happy Australians, New Zenders¡¯ treatment was much worse.


    As a colony, the New Zend government had to hand over arge portion of its revenue to the British Empire each year, much of which was squeezed from the people of New Zend.


    Seeing that their sibling country, Australia, was gradually developing and prospering, and looking at themselves, who not only had to face harsh taxation but were not even an independent country, the tears of envy of New Zenders could not stop flowing.


    ¡°Increasing the ie of all New Zenders is inevitable. As your governor, I cannot bear to see arge number of New Zenders still living in poverty. At the very least, I should ensure that no New Zender has to worry about the problem of hunger,¡± Arthur nodded matter-of-factly.


    ¡°However, issues like building industrial zones and railways require the discussion of all colonial government officials. And New Zend probably does not have sufficient funds to build these facilities. However, if the New Zend Colonial Government agrees to construction in New Zend, as the Duke of Australia and Governor of New Zend, I am willing to provide enough development funds for New Zend in the form of loans,¡± Arthur replied while looking at the already eager New Zenders with a smile.

 Chapter 109 - One Hundred and Nine: The Current Situation in New Zealand (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 109: Chapter One Hundred and Nine: The Current Situation in New Zend (Subscribe!)


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    Arthur¡¯s words struck the hearts of all New Zenders like a heavy hammer.


    Indeed! As kind as His Royal Highness Arthur may be, he is eventually the monarch of the Australian People. To Arthur, New Zend is merely a territory under temporary administration for twenty years and he only has administrative power during these years, even being controlled by the officials of the Colonial Government.


    Under such circumstances, nobody is foolish enough to exhaust all their resources in developing and that may not belong to them.


    On considering this, New Zenders were filled with disappointment, but this was soon reced by a dreadful thought: What if New Zend were indeed a territory under His Royal Highness Arthur? What if they were subjects of His Royal Highness Arthur?


    If New Zend, like Australia, was a territory under Arthur, wouldn¡¯t His Royal Highness be able to develop New Zend the same way he did Australia, increasing the ie of all New Zenders? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    There were many New Zenders with such thoughts, after all, several decades ago, New Zend was also a part of Australia, so wouldn¡¯t unification be a natural course of action?


    If Arthur knew the thoughts in the minds of the New Zenders, he would nod


    in satisfaction at the sess of his scheme.


    As a member of the royal family of the British Empire, Australia is also a Duchy that split from the British Empire.


    Under such circumstances, Arthur certainly could not oppose the British


    Empire openly.


    After all, a significant part of Arthur¡¯s status and prestige is inherited from Queen Victoria, and he certainly would not undermine his own foundation.


    So, the only way to covet New Zend¡¯snd was to encourage the New Zenders to ask to join Australia themselves.


    The speech at the harbor was just the first step in the n. There will be many more follow-ups, to allow more people and powers to promote New Zend¡¯s edence to Australia.


    The speech at the harbor was very sessful, at least from the expressions of the New Zenders.


    No matter what the Colonial Government and General Pierce feel, Arthur¡¯s speech is definitely not something they could interrupt.


    Afterward, under the leadership of the colonial officials, Arthur went to the building where the Colonial Government was located to understand the situation of the New Zend Colony in detail.


    The history of colonization in New Zend began in 1788, but for over fifty years until 1841, New Zend was always a colony under Australia.


    Only from 1841 onwards, did New Zend separate from Australia to establish the British New Zend Colony.


    Compared with Australia, the initial development of New Zend was slightly superior.


    New Zend has long been a food production area for Australia and a base for British animal husbandry products.


    When gold was discovered in Australia, gold mines were also discovered on the west coast of New Zend.


    With the influx of gold miners, New Zend¡¯s immigration rates drastically improved, and production and trade also developed rapidly.


    However, due to the decline in international agricultural product prices and gold production at the end of the 19th century, the unemployment situation in New Zend was serious, and the economy was also in decline.


    Of course, the rise of Australia is undoubtedly a factor in the downturn of New Zend¡¯s economy.


    Previously, Australia¡¯s food supply was somewhat dependant on New Zend, but currently, Australia has established good animal husbandry and agriculture, not only has it escaped the need for foreign food, but it has even started to export food inrge quantities.


    What¡¯s more important is that, due to its advantage in terms ofnd area and poption, Australia easily captured many markets in animal husbandry and the food industry, which is one of the reasons New Zend¡¯s economy is in a downturn.


    If it weren¡¯t for the United Kingdom choosing to import animal husbandry products from New Zend after Australia dered independence, New Zend¡¯s economy would have been even more depressed.


    However, as a whole, because of its good initial development, the current development level of New Zend is still on par with Australia.


    Up to now, New Zend has a total poption of 1.14 million, with most of the poption residing on the North Ind of New Zend, and fewer than two- fifths of the poption residing on the South Ind of New Zend.


    In terms ofnd area, New Zend has a totalnd area of approximately 268600 square kilometers,prising the North Ind of New Zend, the South Ind, Stuart Ind, and some nearby small inds.


    Mountains and hills upy 75¡ã/<> of New Zend¡¯s total area, which is why its animal husbandry industry is so developed.


    ording to intelligence from the New Zend Colonial Government, the per capita ie in New Zend is about eleven pounds, and there are just under 200,000 people belonging to the extremely low-ie poption.


    In terms of mineral resources, although not as rich as Australia, New Zend is one of the countries with rtively rich mineral resources.


    When ites to metallic minerals, New Zend has gold mines, silver mines, and iron mines. The production output of gold and silver mines has been decreasing year by year due to the exhaustion of the ores.


    New Zend also has coal mines. Although the reserves of coal and iron are not as rich as in Australia, it can establish certain industries and can be considered rich in mineral resources.


    Due to its previous prosperity, New Zend has built a certain amount of highways, bridges, railways, telegraph lines, and other public works, and its infrastructure is better than that of Australia.


    However, with the decline of the economy, many public works have fallen into disuse, and some roads and railways have be unusable due tock of maintenance.


    More importantly, as a self-governing colony of the British Empire, New Zend is restricted by the British Empire in all aspects and cannot develop independently.


    Arge portion of wealth has been absorbed by the British maind, and the wealth that remains in New Zend is not much.


    Overall, because of its previous sesses, New Zend is temporarily on par with the development level of Australia.


    However, it can be foreseen that if New Zend continues to stagnate, or even if its economy and development deteriorate, it is only a matter of time before Australia will surpass New Zend.


    The economic recession in New Zend has already incited dissatisfaction amongst New Zenders, which is why there has been a wave of independence there.


    In addition, the rapid development and economic integration brought about by Australia¡¯s independence have gradually made New Zenders yearn for New Zend to be an independent and autonomous country.


    Currently, New Zend has two political parties with significant influence, namely the New Zend Labor Party,posed of many workers, and the Alliance Partyposed of many retired soldiers and officials from New Zend.


    The New Zend Labour Party advocates that New Zend follow the model of Australia and establish an autonomous territory with autonomy.


    On the other hand, the Alliance Party hopes to make New Zend an independent country, or part of an independent country, by joining Australia.

 Chapter 110 - One Hundred and Ten: Food Donations and Relief (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 110: Chapter One Hundred and Ten: Food Donations and Relief (Subscribe!)


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    Currently, the political party with the most influence in New Zend is the Alliance Party.


    Firstly, most members of the Alliance Party are retired soldiers and officials from New Zend, and even some current officials.


    Although most of them hold minor positions, they do have more say than the majority of workers in the New Zend Labor Party.


    Secondly, both New Zenders and Australians are descendants of mostly British immigrants and a small number of European immigrants, and although their different living areas have led to different national names, they can still be considered the same group of people.


    Many New Zenders admire the current development pace of Australians and the excellent monarch, Arthur.


    That is the reason why they support the Alliance Party, as once New Zend joins Australia, like several decades ago, they too could enjoy the development facilitated by an outstanding monarch, along with the Australians.


    As a result, the Alliance Party applied to the British Empire to join Australia shortly after the establishment of the Australian Principality, but they were refused by the British Government at the time.


    This caused the Alliance Party to lose some of its reputation, and some New Zenders were even disappointed in their ns to merge with Australia.


    However, with Arthur bing the Governor of New Zend, the idea of unite with Australia has gained more poprity, and the Alliance Party has risen back to more prominence than the New Zend Labor Party.


    Looking at the information on the New Zend Colony, Arthur is deep in thought.


    As it stands, the hope of Australia annexing New Zend is significant, and perhaps even turning New Zend into a region of Australia, achievingplete annexation.


    But there is one problem: Arthur cannot directly instigate the New Zenders, and the issue of New Zend still has to be solved by the New Zenders themselves.


    While direct Australian involvement is inconvenient, the Alliance Party seems to be a perfect power, being a political party with influence within New Zend while also advocating for a merger with Australia.


    With this in mind, Arthur decides to meet with the leader of the Alliance Party at some point and indirectly instigate the people of New Zend through the party.


    On April 7,1902, after more than ten days of investigation and statistics, the Royal Relief Committee finally determined the first round of relief ns for New Zend.


    Compared to the relief ns in Australia, the relief n for New Zend resembles abination of the first and second rounds of relief ns in Australia.


    The Royal Relief Committee will provide financial assistance of five pounds to all families in the whole of New Zend whose annual ie is below thirty pounds and provide them with new job opportunities.


    So where do these job opportunitiese from? In addition to New Zend¡¯s existing factories and construction facilities that require positions, Arthur has provided these New Zenders with a new option ¨C working in Australia.


    Australia is not too far from New Zend, only about a two to three-day voyage away.


    For those who cannot find work in New Zend, going to Australia for work is a good option.


    Just getting the colonial government to agree to this policy took a great deal of effort from Arthur.


    However, the result was excellent, as under the pressure of Arthur¡¯s position as Governor and the threat of the nearby guards, the colonial government agreed to the proposal quickly.


    Arthur¡¯s actions are not without purpose, as allowing some New Zenders to work in Australia can also strengthen the connection between New Zend and Australia.


    These New Zenders who work in Australia can also share their experiences in Australia with their families and rtives in New Zend during their annual holidays, arousing the interest of more people in Australia.


    After being subtly influenced, is it still a concern that New Zenders wouldn¡¯t want to merge with Australia?


    For those who work in Australia, if New Zend and Australia could merge into one unified country, their work would be much smoother.


    In the long run, joining Australia would be a wee development for these people living and working in New Zend.


    The eptance of New Zenders to work in Australia is not high, as after all, it involves leaving their homnd for another country.


    Moreover, the per capita ie in Australia is not high, and although most of the work ie has already exceeded the per capita ie, it¡¯s only around eleven or twelve pounds, which is approximately the same as some upations in New Zend. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, they are very epting of the relief funds provided by the Relief Committee. Within just three days, thousands of low-ie New Zenders in Wellington alone received help from the Royal Relief Committee.


    When expanding the scope to the whole of New Zend, approximately eight thousand people received assistance, and the number is still growing rapidly.


    As the saying goes, epting gifts brings obligation. After receiving aid from the Royal Relief Committee, these New Zenders became more weing of Arthur and the members of themittee and even began to spread the story of Australia on their own initiative.


    Arthur didn¡¯t expect this. Under the spontaneous propaganda of these New Zenders who have received relief, more and more New Zenders are having a good impression of Australia, and the support rate of the Alliance Party is getting higher and higher.


    Some New Zenders have even started discussing the possibility of Arthur bing their monarch, showing how popr he is in New Zend.


    Since this is the case, Arthur doesn¡¯t mind pushing harder.


    Under Arthur¡¯s guidance, the Royal Relief Committee¡¯s relief n added another item ¨C providing food to low-ie individuals.


    Since five pounds of funds are still being given away, the amount of food provided is not much, only arge bag of flour and five pounds of mutton.


    Due to the thriving animal husbandry industry in New Zend, obtaining enough relief food is quite easy.


    Especially beef and mutton, the prices of meat in New Zend are very cheap, particrly in bulk purchases.


    As a result, the updated relief n costs are not high, with the additional expense being less than one pound per person.


    However, this again wins over the hearts of the New Zenders.


    Providing financial aid, food, and job opportunities, these New Zenders have never experienced such a relief n.


    As the saying goes, withoutparison, there is no harm. Although the New Zend colonial government has made great efforts to revive the economy, their efforts seemckluster in front of Arthur¡¯s relief n that provides money, food, and work.

 Chapter 111 - One Hundred and Eleven: Meeting with the Alliance Party (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 111: Chapter One Hundred and Eleven: Meeting with the Alliance Party (Subscribe!)


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    On April 11,1902, after fully understanding the situation in New Zend, Arthur finally made the decision for his next step: to meet the Alliance Party, currently thergest party in New Zend.


    Among the current two major political parties in New Zend, the Alliance Party has actually been established for a rtively short time.


    However, since its establishment up to now, it is the most influential party with the most say in New Zend.


    Fortunately, thanks to New Zend¡¯s background as an autonomous colony, the Alliance Party has obtained certain positions, such as the current Alliance Party leader Grant Wilson, a typical representative.


    Grant Wilson was born in Wellington, New Zend in 1853 and is one of the representatives of New Zend¡¯s local officials.


    Grant¡¯s early political career was not sessful, and the highest-ranking official he had been was a smallmissioner in the Wellington City Council, responsible for surveying the people¡¯s conditions in Wellington.


    Although themissioner sounds morous, it is actually a verymon position in New Zend, which is, to put it bluntly, just an ordinary small official.


    However, Grant Wilson was not a man who was content with mediocrity. Aftering into contact with the Labour Party, he became interested in political parties but looked down on the Labour Partyposed of workers.


    So, under the opportunity of Australia bing a Duke¡¯s Territory, Grant Wilson joined forces with his friends to establish the Alliance Party, advocating the purpose of ¡°uniting Australia and building a new New Zend,¡± quickly gaining the support of some small officials and retired soldiers.


    As Australia gradually developed, New Zenders began to change their opinions and impressions of Australia, and the ideas of joining or uniting with Australia were no longer refuted.


    The turning point for the Alliance Party to be thergest party in New Zend was the appointment of Arthur as the Governor of New Zend by Queen Victoria.


    From that moment on, the people of New Zend saw the hope of uniting with Australia, and Grant Wilson saw the hope of the Alliance Party¡¯s rise; heunched arge-scale propaganda campaign, sessfully attracting some people to join the Alliance Party, winning the election and gaining the position of Mayor of Wellington.


    Yes, because New Zend is an autonomous colony, its electoral system, although not fully developed, has its own system.


    Apart from the officials of the colonial government needing the appointment of the Governor and the political parties not being able to interfere temporarily, all other positions, including the City Council, were appointed by election.


    After bing the Mayor of Wellington, Grant Wilson could no longer conceal his political intentions, and began to vigorously instigate the independence of New Zend, bing one of the advocates and leaders of the New Zend independence movement.


    Arthur chose to meet Grant Wilson at the former Governor¡¯s Mansion of New Zend, which had been vacant and uninhabited since the previous Governor left.


    However, the hygiene of the Governor¡¯s Mansion was still maintained by someone regrly, although it couldn¡¯t be guaranteed to be dust-free, it could still be used after a simple cleanup.


    In the conference hall of the Governor¡¯s Mansion, Arthur met the Alliance Party leader and Mayor of Wellington City, Grant Wilson.


    At this time, Grant Wilson was already over 50 years old, and in this world where the average life expectancy was only 40 years and Western Europe¡¯s average life expectancy was only 46 years, he was indeed considered elderly.


    It is evident that Grant Wilson made full preparations before meeting Arthur.


    Not only did he wear a very formal-looking suit, but his whole body also went through meticulous preparations, and he walked in with great respect.


    ¡°On behalf of all members of the Alliance Party, I extend my heartfelt greetings to Your Highness, the Governor of New Zend and the Duke of Australia,¡± said Grant Wilson reverently.


    Arthur nodded, smiling slightly, ¡°Please sit down, Mayor Grant.¡±


    Grant Wilson hesitated, then carefully sat down, while tentatively observing Arthur¡¯s expression.


    Greg waited for several minutes, but Arthur didn¡¯t say anything. Growing increasingly restless, Grant Wilson asked cautiously, ¡°Is there something that Your Highness has summoned me for?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Arthur finally stopped leafing through the information in his hands, looked up with a hint of a smile, and gazed at Grant Wilson.


    Feeling flustered by Arthur¡¯s stare, Grant Wilson squirmed, adjusted his position, lowered his head, and dared not look at Arthur.


    ¡°The Alliance Party is now thergest party in New Zend, right? Mayor Grant is doing a good job. It seems that the electoral system in New Zend is even more advanced than Australia,¡± Arthur finally said, mentioning content that Grant Wilson could not understand.


    ¡°This is thanks to the support of the people of New Zend and the good rtionship between New Zend and Australia since their establishment,¡± Grant Wilson replied.


    Before figuring out Arthur¡¯s true intentions, honestly answering questions was the only approach Mayor Grant could think of.


    After all, Arthur is not only the Duke of Australia, but also the Governor of New Zend.


    It is very easy for Arthur to find out about something, and it is absolutely not something Grant Wilson has the qualifications to deceive.


    ¡°How does Mayor Grant view Australia?¡± Arthur asked with a smile.


    Grant Wilson sat up straight again, his gaze fixed on the floor. After a moment of thought, he spoke solemnly: ¡°Australia is vast innd area and will see rapid poption growth after implementing the immigration policy. Moreover, Australia itself has rich mineral resources, which allows it to sessfully establish numerous factories and industrial systems.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, under Your Highness¡¯ leadership, Australia has demonstrated tremendous potential. I believe that given time, Australia¡¯s development speed and achievements will not be weaker than European nations and may even rival the Powers,¡± Grant said, ncing at Arthur¡¯s expression while speaking thest sentence.


    Although ttered, Arthur showed no change in expression and simply nodded. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Just as Grant Wilson was pondering whether he had said anything wrong, Arthur continued to ask, ¡°Mayor Grant, how do you think the rtionship between Australia and New Zend will develop?¡±


    This question was not easy, and Grant Wilson knew that this question was what Arthur really wanted to ask. So, he didn¡¯t dare to answer right away. Instead, he carefully organized hisnguage and then slowly began to speak.


    ¡°I think the best oue for Australia and New Zend is to move towards unity. Whether it is from the historical perspective of the two regions or the ethnic makeup, I believe that unity is the best oue for both New Zend and Australia..¡±

 Chapter 112 - One Hundred and Twelve: Alliance or Merger (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 112: Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: Alliance or Merger (Subscribe!)


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    ¡°Oh?¡± Arthur became interested, looking at Grant Wilson and asking, ¡°Why?¡±


    Why? Grant Wilson hesitated, but answered quickly: ¡°Essentially, New Zend once belonged to Australia, and both regions share the same immigrant origin and culture, and are not far away from each other.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, both Australia and New Zend are too vulnerable when faced with the global environment separately. New Zenders currently have strong independent sentiment, but even if New Zend sessfully bes independent, it cannot stand on its own in the world. To truly build a strong country, only a union between New Zend and Australia can be envisioned,¡± Grant Wilson said seriously.


    Grant Wilson does not oppose New Zend¡¯s independence, and even supports it strongly.


    Because only by making New Zend an independent country can native power and officials like Grant Wilson have the opportunity for promotion, instead of being suppressed by the British.


    However, after gaining independence, New Zend neither has sufficient armed forces, nor enough funds for its own development.


    Under such conditions, the merger of two extremely simr countries, Australia and New Zend, seems to be the best choice in Grant Wilson¡¯s view.


    New Zend is not far away from Australia, and their union canpletely control Oceania, and then seek to upy morend.


    Grant Wilson¡¯s ideas are simr to Arthur¡¯s, but Arthur cannot ept a simple union between New Zend and Australia.


    For a region like New Zend, which is not only close to Australia but also has an extremely simr poption and cultural origin, and even exactly the same, Arthur cannot let it go.


    Although Australians and New Zenders sound like two different ethnic groups, they are actually just new titles for British immigrants based on their current hometowns and their partners.


    Whether in culture or lineage, the vast majority of Australians and New Zenders are pure British.


    ¡°A merger between Australia and New Zend is indeed a good option. Australia is willing to work with New Zenders to develop Australia and New Zend together by forming a federation,¡± Arthur said slowly.


    Grant Wilson¡¯s heart froze for a moment, but on the surface, he nodded calmly.


    Forming a federation with Australia is Grant Wilson¡¯s most helpless choice for New Zend.


    Considering the current scales of New Zend and Australia, after forming a federation, Australia would definitely have the most say.


    This isn¡¯t very friendly for Grant Wilson either, as Australia won¡¯t let New Zend¡¯s power expand uncontrobly, threatening Australia¡¯s dominant position.


    ¡°How many members does the Alliance Party currently have? How many achievements can the Alliance Party achieve in the next election?¡± Arthur asked.


    Individuals can also participate in New Zend¡¯s elections, but political parties have a lot more advantagespared to individuals.


    If the Alliance Party can take advantage of being thergest party in New Zend and win more positions in the next election, or fight for more mayoral positions in cities, it would have a great driving effect on swaying public opinion in New Zend, and even future New Zend joining Australia.


    ¡°The Alliance Party currently has more than sixty members, Your Highness. The next election is in May next year, and we are working on an impact profile for more positions,¡± Grant Wilson answered one by one.


    Arthur nodded, then said: ¡°I will establish an advisory council in New Zend under the Governor¡¯s title, and members of the advisory council will be elected by the people of New Zend. I hope the Alliance Party will win over half of the seats in the advisory council, and I will also provide you some support in secret.¡±


    An advisory council? Grant Wilson was taken aback. Judging from the name, it is a powerful institution, especially when it was personally established by Governor Arthur of New Zend, right?


    Once knowing Arthur¡¯s real intention to annex New Zend, Grant Wilson realized that no one could stop New Zend from joining Australia, unless the British government directly rejected it.


    But is it possible for the British government? You should know that Governor Arthur¡¯s position was personally appointed by Queen Victoria herself before her death, and specifically instructed that no one should revoke his position for any reason.


    Unless Arthur waged war against the British Empire in New Zend, even Edward VII could not revoke Arthur¡¯s position at will.


    ¡°Your Highness, what should we do then?¡± Grant Wilson asked tentatively.


    He knew that Arthur would definitely not give him benefits for nothing. The price of letting the Alliance Party get most of the seats in the advisory council might be New Zend itself.


    ¡°Mayor Grant, I believe you are a smart man. From now on, the Alliance Party should vigorously promote the benefits of merging and uniting with Australia. I will have the reliefmittee cooperate with you to gain the recognition of more New Zenders as much as possible,¡± Arthur looked meaningfully at Grant Wilson and stated his demand.


    Grant Wilson was silent for a while before finally nodding reluctantly.


    He knew very well that even if he refused now, he would not be able to stop New Zend from being annexed by Australia.


    Instead of resisting now and displeasing future rulers of New Zend, it¡¯s better to go with the flow, gain the goodwill of future rulers, and further his official career.


    Of course, the majority of advisory council seats promised by Arthur to the Alliance Party is also a very important factor.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Arthur smiled and said with satisfaction, ¡°Mayor Grant is indeed a smart man. I like smart people like you, Mayor Grant. If the n for New Zend to join Australia is sessful, I can rmend you to be the new governor of the State of New Zend. Of course, if Mayor Grant wants to continue leading the Alliance Party and struggle in the Australian political sphere, it¡¯s also a good choice.¡±


    For smart people who know the current situation like Grant Wilson, Arthur doesn¡¯t mind giving them more power.


    Whether it¡¯s the future governor of New Zend or continuing to serve as the leader of the political party, participating in Australia¡¯s elections, it¡¯s a great opportunity for Grant Wilson to enter arger political arena.


    Arthur promised Grant Wilson so many benefits because he could ensure that Grant Wilson always remained under his control. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Neither as a governor nor as the leader of a political party would Grant Wilson be able to challenge Arthur¡¯s royal power in Australia.

 Chapter 113 - One Hundred and Thirteen: Establishing the Advisory Council (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 113: Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Establishing the Advisory Council (Subscribe!)


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    Arthur acted quickly, and in just three days, he convinced most officials of the


    New Zend colonial government to establish the influential political institution, the Advisory Council, amidst cheers.


    In fact, the Advisory Council was abination of the Houses of Parliament in Australia, just with a different name.


    New Zend¡¯s Advisory Council could be participated in by political parties andmon people in New Zend, and would be elected by all New Zend citizens with legitimate voting rights.


    As for power, the Advisory Council did not have as much power as the Parliament but could give their own opinions based on the current situation in New Zend and submit them to the Colonial Government.


    Moreover, the Advisory Council had an important power: it could monitor all officials of the New Zend factions and impeach them when sufficient evidence was obtained.


    Although it could not threaten the officials appointed by Britain, there were actually few officials appointed by Britain, and most of them were appointed by the Governor and militarymander, or directly elected from the New Zend people.


    This meant that the newly established Advisory Council had significant power among the native New Zend forces and could even be said to be the most powerful institution and group in New Zend, except for the Governor, militarymander, and colonial government.


    In order not to let the newly established Advisory Council get out of his control, Arthur added a provision to the establishment of the Advisory Council that the Governor of New Zend could dissolve the Advisory Council when he felt it posed a threat to New Zend, without giving any exnation.


    This provision allowed Arthur to directly control the lifeblood of the Advisory Council. Once the Advisory Council showed any signs of deviating from Arthur¡¯s control, it could only face the fate of dissolution.


    Thanks to the fact that New Zend was not a free government, no one opposed Arthur¡¯s conditions.


    Of course, since the establishment of the Advisory Council was proposed by Arthur, those who were eligible to be elected to the Advisory Council naturally would not object.


    The colonial government¡¯s announcement was made quickly, and within a few days, most of the New Zenders in Wellington City had learned about the establishment of the Advisory Council.


    The vast majority of New Zenders were not interested in the establishment of the Advisory Council, which was an expected result.


    After all, New Zend¡¯s economic downturn had just ended not long ago, and many New Zenders were just recovering from the state of not having enough food.


    Under such circumstances, they really did not have much mood or energy to participate in politics.


    Arthur was well prepared for this. After all, the Advisory Council was not prepared for ordinary New Zenders but for the Alliance Party.


    In in terms, the Advisory Council was just a stepping stone for the Alliance Party to gain more power. Only by granting greater power to the Alliance Party would there be someone to carry out Arthur¡¯s n to annex New Zend.


    Now was indeed a good time to establish the Advisory Council. As another major party in New Zend, the New Zend Labor Party itself was not very interested in participating in politics.


    Actually, the background of the establishment of the New Zend Labor Party was for these workers to protect their rights, simr to the party established by the Australian workers.


    The nature of the New Zend Labor Party was looserpared to the Alliance Party, and what they pursued was only to improve the welfare of the workers and guarantee their basic living conditions.


    Furthermore, the economic recession in New Zend over the past few years hit these workers the hardest.


    Therge amount of food and finished products produced by the factories could not be sold, resulting in a significant reduction in profits for factory owners, who had no choice but to deduct workers¡¯ sries and reduce their welfare benefits.


    Although this led to a short-term surge in workers¡¯ enthusiasm for participating in politics, in reality, they still could not resist the wealthy factory owners and the bourgeois in New Zend.


    In the face of survival, many people had to give up their struggle against factory owners and ept the cruel reality of being exploited. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the same time, the rise of Australia attracted the attention of some New Zenders. With their inability to resist internally, many people hoped to join Australia.


    Because Australia¡¯s newly established industrial zones and various factories rigorously implemented the policies set by Arthur at that time, not only was the ten-hour work system in ce, but workers¡¯ wages and welfare policies also had to be paid on time.


    The ten-hour work system! This is a policy that many European countries cannot enjoy.


    In fact, although many European countries have implemented ten-hour or even eight-hour work systems, very few have been able to truly fulfill them. Even powerful nations are still implementing work systems of ten hours or even longer.


    There was no choice in this dark era. To ensure their own interests, the capitalists could only exploit the interests of the lower ss people.


    Although Australia¡¯s work system was only the very ordinary ten-hour work system in Europe, at least Australia strictly implemented this system, and all Australians worked less than ten hours, with double pay for any overtime.


    This alone attracted the yearning of many New Zend workers.


    New Zend, as a self-governing colony, had iplete welfare policies and systems. For example, New Zend did not have specific requirements for workers¡¯ working hours, leaving room for factory owners and capitalists to operate.


    After all, as long as the government didn¡¯t have work-hour requirements, wouldn¡¯t it meet the government¡¯s requirements as long as these workers didn¡¯t work to death in the factories?


    After all, there were numerous incidents of workers being exploited to death, starving to death, and working to death every year in Europe.


    But there was no way. In the early twentieth century, what were the people to the capitalists? Just exploitable animals.


    This was not a big deal. For New Zend workers, they might be able to ept it by gritting their teeth.


    After all, this was an event that even European workers were experiencing all over the world.


    But Australia, which shared the same roots and was not far away, changed that.


    While Australia¡¯s workers¡¯ wages were also not high, they at least did not have to worry about being oppressed, and they received their full sries each month, enjoying double pay during holidays and other overtime work.


    What does this represent for the workers? Heaven!


    This led to a longsting downturn for the New Zend Labor Party, with many workers choosing to join the Alliance Party, or topromise with the capitalists in order to maintain their livelihood.


    Now that the Advisory Council has been established, at least the majority of seats are likely to be won by the Alliance Party. Even if the workers of the New Zend Labor Party were able to win some seats, they might not truly support the Labor Party.

 Chapter 114 - One Hundred and Fourteen: Senate Meeting (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 114: Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: Senate Meeting (Subscribe!)


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    On April 23,1902, after a ten-day-long election period, the first Council Group¡¯s specific list of members was finally freshly released.


    This Council Group had a total of one hundred seats, and all adult New Zenders could participate in the election.


    Although the response in New Zend was not strong, it still attracted hundreds of New Zenders to participate.


    However, these individual candidates clearly did not have the advantage of party candidates; most of the seats were upied by parties, leaving less than ten for individual candidates.


    On the party side, the Alliance Party had a significant advantage. Perhaps it was because Arthur¡¯s Relief Committee had brought about many benefits, making the Alliance Party more popr in New Zend and many people having a positive impression of Australia.


    Within the hundred seats, the Alliance Party upied more than half, over seventy in total. Subtracting the seats from individual candidates, the Labour Party was left with less than twenty seats.


    The gap between the seats already showed the poprity of the Alliance and the New Zend Labour Party in New Zend.


    Arthur didn¡¯t even manipte behind the scenes; it was entirely the result of New Zenders¡¯ own election.


    With the sessful election of the Council, the first meeting of the Council soon arrived.


    Arthur briefly attended the meeting and appointed two deputy chairmen for the Council Group, namely Grant Wilson, the leader of the Alliance Party, and Andy Rimmer, the leader of the New Zend Labour Party.


    Selecting Andy Rimmer as one of the deputy chairmen of the Council group, besides the bncing measures, might not necessarily be due to theck of.people in the Council group.


    Those individual candidates were allmon people of New Zend, and they could not hold the scene as deputy chairmen.


    If not those individual candidates, all that¡¯s left are members of the Alliance Party and the New Zend Labour Party.


    Putting Grant Wilson¡¯s subordinates in a position simr to Grant would be an insult to Grant and also contrary to Arthur¡¯s intention of winning over the Alliance Party.


    So it had to be left to the current leader of the New Zend Labour Party, Andy Rimmer, to fill the number. After all, the deputy chairman doesn¡¯t have much power in practice, and the real power of the Council Groupes from Arthur.


    With the support of the two deputy chairmen and Arthur¡¯s witness, the Council Group sessfully held their first meeting and discussed the next steps for the Council.


    It¡¯s said that the decision-making is actually just discussing the scope of the Council Group¡¯s capabilities and the next steps.


    Arthur granted the Council Group the right to make suggestions to the colonial government and supervise all New Zend officials.


    If well-executed, these rights would be enormous.


    However, how exactly it could be implemented and the methods of implementation needed to be discussed in more detail.


    As most of the seats were held by the Alliance Party, the Council Group quickly approved a strategy to strengthen ties with Australia and increase the public¡¯s good feelings towards Australia.


    Although the New Zend Labour Party and individual candidates didn¡¯t understand the purpose, it didn¡¯t hinder them from agreeing on the strategy proposed by the Alliance Party.


    After all, strengthening ties with Australia is also beneficial to New Zend. The Australian Royal Relief Committee has implemented some relief policies in New Zend, which are definitely beneficial for the workers of the New Zend Labour Party and the individual New Zenders.


    It¡¯s also clear to them that relying solely on New Zend¡¯s own development will never achieve rapid growth.


    It¡¯s impossible even if they tried to emte Australia¡¯s development model. Because Australia has Arthur¡¯s support, as well as technical and financial assistance from Britain and Germany.


    But what about New Zend? As an autonomous colony of the British Empire, after achieving self-sufficiency in food production, the British Empire hardly provided any aid to New Zend.


    Even part of New Zend¡¯s ie and resources were transported to the British Empire, which is why New Zend has always been developing tepidly.


    At a time when the British Empire is deeply trapped in the European arms race, relying on the British Empire¡¯s assistance is impossible.


    Rather than cing hopes on the British Empire, which has been sucking New Zend¡¯s blood, it¡¯s better to pin hopes on the union with Australia.


    At least Australia is closer to New Zend and shares a simr history andmon bloodline with New Zend.


    Subsequently, the Council Group determined the next step, which is to count the number of impoverished people in New Zend and help the Royal Relief Committee implement work-for-relief measures, allowing these impoverished and unemployed people to quickly engage in work, with at least some funds to meet their living needs.


    This issue directly concerns their own interests. Whether it¡¯s the Alliance Party, the New Zend Labour Party, or individual candidates, they all show great excitement and enthusiasm in this regard.


    As Duke of Australia, Arthur also agreed to grant New Zend two million pounds of funds to help New Zend achieve better development.


    However, these funds would be directly handed over to the New Zend government and supervised by the Council Group.


    Although they were funds for winning over people¡¯s hearts, it didn¡¯t mean Arthur wouldpletely trust the New Zend colonial government with them.


    As the Duke of Australia, Arthur could not stay in New Zend all the time. The supervision work in the future indeed had to be handed over to the Council Group, allowing them to act as Arthur¡¯s eyes, monitoring the New Zend colonial government.


    Once the hearts of New Zenders are won over, Arthur will let the two parties take the opportunity to instigate a referendum in New Zend, and then the annexation of New Zend could be sessful.


    This is a long-term n, and Arthur is not in a hurry about it since there are nearly twenty years left to aplish this n. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As long as Arthur remains the Governor of New Zend, no one can stop New Zend from getting closer to Australia.


    After the Council Group meeting, Arthur again summoned Grant Wilson at the Governor¡¯s Mansion.


    At that time, Grant Wilson was in high spirits, and his face was full of respectful smiles.


    With the establishment of the Council Group, Grant Wilson had be one of New Zend¡¯s hottest celebrities. Although his power and status were not at the top in New Zendpared to that of a small mayor, he had already achieved a considerable improvement.


    Naturally, Grant Wilson knew who gave him all this, so when he looked at Arthur, his eyes were filled with respect.


    ¡°Your Highness, as you ordered, I have instructed all members of the Alliance Party to promote the advantages of joining with Australia within their sphere of control. At the same time, we are trying to find people who have a favorable opinion of Australia to join us, not only to expand the scale of the Alliance Party but also to elerate our n,¡± Grant Wilson said with a smile on his face.

 Chapter 115 - One Hundred and Fifteen: Repairing the North Island Railway (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 115: Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen: Repairing the North Ind Railway (Subscribe!)


    Trantor: 549690339


    ¡°In the next two years, the most important n of the Alliance Party is to enhance New Zend¡¯s recognition of the Alliance Party and its recognition of the union with Australia. I hope that there will be a specific report on the Alliance Party¡¯s actions every once in a while, and I will strongly support your actions.¡± Arthur nced at Grant, speaking with a hint of deep meaning.


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness. The union of Australia and New Zend has always been the pursuit of the Alliance Party, and we will do our best to make more New Zenders support the union of New Zend and Australia. I believe that the country formed by thebination of New Zend and Australia will be more powerful, and it will not be a regrettable choice for New Zenders and Australians¡±, Grant quickly nodded, speaking with assurance.


    Mayor Grant acted quickly, and by the second day, members of the Alliance Party could be seen on the streets of Wellington promoting the party¡¯s ideals, with slogans such as ¡°Unite with Australia¡± and ¡°Build a Beautiful Oceania Together¡± emerging one after another.


    Originally, the New Zend colonial government did have some suppression of political parties, but under Arthur¡¯s hint, the New Zend government did not resist this time, choosing to let the Alliance Party act freely.


    But from the people¡¯s point of view, the government¡¯sck of opposition is actually considered tacit approval.


    With the government not opposed, more people joined the Alliance Party, and even some former members of the New Zend Labor Party, after a period of indecision, chose to abandon their membership in the Labor Party and instead join the Alliance Party. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With Arthur¡¯s secret support and the colonial government¡¯s inaction, the development momentum of the Alliance Party could no longer be stopped. In just one week, the party¡¯s membership had expanded to more than 200 people, and their influence had sessfully spread to major cities on the North Ind of New Zend.


    By conservative estimates, the Alliance Party will be able to attract thousands of members within two years, and these people will y a crucial guiding role in major cities across New Zend.


    The current Alliance Party is a driving force for Arthur to annex New Zend. Therger the scale of the Alliance Party, the faster the progress of annexing New Zend.


    This is also why the Alliance Party can gain Arthur¡¯s support and why the colonial government remains inactive.


    With the British Empire not participating, Arthur is the person with the highest authority in New Zend, and there is no one more powerful.


    Even General Pierce, once one of the top echelons of New Zend and themander of the New Zend Garrison, had no chance of sess when facing Arthur.


    Although the growth of the Alliance Party in New Zend is currently unstoppable, Arthur cannot stay in New Zend forever.


    But Arthur is not worried that the development momentum of the Alliance Party will get out of his control. New Zend is not like those European free countries, and the limited freedom New Zend enjoys is only under Arthur¡¯s permission.


    Let alone whether the Alliance Party will exceed Arthur¡¯s control within two years, in the current context of New Zend, even if the Alliance Party had ten years, it would not exceed Arthur¡¯s control.


    In the context of New Zend being an autonomous colony, thergest power that the Alliance Party currently has is the majority of seats in the Advisory Council.


    And the power of the Advisory Council is granted by Arthur and can be taken back at any time.


    Without any power, the Alliance Party will never be able to break free from Arthur¡¯s control, let alone the fact that the leader of the Alliance Party, Grant Wilson, is under Arthur¡¯s control.


    As the Alliance Party continues to grow wildly and freely, Arthur inspects various areas on the North Ind of New Zend, apanied by a group of colonial government officials, including previously established factories, railways, highways, schools, hospitals, and various public facilities that are within the scope of Arthur¡¯s inspection.


    Since Arthur has arrived in New Zend, he must make a series of development ns for the government before leaving.


    At least, during the time that Arthur is not in New Zend, he should let the New Zend government have something to do, and let the people of New Zend feel Arthur¡¯s presence.


    Maintaining the previously built railways and highways, and supporting the previously built hospitals and schools is a good n.


    These facilities have already been built in New Zend, and it will not take too much money to either renovate or invest in support and put them back into use.


    Not only will it quickly show the people of New Zend a change and enable New Zend¡¯s economy to recover rapidly, but it will also not require arge amount of funds, making it a win-win situation.


    The first stop on Arthur¡¯s inspection tour was the railway that was built in New Zend. The railway is crucial for national development and is not only one of the main means of transportation but also an important way of poption movement.


    Thanks to New Zend¡¯s good development in the past, there are currently railways on both the North Ind and South Ind, with a total length of about 300 kilometers.


    The longest railway is located on the North Ind, connecting Wellington in the southernmost part, the mining area in the west, and the bay in the northernmost part. It has almost be a circr railway on the North Ind of New Zend.


    This railway is essential for the economic exchange on the North Ind of New Zend, but due to the previous economic downturn in New Zend, arge part of this railway has fallen into disrepair, and more than half of the entire railway is inoperative.


    Arthur and the colonial government¡¯s priority is to restore the operation of this railway.


    Most of New Zend¡¯s poption lives on the North Ind, and the North Ind is the center of New Zend¡¯s economy and politics.


    If the operation of the North Ind railway in New Zend can be restored, then half of the first step of New Zend¡¯s economic recovery n will have been sessful.


    Fortunately, the construction of this railway is only about thirty years old, and most of the railways can be put back into use after a simple repair, while the rest require only partial recement of parts or directying of new rails.


    ording to the colonial government¡¯s estimates, it will take less than 200,000 pounds to repair all the railways on the North Ind and employ 1,000 workers.


    Gathering these 1,000 workers is not difficult given that all New Zenders are eager for New Zend¡¯s economy to recover.


    Arthur didn¡¯t hesitate and directly took 200,000 pounds from the government¡¯s funds, despite the pained expressions of the colonial government officials, to repair all the railways on New Zend¡¯s North Ind.


    This fund was actually a gift from Arthur as the Duke of Australia to the New Zend government, totaling two million pounds.


    So far, the total amount of funds owned by the New Zend government has not exceeded 3 million pounds, which is also why the colonial government officials were so distressed when Arthur used 200,000 pounds.

 Chapter 116 - One Hundred and Sixteen: Arms Procurement (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 116: Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen: Arms Procurement (Subscribe!)


    Fromte April to early May, spanning over a course of about ten days, Arthur had nearly journeyed across the entire North Ind of New Zend, inspecting more than half of the colony¡¯s infrastructure. In the process, he had also expended more than half of the funds he had personally donated to the New Zend government.


    While colonial officials were growing increasingly anxious seeing the funds get depleted, for New Zend this was resulting in considerable aplishments.


    Under Arthur¡¯s orders, not only was a maintenance and revival program initiated for all railroads on the North Ind of New Zend, but also significant roads, public facilities, and crucial infrastructure developments across the length and breadth of New Zend were directed to be renovated.


    At the same time, the New Zend colonial government alsomitted to providing funding for education and healthcare up to 200,000 pounds.


    Part of this fund will be allocated to upgrade existing schools and hospitals in New Zend, and the remaining funds will be divided into two parts.


    One half will be used to attract professionals in the field of education and healthcare from Europe to New Zend, while the other half will be put into subsidizing policies for education and healthcare in order to alleviate the financial burdens in these areas for New Zenders.


    These ns in total drained the government¡¯s coffers of more than a million pounds, amounting to a sizable half of all liquid assets.


    Although the oues are not immediately visible, the implementation of these ns, in the span of one or two years, will bring most developments topletion. By then, the positive effects of these projects will start showing up.


    This coincides perfectly with the two-year development n Arthur has made for the Alliance Party. After two years, with allrge-scale infrastructural developmentspleted, the New Zenders can also genuinely appreciate the benefits brought by these ns.


    At the same time, apanying the evolution of the alliance party, there will be increasingly more New Zenders supporting the alignment or even merging with Australia.


    Having sorted out the affairs of the colonial government, Arthur had a final conversation and gave his instructions to Mayor Grant. This was to ensure the smooth progression of all his ns and preparations in New Zend after his departure.


    To secure the coordination after Arthur¡¯s return to Australia, Joshua Brock, the New Zend representative of the Royal Relief Committee, will act as a bridge between Mayor Grant and Arthur, facilitatingmunication.


    As the representative of the Royal Relief Committee in New Zend, Joshua Brock¡¯s frequent travels between Australia and New Zend ensure that he is fittingly suited for the role of being the messenger.


    Joshua Brock willingly epted this daunting task, as he was pleased to contribute something to Arthur¡¯s mission.


    After giving all his instructions, Arthur set of for his final stop in New Zend, this was the headquarters of the New Zend garrison located on the South Ind of New Zend.


    Be it as it may that the New Zend garrison had a strength of around 3000 personnel, tranted it just to the strength of a little less than an entire troop.


    In actuality, of these 3000 personnel, apart from more than a thousand who are located at the headquarters, the rest of the soldiers have been dispersed and deployed all over New Zend, charged with the duty of preserving the order throughout the entire New Zend.


    Particrly Wellington, the capital of the New Zend, not just does General Pierce, themander of the New Zend garrison, maintain a permanent residence here, but the New Zend garrison also had more than five hundred troops stationed there.


    Having docked at a South Ind port in New Zend and travelling for several hours by horse carriage, only then did Arthur finally arrive at the garrison headquarters in the South Ind Mountain Region of New Zend.


    Despite the New Zend garrison being ssified as a colony subject to the rule of the British Empire, in reality, a majority of their logistical support is provided by local colonial sources.


    The remote New Zend naturally couldn¡¯t expect to receive too much support. While the gear of the New Zend garrison looked neat and tidy, in reality, there was ack of ammunition supply and the soldiers fell short in terms of training as well.


    The initial impression that the New Zend garrison left on Arthur wasmendable. If not for their performance on shooting practice giving them away, Arthur might have been led to believe that it indeed was a robust troop. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Although, European nations, in general, don¡¯t demand high uracy rates. Even during the horrendous experience of World War I, on average, it took about ten thousand bullets to eliminate a single soldier.


    But this does not imply that the daily target practice of soldiers would be this weak. The New Zend garrison¡¯s target practice couldn¡¯t even guarantee a hit on the target per ten shots.


    Arthur¡¯s question was answered shortly.


    While talking to General Pierce, the General shared with Arthur a persistent problem that the New Zend Garrison was grappling with. Namely, that there was an issue with insufficient weaponry equipment andck of ammunition supplies.


    Bringing in weapons and ammunition from the British Empire was almost unthinkable given the cost and time involved in shipping such goods to New Zend. This incurred expenses even higher than the actual cost of the goods themselves.


    In the past, when New Zend¡¯s major factories were booming, they could produce some weapons for the New Zend garrison.


    But ever since New Zend¡¯s economy started spiralling downwards, most major factories gave up their military production, due to low market demand, and transitioned towards civilian production or even made massyoffs of workers.


    This led to a situation where if the New Zend garrison needs weapons and ammunition supplies, besides purchasing from rtively closer Australia, the only option left is to buy them from the more distant India and the British Southeast Asia colonies.


    But the current Australian military factories are not even fulfilling the needs of the Australian military, let alone supplying weapons and ammunition to New Zend.


    Even though India and British Southeast Asia could provide the New Zend garrison with the necessary weapons and equipment, owing to the expensive transport costs due to the distance, being an entity that was a stickler about expenditure, these could only provide for momentary requirements of the New Zend garrison and could not address the root of the logistical difficulties.


    In the eyes of General Pierce, Arthur¡¯s visit to New Zend offers an opportunity, an opportunity to seek logistical support from Australia.


    Although the Australian military is also expanding, and their need for weapons and equipment is much greater than that of New Zend.


    However, many factories including military factories in Australia are also expanding and their production volume would eventually increase.


    For New Zend, Australia is the best choice for buying weapons and ammunition as it¡¯s the closest. The difference in transportation costs alone was enough for New Zend to buy more weapons and equipment.


    After hearing General Pierce¡¯s request to purchase a batch of weapons and ammunition from Australia, Arthur agreed without a second thought.


    From what it looked like, thebat power of the New Zend garrison really was at a low ebb, and even the previous Australian garrison surpassed them in that.


    New Zend was destined to be annexed, and whenever it bes absorbed into Australia, these garrison forces will transform into the Australian Army.


    Rather than waiting for that time to train these soldiers, it would be better to provide them with a few weapons and equipment now and let them begin the training in advance.


    Regardless, Australia still had a batch of old equipment, which could very well be used by these soldiers from New Zend.


    As for Australian soldiers, of course, they would be equipped with brand-new weapons produced from the military factories.

 Chapter 117: Returning to Australia (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 117: Returning to Australia (Please subscribe!)


    On May nth, 1902, having made all the arrangements in New Zend, Arthur departed New Zend aboard a warship, embarking on his journey back to Australia.


    The trip to New Zend took a week and a half and consumed considerable human and material resources.


    Of course, all this was worth it. If all the ns in New Zend can be sessfullypleted, not only can Australia annex New Zend, but Arthur himself would also gain a territory of significant size. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    New Zend currently has three forces: the stationed military, colonial government and advisory council; their mutual checks and bnces ensure New Zend¡¯s stability.


    In addition, Arthur has arranged for a royal reliefmittee in New Zend, headed by Joshua Brock.


    All these guarantees ensure that New Zend¡¯s development will not go beyond Arthur¡¯s control.


    Three dayster, on May 14th, Arthur sessfully reached the port of Sydney in Australia, returning home.


    Whenever Arthur returned from abroad, the port of Sydney was always packed with weing crowds.


    This time was no exception. In addition to the weing parade arranged by the government, the port of Sydney was filled with crowds who had arrived spontaneously.


    There was no speech this time, because Arthur¡¯s prestige in Australia has already reached its peak, no longer needed to maintain it with frequent speeches.


    Upon returning to Australia, the first stop for Arthur was the gold mine located along the border of New South Wales State.


    Three months have passed since the discovery of this mining area.


    Detailed surveys and division of the mine have been carried out by the Ministry of Industry over these three months, fully enclosing the mining area to protect it from interference.


    The survey took a whole month, and nearly another month was spent preparing for excavation and gathering indigenous peoples.


    Now, after more than a month of mining, there is already a stockpile of tens of thousands of tons of gold ore, and it is being refined.


    There is no shortage of gold mines in Australia, which has resulted in many gold ore refineries.


    While many of these are private workshops run by gold prospectors, there are also severalrge official Australian factories.


    The closest refinery to the new mining area is in the southern part of New South Wales State, which is also the secondrgest gold refinery in Australia.


    Thergest gold refinery is located in Victoria State, which is the only state that can economicallypete with New South Wales State.


    Upon reaching the mining area, Arthur first met with the stationed military.


    Originally, the First Division should have been stationed here, but since the First Division was just reorganized and still in training, the task of protecting the mine was given to the Guards.


    The First Infantry Battalion of the Guard Infantry Division is currently stationed near the mining area.


    The military deployed at the gold mine operate on a rotation schedule, with new troops being deployed after a certain period of time.


    Protected by the military, Arthur sessfully entered therge storage area in the mining district, which houses all the gold-bearing ore extracted from the mine.


    The gold ore here will be loaded into vehicles and transported to a nearby refinery to be transformed into pure gold. This will then be cast into fixed- weight gold bars and moved to more secure locations.


    Although the storage area is only a few dozen kilometers from the refinery, and a horse carriage would take four to five hours to travel this distance, for safety reasons, each transport of gold ore involves the use of at least several hundred cavalry troops for protection, and at least a hundred stationed military personnel following for protection as well.


    Safety measures of this magnitude in Australia make it impossible for any force to snatch this batch of gold ore from the military. It is an arrangement approved by both Arthur and the government for the protection of their own interests.


    And particrly about the refinery, it goes without saying that in addition to its own security forces, there is a military presence of several hundred troops stationed nearby. The sole purpose is to protect this gold-producing refinery.


    Arthur cannot take these gold matters lightly as they are crucial for the sess rate of issuing his own currency in the next step.


    Thanks to the efforts of several thousand indigenous people, the mining efficiency of the gold mine is already very remarkable. The maximum daily mining volume can reach seven thousand tons of gold ore, with each indigenous person able to mine more than two tons of ore per day on average.


    It is precisely because of therge number of indigenous people involved that not only has the gold mine¡¯s mining efficiency rapidly developed over a short period of time, the actual cost of mining the gold has not increased significantly.


    However, there is a drawback to this strategy, that is, the consumption of indigenousbor is too high, to the point where dozens of indigenous people die each day in the mining area.


    Butpared to the thousands of indigenous people recruited each month, such consumption is far from equal, and besides, few Australians care about the life and death of these indigenous people.


    They live in a society where thew of the jungle reigns. If anyone is to me, it can only be the weakness of their own ethnic group and country.


    After touring the mining area, Arthur took his dedicated vehicle and headed to the gold refinery.


    It has been a week since the first batch of gold ore was transported to the refinery, and on this day, the first batch of gold bricks was being epted for inspection.


    Apanying Arthur to the refinery were Prime Minister Evan and Minister of Industry Pierre.


    Comparatively, the car was much faster than a horse carriage.


    After only being able to travel by horse carriage in New Zend, Arthur could finally experience the speed and convenience of the car again.


    The mining area is about sixty kilometers away from the refinery. A horse carriage might take three to four hours, but a car could reach there in just over an hour.


    Of course, this is only possible with a smooth highway. Without a smooth highway, modem cars would not be able to get very far.


    Just over an hourter, Arthur and his party had already arrived at the refinery.


    The refinery is located near the industrial area of New South Wales State. It is an industrial area that has been in development since the Australian Colonial era. While its scale is not veryrge, it is diverse in the industries it covers.


    At the entrance of the refinery, the person in charge had already gathered the staff of the refinery to wait for their arrival.


    Seeing Arthur and the others disembark, the person in charge of the refinery, Adam Rot, went forward and respectfully addressed the group, ¡°Your Highness, Prime Minister Evan, Minister Pierre, wee to the refinery.¡±.


    Arthur nodded and asked, ¡°Has the first batch of gold been sessfully refined?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. We have sessfully refined the first batch of about four thousand tons of gold ore, and have produced exactly forty-eight 500- gram gold bars. During the refinement of the gold ore, a loss of at least fifty grams of gold was incurred due to the outdated refining equipment that we are using,¡± Adam Rot reported.

 Chapter 118 - One Hundred and Eighteen: Refinery and Gold (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 118: Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen: Refinery and Gold (Subscribe!)


    Forty-eight gold bars weighing five hundred grams each, with a total weight of twenty-four kilograms.


    When converted into pounds, the total value of these gold bars is more than 3,200 pounds.


    Although it doesn¡¯t seem like much, these are actually just one-third of the daily output from the mining area.


    In other words, if the gold mine production continues to grow, the new gold mine could make a profit of at least tens of thousands of pounds per day, amounting to at least over three million pounds a year.


    ording to the industrial sector¡¯s division of the mining area and the estimation of gold reserves, this new gold mine has at least twenty million tons of reserves.


    This could bring tens of millions or even more pounds of revenue to Australia, depending on the speed of gold mining.


    The scale of the gold mine is in sync with Arthur¡¯s n for issuing a new currency.


    Although the new currency is being nned, Arthur never imagined that it would rece the pound in Australia within a short period.


    Before World War I broke out, the British Empire was still the undisputed superpower, and the position of the pound was irreceable, even in independent Australia.


    What Arthur could do was to issue a certain scale of currency for Australia and make the new currency circte at least within Australia¡¯s territory.


    Even within Australia and Oceania, recing the pound with a new currency was an ambitious n.


    Therefore, Arthur set the maximum limit for the new currency issuance n to an equivalent of twenty million pounds. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This was a carefully considered figure. If the amount of newly issued currency was too small, it would not be enough to circte within Australia, and people would only want to collect it instead of circting it.


    If too much new currency was issued, it might achieve good results in a short time.


    However, if any problem arises with the new currency or external factors reduce its eptance, the entire new currency issuance could fail.


    If it is more serious, it could directly threaten the future official Australian currency issuance.


    After all, once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of a rope for ten years. If there is any problem with the issuance of the new currency, people will carry it over to the future Australian official currency.


    Under the guidance of Adam Rot, Arthur, Prime Minister Evan, and Minister Pierre finally saw the first batch of gold bars newly refined by the refinery.


    For easy storage and calction, each gold bar is equal to five hundred grams, with a total of forty-eight gold bars neatly arranged in the warehouse.


    Although Prime Minister Evan and Minister Pierre¡¯s worth far exceeded the value of these gold bars, there was a slight fluctuation in their eyes after seeing the neatly stacked gold bars, but they soon suppressed it.


    Arthur, of course, needs no further exnation. As a tycoon with a worth of over ¡ê100 million, this amount of gold could not satisfy him.


    With any expenditure in Arthur¡¯s hands, any item is a huge expense of tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds, and the thousands of pounds of gold are too inadequate to affect Arthur in any way.


    ¡°Manager Adam Rot, how much gold can your refinery produce in a day?¡± Arthur looked at the person in charge of the refinery and asked.


    In order to issue twenty million pounds in new currency, there should be at least ten tons of gold in hand and a guarantee of arge amount of gold being mined every day.


    Therefore, the refinery¡¯s gold production speed also determines the timing of the new currency issuance. If there is not enough gold reserve, Arthur does not intend to issue the new currency as soon as possible.


    ¡°Your Highness, many factors determine the production of gold. If a sufficient supply of gold ore is guaranteed every day and the workers are put to work overtime, we should be able to guarantee at least fifty gold bars produced per day,¡± Adam Rot contemted carefully before speaking.


    Indeed, as Adam Rot said, the speed of gold production depends not only on the refining speed at the refinery but also on the transportation quantity of gold ore and the number of workers, et cetera.


    ¡°This production level is not enough. We need to at least match our daily output from the mining area,¡± Arthur shook his head andmanded, ¡°Now the mining area¡¯s output is already over five thousand tons per day, and it will continue to increase. Under these circumstances, I hope the refinery can process at least five thousand tons of gold ore every day, so as not to waste the resources and manpower we have invested. Any issues can be reported to Minister Pierre, whether it is ack of workers, equipment, or space, expansion can be carried out quickly. In short, I hope the refinery can match the mining area¡¯s output as soon as possible. Can you do that, Manager Adam Rot?¡±


    Adam Rot hurriedly nodded and said, ¡°Please rest assured, Your Highness. As long as we have sufficient equipment, personnel, and funds, I promise to increase gold production in the shortest time.¡±


    Adam Rot understood that Arthur¡¯s question was not for him to answer but for him to make a firmmitment.


    If he can¡¯t sessfully expand gold production with sufficient personnel, equipment, and funds, Arthur will have to change the person in charge of the refinery.


    In order to secure his position, Adam Rot had to ept the difficult task no matter how arduous it was.


    However, the good news is that Arthur guarantees the supply of equipment and personnel, and there will be no shortage of funds.


    Under these conditions, it is not too difficult to expand gold production. At least, Adam Rot is confident that he can achieve it.


    After Adam Rot¡¯s assurance, Arthur nodded in satisfaction and instructed, ¡°Gold production is of great importance to Australia, and it will be rted to significant ns there. If we can sessfully increase gold production, Adam Rot, you will also have a lot of merit. You can report any issues encountered in the process to Minister Pierre, and he will ensure the smooth expansion of the refinery.¡±


    Adam Rot nodded repeatedly, respectfully agreeing.


    The gold bars produced by the refinery will be transported to the Royal Bank¡¯s gold vault in Sydney, one of Australia¡¯s few cars, until they are needed.


    The security of the Royal Bank¡¯s gold vault is naturally unquestionable, and its level of security even exceeds that of the refinery.


    The only worry is the journey between the refinery and the Royal Bank, but since the military is protecting it, there should be no problems, basically.

 Chapter 119 - One Hundred and Nineteen: Large- scale Production of Cars (Subscribe!)

    Chapter 119: Chapter One Hundred and Neen: Large- scale Production of Cars (Subscribe!)


    After visiting the entire mining area and refinery, there was hope of solving the problem of gold reserves required for the issuance of new currency.


    Only by issuing new currency can the dependence of Australians on the pound be effectively reduced, and the control of the British Empire over the Australian economy be lessened.


    Of course, this too is a lengthy n. As long as the British Empire does not lose its status as the number one superpower, the pound will always be a very important currency in any region.


    Arthur does not pursuepletely recing the pound in Australia, he simply hopes that the new currency can gain some cirction, reducing the British Empire¡¯s influence over Australia.


    After all, now the monarch of Australia is Arthur, and for him, an Australia that is not influenced by any country truly belongs to his own territory.


    At present, Arthur can only try to reduce the British influence on Australia as much as possible. It is impossible topletely eliminate it, as the nationalposition of Australia determines the special rtionship between the Australian people and the British Empire.


    After returning to the manor house, Arthur saw Princess Louise and his two sisters, whom he had not seen for more than a month. After having a simple dinner with his family, he returned to his room.


    Now that he is back in Australia, it¡¯s natural to elerate the pace of Australia¡¯s development.


    There are many ongoing construction projects in Australia, such as the West Australian Industrial District, steel factories, New South Wales military factories, shipyards and more. These constructions also include the industrial railways, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and orphanages. All are important development ns for Australia right now.


    With sufficient indigenousbor avable, Arthur believes it is also necessary to speed up the progress of these projects, even if it means tens of thousands of casualties among the indigenous peoples.


    Although Australia had more than a decade of golden development before World War I, who can guarantee that reality will be exactly like history?


    If anything unexpected happens in Europe¡¯s situation and Australia is not prepared, then all of Arthur¡¯s efforts will be in vain.


    Therefore, in addition to more urately grasping the situation in Europe, elerating the pace of Australia¡¯s construction is also very important.


    After making ns for the near future, Arthur, after many days, fell into a deep sleep in his own bed again.


    May 17,1902, Benz Car Factory.


    A yearter, Arthur once again arrived at Benz¡¯s car factory. Right next door was Disel¡¯s engine factory.


    Hisst visit was a year ago when Benz and Diesel jointly invented a new car.


    It was also at that time that Arthur first proposed the concept of the assembly line to Benz and Diesel, surprising them and prompting them to start making changes to their factories.


    More than half a year has passed since the sessful construction of the assembly line, and with the workers at the Benz car factory bing proficient in assembly line production technology, and Benz and Diesel¡¯s repeated modifications and improvements, the car production costs have been reduced to a figure Arthur can ept, which is just over 80 British pounds.


    Is the production cost of over 80 pounds high or not? If you¡¯re talking about this era, it¡¯s not high anymore.


    Keep in mind that even the highly mature Model T at the time had a final selling price of 260 US dors, which is more than 50 pounds.


    And the initial selling price of the Model T was even more than 800 US dors, which is over 14.0 pounds.


    The Model T, priced as such, was highly sought after at the time and was considered a car for themon people. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It was precisely because of the low-cost Model T that cars truly entered thousands of households, bing one of the very important means of transportation,pletely recing horse carriages.


    By the starting price of the Model T, the profit for each car produced by the Benz car factory is over 60 pounds, which is an extremely terrifying figure.


    If we put this into the total output of Model T¡¯s 15 million units, that would be at least 900 million pounds in profit.


    Although the selling price of cars will decrease as time passes, the cost of cars will also gradually decrease, even down to around 30-40 pounds.


    This means that each car has a profit of at least more than 10 pounds, the total profit of the automobile industry may exceed 1 billion pounds.


    And now, the automotive industry in various countries is very backward. Benz cars can definitely be the pioneer, with excellent performance and low prices, rapidly upying the global car market and earning huge profits.


    This is also why Arthur ces so much importance on cars; not only can they bring him huge profits, but the transformation of cars can also enable Australia to overtakepetitors quickly. In terms of economy and military, cars are definitely important products.


    After a year, Benz and Diesel still looked the same. With the expansion of their respective factories, owning 10% of the shares, both Benz and Diesel have be tycoons worth several hundred thousand pounds. Even their sries have reached hundreds of pounds a month.


    However, they did not pay much attention to their appearance, always wearing their work clothes stained withrge and small oil stains and dirt, which did not match their status.


    Seeing Arthur again, Benz was very excited and hurriedly invited Diesel from next door.


    Diesel¡¯s research is usually very busy, and even sometimes Minister Pierre has to wait a while to find him.


    But when Diesel heard of Arthur¡¯s arrival, he quickly stopped his research and went to the car factory next door himself.


    Seeing the two again, Arthur felt a bit emotional and asked with a smile, ¡°I heard that the car factory has started mass production now?¡±


    ording to the agreement Arthur had with Benz at the time, if the car production cost cannot be kept around 80 pounds, mass production will not begin.


    Since the car factory has now begun mass production, it means that the cost of the car has been reduced to about 80 pounds, which signifies that Benz¡¯s research on the assembly line has achieved initial sess.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, as early as a month ago, our improved assembly line was able to keep the production cost of the car at around 80 pounds, meeting your requirements for mass production.¡± Benz replied with a smile, ¡°But at that time, since you were not in Australia, we couldn¡¯t report the situation to you. However, the production of cars was what you had instructed earlier, so I took it upon myself to start mass production of cars in our factory.¡±

 Chapter 120: Test Data of the New Type of Car (Seeking Subscribers!)

    Chapter 120: Test Data of the New Type of Car (Seeking Subscribers!)


    ¡°Your Highness, please forgive me for taking the initiative.¡± Benz looked apologetic while speaking to Arthur.


    ¡°No, Mr. Benz. You have done well in this matter, which is what I had instructed before. After meeting the cost requirements of the car, you have the right to start mass production.¡± Arthur shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°So you have not done anything wrong, and I will certainly not me you.¡±


    After hearing Arthur¡¯s words, Benz and Disel finally breathed a sigh of relief,pletely rxing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look at our new type of car.¡± Arthur looked at the two who had visibly rxed and said with a slight smile.


    Under the guidance of Benz and Disel, Arthur and his party came to the warehouse of the Benz Car Factory, which was the building near the right side of the factory.


    After the employees opened a warehouse door, Benz walked up, removed the ck cloth covering the car, and said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, please look. This is our new type of car, which has a basic shape and structure simr to your car. However, it uses cheaper materials in some parts, ensuring the cost is around 80 pounds, and it won¡¯t exceed 85 pounds.¡±


    Arthur looked at the ck body and tires revealed under the ck cloth, nodded, and asked, ¡°How is the performance of such a car? We shouldn¡¯t only care about the price and neglect the performance of the car, which is an important factor in the car market.¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured, Your Highness. Although we have used cheaper materials in some aspects, it will not affect the car¡¯s sturdiness, practicality, and specific performance. It¡¯s just thatpared to your private car, there are differences in ss material, body material, and engine model, so the performance may be slightly inferior. However, in terms of performance within the world car market, our cars are still top-tier.¡± Benz exined.


    Although this new type of car is quite different from Arthur¡¯s custom-made car, using more affordable materials in many aspects,


    it does not mean that the performance of the new car would be poor. On the contrary, even with the use of many cheaper materials, the performance of the new car still remains top-tier in the world car market. In terms of practicality or performance, the cars from the Benz Car Factory are definitely top-notch.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Arthur nodded and asked, ¡°How are the specific performance and the estimated pricing of the new car?¡±


    Benz handed over a data sheet, impatiently saying, ¡°ording to our multiple tests, the new car is stable and has a very high cost-performance ratio. The specific test data is on the sheet, please have a look, Your Highness.¡±


    Arthur took the data and began reading curiously.


    At this stage, the testing of cars is rtively simple, mainly divided into modules such as maximum speed test, constant speed stability test, car stability test, and car failure rate test on different sections of the road.


    In terms of the maximum speed, the new car uses thetest gasoline engine jointly developed by Benz and Disel, instead of the diesel engine. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The advantage of gasoline engines is a significant reduction in noise, making them more suitable for people¡¯s daily use.


    Of course, diesel engines can also use more materials to reduce engine noise, but this would significantly increase the cost of cars, and only custom-made vehicles for powerful nobles like Arthur would do so.


    With five people in the car, the maximum speed of the new car can reach 55 kilometers per hour, and an empty car can reach 65 kilometers per hour.


    In terms of speed, the new car is excellent. At least, there are fewer than five cars in the world that can reach a maximum speed of over 65 kilometers per hour, other than Arthur¡¯s custom-made car.


    For the constant speed test, the new car can travel at a stable speed of 35 kilometers per hour for more than ten hours, or travel at its maximum speed for more than three hours.


    In this regard, Arthur was also satisfied. At least the new car can travel at about 35 kilometers per hour continuously for more than ten hours without problems.


    Although driving at maximum speed for more than three hours may cause problems, there should be no one who would buy a car and then drive it at maximum speed all the time, right?


    After all, the price of a car has reached 150 pounds, which is the savings of manymon people in Europe for several years.


    Even though the price has been reduced, cars are still a luxury item, and unless people really have too much money to spend, no one would want to damage the things they have finally acquired.


    Of course, there is one essential premise: these tests are currently performed on very t roads.


    At present, cars cannot withstand bumpy and uneven roads or other ces without roads.


    If they are driven in areas with poor road conditions, the stability of the car will be significantly reduced, even causing problems frequently.


    However, this issue does not need to be worried about for now. As luxury items, cars¡¯ real customers are European and American people.


    Along with Australia¡¯s development and various policies, the people of Oceania can also join and be potential car customers.


    Whether in the Americas, Europe, or Oceania, they either have an extremely developed transportation system, t roads connecting everything, so there is no need to worry about the road conditions,


    or, like Australia and New Zend, they have not-so-developed road systems but are in the process of construction.


    t roads have been built between cities in Australia and are expanding to towns and rural areas.


    People in Australia who buy cars do not need to worry about roads, as the Australian government will build essible roads before they buy a car.


    It¡¯s not that Arthur doesn¡¯t want to consider the people in other regions. But if we look at the ie levels of people in other regions, the vast majority of them need to save for decades to buy a car.


    Some powerful and noble people might be interested in cars, but their purchasing potential is definitely notparable to that of Europeans and Americans at present.


    As expected, in the final test of stability on different road sections, the new car performed a bit better than other cars but still had simr issues with stability and high failure rates as cars of this era.


    But this is unavoidable. Weren¡¯t excellent cars inter generations also developed step by step from cars like these?


    At least for now, having a new type of car with rtively excellent performance satisfies Arthur¡¯s initial expectations.

 Chapter 121: The Plan for the United Cars Factory

    Chapter 121: The n for the United Cars Factory


    Seeing that Arthur was very satisfied with the various performance and data of the new type of car, Mr. Benz breathed a sigh of relief.


    As long as he could gain Arthur¡¯s strong support, this new type of car with a reduced price would definitely enter the global market, rather than being like the previous cars invented by Benz, which were unsble due to various shorings and had a reputation without any practical benefits.


    ¡°Mr. Benz, how is our car production? What are your ns for the pricing and release date of the car?¡± Arthur asked.


    Although it was several years earlier than in the original history, Arthur believed that Benz¡¯s new type of car would not lose too much to the Model T and might even slightly surpass it.


    If the Model T could create a sales record of 15 million units, what kind of historical record would the new type of car create?


    ¡°Your Highness, based on our current scale of 300 formal workers and more than 1,000 indigenous workers, our daily output can reach up to 100 units.¡± Benz answered: ¡°But this is based on ensuring that our steel and various hardware supplies are in ce.¡±


    Although the assembly line production method significantly reduced the time needed to produce a car.


    This allowed the Benz Car Factory to speed up its production from only a few dozen cars per week to several dozen a day, or even hundreds of cars a day.


    However, the assembly line production method could not keep going infinitely fast. In addition to the workers¡¯ proficiency in this method, the number of employees and the supply of various materials and hardware were also factors in restraining the speed of car production.


    ¡°A daily output of 100 cars?¡± Arthur pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, ¡°We can¡¯t just blindly pursue the speed of car production. At least after opening up the American and European markets, we can pursue a faster production speed. Before that, it is already quite good to maintain the current scale of car production, but we must also be prepared to expand the scale of production at any time.¡±


    Benz nodded in agreement, as he had the same idea in his mind.


    Although Benz, Disel, and Arthur were all confident that the new type of car could be the pioneer of expanding the car market and create new world records.


    But until that day came, it was just a guess. Even if there was a great possibility, they had to be prepared for failure.


    ¡°Your Highness, there is another issue we have to consider: the cost of transporting cars from Australia to the United States and Europe, as well as the tariffs of various countries. This will be a considerable expenditure and will greatly increase our car production costs. In some areas, our car production cost may be leveled with those hand-made cars, which will significantly reduce our price advantage.¡± Benz furrowed his brow, expressing his concern about another issue.


    Transportation in this era had to rely on transport ships, which would be a significant expense and take a lot of time.


    Moreover, major industrial countries would modify and increase tariffs to strengthen their advantages in domestic markets.


    Considering transportation costs and tariffs, Australia¡¯s proud car production costs may fluctuate and even rise to the same level as hand-made cars in areas with higher tariffs.


    ¡°This is indeed an issue, Mr. Benz.¡± Arthur nodded, furrowing his brow in thought.


    In fact, most of the sales volume of the Model T in the original history was in the United States. The sales volume in other regions, even in Europe, was scarce, not least because of the higher tariffs.


    There is only one way to solve the problem of tariffs and transportation costs: establish car factories in Europe and the United States, and even join forces with Europe and the United States to develop these car factories together.


    Although some of the profits will be shared, it will also make the car factory¡¯s position more unshakable. After all, a strong dragon does not overwhelm the local snake, let alone a weaker dragon like Australia?


    ¡°In this case, select some cars with better performance, transport them separately to the United Kingdom and Germany, and strive for their support to set up new car factories in the United Kingdom and Germany.¡± After a long deliberation, Arthur finally said, ¡°Cooperate with local forces in the United Kingdom and Germany, especially the nobility and official authorities, to establish joint car factories. The royal financial group will handle this matter. You only need to authorize the relevant technology. Of course, the inventors and owners of the technology are still yours, and the new car factory only has production authorization.¡±


    Cooperating with local forces in the United Kingdom and Germany to establish joint car factories is a good choice.


    Firstly, the United Kingdom and Germany are currently the first and second major powers in the world, and their car factories do not have to worry aboutpeting with other car factories or even other countries.


    Secondly, in terms of industrial strength and technological strength, the British Empire and the German Empire are also the top in Europe, and the production speed is definitely able to keep up with the market expansion of cars.


    Moreover, Arthures from the British Royal Family and has gained a lot of goodwill from the British people. He also has a good rtionship with Emperor William II of Germany, and Australia has a cooperative rtionship with Germany.


    Whether in terms of personal rtions or national interests, the United Kingdom and Germany are the preferred partners and can certainly protect the huge interests of the automobile. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The only problem is that Arthur may lose some of his interests, but the car market is vast, even exceeding one billion pounds.


    Such a huge market is certainly not something Arthur alone could swallow, and Australia¡¯s size and capacity cannot do so either.


    After authorizing the United Kingdom and Germany to create joint car factories for production and sales, the car factories will be divided between the British Empire, the German Empire, and Australia.


    As for how the British Empire and the German Empire willpete, Arthur does not care. As long as Australia¡¯s interests are assured, everything else is a minor issue.


    Letting the British Empire and the German Empire make more money is no harm. After all, Australia will be able to make a fortune from arms sales during the outbreak of future wars, not to mention the other interests involved in the wars.


    The United States also has a huge car market, but Arthur does not agree with wooing American forces.


    First of all, the United States is a purely capitalist society, where the power of capital is supreme.


    As long as Australia invests a substantial amount of capital and conducts certain operations, it is not impossible topete with American carpanies.


    In addition, no matter how prominent the status of the British Empire and the German Empire is now, Arthur is very clear in his heart that the United States is the country with the greatest threat.


    The United States, with its unique geographical location and abundant resources, rose rapidly during the two world wars.


    The way the United States rose to power was through selling armaments, making huge profits in the early stages of the wars and even putting most European countries into debt.


    Then, the United States took advantage of its strengths to attract arge number of immigrants and refugees from Europe.


    These people included arge number of European scientists and talents who were the crystallization of the European Industrial Revolution and technological development, but eventually they worked for the United States.

 Chapter 122: Successful Development of the Firearm

    Chapter 122: Sessful Development of the Firearm


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s words, Benson and Disel finally nodded assuringly, having dissolved their prior worries.


    Funds were not a concern, they just hoped that their jointly invented car would go global, allowing them to leave a mark in automobile history ¨C this was their wish too in scientific research.


    A genuine scientist wasn¡¯t simply a matter of contributing to humanity and the world while also allowing their name tost through the ages, ensuring they¡¯d be remembered by all?


    This was the case with Benson and Disel. They didn¡¯t care about their self- interest and funds, what they cared about was whether they could produce results and whether their research career would be left without regret.


    Moreover, Arthur still held the majority of stocks in the automobile factory, so after giving up a portion of the profits, the biggest loss would naturally be his.


    The interest of Arthur himself were disregarded, what then would be the worry for Benson?


    Anyway, the normal research funds would be provided by Arthur, and with his-worth reaching hundreds of thousands of pounds, Benson had nothing to worry about.


    Even though they had to share their technology, the inventors and owners of the technology were still Benson and Disel.


    As long as the core technology of the car remained in their hands, Benson had no problems at all.


    Upon his return from the Benz Car Factory, Arthur was nning for when to send delegates to the United Kingdom and Germany to negotiate directly with the local noble forces, or even the royal family about the joint car factories.


    Unexpectedly, other matters came up, that being experts from the military factory in conjunction with German experts. After more than six months, they hadpletely grasped the technology of the M1897 automatic artillery and had independently replicated two firearms, awaiting Arthur¡¯s inspection.


    The M1897 automatic artillery was one of the best performing firearms in this era, and also one of the main firearms equipped by the Australian Army.


    Being able to master and sessfully replicate the M1897 automatic artillery was good news for both the German Empire and Australia.


    After all, these were French creations and were also the main firearms of France. Germany being able to grasp its performance and data would be helpful for future wars.


    There was no need to say much about Australia; this would be the second firearm with automatic technology mastered by Australia, and be much more potent than the CA-1 machine gun.


    The CA-i machine gun was mainly used to damage soldiers and armies, and could only pose a threat to defence sites and facilities that were rtively weak.


    For those fortresses reinforced with steel and concrete, the power of the CA-1 machine gun was pitifully small. Even hundreds of artillery bombardments would hardly shake a solid fortress.


    The M1897 automatic artillery could make up for this shoring to a certain degree, causing wider and more potent damage.


    Of course, the real solution to these solid fortresses wasrge-caliber howitzers and giant firearms produced by Germany.


    Whilst these firearms weren¡¯t good looking in terms of uracy, they were very effective in actual potency. Unless the fortress had umonly strong defences, they could effectively destroy others.


    Upon receiving the news, Arthur went by car to the military factory, intending to see the potency of the replicated firearms for himself.


    At the entrance to the military factory, Australian and German experts were standing in two lines, having waited for a while.


    The Australian experts all wore eager expressions, and the German experts also wore full smiles. Clearly, they were satisfied with the sessful replication of the firearm.


    After chatting briefly, Arthur led everyone to the barren hill behind the military factory.


    Thisrge mountain range had been designated as the range of the military factory, and its actual function was to test the potency and performance of the weapons produced by the military factory.


    Of course, to ensure that no idents would ur, the barren hills were patrolled before each experiment to ensure no Australians were hiding within.


    As for the wild animals on the mountain, they couldn¡¯t be managed. Anyway, Australia was sparsely popted, with abundant wildlife.


    In the temporary gun position, a total of three guns stood silently on the battlefield.


    In the middle was the original M1897 automatic artillery, and the two replicated versions were on either side.


    An Australian expert introduced, ¡°Your Highness, the two replicas we have created are identical to the original M1897 artillery in both appearance and all designs. Even the two types of ammunition thate with the gun, the 5.3 kg high-explosive shell and the 7.24 kg fragmentation shell have been replicated. Currently, the potency of both types of replicated shells is roughly the same, and as long as there are no issues with our replicated gunfire, we can begin production formally.¡±


    Arthur nodded, and asked, ¡°Has the experiment been prepared? If it¡¯s ready, let¡¯s begin!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    The gunners stepped forward and began to operate the gun expertly.


    From their proficiency level, it was clear that before this experiment, they had thoroughly understood the operation of this gun, thus avoiding unexpected idents from happening.


    With amand, the three guns fired together, maintaining a rtive bnce in the artilleryman¡¯s loading speed, frequency of shell loading, and artillery firing.


    This was rare for replicated weapons, as they often resulted in performance differences, especially the first generation of replicas.


    Seeing that the two far-reaching guns replicated in the military factory had the same firing frequency as the M1897 gun, it was enough to see how sessful this replication was.


    Arthur wouldn¡¯t attribute this entirely to Australian experts. Even with the participation of Australian experts, at least more than half was the result of German experts.


    ¡°This is unbelievable, the replicated guns and the original guns are almost the same. You did a great job!¡± Arthur said to all the military¡¯s research personnel. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s Australian or German research experts, your contribution to Australia has been huge. Naturally, the royal family will not let your merit go unrewarded. Later, each of you will receive a cheque from the Australian Royal Bank as a reward for your hard work over the past six months,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    The amount of money used to receive the good feelings of all experts and theplete M1987 automatic artillery technology would make this trade a good deal no matter how one saw it.


    Moreover, Australia would directly master the production technology of this gun, which would be much quicker than researching production methods with their own technology.


    Hearing Arthur¡¯s words, smiles reappeared on everyone¡¯s faces.


    Although everyone was a researcher, money that was given for free wouldn¡¯t be rejected. Besides, as the Duke of Australia, Arthur¡¯s reward wouldn¡¯t be small.

 Chapter 123: Visiting the Military Factory

    Chapter 123: Visiting the Military Factory


    In fact, as those military industry experts expected, Arthur¡¯s rewards were very generous, and each of them received a check for 2000 pounds.


    Although this included outstanding talents and researchers like the German experts, their sries were also very generous, with annual ies reaching several hundred or even thousands of pounds.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t like money, especially when it was several years¡¯ sry for nothing.


    For the Australian military experts, it goes without saying that despite many of theming from the United Kingdom to Australia, their sries were not very high, with an average ie of just over 300 pounds. For them, the 2000-pound check was equivalent to six or seven years¡¯ worth of ie.


    In fact, Arthur didn¡¯t have to give so much. He could have given different bonuses to the German experts and the Australian military experts.


    However, Arthur did not do so. For one, a 2000-pound cheque for each person was not too much; even with all the Australian military experts, the cost of the rewards would not exceed 100,000 pounds.


    Secondly, both the German experts and the Australian experts had put in a great deal of effort and hard work in imitating the M1897 automatic cannon. Arthur could not possibly distinguish between them.


    Moreover, these German military experts would return to Germany once the aid treaty¡¯s stipted time had passed. Only a handful would continue to work in Australia, or perhaps none at all.


    But these Australian experts were different. Aftering to Australia from the United Kingdom, they could be considered true Australians.


    They served Arthur and Australia, and were the future hope for the rise of the Australian military industry.


    Making them satisfied and winning their loyalty were what Arthur really wanted to get. After the departure of the German military experts, these Australian experts would be the true pirs of the Australian military industry. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    What Arthur had high hopes for now was that these Australian experts would learn something from the German experts.


    If they could learn some of the essence of the German military industry field from the German experts, the Australian military industry would have a chance to rise.


    After the rtively pleasant distribution of checks, Arthur and the military industry experts came to the military factory to observe the manufacturing process of the imitated M1897 automatic cannon, and also to see the simple production line created by the military industry experts.


    ¡°So does this mean we havepletely mastered the imitation technology of this cannon? Have wepletely researched and mastered both its design principles and construction techniques?¡± After listening to the experts¡¯ various introductions, Arthur asked after a long time.


    ¡°At present, yes, Your Highness. By dismantling and studying the firearm and its ammunition, we have basically mastered the design principles and construction process of the firearm. The two imitated firearms were built on a one-to-one basis. It is precisely because of this that the imitation firearm can achieve a rate of fire just like the original firearm, with virtually no difference.¡± The German expert nodded and answered.


    Arthur turned his gaze to the Australian expert, and after receiving a definite answer from the Australian expert, he continued to ask, ¡°How about the production speed of this production line now? How long does it take to produce a firearm?¡±


    Since the principles and construction techniques have beenpletely mastered, and experiments have been conducted on the imitated firearms to ensure that there are no problems with their firepower output and stability, the next step is to mass-produce them and arm the troops.


    The M1897 automatic artillery is currently one of the most powerful firearms and a crystallization of French artillery science and technology.


    Arthur would be happy to see it equipping the troops earlier, especially at this critical juncture of the Australian army¡¯s recent reorganization.


    ¡°Your Highness, the current production method requires a lot of manualbor, and even arge number of experts need to be involved. This greatly reduces the efficiency of firearm production. To produce these two firearms, we used more than ten experts, and it took nearly a week under these circumstances.¡± The German expert exined.


    ¡°Therefore, to mass-produce firearms, we have to wait until aplete firearm production line is set up. This will not take too long, but it will take at least about a month.¡±


    After hearing the German expert¡¯s exnation, Arthur nodded, expressing his understanding.


    ¡°Is there room for improvement in this firearm now? Can this semi-automatic technology be applied to other firearms?¡± Arthur asked curiously.


    The French were at the forefront of the world in automatic artillery technology. Even with many of the military experts in Arthur¡¯s arms factorying from Britain, the most advanced automatic artillery technology they had was the 37mm CA-i machine gun.


    Although this small-caliber automatic artillery had a very fast firing rate, with a terrifying maximum of sixty rounds per minute or one shell per second,


    it also had a significant drawback, which was that it was only suitable for attacking facilities and troops with simple protection and was not suitable for capturing fortress cities and fortresses.


    This type of machine gun usually served two important purposes: in addition to being used for defensive trench warfare, it was also used to be mounted on as- yet-unborn aircraft to enhance aerial firepower.


    Arthur¡¯s intention was just that, to mount small-caliber machine guns on bombers to be the nightmare of ground troops.


    The real battlefield weapons that could be equipped with troops were medium andrge-caliber firearms.


    Large-caliber firearms were not only suitable for defensive trench warfare but also for capture and plunder.


    Perhaps onlyrge-caliber howitzers could deal with solid shields like fortresses.


    If automatic firearm technology could be applied to medium and evenrge- caliber firearms, it would be a huge improvement for their firepower and could be used to build more powerful artillery units with fewer firearms.


    Just imagine ifrge-caliber firearms could use automatic firearm technology, ten giant firearms firing ten rounds a minute would be enough to have the power of dozens ofrge-caliber firearms firing together.


    Not only could they use fewer artillery units to exert more powerful firepower suppression, but they would also wreak havoc on the enemy¡¯s morale and faith.


    Now, with the high cost of every firearm, using fewer firearms to exert more powerful firepower would also be a relief for the finance department.


    The saved military spending could be used in other areas, and the purchase of more equipment could further enhance thebat effectiveness and morale of the troops.

 Chapter 124: Navy Expansion

    Chapter 124: Navy Expansion


    ¡°Your Highness, there is an issue at present, which is the naming of the imitation firearms. Please give a name to our new firearm to demonstrate its power,¡± said the Australian expert with a smile.


    Naturally, the task of naming the firearm could only be entrusted to Arthur, and it was also a good opportunity to tter him.


    ¡°Since the firearm is a joint imitation made by German experts and Australia, let¡¯s call it the GA-1902 Artillery. I hope that with the efforts of all of the experts from Germania and Australia, the GA series firearms can be world-renowned,¡± Arthur said after some thought.


    Now Australia has two rapid-fire firearms that can be produced independently, one is the CA-i Machine Gun developed during the time of Duke Arthur, and the other is the GA-1902 Artillery they have now.


    If the CA and GA series can sessfully be world-renowned, it will prove that Australia¡¯s military industry is genuinely sessful.


    ¡°The faster the construction of the production line, the better. I will instruct the Ministry of Defense to quickly hand over the procurement list to you. The task of the military factory in the future will be to quickly master the construction technology of the GA-1902 Artillery and equip our military with arge number of this type of artillery,¡± Arthur ordered.


    Now that the firearms have been researched and imitated sessfully, it is time to establish a procurement list for production.


    At present, the training of Australia¡¯s artillery unit relies on the few CA-i machine guns, so it is time for them to see something better.


    Yes, Your Highness!¡± The Australian experts promptly replied.


    Arthur acted quickly and summoned Minister Kent of the Ministry of Defense a few days after leaving the military factory and determined the detailed procurement list for the Ministry of Defense.


    Since the Lee-Enfield Rifle, Maxim Machine Gun, and small-caliber firearms had already been purchased previously, the procurement list this time was very brief, with just over 100 GA-1902 Artillery pieces.


    Though it may not seem numerous, the time needed to produce these firearms is not short, it may require at least four to five months.


    If it takes at least an additional month to build the production line, it means it will take at least six months toplete the production of these guns.


    Fortunately, the Australian Army can afford to wait now; both the reorganization of the First Division and the Guard Division will take at least half a year or even a year.


    After not having much leisure time at the manor house, Arthur received excellent news for Australia that, after more than a year of learning and research, the experts at the shipyard have taken the first step in mastering the theory and construction technology of the Brunswick-ss battleship.


    Of course, building aplete battleship in this era is not that simple. Even with the guidance of many German experts, these Australian experts have only taken the first step in mastering the construction technology.


    Unless the entire construction process takes ce under themand and guidance of the experts from Germania, these Australian experts are still far from independently building aplete battleship.


    However, this is already excellent news since the German experts are already here. As long as they sessfully build one or two ships under theirmand and assistance, Australia will have thoroughly mastered the construction technology of the Brunswick-ss battleship.


    But Arthur does not want Australia to purchase two battleships now. Waiting for the birth of dreadnoughts that will take ce in a few years, the current battleships will be scrap metal.


    Arthur would not be foolish enough to spend nearly millions of pounds now to buy two scrap piles.


    In order to let these experts master more skills and even the ability to independently build battleships, Arthur has developed a n to send batches of these experts to Germany for learning. With the good rtionship between Australia and Germania, these experts can also master the ability to buildrge warships in Germany¡¯s shipyards.


    Of course, more experts will stay in Australia. Although Australia has no ns to buildrge warships in the short term, some midsize and small warships are still being built.


    While this may not give them new abilities, it will make them more familiar and prepare for the future ns to build dreadnoughts.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s naval power is rtively weak, and the strongest warships are merely light cruisers with a tonnage of just over 4,000 tons built more than a decade ago.


    Many coastal defense ships and small escort ships make up Australia¡¯s Navy. Most of these ships have tonnages of less than 3,000 tons. While they may be useful patrolling the coast ordinarily, they can only be cannon fodder or be confined to the harbor when facing a real navy.


    After careful consideration, Arthur suggested that the government order two irond cruisers and three escort ships from the shipyard to expand Australia¡¯s naval size.


    These two armored cruisers are Duke-ss armored cruisers, modified from the British Ondo-ss armored cruisers. The ship¡¯s body is 93.5 meters in length, 17.63 meters wide, and 7.01 meters high, with 6,500 horsepower, a regr cruising speed of 18 knots, and a short-term maximum speed of 19 knots.


    In terms of firepower, the Duke-ss armored cruisers have two 234-mm main guns, ten 152-mm guns, and several small 6-pound and 3-pound guns. The Duke-ss light cruisers have a tonnage of 5,800 tons, far exceeding the currentrgest tonnage naval ship in Australia.


    After ordering these two light cruisers, Australia¡¯s naval force will experience significant growth, and at least coastal security can be more assured.


    These two Duke-ss armored cruisers were named ¡°HMAS Australia¡± and HMAS Duke of Arthur,¡± with an estimated construction time of seven months, and will beunched just in time for Australia¡¯s next National Day.


    Three escort ships are coastal defense ships with tonnages of just over 2,000 tons. Their primary task is to patrol and defend the coasts of Australia and the New Guinea Colony. It is already satisfactory if they canplete these tasks.


    The total cost of the two Duke-ss light cruisers and three escort ships is not high, only just over 100,000 pounds.


    Among them, the cost of the two light cruisers ounts for nearly 70,000 pounds, and the cost of the three escort ships is not even half of that of the light cruisers.


    With thepletion andunch of the five warships, Australia¡¯s naval strength will experience a certain growth.


    Although it still cannotpete with European nations, at least it is not as bleak as before.


    A yearter, Australia¡¯s naval strength could enter the top five in Asia, although it is not enough, it has indeed be a surpluspared to before.


    Minister Kent is the happiest with the expansion of the navy. As a talent from the British Empire, Minister Kent proposed the importance of the navy to Australia early on, believing that the navy is more important than the army for Australia.


    In fact, it is. As arge ind country, Australia also has overseas territories such as New Guinea and many other inds.


    Under such circumstances, the importance of the navy has greatly increased and is indeed more important than the army.


    To maintain national stability, it is necessary to ensure the strength of the navy, not only to defend the coastline but also to ensure the safety and stability of any overseas territories.


    Of course, all Australians should know about this.


    The importance of controlling public opinion is manifested. In just a few days, the whole Australia learned about the navy¡¯s expansion n, and the vast majority of people agree and strongly support it.


    Most Australians are of British descent, and Britain is the first superpower and first naval power in the world today.


    Australians have a special affection and favor for the navy. When they learned that the government wanted to expand the navy and purchase new warships, many Australians spontaneously took to the streets, holding banners in support of the government¡¯s actions.


    Even some Australians with just a good ie were asking the government in various ways about possible funding gaps.


    They even imed that if the government had financial difficulties, they could organize fundraising to help the government voluntarily.


    Arthur naturally rejected their requests. The purchase of warships only cost 100,000 pounds, which is a small sum even for the Australian Government.


    However, the love of these Australians for their country still allowed Arthur to see the hope for Australia to rise.


    If the recognition and love of most Australians for Australia can be so deep, then Australia can definitely grow into a strong country.


    As the saying goes, where the people¡¯s heart is, victory follows, and the great cause can be achieved. Any country with the support of its people has a terrible potential. Even if the country is currently in a backward or even declining state, as long as the people¡¯s hearts are all aligned, it can definitely grow into a strong and prosperous country.


    Shortly after Australia announced its ns to expand its navy, it received congrattory messages from New Zend.


    Under the promotion and propaganda of the Alliance Party, New Zenders are now very concerned about Australia¡¯s situation. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Alliance Party even made a considerable ie by selling newspapers containing news about Australia.


    The expansion of the Australian navy aroused the envy of New Zenders. Composed of British people who value the navy, New Zend¡¯s navy is still small and simr to Australia¡¯s navy before. It consists almost entirely of small coastal defense ships and escort ships, some of which are even older than Arthur.


    Time flies, and May soon passes.


    In addition to the birth of the GA-1902 artillery and the expansion of the Australian navy, two rtively important events urred worldwide.


    The first is Cuba¡¯s independence. On May 20,1902, on this special day, Cuba officially ¡°independently¡± from the control of the United States, and with the help of the United States, established the Cuban Republic.


    Unfortunately, Cuba is still under the control of the United States, and even a yearter, the United States forcibly leased two naval bases from it.


    The second matter was rted to the British Empire, which is the end of the Second Boer War.


    The Second Boer War began on October 11,1899, andsted until May 31,1902, for two and a half years.


    This was a war about British and Dutch descendants fighting for territory and resources in South Africa, and it eventually ended with a tragic victory for the British Empire.


    The British Empire deployed more than 400,000 troops, and even before Australia¡¯s independence, some Australian troops were conscripted.


    More than 22,000 people were killed in the war, thergest loss for the British Empire in recent wars.


    Even the end of the war was not aplete victory for the British Empire. Under the huge losses of the war and international public opinion pressure, the British Empire hastily signed a contract with the Boers.


    How much did the British Empire lose in this war? The two-and-a-half-year war consumed a staggering ¡ê220 million in war expenses of the British Empire, and the other losses in weapons and equipment and resources were countless. ¡¯ After this war, the British Empire connected its southern African colonies into a piece and controlled the corridor leading to the Great Lakes region in the African hintend.


    However, this war also marked the end of British overseas expansion history. The high cost of modern warfare has led British politicians to abandon the expansion and defend overseas territories and their homnd, as well as to abandon istionist policies.

 Chapter 125: Royal Security Intelligence Agency (Please subscribe!)

    Chapter 125: Royal Security Intelligence Agency (Please subscribe!)


    On June 6,1902, on this unremarkable day, Arthur and a mysterious-looking man quietly arrived at the Guards¡¯ garrison, ostensibly to watch the training of the Guards¡¯ soldiers, but actually to select personnel and form a new army.


    It is a new army, but it is actually a new organization responsible for intelligence and espionage departments, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    Apanying Arthur was Barty Crouch, the director of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency personally appointed by Arthur.


    Barty Crouch¡¯s background is quite special, different from Arthur¡¯s previous subordinates.


    Barty Crouch lost his parents at a young age and was adopted by Duke Arthur at a young age, trained to be one of his capable assistants.


    Barty Crouch has a very friendly rtionship with Arthur and is 100% loyal to Arthur because he respects Duke Old Arthur by heart, and is a die-hard follower.


    Even Barty Crouch¡¯s loyalty is on par with that of Old Hunter Butler, and their rtionship can even be described as Duke Old Arthur¡¯s adopted son.


    ¡°Barty, how is it? Are there any candidates you like among the Guards¡¯ soldiers?¡± After watching the training of the Guards for a while, Arthur smiled and looked at Barty Crouch, asking.


    ¡°Some guys look good, Your Highness. If they are well trained, they should be promising talents in intelligence and espionage.¡± Barty Crouch nodded and said.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Barty. The soldiers of the Guards are at your disposal, as are those of the Australian Army. I hope the structure of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency can be set up as soon as possible, and at least in Oceania and Asia, we should have decent intelligence capabilities.¡± Arthur nodded and ordered.


    As we enter the 20th century, espionage and intelligence departments have also be an important means to diplomacy between countries.


    On the surface, European countries are currently engaged in an arms race, but behind the scenes, the exchanges and confrontations of the espionage and intelligence agencies have been countless, with no shortage of bloodshed in the dark.


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness. The physical fitness of these Guards¡¯ soldiers is quite good. They only need a short period of training, their qualifications to be intelligence personnel,¡± Barty Crouch nodded and said.


    The Australian Royal Intelligence Security Agency is Arthur¡¯s most core intelligence organization, and its director Barty Crouch even holds the power to arrest cab ministers.


    Besides the prime minister, who cannot be offended lightly, the Australian Royal Intelligence Security Agency has the power to arrest any government official or member of parliament at any time.


    In other words, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency is a sharp sword hanging over the heads of all Australian officials, and an important means for Arthur to monitor and bnce the government.


    As members of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, they are naturally not ordinary intelligence personnel.


    After being selected into the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, the various identities of these soldiers will be hidden throughout Australia and trained to be senior special agents to carry out any possible tasks.


    It¡¯s harder than being a soldier, and even more dangerous.


    Arthur believes in the loyalty of the Guards¡¯ soldiers, but he also increases the welfare of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency personnel. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Not only are their sries much higher than those of ordinary Guards¡¯ soldiers, but if they die in battle, the pensions they receive are an unimaginable sum.


    It must be said that Barty Crouch¡¯s strictness in selecting personnel is impressive. The Australian Guards are abination of the original British Empire Guards and the Australian Army training, their overall quality is much higher than that of ordinary soldiers.


    However, out of more than 8,000 guards and 17,000 Australian Defense Forces, only just over 100 people were selected to be suitable for the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    These soldiers all have one thing inmon: while having excellent physical fitness, their minds are also quite flexible. They are just as developed in their mental abilities as they are in their physical ones.


    These people are rtively scarce in the military. Although Barty Crouch tried to avoid choosing military officers when selecting candidates, there are still a considerable number of officers and potential officer candidates.


    This has led to the current Australian Royal Intelligence Security Agency having only just over 100 people, but all of them have been painstakingly selected from the more than 20,000 strong Australian military, ensuring they would be excellent officer talents and reserves even within the military.


    Arthur initially believed that the establishment of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency had been a preliminary sess and was now just waiting for these soldiers to receive intelligence training.


    Unexpectedly, Barty Crouch threw another problem at Arthur: the issue of firearms for intelligence personnel.


    Although Australia currently has two famous gun systems known worldwide by the end of World War II, one is the British-made Lee-Enfield Rifle, arguably the strongest rifle in the world today.


    The other is the German-made Gew98 rifle, the predecessor of the famous 98k rifle.


    However, neither of these rifles is particrly suitable for intelligence personnel, as they are too long and inconvenient to carry.


    Barty Crouch¡¯s suggestion to Arthur was to have the military factory invent a semi-automatic or even fully automatic weapon that was shorter than a rifle but had a power equal to or greater than a handgun.


    Honestly, when Arthur first heard Barty Crouch¡¯s suggestion, a weapon immediately came to mind: the submachine gun.


    The history of submachine gun shooting dates back to the middle of World War I when the war gradually turned into trench warfare. Countries¡¯ armies found that the dense formation of charges, which used to be easily pushed forward, would only increase casualties in trench warfare.


    To break the stalemate in trench warfare, Germany developed an automatic weapon using handgun bullets, whichbined the fierce firepower of automatic rifles with the light and reliable advantages of handguns. It became the most powerful weapon for individual soldiers to carry on close-range output: the famous MP18 submachine gun.


    The MP18 submachine gun uses the principle of free machine gun and adopts the same 9mm caliber Parabellum handgun bullets as used in the Luger pistol.


    Due to its full-automatic firing feature, the MP18 submachine gun¡¯s ammunition consumption is particrly huge, and German soldiers called it ¡°Kugelspritz,¡± meaning a bullet sprayer.


    As the world¡¯s first true submachine gun, the MP18bined the advantages of rifles and handguns while also exposing some shorings.


    The MP18 submachine gun did not have a decisive impact on the war situation, but its potential potentials attracted the attention of the Allies.


    Although the Treaty of Versailles, imposed after the defeat, prohibited Germany from continuing to manufacture and develop submachine guns, Germany still bypassed the ban through various means, and the secret research work continued.


    After World War I, the MP28 II submachine gun was quickly born. As an improved version of the MP181 submachine gun, the MP28II solved one of the major shorings of the MP18, which was only capable of fully automatic firing.


    With both single-shot and burst firing capabilities, the MP28 submachine gun officially ushered in the golden age of submachine guns. To avoid ban-rted issues with the Treaty of Versailles, the MP28 submachine gun production was moved to Belgium, and multiple calibers were developed for export.


    Ind nation¡¯s Type 100 submachine gun and Britain¡¯s Lancaster submachine gun were both imitations of the MP28 submachine gun, which demonstrated the weapon¡¯s performance and power after improvement.

 Chapter 126: Dressing Up in Disguise

    Chapter 126: Dressing Up in Disguise


    Although the MP series of submachine guns perfectly fit Barty Crouch¡¯s vision, there is a significant issue ¨C the MP submachine guns won¡¯t be invented until 1917, a full 15 years from now.


    The best Arthur could do was ry the design concepts and general outline of the submachine gun to the military factory, leaving the rest up to the experts there.


    To avoid dying training, all personnel in the Royal Security Intelligence Service will uniformly practice with Lee-Enfield rifles. They must also be acquainted with all the weapons currently possessed by Australia, including artillery and machine guns.


    In order to train his personnel in various skills, Barty Crouch specifically demanded that they learn how to drive automobiles and pilot small warships.


    Yes, with the new type of car already starting to be mass-produced, the name of this automobile was bing known to more Australians.


    Barty Crouch, naturally understanding the potential of cars, made it a point to require all his subordinates to learn to drive cars, even master this skill.


    For this reason, the Royal Security Intelligence Service made advance purchases of hundreds of cars from the Benz Car Factory. Under the premise of ¡®one person, one car,¡¯ they allowed these trainees to practise extensively, aiming to swiftly master car driving skills.


    Barty Crouch¡¯s training methods were anything but lenient. These guards initially thought their training was already very strict, but the training they received after joining the Security Intelligence Service was even more ruthless.


    An individual skilled in various types of weapons, adept at using transportation means including horse carriages, cars, ships, and small warships, in Barty Crouch¡¯s words, is simply someone qualified to enter the intelligence organization. Can you believe it?


    Arthur even perceived the scenes of special forces training programs fromter generations in Barty Crouch¡¯s intelligence personnel training. If tanks and airnes existed now, Arthur suspected that Barty Crouch would surely let these neers to the intelligence sector master tank and airne driving.


    Arthur, however, was d to see this, as intelligence personnel with stronger abilities would be more effective in intelligence gathering.


    The Royal Security Intelligence Service, as the eyes through which Arthur controlled Australia and even explored the world, ced great importance on the abilities of its members.


    Arthur didn¡¯t want his hard-working dispatched intelligence personnel tock abilities, not only unable toplete their assigned tasks, but even possibly hindering the entire task or the operations of the Royal Security Intelligence Service behind him.


    Under Barty Crouch¡¯s numerous training systems, the Australian Royal Intelligence Security Agency, despite only having a little over a hundred personnel, was not at all frugal with expenses, consuming thousands and even tens of thousands of pounds every month.


    Although every intelligence personnel¡¯s expenditure was several times that of a guardsman, this rigorous training method was very effective. In merely two months, virtually all intelligence personnel had mastered car driving and became familiar with the Lee-Enfield Rifle, the MA-96 Maxim Machine Gun, the CA-1 Machine Gun, and a series of other weapons.


    September 3,1902, Sydney, Australia.


    As quietly as the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau was established, almost the entire agency embarked, dividing into small teams of three to four people to travel by ship to surrounding regions in batches,ter reaching their destination, India, at differing times.


    In southern India.


    Even though it was already September, the climate in tropical southern India remained exceptionally scorching. The harsh sun was baking the earth, causing cracks all over the fields and adding a touch of exhaustion and heat to everyone walking on the road.


    On the scorching road, three individuals, who seemed like refugees, walked under the harsh sunlight.


    Although they stood out in the surroundings, their white skin and British appearance deterred the nearby Indians from meddling.


    ¡°This damned weather, I¡¯ll bet that it¡¯s worse than half of what Australia¡¯s weather is like,¡± one of them grumbled quietly when there was no one around. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Shut up, Walter. Aren¡¯t we all the same? Scorching in this damned weather. Don¡¯t forget what you¡¯re doing now. We¡¯re executing a task appointed by the great Duke His Highness,¡± the leader reminded.


    Hearing about Arthur¡¯s task, the man named Walter obediently closed his mouth and wiped the sweat from his forehead, then continued to walk in silence.


    ¡°We should be reaching soon, right captain? ording to the simple map we bought from Vasaka, there are just a few kilometers left between us and that what¡¯s-it-called temple,¡± another man asked uncertainly after inspecting the crumpled and rudimentary map in his hand.


    ¡°Who knows? Let¡¯s just keep walking until we find that damned temple,¡± the captain responded with a shrug, indicating his helplessness towards this rudimentary map.


    As a matter of fact, this map was bought from the local vigers after offering a certain amount of money. The excuse was that they came here for sightseeing, but didn¡¯t know any good spots around this area.


    There were many British people who came to India for sightseeing. Therefore, no one would suspect these small teams of two or three people of having other intentions, especially those who had British appearances.


    With thousands, or even tens of thousands, of British tourists in India every year, the deployment of over a hundred personnel by the Royal Security Intelligence Service didn¡¯t attract much attention.


    This was the first task executed by the Royal Security Intelligence Service since its establishment, and it was a task that Arthur greatly emphasized.


    In order to sessfullyplete this task, Barty Crouch chose to lead the team himself and deploy most of the members from the Royal Security Intelligence Service for a swift and perfectpletion of Arthur¡¯s task.


    Actually, besides Barty Crouch, the members of the Royal Security Intelligence Service are still unaware of their specific tasks.


    All they knew was that their final destination should be near a certain temple in southern India, and they should arrive and scout the area as soon as possible.


    To avoid attracting attention, Barty Crouch broke the hundred-plus personnel into multiple small teams of three or four, with designated team leaders for each team.


    Most of these teams were disguised as scientific research teams or merchant squads, like Walter¡¯s refugee group.


    However, regardless of their disguises, their objective remained the same ¨C to safely and swiftly reach the surroundings of the temple, and quickly investigate the nearby intelligence.


    While it was unclear what immense allure the temple in southern India possessed, making even the great Duke Arthur give personal orders for the Royal Intelligence Service to scout, the personnel didn¡¯t ask too many questions after Barty Crouch¡¯s training. They had only one goal ¨C to quickly, effectively, and safelyplete their task.

 Chapter 127: The Mystery Inside the Temple

    Chapter 127: The Mystery Inside the Temple


    As time went on, only the footsteps of Walter and his twopanions remained on the scorching road. Though not clear, the sound traveled far across the arid, open space.


    ¡°Hey, look! This is a mark left by our people! It looks like the destination isn¡¯t far now,¡± Walter suddenly eximed with excitement upon spotting something on the side of the road.


    ¡°Shut up, Walter! Do you want everyone to know about our mission?¡± The captain scolded him, although a hint of joy could be heard in his voice.


    Although they could persevere, walking on such a hot and open road was mentally exhausting, with the oppressive sun hanging above their heads.


    Now that the destination was close at hand, it meant that their tedious journey was nearing its end.


    ¡°We¡¯ll rest for ten minutes under those trees over there, and then continue our journey. We¡¯ll try to reach the vicinity of the temple before sunset today, and then explore the area at night,¡± the leader said, ncing at the still-hot sun above before pointing to the shadows of some trees not far away.


    Upon hearing the order, Walter and the other person let out a sigh of relief and each picked a spot under a tree to rest. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Nighttime, a temple somewhere in Southern India.


    Late at night when all is quiet, several people d in dark clothing stealthily appeared near the temple, synchronously dispersing into different areas.


    After scoping out the nearby terrain and situation, they gathered around the temple and turned their attention inside.


    Barty Crouch¡¯s orders were to probe the area around the temple. Since there was no mention of not entering the temple, naturally, the interior of the temple was also within the scope of the investigation.


    As thergest temple in the Indian states, this one called Padmanabhaswami naturally had its own defenses.


    Especially with therge number of Indian devotees, the donations from believers constituted a significant wealth.


    To protect this wealth from malicious eyes, temple defenses were rather strong, with two patrol teams carrying torches even during pitch dark nights.


    However, it was apparent that themon Indian people who made up this defensive force were no match for the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    In an unnoticed corner, several nimble spies slipped inside unnoticed by the monks and guards.


    The temple grounds were vast, not a singleplete structure but ratherprised of several huge separate buildings that formed the overall temple.


    Having explored all the buildings, the intelligence personnel hade up empty-handed.


    ording to their investigation, this temple wasn¡¯t any different from other Indian temples, aside from its massive size.


    However, would Director Barty Crouch really just be teasing them? Australia was so far from India, and everyone believed that there must be more to their mission than simply investigating an ordinary temple.


    ¡°Hey! Over here, look at this!¡±


    Those searching immediately heard this distinct shout and rushed to the source of the noise.


    It was a somewhat dpidated-looking building, located in the heart of the temple grounds. In contrast with the surrounding majestic structures, this one appeared rather old and neglected, seemingly rarely used.


    Even the path in front of the building was overgrown with weeds, and it was evident that not many people visited this area.


    The group exchanged nces, unanimously feeling that something was amiss with this run-down building. Could such a decrepit structure in the midst of avish temple, with hardly any visitors, be considered normal?


    During the day, this temple was crowded with countless devotees, and most of the buildings were packed with people.


    Under these circumstances, a derelict and rarely visited building seemed unusual.


    Upon quietly sneaking inside, they indeed discovered that the ce was different from the other areas.


    The temple¡¯s main defenses were in its exterior, that is the torch-wielding patrol teams outside.


    There was barely any protection inside the temple, which was why their exploration had gone smoothly thus far.


    But now, in this rundown structure, there were two guards stationed, albeit nearly dozing off. There was no question, they concluded, that something important must be hidden inside the building.


    To avoid raising any rms, the group decided to retreat after a brief discussion.


    Having already thoroughly investigated the temple¡¯s secrets for tonight, it was time to now await Barty Crouch¡¯s next instructions before deciding whether to venture inside that building again or not.


    What the intelligence agents didn¡¯t expect was that the real objective of their mission would indeed be the peculiar structure within the temple.


    Though they missed a prime opportunity to enter, they had acquired a clearer understanding of the temple¡¯s surroundings and interior.


    Upon reconvening with everyone, Barty Crouch made the decisive decision to re-enter the temple that very night.


    Barty Crouch knew whaty inside and made ample preparations. A small group would continue to explore the temple¡¯s interior, while the rest sought an opportunity to deal with the temple¡¯s patrolling guards and keep watch inside the temple.


    Once they took care of all the guards outside, those inside could transport out the discovered treasures after they were located.


    The rundown structure, still guarded by the two sleepy individuals, was the same as before.


    This time, the operation was swift. Two intelligence agents stealthily approached from behind the guards and drew their knives. The guards copsed like rag dolls with one swipe.


    The intelligence personnel had scouted the temple¡¯s interior, where there were virtually no guards apart from those two.


    Most of the temple¡¯s defense forces were positioned outside on patrol, which was why the group dared to eliminate those two guards directly.


    Upon Barty Crouch¡¯s signal, the group entered the building in single file.


    The inside was filled with statues covered in dust due to a long period of neglect.


    ¡°Split up and search. Gather immediately upon finding anything,¡± Barty Crouch ordered.


    The group began inspecting the interior, tapping and probing at the statues, intent on not missing the smallest of details.


    Thud thud thud!


    An agent who discovered something unusual called out in a hushed voice, ¡°Chief! This part is hollow!¡±


    In an instant, the busy individuals all gathered, their eyes fixated on where the noise hade from.


    Thud thud thud!


    Barty Crouch¡¯s eyes lit up and he promptlymanded, ¡°Pry it open!¡±

 Chapter 128: Breaking Doors and Dismantling Houses for Transportation (Happy New Year!)

    Chapter 128: Breaking Doors and Dismantling Houses for Transportation (Happy New Year!)


    As everyone had expected, after prying open the hollow stone brick, a dark corridor was exposed inside.


    ¡°Someone slim, go in and take a look at the situation.¡± Barty Crouch ordered.


    Under Barty Crouch¡¯smand, two slim people immediately packed up and descended with two burning torches.


    At this time, the defense force inside the temple had beenpletely cleaned up and there were no people around the building, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about the torches being exposed.


    Moreover, the burning torches could determine the situation inside the corridor. If there was ack of oxygen, the torches would stop burning, giving the two a warning.


    After waiting for a while, the two climbed up and wiped off the sweat; ¡°Director, this is aplete corridor, one side leads to the back of the statue, and the other side leads to some secret chambers deeper inside. The doors of the secret chambers are made of huge stones and are estimated to be several tens of centimeters thick.¡±


    Barty Crouch nodded indifferently, not flustered even when hearing about the solid stone doors.


    ¡°Prepare for sting. Since civilized methods can¡¯t open those stone doors, we can only resort to violent means.¡± Barty Crouch said with a smile.


    Explosive production is one of thepulsory courses for intelligence personnel. For this mission, Barty Crouch had specially brought a lot of explosives in advance, in case of emergencies.


    Work continued to erge the pried hole, allowing more people and explosives to enter.


    After walking for a while along the long corridor, Barty Crouch and the others finally saw the stone doors of the secret chambers clearly.


    After feeling the material of the stone doors, Barty Crouch took out a hand- cranked drill, and several people quickly drilled holes of varying depths in the stone. They then ced the small explosives in these holes. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    To ensure their safety, all these explosives were dyed explosives, with an explosion time of three minutes.


    This time was also enough for everyone to evacuate from the hole and prevent themselves from being buried from the explosion¡¯s vibration.


    Boom boom!


    With a few muffled noises, the ground started to shake slightly, and then returned to calm.


    After waiting for a short while and ensuring that there was no movement, Barty Crouch led the people back into the corridor.


    At the entrance of the secret chamber, the stone door had been sted into several pieces, and the broken stones were much easier to deal withpared to the intact door.


    After the crowd moved all the broken stones, a dark secret chamber appeared before them.


    ¡°Director, what are we waiting for? There must be a lot of treasures in here, and if we give them to His Highness, we should all be able to get medals, right?¡± One of the subordinates said impatiently.


    They didn¡¯t care how much treasure was in the chamber, and they knew it was not within their reach.


    But if they sessfully handed over the treasures to Arthur, would they receive a medal?


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Have you forgotten what you learned before?¡± Barty Crouch scolded, then threw the torch from his subordinate¡¯s hand into the chamber.


    The originally thriving torch went out instantly, like a bucket of cold water, pouring down everyone¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°The secret chamber ispletely sealed, and there is ack of oxygen inside. Everyone, pay attention, and we will enterter.¡± Barty Crouch nodded and ordered.


    The history of this temple was already hundreds of years old; who knew what could be stored inside?


    Barty Crouch couldn¡¯t imagine the wealth of ancient Indian state, considering that the prosperity of the British Empire wasrgely due to the support of India.


    After waiting for almost half an hour, and the torches no longer went out when thrown in, everyone finally entered the secret chamber.


    Raising the torches, the magnificent scene inside the secret chamber made everyone drop their jaws. Even the experienced Barty Crouch was a bit surprised at this moment.


    Gold coins, jewelry, and tableware made of gold were piled up like a mountain, while on the other side was a heap of brightly colored gemstones.


    Among the two piles of treasures, the most eye-catching was a gold elephant over a person¡¯s height. Some people even tried to lift it, but could not move the giant elephant at all.


    On all sides of the secret chamber, numerous wooden boxes were stacked, and although they were covered in dust, it seemed that it couldn¡¯t block the golden light leaking from the treasures inside.


    ¡°Oh my god, how many medals would that be?¡± The crowd¡¯s minds were filled with visions of the three medals, and they had already started nning how to show off to others after receiving them.


    ¡°Hurry up and get everyone in, move all these things out. And stop thinking about it, as a qualified intelligence personnel, you¡¯d better not reveal the various merits and medals you received. Moreover, you haven¡¯t gotten them yet!¡± Barty Crouch interrupted everyone¡¯s fantasies and ordered.


    Everyone sprang into action, carrying the treasures out to the entrance of the hole, and then transferring them to horse carriages.


    In order to facilitate the transportation of these treasures, all they could do was apologize to all the people in the temple.


    Under Barty Crouch¡¯smand, everyone turned their knife to all the monks in the temple, allowing them to meet their beloved Buddha.


    To facilitate the transportation of these gold and pearls, the crowd even dismantled the temple¡¯s gates and various buildings, only to find some materials that were convenient for transportation.


    The corridor led to a total of six secret chambers. Although the amount of treasure in the six chambers varied, the total was definitely a huge number.


    Even with more than a hundred strong intelligence personnel, this massive relocation operationsted from night until dawn.


    In fact, not all the treasures in the temple were transported. Some silver utensils and jewelry were abandoned by everyone because they took up space and were of low value.


    But discarding them was also a matter of knowledge. Everyone abandoned the silver and utensils around the temple, which was enough to cause a scramble andpetition among the people nearby.


    Anyway, they were able to create some chaos here and dy the attention of the British Empire.


    By the time the local rulers and the British began to notice the temple, Barty Crouch had already left India on a transport ship.


    Everyone dared not sort out the batch of treasures on the way, but could only hurry up the transportation and reach Australia, to find a safe ce to do soter.


    Several disguised Australian transport fleets took away these horse carriages and intelligence personnel in batches, and like their previous approach, they first detoured to surrounding areas and countries before heading to Australia.


    The entire operation and transportation took a lot of effort. From September 3rd to September 20th, the fleet arrived at Sydney Harbor in full force.

 Chapter 129: The Value of the Treasure (Happy New Year!)

    Chapter 129: The Value of the Treasure (Happy New Year!)


    There was nobody to greet them at the harbor. In fact, under Arthur¡¯s suddenmand, the harbor went into a day-long alert, during which no unrted individuals were allowed near.


    Although people were unclear about what had happened at the harbor, they all respectfully kept their distance.


    After all, since the alert was set tost only one day, it didn¡¯t greatly affect their lives.


    Guided by the lead escort ship, two huge transport ships slowly docked at the harbor.


    At the harbor, thousands ofrge boxes had been prepared in advance to house all the treasure. It was to be transported to a safe ce for counting, masked under an inconspicuous appearance.


    Just the task of packing all the treasures into the boxes consumed a substantial four hours of time.


    To transport these treasures, Arthur had deployed scores of horse carriages and over a thousand royal guards for security.


    Eventually, all the treasures were temporarily transferred to Arthur¡¯s manor house, where a specially prepared underground warehouse was located that wasrge enough to amodate the treasures and was highly secure.


    Although onlookers were extremely curious about the grand procession of carriages heading for Arthur¡¯s manor, none of the young men dared to take a peek.


    The mere sight of the armed royal guards escorting the convoy was more than enough to deter them, let alone the fact that the destination was a heavily guarded manor house.


    At the manor, Barty Crouch once again met with Arthur. Arthur, with a smile on his face, patted Barty on the shoulder and said in a jovial tone, ¡°Barty, you¡¯ve done a great job with this mission. These treasures will suffice to support the royal family and Australia¡¯s future ns.¡±


    Although the precise value of the batch of treasures was not clear, they were undoubtedly sufficient to support Australia¡¯s industrial development n for the next two or three years.


    ¡°Your Highness, it is all because of your intelligence. Without your tip about the vast wealth in the temple, nobody else would have thought of targeting it,¡± Barty Crouch replied, shrugging off the praise.


    This was the power of intelligence. Without prior knowledge of the colossal treasure inside the temple, sending thousands of men on the mission would probably have yielded no returns in India.


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha, as you say, Barty. But without your training of the intelligence officers and your leadership during the operation, we wouldn¡¯t have been this sessful. Rest assured, even though, for various reasons, we can¡¯t divulge the information about this operation, everyone will receive their due rewards. I won¡¯t let any of Australia¡¯s heroes go unrewarded,¡± Arthur reassured, patting Barty on the shoulder again in an undeniable tone.


    After hearing Arthur¡¯s words, all Barty could do was nod his head in acknowledgment. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Alright, take your men and rest for a few days! There will be more important tasks to hand over to you fellows in the future. The Royal Security Intelligence Agency will be one of my most crucial forces,¡± Arthur advised, noting the puffiness under Barty¡¯s eyes fromck of sleep during the operation.


    It was only expected. Since this was the first major operation undertaken by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, which Arthur had high expectations from, both the theft and transportation of the treasure had to be done very cautiously.


    As the chiefmander of the operation and the head of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, it would have indeed been strange if Barty could sleep soundly during the mission.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Barty did not decline. Being sleep-deprived for several days in session had him exhausted, and an extended rest was precisely what he and his intelligence officers needed now.


    After all the treasure had been transported to the underground warehouse at the manor, the task of inventory was then entrusted to the royal guards and manor servants.


    Given the allure of the treasure haul, there had to be at least five unfamiliar individuals beside every person involved in the inventory process.


    If the inventory-takers were royal guards, then they had to be apanied by unfamiliar soldiers from different units.


    Because everyone around them were strangers, it efficiently curtailed any potential acts of theft or smuggling.


    Of course, everyone had to undergo strict inspections before and after the inventory process to ensure no treasure was taken out or hoarded.


    Compared to the time required to transport the treasure, counting it took even longer.


    Even though hundreds of individuals, including royal guards and servants, were deployed, the inventory process still took more than six hours.


    Starting from the afternoon and working into the night, they managed to roughly tally and record the specific count of treasures.


    How enormous was the temple¡¯s treasure hoard? The total weight of the gold and silver treasures exceeded sixty tons, out of which gold currency and jewelry alone weighed more than thirty tons. There were also arge number of gemstones and other treasures.


    Silver items made up the smallest portion of the treasure, weighing in at less than ten tons. This was because they had chosen to abandon many low-value silver items after giving it much thought.


    If they had included those vast quantities of silver items, the total weight of the treasure would have been at least eighty tons, making transportation even more challenging.


    The most eye-catching item amongst all was a golden Buddha statue, slightly bigger than a real person. Although its size was barely life-size, it weighed a lot more and was the most troublesome to transport.


    It even weighed more than the golden elephant statue and was the most attractive amongst all the treasures.


    Truth be told, Arthur didn¡¯t know much about the treasure in the temple apart from some media reports.


    But these reports werergely sensationalized, with the specific figures in each article hardly matching up.


    The only thing that could be assured was that the treasure inside the temple was of high value and was worth billions of US dors inter generations.


    Although many items¡¯ values would have decreased significantly a hundred years ago due to various age factors, such a colossal treasure was undeniably valuable and certainly met Arthur¡¯s expectations.


    For the gold currency and jewelry, Arthur issued instructions to have them melted down into gold bars as a reserve for the future issuance of new currency.


    Keeping such a massive amount of gold items in the warehouse was a waste, and Arthur didn¡¯t need these items to unt his wealth, especially since their origin could not be openly revealed.


    The thirty-plus tons of gold were a significant addition to the issuance of new currency and would also increase the Australian Government¡¯s limited gold reserves.


    However, this batch of gold belonged to Arthur and the royal family. Even if it was to be used in the future for issuing new currency, the ownership would still be retained by the Royal Bank.


    Upon seeing the treasure¡¯s value estimates on the inventory list, Arthur was slightly surprised.


    The value of this treasure hoard was not only capable of supporting Australia¡¯s industrial growth for one or two years, but it could also easily sustain development for up to five years.

 Chapter 130: The Reaction of British East India (Happy New Year!)

    Chapter 130: The Reaction of British East India (Happy New Year!)


    The list showed in great detail that, after various estimates, the total value of the treasure exceeded 40 million pounds, not including the value of various gemstones and jewelry.


    If these were included, the total value of the treasure could reach up to 50 million pounds, four times the current annual total expenditure of Australia. What does that mean? This treasure alone could support the development of Australia for four years, including various infrastructure and industrial development ns.


    If used solely for naval development, thisrge amount of funds could build a navy at the great power level, even on par with Germany and Britain.


    Even for future dreadnoughts, which are likely to be costly due toprehensive upgrades, this fund could build nearly twenty.


    What does twenty dreadnoughts represent? It puts it within the top three worldwide, even qualifying topete with the German Empire and the British Empire.


    To ensure confidentiality, all the guards and servants involved in the counting had to sign a confidentiality agreement, prohibiting any disclosure of the specific figures of this treasure in any way.


    After all, the origin of this treasure is dubious, as India is still a colony of the British Empire, which makes this akin to looting from the British.


    It could be predicted that following the theft at the temple, the treasures owned by many temples in India would be targeted by the British, possibly leading to more extensive mining and exploration.


    Whether the treasures of the Indian temples could be preserved until the new century, as they had been in history, would depend on whether the British could resist the wealth exposed by the temples.


    Arthur hadn¡¯t anticipated the stir that the temple robbery had caused in India, nor the impact it had on the British.


    Just on the second day after the temple was robbed, when arge number of believers went to the temple for worship, they discovered the tragedy around and inside the temple, as well as many damaged buildings and dismantled gates.


    As one of thergest temples in India, the Padmanabhaswami Temple had supreme status and repute in the hearts of the local state and the Indian people.


    The urrence of such a tragedy in such a temple not only aroused the anger and dissatisfaction of many Indians nearby, but also drew the attention of the British, the rulers.


    If this situation is not handled properly, it might pose a significant threat to British rule.


    Under the intervention of the colonial government, arge number of British soldiers began to flood the area around the temple, searching every detail nearby and interrogating every Indian.


    After a few days of persistent search and interrogation, the British colonial government obtained an important clue: in the days before the temple was burgled, several groups of three or four people had passed the temple, and they disappeared after the theft.


    But this clue was the cause of a headache for the investigating officers and all the soldiers.


    The suspects came from many different areas, including Australia, British New Zend, British East India, British Southeast Asia, British South Africa, and French Indochina, and their arrivals in India varied by as much as a week. What¡¯s more important is that at present it can only be determined that these people were around the temple during the burry, but they can¡¯t ensure that they had the motive tomit the crime, and they don¡¯t even know where these people have gone to.


    Even if these people are confirmed as the real culprits, what then? Neither the Indian states nor British East India were able to apprehend those people, resulting in ack of progress in the investigation.


    While the investigation was stalled, the remaining property in the temple was also counted.


    Although most of what was left were silver utensils of little value, due to therge number, the total value still reached close to 300,000 pounds.


    This shocked the British. If it were aplete temple treasure, it would be an unimaginably terrifying figure.


    Based on the British East India colonial government¡¯s estimates of the traces left in the six secret chambers that had been almost emptied out, the original six chambers contained at least a few tens of tons of treasure.


    Due to the long-time umtion, the bottom ground of the secret chamber was dusted with ayer of gold powder, proving that the treasure included not only silver, but also a significant amount of gold.


    This led some colonial government officials to specte that if it had been aplete treasury, its value could have been tens of millions of pounds, right?


    The more they thought about it, some of the British started to covet the stolen treasure, but since they didn¡¯t know the whereabouts of those people, they began to covet the treasures of other Indian temples.


    Since this Indian temple had such arge amount of treasure, wouldn¡¯t other Indian temples have some as well?


    Even if they couldn¡¯t match the colossal wealth of this temple, it should be easy for them to have a few hundred thousand pounds of wealth. Won¡¯t it add up when piled together?


    For these colonial government officials, catching those who stole the treasure is not easy, but it is very easy to n another burry in another Indian temple.


    However, the question is, can India withstand a second temple robbery? The theft of the temple this time has already caused a lot of anger and dissatisfaction among many Indians, and there is even resistance to the rule of the British colonial government.


    If a temple robbery is organized and nned by British officials, wouldn¡¯t it be like adding fuel to the fire in the current situation in India? n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    What¡¯s more, if Indians discovered that the temple theft was nned by officers of the East India colonial government, the Indian independence movement and anti-colonial movement might set off wave after wave of protest.


    Upon reflection, many of the more rational British officers stopped this mad idea. For the current British Empire, maintaining stability in India is more important than anything else.


    A stable India can bring more ie to the British Empire, and its value is definitely notparable to hundreds of millions of pounds.


    But still, some people coveted the treasures of other temples, but for various reasons, they temporarily held back.


    However, because of the fast containment action of the British Empire, news of the temple robbery only spread around the temple, at most within the jurisdiction of the state where the temple was located.


    In order not to let more Indians and foreign forces know, Britain dispatched troops to the vicinity of the robbed temple and executed some rebellious Indians, which quieted down most people.


    At the same time, the colonial government began to clean up the temple and made simple repairs to the surrounding area, to deal with the traces of the temple being robbed.


    This is something the British East India colonial government can¡¯t help. In the absence of certain information as to which force stole the treasure of the temple, the only thing they can do to stabilize the situation in India is to contain the news, and clean up all traces.

 Chapter 131: Flight Plan (Part 1)

    Chapter 131: Flight n (Part 1)


    On October 7,1902, Arthur had just attended the third induction ceremony for freshmen at the Australian National University. He then met with two talents, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell, who came all the way from Germany.


    The historical reputations of these two talents are not significant, and even their current fame is not that prominent.


    However, the first Zeppelin airship they participated in the design of has achieved remarkable results and even won the Victoria Science and Technology Award in 1901.


    When ites to the Zeppelin airship, a famous name must be mentioned, which is the true manufacturer of the Zeppelin airship, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Count Zeppelin, a retired lieutenant general of the German Army, became famous for his invention of the Zeppelin airship.


    In history, Zeppelin was a pioneer in the German aviation industry and the inventor ofrge-scale practical rigid airships.


    In the era when airnes were not yet born, airships were the only way for people to reach the sky.


    The Zeppelin airship that won the Victoria Award was created by Zeppelin, Theodore Korbel, and Ludwig Durrell.


    The LZ-i Zeppelin airship, which they jointly built, was about 128 meters long, had a diameter of 11.7 meters, and its gasbag had a total capacity of about 11,300 cubic meters.


    The airship had two external hanging cabins, each equipped with a 16 horsepower engine.


    In the first flight experiment two years ago, the airship achieved remarkable results, not only being able to carry at least six tons of cargo but also flying at a speed of 35 kilometers per hour for several tens of kilometers.


    Of course, the reason for the Zeppelin to win the Victoria Technology Award was not just these. As the only means for humans to reach the sky before the birth of airnes, airships still had a lot of development prospects for at least two to three decades.


    This period will also be the peak period of airship development, until the famous Hindenburg disaster urs.


    Arthur understands the various limitations and shorings of airships, so naturally, they will not be the main development target for Australia.


    However, it cannot be denied that during this time, airships indeed had a significant role. Furthermore, while the world¡¯s attention is attracted by airships, Australia quietly developing airnes is also a good idea.


    At least before therge air disaster, people still had a good impression and curiosity about suchrge objects that could fly in the sky.


    But as a retired German Army Lieutenant General and Count, Zeppelin naturally would not be able to serve as a researcher in Australia.


    However, his two capable assistants, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell, who participated in the design of the first Zeppelin airship, were willing toe to Australia.


    Not to mention anything else, the establishment of an independent researchboratory and at least ten thousand pounds of research funding per year offered by Australia was enough to entice the two of them.


    Although the real founder of the Zeppelin airship was not invited, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell were both outstanding talents in the German aviation field. Before designing the Zeppelin airship, they made remarkable contributions and research results in the aviation field.


    At the Manor House, Arthur officially met Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell.


    Although it has been almost a year since Count Zeppelin won the Victoria Technology Award, David Martins Simons, the Royal European Affairs Supervisor, has already extended an olive branch to the two of them.


    However, their thinking time,bined with solving existing work issues, took almost half a year. By the time they arrived in Australia, the Victoria Awards for the new year were about to be presented.


    ¡°Dr. Theodore Korbel, Dr. Ludwig Durrell, wee to Australia!¡± Arthur greeted them with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. It is our honor toe to Australia to work,¡± the two responded in unison.


    ¡°The LZ-i airship you participated in the design of, I have some understanding of its information. In terms of rigidrge airships, you have already achieved remarkable results. Although Mr. Zeppelin cannote, I believe that under the efforts of the two experts, we can still replicate or even design more advanced andrger airships.¡± Arthur said, expressing his purpose directly.


    ¡°That should not be a problem, Your Highness. Replicating an LZ-i airship is not difficult. However, if we want to improve its performance, I am afraid it will take a longer time.¡± Theodore Korbel voiced his concerns: ¡°Although during this time, we and Mr. Zeppelin have also started to improve and redesign the airship, the progress has not been fast. There are still some problems to be solved in the design of the engine and motorboat.¡±


    ¡°Time is not a problem, and funds are not a problem. I will provide you with sufficient research funding, and the improvement and research of airships will be one of your most important tasks. Of course, I will also invite more experts from Europe to help youplete this grand design,¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Even the famous Zeppelin airship in history took more than ten years of research before it was officially put intomercial use in the second decade of the 20th century.


    ¡°The first? Your Highness, do you have other ns?¡± Ludwig Durrell keenly grasped the additional information in Arthur¡¯s words and asked with a hint of doubt.


    Although they are currently outstanding talents in the field of aviation, the aviation field that has achieved something so far is the airship industry.


    Since the birth of the balloon, ideas about driving and propelling balloons have promoted the birth of airships. Now, more than a hundred years have passed since the birth of the first airship, and airships have developed remarkably.


    From the very first human-powered airship to the present soft and rigid airships, various airships can now carry people and cargo and conduct short- range flights in the air.


    From the initial slow progress of airships to a speed of 94 kilometers per hour, and even now a speed of more than 25 kilometers per hour.


    The cruising speed of the LZ-i rigid airship is equivalent to that of the current warship, but the airship does not have to take detours in the air, making it suitable for navigation in any terrain.


    As long as the problems of endurance and safety are solved, and the single range of airships can break through 300 or even 500 kilometers, then airships can be considered to have a practical use.


    Of course, to achieve a great global flight like the historical ¡°Graf Zeppelin¡± airship, it is still very difficult to achieve with the current technology.


    However, if it is only for short-distance transportation of materials and the establishment of air transport routes, it is possible to achieve it in a short time.

 Chapter 132: Flight Plan (Part 2)

    Chapter 132: Flight n (Part 2) n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the moment, besides airships, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durr ell can¡¯t think of anything else they can do, so they are very curious and ask Arthur about it.


    Arthur smiles without answering directly, but hands over some documents, indicating for them to watch on their own.


    After carefully watching all the documents, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell exchange nces, and then tentatively ask, ¡°Your Highness, do you want us to develop steam-powered airnes?¡±


    Indeed, although the universally-known inventors of the airne are the American Wright brothers, many had been exploring the possibility of airnes even before their sessful test flight.


    The first recorded airne manufacturer was Germany¡¯s Mochayski. In 1882, he made a steam-powered airne with wings resembling t tes, but the test flight failed.


    From 1886 to 1890, France¡¯s Adelle had also made four steam-powered airnes, but all of their test flights were unsessful.


    Maxim from Britain and Ryley from the United States both made steam-powered airnes in 1893 and 1896. However, perhaps due to insufficient power or other reasons, none of these airnes could fly sessfully, and thus they lost the honor of being the first to invent airnes.


    It wasn¡¯t until December of 1903 that the Wright Brothers piloted their invention, the Flyer No. 1, for four sessful flights on Kitty Hawk Beach on the United States East Coast, totaling 97 seconds and 441 meters of flight.


    Although it was only for a short time and distance, it was indeed the first time in human history for a powered airne flight.


    After thest test flight, Wilbur Light excitedly said, ¡°The era of flight has finally arrived!¡±


    Althoughpared to airships, airnes would not y a significant role untilter.


    However, it cannot be denied that airnes are absolutely more suitable for development than airships in terms of potential, practical use, and most importantly, safety.


    Arthur shows Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell all the previous steam-powered airne documents for one purpose ¨C to have them build airnes!


    If the Wright brothers could sessfully build airnes, why couldn¡¯t Australia?


    In terms of capacity, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell are both established experts in the field of aviation. Are their abilities lower than the Wright brothers? Not necessarily.


    Perhaps what theyck is the imagination and pursuit of soaring through the skies.


    Arthur can provide this as he has experience with various advanced airnes and even experimental prototypes.


    What Arthur needs is for Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell to use their knowledge of the aviation industry to realize some of Arthur¡¯s ideas.


    Although they may not invent airnes before the Wright brothers, there is a high chance of catching upter.


    The invention of the Wright brothers¡¯ airne is still being explored, as are the airne inventions of the entire world.


    If Australia can sessfully overtake in airne invention, it will y a crucial role in Australia¡¯s military affairs.


    Why is Arthur so concerned about the development of airnes? Because before the advent of more powerful weapons, airnes and air superiority were as vital to a war as the number of troops deployed, if not more so.


    Nothingpares to the threat that airnes pose to frontline troops and rear logistics. They can even directly influence the bnce of a war and determine its oue.


    Imagine if the front lines and logistics routes were harassed or even cut off by airnes, can the war still be fought?


    Perhaps they can fight, but it would test the military¡¯s loyalty and trust in their leadership. Oveing absolute adversity and winning is not impossible, but that doesn¡¯t mean everyone can do it.


    After getting Arthur¡¯s confirmation, the two are still somewhat surprised and ask, ¡°Your Highness, currently steam-powered airnes may not be sessful. Although it is not certain that steam-powered airnes cannot fly, it is definitely something that requires a lot of energy and crazy experiments to explore. Besides, do steam-powered airnes and airships have ovepping functions? Even if steam-powered airnes can fly, they wouldn¡¯t have the enormous transportation capacity of airships.¡±


    Arthur smiles and shakes his head, saying, ¡°The functions of airships and airnes do not conflict, and as far as I know, someone in the United States has already researched airnes that can fly, although they are still in the experimental stage. I hope you can pay attention to the research of airnes, which is even more critical for Australia than airships. After the construction of airships has made progress, shift your focus to the research and development of airnes. You will only be responsible for the research and development of airships externally, but in reality, you should pay more attention to airne research, understand?¡±


    Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell exchange nces and suddenly realize.


    Although Arthur invited them to Australia and asked them to reproduce the LZ-1, it does not mean that the main research direction for Australia is airships, but rather steam-powered airnes with somewhat simr functions.


    As for why they were chosen, perhaps because they are experts in the field of aviation?


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness. After building the LZ-1 rigid airship replica, we will begin to focus on researching steam-powered airnes,¡± Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell say in unison.


    Although the research target differs from their original fantasy of airships, both are still within the aviation field.


    They understand the research direction of airnes and have some knowledge of aerodynamics.


    What they care about are research funds and wages that will not decrease, but even increase, so it doesn¡¯t matter what they research.


    Moreover, Arthur also promises to hire more experts from Europe to help them. The previous steam-powered airne failures were individual inventions, but with the efforts of a country with substantial funding, would they still be afraid of not inventing a sessful product?


    As for Arthur¡¯s im that someone in the United States has already sessfully invented a flying airne, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell have no doubts.


    The words of a duke of a country still carry a lot of conviction.


    Seeing that Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell have agreed to the airne research n, Arthur nods in satisfaction and says, ¡°Australia will establish an Airship Research Center, and both of you will be in charge. Your first batch of research funds will be transferred soon, and I hope you can produce the LZ-1 replica as soon as possible, then quickly invest in airne research and development. Australia has an engine expert who may be able to help you with your airne research and development process. Anyway, I hope to see results soon.¡±


    Theodore Korbel nods, looks at his old partner, and then tentatively says, ¡°Your Highness, I hope Australia can provide us with some books on aerodynamics and aviation, as well as experts in this area arriving as soon as possible. We will invest in research at the fastest speed and will not disappoint your expectations..¡±

 Chapter 133: Fantasies of Electrification (Happy New Year!)

    Chapter 133: Fantasies of Electrification (Happy New Year!)


    Arthur acted swiftly, and just the next day, he allocated hundreds of Indigenous Peoples to help Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell establish newboratories and research bases while also handing them ¡ê100,000 in start-up funds for the purchase of research equipment and expenses.


    At the same time, Arthur asked Hunter Steward for assistance, procuring and dispatching arge number of books on aviation and aerodynamics from Australian National University and even Europe for Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell, as well as for future aviation experts to study.


    If it were not for the current shortage of manpower, Arthur would even want to open an aviation major at the Australian National University to train more talents in the Australian aviation industry.


    There is no need to rush this for now, as once more aviation professionals are attracted from Europe, there will be enough manpower to start the program.


    In order to make other countries and forces believe that Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Dorrell¡¯s Aeronautical Research Institute is researching airships, Arthur even mobilized arge number of Australian workers to build new airships, not only announcing the airship construction ns to the outside world but even boasting that a public experiment would be conducted in Australia after the sessful construction of the airship.


    This move aroused the curiosity of many Australians and sessfully made the Aerospace Laboratory, which was still under construction, and the yet-to-be- built Airship well known in Australia.


    Of course, this was indeed what Arthur wanted to see. Although Australia seems peaceful now, no one can guarantee that there will be no spies from other countries within Australia.


    If Australia¡¯s airship construction has achieved certain achievements, it will naturally attract the attention of the Powers.


    If they can attract most of the Powers¡¯ investment in the aviation sector to focus on airships, then Australia can upy a part of the initiative in the development of airnes.


    On October 19,1902, after more than five months of preparation, Australia¡¯s diplomatic visiting group set sail, aiming straight for Europe.


    This diplomatic visiting group was smaller than thest time, and Foreign Minister Andrews was the only person in charge, apanied by officials from some other departments.


    There were two main purposes for this diplomatic visiting group: to carry samples of the new type of car to the British Empire and the German Empire, seeking support from both countries to jointly establish car factories, and to scout for more talent in Europe.


    Since Australia¡¯s independence, Australia¡¯s old and new industries have not escaped Britain¡¯s current predicament of rejecting and despising new technologies.


    Yes, the British Empire, which rose in the first Industrial Revolution, fell behind other countries in the second Industrial Revolution and was sessively surpassed in industry by the United States and Germany. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Many emerging technologies born during the second Industrial Revolution were first created in Britain. However, British entrepreneurs were unwilling to apply these new technologies and processes to production.


    Britain is an old capitalist country and the birthce of the Industrial Revolution. Many factories in the United Kingdom have existed for hundreds of years, and the equipment is outdated.


    In the eyes of those British capitalists, it is not cost-effective to dismantle old equipment and rece it with new machines, which also hinders the progress of British industry.


    At the same time, due to therge gap in raw material costs andbor costs between the British maind and major colonies, capitalists prefer to transport arge amount of capital and equipment to foreign countries rather than update the production equipment and technology of local enterprises.


    Capital output certainly brings huge profits to Britain, but it also restricts the country¡¯s industrial production and progress.


    As one of Britain¡¯s former colonies, Australia received a lot of capital investment from Britain before independence, and even now, some British capitalists and entrepreneurse to Australia every year to set up factories for the sake of Australia¡¯s low-cost raw materials andbor.


    In the UK, a skilled worker earns at least fifty pounds a year, and if the job is scarce, the sry will double.


    But in Australia, ten pounds is the average ie level, and even with improved economic conditions, workers¡¯ wages will not exceed fifteen pounds. How big is the gap? The sry cost of a skilled worker is 35 pounds apart per year, along with cheaperbor and resource costs. This is also the reason why British capital flows out.


    While this is a good thing for Australia, it also has its drawbacks.


    For the past few years, the majority of British capital flowing out has involved new technology. However, before Australia¡¯s independence and even earlier, factories and enterprises established by British capital in Australia were using old technology. While many factories in Europe have entered the era of electrification, some factories in Australia are still using technology from the first Industrial Revolution.


    Naturally, Arthur could not tolerate the limitations that technological gaps posed to Australian industrial development, so Australia¡¯s next n is to fully implement electrification.


    Although there is currently ack of expertise in electrification, deploying electrification in Australia is rtively simple.


    At present, the two most widely adopted power generation methods are thermal power and hydropower. Among them, thermal power generation is more extensive due to the absence of terrain restrictions.


    Of course, thermal power generation is not without its ws. It requires arge amount of coal as an energy source, which also limits the power grid deployment in many coal-scarce countries.


    However, Australia happens to have abundant coal mines, which also provides a natural advantage for the development of electrification.


    Arthur¡¯s preferred talent was Te, a great man forgotten by the times.


    Unfortunately, Te had already be an American by this time and had already achieved sess in electrification.


    Even after several attempts by Australia to lure Te, he only agreed to go to Australia as an American expert to guide they of the alternating currentwork.


    Nevertheless, this was enough. Te¡¯s alternating current patents werepletely free, which could also save a considerable amount of money for Australia inying the electricalwork.


    As for Edison¡¯s direct current, Arthur did not even think about it. In addition to the controversial issue of Edison¡¯s status as an inventor, the huge ws exposed by direct current alone meant that Arthur would not adopt it.


    Because Arthur wanted to implementprehensive electrification in Australia, the diplomatic visiting group had another purpose this time: to draw some electrical experts and talents in Europe.


    Of course, this is not difficult. There are many electrical experts in Ennd alone, but British capitalists have not paid much attention to these technologies.

 Chapter 134: Unexpected Visitor (Happy New Year!)

    Chapter 134: Unexpected Visitor (Happy New Year!)


    On November 12th, 1902, as the whole year of 1902 was about to end, Australia weed an unexpected guest.


    At the beginning of the year, the Ind Nation had signed an alliance treaty with the British Empire. The purpose of this treaty was to contain the expansion of the Tsardom of Russia in East Asia, and also to protect the interests of both countries.


    In fact, this treaty would also prompt the Russo-Japanese War to ur two yearster, and after defeating the Far East army of the Tsardom of Russia, the Ind Nation would officially gain recognition from other powers and be one of them in terms of strength and status.


    However, this had no impact on Arthur and Australia, as Australia¡¯s sphere of influence was only in Oceania, not even touching Southeast Asia, let alone the more distant East Asia.


    But Arthur did not expect that Australia could also wee the visit of the Ind Nation.


    This was a fleet from the Ind Nation, most of the warships in the fleet were new British-made warships, and even the navy soldiers were specially trained in the United Kingdom.


    Because of the reason of investing heavily in the construction of the navy from top to bottom, the current scale of the Ind Nation¡¯s navy is quiterge, even on par with some powerful nations.


    Arthur did not understand the intention of the Ind Nation delegation, but still put on a smiling face and let Hunter Steward greet the delegation.


    At the same time, Arthur also ordered the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to apany them to find out the intention of the Ind Nation delegation as soon as possible.


    As a result, a meaningful business negotiation unfolded in the Government Building of Australia.


    The attendees of the meeting were the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Royal Butler Hunter, and the head of the Ind Nation delegation, Yukichiro Tamura, as well as diplomat Toshiyuki Hirano.


    From the outset, Yukichiro Tamura acted very respectfully, even though the Ind Nation¡¯s strength far surpassed that of Australia, he still respectfully said, ¡°Honorable Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Mr. Royal Butler Hunter, please allow me to express my highest respect to Australia and His Grace the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Australia has a good rtionship with the British Empire, and our Ind Nation has just formed an alliance treaty with the British Empire as well. A friend of a friend is a friend, and I believe we can establish a friendly treaty between us to strengthen our cooperation,¡± Yukichiro Tamura said straightforwardly.


    ¡°Mr. Yukichiro Tamura, we understand your request. What kind of cooperation are you referring to?¡± the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs asked with a skilled smile.


    ¡°Australia is a prosperous and rich mining country, and many minerals are what we currently need. I think we can establish a trade treaty between us to strengthen the rtionship between our two countries and solve our problem of insufficient mineral resources,¡± Yukichiro Tamura said.


    Although the Ind Nation has undergone decades of reforms and established a certain scale of industry, embarking on the path of Westernization and rise, due to the smallnd area and the fact of being a narrow ind country, domestic mineral resources are not abundant, which indirectly limits the development of industry.


    Take the steel production, which can currently measure the industrial level, for example, although the annual production capacity of the Ind Nation¡¯s steel factories can reach more than 50,000 tons and even break through 100,000 tons if production is increased,


    there are not that many iron mines and coal mines in the Ind Nation, which also means that the actual steel production in the Ind Nation is uncertain, and how much can be produced depends entirely on the supply of coal mines and iron mines.


    In this respect, Australia is much more fortunate. After more than two years of industrial development, Australia¡¯s steel production is only between 61,000 and 93,000 tons, but the supply of iron and coal mines is unlimited.


    Even the current steel production in Australia has surpassed that of the Ind Nation, although it is still far from the level of European powers, but it has barely reached the level of ordinary European countries.


    Please note that Australia¡¯s industrial development has only been going on for just over two years, while both the Ind Nation and European countries have taken decades.


    This is Australia¡¯s inherent advantage, which can be described as being blessed in terms of mineral resources.


    The Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs nodded faintly while pondering the issue in his heart.


    Before this negotiation, Arthur had specifically informed him that the Ind Nation, from the country to the people, was a beast, so there was no possibility that Australia could be its ally. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Although Arthur did not explicitly refuse any trade that might ur between Australia and the Ind Nation, it was clear from his attitude that it would not be easy for the Ind Nation to obtain Australia¡¯s mineral resources for free.


    ¡°Mr. Yukichiro Tamura, I won¡¯t hide it from you, Australia does indeed have rtively rich mineral resources. However, there is a serious problem at the moment. Due to the poption issue, the mining output in Australia is insufficient. I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be much left for your country after ensuring the supply for Australian industry,¡± said the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs with a smile after some thought.


    ¡°If your country¡¯s problem is due to ack of manpower, we can send a batch of miners over to help Australia with production. Of course, the minerals produced will still belong to Australia, and your country just needs to pay the sries of these miners,¡± Yukichiro Tamura proposed.


    As tensions between the Ind Nation and Russia escte, the possibility of a war breaking out cannot be ruled out.


    If a war breaks out, the supply and reserve of various resources will be a problem for the resource-poor Ind Nation.


    Having receivedrge amounts of financial aid from the United States and the United Kingdom, the Ind Nation is not currently short of funds, but rather is in need of a close and highly effective source of supply for resources.


    Although the United States and the British Empire can provide corresponding supplies, both countries are charging rtively high prices, and the distances are also quite far, making transportation inconvenient.


    Australia is the only country that is close to the Ind Nation and has abundant mineral resources.


    Moreover, Australia has a very good rtionship with the United Kingdom, and the Ind Nation has just signed a treaty with the United Kingdom not long ago.


    In the view of the Ind Nation, Australia would be an excellent source of mineral resources, which is why this diplomatic delegation came to Australia.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. We will solve Australia¡¯s mining production by ourselves, and we don¡¯t need your country¡¯s help for now. We are also willing to export some mineral resources to your country, even at the expense of sacrificing some of our factories¡¯ supply. But as you know, those capitalists will not give in without benefit, so the price of raw materials may rise. However, rest assured that the price will not be more than double the original price, and we will organize people to increase production as soon as possible,¡± the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a smile.

 Chapter 135: Far East Situation

    Chapter 135: Far East Situation n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The meaning of the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs is simple ¨C Australia indeed has enough mineral resources, but if they want to sell them to the ind nation, the price must be at least doubled.


    Do not underestimate the gap of one-fold difference. The mining resources needed for national industrial imports are calcted in tens of thousands of tons. A one-fold price difference could potentially result in increased costs of tens of thousands of pounds or more.


    Yukichiro Tamura had also anticipated that Australia would raise the prices of mineral resources. After all, the most fundamental aspect between countries is interest, and if one does not fight for interests for their country, it is, in fact, equivalent to treason.


    Before heading to Australia, Yukichiro Tamura had already anticipated this situation.


    Although the prices of the British Empire¡¯s ally¡¯s mining industry are not too high, they are somewhat lower than Australia¡¯s price, which is double.


    However, the areas where the British Empire can provide mineral resources are too far away from the Ind Nation. If transportation costs are taken into ount, the raw material prices of the British Empire would be much higher than Australia¡¯s.


    Especially when the ind nation is an ind country, the only means of transporting supplies to it is by sea at the moment.


    But therge transport ships currently in use are generally slow and require significant time,bor, and capital costs.


    Although the ind nation has be somewhat wealthy after receiving financial aid from the British Empire and the United States, its ambitions do not end there. The inders ingratiated themselves with the British Empire and tried to win the favor of the United States for the reason of gaining the support of the two countries, and thenunched a challenge to the reigning power in northern East Asia, the Russian Empire, to establish their own dominance in


    East Asia.


    But is the Russian Empire so easy to challenge? If it were not for the fact that the country is too vast, and the Russian Empire¡¯s ally, France, is unwilling to let most of the Russian Empire¡¯s power shift to East Asia and thus does not fully support Russia¡¯s efforts in Asia, the ind nation would not have dared to challenge the ambitions of the Russian Empire.


    This is the best time to challenge the Russian Empire, as the ind nation has received dual support from the British Empire and the United States. As for Russia? The treaty ally, France, does not want Russia to shift its focus to East Asia, resulting in few countries supporting Russia¡¯s strategy in East Asia, except for Germany.


    Thus, the current East Asian conflict can be divided into two camps: the ind nation and its backers, the British Empire and the United States, are the challengers, while the Russian Empire and Germany, which is trying to win over Russia, are the defenders.


    The Russian Empire wants to maintain its dominance in East Asia, but the current East Asian nation, the ind nation, is rising and wants to gain the rights and status it deserves.


    This is simr to the current situation in Europe, where the conflict of interests between the old powers and the emerging powers means that there will eventually be a war between the two countries.


    However, unlike the rtively bnced situation in Europe, the current situation in East Asia is more favorable for the ind nation, which is why the inders dared to confidently start a war two yearster.


    Keep in mind that even two yearster, the Russian Empire remains one of the top five powerful countries in the world in terms of national size and international rtions, while the ind nation is merely a rising, emerging country learning from the West.


    Perhaps the strength of the ind nation has surpassed that of weakened countries like Italy and Spain, but trying topete with the European superpowers like the Russian Empire head-on does not look promising on the surface.


    But in reality, due to the vastness of the Russian Empire and the inconvenience of transportation, as well as the attitudes of its ally France, its power in East Asia is limited.


    There are fewer than 100,000 regr Russian soldiers in the Far East Military District, and they are scattered throughout the Far East.


    They are called regr troops, but the quality of the soldiers is poor, the equipment level is low, and there are serious conflicts between senior officers and lower-ranking soldiers within the army.


    Of course, such problems are not unique to the Far Eastern Army. The Russian Empire, like its vast age, has entered a state of decay.


    Though it has gone through a less than sessful reform, it is not enough to effectively increase the country¡¯s lifespan. If it were not for its core territory in the West, which attracted some fruits of the Industrial Revolution, the Russian Empire might not have fared much better than a certain East Asian country.


    The Russian Empire¡¯s standing army has reached a terrifying number of 1,050,000, with 3,750,000 reserve soldiers.


    However, the force deployed in the Far East is less than one-tenth of that, and their equipment and logistics are far behind the western region.


    Poor soldier quality, poor logistics support, and backward equipment levels, coupled with disharmony between soldiers and officers, how much fighting power can such an army unleash?


    It would be difficult to say whether they could win a war with the decaying, let alone the recently reformed and revived ind nation.


    How difficult is it for Russia to transport supplies to the Far East? It is impossible to navigate the Arctic Ocean, and if they want to go by sea, they must cross Europe, South Asia, East Asia, and finally reach Northeast Asia.


    Such transportation costs are a huge burden for a country like Russia and an expense the nation cannot afford.


    The only solution isnd transportation, specifically, railway transportation.


    The Russian Empire spent a huge amount of money to build the Siberian Railway, which runs through Russia¡¯s most important western European region and its strategically significant Far Eastern region, with its warm ice- free port.


    However, there is a crucial issue ¨C up to now, this railway has not been fully operational.


    Keep in mind, this is an enormous railway connecting Moscow and divostok, and its length can be considered one of the longest in the world.


    It should be noted that the Australian Industrial Railway, which is nned to be built in ten years, has a total length of just over 2,000 kilometers.


    What about the Siberian Railway? Since it connects the West and the Far East, epassing all of the Russian Empire¡¯s territory, it results in the terrifying length of 9,288 kilometers ¨C more than four times the length of the Australian Industrial Railway.


    The first preliminary opening was in July 1904, and by the time it was fully operational, the Russo-Japanese War had ended.


    This meant that the huge railway, which had cost the Russian Empire a vast amount of materials and effort, made little contribution to the war before it came to a hasty end.


    The impact of this war on the Russian Empire was enormous, with significant losses in the Far East and growing discontent with the domestic ss situation.


    Even the revolutionary events that took ce during World War I might not have happened without the factors for failure in this war. In any case, after this war, the ind nation officially rose, and the Russian Empire officially entered its decline.

 Chapter 136: Request to Buy Armaments

    Chapter 136: Request to Buy Armaments


    ¡°Your Excellency, we understand the current situation of your nation, and we¡¯re not against a reasonable price increase. However, doubling it seems quite excessive, doesn¡¯t it? We have a good rtionship with the British Empire, and Australia also has excellent ties with the British Empire. I believe we and Australia are natural friends. I hope your country can make some concessions on the price of mineral resources, which the entire Ind Nation would appreciate.¡± Yukichiro Tamura slowly broached the subject.


    Even though the Ind Nation could bear double the price, this did not mean that Yukichiro Tamura would not negotiate for a lower price.


    If they could further reduce the price, it would indeed be good news for the Ind nation¡¯s finances.


    After all, the current state of the Ind Nation¡¯s industry, military, and warships could only be maintained by belt-tightening at all levels.


    Every bit of saved money counts. The sum of these savings can mitigate significant expenses.


    The money saved could well be used in other areas, possibly ying an even more crucial role in other aspects of development.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. The Ind Nation and Australia naturally have a positive rtionship, and there are no conflicts of interest. However, the reality of the situation is as it is. We¡¯re more than willing to help the Ind Nation address its resource poverty, but the issue of pricing greatly affects the livelihoods of Australians. This isn¡¯t something that can be resolved in a short period.¡± The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs agreed with Tamura¡¯s opinion at first, then feigned helplessness and regretfully continued.


    ¡°Old fox!¡± Yukichiro Tamura sighed in frustration, but his facial expression didn¡¯t change at all. He continued in an amicable and modest manner: ¡°In any case, the Ind Nation is grateful for Australia¡¯s help. We respect Australia¡¯s opinion on pricing, but we also hope Australia can consider the friendly rtionship between our two countries and make some reductions.¡±


    The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia nodded sincerely on the outside but felt contempt from within.


    Leaving aside whether the price reduction falls within his authority as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, what good rtionship is there between the Ind Nation and Australia?


    Even the alliance between the British Empire and the Ind Nation could be seen as a master-pet rtionship, with the British Empire only needing a docile and aggressive dog topete against the Russian Empire, the current master in the Far East.


    That¡¯s why the Ind Nation¡¯s diplomatic delegation is so humble toward Australia. No choice, as Australia has an excellent rtionship with both the world¡¯s number one military power¡ªthe German Empire, and the maritime superpower¡ªthe British Empire. Moreover, Duke Arthur of Australiaes from the British royal family, is a legitimate member of it, and is the most cherished grandson of former Queen Victoria of the British Empire. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Under these circumstances, should the Ind Nation dare to provoke Australia, it is likely that the angry British people have already started protests urging the government to sanction the Ind Nation.


    Do not underestimate the current influence of the British Empire. Although the United States has surpassed it in terms of industry and economy, the actual influence of the British Empire remains the most powerful in the world.


    Furthermore, the Ind Nation is merely a pet dog kept by the British Empire. Naturally, it can only wag its tail to wee a rtive of its master.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. I¡¯ll consult the Duke on the possibility of further reducing the export prices of resources in the future. Besides this, does your country have any other requests?¡± The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs nodded and inquired.


    ¡°Mr. Minister, I heard that your country has many British and German weapons, even possessing the capability to produce battleships, is that true?¡± Yukichiro Tamura revealed his real intention and asked eagerly.


    ¡°We do have many British and German weapons. We currently have production lines for both the British standard Lee-Enfield Rifle and the German standard Gew98 Rifle. This includes German artillery and British artillery, as well as our independently researched Maxim heavy machine gun. These are exceedingly advanced weapons, even in Europe. We are among the few nations that possess full production technology.¡± The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs confidently answered, bragging about Australia¡¯s current military industry and types of weapons.


    In terms of current weapon types and advanced levels, Australia is not inferior to the powerful nations. In light weapons, it has integrated the technical essence of Britain and Germany.


    The Australian Army is equipped with the world¡¯s most advanced Lee-Enfield Rifle and also uses their self-developed Maxim heavy machine gun, along with the production of German and British artillery on arge scale.


    In terms of weapon advancement and firepower output ability, the Australian Army is second to none.


    If they faced the technologically backward and lower-quality Russian army with simr numbers, the Australian Army would certainly win.


    This is the revolution that technology brings to national military power. Advanced technology often determines the strength of a nation¡¯s military power and is the most apparent distinction between emerging and declining countries.


    Hearing the affirmative response from the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yukichiro Tamura revealed an excited smile. He asked impatiently, ¡°Can we import the production lines of these weapons from your country? We can pay double the market price and cover the transportation costs.¡±


    The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs wasn¡¯t surprised that the Ind Nation was interested in these weapons. Although these technologies are owned by more than one country, they are definitely top-tier technologies, and Australia is no exception.


    Although exporting production technology to the Ind Nation would not harm Australia¡¯s interests, Arthur would definitely not do so.


    Unless Australia acquires more advanced weapon production technology, these weapon production lines will absolutely not be exported. The arms business that Australia deals in only involves the sale of weapons.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. The military factories currently holding these weapons¡¯ production technology are under the royal financial group, 100% owned by His Highness the Duke. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t answer your question. If your country insists on importing the production lines, I can consult the Duke, but I can¡¯t guarantee he¡¯ll agree,¡± the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs apologized while shrugging his shoulders and decisively refusing.


    Australia ns to use these weapon production technologies to engage in arms trade in the future war. How could it export these production technologies to cultivate anotherpetitor in the arms business?

 Chapter 137: German System and British System

    Chapter 137: German System and British System


    Seeing that the purchase of weapon production lines could not be realized temporarily, Yukichiro Tamura shifted his focus back to the weapons themselves and said with a hint of ttery, ¡°Your Excellency, how much do these weapons cost individually? We hope to purchase arge number of British weapons to meet the needs of our expanding military.¡±


    Ever since the beginning of the Meiji Restoration, the Ind Nation has been importing weapons and warships from Western countries. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Especially when the British Empire needed the Ind Nation as a hunting dog to contend with the Russian Empire, the Ind Nation wisely pledged allegiance to the British Empire.


    Currently, the equipment and warships of both the navy and army of the Ind Nation mostlye from the British Empire, ranging from rifles to battleships, all of which are exclusively sourced from the United Kingdom.


    Although such unified British equipment increases the funds needed for procurement, it greatly reduces the burden on logistics.


    If a country¡¯s weapons cannot be self-sufficient, the best approach is to purchase equipment uniformly from a country with powerful weapons, rather than letting their own country¡¯s weapons be internationally produced.


    Internationally produced equipment, while cheaper and more diverse, has a significant disadvantage, namely that at times like war, when logistics supply and requirements are stringent, it could be a burden on the country¡¯s economy and logistics.


    Just imagine, when the logistical supplies finally arrive, the soldiers suddenly find out that their weapons cannot be used with the bullets provided, which would be a major blow to the troops¡¯ morale.


    This is why the Australian army equipment is exclusively produced by itself. This avoidsplex weapon systems and reduces the pressure on logistics during wartime.


    Speaking of purchasing weapons, the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs also enthusiastically promoted, ¡°Mr. Yukichiro Tamura, Mr. Toshiyuki Hirano, we Australia currently have two rtivelyplete weapon equipment systems, whiche from the British Empire and the German Empire. If your country wants to buy army weapons and equipment, I sincerely rmend the German Empire¡¯s equipment.¡±


    ¡°German army equipment?¡± Yukichiro Tamura and Toshiyuki Hirano exchanged curious and expectant looks.


    Although they sought to win over and please the British Empire, everyone from the Ind Nation had naturally heard of the world¡¯s number one army, the German Empire.


    If the British Empire is the undisputed ruler of the seas, then the German Empire¡¯s army is the iron-fisted powerhouse coveted by every country.


    Of course, under the slightly fanatical militaristic education of the Ind Nation, the ideology education of the Ind Nation¡¯s forces was very sessful, and their fearlessness of death was no worse than that of the German army.


    However, in terms of logistics supply and weapons equipment, the German Empire¡¯s army is much more advanced than that of the Ind Nation¡¯s forces.


    ¡°Your Excellency, the Foreign Minister, can your country really sell us German army weapons and equipment?¡± Yukichiro Tamura said with anticipation.


    ¡°Of course. Thanks to the good rtions between Australia and the German Empire, we have the production technology for German rifles, machine guns, firearms, and even various warships. These weapons, once approved by His Highness the Duke, are all avable for export by Australia.¡± The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a smile.


    Yukichiro Tamura and Toshiyuki Hirano looked at each other and saw excitement and concern in each other¡¯s eyes.


    German arms and equipment were indeed attractive, especially German army equipment, which in many cases outperformed British weapons and equipment.


    But the Ind Nation had already formed an alliance with the British Empire, and if the Ind Nation were to equip itself with arge number of German weapons and equipment, would it affect the alliance between the Ind Nation and the British Empire, or even the cooperation between the Ind Nation and the British Empire?


    Hunter Steward, who had not said much,ughed and said, ¡°The two of you are worried that purchasing German equipment will affect your rtionship with the British Empire? You can rest assured, your country is only cooperating with us, not with Germany. All the weapons and equipment your country purchases are independently manufactured by Australia and are weapons with independent production technology in Australia. Although this equipmentes from German technology, it is now Australian, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Hunter Steward¡¯s words hit the nail on the head, instantly enlightening the two hesitant Japanese envoys.


    Although they were German-made weapons and equipment, they were produced by Australia, and the cooperating country was also Australia.


    With the good rtions between Australia and the British Empire, the British Empire should not be angry, right?


    Now the two Ind Nation¡¯s envoys were like two humble bootlickers, having to carefully consider the British Empire¡¯s attitude in everything.


    ¡°Sogasne! Can we see the power of German weapons and equipment? Please be assured that we absolutely do not doubt the quality of the weapons produced by your country. We just want to see the difference in power between German weapons and British weapons. After seeing the power of German weapons, we can sign the import treaty for weapons at any time,¡± said Yukichiro Tamura, anxious to see the German equipment.


    ording to the Ind Nation¡¯s strategic n, there was a huge conflict between the Ind Nation¡¯s strategy in East Asia and the Russian Empire¡¯s Far East strategy, which meant that either one country would have to back down or war would determine which country would give up.


    But unlike the core area of Russia in Europe, the entire Ind Nation is located in East Asia. If they were to give up their strategic position in East Asia, that would be equivalent to giving up the opportunity to rise as a power.


    Even if their enemy is an old power with the title of ¡°European Bulldozer¡± like the Russian Empire, these twisted Inders will not back down and have even begun to desperately curry favor with the British Empire and the United States, seeking support from the two countries to prepare for war with the Russian Empire.


    Everyone in the Ind Nation, including the Emperor, tightened their belts to save funds to develop the army and navy in order to achieve the dream of all Inders.


    The Inders did consider building good rtions with the German Empire, but the German Empire was more interested in wooing the Russian Empire at the time, and naturally had no good feelings towards the Ind Nation, a potential enemy of the Russian Empire.


    Now having the opportunity to obtain arge number of German weapons and equipment, Yukichiro Tamura and Toshiyuki Hirano were very excited.

 Chapter 138: Arms Import and Export Treaty

    Chapter 138: Arms Import and Export Treaty


    In order to better demonstrate the quality of weapons to the two envoys from the Ind Nation, Hunter Steward purposely changed the discussion venue to the back mountain of the military factory, which was often used for weapon testing.


    Because this mountain was often used for weapon experiments, thend on the mountain had long been baptized by shells and bullets, and there were no living animals or nts.


    Therge deep pits on the summit and the scattered pieces of iron and stone debris in the pits revealed the tragedy that had once urred here.


    Close to the mountainside, several square targets have been set up to test the power of the German rifles.


    Heavy machine guns do not need these targets, as the bullets that roar out of them will tear these targets apart in an instant.


    The summit is specifically used for measuring the position of artillery, and several brightly colored gs have been erected on the summit to serve as reference points for artillery aiming.


    urately hitting the area near the g and making the g disappear in the explosion of the shells is a true aim at the target.


    The weapons on disy include the Gew98 Rifle, the German Maxim heavy machine gun, the 75mm Krupp smoothbore cannon, and the 105mm Krupp howitzer.


    All these weapons and equipment have one thing inmon ¨C they are all from German military technology, which is currently being equipped by the German Army as excellent weapons.


    There is no need to doubt German military technology. Although it is produced in Australia, the production technologyes entirely from Germany and is established under the guidance of German military industry experts.


    These Germans are very rigorous and meticulous in their work, which has led to Australia¡¯s military industrial production level inheriting this advantage, being meticulous in the production of weapons and equipment, and not allowing any shorings or errors to ur.


    German weapons produced under these circumstances have virtually no difference from those produced by the German military industry, and the only difference may be the marked ce of production under the gunstock.


    The firepower of these weapons naturally meets the expectations of the Inders. As the current active standard weapons of the German Army, the firepower of these weapons naturally does not need much imagination and are one of the most advanced weapons in the world today.


    Especially the firearms produced by the German Krub Military Factory, their power is extraordinary.


    After witnessing the entire weapon demonstration, the two envoys from the Ind Nation became very excited and impatient.


    Just on the way back to the Administrative Building, both men urged the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Hunter Steward several times to quickly sign the weapons export treaty and purchase arge number of armaments.


    The export of German weapons is one of Australia¡¯s key strategies and the most important consideration in World War I.


    German weapons and equipment are not only reliable but also not very expensive. Moreover, the strong strength and reputation of the German Empire army have earned the admiration of many countries for German equipment. Many countries in history have equippedrge quantities of German weapons during World War I and World War II, and some countries have even built so- called German-made divisions based on the German system.


    They not only equipped the same weapons and equipment as the German Army, but even the instructors during the regr training were Germans and German officers.


    Of course, such an army,pletely replicating the German Army system, weapons, equipment and even training personnel, did not disappoint everyone¡¯s trust and performed very well in the war.


    Unfortunately, not everyone can afford such a German-style army with apletely replicated system, weapons, equipment and even training personnel, and therefore the scale is small and cannot have a significant impact on the war.


    However, this indirectly reflects the influence and shock of German equipment and the German Army on other countries in the world during this era.


    This is also why Arthur chose to export German weapons and equipment. On the one hand, the German army has long been famous, and German weapons and equipment also have a significant influence on the world.


    For Australia, which has just started to export weapons, this has many benefits. It can quickly increase the poprity of Australian weapons and quickly seize the market for weapons exports.


    Of course, it is impossible to surpass the weapons export share of the powers in a short period. However, due to the increasingly fierce arms race among the powers, there is still a certain market size in some areas.


    When the European powers are all involved in the tide of World War I, it will also be the opportunity for the Australian military industry to truly rise. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With a rtivelyplete system of British and German weapons, the Australian military industry has a certain lead in arms exports.


    Isn¡¯t it the best solution to be able to maintain one¡¯s own national weapons and equipment system and solve logistics supply problems without recing weapons and equipment?


    Upon returning to the Administrative Building, Yukichiro Tamura could not wait to request an audience with Arthur from the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to quickly conclude the weapons import and export treaty between the Ind Nation and Australia.


    Since Arthur had already agreed to the export of weapons, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs did not waste time and reported Arthur¡¯s request to the Ind Nation.


    On November 14,1902, Yukichiro Tamura and Toshiyuki Hirano finally met Arthur and could not wait to propose the weapons import and export treaty between the Ind Nation and Australia.


    In this era, German weapons and equipment are too attractive. In addition to the arms race and other factors, the weapons and equipment support provided by Britain to the Ind Nation each year is not that much, which is why the Ind Nation is eager to sign a weapons import treaty with Australia.


    ¡°Your Highness, the Duke of Australia, on behalf of the entire foreign mission and the Ind Nation government, all the people of the Ind Nation, I extend my sincere greetings to you and Australia,¡± Yukichiro Tamura respectfully and sincerely said to Arthur as soon as he saw him.


    Arthur nodded his head and replied with a smile, ¡°I heard from Hunter Steward that your country wants to purchase our German weapons and equipment, right?¡±


    When Arthur asked the direct question, Yukichiro Tamura didn¡¯t know how to answer at first. But due to the expectations of German weapons, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the Duke. After seeing it in person, the German weapons and equipment indeed meet our requirements and are one of the most powerful weapon systems in the world. In order to better maintain the stability of our country and protect the interests of all Ind Nation emigrants, we have no choice but to expand our military, which has also made our demand for weapons and equipment even greater. We have signed an alliance treaty with the British Empire, and we also believe that Australia, which has good rtions with the British Empire, can establish good rtions with us, which is why we came.¡±

 Chapter 139: Baiting the Fish

    Chapter 139: Baiting the Fish


    Said to maintain domestic stability and protect the interests of expatriates, but in reality, it is clear to all that the Ind Nation¡¯s expansion of its military is to strengthen its power projection in East Asia and safeguard its strategic interests in East Asia, even in the Far East.


    This can be seen from the current scale of the Ind Nation¡¯s active military and the number of reservists. The Ind Nation¡¯s active military has reached nearly 300,000, with over 200,000 troops avable for overseas operations.


    This is not simply to defend the country¡¯s territory. With 200,000bat troops just by number, it has already surpassed the number of Russian troops in the Far East, let alone the nearly two million reservists the Ind Nation has on hand.


    The purpose of having such arge military is definitely not simple, especially since the Ind Nation is also strengthening its military weapons and equipment as well as increasing the number of navy ships.


    ¡°All of Australia¡¯s German weapons are personally taught by German experts, powered by the strong technology of German military factories. If it weren¡¯t for the troubles of changing weapons and equipment arbitrarily and causing more serious logistical issues, perhaps Australia¡¯s standard equipment would also bepletely reced with German equipment. You¡¯re lucky that we have the export rights for all German weapons and equipment and are more than willing to sell German weapons to the Ind Nation,¡± Arthur said with augh.


    Selling armaments to gain market share in armaments is something that Australia badly needs right now. No matter what the Ind Nation¡¯s purpose is for wanting these weapons, it doesn¡¯t affect Australia¡¯s export of this batch of weapons and equipment.


    ¡°We are extremely grateful, Your Highness the Duke. We very much look forward to signing a weapons import and export treaty with your country and setting up arge number of weapons import ns for your country¡¯s military factories,¡± Yukichiro Tamura said expectantly.


    Arthur nodded and continued, ¡°I heard that your country attaches great importance to the navy, and you have established a very powerful naval force in just a few decades. Such development speed is really enviable, Australia¡¯s current naval power is also stuck at medium-sized warships, whilerge battleships are simply a future consideration.¡±


    After hearing Arthur¡¯s slightly envious words, a touch of pride and arrogance involuntarily crossed Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s face.


    The Ind Nation is a ce filled with many wonders. As an Asian indigenous nation with its doors forcibly opened by the United States, the fact it suddenly woke up and underwent several decades of reform and modernization, turning from a backward indigenous nation to argely westernized quasi-industrial country, is something that cannot be achieved simply by imagination.


    However perverse this nation¡¯s actions, this rapid developmental miracle is undeniably impressive.


    The Ind Nation is the only nation in the 19th century to rapidly reform from a backward indigenous colony into an industrial nation and even a strong power.


    In a certain eastern empire next door, there were also reforms, but they eventually failed.


    This is the pride and joy of all Inders, who have be one of the big powers through decades of change from their originally backward culture and technology, which greatly enhances the unity and morale of the Ind Nation.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for yourpliment. I believe Australia will also definitely have many battleships in the future and develop an even stronger navy.¡± Even while being overly proud, Yukichiro Tamura didn¡¯t forget to humbly respond to Arthur¡¯s words.


    ¡°Mr. Yukichiro Tamura,¡± Arthur pretended to look around, then slightly profoundly looked at Yukichiro Tamura and asked, ¡°I wonder if your country has ns to buy battleships?¡±


    ¡°Battleships?¡± Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s heart leapt in surprise, looking at Arthur in shock, hastily asking, ¡°What are you saying, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, exactly as you thought, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura,¡± Arthurughed and nodded, exining, ¡°Thanks to the aid of the German Empire, Australia has obtained the capacity to produce one of Germany¡¯s most advanced battleships, the Brunswick-ss battleship. After being taught by German experts for over a year, Australia¡¯s shipyards have mastered the ability to manufacture this battleship independently, and with Germany¡¯s permission, Australia also has the right to sell such warships.¡±


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s exnation, Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s eyes glowed hot and his breathing became somewhat heavy.


    There¡¯s no helping it, the battleships of this era are too important to countries that value their navy and can even directly determine thebat power of the navy.


    Whether or not they have battleships, and how many battleships they have, can be regarded as a criterion for measuring the real strength of a country¡¯s navy.


    The Ind Nation has battleships, and plenty of them. But that doesn¡¯t mean the Ind Nation doesn¡¯t want to have even more battleships.


    Because of Britain¡¯s deep involvement in the arms race, in order to maintain its lead in ship numberspared to other countries, many British shipyards must serve their own country, naturally receiving fewer foreign contracts.


    In addition to the long-standing checks and bnces in the United Kingdom, they are not willing to make the navy of the Ind Nation too powerful in the East Asian Region, which is the true reason for the limited number of battleships in the Ind Nation.


    Aside from the British Empire, none of the other powerful European nations even match up to the British Empire in shipbuilding capabilities. It goes without saying for the German Empire, in order to win over the Russian Empire, its rtions with the Ind Nation are currently not good.


    Apart from the German Empire and the Tsardom of Russia, in the European Region, the only nations capable of exporting battleships to the Ind Nation are France and Italy.


    However, as a country with a direct conflict with the Tsardom of Russia in East Asia, France naturally cannot afford to offend the Russian Empire for the sake of the Ind Nation.


    What about Italy, although it is a powerful nation, its navy and army are not strong, and its position in Europe is also very awkward.


    Moreover, the performance of battleships manufactured by Italy is far inferior to those of the British Empire and Germany. Naturally, it is also not within the Ind Nation¡¯s consideration.


    Other than Europe, the only nation capable of exporting warships to the Ind Nation is the United States. But the United States¡¯ military industry doesn¡¯t even match up to Italy¡¯s, and the United States¡¯ advantage at present is merely its advanced industry and flourishing economy, in other words, it¡¯s just a rich fool.


    The impression that the United States gives to European countries right now is a wealthy industrialist with a lot of money, who does not have much influence in military terms.


    The Inders are also unwilling to spend arge amount of money on battleships whosebat power is discountedpared to the battleships of other nations. This is what leads to the current situation where the Ind Nation does not have many main battleships. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When Yukichiro Tamura heard from Arthur that Australia possesses the independent production technology of Germany¡¯s main battleship, the Brunswick-ss battleship, and can export it to the Ind Nation, he was ecstatic.


    He felt that he had already seen an opportunity for the scale of the Ind Royal Navy to continue to expand, and with the financial support of Britain and the United States, this seemed to be an excellent opportunity.

 Chapter 140: Selling a Battleship?

    Chapter 140: Selling a Battleship?


    ¡°Your Highness, are you really talking about Germany¡¯s main battleship, the Brunswick-ss battleship? Has Australia mastered the technology to build a Brunswick-ss battleship and can even export it?¡± Yukichiro Tamura asked in surprise.


    ¡°Of course, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it specifically to you, Mr. Tamura.¡± Arthur nodded and smiled, ¡°If your country is willing, Australian shipyards can sell several battleships to your country at a price slightly higher than the cost price. Of course, the specific number depends on your country¡¯s financial reserves.¡±


    Does the Ind Nation want to buy battleships? Naturally, there¡¯s no need to think too much. As a measure of a country¡¯s naval strength, the number of battleships is crucial for a navy and can even determine the oue of a naval battle.


    In terms ofbat power, current battleships are a decisive factor in naval battles, and their importance far exceeds that of other medium and small warships.


    Yukichiro Tamura nodded and continued to inquire, ¡°What is the price of the Brunswick-ss battleships produced by your country? And how long does it take toplete the construction of an entire battleship?¡±


    Battleships are important, but the price must be reasonable, and the construction cycle cannot be too long.


    If Australia¡¯s battleships take several years to build, it would be uneptable to the Ind Nation, who might as well order from the United Kingdom.


    Although the United Kingdom might be slow, they can guarantee the construction of a battleship in less than two years. Although transportation and reception in the middle will consume two or three months, at least it can be incorporated into the navy within a little over two years.


    If Australia¡¯s construction time can be shorter than that of the UK, Yukichiro Tamura and even Ind Nation government wouldn¡¯t mind cing orders for battleships in Australia.


    But if the handover time turns out to be much longer than that of cing the order from Britain, it¡¯s better to order from their ally, the British Empire.


    Knowing Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s concerns, Arthur smiled and exined, ¡°Please rest assured, under the guidance of German experts, our shipyards have fully mastered the construction technology of the Brunswick-ss battleships. ording to our experts¡¯ estimates, the cost ofpletely building a Brunswick-ss battleship is more than one million pounds, and with our variousbor costs, we can offer your country a friendly price of one million, three hundred and fifty thousand pounds. As for the construction time of battleships, please rest assured that Australia has no ns to build battleships in the short term. If your country orders battleships, we will fully focus on your order and ensure that the construction time of each battleship does not exceed a year and a half and that the handover time does not exceed two years.¡±


    The price of a main battleship today is not as expensive as a dreadnought in the future, which would cost several million pounds.


    Like the Brunswick-ss, which is one of the main battleships of the German Navy, the external sale price is only just under twenty-eight million Marks, which is less than one million, four hundred thousand pounds.


    Arthur is also right, the price of one million, three hundred and fifty thousand pounds is indeed a friendly price, and even somewhat vites the treaty prohibiting price wars established by Germany at the time.


    But whenpared to the real cost of a battleship, it doesn¡¯t amount to much.


    Although Arthur said that the cost of a Brunswick-ss battleship is as high as millions of pounds, the actual cost of a battleship is just over eight hundred thousand pounds, and even withbor and various other costs, it would definitely not reach nine hundred thousand pounds.


    With a sale price of nearly one million, four hundred thousand pounds, andpared to the cost, the pure profit would be at least five hundred thousand pounds. This is also one of the exploitations by powerful Western nations on other countries.


    Of course, this is also the huge profit of the military industry. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many powerful nations willing to sell their developed battleships. The profit brought by each battleship alone could build arge warship, and the profit of two battleships could even build a new battleship. Yukichiro Tamura naturally understands the cost of a battleship, especially the cost of a main battleship, which is almost within this range.


    The n Arthur promised toplete the construction of a battleship in a year and a half and the handover within two years is also very much in line with Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s expectations. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The construction time of a battleship varies, but most of them are between half a year and a year and a half.


    It also takes time for testing and sea trials after the battleship isunched, and along with the handover journey, the actual delivery time for a battleship might be up to two yearster.


    Particrly, the battleships ordered by the Ind Nation from the United Kingdom take up to a year and a half to build, and with added testing and handover journeys, the actual delivery time may even be two and a half yearster.


    If it¡¯s a normal period, waiting two and a half years would not be a problem. But the Ind Nation is nning its next big move in the Far East, so the sooner the battleship can be delivered, the higher the chances of sess for their operation.


    ¡°Your Highness, may I visit your country¡¯s shipyard? If there are no problems, we are willing to order a battleship from your country,¡± Yukichiro Tamura tentatively asked.


    ¡°Of course, our shipyard is currently building the Australian Navy¡¯s orders, the ¡®Duke Arthur¡¯ cruiser. If your country is interested, the Duke-ss cruisers can also be sold to your country.¡± Arthur nodded and smiled.


    Compared to the Brunswick-ss battleship, the importance of the Duke-ss cruiser is not as high.


    Although it is currently the main warship of the Australian Navy, its actual role is just patrolling the coastline.


    Since starting the naval expansion n in mid-May, nearly six months have passed.


    Under the guidance of German experts and thebor of arge number of Indigenous Peoples, the shipyard¡¯s construction speed is quite fast.


    In addition, the Australian Navy¡¯s orders are all medium and small warships, and the maximum construction time for the Duke-ss cruiser would not exceed seven months.


    At this time, the shipyard is bustling. Three small escort ships have beenpleted and are about to start water trials.


    The tworger cruisers are also in the final stage of construction and will bepleted andunched in about a month, entering the real test phase.


    With Arthur¡¯s consent, Yukichiro Tamura, Toshiyuki Hirano, and the Ind Nation¡¯s diplomatic delegation entered the shipyard for a tour. They not only boarded thepleted three small escort ships but also witnessed the construction process of the two Duke-ss cruisers.


    Originally, the Ind Nation people had a certain degree of doubt about Australia¡¯s battleship production capabilities, but when they saw the skilled workers in the Australian shipyard building the ships skillfully under German experts¡¯ guidance and satisfied nods, they knew Arthur was not exaggerating.

 Chapter 141: Promotion in Progress (Two-in- One Chapter Asking for Support!)

    Chapter 141: Promotion in Progress (Two-in- One Chapter Asking for Support!)


    Coastal defense ships need no more introduction; as small warships with a tonnage of less than three thousand tons, the primary purpose of coastal defense ships is to patrol the coast of Australia, promptly detect and report any possible enemy movements.


    Because of their tonnage, coastal defense ships cannot possibly be a match for medium-sized warships orrger. Even against warships over five thousand tons, these small coastal defense ships have no room to resist. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Headed by Yukichiro Tamura, the Japanese visiting group showed little interest in these small warships but still courteously took a tour.


    After the three smaller coastal defense ships, there are two armored cruisers under construction.


    These two warships look muchrger and more formalpared to the previous coastal defense ships.


    As a medium-sized warship with a tonnage of over five thousand tons, the Duke-ss armored cruiserbines the advantages of German and British warships and is one of the better medium-sized warships in the world. It is also the most powerful warship that the Australian navy currently hopes to equip.


    The construction time for these two warships is not very long. After nearly six months of continuous construction, the shipbuilding work is nearingpletion.


    As Australia¡¯s current esteemed guests, Toshiyuki Hirano and Yukichiro Tamura naturally had the opportunity to board these two warships.


    Although still in the construction stage, the main body of the warship is alreadypleted, with only the actual instation of firearms and other hardware needed.


    ¡°Minister, your country¡¯s warship under construction seems to be different from both German warships and those of the British Empire. Is this a warship developed by your country?¡± On Duke Arthur-ss cruiser, Yukichiro Tamura carefully watched Australian and German experts directing many workers to carry out various construction and tests on the warship while asking the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs with great interest.


    ¡°One could say that, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. These two warships are called Duke-ss armored cruisers, which were initially an improved version of British medium-sized frigates by Duke¡¯s shipyard. After further improvements by these German experts, they possess the advantages of both German warships and those of the British Empire while also covering many shorings. Although it is just a medium-sized warship and may not y a significant role in the development of naval warfare, it is already a powerful warship in terms of smaller warships.¡± The Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs exined with a smile.


    This brings us to the shipyard created by Duke Arthur. Due to Duke Arthur¡¯s previous prestige and influence in the British Empire, many British shipbuilding talents were sessfully recruited.


    As the country with the world¡¯s leading shipbuilding industry and navy at that time and even now, the strength of the British Empire¡¯s thriving shipbuilding industry is evident.


    Under the gathering of these talents, it is not surprising that improvements were made to the existing frigates of the British Empire.


    The improvements made by the German experts are also easy to understand. The two countries have different ideas about warships, perhaps with advantages and disadvantages, but they can provide excellent inspiration and advancement for warships.


    Such is the case with the Duke-ss armored cruiser. With the improvements made by many experts from the British Empire and the German Empire, this medium-sized cruiser has gained considerable strength, at least ranking among the top small and medium-sized warships.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Yukichiro Tamura nodded slightly admiringly and said with a smile, ¡°Judging by the improved technology of this armored cruiser, Australia¡¯s mastery of more advanced battleships doesn¡¯t seem difficult. I envy your country for having such abundant support from Germany. Don¡¯t forget about us when you get thetest battleships.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± The Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairsughed and said jokingly, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your country also receive the British Empire¡¯s full support? In just a few decades, your country has developed so rapidly that it is not far behind traditional powers such as Italy and Spain in Europe. If given more time, achieving apletely domestic production of battleships should not be a problem.¡±


    Although the rise of the Ind Nation could not be achieved without significant support from the British Empire and the United States, one must admit that this East Asian country has shown astonishing potential.


    One of the reasons the German Empire quickly rose to power after independence and became the world¡¯s strongest military power, with its navy ranking within the top three, is due to its predecessor, the Kingdom of Prussia, being a brave and warlike nation.


    Moreover, being located in Western Europe allowed it to absorb the world¡¯s most advanced technology and knowledge, making the German Empire the world¡¯s second strongest power in such a rapid manner.


    But what about the Ind Nation? Due to its location in East Asia, its connection to Western countries stems from forceful entry through irond warships and heavy artillery.


    Before that, the science and technology level of the Ind Nation was not even on par with its neighboring countries in the East, let alone inparison to European powers that colonized much of the world.


    Looking closely at the history of the Ind Nation, how many years have passed since the beginning of the reform and modernization? It has been just thirty-five years at most.


    But what kind of astonishing achievements did the Ind Nation aplish? From a remote ind nation with extremely backward technology and knowledge, it became a regional power undergoing initial industrialization and Westernization, and even began topete with old powerhouses like the Russian Empire for dominance in some areas.

 Chapter 142 - 141: Promotion in Progress (Two- in-One Chapter Asking for Support! )_2

    Chapter 142: Chapter 141: Promotion in Progress (Two- in-One Chapter Asking for Support! )_2


    In such a short time, theypletely reversed their role, pulling themselves out of the abyss of being colonized, and even turning around to oppress and colonize other countries and regions.


    It¡¯s somewhat unrealistic to attribute these achievements to the support of the British Empire and the United States. Both the British Empire and the United States have funded arge number of countries and supported many forces and regimes for a long time.


    But who could grow as quickly as the Ind Nation into a regional hegemon?


    No one, or no country, could do it.


    Even the British Empire never expected that the little brother they just wanted to raise for regionalpetition against the Russian Empire would one day grow to the same level (Powers) as themselves.


    Yukichiro Tamura and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs praised each other for a while before reluctantly turning the topic to the warships.


    ¡°Mr. Minister, do you have detailed information about this armored cruiser of your country? I am very interested in this warship, which is one of the excellent vessels that can cruise the coastline,¡± Yukichiro Tamura asked with a smile.


    Originally, Yukichiro Tamura had no idea about Australia¡¯s small warships, as the Ind Nation itself also had the technology to produce small warships, and most of the technology came from the British Empire, naturally being world-ss.


    But after witnessing the construction of this warship by the Australian shipyard, his thoughts changed immediately.


    Although the Ind Nation has many production technologies for medium and small warships, all these technologies and blueprints were taught by experts from the British Empire.


    But what good things could the British Empire give to the Ind Nation? Basically, all the blueprints of the warships that the British Empire eliminated, even those seemingly very advanced production technologies, were slightly behind for mainstream Europe.


    What could medium and small warships built with the slightly outdated production technology and eliminated blueprints look like?


    Yukichiro Tamura was satisfied with the medium and small warships produced by the Ind Nation itself because the role of medium and small warships in actual naval battles was not significant, and they were merely cannon fodder when facingrge warships.


    However, the Duke-ss armored cruiser of Australia changed Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s view.


    Although the Duke-ss armored cruiser still had no room to resist when facingrge warships, it had a huge advantage when facing other medium and small warships, and it could very well undertake the tasks of cruising the coastline and escorting merchant ships and transport ships.


    You should know that the Ind Nation is an ind country in every sense, with arge number of inds and ocean territories.


    This means that besidesrge fleets, the Ind Nation also needs many medium and small warships to patrol the coastline and ensure the safety of the ocean and coastlines.


    Large warships couldn¡¯t be allowed to patrol the coastline, could they? Firstly, there aren¡¯t manyrge warships, and using them for patrols would be a case of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.


    Secondly, the cost ofrge warships cruising is disproportionate to the cost of small warships. If it¡¯s not for some exercise or strategic goal, it doesn¡¯t make sense to deployrge warships for ordinary cruising.


    After all, simple problems can be solved by deploying medium and small warships, without the need forrge warships to use cannons to kill mosquitoes. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. Although the information of the Duke-ss armored cruiser is important for Australia and must not be revealed, as your country is an important friend of Australia, it¡¯s no harm to take a look, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said with a smile.


    Although it was just a medium-sized warship, the information on the Duke-ss armored cruiser still amounted to dozens of pages, and that was excluding the ship¡¯s design blueprints and some important details.


    ¡°Mr. Yukichiro Tamura, here are the materials for the Duke-ss armored cruiser you wanted. These documents are extremely important for Australia, so please do not disclose them.¡± After instructing his subordinates to bring the streamlined materials, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs smiled at Yukichiro Tamura.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Minister. I appreciate your trust and that of your country. Please rest assured that I will not divulge the contents of these documents and will keep it locked tightly in my mind.¡± Yukichiro Tamura didn¡¯t expect the Australian side to allow him ess to the materials. After receiving some of the Duke-ss armored cruiser data, he felt excited and also somewhat surprised and honored.


    In fact, the Australian side wasn¡¯t that generous. Most of the Duke-ss armored cruiser data that Tamura could ess was already public or could be made public, without affecting the ship¡¯s design itself.


    These documents mostly contained basic information, such as the number, type, and tonnage of cannons, as well as the ship¡¯s speed. Some of the more important documents contained unimproved warship data, which did not affect the current armored cruiser.


    But how could Yukichiro Tamura know all of that? As a talent in diplomacy, although he had some knowledge of weapons and warship design, it was merely an understanding of some design aspects.


    Of course, this was already enough. Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s goal was simple: to obtain and analyze the Duke-ss armored cruiser data and determine whether the ind nation needed to purchase ships of this ss to strengthen patrol and defense capabilities on the coastline.


    The data showed that the Australian Duke-ss armored cruiser was an improved version of the British Empire¡¯s Ondo-ss armored cruisers, and after further modifications by German experts, it became its current design.


    The Duke-ss armored cruiser had a length of 93-5 meters, a width of 17.63 meters, a height of 7.01 meters, 6,500 horsepower, and a standard speed of 18 knots, with a maximum speed of 19 knots in a short time.


    This speed level was already the pinnacle of current medium and small warships and could even bepared to some battleships.


    At least in terms of speed, the armored cruiser appeared to have no ws, especially considering its excellent speed while providing armor protection, which exceeded Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s expectations.


    In terms of firepower, the data on the Duke-ss armored cruiser indicated it had two 234mm main guns, ten 152mm guns, and several small 6-pounder and 3-pounder guns.


    Although its firepower wasn¡¯t outstanding, for a medium-sized warship like the Duke-ss armored cruiser, having more than an average amount of firepower while maintaining speed and armor advantages was pretty good.


    ¡°What a perfect piece of work! Your Excellency, how much does this Duke-ss armored cruiser cost? If possible, I would like to order several armored cruisers to make up for ourck of medium and small warships.¡± After reviewing the data, Yukichiro Tamura was full of admiration for the warship and couldn¡¯t wait to ask the smiling Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs beside him.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Tamura. The price of the Duke-ss armored cruiser does not exceed sixty thousand pounds, with a cost of about forty thousand pounds. Since your country wishes to purchase it, we can lower the price to fifty-two thousand pounds and promise to build it as soon as possible.¡± The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs pondered for a moment before responding.


    The actual cost of an armored cruiser was just over thirty thousand pounds, with a profit margin of more than twenty thousand pounds per ship.


    If the ind nation could be more ambitious and order more medium and small warships, perhaps the Australian navy¡¯s expansion funds wouldn¡¯t have toe from their own pockets.


    Yukichiro Tamura nodded, not doubting the slightly higher price tag of the Duke-ss armored cruiser.


    After all, considering the performance and data, this ship was a standout among medium-sized warships, and a higher selling price was natural.

 Chapter 143 - 142: Island and Macau Agreement and Reactions from Various Parties

    Chapter 143: Chapter 142: Ind and Macau Agreement and Reactions from Various Parties


    ¡°Respected Australian Foreign Minister, I am willing to reach a new naval procurement deal with your country. Your Duke-ss armored cruisers are well suited for our coastal defense needs, and I wonder if your country could provide us with at least four of such warships within two years¡¯ time?¡± Yukichiro Tamura asked with a smile.


    If one paid close attention, they would realize that Yukichiro Tamura¡¯s requirements for battleships, armored cruisers, and even various weapons and equipment were all to be delivered within two years.


    Although these weapons and equipment could indeed be built and delivered smoothly within two years, the umtion of all these requirements seemed somewhat unusual.


    Moreover, the Ind Nation is currently importing arge number of weapons and equipment, variousrge and small warships, as well as important strategic resources and other supplies, including coal mines and iron mines.


    Various signs indicated that after two years, the Ind Nation would make a big move, and its ambitions might not be that small.


    It should be noted that within the scope of East Asia, the only enemy that could make the Ind Nation mobilize to such an extent without worrying about opposition and sanctions from other powers was the Russian Empire.


    Although there is currently arge country capable of making the Ind Nation exhausted, the interests of this country have been divided by the major powers, and they will not agree to the Ind Nation monopolizing these fertile areas.


    ¡°There should be no problem, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. But our shipyards are currently only thisrge in scale. If we want to build these armored cruisers whilepleting the battleship construction n, we must expand the shipyards to a certain extent and recruit more manpower.¡± The Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs nodded and said with some difficulty, ¡°This may raise the construction cost of armored cruisers, and even return to the original price of these warships.¡±


    The public sale price for these armored cruisers is 59,130 pounds, and the preferential price for the Ind Nation is 52,000 pounds.


    What the Australian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said about returning to the original price actually means raising the price of each warship by 7,000 pounds to bnce the cost of expanding the Australian shipyard and recruiting workers.


    ¡°How about 55,000 pounds?¡± Yukichiro Tamura asked with a smile, ¡°This is a reasonable price we can ept. If your country agrees to this price, we can immediately sign a treaty for the purchase of four armored cruisers.¡± 55,000 pounds? The Australian Deputy Foreign Minister calcted quietly. Even after making some expansions to the shipyard, the profit of each armored cruiser would be more than 20,000 pounds.


    If the Ind Nation could order four or more armored cruisers at once, the total profit of this order would exceed 80,000 pounds, which would cover the cost of Australia¡¯s naval expansion.


    The saved costs could also be used in other ces, adding bricks and tiles to Australia¡¯s development and construction.


    ¡°No problem, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura. The handover time for these four armored cruisers and the battleships will be within two years. As amemoration of the first warship trade between your country and Australia, on behalf of Australia, I would like to present a small coastal defense escort to your country. This coastal defense escort will be handed over together with the battleship and armored cruiser, witnessing the friendship between your country and Australia.¡± The Australian Deputy Foreign Minister responded with a smile after thinking for a while.


    ¡°I really appreciate it, Mr. Minister. May the friendship between the Ind Nation and Australiast forever.¡± Yukichiro Tamura showed an overjoyed expression and responded with a smile.


    In fact, a small coastal defense escort is not an important concern for both Australia and the Ind Nation.


    The construction cost of a coastal defense escort is only a few thousand pounds, which is far from significant inparison to the overall warship trade deal.


    By presenting the Ind Nation with a warship of this kind, Australia can not only confirm the theory that a friend¡¯s friend is a friend, making the Ind Nation feel at ease in conducting warship transactions with Australia but also be more pleasing in appearance, satisfying both politicians and the public of the Ind Nation.


    After all, before the birth of dreadnoughts, Arthur didn¡¯t n to equip the Australian navy with extravagant warships like pre-dreadnought battleships. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Not only does a single pre-dreadnought require millions of pounds, but it also requires arge number of workers and experts to build for more than a year. And what do they get in return? After the birth of dreadnoughts, even the newest pre-dreadnoughts lose their luster and resistance in front of dreadnoughts.


    However, in order to enable Australia to quickly master the dreadnought construction technology after its birth, the pre-dreadnought construction technology must be mastered.


    It is like the umtion of school knowledge; it would be like forcing growth without any achievement if you let someone who has never attended school go directly to university for study without the umtion of knowledge from basic education.


    And this is impossible. If a country cannot even master the pre-dreadnought construction technology, what qualifications does it have to start building dreadnoughts after the birth of dreadnoughts?


    Although dreadnought is a new type of warship born after the all-around technological improvement of pre-dreadnoughts, almost all technologies have been reformed and upgraded, creating the crushing advantage of dreadnoughts over pre-dreadnoughts.


    But without pre-dreadnoughts, the birth of dreadnoughts would no longer exist.

 Chapter 144 - 142: Island Australia Agreement and Reactions from Various Parties_2

    Chapter 144: Chapter 142: Ind Australia Agreement and Reactions from Various Parties_2


    Now, with the arrival of the Ind Nation¡¯s diplomatic delegation, Arthur saw a way for Australia to allow shipyard technical experts to skillfully master the technology of building battleships without spending funds.


    Through this method of selling battleships to other countries, not only can many benefits be earned, but experts can build battleships and familiarize themselves with the techniques learned from German experts.


    Naturally, Australia would profit from this, and the Ind Nation would not lose out, at least not until the dreadnought era began.


    Such an arms deal that suits both parties cannot bemented simply due to the fact that the armaments might eventually be obsolete.


    On November 19,1902, after lengthy discussions and visits, the Ind Nation s visiting group finally confirmed their final arms deal order.


    This purchase n included one battleship, four armored cruisers, one coastal defense ship (gifted), 20,000 Gew98 rifles, 100 German Maxim heavy machine guns, thirty 105mm Krupp howitzers, and tens of millions of rifle and heavy machine gun bullets, plus 10,000 shells, among other various light and heavy weapons and warships.


    These weapons could directly equip a top-twenty-ranked navy and an elite, powerfully armed 20,000-strong army.


    Moreover, the Ind Nation¡¯s military was initially very powerful, with a navy equipped with five battleships purchased from the United Kingdom, plus one captured in a previous naval battle, totaling six in the top ten globally.


    As for the army, relying on a sufficient poption and militarism, the Ind Nation could casually arm a huge army of millions and even a tidal force of over 3 million under the premise of shaking the country¡¯s foundation.


    In addition to this arms deal agreement, the Ind Nation also signed a resource import and export agreement with Australia.


    The resource imports were not limited to simple coal and iron mines but also included oil, nickel, aluminum, and a series of metal minerals and resources.


    This resource import and export agreement stipted that Australia should provide at least 100,000 tons of mineral resources to the Ind Nation each year, with mineral resources¡¯ selling price not exceeding twice the market price.


    Topensate Australia for the mineral output, the transport of these mineral resources would be the responsibility of the Ind Nation, and Australia only needed to transport them to the port. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    For Australia and the Ind Nation, this agreement is a win-win situation. Australia can exchange its abundant and readily avable mineral resources for foreign exchange, which can purchase more advanced industrial equipment from Europe, speeding up Australia¡¯s industrial and technological progress.


    At the same time, the Ind Nation could change its domestic mineral resource scarcity to some extent, allowing some industries to progress and break through those that are stagnant due to mineral resource constraints.


    The arms trade agreement and the mineral resource import and export agreement together constituted the overall agreement signed by the Ind Nation¡¯s diplomatic mission and Australia, known as the Ind Australia Preliminary Agreement on strengthening economic and military cooperation, or the Ind Australia Agreement.


    This agreement did not have any military attributes, and the armaments involved, were actions taken by Arthur to open up Australia¡¯s arms exports.


    The impact of this agreement on the internationalmunity was considerable. Although Australia had taken over part of Britain¡¯s arms trade market, due to close public rtions between Australia and the British Empire, and Arthur¡¯s good reputation in the British Empire, the British Empire did not take any action or statement.


    As for the United States, they were pleased to see the cooperation between Australia and the Ind Nation.


    The United States and the Russian Empire were also considered neighbors, with their nearest territories being less than four kilometers apart.


    Of course, this proximity between the two countries wasrgely a result of the Russian Empire¡¯s actions. The current US territory, ska State, was once a Russian colonial possession.


    Due to the Russian Empire¡¯s poor financial management, the territory was sold to the United States, bing a new state in the American union.


    It was this state that was less than four kilometers away from the easternmost ind of the Russian Far East, making the Tsardom of Russia and the United States neighboring countries.


    With the rise of American industry and economy, the United States was no longer satisfied with maintaining its influence within the boundaries of North America.


    However, most of the world had already been divided up among European powers, and no matter how hard the United States tried, they could only seize some resources from weakened countries like Spain.


    In order to strengthen its influence, America needed to expand its prestige to other regions and countries.


    The east was naturally impossible, as across the Antic Ocean was the most prosperous region in Europe. With America¡¯s current military power, they were simply not strong enough to confront European powers.


    As such, the United States had to look to Asia across the Pacific Ocean, and waging war on Spain to seize the Philippines was a microcosm of American ns.


    But in Asia, the United States also faced several powerful enemies. In the northern part of Asia, the Russian Empire, which spanned the eastern part of Europe and the farthest east of Asia, was one of the old European powers and one of the countries with great influence in Asia and the Far East.


    In East Asia, the big countries had essentially been divided up by the major powers, offering the United States only a small share and not realizing its own interests.


    Further south were Southeast Asia and Oceania. In both the past and the present, the United States would not touch most of the regions in these two areas.


    Whether it was the British Empire¡¯s colonies, the many power-backed Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia, or Australia, which had good rtions with both the British and German Empires, these were the forces that the United States could not yet provoke.


    Even though the industry and economy of the United States had be highly developed, its military technology was still rtively backward and it was not yet able to confront European powers.


    Since the United States could not directly intervene in the situation in Asia, it was necessary to support and assist a country to be a stirring force.


    On this point, the British Empire and the United States held almost the same objective: to support and assist a country with some military power in opposing the nations with hegemony in Asia when they could not directly intervene.


    This would not only weaken the hegemony of Asian superpowers and allow the British Empire and the United States to expand their power in Asia more effectively, but it would also not drag their own countries into the vortex of war.


    Given the current situation, the Russian Empire was obviously much stronger than the ind nation. This was also why the British Empire, long known as the European stirrer, did not oppose this cooperation.


    Apart from the British Empire, the German Empire, which had a good cooperative rtionship with Australia, did not oppose this either.


    Although the cooperation between Australia and the ind nation had strengthened the ind nation¡¯s military power, making the Russian Empire¡¯s advantage in the Far East weaker and evengging behind in terms of army size, wasn¡¯t this an opportunity for the German Empire?


    The German Empire had always wanted to detach the Russian Empire from the Franco-Russian Alliance, and the current conflict between the ind nation and the Russian Empire in the Far East was a good opportunity.


    France did not support the Russian Empire¡¯s focus on the Far East, which also gave the German Empire a chance to win over the Russian Empire.


    As long as they could remove the Russian bulldozer from the Franco-Russian Alliance or make the Russian Empire stay neutral in the conflict between Germany and France, then the German Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire would only have to face one enemy: France.


    This would be the best news for the German Empire, which had bloodily crushed France just decades ago and was not afraid of waging war against them.


    If it were a one-on-one fight between Germany and France, the Germans were confident in replicating history and letting the French taste the loss of territory and heavypensation.


    Therefore, the German Empire was willing to see the expansion of the ind nation¡¯s power. After all, the stronger the ind nation became, the more the Russian Empire would need the support of other countries, wouldn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 145 - 143: Germany’s Opportunity

    Chapter 145: Chapter 143: Germany¡¯s Opportunity


    On December 16,1902, a mysterious fleet arrived at Hamburg Port of the German Empire, and it received significant attention and a grand reception from the German Empire.


    The heads of the fleet were Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrew, and Minister of Defense, Kent. They quickly arrived at the Berlin City Pce of the German Empire amidst a multitude of German carriages.


    Due to the good rtionship between Australia and the German Empire, both ministers were quickly granted an audience with Emperor William II.


    Of course, the important news brought by both ministers contributed to the urgency with which William II responded.


    ¡°Your Majesty, on behalf of the Australian Principality and His Grace, the Duke, I would like to express our most sincere greetings,¡± said Minister Andrew, as he and Minister Kent respectfully bowed to William II as soon as they met him.


    ¡°Both of you, I heard you have news of a significant foreign policy regarding the German Empire. What is this news that made both ministers travel all the way to Germania?¡± Emperor William II asked with a hint of interest.


    ¡°Your Majesty, have you heard about the treaty between Australia and the Ind Nation a month ago?¡± asked Foreign Minister Andrew mysteriously. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Of course. The military and economic treaties between you are both advantageous and disadvantageous, but they do have a certain impact on the situation in the Far East. However, docs this have anything to do with the major foreign policy concerning the German Empire that you mentioned?¡± William II nodded and asked in return.


    ¡°It is indeed relevant, Your Majesty. This is a good opportunity for the German Empire, perhaps to break free from the troubles of the Franco-Russian Alliance,¡± exined Minister Andrew with a smile, without holding back any information.


    ¡°Oh? Are you saying that the Tsardom of Russia will suffer losses in the Far East?¡± asked William II with slight interest.


    It is not only the situation that unites France and Russia but also the deeply rooted interests of both countries.


    To make the Russian Empire abandon the Franco-Russian Alliance or maintain neutrality in conflicts between Germany and France, Germany would have to rescue the Russian Empire from certain crises, which is unlikely to happen.


    But can an ind nation supported to a limited extent by the British Empire and the United States really hinder the Russian Empire in the Far East and even plunge it into crises? It seems unlikely.


    ¡°Although I do not believe that the powerful Russian imperial army will fail in the Far East, the intelligence we currently have does seem to indicate this. In terms of the overall strength and regional situation in the Far East, the Ind Nation¡¯sprehensive strength has now surpassed that of the Russian Empire. Their navy can alsopete with the Russian navy. This is bad news for the Russian Empire, as they are facing logistical supply problems that are dozens of times more serious than those of the Ind Nation. If they cannot solve their domestic logistical supply issues, the Russian Empire will sooner orter be at a disadvantage in the struggle for hegemony in the Far East,¡± exined Minister Andrew with a smile.


    ¡°Oh? Can you tell me more about it?¡± This question already represented William Il¡¯s attitude, and he was curious about the opportunity for the German Empire to win over the Russian Empire, as mentioned by Minister Andrew.


    ¡°Your Majesty, given the current situation, the Russian Empire has fewer than 100,000 troops in the Far East, and the training level of these soldiers is worrying, with their weapons and equipment being extremely outdated. These soldiers can easily defend the Far East in peacetime, but they would be at a disadvantage in times of war fighting against powerful nations,¡± said Minister Andrew with a smile.


    ¡°At the same time, the Ind Nation¡¯s army has a scale of several hundred thousand people. Considering their poption range, the total number of troops can even reach as many as 3 million people after extreme conscription. Although the Russian Empire can reach this number or even far exceed it, their logistics do not support the transport of arge number of troops to the Far East. Their maximum number of troops in the Far East is around 200,000 people, and whenpared to 3 million, the gap in numbers is enough to decide everything.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s even more important is that the training of the Ind Nation¡¯s army is based in part on the German Army. Although it cannot achieve the excellence of the German Army, their training quality and weapons and equipment are definitely no weaker than that of the Russian Far East Army. Faced with a huge disadvantage in both numbers and weapons and equipment, Your Majesty, who do you think would have the advantage in the Far East?¡± asked Minister Andrew with a smile.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Russian Far East still have a navy? Such arge navy should be enough to defend against the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet! As long as the Ind Nation¡¯s navy cannot gain an advantage, even if their army has a significant advantage, couldn¡¯t the Russian navy still bombard the Ind Nation¡¯s coast?¡± asked William II with some confusion.


    As a matter of fact, not only William II but also most countries believed at the stage of the Russo-Japanese War outbreak that the Russian Empire¡¯s fleet was strong enough to resist the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet.


    Even if they could not win or gain an advantage, they could still hold their ground at sea and cut off the Ind Nation¡¯s maritime transportation lines.


    In such a case, the war in the Far East would be a war of attrition, and the Russian Empire, with arger territory and richer mineral resources, would undoubtedly gain a greater advantage..

 Chapter 146 - 143: Germany’s Opportunity_2

    Chapter 146: Chapter 143: Germany¡¯s Opportunity_2


    However, who would have thought that the seemingly disadvantaged ind nation fleet would have annihted the entire fleet of the Russian Empire with minimal damage,pletely reshaping the situation of the war?


    Nevertheless, the Russo-Japanese War hasn¡¯t happened yet, and people haven¡¯t experienced this astonishing naval battle.


    ¡°Your Majesty, after obtaining several warships ordered from Australia, the ind nation¡¯s naval power is no weaker than the Tsardom of Russia¡¯s Far East Fleet. Furthermore, the majority of the ind nation¡¯s battleships and new warships have been built within thest ten years, while the Russian Empire¡¯s warships have generally been in service for more than ten years, and there are not many young warships. Coupled with the previously exposed logistical problems, the Far East, as the ind nation¡¯s main base, will have well-secured logistics and transportation. Now look at the Russian Empire, the Siberian Railway is not yet fully constructed, and the transportation of supplies is a significant challenge. Moreover, the Russian Empire¡¯s economy heavily relies on loans from France, but France does not support the Russian Empire in the Far East situation, leading to a terrible fiscal situation for the Russian Empire. Under all these factors, what reason do we have not to believe that the newly rising ind nation will be victorious in the regional hegemonic struggle against an old powerhouse like the Russian Empire? Besides, the warships ordered by the ind nation from Australia are Brunswick-ss battleships from Germania. The performance of such an excellent warship must be well-known to Your Majesty. If the Russian Empire does not strive for progress, it is only natural for them to lose their Far East hegemony.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if the Russian Empire loses its Far East hegemony, it is not a good thing for the German Empire either. The Russian Empire in control of the Far East hegemony will divert part of its attention to the Far East, which can also reduce the pressure on the German Empire under the influence of the Franco-Russian Alliance. However, if the Russian Empire loses its Far East hegemony and does not have such significant influence in the Far East, they will focus more of their attention on Europe. The Russian Empire under the Franco-Russian Alliance will be one of the German Empire¡¯s greatest enemies unless the German Empire is willing to give up confronting the French.¡±


    So, the question is, will the German Empire give up confronting the French?


    One of the reasons why the German Empire and France each joined opposing military blocs is the conflict between the old colonial powers and emerging industrial powers, besides the longstanding enmity between the two countries. As an emerging industrial powerhouse like the German Empire, they also need arge market to dump their industrial products and make sufficient profits.


    But the problem is that the old-established powers have always regarded their colonies as their exclusive territories, and industrial products from other countries either have very high tariffs or cannot enter at all.


    In addition, as the importance of industry and technology to a country increases, emerging industrial powers arc catching up and surpassing theprehensive strength of old-established power nations, such as the German Empire¡¯s surpassing France and the rise of America.


    Because their status has gradually risen to the same level, and even Germany¡¯s overall strength has surpassed France, bing the more recognized second major power.


    Under these circumstances, Germany is increasingly dissatisfied with the share of colonial territories that established power countries like Britain and France hold across the world. Emerging industrial countries also neednd under the sky, not just the blue sky.


    The previous Franco-Prussian War led to France paying a considerable amount ofpensation to Germany, and the German Empire was established after trampling down France¡¯s dignity.


    Under various factors, the contradictions between France and Germany have deepened, and even be irreconcble.


    But there are not so many frictions between the German Empire and the Tsardom of Russia. Even the German Empire had a brief period of the Three Emperors¡¯ Alliance between the German Empire, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Although this is a loose alliance formed for temporary interests andpromises, the nature of the alliance dictates that it will inevitably be dissolved one day.


    However, this was a good cooperation period between the German Empire and the Tsardom of Russia. Wooing this country with great war potential or removing it from France¡¯s list of allies is what Germany is currently looking forward to.


    William II nodded, temporarily agreeing with Minister Andrew¡¯s viewpoint.


    It is necessary for the Russian Empire to show a certain decline in the Far East so that the importance of the German Empire, a country that can support the Russian Empire¡¯s Far East policy, can be highlighted to the Russian Empire.


    Meanwhile, the Russian Empire could not afford to lose too much advantage in the Far East region. A Russian Empire that solely focused on Europe was not a good thing for the German Empire, because at least in Europe, the Russian Empire was more willing to ally with France than with Germania.


    This was due to many factors. Although French capital was obsessed with the high ie generated by loans, it reduced France¡¯s industrial and technological development to a certain extent.


    But there was an advantage to this; it could bring some countries, especially those with backward economies like Tsardom of Russia, closer through loans. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After French loans poured into the Russian Empire, its economy was full of French elements, bringing the two countries closer and closer together.


    Meanwhile, the German Empire, which had concluded the Triple Alliance treaty with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy, grew further and further apart from the Russian Empire.


    Firstly, now the German Empire¡¯s ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, had many conflicts with the Russian Empire. Many disputes existed between the two countries across their borders, and their rtionship was very poor.


    As the saying goes, the friend of an enemy is an enemy, and so is the friend of an enemy. The German Empire and Tsardom of Russia brushed past each other, heading towards opposition.


    The reason why William II was so interested in the information Australia could provide was precisely because he harbored the hope of drawing the United Kingdom and the Russian Empire closer.


    The United Kingdom had always pursued istionist and bnced policies and would generally help the weaker side. However, they would not let the defeated party be too weak in case the weak became stronger and presented a new threat.


    At present, the situation in Europe had be very clear. Two distinct factions emerged in the form of military blocs. Whether it was the alliance groupposed of the German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Kingdom of Italy, or the Allies group formed by the French Republic and Russian Empire, both tried to attract the British Empire since it was undoubtedly the world¡¯s first major power.


    However, the attitude of the British Empire had always been very vague, and, based on a bnced rtionship between the two sides, it adopted a wait-and-see attitude, remaining neutral until the end of Queen Victoria¡¯s era.


    Now, during the reign of King Edward VII, the rtionship between the British Empire and the German Empire became somewhat estranged, partly because the rtionship between Edward VII and William II was not very good.


    Of course, it cannot be denied that the rise of the German Empire and the development of its navy also yed a role in creating distance between the British Empire and the German Empire.


    The goal of the German Empire was to upy arge number of colonies of established Powers, and apart from France, was there not also the British Empire?


    Although the Germans never explicitly said so, the British Empire was indeed an established power and possessed thergest colonial territory in the world.


    ¡°Since you havee all the way from Australia, you must have some ns and intentions, right? Tell me, what good advice does Arthur have for the current situation in Germany?¡± William II asked with a smile.


    Having Australia send two minister-level officials to Germany meant that their purpose was definitely not just to inform William II of this news.


    The royal family of Australia, which was Arthur, also had a royal affairs director in Europe. If it was just a simple matter of conveying a message, sending the royal affairs director would have been enough, and there was no need for such a massive move..

 Chapter 147 - 144: Methods to Win Over the Tsardom of Russia

    Chapter 147: Chapter 144: Methods to Win Over the Tsardom of Russia


    Germany¡¯s diplomatic situation appears to beplicated at the moment, despite having formed the Triple Alliance with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy to counter the Dual Alliance established by France and Russia.


    However, Germany continues to maintain extensive contact with the Russian Empire and attempts to extricate the Russian Empire from the Franco-Russian Alliance, even to pull it into the Allies.


    With Germany¡¯sprehensive rise in industry, economy, and military, its diplomatdscape also experiences significant changes.


    Before the unification of Germania, France had always been the overlord of the European continent. However, since the establishment of the German Empire with the defeat of France by the Kingdom of Prussia, the hegemony of Western Europe has shifted to the German Empire.


    But don¡¯t forget, though the British Empire does not directly involve itself in the disputes of the European continent, adhering to a policy of istion.


    At the same time, the British Empire also lends support to the weaker party in Europe¡¯s struggle for hegemony, like the former Kingdom of Prussia.


    As Germania gains more advantages in Western Europe, particrly with theprehensive development of the army and navy, itsbined strength is now a threat to the British Empire, hence the British Empire no longer supports Germany, and even begins topete with Germany at some ces.


    Among the current several powerful nations in Europe, France is Germania¡¯s sworn enemy and strategic target. The irreconcble state between the two countries is virtually unsolvable.


    After the coronation of Edward VII, the British Empire has gradually changed its foreign policy. Moving away from its original policy of istion, it has begun to gradually participate in European affairs and exert greater influence on Europe.


    However, the British Empire has not clearly taken a stand among the two major European military blocs but is temporarily maintaining neutrality amid these blocs.


    At present, the British Empire is also a target that the two major military blocs are striving to court, even William II has attempted on multiple asions to curry favor with and woo Britain. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Apart from the long-standing powers of Britain and France, besides the German Empire, the only countries on the continent of Europe that can be considered powerful are the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    It goes without saying for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as a member of the Triple Alliance, it is currently the only ally that the German Empire can rely on. The Russian Empire is also a target that the German Empire has been courting. However, due to the good rtions and close economic exchanges between France and Russia, it is not easy, or virtually impossible to sway the Russian Empire towards Germania.


    Of greater importance is, much like the feud between Germania and France, there are also irreconcble territorial disputes between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire.


    Both countries are adjacent to the Balkan region, the powder keg of Europe, and both aim to establish their spheres of influence in the Balkans.


    This state of affairs further renders the union of Germany and Russia impossible, and the issue of territorial disputes is virtually irresolvable.


    Simrly, as allies of the German Empire, there arc also some territorial disputes between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Although the disputes between the two countries have been tentatively resolved through the mediation of Germania, the very reason for this was to formally establish the Triple Alliance.


    But how could the mere resolution of disputes be satisfactory? The Kingdom of Italy is not satisfied with the Austro-Hungarian Empire¡¯s simple concessions, which was a significant reason for the Kingdom of Italy¡¯s defection and join the Allies in the original history.


    The German Empire failed to grasp the importance of the strategy of distant friends and near enemies for a country.


    As equally ambitious and aspiring powerful nations, territorial issues abound as long as they arc neighboring countries.


    This is exactly like France and Germania. The course of these two countries is basically towards antagonism, as it is the trend dictated by the situation of the country.


    Even if foreign forces lead to temporary quelling and resolution but the problem itself persists. As long as the two countries do not determine a winner, and there is no territorial division that both parties can ept, the establishment of the alliance will cause a split due to conflicting interests.


    Unlike its allies adjacent to the German Empire, the closest distance between the Franco-Russian alliance is an entire Germania, thus in terms of territory there will be no disputes. This is also why the two countries can closely cooperate.


    Upon hearing William H¡¯s question, Foreign Minister Andrew replied with a smile, ¡°I wonder if His Majesty, the German Emperor, has ever heard of the distant friends and near enemies strategy?¡±


    ¡°Distant friends and near enemies?¡± William II repeated, with a spark of interest, he asked, ¡°So how exactly do you make distant friends and attack near enemies?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, when one counts all the neighboring countries of Germania, it is rare to find one that does not have historical territorial disputes with the German Empire. Even the present ally of your country, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was the greatest enemy of the Kingdom of Prussia in the German region before the establishment of Germania. Simr issues exist between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy, with significant territorial disputes. Although through your country¡¯s efforts, the three nations were gathered together to form an alliance, I think such an alliance is loose and can easily be shattered from within,¡± exined Minister Andrew.


    ¡°Looking at your country¡¯s two allies, the only one really capable of relieving some battlefield pressure from the German Empire is the Austro-Hungarian empire. But the Austro-Hungarian Empire itself also has big problems. Theposition of its people is tooplex,munication among the different ethnic armies is not easy. Although a temporary unity has been established in the Austro-Hungarian empire after Emperor Joseph¡¯s integration, should it face the predicament of war, the copse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is quite possible. 1 believe the primary task of Germania at the moment is to do its best to win over other major nations within Europe. This includes the British Empire and the Russian Empire, which are nations the German Empire should strive to win over,¡± said Foreign Minister Andrew..

 Chapter 148 - 144: Methods to Win Over the Tsardom of Russia_2

    Chapter 148: Chapter 144: Methods to Win Over the Tsardom of Russia_2


    William II did not nod, but instead fixed his gaze intently on Minister Andrew. What Minister Andrew proposed was precisely what the German Empire was currently implementing, a method that had not been sessful so far.


    Although Germany had earnestly endeavored to form alliances with the British Empire and the Russian Empire, each of these nations had its own interests. One had always adhered to an istionist policy, while the other maintained an exceptionally favorable and close economic and political rtionship with France. Consequently, Germany¡¯s attempts at alliance had consistently failed. Regardless of sess or failure, though, this was a strategy that the German Empire had previously proposed and attempted.


    Unless Minister Andrew can provide a satisfactory exnation, even if William II has a fondness for Australia, and even if the rtionship between Germany and Australia is currently cordial, it will not tolerate such arbitrary dismissal. ¡°Your Majesty, the current situation differs from the past. Based on our analysis of the ind nation¡¯s current situation, your Highness believes that the conflict between the ind nation and the Russian Empire will intensify, and may even lead to a war within a few years,¡± Minister Andrew stopped beating around the bush and exined with a smile, ¡°The ind nation has imported arge amount of army weapons and warships from the British Empire and Australia, and also signed a treaty with us for the import of mineral resources. These signs indicate that their target is no longer domestic, but rather, they are attempting to gain supremacy in the East Asian region.¡± ¡°Internationally, the ind nation has already secured the support of two major powers, including the British Empire and the United States, and since its main camp is located in East Asia, there¡¯s not much pressure on its logistics. In contrast, the Russian Empire¡¯s ally, France, doesn¡¯t support their activities in East Asia and neither does any other power except them. With most of the Russian Empire¡¯s strength concentrated in Eastern Europe, I don¡¯t think that a small portion of the Russian Army and fleet would be a match for the ind nation. This represents a serious crisis for the Russian Empire.¡±


    ¡°But it also presents an opportunity for the German Empire. As far as the British Empire and the Russian Empire are concerned, your Highness believes that the Russian Empire is more likely to lean towards and even ally with the German Empire. The British Empire, like France, is an old power with arge number of colonies. Germany¡¯s desire to vie for more overseas colonies has also been a blow to the British Empire. Moreover, Germany¡¯s rapid recent development and impact on the British navy is uneptable to the British Empire¡¯s pride in its marine power. Thus, the possibility of coboration between Germany and Britain under conflict is minimal and may even lead to hostility.¡±


    William II nodded. What Minister Andrew said about Arthur¡¯s thoughts was also consistent with the current thinking of William II and most German officials.


    Australia¡¯s export of weapons and warships to the ind nation may seem like supporting a potential enemy of the German Empire, but in fact, it is also helping the German Empire create opportunities to win over the Russian Empire.


    If the German Empire could win over the Russian Empire, what does it matter if the ind nation rises in the Far East?


    Even if the ind nation was given several decades more to develop, it would not possibly catch up with the development of the German Empire.


    It reflects the confidence of William II, all German officials, and all Germans in the German Empire.


    ¡°As for how to win over the Russian Empire, the Duke has the following suggestions. Firstly, Reruce economic ties between France and the Russian Empire as much as possible. After France provided the Russian Empire with arge number of loans, the Russian Empire¡¯s economy was fundamentally tied to France, which was the reason the two countries coulde together. If France¡¯s economic influence on the Russian Empire could be diminished, then the n to ally with the Russian Empire would havepleted its first step,¡± Minister Andrew said, smiling


    ¡°Oh? Then what?¡± Seeing that Minister Andrew had finally entered the main topic, William II asked with slight interest.


    ¡°The way for the German Empire to win over the Russian Empire is to help it maintain its advantage in East Asia and uphold its supremacy. The Russian Empire¡¯s army in East Asia is poorly equipped and the quality of training of its soldiers is low. Such an army, if a war broke out, would be lucky to hold its territory, let alone win the war. The German Empire could offerrge Ioans to the Russian Empire under various pretexts, and encourage and support its expansion of military forces and weapon recement in East Asia. As long as the Russian Empire¡¯s supremacy in East Asia could be maintained, it would naturally have a favourable view of the German Empire, which extended a helping hand in this crisis,¡± Minister Andrew said, ¡°Of course, this is just the overt n. Behind the scenes, your country also needs to control some of the public opinion institutions in the Russian Empire, that is, various newspapers and printing nts. On the basis of the German Empire helping the Russian Empire guard its supremacy in East Asia, arge amount of propaganda should be carried out within the Russian Empire to strengthen the friendliness and closeness of the rtionship between the German Empire and the Russian Empire in the public, which will also influence the thoughts of the upper echelons of the Russian Empire.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s proposal to William II is simple; once Germany sessfully aids Russia, it should utilize public opinion within the Russian Empire to extensively propagandize and gain public favor, thereby influencing the strategic thought of the Russian elite.


    Public opinion greatly impacts a country, especially the opinions of its people. If one can control the public opinion of a nation, they can even influence the strategic choices of that nation.


    Imagine this, the Russian Empire, in which all the people have favorable impressions of the German Empire. Even if they have to engage in war with the German Empire due to the treaty obligations, would themon people have high enthusiasm for such a war?


    Even if they were forced to raise their guns against the enemy due to orders from above, they would not be so ruthless due to various sentiments.


    Such wars often develop into sham wars, where neither side deploys too many troops, and the actual area of conflict is quite small.


    After all, as the proverb goes, there might be insubordination in the military. Especially on the battlefield, a qualifiedmander should always consider the feelings of his soldiers.


    If one disregards the feelings of the soldiers and acts recklessly, they must worry about whether their army will mutiny.


    ¡°Oh? Create public opinion? Really, that¡¯s a good suggestion, hahaha. Start from the grassroots in Russia and influence the upper echelons, not a bad n.¡± William II nodded, quite pleased.


    Although it¡¯s only the early 20th century, public sentiment already has a significant impact on a nation. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Particrly in European countries like Britain, France, and Germany, while exploitation of the people by domestic capitalists still exists and is even quite fierce.


    However, the power of the people when they band together has already be quite formidable, capable of shaking the foundations of a nation¡¯s government.


    If a majority of the Russian people were to unite, even the powerful imperial government of the Russian Empire would have to consider the opinions of its people.


    ¡°But there¡¯s still a problem, Minister Andrew. France won¡¯t sit idle as we try to win over the Russian Empire by offering loans and selling weapons. I fear France will offer even more loans and donate a batch of weapons to the Russian Empire as soon as we make our offer.¡± After the initial moment of satisfaction, William II voiced his queries.


    At present, France and the Russian Empire are still treaty allies. Even though France does not support the Russian Empire¡¯s actions in the Far East, it does not mean France will abandon the Russian Empire.


    On the contrary, France ces great importance on the Russian Empire as an ally and definitely won¡¯t let the German Empire easily win over the Russian Empire.


    Although France gradually can¡¯t keep up with the German Empire in industry and economy, France can still provide the Russian Empire with the same things that the German Empire does.


    Moreover, at present, France has even better rtions with the Russian Empirepared to the German Empire. If the German Empire tantly tries to win over the Russian Empire in this manner, France is sure to impede them as before.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. As fellow European nations and with Germany and France being neighboring countries, Germany¡¯s actions to win over the Russian Empire would certainly be noticed by France and definitely be obstructed.¡± Minister Andrew nodded and said, ¡°Therefore this time in enticing the Russian Empire, Germany cannot directly intervene. It needs another country that can provide arge amount of weapons and equipment but does not have any connection with France to do so..¡±

 Chapter 149 - 145: Open Armament Deal, In Fact Germany-Russia Consultation

    Chapter 149: Chapter 145: Open Armament Deal, In Fact Germany-Russia Consultation


    ¡°Another country?¡± William II frowned, thought for a while, and then looked back at Minister Andrew,ughing, ¡°Arthur¡¯s ¡®another country¡¯ wouldn¡¯t happen to be your Australia, would it?¡±


    In fact, it¡¯s simple. The country that can help the German Empire win over the Russian Empire must be one that the German Empire trusts.


    Counting the countries that currently have the ability to export weapons and equipment and warships, the German Empire only trusts the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    However, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is also located on the European Continent, and any small movement couldn¡¯t be kept from the other European powers.


    Moreover, there are unresolved contradictions between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia. It is almost impossible for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to export armaments to Russia.


    Outside of Europe, there arc even fewer countries capable of exporting armaments and warships that Russia would like.


    Adding the fact they must have good rtions with the German Empire, this led William H¡¯s attention to Australia as the first choice. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Australia fully satisfies these two criteria, not only has good cooperation with the German Empire, but the monarchs of the two countries, Arthur and William II, have a very good rtionship as well.


    Furthermore, Australia possesses light weapons systems from both the British Empire and the German Empire, including firearms and warships, which all have fine technology from the two empires.


    Geographically, Australia is far away from Europe, so its actions wouldn¡¯t be taken too seriously by European countries, especially when Europe¡¯s disputes are somewhat severe now.


    However, Australia has just exported arge number of weapons, equipment and warships to the Ind Nation, an enemy of Russia in East Asia, and signed the Treaty of Import and Export of Mineral Resources. Now, they are also aiming at Russia, the enemy of the Ind Nation, truly ying both sides!


    Under William H¡¯s scrutiny and questioning gaze, Minister Andrew calmly exined without concealing anything, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Although there are some disagreements between the two countries because France does not support Russia¡¯s actions in the Far East, currently, the German Empire still cannot shake the joint rtionship between Russia and France. If the German Empire wants tomunicate with Russia, it would definitely not avoid France, its powerful enemy.¡±


    ¡°But unfortunately, as long as the n to win over Russia is exposed to the Frenchmen, the n will never seed. Thus, Duke¡¯s suggestion is that the German Empire should look elsewhere and utilize non-European forces to promote aiding Russia. Australia meets this criteria very well, not only having good diplomatic rtions with Germany, but many of Australia¡¯s weapons, equipment, and military industry for warships evene from Germany. By helping Russia through Australia, not only can Germany remain hidden, but Russia will also know clearly who is truly helping them, achieving your country¡¯s n to win over Russia.¡± Andrew exined with augh.


    Australia¡¯s exported weapons and equipment are basically from Germany¡¯s military industry, including the Gew98 Rifle, various howitzers from Culver Factory, German-made Maxim heavy machine guns, various medium and small-sized warships, and even Brunswick-ss battleships, all of which are Germany¡¯s military technology and techniques.


    This would indeed highlight Germany¡¯s role, particrly when the Russians got their hands on these weapons, the German standard weaponry would make them understand who was truly helping them behind the scenes.


    Having heard Minister Andrew¡¯s exnation, William II nodded calmly and smiled, ¡°Arthur is really calcting! I originally thought that Australia¡¯s export of weapons, equipment, and mineral resources to the Ind Nation was to win an ally in the Far East, but it turns out he wants to y both sides and not let go of Russia either. But he does have a point, it¡¯s improbable for the German Empire to win over Russia by itself, and France is an insurmountable obstacle.¡± ¡°Using the conflicts between Russia and the Ind Nation in the Far East to open the door for their arms trade is a clever strategy! However, Arthur¡¯s words have persuaded me, and I will give you the information you want to help you get the arms trade deals. But don¡¯t forget the promise, this time the arms trade and assistance must be carried out secretly in the name of the German Empire.¡± William IIughed, first affirming and praising Arthur¡¯s strategy before agreeing to the whole n.


    The Russian armament market is obviously not something the German Empire can interfere with. Even if the German Empire can win Russia¡¯s favor and draw closer with the arms trade and financial aid, it will still be offset and counterbnced by further actions by France.


    Moreover, Russia would undoubtedly choose thetter in the choice between the German Empire and France. If they don¡¯t want the n to fail, it would be better not to let France get involved at all.


    However, there are many spies among European countries, especially the European Great Powers, who have powerful intelligence gathering capabilities.


    The actions of powerful European countries like the German Empire would definitely attract attention, especially from enemies like France..

 Chapter 150 - 145: Open Armament Deal, In Fact Germany-Russia Consultation_2

    Chapter 150: Chapter 145: Open Armament Deal, In Fact Germany-Russia Consultation_2


    Therefore, to prevent France from being involved in this arms trade, the best method is to keep Germania out of it as well, so that the French will let down their guard.


    That¡¯s why William II used the word ¡°secrecy.¡± The arms trade on the surface would still be carried out solely between the Russian Empire and Australia, with the actual benefits being given to the German Empire.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. Our goal is merely to open up Australia¡¯s arms trade and to facilitate the easing of rtions between the German Empire and the Russian Empire,¡± said Minister Andrew with a nod, smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that given the financial situation of the Russian Empire, there is basically no surplus funds to purchase weapons and equipment. Though their backward logistics and transport system has led to their military equipmentgging behind in the Far East, the shortage of funds is also a very serious problem for them. Although the Russian Empire has received considerable financial aid and loans from France, most of these loans are needed for the purchase of French industrial products and other resources. It is virtually impossible for them to use this money to purchase your weapons and equipment,¡± said William II. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we need to sign a loan agreement with the Russian Empire before signing an arms trade treaty with them.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty the German Emperor, I believe this is also a good opportunity for the German Empire. Regarding the Far East issue alone, the Russian Empire would not be able to obtain too many loans from France. As a result, their funds for the Far East issue are very scarce, leading to their troops¡¯ outdated equipment and insufficient supplies. Australia can privately offer the Russian Empire an interest-free loan in the name of the German Empire, which must be used to address the Far East issue. In this way, not only can it solve the problem of insufficient funds for the Russian Empire, but it would also make the Russians more grateful to Germany,¡± replied Minister Andrew.


    It¡¯s true that Australia wants to sign an arms trade treaty with the Russian Empire, but this does not mean Australia has to y the role of a big spender. The economic situation of the Russian Empire has always been poor, with a lot of debt and loans at home.


    Not to mention the countless loans received from France, which would require decades to repay. How would they have time to repay other loans?


    The Germans are wealthy and genuinely want to win over the Russian Empire. So, why not let the Germans foot the bill?


    ¡°Hahaha, alright. I¡¯ll give you a check for one hundred million Marks to be used as funds to lure the Russian Empire and lend money to them. The only requirement is that this money can only be used by the Russian Empire for the purchase of military equipment and warships in the Far East and not for any other purpose,¡± said William II, naturally understanding Minister Andrew¡¯s intention, but not caring.


    For the German Empire, spending a little money to win over a rtively powerful country is well worth it, especially when this powerful country is an ally of their enemies.


    Why not spend money to strengthen one¡¯s own power and weaken the enemy?


    Moreover, one hundred million Marks is not really a big sum for William II, equal to only five million Pounds.


    If the Russian Empire can indeed be won over, then even turning this interest- free loan of one hundred million Marks into a gift and aid would not be a burden for William II.


    Just imagine the power of thebined forces of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire, and the walk-on role of the Kingdom of Italy. How powerful are these four countries?


    Even if the two old powers, the British Empire and France, were to join forces, they would probably be no match for these four countries. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In terms of the army, the German Empire alone could already defeat France, let alone the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which also has a decentprehensive strength in the army, and the Russian Empire with itsrge grey poption. Although the Russian Empire¡¯s militarygs behind other countries in terms of weapons and equipment and the quality of its personnel, the poption of this country is veryrge, easily arming millions or even tens of millions of troops.


    In this era, the number of soldiers in an army is still one of the most important factors. A country with arger poption naturally has many advantages in the military over a country with a smaller poption.


    Having secured the support of William II, Minister Andrew could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Although the German Empire cannot directly appear in this arms trade, the intelligence they have on the Russian Empire and the reputation of German- made weapons still help this arms trade.


    Having to pass rigorous tests for the export of Australia¡¯s own research and production of weapons is a whole different matter.


    But if the weapons and equipment were produced by the powerful German Empire, there would be less suspicion.


    This is the prestige that a country¡¯s reputation brings to a nation in all aspects; unless Australia can grow into a powerful nation or achieve some military sess, such suspicion will always exist.


    Moreover, this arms trade has also solved a potential problem, which is the possible shortage of funds in the Russian Empire.


    In any case, it is the German Empire that provides loans to the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire must have money to pay for the arms trade with Australia. As for whether they will have money to repay the loan in the future, that¡¯s not Australia¡¯s concern.


    In any case, both the German Empire and William II were quite happy to provide this funding. The only dissatisfaction mighte from France when they find out about the situation.


    ¡°Do you know when the Ind Nation will take action? If they don¡¯t start preparing soon, even signing an arms trade treaty with the Russian Empire might be toote,¡± William II asked after all the negotiations were settled. Whether it¡¯s light or heavy weapons, or evenrge, medium, and small warships, their manufacturing takes time, as does transportation.


    Army weapons are not a problem; the manufacturing time is usually not very long. Even for arge number of orders, they can generally bepleted within a year.


    But warships are different. Even for a small warship, the construction period might be as long as two to three months, let alone medium andrge warships.


    The construction period of a medium-sized warship is generally around five to seven months and might vary depending on the difficulty of construction and the weapons and equipment installed.


    It goes without saying that a new battleship would take even longer, generallysting more than a year, or even a year and a half.


    Besides, after a warship ispleted, it has to undergo a series of steps such asunching, sea trials, and testing before delivery. This testing period also takes at least six months to a year.


    In other words, the time required for theplete delivery of a warship might be much longer than the construction time, unless there are some urgent situations that reduce or drastically shorten the testing time of the warship.


    Using the battleship that the Ind Nation purchased from Australia as an example, although the construction time is about a year to a year and a half, the actual delivery time might be as long as a year and a half or more, or even close to two and a half years.


    Of course, this does not mean that the battleship will have realbat power after two and a half years.


    The crew members on the warship need at least two and a half years of training to be more familiar with the warship¡¯s performance and facilities, and to have actualbat capability.


    And these crew members must have been well-trained before, otherwise, the training time for the crew members alone might take another two and a half years.


    In summary, the time it takes for a warship to go from order cement to formal delivery is generally about two and a half years.


    Also, the training time required for the crew members is nearly two and a half years, just enough for them to grow into qualified naval soldiers.


    At the same time, after taking over the new warship, the crew members also need two and a half years to adapt, so that the warship can truly possessbat capability.


    A warship, from manufacturing to having a certain level ofbat power, needs at least two sets of two and a half years, or at most three sets of two and a half years.

 Chapter 151 - 146: The Parade Plan

    Chapter 151: Chapter 146: The Parade n


    On December 23,1902, after a week of preparation and sailing, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew departed from the Hamburg port in Germany and headed for a port within the Russian Empire, where he was warmly received by the Russian Empire.


    Of course, it was actually the rtions with the German Empire that warranted the Russian Empire¡¯s grand reception, not Minister Andrew and his entourage.


    Australia did not deserve too much attention from the Russian Empire, but the German Empire was different. Although the Allies organization that the Russian Empire currently belongs to and the Axis organization that the German Empire belongs to have carried out fierce arms race in Europe, there are asional frictions between them.


    But this cannot change the fact that the German Empire currently ranks first in army strength and second in overall strength.


    In the absence of war between the two major European military blocs, anyone with rtions with the German Empire would receive attention in any region.


    Although the Russians did not fully believe that the ind nation had already started some actions against them, they still epted the loan worth 5 million pounds from Germany.


    Although these loans must be used to purchase military weapons and equipment from Australia, after all, the money is not paid by the Russian Empire itself, so they do not have to worry about the financial burden.


    As for the repayment issueter, isn¡¯t there a guarantee from France? Moreover, in the event of a war between the two major military blocs on the European continent, the Russian Empire might not even have to repay the German Empire¡¯s loan.


    It is precisely because of this mentality that the Russians¡¯ intention to purchase weapons and equipment became more obvious and intense after obtaining military loans from the German Empire.


    Of course, one cannot deny that it was only after Minister Andrew admitted that Australia had a full set of German light weapons production technology that the Russians became interested in Australia¡¯s military industry.


    But anyway, as long as the final result is good, no one cares about the twists and turns of the process.


    On the third day of arriving in the Russian Empire, which is December 26,1902, Minister Andrew reached a preliminary arms purchase treaty with the officials of the Russian Empire.


    Of course, the funds for this treaty are within the scope of the German loans, and the Russians will not spend their own money to purchase additional weapons, even if it is to maintain the power and advantage of the Russian Empire in the Far East.


    The detailed treaty includes 10,000 German Gew98 rifles, one million bullets, hundreds of heavy machine guns, and more than ten 105 mm howitzers.


    The Russian Empire has no ns for the expansion of the Far East fleet for the time being, so the arms purchase treaty only contains various types of weapons for the army.


    However, such a number of weapons can slightly enhance thebat effectiveness of the Russian Empire¡¯s far-eastern army, and even give a heavy blow to the ind nation¡¯s army without any preparation.


    In order to ensure that Australia is not at the forefront, and also to carry out the German Empire¡¯s wooing n secretly, after friendly consultations with the Russian Empire, the arms trade between the two countries and Germany¡¯s aid are carried out privately and will not be made public.


    Even in a country like the Russian Empire with certain intelligence capabilities, it may not be clear what the specific treaty between Australia and the Russian Empire is.


    Not to mention a country like the ind nation in Asia, they arepletely ignorant of it, and still immersed in their so-called secret development, defeating Russia and seizing the dream of East Asian hegemony.


    While Minister Andrew was working hard on diplomatic missions in Europe with the diplomatic visiting team, Australia was also preparing for a major n.


    Actually, it is not a secret matter. As the Australian National Day approaches, and the five new warships of the Australian Navy have beenunched one after another, the government, after consulting with Arthur, will hold a grand parade on National Day.


    Of course, unlike the previous Army Grand Parade, this parade¡¯s focus is more on the navy.


    Not only will the five warships built by Australia in half a year make their debut, but the previous navy warships will also appear one by one. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Of course, this was a relief to Australia¡¯s smaller naval size.


    If it were a fleet asrge as the British Empire Royal Navy, a string of inspections would take half a day or even more than a day.


    Because the parade involves different troops and services, the venue has also changed, bing the Sydney Harbour in Australia.


    To better prepare for this naval grand parade, the Australian government began preparations near the harbor two months in advance.


    Not only did they widen the road connecting the city and the harbor to ensure that more people could reach the harbor smoothly, but they also built a sturdy area near the harbor, which will be the best viewing tform for all those who visit the naval parade.


    To ensure that more people can watch the naval parade ceremony, the entire National Day and even the previous two days will have special patrols in this area to ensure that there will be no behavior of upying the venue for sale.


    In order to enhance the enthusiasm of Australians to participate in the parade and even the country, this navy parade ceremony will randomly select hundreds of lucky viewers, allowing them to ride on new warships of the Australian Navy and watch the Australian Navy¡¯s strategic target shooting scenes in the nearby sea.


    Although the current scale of the Australian Navy is notrge, it is definitely enough to bring a strong shock to an ordinary person.


    Of course, this link is actually a review of thebat effectiveness of the Australian Navy. If there is a deviation in the timing of the strategic target under the scrutiny, it will undoubtedly greatly reduce the Australians¡¯ goodwill towards the Navy and even indirectly reduce trust in the government and the royal family.


    After all, can a navy that has spent a lot of money on national construction but cannot even urately hit the target effectively protect all citizens?


    Especially for an ind country, the importance of the navy is unique. People can ept that the army is not very strong, but they absolutely cannot ept that the navy is always weak, or even corrupt and useless.


    Like the previous National Day, even though it is only close to National Day, the nearby streets of Australia have begun selling Australia¡¯s national gs made to scale.


    These national gs are not from the hands of the officials, but from the numerous small and medium-sized private workshops in Australia.


    Australians have a high degree of recognition for their country, which also leads to a surge in sales of the Australian g during this time of the year, which is a good opportunity for small and medium-sized private workshops and craftsmen to make money.

 Chapter 152 - 147: Annual Government Report Meeting

    Chapter 152: Chapter 147: Annual Government Report Meeting


    Of course, before the National Day arrives, the Australian Government has a very important conference to hold, which is the annual governmental annual report summary.


    At this time of the year, it is also used to measure all the things and political achievements that each department and all officers have done in the past year, and it can even determine whether they can remain in this position in the next election.


    Although thepetition in Australian politics is not fierce, these ministers have a very high chance of re-election under the condition that they do not make mistakes.


    However, there is one variable, which is Arthur¡¯s attitude. As the de facto Duke of Australia, Arthur has the power to appoint cab members.


    Once these officers cause Arthur¡¯s dissatisfaction due to ipetence or ckness, and they lose their position for nothing, it would be a great loss.


    You should know that although Australia has a low reputation internationally, it is also a huge country with a territory of millions of square kilometers and a poption of millions.


    In such a country, bing a cab minister and a cab member is far more powerful than being an ordinary officer.


    Moreover, it is easy to move from frugality to luxury, but hard to move from luxury to frugality. After these officials have tasted the enormous power of the cab members, it would be like cutting a piece of flesh from their hearts if they want them to give up these powers.


    Therefore, these cab members take this government annual report summary meeting very seriously, and not only have they summarized all the evidences they have done within their respective departments for a year, they have also collected a lot of materials and made clearyouts for the ns of their respective departments for the next year.


    December 31,1902, this is thest day of 1902, and it is also the day when the Australian Cab Government holds the annual summary report meeting.


    Early in the morning, several cab ministers, including Prime Minister Evan, arrived early at the meeting room, each carefully studying the materials in their hands, for fear of forgetting some data.


    If Arthur suddenly asked them about some data in their respective departments and they didn¡¯t know, then it would be a big joke.


    Can a person who doesn¡¯t know the data of their own department be interpreted as ipetent or derelict of duty?


    At 8 0 clock in the morning, Arthur arrived at the meeting room on the top floor of the National Government Building on time.


    Everyone stood up to salute, and they all sat down at Arthur¡¯s gesture.


    Everyone, 1902 ising to the end, and we are about to wee a brand new 1903. Simrly, our cab government has also experienced a full year of work, and it must have achieved a lot of achievements. Now, it is also the time for all of us to examine the achievements of the government¡¯s work. Prime Minister Evan, let¡¯s start with you! Introduce the overall achievements of the cab government and let everyone know about the changes in Australia.¡± After everyone sat down, Arthur said straightforwardly. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Prime Minister Evan nodded slightly respectfully, picked up the prepared data report, and walked step by step to the podium in the center of the round conference table.


    ¡°Your Highness, everyone. Looking closely at 1902, the most eye-catching change in Australia is still in industry and economy. In terms of industry, our steel production, industrial areas, and the number ofrge, medium and small factories continue to climb, and in some aspects, it is already on par with some small European countries. Of course, our goal is far more than this, the various construction and development of Australia still need to continue, and vigorously promote.¡± Prime Minister Evan began.


    The changes in industry, I would like to invite Minister Pierre to say more.


    There are many changes in this area, and it is also one of the areas with the most changes in Australia.¡± Prime Minister Evan looked at Minister of Industry Pierre and said with a smile.


    ¡°Happy to serve.¡± Minister of Industry Pierre nodded with a smile, walked to the podium and temporarily took over Prime Minister Evan¡¯s position.


    ¡°Your Highness, Your Excellency Prime Minister, colleagues. Looking at the whole 1902, the industrial changes in Australia are earth-shattering. If we say that we initially had some industrial output a year ago, then now we have initially be an industrial country.¡± Minister Pierre took out the materials he had prepared and spoke with neither humility nor arrogance.


    First of all, the biggest and most obvious changes are our steel production. Last year, our steel and iron production had reached 61,000 tons and 93,000 tons, and it was already able to bepared with some European countries.¡± Minister Pierre reported: ¡°Now we have far surpassed this number. So far, our steel and iron production has reached 263,100 tons and 422,200 tons respectively. The rates of increase are 3.8 times and 4-5 times. In terms of steel output, we are already one-sixth of France and one-thirtieth of Germany.¡± Is it shameful to be one-sixth of France and one-thirtieth of Germany? No, it¡¯s not embarrassing, and it¡¯s even an honor.


    These two countries, one is a former dominant power in Europe, and the other is now the dominant power in Central Europe and the second major power.


    These two countries have long had a rtivelyplete industrial system, and their industrial strength is absolutely at a great power level.


    Although France¡¯s decline is clear, that Australia¡¯s steel production can reach one-sixth of France¡¯s is enough to prove how rapid Australia¡¯s industrial development is.


    It must be noted that when the Australian Principality was just established, the total steel output was just less than 10,000 tons.


    And Arthur has been in Australia for only a little over two years, and the steel production has reached a terrifying 260,000 tons or above, and the total steel output has even exceeded 680,000 tons.


    This level has even exceeded the ind nation that has been undergoing reforms for decades, and in terms of steel output, it can already be ranked as one of the top fifteen in the world.


    Of course, this ranking is actually quite false, and the industrial scale of any major power country is several times or even dozens of times that of Australia.


    Hearing about the huge achievement in steel production, Arthur nodded satisfactorily.


    Australia¡¯s construction and development in all aspects need arge amount of steel production, and the current steel production is just enough to meet the needs of domestic construction and development.


    For Australia, which has a lot of very rich mineral resources, its industrial scale can only be big, not small.


    On the premise of having sufficient mineral resource supply, Arthur¡¯s expectation for Australia¡¯s industry is to reach a major power level.


    Seeing Arthur has no questions, Pierre, the Minister of Industry, continued, ¡°So far, we have added three industrial areas, making the total number five. These five industrial areas are respectively located in West Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria State. Among them, New South Wales, due to itsrger poption, is currently the only state with two industrial areas.¡±


    The establishment of industrial areas previously depended on the poption of each state. Especially for states with smaller poptions like Tasmania State, there is no need to set up industrial areas temporarily.

 Chapter 153 - 148: Population Explosion

    Chapter 153: Chapter 148: Poption Explosion


    ¡°In our five industrial zones, there are more than 20,000 Australian workers and over 30,000 Indigenous Peoples working, and the industrial output and volume ount for the vast majority of Australia¡¯s total industrial output.¡± Minister of Industry Pierre said with a smile.


    Industrial zones are important sites established by the Australian Government for industrial development. After more than two years of lengthy development, most of Australia¡¯s industries have been relocated to industrial zones, and industries scattered in other ces are not veryrge, especially inparison to these fiverge industrial zones.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s industries have a trend of centralized development, resulting in an increasing number and scale of industrial zones.


    However, there are some problems. Although Australia has vastnd and abundant mineral resources, it does not mean that there are no issues with industrial development.


    In addition to solving the poption problem by using the number of Indigenous Peoples, Australia also has a slightly thorny problem ¨C there is not enough water resources.


    The development of the industry requires a lot of water resources, and people also consume a lot of water resources.


    At present, due to the rtively small scale of the industry and insufficient poption, the problem of water scarcity has not yet emerged.


    But once Australia¡¯s poption size grows, it will be a thorny problem for the Australian government.


    In order to resolve this issue earlier, under Arthur¡¯smand, the industrial sector has begun to constructrge reservoirs and water storage areas near the industrial zones. The stored water will be used for industry, and some cleaner water storage areas will also be used for agriculture and people¡¯s lives.


    With the efforts of many Indigenous Peoples, the construction of reservoirs and water storage areas has been very effective. At present, each of Australia¡¯s five industrial zones has a small reservoir that can meet the water needs of the industrial zone even when water resources are scarce.


    Of course, Australia will build more water storage areas in the future topletely improve Australia¡¯s water usage problem.


    After all, Australia¡¯s poption is about to soar, and the water problem needs to be resolved sooner orter. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Industrial zones have provided more than 20,000 jobs in Australia, which is good news for those with lower ies in Australia.


    The ies of these industrial zones are all above the average Australian ie, and they are also the focus of attention for Arthur and the Australian government.


    While the ie level may not be highpared to the European powers, at least the workers do not have to worry about being exploited too much, and basic welfare and sry distribution can be guaranteed.


    ¡°In addition to the industrial zones, we have discovered arge number of new mineral resources in many areas of Australia. These include coal mines, iron mines, silver mines, bauxite mines, petroleum, and so on. In particr, coal and iron reserves have increased by about three times since the end of 1900.¡± Minister Pierre continued to report.


    Arthur was not surprised by the continuous discovery of these mineral resources. Australia is truly a country sitting in a minecart, and the richness of mineral resources is unimaginable.


    Keep in mind that in the highly developed economy and industry ofter generations, Australia can still obtain a considerable ie by exporting arge amount of mineral resources each year, and there is no sign of mineral resource depletion. This alone proves the richness of Australia¡¯s mineral resources.


    ¡°This is the annual report of the Ministry of Industry this year, Your Highness, pleasement.¡± After reporting all the data in hand, Minister Pierre respectfully handed all the materials to Arthur and said.


    ¡°Well, the Ministry of Industry is doing a good job, but we must not stop there. In the new year, our ns to jointly set up car factories with the British Empire and German Empire will also begin to be implemented. In addition to the production needs of our existing domestic car factories, our demand for steel production is not low. I hope that in the new year, our total steel output can reach one million tons, and the steel production output can exceed at least 350,000 tons, so as to initially meet our demand for steel production.¡± Arthur nodded indifferently, took a rough nce at theplete report, and instructed.


    Reaching a total steel output of one million tons may not seem easy, but it is simple for Australia¡¯s industrial sector.


    Keep in mind that in 1902, Australia¡¯s total steel output increased by nearly 500,000 tons, reaching a staggering 680,000 tons.


    This figure is only 320,000 tons away from one million tons, and based on the industrial development ofst year, it is not difficult.


    The same is true for steel production output. The new target set by Arthur is not muchpared to the growth rate in 1902, but whether it can reach one million tons is indeed one of the standards for measuring whether a country is an industrial country or not.


    Looking at all the powerful nations, the total steel output of any country is as high as several million tons. Even the most critical steel production output is generally above one million tons.


    Compared with these powerful nations, Australia¡¯s industry is just getting started. Although it has arge number of industrial equipment from Britain and assistance from Germany, it will take a lot of time to catch up with these countries or go hand in hand with them.


    ¡°In addition to the excellent performance of the Ministry of Industry, Australia¡¯s poption in 1902 has also seen a significant increase. At the beginning of 1902, Australia¡¯s total poption was approximately 3,996,200, and it has now grown to 4,263,900, with a poption growth rate of approximately 6.7%. Our total poption has officially exceeded 4 million and is working towards the initial goal of 5 million.¡± After the report of the Ministry of Industry waspleted, Prime Minister Evan returned to the center of the podium and continued the Cab Government¡¯s general report.


    ¡°In 1902, our immigrant poption reached over 190,000, making it thergest year for immigrants to date. Among them, there were about 60,000 immigrants from the British Empire, about 70,000 from the German Empire, and others from other European countries, such as France, Spain, Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Our newborn poption was about 94>ooo, and the death poption was 23,000. The ratio of newborn babies has almost doubled, which is also due to the significant increase in Australia¡¯s per capita ie. People have stable jobs and generous sries to have enough energy and time for childbirth, and they can also afford to raise newborns.¡± Prime Minister Evan reported.

 Chapter 154 - 149: People’s Livelihood Issues

    Chapter 154: Chapter 149: People¡¯s Livelihood Issues


    As the saying goes, people think about their personal lives when they are well- fed and warm. ordingly, the number of newborns also increases.


    This is also a good thing for Australia, as the proportion of native Australians is extremely important, and they are the cornerstone of maintaining Australia¡¯s rule.


    Apart from integrating immigrants into the Australian nation, the only way for Australians to expand is to increase fertility.


    The immigration of British people in Australia is the result of Duke Arthur¡¯s efforts in the United Kingdom. People¡¯s willingness to immigrate naturally increases when they do not repel Arthur.


    It is a good thing for Australia that German immigration has surpassed the British Empire,rgely due to William Il¡¯s policy of appeasing Australia.


    Since the aid treaty between the German Empire and Australia took effect, more than a hundred thousand Germans have immigrated to Australia, bing permanent residents.


    Of course, most of these people have obtained Australian nationality and have be true Australians in name.


    However, no one can guarantee that their loyalty to Australia will be greater than that of the German Empire. That is where William H¡¯s intent and purpose lie.


    Those German immigrants will try their best to change Australia¡¯s political decisions and draw Australia to Germany¡¯s war chariot.


    ¡°Indeed, poption has always been one of Australia¡¯s biggest problems. Both encouraging fertility and attracting immigrants are our most important decisions at any time. However, attracting immigrants is important, and there must be a certain period of assessment and examination for immigrants. Only when these people are ensured to have no ulterior motives can they truly obtain Australian citizenship,¡± Duke Arthur said with a smile, very satisfied.


    Poption is currently one of the criteria to measure whether a country is powerful, and powerful nations have poptions ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions.


    Although Australia has a territory at the level of the powers, the scale of the poption is a significant issue.


    This poption is not enough to support Australia as a powerful country, let alone rise as a superpower.


    Therefore, Australia must raise its poption to over 10 million to have a chance topete with those powerful nations.


    ¡°Also, the significant growth of the poption is certainlymendable, but do not forget the welfare policy for the low-ie group. How is the construction of our nursing homes and orphanages? How many elderly widows and orphans have been helped so far?¡± Duke Arthur asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, the number of our nursing homes and orphanages has initially met the domestic demand. Especially in the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, there are now eleven and seven nursing homes respectively. Across Australia, we have a total of 30 nursing homes and 51 orphanages, amodating more than 6,000 elderly widows and more than 10,000 orphans. With the steady growth in poption, it is foreseeable that the number of orphanages and nursing homes will not see significant growth and will remain stable within this range,¡± Minister of Civil Affairs Walter ck quickly stood up and replied.


    It¡¯s not that Minister Walter is unwilling to continue building orphanages and nursing homes, but ording to Australia¡¯s poption, the number of orphanages and nursing homes has reached saturation, with most orphans and elderly widows being amodated. Only a few are left unsheltered.


    Orphans, in particr, are one of the issues Duke Arthur is more concerned about. Those orphans, after receiving aid, will have a high degree of loyalty to the royal family and Arthur in the future.


    Some of these orphans have particr talents, and may even be directly taken in by the royal family for training, bing Arthur¡¯s assistants.


    These orphans, who have been trained since childhood, are even more loyal than some of the talents inherited by Duke Arthur.


    ¡°Well, since the number of nursing homes and orphanages has reached saturation, the construction of these two projects can be suspended for a while, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs can focus on the welfare implementation of existing nursing homes and orphanages,¡± Duke Arthur nodded, agreeing with Minister Walter¡¯s proposal.


    Instructing Minister Walter, Duke Arthur once again looked at Prime Minister Evan and signaled him to continue.


    ¡°In addition to nursing homes and orphanages, the construction of our schools and hospitals is very satisfactory too. A year ago, we had only built onerge hospital in each state. Now, we have two hospitals in both New South Wales and Victoria, and other states and regions are also encouraging the establishment of private clinics. At present, more than 100 private clinics have been established throughout Australia, distributed in many cities, which can improve our medical care at the grassroots level,¡± said Prime Minister Evan with a smile.


    The construction progress ofrge hospitals is quite slow, and there are only eight hospitals in Australia so far.


    However, the number of small private clinics is quite satisfactory. Compared withrge hospitals with insufficient medical staff and equipment, these small clinics are the most effective way to improve Australia¡¯s basic medical environment.


    ¡°How about the schools? What is the current state of our education? I remember the idea of setting up technical schools before, what actions has the Ministry of Education taken?¡± Duke Arthur asked curiously. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The idea of setting up technical schools was brought up by Arthur in a previous Cab meeting, but it had been handed over to the Ministry of Education since then, and he hasn¡¯t asked about it.


    At this moment, recalling the changes in education, Duke Arthur remembered the matter of setting up technical schools.


    Such schools y a critical role in the development of various industries in Australia, as they provide many skilled workers with excellent practical abilities.


    If industrial development in Australia has a considerable number of technical talents, the speed of development will not be limited, and a burst of rapid growth can be expected.


    ¡°It has beenpleted, Your Highness,¡± Minister of Education Richard replied.


    Although technical schools serve more industries, they are still considered schools and, therefore, are built and managed by the education department.

 Chapter 155 - 150: Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

    Chapter 155: Chapter 150: Agriculture and Animal Husbandry


    ¡°Our technical school is not like the National University; it is a smaller training school for various technical fields. Currently, our technical school has thousands of students and mainly focuses on training senior steelworkers, senior railway workers, medical assistants, and basic education teachers. The training period for these students varies from one to three years, after which they can be outstanding professionals in their respective industries.¡± said Minister of Education Richard with a smile.


    The purpose of the technical school is to cultivate technical talents with certain abilities for various industries in Australia, which is why the technical school initially has only workers, doctors, and teachers as their professional courses.


    At present, there is still a significant shortage of technical talents in education, healthcare, and industry in Australia, especially those with certain abilities to y a core role.


    Although factories, schools, and hospitals have their respective training programs, these people who have undergone basic training can only perform preliminary tasks, still a long way from possessing the ability to y a core role.


    ¡°Very good. Technical schools can expand their scale, and the number of students can be increased to several thousand or even tens of thousands. At the same time, quotas can also be released to various factories, hospitals, and schools, allowing them to spend a certain amount of funds to send employees for training,¡± said Arthur, nodding.


    Technical schools are different from Australian National University. The education of university students is very cautious, thus the number of admissions should not be too high.


    Even at the current Australian National University, the annual enrollment numbers are basically fixed at around six hundred students.


    Technical schools are different. The purpose of the technical school is only to cultivate talents with good capabilities for various industries in Australia. Both the training speed and efficiency are much faster than universities.


    Of course, the talents cultivated by technical schools are not asprehensive as university students. They only have specific advantages and capacities in a certain industry.


    But this is exactly what Australia needs right now: mastering good skills in a certain field to be the talents Australia currentlycks.


    After the report of the Ministry of Education, the next report is about the Ministry of Finance.


    Like the rapid growth of industry and other fields, Australia¡¯s economy also achieved considerable growth in 1902.


    In 1901, Australia¡¯s total fiscal revenue was approximately 4.3 million pounds. This figure increased significantly in 1902 to 7,300,000 pounds.


    This is because, with the recovery of the Australian economy, many small-scale individual businesses, farm owners, and factory owners gradually emerged.


    Although these small businesses and factories are notrge, there are thousands of them across Australia.


    Their umted annual ie is impressive. Coupled with the per capita ie growth brought about by various constructions, it is not surprising that economic growth is so fast.


    However, Australia¡¯s total fiscal expenditure remains frightfully high. By the end of 1902, Australia¡¯s total fiscal expenditure for the whole year was approximately 14,300,000 pounds, an increase of more than 1 million poundspared to the previous year.


    The budget deficit reached 7 million pounds, which is almost equal to Australia¡¯s total fiscal revenue for the whole year. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But this is due to the major constructions undertaken by Australia. If not for theserge capital consuming infrastructures, Australia¡¯s finances could have turned into a surplus, even reaching a surplus of 2-3 million pounds.


    Although spending tens of millions of pounds each year, Australia¡¯s Ministry of Finance still has over 140 million pounds of avable funds, enough to support Australia¡¯s current development ns for decades.


    By the end of 1902, Australia¡¯s per capita annual ie had reached twelve pounds, and the per capita ie of important development areas such as the industrial zone had reached fifteen pounds.


    Compared to when the Australian Principality was first established, the per capita ie of Australians has increased significantly, and they finally have some extra money on hand.


    Not only did the construction of the industrial zone contribute to the increase in per capita ie, but the development of agriculture also yed a part.


    Previously, when indigenous people had not been introduced, the development of Australia¡¯snd was very slow. Thend allocated to immigrants was mostly undeveloped wastnd, with little actual cultivablend.


    This also led to many immigrants, owning arge amount ofnd in name only, being unable to make a living through cultivation, and having to find other work to support their livelihoods.


    To a certain extent, this limited the development of Australia¡¯s agriculture. If not for the highly developed animal husbandry, Australia might not have been able to be self-sufficient in food.


    ording to the report from the Ministry of Agriculture, the amount of cultivablend in Australia in 1902 had nearly increased by 40%.


    In 1902, Australia produced nearly 4 million tons of grain, nearly enough to meet the annual food needs of approximately 13 million people.


    However, Australia¡¯s poption is only just over 4 million. This means that Australia has arge amount of grain avable for export.


    Not only has the area of cultivatednd increased, but the growth of Australia¡¯s pastoral areas has also been rapid.


    As a major country in animal husbandry, Australia had hundreds of millions of sheep in 1901, and this number has increased by more than 10% today.


    Such a huge number of livestock makes Australia¡¯s animal husbandry highly developed. There are countless products produced each year, such as wool, sheep milk, cow milk, and meat.


    Only a very small part of these animal husbandry products is consumed in Australia, and more are exported to neighboring countries and even European nations.


    Among these, the British Empire imports arger proportion of animal husbandry products. Australia is currently the most reliable supplier of meat and animal husbandry products for the British Empire, a position previously held by New Zend.


    Due to the highly developed animal husbandry, meat products in Australia are very cheap. Even for ordinary workers andmon people, they can basically eat meat every few days.


    It goes without saying that university students and other technical talents, who are highly regarded by Arthur, eat meat every meal, which is essential for their daily consumption. University students even have ess to a daily ss of milk.


    While the growth of agriculture is certainly worth celebrating, the achievements in transportation and infrastructure construction are also uplifting.


    Since the industrial railway¡¯s Eastern section was opened to traffic in February of 1902, Australia¡¯s economy and inter-state exchanges have be faster and more effective due to this railway.


    Although currently, the industrial railway¡¯spleted scope is still very small, with only the industrial zones in West Australian State and South Australian State and the connection between the capital cities of Sydney and Melbournepleted and sessfully opened to traffic.


    But this newly established railway has be a driving force for Australia¡¯s economic development, and the economic and cultural exchanges between various states in Australia have also be more closely linked because of it.

 Chapter 156 - 151: Term Extension

    Chapter 156: Chapter 151: Term Extension


    1902 was a thriving year for Australia, with various construction projects showing results after two years of development, and the benefits brought to the Australian people went far beyond the infrastructure.


    ¡°In the new year, the government¡¯s main goal remains to continue our development ns. In the new year, I hope that our currently operational railway lines can connect to the harbor, effectively enhancing transportation efficiency in nationwide industrial areas. At the same time, public safety must also be taken seriously. As our cities expand and our poption grows, the security environment in Australia must be maintained at a high level,¡± Arthur concluded his instructions.


    Overall, Australia¡¯s development was smooth. Although it was not possible to be a world power in a short period, everything was possible after a long period of growth. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Prime Minister Evan, I believe your Cab Government¡¯s term ising to an end, correct?¡± With everyone slightly rxed, Arthur suddenly asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The first Cab Government has a term of three years, starting from June 1900 and ending in June 1903,¡± Prime Minister Evan replied immediately.


    ¡°Only half a year left?¡± Arthur nodded after hearing this, thought carefully for a while, and then continued, ¡°The government should get ready for the cab elections in six months. From the next Cab Government onwards, the term of cab members will be changed to four years while other aspects remain unchanged.¡±


    The change of cab members¡¯ terms from three to four years resulted from Arthur¡¯s careful deliberation. Ultimately, three years was too short, and even with rapid development, the results were just beginning to show.


    Moreover, different cab members would form various governments, so it was impossible to guarantee unity in opinions and consistency in policies.


    It would be a shame if the rotation of the cab and elections hindered development and construction.


    Although Arthur had decided to change the term of the Cab Government to four years, the formal amendment of the Australian Constitution would still take some time.


    Also, Arthur did not want cab members to think that the term change was specifically designed for them. Thus, the term change will only take effect after the next Cab Government is established.


    This was also a test for cab members regarding their prestige and credibility among the people. If they could stand out again in the cab elections half a yearter and stay in their current positions, they would enjoy a longer term.


    However, if their credibility with the people is insufficient, they might be thest cab members in Australian history with a term of only three years.


    Sure enough, when Arthur announced the decision to extend the term by one year for the next Cab Government, almost everyone¡¯s faces showed joy and contemtion.


    Over the past two years in office, no matter in which department, these ministers had made some achievements, leading to significant changes in each department.


    Arthur was also generous in rewarding them. In addition to financial rewards and verbalmendations, having their achievements recognized in the Victoria Newspaper and Australia Daily was most important to them.


    Australia had developed to this stage, and the newspapers that truly entered the Australian national market were only the Victoria Newspaper and Australia Daily.


    Although these two newspapers belonged to different media groups responsible for different scopes and clients, both were actually subsidiaries of the Royal financial group under Arthur¡¯s control.


    Backed by the Royal financial group, these two media groups easily dominated the Australian market.


    It was precisely because the newspapers¡¯ areas of responsibility werepletely different that the two could coexist peacefully.


    Of course, during important moments for Australia, both newspapers would publish important news, which was the only time the Victoria Newspaper and Australia Daily shared headlines.


    It was precisely because the officials asionally appeared on one of the newspapers due to Arthur¡¯s good mood that they were confident about the elections in half a year.


    Even if it was just a small section or a few news articles, after all, the newspapers covered the entire Australian poption in this era with limited entertainment options.


    ording to statistics, out of Australia¡¯s four million poption, over 300,000 were newspaper subscribers.


    Among them, over 150,000 were daily users of the two newspapers. That is to say, the daily sales volume of Australia Daily and Victoria Newspaper together exceeded 150,000, a substantial propaganda channel.


    And it went far beyond that number, as many families only subscribed to one newspaper, but the readership included almost half of the households.


    Adding to the many who quickly browsed newspapers in front of the newspaper office, although the daily cirction was only over 150,000, at least 400,000 people browsed the newspapers every day.


    What a terrifying concept! Every day, a tenth of the Australian poption read these two newspapers, making those featured almost nationally famous.


    Of course, the massive print volumebined with Australia-wide customers made transportation of newspapers quite challenging for the two media groups.


    As a result, the news in each newspaper was almost always from two days earlier, with only the headlines from the two days prior having enough time to print and sell.


    It was only because some roads already had trains that the two newspapers were able to maintain a daily cirction of over 150,000 across Australia.


    This was amon downside for all newspapers at that time since transportation methods were rather limited, which made it impossible for newspapers to choose to print the same day¡¯s news. Just the printing time could take up half a day, let alone the time needed for distribution and sale.


    Most likely, the newspaper would arrive the next day, with the news already bing old news.


    Therefore, most newspapers currently choose to print headlines from the previous day or even a few days before, which also allows them plenty of time for preparation.


    It was precisely because current technology was not advanced enough, and the spread of information was very slow, that the vast majority of people relied on newspapers and hearsay for news.


    Newspapers were able to maintain such high sales volumes because of this very reason. Although the newspapers were printing news from a few days earlier, it was still news that most people would not easily know about.

 Chapter 157 - 152:1903

    Chapter 157: Chapter 152:1903


    January 10th, 1903, Sydney Harbour, Australia.


    It was the National Day again, and Sydney was still crowded with people. However, people¡¯s gathering ce had changed from the central square in front of the Administrative Building to the open space of Sydney Harbour.


    Due to the naval grand parade, and the Australian Government and the royal family had been warming up throughout Australia a month in advance, the open space near the harbor was filled with onlookers, and many people didn¡¯t even have a ce to stand.


    The crowd was shoulder to shoulder, and in some narrow ces, it was difficult to even stretch one¡¯s arms.


    But this did not affect Australians¡¯ enthusiasm for attending the parade. As early as five o¡¯clock in the morning, the open space was almost full of people, and the number was still increasing rapidly.


    If it weren¡¯t for the spaciousness of the harbor and the smooth cement ground prepared by the Australian government for the naval grand parade, Sydney Harbour might not even be able to amodate so many onlookers.


    Although the more people gathered, the higher the trust they had in the government and the royal family, having too many people crammed in a small space was not a good thing.


    Stampedes could easily ur due to therge number of people. In addition, people were talking so loudly that they might not even be able to hear each other¡¯s shouts.


    In order to ensure the safety of these people, the Public Security Department had specially transferred many police forces from other ces and even brought troops from nearby Sydney for training.


    With more than a thousand police officers and soldiersbined, they barely managed to maintain order at the scene.


    Of course, everyone knew that the scene¡¯s order was rtively quiet before the parade ceremony began.


    Once the naval grand parade began, the scene would probably be even more chaotic and noisy.


    As everyone stood on the field with great anticipation, waiting for the parade to begin, the Security Department was still urgently mobilizing personnel, even gathering a group of doctors from Sydney and the nearby New South Wales State Parliament to be prepared for any idents.


    In this naval grand parade, at least ten warships will be dispatched, including four armored cruisers, five coastal defense ships, and one coastal artillery ship. These three types of warships represent the main battleships of the Australian Navy, mass-equipped warships, and patrol vessels.


    Compared with other countries, Australia¡¯s navy is a tier lower. The coastal cruisers currently serving as the main battleships of the Australian Navy are only considered auxiliary warships by other countries. The real main battleships of the world¡¯s navies, battleships, Australia has none. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, it is not that Australiacks the ability to equip battleships. On the contrary, Australia has already mastered the technology to build independent main battleships and has even negotiated to build a battleship for the Ind Nation in an agreement.


    But the current battleships do not seem to be high or low enough. Although having battleships now can indeed greatly improve the navy¡¯s strength and satisfy people¡¯s expectations of naval power.


    But how long can such battleships be glorious for? Dreadnoughts will be born in 1906, which is only more than three years from now.


    It takes one or two years to build a warship, so is it worth spending millions of pounds to build a pre-dreadnought battleship that can only be glorious for one or two years?


    By the time the world¡¯s countries begin their dreadnought construction ns, Australia¡¯s pre-dreadnoughts will be scrap iron.


    It¡¯s better to wait until three yearster and start the navy¡¯s bigunch. With a concerted effort to build dreadnoughts, there is still hope of impacting the current world naval hierarchy.


    Although such a n is indeed beneficial, for the time being, it can only temporarily appease the Australians.


    Arthur and the officers knew that Australians attached great importance to the navy, even theunch of a small armored cruiser attracted a lot of attention from Australians.


    But there is no choice but to take this step temporarily to prevent the country from losing millions of pounds in vain.


    However, although the construction n for battleships needs to be shelved for now, these small and medium-sized warships do not.


    These warships can be used as auxiliary warships for dreadnoughts in the future, forming a fleet of battleships along with a powerful dreadnought.


    Also, the cost of these small and medium-sized warships is very low, and even the profits from the arms trade with the Ind Nation are enough to build more than a dozen.


    Finally, amid the noisy waiting of the crowd, the first bell rang in the harbor.


    This was arge clock specially prepared for National Day activities, and its ringing marked the official start of Australia¡¯s third National Day celebration. As usual, the host of the National Day event was still the incumbent Prime Minister Evan. After more than two years as Prime Minister, Evan¡¯s temperament had be more intense and more reminiscent of Western politicians.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, wee to the site of Australia¡¯s Sydney Harbour Naval Parade. Today, January 10th, 1903, is our great mothend Australia¡¯s third birthday. On behalf of all government members and our great Duke, I warmly wee your presence and extend my sincere greetings to His Highness. If it wasn¡¯t for Your Highness, Australia would still be a region consisting of six colonies. We would have to pay arge part of our ie to the Colonial Government, and we wouldn¡¯t be able to travel conveniently to other states because the policies between colonies are separate. So,dies and gentlemen, let us use our most sincere words to say to His Highness the Duke: ¡®Long live the Duke!¡±¡® Prime Minister Evan said with a respectful look from the stage.


    ¡°Long live the Duke!¡±


    Following Prime Minister Evan¡¯s lead, deafening cheers erupted immediately at the entire harbor and all the viewing stands, as if all Australians were proiming their respected Duke¡¯s achievements to God.


    Seeing that his guidance had been sessful, Prime Minister Evan respectfully asked Arthur to say a few words.


    ¡°Long live Australia!¡± Arthur¡¯s first sentence was not anything else, but a response to the previous cheers.


    ¡°Long live Australia! Long live the Duke!¡±


    Now, as the cheers that had just subsided erupted again, they were even stronger than before.


    This was also Arthur¡¯s goal ¨C to promote nationalism among all Australians at a time when they could ept it.


    Only by uniting all Australians into a new nation, with high recognition of their country, could Australia have a better chance of bing a strong country, and Arthur¡¯s rule would be more stable.

 Chapter 158 - 153: Navy Grand Parade

    Chapter 158: Chapter 153: Navy Grand Parade


    ¡°My beloved citizens, 1902 has been an important year for Australia. We have opened a short stretch of railway, built more industrial areas and factories, expanded our army and navy, and for the first time exported our mineral resources and various weapons and equipment, including warships.¡± Arthur began his speech as the cheering of the crowd subsided.


    ¡°In terms of livelihood, we have built more hospitals and schools, ensuring more people have ess to basic medical care and education. At the same time, our various construction projects have created arge number of jobs, with over thirty thousand Australians finding suitable positions in just one year. From the beginning to the end of 1902, our per capita annual ie increased by a full two pounds, reaching a level of over twelve pounds. This figure has increased by a full four pounds since the establishment of the Australian Principality, ensuring a certain standard of living for everyone.¡± Arthur said proudly.


    Although this figure cannot bepared with European nations, it has already improved a lotpared to Australia¡¯s own situation.


    In New Zend, which has a high degree of simrity with Australia in terms of background and geographical location, the per capita annual ie has remained around eleven pounds, and has now been overtaken by Australia.


    At this point, the apuse and cheering from the audience could not be stopped, as people began to shout, expressing their joy.


    After waiting quietly for a short while, Arthur continued: ¡°Today, I am very pleased to stand with all of you to watch the second parade since the founding of Australia, and the first naval parade.¡±


    ¡°As arge ind country, the navy is extremely important for Australia. For various reasons, Australia does not yet have any battleships. But rest assured, this situation is only temporary and must change. I envision an Australian navy with a world-ss fleetposed of many battleships. We still have a long way to go to reach this goal, but I am confident that Australia can achieve it.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Although Australia does not have any ns for battleship expansion in the short term, it is necessary to provide some reassurance.


    After all, the matter of dreadnoughts cannot be explicitly stated, and Arthur could not mysteriously tell everyone that in a few years, a powerful warship that wouldpletely rece the current battleships will be born!


    Under such premise, not expanding the navy¡¯s battleships while keeping people hopeful for the navy is the best choice.


    Hearing Arthur¡¯s vision for the future of the Australian navy, most Australians still hold hope for it.


    After all, it is well known that Australia has the technology to build battleships. In the eyes of many Australians, the reason why Australia has not initiated the construction of battleships is simply because the economy has not yet caught up.


    Once Australia¡¯s economic construction develops, the government will naturally start building battleships, and Australia¡¯s navy will be world-ss.


    In the stands, some officials from New Zend showed envious expressions. Like the previous parade, these people were invited to attend the Australian parade by the New Zend colonial government.


    Since Arthur established the Advisory Council in New Zend and obtained the allegiance of the Alliance Party, the connection between Australia and New Zend has be closer, with not only some New Zenders choosing to work in Australia, but also the economic exchanges between the New Zend Colonial Government and the Australian Duchy Government gradually bing active.


    This situation is weed by Arthur. The smoother the exchanges between Australia and New Zend, the smoother the future merger of the two regions will be.


    One of the reasons for the move of some New Zenders to work in Australia, besides theck of jobs in New Zend, is the significantly higher wages offered by new jobs in Australia, which greatly exceed New Zend¡¯s per capita annual ie, have better social welfare policies and do not face possible wage deductions.


    Moreover, New Zend and Australia can be considered as having the same roots, sharing the same culture,nguage, and even origin, which made many New Zenders not resistant to moving to Australia.


    Another factor is that the distance between New Zend and Australia is not far. Currently, the only means ofmunication between the two regions is sea transportation, which takes about two to three days.


    Is this time long? Not really.


    For those New Zenders whoe to work in Australia, they can also take time off and return to New Zend in just two or three days.


    Because Arthur had specifically instructed both governments, neither Australia nor New Zend would obstruct the movement of people between the two regions.


    ording to the 1902 report, the economic exchanges between New Zend and Australia have almost tripled, with the total amount of import and export trade between Australia and New Zend reaching more than forty thousand pounds.


    Of course, arge part of this is the export of goods from Australia to New Zend. Some of Australia¡¯s preliminary industrial products have entered New Zend, upying a portion of the New Zend market.


    New Zend is more developed in agriculture, animal husbandry, and some mineral resources.


    However, Australia is notcking in these resources, and even exports these abundant resources to other countries. This has led to a trade deficit between Australia and New Zend, with New Zend importing mostly Australian goods.


    This is also good news for Australia, as the more the New Zend economy relies on Australia, the closer the integration of the two regions will be in the future. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Inviting officials from the New Zend colonial government to attend both parades is intended to allow them to clearly see the changes in Australia, so they will dream of simr changes happening in New Zend.


    In order for what they have seen to be better disseminated in New Zend, the officials invited to each parade belong to different factions.


    These officials can be divided into four factions: some are original colonial government officials, others belong to the New Zend Labor Party and Alliance Party factions, and some belong to the military faction.


    Currently, Arthur has control over the New Zend colonial government officials and Alliance Party officials.


    With the supervision of these two factions of officials, it is believed that what the New Zend officials have seen and heard can be spread as soon as the second day they return to New Zend.

 Chapter 159 - 154: Warship Approaching the Shore

    Chapter 159: Chapter 154: Warship Approaching the Shore


    After Arthur¡¯s speech, the National g¡¯s raising and the National Anthem¡¯s ying followed as usual.


    At this time, although some countries already had their national anthems representing the royal family and the country, most countries still had vague impressions of their National Anthems, and the songs used in ceremonies and celebrations were not quite the same. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, the British Empire¡¯s official song used in formal asions and ceremonies was ¡°God Save the King,¡± which was also the only song representing the British Royal Family.


    As a member of the British Royal Family, Arthur naturally had the right to y ¡°God Save the King.¡±


    So far, the only song designated for Australia¡¯srge-scale celebrations is also ¡°God Save the King.¡±


    Apanied by the solemn song echoing throughout the shipyard, a huge Australian g was slowly escorted by a team of guards to the gpole, and then fixed on the ropes used for raising and lowering the g.


    ¡°Long live Australia!¡±


    With the g slowly rising on the gpole, a warm cheer rang out over the nearby open space.


    For the Australians at this time, witnessing the national g, representing their country and the royal family, flying high in the sky was the best news for those who loved their country.


    Prime Minister Evan took a step forward after the g had been hoisted from the bottom of the gpole to the highest point and slowly unfurled it to flutter over the ceremony site. He continued to preside over the National Day celebrations.


    ¡°Next will be the most important part of the entire National Day celebration ¨C His Highness, the Duke, reviewing Australia¡¯s naval fleet upon hismand!¡± said Prime Minister Evan slowly.


    After Prime Minister Evan finished speaking, those present eagerly looked towards the distant harbor.


    They could vaguely see that in the distance, in the middle of the horizon, several small andrge ck spots were slowly growingrger ¨C these were the eagerly anticipated Australian warships.


    The naval parade was the main event of this National Day celebration, and the one people were looking forward to.


    Although they knew that the Australian naval fleet had norge warships, with thergest being just over 5,000 tons of armored cruisers.


    But this did not dampen the Australians¡¯ enthusiasm to watch their country¡¯s warships.


    Since the colonial period, the navy has been one of the most important branches of a country¡¯s military. Even for some ind countries, the navy has be more important than the army, and the country¡¯s financial input into the navy is far greater than that of the army, such as the current world¡¯s superpower, the British Empire.


    The British Empire¡¯s investment in the navy is substantial, which is why the Royal Navy can always maintain the world¡¯s top position, even crushing the second and third-ranked powers.


    The famous two-power policy also reveals how much the British value their investment in the navy. Maintaining the Royal Navy¡¯s advantage can be regarded as one of the most critical policies of the British Empire.


    At present, the vast majority of Australians are immigrants from the British Empire, so they naturally inherit the British tradition of valuing the navy.


    As immigrants of the previous colonies, they had no way of expecting Australia to invest in the navy, even if they had some sense of belonging to their current homnd, Australia.


    Although Australia has arge area ofnd, at that time, the poption was only a little over three million.


    Despite this, Australia was divided into six colonies, each governing itself independently and without interfering with each other.


    Under such circumstances, how could people expect Australia to have a navy? Keep in mind that the six colonies of Australia had difficulty affording even the expenses of a 6,000-strong army, much less constructing a navy from retired Royal Navy warships and small warships.


    Now, after finally bing aplete Duchy, there has indeed been some input and achievements in the navy.


    This is also the reason why Australians attach so much importance to their navy. After decades of silence, they have finally seen the hope of Australia¡¯s navy rising. Although it is currently just a small hope and a nascent trend.


    Seeing everyone looking forward to the arrival of the navy, Arthur did not hesitate. He stepped forward and took the loudspeaker to solemnly announce: ¡°Now, under the witness of Australia¡¯s national g and all the people, I dere the grand parade of the Australian Navy in 1903 officially begins!¡± Upon Arthur¡¯s order, some officials in the audience began to prepare.


    Shore defense artillery fired three shots towards the uninhabited coastline, symbolizing the third year since the founding of the Australian Principality. Simultaneously, this also signaled the Australian fleet in the distance. The sound of the shore defense artillery meant the naval review had officially begun.


    Leading the fleet were the newlyunched HMAS Australia and HMAS Duke of Arthur armored cruisers.


    Both of these new warships wereunched just in time for National Day, allowing Australians to see Australia¡¯stest warships at this time.


    The distant fleet appeared as big and small ck spots, which, while slowly approaching, looked only as big as sesame seeds.


    The Australians eagerly fixed their eyes on the area beyond the coast,pletely focused.


    As one warship after another slowly approached the harbor, people gradually saw the full picture of the warships.


    At this point, the distant sesame-sized dots gradually erged and slowly turned into the size of soybeans and then broad beans.


    As the harbor could not amodate all the warships at once, the naval inspection was carried out in pairs.


    Of course, the first ones to dock at the harbor were the two new warships,


    HMAS Australia and HMAS Duke of Arthur.


    Only after the warships hadpletely docked at the harbor did the Australians clearly see the warships¡¯ true size and full picture.


    Although the Duke-ss armored cruiser is just a medium-sized warship and its cost and various performance indicators do not match the currently mainstream battleships, it is still an enormous creation to humans.


    The length, width, and height of the Duke-ss armored cruiser were 93.5 meters, 17.63 meters, and 7.01 meters, respectively, and it looked like a building up close.


    The two armored cruisers parked at the harbor seemed like two buildings had been built on the coast.


    ¡°Gentlemen anddies, the two warships you see here are our navy¡¯s newlyunched Duke-ss armored cruisers. The one on the left is called HMAS Australia, and the other is HMAS Duke of Arthur.¡± Below the reviewing stand, two officers from the Ministry of Defense were introducing the two warships to everyone through another loudspeaker.

 Chapter 160 - One Hundred and Fifty-Five: Sea Test

    Chapter 160: Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Five: Sea Test


    ¡°These two Duke-ss armored cruisers are both modified from the British Empire¡¯s Ondo-ss armored cruisers, with a ship length of 93-5 meters, width of 17.63 meters, height of 7 01 meters, 6500 horsepower, a conventional sailing speed of 18 knots, and a short-term maximum speed of over 19 knots.¡± the Ministry of Defense official said with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Both the HMAS Australia and HMAS Duke of Arthur have simr specifications. They are equipped with two 234mm main guns, ten 152mm guns, and some six-pounders and three-pounders. This firepower is sufficient to maintain the security of Australia¡¯s coastline, and the HMAS Australia and HMAS Duke of Arthur will also be the sharpest edge of the Australian Navy.¡±


    Although both of these warships are medium-sized, this does not hinder the well-prepared defense officials from giving a detailed introduction.


    Although such armored cruisers would be instantly killed if they were to face battleships, they would have a great advantage if they encountered small and medium-sized warships. In other words, they are not good enough topete withrger ships but are superior to smaller ones.


    These two warships are among the main ships of the Australian Navy, and as the newest shipsunched, they have been docked at the harbor for the longest time.


    Australians present also have the privilege of boarding these two warships with their Australian government-issued identification for an on-site visit.


    Of course, this will also extend the time the two warships are docked. By the time thest visitor returns to the harbor, it is already more than two hourster.


    Judging from the reactions of those who boarded the warships for an on-site visit, they seemed generally satisfied with these two new warships.


    At least in terms of medium and small warships, these two Duke-ss armored cruisers are considered top-notch, with first-ss armor protection and firepower equipment, and are notcking in speed. They can even bepared with some slower battleships. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    There are a total of four slots for armored cruisers in this naval parade, so the next two warships are still armored cruisers.


    The armored cruisers docked at the harbor this time are the HMS New South Wales and HMS Queennd.


    These two warships have been in service for more than ten years.


    As such, their models are the predecessors of the Duke-ss armored cruisers: the British Empire¡¯s Ondo-ss armored cruisers.


    Although there is not too much difference in appearance between the two types of warships, there have been significant improvements in terms of firepower, armor thickness, and speed.


    Due to the departure of the previous two armored cruisers from the harbor, the arrival of the new ships does not create an obvious difference for the people.


    If it were not for the introduction by the defense officials, people might not even be able to tell the difference between these two types of warships.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, what you see now are the HMS New South Wales and HMS Queennd from the British Empire¡¯s Ondo-ss armored cruisers. These two ships belong to the models that preceded the Duke-ss armored cruisers, but there is no significant difference between the two types of warships. Although they have been in service for over ten years, these two warships still remain among the main forces of the Australian Navy, their performance only slightly behind that of the HMAS Australia and the HMAS Duke of Arthur.¡±


    These two warships also offer the opportunity for people to visit, but there are not as many visitors this time. Only a few hundred people were randomly selected on-site to visit the warships.


    New Zend officials did not miss either of these two visitation opportunities, and with Arthur¡¯s special authorization, they all sessfully obtained the opportunity to board the warships.


    Under the British Empire¡¯s colonial system, Australia and New Zend each have their own garrisons and their own shore defense navies.


    Yes, shore defense navies. In in terms, these are small fleetsposed of obsolete small and medium-sized warships whose sole purpose is to patrol the coastline.


    Some of these warships are even retired from the Royal Navy, and it would be a bit of a stretch to let them participate in battles.


    Australia is, after all, a countryposed of six colonies, while New Zend is just one colony.


    This has led to the current pitiful scale of New Zend¡¯s Navy, which is even more pitiful than Australia¡¯s pitiful navy.


    Howrge is New Zend¡¯s naval fleet? Even coastal artillery ships, which the Australian navy does not hold in high regard, are among the main warships of the New Zend navy. There is not even one armored cruiser, which is now widely equipped in the Australian navy, in the New Zend navy.


    However, this could not really be med on the New Zend colonial government. Before Australia¡¯s integration, the so-called navy in any of its colonies was not that much different from New Zend¡¯s navy.


    This is also the reason why New Zend officials admire the current Australian navy. It seems that previously, New Zend and Australia were not that different, their naval sizes were not that far removed.


    But now, the Australian navy has officially been equipped with medium-sized warships and even has the technology to build battleships. They just haven¡¯t started construction yet for various reasons.


    But all New Zenders know that it is inevitable for Australia to build and own battleships; otherwise, they would not have gone to great lengths to introduce battleship construction technology from the German Empire.


    This means that the gap between New Zend and Australia will growrger andrger, and it may even evolve into a gap between the people of New Zend and the people of Australia.


    Keep in mind that these two nations were originally both descended from British immigrants and, in essence, did not have any differences.


    New Zenders envy the current changes in Australia, as well as the high welfare and high-ie jobs that Australians now enjoy.


    This hasid a good foundation for the Alliance Party to promote and publicize its policy of unity with Australia. The Alliance Party is currently the most popr party in New Zend, bar none.


    With the extensive promotion by the Alliance Party, New Zenders have now epted and are looking forward to the union with Australia.


    Even if they could enjoy the same treatment as Australians, what is the harm in them bing Australians?


    elerating this process is the action of the Royal Relief Committee in New Zend. Although their investment in New Zend is not asrge as in Australia, they have indeed relieved thousands of extremely impoverished New Zenders, and the relief operations have even included tens of thousands of people, enjoying an excellent reputation in New Zend.


    Under the joint efforts of the Alliance Party and the Royal Relief Committee, themunication between New Zend and Australia has visibly increased, and more and more people are beginning to look forward to joining forces with Australia and letting Australians help New Zend.


    After the four armored cruisers, the remaining ships are escort ships and small warships such as coastal artillery ships.


    There is not much to introduce about small warships, so there are also no activities for people to board and visit them.


    This greatly speeds up the naval review process, as the first four armored cruisers took nearly four hours, while the six small warshipsbined took only one hour.


    After reviewing all the naval warships on site, the next event that Australians were looking forward to was the random selection of some people to board the warships and personally watch the naval target fire strategy on the ships.


    In order not to cause idents and to allow the navy to form a long snake- shaped formation for better attacking strategic targets, the warships will sail to a harbor ten nautical miles away to carry out this test on a wider sea.


    To ensure safety, only 400 people will be allowed to board the warships this time, with 100 slots for each armored cruiser.


    Although it is said to be random, true randomness cannot be achieved. Officials can only pick some people who seem patriotic and give them a chance to personally board their country¡¯s warships.


    Although there are only 400 people, the selection process stillsts half an hour.


    Those who are selected are overjoyed, while those who are not are slightly disappointed. This is normal, as there are at least 20,000 spectators in the shipyard, and among so many people, the odds of being randomly selected are only one in fifty.


    By the time these 400 people board the warships, it is already past 3 PM.


    In order toplete the entire testing process earlier, the fleet sets off shortly after making preparations, aiming for the testing point ten nautical miles away.


    The target of this concentrated fire is a scrapped old civilian fishing boat, which the Ministry of Defense purchased specifically for this test at a slight cost.


    In order to simte an enemy warship, the scrapped fishing boat is even retrofitted with ayer of armor covering the surface, making its defenseparable to a medium-sized warship.


    The goal of this fleet is to sessfully destroy the fishing boat after the concentrated firepower and then collect all the data and return to the harbor.


    This will test the crew¡¯s familiarity with the warship, as it would be a joke if their uracy in hitting a fixed target was not high.


    The main force of this test is the four armored cruisers, or rather, the two newlyunched Duke-ss armored cruisers.


    These two warships have excellent firepower, and if they can hit the fishing boat at the same time, they will basically aplish the mission.


    Once the fleet reaches the designated location, they line up in a straight formation, aiming their guns at the fishing boat and making their own adjustments.


    At the gship¡¯smand, all warships concentrate their fire on the distant fishing boat, with thunderous cannon fire and deafening noise.


    ¡°Did we hit the target?¡± All Australians wonder in their hearts.


    As the smoke generated by burning gunpowder gradually dissipates, people finally see the current state of the distant fishing boat.


    Most of the warships managed to hit the target, especially the four armored cruisers. Even though a temporaryyer of armor was added, the fishing boat is now torn in half, with both the bow and stern sinking rapidly.


    ¡°Beautiful!¡± The Australians on the warships cheer, marveling at the impressive performance of the new warships.


    ¡°Mission aplished, all warships return to the harbor in an orderly manner!¡±


    The gship naturally sees this result and issues the order to return to the harbor.


    All warships turn their guns back and then change direction, heading back towards Sydney Harbour.


    At the harbor, although the remaining people cannot see the scene of the fleet¡¯s concentrated fire with their own eyes, the officials of the Ministry of Defense will announce the news as soon as they receive it.


    Just a few minutes after the fishing boat sank, the Ministry of Defense officials had already received the news and announced it quite happily.


    Like the reactions of people on the warships, the harbor scene erupts with cheers and apuse.


    This proves that Australia¡¯s newly built warships are very reliable, as are Australia¡¯s navy personnel.


    Then, after a few more speeches by Arthur and Prime Minister Evan, the National Day celebration and the naval grand parade officiallye to an end.

 Chapter 161 - 156: Joining the Army Tide

    Chapter 161: Chapter 156: Joining the Army Tide


    The grand naval parade in Australia received a positive response, and even New Zenders paid some attention to it.


    After the naval parade, an obvious difference could be felt: there were more people gathered in front of the Administrative Building every day, among whom many wanted to enlist in the military.


    Unfortunately, Australia¡¯s current conscription system does not allow them to enlist now. After thest conscription waspleted, the next one might not happen for several years.


    Seeing that their goal of joining the military was unattainable, these people turned their focus to joining the police force.


    After more than two years of expansion and development, Australia¡¯s police department has be very advanced, including strict police training schools and a trial period system, before one can officially be an Australian police officer.


    Of course, with strict training systems, Australian police officers have considerable power.


    As the most important weapon for maintaining public order in the Public


    Security Department, Australian police are not only equipped with the standard Australian-made As-1898 semi-automatic pistol, but also have the right to control some heavy weapons.


    Like other semi-automatic pistols of this era, the As-1898 semi-automatic pistol adopts and draws from the principles of Maxim heavy machine gun automation, allowing handguns to achieve preliminary semi-automatic capabilities.


    Of course, it is also influenced by the principles of the Borchardt C93 automatic pistol born in 1890.


    Strictly speaking, the Australian As-1898 semi-automatic pistol is an improved version of the Borchardt C93 automatic pistol, with significant performance enhancements.


    The As-1898 semi-automatic pistol has a total length of 270 millimeters and a weight of 1.05 kilograms.


    This pistol uses a bow-type magazine with a capacity of eight bullets, which are nickel-ted, giving them strong pration power.


    The effective range of this pistol is 500 meters. Although it is not as long as the current rifles¡¯ effective distance of several hundred to thousands of meters, it is sufficient for practical purposes.


    As effective distance increases without using a magnifying scope, soldiers view of distant enemies bes increasingly blurred.


    In this case, the current rifles¡¯ effective distance of thousands of meters is aplete waste, which is why countries around the world started developing rifles with an effective distance of around 400 meters after World War I.


    With the growth of Australia¡¯s poption, public security is bing a very serious issue.


    Although the police department has undergone more than two years of change, building various-sized police stations in major cities and training hundreds of excellent police officers, this is only a drop in the ocean considering Australia¡¯s vast territory.


    Based on the current poption and urban distribution of Australia, at least a thousand police officers are needed to better maintain public security in Australia.


    Although there was little resistance to police recruitment earlier, the number of people willing to be police officers was not that high.


    The sry of police officers is not as generous as that of soldiers but can be considered mid-to-high levelpared to Australia¡¯s ie level.


    Although it surpasses the average ie, it only surpasses it slightly. Australia¡¯s per capita annual ie is twelve pounds and six shillings, while the average ie of Australian police is only thirteen pounds and two shillings.


    Compared to these police officers, the ie of the Australian Defense Force at fourteen pounds and twelve shillings and the Guards at eighteen pounds and ten shillings seem quite generous, which is why people are more willing to join the military.


    (British currency conversion: one pound equals twenty shillings, and one shilling equals twelve pennies.)


    Since they cannot join the military, these people can only shift their focus to joining the police force. This has had a very positive impact on the expansion of the police, allowing the rtively slow-growing police department to enter a period of rapid development.


    Of course, while this is good news for the police department, it does not mean that the security department will rx its training of police officers.


    On the contrary, as more people register to be police officers, police selection and training be more and more stringent, even surpassing previous training programs and time requirements.


    The enthusiasm for enlistment after the National Daysted for half a month. Within this time, the security department received nearly 4,000 applications to join the police department.


    After several rounds of selection by the security department, a final group of 800 people, who met the requirements for their background, physical fitness, cultural level, ideological performance, and previous experience, were selected as reserve police officers.


    These 800 people need to undergo six months of training to be a true Australian police officer.


    Of course, this is not the end. After that, they still need to go through a three- month probationary period, and only after they have proven their ability to master their previous training and shown no problems can they be a genuine, full-time Australian police officer and be assigned firearms.


    Yes, although there is no official gun ban instituted by the government, Australia¡¯s control over firearms has be increasingly strict, basically not allowing the sale of firearms to civilians.


    While many Australian ranchers and hunting enthusiasts still own firearms, they also need to register with the Australian Government, and each time they replenish their ammunition, they need to exin the use of their previous ammunition.


    Although Arthur is eager to promote the development of Australia¡¯s gun ban, he understands that this cannot be achieved in a short period.


    Australia has a vast territory with sparse poption and a proliferation of wildlife. Many of these animals can pose a threat to human safety, such as venomous and carnivorous animals.


    In these circumstances, allowing ranchers and hunters far from urban cities to carry firearms is the best way to ensure their safety.


    If their right to carry firearms is taken away, it may cause dissatisfaction among them.


    However, in Australia¡¯s major cities, the execution of a gun ban is still very smooth. At least, firearms cannot be carried into cities, but they can be deposited in city councils and police stations and collected when leaving the city.


    During this period, by paying a small maintenance fee to the government or police station, they can maintain the deposited firearms to ensure that they do not rust or be unusable due to long-term storage.


    The city-wide gun ban has seeded in putting an end to various gun-rted incidents. In cities, no one can match the legally armed police officers, which gives Australian police greater confidence and ability to maintain public security.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 162 - 157: Benz One

    Chapter 162: Chapter 157: Benz One


    February 17th, 1903, on the streets of New York, USA.


    This was an otherwise small square with a decent amount of foot traffic, but for some reason, it had temporarily been upied by many cars of the same model but different colors.


    Although this is the busiest city in the United States, Americans had never seen so many cars parked in one ce.


    For both Americans and Europeans, cars were still a luxury item, a ything for capitalists and nobility.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? Where did all these carse from? I don¡¯t think Boss Dans has the money to buy this many cars!¡± A curious, young man, who seemed to have just entered society, asked a slightly older boy beside him on the square.


    ¡°Frank, I told you to read more. Well, now you see? A car costs at least a thousand US dors each, and there must be hundreds of them here, parked bumper to bumper in this square! Do you think Boss Dans can afford so many cars?¡± The youth responded, somewhat irritated, after hearing his friend¡¯s ludicrous question.


    They were both workers at a factory under a man named Dans and had just gained a day off for the first time after working for a month straight.


    They had nned to visit the familiar square to find the small stand that sold a novelty drink called C. The C was said to have medicinal effects; perfect for them, feeling exhausted from their continuous work. Drinking a delicious bottle of C would allow them to rx.


    But who would have thought that when they arrived at the square, not only was the usual C stand gone, but the entire square was also upied by all these cars.


    The usually crowded square had been mostly cleared, of course, one could not deny that it was due to people¡¯s fear of identally scratching the expensive cars, which forced them to stay far away.


    At this time, the selling price of cars was easily a thousand US dors, and repair costs could also easily reach tens to hundreds of US dors.


    This was an expense that ordinary people could not afford, and if they were not careful and ended up scratching one, several months¡¯ worth of wages might vanish in an instant.


    Thus, an odd but unsurprising phenomenon was bom. The typically bustling square was now empty, yet the roads around it were crowded with curious onlookers, each staring at the parked cars inside the square.


    To these people, the cars parked in the square were as good as thousands of US dor checks. If it were not for the long rows of American police officers maintaining order, these cars alone might have been enough to cause a disturbance on the spot.


    Just as everyone was whispering and wondering about the situation, a few people finally walked to the center of the square, stood in front of the prepared loudspeakers, and said with a smile: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, wee to theunch event of the new Benz Automobile. This sales event is being held simultaneously around the world, with multiple sales locations in the United States, the British Empire, Germany, France, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, Australia, and other countries.¡±


    ¡°Before the official sale begins, please allow me to briefly introduce the background of the Benz Automobile Factory and the development process of the new type of car.¡±


    ¡°The Benz Automobile Factory originated in Germany and is currently thergest car factory in Australia. All the cars you see today were produced in coboration between the Benz Automobile Factory and American enterprises, the US Benz United Auto Factory. Our factory employs the most advanced production technology, significantly reducing the production cost and time for cars. We also have partnerships with many countries around the world, including the United States, the British Empire, Germany, and Australia. The capital for our car factory in the United States alone was as high as 2.5 million US dors.¡±


    ¡°Now, please allow me to introduce our new type of car, the Benz One.¡±


    Because it was the firstunch, the introduction of the car¡¯s various performance features took quite a lot of time.


    In order to gain a foothold in the pure capitalist country like the United States, the speakers were very crafty; they detailed the background of the Benz Automobile Factory, stopping short of just directly iming that it had triple rtions with the British Empire, Germany, and Australia.


    More importantly, in order not to be rejected by Americans, the Benz Automobile Factory executed a slick operation: secretly purchasing an Americanpany and then having it form a joint venture with the Benz Automobile Factory, establishing the US Benz United Auto Factory.


    Although the US Benz United Auto Factory was nominally jointly operated by an Americanpany and the Australian Benz Automobile Factory, bothpanies actually belonged to the Australian Royal Financial Group, or Arthur.


    Perhaps it was due to the capital and cooperating countries mentioned earlier that shocked the Americans; even though the introduction took more than an hour, rtively few people chose to leave.


    This was advantageous for the sale of the cars. Even if few people in the current crowd of onlookers could afford to purchase the cars, the others could still spread the news of today¡¯s event, effectively giving the Benz Automobile Factory free advertising.


    The onlookers were abuzz with chatter, but most were in awe of the impressive background of the Benz Automobile Factory and the specifications of the new car. In fact, none of them expressed any interest in buying one.


    In fact, this is the current situation in the automobile market. There are excellent cars in the world, but as long as it is rted to automobiles, it represents expensiveness and luxury.


    Not to mention cars with excellent performance like this, the price is often over a thousand US dors, which is not affordable for ordinary American civilians.


    Even some Americans have started mocking, what if the so-called Benson cars have strong strength?


    Without investigating the American market, they blindly produced so many cars that even sales for a year would not sell out.


    At that time, these cars would still have to be sold at a low price, or piled up in warehouses waiting to be scrapped.


    Filling an entire square would require at least hundreds of cars to be parked. This would cost a lot of money, even if you were a powerful Benson Car Factory, it would hurt!


    There are not a few people who have this mentality. After all, cars are the toys of the rich, and in a capitalist country like the United States, the oppression of the rich against the poor is very cruel. This leads to arge number of poor people resenting the rich, that is, the psychology of hating the rich.


    Even if the Benson Car Factory is essentially a foreignpany, it is still operated by the rich, isn¡¯t it?


    As long as they are rich, they are the sinful bourgeoisie. Many Americans want to see these capitalists go down.


    However, it is also not the fault of American capitalists, as this phenomenon is quitemon worldwide. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The exploitation of capitalists on ordinary civilians has not been ended inter generations.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, now it¡¯s the most exciting moment. I¡¯m going to announce the initial price of the new Benz One. How much do you think it will be?¡± The person responsible for introducing the car data asked with a smile.


    Although no one answered, and many even cast disdainful nces at him. After all, who doesn¡¯t know the car prices that are often over a thousand US dors? Is this something that needs to be asked again?


    The man did not get angry, continued to smile and mysteriously announced: ¡°Perhaps this price will surprise you, but this is indeed the selling price after careful consideration. I announce that the global uniform price of Benz One is 150 pounds, which is 750 dors!¡±


    750 dors? This price surprised many Americans at the scene, and even found it somewhat unbelievable.


    Although the price is still an unattainable luxury for the majority of Americans,pared to other cars on the market costing over a thousand dors, the Benz One is rtively cheap.


    There are also cheap cars in the United States, and even quite a few.


    However, these cars are generally the first products of various car workshops, with various problems,rge and small. Some are not even roadworthy and are only used for disy.


    This once again made the people at the scene question the Benz One. The performance on the surface was excellent, even at the top of the current car market. But the price was really cheap. Can such a car really be as excellent as advertised?


    Perhaps realizing the disbelief and skepticism in the crowd, the man in charge of the introduction was not upset, and continued to smile and exin: ¡°Please don¡¯t doubt it first, we can guarantee that any car sold has all the functions and data we introduced. If there is any problem with the car purchased, as long as it is verified to be a problem before leaving the factory, we can refund unconditionally andpensate three times. If it is a man-made problem after the sale, we are also willing to provide a low-cost repair opportunity. If the repair cost does not exceed 50 dors, we can also directly waive the repair fee. Of course, only the first repair is like this, this is also the sincerity of our car factory for all users.¡±


    There are other ways to dispel doubts for these people, and the man continued: ¡°In order to thoroughly reassure all users, as long as you are determined to buy our car and have enough funds, you can experience it first. We provide test-drive cars for you to drive for free for more than ten kilometers. It is also no problem to purchase a car after making sure that all data is urate.¡±


    Test driving is still a vague concept for these Americans. Cars have be something only the rich can enjoy since their birth, and the rich don¡¯t need test driving to determine car performance.


    In addition, the cost of hand-made cars in the past was very expensive, and any problems could cost hundreds of dors in repairs.


    This is also the reason why car factories do not provide test drives. If test driving causes problems with the car, it is something that car factories and people who buy cars cannot bear.

 Chapter 163 - 158: Test Drive

    Chapter 163: Chapter 158: Test Drive


    ¡°Oh! Oh my God! This is so amazing, I¡¯ve never seen a car run so smoothly, and this speed is really cool!¡± On an empty road next to the square, a few elegantly dressed youths were sitting in the back of a Benz One, happily eximing.


    They were potential customers interested in purchasing the Benz One. After verifying their assets, they naturally qualified for a test drive.


    At first, they thought the exaggerated price and performance of the Benz One must have some falseponents, but after test driving and experiencing it for themselves, they realized data doesn¡¯t lie.


    Whether it¡¯s thefort and stability of the Benz One or the average speed it can reach, it has be a rare outstanding car in the American market.


    What¡¯s more, the price of this car is considered cheappared to other excellent cars, which makes these wealthy young men even more curious and excited.


    ¡°Sir, is the price of this car really just 750 dors? And there are no other costs?¡± Someone at this point couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and eagerly inquired.


    The price of 750 dors is indeed lower than everyone¡¯s estimate, which made many cautious people worry about additional spending.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. And not only is this the price in the United States, but also, as long as it¡¯s our official sales point worldwide, the price of the Benz One will never exceed 750 dors.¡± The official guide in the driver¡¯s seat of the Benz One said with a smile.


    After hearing what the guide said, the people in the car exchanged nces and seemed to have made up their minds, gritting their teeth and saying, ¡°Sir, we will order! One for each of us!¡±


    Just by looking at the magnificent attire of these youths, one can see that their families are extraordinary and are definitely not part of America¡¯smon ss.


    This is why the guide personally drove for them, allowing these wealthy youths to better experience the performance of the Benz One and have them drive more purchases.


    People tend to blindly follow, no matter the aspect. At theunch event, there were at least a thousand Americans watching, and among them, there were definitely those who were tempted, even wanting to buy the Benz One. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    What theyck is courage. Without someone taking the lead, they will always have concerns.


    If someone purchases before them and they can verify with their own eyes, their worries will dissipate, and buying a car can be officially scheduled.


    ¡°Of course, no problem. I¡¯ll register for you right away.¡± Seeing his n seed, the guide looked delighted and said promptly.


    Thanks to the forerunners, there are more and more people applying for test drives, and even the road next to the square cannot amodate any more cars. The employees at the car factory had to apply to the New York City government to clear a road for more people to test drive.


    Of course, it costs a lot to have the New York City government cooperate bypensating them for the loss of up to 6,000 dors and providing at least five Benz Ones for free.


    However, this is a good thing for car sales. After all, if the cars provided to the New York City government are high-performing, there¡¯s no doubt it would be a win.


    What are these consumers most worried about now? In addition to worrying about additional spending on the Benz One, there¡¯s also concern about the specific performance of the Benz One.


    If they can use the New York City government to advertise for free andpletely rify that there are no additional spending costs, wouldn¡¯t that solve the two issues that consumers are most worried about?


    ¡°Sir, you must have repair shops in New York, right? If there are any problems with the carter on, there must be a ce to get it repaired, right?¡± A man who was about to sign for the car suddenly remembered a crucial question and immediately asked.


    One of the downsides of existing cars, besides high production costs and low output, is the difficulty in maintenance.


    This difficulty not only lies in the high repair costs but also the time-consuming andplex requirements since they are handmade.


    Often, car repairs can take several months, and sometimes they can¡¯t even be repaired.


    If the Benz One also has these drawbacks, many already tempted people may back down.


    ¡°Please rest assured, we have aplete car production factory in the suburbs of New York. The production factory is jointly operated by Australia and the United States and hasplete car production and maintenance technology. The cars you see here are all from that factory and naturally have the technology to repair them. As for the specific car repair method, you can choose to drive to our car factory or sales location, and we will arrange for repairs immediately and notify you afterpletion. Please rest assured that we can guarantee that the car repair time will not exceed two months at most, and the repair costs are clearly marked.¡± The guide said with a smile.


    After adopting the assembly line production method, the Benz Car Factory can guarantee that the parts produced by assembly line are basically the same. Although there are still slight deviations between the same parts, it has improved a lotpared to handmade production.


    At least the parts can now be reced without differentiation, which is a great improvement for car repair work.


    Previously, when repairing cars, specific parts had to be produced temporarily because there were slight differences between each part, making production very difficult.


    But now, repairs generally only require part recement, greatly reducing the time needed and likewise, reducing the cost of repairs.


    This also solves another major issue for cars, which is therge amount of money needed for repairs.


    What makes cars a luxury that only the nobility and capitalists can afford is not just their high prices but also the fuel costs for the engines, the wear and tear costs of car parts, and the repair costs in case of idental damage. In the long run, these costs can even add up to the purchase cost of the car.


    For some middle-ss people, even if they can afford a car, they often go bankrupt due to high repair costs.


    This is why cars were previously only a luxury for the wealthy and nobility. No one could afford the high subsequent repair and maintenance costs of cars, let alone the high price of cars as a huge barrier blocking most low-to-middle- ie people worldwide.

 Chapter 164: 159: The Concept of Cargo Cars

    It¡¯s been a week since the globalunch of the Benz One, and everyone, from the British Empire and the German Empire¡¯s partners to Benz, Disel, and Arthur, are eager to see the actual sales of the Benz One.


    Although everyone understands that first week¡¯s sales are more about market development, only after the first batch of car buyers have experienced the product will more people will be persuaded to buy.


    But after all, it¡¯s a global synchronized sale, especially concentrated in the most developed and prosperous areas such as the United States and Europe.


    This has also led people to have certain expectations of the sales volume of the Benz One, which is reasonably priced and performs well. It is expected that its market share will not be low.


    Remember, at the time, the ¡°bicycle¡± invented by Benz sold more than two thousand units in Germany alone.


    This ¡°bicycle¡± was a reduced version of the car previously invented by Benz and hand-manufactured, which did not reduce the price but still sold two to three thousand units. Therefore, the upgraded performance and lower price of the Benz One naturally generated more anticipation.


    On February 25th, 1903, in Sydney, Australia, at the Benz Car Factory.


    After a day-long report and statistics, the sales data from the previous week had finally been delivered back to the headquarters, which was the Benz Car Factory in Australia.


    Inside the car factory at this moment, Arthur, Benz, and Disel were eagerly awaiting the final statistical results and observing the new inventions of Benz and Disel.


    After quite some time, the conversation between the three was interrupted by a staff member from the car factory, which meant that the sales data for the first week of the Benz One had finally been sorted out.


    Arthur was the first to receive the data and he naturally directly started to flip through it.<div>


    The global synchronized sale of the Benz One involved nine sales locations: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, the Nethends, Spain, and Australia, with a total of thirty- two thousand cars pre-produced.


    The sales performance of the nine locations was mixed, but overall, it was decent.


    The location with most car sales in the first week was situated in New York, USA.


    This location had the most pre-produced cars. Most cars made in the Australian Benz Car Factory were transported to the United States for sale.


    The New York location in the United States didn¡¯t disappoint. In the first week, they made a good start, selling 630 units.


    The location with the second most sales was in London, in the British Empire. Car sales in the British Empire were almost the same as in the United States, also achieving over six hundred units.


    Next was the sales location in Berlin, the capital of the German Empire. The Germans contributed five hundred and twenty sales to the Benz One.


    France was closely behind with nearly four hundred cars sold.


    The sales volume from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, the Nethends, Australia, and Spain was not high; the sales share of these countriesbined just slightly surpassed that of the United States.


    Globally, the Benz One¡¯s first-week sales reached twenty-seven hundred units, making it one of the best-selling car models.


    Yes, the sale of just twenty-seven hundred units was enough to make the Benz One one of the best-selling car models. It is also indicative of the biggest problem that the car market had previously faced.


    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve seeded!¡± Both Benz and Disel had seen thepleted data and said jubntly to Arthur.


    The reason they were willing to travel all the way from Germany to Australia was to leverage the substantial research funding that Arthur had promised them. They wanted to stamp their mark on the entire industry with their efforts in the field of cars and engines.


    Judging from the current situation, they have sessfully made the first step. The Benz One has made a name for itself in the car market, and bing the world¡¯s best-selling car is just around the corner.


    ¡°Yes, nicely done, Mr. Benz, Mr. Disel. The first week is just about market development for the Benz One and the entire car industry. I believe our car sales will keep increasing. I will keep my promise; ten percent of the profits from this car factory and engine factory are yours,¡± Arthur said, smiling.


    Although the sales in the first week may not seem many, in reality, it is already quite a significant ie.


    Based on the current production costs of various factories, the profit of a car is roughly between forty and fifty pounds.


    Although it doesn¡¯t match the 1-to-i cost-profit ratio of the Australian factories, it is still an impressive figure.<div>


    The sale of 2,700 units in the first week represented a pure profit of at least 120,000 pounds. Although this profit needs to be shared with partners in Britain and Germany, Benz¡¯s Car Factory can at least earn a pure profit of fifty to sixty thousand pounds.


    A weekly profit of fifty to sixty thousand pounds amounts to at least 200,000 pounds a month, and the annual profit could potentially reach a staggering figure of over 2.4 million pounds or more.


    This is not a small number; it¡¯s enough to build two Brunswick-ss battleships.


    Moreover, the sales volume in the first week is undoubtedly less than that of the future weeks, as there are many who are attracted but are still watching, waiting to see the feedback from those who have already purchased their cars.<div>


    If the feedback is good, they will turn their interest into action and be Benz One customers.


    This time can vary, but it usually requires either several weeks or even a few months.


    This indicates that in the car industry, there is still a vast market waiting for the Benz One to conquer. The market and sales volume that are now revealing are only the tip of the iceberg.


    ¡°Thankyou, Your Highness!¡± Benz and Disel immediately thanked him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    A ten percent share is a significant ie for them. This money, when umted, is enough to make them world-ss billionaires.


    Although in their eyes, research is greater than anything else, but under the premise of not hindering research, who would refuse a gratuitous ie?


    ¡°Since the sales of the Benz One meet expectations, it is time to develop a new series of cars.¡± Arthur gave a mysterious smile, took a blueprint from a royal guard¡¯s hand, and handed it to them.


    ¡°Your Highness, what is this?¡± The two took the blueprint and were immediately attracted by the car shape drawn on it.


    This was a designpletely different from current cars. The rear half of the car body is arge carriage, which means the new series of cars is intended for cargo transportation rather than carrying people.


    ¡°This is a whimsical idea I had. If a horse carriage can carry both people and goods, why can¡¯t our cars do the same? This blueprint is my conception. You guys take a look and see if it¡¯s feasible to produce and initially create it,¡± said Arthur, smiling.


    Currently, the cars are only small ones for carrying people. Large cargo cars have not yet been born.


    Of course, that is because current car engines and car technologies are not mature enough.


    Even small passenger cars cannot be fullymercialized, not to mentionrge cargo cars that are more demanding in terms of stability.<div>

 Chapter 165: One Hundred and Sixty: The Need for Improvement

    After examining the blueprint for a long time, Benz and Disel finally spoke slowly, ¡°Your Highness, this design is indeed feasible.¡±


    ¡°Really? How long does it take to make a prototype of such a car?¡± Arthur, as expected, nodded and asked with a smile.


    The difficulty of truckspared to cars lies in the good design and engine performance. Now that Arthur has provided the design, and Disel¡¯s engine R&D ability and technology are world-leading, it has created the possibility for the birth of transport trucks.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, Your Highness. Because it¡¯s a cargo truck, we need to calcte the weight of the cargo to determine whether our engine can keep the car running smoothly. This situation is different from passenger cars and requires more strict engine requirements.¡± Benz contemted for a moment before speaking.


    The weight of the load is the obvious difference between passenger cars and cargo trucks.


    If we want to develop a cargo truck, the weight of the transported goods mustn¡¯t be too low.


    At present, automotive engines worldwide cannot bear excessively heavy goods, which is why cargo trucks have not been born yet.


    However, this is not a challenge for Australia. The diesel engine developed by Disel perfectly fills this gap.


    In previous tests, Disel¡¯s diesel engine could tow at least five hundred pounds of stuff for over three hours at a constant speed of thirty kilometers.


    This has initially met Arthur¡¯s expectations for cargo trucks.


    But this does not mean that Disel¡¯s diesel engine has no shorings. After longsting operation, engine overheating is one of the main causes of failure. How to enable engines to dissipate heat efficiently is one of the urgent problems to be solved for Disel¡¯s diesel engine.<div>


    ¡°For the first cargo truck, our requirements don¡¯t have to be too strict. The first cargo truck should have a load capacity of 0.6 to 0.8 tons or more. But it must have stability like cars.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    Now the research and exploration of cargo trucks are in their initial stages, and Arthur naturally won¡¯t fantasize about inventing giant trucks that can carry several tons of cargo.


    For Benz and Disel, being able to invent a truck with a load capacity of more than 0.6 tons and stability simr to cars means initial sess.


    ¡°In that case, the difficulty of the preliminary R&D work will be greatly reduced. Your Highness, give us three months, and we will produce a prototype ording to the blueprint.¡± Hearing this, Disel heaved a sigh of relief, nced at Benz, and immediately said.


    If developed from scratch, the research and development cycle for cargo trucks would take at least six months or even several years.


    However, since the diesel engine to be fitted in the cargo truck has been developed, and there is an initial blueprint, the R&D cycle for the cargo trucks can also be significantly shortened.


    Three months is not a long time, especially in terms of developing a new type of car.


    Arthur naturally wouldn¡¯t ask for more and nodded, saying, ¡°During your R&D period, the resources of the Ministry of Industry are at your disposal. Although this is just an exploration of cargo trucks, I hope our cargo trucks can also adapt to poor road conditions and must have high stability requirements.¡±


    If passenger cars require performance and safety, then stability is more critical for cargo trucks.


    If a truck carrying goods is stranded halfway, it is definitely a troublesome matter to handle.


    Moreover, once cargo trucks are sessfully developed, they will achieve significant achievements in both civilian and military fields.


    Whether it is transporting civilian goods or military strategic supplies and resources, they cannot tolerate goods being stranded on the road due to vehicle breakdowns.


    This is an uneptable problem for vehicle owners, goods owners, and those needing goods, as well as a problem that future cargo trucks must solve.


    ¡°Yes, I understand, Your Highness. Please rest assured, our researched and developed cargo trucks will focus on the issue of stability and avoid idents on the road as much as possible.¡± Benz promptly responded.


    In fact, the Benz Car Factory also attaches great importance to vehicle stability.


    The currently marketed Benz One can drive without issues at a consistent speed,sting at least six hours.


    Only requiring the engine to rest after every six hours and cool down to its initial state, the car can hit the road once again.


    Inparison to other cars, this has significantly improved the issue of stability. At least, the Benz One¡¯s breakdown time on the road will be far less than that of other cars.<div>


    With the research n for cargo trucks in ce, Arthur temporarily had nothing to do at the car factory.


    Next, Benz and Disel¡¯s most crucial task is to develop a cargo truck prototype based on the blueprint, and explore improvements for the currently marketed Benz One.


    Although the Benz One currently has the highest cost-performance ratio and world-ss performance, being content with this performance and configuration will eventually be surpassed by other car factories exploring assembly line production methods.


    In history, the Ford Company was like this. Although the Ford Model T had been the highest-selling car worldwide for more than a decade, even upying more than half of the global market share.<div>


    However, because Ford was content with the Model T¡¯s configuration and did not vigorously improve it, other car factories caught up, eventually losing the possibility of bing the car industry¡¯s dominant leader.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    While the impressive sales of 15 million Model T cars worldwide were an insurmountable figure, Ford did indeednguish for a while after the Model T, and subsequent car models did not achieve the same miracle as the Model T.


    Arthur also specifically instructed Benz and Disel that no matter how outstanding their achievements, the further exploration and improvement of results are required and should never be abandoned at any time.


    Perhaps because Benz and Disel are both pure researchers, they took this very seriously, promising and practicing thismitment in person.


    This is what pleases Arthur about them. There is no need to worry about research. Their attitude and seriousness towards research, like the many great scientists of this era, are so pure and great.

 Chapter 166: 161: Airship Test

    March 10th, 1903, New South Wales Industrial Zone.


    After more than five months, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell finally seeded in replicating the rigid airship Lz-1, manufactured by Count Zeppelin, and also making improvements to some of its more obvious shorings.


    As Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell were both indispensable assistants to Count Zeppelin in the creation of airships, the replicated airship almost perfectly inherited all the advantages of the Zeppelin Lz-1.


    Moreover, due to Australia¡¯s wealth, the two also made improvements to some issues Count Zeppelin was aware of but could not address due tock of funds, thus giving birth to the AU-1 replica airship.


    immediately after the airship¡¯s birth, Arthur came to the Aerospace Laboratory in the suburbs of Sydney, not only to observe the pioneer of rigid airships first hand but also to release information to the outside world that the purpose of Australia¡¯s aerospaceboratory was to develop airships.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Because it was aplete replica of the Lz-i rigid airship, AU-1¡¯s exterior and performance were basically simr to that of the Lz-1 without any significant differences.


    The AU-i airship was 128 meters long and had a diameter of 11.7 meters, with a total hydrogen gas capacity of approximately 11,300 cubic meters.


    Even more terrifying, this airship had a carrying capacity of nearly ten tons, a figure that could not be matched by any other mode of transportation except for multi-car trains and transport ships.


    However, both trains and transport ships have many significant limitations. Trains must run on tracks and require the construction of train stations and other facilities, involving huge costs and time.


    Transport ships, though only needing to sail in the ocean, can still only transport between harbors.


    And due to insufficient power, maritime transport is the longest and most inconvenient method.<div>


    If the AU-1 airship could be put intomercial use after some improvements, it would be a weapon of sky transportation.


    At least in a short period of time, it could provide a lot of impetus for Australia¡¯s development, as well as attract the attention of other countries to focus on airships rather than the development of airnes.


    For Arthur, the development of airships is important, but it is far less crucial than the development of airnes for determining a country¡¯s strength.


    The primary function of airships is as an alternative means of transporting supplies and, before the advent of airnes, a faster and more convenient mode of transportation.


    If there were no idents, airships were destined to be phased out by airnes, which is why Arthur specifically instructed Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell to focus on the development of airnes.


    Testing airships requires a very open environment, so Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell deliberately chose a vacant field next to the Aerospace Laboratory for this experiment.


    It is not necessary for airships to have a t and narrow runway like airnes. The main reason for needing an open space is simply to prevent idents.


    Arthur had wanted to personally experience the airship technology of this era, but he gave up under the joint persuasion of Theodore Korbel and Ludwig


    Durrell.


    In fact, their arguments were true. Although Count Zeppelin¡¯s previous test had been very sessful, who could guarantee that the Count¡¯s third test flight would not fail?


    After all, ascending into the sky was still a thrilling adventure filled with danger for humans at the time, and even the slightest carelessness could result inplete disaster.


    Neither Arthur¡¯s royal guard nor Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell dared to let Arthur board the airship. If there were an ident, it would be a responsibility that no one could bear.


    Arthur soon abandoned the idea and even frightened himself into a cold sweat.


    Even future perfected airships and airnes would have idents, not to mention those currently in the research and development stage.


    Once Arthur boarded the airship and something went awry, wouldn¡¯t he be the unluckiest time traveler?


    Thus, the whole experiment turned into Arthur watching from afar with a telescope, while Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell personally piloted the airship for the test flight.


    The destination for this test flight was the Sydney coast, about forty kilometers away.


    The AU-i Airship would take off near the Aerospace Laboratory, carrying over a ton of stuff to the destination, and then transport the steel, wood, and other materials needed for the Aerospace Laboratory back.<div>


    This experiment carried at least one ton of supplies each way, which greatly increased the danger of the test. In case of an ident, all supplies and personnel might be lost.


    This flight test was somewhat shorter than the previous one with Count Zeppelin¡¯s LZ-i airship, but the actual difference was not too significant.


    After some preparations, Professors Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell took a deep breath and boarded the airship that had already been parked. Apanying them were several assistants from the Aerospace Laboratory, who would help Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell operate the airship more effectively.


    With Arthur¡¯s permission, the AU-1 gradually took off. After slowly stabilizing in the sky, it turned around and headed towards the coastline.<div>


    Although it was just the initial version of the rigid airship, the LZ-i¡¯s speed still reached over thirty kilometers per hour.


    As an improved version three yearster, the AU-1 had a slightly faster speed, which basically could maintain at above thirty-five kilometers per hour.


    Although such a speed was slowpared to the airnes ofter generations, it was considered fast in the early 20th century when trains only had a speed of about fifty or sixty kilometers per hour.


    Since the destination was more than forty kilometers away from the Aerospace Laboratory, the round trip would take at least five or six hours, including loading and unloading.


    It was noon when the airship left the Aerospace Laboratory, and it was already well into the afternoon when it returned slowly.


    Compared to normal airship flights, takeoff andnding were actually the most dangerous parts.


    Especiallynding, a slight mistake could result in a significant ident, even with the rigid airship that had significantly improved safety.


    Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell operated very cautiously, and the entirending process took half an hour.


    As the sound of the airship touching the ground echoed, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Your Highness, the first AU-i rigid airship flight test was aplete sess! We carried one ton and 1.5 tons of supplies, respectively, traveled approximately eighty kilometers, and the total voyage took six hours and seven minutes.¡± As soon as they stepped off the airship, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell eagerly reported to Arthur.


    ¡°The actual time spent on airship navigation was just over two hours. Our airship was able to maintain a steady speed of about thirty-five kilometers per hour, and it was very stable in the sky, without any significant turbulence,¡± said Theodore Korbel with a smile.


    ¡°Check for any damage to the airship¡¯s exterior and interior, and recordplete data of this test,¡± Arthur ordered.


    Based on this test, the AU-i airship¡¯s test was sessful. Though they had the sessful experience of Count Zeppelin¡¯s LZ-1 airship three years ago, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell undoubtedly made significant contributions.<div>


    ¡°After you finish all this, clean up and enjoy a small celebratory banquet tonight. Also, tell everyone at the Aeronautical Research Institute that I am very satisfied with the test results of this airship, and all of you will receive a reward of five hundred pounds each. Especially you, Professor Theodore Korbel and Professor Ludwig Durrell. Your expertise in replicating the airship is invaluable, and each of you will receive a royal reward of 2000 pounds,¡± said Arthur with a smile.

 Chapter 167: 162: Electoral Law, Party Law

    On April 3rd, 1903, a piece of news from the Australian Governmentpletely detonated the entire Australian political scene.


    Since the establishment of Australia, political parties have never been discussed much in Australia, and the legality of political parties has never been determined.


    This led to most Australian elections being held with individuals participating, and the influence of political parties has basically disappeared.


    However, with the Australian government¡¯s announcement on elections and political parties, the word party has once again entered everyone¡¯s field of vision.


    ording to the new regtions of the Australian Government, political parties will be officially incorporated into the legal Australian election scope, that is, Australia will formally recognize the legality of political parties.


    However, there¡¯s one point to note: political parties must be reviewed and approved by the Upper House before they can be established and must ept the supervision of the Upper House.


    If a political party is found to have engaged in favoritism and fraud during an election or vited thew, the Upper House has the right to punish the party, report it to Arthur, dere the party illegal, and forcibly dissolve the party.


    The reason for the agreement that political parties are legal is because political parties are already verymon and widely recognized in Europe. Furthermore, Australia, with itsrge number of European immigrants, naturally cannot avoid this trend, as political parties are also one of the demands of many Australians.


    However, while granting citizens the right to participate in political parties and government activities, Arthur also retained his final trump card, that is, political parties are subject to the supervision of the Upper House and must be reviewed by the Upper House before they can be officially established and be a legal Australian political party.


    The election of the Upper House is basically in Arthur¡¯s hands, besides the current cab members, other members of the Upper House are appointed by Arthur.


    Moreover, cab members ultimately need to be reviewed by Arthur and the Upper House, and they can only take office after being appointed.<div>


    By controlling the Upper House, Arthur actually controls the lifeline of political parties and is not worried about political parties having a subversive impact on Australia¡¯s political situation.


    The legality of political parties has brought about significant changes in the current situation in Australian politics, and it also delighted one faction, the Australian Labor Party, which was established over a decade ago.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The founding of the Australian Labor Party dates back to the Australian colonial period. It is a party formed by workers to unite for the promotion of Australian unity, and now it has evolved into organizingbor unions and protecting workers¡¯ interests.


    The Australian Labor Party was founded in the colonial period, but due to the sessful establishment of the Australian Principality, the Labor Party disappeared for a while, fading away from the Australian political arena.


    People even dared not im that they were from the Australian Labor Party, as before Arthur dered the legality of political parties, all parties were hostile to the enthusiastic Australian people.


    Now, due to the influx of arge number of immigrants into Australia, political parties have to be legal and given the right to participate in elections.


    This has led to the previously established Australian Labor Party seeing the hope of entering Australian politics, as the advantages of political parties in elections far outweigh those of individuals.


    Arthur is not surprised by this, nor is he opposed to Australians joining various political parties.


    However, it is also necessary to impose restrictions on political parties. In addition to the review and supervision by the Upper House, political donations such as corruption and bribery are not allowed in any election and no fraud can ur.


    In order to avoid the collusion between political parties and capitalists that has bemon in European countries, Australia has even introduced electoral and partyws, and no political party is allowed to ept political donations privately, which would be equivalent to fraud in the election.


    Such legition actually protects the interests of small parties and impoverished people. In the elections of a certain world police inter generations, those who could holdrge-scale rallies and speeches nationwide were often politicians supported by many capitalists.


    Politicians without the support of capitalists don¡¯t even have the funds to sustain a speech, and without speeches to campaign for themselves, who would know these aspiring but poor politicians?


    Such elections directly put the rich and the poor in two situations: the rich have innate advantages and can speak freely.


    For the poor, even holding a speech requires spending a fortune, and not many people can persist until the end of the election.


    In a so-called free and democratic country, most of those who can participate in the elections are small-capital capitalists or puppets promoted by capitalists.


    Whether it is the House of Commons or cab officials, Arthur absolutely does not allow capitalists to interfere.


    The royal family can indeed give up some power to the people, but the term people refers to allmon people in Australia, not capitalists.


    There is only one way for Australian political parties to obtain funds, which is to appeal to their supporters to donate to the Election Federation, which is established and supervised by the Houses of Parliament. The Election Federation will allocate 70% of these funds ording to the proportion of seats held by political parties in the House of Commons.<div>


    The remaining 30% will be evenly distributed to all registered legal political parties in Australia, allowing bothrge and small parties to taste the sweetness, and not be left without any development funds at all.


    The amount of funds the parties can get depends on the proportion of seats in the House of Commons, which relies on the real abilities of the party members to campaign andpete for seats.


    As the members of the Election Federation areposed of the royal family, the Cab Government, the Upper House, and the Lower House, and are ultimately responsible to the royal family and supervised by both Houses of Parliament, this is the most reassuring method at present.


    After all, it is jointly supervised by the threergest Australian power institutions and the royal family, and hasrgely eliminated corruption and injustice.<div>


    In order to demonstrate the royal family¡¯s support for political parties and fair elections, the royal family has specifically dered that it will donate ten thousand pounds to the Election Federation every year to support all political parties and those who participate in political parties.


    This move also gained the enthusiastic support of the only political party in Australia at the moment, the Australian Labor Party, and indirectly promoted the development of Australian political parties.


    ording to the statistics of the Upper House, since the announcement of the legality of political parties and the enactment of the Election Law and Party Law in April, in just over two months, nearly twenty political party establishment applications were reviewed by the Upper House.


    Although more than half of the political party applications were not approved, the reason was that their founding programs and goals were not beneficial to the livelihood and development of Australia, and even some mere whims made some people impulsively want to establish a political party.

 Chapter 168: 163: The Current Situation of the Labour Party

    Fortunately, the Upper House is still very strict in reviewing applications for the establishment of political parties, and most of these predominantly recreational political parties have not been approved.


    By the time of the Australian Cab Government elections, a total of seven legitimate political parties had been established in Australia, including the oldest Australian Labor Party in history.


    Indeed, even the already established Australian Labor Party had to go through the review of the Upper House to confirm its legality before it could openly recruit members.


    Although this review system has promoted the flourishing of political parties in Australia, it has also greatly limited the real power of political parties, allowing the Australian government, especially Arthur, to firmly control parties in his hands.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s political parties include the Australian Labor Party, the National Party, the Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Independent Party, the Progressive Party, and the Rural Party.


    Among them, there are four parties joined by Lower House members, led by the Australian Labor Party, with a total of thirteen Lower House members, ounting for less than seven percent of the seats in the House of Commons.


    The Australian National Party is slightly ahead of the Labor Party, with a total of fourteen Lower House members, ounting for seven percent of the seats in the House of Commons.


    The Independent Party has seventeen members in the House of Commons, ounting for just under nine percent of the total seats.


    The party with the most seats in the House of Commons is the unremarkable Rural Party, which has a program and aims to take into ount both the rural environment and the relief of the rural poption.


    Since the Rural Party primarily represents low-ie poptions in rural areas, this is the reason why the Rural Party is popr in Australia.


    There are still many low-ie people in Australia as a target for Arthur and the Australian government¡¯s efforts.<div>


    The Rural Party has twenty-three members in the House of Commons, ounting for twelve percent of the Lower House members.


    Looking at the current situation, one-third of the members of the Lower House have already joined parties, and this proportion is still increasing.


    This is an expected situation. After all, parties are a coalition of politicians, which in many ways is much more advantageous than going it alone.


    With the legal status of parties in Australia secured, it can be foreseen that most of the members of the Lower House will join various parties in the future and form a party struggle within the Australian political arena.


    The formation of parties is inevitable, and more than that, major European countries have already established a variety of parties, and these parties have even gained significant political advantages.


    In a republic like France, the power of parties and capitalists is unimaginable, even to the point of controlling and driving a country.


    Even in a monarchical country like the British Empire, the power of parties is enormous, and a party winning in an election can form a government, and in constitutional Britain, the power of the government is greater than the power of the monarch without absolute prestige.


    Europe is now the brightest pearl in the world, and the various systems and systems of Europe will be brought to the world by Europeans.


    For Europeans swept up in the tide of liberalism and democracy, they are more inclined to ept a rtively democratic system than monarchy.


    If Australia does not recognize the legitimacy of parties and does not grant them certain political rights, it is inevitable that Europeans will perceive a certain authoritarianism in Australia.


    To enhance the attractiveness of immigration to Australia, the legitimacy of parties is also inevitable.


    However, there is one aspect of Australia that is different from European countries: the core of Australian monarchy has been fully established and is bing entrenched with the support of military power and Arthur¡¯s growing prestige among the people.


    At least during Arthur¡¯s reign, no domestic forces could overthrow Arthur¡¯s rule in Australia. This is the strength of a monarch who holds both military power and the hearts of the people.


    Australian political parties may gain a majority of seats in the House of Commons, and even allow some members, through the majority of seats in the House of Commons, the possibility to join the Cab.


    The peculiarity of the Australian system is that every position in the Cab Government, including the Prime Minister, is elected, rather than being appointed by the person who holds the position of Prime Minister.


    Although this approach may reduce the tacit understanding and unity within the Cab Government, it is alsopletely unnecessary for an authoritarian country.


    This also determines one thing, that it is very difficult for a political party topletely control or even hold most of the Cab seats, unless the party has suitable and capable candidates for every position; otherwise, it is almost impossible, like other countries¡¯ political parties, topletely control the Cab Government.


    This also means that Australian political parties will not gain tremendous power, and even within the Cab Government, there will bepetitors.<div>


    This is Arthur¡¯s bnce mechanism, transforming the original possible conflicts between the government and royal power into conflicts between political parties.


    For political parties to gain greater advantages in government and elections, they must rely on the stable royal power of Australia.


    Arthur, representing royal power, can hide behind the scenes, remove himself from the power struggle, but firmly control the political parties in the whirlpool of power.


    For more than two months, news of various political parties being established, as well as Lower House Members joining some political parties, have been continuously published in Australia Daily and Victoria Newspaper, two of Australia¡¯s most important newspapers, reflecting the current rapid development trend of Australian political parties.<div>


    As the oldest-established faction in Australia, the Australian Labor Party has not gained much advantage in the struggle for members during these two months. It has even be the least proportionate faction among the four currently holding Lower House Members.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It is not surprising for the Australian Labor Party since their original goal was to promote the union of the six colonies of Australia and, at least, to establish a unified federal government for bettermunication between colonies while protecting the interests of the unions.


    However, with the establishment of the unified Australian Principality, the Labor Party¡¯s goal was automatically achieved.


    Moreover, the Australian Principality did not recognize the legality of political parties, and both the Duke of Australia Arthur and the Australian Government were well recognized by the Australian people, which made Australians less enthusiastic about joining political parties.


    During this period, the Australian Labor Party changed its tform to protect the interests of Australian workers, uniting unions and workers.


    Unexpectedly, the new Australian Principality and government also paid great attention to the interests of workers, ensuring their interests while developing industry, making the Australian Labor Party appear redundant.


    If this were a chaotic country with arge number of workers¡¯ interests not being protected, the Australian Labor Party might have been very popr.


    However, the newly established Australian Principality has a very stable order. It has invested heavily in major development projects such as industry, education, medical care, people¡¯s livelihood, economy, science, and technology, and has well protected the interests of Australians involved in these projects.


    Australian workers¡¯ interests have been well safeguarded, and the ten-hour work system has been firmly implemented, which has virtually turned the workers into living in a fantasy paradise.


    Except that the current sry level is not very high, Australian workers¡¯ treatment already surpasses that of European workers.


    Under these circumstances, Australian workers naturally have little enthusiasm for political parties, as they are more keen on working hard and earning more money to support their families.


    The Australian Labor Party lost its goals one after another as the Australian Government realized its original goals and tforms.


    Once thergest political party in Australian history, it is now at a loss.<div>


    If it weren¡¯t for some Lower House Members with higher political ambitions who valued the title of the earliest established political party in Australia, the Labor Party¡¯s poprity in Australia would probably be even lower.

 Chapter 169: 164: The Election Begins

    On June 10,1903, three yearster, the election for the Australian Cab Government began again.


    Compared to thest election, this cab election was much more formal.


    As the political parties have gradually be standardized and attracted some lower house members and ordinary people to join, this cab election has also allowed each party to rmend a candidate to join the cab election.


    This also provided an opportunity for parties without lower house members to participate in this election, although there was only one quota, it was still a luxury.


    Because of this policy, a total of 198 Lower House members, seven additional candidates rmended by political parties, and the 11 incumbent cab members and Arthur participated in this election.


    Apart from Arthur, who was only the supervisor and witness of the election and did not participate in the election and voting, everyone else participated in the election.


    This also meant that the difficulty of this election had increased to a certain extent, and apart from the experienced cab ministers, some members with political party backgrounds also had the opportunity to be members of the new cab.


    In the huge meeting room of the Administrative Building, more than 200 people filled therge meeting room, making the air and atmosphere much hotter.


    Due to the biennial election of lower house members, there were many unfamiliar faces in the meeting room, and the 200 people tacitly formed various groups, talking among themselves and asionally peeking at the movements of others nearby.


    There are not many groups that can truly form a scale at present, besides the original cab members and four parties with lower house members, the other small groups are mostly private rtionships between members, and their scale is also very small, usually only two to three people.


    As the conversation in the conference room reached a boiling point, Arthur arrived at the scene with Hunter Steward.<div>


    Upon seeing Arthur¡¯s arrival, everyone in the meeting room tacitly maintained their silence, and the originally noisy meeting room quieted down instantly.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Everyone stood up and saluted.


    Arthur smiled and nodded, indicating for everyone to sit down, and then took Hunter Steward to the very center of the conference room.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you are all representatives of the Australian people elected by the Australian people, or representatives of Australian native political parties. I am very happy to see all of your arrival on such an important day for the Australian people and the Australian government.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°Thest cab election was held three years ago today, and it was that election that brought us the 11 most outstanding cab members of the Australian government. I believe there is no need to mention their merits, their contributions to Australia are indelible.¡±


    ¡°Today, we havee to such an important day again, and we are about to elect the second cab government of Australia. I hope that whoever reaches that glorious position, will be loyal to the country, respect the royal family, and love the people as their own duty, and push our beloved country, Australia, to prosperity and greatness!¡±


    As Arthur¡¯s voice fell, the vast conference room was immediately filled with enduring apuse.


    After a few minutes, the apuse gradually subsided at Arthur¡¯s signal.


    Arthur continued, ¡°I believe that before you arrived at the meeting room, all of you should have thought about whether you would run for office or not. This year¡¯s election rules are different fromst time. Each candidate can choose up to two positions within their capabilities as their official candidate. However, the Prime Minister¡¯s position is an exception, and any candidate for Prime Minister cannot join other positions.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste any more time. The second Australian cab election has officially begun.¡± Arthur said with a smile, signaling Hunter Steward to take the stage.


    In the current Australian government and royal family, besides Arthur, the only ones with the sufficient status to host this conference were Prime Minister Evan and Hunter Steward.


    But Prime Minister Evan was the prime minister of the previous cab and is a candidate in this cab election. His identity was clearly not suitable for hosting the conference, and the only suitable person left was Hunter Steward.


    As the royal steward, Hunter represents the royal family. His hosting of the conference was also justified, as after all, the royal family was a rtively neutral party in this election.


    Hunter Steward nodded solemnly, and after Arthur returned to his seat, he took the stage.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, following the orders of His Grace, the second Australian cab election has officially begun. Guards will soon distribute nomination forms to each of you. You can fill in the positions you want to run for. As His Grace said, you can run for up to two ministerial positions, and if you have already run for the prime minister¡¯s position, you cannot participate in the election for other positions.¡± Hunter Steward introduced the rules.


    ¡°If everyone has no doubts about the rules, then the official election can begin.¡± Hunter Steward scanned the room and found that no one had any questions about the rules, so he nodded and signaled the guards to distribute the forms.


    This form was actually quite simple, requiring only the filling of a full name, address, age, party (if any), and the two positions they wished to run for.<div>


    But it was this form that made most of the people in the conference room hesitate for a long time, unable to decide which two positions to run for.


    Those who filled out the form without hesitation were mainly the previous cab ministers and some members who had negotiated within their party in advance.


    They had specific goals in mind for the positions they wanted to run for, and changing them easily would cause them to lose their advantage.


    It took nearly an hour to fill out the form, and most people hurriedlypleted it and handed it in under the urging of Hunter Steward.<div>


    These people were clearly unprepared and had fewer resources as members and no advantage in this election.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Almost half of the members did not fill out the form, meaning they gave up the chance to run for office.


    Many of these people were members without political parties and experience, and they had a clear understanding of their own situation, knowing that they would not seed even if they did run for office, so they tactfully gave up this opportunity.

 Chapter 170: 165: The Second Cabinet Government

    Chapter 170: Chapter 165: The Second Cab Government


    ¡°Very well.¡± Hunter Steward smiled and continued, ¡°As it takes time topile all of the forms, you will have about half an hour to rx from now on, and the meeting will resume afterwards.¡±


    The MPs sighed with relief, but they only started chatting with their neighbors after Arthur had left.


    The uing election was the highlight, and it would take several hours to reach a final result.


    Arthur naturally wouldn¡¯t wait there and returned to the top-floor lounge, quietly waiting for the final election results.


    Half an hour quickly passed, and as the Hunter Steward opened the meeting room¡¯s door once more, the conversation inside abruptly stopped.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, after some time of counting, the participants in the Australian second cab election have finally been confirmed. A total of ny-three people are participating in the election, among which are six candidates for the Prime Minister position, seventeen for Foreign Minister, twenty-eight for Minister of Civil Affairs, twenty-one for Minister of Transportation, sixteen for Finance Minister, seven for the Minister of Defence, twenty-nine for Minister of Agriculture, sixteen for Minister of Industry, eleven for Minister of Health, eighteen for Minister of Education, and twenty-seven for Minister of Public Security,¡± Hunter Steward reported.


    ¡°Each of you will receive a detailed list and information of the candidates for each position. You will then have one hour to think it over. After one hour, write down your preferred candidate for each position and put it into the corresponding ballot box for that position,¡± Hunter Steward said, ¡°You are only allowed to write down one supported candidate for each position, and all candidates cannot write their own names. I hope everyone can make a decision after careful consideration, as every single vote is crucial for any candidate.¡±


    ¡°Please do notmunicate with one another during the thinking and list-writing process; keep silent until the final results are announced.¡±


    After announcing all the rules, Hunter Steward tactfully withdrew to one side, giving the MPs ample time to think.


    Upon hearing thatmunication was not allowed, everyone gave up the idea. After all, this was a matter concerning the country¡¯s and the royal family¡¯s dignity, and no one was foolish enough to break the rules, annoy Arthur, or even be expelled from the meeting room directly.<div>


    All those present were important figures among the MPs and parties, and being expelled would result in the loss of both face and future prospects.


    This added to the difficulty of making a choice, especially for those MPs who were acting independently.


    For those with parties or their small groups, they would generally write down the names of those they had already discussed within their party, or those they had a good rtionship with.


    Some of these people filled in their choices rtively quickly, and within only half an hour, some raised their hands to signal the soldiers to collect their forms.


    About one hourter, the MPs finally finished writing their rmended candidates for all positions and handed the forms to the soldiers.


    To ensure the fairness of the election, this count would adopt a public roll-call method. As long as a candidate¡¯s name appeared on a position¡¯s rmendation list, their name would be called out, and their frequency of being called would be noted down next to their name underneath each position.


    This on-site roll call added some tension to the atmosphere, with candidates growing increasingly excited with each call.


    Simrly, not being called for a long time could be torturous for candidates.


    To facilitate the count, this roll call would be conducted by position, one at a time.


    This also prolonged the time needed, with each position estimated to take at least half or even one hour toplete. After all, there were more than two hundred people present, meaning more than 200 votes for each position.


    The ministers of various departments were the first to have their names called, while the Prime Minister, as the most important position in the Cab Government, was arranged to be calledst.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    People were engrossed, some eagerly awaiting their own names, while others looked forward to the final results.


    Among the ten Cab positions, the most popr ones were the Minister of Civil Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of Public Security.


    Compared to other departments, these three were not as important, and many first-time Cab election participants chose them after careful consideration.


    The least popr position was the Minister of Defence. This was a special position for Australia and one that almost all the candidatescked confidence in.


    Everyone understood that, as the Duke of Australia, Arthur attached great importance to Australia¡¯s military power.


    Even if one gained an advantage in the election for the Minister of Defence, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean they would be the actual Minister of Defence.


    It all depended on Arthur¡¯s choice. So besides a few confident candidates and some of Arthur¡¯s subordinates, others tactfully chose other positions.


    The roll call went from around noon until past ten in the evening, with breaks and lunch and dinner intermissions in between.<div>


    The two meals were prepared by Arthur¡¯s personal chefs who served more than a dozen desserts alone for each meal, not to mention countless main courses.


    At around 10:30 PM, the roll call finally ended, announcing the details of the Australian 2nd Cab Government.

 Chapter 171: 165: The Second Cabinet Government!

    Chapter 171: Chapter 165: The Second Cab Government!


    Arthur received this list almost at the same time, of course, this was because Arthur was in the Administrative Building.


    The new cab government isn¡¯t much different from the previous one, except for the change in the Minister of Health; the other positions are still held by members of the previous term.


    This was because all the political parties in Australia were not established for long, resulting in low influence across all parties.


    Of course, the Australian Labor Party was an exception. The Labor Party was unique among all parties in Australia as it had been established earlier. The Australian Government had already achieved the Labor party¡¯s tform, resulting in the party not being widely appreciated in Australia.


    The reason for Minister Bradford Dillman of Health¡¯s failure in the election was simple, he was impable in his medical capabilities, but his administrative skills left much to be desired.


    Bradford Dillman was more suited to be an expert in the Ministry of Health, or perhaps a deputy minister supervising medical affairs, rather than the Minister of Health, managing the entire Australian medical industry.


    The new Minister of Health was Willie Watson, a member of the Independent Party. Willie Watson also had an impressive background, being a native Australian who had studied at prestigious universities in Europe, earning degrees in medicine and management, and had interned in the United Kingdom for a lengthy period.


    Upon learning of Australia¡¯s sessful unification, Willie Watson did not rush to return to Australia. Instead, he continued acquiring a wealth of knowledge in Europe, honing his academic and professional skills before finally returning to Australia.


    After the legalisation of political parties some time ago, Willie Watson was one of those proactive in establishing a party, contributing to the formation of the Independent Party alongside others.


    The Independent Party¡¯s objective was to preserve Australia¡¯s independence and unity, as well as safeguarding the entire Australian Principality.<div>


    In the view of the Independent Party, Australia should be an independent and united nation, even including New Zend and New Guinea within this integrated ambit.


    Although Willie Watson did not be the leader of the Independent Party, his rich European background and education made him the party¡¯s only choice for a cab position.


    With Willie Watson¡¯s election as the Minister of Health of the 2nd Cab Government, he became the first cab minister in Australian history with party backing.


    After looking over the list of the entire cab government, Arthur immediately rose to his feet, ready to head to the meeting room to meet his new Cab Government.


    The term of the second cab government had been changed to four years, which meant that this cab government would be in office from June 1903 to June 1907.


    Compared to the first cab government, this cab was set to face more tasks.


    Especially with the uing birth of the dreadnought, Australia would also join in the naval construction, even seeking a higher international status and reputation.


    This meant that the recent government would gain more tasks, but the political achievements and reputation they gained would undoubtedly be greater.


    In the meeting room, as the final cab government list was released, continuous apuse and conversations could be heard.


    The bustling scene didn¡¯t stop until Arthur arrived, then restored to silence and formality.


    ¡°Everyone, I am delighted to witness the birth of Australia¡¯s second cab government. Of course, there are many familiar faces here, and I am pleased that you can stay in these positions. Those who have not seeded in the election, do not be discouraged, there are plenty of opportunities in the future. Whether you are a cab member, a member of parliament, a member of a political party, you can contribute to the development of Australia, contributing your share of effort to the rise of our great mothend.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    ¡°Long live Your Highness!¡±


    After Arthur¡¯s enlightening speech, many people seemed toe to their senses.


    Just like the young age of Australia, these politicians in Australia were also generally young.


    Many of these members of parliament were even young people with advanced degrees, possibly not even thirty years old yet.


    For politicians, such an age was just the beginning, their political careers still had a long way to go, a temporary setback now didn¡¯t signify an end.


    Besides, as Members of the Australian House of Commons, they already have an abundance of power and obligations.


    Although they cannot participate in nationwide decision-making like cab members, they still have the ability to effect change in Australia and utilize their power.


    ¡°In addition to bing cab members, there are many other opportunities in the Australian government. These include deputy ministers in different departments and positions within state governments.¡±, Arthur said with a smile, ¡°The specific government will issue a public notice in due course, and you can apply for specific positions when the timees.¡±<div>


    Beyond the Prime Minister, cab ministers generally also hold deputy roles. This ensures that no department will be without leadership in unexpected circumstances.


    These positions are ideal targets for those who have lost in the election. Although they may not hold the same prestige as cab ministers, it is still a way to reach the upper echelons of the Australian government.


    Non-cab and governor positions do not have term limits or restrictions on the duration of service. As long as individual cab ministers believe they are capable enough to retain their positions, they can continue to serve until a more suitable candidate is found or they retire.


    This could be a better option for those who do not excel or do not have strong political abilities.<div>


    Aspetition for higher positions is intense and they often bear the brunt of disasters and idents.


    With the official release of the second cab member list, the elections have finally ended.


    On the whole, the members of the new Cab Government are expected. After all, experience is advantageous for an emerging country like Australia.


    The cab members did a decent job during their terms, and Arthur doesn¡¯t mind letting them continue in their positions.


    However, what the state of the next election will be four years down the line is unknown.


    Whether the party will attract many new members and gain the upper hand in the House of Commons after four years of development is a topic of interest.


    No one can say for sure whether the second cab officials will gain the advantage in the future elections again.


    But overall, the political situation in Australia is moving in a good direction, and as time goes by, Australia¡¯s political system is bing increasingly mature, with more ways for the Australian people to assert their interests.


    On June 11,1903, the list of the Australian 2nd Cab Government was officially published the very next day in the Victoria Newspaper and the Australia Daily, which were quickly printed and distributed nationwide.


    The Australian people had no objections to the continuation of the existing Cab Members in the new cab.


    After all, numerous changes had urred in Australia over the past three years, and the vast majority of these changes were for the better.


    Compared to who the cab members are, Australians care more whether these cab members will respect and protect their interests.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It seems that thest cab did quite well, the basic living conditions and ie of Australians are constantly improving, and many Australians have even been lifted out of poverty and no longer worry about hunger or cold.<div>


    The focus is no longer on the selection of deputy ministers of the Cab and the other political parties. Overtime, most of the army weapons and equipment that the ind nation had initially ordered from Australia have been manufactured and are about to be shipped to the ind nation.


    It¡¯s noteworthy that the equipment belonging to the Russian Empire, which also started production alongside those intended for the ind nation, will be dispatched to different countries at different times.


    Although the destinations and departure times differ, Arthur is pretty certain that these two batches of weapons and equipment could potentially end up being used in the same war, a war that is about to decide the dominance in the Far East.


    Presently, Australia does not directly have the strength to participate in this war and can only act as an arms dealer behind the scenes, indirectly bncing the power of the two sides of the conflict, while also generating revenue for Australia¡¯s military industry.


    Another thing worth noting is a piece of news from distant United States. In June this year, the Ford Company was officially founded and has begun developing automobiles.


    Although the Ford Company won¡¯t be able topete with Benz Automobile Factory in the short term, given Ford¡¯s historical achievements, it is something to pay attention to.

 Chapter 172: 166: The First University Student Graduation Ceremony

    Chapter 172: Chapter 166: The First University Student Graduation Ceremony


    On July 4,1903, several transport ships loaded with weapons and equipment set out from Sydney Harbour, Australia, heading directly to the Ind Nation.


    What was loaded here was part of the contents of the Ind-Australia Treaty, including 20,000 Gew98 rifles, too German Maxim machine guns, 15 105mm Krupp howitzers, and millions of bullets and tens of thousands of shells.


    Of course, arge number of bullets and shells are still being manufactured. Given Australia¡¯s current military-industrial strength, producing so many weapons and equipment is already considered overtime work.


    Within half a month, this batch of weapons and equipment was sessfully delivered to the harbor of the Ind Nation, and Arthur also sessfully received the final payment from the Ind Nation.


    The total amount of the arms trade order reached nearly two million pounds, with the price of the battleship alone exceeding one million pounds.


    Of course, the delivery of the battleship would have to wait until the next year, and the whole construction process would take at least one year.


    With the weapons and warship trade with the Ind Nation, Australia¡¯s total profit reached over 700,000 pounds.


    Although more than half of the profit belongs to Arthur¡¯s Arms Factory, which is the Royal financial group, nearly half of the profit still goes to the Australian Government.


    Although the Australian Government¡¯s ie is less than 300,000 pounds, it is already a significant improvement for Australia, which previously had no ie in military industries.


    On September 4,1903, another batch of weapons and equipment set sail from Sydney Harbour, using several transport ships and warships as escorts. However, the destination was not the Ind Nation but the Russian Empire, which had intense friction with the Ind Nation in the Far East Region.<div>


    For reasons of secrecy, these weapons and equipment were disguised as clothing and food on the surface and were very discreetly transported to the port controlled by the Tsardom of Russia.


    Although these weapons and equipment are about half the quantity of the Ind Nation¡¯s, no one can deny the damage and power these heavy weapons can bring.


    If the Ind Nation is not fully prepared, perhaps these new heavy weapons of the Russian Empire could give the Ind Nation a good run for its money. Although it would notpletely reverse the war situation, there is hope of changing a small-scale war.


    While the arms trade with the Russian Empire is not as profitable as the Ind Nation, it has also brought tens of thousands of pounds of profit to Australia.


    These two arms trades are currently Australia¡¯s main arms trades. After the orders of the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire have been produced, Australia¡¯s arms factories can only provide weapons for domestic use.


    In the meantime, there is good news for Australia. The first batch of university students from the Australian National University has sessfully graduated and entered various industries in Australia.


    Although the first batch of students at the Australian National University enrolled more than a monthter than their sessors, this did not prevent them from graduating smoothly after three years.


    The first batch of university students covers five majors. The most important Mechanical major and Physics and Chemistry major each have 200 university students, making them the two departments with the highest number of university students in Australian National University to date.


    Thene the Architecture and Medical majors. The Architecture major,monly known as Civil Engineering, studies how to design and build. As for the Medical major, it goes without saying that it can provide Australia with much-needed medical talents, and these talents will provide strong manpower for manyrge hospitals in Australia.


    The major with the least number of enrollees is the Literature major. The first batch of university students in the Literature major has only 100 students, and even now, the entire Australian National University has fewer than 500 students studying Literature.


    But literature students y an important role in Australia, and the unity that Arthur hopes to see between all immigrants and native Australians has to rely on the pens and mouths of these literature students.


    Don¡¯t underestimate the guidance of literati on the people¡¯s thoughts. As long as these people write and publish their articles about the Australian People in various newspapers, many Australians will see them and gradually believe and ept them.


    The graduation of this cohort of university students has brought the most significant change to the industry and medical care fields in Australia.


    With 150 medical graduates, Australia¡¯s major hospitals are basically operational. Apart from some particrly important positions being held by foreign experts, other positions are already basically held by these medical graduates.


    Many graduates of the Mechanical and Physics and Chemistry majors have been invited to Arthur¡¯s arms factory, shipyard, and various factories andboratories in the Industrial Area.


    They are of vital importance to Australia¡¯s scientific research capabilities. Although they are not decisive leaders, they can still be very strong backbone forces.


    The enrollment of the Australian National University has shown a downward trend over the years. Apart from the first cohort of 800 students, the second cohort has only 600, and the third and fourth cohorts currently have only 500.


    This has led to the current situation where, after the graduation of the first cohort of university students, the size of the faculty and students at the Australian National University is less than 1,700 people.


    Although the size of the university has decreasedpared to before, correspondingly, the teaching efficiency of the teachers will also improve.<div>


    With the graduation of one batch after another of university students, Australia¡¯s shortage of middle-level talents can finally be filled. Based on the foundation of attracting top scientists with the Victoria Award, Australia¡¯s mid and lower-level scientists can finally develop and thrive.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    On September 13,1903, after presiding over the opening ceremony of the fourth Australian National University, Arthur received a request from the new Cab Government to convene a Cab Meeting, and then rushed to the Administrative Building without stopping, attending the firstrge-scale Cab Meeting of the second Cab Government.


    The venue for the meeting is also where the Cab election was once held, but now it appears slightly empty, with only eleven cab members and Arthur.


    ¡°Prime Minister Evan, tell me! What is the purpose of convening thisrge- scale Cab Meeting?¡± Arthur asked.<div>


    Generally, the Prime Minister can hold a small Cab Meeting independently, attended by all cab members, and then only needs to report all the results discussed in the meeting to Arthur.


    Of course, this kind of Cab Meeting cannot decide on major issues concerning the political situation in Australia. Its purpose is merely to allow the Cab to handle some of the difficult political issues and difficulties encountered daily.


    There is only one reason for convening arge-scale Cab Meeting, and that is that Arthur must be present to decide on major issues concerning the political situation in Australia.

 Chapter 173: 167: Capital Territory

    Chapter 173: Chapter 167: Capital Territory


    ¡°Your Highness, there are several important matters that I would like to consult with you about,¡± said Prime Minister Evan, getting straight to the point. ¡°Both of these issuese from proposals in the House of Commons. The first matter is that a proposal has been made for the construction of a pce befitting your status as the Australian Royal family¡¯s official residence. At the same time, a new National Government Building is to be built, as the current one is no longer suitable for present-day Australia, having been adapted from the former Colony Government Building of New South Wales State.¡±


    ¡°Aside from that, the managing of our current capital, Sydney, is also quiteplicated, as it is also the capital of New South Wales State. Actually, managing Sydney is quite troublesome for New South Wales itself, so some members have proposed to establish a Capital Territory near Sydney that would bepletely independent of New South Wales State, and the capital of New South Wales would also be moved elsewhere,¡± said Prime Minister Evan.


    ¡°Currently, these two proposals have been approved by many people in the House of Commons, so they have been submitted to the Cab for a preliminary decision. We have investigated the situation in the House of Commons and found that these two decisions are far from being supported by a minority; at least half of the members support these two proposals, so we need your decision, Your Highness.¡± After exining the situation, Prime Minister Evan looked at Arthur, waiting for his decision.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Arthur didn¡¯t expect that in the three years since he came to Australia, neither he nor any of the other royal family members had considered building a pce, but now the members of the House of Commons were already worried on their behalf.


    Indeed, the Australian Royal Family currently does not have a proper pce. The only ces they can live are a small manor house and temporary amodations on the top floor of the Administrative Building, which is also a converted Colonial Government Building.


    Compared to other monarchical countries in the world, the Australian royals can be said to be modest to the extreme.


    Arthur¡¯s small manor would be seen as just a temporary vacation spot in the eyes of European nobility, let alone ranking among the great royal families in Europe.


    This is also the concern of the members of the House of Commons. It¡¯s time for the royal family to have arge-scale pce, not only to show the authority of the Australian Royal Family abroad, but also to enhance the prestige of Australia.


    After all, for monarchical countries, the royal family and the country rise and fall together. The strength and nobility of the royal family can bring a lot of prestige and reputation to the country, while the decline and poverty of the royal family will damage the country¡¯s reputation.<div>


    With this in mind, Arthur said, ¡°It is indeed time to build a pce. At least when entertaining foreign guests, we can have a more formal ce and venue. The same goes for the government. Our current Administrative Building is quite simple. In the early days of the country¡¯s founding, for various reasons, we did not build a new Administrative Building, but used the Government Building from the Australian Colony era. Now that Australia has abundant funds and manpower, it¡¯s time to build a new Administrative Building.¡± ¡°Prime Minister Evan, the matter of the Administrative Building is up to you and the government to decide. The n for the new pce will also begin shortly, and I hope that the distance between the Administrative Building and the pce will not be too far, so as to facilitate the convening of Cab meetings and summoning,¡± Arthurmanded.


    If a new pce is to be built, the location will inevitably be far away from the current Sydney city center.


    Because the current nning of Sydney city center is almostplete, there is not much room for the construction of a full pce.


    Moreover, there are also quite a few factories around Sydney. Although the current emission levels are not too high, Sydney¡¯s air quality is already starting to decline.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Arthur didn¡¯t want the pce he worked hard to build to face severe air quality issues within decades.


    After all, the quality of life and safety are important for the royal family, and building a pce in a more remote suburban area of Sydney is also a good choice.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I will have someone design the new Administrative Building ns as soon as possible, and after the selection of the pce site ispleted, we will choose the site for the new building nearby,¡± Prime Minister Evan eagerly nodded in response.


    The construction of a new Administrative Building is good news for everyone in the government. The former Administrative Building is indeed old and worn, and even some of the wooden doors inside make creaking sounds when opened and closed.


    Although officials generally do notin about their office environment,pared with the new Administrative Building, it is believed that all officials would choose thetter.


    ¡°As for the establishment of the Capital Territory, Prime Minister Evan, what is the Cab¡¯s opinion?¡± Once the issue of the pce and the new government building was resolved, the only remaining issue was about the establishment of the Capital Territory.


    However, this is the biggest change for Australia at present, and the establishment of the Capital Territory also means that the situation of Australia¡¯s six states is about to change. The Capital Territory is at least a political division on par with the six states.


    ¡°Your Highness, we are a typical immigrant country, which is good news for our poption growth, but it also brings many hidden dangers.¡± Prime Minister Evan said.


    ¡°Although our total poption is currently as high as 4-26 million, in fact, more than half of the poption lives along the southeast coast, and the rest of the poption also lives along the southwest, southern, and eastern coasts. In particr, the capitals of our six states have a total poption of over 1.53 million. In particr, the capitals of New South Wales State, our capital Sydney, and Victoria State, Melbourne have poptions of 530,000 and 470,000, respectively, ounting for one-third and nearly half of their respective states. Their poptions can even bepared to our West Australia State.¡± Prime Minister Evan exined.


    ¡°Although this is amon phenomenon for immigrant countries, it also brings us many problems, such as the concentration of poption in cities in each state, too few ind poption, and even most areas are currently unupied. I think the proposal to establish the Capital Territory is not a bad choice for our current situation. Even under necessary circumstances, I think it is possible to change the current political situation in Australia. The six states of Australia currently have a significant difference in size and a considerable gap in poption.¡±


    ¡°Excluding the exceptional case of Tasmania State, the current situation in Australia is that the smaller the state in terms ofnd area, therger the poption, and therger thend area, the smaller the poption. West Australia and South Australia together have more than half of Australia¡¯snd area, but their poption ounts for only one-third of Australia. For West Australia and South Australia, they have toorgend area, but they have the least poption among all states, making it difficult to manage such arge territory. In contrast, the cities in the southeastern region have an overly developed poption, with even a single city¡¯s poption equivalent to that of a western state. It is indeed necessary to establish a Capital Territory now to avoid the embarrassing situation of our capital and the capital of New South Wales State being the same city. I think that a Capital Territory should be established in the area south of Newcastle in the north of Sydney and north of Alberth in the south of Sydney, covering the whole Sydney City and suburban areas. And the capital of New South Wales State can be relocated to Newcastle, the secondrgest city in New South Wales State, which also has a poption of over 200,000.¡± Prime Minister Evan said.


    Arthur nodded silently. Prime Minister Evan talked for a long time, analyzing Australia¡¯s immigration situation and finally bringing up the issue of the huge poption gap between southeastern and western Australia.


    However, this is definitely not something that can be changed in a short time, the situation of Australia¡¯s coastal poption ounting for most of the total poption has persisted without change in theter generations, which is precisely a result of Australia¡¯s unique environment and climate.


    In history, Australia¡¯s temporary capital after the establishment of the Federation was set in Melbourne, and after Sydney had developed and surpassed Melbourne, in order to conform to the public opinion of the two cities, the capital was set between the two cities and a new city called Canberra was established.


    At that time, the establishment of the Capital Territory was also after the establishment of Canberra, which was because the immigration wave in Australia¡¯s early history was not as intense as it is now.<div>


    Historically, most of the early immigrants to Australia were from Ennd and Irnd within the British Empire, and only a minority of Europeans from other countries chose to immigrate to Australia.


    However, now it is different. In addition to the British Empire as a stable source of immigration for Australia, Australia also has Germany and France as two major sources of immigration.


    Especially the British Empire and Germany, providing more than 150,000 immigrants to Australia annually, which is why Australia¡¯s poption is growing so rapidly.


    ¡°Well, in order to avoid the conflict between the capital and the capital of the state, it is indeed time to establish a directly governed Capital Territory. This matter is also the responsibility of the Cab. The scope of the Capital Territory must be carefully considered so that the future Capital Territory has development potential and does not cause New South Wales State to lose too muchnd and poption.¡± Arthur finally gave a nod, entrusting the matter of the Capital Territory to the Cab to handle.<div>


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. We will definitely think carefully and report the results to you as soon as possible after the discussion.¡± Prime Minister Evan replied.


    ¡°Just, Your Highness, what do you think the administrative status of the Capital Territory should be? Do you put it on a political level on par with the states, or treat it as a special political unit?¡± Prime Minister Evan asked.


    No matter what political level it is, it is at least an important division on par with the states. This also means that Australia will soon add a position simr to a governor. And due to the jurisdiction of Australia¡¯s capital, the positions of Capital Territory officials are higher in status than those of local state officials. ¡°Since it¡¯s a Capital Territory, it¡¯s not suitable to put its political status at any level. I have decided to make the Capital Territory a new administrative unit directly governed by the government.¡± Arthur said with a smile.

 Chapter 174: 168: Sydney Palace

    Chapter 174: Chapter 168: Sydney Pce


    Shortly after this cab meeting ended, on Arthur¡¯smand, Hunter Steward began inviting various European architecture experts and started looking for a suitable site in the Sydney suburbs to build the new pce.


    The new pce will serve as the permanent residence and royal pce of the Australian royal family, and its outward image represents the royal family¡¯s dignity and reputation.


    Since Arthur was building a new pce, naturally he would not be stingy. The building¡¯s budget was an enormous 5 million pounds, with unlimited indigenousbour allowed.


    The main objective of the pce construction was to strive for opulence but maintain a low profile, be original but solemn, imposing but thoroughly fortified, while ensuring the quality of construction. A significant number of indigenous workers were employed to speed up the construction process, without overburdening various other construction projects in Australia.


    These requirements were quite high. However, arge number of architectural experts from Europe were hired for the royal pce¡¯s construction, some of whom had even built royal pces and castles for the European royal family, making them the most capable candidates.


    After nearly half a month of site selection, the construction teams covered the entire outskirts of Sydney, and finally found an extremely suitable construction site in the suburbs southwest of Sydney.


    This was a vast in located at the junction of a mountainous region and ake. To the east was arge in, and to the west was a small mountain over 200 meters high, adjacent to argeke.


    Based on this unique geographical environment, the construction team, after lengthy study, finally decided on the design for the Australian royal pce, also known as Sydney Pce.


    The entire Australian royal pce was shaped like the Chinese character ¡® ¡õ¡¯ without the horizontal line at the top. The core area of the pce was at the bottom of the ¡®¡õ¡¯, with the vertical bars housing the dining room, meeting room, entertainment room and servants¡¯ quarters.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    There was a protrusion at the base of each vertical bar ¨C the left side connected to a tower, serving as the royal family¡¯s medical, education and entertainment facilities, along with a fully functional private royal hospital.<div>


    The right side contained a circr church, set to be the site of future baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other important ceremonies for the members of the Australian royal family.


    Arge building extending from the right would serve as guest amodation,plete with a small dining room, meeting room, office, and other facilities.


    At the center of the pce¡¯s architecture was arge circr flower bed.


    In the middle of the flower bed, statues of all the Australian rulers would be ced. Currently, statues of Queen Victoria and Arthur were nned.


    Queen Victoria was the ruler during the Australian colonial period, and a key figure in the establishment of the Australian Duchy.


    Queen Victoria was held in great esteem by both the people of the British Empire and Australia. Setting up her statue would not only assert the noble lineage of the Australian royalty owing to the British royal bloodline but also win the hearts of British people and favor from the British government.


    While Australia¡¯s current state owes much to its origins in the British Empire, the country may well part ways with the Empire in future, bing a vast and powerful independent nation, however, not at present.


    Australia will not fail to recognize its bloodline from the British Empire, as this not only brings glory from a noble lineage but also attracts goodwill and immigration from the British.


    This unique blood rtionship is iparable to alliances based on benefits.


    In other words, if one day the Australian allied ind nation conflicted with the British Empire, and the British government did not support Australia, it would face displeasure from the people and opposition from the party.


    The same would be true for Australia. If Australia openly stood against the British Empire without any reason, both the British and the Australians would be disappointed in the government.


    The perimeter of the royal pce, or rather, the top of the mouth shape, features arge semi-circr fountain.


    Beyond the fountain lies an extensive pce garden, soon to be nted with vast quantities of flowers and nts, set to be the pce¡¯s most significant garden.


    To the right of the garden, there is a considerable naturalke. The water in the fountain and the smallkes within the pce are all connected to this giant naturalke.


    Beyond theke and garden, there is an evenrger square. This square is so vast that it can¡¯t bepared with the one that previously stood across the administrative building.


    On the side of the square closest to the pce, there is a reviewing stand six meters high, specifically built for future parades in Australia.


    Located below the reviewing stand and at the front of the entire square, the Australian royal emblem g and the Australian Principality¡¯s national g will be hoisted daily.


    In front of the national g, towards the rear of the square, there will be a monument depicting a drawn sword, named the Australian Heroes Monument.


    It will be a ce where heroes who have contributed to Australia¡¯s establishment will be eternally remembered, attracting both Australians and tourists alike.<div>


    From the back of the square to the Australian Heroes Monument, to the national g and emblem g, and finally to the reviewing stand, they are all connected by a vast andndscaped path.


    Below the reviewing stand, a highway links to this scenic route at a right angle, dividing the road on the square into a T-shape.


    This horizontal road is the parade route, where future inspected troops will pass and be seen by the people on the square.


    The massive square is divided into two sections by the road linking the Heroes Monument and the national g. During parades, these two sections be the best ces for spectators. The square can amodate at least 60,000 people, making it thergest square in Australia.<div>


    Lastly, behind the pce is a small hill. This hill, standing only two to three hundred meters high, will be where the royal family members practice shooting and enjoy their leisure time.


    The whole royal pce, including the hill, the main architectural portion of the pce, the fountain, theke, the garden, and the square, bes a new colossal pceplex in Australia.


    This royal pce covers an area of more than 400,000 square meters, equivalent to the whole of forty hectares, or 0.4 square kilometers.


    Of this, the garden, theke and the hill behind the pce alone upy 150,000 square meters, while the main building only covers less than 100,000 square meters.


    Oncepleted, the pce will boast up to 600 rooms, aplete private hospital, a church, a learning area for imparting knowledge to the royal family, up to 20 conference rooms of various sizes, six restaurants, fifty offices, and several guard towers and guard stations on the top floor, making it luxurious, extravagant, and highly guarded.


    Also, entering from the main gate of the pce, there are long corridors extending over one hundred meters on both sides.


    The corridor will disy literary works and precious treasures from all over the world, transforming it into a cultural corridor for the Australian royal family.


    Regrettably, the main gate is in the most critical area of the royal pce, so few people have ess to this door. In Australia, only royal family members and the cab currently have ess.


    Without Arthur¡¯s summons, it is nearly impossible for others to enter through the main gate and visit this fascinating cultural corridor.

 Chapter 175: 169: Cyclones and Typhoons

    Chapter 175: Chapter 169: Cyclones and Typhoons


    Shortly after the location of the royal pce was determined, preparations and construction began immediately. The construction of the royal pce will employ at least 20,000 Indigenous Peoples and thousands of Australian workers and building experts.


    The construction period is expected tost about three years, mainly because the hills andkes within the pce grounds take up nearly half of the area. They don¡¯t need to be modified, just some enhancement around thekes and the addition of railings will suffice.


    The square is also rtively simple to construct, as these three locations upy more than half of the total area of the royal pce, which is why the construction period is so short.


    The only part that requires significant effort to construct is the main pce building, which is also the most important and core area of the entire pce. However, with so many Indigenous Peoples providingbor, the construction period can be guaranteed. If the construction goes smoothly, the entire construction period can be shortened.


    The royal pce is about ten kilometers away from the City of Sydney, not too far away, and the western mountain military training area is also not too far, just less than thirty kilometers away.


    After the area of the pce was determined, the government began looking for a site for the Administrative Building. Due to its proximity to the pce, the Administrative Building was finally settled on the eastern side of the pce, closer to the city center of Sydney.


    The new Administrative Building was named the Australian Government Council, a H-shaped building with the government office district on the west side, the Offices of the Houses of Parliament on the east side, and variousrge conference rooms and rxation areas in the middle.


    The Administrative Council is less than two kilometers away from the pce, and all cab officials are generally provided with government edition Benz One cars.


    In case of emergency, these government officials can ensure that they can arrive at the pce for a meeting within fifteen minutes, and it is also convenient for Arthur to go to the Administrative Council.


    The Administrative Council is funded by the government, and thend area is not veryrge. Including the attached gardens, fountains, and small squares, it covers only about 40,000 square meters.<div>


    The government¡¯s budget for the project is 200,000 pounds, which is more than enough for a building dedicated to the government and parliament.


    The new Administrative Council government area will have as many as 300 offices, capable of amodating the entire Australian Government to work there.


    The central meeting area has about tworge conference rooms and more than ten medium-sized conference rooms, which are enough to amodaterge meetings from various departments of the government and parliament.


    In the future, there will be no more awkward situations where parliamentary and cab meetings are held in the same ce. Both the parliament and the government will have their core meeting rooms for their respective institutions.


    The construction period of the Administrative Council is rtively short, and along with the peripheral square, garden, fountain, and other facilities, it is expected to bepleted within less than two years.


    Even if the construction speed is faster, this construction period could be shortened to about a year and a half.


    This means that the current cab will definitely be able to work in the new Administrative Council, bing the first cab to enjoy the new office area.


    From mid-October 1903, the construction of the Australian Royal Pce and the Australian Government Administrative Council started one after another. They are expected to bepleted by the end of 1906 and mid-1905, respectively, and officially put into use.


    When these two pieces of news were published in the Victoria Newspaper and the Australia Daily, the reaction of the Australian people was one of joy and inevitability.


    Everyone believes that the construction of the Royal Pce is inevitable and justified. Australians are very respectful and fond of Arthur, who spends funds on improving the lives of Australians rather than improving the lives of the royal family. Some Australians even think that the construction of the pce is too small and should call for donations to the royal family from everyone.


    This even caused a response from many Australians and only ended after Arthur appeared and announced that the royal family was not short of funds, expressing his gratitude for the people¡¯s affection.


    The reaction to the Administrative Council was not as intense, but Australians still think it is only natural for the government to change to a new office and show a supportive attitude towards it.


    Afterwards, the construction of the Royal Pce and Administrative Council entered a slow but smooth rhythm, and Arthur weed a period of rxed leisure days.


    On October 29th, 1903, in a deep-sea area off the southern coast of Australia.


    Originally a calm ocean, due to various reasons, a cyclone gradually formed and becamerger, driven by various factors, and began moving towards the east of Australia.


    This phenomenon, known as a cyclone in Australia, would be recognized by future generations as a typhoon.


    At this moment, the people of Australia and New Zend were unaware that a fierce disaster was about to ur.


    November 7,1903, Australia, Sydney, Manor House.


    Arthur¡¯s door was knocked on, and at the same time, the anxious voice of Hunter Steward came from outside the room: ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s trouble!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om<div>


    Arthur was instantly awakened, tumbling out of bed and hastily putting on his clothes before opening the door.


    This familiar scene made Arthur feel uneasy, and his heart thumped at the recognition of the significance of the event taking ce at three o¡¯clock in the morning.


    ¡°What happened, Hunter Steward?¡± Arthur asked urgently.


    ¡°Your Highness! A massive cyclone has been spotted off the eastern coast of Australia, and it¡¯s heading towards us at an rming speed. This is a disaster for Australia, and I implore Your Highness to prepare for the relief of refugees in advance,¡± Hunter Steward said anxiously.<div>


    Given the current technological advances of mankind, natural disasters are seen as divine punishment that cannot be avoided, or even predicted.


    No one is sure how big of a disaster this enormous typhoon will bring to Australia. Perhaps the typhoon will just brush past, or it could ravage the coastline.


    Immediately notify the Cab to hold an emergency meeting. Hunter Steward, have the royal financial group prepare enough relief supplies to support the uing relief efforts. Have the military pause their training to be on standby for rescue missions,¡± Arthur ordered swiftly.


    Arthur knew that if the typhoon could be detected, it wasn¡¯t far from Australia, and it might arrive in the blink of an eye.


    That also meant it would be impossible to evacuate people now, as the storm might start wreaking havoc before they even received the evacuation order.


    At the moment, the most important thing is to prepare for the rescue operation in advance and minimize the casualties in Australia.


    ¡°The Cab members are already here, waiting outside the manor,¡± answered Hunter Steward.


    ¡°Let them go to the meeting room immediately for the meeting. Also, have the royal financial group start preparing for relief work. I want the military to be ready before noon and begin operations,¡± Arthur said decisively.


    With that, he hurried to the meeting room without hesitating.


    Ten minutester, in the manor¡¯s meeting room.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you all know the situation. What preparations should the government make?¡± Arthur asked as soon as everyone was present.


    ¡°Your Highness, if the cyclone doesn¡¯t cause casualties in Australia, that¡¯s good. However, if it does, we need to be prepared for relief, medical treatment, constion, and resettlement. Even maintaining public order needs to be prepared in advance, as people tend to panic during disasters, and we cannot afford to neglect security,¡± Prime Minister Evan replied first.


    As long as casualties ur, the most important thing for refugees is to receive timely treatment and relief.<div>


    This is a measure that is beneficial to their physical and mental well-being and is what a government should do for its people.


    ¡°Regardless of whether this cyclone will cause casualties in Australia, I believe we should prepare in advance. No one can guarantee the specifics, so we must n for every possibility,¡± Prime Minister Evan continued.


    ¡°I have already ordered the military to halt their training and prepare to enter the disaster-stricken areas for rescue missions. The royal family will also distributerge amounts of relief supplies to the refugees. I hope all departments can cooperate and help the Australian people get through this disaster,¡± Arthur said.

 Chapter 176: 170: The Lament of New Zealand

    Chapter 176: Chapter 170: The Lament of New Zend


    The cab meetingsted until dawn, when Arthur and the cab ministers agreed on a rtively appropriate disaster preparedness and relief n.


    To deal with this potential disaster, Australia will mobilise officials and forces from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defence, Public Security Department, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of Civil Affairs. Prime Minister Evan will oversee the operation, while Arthur will personally supervise, and the Ministry of Finance will provide strong support. If the typhoon does makendfall on Australia¡¯s southeast coast, Australia will harness the nation¡¯s strength to ovee this disaster.


    The Australian Government will allocate at least 500,000 pounds for the rescue and resettlement of the affected people.


    Meanwhile, the royal family will contribute 600,000 pounds, which will be used for the relief and living security of all affected refugees. At the same time,pensation and assistance will be provided to Australians who suffer significant property losses, ensuring they do not end up as refugees or with zero ie due to the losses.


    By the afternoon of November 7,1903, the Australian Army, which was training in the western Sydney mountains, had fully assembled and was gradually heading towards Sydney in the east.


    For now, their task is to station in Sydney¡¯s western suburbs and move quickly to the southeast coast after the typhoon ends tomence the initial rescue work.


    The royal financial group¡¯s relief supplies are also being urgently prepared. To gather enough supplies, the royal financial group will jointly raise funds in Victoria State, New South Wales State, and Queennd State, and then transport them swiftly by cars.


    As the typhoon approached Australia¡¯s southeast coast in the afternoon, it moved from near Melbourne to the northeast. To the shock and relief of the Australian people, the typhoon gradually swept southeastwards.


    This was a fortunate turn of events for Australia. Although the typhoon got close to Australia¡¯s most important southeast coastal area, it merely lingered briefly in the waters off the southeast coast before changing course to the southeast.


    For Australia, the typhoon did not cause significant casualties. Apart from some small ships that were still close to the coast when the typhoon approached, there were no casualties onshore.<div>


    After multiple confirmations that the typhoon had indeed swept away to the southeast, the entire Australian Government rxed and cancelled the previous orders for disaster relief mobilisation, restoring Australia to a state of normal construction.


    Although the mobilisation orders for various departments and the military were cancelled, the relief supplies and funds prepared by the government and the royal family were not returned.


    More precisely, the sums allocated for relief by the government and the royal family were reduced from the original 500,000 and 600,000 pounds to 150,000 and 300,000 pounds respectively.


    However, these relief funds were not prepared for Australia but instead for Australia¡¯s southeast neighbour, New Zend.


    New Zend is located to the southeast of Australia, and is one of Australia¡¯s friendly neighbours and one of the countries with the closest ties.


    Moreover, the cab ministers, were well aware of Arthur¡¯s actions in New Zend, knowing that New Zend was being wooed and could potentially join Australia at some point in the future.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This was something the cab officials were keen to see, especially former colonial governors led by Prime Minister Evan.


    During the Australian colonial period, New Zend had been part of Australia for a long time.


    At present, only 63 years have passed since New Zend formally separated from Australia, and a merger between the two countries and regions is still quite possible.


    The direction the typhoon is heading now is southeast, which may hit New Zend. This cannot be ignored and would be a huge burden and disaster for New Zend¡¯s current precarious financial situation.


    If Australia and Arthur can provide help during this time, it would be worth far more than simply helping New Zend to grow after this disaster.


    As long as they can firmly grasp the hearts of all New Zenders, then New Zend would be a piece of fat meat for Australia to consume ¨C and it would be impossible to escape.


    In the early morning of November 8,1903, in the small town of Opunaki in the southwest part of New Zend¡¯s North Ind.


    This is an ordinary and peaceful small town, with a permanent poption of just over 3,000 people.


    If it weren¡¯t for its proximity to South Taranaki Bay, where residents can go out to sea for fishing, its economic situation might have been simr to that of the towns on the South Ind.


    However, fishing is an unstable source of ie; sometimes it can bring in three to four pounds in a month, while other times it might not even add up to one pound in a month.


    This has cultivated a diligent character in the people living here, who often leave home to fish before dawn and only begrudgingly return when it gets dark.


    Now, although it is just past 4 am, many small fishing boats have already gathered at Opunaki¡¯s shore, hanging kerosenemps in preparation for setting sail. They are heading for the more distant Tasman Sea, where there are many more abundant natural fishing grounds, which can bring them greater ie.


    On an ordinary fishing boat along the coastline, Erik Theodore Cartman and his wife Osra Aquina carefully inspect their belongings, making sure nothing is forgotten before setting out for a new day of sailing.<div>


    ¡°Erik, why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?¡± As they prepare to set out, Osra Aquina suddenly frowns, somewhat uncertainly speaking to her husband, Erik Theodore Cartman.


    ¡°Hmmm? No worries, Osra. You¡¯re probably just tired from worktely; why don¡¯t you go back and rest today? I can manage on my own.¡± Erik Theodore Cartman pauses, thenforts her.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just my imagination, dear. It¡¯s okay, I can hold on until wee back to rest tonight. An extra pair of hands help, don¡¯t they?¡± Hearing her husband¡¯s exnation and reassurance, Osra Aquina also feels that her bad feelings are the product of insufficient rest. She gently shakes her head and clears all distracting thoughts.


    In the time it takes for the couple to speak, several fishing boats have already sailed towards South Taranaki Bay. Erik Theodore Cartman epts his wife¡¯s offer to stay and help, and to keep up with the others, quickly steers the fishing boat towards the Tasman Sea.<div>


    South Taranaki Bay is as calm as usual, surrounded by a peaceful darkness that¡¯s asionally punctuated by the passage of a small fishing boat, the sound of water, and the roar of steam engines.


    As the fishing boat gradually sails out of South Taranaki Bay, Osra Aquina¡¯s feeling of unease grows stronger. The rising waves rippling around her only make her feel more restless.


    ¡°Dear, what¡¯s wrong with me? Why do I keep feeling like something bad is going to happen?¡± Osra Aquina can¡¯t bear it any longer and once again asks her husband, Erik Theodore Cartman.


    This time, Erik Theodore Cartman doesn¡¯tugh off her concerns or offer exnations. His instincts as an experienced fisherman are also telling him that something is off about the area.


    As the waves be more intense, transforming intoyers uponyers of swells, Erik Theodore Cartman¡¯s face grows more serious. He turns to Osra Aquina and says, ¡°You may be right, Osra. We can¡¯t fish today. We must hurry back and warn everyone; a typhoon may being.¡±


    Meanwhile, Erik Theodore Cartman has already started to steer the boat back towards Opunaki.


    ¡°Oh, heavens. Are you sure it¡¯s a typhoon?¡± Osra Aquina looks incredulous, showing no joy in having her premonition confirmed.


    ¡°Although I can¡¯t bepletely sure, it looks likely. Osra, go and warn as many neighbors as possible to evacuate. I¡¯ll find Mister Mayor and have him notify the surrounding towns to evacuate immediately.¡± Erik Theodore Cartman maniptes the fishing boat to return to Opunaki while speaking with a somewhat heavy expression to Osra Aquina.


    If it is really a major typhoon, the damage to New Zend will be enormous. Even if the typhoon does not makendfall, the fishermen in the Tasman Sea and North and South Taranaki Bay will suffer significant casualties and property losses.


    Just in the small town of Opunaki alone, several dozen fishing households have already set out. And that¡¯s not even considering the other towns in North and South Taranaki Bay ¨C probably at least a few hundred fishermen have already gone fishing, no one knows if half of them will be able to escape back to safety. Because Erik Theodore Cartman sails at the highest possible speed, the fishing boat quickly returns to Opunaki¡¯s small harbor.


    Osra Aquina and Erik Theodore Cartman can no longer worry about tidying up the boat. They quickly disembark and each run towards their respective destinations.


    By the time Erik Theodore Cartman arrives at the mayor¡¯s residence and sessfully wakes him up, the typhoon has truly reached the shores of Opunaki.


    Under the influence of the typhoon, the town experiences an unprecedented torrential rain, awakening many people from their sleep, leaving them in shock as they look up at the sky and towards the enormity of the raindrops.<div>


    As a coastal town right near the bay, Opunaki¡¯s strengths have now be its fatal weaknesses. Concurrently, all the residents of the town are able to clearly see the huge typhoon spiral approaching in the distance.


    Without much hesitation, the first reaction of all the residents is to quickly wake their family and flee ind in New Zend without any concern for their belongings.


    Unfortunately, the speed at which humans can run is no match for the speed of a typhoon. They had barely left the town when an over five-meter high giant wave rushes towards Opunaki, instantly engulfing this small town with a history of over a hundred years.

 Chapter 177: 171: Aid in Progress

    Chapter 177: Chapter 171: Aid in Progress


    The typhoon eventually madendfall in New Zend.


    When the residents of Opunaki Town saw the huge waves over five meters high, everyone¡¯s heart sank, and despair began to spread among the crowd.


    However, the typhoon did not give people time tomunicate and cry out; in just an instant, the giant waves swept through the entire Opunaki Town, rolling towards the crowd desperately fleeing outside the town.


    The waves were not the most desperate thing. The shattered trees, houses, and fishing boat debris carried by the waves not only demonstrated the power of typhoons and huge waves but also caused great damage to the crowd, with a follow-up attack after the waves.


    The typhoon, which had already begun killing, was unaware of the crimes it hadmitted. After destroying the fishing town of Opunaki on the North Ind of New Zend, it rushed northward towards North Taranaki Bay.


    On the path of the typhoon¡¯s advance, there was a protruding corner on the North Ind of New Zend, which not only contained more than ten fishing towns but also the secondrgest city on the North Ind, Oand.


    On the afternoon of November 8,1903, Wellington, North Ind of New Zend.


    Apart from Arthur, all major New Zend officials were basically present, sitting in the conference room of the colonial government with furrowed brows.


    In the absence of Arthur¡¯s presence, the person currently presiding over the meeting and holding the highest status was naturally the militarymander of New Zend, Pierce Antony.


    News of the typhoon¡¯sndfall on the west coast of the North Ind had reached Wellington, which was why all important New Zend officials, including General Pierce, were gathered together.<div>


    ¡°Gentlemen, the most urgent task now is to immediately dispatch arge amount of aid, soldiers, and even civilians for rescue to the west coast of Oand to Opunaki. If our rescue is one minutete, hundreds of New Zend civilians may die tragically in this disaster,¡± General Pierce said solemnly.


    Now, during New Zend¡¯s emergency, General Pierce could no longer be concerned about overstepping authority. The most important thing at present was to provide relief to all affected New Zend civilians. Other matters seemed insignificant in the face of disaster.


    ¡°I agree with General Pierce. The most important task for the New Zend government now is to rescue those civilians, even at all costs,¡± Joshua Brock agreed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Joshua Brock was the head of the Royal Assistance Committee left by Arthur in New Zend and also the intermediary between New Zend power and Arthur.


    To some extent, Joshua also represented Arthur¡¯s opinion. Therefore, he was also one of the giants in New Zend¡¯s political arena.


    With Joshua¡¯s approval, General Pierce¡¯s serious expression was visibly rxed. No matter what the situation, General Pierce did not want to offend Arthur. The fact that Joshua, who represents Arthur¡¯s opinion, agreed with his own view, was the most fortunate thing for General Pierce.


    ¡°But General Pierce, the government does not have much money for disaster relief. After thest mission to repair and construct arge amount of projectsmissioned by His Highness the Governor, more than half of the funds provided by the Australian Royal Family for our assistance have been used. Coupled with the government¡¯s consumption during this period, our current avable funds are even less than 100,000 pounds. These funds are not enough for disaster relief while also maintaining government and military expenditures,¡± a colonial official said somewhat helplessly.


    Although the rtionship between the colonial officials and the Garrison Commander General Pierce was not very good in normal times, they could still stand together on such an important matter that concerns New Zend¡¯s popr sentiment.


    But the current situation in New Zend was indeed like this. Having just escaped from the previous economic downturn, along with therge part of Arthur¡¯s aid funds being used in construction, the remaining funds were not enough to be used for disaster relief in the face of this major disaster, which was just a drop in the bucket.


    ¡°I will try my best to help, gentlemen. His Highness has already informed me that the Australian government and the royal family can provide 150,000 and 300,000 pounds of free assistance to New Zend, respectively. This fund will arrive soon, and I believe it can temporarily support the rescue work,¡± Joshua said directly.


    After confirming that the typhoon had left Australia, Arthur informed the person in charge of the Royal Relief Committee in New Zend, Joshua, and also asked Joshua to convey Australia¡¯s assistance.


    Upon hearing Joshua¡¯s statement, everyone visibly sighed with relief. Funding is a serious issue for New Zend right now, and even resorting to civilian loans cannot meet the needs of this disaster relief.


    The 450,000 pounds of aid provided by Australia far exceeded the expectations of all New Zend officials. These funds could at least support the early and mid-term deployment of the rescue operation. The subsequent aftermath andpensation issues could also be handled by the New Zend government with some difficulty.


    ¡°Along with the funds, a batch of grain and clothing will also arrive. However, relying solely on Australia¡¯s assistance is not enough. I suggest that your government immediately request humanitarian aid from the British Empire and European countries to return this beautiful country of New Zend to its pre-disaster state as soon as possible,¡± Joshua proposed.


    The British Empire is now busy with naval armspetition with the German Empire, coupled with Europe¡¯s chaotic situation and current conflicts in the Far East, the resources allocated to New Zend are minimal.


    Moreover, since Arthur became the governor of New Zend, the British Empire¡¯s resource tilt towards New Zend has be even smaller and is still decreasing year by year.


    After all, Queen Victoria¡¯s will has almost turned New Zend into Arthur¡¯s private territory. As long as nothing unexpected happens, New Zend is almost a fat piece of meat for Arthur.


    Under such circumstances, the British nobles, of course, would not waste domestic resources to develop New Zend, which has already be someone else¡¯s territory.


    Moreover, the appointment of the Governor of New Zend was thest will of Queen Victoria during her lifetime, and even Edward VII had no power to change it.<div>


    Any attempt to interfere in New Zend, in the eyes of the British Empire, is a betrayal of Queen Victoria¡¯sst will, and it is also a betrayal of the British Empire.


    Under such circumstances, which official will propose to intervene in New Zend?


    It can be predicted that even if the British Empire agrees to provide assistance to New Zend, it is likely to be only perfunctory assistance.


    As the saying goes, withoutparison there is no harm. Under the premise of Australia¡¯s timely assistance of 450,000 pounds and arge amount of food and clothing, the aid from the United Kingdom seems so insignificant.<div>


    New Zend officials were unaware of Arthur¡¯s conspiracy and regarded Joshua¡¯s proposal as sincere.


    By coincidence, New Zend is indeed in need of various assistance, including funds. Therefore, upon the votes of the people, Joshua¡¯s proposal was quickly agreed upon, asking the European countries, especially the British Empire, for assistance to help New Zend in the disaster.


    November 10,1903.


    After two days of devastation, the typhoon finally passed through Ad, the secondrgest city in New Zend connecting the North Ind and the Oand Penins, crossed the Hauraki Gulf, and entered the Pacific Ocean from Port Fitzroy on Great Barrier Ind, gradually disappearing from the sight of New Zenders.


    It was fortunate for New Zenders that the typhoon, which had wreaked havoc on New Zend for two days, had finally leftpletely, and the disaster in New Zend hade to a preliminary end.


    But the bad news was that the typhoon¡¯s path of destruction stretched from the southwest of New Zend¡¯s North Ind in Opunaki all the way northward to Ad on the western coast of the North Ind, a rtively prime area that included four cities and more than ten small towns with a total poption of more than 300,000 people.


    It was unclear how much damage the typhoon had caused to the region, and all colonial government officials were prepared for Ad¡¯s devastation.


    Around afternoon, the promised 450,000 pounds of aid from Australia, as well as a batch of food and clothing, arrived at the Port of Wellington.


    In order to safely deliver these supplies, the transport fleet even detoured south of the Tasman Sea, passing through Stuart Ind on New Zend¡¯s South Ind, and circled the entire South Ind before delivering the supplies safely.


    At the same time, responses from Europe had also arrived. Although most European countries had no connection with New Zend, they offered aid to New Zend out of humanitarian spirit, even if the aid was minimal.


    Among them, the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire provided the most assistance. The German Empire¡¯s aid was one million marks and several tons of grain, while the Austro-Hungarian Empire¡¯s aid was 500,000 crowns in funds.


    The assistance from the remaining powerful nations was generally simr, all of which were valued at about 5,000 to 10,000 pounds in financial aid, including France.


    New Zend¡¯s colonial government had high hopes for the British Empire, but their financial aid was only 20,000 pounds, far less than the aid from the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.<div>


    In total, the aid from various European countries amounted to nearly 150,000 pounds.


    Among them, the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire contributed 50,000 pounds and 41,000 pounds respectively, making them the two countries with the most aid.


    Although colonial government officials in New Zend were disappointed with the aid from the British Empire, the most important thing at the moment was to carry out emergency rescue operations on the west coast of New Zend¡¯s North Ind, and the New Zend government had no time to worry about anything else.


    However, that doesn¡¯t mean everyone else has no time.


    As the current leader of the Alliance Party and the head of the Advisory Council, Grant is in high spirits.


    Having grown from a small-town mayor to the leader of New Zend¡¯srgest political party and the person in charge of one of the most important administrative agencies, Grant knows who granted him this power and understands that the person can easily take it back.


    In fact, Grant has never forgotten his mission and has been vigorously promoting New Zenders¡¯ support for the Alliance Party since Arthur¡¯s departure.


    Currently, the Alliance Party has grown to be thergest party in New Zend in both name and reality, with more than 20,000 New Zenders supporting the party and more than a hundred officials joining, including mayors ofrge and small cities and core officials of the colonial government.


    Grant keenly grasped the differences between the British Empire and Australia in their aid to New Zend and quickly nned to make this disparity known to more New Zenders.

 Chapter 178: 172: Who should we believe?

    Chapter 178: Chapter 172: Who should we believe?


    ¡°On November 8,1903, New Zend suffered an unprecedented disaster. A typhoon madendfall from the town of Opunaki on the North Ind of New Zend, sessively hitting the towns of New Plymouth, Pio Pio, Hamilton, Huntley, Waitako Harbour, Manukau, Oand, Caperna, Colomandel, and Port Fitzroy. The disaster inflicted tremendous damage on the economy, industries, and all forms of infrastructure on the west coast of the North Ind of New Zend.¡±


    Based on preliminary statistics, the disaster caused at least two million pounds in property damage to New Zend and resulted in the death of over 36,000 people, with 84,000 more injured, some seriously.


    Following the disaster, virtually the entire west coast of the North Ind of New Zend needed to be rebuilt, leaving at least 200,000 people homeless.


    We are grateful for aid from various regions and countries around the world, especially our friendly neighbor, Australia, which on the day of the disaster transported assistance totaling 450,000 pounds, coupled with supplies worth over 100,000 pounds.


    We also appreciate the aid from other countries; the German Empire¡¯s 50,000 pounds, the Austro-Hungarian Empire¡¯s forty thousand pounds, and the support of ten thousand pounds each from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the Russian Empire.


    We sincerely thank all countries for their aid to New Zend. Long live our friendship.


    After the disaster, the colonial government of New Zend will mobilize the entire strength of New Zend to aid the people of the west coast of the North Ind to rebuild their homes. We also call on more New Zenders to join this rescue effort, for up until now, many New Zenders remain missing and require more help.¡±


    Starting from November 12, this report was printed in all newspapers in New Zend and freely distributed to every town in New Zend.


    In a short amount of time, nearly all New Zenders saw this newspaper and report, and understood the scale of the disaster that had urred on the North Ind of New Zend.


    While a few people were curious about the organization that managed to get all newspapers in New Zend to publish this report simultaneously¡­<div>


    More were drawn in by the information in the report, focusing their attention and concern on the North Ind of New Zend.


    In the report, beyond the shocking death toll and the heart-wrenching property damage, what gathered the most attention were the aid provisions from other nations.


    New Zend is a colony of the British Empire. The aid from the other world powers was extraordinarily generous.


    The people of New Zend also see it that way, especially the aid from the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, which was the most generous of all the major world powers at present.


    However, the British Empire, as the current sovereign state of New Zend, offered aid on par with other world powers and was even surpassed by the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires.


    This disappointed many New Zenders loyal to the British Empire. They felt they have been abandoned by the British Empire.


    Compared to the other nations, the aid from Australia appears much more considerable. Not only did they provide 450,000 pounds in funds, they also provided aid in the form of supplies, valued at over 100,000 pounds.


    This means everything to present-day New Zend in the wake of the disaster. Avast number of refugees are in desperate need of supplies and food to sustain their everyday lives.


    As the saying goes,parison is the thief of joy. Whenpared to a number of European nations, particrly the British Empire, Australia¡¯s aid seems much more genuine.


    Furthermore, it was clearly stated in the report that Australia provided aid on the day the disaster struck, unlike the European nations that New Zend had to ask for help.


    Following the report, many New Zenders gradually changed their views, at least bing more friendly towards Australia.


    Quite a few New Zenders now see Australians as good neighbors of New Zend and anticipate a union between New Zend and Australia as projected by the Union Party.


    On November 14,1903, the second batch of aid from Australia arrived in New Zend.


    This batch of aid was mainly in the form of much-needed manpower for the current rescue efforts. Australia gifted New Zend with 30,000 Southeast Asian natives to aid with New Zend¡¯s post-disaster rebuilding work.


    This manpower is just what New Zend needs for its current rescue efforts. The poption of New Zend has always been rtively small. Even after several years of development, it barely exceeds 1.1 million.


    This typhoon directly resulted in a loss of at least 40,000 people for New Zend. This has set the New Zend economy back for at least five years.


    Moreover, with almost half of the North Ind of New Zend affected by the disaster, resulting in refugee numbers exceeding 200,000, the difficulty of New Zend¡¯s rescue efforts has significantly increased.


    On November 17,1903, Arthur personally arrived in New Zend and, after delivering a speech in Oand promising fullmitment to the rescue and rebuilding effort, announced again that he would donate 500,000 pounds to New Zend as the Governor of New Zend.


    As of now, the amount of money New Zend received in aid surpassed 1.1 million pounds, and the amount of grain and supply aid exceeded 150,000 pounds.<div>


    This has substantially alleviated New Zend¡¯s logistic burden and sped up the progress of its rescue efforts.


    From the end of the typhoon on November 10, New Zend¡¯s rescue efforts have been ongoing for seven days, up until November 17.¡±


    From here on out, the focus of the efforts would be ced on post-disaster reconstruction, rather than on searching for the missing citizens.


    This was an inevitable decision, as after waiting for a week, there was almost no hope left for the survival of those who hadn¡¯t been rescued. By the time a rescue team would find them, they would likely have already turned into corpses.<div>


    Many of the refugees were settled in the northern part of the Ad Penins, which houses over ten small towns capable of amodating twenty to thirty thousand refugees.


    Some were relocated to North Palmerston, Picton, Xahart, and Wellington, located in the southern region of the North Ind of New Zend. This area is the heart of New Zend and also where the colonial capital, Wellington, is located.


    This area could amodate at least eighty thousand refugees, who were distributed among the major cities, supplementing the poption of the urban areas in the North Ind.


    Almost a hundred thousand refugees chose to stay in their homnd, despite it being reduced to ruins.


    The most critical part of the reconstruction work was centered around Ad. Ad is home to the secondrgest city on the North Ind, Ad city, including the two major cities of Caperna and Manukau in the north and south.


    The resident poption in this area exceeded two hundred thousand, with over half of them bing refugees.


    The southern part of the West Coast disaster area was mostly made up of small towns. These towns varied greatly in poption, with therger towns housing five to six thousand people and the smaller ones being home to less than a thousand.


    In response to media reports, passionate New Zenders enlisted in the rescue effort and were allocated to these towns. Their responsibilities included aiding the refugees in the reconstruction of their homes andmunities.


    The primary task of the thirty thousand indigenous people donated by Australia and the New Zend Garrison was to rebuild the Ad region, particrly Ad city.


    Ad serves as a vital hub connecting the Ad Penins and the main part of the North Ind of New Zend. Itplements Wellington to the south, and together they form the brightest pearls of New Zend.


    The damage inflicted upon Ad was the least desirable situation for New Zend; hence, its reconstruction was of utmost urgency.


    On November 18th, Arthur once again called in twenty thousand indigenous workers and tens of thousands of Australian workers from Australia.


    The majority of these workers had knowledge of the construction industry. They would y a crucial role in New Zend¡¯s reconstruction efforts.<div>


    At the same time, Arthur implemented a work-for-relief policy in the disaster- stricken areas, encouraging arge number of lightly wounded and uninjured refugees to join in the rebuilding of their homnd.


    As a reward, they would receive additional relief supplies and a small amount of money. This wouldpensate for their financial losses to some extent.


    This policy earned the support of many New Zend refugees, who eagerly joined in the reconstruction efforts along the West Coast of New Zend.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Just a weekter, the West Coast of New Zend had amassed over fifty thousand natives and one hundred and fifty thousand New Zenders. This significantly sped up the reconstruction of the towns and viges.


    During this time, Arthur was extremely busy, and so was Grant.


    As the leader of the New Zend Alliance Party, Grant, upon Arthur¡¯s signal, promptly joined in the reconstruction efforts, setting an example for all political parties and officers in New Zend.


    This earned the Alliance Party the favour of the New Zenders once again. After all, those who personally contributed to the reconstruction of New Zend were far better than those who idled in their offices.


    During this time, Arthur personally visited all disaster-stricken towns in New Zend and met the New Zenders working on reconstruction in these areas.


    Arthur was weed by almost everyone, and some of the more zealous individuals even shouted ¡°Long live¡± in a frenzy upon Arthur¡¯s arrival.


    Arthur didn¡¯t openly react to such demonstrations, but he was pleased with Grant¡¯s actions.


    Considering the extent of the recognition Arthur received in New Zend,bined with the recent disaster and the difference in the amount of aid provided by Australia and the British Empire, perhaps some things could truly change in New Zend.


    On November 26th, 1903, a piece of news was broadcasted, which stirred up New Zend.


    The news headline was rather simple, consisting of only a few words, but deeply struck the hearts of all New Zenders.<div>


    ¡°The British Empire and Australia, who should we trust?¡±


    Both the British Empire and Australia have special rtionships with New Zend. The British Empire is currently the suzerain of New Zend, with New Zend officially part of the empire.


    Meanwhile, New Zend used to be part of Australia, having only seeded in separating from Australia a few decades ago.

 Chapter 179: 173: Losses in Animal Husbandry

    Chapter 179: Chapter 173: Losses in Animal Husbandry


    Both Australia and New Zend used to have a very high degree of recognition towards the British Empire.


    That is why Australia and New Zend continued to maintain a very close rtionship with the British Empire by joining the Commonwealth of Nations after gaining independence, respectively.


    However, it¡¯s slightly different now. In the disaster in New Zend, the support level of the British Empire for New Zend is not very high, and is even merely on par with other European powers.


    Some New Zenders who still regarded the British Empire as their suzerain felt unsatisfied and disappointed. Compared to the aid from Australia, the British Empire¡¯s assistance seemed to be less sincere.


    Previously, there were three opinions on the status and situation of New Zend. The first opinion believed that New Zend should continue to be under the rule of the British Empire, which, as the world¡¯s first superpower, could protect New Zend¡¯s interests well.


    The second opinion held that New Zend should strive for more independence, and even went to the extent of promoting New Zend to be an independent country.


    And the third opinion, like Grant¡¯s, was to have a favorable impression of Australia with a simr status and history as New Zend. They tried to make New Zend and Australia unite, even going back to the era when they were Australian colonies and allowing the two regions to merge thoroughly and firmly.


    Before Australia¡¯s independence, the support levels for these three opinions were in sequence: the first > the second > the third.


    After Australia became the Australian Duchy, the view of New Zenders towards New Zend changed to the second > the third > the first.


    With Arthur bing the Governor of New Zend and carrying out various constructions and relief operations in New Zend, the second and the third opinions basically maintained the same support levels. However, in theter stages, the idea of uniting Australia had already surpassed the concept of an independent New Zend.<div>


    At this point, theplete advantage of merging with Australia hadn¡¯t been fully acknowledged. Many people still ced their expectations on the British Empire and the independence of New Zend.


    There was no doubt that the actions of the British Empire smashed the hopes of these people. Would New Zenders trust a suzerain who didn¡¯t offer them strong support during the disaster?


    Especially whenpared with Australia, the aid from the British Empire seemed like pitiable alms.


    This news article struck deep within the hearts of all New Zenders, as they all pondered one question: where should the future of New Zend head towards?


    Although there isn¡¯t a definitive answer at present, there are quite a few New Zenders whose minds are bing swayed, and they are beginning to focus on the currently popr New Zend Alliance Party.


    On November 29,1903, the 21st day after the typhoon disaster.


    After 21 days of rescue and reconstruction work, much of the debris caused by the typhoon and waves was gradually cleared away.


    This only applied to the urban area that needed to be rebuilt, whilerge parts of the coastal ins continued to be in ruins.


    The damage caused to New Zend by the typhoon went far beyond the surface as it devastated agricultural areas on the West Coast. It is predicted that in a short time, New Zend¡¯s agriculture and animal husbandry industries will be severely affected.


    Unfortunately, agriculture and animal husbandry, being one of the economic pirs for New Zend, are the main means of generating revenue for the current colonial government.


    This also implies that in the future, New Zend¡¯s finance will be facing a deficit, and this deficit couldst for several years.


    As post-disaster reconstruction work entered a rtively stable phase, Arthur finally had time to return to Wellington and discuss the next actions with the officials in Wellington.


    Wellington, Government Building, a certain conference room.


    At this moment, the conference room was more crowded than thest time they had held a meeting discussing ns after the disaster. Hundreds of officials from the New Zend colonial government, the New Zend Labor Party and Alliance Party, the Advisory Council, various city Mayors, Garrison Commander Piers, and leader of the relief organization Joshua filled up the small conference room.


    ¡°Ladies, gentlemen, today¡¯s conference topic is to discuss the next ns for New Zend, including relief ns for the refugees and the focus of our rebuilding efforts. How to enable these refugees to obtain an ie and return to their normal lives is our primary direction.¡± Arthur scanned the room and slowly spoke.


    ¡°Your Highness, everyone,¡± an official from the New Zend colonial government took the initiative to speak, ¡°This typhoon not only caused devastating damage to our cities on the West Coast but also dealt a devastating blow to our animal husbandry industry there.¡±


    ¡°ording to a rough estimate, at least millions of cattle and sheep died in this typhoon, with hundreds of thousands missing. The pasturends on the West Coast suffered severe destruction. Even within a few years, parts of the West Coast¡¯s pastoralnds basically won¡¯t return to their previous state. This also means that New Zend¡¯s economy and national ie will experience a prolonged period of stagnation.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, I believe that in addition to rebuilding the towns on the West Coast, we should also allow these refugees to continue the work-for-relief approach to clean up the vast pasturends on the West Coast. This way, our pastoralnds could recover more quickly, and the refugees could temporarily gain an ie-generating job, allowing them to return to their normal lives.¡±


    New Zend¡¯s pasturends are scattered throughout the North and South Inds, which is why small New Zend can be a major animal husbandry country.<div>


    But unfortunately, the pastures of New Zend¡¯s North Ind are located west of the mountain range, that is, the West Coast and the Oand Penins.


    However, these regions had the misfortune of being hit hardest by the typhoon, causing significant losses to New Zend¡¯s animal husbandry industry.


    The New Zend colonial government official¡¯s suggestion was simple: invest as much human and material resources as possible into the recovery of the animal husbandry industry and pastoralnds. This affected not only the economy and ie of many New Zend herdsmen but also the economy and ie of the entire New Zend.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the pir industry of New Zend, the ie from animal husbandry ounted for more than half of the total revenue of the colonial government and was the industry many New Zenders depended on for survival.<div>


    It was something New Zend was proud of as an animal husbandry powerhouse, but it also made the rebuilding of the industry crucial when facing such a massive disaster.


    Among the hundreds of thousands of affected New Zenders in the disaster- stricken areas, at least half of them worked in the animal husbandry industry.


    This provided them with stable ie and a guarantee to their livelihoods.


    Thus, the best way for them to resume their lives was to restore the animal husbandry industry they relied on, allowing them continuous stable sources of ie instead of simply relying on the government and external relief.

 Chapter 180: 174: Stable Reconstruction, Turbulent Situation

    Chapter 180: Chapter 174: Stable Reconstruction, Turbulent Situation


    On December 1,1903, with the help of Arthur, New Zend received a loan of two million pounds from Australia to rebuild the economy and various infrastructures after the disaster.


    To demonstrate the good rtionship between Australia and New Zend, the loan was interest-free with a repayment date set for twenty yearster.


    The news was widely publicized in New Zend newspapers, promoting the prosperous rtions between Australia and New Zend.


    Indeed, due to this huge amount of funds, New Zend¡¯s rebuilding work progressed smoothly, with towns and pastoral areas systematically reconstructed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    On December 3, Arthur designated November Sth, the day the typhoon had madendfall in New Zend, as the annual Disaster Memorial Day and established a Disaster Memorial Monument at Opunaki, the first point of the typhoon¡¯s arrival.


    Engraved on the monument were clear details about the exact time and location the typhoon urred and the full extent of the damage and injuries caused by the disaster in New Zend.


    On the day the monument was established, Arthur attended the ceremony and personally expressed his condolences to all New Zenders.


    This move won the hearts of all New Zenders as Arthur had provided immediate assistance during the disaster and swiftly arrived in New Zend.


    As members of the Australian royal family and the Governor of New Zend, both Arthur and the New Zend government donated funds, and arge number of personnel and resources were mobilized from Australia to save as many New Zenders as possible from the catastrophe.


    Arthur¡¯s attention to New Zend made the people feel the joy of having an excellent ruler.<div>


    There was a growing sentiment among the residents of New Zend, wishing that Arthur could be their monarch.


    Although Arthur is currently the Governor of New Zend, his termsts only twenty years, with New Zend still nominally under the administration of the British Empire.


    Arthur¡¯s Australia, with its unstoppable growth momentum, has already achieved more than the historical peak of New Zend¡¯s development.


    Moreover, the different attitudes of Australia and the British Empire toward the disaster in New Zend gradually changed the thoughts of most New


    Zenders.


    On December 13,1903, Arthur merged the Advisory Council with the House of Commons in New Zend and renamed the Commons as the House of Representatives.


    At the same time, Grant and Joshua were appointed as lifetime members of the Upper House.


    The Legitive Council was the Upper House of New Zend, appointed directly by the Governor of New Zend and serving for life.


    As one could tell from the name, the Legitive Council¡¯s functions included drafting and revising existingws in New Zend and overseeing the powers of New Zend officials.


    No changes had been made to the Legitive Council since Arthur took office as Governor of New Zend.


    There were six members in the Legitive Council, including Garrison Commander Piers, Grant, and Joshua, with the remaining three being lifetime members appointed by the previous Governor.


    Fortunately, these three expressed their utmost obedience to Arthur, aware that their fates remained in his hands, even as the Governor of New Zend.


    This was, in fact, a counter-bncing measure by the British Empire for self- governing colonies like New Zend.


    In colonies like New Zend, the Governor¡¯s position was equivalent to that of a head of state, representing the British Royal Family and the King.


    The Governor was appointed directly by the King of Britain and not elected from among New Zenders, which meant that the policies enacted would favor the British Empire since everyone knew who their boss was.


    This situation actually benefited Arthur, who, as an irreceable Governor of New Zend, held vast powers in the country, with no individual or power in New Zend able to resist his authority.


    Perhaps Military Commander Piers could have been considered an exception, but he was acutely aware of his abilities and had yet to engage in any conflict with Arthur.


    Under the premise that every New Zend government official was intelligent, no one obstructed Arthur¡¯s merger of the Advisory Council and the House of Commons, which essentially allowed Arthur to infiltrate the Lower House with a substantial number of loyal followers.


    As New Zend¡¯s reconstruction work stabilized, its political situation grew increasingly turbulent.<div>


    On December 17, a member of the Alliance Party delivered a speech in his hometown that shook the entire nation. He extolled Arthur¡¯s greatness and advocated that New Zend should join Australia, just like it had sixty years ago.


    The member unveiled detailed development records of various Australian states from the time before Australia¡¯s independence up to thetest summary of the third quarter of the current year. Amidst the data was a reality¡ª Australia¡¯s six states all underwent high-level, rapid development, and they had advanced far beyond New Zend.


    Of course, what the New Zenders paid attention to was another reality confirmed by this data.


    Australia achieved parallel development in its six states, and even in the smallest popted state of Tasmania, people¡¯s living standards had improved significantly.<div>


    While Tasmania had the smallest poption, its rapid and effective economic growth was evident.


    After building hospitals, schools, nursing homes, orphanages, and highways, life in Tasmania and people¡¯s ies experienced explosive growth, with the current per capita annual ie reaching fifteen pounds, exceeding that of New Zend.


    Not to mention the Australian maind¡¯s other states due to their rich mineral resources, the development of the five states on the Australian continent has been swift. The state with the lowest per capita ie, South Australia, has already exceeded fourteen pounds.


    This ie level has made the people of New Zend envious. From the time New Zend separated from Australia, the highest per capita ie was only sixteen pounds, and it has been gradually decreasing with the downturn in the New Zend economy.


    Especially after this typhoon, the impact on New Zend¡¯s economy would be severe, and its per capita ie would face a cliff-like decline.


    ording to bold predictions by some New Zend newspapers, per capita annual ie at the end of 1903 in New Zend would fall to eleven pounds.


    Things didn¡¯t seem to be getting better. The most significant impact would certainly be felt in 1904, with estimates for the per capita annual ie of New Zenders in 1904 not expected to exceed eleven pounds; maintaining it at ten pounds would already be a rtively good result.

 Chapter 181: 175: Briefcase and Edward VII

    Chapter 181: Chapter 175: Briefcase and Edward VII


    If the predictions made by some newspapers about New Zend¡¯s economy in theing years caused unease and fear among New Zenders, then Arthur and Australia behind him were considered thest straw for them.


    The officer who delivered the speech seized on this point, boldlyparing the British Empire and Australia, and finally drew a disturbing conclusion: that it would be more promising, or more suitable, for New Zend to join Australia rather than continue under the rule of the British Empire.


    What¡¯s disturbing is not the conclusion itself, but the impact it could have on the situation in New Zend.


    After all, New Zend is still under the rule of the British Empire. Although the governor is Arthur, the Duke of Australia, it only fuels the imagination of New Zenders.


    Not many rational New Zenders have seriously considered breaking away from the rule of the British Empire and embracing Australia.


    It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t expect anything from Australia, but the British Empire is still the first of the great powers, and New Zend remains an autonomous colony of the empire.


    Wouldn¡¯t that make New Zend like a mistress of the British Empire, secretly stealing away the empire¡¯s son, Australia?


    Of course, there¡¯s also the fact that New Zend is independent of Australia, considered one of Australia¡¯s children¡­


    Hmm? This seems a bit messy.


    Anyway, the current situation is like this. If New Zend wants to join Australia, it must first get past the British Empire.<div>


    However, invariably, for every rationalist faction, there is an extremist faction, or those with more radical ideas who are not so rational.


    This speech caused quite a stir in that Alliance Party member¡¯s hometown, and with not inconsiderable influence there, many people showed their support, thus expanding the number of supporters for the conclusion.


    Like a wildfire on the prairie, in just under a week, this conclusion spread widely in the North Ind of New Zend, even reaching the northern regions of the South Ind, and is continuing to spread like wildfire.


    Rationalists are still in the minority, especially in this era when the public is easily influenced and ignorant.


    Starting on December 25th, major cities across New Zend saw protests, demanding a referendum be held to let all New Zenders decide their country¡¯s fate.


    The mes of protest spread from Oand, thergest city in the north of New Zend, all the way to Christchurch on the South Ind, which is currently the most developed and elite area in New Zend, including the North Ind.


    The number of protesters grew, and even some workers rebuilding New Zend¡¯s West Coast gradually started living a life of working on reconstruction during the day and joining protests at night.


    The attitude of the New Zend colonial government and the Houses of Parliament towards these nationwide protests is rather ambiguous, neither agreeing nor opposing.


    However, the colonial government can¡¯t really be med ¨C with Arthur, the governor, not speaking out, what right do ordinary officials have to stop the protests?


    So would Arthur stop it?


    The answer is no. Although the protests happened earlier than Arthur had anticipated, it doesn¡¯t mean he would miss such a great opportunity to merge New Zend.


    However, to keep a low profile and to avoid making the British think that he had anything to do with the protests, Arthur announced that he would not participate in New Zend¡¯s unrest and instead let the elected House of Commons and the New Zend colonial government deal with the crisis.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    On December 29, 1903, just as 1903 was about to end, the events in New Zend caused quite a stir in Europe.


    After all, one of the protagonists of this incident was the British Empire, the strongest country in the world today. The whole incident seemed like an internal strife in the British Empire, and all European nations were watching and mocking the British Empire, as well as waiting for the British Empire¡¯s response to this incident.


    Meanwhile, David Martins Simons, the Duke of Australia¡¯s supervisor of European affairs, sessively visited the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire. Although the purpose of Chief David¡¯s visit to these three countries is not known to the people, judging from his performance after leaving these three countries, it seems that his purpose has been achieved.


    On January 1, 1904, Chief David went to the United Kingdom to meet with Edward VII, the reigning monarch of the British Empire and one of the protagonists of this incident in New Zend.


    Edward VII¡¯s initial expression was not very good, after all, the British Empire was the criticized party in this incident. Even if Edward VII had already anticipated that New Zend would leave the British Empire, leaving in such a way was not very dignified.


    Chief David had anticipated this and respectfully presented three handwritten letters and a seemingly secure new-style briefcase.


    The fact that David¡¯s schedule in Europe was no secret, and Edward VII naturally knew where these three handwritten letters came from and what they said.<div>


    Therefore, what Edward was actually curious about was this briefcase, but when he opened this briefcase, or after seeing what was inside the briefcase, he regretted it a bit.


    ¡°How did you get this stuff?¡± Edward VII¡¯s face changed constantly, sometimes gloomy, sometimes shocked, and mixed with what seemed like fear and regret.


    ¡°Your Highness entrusted it to me, Your Majesty. Your Highness told me that when Your Majesty sees the contents of the briefcase, you will understand how important it is to maintain a friendship with Australia,¡± Chief David said calmly.


    Edward VII¡¯s reaction undoubtedly proved how important the contents of the briefcase were, but as a loyal servant and subordinate, Chief David also knew very well that curiosity could indeed kill a person.<div>


    Don¡¯t ask what shouldn¡¯t be asked, don¡¯t do what shouldn¡¯t be done. This is the principle that Chief David has summed up over the years, and he has been practicing it throughout his life.


    ¡°Hmph! Good! What else did Arthur tell you?¡± Edward VII nodded vigorously, his face pale.


    ¡°His Highness said that the current situation in New Zend is inevitable, but the typhoon has only elerated it by more than ten years. His Highness hopes that the British Empire can support the referendum in New Zend. No matter the result, it will be satisfactory for the people of New Zend,¡± Chief David began.


    Edward VII stared at Chief David for a long time, and Chief David remained calm, as if there was nothing in front of him.


    In the end, Edward VII conceded, mmed the documents on the table, and said, ¡°Tell Arthur he won. The British Empire will support the decision of the New Zend people. But also convey a message for me, I hope that this document is the only one in the world, and he is also a member of the royal family of the British Empire. He should understand the importance of the royal family¡¯s reputation.¡±


    This document was Queen Victoria¡¯sst trump card for Arthur, and also Edward VII¡¯s biggest evidence of guilt.


    If this document were to be made public, the damage it would cause to Edward VII personally and the British royal family would be irreparable, and it might even lead to a decline in British royal power.


    This is something neither Edward VII nor Arthur would like to see, and one of the reasons why Arthur did not disclose this document.


    Now that this document has finallye in handy, it is justified in Queen Victoria¡¯s painstaking effort to collect these documents and entrusted them to Arthur.


    After obtaining Edward VII¡¯s promise, Chief David sensibly left the British Empire.


    Although people are not clear about what exactly Edward VII and Chief David talked about, judging from Chief David¡¯s rxed look when he left and the numerous broken pieces of furniture discarded by Buckingham Pce, there seemed to be some demolition happening in Edward VII¡¯s office after Chief David left.

 Chapter 182: 176: 1904

    Chapter 182: Chapter 176: 1904


    On January 2, 1904, the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire sessively issued statements expressing their regret and sorrow for the typhoon incident in New Zend, and announced their support for a public referendum in New Zend to allow New Zenders to decide their own fate.


    Immediately following on January 3, the British Empire, one of the protagonists, also expressed its stance, stating that the British Empire was willing to abide by Queen Victoria¡¯s will and allow New Zenders to decide their own destiny.


    For the New Zenders, this was a great victory, and it seemed that New Zend had stepped into a bright future.


    Arthur could notment on this. As far as everyone knew, from the beginning of the protests to New Zend gaining the right to hold a referendum, Arthur had never shown his face.


    But in fact, only a very few people knew that Arthur¡¯s actions had a decisive role in New Zend¡¯s smooth acquisition of the right to hold a referendum.


    This referendum in New Zend covered the entire New Zend region, including all overseas inds under New Zend¡¯s sovereignty.


    The referendum stipted that only permanent residents of New Zend who were at least twenty years old and had lived in all areas of New Zend for a full ten years could participate in the referendum.


    At present, the total poption of New Zend is as high as 1,073,400, and a total of more than 430,000 people meet this condition.


    The age limit and residency time restrictions significantly reduced the number of people eligible to participate in the referendum.


    However, New Zend had long ago granted women the right to vote, but they currently did not have the right to run for office, only the right to vote.<div>


    Although Arthur did not participate in the entire New Zend referendum process, this did not mean that Arthur had nothing to do during this time.


    On the contrary, as the beginning of the new year arrived, the Australian Cab Government¡¯s 1903 annual summary was sessfully delivered to Arthur, awaiting his review.


    The most noticeable achievement in Australia in 1903 was in terms of poption; at the beginning of 1903, the Australian poption was approximately 4,263,900 people.


    By January 1904, the Australian poption had exceeded 4,566,600, and the poption growth rate reached an impressive 7.1 percent.


    This also increased the number of Australian cities with a poption of over 500,000 to two, with Sydney and Melbourne bing the two most brilliant jewels of Australia.


    The industrial development in 1903 was not as rapid as in 1902, but the steel production reached 390,000 tons and 670,000 tons, respectively.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s total steel output has exceeded one million tons, making it no exaggeration to call it an industrial country.


    In that year, Australia also discovered arge number of mineral resources, thergest being coal and iron mines.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s proven iron ore reserves are as high as 1.5 billion tons, and total reserves of bituminous coal and brown coal are as high as 13 billion tons.


    Such abundant magnesia iron ore reserves will be a powerful support for Australia¡¯s industrial development and make Australia one of the countries withrge reserves of coal and iron ore.


    It is worth mentioning that Australia has also discovered over 10 million tons of petroleum, most of which is located along the southeastern coast of Australia and the west coast of Australia.


    With the global sales of Benz One, the demand for petroleum consumption is increasingly high.


    This has led to a spike in the original low price of oil, gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products, which has also enabled some countries and regions with oil to see a chance to make money.


    Unlike New Zend¡¯s livestock industry, which suffered heavy losses, Australia¡¯s livestock industry can be said to be thriving.


    At present, ording to rough estimates, Australia has more than 120 million sheep, tens of millions of cattle, and other livestock, with over one million people engaged in the livestock industry, making it a true livestock superpower.


    Currently, Australia¡¯s livestock products, including wool, milk and sheep¡¯s milk, beef and mutton, have established sales channels in Europe, the Americas, and parts of Asia. Livestock products have brought in more than two million pounds of annual ie for Australia.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Australia has notgged in the development of agriculture. Although most of the country¡¯snd is made up of deserts and other unsuitable nting areas, the vast size of the country means that there are extensive areas avable for cultivation.


    Due to the government¡¯s encouragement ofrge-scale nting, many farm owners have begun to seek to expand their farms.


    In addition, the development of Australia¡¯s industry has led to arge urban poption and job opportunities, makingrge-scale agriculture possible.<div>


    This is good news for Australia, as its agriculture could eventually transition into arge farming model.


    With the extensive use of machinery, arge amount ofbor can be saved, and a small amount ofbor and machinery can aplishrge-scale farming.


    In terms of transportation, Australia has also achieved remarkable results.


    Firstly, there are roads connecting major and minor cities in each state capital, which are usually funded by state governments and supported by the Australian government.<div>


    By January 1904, except for the more extensive areas of West Australia and South Australia, the other four states had basically connected the highways to all towns, establishing a highwaywork centered around their state capitals.


    Based on the highwaywork of each state, the Australian government has also built a highwaywork connecting the capitals and important cities of each state.


    This has made the widely-traded Australia have a well-developed highwaywork, making it more convenient for Australians to travel.


    Especially the highways funded by the Australian government, they are basicallyrge roads with threenes in each direction.


    Although this has increased the investment of the Australian government in transportation, it has indeed made it more convenient for Australians to travel.


    Second is the railway.


    Up to now, the construction of Australia¡¯s industrial railways has been going on for more than two years, and the achievements have been very good.


    Of course, the main part of the railway construction is still in the southeast of Australia, which has thergest poption and the most developed economy.


    The current railway haspleted the main part from Brisbane, the capital of Queennd State, to Adide, South Australia State, sessfully connecting Queennd, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.


    The connected cities are countless, and therger ones include Brisbane, Newscastle, Sydney, Albus, Melbourne, Geelong, Adide, and Augustaport.


    This section of the railway has almost half of the industrial railway distance, and the reason for such rapid construction is that this area originally had a rtively developed railwaywork.


    In areas with less poption like West Australia and South Australia, railway construction is slower.


    South Australia is still good, with the current railway built from Augustaport to Adide and connected to the southeastern part of the industrial railway.<div>


    However, in West Australia, the current railway construction is just from the capital Perth to Geraldton and Albany, two port towns of West Australia, and the reason for connecting these two towns is to facilitate the transport of West Australia.


    The section of railway connecting West Australia and South Australia, that is, the section of railway connecting Perth and Augustaport, will be the most difficult part of the entire industrial railway construction because there are very few original railways in this area, and almost all need to be built anew.


    If the construction goes smoothly, this section of the railway will bepleted in four years. But if the progress is not very smooth, thepletion time of this railway section may be dyed to five or even six yearster.


    However,pared to the initial construction time of the industrial railway, this is still a reduction. At the beginning, the industrial railway n was to bepleted within ten years, and it now seems that it takes only about six to eight years.


    The only area not covered by the railway n is Tasmania State, which is the smallest and least popted state in Australia.


    To take care of the feelings of the residents of Tasmania, Arthur speciallyunched a round-ind highway construction n in Tasmania, mainly connecting the northern city Smithton and the southern city Hobart on Tasmania Ind, as well as some small towns scattered in the east and west.


    Compared with the overall highway construction in Australia, the highways in Tasmania State are still a small part, even though they connect smaller viges and some farms.


    This is also the reason why the highway construction in Tasmania State is so smooth. Up to now, Tasmania State haspleted the construction of the round-ind highway, both major cities, Hobart and Smithton, have been connected by the highways, and all small towns and viges are within the construction range of the urbanwork.


    This has made Tasmania the most developed area in Australia in terms of highway transportation, and has greatly appeased the residents of Tasmania State who regret that their area cannot build railways.


    As for the Australian people, there is another significant change, which is that the per capita ie of Australia has seen a significant increase.


    As of January 1904, the per capita ie of all states in Australia had exceeded fifteen pounds, and even in rtively developed states like Victoria and New South Wales, the per capita annual ie had reached sixteen pounds.


    This level of ie has almost doubledpared to when the Australian Principality was first established, which can also verify the development of Australia¡¯s industry and economy during this period.


    Although this ie level is less than halfpared to the powerful nations, it is almost at the same level as ordinary European countries.<div>


    Moreover, Australia¡¯s per capita ie level is far from being finalized and is still in a growth stage.

 Chapter 183: 177: New Zealand Referendum

    Chapter 183: Chapter 177: New Zend Referendum


    During the preparation for the referendum in New Zend, Australia also weed its fourth National Day, which means that Australia has been established for a full four years now.


    This year¡¯s National Day celebration was not as grand as previous years, mainly because the Royal Pce and the Administrative Building were under construction and there was no military parade.


    The main activities were g-raising and government¡¯s annual speech. Arthur did note back to Australia for the National Day celebration.


    After half a month of preparation, the referendum in New Zend officially began on January 15th, 1904.


    In order to ensure the fairness of the referendum, the New Zend Colonial Government had deployed almost all colonial officials and stationed soldiers to firmly resist any unfair practices.


    In addition, New Zend invited officials from countries such as the German Empire, the British Empire, France, Australia, and the Kingdom of the Nethends to serve as witness teams to ensure the fairness of the referendum.


    Of course, these officials were actually colonial officials from the surrounding areas of New Zend, which helped them to quickly arrive in the country.


    However, these people were genuinely acting on behalf of their respective countries, carrying out their orders ordingly.


    In order to ensure the fairness of the referendum, the voting period wouldst from January 15th to February 15th, a whole month.


    During this time, New Zend would invite the entire witness team to randomly inspect all towns in the country to ensure the fairness of the referendum.<div>


    There were three options for this referendum: New Zend¡¯s independence; continued rule by the British Empire as an autonomous colony; and joining Australia.


    From these three options, the least popr one seemed to be New Zend¡¯s independence.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the recent typhoon crisis, the people of New Zend have seen the inadequacy of New Zend¡¯s individual strength.


    If it weren¡¯t for the help of Australia and European countries, the disaster relief efforts in New Zend alone would have caused more casualties and losses.


    This situation is actually amon mdy worldwide, as small countries and regions are like meat on the hunter¡¯s table, waiting to be divided by powerful nations.


    Given New Zend¡¯s size, even if it sessfully bes independent, it would only be a joke.


    Although its economy and industry are much better off than those of Asian countries of the same size, it still cannotpete with European nations.


    Moreover, a fully independent New Zend would be free from control of the British Empire, but it would also attract the attention of other powerful nations.


    New Zend¡¯s size is not sufficient to resist any powerful nation, not even capable of fighting against secondary powers such as Spain and the Nethends.


    Such a result might not be better than remaining part of the British Empire, which is still the world¡¯s first superpower and capable of protecting all its colonies.


    With the anticipation of all New Zenders, the referendum officially began.


    Within the territory of New Zend, hundreds of collection points were set up to collect the referendum choices of all New Zenders.


    In addition, the New Zend colonial government would help organize collection efforts in remote areas, trying to allow as many eligible New Zenders as possible to participate in the referendum.


    Due to the small size of New Zend¡¯snd area, the referendum was only held for one month.


    However, the counting process took another half a month, and the referendum results would not be officially announced until March 1st.


    New Zend¡¯s referendum attracted the attention of some regions around the world. After all, besides the special case of Australia, this was also the first time that the inhabitants of a colony would have control over their destiny.


    This even gave some colonial nations hope for independence, as they too wanted to instigate a referendum in order to gain independent status.


    Unfortunately, their rulers did not have the evidence that Arthur had, and their actions were destined to fail.


    European colonial countries that had not experienced World War I and World War II were absolutely unwilling to give up their colonies.<div>


    Even some smaller European countries considered their colonies extremely important, let alone the old powers that relied on colonies for huge profits and resources.


    The politicians of these countries had even anticipated the harm that events like New Zend¡¯s would bring to their colonies, so they had already ordered their colonial armies to be on high alert to suppress any potential colonial rebellion.


    At this time, the attitude of various countries towards the inhabitants of their colonies was still rtively cruel, and human rights for the colonial residents could only be a luxury envisaged half a centuryter.


    Arthur did not appear in this referendum, but his representative, Joshua, represented Australia and inspected all cities in New Zend on behalf of Arthur.<div>


    This referendum attracted enthusiastic participation from New Zenders, and the constantly full collection boxes in various towns showed that arge number of people took part in the referendum, which would better reflect the true opinions of the New Zend people.


    Wellington, Ad, Christchurch on the South Ind of New Zend, and Invercagill were the cities where the witness team visited most frequently.


    That¡¯s because these four cities were the most populous and rtively economically developed cities in New Zend.


    Among them, Wellington and Ad are located in the North Ind of New Zend, Christchurch and Invercagill are located in the South Ind of New Zend.


    However, the poption scale and economic development of the two cities in the South Ind were far behind those of Wellington and Ad.


    Wellington and Ad in New Zend both have poptions exceeding 100,000, especially in Wellington, where the poption has reached more than 150,000.


    It is worth mentioning that when New Zend was just separated from Australia, its colonial capital was Ad.


    It was not until 1865 that the colonial capital of New Zend was moved from Ad to Wellington, the southernmost part of the North Ind of New Zend where it could be seen across the sea from the northernmost part of the South Ind.


    But at that time, Wellington was still a backward town, and the decision to choose Wellington as the capital came from the advice of Australian parliamentarians (since Australian parliamentarians were rtively neutral and had good rtions with New Zend).


    The reason for relocating the capital was not that Ad had a bad geographical location.


    On the contrary, Ad and its neighboring cities were located in the ins, where they had thergest poption and the most developed economy at the time in New Zend.


    However, after gold was discovered in the South Ind of New Zend, the New Zend colonial government feared that the people of the South Ind might develop a desire for independence and establish a new colony due to the discovery of gold mines, and the fact that the capital was located in the northernmost part of the North Ind of New Zend. So, the government decided to relocate the colonial capital to Wellington, which was closer to the center of New Zend.


    When Wellington became the capital of New Zend, it was just a small town with a poption of less than 5,000.<div>


    With the development of New Zend by sessive Governors, Wellington gradually grew into a city and became the secondrgest port city in New Zend, second only to Ad.


    At present, Wellington has be the political, industrial, and economic center of New Zend, surpassing Ad and bing the country¡¯srgest city.

 Chapter 184: 178: Outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War

    Chapter 184: Chapter 178: Outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War


    The time entered February 1904, and the situation in the Far East became increasinglyplicated, with the whole region shrouded in a crisis of war.


    The protagonists of the crisis were naturally the dominant Russian Empire in the Far East and the emerging Ind Nation.


    As a recently risen country, Ind Nation has gained considerablend from a series of wars and incidents and has greatly expanded its own military.


    However, mineral resources within Ind Nation are scarce, and the small Korean Penins they acquired is insufficient to alleviate their resource problems.


    Although Ind Nation signed a mineral resource import agreement with Australia, the cost was at least double the market price to acquire valuable mineral resources.


    For the cash-strapped Ind Nation, this was a considerable burden. Coupled with existing loans from the British Empire and the United States, high interest rates and fiscal deficits were gradually bing unbearable for Ind Nation¡¯s finances.


    They naturally turned their gaze to the north of the Korean Penins, where the East Three Provinces, rich in mineral resources,y.


    Thisnd had a sufficient poption,rge areas of arablend, and abundant mineral resources.


    More importantly, due to its connection with the Korean Penins, its mineral resources could be quickly transported to the maind of Ind Nation through the ports of the penins, much more convenient and economical than importing mineral resources from Australia.


    However, there was a problem: thisnd that Ind Nation valued had been upied by the Russian Empire several years ago.<div>


    As the master of the Far East, the Russian Empire would naturally not give up thisnd, after all, their Yellow Russia n wasmon knowledge.


    Would a starving hunter give up hunting in his abundant hunting ground at his doorstep just because there are strong guards?


    Obviously, he would not, because if he does not act, he will starve to death. Faced with the threat of death, even the most formidable enemies must fight with all they have.


    That¡¯s the situation Ind Nation is facing now. If they don¡¯t do something, their current finances could drag the whole country down, shattering their dreams of revival and negating the efforts of everyone from emperor tomoner over decades.


    Would Inders ept such an oue? Impossible. Moreover, before acquiring the Korean Penins, Ind Nation had waged a gamble of national destiny.


    It was this war that led Ind Nation to acquire the Korean Penins, arablend with decent resources, and take their first step towards rising to power.


    Starting from August of the previous year, Ind Nation had officiallyunched negotiations with the Russian Empire, attempting to divide their respective interests in the Far East.


    The Ind Nation proposed that the Russian Empire recognize Ind Nation¡¯s superior interests in Korea, while Ind Nation would only recognize the special interests of the Russian Empire in the Manchurian Railway.


    This was tantamount to asking the Russian Empire to give up Korea without gaining anything in return, which the Russian Empire naturally would not agree to.


    The negotiations hadsted for six months. The Ind Nation sought to use peaceful means to divide interests with the Russian Empire in the Far East, but ultimately found it unfeasible, and decisively abandoned this n.


    On February 6, 1904, Ind Nation unterally notified the Russian Empire, dering an end to the negotiations between the two countries and severing diplomatic rtions with the Russian Empire.


    At this point, war between the two countries was inevitable, and the end of negotiations actually signaled theunch of negotiations through a more assertive method.


    Indeed, two dayster, without a deration of war, Ind Nation¡¯s navy attacked the Russian fleet stationed at Port Arthur Harbor, triggering the war for dominance in the Far East.


    At the time, the referendum in New Zend was still ongoing, and Arthur naturally did notment on the situation in the Far East. However, he had the Australian and New Zend governments issue a deration of neutrality, dering that Australia and New Zend would remain neutral in this war.


    Nevertheless, Arthur had the military factories contact the Russian Empire and Ind Nation immediately to ask if they needed to buy more weapons and equipment, and Australia could increase production to get it to them as fast as possible.


    After all, dering neutrality didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t engage in the arms trade. The United States did just that, initially dering neutrality to profit from the arms trade, and joining the conflict directly once prospects became clear, securing a high position among the victors at the lowest cost.


    Compared to the strongly resolute Ind Nation, the Russian Empire was divided on this crisis of dominance.


    The Russian Empire¡¯s attitude could be divided into two factions: the peace advocates, led by the Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs, who saw the crisis in the Russian Empire¡¯s domestic and international situation and advised Tsar Nichs II not to lightly initiate war.


    The peace advocates suggested making some concessions to secure peace for a short time. Meanwhile, they would increase economic exploitation and preparations for war in the Far East. Once the Siberian Railway was fully operational and the peripheral fort stopped near Port Arthur port waspleted, then they could seize the opportunity to have a major showdown with Ind Nation.<div>


    The peace advocates were not purely peace-loving: their advocacy for temporary peace was simply to better prepare for war, which is in line with the tradition of Russians who have never feared war.


    The other faction was the warmongers, represented by the Imperial Minister, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Governor of the Far East.


    These people were extremely fanatical chauvinists, imperial adventurers. They were very confident in the military power of the Russian Empire and had little regard for the newly emerging country of the Ind Nation.


    They believed that a small mobilization of the Russian Empire¡¯s army could easily annihte the enemy from the Ind Nation.<div>


    Such a hearty victory could also ease the revolutionary crisis within the Russian Empire, and, based on external expansions, ensure domestic stability, killing two birds with one stone.


    This belief wasrgely due to the growing intensity of the revolutionary wave within the Russian Empire, and its upper echelons were already seeking ways to resolve the crisis from other angles.


    But the Russian Empire is an authoritarian country, where the Tsar has absolute power. All decisions had to be made by Tsar Nichs II.


    However, during the time when Nichs II was still the Crown Prince, he had travelled abroad by the order of Tsar Alexander III to visit several countries.


    Nichs II passed through Greece, Egypt, India, the Ind Nation and the Qing Empire, then returned from Siberia in the Far East.


    This made Nichs II the first person in the Russian Empire to have visited Asia.


    However, this Asian trip was not pleasant and left Nichs II with a strong hatred and animosity towards the Ind Nation.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In 1891, Nichs, then Crown Prince of the Russian Empire led his close friend George, the Greek Prince, and more than 30 others to the Ind Nation.


    At that time, the Ind Nation was still a weak country, and the visit of Crown Prince Nichs was fully weed by the Ind Nation Government.


    To ensure the safety of Crown Prince Nichs, the Ind Nation Government made great efforts. They increased police force, ensuring stringent precautions in order to ensure everything went smoothly.


    On the other hand, the then Foreign Minister of the Ind Nation, Aoki Chikugo, and the Russian Ambassador to the Ind Nation agreed that in the event of an assassination, the culprit would be sentenced to death for the crime of undermining the royal family as per the Penal Law, with no room for leniency.


    Yet the unexpected happened so suddenly. On May 11, 1891, Crown Prince Nichs was assaulted during his tour of the Mega Metropolis by Police officer Mitsuzou Tsuda, who was responsible for his security.


    The assassination attempt ultimately failed. Although Nichs was stabbed twice, his life was not in danger.<div>


    However, the rtionship between the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation cooled significantly, and Nichs II, due to this incident, had no affection for the Ind Nation and even harboured extreme hatred and contempt.


    What would be the reaction of such a man, who held such hatred and contempt for the Ind Nation, upon hearing that the Ind Nation wanted topete with the Russian Empire for dominance in the Far East?


    Would he angrily exim that these yellow monkeys deserved to die, or would he calmly consider the opinions of the peace party?


    As a matter of fact, Nics II had both views. He was clear that the Russian Empire¡¯s current preparations were not sufficient and hoped to postpone the war.


    At the same time, Nichs II was convinced that hard-line measures were the best way to maintain dominance. He believed that the best way to postpone the war was to adopt hard-line measures, as any concession would always lead to new concessions.


    Such seemingly inconsistent thoughts, in fact, were in support of the hardliners¡¯ point of view.


    The Russian Empire indeed was not fully prepared; the Russian Army in the Far East had less than a hundred thousand men, and even fewer were equipped with modern weapons.


    Although a batch of weapons and equipment was purchased from Australia, more than half of these were allocated to European armies. The forces stationed in the Far East only received about one-third of this.


    The entire Russian Army in the Far East had barely two hundred cannon, twenty heavy machine guns, and just over ny-thousandbat troops.


    In terms of the navy, although the Russian Navy had more than 200 warships, the Pacific Squadron, which could be employed in the Far East region, had just over 60 warships.


    Meanwhile, the Ind Nation Navy already had over 80 warships, with a total tonnage exceeding 270,000 tons.


    Most of the main battleships were new warships built in Britain, with uniform specifications and good performance.


    A battleship ordered from Australia had not beenpleted and was therefore not included in the statistics.<div>


    For its army, the Ind Nation could deploy over 210,000 troops outside its nativend, with thousands of cannon, and more than fifty heavy machine guns.


    Looking at the raw data alone, the Russian Empire was already at a considerable disadvantage in the Far East. Although the navy could barely maintain bnce, the number of troops, quantity, and advanced level of equipment, were entirely outmatched by the Ind Nation.


    However, the arrogant Russian Imperial Government naively believed that the Ind Nation would never dare to provoke the great Russian Empire. They believed that as long as the Russian Empire showed a tough side, the Inders wouldpromise.

 Chapter 185: 179: Full-scale war breaks out, referendum results announced

    Chapter 185: Chapter 179: Full-scale war breaks out, referendum results announced


    On February 6th, after breaking off diplomatic rtions with the Russian Empire, the Ind Nation prepared its army and navy in the Far East for a possible war, while dying the war as much as possible to give the military more preparation time.


    As per international conventions, two countries usually undergo two steps before waging war: dering war and severing diplomatic rtions. Since the Ind Nation did not dere war on the Russian Empire, officials of the Russian Empire, including Tsar Nichs II, thought that the Ind Nation was only threatening and probing, not daring to wage war.


    This mentality affected the preparation of the war in the Far East to some extent. Many Russians believed that the Ind Nation could notunch a war on its own, so the war preparations were slow.


    At this time, arge part of the Russian Empire¡¯s Pacific Squadron was still anchored in the outer harbor of Port Arthur. The alert level of warships remained the same as before. Although a decision had been made to strengthen security measures, it had not been fully executed yet.


    Although Governor of the Far East, Alekseyev, had learned about the breakdown of negotiations between the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire, he did not take any urgent measures to address the situation.


    He blindly believed that the Ind Nation could not wage war, so even a few hours before the war broke out, he confidently told General Witteveen, the Chief of Staff of the Pacific Squadron, ¡°War will note.¡±


    But just a few hours after he said that, on February 8th, 1904, the Ind Nation deployed its fleet andunched a surprise attack on the Russian Empire¡¯s Pacific Fleet in the outer harbor of Port Arthur.


    At this time, the Russian Far East Fleet was divided into three parts: one part remained in divostok, and another was stationed at Incheon Port of Korea.


    The one stationed at Port Arthur was the main force of the Pacific Squadron,manded by Admiral Tasker of the Russian Empire.


    The Ind Nation¡¯s n for the surprise attack was also divided into three parts: a small fleet headed north to guard against the Russian fleet in divostok to reinforce, another fleet consisting of six cruisers, including a cruiser produced in Australia.<div>


    The target of this fleet was the Varyag and Koreets in Incheon Port.


    As for the rest of the United Fleet, their target was the main force of the Pacific Squadron at Port Arthur Bay.


    At around 10 pm, the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet sessfully arrived outside Port Arthur. It was already dark, and the sky was pitch ck due to the winter night.


    The Russian Pacific Fleet waspletely unprepared for the arrival of the Ind Nation fleet.


    This naturally determined the fate of the fleet. Despite the many trends of warfare, Governor Aleksei of the Far East and Commander Stark of the Pacific Fleet ignored the situation, arrogantly believing that the Ind Nation could notunch a war and took no measures to strengthen their defenses.


    To avoid rming their adversaries, the Ind Nation first dispatched a few torpedo boats to quietly enter Port Arthur.


    However, the ships anchored at the outer harbor noticed something was wrong and turned on searchlights to find the torpedo boats.


    But that still couldn¡¯t stop the action of the torpedo boats. In just a few minutes, several torpedo boats fired dozens of torpedoes at nearby battleships and cruisers. Although more than half missed, about ten torpedoes hit nearby Russian warships.


    The most heavily damaged were the nearest Peresvet-ss battleship and the gship of the Pacific Fleet, the Crown Prince.


    It is worth mentioning that when the roar of torpedoes and the sound of Russian warships firing back reached the shore, General Tasker and others were still puzzled.


    Some people at the banquet spected that warships were firing salute shots, while others thought it was a military exercise, which made the fleetmander Tasker somewhat hesitant and credulous.


    It was not until someone reported that the warships were attacked that Tasker was shocked and hurriedly ended the banquet.


    This surprise attacksted several hours. In the end, the Ind Nation fleet had to retreat due to the strong fortifications and coastal guns of Port Arthur.


    However, the attack was not unsessful, as the Pacific Fleet¡¯s Peresvet-ss battleship and Tsesarevich-ss battleship were seriously damaged and unable to participate in the battle in a short period.


    Other warships, including two cruisers and several small warships, also suffered various injuries, and theirbat power was greatly reduced.


    The most sessful sneak attack was on the small fleet at Incheon, where due to the advantage in numbers, the Russian warships were no match for the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet. After some fighting, both warships were sunk.


    When the news of the fleet being attacked reached the Russian Empire, it was already noon on the second day.


    Russian officials were furious, and Tsar Nichs II smashed several ornaments.


    Soon after, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs received a deration of war from the Ind Nation¡¯s ambassador.<div>


    The Ind Nation¡¯s exnation was that their telegraph machine broke down, which dyed the deration by one day.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Russian Empire replied with disdain, disgust, and hatred, ¡°Your country¡¯s shameful remarks are nauseating, and the Russian Empire will make you pay.¡±


    Since the ind nation attacked the Russian Empire¡¯s Pacific Squadron on February 8th, the war between the Russian Empire and the ind nation broke out in full scale the next day, February 9th.


    As a war between one of the old powers, the Russian Empire, and the emerging ind nation, it was a major event throughout the world.<div>


    After the war broke out in full scale, the Far East once again attracted the attention of the whole world.


    Just like the previous crisis, the British Empire and the United States stood on the side of the ind nation, while the German Empire sided with the Russian Empire.


    In order to win over and maintain rtions with the Russian Empire, France had no choice but to stand on the side of the Russian Empire as well.


    Most other countries were basically just watching the war with a spectator mentality, as the mes of war were in the Far East and could not touch Europe at all.


    Australia and New Zend quickly dered neutrality on February 9th.


    Apart from selling armaments to these two countries, Arthur really was not interested in the war.


    After all, for Australia and New Zend, the ongoing referendum was the most important issue of concern.


    However, this could be considered a good thing, as the attraction of the war in the Far East meant that New Zend¡¯s referendum did not attract attention, and Arthur¡¯s role in the process was gradually forgotten.


    On February 15th, 1904, the voting process for New Zend¡¯s referendum came to an end and entered a month-long counting phase.


    Due to the possibility of hundreds of thousands of votes, New Zend had specifically borrowed hundreds of officials from neighboring colonial powers to help with the count.


    The reason for not borrowing people from Australia and the British Empire was that these two countries were also part of the protagonists of the referendum, and allowing them to help with the count would inevitably lead to criticism.


    Indeed, thanks to the hundreds of officials borrowed from the colonial powers, the counting of the referendum votes could have taken even more time.


    After a month of painstaking counting, on March 15th, 1904, the results of New Zend¡¯s referendum were officially released.<div>


    The referendum attracted the participation of the vast majority of eligible New Zenders, with a total of 406,327 votes received, representing 94% of the eligible voters.


    Among the three options avable for the referendum, the least supported was the choice of New Zend¡¯s independence.


    Only about 13,000 people supported New Zend¡¯s independence, ounting for just 3% of the total number of voters.


    This indirectly shows that New Zenders do not think that independence could bring them a better life; on the contrary, they would be more vulnerable to the aspirations of other countries.


    The most popr option was to join Australia.


    Perhaps it was because Arthur, the Duke of Australia, yed a crucial role in resolving New Zend¡¯s crisis this time, or perhaps it was because of the natural goodwill and eptance New Zenders have for Australia, or perhaps it was because of the brainwashing done by Grant¡¯s Alliance Party to the New Zenders; in any case, the option to join Australia received overwhelming support in this referendum.


    A total of 57,000 people supported New Zend¡¯s continued membership in the British Empire, ounting for 14% of the total number of votes.


    On the other hand, over 336,000 people chose to join Australia and form a federation with Australia, ounting for more than 82% of the total number of votes.


    With an overwhelming 82% majority, joining Australia became the choice for New Zend after the referendum.


    When the New Zend colonial government officially announced the results of the referendum on March 15th, the streets of New Zend once again filled with people crying tears of joy.


    New Zenders seemed to see the hope of prosperity and development for their country and the wealthy and beautiful life of New Zenders, just like Australians.


    From March 16th, slogans such as ¡°Long Live the Federation!¡± and ¡°Long Live Duke Arthur!¡± appeared on the streets of New Zend, as people seemed to celebrate the rebirth of New Zend and the joy of having Arthur as their monarch as well in this way.


    On March 17th, 1904, Arthur delivered a speech in Wellington, as the Governor of New Zend, announcing that the New Zend colonial government recognized the results of the referendum and dered that after Australia took over New Zend, the colonial government would officially be reorganized as the New Zend Government, keeping both Houses of Parliament intact.<div>


    Also on that day, New Zend and Australia received congrattions from many countries, including the German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russian Empire, ind nation, France, and the United States, among many others, and the congrattions from the British Empire arrivedst.


    On March 18th, 1904, Arthur, as the Duke of Australia, weed all New Zenders, promising that after the establishment of a new federation, he would treat New Zenders as Australians, and that both New Zenders and Australians were his subjects.

 Chapter 186: 180: Australia and the New Zealand Federation

    Chapter 186: Chapter 180: Australia and the New Zend Federation


    On March 20, 1904, officials from the Australian Government and the New Zend Government officially met in Sydney, Australia, and began a peaceful discussion period thatsted over ten days.


    These so-called peaceful discussions were actually negotiations between the two governments on the process of forming a Federation, as well as discussing how much power the two countries would have in the Federation and the future rtionship between the two governments.


    Although the formation of a Federation between New Zend and Australia had be inevitable, the question of who should lead the Federation and how the two regions should merge was still a matter for discussion.


    There were many participants in the meeting, mainly the Australian Duchy Government and the New Zend Government, which came from the temporary reformation of the New Zend colonial government.


    In fact, there is essentially no difference between the current New Zend Government and the New Zend Colonial Government, other than Arthur¡¯s status.


    In addition to the governments of the two countries and regions, members of the Houses of Parliament from Australia and New Zend also attended the meeting.


    However, in reality, whether it is Australia or New Zend, whether it is the government or the parliament, both are basically controlled by Arthur.


    Therefore, this conversation between New Zend and Australia to form a Federation can also be regarded as a conversation among Arthur¡¯s subordinates.


    Indeed, if Arthur so wished, such talks would not even be necessary. After all, New Zend¡¯s executive power is also controlled by Arthur. General Pierce, who held military power, returned to the British Empire after the referendum in New Zend, and the current New Zend garrison has been renamed the New Zend National Defense Army, with themander also being sent by Arthur.


    Despite this, the division of power between the two regions after the formation of the Federation still needs to be clearly defined.<div>


    After all, any gaps and differences may cause the huge nation to disintegrate in the future, and Arthur¡¯s hard-won Australian base may also be affected.


    The meetingsted for more than ten days, during which various detailed power divisions, including the parliament, government, etc., were discussed, and some analysis and conjecture were made regarding any possible situations that may arise in the future Federation.


    On April 11, 1904, Australia and New Zend jointly issued a statement announcing the establishment of the Australia and New Zend Federation, with the Federal Capital in Sydney.


    Also on that day, at the request of arge number of New Zend people and many New Zend high officials, Arthur agreed to be the Duke of New Zend, serving as an elected Duke to rule the Principality of New Zend.


    Although Australia and the new New Zend both adopted monarchy, there are still significant differences in terms of structure and other aspects.


    Australia is a monarchist duchy simr to a territory, and the whole of Australia can be regarded as Arthur¡¯s private property.


    However, the title of Duke of Australia is also under the British Empire¡¯s royal family, which means that the Australian Duchy has an inseparable rtionship with the British Empire.


    If one day, the Australian royal family where Arthur belongs bes extinct, the title of Duke of Australia will return to the hands of the British Empire, as it is a duchy under the British Empire.


    But New Zend is different; the Duke of New Zend can be said to be an elected title. The titlees from the will of the people of New Zend and is not granted by others.


    As long as Arthur does not lose the support of New Zenders, this title will continue to exist and can even be inherited by people outside the family.


    It was also an opportunity for a small change in Australia¡¯s administrative region: a few dozen kilometers near Sydney were designated separately and the Federal Capital Territory was established.


    As an administrative unit equivalent to the state, the highest official of the Federal Capital Territory is called the Governor, and their position and authority are equivalent to the governors of other states.


    Meanwhile, the Principality of New Zend was also divided into two states, the North New Zend State, consisting of the North Ind of New Zend, and the South New Zend State, made up of the South Ind of New Zend.


    This clearly defined the scope and administration of the Australia and New Zend Federation, which consists of three parts: the Australian Duchy, the Principality of New Zend, and the New Guinea Colony.


    Among them, the New Guinea Colony has a special status, directly belonging to the royal family, with the Governor directly appointed by Arthur, and having independent administrative powers.


    Officials of the Australian Government and the New Zend Government are elected by the Australian House of Commons and the New Zend House of Commons respectively, while the Australian and New Zend Parliaments jointly form the Federal Upper House (Royal Parliament) and the Federal House of Representatives.


    Representing the rights of the royal family and citizens, the Royal Parliament is appointed directly by Arthur, the Federal Monarch, while the House of Representatives consists of elections held within all federal jurisdictions (including the New Guinea Colony), and eligible voters are all Australian and New Zend federal residents who have legal citizenship and have lived in the Federation for twenty years.


    The new federal government is a typical two-national one, with both Australia and New Zend having their own independent governments, as well as a unified federal government.


    At present, the federal government is mainlyposed of the Australian Government. Only a small number of New Zend government officials have entered the federal government, assuming some not-so-important positions.<div>


    The election model of the Australian Government was basically transferred to the federal government. As long as the officials of New Zend have the ability and confidence, they are entirely capable of participating in the next government election, by which time they may even be the Prime Minister of the federal government.


    In order to appease the officials of the New Zend Government, the North New Zend State and the South New Zend State have mostly assigned their officials, and they can choose the positions they want until the next state government election.


    This has indeedforted some New Zend officials who were originally unhappy, at least knowing that they could notpete against Australian officials in a short period of time.


    Serving as an official of a state government was enough to satisfy their appetite. After all, they retained their original positions while gaining some state government positions and powers.<div>


    In fact, the least changed were the Royal Parliament and the House of Representatives. These two parliaments were actually abination of the Australian and New Zend Houses of Parliament.


    This has led to the current total number of members in the Federal Royal Parliament exceeding twenty and the total number in the House of Representatives exceeding two hundred and forty.


    All members of Parliament of Australia and New Zend have joined the current Federal House of Representatives.


    At least before the next House of Representatives election, they can temporarily maintain their status.


    In terms of functions, the House of Representatives is elected from each state, with Australia¡¯s six states upying 198 seats and the two states of New Zend upying 42 seats.


    These members elected by each state make up a total number of two hundred and forty in the House of Representatives.


    The House of Representatives has legitive powers, supervisory powers, and the power to impeach all officials outside the cab government, while all positions in the cab government are also elected by the House of Representatives.


    In the Royal Parliament, members areposed of current cab government officials, adult male members of the royal family, members appointed by the monarch, and colonial governors and territorial governors. Except for adult male members of the royal family, the term of the other members of the Royal Parliament is equivalent to the term of their positions.


    The term of office of members directly appointed by Arthur is slightly longer, but no more than five years. Unless Arthur reappoints them, after five years, they will no longer be members of the Royal Parliament.


    In other words, Prime Ministers and Ministers of the Cab Government, Governors of the New Guinea Colony and the Capital Territory, automatically gain the status of Federal Royal Parliament members.


    But simrly, if they are no longer the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Cab Government or Governors of the colonies and territories, they will automatically lose their status as members of the Royal Parliament.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The powers of the Royal Parliament are very extensive, possessing legitive powers, judicial powers, supervisory powers, the right to impeach any official, and the right to reject proposals of the House of Representatives.


    Yes, the powers of the House of Representatives are enormous, but all of this depends on a precondition, which is that the proposal of the House of Representatives must pass smoothly through the Royal Parliament.<div>


    All proposals from the House of Representatives can only be implemented with the approval of the Royal Parliament, and Arthur controls the Royal Parliament by various means.


    First of all, the governors of the colony and the capital territory are all directly appointed by Arthur and are naturally loyal to him.


    Secondly, although the members of the cab government are elected by the House of Representatives, they must also be formally appointed by Arthur before taking office.


    Without Arthur¡¯s appointment, at least from a legal point of view, they cannot officially be cab members in terms of status or practice.


    Therefore, even if they have great ambitions, they must remain loyal to the monarchy that prevails in the Federation of Australia and New Zend and must remain loyal to the monarch with boundless prestige.


    Moreover, besides the Royal Parliament, Arthur still had a trump card ¨C that the monarch had the ability to overturn everything.


    With the establishment of the Federation, the Australian Constitution was officially renamed the Federal Constitution and applied throughout the Federation of Australia and New Zend.


    The constitution stiptes that the monarch has supreme power and can dissolve the Royal Parliament, the House of Representatives, and dismiss the cab government under special circumstances, forming a provisional government appointed by the monarch.


    This means that Arthur can dissolve the powerful Royal Parliament, House of Representatives, and cab government in an emergency, turning the Federation into a thoroughly dictatorial rule.


    But such power can only be a card that is basically not used because once this card is used, the country may be engulfed in crisis, and the prestige of the royal family and the government copsespletely.


    However, in reality, Arthur, who controlled the military power and had a huge reputation among the people, did not worry about the arrival of such a special situation.


    Not to mention the present, even in the next few decades, it is basically impossible for a rival to be born within the Federation who canpete with the royal powers. This confidencees from Arthur¡¯s experience inter generations.


    <div>

 Chapter 187 - 181: Intense Battle

    Chapter 187: Chapter 181: Intense Battle


    Why did absolute authoritarian countries almost disappear after World War II, with the majority of monarchies bing constitutional monarchies?


    This is a question worth pondering. Perhaps it is because the foundation of monarchism, the Divine Right of Kings, is not stable, as people are not as ignorant as they were in ancient times.


    It may also be because most countries in Europe and America have adopted democratic republican systems after the two world wars. Under the strong cultural export and influence from these two regions, many former colonies followed Europe and the United States after gaining independence and adopted democratic systems. Republics emerged like spring bamboo shoots at this time.


    But we cannot deny one reason: the deep impression of the oppression of the people by the old aristocracy, such as the Russian Empire, which directly erupted in revolution during the war, overthrowing the royal family and even executing monarchs, is a typical representative of the aristocracy oppressing the people.


    Furthermore, Tsar Nichs II disregarded the feelings of the Russian people and resolutely participated in World War I. Early losses in the war led to heavy losses for the Russian Empire and naturally added to the already vtile situation in the Russian Empire.


    The monarch and thendowner ss he represented, along with various Western nobilities, oppressed the lower sses, leading to the decline and disappearance of monarchism after the war.


    Moreover, the newly risen bourgeoisie effectively shifted the hatred of workers andmon people towards capitalists¡¯ exploitation to monarchism itself, leading to an emerging ss of workers who harbored an extreme hatred towards monarchs and monarchism. This too was a major reason for the decline of monarchism.


    However, this is not often seen in Australia. Although Australia is also considered an authoritarian monarchy, including the current Australian and New Zend Federation, the federal royal family does not oppress the people. Instead, various welfare policies have been introduced.


    The ie of workers throughout the federation is higher than the average per capita ie of the federation. Would these workers still harbor hatred towards the royal family?


    At least in Australia, those who are most grateful for Arthur are the poor people who have been rescued by the royal family and these workers.


    The royal family gave hope to the poor to survive, and also to the emerging working ss to achieve a better life.


    Although these people may not understand profound truths, they can make simpleparisons. Afterparison, it is clear who is good and who is bad for them.


    This is how Arthur consolidates his ruling position by winning the hearts of the people: as long as the benefits the royal family brings to the people are higher than those of other domestic figures, people will be clear that the royal family will not oppress them.


    Without the hatred of being oppressed and exploited, the emerging ss would not be hostile to the royal family and the monarch, and Australia¡¯s monarchy would not be shaken as a result.


    This is also an advantage of a new country: if a country undergoes reforms like the Russian Empire, it not only faces the hostility and distrust of arge number of emerging sses but also the opposition of the aristocratic ss it represents.


    Would the aristocrats agree to give up their privileges for themon people if the Tsar wanted to change and resolve the internal contradictions of Russia?


    The aristocrats would not give up their privileges for thosemoners. After centuries of umtion, the aristocratic ss is a huge group that can influence the Tsar.


    This is also the reason why many historical reforms in various countries ultimately failed: they failed to solve the massive vested interest groups that have formed, so the reforms were just superficial.


    As various reforms and measures are underway in the Australian and New Zend Federation, the war in the Far East, far north of Australia, is gradually heating up.


    The Russian Empire¡¯s actions were still swift, at least in terms of ountability.


    One month after the outbreak of the war, the Russian Empire quickly dismissed General Tasker, who had revealed his ipetence in this attack, and reced him with thest famous General Makarov of the Tsardom of Russia.


    The reason for themander¡¯s recement only happening a monthter is because it would take at least a month for Major General Makarov to travel to the Far East.


    Major General Makarov¡¯s full name is Stepan Osipovich Markov, a famous naval general, military theorist, and scientist of the Russian Empire.


    Major General Makarov¡¯s original position was the Commander of the Kangstad Harbor Navy in Saint Petersburg.


    On the eve of the outbreak of this war, General Makarov wrote a letter to the Naval Department of the Tsardom of Russia warning that the war between the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation was imminent. He suggested that the Pacific Squadron stationed outside Port Arthur Harbor should gather in one ce and be on guard against possible attacks at all times.


    However, General Makarov¡¯s straightforward character offended most of the officers in the Naval Department.


    This led to the Naval Department ignoring Makarov¡¯s suggestions, and they even threw the letter into the trash bin after receiving it. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Unexpectedly, the very next day, the Pacific Squadron of the Russian Empire was attacked, and two battleships suffered heavy damage.


    Originally, the Pacific Squadron had a slight advantage over the Inder¡¯s warships, but after this attack, the Inder¡¯s United Fleet had gained the upper hand instead.


    The failure angered the imperial government of the Russian Empire, and they immediately ordered Major General Makarov in Saint Petersburg to go to the Far East and rece the original Commander of the Pacific Squadron, Stark.


    By the time Makarov arrived in the Far East, it was already the 7th of March 1904, one monthter.


    After taking office in an emergency situation, Makarov immediately took a series of measures to prevent possible second attacks from the Ind Nation. He also deployed arge-scale fleet andid arge minefield along the coast of Liaodong to prevent possiblendings and attacks from behind the Port Arthur Fortress.


    In order to cope with possible battles, Makarov also strengthened the defenses of Port Arthur Harbor and elerated the repair of some lightly damaged warships, while also intensifying the navalbat readiness training.


    In Makarov¡¯smand, the divostok Fleet also made several attempts to disrupt the Ind Nation¡¯s maritime traffic and supply lines, to some extent reducing the pressure on Port Arthur Harbor.


    These policies effectively rallied the morale of the naval soldiers of the Russian Empire, and several personal outings by Makarov also made the naval soldiers more appreciative of their newmander.


    The most troublesome thing for the Inders was that their new Russianmander, after a long night of contemtion, finally came up with a very treacherous n.


    Why did the Pacific Squadron be troublesome in such a short period of time? Wasn¡¯t it because of their newmander, Makarov?


    Since they couldn¡¯t resolve the Pacific Squadron in a short time, why not deal with Makarov directly? Wouldn¡¯t this indirectly be equivalent to resolving the Pacific Squadron?


    With this in mind, the Ind Nation secretly dispatched warships toy arge minefield at the entrance of Port Arthur Harbor, preparing to lure the Russian Empire into battle at the right opportunity and use this minefield to get rid of the indeed capable General Makarov.

 Chapter 188 - One Hundred Eighty-Two: Encountering an Ambush

    Chapter 188: Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Two: Encountering an Ambush


    April 13th, 1904, Major General Makarov¡¯s 36th day as themander of the Pacific Squadron.


    In this month, Major General Makarov had managed the Pacific Squadron well, carrying out numerous mineying missions, effectively blocking the Ind Nation¡¯s transportation lines to the Korean Penins and the Far East, and reducing the pressure on the main force of the Pacific Squadron stationed at Port Arthur.


    This day was an ordinary day for the Pacific Squadron. Under Major General Makarov¡¯smand, two cruisers set out from Port Arthur Port to harass the transportation lines of the Ind Nation; afterying mines in a designated area, they sessfully returned to Port Arthur.


    This pleased General Makarov because the minefieldid by the two cruisers was exactly where he nned to engage in a decisive battle with the Ind Royal Navy.


    By arranging the mines in advance, the Pacific Squadron might be able to use them to give the Ind Nation a taste of their own medicine during a decisive naval battle.


    Just as General Makarov was about to receive a report from the two destroyers, he suddenly received news that several enemy warships were pursuing and attacking the two Russian cruisers. One Russian cruiser had already been damaged and was now in urgent need of support.


    As a famous navalmander of the Russian Empire, Major General Makarov naturally had a temper, otherwise, he would not have directly criticized the Navy officials.


    Under General Makarov¡¯s order, he personally led two battleships and four cruisers to provide assistance.


    As General Makarov was about to board the Battleship Peter Pavlovskiy, he suddenly had a thought. He instructed Lieutenant General Witteveen, the fleet¡¯s chief of staff, to lead the vanguard, while he himself convened the main force of the Pacific Squadron stationed at Port Arthur, in case the Ind Nation¡¯s main fleet was lurking in the rear.


    Since most of the preparations had already been made, General Makarov was not averse to engaging in a decisive battle with the Ind Royal Navy now.


    In this month, the Pacific Squadron hadid at least ten minefields, which would be an ideal ce for the Ind Nation and the United Fleet to perish.


    It is worth noting that, after General Makarov, Lieutenant General Witteveen was to be the new fleetmander of the Pacific Squadron. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, after Lieutenant General Witteveen took over as themander of the Pacific Squadron, his series of conservative measures led to the Pacific Squadron losing its advantagepletely against the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet.


    The two Russian cruisers were not far from the Port Arthur, and General Witteveen¡¯s vanguard quickly reached the battlefield.


    The squadron that was entangled with the two Russian cruisers was the Second Fleet of the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet, consisting of one battleship and three cruisers.


    This was why the two Russian cruisers had been forced to call for help, as current cruisers stood no chance against battleships, especially when there were still three cruisers in the Second Fleet.


    The Russian Empire was already hostile to the Ind Nation, which had grown into apetitor, and the Russians¡¯ animosity towards the Ind Nation, which had not followed any rules in this war, had intensified.


    As the enemy met, their faces flushed red with anger. After General Witteveen saw the warships of the Ind Nation¡¯s Second Fleet, the vanguard immediately joined the battle without anymand. Shells were flying toward the enemy warships as if they were free.


    The advantage of the battlefield had instantly been reversed. The Russian Empire had two battleships and six cruisers, while the Ind Nation¡¯s Second Fleet had only one battleship and three cruisers, a two-to-one ratio.


    The Second Fleet was chased by the vanguard of the Russian Empire, each eventually trying to flee away haphazardly towards the rear.


    General Witteveen was overjoyed, for he seemed to see the first victory since the beginning of the war. He hurriedly ordered all the warships to follow up, trying to annihte all the Ind Nation¡¯s warships.


    Blinded by victory, General Witteveen did not notice the unusual behavior of the Second Fleet, nor did he notice that under hismand, the vanguard had gradually moved away from Port Arthur.


    After chasing for about ten minutes, General Witteveen finally noticed something amiss and ordered the fleet to pause.


    Judging by the speed of the warships, many of the Russian warships had been in service for several or even more than ten years.


    The Ind Nation¡¯s warships, on the other hand, were mostly new models built within thest ten years and were at least faster than Russian warships.


    Yet now, the fleeing Ind Nation fleet had maintained a delicate bnce with the Russian vanguard. They were neither too close to fall within the attack range of the Pacific Squadron nor too far away for the Pacific Squadron to lose sight of their target and give up the pursuit.


    All signs pointed that this pursuit seemed more like luring snakes out of their holes. General Witteveen had originally thought he was the hunter, but now this might not be the case.


    ¡°How long has it been since we set out from Port Arthur?¡± General Witteveen asked grimly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been just over an hour, General,¡± one of his subordinates replied.


    General Witteveen had a bad feeling. Judging by the normal speed of the fleet, the main force should not have been too slow and might have even caught up with the vanguard by now.


    After all, the previous naval battle had also taken up a lot of time, which would have been enough for the main force to catch up.


    ¡°Turn around immediately and return to Port Arthur. The enemy may have set an ambush ahead, and this is a trap!¡± General Witteveen made the prompt decision.


    In the previous sneak attack by the Ind Nation, two battleships of the Pacific Squadron, the Crown Prince and Pervest, had been damaged.


    If the two battleships led by General Witteveen were ambushed and suffered any damage, the number of battleships that the Pacific Squadron could deploy would be reduced to four. They would have no advantage, and even have a huge disadvantage, against the Ind Royal Navy.


    The Pacific Squadron could not afford such a loss. Once they lose their few naval advantages, the Russian Empire will be even more vulnerable onnd.


    Setting aside the issue of weapons andbat power, the Russian Far East forces, with a strength of fewer than 100,000, could not possibly be a match for the Ind Naiton.


    Most of the Russian Empire¡¯s elite forces were stationed in Europe, with fewer troops and soldiers stationed in the Far East.


    Furthermore, the Siberian Railway had not yet openedpletely. The Russian Empire would bear a logistical cost several times higher than the Ind Nation for any losses in the Far East.

 Chapter 189: 183: The War That Attracts Everyones Attention

    Chapter 189: Chapter 183: The War That Attracts Everyone¡¯s Attention


    For a warship, there¡¯s nothing more awkward than a turnabout.


    Even though a warship, a hulking beast weighing several thousand to tens of thousands of tons, can navigate the sea, its turning and reversing are quite cumbersome moments.


    Especially during times of war, the turn of an entire fleet could potentially reverse the direction of the battle.


    Looking at theyout of warships, the ship guns are typically installed on either side, and there aren¡¯t many guns on either end of the warship, so the firepower is rtively weaker inparison.


    Therefore, during a turnabout, one must also be on guard against the resurgence of the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet. Even if the number of warships is not high, the chances of winning significantly decrease if encountered during a turnabout.


    General Witteveen¡¯s strategy was to have the first two battleships turnabout, with six cruisers by their side responsible for defense.


    Once the two battleships have fully turned, they then switch to protecting the remaining cruisers.


    Another advantage of this strategy is that in the face of extreme danger, some cruisers can be sacrificed to protect the decisive battleships.


    A battleship is currently the most powerful warship in the world, and losing six cruisers doesn¡¯t sting as much as losing a single battleship.


    Things unfolded as General Witteveen predicted. As the fleet turned, the warships of the Ind Nation began to surface one after another, forming a semnce of a semi-circle, surrounding the vanguard of the Pacific Squadron.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om<div>


    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± General Witteveen cursed under his breath, hastily ordering the crew to prepare for battle while also sending a distress signal to the main forces and General Makarov.


    Without the advantage of speed, it means that it¡¯s hard for the fleet to escape.


    So instead, it¡¯s better to hold out until the main force of the Pacific Squadron arrives. If it were arge decisive battle between the main forces of both sides, Witteveen wouldn¡¯t be particrly afraid.


    He also knew of General Makarov¡¯s ns during this period, which is why General Witteveen, despite also being a navy general like Makarov, would readily follow Makarov¡¯s orders.


    Just as General Witteveen was forced to counterattack, outside the Port Arthur, the main force of the Pacific Squadron led by General Makarov was also intercepted.


    Upon seeing the two battleships and about ten cruisers in front of him, Makarov knew that Witteveen was in a bad spot.


    The configuration of two battleships and over ten cruisers already constituted a third of the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet, especially with the cruisers, which already made up half.


    If it were arge decisive battle, the Ind Nation could not just deploy so few warships to obstruct the main force of the Pacific Squadron.


    Therefore, their only objective would be to use these forces to dy the main force of the Pacific Squadron as much as possible and then strike at the vanguard of the Pacific Squadron.


    This thought also gave General Makarov a headache. Although the main force of the Pacific Squadron possessed four battleships, two of them were the less capable Peter Pavlovskiy-ss battleships.


    The Oslibia Battleship, though it has decent speed and protective capabilities, simrlycks firepower.


    The main firepower of the Oslibia is merely four 254mm ship guns, which are only slightly superior to cruisers. Compared to other battleships, it¡¯s certainlygging behind.


    Only the rtively decent Victory battleship can somewhatpete with the main ships of the Western Powers.


    In contrast, the two battleships used by the Ind Nation to obstruct the Pacific Squadron were advanced warships purchased from the United Kingdom in recent years.


    Both of these battleships were on par with the Victory battleship and even slightly superior to the Oslibia Battleship.


    For the Pacific Squadron to break through these two battleships leading more than ten cruisers would not be easy.


    At least before a tough sea battle, it is impossible to repel this fleet without a fight.


    With this in mind, General Makarov skillfullymanded his team into battle positions, silently praying that General Witteveen could hold out a bit longer, preferably until the main force of the Pacific Squadron arrived.


    On the line from Port Arthur to the Korean Penins, two naval battles, powerful enough to decide the bnce of war between the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation, broke out.<div>


    The two battles had certain simrities ¨C the main forces on both sides encountered a certain level of resistance from the opponent¡¯s detachments; each side¡¯s detachments faced a siege from the opponent¡¯s main forces.


    However, there was also good news for the Russian Empire. The Ind Nation had deployed almost all of its new cruisers to obstruct the Pacific Squadron¡¯s main force. This resulted in Witteveen facing only four battleships and six cruisers from the Ind Nation.


    Out of these, the biggest threat to Witteveen was the four battleships. The remaining six cruisers were either small or outdated and posed less of a threat to the battleships.


    Moreover, because General Makarov did not recall the divostok detachment, the Ind Nation had no choice but to deploy an additional battleship and several cruisers to distract them, not allowing them to participate in the naval battle.<div>


    The battle started at around 3 PM and continued until after 6 PM before it finally ended.


    This naval battle caught the attention of not only the Russian Empire and the Ind nation, but also observer groups from the German Empire, the British Empire, the United States, and France.


    While this battle seems merely to be a dispute between the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation about the dominance of the Far East, it also involved the British Empire, the United States, and the German Empire.


    The British Empire and the United States both hope that the Ind Nation could defeat the Russian Empire. Even if they are not defeated, they want the Russian Empire to be greatly weakened.


    This way, they could better intervene in the situation in the Far East and Asia to gain more benefits for their respective countries.


    The German Empire simply wants to win the Russian Empire as an ally. At least in Europe, the Russian Empire is somewhat threatening to other powerful nations and thus a potential ally worth courting.


    As for France, threatened by its rival, the German Empire, it has no choice but to support the Russian Empire to make its ally stay loyal.


    Around 6 PM on April 13th, the sounds of gunfire outside Port Arthur finally ceased, and the two naval battles both concluded with definitive victories and losses.

 Chapter 190: 184: The Naval Battle Results and the United Kingdoms Expansion

    Chapter 190: Chapter 184: The Naval Battle Results and the United Kingdom¡¯s Expansion


    When Arthur, far away in Australia, received the final report on the results of the naval battle between the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation, it was already noon on the second day.


    Not only Arthur and the main actors, the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation, but also the British Empire, the German Empire, the United States, and France, the ally of the Russian Empire, were all highly concerned about this major sea battle that could determine the situation in the Far East.


    Both the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation currently have one thing inmon: their logistics rely heavily on sea transport.


    Although the area with the most disputes in the Far East is adjacent to the Russian Empire, the Far East is separated from the European Region of the Russian Empire by the vast Siberia, which is a cold and barrennd.


    Furthermore, since the Siberian Railway was not yetpleted, it was impossible to rely onnd transportation.


    This led to the Russian Empire having a huge w: the logistics costs in the Far East Region were several times that of the Ind Nation.


    Neither the Ind Nation nor the Russian Empire could afford the cost of losing a naval battle. If they were to lose the advantage at sea, the logistics in the Far East Region would be enough to drag down the entire country.


    This detailed report on the results held by Arthur was still provided by Germany. As a country equally interested in this war, Germany and many European countries sent joint observation groups. The battle results were based on the traces on the sea after the naval battle and the number of ships returning to their respective bases, and although not so urate, they were at least more than half correct.


    ording to the results, the losses of the Pacific Squadron and the United Fleet in this naval battle were very heavy.


    The Ind Nation¡¯s division fleet, responsible for intercepting the main force of the Pacific Squadron, lost one battleship and four cruisers directly, and the remaining battleship was also damaged. The six cruisers also suffered some injuries to varying degrees.<div>


    The main force of the Pacific Squadron did not fare much better, with one Peter Pavlovskiy-ss battleship seriously wounded and without anybat power for a short period of time.


    In addition, two cruisers were sunk and buried in the sea outside Port Arthur Harbor.


    However, overall, the main force of the Pacific Squadron used its numerical advantage to sink one battleship and four cruisers of the Ind Nation at the cost of only one weaker Peter Pavlovskiy-ss battleship seriously injured and the loss of two cruisers. Overall, it was a decent victory for the Russian Empire.


    Of course, the reason for achieving such good results was also due to the excellentmand of Major General Makarov.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Besides, sessfully driving the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet into the pre-arranged minefield was another reason why the Ind Nation¡¯s division fleet suffered such heavy losses.


    The situation on General Witteveen¡¯s side was much worse. Although he was able to hold out until the arrival of General Makarov¡¯s reinforcementster, he still lost one Peter Pavlovskiy-ss battleship and the remaining battleship was also in bad shape. It could not regain its former glory without some time for repairs.


    Of the six cruisers, two were already slightly damaged when they were pursued by the Ind Nation¡¯s Second Fleet.


    In this naval battle, these two cruisers also bore a considerable amount of firepower. One cruiser was sunk directly, and the other was seriously damaged and dmissioned.


    Out of the remaining four cruisers, one was seriously injured, and three were lightly injured. The lightly injured ones could continue to fight after simple repairs, while the seriously injured one would require major repairs.


    On the side of the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet¡¯s main force, two battleships and three cruisers were seriously wounded, and two cruisers were lost, which was even more tragicpared to the Russian Empire¡¯s casualties.


    This battle caused the Russian Empire to lose one battleship and three cruisers, and two battleships and two cruisers were seriously wounded, almost losing a third of the main force of the Pacific Squadron.


    On the other hand, the Ind Nation lost one battleship and six cruisers, and three battleships and three cruisers were seriously injured, amounting to almost half of the losses of the United Fleet.


    In terms of the objectives of both sides, the main force of the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet achieved their goal.


    They sessfully lured out the vanguard of the Pacific Squadron and led them into the encirclement of the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet.


    The vanguard consisted of two battleships and six cruisers. In this naval battle, one battleship was sunk, one battleship was seriously injured, and only four of the six cruisers were left, with only three havingbat capabilities.


    However, the Ind Nation did not expect that General Makarov, themander of the Pacific Squadron, would not be in the vanguard but would lead the main force a step behind.


    This made the Ind Nation¡¯s n fall through. They originally thought that General Makarov would go directly into action. Considering General Makarov¡¯s impulsive and bold personality, they believed that General Makarov would easily enter the center of their encirclement.


    But to their surprise, it was General Witteveen who led the vanguard instead. He was a cautious military man who, on historical records, took no aggressive risks even after seeding Makarov as the newmander of the Pacific Squadron, which demonstrated his caution.


    It was precisely because of General Witteveen¡¯s caution that the vanguard did not fully enter the encirclement of the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet, allowing the vanguard to hold on until the arrival of the main forces of the Pacific Squadron.<div>


    However, in any case,pared to the loss of one battleship and six cruisers in the Ind Nation, as well as the heavy injuries of three battleships and three cruisers, the Russian Empire only lost one battleship and three cruisers, and only two battleships and two cruisers were seriously injured, clearly showing that the Russian Empire¡¯s losses were smaller.


    After this war, both sides had only a few ships left to mobilize. The warships sunk in this naval battle could even rank among the top twenty in the world.


    Currently, the Pacific Squadron has only four battleships capable of performing tasks, and as auxiliary warships, the secondary main cruiser force of the Pacific Squadron has only nine cruisers left.


    As for the Ind Nation, they originally had eight battleships and nearly twenty cruisers. After this naval battle, there are only four battleships left withbat capabilities, and only ten cruisers left.<div>


    Before the war began, the Pacific Squadron had an advantage in terms of naval forces.


    However, after the Ind Nation¡¯s sessful surprise attack, the Pacific Squadron, which suffered heavy damage to a battleship and a battlecruiser, fell behind.


    The Inders were originally happy, thinking that after the surprise attack, the Ind Nation would have an advantage in bothnd and naval forces, and defeating the vast Russian Empire would just be a matter of time.


    But after this naval battle, both the Pacific Squadron and the United Fleet have only four active battleships and a simr number of cruisers, essentially bringing them to the same level.


    More importantly, among the four remaining battleships of the Pacific Squadron, there are two powerful new warships. The heavily damaged Tsesarevich-ss battleship Crown Prince has also been mostly repaired and is ready to join the battle.


    On the United Fleet¡¯s side, the battleships lost in the naval battle were mostly new models, and the remaining battleships can only keep on par with the battleships of the Pacific Squadron.


    In fact, this is inevitable. Although the British Empire supports the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire in their struggle for dominance, they would not willingly nurture an enemy in naval forces.


    Warships sold by the British Empire to the Ind Nation are basically second-ss warships within the British Empire, with only a few being the most advanced models.


    The oue of the naval battle is uneptable for both belligerents. If it is necessary to ept, then it may be the Russian Empire.


    General Makarov is quite satisfied with the oue of the naval battle. At least after the surprise attack, the Pacific Squadron has finally regained control of the sea. As long as the Tsesarevich-ss battleship Crown Prince is repaired, the Pacific Squadron will have an advantage in battleships once again.


    Actually, this is not so far away. Under normal circumstances, the damage suffered by the Crown Prince would require at most two months of repair.


    However, due to the current state of war andck of resources, the repair time has been extended to three months.


    But two months have already passed, and it is expected that by the end of next month at thetest, the Crown Prince will be able to carry out tasks again and be the leading ship in the Pacific Squadron to control the Far East situation.<div>


    As for the Ind Nation, the slight advantage gained through their surprise attack without dering war no longer exists.


    In the short term, the United Fleet and the Pacific Squadron can still maintain a certain advantage, but the repair time of the Crown Prince battleship in the Pacific Squadron is shorter than that of several heavily damaged battleships in the United Fleet. If the Crown Prince battleship regains itsbat capabilities, it will be terrible news for the Ind Nation.


    If the sea is blockaded by the Pacific Squadron, the Ind Nation would also face a heavier logistical burden.


    Although the Ind Nation is located in the Far East and the distance and difficulty of logistics are greatly reducedpared to the Russian Empire.


    However, this is only possible if they have control over the sea. As an ind nation, if the sea transport lines and traffic lines are cut off, it will be a heavy blow to the Ind Nation¡¯s war.


    From the current results, the happiest should be the British Empire and the United States.


    In terms of naval power, the current Pacific Squadron and the United Fleet maintain a delicate bnce, which also means that the war onnd will be even more tense and fierce.


    As both sidesck naval advantages, the only way to win is to rely on the exhaustion of theirnd forces.


    And the consumption of these two countries is something that the British Empire and the United States are happy to see.


    There is nothing better than the current Far Eastern hegemony, the Russian Empire, and the possible future Far Eastern hegemony, the Ind Nation,peting with each other to consume their resources, at least in the eyes of the British Empire and the United States.


    In the period when the Far Eastern overlord, the Russian Empire, and thepetitor, the Ind Nation, were both busy with the war and had no time for other matters, the British Empire began its own n to seek expansion in Northern India.


    It must be said that this is a good time. In this region, the only ones who could threaten the British Empire would be the Russian Empire, the Ind Nation, and France.


    The first two countries are busy with the war and are already at each other¡¯s throats. Naturally, they cannot spare any time to seek trouble with the British Empire.<div>


    As for France, they have been struggling with the threat of the Triple Alliance and have been trying to draw the British Empire closer to them.


    Moreover, their ally, the Russian Empire, is facing a war and France is somewhat overwhelmed, which makes it even less likely for them to protest against Britain¡¯s actions alone.


    This has led to the British Empire¡¯s expansion in India going very smoothly, without much opposition internationally.

 Chapter 191: 185: New Currency Issued

    Chapter 191: Chapter 185: New Currency Issued


    For Australia, the result of this naval battle was also good news.


    The current navy has not been able to determine a winner or loser, so it is natural that the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire would pay more attention to the war onnd.


    At present, the Russian Empire has been urgently mobilizing troops to the Far East. Even from the second day of the outbreak of war, the Russian Empire began to call on the army and send support to the Far East.


    But for the Russian Empire, such a huge and backward country, the war machine would move exceptionally slowly.


    The war broke out on February 8th, but the first batch of soldiers did not arrive in the Far East until the end of March.


    This news is not uneptable for the Russian Empire either. ording to the current schedule, the Russian Empire can send about 20,000 troops to the Far East every month, and at least by the end of the year, the number of Russian troops in the Far East can be maintained at about 300,000.


    This figure is alreadyparable to the number of the Ind Nation Army, which is also the reason for the confidence of the Tsar and the officials in the Russian Empire.


    Although the system is somewhat backwardpared to other European powers, the Russian Empire is still one of the most powerful countries in the world today. The majesty of the Russian Empire is definitely not something a small Ind Nation can trample on.


    Although there are enough personnel, the corresponding weapons and equipment are not so sufficient.


    War means arge consumption of weapons, equipment, and ammunition, especially ammunition.<div>


    Australia, as the nearest country to the Far East, has the ability to provide the world¡¯s most advanced weapons and is favored by both the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation.


    Of course, for the Russian Empire, the bigger reason is that the German Empire¡¯s loan has not been spent yet. This loan was designated by the German Empire and could only be used to purchase armaments in Australia.


    So, shortly after the end of the war, Arthur received a request for a meeting from the Governor of the Far East under the Russian Empire and a diplomat from the Ind Nation.


    The purpose of their request for a meeting was basically the same, all wanting to purchase more weapons and equipment and sufficient ammunition from Australia to satisfy the more intensend war.


    Arthur had no objection to this. After all, under his preparations, military factories had already produced arge number of weapons, equipment, and ammunition.


    These were prepared for this war and were a great opportunity for Australia to make a fortune.


    In the end, Australia signed a weapon import order with the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation separately.


    The Russian Empire has clearly taken a deep breath, wanting to use a victory to alleviate the already tense domestic situation.


    The Russian import list includes 20,000 Gew 98 rifles, 5 million matching bullets, 100 German-made Maxim machine guns, and 30 CA-1 machine guns.


    The Russians actually wanted to buy a German 105mm howitzer, but after demonstrating the powerful firepower of the CA-1 machine gun in Australia, they immediately chose the CA-1 machine gun without hesitation.


    Of course, there is another more critical reason for this ¨C the price of a 105mm howitzer is enough to buy two CA-1 machine guns, but the firepower output frequency of the CA-1 machine gun is already several times that of a 105mm howitzer.


    Although the actual lethality and destructive power of the howitzer is not as great, the current Far East is dominated by the Russian Empire, and the Ind Nation is ying the role of an attacker.


    Of course, the Russian army does not have to face the threat of strong fortresses, and the destruction power of the CA-1 machine gun is enough to let the flesh-and-blood Ind Nation Army feel the death.


    All these weapons and equipment are readily avable in Australia. So, after a 10% price increase, the weapons and equipment were all loaded the next day and sent to the Port Arthur harbor, which the Pacific Fleet still upied at the time.


    To prevent involvement, all the gs hanging on the transport fleet were those of the German Empire.


    The Ind Nation was not so foolish as to provoke another enemy during the war, so they could only choose to release the fleet with the German g reluctantly.


    The Ind Nation purchased more weapons and even bought several warships.


    Of course, this is also an inevitable choice. The Russian Empire is about to wee the repairpletion of the Crown Prince, so the navy¡¯s strength is naturally not a concern.


    But the Ind Nation is different. The damaged warships of the Ind Nation are all advanced warships produced by the British Empire, and the difficulty and duration of repairs are naturally greatly increased.<div>


    With the current level of the Ind Nation, it takes at least six months to get all these warships repaired.


    But in six months, no one can guarantee what will happen, so it is necessary to increase their naval strength again.


    In this naval battle, Australia¡¯s Duke-ss cruisers caught the interest of the Ind Nation.


    Although such a medium and small-sized warship does not y a role in a real naval battle, it is very useful when performing certain tasks.<div>


    Whether it is protecting transportation routes or cutting off enemy transportation routes, or performing cruising orying minefield tasks, such a high-speed, high-protection cruiser with a decent firepower can alwaysplete the task well.


    Its high speed also allows it to escape the danger in the face of danger, especially when facing older battleships of the Russian Empire.


    Half of the Ind Nation¡¯s cruisers were lost in this naval battle, which means that there are not many warships avable to perform tasks.


    Like the Duke-ss cruiser, the cost is not expensive, and it can beunched in a short period of time, which naturally arouses the interest of the Ind Nation.


    Under the premise that Australia guarantees that four ships can beunched within half a year, the Ind Nation has ordered four Duke-ss cruisers at one time, and has also urged theunching of the Brunswick-ss battleship.


    Yes, the Brunswick-ss battleship ordered by the Ind Nation has not beenunched yet and is still in the final stages of construction.


    This battleship has already been under construction for one year and four months. Under normal estimates, it would take another six months before it could beunched for a test voyage.


    After the Ind Nation¡¯s diplomats repeatedly urged and ultimately spent an additional 100,000 pounds, expressing their ¡°gratitude¡± to the workers and experts involved in the construction of this warship, Arthur finally agreed to have itunched within four months and delivered to the Ind Nation.


    In addition to the four cruisers and 100,000 pounds, the Ind Nation has also ordered many weapons for its army.


    First, they ordered 30,000 Gew98 rifles.


    In their initialnding battle, the Inders had experienced the power of these German weapons. Ind Nation Army armed with the Gew98 rifles indeed unleashed a strongbat capability, which was impressive to their government.


    It should be mentioned that the Ind Nation army trained ording to the German Forces¡¯ methods, and many Ind Nation soldiers had already been exposed to German weapons. Consequently, the change in armament was rtively smooth for them.


    This is also the reason why the Ind Nation dared to order weapons and equipment on such arge scale; they could practically skip the lengthy training period and at least bebat-ready as soon as they received the weapons.<div>


    Apart from these 30,000 rifles, the Ind Nation also ordered more than 40 German Maxim machine guns and more than 30 firearms.


    These firearms are all 105mm howitzers and 155mm howitzers, aimed at increasing the firepower of the vanguardnding forces and quickly breaking through the Russian Empire¡¯s stronghold in the Far East.


    Due to being the attacking party, the Ind Nation¡¯s offensive difficulties and casualties would be greater than those of the Russian Empire.


    At least, the fortresses built by the Russian Empire in some areas were troublesome enough for the Ind Nation, which is why their casualties were more than 300,000 in this war from history.


    In addition to these weapons and equipment, the Ind Nation also ordered 10 million rifle bullets, 5 million machine gun bullets, and tens of thousands of shells to replenish their rapidly depleted ammunition warehouse since the start of the war.


    Once the war broke out, thergest consumption for each country was not the poption but weapons, equipment, and ammunition.


    ording to statistics with no source, more than 20,000 bullets were needed to eliminate one enemy in World War I, while even more bullets, or even hundreds of thousands, were required in wars after World War II.


    Purely in terms of consumption, it is indeed terrifying.


    However, such calctions are highly generalized, simply dividing the total number of bullets consumed by the number of enemies killed while ignoring many situations that urred during the war, including routine training, confiscation, losses, and so on.


    Excluding some special factors, a more believable figure is that about 2,000 bullets are needed to kill one enemy, which is a more credible ratio of bullets consumed to the number of people killed in World War I.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    From just this ratio, it is possible to see how massive the war¡¯s strain on logistics is. To kill 10,000 enemies in a day, at least 20 million bullets must be consumed.


    Such logistical demands would be unbearable not only for the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire but also for the current British Empire and the German Empire.


    This is why both World War I and World War II could exhaust European nations ¨C besides the vast destruction ofnd and poption caused by the wars, the consumption of war supplies left all countries utterly exhausted.<div>


    These two weapons orders can bring Australia at least 500,000 pounds of ie, although more than half of it belongs to military factories and shipyards.


    With this east windbined with the joy that the establishment of the Australian and New Zend Federation brought to Australians and New Zenders, Arthur sessfully issued a new currency ¨C the Federal Commemorative Coin.


    Of course, the Federal Commemorative Coin also has aplete name: the Australian and New Zend Federation Establishment Commemorative Coin. It also has a simpler and more pleasant name: Australian Dor Conmemorative Edition.


    There are three types of Federal Commemorative Coins: Australian Dor, Shilling, and Penny.


    The Australian Dor¡¯s Shilling and Penny are basically the same as the British Pound¡¯s Shilling and Penny, with equal value.


    One Pound is equal to two Australian Dors, one Australian Dor is equal to ten Shillings, and one Shilling is equal to twelve Pence.


    The Australian Dor features a portrait of Arthur on the front and the words ¡°Australian and New Zend Federation Commemoration¡± along with Arthur¡¯s handwritten number 1 and the English words ¡°One Australian Dor.¡±


    The back features the Australian Royal Emblem and some anti-counterfeiting stripes, along with the specific establishment time of the Australian and New Zend Federation, forming this brand-new currency.


    The Shilling features a portrait of Queen Victoria on the front and the British Royal Family¡¯s emblem on the back, signifying Arthur¡¯s noble lineage and status.


    The Penny features a preview image of Sydney Pce on the front and a brief map of the Federation on the back, denoting the Federation¡¯s specific scope.


    Whether it is the Australian Dor, Shilling, or Penny, the face value of their numbers are all handwritten by Arthur, with many anti-counterfeiting stripes added.


    The total cirction of the three currencies is approximately 15 million Australian Dors, 50 million Shillings, and 1.2 billion Pennies.


    The total value of these currencies is equivalent to 15 million pounds, and it will take some time for them to be fully circted in the Australian and New Zend markets.<div>


    Of course, with Arthur¡¯s good reputation and Australia¡¯s sound government creditworthiness, letting these currencies circte and upy a considerable market share should not pose any problems.


    Moreover, the Australian Dor¡¯s exchange rate temporarily aligns with the British Pound, basically maintaining a ratio of one Pound equal to two Australian Dors, so there are no concerns about any impact on the Australian Dor.


    Now they just need time to let more people ept the new currency so it can circte in more areas.

 Chapter 192: 186: A Completely Different War

    Chapter 192: Chapter 186: A Completely Different War


    Time came to May 1904.


    The issuance of the new currency was very sessful. Although only a little over a week had passed, more than two million pounds worth of new currency, that is, Australian dors, had been circted.


    This currency issuance was carried out nationwide in a unified manner, allowing people to freely choose their own sry payment methods, and both the pound and Australian dor became one of the recognized payment methods of the Federation.


    Within Australia, many people have chosen to receive their sries in Australian dors.


    They have great trust in the current government and Arthur, and naturally recognize the new currency issued by the royal family.


    Even within Australia, many collectors have emerged, as they firmly believe that the limited number ofmemorative currencies may have collectible value in the future, something the current pound does not have.


    ording to the news currently received from various royal banks of the Federation, approximately one million Australian dors, thirteen million shillings, and forty-two million pennies have been exchanged, and half of them are now in cirction in the market.


    This is good news for Australia, the New Zend Federation, and Arthur.


    The Federation can now preliminarily break away from the economic control of the British Empire and have its own new currency.


    As for Arthur and the royal family, these currencies are issued by the royal bank, which means that the national financial power is currently in the hands of the royal family, an important means of consolidating royal power.<div>


    With financial power, military power, and popr support all in Arthur¡¯s hands, as long as Arthur is in power for a day, there will be no forces or individuals with the power to challenge the royal family within the Federation.


    Compared with the political figures in Australia, the war in the Far East is much more fierce than in history.


    Due to Arthur¡¯s indirect intervention, both sides in the war have more advanced weapons and equipment, includingrge-scale lethal artillery and heavy machine guns. Both the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation have equipped more of them.


    After the previous Battle of Port Arthur, the sea has resumed a brief calm for the Ind Nation.


    Major General Makarov maintained his n, with asional sightings of warships departing from Port Arthur, performing covert missions.


    The tranquility of the ocean also means the cruelty onnd.


    Since March 21, 1904, when the First Army of the Ind Nationnded in Nampo, Korea, the Ind Nation¡¯snd forces remained rtively inactive.


    The main reason for this was that the Ind Nation¡¯s army was waiting for the navy¡¯s action ¨C only when the navy had an advantage and used its powerful ship guns could the fortress of Port Arthur be threatened.


    But the development of the situation was beyond the Ind Nation¡¯s expectations, as the naval battle did not achieve victory and, in fact, the Ind Nation failed in the naval battle.


    But the war onnd could not stop, as maintaining such an army scale was a huge consumption for both sides.


    In mid-April, the First Army of the Ind Nation arrived in the northern part of the Korean Penins.


    On the opposite side, responsible for defense was the East Manchuria Command of the Russian Empire, led by Commander Zasulich.


    There were about 30,000 soldiers in the Ind Nation¡¯s First Army, and nearly 20,000 in the East Manchuria Command.


    Just looking at the simple attack and defense advantages, the Russian Empire seemed to have the upper hand. However, as soon as Zasulich arrived at the front, the Russian Empire did nothing for a month and a half: they neither strengthened defensive works nor deployed their forces orderly on the frontlines, leaving them without any countermeasures against enemies.


    The only defensive work they had was a long trench, without even a bit of camouge.


    About half of the reserve forces were stationed ten kilometers away, and the artillery positions werepletely exposed to the enemy.


    Not to mention how such a ¡°talent¡± secured the high positions of Commander of the East Manchuria Command and Major General of the Russian Empire, this situation was a gift to the Ind Nation¡¯s army.


    After preparing for more than ten days, the Ind Nationunched an attack, attempting to encircle the 20,000-strong army by outnking the enemy¡¯s left rear.


    On the second day, both sides engaged in fierce battle in the nearby area, with the Russian Empire sluggishly resisting the Ind Nation¡¯s attack with artillery and counterattacks.<div>


    However, due to the Ind Nation¡¯s troop advantage and the Russian army¡¯s poor defensive positions, as well as the exposed artillery, the Ind Nation¡¯s artillery fire suppressed the Russian artillery, and the inders sessfully attacked the positions on the same day.


    Concerned about being encircled, Russian Commander Zasulich quickly ordered a retreat to the rear.


    However, by the time it retreated, the East Siberian 11th Infantry Regiment was already deep in the encirclement of the Ind Nation¡¯s army, and several attempts to break out had failed, eventually ending in total annihtion.


    However, this infantry regiment was not without achievements. Although it had not been equipped with Australian artillery, it was fortuitously assigned two heavy machine guns.<div>


    After unsessful attempts to break out, the East Siberian 11th Infantry Regiment chose to hold its ground resolutely, eventually sacrificing its entire force in exchange for more than 6,000 casualties for the Ind Nation¡¯s army.


    This was the firstnd battle between the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation, with the Russian Empire suffering a great defeat and the Ind Nation achieving a bitter victory.


    Of the 20,000-strong Dongman Detachment led by Zasulich, only about 12,000 managed to sessfully retreat.


    In the offensive, the First Army of the Ind Nation, with 30,000 troops, lost more than 5,000 men, and suffered another 6,000 casualties during the siege of the Russian East Siberian 11th Infantry Regiment, reducing the number ofbatants to 18,000.


    However, strategically speaking, the ultimate beneficiary of this war was still the Ind Nation. Zasulich¡¯s retreat directly opened the Eastern Gate of the Far East to the Ind Nation.


    After a brief rest, the First Army of Ind Nation immediately advanced into the far eastern ind.


    At the same time, in early May.


    Approximately 40,000 troops of the Ind Nation¡¯s Second Army set off fully equipped andnded at Pizzaro Nest on the Liaodong Penins, intending to capture Port Arthur from north to south.


    The reason why the Ind Nation attaches great importance to Port Arthur is that the port¡¯s geographical location is of crucial importance.


    As long as the Russian Empire continues to control Port Arthur, the Pacific Squadron can threaten the seanes of the ind nation army that has alreadynded at any time.


    Moreover, if the Pacific Squadron ventures all, it couldpletely cut off the logistics supply lines between the Ind Nation¡¯s homnd and thending troops.


    What can an army without logistics do? Apart from mutiny, they can only be captured or starved to death.


    The defense force north of Port Arthur was the Russian Empire¡¯s Fourth Infantry Division,manded by General Fawkes.<div>


    The Fourth Infantry Division had a scale of 18,000 troops, possessing more than 150 artillery pieces and twenty heavy machine guns.


    General Makarov also understood the importance of Port Arthur, and at his suggestion, Governor of the Far East Alexeyev provided some of the equipment purchased from Australia to the Fourth Infantry Division.


    This has led to the current extravagant equipment of the Fourth Infantry Division, where everyone is armed with the German-made Gew98 Rifle and has more than twenty CA-1 machine guns, fifteen 105mm howitzers, and other guns.


    In mid-May, the Ind Nation¡¯s Second Army and the Russian Fourth Infantry Division sessfully encountered each other and quickly engaged in battle.


    Whether it was firepower or the scale of troops, the Ind Nation¡¯s Second Army had an ample advantage.


    Major General Augustine Walters thought the same way. As themander of the Second Army, he seemed to have seen the opportunity to attack Port Arthur, so he ordered all four divisions to press on, intending to quickly resolve the defensive forces in the northern part of Port Arthur.


    At the beginning of the battle, the Ind Nation¡¯s artillery sessfully suppressed the artillery of the Russian Empire.


    The soldiers of the Ind Nation also approached the Fourth Infantry Division very smoothly. The troops on both sides were even able to see each other¡¯s ferocious faces and smoke-dustden hair.


    ¡°Fire at full force!¡±


    With General Fawkes¡¯smand, the guns from Australia fired sessfully. Under the guidance of the CA-1 machine gun, the Russian artillery regained its advantage, and consecutive shell explosions urred in the Ind Nation¡¯s troops, causing heavy casualties among the inders.


    ¡°Damn it! Where did these Russians get so many guns? Such concentrated firepower muste from at least a thousand guns.¡± In the distance on the battlefield, Major General Augustine Walters stared at the exploding artillery fire in horror, asking in disbelief.


    Unfortunately, no one could answer his question, as none of the inders had ever seen such dense artillery fire, and no one even thought to order the withdrawal of the army quickly.


    Actually, this is normal since the current fully automatic technology is basically only used for firearms, with machine guns being the best example of fully automatic technology.<div>


    At present, only France and Australia have mastered the technology of automatic artillery, and at most Germany as well.


    However, France is an ally of the Russian Empire, and Germany supports the Russian Empire¡¯s expansion in the Far East. As for Australia, it goes without saying that without Arthur¡¯s orders, it would not export any domestically-produced weapons.


    Currently, Germany¡¯s public weapons arsenal does not have the option of automatic artillery, and all the weapons imported by the Ind Natione from the technology of the Krub Factory, with 75mm and 105mm howitzers.


    All these guns have one thing inmon: they are rtively slow to fire. Within a minute, at most, they can fire less than ten shells.


    However, the firing rate of the CA-1 machine gun reached a terrifying sixty rounds per minute, which is a difference of six or seven times.


    It was precisely because of the crazy bombardment from the CA-1 machine gun that Major General Augustine Walters had the illusion that the Russian army opposite had thousands of artillery guns.


    By the time Major General Augustine Walters reacted, it was toote. At the moment, in order to resolve the battle quickly, the Ind Nation¡¯s army had rushed forward, with very close gaps between the troops.


    This allowed the CA-1 machine gun to y a significant role. Although its rtive power was not so great, each shell was enough to cause varying degrees of damage to enemies within five meters.


    Moreover, each round of the CA-1 machine gun fires multiple shells, and many ind nation soldiers were hit by multiple shells before they could react.


    The war ended in the sound of the Pacific Squadron¡¯s ship guns. Unlike the original history, the Pacific Squadron was still able to maintain parity with the United Fleet, so the Ind Nation¡¯s army did not receive naval gun support, but instead, the Russian army received naval gun support from the Pacific Squadron.


    Ship guns, especially those on firepower-dependent battleships, haverge calibers of over 200 millimeters and in some cases reach a terrifying 300 millimeters.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Suchrge-caliber guns are a scourge for infantry, and many can only watch as the front ck spot growsrger andrger before being engulfed in the white smoke.


    General Makarov unleashed all his anger from thest naval battle this time. This time, a total of two battleships were dispatched, firing over one hundred naval shells.<div>

 Chapter 193: 187: The Last Line of Defense

    Chapter 193: Chapter 187: The Last Line of Defense


    Over a hundred ship-to-ship shells were enough to sink several heavily armored battleships, let alone the single-bodied Ind Nation Army.


    The Russian Empire did not suffer a defeat in the naval battle, which also led to a series of butterfly effects.


    At least the original historical siege of Port Arthur did not happen, and the Ind Nation¡¯s advance force sent to capture Port Arthur, the Second Army, suffered heavy casualties in their encounter with the Fourth Infantry Division, losing more than half of their soldiers.


    Without the Ind Nation¡¯s samurai spirit, an army that has lost half its men would have already disintegrated, and it would be impossible to concentrate under Augustine Walters¡¯mand.


    However, Marshal Augustine Walters¡¯ mood is not so good at the moment either.


    In this battle, out of the Second Army¡¯s four divisions and 40,000 troops, more than 13,000 were killed and over 21,000 were wounded.


    Only more than 22,000 lightly injured soldiers were left to fight, which is not even half of the total number of the Second Army.


    In this war, at the most sessful moment of the Second Army, there was almost only a few dozen meters between them and the position of the Fourth Infantry Division.


    But first, they were hit by concentrated artillery fire, and then the Pacific Squadron¡¯s ship guns firepower, making it almost impossible for the Second Army¡¯s artillery forces to counterattack.


    Even worse, a ship-to-ship shell hit the Second Army¡¯srgest artillery position, not only causing the loss of more than ten guns, but also the explosion of shells thatpletely wiped out the entire artillery position.<div>


    After this battle, the Second Army had only slightly over fifty of their original more than two hundred guns left, and they were all smaller-caliber, easy-to-move guns.


    Using such guns to dismantle the fortress of Port Arthur Harbor was simply a daydream.


    Nevertheless, battle reports must be sent. The Ind Nation¡¯s rear headquarters must also have thetest battle results so that they can develop new ns based on these results.


    Although Augustine Walters Marshal had to admit the failure of the war, under the advice of his subordinates, he changed his ownmand mistake to the enemy¡¯s ambush, iming that the enemy had at least 50,000 troops in the north of Port Arthur and more than 500 guns.


    It was due to the suppression of more than twice the number of guns, coupled with the support of the enemy¡¯s navy, that Augustine Walters Marshal¡¯s ¡°failure¡± urred.


    In the report to the rearmand, Augustine Walters Marshal also mentioned that while their troops suffered heavy casualties, they had inflicted tens of thousands of casualties on the enemy as well.


    Marshal Augustine Walters confidently said that as long as he was given 20,000 more troops, he would be able to capture the enemy¡¯s position and sessfully reach Port Arthur Fortress.


    Although Marshal Augustine Walters did not know whether the rearmand believed in his report, at least his position was not revoked, and he received a certain amount of troop replenishment.


    A week after the encounter, the Ind Nation divided all thending forces into the Manchurian Army and established the Manchurian Army Headquarters, with Marshal Stone as the Commander-in-Chief.


    After integrating all thending forces, the Ind Nation once again dispatched an army of 30,000, along with the previouslynded First and Second Armies, to form the Manchurian Army with a total strength of over 60,000.


    And the entire 30,000 new troops were equipped with German Gew98 rifles, with most of the machine guns and firearms also produced in Australia.


    In order to prevent the Pacific Squadron from providing artillery support to the Russian Army again, the Ind Royal Navy also set out with the army this time.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Of course, the purpose of the Ind Royal Navy was not to fight another naval battle, but to contain the Pacific Squadron and keep them upied.


    In early June, the Second and Third Armies of the Manchurian Army once again arrived in North Port Arthur and encountered the Fourth Infantry Division once again.


    This time, the Fourth Infantry Division had been reinforced, and Steisel,mander of the Russian Army on the Liaodong Penins, once again sent a division of 18,000 men to defend North Port Arthur.


    However, this division did not have as advanced weapons and equipment as the Fourth Infantry Division, and most of their weapons were produced in Russia Nation.


    On the surface, the ratio of the two armies was 36,000 to 60,000, but in reality, half of the Russian Army soldiers were deployed as reserve forces more than ten kilometers behind the frontline positions.


    This also means that there is only one division of the Russian Army on the front line, with a scale of less than 20,000 men.


    If we ignore the powerful firepower advantage of the CA-1 machine guns, the Russian Army on the battlefield is absolutely at a disadvantage.<div>


    Moreover, the CA-1 machine gun could only cause casualties on rtively concentrated troops; if the enemy was dispersed, the CA-1 machine gun would mainly serve as a deterrent.


    Furthermore, the attack range of the artillery of the second and third armies was much farther than the CA-1 machine gun.


    With proper preparations, the Ind Nation¡¯s artillery could easily suppress the Russian army¡¯s artillery, preventing their troops from being ruthlessly crushed like thest time.


    The advantage of firepower surprised General Fawkes, who hurriedly contacted the rear forces for support.<div>


    However, the reserve forces were stationed ten kilometers away and would take at least two hours to arrive.


    Could the Russian army hold on for two hours, especially when they were disadvantaged in terms of firepower and number of troops?


    The practical answer was no. Due to the United Fleet¡¯s containment of the Pacific Squadron, the Russian army couldn¡¯t get any firepower support.


    Such circumstances made some Russian soldiers, who were once hopeful, feel desperate again. Faced with the enemy¡¯s aggressive attack, they felt the long-lost panic.


    When the reserve forces sessfully arrived from ten kilometers away, more than half of the Fourth Infantry Division was already damaged, and they were retreating toward the rear.


    Having lost their current position, a counterattack was naturally impossible. The Russian army could only retreat from the north of Port Arthur in disappointment and move toward Port Arthur Fortress.


    Marshal Stone was satisfied with the results. Although the Manchurian Army had also suffered over six thousand casualties and several thousand more were lightly and heavily injured.


    For now, the front positions in the north of Port Arthur had been uprooted by the Ind Nation, and they could finally see the solid Port Arthur Fortress.


    At this point within Port Arthur Fortress, the Russian side was divided into two factions in regards to handling the Ind Nation¡¯s offensive.


    Commander Steisel of the Russian forces on the Liaodong Penins advocated treating Port Arthur Fortress as the final defense position.


    By concentrating around fifty thousand soldiers, Port Arthur Fortress could be held for over two years.


    This was Steisel¡¯s confidence and also the most conservative method at present. Considering Port Arthur¡¯s strong fortifications, holding it for two years wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    As long as the Pacific Squadron did not lose its advantage, Port Arthur Fortress could receive continuous supplies from Port Arthur Harbor, and holding it for even longer wouldn¡¯t be a difficult task.<div>


    So the question arose: could the Pacific Squadron maintain its advantage?


    Commander Kondrachenko, at least, did not think so. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe in the Pacific Squadron and Major General Makarov. Kondrachenko just felt that instead of leaving the fate of Port Arthur in the hands of the navy, it would be better for the army to personally defend and control it.


    Kondrachenko insisted on using Port Arthur¡¯s favorable external terrain to establish a powerful defensive line outside of the city.


    Doing so would not only guarantee that Port Arthur Fortress and harbor would not fall into Inder hands, but it would also avoid putting all their eggs in one basket.


    By holding the outer line, the Russian army would not only have the option to counterattack but could also ensure that no logistical supply line was cut off.


    As the saying goes, a local official has more authority than a distant one. Although Commander Steisel, on the surface, possessed higher authority over the Russian forces on Liaodong Penins, the actual responsibility for directing the defense of Port Arthur still fell on Commander Kondrachenko.


    Under Kondrachenko¡¯smand, the Russian army established a rtively solid defensive line twenty to thirty kilometers away from Port Arthur Fortress, using the terrain to their advantage.


    With the retreating two divisions from the north and the original one division stationed in Port Arthur Fortress, the total force of 54,000 soldiers was deployed on the outer defensive line, forming a rtively strong barrier and thest line of defense for Port Arthur Fortress.


    After this defensive line, there was virtually no other obstacle to prevent the Ind Nation Army from besieging Port Arthur Fortress.


    The Russians seemed to understand this, knowing the importance of Port Arthur Fortress and Port Arthur Harbor to the Far East situation.


    Since there was nowhere left to retreat, and behind them was the crucial Port Arthur Fortress, the Russians erupted with determination and managed to stop the Ind Nation Army thirty kilometers away from the defense line in the north of Port Arthur.


    The Ind Nation¡¯s offensive momentum was also temporarily halted. Apart from the attacks and defense of this line, the Far East seemed to be in a brief state of tranquility.


    <div>

 Chapter 194: 188: The First Airplane

    Chapter 194: Chapter 188: The First Airne


    The war in the Far East had entered a stage of massive consumption in the form of offensive and defensive battles. The majority of the Manchurian army hade to the outskirts of Port Arthur Fortress, vowing to capture the fortress that could determine the fate of the war.


    The Russian Empire was also urgently deploying more troops to Port Arthur, and the current number of defenders in Port Arthur had already exceeded seventy thousand.


    Apart from this, there were not many significant moves in other regions of the Far East. Both the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire were well aware that the fate of Port Arthur was the key to determining the oue of the war.


    Before that, upying more regions was far less important than capturing Port Arthur Fortress.


    This war of attrition was bad news for both the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire, but it was good news for the British Empire, the United States, Australia, and the German Empire.


    The longer the war of attrition dragged on, the greater the losses for both the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire. At the same time, more weapons demand could be generated, allowing the watching nations to make a fortune.


    For the German Empire, which was facing enemies on both sides, there was no better news than the Russian Empire¡¯s attention being focused on the Far East.


    As long as the Russian Empire¡¯s attention was drawn to the Far East by the Ind Nation, the German Empire did not regard France with a minor concern.


    July 1904, on the outskirts of the Capital Territory.


    This used to be an industrial area belonging to New South Wales State. After the establishment of the Capital Territory, it was incorporated into the Capital Territory, bing the only industrial area in the Capital Territory, and currently the most developed industrial area in Australia.<div>


    At present, this industrial area is home to Arthur¡¯s Arms Factory, car factory, and engine factory, as well as an aerospaceboratory specifically set up for the development of airnes.


    It could be said that this industrial area carried Arthur¡¯s hope for Australia¡¯s revival and that the technologies it produced would affect all of Australia.


    Naturally, what prompted Arthur to act personally was an event that could have a significant impact on the whole of Australia.


    Yes, ever since the sessful manufacture of the AU-1 airship more than a year ago, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell had been working on the development of airnes.


    To this end, Arthur allocated one hundred thousand pounds of research funds and many talents lured with the Victoria Award.


    Now, there were more than ten famous European aviation experts and aerodynamics experts in the Australian Aerospace Laboratory and dozens of outstanding talents in various aspects of airnes and airships.


    It was safe to say that Australia had at least attracted one-fifth of the world¡¯s top aviation talent, and this figure and proportion were still increasing.


    Although the Wright brothers were indeed the makers of the first airnes, they were only able to rely on their own strength before receiving attention.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    With Australia applying the power of the nation to develop aviation, the speed and achievements they made absolutely could notpare to the Wright brothers.


    When Arthur arrived at the Aerospace Laboratory, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell were already waiting respectfully outside theb.


    There were also dozens of experts and schrs standing by, showing great respect for Arthur.


    This was quite normal. Even the most advanced airships, which until now had not been taken seriously worldwide, let alone airnes that were still in their exploratory period.


    Although these experts had some research on this aspect, without anyone supporting them, besides being the pioneers of the aviation industry, they had no other benefits.


    If it were not for Australia taking them in and providing them with job opportunities, most of these people might have given up their beloved industries.


    With the joint efforts of these experts, Australia¡¯s first airne was born smoothly.


    Unlike the simple nes initially made by the Wright brothers, such as Flyer I and Flyer II, the goal of the airne made by Australia was to fly in the sky sessfully at the very beginning.


    To achieve this, Arthur racked his brains and desperately recalled the appearance and design of airnes from World War I and World War II in hister life. He then handed a simple sketch to Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell for reference.


    Unexpectedly, after much contemtion, Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell managed to make an airne ording to the design sketch.


    Of course, the airne in front of them was already an improved version after numerous trials and adjustments, and it was naturally no longer as rudimentary as it was at the beginning.<div>


    Arthur looked at Theodore Korbel, who understood the situation and hurriedly exined, ¡°Your Highness, this is the final product we havee up with after many experiments and improvements based on the design sketch you provided. Our airne adopts a single-engine, single-seat, and bine design, using a new gasoline engine specially developed by Mr. Disel, with an estimated power of 150km to 220km.¡±


    ¡°To increase the endurance of this airne, we¡¯ve added two additional fuel tanks on both sides of the aircraft. This allows the total range of the airne to exceed 700 kilometers. Without these two additional fuel tanks, the aircraft¡¯s range might only be around 400 kilometers,¡± Theodore Korbel exined further.


    Arthur nodded his head.


    He was quite satisfied with the speed of the airne¡¯s development and the current data on the finished product. After all, for everyone involved, this was apletely new concept, and realizing it required even more time.<div>


    Considering the current data, this was at least the result of the Wright brothers¡¯ research on airnes for several years.


    Before the U.S. military paid attention, the Wright brothers¡¯ research process was very slow. Australia, using the power of the nation, quickly overtook them, which was within reason.


    ¡°Can this airne be piloted now?¡± Arthur asked with some interest.


    Arthur had seen manyrge airnes in theter generations but had only seen pictures of those in the exploratory stage like the one in front of him.


    This made Arthur very curious about the differences between this civilian airne and those he had seen in the future.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± Theodore Korbel replied, nodding his head. ¡°Since there is no systematic pilot training method for now, the only person suitable to pilot is the one who is most familiar with this fighter aircraft. Please wait a moment. There is still some preparatory work to be done before the ne officially takes off.¡±


    Arthur nodded and gestured for Theodore Korbel to proceed.


    The real pilot of the airne was not Theodore Korbel, but Ludwig Durrell.


    The reason was simple: Ludwig Durrell was the designer of the airne¡¯s bnce system, and he was most familiar with the control system of the ne, making him the most suitable person to pilot the aircraft.


    After about half an hour of preparation, Ludwig Durrell put on his goggles and asked Arthur for permission to take off.

 Chapter 195: 189: Conception of Three Types of Airplanes

    Chapter 195: Chapter 189: Conception of Three Types of Airnes


    Adder was pushed over, and Ludwig Durrell climbed into the cockpit of the aircraft. After receiving Arthur¡¯s permission, he began the final preparations for take-off.


    With a roar from the petrol engine, the aircraft officially started, its propeller quickly spinning in front of it.


    However, since the aircraft¡¯s power wasn¡¯t very strong yet, a longer runway was needed to aid in flight.


    After taxiing close to 200 meters, the aircraft clumsily lifted off from the runway, sessfully soaring into the sky.


    This was done to prevent any idental damage to the urban city and industrial area of the Capital Territory.


    The flight test was conducted in the sparsely popted mountainous areas of the western suburbs of Sydney.


    Ludwig Durrell¡¯s mission was to pilot the aircraft to test its stable speed and maximum speed and tond on the original runway before the fuel tank ran out.


    In this way, not only could the speed of the aircraft be tested, but also its actual flight distance.


    As the first aircraft produced by Australia, it still had some differencespared to the aircraft from World War I.


    Even though most of the aircraft in World War I were used for reconnaissance, they could already climb to altitudes of 6,000 to 7,000 meters, while this Australian model was expected to only reach a maximum height of about 1,000 meters.<div>


    Other than testing the aircraft¡¯s speed and range, Ludwig Durrell was also responsible for using a simple camera installed in the aircraft to record the scenes from the sky.


    This was to prepare for Arthur¡¯s vision. If the current aircraft could already carry out reconnaissance tasks, then it could naturally be put into production.


    Of course, even the first aircraft wouldn¡¯t be produced inrge amounts, but the importance of aircraft to Australia went without saying.


    About three hourster, Ludwig Durrell brought the aircraft back into Arthur¡¯s line of sight.


    In these three hours, he hadpleted a flight over a range of several hundred kilometers within the mountains.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the fuel gauge showing that the fuel tank was nearly dry, Ludwig Durrell had nned to fly a little longer.


    After all, before Ludwig Durrell, the one and only method humans had for reaching the sky was via airships.


    But airships had significant limitations. Firstly, they were too heavy, unable to fly as flexibly as nes.


    Secondly, airships weremon among major European countries, and there were plenty of experts developing airships in Europe.


    But nes were different. At least in terms of truly flying into the sky, Ludwig Durrell and the Australianb could be considered the first in the world.


    This historical achievement exhrated Ludwig Durrell, even when he was high up in the sky.


    Compared to normal flight, the take-off andnding of aircraft were the most dangerous parts.


    Especially for an aircraft whose performance was still unstable, any minor mistake could lead to a malfunction and even total destruction.


    Ludwig Durrell naturally understood the importance of the situation and focused all his attention onnding without any negligence.


    Fortunately, perhaps due to German tradition, whether it was Disel, Theodore Korbel, or Ludwig Durrell, they were all very rigid and serious in their manufacturing approach. The parts they made had to be wless, enabling the aircraft¡¯s performance to be quite reliable.


    Having sessfullynded on the runway, Ludwig Durrell let out a sigh of relief, quietly wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, and only descended clumsily after the assistants had brought back thedder.


    This clumsiness wasn¡¯t due to nervousness or fear, but the excitement and thrill of having ascended to the sky.


    Even though there had already been small-scale experiments before this, they had only stayed in the air for a few minutes at most before needing to quickly descend.


    This feeling of fully soaring in the sky gave Ludwig Durrell an unprecedented thrill and excitement, which was precisely why he was trembling so much.<div>


    ¡°How does it feel, Mr. Ludwig Durrell?¡± Arthur asked smilingly.


    ¡°Unprecedented, Your Highness! I even saw the entire Capital Territory, the feeling of soaring in the sky is too cool.¡± Even after quite a while, Ludwig Durrell was still unable to get over that feeling, still speaking with excitement on his face.


    ¡°How¡¯s the flight data?¡± Theodore Korbel, perched next to him, voiced out.


    Due to hisck of experience, Theodore Korbel was currently most concerned about the various data from the airne during the experiment. Only with these data at hand, could the airne be further improved.<div>


    ¡°Itpletely met our expectations, Mr. Theodore Korbel. After initiating a smooth flight, our airne can maintain at least a speed of one hundred and sixty kilometers, and the maximum speed can reach two hundred and ten kilometers or so. But this greatly consumes fuel, and I¡¯ve only tried it for a few minutes before giving up,¡± Ludwig Durrell responded.


    After inspecting various hardwareponents of the airne and discovering no issues, Theodore Korbel nodded in approval, turning to Arthur, ¡°Your Highness, if there are no problems with the airne¡¯s hardware, then our airne can reach a minimum of 160 kilometers, and a maximum of 210 kilometers per hour. At the minimum speed, our airne¡¯s maximum range is about four hundred and thirty kilometers or so. While at maximum speed, our airne¡¯s range is about three hundred and sixty kilometers.¡±


    Considering the data alone, at least in terms of speed, this airne is already on par with those of World War I.


    During World War I, the maximum speed of airnes was approximately 180 to 220 kilometers per hour, with a range of about five hundred to seven hundred kilometers.


    If the current airne were equipped with two auxiliary fuel tanks, it could basicallypete with airnes of World War I in these two aspects.


    However, this does not mean that the current airne is very advanced. Quite the contrary, the current airne still has a lot of shorings to be improved and a long way to go to catch up with the airnes of World War I.


    ¡°Your Highness, our airne can perform reconnaissance missions which are much harder than airships. In the airne, we can clearly see the facilities and environments on the ground, especially if we use high-powered telescopes,¡± Ludwig Durrell spoke, ¡°If we can add a seat to the rear of our airne, with a pilot seat at the front and a reconnaissance seat at the back, this will be a perfect reconnaissance aircraft!¡±


    Arthur nodded. The current camera technology, even if it could take aerial photographs, the photos would be very blurry, unable to discern the situation on the ground thousands of kilometers away.


    A more reliable reconnaissance method is to use high-powered telescopes, manually observe the situation on the ground, and then report to the headquarters via wireless radios.


    At present, with a little improvement, this airne can be an excellent reconnaissance aircraft, worthy of trust in terms of performance.


    ¡°We can consider it as a prototype, Your Highness,¡± Theodore Korbel proposed a different idea.


    ¡°After adding seats, it will be a perfect reconnaissance airne. But what if we equip it with some machine guns, small machine guns? Isn¡¯t this a perfect airborne weapon?¡± Theodore Korbel questioned.


    Theodore Korbel¡¯s two conjectures were actually about the evolution of reconnaissance aircraft and fighter aircraft.<div>


    Although these ideas were only rudimentary versions, the development of reconnaissance aircraft and fighter aircraft indeed evolved in such a way, step by step.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can we develop a type of bomb that explodes on impact? These kinds of bombs installed on the airne can be thrown, they would explode upon impact, turning the aircraft into an airborne artillery position, right?¡± Arthur, pretending to be inspired, smiled.


    Seeing Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell¡¯s surprised expressions, Arthur nodded in satisfaction.


    The introduction of these three ideas also marked the birth of ideas for reconnaissance aircraft, fighter aircraft, and bombers.


    If they continued to develop ording to these three ideas, Australia would be the first country to invent reconnaissance aircraft, fighter aircraft, and bombers.


    ¡°These three ideas still require you to conduct more experiments and improvements. But I believe that one day, these three ideas will be a reality,¡± Arthur, looking at the now inspired Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell, handed out the pie, ¡°If you can really develop three types of airnes based on these three ideas, you all will be heroes in Australia, and I will personally award you medals!¡±


    Each of the three types of medals in Australiae with very generous welfare benefits, which are the honor and rewards that anyone in Australia would not refuse.


    Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell were no exceptions, and after Arthur promised the rewards, apart from the joy of a sessful airne experiment, there was now an additional touch of ambition and expectations for the future in their faces.


    ¡°Your Highness, our airne does not have a specific series or name yet. Even the three possible series in the future also need your naming,¡± Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell looked at Arthur fervently, saying expectantly.


    Arthur nodded in mild annoyance.


    The new weapon series born in Australia was essentially named by Arthur.


    But as a confounding irony, Arthur was terrible at naming. What names should these airne series bear?


    After much thought, Arthur finally spoke, ¡°Since our current airne is the first airne in Australian history, therefore, I believe it¡¯s the pioneer of Australian aviation history. We¡¯ll call this airne Pioneer-1, the first model of the Pioneer Series, and the beginning of the Australian dream of flying.¡±<div>


    Under the watchful eyes of Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell, Arthur continued, ¡°The envisioned reconnaissance aircraft we have, I¡¯ll call the Eagle Series. I hope they¡¯ll have the vision of an eagle, and make contributions to Australian intelligence at any time.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Inparison to the reconnaissance aircraft, the airnes equipped with machine guns and firepower, I believe, are primarily meant for fighting enemy aircraft. Though just a concept at present, since no other countries possess airnes capable of flying, I will call this type of aircraft, a fighter aircraft. Australia¡¯s fighter aircraft will be named Bengal Tiger, and the Bengal Tiger Series will be one of the strongest fighting aircraft.¡±


    ¡°As for thest air artillery position-like airne, its main purpose is to cause more effective bombings on the enemy. Therefore, I think this type of airne is more aptly called a bomber, and Australia¡¯s bomber will be named Phantom.¡±

 Chapter 196: 190: Profits Brought by Cars

    Chapter 196: Chapter 190: Profits Brought by Cars


    Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell, hearing the detailed ssification of reconnaissance aircraft, fighter aircraft, and bombers for the first time, felt that such naming was reasonable, reflecting the specific purpose of each type of aircraft.


    Through the conversation between the three of them, Australia¡¯s future naming and ssification of aircraft was basically determined: the code name for reconnaissance aircraft would be Eagle Series, the code name for fighter aircraft would be Bengal Tiger Series, and bombers would be called Phantom.


    However, to actually design and build the three types of aircraft, the talents of the aerospaceboratory¡¯s experts, as well as engine expert Disel and the military factory¡¯s improvement of onboard heavy machine guns and shell designs were all needed.


    Only after all these aspects werepleted could the reconnaissance aircraft, fighter aircraft, and bombers be developed.


    This was very simr to the dreadnought concept. Arthur knew the massive impact that dreadnoughts had on the warship industry, but it was impossible for Australia to build a dreadnought without first upgrading the relevant tech in all aspects.


    After providing Theodore Korbel and Ludwig Durrell with sufficient research funds and time, Arthur left the Aerospace Laboratory.


    For the time being, Arthur wouldn¡¯t disturb the aircraft research work at the Aerospace Laboratory and Military Factory, as both ces had important tasks and breakthroughs to achieve.


    Arthur¡¯s next stop was still in the Industrial Area, at Benz¡¯s Car Factory.


    It had been more than a year since Benz One, the first car produced by the Benz Car Factory, went on sale.


    As a groundbreaking product in the automotive industry, the achievements of the Benz One could rival those of the historic Ford Model T.<div>


    Because it was backed by the nobility from both Germany and the United Kingdom, and because it was simultaneouslyunched worldwide, the achievements of this car even surpassed that of many others.


    Arthur didn¡¯t often pay attention to the sales of Benz cars because he knew that the sales of this model were bound to set records.


    Instead of expecting the total sales volume, it was more practical to expect the sales revenue and profit of the car.


    However, the actual profit of the Benz Car Factory still surprised Arthur.


    Since itsunch on February 17th, 1903, nearly a year and a half had passed.


    During this time, the Benz One had undergone many improvements in performance, safety, and cost-effectiveness, continually getting better.


    Of course, this was due to Arthur¡¯s insistence. In history, the Ford Company becamecent due to the excellent performance of the Model T and didn¡¯t make further improvements, leading to other carpanies surpassing it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This problem should be avoided early on, so the Benz Car Factory became one of the most activepanies in solving car issues and making improvements.


    Over the course of a year and a half, the Benz One had improved many issues, including the instation of seatbelts, further improving the safety of drivers and passengers.


    For cars produced before the seatbelt was added, Benz Car Factory consistently provided a free instation service.


    Old Benz One cars could have new technology and equipment installed for free, ensuring that all cars produced by the Benz Car Factory have the same technology and equipment.


    This move not only attracted the goodwill of many users, but it also greatly increased the global sales volume of the Benz One in just one week following the implementation of this policy.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that the Benz Car Factory chose to make the seatbelt technology public and free for use by all car factories.


    Although this resulted in some loss of profits for the Benz Car Factory, it earned the goodwill of many onlookers and other car factories, at least the Benz One¡¯s current monopolistic dominance has not sparked public outrage.


    For the world car market, 1903 and 1904 were two years of extraordinary expansion.


    In the entire year of 1902, the total number of cars sold worldwide was just over ten thousand, with Europe contributing more than six thousand and the vast majority of the remainder in the United States.


    However, starting in 1903, the production and sales of cars increased nearly thirty-fold in both categories. In 1903 alone, thebined production of the Benz Car Factory and its three partner factories exceeded 400,000 cars, with total sales of nearly 320,000 cars.


    Although this year was a year of market expansion, the actual sales volume was still an astonishing number.


    Of these, the Benz Car Factory¡¯s headquarters in Australia produced more than 63,000 cars, while the remaining nearly 340,000 vehicles were produced in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.<div>


    With sales points spread across the world, there was no need to worry about the oversupply problem. As for the specific market share, it was up to the United Kingdom and Germany topete for it.


    Entering 1904, the sales data of Benz One became even more exaggerated. Although only a little over six months had passed in 1904, the total sales volume had reached nearly 300,000, almost equal to the total sales of the previous year.


    In order to ensure that their factory maintains a share of the major sales markets, the Benz automobile¡¯s four major factories have begun to increase output.


    The Benz Automobile General Factory in Australia has produced nearly 50,000 cars in the first half of 1904, almost doubling the production number from the previous year.<div>


    That¡¯s not all. The expansion of factories in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States is the real highlight.


    If the production capacity of the three major factories in 1903 was basically maintained at around 90,000, this year¡¯s German and American factories have already overtaken and are expected to break through 150,000 and 180,000 vehicles respectively in annual production.


    It is precisely because of the crazy expansion of German and American factories that in 1904, the total production of Benz¡¯s four major automobile factories is expected to reach around 600,000 vehicles.


    Of course, this is not the blind expansion of the car factory. Judging from the sales results in the past six months, the sales of Benz One will at least stay around 600,000 vehicles in 1904, maintaining a bnce with the production.


    As the car market expands rapidly, the massive sales of Benz One have brought huge profits to Benz Automobile Factory and Arthur.


    Up to now, a total of 623,146 Benz Ones have been sold, with a total sales amount of ¡ê93,471,900. It is not far from ¡ê100 million.


    Although this is a year and a half of total sales from four major factories, it is undeniable that the automotive industry has already shown great potential.


    As long as it is not affected by war, the car market will continue to grow, and the ie and profits brought will definitely increase.


    At present, the profit of each Mercedes car can reach 60 to 70 pounds.


    In particr, the cars produced by the Australian factory can basically maintain a profit of over 70 pounds.


    English and German car rivalry is fierce, but the half of the profits that they will inevitably lose is still arge ie. If it were not for the support of local nobles, the development of Benz Automobile Factory would not have gone so smoothly.


    The Mercedes General Factory sold 113,000 cars, bringing more than ¡ê7 million in profits for the-Benz Factory.


    Not to mention that the total profits of other manufacturers add up to nearly ¡ê31 million, of which Benz Automobile Factory can also share more than ¡ê18 million.<div>


    Of course, the fact that it can be divided into so much is due, in addition to the half profit from the English and German car factories, to the absence of any other involvement in the American car factory.


    Although the profit of each car from the American car factory is only over 50 pounds, the US has a developed market and the sales are thergest among all countries.


    This ¡ê18 million, plus the ¡ê7 million from the sales of the car factory itself, has exceeded ¡ê25 million in ie for the year and a half.


    Arthur owns 90% of the shares in the Benz Automobile Factory. His royal financial group will get 90% of the ¡ê25 million, which is ¡ê22.5 million.


    Of course, tax expenditures cannot be ignored. Although Australia¡¯s tax revenue is equivalent to left hand to right hand for Arthur, it cannot be underestimated or neglected.


    However, after Arthur¡¯s tax reduction, Australia¡¯s various misceneous taxes have disappearedpared to Britain. For the car factories, the biggest tax is nothing more than ie tax, which is about 11%.


    The ie of the royal financial group will need to pay about ¡ê2.47 million in taxes, and the after-tax revenue is less than ¡ê20 million.


    Don¡¯t underestimate this ie. Sinceing to Australia, Arthur¡¯s various expenses have not been so high. Of course, this is based on the exclusion of the ¡ê100 million loan to the government.


    Investing in the Benz Automobile Factory not only allowed Arthur to earn back all the expenses over the years, but even made some profit.


    At present, the royal financial group¡¯s total assets excluding the Royal Bank, military factory, shipyard, some factories built in these years, and investments in some factories, still amount to a huge ¡ê250 million.


    In addition to the ¡ê100 million in loans to the Australian Government, Arthur currently controls over ¡ê100 million in funds, which is being prepared for future deployment.


    If you include the misceneous factories, the total value of the royal financial group is even as high as over ¡ê300 million.


    If there are any rankings in this era, then Arthur and his royal financial group are definitely among them.<div>


    Moreover, for an autocratic monarch of a country, the money in hand cannot represent the monarch¡¯s wealth.


    Especially for a monarch like Arthur, as long as all the rights are still in control, the entire Australia is Arthur¡¯s property.


    How much money is Australia worth? It is innumerable and indescribable.

 Chapter 197: 191: Two Types of Trucks

    Chapter 197: Chapter 191: Two Types of Trucks


    Upon meeting Benz and Diesel again, Arthur found that they hadn¡¯t lost themselves due to their newfound wealth. In fact, they loved their industry and research work even more.


    It is important to note that both Diesel and Benz each held ten percent of the shares in their respective engine factories and car factories.


    As of now, the car factory is the most profitable business for Arthur¡¯s Royal Financial Group, with an annual ie of at least 15 million pounds and increasing as the market expands.


    While Benz¡¯s ten percent stake in the car factory may not be much, it still brings him over a million pounds in ie each year.


    This made him a millionaire in the early twentieth century! Looking at the entire New Zend region, the total fiscal revenue in 1903 was only 1.5 million pounds, almost on par with Benz¡¯s pre-tax total ie.


    Benz: What does it mean to be rich enough to rival a country? This is it!


    Although the wealthparison is only with a small country like New Zend, Benz can still be considered one of the richest people in the world today.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although Diesel¡¯s engine factory is not as exaggerated, it still brings him an ie of over 100,000 pounds a year.


    Moreover, from a strategic perspective, Diesel¡¯s engine factory is an even more important enterprise than Benz¡¯s car factory, contributing more to various aspects of Australia than a small car factory.


    Take engines for example, almost allrge machinery need them. Warships, airnes, cars, tanks, and even future self-propelled firearms and various civilian machinery all require different types of engines to drive them, right?<div>


    Benz and Diesel were also very happy to see Arthur. The two were determined toe to Australia from Germany, not only being attracted by Arthur¡¯s generous research funding but also seeking a more stable research environment to pursue breakthroughs in their respective fields.


    Looking at it now, both Benz and Diesel have achieved tremendous sess in their respective industries. Benz One has been sessfully sold worldwide, bing one of the most profitablepanies in the world.


    Meanwhile, Diesel¡¯s engine researchb has sessfully developed various types of diesel and gasoline engines, making significant contributions to the development of cars, trucks, and airnes.


    It can be said that the advanced performance of the Benz One is not only due to Benz¡¯s painstaking research but also the indispensable contribution of engines from Diesel¡¯s researchb.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Both of them greeted Arthur with a bow.


    ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Benz, Mr. Diesel. Benz One¡¯s current sales sess is definitely thanks to both of you. Have you received the cheques from the Royal Bank? These are dividends from the car and engine factories, as well as the best rewards for you,¡± said Arthur with a smile.


    Arthur has never been stingy with his valued contributors. Besides, these two have made Arthur 20 million pounds, so he naturally doesn¡¯t mind such rewards.


    ¡°We have received it, thank you, Your Highness!¡± Talking about the cheques, the two looked a bit excited with gratitude.


    Compared to their previous experiences as entrepreneurs, they now prefer to work as research experts and heads for Arthur.


    At least, they don¡¯t have to worry about management issues and can devote themselves to research work while reaping huge profits.


    Looking back at their previous struggles with unsustainable businesses and mounting debts, any fool would know the better choice.


    Both of them were given cheques that could be freely exchanged for pounds or Australian dors. Although they spend most of their time in Australia, there would be no problem giving them Australian dors.


    However, Arthur chose to let them make the decision themselves, as this was a reward, and forcibly exchanging it for Australian dors might seem less honorable.


    After discussing the sales and profits of Benz One, the topic returned to the main subject, which was also the reason for Arthur¡¯s visit to the car factory.


    ¡°Mr. Benz, you mentioned that the trial truck product has been made and tested, is that correct?¡± Arthur inquired.


    Trucks are not actually high-tech products. Compared to ordinary cars, they simply reduce the number of passengers and add a cargopartment behind the car.


    However, producing a finished product of arge truck requires a lot of things and cannot be done in a short period of time.


    Both the type of engine and the specific design of the truck need to go through a certain amount of experimentation before a suitable idea can be developed.


    However, since Benz had already informed Arthur, it meant that the truck design had already taken shape, and even produced a prototype that could withstand testing.<div>


    ¡°We have already gone through several rounds of small-scale testing, Your Highness. The current truck is parked in our warehouse, please follow me.¡± Benz exined with a smile.


    Benz Automobile Factory had be one of the most profitable enterprises in the world, and the main factory located in Australia had undergone several expansions, with the warehouse alone upying a vast area.


    Although it was nominally a car factory, this factory also epassed automotive research, design, testing, production, maintenance and other functions, with each function having rtively independent workshops and venues. This also led to the current Benz Car Factory being thergest enterprise in Australia, not only in terms ofnd area, but also in terms of the number of workers, scale and, most importantly, profitability and value.


    Because the car factory was so massive, this time they didn¡¯t walk to the warehouse, but took a car instead.<div>


    Of course, the Benz Car Factory naturally had no shortage of cars, whether it was the cars with armor and specialized ss prepared for the nobles and capitalists, or the regr Benz Ones sold on the market, they were everywhere in the factory.


    Compared to the regr Benz Ones, the cars reinforced with steel tes and special ss, known as Benz Ones, were specifically aimed at the grand nobility and capitalists of the world.


    Such cars could even withstand long-range pistol shots, and also provided excellent resistance to close-range handgun fire.


    As long as it wasn¡¯t a close-range rifle shot, or a high-powered weapon attack like a heavy machine gun or a small firearm, passengers inside the car wouldn¡¯t be in mortal danger.


    At present, firearms development is not very advanced, and heavy firepower weapons can¡¯t be concealed; this has led to assassinations using handguns and short guns, which have diminished power.


    Such a weapon, if fired at close range, could prate the armor of the Benz Ones, but the damage would bergely mitigated.


    As long as the critical parts are not hit by coincidence, it would at most cause severe injuries.


    In the era where firearms are not prohibited, and given the capitalists¡¯ harsh exploitation of the people, assassinations were quitemon.


    Especially when politics were involved, assassinations were inevitable. Even Tsar Nichs II, who had once been the crown prince of the Russian Empire, almost lost his life in an assassination attempt in the ind nation, didn¡¯t he?


    It was precisely because nobles and capitalists cherished their own lives and feared the possibility of assassination that these specially ordered cars were popr.


    Although the price of the Benz Ones was much more expensive, averaging more than two hundred and fifty pounds, it couldn¡¯t stop the nobles and capitalists from valuing their lives.


    However, for Arthur, such vehicles were more often than not used as gifts to other nobles.


    So far, Arthur had gifted more than twenty cars to the European region, with the recipients being all the major nobles in Europe, including the British and German Royal Family.<div>


    A few minutester, they arrived at the rear warehouse of the Benz Car Factory.


    This warehouse was connected to the factory¡¯sboratory and research room, and it was used solely to park prototypes of new designs, not finished products.


    At the moment, neatly parked inside the warehouse were tenrge trucks.


    Of course, these ten trucks were not all identical; there were two types based on size.


    Arthur looked at Benz, and Benz immediately understood, smiling and exining: ¡°Your Highness, what you see here are the two experimental products that we have developed after multiple efforts of design, experimentation and improvement, based on your suggestions.¡±


    Having said that, Benz walked to the smaller truck and continued: ¡°This smaller truck, Your Highness, uses the same gasoline engine as our cars, with the advantage of low noise and low emissions, making it suitable for urban transportation.¡±


    ¡°But it also has some obvious drawbacks, due to using the gasoline engine, the power is not as sufficientpared to the diesel engine. Currently, this small truck has a maximum load capacity of about 0.8 tons, a maximum speed of 40 kilometers per hour, and a maximum driving range of about 300 kilometers,¡± Benz exined with a helpless expression.


    Gasoline and diesel engines each have their own advantages and disadvantages. The small truck adopted a gasoline engine, reaping various advantages at the cost of some shorings inherent to gasoline engines.


    However, the low-emission, low-noise truck is more suitable for use in cities. In this way, the urban environment would not be too affected, and it would also amodate the crowded city character.


    After all, even with the widest roads in the city, it would not be very suitable for veryrge trucks to drive on.


    ¡°Therger truck next to it uses a more powerful diesel engine and is equipped with arger cargo box. Thisrge truck has a maximum load capacity of 1.5 tons, a maximum speed of 35 kilometers per hour, and a maximum range of 300 kilometers, which basically meets your expectations for a cargo vehicle, Your Highness,¡± Benz said, looking at therger truck nearby.

 Chapter 198: 192: Tractor

    Chapter 198: Chapter 192: Tractor


    Arthur nodded in satisfaction.


    Benz¡¯s design was remarkably sensible, considering both urban and suburban transport environments. He designed two types of trucks, one equipped with a gasoline engine and the other with a diesel engine, pushing both types into the final experimental phase.


    Having two types of trucks also allows us to market them more effectively worldwide.


    They not only meet various transportation needs in Australia but are also capable of generating a significant profit from international sales. It¡¯s perfect.


    As for the question of whether selling these trucks abroad might inadvertently increase the strategic transport capabilities of European and American nations, Arthur was not concerned.


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that these trucks won¡¯t bolster the transportation capabilities of Europe and America. Indeed, once these powerful nations acquire these trucks, their transport capacities will undoubtedly increase significantly. That is undeniable.


    But this is also unavoidable. Just like cars, if Benz One wasn¡¯t invented, Ford Company¡¯s Model T would have emerged instead.


    Even if these two kinds of trucks hadn¡¯t been born now, other nations¡¯ carpanies would have researched and developed them for adoption and procurement by other countries in the future.


    Rather than waste the truck¡¯s enormous potential market, it would be better to leverage the advantages of the Benz Car Factory, seize it first, and turn it into a tremendous profit.


    Although this could potentially impact the transport capabilities of European countries before a war, such a situation is unavoidable.<div>


    As long as Australia can reap substantial profits from this, it will have sufficient capacity to stimte even greater development in various aspects of Australia.


    Benz knew that Arthur disliked idle spection, hence the rapid start to the tests of the two types of trucks.


    The experiment was fairly straightforward, mainly to verify if the data on paper was correct. The data of these two kinds of trucks came from small-scale testing and design predictions, and there might well be some differencespared to the actual situation.


    The purpose of the experiment was to confirm the concrete data for these two types of trucks. If they pass, then they¡¯re ready for further production. If not, improvements will be made on the areas that didn¡¯t meet the standards.


    Although guesses cannot be made blindly before testing, Arthur had a lot of faith in the abilities of both Benz and Disel.


    The experimental results were as expected. Although there were some deviations from the data on paper, most discrepancies were in a better direction, meaning the actual performance data was even better.


    ording to thebined tests of ten vehicles of both types, both types of trucks reach their theoretical maximum load capacity, which is 0.8 tons and 1.5 tons respectively.


    In reality, these figures aren¡¯t their maximum load capacities. But if the load exceeds them, it is very likely to cause damage to the truck¡¯s structure and engine.


    Given the premise that there would be no damage to the trucks, these two figures represent the maximum load capacities of the two types of trucks.


    Regarding speed, Benz¡¯s estimates were too conservative.


    When loaded with their maximum cargo, the small truck and therge truck can reach speeds of 44 kilometers per hour and 39 kilometers per hour, respectively.


    Considering the weight of the cargo they carry, this is quite remarkable.


    Presently, the most widely used small cargo vehicles are still horse carriages and ox carts.


    But these vehicles travel extremely slowly and are heavily affected by terrain and climate.


    Trucks, on the other hand, function differently. They can operate normally even in the rain, provided the weather isn¡¯t too extreme.


    Although they too require good roads, trains must run on rails. Trucks with these excellent performances are already attractive enough.


    Of course, it was precisely because of the breakthrough in speed that the maximum driving distance of the two types of vehicles was slightly reduced.


    But this is the easiest problem to solve, the most straightforward solution is to carry a barrel of gasoline or diesel in the vehicle and refill when needed.


    And with the widespread use of cars around the world, a lot of cities have built gas stations. Although it is not as convenient as it will be in the future, in most areas of Europe and America, finding a gas station within 300 kilometers isn¡¯t an issue.<div>


    Of course, there are ces just as barren as the central region of Australia in these parts, but who would venture to such areas without carrying enough fuel in their vehicle?


    After watching the entire testing process, Arthur was thrilled with the two types of trucks currently in development.


    For now, at least, these two types of trucks can solve a considerable portion of Australia¡¯s transportation problems.


    After all, Australia already has developed highways, and vehicles flying down these t roads will hardly have any significant issues.<div>


    ¡°Mr. Benz, when can these two types of trucks go into production? I look forward to seeing these trucks on Australia¡¯s highways. They will be a tremendous transportation tool, on par with trains,¡± Arthur asked, smiling.


    The sessful experimentation of the truck was good news for Arthur. Due to Australia¡¯s massivend area, transportation had be a major issue.


    Before theplete establishment of the industrial railway, transportation between the east and west coasts of Australia could take over half a month.


    Even with the existence of highways connecting major cities, the small number of cars remained a very distressing issue.


    Considering the current average ie in Australia, most Australians cannot afford a car, and this situation is not expected to change in a short period.


    Although the average ie in Australia has been continuously growing, it would still take more than a decade to save enough money to buy a car.


    The question is, even after more than a decade, having saved enough money to buy a car, who would be willing to spend half of their lifetime savings on a vehicle?


    Even though producing trucks will not solve this issue, Arthur had thought of a solution: to start a transportationpany.


    Although it can¡¯t resolve the people¡¯s problem, at least it can solve some of the transportation issues at the national level, including the military.


    Once the military is equipped with trucks, small-scale forces can quickly transport within Australia.


    Imagine, if the Australian military could reach any area across the country within two days, would we still worry about domestic stability?


    ¡°Your Highness, if we estimate conservatively, could possibly start small-scale production of these two types of trucks in three months. Of course, if everything goes well, I believe it is possible to start small-scale production in two months.¡± Benz thought a bit before replying.


    After passing the tests, a ratherplicated process is needed, which is to build aplete truck production line.<div>


    However, preparations for future mass production had been done during the truck development stage, therefore, this process is expected to take only two to three months toplete.


    Of course, the small-scale production mentioned by Arthur is also a very important factor. If it were to scale production like Benz One and sell worldwide, the preparation time may need to be extended by several months.


    Arthur nodded, not surprised at this timeline, and ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s immediately start the operation of producing these two types of trucks. Across Australia, we at least need hundreds or even thousands of trucks to meet our transportation needs. Once wepletely meet domestic demand, we can start selling overseas.¡±


    Not only does the military¡¯s transportation require a lot of trucks, various weapons and equipment, evenrge firearms and strategic supplies can all be transported using these trucks.


    Moreover, taking into ount the diverse needs of various Australian departments for these trucks, a conservative estimate suggests that Australia¡¯s national level needs at least hundreds to thousands of trucks to initially meet the country¡¯s various transportation needs.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°In addition, there is another special vehicle that requires your research.¡± At the end of the conversation, Arthur pulled out a blueprint and smilingly said to Benz and Disel.


    ¡°A special vehicle?¡± Both of them took the blueprint with some bewilderment and began studying it intently.


    This indeed is a special vehicle! Whether it¡¯s Benz or Disel, they both had this thought as soon as they saw the blueprint.


    Unlike the usual vehicle concept, this is a tracked vehicle that resembled a train engine, except it used a fuel engine instead of a steam engine.


    The only characteristic that could be called car-like was that, like a car, it had a driver¡¯s seat, and its size was about the same as a car¡¯s.


    But is this really a car? What is its purpose?


    Benz looked at Arthur with uncertainty, hoping for more exnation.


    ¡°I believe you guys have heard of this, it¡¯s really called a tractor, which can attach farm tools to help us improve agricultural production,¡± Arthur knew that the blueprint alone couldn¡¯t describe much, so he exined.<div>


    ¡°A tractor?¡± Benz and Disel instinctively nodded.


    Speaking of tractors, they understood a bit. Although this machine hadn¡¯t really gone into production, it was in the development cycle for many years.


    Both had heard of the tractor¡¯s concept and once curiously viewed pictures of tractors in newspapers. But¡ªdoes a tractor really look like this?


    Seeing their confusion, Arthur didn¡¯t further exin, but rather solemnly ordered, ¡°This is a blueprint brought by a European expert, and it reportedly is the most advanced concept of a tractor. Although it¡¯s not as important as a car, it is a vital machine rted to Australian agricultural production. I hope you guys can research as soon as possible and start production. This will y a crucial role in improving Australian agricultural production.¡±


    Actually, Arthur¡¯s ultimate goal wasn¡¯t about agricultural production. Although Australia¡¯s arablend wasn¡¯t extensive, the country had a vast area ofnd.


    Overall, Australia¡¯s arablend was even ranked in the world¡¯s top ten. Coupled with its sparse poption and extremely developed animal husbandry.


    It can be said that until Australia had a poption of 20 million, there would be no shortage of grain and meat products.


    But this tractor was rted to Arthur¡¯s significant objective, and it would be better if fewer people knew about it.


    Under these circumstances, using agriculture as a cover was the best solution Arthur could think of.

 Chapter 199: 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War

    Chapter 199: Chapter 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War


    The situation in the Far East War changed in July.


    Firstly, on July 13th, the Trans-Siberian Railway, which the Russian Empire had been eagerly awaiting, was finallypleted, connecting both ends of the vast empire.


    The benefits of the railway¡¯spletion to the Russian Empire were unimaginable. Not only did it greatly improvemunication and transportation between Europe and Asia, it also yed an irreceable role in the stability of the Russian Empire.


    Of course, this also made it more convenient for Russia to mobilize troops from Europe to the Far East.


    From August onwards, more than 40,000 Russian soldiers arrived in the Far East every month to join the battlefield.


    In a short period of time, the Russian army did achieve a bnce with the Ind Nation Army, and aside from the fierce battles, there were not many changes in territory.


    By September 1904, the Far East battlefield had a total of 280,000 Russian troops and 430,000 Ind Nation troops, adding up to more than 700,000 troops.


    As Russia and Ind Nation¡¯s investment in the war grew, ending the conflict in the short term became virtually impossible.


    Both countries were prepared for a protracted war and sought more resources and financial support from their respective allies, France and the United Kingdom.


    Of course, the demand for armaments expanded by the war was no longer exclusive to Australia.<div>


    France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and many other countries participated in the arms trade, sellingrge quantities of armaments to Russia and the Ind Nation.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, due_observer to their respective alliance treaties, French arms were only exported to Russia, and British arms were only exported to the Ind Nation.


    In addition, having curried favor with the Russian Empire, the German Empire did not export weapons to the Ind Nation.


    This resulted in Australia and the United States being the only countries exporting weapons to both parties.


    Nevertheless, Australia, drawing on advanced weapons from Britain and Germany, managed to secure arger share of the market than American arms.


    In this war, Australia¡¯s arms export scale was second only to the United Kingdom and even slightly higher than France, demonstrating the importance of nning ahead.


    As time went on, the gship of the Pacific Squadron, the Crown Prince, had been repaired and rejoined the formation in the Pacific Ocean.


    This led the Pacific Squadron to gain a slight advantage over the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet, which was the reason for the protracted attack and defense on thend battlefield.


    In fact, in terms ofbat power alone, the Ind Nation Army held the advantage. After their modernization, this country underwent arge-scale recement of both army and navy equipment, with training modeled after that of the leadingnd army of the German Empire and the leading navy of the British Empire.


    However, the Russian army had issues with training andgging weaponry, save for a few elite troops that were ahead of the Ind Nation Army.


    Moreover, due_observer to transportation constraints, the Ind Nation Army in the Far East was nearly twice the size of the Russian army and had a significant numerical advantage.


    If it were not for the asional artillery assistance provided to thend army by the Pacific Squadron¡¯s slight advantage, the defense of Port Arthur might not have been so sessful.


    Although the current stalemate in the Battle of Port Arthur is being maintained, only Russia and the Ind Nation are aware of the actual vast casualties.


    Although these casualties are not severe enough to significantly weaken both countries, the damage is painful enough without having achieved strategic goals.


    So far, Ind Nation and Russia have spent a respective 130 million yen and 90 million rubles in the war, both exceeding 10 million pounds.


    If the Battle of Port Arthur continues to maintain this bnce, the expenses for both countries would be huge, and apanied by numerous casualties.


    Ind Nation, of course, understood this point. Compared to the Russian Empire, they were the side that could afford to lose even less.


    Russia¡¯s main base was in Europe, and even if it lost its hegemony in the Far East, the impact on the country¡¯s status wouldn¡¯t be too significant.


    But the Ind Nation was different. Their base was in East Asia, and they were an ind country.<div>


    If the Ind Nation lost the war and the navy it had built up over many years, its dream of hegemony would bepletely shattered, and at most it would be a regional power, unable topete with major powers.


    The more they thought about the terrifying prospect, the less the Inders were willing to let it happen.


    Fortunately, soon after the outbreak of the war, the Ind Nation had mobilized nearly 400,000 troops at home in two preliminary waves, half of which had already been sent to the battlefield.


    In order to achieve results sooner and shift the war from a siege to an encounter battle, the Ind Nation once again deployed 200,000 troops to upy the eastern and central regions of the battlefield.<div>


    Compared to Russia¡¯s more than a month of transportation time, the Ind Nation Army only took two to three days to transport its troops, giving them an absolute advantage.


    As expected, after adding another 200,000 troops, the ratio of Russian to Ind Nation troops in the Far East came close to one to three.


    Arge number of Ind Nation troops made it increasingly difficult for Russia to cope, and with heavy casualties and inadequate logistics, Port Arthur gradually became endangered.

 Chapter 200: 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_2

    Chapter 200: Chapter 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_2


    Of course, after having an army of sufficient size, the current battlefield was not just Port Arthur, but could even be described as blooming in multiple ces.


    The Ind Nation¡¯s Army deployed a part to defend and attempt to capture Port Arthur, and another part to advance north and capture locations like Liaoyang Sand River.


    As the war progressed, the attitudes of the soldiers from the Ind Nation and the Russian soldiers gradually became two extremes.


    At this time, the samurai spirit of the Ind Nation truly yed a crucial role; even if theirrades were being killed or injured, the Ind Nation¡¯s soldiers would still bravely charge without fearing death.


    On the other hand, the Russian army faced increased fear with eachrade¡¯s injury or death.


    To avoid affecting Europe¡¯s interests, more than half of the army dispatched to the Far East were temporarily mobilized peasant soldiers.


    These people might have been pure farmers just six months ago, but now they were holding rifles of varying styles, guarding thend far away that didn¡¯t belong to the Russian Empire.


    Did these people not want to defend their homes and country? Of course, they did, but they were more afraid of dying. Due to insufficient training time, they had no defense against the real events happening on the battlefield, and it was only natural to give birth to fear and panic.


    At the end of October 1904, the Ind Nation assembled a majority of its artillery,unching an unprecedented bombardment on the Port Arthur Citadel.


    These cannons were of all different types; if one looked carefully, they could even distinguish the styles of three different countries ¨C Britain, Germany, and the United States.<div>


    Of course, the German-style cannons were sold to them by Australia, which made at least two million pounds profit from this war and even expanded their armament factories and defensepanies.


    Russia initially resisted and even requested support from their fleet. However, the Ind Nation¡¯s fleet took the opportunity to challenge the Pacific Squadron, and to avoid being ambushed, the Pacific Squadron had to hurriedly form a defensive line, thereby interrupting their support for the army.


    On the Russian side, the number of cannons was already far behind that of the Ind Nation¡¯s army, and coupled with inadequate logistics, they could only resist for two rounds before their ammunition reserves became insufficient.


    Of course, the Russian soldiers didn¡¯t have any other ideas at the time; they just wanted to find a secure corner to hide in and wait for the Ind Nation¡¯s bombardment to end.


    However, no one expected that this bombardment wouldst for several hours. Although it was done in sessive rounds, the time between them was not enough for the Russian army to counterattack.


    What the Russian soldiers never expected was that, during such a heavy bombardment, the Ind Nation sent a force close to Port Arthur Fortress and managed to climb it undetected by the Russian soldiers.


    It¡¯s important to note that the shells didn¡¯t have eyes, and the Ind Nation was targeting the entire range of the Port Arthur Fortress.


    This Ind Nation force was likely to be engulfed by their own artillery fire, but there was no sign of fear on their faces.


    Russian soldiers began to panic, feeling as if they were fighting against devils. Aren¡¯t those who aren¡¯t afraid of death basically devils?


    In early October, after holding out for half a year, the Port Arthur Fortress finally fell, and the Ind Nation hadpleted the first step in the war ¨C removing Russia¡¯s supply station in the Far East.


    After the fall of the Port Arthur Fortress, the situation in the Far East War reversed drastically.


    The Inders returned to the unstoppable state they had at the beginning of the war, seizing cities and fortresses in the Far East at will.


    More than 20,000 of the 60,000 Russian defenders at Port Arthur Fortress were killed, and more than 30,000 were captured. Meanwhile, the Port Arthur Fortress itself was reduced to ruins in the heavy bombardment.


    The fall of Port Arthur had a significant impact on the Russian Empire. There were two means of transporting supplies to the Far East for the Russian Empire: one was through the recentlypleted Siberian Railway, and the other was through maritime transport, followed bynd transport after arriving at Port Arthur Harbor.


    However, after the fall of the Port Arthur Fortress, the Port Arthur Harbor became extremely vulnerable. Under such circumstances, maritime transport was basically impossible. The Russian army in the Far East could only rely on the Siberian Railway for logistical support.


    By the end of October 1904, at the cost of heavy casualties, the Ind Nation sessively advanced north to Liaoyang, Sand River, and other ces, moving the front line dozens of kilometers north.


    In early November, the main force of the Manchurian Army marched north again and encountered the Russian main force stationed in Fengtian Region.


    At this point, the troopparison between the two sides had changed to 400,000 versus 170,000, with the Ind Nation Army possessing an absolute advantage.


    More important than the numerical advantage was Marshal D¨¤sh¨¡n Johnson¡¯s unique strategy.<div>


    The main attack direction of the Ind Nation was the right nk of the Russian army, but the Russians had more than 30,000 reserve forces on their right nk.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In order to have the Russians transfer these reserve forces to their left nk, Marshal D¨¤sh¨¡n Johnson dispatched the Fifth Army from the right nk openly towards the left nk, and secretly circled around to the right nk with the intention of luring the Russian troops to deploy their right nk reserve forces to the left nk, strengthening the left nk defense.


    Russian Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson actually fell for this strategy. Seeing the Ind Nation¡¯s troop movements, he transferred most of the right nk reserve forces to his left nk to prevent a possible strong attack.


    However, little did he know that just on the third day, the right nk of the Russian army would be subjected to a fierce and strong attack.<div>


    Moreover, two Ind Nation forces had already circled to the rear of the right nk, forming an encirclement.


    This put the Russian army in a predicament. Although the main battlefield was centered around the Fengtian Region, the battlefront stretched for more than 100 kilometers.

 Chapter 201: 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_3

    Chapter 201: Chapter 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_3


    It was impossible to have troops from other regions support them in such a short period of time. The reserve forces on the right nk had only about 10,000 soldiers left, and they couldn¡¯t possibly help with the war on the right nk.


    To protect the left nk, the two army groups of the left nk could only remain stationary. Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson once again ordered the reserves to return to the right nk to protect its positions.


    But this was a front spanning hundreds of kilometers, and the back and forth of the reserve forces left the soldiers exhausted.


    On the fifth day, the reserve forces sessfully returned without any time for rest, and went straight into the battlefield.


    With the advantage in numbers, the Ind Nation¡¯s main force attacked the right nk of the Russian army while simultaneouslyunching an assault on the Russian left nk as well.


    The attack on the left nk was rtively evenly matched, but the Inders¡¯ objective was merely to hold back the Russian left nk.


    As the Ind Nation¡¯s main forces repeatedly attacked, casualties on the Russian¡¯s right nk increased, and their defense lines gradually shrank.


    To save the copsing right nk, Kuropatkin Johnson ordered the Russian left nk to abandon its positions and retreat to the north of the Hun River topress the battle line and transfer some troops to reinforce the right nk.


    But the Ind Nation¡¯s numerical advantage was too great, and such relocation was not enough to bnce the right nk.


    With the Manchu Military Headquarters sending another force to the Russian left nk, the bnce previously held by the left nk was broken, and both the left and right nks fell into disadvantage.<div>


    In mid-November, the Ind Nation¡¯s forces broke through the first Army Group¡¯s defenses and began to nk towards Fengtian from the left nk.


    Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. Once the Ind Nation¡¯s forces sessfully nked, more than a hundred thousand Russian troops in the Far East would be surrounded by the Ind Nation¡¯s army.


    Loss of these hundred thousand troops would leave the Far East Region exposed and ripe for the picking.


    In a panic, Marshal Kuropatkin Johnson ordered the entire Russian army to retreat urgently towards Ironridge.


    Due to the suddenness of the order, the retreat of the entire Russian army was chaotic.


    The cavalry, having not participated in previous skirmishes, were prioritized during the retreat.


    However, the baggage train of the cavalry severely blocked the withdrawal route, and many soldiers lost their way, causing a breakdown inmunication between different units.


    The Ind Nation¡¯s forces seized the opportunity andunched a barrage attack on the retreating Russian army, followed by a final assault.


    This led to nearly a quarter of the Russian army encircled by the Ind Nation¡¯s forces, but their main force managed a sessful withdrawal.


    After enduring a series of hard-fought battles, the Ind Nation¡¯s forces had no strength left to pursue, so their main focus shifted to annihting the encircled Russian troops.


    If the fall of Port Arthur was the first blow to the Russian Empire, the disastrous defeat in this major battle was the second blow.


    News of the defeat reached Russia, and Far East Army Commander Kuropatkin Johnson was relieved of duty, with Niall Li appointed as the new Far East Army Commander.


    Unwilling to ept defeat, Russia initiated a third round of conscription domestically and assembled some warships from the waters of Europe to form the Pacific Ocean Second Fleet in a vain attempt to regain maritime superiority in the Far East Region.


    The course of the war had surpassed the expectations of both Russia and the Ind Nation.


    Although the Ind Nation gained the upper hand in the Far East situation, both countries had paid a heavy price for this war.


    Up to now, more than a million troops have been deployed by both parties, and the total mobilized forces have exceeded two million.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Since February, the war hadsted until November.


    At present, both Russia and the Ind Nation had spent over 50 million pounds on the war.


    Although the Ind Nation had achieved its strategic objectives, they still suffered heavy casualties.<div>


    At least 100,000 Inder soldiers were killed in the war, and 300,000 soldiers sustained injuries of varying severity.


    The Russian army¡¯s casualties were also significant. Although early defensive battles resulted in fewer casualties than the Ind Nation,ter encounters gradually inflicted increasing pain on the Russian Army.


    At least 80,000 Russian soldiers died in the war, and over 200,000 soldiers were injured.


    In mid-December, with the arrival of the Pacific Ocean Second Fleet, Russia regained its advantage at sea.<div>


    Continuous influx of Russian soldiers arrived via the Siberian Railway, barely maintaining the ground situation.


    But both countries could not ept this equilibrium. At the moment, every day the war continued would cost both Russia and the Ind Nation at least 100,000 pounds.


    Especially whenunchingrge-scale battles, the consumption would increase several times over.


    Which country could withstand such a massive consumption? Even a once-strong British Empire was dragged down in two battles due to this kind of attrition, let alone the economically and industrially backward Russian Empire and the Ind Nation.


    At the end of December, with the arrival of the new year, both countries could no longer bear the huge costs andunched a new round of offensives.


    For this offensive, Russia and the Ind Nation had prepared for a month, umting enough weapons and ammunition for a long battle.


    Of course, to amass these stocks, they had also spent several million pounds of funds and a multitude of resources.

 Chapter 202: 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_4

    Chapter 202: Chapter 193: End of the Russo-Japanese War_4


    However, the oue of the war greatly disappointed both nations. Although both suffered heavy casualties, the situation remained in a delicate bnce.


    Although the Russian army was outnumbered, the newly arrived reinforcements were from the elite forces in Europe and were no weaker than the Ind Nation Army.


    Bolstered by a vast array of new weapons, they were able to maintain a stalemate with the Ind Nation Army.


    After more than three months of this, the Russian Empire was the first to reach breaking point.


    However, the government of the Ind Nation was also at a loss. The war had already cost them over six hundred million Yen and resulted in casualties of nearly six hundred thousand soldiers.


    If the Russian Empire hadn¡¯t withdrawn first, the Ind Nation likely wouldn¡¯t havested much longer either.


    Following the Russian Empire¡¯s withdrawal, the world powers who had previously remained in the shadows now stepped forward and attempted to mediate the conflict.


    That being said, these world powersrgely maintained their previous stances, with Britain and the United States supporting the Ind Nation and Germany and France backing the Russian Empire.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire was allied with Germany, they maintained a neutral position in this war due to territorial disputes and hatred toward the Russian Empire.


    Unlike in history, the Russian Empire, despite its current disadvantage onnd, held an advantage at sea and reached a rtive bnce with the Ind Nation Army.<div>


    This resulted in the Russian Empire admitting defeat but with great confidence.


    If the final peace negotiations did not meet the Russian Empire¡¯s expectations, resuming the war would be inevitable.


    During the negotiations, Russia and the Ind Nation remained at war, with battles still raging in the Far East.


    Due to theck of a breakthrough in the conflict, the Ind Nation was eventually forced topromise with the Russian Empire, and both parties reluctantly agreed to a contract they could each tolerate.


    In the presence of representatives from Britain, the United States, Germany, France, and Australia, the diplomats of the Russian and Ind Nations each signed their names, thereby enacting the Treaty of Portsmouth.


    Unlike history, this treaty did not significantly weaken Russia.


    Firstly, just like the historical Treaty of Portsmouth, the Russian Empire refused to pay anypensation.


    Secondly, the Russian Empire would not cede any colonies or territories to the Ind Nation. They could only ept relinquishing a portion of their interests in the Qing Empire¡¯s region.


    While the Ind Nation was dissatisfied with this oue, the goal of Britain and the United States to weaken the Russian Empire¡¯s clout in the Far East had been achieved, and even if the Ind Nation wanted to continue the war, the two nations¡¯ support would decrease.


    Furthermore, it was not impossible for the Russian Empire to win. The navy, a branch of the military which cannot be quickly expanded within a short period of time, yed a vital role in determining dominance in the Far East.


    Regrettably, with the arrival of the Russian Second Pacific Fleet in the Far East, the Ind Nation had lost the chance to surpass the Russian Far East Fleet in terms of naval strength.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Combined with the Russian army¡¯s stringent defense strategies, continuing the war would only result in further depletion for the Ind Nation.


    Whether it was the massive financial expenditure or the increasing number of military casualties, the current Ind Nation government simply couldn¡¯t bear it.


    So, gaining some interests in the Far East was a result the Ind Nation government could reluctantly ept.


    After all, the Ind Nation was well aware that continuing down this path would inevitably incur therger wrath of the Russian Empire.


    If Russia, risking alienating its allies, decided to transfer the majority of its forces from Europe to the Far East, then the scales of war could very well tip in favor of the Russian Empire.


    Despite the fact that the Ind Nation was at war with the Russian Empire, they were only facing a portion of the Russian Empire¡¯s military force.


    The Ind Nation clearly knew, even before they initiated the war, that theypletely defeating the full force of the Russian Empire was an impossible feat.


    In April of 1905, the Russo-Japanese War, which hadsted for one year and two months, finally ended. It was one of thergest-scale wars in modern history. Both nations had mobilized over two million troops, resulting in more than three hundred thousand deaths and over four hundred thousand injuries.<div>


    The Ind Nation gained some interests in the Far East and exclusive rights in Korea, which was some form ofpensation amidst the misfortune.


    At least after this war, the European and American nations began to regard the Ind Nation as a powerful country, one with potential topete for superpower status.

 Chapter 203: 194: German-Russian Negotiations and Australia

    Chapter 203: Chapter 194: German-Russian Negotiations and Australia


    Although the Russo-Japanese War seemed to be a war between the Ind Nation and the Russian Empire for dominance in the Far East, in reality, the oue of this war concerned the entire global situation.


    The Ind Nation suffered heavy damage, but it also gained the recognition of the Western world, being considered a strong industrialized nation.


    The Russian Empire did not, as in its original history,pletely lose its dominance in the Far East region.


    At present, the Russian Empire and the Ind Nation are in a bnced state in the Far East region. Although they have no ns for war, they have made many arrangements in the Far East region, barely maintaining their own interests.


    As a result, much of the Russian Empire¡¯s attention has been drawn to the Far East, with less attention in Europe.


    This has caused dissatisfaction in France, as the French supported Russia¡¯s war in order to have Russia quickly end it and return their attention to Europe, continuing the French-Russian opposition against Germany.


    Russia¡¯s focus on the Far East and growing closeness to Germany during the war made France increasingly unhappy and repeatedly emphasized the importance of the Franco-Russian alliance.


    The situation in Europe has be increasingly chaotic. As early as April 8, 1904, Britain and France formally signed the Anglo-French Agreement, resolving the long-standing colonial disputes between the two countries and establishing a good alliance rtionship.


    Although the Anglo-French Agreement is not an alliance treaty and does not mention the issue of jointly resisting Germany, nor does it have any secret military uses.


    However, after the two countries resolved the long-standing colonial disputes, the only major issue they faced was the rise of the new hegemon on the European continent, the powerful and aggressive German Empire.<div>


    The signing of the Anglo-French Agreement was a cause for concern for the German Empire.


    The joint action of these two countries was enough to threaten the security of the German Empire, prompting Emperor William II of Germany to immediately decide to counterattack.


    Germany¡¯s counterattack revolved around the Moran issue, aiming to strike France and weaken the Anglo-French Agreement.


    With the signing of the Anglo-French Agreement, France became more unscrupulous in its aggression toward Moro.


    In February 1905, France proposed aprehensive reform n to the Moran government, demanding the establishment of a police system under French supervision, as well as the construction of railways and mining.


    If the Moran government agreed, the entire Moro would be a protectorate of France, losing its sovereignty.


    Germany, which harbored simr aggressive ambitions towards Moro, immediately intervened and instructed the Moran government to refuse.


    To demonstrate Germany¡¯s determination to counterattack, Emperor William II of Germany suddenly visited the port of Tangier in Moro on March 31, delivering a provocative speech, dering his intention to maintain the sovereignty and independence of the entire Moro and contribute to world peace.


    Of course, William II also specifically pointed out that Germany strongly opposes the special status gained by France in Moro, calling it a barbaric act.


    Subsequently, German Chancellor B¨¹l¨®w proposed to convene an international conference to settle the Moran issue and threatened France with war.


    This is the famous First Moran Crisis in history, and one of the factors that almost triggered World War I.


    The birth of the Moran Crisis led France and Germany to seek more support in the internationalmunity.


    By coincidence, at the end of the previous year, on October 22, 1904, the Russian Empire¡¯s Baltic Fleet sank a British fishing boat near Hull during its journey to the Far East.


    This move exacerbated tensions between Britain and Russia. Britain not only lodged a diplomatic protest but also dispatched warships to track the Russian fleet.


    Even among the British public, some unscrupulous capitalists and newspapers were already advocating war against Russia tofort the dead Britishpatriots with a hearty victory.


    What was Russia¡¯s state at this time? Being busy with the war, the diplomacy was rtively isted.


    Apart from the limited support of its ally France, the only country willing to support Russia was Germany.


    Due to its diplomatic istion, Russia desperately needed the friendship of the German-Austrian alliance, which also promoted the possibility of Germany and Russiaing closer together.


    While Australia exportedrge quantities of armaments to Russia, Germany also signedmercial treaties with Russia, giving substantial loans in exchange for Russia¡¯s agreement to lower tariffs on German industrial products, resulting in arge influx of German goods and capital into Russia, strengthening economic exchanges between Germany and Russia.<div>


    At the same time, with the support and mediation of Germany, Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire reached an agreement to maintain the status quo in the Balkan region, greatly easing tensions between Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    A few days after the idental injury incident, Emperor William II sent a telegram to the Tsar, stating that Britain intended to obstruct Germany¡¯s supply of coal to the Russian navy. William II suggested that the two countries establish a powerful anti-British alliance to break Britain¡¯s scheme.


    Tsar Nichs II, due to the current tense rtionship between Britain and Russia, quickly agreed to the treaty and asked Emperor William II of Germany to send the draft proposal for both parties to study the formal treaty.


    The first use of the draft explicitly stiptes that if one of the two imperial powers signing the treaty is attacked by a major European power, the other country must use all its army and navy forces to provide support.<div>


    When necessary, Germany and Russia should also take joint action to remind France to fulfill the obligations it undertook in the Franco-Russian Alliance Treaty, which is to help Russia in war.


    The first use of this treaty directly bound Russia and its ally France to Germany¡¯s war chariot, and Germany¡¯s purpose was also clear.


    However, the final negotiations of this treaty soon came to a deadlock because of whether it was necessary to pass through France for approval.


    Russians believe that this draft involves France and that Russia has an alliance with France, so they feel it necessary to go through France¡¯s scrutiny and consent before signing.


    Taking into ount the hatred between France and Germany, the French would basically not agree to this draft; therefore, Germany insisted on either having no treaty or not informing France.


    Germany¡¯s attitude aroused Russia¡¯s vignce, and its current diplomatic environment was critical, so it was also unwilling to lose the support of its ally France.


    The deadlock was broken because of the mention of a new country name, Australia.


    In fact, William II did not expect that Australians¡¯ attitude would change. He only mentioned Australia to test the Russians¡¯ attitude towards the Far East.


    Unexpectedly, the Russians were still brooding over their defeat in the Far East and were already looking forward to umting strength to resume the war with the ind nation and retake the hegemony of the Far East in theing years.


    In May 1905, one month after the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Russia and Germany resumed negotiations on the German-Russian alliance, and the progress of this round of negotiations was elerated.


    The reason the Russians were so anxious was that Russia¡¯s internal strife had already be apparent during this war.


    The origin of Russia¡¯s internal strife can be traced back to a particr event.


    Starting from the 15th century, individual or collective petitions had been established as a way for people to express their dissatisfaction towards the Tsarist government.<div>


    Even in current Russian society, such unique traditions continue.


    In 1904, inspired by the liberal movement, the legal Russian trade union organization, ¡°St. Petersburg Factory Workers¡¯ Assembly,¡± decided to submit a petition as an independent entity, with the contentpleted by Father Georgi Apollonovich Gabon, the leader of the Assembly.


    In December 1904, four workers who participated in the Assembly at a St. Petersburg factory were fired by their supervisors.


    This seeminglymon issue in Russia resulted in the most serious crisis of the time.


    The four dismissed workers requested the restoration of their work, but the factory management, rude and aggressive, not only ignored them but also provided a sarcastic reply: ¡°Go back to your assembly, and let them support you!¡±


    The Workers¡¯ Assembly appealed against this, but in the end, the appeal failed.


    In January 1905, the Assembly began organizing strikes.


    The next day, the strikes began spreading from that factory to other factories. Just three dayster, more than 10,000 workers had joined the strike.


    Due to the repeated rejections of the workers¡¯ requests by various factories, the scope and intensity of the strikes continued to expand, even affecting other regions of the Russian Empire.


    Finally, Father Gabon and the Assembly¡¯s leadership believed that they should bypass the officials and capitalists, and directly express the workers¡¯ dissatisfaction to the highest authority ¨C the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and even to the Tsar himself.


    With the majority¡¯s consent, the Assembly decided to use the opportunity of the strikes to submit the petition directly to the Tsarist Government.


    Within a few days, the petition waspleted and made public, distributed to all sectors of society.


    At the same time, the total number of striking workers in the capital region of the Russian Empire had reached over 150,000, and threatened surrounding areas.<div>


    The initial intention of this paradeposed of workers was to protect the interests of the workers, but the highest authorities regarded them as revolutionaries and disrupted peace, and they used the military for brutal suppression after warnings proved ineffective.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The enormous sacrifices made on the day of the parade angered the workers of St. Petersburg, and they built up barricades to confront the military police.


    The crisis was not only in St. Petersburg, but protests and strikes also broke out in other parts of Russia, deepening the conflict between the Tsarist government and the working sses.


    Of course, the crisis in Russia was not limited to this, and prior to this event, the vast majority of the Russian popce supported the Tsar.


    This was because the Tsar had always maintained the image of a kind-hearted father figure treasured by the Russians, and so he was supported by the majority of the Russian people.


    However, this bloody event turned the Russian people against the Tsarist regime and led to a series of subsequent revolutionary events.

 Chapter 204: 195: Australia Enters the Game

    Chapter 204: Chapter 195: Australia Enters the Game


    If the nationwide strikes within Russia were a factor that forced Russia to admit defeat, then the series of revolutions caused by this bloody incident were the reason Russia had to ask for more support from the internationalmunity.


    This so-called revolution was actually a long-term social unrest. After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, terror attacks, strikes, peasant resistance, riots, and uprisings continued to emerge in major regions of the Russian Empire, creating domestic woes that could lead to the demise of the empire amidst sufficient external problems.


    This so-called revolution had no organization, no goals, and not even a single reason.


    If insisting on a reason, it can be mainly attributed to decades of national turmoil and dissatisfaction of the Russian people with the Romanov Dynasty.


    Of course, theck of reform in Russia decades ago and the demand for liberation by some ethnic minorities are also one of the causes.


    This revolution became more intense after the failure of the Russo-Japanese War. Although it did not reach the scale of historical disasters, it was definitely a national crisis.


    After the German-Russian negotiations resumed, the progress was rapid. The Germans took advantage of Russia¡¯s recent defeat and both internal and external troubles, promising arge amount of loans to help Russia stabilize domestic order and resume domestic production.


    Moreover, Germany was willing to support Russia¡¯s future expansion in the Far East. Germany was willing to provide a batch of German-made equipment at cost price and was willing to give up the provisions of the treaty on reminding the French about the French-Russian Agreement.


    On the other hand, France was only willing to provide a small loan to help Russia stabilize production in the European region.


    As for the affairs of the Far East, France did not mention it at all, obviously no longer supporting Russia¡¯s actions in the Far East.<div>


    This obvious gap did not cause Russia to abandon its alliance with France.


    However, the turning point also emerged.


    In the original history, due to Russia¡¯s disastrous defeat in the war, thepetition between Britain and Russia in the Far East, Near East, and Central Asia had virtually disappeared.


    But it is different now. Although Russia has experienced failure, it is more like having to admit defeat due to the domestic crisis.


    Given a few more years of development, Russia will still be the hegemon of the Far East.


    Not to mention the Near East and Central Asia, Russia¡¯s power in these two regions has not weakened, and itspetition with Britain continues.


    Due to the continued existence ofpetition, the reconciliation between Britain and Russia that happened in the original history did not progress, even worsened due to the previous Fishermen Crisis.


    Although the Fishermen Crisis was finally resolved due to French mediation, there was no solution to the crises in the Far East and the Near East.


    In short, the defeated Russia in the original history was no longer the mainpetitor for Britain¡¯s hegemony, but Russia, which has not experienced much failure now, is still Britain¡¯srgest rival in Central Asia, the Far East and the Near East, especially in India and the Middle East.


    How important is India to the British Empire? The British Empire is an empire because of the title and resources of the Indian Empire.


    If they lose India, the British Empire would be just a small United Kingdom.


    Because Russia still poses a threat to India, Britain maintains a vignt and hostile attitude towards Russia and has not reconciled due to the signing of the Anglo-French Agreement.


    The contradiction between Britain and Russia has also be one of France¡¯s most troublesome problems. After the Anglo-French Agreement, both Britain and Russia became France¡¯s theoretical allies and strong support for France to confront Germany.


    However, the problem is that there are obvious contradictions between Britain and Russia, and they cannot be eradicated in a short time.


    More importantly, Russia has begun to contact Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Russia¡¯s ambition for the Far East is well known.


    But France does not want Russia to continue to focus on the Far East. The French hope that Russia will fulfill its obligations as an ally and hold back arge amount of German forces in the east of Germany.


    If France continues to strongly support Russia, it will not only be contrary to its own interests, but it will also cause Britain¡¯s dissatisfaction.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Because the region that Russia prioritizes now is the same region that the British Empire also values. Russia and the British Empire have strongpetition in areas such as the Far East, the Near East, and Central Asia. Naturally, they do not allow France to support Russia on arge scale and enable Russia to regain the power toy out in these areas.


    The contradiction with Britain, as well as France¡¯sck of support for the Far East policy, made Russia greatly disappointed with the alliance between France and Russia and, at the same time, vignt about the Anglo-French Agreement.<div>


    Under such premise, the Germans¡¯ desperate efforts to win Russia over and their willingness to support the Far East policy have made the Russians feel the only warmth.


    At the end of May 1905, Emperor William II of Germany and Tsar Nichs II met near Bjork Ind in the Gulf of Find to discuss a possible German-Russian alliance treaty.


    Compared with the French, Emperor William II appeared much more extravagant.


    In the first round of negotiations, William II promised Tsar Nichs II one hundred million Marks in gratis aid and 500 million Marks in civilian loans.<div>


    As William II also participated in Germany¡¯s car factory, he could take out one hundred million Marks of gratis aid without blinking an eye.


    Attracting Russia is also very important for the German Empire. As long as Russia is willing to remain neutral during the Franco-German conflict, Germany can avoid fighting on two fronts, concentrate all the advantageous forces on the Westline, and seek to resolve France in a short period.


    Prussia did this during the Franco-Prussian War, and Germans firmly believe that a stronger German Empire would aplish this task more easily.


    The negotiations went very smoothly, but many ministers within Russia believed that if Russia takes Germany¡¯s side in future conflicts and assumes corresponding obligations, it would vite the French-Russian alliance agreement.


    Besides, Russia¡¯s diplomacy should be based on the French-Russian alliance as the cornerstone, and Russia, heavily dependent on French capital, also needs arge amount of French loans.


    There were also two factions in Russia ¨C one faction supports maintaining the French-Russian alliance, keeping good rtions with France, seeking a certain degree of reconciliation with Britain, and reaching a more advanced British, French, and Russian tripartite agreement.


    The other faction believed that France currently ces more weight on the agreement with Britain and focuses its support on Russia in the European Region.


    But Russia¡¯s Far East policy remains one of the most important policies, and Russia still needs to maintain its hegemony in the Far East and defend its hard-won ice-free ports.


    However, adherence to the Far East policy will lead topetition with Britain and dissatisfaction from France.


    Instead of having a bigger conflict with Britain in the future and forcing France to choose between Russia and Britain (in fact, this faction of Russians believe that France would choose Britain), Russia should give up or weaken its cooperation with France in advance to gain Germany¡¯s support.


    Nichs II did not know how to choose for a moment, but a proposal from an officer made him brighten up.


    Isn¡¯t Germany iming to use loans, weapons, and arge amount of support for Russia¡¯s Far East in the Australian Region in exchange for Russia¡¯s support for Germany in future conflicts?


    Why not ask Australia¡¯s opinion then?<div>


    With the development of Australia¡¯s armaments industry during the Russo-Japanese War, Australia¡¯s position in the Far East has be somewhat special.


    First of all, Australia¡¯s industry has already developed, and the industrial sector has grown to a certain scale.


    Especially in the military industry, due to the integration of British and German weapon systems, Australia¡¯s military industry has be exceptionally advanced.


    Moreover, with abundant mineral resources and plenty ofbor and its proximity to the Far East regionpared to other powerful nations, supplies from Australia can arrive within a week.


    During the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian army relied heavily on therge number of weapons and equipment from Australia, barely achieving a bnce with the Ind Nation Army in terms of defense.


    Although Russia also understands that Australian weapons are exported to the Ind Nation, in the absence of any diplomatic rtions, this is the norm in the internationalmunity.


    Upon receiving Nichs II¡¯s request, William II raised his eyebrows, but quickly agreed to Nichs II¡¯s request.

 Chapter 205 - 196: Journey to Europe

    Chapter 205: Chapter 196: Journey to Europe


    To Arthur¡¯s surprise, Australia was actually involved in the German-Russian Alliance Treaty, which almost changed the world¡¯s geopoliticalndscape before World War I. What Arthur did not expect was that the negotiations for the treaty were quite smooth, and Nichs II and William II established a rather good rtionship.


    Regardless, this trip to Europe was inevitable. If Australia wanted to gain more benefits in the uing World War I or achieve higher international status after the war, it had to frequently interact with European nations, proving the close ties between Australia and Europe.


    On June 9, 1905, after receiving William II¡¯s invitation to visit Germany, Arthur dly epted and embarked on a journey to Germany and the whole of Europe the next day, apanied by a part of his entourage and escorted by the organized navy fleet.


    Of course, to avoid disappointing the British and damaging the goodwill Arthur had cultivated in Britain for a long time, Arthur traveled to Europe under the pretext of visiting the continent. His itinerary included the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia,sting at least four months.


    However, excluding the more than two months spent on the trips, Arthur would not stay in any of the three countries for longer than half a month.


    Although the other two countries visited were the British Empire¡¯s main rivals, William II was rted to Arthur, and their private rtions were quite good. Russia, on the other hand, although not closely rted, was ruled by Nichs II, who married Queen Victoria¡¯s favorite granddaughter and was Arthur¡¯s cousin by marriage.


    Furthermore, Russia previously established good cooperation in arms trade with Australia. As Australia¡¯s ruler, it was normal for Arthur to visit a nation like Russia with good cooperation on the national level.


    To recognize Britain publicly and satisfy the vanity of the British people, Arthur chose the British Empire as his first stop and stayed there for half a month.


    From his arrival in London on July 3 to his departure on July 19, Arthur returned to stay in Buckingham Pce for a few days, visited several manor houses of Queen Victoria, and spent time at her tomb.


    In any case, at least ny percent of what Arthur had today was thanks to Queen Victoria.


    To Arthur, Queen Victoria was a kind and gentle grandmother who provided warmth during his most difficult times.


    Arthur¡¯s uncalcted move once again won the favor of many British people. Although Queen Victoria had been dead for more than five years, this did not mean that the British would forget her contributions and the glory of Britain during the Victorian era.


    Nowadays, Britain faces its biggest challenger, which makes many British people yearn for the glorious past when they had no rivals.


    Arthur¡¯s reappearance reminded many British people of the splendor of the Victorian era and the once-great monarch of the British royal family.


    At the same time, many Britons began to pay attention to Australia¡¯s situation. As the grandson that Queen Victoria cared deeply for before her death, Arthur gained the attention of many Britons, and both his and Australia¡¯s names frequently appeared in major British newspapers.


    Thest time Arthur and Australia appeared in British newspapers was a year and a half ago.


    When most Britons learned that Australia had established a federation with New Zend, their reaction was approving and congrattory.


    After all, it was part of Queen Victoria¡¯s will to establish such a federation. Even if it happened much earlier, the result was still the same.


    British people were more satisfied with Arthur, the independent Duke who broke away from the British Royal Family, when they found out that his first stop was the British Empire.


    Even though Arthur would also visit Britain¡¯s biggest rival, Germany, and its long-timepetitor, Russia, his first stop was Britain, wasn¡¯t it?


    In this half-month, Arthur also visited major shipyards and automobile factories in the British Empire.


    As the world¡¯s number one superpower and naval power, Australia sends hundreds of naval academy students and more than a dozen shipbuilding experts to Britain every year for further study and training, learning advanced shipbuilding and naval knowledge from Britain.


    Australians share the same roots with the British, in addition to Queen Victoria¡¯s will, which ensures that these Australian navy soldiers and shipbuilding experts would learn much from their British counterparts.


    This preparation was for Australia to be ready for dreadnoughts. Australia not only needed the ability to produce dreadnoughts independently but also had to have enough soldiers capable of operating them after theirunch.


    Sending navy soldiers to study now could speed up the process of navy integration and also improve navalbat efficiency more effectively.


    Arthur¡¯s arrival was a pleasant surprise to these navy soldiers and experts. Many of them were descendants of British immigrants to Australia in the previous generation.


    These people were born and raised in Australia, and their recognition of Australia was higher than that of ordinary immigrants.


    Arthur gave a speech in front of the crowd,forting and encouraging all the soldiers and experts before embarking on his journey to Germany.


    Arthur¡¯s European trip would cover three major European powers.


    Whether it was Britain, Germany, or Russia, all were considered the hegemons of Europe at the time and clearly held more advantagespared to other nations.


    The only European country that could bepared to these three would be France, which had just concluded an agreement with Britain.


    However, France was a republic and Australia had no interest in allying with it.


    In addition, Australia had better rtions with France¡¯s archrival, Germany. Therefore, France was not an objective for Arthur¡¯s trip, nor did he have any intentions to curry favor or cooperate with France.


    France can be considered one of the most affected countries in both World Wars. From the once supreme ruler of Europe, the invincible Napoleon Empire, to a countryter ridiculed for its national g easily transformable into a symbol of surrender ¨C the white g, it took the French just over a hundred years.


    Especially in World War I and World War II, France went from desperate resistance to rapid surrender, with a span of only two or three decades.


    Although it is said in jest that you can never conquer Paris before the French surrender, it reflects how great the toll of World War I was on France. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If it could be said that after World War I the Germans generally harbored a desire for revenge, then after World War I, the French were generally fearful of war.


    What¡¯s more absurd is that in order to make up for the massive loss of poption due to the war, France introduced arge number of ck people from its colonies.


    This led to a surge in the number of ck people in future France, even tainting this once pure white ancestral nation ck.


    France is still the France of the French, but it is no longer the France of white people.


    On July 23, Arthur arrived sessfully in Berlin, the capital of the German Empire.


    Thest time he came to Berlin was a long time ago, so long that Arthur couldn¡¯t even remember when it was.


    However, Arthur could still feel the changes in Berlin.


    With the worldwide sess of the Benz One, cars have be quitemon in both Europe and the Americas.


    Especially in Berlin, the capital of the German Empire, cars have be verymon.


    With so many German states and countless local nobility, these aristocrats all share onemon characteristic, which is that they are extremely wealthy.


    As the poprity of cars grew worldwide, owning an even more luxurious car became one of the ways to showcase the aristocratic heritage.


    Of course, the Benz Car Factory actually undertakes the customization of cars, not only limited to the interior and exterior decoration and more luxurious materials, but also capable ofprehensive upgrades to the vehicle¡¯s configuration and protection capabilities.


    Arthur¡¯s arrival drew the attention of the German side, probably also due to the fact that the current German-Russian negotiations urgently needed the involvement of Australia.


    William II, in particr, prepared a ceremonial guard and weing performance for Arthur, and many Germans lined the streets to greet him.


    Leaving aside whether these Germans came voluntarily, from the scale of this ceremonial guard and the treatment offered, William II clearly regarded Arthur as the leader of an important country.


    Upon seeing William II again, Arthur found that his mood was clearly good at the moment and he was delighted to see Arthur, greeting him with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Arthur!¡± William II initiated the conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Your Majesty.¡± Arthur responded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ve prepared a wee banquet for you at the Berlin Pce. Take a good rest first, and we¡¯ll talk business some other day,¡± said William II, smiling.


    Currently, the German-Russian negotiations have been progressing smoothly, and what they need is the east wind from Australia.


    Arthur¡¯s arrival in Europe made William II the happiest person. Because he saw the hope of a German-Russian alliance and the future of the German Empire bing the new world hegemon after quickly solving the French problem by concentrating its main force on the Western Front, free from the encumbrance of the Eastern Front.


    Arthur dly epted. Currently, the main mode of long-distance transportation across the ocean is still by ship.


    However, most of the ships at present are rtively slow in speed, and even the shortest journeys require a longer time.


    It takes more than a month to travel from Australia to Europe, and even a few days to travel from the United Kingdom to Germany.


    Plus, in this era, there are fewer entertainment facilities, no television programs, and no new gadgets.


    Arthur spent most of his time on the ship receiving private lessons from tutors to ensure that his knowledge in politics, psychology, history, military, and other fields was sufficiently rich.


    Of course, military knowledge cannot be summed up on paper alone. Arthur is well aware of this, so the management of Australia¡¯s military affairs is entrusted to trusted professionals, and Arthur rarely takesmand personally.


    Arthur did not want to experience the awkwardness of ayman leading a professional, and the wrong leadership would cause the soldiers to lose confidence in their rulers andmanders.


    This is why Arthur frequently sends students to various European military schools. He wants to use these schools to train Australia¡¯s military personnel to fill the gap of high-end military personnel in Australia.


    At present, this action has been very sessful, and Australia already has its first group of graduates from European military academies who have entered the army and taken up important positions.

 Chapter 206 - 197: Exchange of Interests

    Chapter 206: Chapter 197: Exchange of Interests


    On July 25, 1905, it was Arthur¡¯s third day in Berlin.


    After resting for more than a day, William II and Arthur began formal discussions on German-Australian rtions.


    Compared to the insufficient cooperation between the British Empire and the Ind Nation, the rtionship between Germany and Australia seems to be more closely connected.


    Arthur and William II exchanged views on the cooperation between Australia and Germania, and also reached a proposal to further deepen cooperation.


    Of course, this proposal mainly focuses on military training. After forming a federation with New Zend, Australia needs an even stronger army to protect the territorial security of Australia and New Zend.


    Of course, maintaining domestic order is also an essential factor, and a powerful army is a strong guarantee for the Australian Government and the royal family.


    William II naturally found it eptable and immediately promised to send some elite soldiers and officers from the German Army to help train the Australian military.


    Although doing so would make the Australian Army closer to Germany, there is no conflict between Australia and Germany, so there is no negative impact.


    In addition to military training, Arthur also represented the Australian Government and signed a new round of cooperation agreements with the German Empire Government represented by William II.


    Australia¡¯s industry is too superficial,cking some basic industries and incapable of dealing with more delicate machinery.


    It often relies on imports from Europe, which is not a long-term solution. Arthur decided to introduce a moreplete industrial system from Germany and use at least ten years to help Australia¡¯s industry develop in a more scientific and systematic way.


    After negotiating these cooperation ns, William II changed the topic and directly mentioned the Australian and New Zend Federation.


    ¡°Arthur, do you n to keep the Australian and New Zend Federation going forever?¡± William II suddenly asked, leaving Arthur somewhat puzzled for a moment.


    ¡°The unity of New Zend and Australia is not easy to achieve, and both areas have very simr poption structures, which can exist as a permanent federal state.¡± Arthur exined.


    Although the Federation is not perfect, thebined forces of Australia and New Zend are much stronger than Australia¡¯s alone.


    After Australia and New Zend¡¯s unification, they have be the dominating power in Oceania and have continued to impact other inds in the region.


    One could say that if the inds of the Pacific were not tightly controlled by Britain and France, their sovereignty would quickly fall into Australia¡¯s hands.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that, Arthur. I think Australia and New Zend can exist in a much better way, rather than as a dual state like the Austro-Hungarian Empire.¡± William II exined with a smile. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The name of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is abination of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, which also confirms the political structure of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an alliance of two powerful nations.


    The alliance of these two nations has produced an impressive powerful state.


    However, the limit is only up to this point. Theplexity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire¡¯s ethnic distribution does not allow for a single dominant ethnic group.


    In addition to the separate governments of the two important regions, the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, the political edicts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire could not be well implemented.


    The enormous state was united because of Emperor Francis¡¯s overwhelming prestige and would disintegrate due to his departure.


    Arthur immediately realized the deeper meaning of William II and took the initiative to ask, ¡°What do you mean, cousin?¡±


    William II smiled and nodded, saying, ¡°Oceania needs a more unified nation, which can even influence East Asia and the Far East. But doing so would involve Australia in the world order and the future Australia wanting to develop quietly will also depend on the consent of the many powers.¡±


    A fundamentally united Oceania will inevitably radiate more power outwards. To the north of Oceania are Southeast Asia and East Asia, and to the northwest is the Indian Ocean, separating it from India.


    That also implies that such an Australia might be suspected by the British Empire, as India¡¯s importance to the British Empire is well known.


    ¡°Is Germany willing to support theplete unification of Australia? What benefits does it bring to Germany?¡± Arthur asked further.


    William II¡¯s attitude has shown Arthur the hope for a unified Australia and New Zend, but what is Germany¡¯s reason for supporting the unification? Is it just because the German-Austrian rtionship is so good?


    ¡°Arthur, I don¡¯t want to hide anything. At present, our negotiations with Russia have reached the final stage, and the German-Russian alliance is about to be a reality. However, Russia does not fully trust Germany¡¯s support for its Far East policy, and Australia is an essential part of Germany backing Russia¡¯s Far East policy.¡± William II pondered for a while before exining, ¡°The Russians want to know Australia¡¯s attitude, and you Arthur might even decide the oue of the German-Russian negotiations.¡±


    Arthur nodded. With this in mind, Germany¡¯s decisive agreement to further support Australia seemed reasonable.


    Arthur had not expected Australia to be so important in the current Russo-German negotiations, even affecting the oue and the situation in Europe.


    Logically, these should be Germany¡¯s core secrets and should not be casually revealed to Arthur.


    However, as Arthur heads to Russia, he will inevitably learn about the progress and process of the Russo-German negotiations.


    By then, Arthur would still understand Australia¡¯s importance in the negotiations and its impact on the European situation.


    Therefore, William II did not intend to conceal the information. Instead, being candid could win Arthur¡¯s favor.


    Moreover, after several interactions, William II understood that Arthur was an ambitious person, not an ordinary young man.


    Australia¡¯s choice of a radically different policy from Britain during the Russo-Japanese War confirmed William II¡¯s view.


    Germany could provide more technical assistance, support Australia¡¯s and New Zend¡¯s merger, and be frank about its intentions.


    As for the British Empire, if Australia and New Zend merged into a new kingdom, it would mean they would bepletely separated from the British Empire¡¯s control.


    Arthur would be the king of a new kingdom, not a duke separated from the British Empire.


    The British Empire would lose sovereignty over Australia, and aside from the remaining blood ties, it would take a different path than Australia.


    William II believed that if Queen Victoria were still ruling, the British Empire would agree to the merger, and she would even bless Arthur personally and attend his new coronation ceremony.


    Unfortunately, the current ruler of Britain was Edward VII, a miserly and selfish man.


    At least, that¡¯s how William II saw it. The British Empire¡¯s limited aid to Australia also proved it.


    William II was confident that Arthur would choose Germany because, in terms of personal rtions and national interests, Germany could currently offer much more to Australia than the British Empire.


    ¡°If it¡¯s just a matter of providing weapons and industrial products, Australia would be happy to trade with Russia. But Australia¡¯s military power is currently weak, and we have no intention of getting involved in global conflicts,¡± Arthur replied after some consideration.


    What does the merger of Australia and New Zend signify? It means that Arthur will personally establish a new kingdom and be its first ruler.


    Although there is only a one-level difference between a duke and a king, the prestige and honor thates with the title cannot be described bynguage and text alone.


    Although the new kingdomcks sufficient legalities, as long as it is recognized by most of the world¡¯s major powers, who would oppose it?


    As time goes on and people gradually ept this new country, they will naturally ept Arthur as the new king.


    In the meantime, Arthur is willing to ept Germany¡¯s terms as long as Australia does not directly participate in disputes.


    After all, Germany offers practical benefits that can speed up Australia¡¯s industrial and technological development.


    Nothing is more attractive to Arthur than a stronger Australia, especially in this chaotic and turbulent era. Having a powerful nation under his rule is the basis for maintaining his position.


    ¡°Of course, Arthur. In the end, this is still a European dispute, and Australia, far away in Oceania, has no need to be directly involved. If the Russo-German alliance can be realized, then the powerful German army can quickly bring down Paris and the Pce of Versailles. If this dayes, I want to hold a grand celebration at the Pce of Versailles, letting the world be moved by the power of the German Empire!¡± William IIughed.


    William II¡¯s initial purpose in courting Australia was to have it harass the French colonies¡¯ rear during a war, thus diverting some of France¡¯s attention.


    However, if the Russo-German alliance can be realized, Germany will not have to worry about the Eastern Front, focusing all its main forces on defeating the French army.


    This would greatly reduce the logistical pressure on the German army and make William II¡¯s dream of holding a celebration at the Pce of Versailles more attainable.


    In this case, whether Australia participates in the war is not important. William II is confident in the German Empire¡¯s army and believes that they can easily suppress the French army, even on the frontline.

 Chapter 207: 198: Distant Friendship, Close Attack - European Edition

    Chapter 207: Chapter 198: Distant Friendship, Close Attack ¨C European Edition


    Arthur¡¯s negotiations with William II went very smoothly. Of course, this time it was the German Empire that sought assistance from Australia and Arthur, so William II readily agreed to the majority of Arthur¡¯s demands.


    In the following few days, William II personally took Arthur to observe the daily training of the German Army and the naval exercises. After experiencing the powerful German Empire¡¯s navy and army firsthand, they headed north to the Russian Empire together.


    The Russian Empire was thest stop on Arthur¡¯s European tour and one of the main purposes of his trip to Europe.


    Regardless of whether the German-Russian alliance could be realized, Australia would reap substantial benefits and make a guaranteed profit.


    Although the eastern part of the German Empire bordered the western part of the Russian Empire, William II and Arthur still chose to travel by warship to the Russian Empire.


    Of course, this also had to do with their primary destination. William II and Nichs II chose Bjork Ind in the Gulf of Find as the first meeting ce for the German-Russian alliance negotiations. Although the formal meeting took ce on the warship rather than the ind, William II and Nichs II still tacitly agreed on Bjork Ind as the negotiation venue.


    After three days at sea, on August 2, 1905, the two fleets carrying William II and Arthur arrived near Bjork Ind.


    Soon after, the Baltic Fleet carrying Nichs II also arrived fashionablyte.


    Unlike the first negotiations, this time due to Australia¡¯s participation, the meeting location was officially chosen on Bjork Ind.


    With thebined efforts of the attendees and servants of all three parties, a temporary negotiation site was quickly set up.<div>


    Perhaps due to the rxed atmosphere, the tent appeared more like a vacation spot than a meeting ce.


    The servants brought out various foods, fruits, and prepared beverages from their respective ships.


    A crucial conversation concerning the future situation in Europe began in this manner.


    Among William II, Nichs II and Arthur, William II was the oldest and also the initiator of these negotiations.


    As the youngest, Arthur yed more of a listener role in these negotiations, learning from the monarchs¡¯ conversational skills and following the progress of the German-Russian talks.


    After exchanging greetings, the negotiations began in earnest.


    William II first reaffirmed the attitude of the German Empire, stating that it was willing to provide arge amount of loans and support the Russian Empire¡¯s Far East policy.


    Nichs II nodded repeatedly; what William II proposed indeed struck a chord with him.


    The Russian Empire¡¯s defeat in the previous Russo-Japanese War was due not only to its internal decay but also to theck of international supportpared to the Ind Nation.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although its only ally, France, chose to support the Russian Empire, such support was limitedpared to Britain¡¯s backing of the Ind Nation andpletely insufficient to change the situation in the Far East.


    Moreover, at the request of France, the Russian Empire¡¯s main forces in Europe were not mobilized, and the majority of the army structure in the Far East were recruits with less than a year of training.


    This led to a heavy loss of life for the Russian Empire in thest Russo-Japanese War, with over 200,000 deaths and as many as 300,000 indirect casualties.


    Although these were mostly temporary recruits, they would not have too significant of an impact on the Russian Empire¡¯s military strength.


    Nevertheless, the deaths fueled widespread dissatisfaction and the war¡¯s defeat became one of the key factors behind the Russian Empire¡¯s instability.


    If the Russian Empire had been able to mobilize one-third of its European forces to the Far East, the oue of the war might have been different.


    This led some in the Russian Empire to be disappointed with France. They believed that their heavily relied upon ally had instead be a burden during the war.


    Germany¡¯s attitude andmitment vastly differed from that of France. If it were not for the existing alliance between the Russian Empire and France, Nichs II would have agreed to William II¡¯s terms on the spot.


    When discussing the Far East issue, Nichs II and William II both turned to Arthur.


    If Australia were to strongly support the Russian Empire in future Far East conflicts, at least half of the Russian Empire¡¯s logistical issues in the Far East would be solved.<div>


    This was the advantage of distance. In the Far East, Australia¡¯s influence wasparable to that of European secondary powers. In terms of weapons and resource support, it was equivalent to a powerful nation.


    Arthur naturally agreed to this. Australia¡¯s support for the Russian Empire¡¯s actions in the Far East would bring no harm to Australia.


    Moreover, the considerable arms trade would stimte the development of Australian industry and military capabilities, benefiting Australia¡¯s future expansion.


    However, Tsardom of Russia¡¯s Far East policy will actually be met with the desperate resistance of the Ind Nation and the opposition of the British Empire and the United States.<div>


    Given the current situation of domestic strife and external troubles in the Tsardom of Russia, it is not easy to make a difference in the Far East region.


    Although supporting Russia would cause Australia to lose an armament market like the Ind Nation, the Ind Nation mainly relies on the British Empire and the United States, and only these two countries will provide the Ind Nation with arge amount of loans.


    After obtaining Arthur¡¯s support and guarantee, Nichs II nodded in satisfaction, which seemed to show approval for William II¡¯s proposal to support Russia¡¯s Far East policy.


    However, arge number of people and officials in Russia still do not want to give up the alliance with France, because during the period of the French-Russian alliance, arge amount of French capital has poured into the Russian market, and Russia also relies heavily on French financial support and loans.


    If the agreement with France is terminated hastily, it would also be a huge blow to the Russian Empire itself.


    Moreover, there are many strikes in Russia currently. If the loan cooperation with France is suddenly cut off, even if there is a new German loan influx, the damage to the market is definitely not something that can be alleviated in a short time.


    This will cause arge number of workers to lose their jobs, which will also indirectly make this Russian unrest even greater.


    This is why a considerable part of Russian officials currently oppose the German-Russian alliance. Russia¡¯s current domestic environment cannot withstand too much change. If it suddenly loses the support of French capital, it is feared that before German capital has poured in, Russia will face a greater crisis domestically.


    Nichs II himself was also aware of this point, and although he was very tempted by William II¡¯s proposal, he was still in a state of hesitation.


    The first day¡¯s negotiations ended in such indecision. Although Germany, Russia, and Australia all have a willingness to cooperate, it is obvious that Nichs II is still hesitant, or that opinions inside Russia are currently not unified.


    After Nichs II left in a hurry, Arthur did not rush back to the warship but looked at William II, who was slightly thoughtful, andughed, ¡°Cousin William, are you in a bad mood?¡±


    Although Arthur asked knowingly, William II was not angry, but rather helplessly exined, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what those Frenchmen gave Russia that made them reluctant to give up the treaty with France.¡±


    Even though William II offered a lot of terms that were favorable to Russia, Nichs II was still hesitant.<div>


    Comparing Germany and France¡¯spletely different attitudes towards Russia in the early stages of the Russo-Japanese War, William II even felt that Nichs II¡¯s head had been kicked by a donkey.


    ¡°You seem to be in a wrong area, Cousin William. Rather than bing allies, I think Germany and Russia¡¯s better destination is mutual neutrality.¡± Arthur did not answer William II, but said with a deep meaning.


    ¡°Oh? How so?¡± William II suddenly became interested, asking with slight surprise.


    ¡°From a geopolitical point of view, Germany and Russia are neighboring, both being one of the hegemonic powers on the European Continent. But Russia and France are far apart, with the German Empire in between, so there are no territorial conflicts.¡± Arthur exined.


    ¡°As French-Russian allies, both parties can acquire Germany¡¯s territory and continue to retain Germany as a buffer. But if Germany and Russia are allies, Germany may take a share of France¡¯s territory, but what about Russia? Now is not the Middle Ages, and the exchange of territories is not feasible.¡±


    Even on the European Continent, the diplomatic concept of remote exchange and near attack still applies.


    Although Russia attaches great importance to its Far East policy, its base camp is after all in Europe, and it has to pay attention to the development of the situation in Europe.


    As French-Russian allies, the victory of the war can acquire German territory for national replenishment.


    Moreover, the two countries are separated by Germany as a buffer and will not cause too many conflicts.


    But German-Russian is different. If Germany and Russia are allies, the only enemy on the European Continent would be France.


    However, the distance between France and Russia is too far, and Russia will naturally not be so foolish as to upy an area without popr support.


    Then just let Germany grow bigger? With the acquisition of French territory, Germany¡¯s overall strength will definitely be stronger.


    Once France is defeated, wouldn¡¯t Russia naturally be Germany¡¯s next potential rival?<div>


    Russia is not Germany¡¯s current opponent, and it is naturally not the opponent of Germany after Germany has acquired more territory andnd rights.


    Such development also prompts Russia to think more about whether the German-Russian alliance is more suitable than the French-Russian alliance.


    Apart from the fact that Russia currently cannot lose French capital on the surface, the potential crisis of the German-Russian alliance is also one of the reasons for the hesitation of Russian officials and Nichs II.


    After a moment of silence, William II nodded and said, ¡°Indeed, the purpose of the French-Russian alliance is actually to counter the German Empire.¡±


    ¡°So, I think the best rtionship between Germany and Russia is neutrality. Of course, how to be neutral and the diplomatic bottom line of the two countries still needs to be defined by your officials.¡± Arthur said with a smile.

 Chapter 208: 199: Heading to Russia

    Chapter 208: Chapter 199: Heading to Russia


    Arthur¡¯s words left William II and his German associates pondering for quite some time, even debating thetest decisions throughout the following evening.


    Nheless, the next morning witnessed as usual themencement of a new day of negotiation.


    Clearly, on this second day, the German officials and William II had abandoned their previous insistence on the German alliance, choosing not to persevere with the establishment of a German alliance, but instead introducing a new topic ¨C a non-aggression treaty between Germany and Russia, also known as the German-Russian Neutrality Treaty.


    William II¡¯s proposed conditions for supporting Russia had not changed; Germany was still willing to provide Russia with an unconditional aid of one hundred million Marks, coupled with a low-interest loan amounting to five hundred million Marks.


    If Russia needed more financial support, Germany could also mobilize domestic banks to raise at least one billion marks to help Russia better recover its domestic production.


    Summing it all up, these resources amounted to a whopping sixteen billion Marks. What did sixteen billion Marks represent?


    Based on the recent exchange rate of one pound equalling twenty marks, sixteen billion Marks equated to eighty million pounds ¨C an unquestionably significant contribution to the current financial situation in Russia.


    Simultaneously, Germany was also willing to support Russia¡¯s Far East policy and maintain perpetual peace along its eastern borders, namely where it bordered the Russian Empire.


    Germany would not participate in any actions against Russia and would maintain a neutral state of peace with the Russian Empire for the duration of the validity of the neutrality treaty.


    While on the surface it may seem like William II was more interested in buying-off his guilt with money, receiving no support from Russia and merely maintaining a neutral peace, it was not the case in reality.<div>


    With the Franco-Russian Alliance losing Russia¡¯s support, Germany¡¯s only real enemy would be the Anglo-French Agreement.


    However, on the European continent, Germany¡¯s true enemies were reduced to one, their previous vanquished foe, France.


    Without the Russian Empire holding them back on the Eastern Front, the German Empire would absolutely defeat France, even with the support of the British Empire.


    This was the Germans¡¯ confidence in their own country ¨C this confidence could be attributed to the change brought about by their winning of the Franco-Prussian war.


    The seat of the hegemon of the European continent had now rotated to Germany, as for France ¨C well, they were nothing more than a previously defeated subordinate.


    While France had already executed a treaty with Britain and the two nations would jointly confront Germany,


    Germany was not truly terrified of Britain onnd ¨C given the strength of the British Army, it¡¯s debatable whether they could even defeat the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The shift in Germany¡¯s stance bemused Nichs II and the Russian officials; however, this was good news for Russia.


    While Russia would not have to break the Franco-Russian Alliance Treaty, it could still receive support and aid from Germany.


    Although the maintenance of peace with Germany did break the Franc-Russian alliance treaty, Nichs II had no intentions of getting involved in the European situation at the moment.


    At present, the Russian government aimed to restore stability within the country and suppress the numerous domestic rebellions and strikes.


    By implementing the Far East policy to expand into East Asia, the Russian Empire can likewise be made more powerful.


    Facing adversaries such as ind nations would be far more preferable than facing a powerful adversary such as Germany.


    Germany¡¯s change in mood speeded up the negotiations for a new treaty. As an onlooker, Arthur personally witnessed the swift conclusion of this unprecedented German-Russian neutraility treaty, which was promptly endorsed by the signatures of William II and Nichs II under a tripartite witness.


    On August 4, 1905, only two days after negotiationsmenced, the new German-Russian Neutrality Treaty was smoothly ratified and officially went into effect, with a validity period of ten years.


    This German-Russian Neutrality Treaty stiptes that Germany and Russia should maintain peace between their nations and remain as neutral as possible in wars involving the other party.


    If a war breaks out between France, Russia¡¯s ally, and Germany, unless Germany initiates a deration of war, Russia should continue to maintain a state of neutrality until the end of the validity period of this treaty.


    This dictates that if France is the first to dere war against Germany, Russia cannot participate in the German-French war, unless the validity period of this neutrality treaty has ended.


    Although this treaty somewhat vites the original intent of the Franco-Russian alliance, it certainly serves as the external support that the Russian Empire currently urgently needs.<div>


    The treaty brought at least ten years of peace to the German-Russian border, not only providing Russia with a decade of respite but also allowing Germany to concentrate onbating its archenemy, France, without worrying about fighting on two fronts for ten years.


    With the treaty formally signed, Nichs II and William II¡¯s moods noticeably improved.


    Together with Arthur, the three of them began several days of vacation at the government¡¯s expense.


    Without the need to discuss state affairs, all three of them were noticeably more rxed.<div>


    Of course, Arthur was always in high spirits, after all, Australia, in any case, is a benefactor, and the situation in Europe temporarily has no connection to Australia.


    In these few days, the three of them spoke the most about domestic politics.


    Despite their differing modes of centralizing power, Arthur, William II, and Nichs II, as some of the world¡¯s few remaining absolute monarchs, each wield considerable power within their respective countries.


    In their conversations, the private lives of European nobility, specifically their mistresses and lovers, unavoidably came up.


    Nichs II and William II were both very surprised when they found out that Arthur not only had no engagements but also had no mistresses or lovers in Australia.


    These two terms are verymon among male European nobility, and an older noble with fewer mistresses or lovers may even be misunderstood by his peers.


    As the Duke of Australia and New Zend, the absolute power Arthur wields in Australia incites much envy in both William II and Nichs II.


    Although they possess significant authority, their power is restricted by other forces within their countries.


    They can only act in a way that does not vite the interests of their nation¡¯s sses.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, Arthur is different. There are no dominant sses in Australia at present; Arthur is the highest ruling ss.


    Furthermore, the feelings toward Arthur are quite favourable in both Australia and New Zend, providing even more possibility for his absolute rule.


    It must be said, the unattached Arthur is certainly catching the eyes of both William II and Nichs II.


    Australia¡¯s development prospects are still vast, it will certainly be at least a secondary European-level nation.<div>


    Especially given Australia¡¯s unique geographical location, and its rich domestic mineral resources. In the absence of domestic worries, Australia can extend its reach to Asia and even Africa and the Americas, influencing the colonies of various powers in Africa and Asia.


    Neither of them said anything, but from their actions, they appear to have certain ns.


    On August 8, 1905, after spending several days rxing and sightseeing, the negotiations officially concluded.


    William II returned to Germany aboard a warship to discuss Germany¡¯s next policies with his officials.


    Arthur, on the other hand, went on to Russia with Nichs II. Russia was the final stop of his European tour, and it was time to reach thest stop.


    The current capital of the Russian Empire is Saint Petersburg, formerly Moscow.


    The city was named after Peter the Great, one of the greatest monarchs in Russian history.


    During the Russia and Germany war, however, since Petersburg originates from the Germannguage, it was renamed Petrograd.


    It waster renamed Leningrad tomemorate Lenin, but after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it was renamed back to Saint Petersburg by a vote.


    Owing to the enjoyable discussions on Biyuek Ind, Arthur and Nichs II became more familiar with each other.


    Moreover, on Biyuek Ind, the cooperation between Australia and Russia in the Far East had already essentially concluded, so Arthur¡¯s main reason foring to Russia was to strengthen rtions, not to discuss national cooperation.


    Nichs II had the same intention, thus he held a grand wee banquet for Arthur, attended by many Russian nobles.


    <div>

 Chapter 209: 200: Mary Pavlovna

    Chapter 209: Chapter 200: Mary Pavlovna


    The venue for the weing banquet prepared for Arthur was held at the Winter Pce in Saint Petersburg. This was the imperial pce of the Russian Empire and the pce where generations of Russian tsars had lived the most since Catherine the Great.


    Of course, as the emperor of Russia, one of the European powers, Nichs II also possessed numerous travel manors and estates.


    The Winter Pce was thergest pce in Russia and one of the most formal royal residences. The workers¡¯ petition took ce here previously.


    However, ording to tradition, Nichs II should be vacationing at the Rivagia Pce in Yalta during the summer.


    Yes, it was the ce where the Yalta Conference was heldter. The Yalta Conference was a meeting of the victorious nations of the war at that time, discussing the allocation of post-war benefits, and it was a conference that determined the world pattern after World War II.


    Because of negotiations with William II regarding the treaty, Nichs II did not go to the Rivagia Pce this summer; instead, he stayed at the Winter Pce, conveniently close to the nearby location of Biyuek Ind for the talks.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The climate in Saint Petersburg is rtivelyfortable in the summer, with temperatures always above 10 degrees Celsius during the day and reaching up to around 20 degrees Celsius.


    However, such good weather wouldn¡¯tst long. After four consecutive months of summer, Saint Petersburg would wee a wintersting eight months.


    One cannot help but admire the thick-skinned Russians who can withstand such cold winters, which is not something everyone can endure.


    This is also why, historically, powerful conquerors like Napoleon andter, the little mustache (Adolf Hitler), failed to conquer Russia.<div>


    In Russia, one has to face not only thousands of kilometers of transport routes but also the cold Russian winter.


    Although the climate of Saint Petersburg is not suitable for a capital city, it has made up for this drawback in other respects, making it Russia¡¯s capital for more than a hundred years.


    Saint Petersburg has a seaport and, after the management of Novgorod before, it is a safe port with high development and belongs to the mainstream Russian culture.


    If Russia wants to continue developing in Europe, Saint Petersburg is the best choice among all Russian cities.


    Nichs II held a grand weing ceremony for Arthur, and Duke Sergei Alexander Rovich personally greeted him.


    Duke Sergei Alexander Rovich was the uncle of the current Tsar Nichs II and one of his most influential advisors.


    At the same time, Duke Sergei also served as the Governor of Moscow and Commander-in-Chief of the Moscow Military District, making him one of the most respected figures in the Russian royal family by Nichs II.


    With Crown Prince Aleksei being only one year old, Duke Sergei was the most powerful and prestigious member of the Russian royal family besides Nichs II.


    One cannot help butin about the chaotic rtionships between the European nobility, who have broken bones but still connect tendons. The most powerful monarchies in Europe, like the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia, are actually rtives and not even distant ones at that.


    This is why World War I was dubbed the European royal family¡¯s battle of rtives.


    Inside the Winter Pce, Nichs II has already instructed the guards to inform all the nobles near Saint Petersburg to prepare to attend the weing banquet in the evening.


    No matter the purpose, it is not bad news for Russia to befriend Australia now.


    At least in the Far East, Australia already has an influence not inferior to European second-tier countries and can provide arge amount of support for Russia in weapons, equipment, and industrial products.


    Even in terms of food, Australia can provide a lot to Russia¡¯s Far Eastern army, which will greatly alleviate the logistical problems that have long gued Russia.


    After learning that Arthur currently has no marriage engagements, Nichs II does have some ideas.


    Although Australia¡¯s overall influence is nowhere near that of second-tier countries like Spain and the Nethends, Australia has an advantage ¨C it is located far away in Oceania and does not have to worry about participating in European strife.


    Moreover, what Russia prioritizes now is still the Far East issue. In this respect, the two countries¡¯ influence may not be much different from Australia¡¯s.


    If they can tie Australia to Russia¡¯s war chariot and let Australia provide some logistical assistance to Russia¡¯s Far East, doesn¡¯t that give Russia an advantage in the next Far Eastern hegemony?


    However, the eldest daughter of Nichs II, Grand Duchess Olga, is only ten years old and is naturally not suitable for this banquet.<div>


    Being unable to think of a suitable candidate temporarily, Nichs II had to call his beloved wife Empress Alexandra Fedorovna and let the women do what they specialize in.


    At first, Empress Alexandra Fedorovna was not interested, but after hearing that it was her cousin Arthur looking for a marriage alliance, she focused on searching through her memory and tried to find a suitable person within the Russian royal family.


    That¡¯s right, Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt, Alexandra Fedorovna¡¯s mother was Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria.


    However, rather unfortunately, Empress Alexandra Fedorovna, as a descendant of Queen Victoria, carries the gene for Queen Victoria¡¯s hemophilia.<div>


    This is why Emperor William II of Germany strongly supported Alexandra Fedorovna marrying Nichs, who was then still Crown Prince, so that hemophilia could enter the Russian royal family, and no one would fare well.

 Chapter 210: 200: Mary Pavlovna_2

    Chapter 210: Chapter 200: Mary Pavlovna_2


    ¡°Your Majesty, what do you think of Mary?¡± Queen Feodora pondered for a long time before slowly uttering a name.


    ¡°Mary? Are you talking about the Mary who is now being adopted by Duke Sergei?¡± Nichs II asked.


    Mary¡¯s full name was Mary Pavlovna, and she was the legitimate daughter of Tsar Nichs II¡¯s uncle, Grand Duke Paul.


    However, Duchess Alexandra passed away when Grand Duchess Mary was only one year old. Because her father, Grand Duke Paul, could not cope with the grief and take care of the young Mary and her newly born brother, he had to hand them over to his brother, Duke Sergei, for adoption.


    But because Grand Duke Paulter married a divorced woman, the former Tsar Alexander III was furious and did not allow Grand Duke Paul to return to Russia. Duke Sergei and his wife then became the official guardians of Mary and her brother.


    In essence, Duke Sergei has been raising Mary and her brother since they were young. Although there is no official father-daughter rtionship, their practical rtionship is not much different.


    As a legitimate grand duchess of the Russian royal family and a peer of Nichs II, Mary was indeed suitable to be a candidate for this royal marriage.


    However, Mary was only seventeen years old (two years older than in the original history, a small adjustment ording to the setting of this book) ¨C was the age difference between her and Arthur a bit toorge?


    Empress Alexandra did not have this concern. For a real European royal marriage, the family¡¯s status and prestige were far more important than the age gap between the two parties.


    Arthur¡¯s Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family enjoyed a level of prosperity even surpassing that of the Russian royal family, the Romanovs, so there would naturally be no issue of an unequal match.<div>


    After deciding on the candidate, Nichs II asked Empress Alexandra to remind Duchess Sergei to prepare Mary well for the evening banquet.


    In fact, besides Grand Duchess Mary chosen by Nichs II himself, there were dozens of Russian nobles and their daughters attending this banquet.


    If Mary was the main candidate for the Russian alliance, then the other noble youngdies were there to apany her.


    Of course, it was also possible that one of these nobledies could be chosen by Arthur to be his lover.


    After all, the European royal marriages nowadays have to take into ount both parties¡¯ attitudes, and for Arthur, a monarch who had gained real power, his own attitude far outweighed his family¡¯s interests.


    Duke Sergei¡¯s manor, inside a certain room.


    In the room, a young and beautiful girl dressed upvishly sat at her dressing table, carefully examining herself. Beside her stood a girl dressed as a maid, attentively helping the youngdyb her long hair.


    ¡°Lolita, what do you think, do I look good?¡± The girl examined her own face while looking expectantly at her maid.


    Although she was a maid, the girls had a good rtionship. For Grand Duchess Mary, Lolita was more like a friend.


    ¡°Of course you look beautiful, Your Highness. If you wear this pearl ne, you¡¯ll be the most beautiful swan at the banquet!¡± As Lolitabed Mary¡¯s shoulder-length hair, she replied with a smile.


    Simr scenes took ce in various locations across Saint Petersburg that afternoon. For Russian nobles, Arthur, who had an independent territory and was in control of real power, was considered a great suitor, even though he was a bit far away. After all, family interests outweigh everything else, right?


    Moreover, during the war, Russia and Australia established a rtionship. If these nobles could establish a connection with Arthur, even just as a lover, at least their families could receive strong support from abroad.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The first thing nobles look for in a marriage alliance is the other party¡¯s family and whether they are legitimate or not. Arthur was born in one of Europe¡¯s most illustrious families, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family of the British Empire, and was also a legitimate member.


    These two points alone were enough to attract the vast majority of nobles, not to mention the ¡ê100 million fortune that Queen Victoria gifted to Arthur, which caused a sensation in Europe at the time.


    At around eight o¡¯clock in the evening, the grand wee banquet finally began.


    As the protagonist, Arthur attracted a lot of attention at the banquet.


    Wearing a custom-made suit, Arthur, after a simple grooming, appeared as an extraordinary and handsome young man.


    Although not breathtakingly handsome, he conformed to the aesthetics of Western people, and with his top-notch background and wealth, bewitching was not an exaggeration.


    There were numerous delicacies at the banquet, but Arthur had no interest in the food.<div>


    The reason was that as the protagonist of the banquet, he was constantly being invited to dance by noble girls in their teens.


    At first, Arthur did not understand, but he soon realized the true purpose of Nichs II¡¯s banquet.


    These one-after-another noble girls ¨C if this wasn¡¯t a matchmaking process, then what was it?


    However, Arthur did not reject it. After all, he was already twenty-two years old, and the vast Australian and New Zend Federation had yet to have a legitimate heir, something that all the citizens and officers of the Federation were looking forward to.<div>

 Chapter 211: 200: Mary Pavlovna_3

    Chapter 211: Chapter 200: Mary Pavlovna_3


    The existence of a legitimate heir can stabilize many factors within a nation.


    Furthermore, with Princess Louise, Arthur¡¯s mother, constantly urging him, Arthur found himself rather helpless.


    Wouldn¡¯t the best way to escape this situation be to find a suitable Duchess for the Australian Federation?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this point, one cannot butmend the beauty of Russian girls. Regardless of what happenster, the beauty of Russian girls in their teens is indeed at its peak, a fact confidently affirmed by Arthur both in the present and for future generations.


    Before finding a Duchess for Australia, a question needs careful consideration: how many benefits would a marriage alliance with Russia bring to Australia?


    If viewed from a historical perspective, the Russian Monarchy will be destroyed in about ten years, and a marriage with them will not be of any help at that time.


    However, there is now a significant difference from history. Russia¡¯s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War in history led to a higher level of internal resentment.


    But now, Russia¡¯s failures are more a temporarypromise due to internal and external troubles rather than being defeated by the ind nation¡¯s military.


    Although there are still many internal concerns in Russia at present, Russia without Germany¡¯s problems can enjoy nearly ten years of development and recuperation.


    With Germany¡¯s assistance and loans, the decaying Russian Empire can hold on for a while longer.<div>


    It is even uncertain whether Russia will participate in World War I in the future. Will a Russia that does not mobilize its military really be overthrown by the revolutions that will break outter?


    No one can be sure of this, but the probability of being overthrown has greatly decreased.


    Moreover, looking at the present, there are still many advantages to marrying into the Russian royal family.


    Firstly, Russia is currently the world¡¯s fourth strongest power. Apart from the British Empire, the German Empire, France, and the United States having sufficient advantages, no other country is necessarily a match for Russia.


    Secondly, there is arge poption within Russia, and a considerable portion of it tends to emigrate.


    If a marriage alliance can be formed with Russia, Australia can also ept a portion of Russian immigrants. Of course, this is after ruling out revolutionaries and dangerous elements.


    Russia still longs for its Far East policies. To implement these policies, they must rely on Australia¡¯s support.


    This also means that Australia can obtain more resources and benefits from Russia and cultivate Russia¡¯s Far East power, ensuring that Russia¡¯s military force in the Far East always remains above that of the ind nation, indirectly suppressing the rise and expansion of the ind nation.


    You must understand that it only took a few decades for the ind nation to change from a backward feudal country to a power recognized worldwide.


    Even in the future, the ind nation¡¯s ambitions expand to the entire Pacific region, including Australia and New Zend.


    This also means that the ind nation is likely to be one of Australia¡¯s strong enemies. It is necessary to make preparations in advance and use Russia¡¯s power to suppress the ind nation.


    Although this may eventually lead to Russia¡¯s dominance in the Far East and the upation of more areas in the southern Qing Empire.


    In fact, the major powers have a significant stake in these areas, and naturally, they will not allow Russia to expand at will in this region.


    If Russia wants to ask for more, the European nations, led by Britain, will not agree, and the ind nation will fight to the death to maintain itsst chance to be a major power.


    At that time, the Far East will again be a battleground for Russia and the ind nation, and Australia¡¯s military industry will usher in new opportunities.


    After understanding all of this, Arthur no longer resists the possibility of a marriage alliance with Russia and has even begun actively selecting a suitable partner.


    Under the premise of being well-matched, Arthur naturally wants to find a qualified, at least clever, understanding, and undisturbing girl who is content to be a Duchess for Australia.


    Of course, appearance is also one of the essential criteria for Arthur¡¯s selection. Although he does not pay too much attention to appearance, who doesn¡¯t want the person by their side to have a beautiful face?


    After a while, Nichs II, apanied by Empress Alexandra, attended the banquet but only exchanged a few words with Arthur before leaving.<div>


    Arthur was the host of the banquet, and Nichs II was aware that his presence would draw some attention, so he tactfully took his leave.


    As Nichs II left, the beautiful music resumed, and the banquet gradually reached its climax.


    Many people had already entered the dancing area and were dancing gracefully to the music, setting the atmosphere for the banquet.


    Up to now, Arthur had been invited to dance at least ten times and had danced three or four times.<div>


    Even though he was prepared, he was still a little tired, so he found a corner to sit down.


    Next to Arthur, Mary, who had been trying to think of a reason to invite Arthur to dance, widened her eyes in surprise, as Arthur had unexpectedlye to her.


    At this moment, Arthur also saw Mary next to him and nodded with a smile as a greeting.


    Gulp!


    Mary quietly swallowed and, gathering her courage, picked up a ss of red wine and stood up to chat with Arthur.


    Unfortunately, perhaps due to her nervousness, Mary¡¯s feet slipped as she got up, and she identally tripped over the stool.


    The stool wasn¡¯t light, and Mary lost her bnce, falling onto Arthur¡¯sp, her head aimed straight for Arthur¡¯s vital spot.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Luckily, Arthur was prepared and blocked the iing danger with his hand, barely managing to hold Mary¡¯s head back.


    Mary¡¯s cherry lips lightly touched the vital spot like a dragonfly skimming water before being helped up by Arthur.


    ¡°Are you alright, miss?¡± Arthur asked politely.


    This ident caught Arthur off guard, the sudden contact causing him to stumble.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Your Highness.¡± Mary¡¯s cheeks were as red as a ripe apple, even seemingly dripping blood.<div>


    Although Mary didn¡¯t understand moreplicated matters, she knew that such intimate contact was inappropriate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I just¡­ identally tripped.¡± Mary hurriedly exined.


    Although the ident led to her contact with Arthur, Mary didn¡¯t want to be thought of as doing it on purpose and didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression on Arthur.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, miss. Could I know your name?¡± Arthur asked with a smile, shaking his head, not minding the incident just now.


    In fact, Arthur only now noticed the girl¡¯s appearance, her looks standing out even among the beautiful crowd at the banquet, delicate and lovely.


    ¡°Mary, Mary Pavlovna, Your Highness,¡± Mary said, nodding slightly.


    The incident in the corner drew everyone¡¯s attention, since the location of Arthur also represented the focus of the whole scene.


    But when everyone saw that the main characters were Arthur and Grand Duchess Mary, they all waited for the result very tactfully.


    ¡°Mary? That¡¯s lovely. May I invite you to dance?¡± Arthur nodded and invited the girl in front of him to dance.


    Mary nodded gently again, her white, jade-like hand resting on Arthur¡¯s, as they walked to the center of the dance floor.

 Chapter 212: 201: Engagement and Returning Home

    Chapter 212: Chapter 201: Engagement and Returning Home


    News of Arthur¡¯s final choice for Grand Duchess Mary soon reached the ears of Nichs II and Empress Alexandra.


    They were both very pleased with this result, considering it another beautiful union between European royal families.


    At least for now, the alliance between Australia and Russia has the same interests, Russia needs more support in the Far East, and Australia also needs an ally of great power level, while also limiting potential future enemies and the rise of ind nations.


    After marrying the Russian monarchy, it will also be possible to effectively ept immigrants from Russia. After eliminating some revolutionaries and dangerous elements, Russians who have always lived under the rule of the Tsar are actually more suitable to be Australian residents, as their eptance of authoritarianism would be higher than other European immigrants.


    On August 15, 1905, after briefly meeting and seeing each other for a few days, Arthur and Grand Duchess Mary held their engagement ceremony in Saint Petersburg.


    During these few days, Arthur had also sent telegrams to his mother, Princess Louise, in Australia for her opinion. Princess Louise naturally had no objections and was even urging Arthur to get engaged as soon as possible.


    Although only members of the Russian and Australian royal families attended the engagement ceremony, with only a handful of high-ranking Russian officials being eligible to offer on-site congrattions,


    the engagement still caused a sensation across Europe, as it represented a great union between the Romanov and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha families once again.


    For the Russian Empire, the engagement also had a certain sense of celebration, as it diverted the attention of some of the Russian people to the couple and even reduced the size of some protest marches.


    As Arthur had a good reputation among the British public, many Britons were also very concerned about his engagement, offering their sincere blessings.<div>


    Although rtions between Russia and Britain were not so good at the moment, the small-scale conflict could be temporarily forgotten in the face of Arthur¡¯s marriage.


    With the momentum of the engagement, Arthur, on behalf of Australia, also negotiated many close coborations with the Russian Empire, including the introduction of more immigrants, strengthening bteral trade, and the import and export of resources between both parties.


    Due to the good rtionship established with the Russian Empire, Australia was also able to open up a part of the Far East market and establish some meager interests.


    What Arthur was most concerned about was the immigration issue. By 1905, the total poption of the Russian Empire had reached 143.98 million, making it a veritable populous country.


    Due to therge poption, Russia did not care about casualties during wars, hence its title as the European Bulldozer.


    Russia¡¯s weapons and equipment were generally backward, but it was the massive and incessant poption numbers that kept the Russian army¡¯s power at a formidable level.


    Russian immigrants had many advantages, not only being able to ept authoritarian rule well, but also being hardworking and resilient.


    The Russian people were known for their valiance, and the armies they formed were very powerful and fearless in battle.


    If the reason for domestic unrest was due to long-term oppressive rule, the excessive exploitation by the ruling ss and the low status of Russianmoners were also important factors.


    This would not happen in Australia, which was the premise for maintaining the country¡¯s stability after receiving these immigrants.


    Additionally, with the marriage between Arthur and the Russian monarchy, the rtionship with the Russian people would be closer. Russians would be loyal immigrants to the Australian royal family, second only to the British.


    Of course, this was under the condition that revolutionaries and rioters were excluded. Arthur would not ept dangerous elements who incited revolution, as the interests of the Australianmoners could be guaranteed by the royal family, and themoners¡¯ duty was to work hard and maintain order.


    The Russian government was indifferent to Australia¡¯s proposal for immigration. With Russia¡¯s huge poption, migrating some people outward would reduce some burden.


    Even if Australia¡¯s carrying capacity was not limited, the Russian government would want to sign an immigration treaty with Australia for at least 500,000 immigrants per year.


    Russia¡¯s poption growth remained at around 1 to 2 million per year, sometimes even exceeding 3 million.


    In 1800, Russia¡¯s total poption was only just over 35 million. By 1900, it had reached a terrifying 130.2 million, nearly quadrupling.


    That¡¯s not all: From 1900 to 1916, a short period of sixteen years, Russia¡¯s poption growth reached about 51 million, with an annual poption increase of over 3.1 million.


    These troubles of populous countries are actually something that small poption countries envy.


    The annual poption growth of Russia is equivalent to more than half of Australia¡¯s poption. In this era, when the advantage in wars is still determined by poption numbers, more people also represent more advantages and expendable manpower.<div>


    The immigration treaty signed by Arthur was not so outrageous. The treaty would be officially implemented from the date of signing, with the specific number of immigrants to be determined by Australia¡¯s transportation capacity.


    What does it mean? It means that the more immigrants Australia can transport, the more Russian immigrants they can get every year.


    Of course, the issue of immigration should not be rushed. ording to Arthur¡¯s estimate, starting from 1905, the number of Russian immigrants going to Australia within three years will not exceed 100,000 per year, with an average of only about 40,000-50,000 people introduced per year.


    This is because Russian immigrants need to be carefully screened, and any factors that might join the revolution and chaos and affect Australia¡¯s stability need to be eliminated in advance.<div>


    Of course, this work must be done by Barty Crouch¡¯s Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    The Royal Security Intelligence Agency has been established for over three years now, and the personnel selected from the military at the beginning have be very adept at intelligence work.


    Of course, the expansion of personnel during these three years has not stopped, but intelligence personnel need to undergo a more rigorous background check and loyalty test before they can sessfully enter the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    Up to now, the number of personnel in the Royal Security Intelligence Agency has exceeded 500, although the most elite core continues to be the more than 100 people originally selected from the military.


    At present, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency has deployed more than 100 intelligence personnel in various major regions around the world, where they live in other countries in various capacities, providing intelligence work for the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    Of course, the focus of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency¡¯s work remains in Australia and New Zend, with over 200 intelligence personnel stationed in these two areas, gathering all intelligence in Australia and New Zend for the Royal Security Intelligence Agency and Arthur while also monitoring all officials and political parties in the two areas, detecting unstable factors in advance.


    Compared to the sensation caused in Europe, this engagement has an even greater impact in the Australian region.


    After all, one of the protagonists of the engagement is their beloved Duke Arthur, and the other is the princess of a powerful nation, the Russian Grand Duchess.


    Such a strong alliance satisfies the Australian people, who offer their blessings one after another.


    Even if not for the persuasion of Australian government officials, the people would even spontaneously form parade groups to celebrate, offering Arthur even greater blessings and cheers.


    It can only be said that the parade, as an act to express one¡¯s ideas, has deeply ingrained itself in Europeans¡¯ minds.


    Whether expressing discontent or excitement, parades have be the first major events that Europeans can think of.


    Due to Arthur¡¯s good reputation in Australia and New Zend, arge number of residents in Australia and the New Zend Federation are highly concerned about this engagement, and even use their imagination to create various versions of the engagement.<div>


    Some say that Arthur and Grand Duchess Mary fell in love at first sight, and both decided to spend their lives together, while others spread various other versions far and wide.


    Even the Australian Government once sent a telegram to Arthur, asking whether some restrictions should be imposed on domestic gossip about this engagement.


    After all, this concerns the prestige of the monarch, and entertainment gossip can go awry.


    Although Arthur did not agree to ban the news, he still instructed the Victoria Newspaper and Australia Daily to publicly report this engagement, eliminating some rumors that were getting more and more outrageous.


    However, the good news is that Arthur¡¯s reputation is good, and all kinds of entertainment gossip are limited to this engagement, mostly with blessings and without any negative emotions or smears.


    On August 29, 1905, after more than half a month in Russia, Arthur finally embarked on his journey back to Australia.


    This European tour has taken more than two months, and the return journey also adds up to almost exactly four months as nned.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The unexpected oue of this trip was not only sessful negotiations with Germany and Russia but also the signing of an even further-reaching immigration treaty.


    It can be expected that in the next few years, the number of immigrants to Australia will see an even greater explosion, and Russian immigrants will be the main force among Australian immigrant groups.


    In addition to immigration and engagement, the technology for basic industry that was negotiated with Germany is what Arthur is looking forward to.


    At present, Australia¡¯s industrial situation is biased, with the iron and steel industry and some rted manufacturing industries being more developed. They are already taking shape.


    However, the basic industries in various areas, as well as those currently not needed in Australia, are in a weaker state. It may take a long time to fill the gaps in these industries without strong support.


    Compared to Australia, Germany¡¯s basic industry is very strong and has no shorings. Germany¡¯s assistance to Australia¡¯s basic industry this time could also bring growth to Australia¡¯s basic industry.<div>


    If coupled with appropriate incentive policies, it is possible to rectify the shorings of basic industry within a few years.

 Chapter 213: 202: Military Integration and Expansion

    Chapter 213: Chapter 202: Military Integration and Expansion


    In early October, after a month-long voyage, Arthur sessfully returned to the federal capital of Sydney and immersed himself back into the busy work of politics.


    During the four months that Arthur was away, the majority of his governmental duties were carried out by the Cab.


    However, there were still some important matters that required Arthur¡¯s review, as telegrams were not entirely secure.


    Fortunately, the domestic situation in Australia was currently stable, and the majority of the matters were minor issues faced by the nation. These could be easily handled by the Cab.


    This made things rtively easy for Arthur. After all, the members of the Cab were appointed by Arthur himself, and they had no power to defy his orders.


    After processing all the government affairs, the elite German soldiers promised by William II officially arrived in Australia.


    These German soldiers would stay in Australia for some time, helping the Australian Army improve their training and expansion.


    Indeed, the Australian Army would be expanding once again.


    This was inevitable, as the current scale of the Australian Army was still too small. Even with the additional 3,000 soldiers from the New Zend Army, the total number of troops only amounted to 28,000.


    This size of the force was barely enough for deployment within the federation, let alone for engaging in wars overseas.<div>


    After a meeting between Arthur and the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Defense of the Australia and New Zend Federation officially announced the expansion of the army. This time, they would recruit 35,000 new soldiers, bringing the total number of the Federation Army to 63,000.


    This expansion would primarily focus on increasing the size of the regr divisions.


    Two new regr divisions would be added, namely the Second and Third Divisions of the National Defense Army.


    These two divisions would follow the same organization as the First Division, consisting of three infantry regiments, one artillery regiment, and one cavalry battalion. Each division would have a total of nearly 16,000 troops.


    Thanks to the excess of 1,000 recruits serving as reserve soldiers and officers during the previous expansion of the First Division, there were now enough old soldiers and reserve officers for this expansion.


    When the expansion waspleted, Australia would have three divisions with an army of up to 48,000 regr troops, 12,000 from the increased Guard, and the 3,000 stationed in the New Guinea Colony (one regiment), bringing the total number of troops to approximately 63,000.


    To address the shortage of reserve officers brought on by the expansion, Arthur began training soldiers within the Australian Army early on and even established a small-scale military academy to select and cultivate officers from among the soldiers.


    This recruitment drive caused a sensation across Australia and New Zend, withrge numbers of citizens from both countries participating.


    Despite the current poption of the Australian Federation being just over six million, this round of recruitment had strict requirements.


    First, candidates had to be legally residing in the Australian and New Zend Federation for at least five years.


    Next, they must not have participated in any illegal activities and pass a simple loyalty and patriotism test before they could officially register for the recruitment drive.


    Of course, registration alone did not guarantee sessful selection. In addition to passing a basic background assessment, new recruits had to undergo aprehensive physical and mental evaluation to ensure both theirbat capabilities and their loyalty.


    Australia, with a current poption of 4,910,000, became one of the main recruitment areas this time.


    New Zend had a poption of just 1.1 million and only nned to recruit 5,000 new soldiers.


    As for the New Guinea Colony, the loyalty of the Indigenous Peoples could not be relied upon, and the Federation residents in the colony numbered only 40,000. Hence, there were no recruitment quotas for the colony.


    For more than a month after the recruitment announcement, recruitment centers across Australia were packed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This round of recruitment was warmly received by the vast majority of Federate residents, as the benefits for soldiers in the Australian Army, even for ordinary ones, were rare.


    At present, the total per capita ie in Australia had reached 35 Australian dors, equivalent to 17 pounds.


    The annual ie of ordinary soldiers in Australia had risen to around 38 Australian dors, not to mention the soldiers in the Guard Division, whose annual ie had exceeded 45 Australian dors.<div>


    This figure does not take into ount the various benefits and subsidies for the soldiers during holidays. If these were included, the annual ie of ordinary soldiers would exceed 40 Australian dors.


    This is why sessive recruitment drives in Australia have been weed by all.


    Apart from the prestige and poprity of Arthur in Australia and New Zend, the excellent welfare of all Australian soldiers was also a major reason for people¡¯s willingness to enlist.


    Of course, apart from the daily welfare of soldiers,pensation and pensions for soldiers who died or were injured in the line of duty were also important issues that Arthur and the Ministry of Defense paid great attention to.<div>


    Families of fallen soldiers could receive a one-timepensation worth 50 times the annual per capita ie in their area. In addition, the government would fund the education of their children up to adulthood or high school graduation.


    Although they did not have direct ess to universities, a high school education was quite excellent in those days.


    During the annual university admissions, the children and families of fallen soldiers were often given better treatment. Under equal conditions, they would be given priority in the admissions process.


    This essentially meant that if an individual became a national soldier, not only would they be taken care of, but even if they died in battle, their family would be provided with financial support andpensation.


    Such aprehensive pension system was rare even in Europe, as the vast number of casualties in the frequent wars in Europe could cripple even a victorious nation.


    Not to mention the First and Second World Wars, when European casualties reached millions, if not tens of millions. Had a full pension system been implemented, countries would have gone bankrupt. This is the main reason why it was not until the end of World War II thatprehensive pension systems were properly established worldwide.


    Australia¡¯s rtivelyplete pension system also put many soldiers¡¯ minds at ease.


    Of course, the current absence of war threats to Australia was also a crucial factor. Other than injuries sustained during routine training, Australian soldiers currently faced no dangers.

 Chapter 214: 203: Kingdom of Australia and Oceania

    Chapter 214: Chapter 203: Kingdom of Australia and Oceanian/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the end of 1905, two major events took ce. First, Norway became an independent country, and Prince Carl of Denmark was chosen as its king, crowned King Haakon VII of Norway.


    This marked the dissolution of the Sweden-Norway union. A sub-strong country in northern Europe officially became two third-tier countries.


    The second event happened on October 2nd, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in the United Kingdom.


    On this day, the famous Dreadnought-ss battleship officially began construction, and was sessfullyunched for testing within just four months.


    Although the testing phasested for more than a year, it is undeniable how much impact this battleship, which took only four months to construct, had on the future world naval structure and shipbuilding system.


    At the end of 1905, the federal government of Australia and New Zend held a summary meeting, reporting the government¡¯s achievements and actions over the past year to Arthur.


    First came the federal poption. After the merger of Australia and New Zend, the poption broke through over five million and was very close to six million.


    By the end of 1905, the total poption of Australia and New Zend Federation had reached over 6.2 million, with Australia¡¯s total poption at 5.03 million, New Zend¡¯s total poption at about 1.14 million, and over 30,000 in the New Guinea colony.


    In terms of industry, the industrial development of Australia and New Zend Federation was rapid, with a total steel output of over 1.5 million tons.


    Federation steel production broke through 500,000 tons, reaching a gratifying 513,200 tons or so.<div>


    Iron production was also close to one million tons, enough to meet the demand for metals in Australia and New Zend, and even began exporting to Southeast Asia in small quantities.


    It is worth mentioning that Australia¡¯s introduction of indigenous people from Dutch East Indies and its forcedbor n for indigenous people nationwide were very sessful.


    This was due to widespread racism among European immigrants, which formed the white Australian policy and ideology in Europe, ensuring that all federal citizens supported the oppression of indigenous people without anyone considering it cruel.


    Of course, Australians would never admit this. National development often gave birth to dangerous jobs, and in Australia, these jobs were primarily filled by indigenous people, significantly reducing the casualties of Australian workers.


    Aren¡¯t the increasingly better lives that Australians now enjoy created, in part, by these indigenous people sacrificing their own lives?


    To date, the Australian National University has sessfully graduated three sses of students, producing nearly 2,000 outstanding university graduates for Australia.


    The value of a university degree in this era is undoubtedly evident. These 2,000 people will be the backbone of various industries in Australia, and may even be the top force.


    Australia¡¯s transportation industry has also made rapid progress in recent years. First of all, the highways needed for daily transportation have beenpleted, connecting all cities in Australia and reaching smaller viges and facilities.


    Regarding railways, after two years of development, a single-track railway connection has beenpleted from Perth, the capital of West Australia, to Adide, the capital of South Australia.


    This also means that the industrial railway that spans the entire Australian continent has beenpleted in a single-track construction. Australians can travel from Perth, the capital of West Australia, to any capital of the five states and the Capital Territory on the Australian continent, such as Adide, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane.


    Although Tasmania State does not have ess to railway services, its road system is the most developed among all states in Australia.


    To amodate the feelings of newly-joined New Zend, the federal government nned a railway on both South Ind and North Ind of New Zend.


    However, New Zend¡¯s previous railways were well developed, so the construction of these two railways involved more of maintenance and reactivation.


    Another rapidly developing area was the per capita ie of the Australia and New Zend Federation. By the end of 1905, the per capita annual ie was about 39 Australian Dors, equivalent to 19.5 Pounds.


    This ie level was more than double that of Australia five years ago, which shows how rapidly Australia has developed over the past five years.


    At this meeting, Arthur proposed the idea of forming a new kingdom to observe the attitudes of cab members.


    Based on the reactions of cab members, Arthur was quite satisfied. All cab members supported the establishment of a unified kingdom to better unite Australia and New Zend.


    In fact, the founding of the new kingdom had already won the support of the German Empire and the Russian Empire, and as a loyal ally of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would not oppose.


    Under the premise of Arthur having leverage, King Edward VII would definitely not object either, but would watch the reaction of the internationalmunity before making a decision.<div>


    France was not a monarchy, so Arthur did not care about their attitude. Most other monarchies in Europe had good rtions with Britain, Germany, and Russia, and as long as the three strongest monarchies did not oppose, the European monarchies would not either.

 Chapter 215: 203: Kingdom of Australasia_2

    Chapter 215: Chapter 203: Kingdom of Austrsia_2


    Since the issues had been resolved, Arthur decided not to hesitate any longer and officially began discussions on the establishment of a new kingdom.


    Western countries value legality the most, even the once invincible Napoleon had to say he became the Emperor of the French when he was crowned.


    As for the traditional European imperial thrones, there were only two: the Holy Roman Empire, inherited from the Western Roman Empire, and the Eastern Roman Empire.


    However, since the decline of these two great empires, there have been no shortage of European monarchs iming various titles and positions.


    For example, Queen Victoria called herself Empress of India, the Tsar imed to have inherited the Eastern Roman legal system, and there was the Austrian Empire established by the Holy Roman Emperor, as well as the German Empire, which rose to power by stepping on the French.


    As we can see, although legality is important in the current European system, power can also override legality.


    Nevertheless, proper reasoning still needs to be provided. After all, establishing a new kingdom requires a public announcement, and there ought to be a more reasonable exnation.


    First of all, establishing a unified kingdom requires a legal basis for including all regions.


    In fact, there is some legal basis for the name Australia, because New Zend used to be part of the Australian Colony, and it seems quite reasonable to establish an Australian kingdom to govern present-day Australia and New Zend.


    However, it cannot be denied that New Zend has been independent for several decades, and New Zenders have gradually begun to show differences from Australians.N?v(el)B\\jnn<div>


    It would be difficult to reintegrate New Zenders into Australians at this point and have them be Australians again.


    However, there is a solution to this problem. As early as 1756, French schr Brose published a book called ¡°Histoire des navigations aux terres australes,¡± which divided the Oceania region, including Australia, New Zend, and the neighboring Pacific Inds, into one region called Austrsia.


    Geographically, Austrsia includes the Australian continent, Tasmania Ind, New Zend, and Mnesia, and even epasses New Guinea and nearby inds northeast of Australia.


    The scope of Austrsia perfectly includes Australia¡¯s current domain, and there are basically no countries within this area that conflict with the legal concept of Austrsia.


    This means that establishing a Kingdom of Austrsia to govern all areas within the scope of Austrsia is legally and reasonably justifiable.


    Conveniently, a new name could also avoid disputes between Australia and New Zend, allowing both Australians and New Zenders to integrate into a new country,bining to form a new nation, the Austrsians.


    In fact, after Australia and New Zend became independent in the original timeline, they once used the name Austrsia for a while.


    For example, during the tennispetitions from 1905 to 1913, Australia and New Zend joined together and participated under the name Austrsia, including the 1908 and 1912 Olympic Games.


    This demonstrates the attitude of the Australian and New Zend people towards their mutual union.


    Since both ethnicities are mostly immigrants from Britain and Europe, the differences between them are not significant.


    Furthermore, Arthur¡¯s high approval ratings and immense prestige in both Australia and New Zend make it possible for this newly established country to gain widespread support.


    The meeting continued into the night, with cab members still engaged in heated discussions.


    This was only natural, as the establishment of a new kingdom would mean the recement of the temporarily maintained federal government and the formation of a unified kingdom government.


    This raises the question of retaining the Australian Duchy Government and the New Zend Duchy Government, as well as the future system of the kingdom government.


    This is an issue that concerns the interests of these officials and the reason they can continue negotiating into the night without reaching a conclusion.


    However, many important matters were determined, such as the name of the new kingdom being Austrsia, the capital remaining Sydney in the Capital Territory, and no major changes urring to the current administrative regions of Australia.


    If a unified kingdom government is established, the issue of retaining the Australian Duchy Government and the New Zend Duchy Government would be a serious one.


    In the end, Arthur made the decision to dissolve the Australian Duchy Government and the New Zend Duchy Government following the establishment of the Austrsian Kingdom Government.


    In the future, the six states of Australia, the Capital Territory, and the two states of North New Zend and South New Zend would all be under the unified management of the kingdom government.<div>


    The original Federal House of Representatives and Royal Parliament would be renamed the Austrsian Kingdom House of Representatives and Royal Parliament.


    This would greatly strengthen the union between Australia and New Zend, making them both part of a unified kingdom.


    The reason Arthur dared to do this was because he controlled both the Australian Duchy Government and the New Zend Duchy Government and had a good reputation and support in both countries.


    As long as the Australians and New Zenders do not object, even if some officials have differing opinions, they will not be able to make any waves.<div>


    In the following days, Arthur convened important officials from both the Australian Duchy Government and the New Zend Duchy Government to discuss the issue of retaining the current officials of the two duchy governments after the establishment of the kingdom.

 Chapter 216: 203: Kingdom of Australasia_3

    Chapter 216: Chapter 203: Kingdom of Austrsia_3


    Australia is the main focus of the new kingdom, the current Australian cab government will also be the first cab government of the kingdom.


    The issue now is the reassignment of officials from the New Zend Duchy government. Some of them will be transferred to the state governments of the two states of New Zend, while others will join the kingdom government.


    It just so happens that cab ministers oftenin about theck of staff in various departments, and this is a good opportunity to expand the numbers in the departments, thus increasing the efficiency of the government.


    As the government officials discussed the future of the kingdom government, time swiftly moved forward to the year 1906.


    January 10, 1906, Australia and New Zend Federation, Capital Territory, Sydney, in front of Sydney Pce.


    Although the main structure of Sydney Pce behind them was not yetpleted, the garden and square in front were already operational.


    As thergest square in Australia, Arthur immediately decided to hold the new year¡¯s National Day activities in the square.


    The square in front of the administrative building could only amodate less than 20,000 people, while the current Sydney Pce Square has more than tripled its capacity.


    As early as a few weeks ago, there were rumors that something big was going to happen on this National Day, which is why many people from outside the Capital Territory were determined to attend this National Day event.


    Despite the muchrger venue, people were still packed in, some of them finding it difficult to move around.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om<div>


    The newly built square hosted its first significant national-level event well beyond its estimated maximum capacity.


    Fortunately, the construction of Sydney Pce is a top priority for Australia, and strict supervision is in ce to ensure that no substandard projects are produced.


    Even the construction materials for Sydney Pce have been carefully selected and are purchased from various countries and regions around the world, ensuring a high degree of trust in their durability.


    Around 8 o¡¯clock in the morning, Arthur¡¯s motorcade slowly arrived under the protection of the royal guards and stopped in front of the reviewing stand.


    Arthur stepped out of the car, followed by important government officials from the Cab Government and the two Duchy governments.


    He walked smoothly onto the reviewing stand, but the normal National Day g-raising and speech had not yet begun.


    Arthur approached the loudspeaker and, after surveying all the people below the stage, spoke slowly, ¡°My fellow Australian and New Zend citizens, I am delighted to meet you at such a solemn time.¡±


    ¡°The union of Australians and New Zenders has continued for over a year, and our federation has achieved good progress. I believe that all Australians and New Zenders can see this, and everyone¡¯s lives have be better.¡±


    Cheers and apuse erupted from the audience, confirming Arthur¡¯s words.


    After waiting for a bit, Arthur continued, ¡°Now, I have decided that it is time for our union to be even closer! Australians and New Zenders will be indistinguishable, and we will live together in a new country.¡±


    With that, Arthur looked at the reaction of the crowd below and continued, ¡°I have decided to merge Australia and New Zend to form a new kingdom called Austrsia! From now on, we will all be citizens of Austrsia, all great Austrsians. Long live Austrsia!¡±


    ¡°Long live Austrsia!¡±


    ¡°Long live the Duke!¡±


    The crowd chanted for a while before gradually realizing the implications of Arthur¡¯s words.


    If a kingdom had already been established, Arthur would no longer be a Duke, but a King, would he not?


    <>Thus, the cheers and shouts in the field gradually changed to ¡°Long live Austrsia!¡± and ¡°Long live the King!¡±


    Although people were initially surprised at the establishment of the kingdom, it quickly turned into joy and excitement.


    The cheerssted for a long time, even affecting the progress of the following activities.


    However, no one cared, not even Arthur and the government officials.<div>


    When the sky above the square gradually became quiet, Arthur continued, ¡°As your King, I will continue to uphold my original intentions to protect all my citizens, that is, the Austrsiansposed of Australians and New Zenders. Leading the country towards prosperity is the dream of the nation, the government, the royal family, and all Austrsians. I hope that all Australians and New Zenders can unite together, strive for our new kingdom and our new nation, and achieve our great dream ofmon prosperity. Long live Austrsia!¡±


    In order to make the newly-established kingdom more stable and incorporate all Australians and New Zenders into the scope of the new Austrsians, it is essential to do so.


    That is why Arthur has repeatedly mentioned the concept of Austrsians at this time, making it easier for Australians and New Zenders to ept the concept of Austrsians through Arthur¡¯s mouth.


    In the midst of the cheers and shouts of the crowd, the National Day activities proceeded sessfully.<div>


    Since the kingdom¡¯s g has not yet been finalized, the gs of Australia and New Zend federation, as well as the royal g, are flying above the square now.


    It is believed that the design for the Kingdom of Austrsia¡¯s national g will be avable soon after the governmentunches a public collection activity for the g.


    The Victoria Newspaper and Australia Daily acted quickly, and shortly after the National Day activities ended, both newspapers published Arthur¡¯s entire National Day speech, along with an announcement of the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Of course, Arthur¡¯s actions go far beyond that. At the international level, Arthur has officially notified all countries and invited the major Powers and important countries to mutually send envoys.

 Chapter 217: 204: The Epoch-making Dreadnought

    Chapter 217: Chapter 204: The Epoch-making Dreadnought


    As Arthur had expected, the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia did not encounter any opposition in Europe.


    Even with the strong support of the German Empire and the Russian Empire, the two major monarchies currently in power, most of the monarchies in Europe congratted the newly established Kingdom of Austrsia.


    The stance of the United Kingdom was ratherplex; the British public congratted and celebrated the formation of Austrsia, while the government had some reservations. After all, the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia would rece the British Empire as the legal nation in the Oceania region.


    However, in the end, Edward VII expressed his opinion, and the British Government also congratted the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Of course, although ambassadors were mutually dispatched among all the major countries, it was evident that the establishment of Austrsia was not the mainstream news in Europe at the time.


    The reason being that, during this period, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of the British Empire built a battleship in just four months that was capable of changing the global warship system, which caused a sensation throughout Europe and even the world.


    Although the British kept the construction of the Dreadnought-ss battleship a secret, it was eventually discovered by spies from other countries as soon as it began to undergo its sea trials.


    With the efforts of foreign spies, especially German spies, the true specifications of the Dreadnought-ss battleship were revealed to major European countries.


    ¡°This is truly a groundbreaking and magnificent warship!¡±


    That was the impression of the rulers and naval experts of all countries after seeing the design of this battleship.<div>


    Since the Dreadnought-ss battleship extensively employed new technologies in every aspect, it overturned the previous design concepts of battleships and achieved absolute dominance over existing battleships.


    What does this mean? The previous battleships had advantages in firepower, defense, and speed. They either had extraordinary firepower, strong armor protection, or some achievements in speed.


    These battleships each had their strengths and yed their roles in naval battles.


    But the Dreadnought was different. It featured main guns of uniform ballistic performance, which not only significantly enhanced the firepower of battleships but also allowedmanders to more easily direct all main guns at the same target, which greatly increased the efficiency of concentrated firepower output and improved the uracy of the main guns ordingly.


    Moreover, the Dreadnought-ss battleship was equipped with ten 305mm main guns, twenty-seven 5.4kg artillery, and five underwater 457mm torpedo tubes, which greatly enhanced its firepower and gave it an absolute advantage over old-fashioned battleships.


    At the same time, the Dreadnought-ss battleship had a total armor weight of about five thousand tons, which was an improvement over previous battleships.


    More armor also meant moreprehensive protection. The armor thickness of key parts such as turret, engine room, ammunition depot, andmand tower reached over 280mm, with armor fully enclosing the hull.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    More crucially, the Dreadnought-ss battleship also saw significant improvements in its battle cruising speed.


    The design requirement of the Dreadnought-ss battleship was to reach a maximum speed of over 21 knots and maintain it for an extended period.


    However, it should be noted that before the Dreadnought, the fastest battleships could only reach a maximum speed of about 19 knots and maintain it for a short period.


    Such a speed was undoubtedly groundbreaking, but the British shipyards and experts utilized new steam turbines and steam boilers to solve the power requirements.


    Dreadnought battleship was equipped with eighteen drum-wheel coal-fired steam boilers and four Parsons steam turbine sets for power.


    Its power output was as high as 22,500 horsepower, and during its first sea trials, it even reached 24,700 horsepower. The theoretical design speed was up to 21 knots, but during the sea trials, it reached a peak of 22.4 knots.


    In summary, the Dreadnought-ss battleship couldpletely overpower old-fashioned battleships in all aspects of firepower, armor protection, and speed.


    The previous situation where battleships that could not ovee their opponents could at least flee would not ur. Faced with Britain¡¯s Dreadnought, other countries¡¯ battleships could neither defeat nor outrun it.


    This also means that the world naval structure would undergo a major reshuffling, with all previous old-fashioned battleships bing like paper tigers in the face of the Dreadnought.


    If the number of older battleships previously represented the strength of a navy, then now the number of new Dreadnought battleships represents the new naval power.


    Leading the warships into a new era is the British Empire, but at this moment, the most troubled is also the British Empire.


    The reason is simple. After the birth of the dreadnought, old-fashioned battleships all became obsolete. Although Britain would gain some advantages in the construction of dreadnoughts, it also meant that most of the ships in the Royal Fleet would be products of a bygone era.<div>


    It so happens that the countries with the most old-fashioned battleships, Britain and France, were the ones affected by this naval transformation.


    But for some emerging countries, this was also a good opportunity, such as Germany, which had always wanted to catch up with Britain in naval power.


    If ording to the previous battleship system, it would have been virtually impossible for the German Navy to catch up with the British Navy.


    Although the German Navy was growing increasinglyrge, the British Royal Fleet was expanding even faster, and there was still a huge gap between Germany and Britain.<div>


    But after the birth of the dreadnought, the strength of a navy depended on the number of dreadnoughts it possessed.


    For theters to the world stage, including the German Empire, the United States, and even Austrsia, this was a great opportunity.


    Of course, where there is hope, there is also disappointment, and even some despair.


    Some had the opportunity to catch up, while some naturally faced the risk of falling behind.


    Maintaining the existing naval size was already difficult enough, but after the birth of the dreadnought, the existing battleships became essentially obsolete and no match for countries with dreadnoughts.


    Of course, the countries that suffered from this were not limited to just one. If there had to be one that suffered the most, it would probably be the ind nation that had just split the Far East hegemony with Russia.


    The ind country gained part of the Far East¡¯s rights after thest Russo-Japanese War and effectively upied the Korean Penins.


    But these benefits were not enough to make up for the ind country¡¯s losses during the war, especially the loss of arge number of warships.


    With the navy¡¯s strength barely maintained at the level of the weakest powers, if they did not follow up on the construction of dreadnoughts, they would gradually widen the gap with other powerful countries, and the ind country¡¯s expansion dreams would still be blocked.


    In general, the birth of the dreadnought elerated the navalpetition in Europe and led almost all powerful countries to invest in the research and development of dreadnoughts.


    Due to theirck of experience, major countries, including Germany, designed their dreadnoughts based on the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    In fact, they fell into Britain¡¯s trap again. When various countries came up with their dreadnought designs, the British Empire once againunched the super-dreadnought, regaining a certain lead in the three major warship designs.


    Almost immediately after receiving the intelligence, William II ordered Germany¡¯s major shipyards and navy to produce their dreadnought designs and start construction work as soon as possible.<div>


    These scenes urred in almost all powerful countries, and the warship designers of the major powers were busier than ever.


    It is worth mentioning that since German aid was not considered for the birth of the dreadnought, these German shipbuilding experts are still working for Austrsia, and they will be the leaders in Austrsia¡¯s research on dreadnoughts.


    Soon, through the efforts of all the major powers, the dreadnought designs of each country were quicklypleted.


    It is worth mentioning that the South Carolina-ss battleship of the United States was one of the first battleships in the world to adopt all heavy guns, with a design time simr to that of Britain¡¯s Dreadnought.


    However, due to budget dys, the start of construction for the South Carolina-ss battleship waster than that of Britain¡¯s Dreadnought-ss battleship. The first South Carolina-ss battleship, the South Carolina, did not officially enter service until March 1910, more than two yearster than the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    As the dreadnought design shocked the world, the American people strengthened their determination to build and invest in the South Carolina-ss battleship, and the U.S. Navy urged Congress to quickly allocate funds.


    Many other powerful countries also took action, including Italy¡¯s Dante Alighieri, the ind country¡¯s Settsu-ss battleship, and Germany¡¯s Nassau-ss battleship.


    Among these, besides the British Empire, the United States, and the German Empire, which were determined in naval matters, Italy and the ind country currently have limited investments in dreadnought construction ns.


    Italy¡¯s Dante Alighieri has only one ship, and its design is just getting started, with real construction not starting until a yearter.


    The situation is simr for the ind country¡¯s Settsu-ss battleship. Although the design already exists, the ind country¡¯s financial situation does not allow for immediate construction, and it has to wait at least a year, with no more than two ships at most.


    Of course, these two struggling powerful countries are actually not that bad, at least they have domestic ns for the construction of dreadnoughts, which just require a longer waiting time.


    There are also two prominent countries that do not currently have any dreadnought construction ns, one is the former hegemon of the European continent, France, and the other is the European bulldozer, the Tsarist Russian Empire.


    The Tsarist Russian Empire does notck dreadnought construction ns, it is just that its R&D design capabilities are not strong, and it does not currently have a more perfect battleship design n.<div>


    The first dreadnought in Tsarist Russia¡¯s history was the Gangut-ss battleship, which had two important factors for its birth.


    The first was thepletion of Italy¡¯s Dante Alighieri, and the second was the construction of Tsarist Russia¡¯s dreadnought under the guidance of British shipyards after the easing of tensions between Britain and Russia.


    At present, Italy¡¯s Dante Alighieri only exists in design, and the tension between Britain and Russia has not yet eased. Whether Russia¡¯s Gangut-ss battleship can be sessfully born remains a question.

 Chapter 218: 205: Monarch-class Battleship

    Chapter 218: Chapter 205: Monarch-ss Battleship


    If one would say that Russia¡¯s slow action in the construction of dreadnoughts was due to the two major ws of insufficient research and development capabilities andck of funds, then France, as one of the old powers, cannot justify their slow action in the field of dreadnoughts.


    In fact, the French were not slow in the field of dreadnoughts, it was just because the navy¡¯s budget had already been spent on the construction of the pre-dreadnought Danton-ss battleships. Not only did the navyck the budget, but the French shipyards also did not have enough construction capabilities to start new dreadnoughts.


    Because of this, despite the Danton-ss battleship falling behind the times after the birth of the Dreadnought-ss battleship, the French still stubbornly waited until 1911 for all the Danton-ss battleships to bepleted before they began the construction n for the dreadnoughts.


    Regardless of whether this was foolish or not, when France initiated the construction of dreadnoughts, other countries had already entered the era of the super-dreadnought.


    The first French dreadnought, the Courbet-ss battleship, also had the distinction of being a battleship thatgged behind in the era of dreadnoughts.


    Busy with the construction of pre-dreadnoughts when dreadnoughts were born, and busy with the construction of dreadnoughts when super-dreadnoughts were born, the French thuspletely fell behind in the navy¡¯s great transformation, and could never again see the tail lights of Britain and Germany.


    Outside of Britain, the country that opened the era of dreadnoughts, the country that valued dreadnoughts the most and invested the most was the second major power, the German Empire.


    The birth of the Dreadnought-ss battleship disrupted the subtle bnce of the shipbuildingpetition between British and German warships and intensified a new round of ¡°dumplings race¡± between Britain and Germany.


    Germany¡¯s response to the Dreadnought-ss battleship was the new dreadnought, the Nassau-ss battleship, which was modified from the old 1901-ss battleship.


    The Nassau-ss battleship strengthened the armor protection of the old battleship and also used the full heavy-gun concept of the Dreadnought-ss battleship, carrying 12 280mm caliber main guns.<div>


    But the caliber of the Nassau-ss battleship¡¯s guns was a lot smaller than that of the Dreadnought-ss battleship. Although they fired faster, their firepower was still diminished.


    But what really set the Nassau-ss battleship and Dreadnought-ss battleship apart was the different power equipment and systems they adopted.


    The Dreadnought-ss battleship was powered by four steam turbine propulsion units, along with arge number of steam boilers, which greatly increased its speed.


    But the Germans did not believe in this technology. The Nassau-ss battleship still used the old-fashioned three-cylinder reciprocating steam engine and only used coal-fired boilers.


    This type of reciprocating steam engine could cause severe vibrations in the hull of the Nassau-ss battleship when it was running at top speed, which would affect the aim and shooting of the guns.


    Regardless of the impact on the shooting of the guns, such an old-fashioned power system resulted in a top speed of only 19 knots for the Nassau-ss battleship, which was obviouslygging behind the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    In the original history, the Nassau-ss battleship fell behind quickly after its birth and became a shooting star in the history of German warships.


    Because of its good rtionship with the British Empire, Germany, and Russia, Austrsia also got the design sketches and materials of the Dreadnought-ss battleship, and William II also generously gave Arthur the blueprint of the Nassau-ss battleship.


    Of course, William II did not do this without a purpose. He knew Arthur¡¯s ambitions, and naturally knew that Arthur, after obtaining this blueprint, would inevitably want Austrsia to master the construction technology of dreadnoughts, or even have its own dreadnoughts.


    At this sensitive time, what does owning a dreadnought represent? It represents that Austrsia can quickly be a naval power, changing the power structure of the Oceania region, or even South Asia, the Far East, the Indian Ocean, and the Southwest Pacific.


    Would Austrsia¡¯s possession of its own dreadnought make the always cautious British Empire wary?


    Although Arthur has a good rtionship with the British public, wasn¡¯t William II the same before?


    There is no permanent fixed rtionship between countries. Rtionships will change ording to the interests between countries.


    If Austrsia threatens the British Empire in areas where the British attach great importance, then Austrsia will also be a hypothetical enemy of the British Empire.


    Given the British temper, it is very possible that they would send at least one more dreadnought to the Indian Ocean Region.


    At least to maintain their naval bnce in the Indian Ocean region, or even gain some advantage to put the British at ease.


    Wouldn¡¯t sending one more dreadnought to the Indian Ocean region mean that there would be one less dreadnought deployed in Europe?


    For the German Empire, the fewer dreadnoughts Britain deploys in Europe, the fewer enemies they may face in the future.


    This is why William II generously gave Arthur the design blueprint of the Nassau-ss battleship.<div>


    Compared to such a battleship with obvious disadvantages from its very design, diverting trouble elsewhere is a better return for the German Empire.


    When Arthur obtained this design blueprint for the Nassau-ss battleship, he already understood all of William II¡¯s ns and intentions.


    However, this was not a hot potato for Austrsia, but rather a beacon of hope for their naval development.


    Perhaps William II knew the importance of this material to Austrsia, and Arthur would never give up the blueprint of the Nassau-ss battleship.<div>


    However, although the Nassau-ss battleship could already be called a dreadnought, it still used old designs in many aspects, which destined it would quickly be phased out.


    Arthur was not that naive because he was well versed in history, and he was not as cautious as the Germans were.


    After obtaining the design blueprints of the Nassau-ss battleship, Arthur summoned all the shipbuilding experts that Austrsia could gather and held a meeting about the future shipbuilding ns of Austrsia.


    There was only one aim for Arthur, which was to capitalize on the expertise of these experts bybining all the advantages of the Nassau-ss battleship and the Dreadnought-ss battleship to design a dreadnought without any obvious defects.


    There are two obvious deficiencies in the Nassau-ss battleship: Firstly, the caliber of the main gun it carries is too small, which puts it at a disadvantage in firepowerpared to the Dreadnought.


    Secondly, it still uses the old power system, which can cause the warship to vibrate when sailing at full speed, and its speed alsogs behind that of the Dreadnought.


    In these two aspects, Austrsia¡¯s dreadnought should improve as much as possible the shorings of the Nassau-ss battleship, not only by enhancing its firepower as much as possible, but also by adopting a brand-new steam turbine for the power system.


    In fact, the shorings of the Nassau-ss battleship are mostly in these two aspects, but these two aspects determine the most important firepower and speed of the battleship.


    With specific goals in mind, the shipbuilding experts began to vigorously debate and consider all the possibilities in warship design.


    For Austrsia, designing a dreadnought is really easy. After the intelligence exploration of Dreadnought by the major powers for a long time, the detailed data of the Dreadnought-ss battleship is essentially known to all major countries, and Austrsia is naturally among them.


    In addition to the design blueprints of Germany¡¯s Nassau-ss battleship, Australia currently has the design ns of two Dreadnoughts for reference when making improvements.


    The idea is to use the Nassau-ss battleship as the main body, and adopt the design of the Dreadnought in some weaknesses of the Nassau-ss battleship to make the original Nassau-ss battleship a genuine dreadnought without any weaknesses, and it could even border on or slightly surpass the dreadnought.


    This warship design didn¡¯t evade the German experts, on the contrary, the Germans were one of the main forces for improvements.<div>


    After all, the super dreadnought will be born not long after the birth of the dreadnought, and that will be the focus of Austrsia¡¯s scientific research.


    Before that, the participation of German experts in the development of Australia¡¯s dreadnought was good news. Germans have a unique rigorous attitude, which is well demonstrated in mechanical aspects.


    Even the Nassau-ss battleship, which may cause bumps and tremors when sailing at its maximum speed, can sail smoothly for more than a decade without any problems, which shows the rigorous attitude of the Germans towards machinery manufacturing.


    These German experts are very excited about being able to participate in Australia¡¯s dreadnought research.


    After the birth of the dreadnought, their attitude was very positive. However, after contacting the homnd, Germany still advised them to stay in Austrsia and continue to help the growth of Australia¡¯s navy.


    They originally assumed that for a short time, they would have no connection with the design and construction of the dreadnought.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But they did not anticipate that Austrsia also initiated the design of the dreadnought, and the goal was to refer to the data of the British and German dreadnoughts and improve a moreprehensive warship.


    Of course, another reason why these German experts were able to share their knowledge was that Austrsia had ess to information about Germany¡¯s Nassau-ss battleship.


    Austrsia¡¯s prompt grasp of Germany¡¯s dreadnought information proves the good rtionship between Germany and Austrsia and Germany¡¯s support for Austrsia to master the dreadnought.


    In addition, over the past few years, Austrsia has wooed and cultivated a group of experts in shipbuilding in various ways.


    Although it cannot match the capabilities of European powers in shipbuilding, it can barely reach a level above that of the second-tier European countries.


    With the joint efforts of Austrsian and German experts, the design blueprints for Australia¡¯s first dreadnought were sessfully produced.


    Although this blueprint has not undergone too many verifications, it was designed and improved based on the main body of the Dreadnought-ss battleship and the Nassau-ss battleship.<div>


    As long as there are no major problems with the design of the Dreadnought-ss battleship and the Nassau-ss battleship, the design of this battleship should not have too many issues.


    Of course, itsbat capabilities must undergo actual verification and testing to determine.


    Even if the British were very confident in the Dreadnought-ss battleship, didn¡¯t it only officially enter the fleet after more than a year of sea navigation and testing?


    This battleship designed by Austrsia was officially named the Monarch-ss battleship by Arthur.


    Since it was improved based on the Nassau-ss battleship, the appearance of the Monarch-ss battleship wouldn¡¯t differ much from the Nassau-ss battleship.


    However, due to the fact that neither Germany nor Austrsia has mastered the technology of the 45-caliber 305mm gun yet, it is expected that the Monarch-ss battleship will, for the time being, be equipped with 12 280mm caliber main guns, just like the Nassau-ss battleship.


    But this is only temporary. Once Germany or Austrsia acquires more advanced 305mm gun technology, it will be applied to the Monarch-ss battleship.


    In order to cope with the possible recement of the main guns in the future, Arthur specifically instructed that there should be enough room for improvement in the construction of the main guns on the Monarch-ss battleship to facilitate any possible changes to the main guns on the Monarch-ss battleship in the future.

 Chapter 219: 206: Fast Cruiser

    Chapter 219: Chapter 206: Fast Cruiser


    The Monarch-ss battleship has a hull length of 146.1 meters, a hull width of 26.8 meters, and a draft of 8.67 meters.


    This battleship has a crew of 988 people, a standard discement of 18,490 tons, and a full-load discement of 20,910 tons.


    Since the propulsion system ns to use four steam turbines simr to those on the Dreadnought-ss, along with 18 coal-fired drum boilers, the Monarch-ss battleship¡¯s speed does not differ much from the Dreadnought-ss, and its top speed is also expected to reach 21 knots.


    In terms of armor protection, the Monarch-ss battleship adopts the armor protection system of the Nassau-ss battleship, with the most robust protection being the armor belt in the middle of the ship, with a thickness of about 300mm, providing protection for the engine room and boiler room.


    The protective armor thickness of the main guns turret andmand tower is 280mm, which is on par with the Dreadnought-ss maximum protection level.


    In order to reduce weight, the Nassau-ss battleship has its side armor gradually reduced from the middle towards the ends.


    However, the Monarch-ss battleship does not weaken its side armor, causing the estimated full load water capacity of the Monarch-ss battleship to be about 400 tons more than that of the Nassau-ss battleship.


    In summary, aside from the current use of 280mm main guns in line with German mainstream artillery, the propulsion system and armor protection of the Monarch-ss battleship can bnce with the Dreadnought-ss, and its armor protection is even superior.


    If in the future all the guns are reced with 45 caliber or even 50 caliber 305mm main guns, the Monarch-ss battleship will be a true Dreadnought-ss, achieving all-round improvement.


    After the design of Monarch-ss battleship waspleted, Arthur was in a very good mood, and even gave each expert involved in the blueprint design a 10,000 Australian dor check.<div>


    Although it will still take some time to start production, and the battleship may not beunched for another two or three years, having a Dreadnought-ss of their own is enough for Arthur.


    Moreover, most of the powerful nations have only made it to this level, so it is already good to have a design blueprint for a dreadnought-ss.


    Austrsia may be ahead of some powerful countries in dreadnought-ss battleships.


    Although the Monarch-ss is highly confidential, William II still learned of its design.


    Although surprised that Arthur didn¡¯t rush to produce the Nassau-ss battleships, but rather based on the technology of the Nassau-ss and the existing Dreadnought-ss to produce a better, unique Austrsian dreadnought-ss.


    But William II couldn¡¯t help but ponder whether the improved Nassau-ss was really on par with the steam turbine technology adopted by Britain and Austrsia, instead of the old three-cylinder reciprocating steam engine.


    The practical performance of the old three-cylinder reciprocating steam engine and coal-fired boiler used on the Nassau-ss battleship has been well-tested and is not a concern.


    But could it truly rival the steam turbine technology on the Dreadnought-ss and Monarch-ss? Even German experts are not so sure.


    The reason they chose the old technology for the Nassau-ss is to see the actual data of the Dreadnought-ss trials and whether there will be any problems before making new ns.


    However, looking at the currently known three dreadnought-ss designs, the Nassau-ss, upgraded with all of Germany¡¯s efforts, is indeed falling behind in propulsion technology.


    As a result, William II made two decisions: first, to try to improve the Nassau-ss¡¯s propulsion system again, keeping its maximum speed at 21 knots, consistent with the Dreadnought-ss and Monarch-ss; Secondly, he ordered German military factories to conduct extensive research on 305mm guns, as Germany must not fall behind in this industry as the new battleships would all adopt 305mm guns.


    Arthur also had a brief conversation with William II, and the two sides reached an important trade agreement: Austrsia would share the Monarch-ss battleship design with Germany in exchange for sharing German advances in artillery and submarine technology for the next three years.


    This is crucial for Austrsia. Although Germany has not yet mastered the 305mm 45-caliber gun technology, it managed to catch up and sessfully develop a 50-caliber 305mm gun in just over two years.


    This will greatly enhance the firepower of the battleships, and is an indispensable technology for developing warships.


    Secondly, there is German submarine technology. Up to now, German submarine technology has beengging behind among the major powers.


    This isrgely because Germany did not pay much attention to the development of this technology when submarines were first born.


    Germany¡¯s first submarine, the Trout, was built in 1902 based on the design of a Spanish engineer.


    It was not until 1904 that the German Navy established a submarine construction office specifically responsible for naval submarine construction.


    So far, the submarine technology Germany has mastered is not advanced, but Germany has enormous potential in developing submarines.<div>


    Moreover, now the most likely source for Austrsia to acquire submarine technology is Germany, and Arthur naturally won¡¯t let this opportunity slip away.


    William II was very satisfied with the deal to exchangeplete design information of the Monarch-ss battleship for artillery technology and submarine technology within three years.


    After all, this can be regarded as the most advanced warship independently designed by Austrsia, and its level of advancement is definitely top-notch in the world.


    Even if this technology were in Germany, William II would not think it possible to share it with other countries without bleeding, let alone rtively backward Austrsia in terms of technology.<div>


    Because they had obtained theplete design information of the Monarch-ss battleship, Germany¡¯s 1907 construction n differed from history as well.


    Originally in history, Germany built four Nassau-ss battleships in 1904, namely Nassau, Westfalen, Rhine, and Posen.


    After having the seemingly more advanced Monarch-ss battleship, the German Navy made a temporary decision to modify the Rhine and Posen into Monarch-ss battleships, and their construction time, like the other two Nassau-ss battleships, was in mid-1907.


    Having just finished the deal with Germany, Arthur once again gave the naval experts a difficult problem, which was to develop a fast battleship, or battlecruiser, with powerful firepower and excellent power, and to somewhat reduce armor protection capabilities.


    In order to let these experts have a thorough understanding of the so-called fast battleships, Arthur carefully exined it to them.


    The so-called fast battleship is actually a battlecruiser in the true sense.


    Each country has different views on battlecruisers. The first country to build battlecruisers was the United Kingdom, and their concept of battlecruisers emphasized firepower and speed while rtively disregarding armor protection.


    On the other hand, Germany also built their own battlecruisers in the future, and their view on battlecruisers emphasized armor and speed while rtively disregarding firepower.


    However, no matter what the view is, battlecruisers are warships with high tactical value, which slightly reduce armor or firepower in exchange for higher speed.


    With high speed and firepower that matches battleships, battlecruisers can fight battleships and use their speed and firepower to suppress smaller ones; non-battleship warships suffer absolute crushing.


    It is also because of the high speed of battlecruisers that it is possible to nk the enemy fleet during naval battles and surround and intercept them.


    Compared to battleships, as long as the high-speed advantage of battlecruisers remains, they will not fall behind the times as quickly as battleships.


    Compared to the newly-born dreadnoughts, battlecruisers are more suitable as main battleships to expand the scale of Austrsia¡¯s warships.<div>


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that dreadnoughts are not important for Austrsia. It¡¯s just that the speed of dreadnoughts¡¯ upgrades is too fast, and they are not suitable forrge-scale construction in a short time.


    After receiving Arthur¡¯s order, the design team of the navy shipyard became busy again.


    Arthur had the most basic requirements for this kind of warship called a fast battleship; the speed must reach at least 25 knots and be equipped with at least ten 280mm main guns, leaving room for improvement to install 305mm main gunster.


    What does this represent? This represents that this kind of warship already has firepowerparable to battleships, and even powerful enough topete with the recently-born dreadnoughts.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Looking at the speed again, the current highest speed record for battleships is only 21 knots for the Dreadnought-ss battleship, while Arthur¡¯s maximum speed requirement for fast battleships has reached 25 knots, which is not a small change.


    Although Arthur agreed to cut the armor of some unimportant areas to bnce the powerful firepower and speed, it remained a contentious issue as to which part of the armor should be reduced and to what extent.


    Arthur¡¯s requirements made the experts in Austrsia quite troubled, and they had to indirectly consult the German experts regarding some of the issues.


    But it¡¯s not their fault. The world¡¯s earliest battlecruisers were the Invincibles of the British ¨C the Invincible-ss battlecruisers: Invincible, Indefatigable, and Resolute.


    Although the construction of these three battlecruisers had begun, they would not beunched until a yearter in 1907.


    Before they wereunched, these three battlecruisers were kept secret, like the previous dreadnoughts, and were considered one of the top secrets of the British Navy.


    This also meant that apart from the current British experts, there were not many shipbuilding experts who had been exposed to the theory of battlecruisers.


    This can¡¯t help but praise the British shipbuilding industry¡¯s advanced and powerful capabilities, as dreadnoughts and battlecruisers, which changed the naval system and structure, were all born in shipyards of the British Empire.


    <div>

 Chapter 220: 207: Coronation Ceremony and Shipbuilding Plan

    Chapter 220: Chapter 207: Coronation Ceremony and Shipbuilding n


    While the shipbuilding experts were busily exploring the strategy cruisers that Arthur had proposed, Arthur himself was busy preparing for his own coronation ceremony.


    Previously, when he became the Duke of Australia, due to Arthur being far away in the British Empire, and the recent assassination attempt on Duke Arthur at the time, a coronation ceremony was not held. Instead, a banquet was held with members of the royal family and Queen Victoria, and the nation was informed.


    Now that he has be the king of Audsia and is the first king, it is necessary to hold a grand coronation ceremony, allowing Australians and New Zenders to participate.


    There¡¯s good news, after more than three years of construction, the Sydney Pce can now officially be used.


    Arthur scheduled the coronation ceremony for October, primarily to hold this grand ceremony at the new Sydney Pce.


    After more than six years of lengthy development, Austrsia also needs to gain more prestige and influence in the internationalmunity.


    Therefore, for Arthur¡¯s coronation ceremony, the Australian Government invited almost all independent nations in the world, all monarchical states in Europe are on the invite list.


    Naturally, there was no need to discuss the powerful nations. Even on the distant shore of the Pacific, the United States received an invitation from Austrsia.


    After the powers such as the German Empire, the Tsardom of Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the British Empire, and so on, agreed to Austrsia¡¯s invitation one after another, the major monarchical countries in Europe also responded quickly, expressing that they would send royal family members to attend the coronation ceremony.


    This also signifies that the Kingdom of Austrsia has been widely recognized by the world, and Arthur¡¯s reign has received approval from the European nobility.<div>


    On October 11, 1906, Arthur¡¯s coronation ceremony officially began.


    The real coronation ceremony was held privately, and those who could watch were mostly nobles from various countries and high-ranking officials from Australia.


    In order to demonstrate rule byw, Arthur specifically invited the Archbishop of the Church of Ennd, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to crown Arthur.


    Unbeknownst to himself, Arthur had umted many titles. Not only was he crowned as the King of Austrsia, he also had two dukedom titles for Australia and New Zend.


    After receiving a series of blessings from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Arthur sessfully donned the crown, officially bing the first king of Austrsia.


    At the same time as Arthur was crowned, around the square outside, a total of ten guns were fired in celebration. This number represents the 10 administrative regions of Austrsia, including the Capital Territory and the New Guinea Colony.


    After that, all the people present moved outside to the square, where Arthur would read his coronation deration. Then, led by the Prime Minister, government officials and MPs of the Kingdom of Austrsia would swear allegiance to Arthur together.


    Because this part of the ceremony was held outside in the square, the reaction of the crowd in the square became very important.


    If the crowd could give a good response, or even pledge allegiance along with these officials, then this would be a good tale of a monarchy¡¯s coronation.


    But if the crowd in the square did not have much of a response, this would be an embarrassing coronation.


    Fortunately, Arthur was confident in his civilian support rate, and the second scenario would absolutely not happen in Austrsia.


    ¡°Members of Parliament,dies, and gentlemen. I am pleased to be the ruler of this great nation in front of all of you.¡± Arthur, wearing a crown carefully designed by his personal jeweller, walked to the already prepared loudspeaker with a smile on his face, and said with augh.


    ¡°Austrsia is a great kingdom formed by Australia and New Zend, bearing the great mission and goal of the rise of Australia and New Zend together. I keenly realize the responsibilities and heavy duties that this goal ces on me, and I will do my utmost to fulfil these responsibilities and goals with the support of all MPs, all government officers, and all the citizens of the kingdom, and guide Austrsia towards harmonious prosperity.¡±


    ¡°I, Arthur, King of Austrsia, Duke of Australia and New Zend and Protector of New Guinea, promise to all my subjects that I will uphold the interests of all kingdoms and territories and cherish all the citizens of the kingdoms and territories. I, along with my MPs, officers, and loyal soldiers, will defend this country and all its citizens until thest moment. Long live Austrsia! Long live Saxe-Coburg-Gotha!¡±


    The fact proves that Australian civilians are still very easy to please. After Arthur personally promised to defend the country and its citizens, cheers and shouts from all Australians and New Zenders filled the square.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°May God witness, I will protect the interests of every Austrsian citizen as King of Austrsia, even if it costs a heavy price. May God bless me to faithfully fulfill my promise, long live Austrsia!¡±


    Arthur¡¯s coronation promation was, in fact, not at all lengthy, spanning over ten minutes in actual speech time.


    Yet, what Arthur voiced was precisely what the people of Austrsia wished to hear. Who wouldn¡¯t want a monarch that genuinely cares about the interests of the people?


    Indeed, it is even more critical considering Arthur had already demonstrated through his deeds that his words are not empty promises, butmitments he intends to fulfill.<div>


    No matter what the nobility and officials of other countries may think, the people of Austrsia were extremely content. They pledged loyalty to their young king and struggled for the dream of Austrsia¡¯s rise, even willing toy down their lives.


    After the promation wasplete, the pledge of loyalty to Arthur by Austrsian parliamentarians and officials followed.


    The crowd pledging their loyalty included all members of the Royal Parliament and the House of Representatives, and even the State Parliament members of each state.


    Of course, in reality, the state parliament members did not have the privilege toe forward to take the oath personally, but they had to stand below the stage and take the pledge with the rest of the parliament members on stage.<div>


    This instance portrays the strength of the monarchy in Austrsia. Be it parliament members or officials; their primary loyalty lies with Arthur.


    At themencement of the loyalty pledge, foreign guests saw for the first time the extent of Arthur¡¯s support in Australia.


    Keep in mind that the crowd surrounding the square almost exceeded eighty thousand. Factoring in those outside the square, the total count might even break through a hundred thousand.


    However, most people present were taking the oath, expressing their loyalty and approval for this young king.


    A scene like this one isn¡¯t often seen in many European countries, even in authoritarian countries like the Russian Empire, not even when artificially created.


    Even though Austrsia¡¯s poption is currently not thatrge, the disyed potential has already exceeded what their poption size would typically have, causing many European countries to reconsider the rising power of Austrsia.


    Throughout the entire oath-taking segment, Arthur sat solemnly on the throne. The object of the oath gradually transitioned from Austrsian officials and parliament members to all present Austrsians.


    ¡°This will be a terrifying country!¡± eximed a noble from a small European monarchial country, stupefied and inevitably verbalizing his apprehension after a while.


    His remarks were met with endorsement from many, as Austrsia, with just a poption of over six million, already disyed astonishing potential.


    And if Austrsia¡¯s poption operates on a scale of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions? Could this be the advent of an ind nation challenging the status of the great powers?


    After the oath-taking segment concluded, a significant portion of the coronation ceremony had transpired.


    ording to European tradition, all that would remain would be an expansive banquet for foreign guests in the evening.


    This grand banquet facilitates the new monarch in expanding their foreign rtions, forging better ties with nobility and rulers of other nations.<div>


    Arthur, of course, had this in mind and nned to host an extravagant celebratory banquet in the Sydney Pce.


    But before that, Arthur believed it essential to let the atmosphere reach its climax at the coronation.


    ¡°Citizens, in this grand moment, I wish to represent the Austrsian Kingdom Government and announce a significant national decision,¡± Arthur remarked mysteriously from the stage after the oath-taking ceremony, rather than leading everyone back to the Sydney Pce for rest as nned.


    Arthur¡¯s words quickly caught the attention of all Australians and foreign guests. They all wanted to know what Arthur was to say and its potential impact.


    ¡°Citizens, Austrsia is an enormous nation spanning the entire Oceania, with Australia as its maind, New Zend¡ªa collection ofrge and small inds, and several overseas inds and territories. To protect our interests in every territory and maintain Austrsia¡¯s stability and peace, the Austrsian Cab Government has resolved to embark on a massive shipbuilding program over the next ten years. To secure our overseas interests with a sufficient fleet, Austrsia willunch at least two battleships, ten medium cruisers, and three other main warships in ten years, forming arge fleet with fiverge main warships, ten medium protective warships, and several dozen small cruising warships. This massive shipbuilding project will bepleted in ten years. To achieve this grand n, the Austrsian Government will utilize at least 50 million Australian dors, divided into several stages. Austrsia¡¯s sea must be protected by Austrsia¡¯s own strength, that¡¯s a mandate for the rise of Austrsia. Nobody can harm the Australian people¡¯s interests unless they can walk over the dead bodies and wreckage of Australian soldiers and fleets!¡±

 Chapter 221: 208: The Focus of the Banquet

    Chapter 221: Chapter 208: The Focus of the Banquet


    Arthur¡¯s words came as a surprise to many nobles and officials from various countries and further fueled the enthusiasm of the cheering Austrsian crowd.


    Is a fleet consisting of two battleships, fiverge main warships, ten medium cruisers, and dozens of small warships considered powerful?


    This level is only about half of the current Ind Nation¡¯s fleet size and could only rank in the world¡¯s top 15 at best.


    But what if these two battleships are thetest dreadnought-ss vessels? Currently, only the British Empire truly possesses dreadnought-ss battleships, and only a handful of countries have nned budgets, designs, and production for dreadnoughts.


    If the warships Austrsia is nning to build are dreadnought ss, then the strength of this fleet could reach the world¡¯s top ten.


    Especially in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, the strength of this Austrsian fleet is not to be underestimated.


    For the people of Austrsia, nothing is more exciting than their country truly possessing main battleships.


    Only after truly possessing battleships can the Austrsian navy step into the limelight and be recognized by other countries in the world.


    Amid the astonishment of foreign officials and the cheers of the audience, Arthur¡¯s coronation ceremony officially came to an end.


    At the final moment of the coronation ceremony, the g on the square was also reced with the already selected g of the Kingdom of Austrsia.<div>


    More than one country is interested in Austrsia¡¯s naval ns, particrly those with interests on the western coast of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.


    If the two battleships Austrsia is nning to build are of the dreadnought ss, they should consider adjusting their foreign policies towards Austrsia.


    However, after the coronation, Arthur went straight back to Sydney Pce. Even with many questions, these nobles and officials had no choice but to wait until the evening banquet to ask privately.


    After the announcement of Austrsia¡¯s naval construction n, the German Empire and the Tsardom of Russia were the happiest.


    Germany¡¯s interests in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific are not extensive, and the closest to Austrsia is the German New Guinea Colony.


    But thisnd is not that important; William II even sees it as a means to win over Austrsia.


    The Tsardom of Russia is the same. After Arthur and Grand Duchess Mary¡¯s engagement, the Tsardom of Russia and Austrsia evolved into de facto allies.


    Also, as Russia¡¯s interest areas are in the Far East, far away from Austrsia, conflicts between the two countries would hardly arise.


    Under such circumstances, Austrsia¡¯s possession of a stronger naval force is actually good news for the Tsardom of Russia.


    Of course, Arthur returned directly to Sydney Pce not for any special reason. Princess Louise was in charge of organizing the evening banquet, and Arthur only needed to appear as the protagonist of the evening.


    Actually, Arthur saw Grand Duchess Mary. Yes, because the children of Tsar Nichs II were too young, the Russian representative sent was Duke Sergei.


    When she heard about the trip to Austrsia, Grand Duchess Mary wanted toe as well. Nichs II wanted to foster a rtionship between the two, so he added Grand Duchess Mary¡¯s name to the delegation¡¯s list.


    Seeing Grand Duchess Mary again after more than a year, Arthur¡¯s mood was quite good.


    After choosing Grand Duchess Mary, Arthur straightened his attitude, treated her as the future Queen of Austrsia ¨C his wife ¨C and made efforts to cultivate their feelings for one another.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    One yearter, Grand Duchess Mary was 18, the perfect age.


    In fact, Duke Sergei brought Grand Duchess Mary to Austrsia this time to aplish an important task, which was to finalize the wedding date of Arthur and Grand Duchess Mary.


    Now that Arthur was 23 years old and Grand Duchess Mary was 18, it was time to advance the close union between Russia and Austrsia!


    Of course, the specific wedding date and various procedures were left to Princess Louise and Hunter to negotiate and organize. Arthur had no time to direct the wedding process.


    Naturally, Princess Louise would not let Arthur interfere, as he did not know much about the traditional Western nobility weddings.<div>


    However, since the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia, the king¡¯s wedding would certainly be much morevish than expected.


    For this, Arthur had prepared arge amount of funds and materials, and the Guards could also make an appearance during the wedding to showcase the luxury and power of the Austrsian royal family.


    Of course, Arthur¡¯s current mission was to get along well with Grand Duchess Mary, adding some romance to their marriage rather than just a simple political alliance.


    With this in mind, Arthur took Grand Duchess Mary on a tour of almost the entire Sydney Pce, visited the garden andke in front of the pce, and saw the monument Arthur prepared for the future heroes of Austrsia, as well as the statues at the front gate of the pce.<div>


    The statues of Queen Victoria and Arthur have beenpleted.


    Next to Arthur¡¯s statue, there was already a prepared tform to begin carving the statue of Grand Duchess Mary.


    Of course, the actual carving would have to wait until after the wedding when Grand Duchess Mary truly bes the Queen of the Kingdom of Austrsia. Then, she would leave her statue as the queen.

 Chapter 222: 208: The Focus of the Party _2

    Chapter 222: Chapter 208: The Focus of the Party _2


    Listening to Arthur describe the various uses of Sydney Pce¡¯s construction, and fantasizing about her own statue being erected next to Arthur¡¯s, Grand Duchess Mary had to admit she was very moved.


    Women, when intrigued, can¡¯t help but imagine all manner of ideal scenarios for the future. This was particrly true when it came to her wedding ceremony ¨C Grand Duchess Mary had plenty of dream scenarios in mind.


    With a wave of his grand hand, Arthur encouraged Grand Duchess Mary to bring her visions to life and to take an active role in nning the wedding.


    For Arthur, a monarch, the only major practical concern was the potential financial cost. But since he was reaping huge profits from the Benz Car Factory everyday, such costs seemed trivial.


    After earning a surge of goodwill from Grand Duchess Mary, Arthur turned his attention to the forting banquet.


    At eight in the evening, the banquet started in Banquet Hall One of Sydney Pce.


    This was Sydney Pce¡¯srgest banquet hall, specifically designed by Arthur for grand events.


    The banquet hall could amodate up to six hundred guests, and was staffed by dedicated servants and maids.


    It was not yet eight o¡¯clock, but many foreign guests and officials from Austrsia had already arrived and were conversing in small groups over Austrsian red wine.


    The wines werergely sourced from Arthur¡¯s private vineyard, each with a unique Austrsian touch.<div>


    Thanks to several years of development, Arthur¡¯s private vineyard had gained a substantial reputation in noble circles. Both its high- and low-end wines held their own in the market.


    Especially within Austrsia, Arthur¡¯s vineyardmanded a significant market share. It had be a major revenue generator because of itsrge profits and ie.


    For the banquet, the red wines on offer were limited-edition grape wines produced in 1901 and 1902. Due to the limited production volume at that time, they were priced correspondingly high.


    The price of a single bottle of these wines was at least 500 Australian dors, with some even exceeding over a thousand Australian dors.


    With also about ten chefs meticulously handcrafting a variety of delicacies, appetizers and desserts, the total cost of the banquet for Arthur was no less than 200,000 Australian dors.


    The moment Arthur entered the banquet hall, all conversation ceased. All eyes turned to him as he was the irreceable protagonist of the night.


    ¡°Congrattions to you, Arthur, and to Austrsia on earning its rightful ce,¡± lead off Crown Prince William, the first toe and congratte Arthur with a warm smile.


    As peers of nearly the same age, Crown Prince William and Arthur had established a good rapport during Arthur¡¯s visit to Germany. Their interaction was always cordial.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Arthur greeted Crown Prince William with a warm hug, expressing satisfaction with his presence.


    The fact that Germany had sent a royal family member of the Crown Prince¡¯s caliber all the way to Austrsia revealed the importance Germany presently attributed to Austrsia.


    After all, a crown prince was an emperor-in-waiting. Besides the monarchs and crown princes of some important countries, there weren¡¯t many who could merit a personal congrattions from Crown Prince William.


    After Crown Prince William, Duke Sergei came forward to offer his congrattions with a pleasant smile.


    As the de facto guardian for Grand Duchess Mary, he was quite satisfied with Arthur.


    As the king of Austrsia, Arthur had managed the newly united kingdom methodically, and the potential of Austrsia was in to see under his rule.


    Beyond that, Arthur may have belonged to a European royal bloodline, but he wasn¡¯t like the majority of European nobility who led a life of debauchery and extravagance.


    Duke Sergei had arrived in Austrsia a few days ago and he hadn¡¯t heard any rumors of illicit private affairs involving Arthur. It was evident that Arthur prioritized national affairs over personal ones at a level umon among the nobility.


    Following the conversation with Duke Sergei, Arthur took the initiative to engage Crown Prince George in conversation.


    In reality, Crown Prince George was already 41 years old, and looked somewhat out of ce standing amongst Arthur and Crown Prince William due to the age difference.


    Indeed that was the case. Being of different generations, Arthur and Crown Prince George did not have much to talk about. After graciously receiving his blessings, Arthur quickly ended the encounter and refrained from prolonged conversation.<div>


    If he wasn¡¯t concerned about the sentiments of the British people, Arthur wouldn¡¯t even have considered going out of his way to interact with Crown Prince George,


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that, the current surname of the British Royal Family is still Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, from a prestigious family originating in Germania.


    This family line had sessive rule over the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Portugal, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, the British Empire and now the Kingdom of Austrsia. It remains the current most long-standing family in Europe, with control over the highest number of countries.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Europeans have highly valued such royal families. Many small newly independent nations would often choose a prince from a prestigious family as their monarch.<div>


    However, the prominence of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family was significantly faded after World War I. First, there was King George V of Britain, who, in order to appease the British public who were discontented with Germany, decided to abandon the German-derived royal family name. He changed the surname of ¡®Saxe-Coburg-Gotha¡¯ to the more British ¡®Windsor¡¯. This formed the infamous Windsor Dynasty inter generations.

 Chapter 223 - 208: The Focus of the Party _3

    Chapter 223: Chapter 208: The Focus of the Party _3


    Portugal and Bulgaria have sessively transformed into republics, and the family has lost control over these countries.


    Finally, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family also lost the source of their name, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Duchy, and their family¡¯s glory was no longer as dazzling as before.


    However, before this, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was still one of the most prominent families in Europe, and it could also help Arthur and Austrsia gain more support from Europeans and win the favor of more European royal families.


    After King George V, representatives of major powers such as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy and the United States also came forward to congratte him.


    The Ind Nation, as if unaware of the treaty between Austrsia and the Russian Nation, still congratted Arthur with great respect.


    Only after the representatives of these powerful nations hade forward to congratte him did ite to the turn of representatives from non-great power countries to speak.


    This, in fact, is the mainstream of the world: weak countries have no diplomacy. If a country¡¯s power is not recognized by others, then the diplomatic representatives they send can only wait for others to finish talking before they are eligible to speak.


    Of course, whether or not others want to listen to what they have to say is another matter.


    After receiving everyone¡¯s blessings, more than an hour had passed.


    Arthur gestured for everyone to enjoy the banquet, and the scene returned to its original hustle and bustle.


    For everyone, such a banquet is a good opportunity to establish diplomatic rtions, as representatives and nobles from various countries have their own social circles, and are also doing their best to get along with useful people.


    As the protagonist of today, Arthur¡¯s every move naturally attracted the attention of many people.


    However, Arthur mainly talked to people from great power countries like Crown Prince William today, and it was not easy for nobles and officials from other countries to make small talk.


    Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding n has attracted the attention of many powerful countries, and they are very curious whether the two battleships in Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding n are actually dreadnoughts. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It is worth noting that there are currently only three countries that have explicitly expressed their intention to start building dreadnoughts, and there are only six that have ns to build them.


    In such a time frame, any country with a dreadnought in its possession would see a massive change in its naval strength.


    This is why these countries are concerned about Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding n: with two dreadnought battleships, Austrsia¡¯s naval strength could rival that of the Ind Royal Navy, which has five old battleships.


    Arthur¡¯s choice to publicly announce Austrsia¡¯s ten-year shipbuilding n was to expand Austrsia¡¯s international influence.


    Therefore, when Arthur faced questions from representatives of these countries, he categorically admitted that both battleships in Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding n were advanced warships at the dreadnought level.


    Arthur even went so far as to mysteriously im that the other three of the five main battleships in the Austrsian shipbuilding n were powerful warships developed by Austrsia itself, above the level of old battleships but below that of dreadnoughts.


    By this calction, Austrsia¡¯s number of battleships could reach five, with at least two being powerful dreadnought-level battleships.


    This means that once Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding n ispleted, its naval strength will rise to the world¡¯s top ten.


    Such strength is enough to attract the attention of some countries, especially along the Indian Ocean and Pacific coastlines.


    Austrsia¡¯s influence in these two regions is even expected to rival that of powerful nations.


    At least apart from the British Empire, there are not many countries that can guarantee that their fleets in these two areas will be stronger than the Austrsian Fleet.


    Of course, apart from being surprised at Austrsia¡¯s ambitious shipbuilding n, representatives of various countries are also interested in the two main battleships in their construction n.


    The first is a powerful dreadnought-level battleship, and the second is an advanced warship with abat power higher than that of old battleships.


    Currently, there are not many dreadnought designs worldwide, and Austrsia¡¯s two warship designs have directly brought them to the forefront in this regard.


    Of course, the countries that are most curious about the specific data and performance of Austrsia¡¯s two warships are probably the British Empire and the Ind Nation.


    The reason is simple: the British Empire has arge number of interests along the Indian Ocean coast and the Pacific Coast, and India, which is very important to the British Empire, is not far from Austrsia.


    Under such circumstances, the British Empire urgently needs to assess Austrsia¡¯s future naval strength to make better diplomatic decisions.


    Although the Ind Nation is rtively far away from Austrsia, its enemy, the Russian Empire, in the Far East has established a good rtionship with Austrsia, and the two sides have even reached a marriage alliance.


    This means that Russia is very likely to receive substantial assistance from Austrsia in future wars, including support in terms of warships.


    In this case, the Ind Nation has every reason to understand the specific data and performance of Austrsia¡¯s two warships in order to guard against the possible appearance of Austrsian-made warships in the Russian fleet in the future.


    As a matter of fact, Russia has indeed be interested in Austrsia¡¯s dreadnought design.


    In history, Russia¡¯s dreadnought was a warship designed with the help of the British Empire, based on Italy¡¯s Dante-ss dreadnought.


    However, under current circumstances, it is virtually impossible for the British Empire to help Russia design a dreadnought.


    Meanwhile, Russia¡¯s current ally, France, does not have a dreadnought production n of its own, let alone help Russia design and produce one.


    Russia might be able to get help from Germany, but it could cost them the French-Russian alliance, which is something Russia cannot ept in the short term.


    As a result, there is little hope for Russia to design and produce a dreadnought in the short term, which is uneptable for Nichs II, who has always regarded his country as a top-tier power.


    In fact, the Russian Empire did not pay much in the Russo-Japanese War and did not withhold anypensation.


    This means that the Russian Empire has not suffered as much damage as it did in history. After receiving additional financial assistance from Germany, the Russian Empire has even regained some vitality.


    In addition, with the temporary neutrality treaty with Germany, the Russian Empire is not so worried about the impact on its western borders and can allocate more troops to assess domestic crises.


    As a result, the Russian Empire currently has some funds and a strong interest in the world¡¯s most powerful warship, the dreadnought.


    However, Russia¡¯s ability to design its own warships is poor, and without the help of other countries, it is virtually impossible to achieve self-production.


    Britain, France, and Germany, for various reasons, are unlikely to assist the Tsardom of Russia, and the United States, wanting to extend its reach to the Pacific coast, is naturally unwilling to help the Far Eastern hegemon.


    Currently, the only country that can provide Russia with a dreadnought appears to be Austrsia.

 Chapter 224 - 209: Russia Nation’s Dreadnought Ambition

    Chapter 224: Chapter 209: Russia Nation¡¯s Dreadnought Ambition


    The celebration banquet went smoothly, and Arthur made more friends from the European royal families, including nobles from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Bulgaria.


    Interestingly, the Bulgarian royal family also came from the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Family, and its Prince Ferdinand I had a distant kinship with Arthur¡¯s grandmother, Queen Victoria.


    Ferdinand I was a writer, botanist, entomologist, and phtelist, but due to his fragile and quirky personality, he was criticized by his father¡¯s cousin, Queen Victoria, when he was chosen as the Prince of Bulgaria: ¡°He ispletely unsuitable, fragile, strange, and weak. Such a person is not suitable to be a ruler of a country and should immediately stop inviting him to be the Prince of Bulgaria.¡±


    In fact, Queen Victoria was not the only one questioning Ferdinand; many European royal families doubted whether he could be a qualified ruler.


    However, to the surprise of all his critics, Ferdinand I achieved great sess in the first twenty years of his reign.


    Of course, Ferdinand I¡¯s reign in Bulgariasted only a little more than twenty years.


    After suffering heavy losses in World War I, Ferdinand I was forced to abdicate by the Allied Powers and went into exile in Austria.


    Ferdinand I was a long-lived monarch, living until 1948, while Bulgaria¡¯s monarchy persisted only until 1946.


    Aside from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgaria, Arthur also established a good rtionship with the Kingdom of Sweden, mainly because of his sister, Princess Margaret.


    In history, Princess Margaret married the Swedish Prince Oscar Frederick William f Gustav Adolf in 1905, who wouldter be the well-known King Gustav VI of Sweden.


    Although the development of history is now somewhat different, fate still brought the two together.


    Sweden proposed a marriage alliance to Austrsia and Princess Louise, who, after much consideration, agreed to the request from Sweden.


    Arthur had no objection to this. Sweden maintained neutrality in both world wars and remained a monarchy even inter generations.


    Although the Swedish king lost all power after World War II and became only a symbol of the country, this fate was still much betterpared to most European monarchies. Even King Gustav VI himself lived to be nearly ny-one years old, which could be considered a peaceful end.


    Although Gustav would not be King of Sweden until more than 40 yearster, he would at least ascend the throne smoothly and be a beloved king of the Swedish people.


    With the marriage alliance with Sweden confirmed, the remaining matters were handled by the government and Princess Louise.


    Arthur did not pay much attention to this but still prepared a generous dowry for Margaret and used national standards to prepare for her marriage.


    Arthur¡¯s only requirement was that Margaret must live well in Sweden, taking responsibility as a brother.


    After the banquet, most of the nobles and officials from various countries chose to return to their own countries the next day.


    Most of these people held high positions and power in their respective countries, so they couldn¡¯t be away from their posts for too long.


    Of course, not everyone left in such a hurry. Including Crown Prince William and Duke Sergei, as well as the Ind Nation¡¯s Saburo Endo, chose to stay.


    The Inders¡¯ purpose was simple; they wanted to continue discussing resource trade between Austrsia and Ind Nation and to order a dreadnought to enhance the strength of the Ind Nation¡¯s United Fleet.


    While these requests seemed ordinary, the main problem was that the Ind Nation had no money at the moment. The previous Russo-Japanese War did not achieve many strategic objectives for the Ind Nation, but instead, arge amount of funds was invested.


    They were now barely surviving on loans from Britain and the United States, and their own dreadnought program was not set to start for another year or two.


    This led to the Ind Nation¡¯s various ns carried out on credit. They even wanted Arthur to advance funds for them until they obtained more international loans.


    Arthur justughed at this and ended the talks with the Ind Nation representatives.


    Arthur would not be so foolish as to provide funds for the Ind Nation to maintain trade between the two countries.


    Now that a deeper cooperation with Russia has been reached, cooperation with the Ind Nation has be dispensable.


    Furthermore, the Ind Nation¡¯s arms market and economy are basically controlled by the British Empire and the United States, and most of the Ind Nation¡¯s weapons and warships alsoe from the British Empire.


    Under such circumstances, the result of Austrsiapeting with the British Empire for the market in the Ind Nation would basically be failure.


    Moreover, with internal and external troubles in the Russia Nation, the Russians would not pose a threat to Austrsia. However, it is different for the Ind Nation, as their foundation is in East Asia; once they develop, they can even threaten the regions of Australia and New Zend.


    This has happened in history, and Arthur has to guard against it.


    After a brief exchange with the Ind Nation, Arthur apanied Crown Prince William and Duke Sergei, touring nearby Austrsia for a few days.


    Finally, Crown Prince William left satisfied, even stating that he would return for the next wedding.


    Of course, Arthur wasn¡¯t idle during the days he traveled with Crown Prince William; at least he had been subtly influencing Crown Prince William to attach greater importance to the development of 305mm Guns andrger caliber guns, while also vigorously developing submarines.


    As a matter of fact, the development ofrge-caliber naval guns has already attracted high attention from Germany.


    For no other reason than the fact that there are currently three known dreadnought designs in Germany, two of which carry 305mm main guns (Austrsia¡¯s design is 305, carrying 280).


    Only Germany is still content with 280mm guns and does not have much research and expectation forrge-caliber guns.


    But times have changed. The dreadnought has undergoneplete upgrades in firepower, protection, and power, and although the 280mm gun is sufficient against the old battleships, there is no certainty that it can cause sufficient damage to the newly born dreadnought.


    However, in any case, from the data on paper, Germany¡¯s Nassau-ss battleship seems slightly weaker in terms of firepower than the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    Although its firepower is equivalent to Austrsia¡¯s Monarch-ss battleship, they had no choice but to temporarily carry 280mm guns due to technical limitations.


    What Arthur didn¡¯t know was that because of him, Germany had already begun to focus on the development of 305mm Guns and even had ns forrger caliber main guns.


    William II¡¯s idea was simple: since Austrsia could design a strong battleship with data surpassing the Nassau-ss battleship, why couldn¡¯t the German Empire design a more powerful super battleship in all aspects?


    After sending off Crown Prince William, only Duke Sergei and Grand Duchess Mary remained in Austrsia. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This is also natural, as Duke Sergei still needed to stay in Austrsia to discuss the specific dates and details of the wedding, and meanwhile, the Russian Government was attempting to further its cooperation with Austrsia.


    Apart from the wedding, what the Russian Government and Duke Sergei focused on more was the battleshipparable to the dreadnought in Austrsia¡¯s proposed shipbuilding n.


    After learning that Austrsia controlled dreadnought technology, Duke Sergei had sent telegrams and contacted the Russia Nation several times, and received authorization from Nichs II, granting him full responsibility for the naval order between Austrsia and Russia.


    After receiving Nichs II¡¯s approval, Duke Sergei was still very excited.


    With the data of the dreadnought significantly crushing the old battleships, equipping any fleet of Russia with dreadnoughts would greatly enhance the strength of the Russian navy.


    What needs to be determined first is whether the battleships designed by Austrsia have the performance of a dreadnought, and secondly, the cost of building such a ship and whether the Russian side can carry outrge-scale construction.


    The selling price of old battleships is generally around one million pounds, and the highest is basically no more than 1.5 million pounds.


    This is also why Russia was able to have a decent naval strength; it could gather a powerful fleet by selling everything.


    But if the cost of dreadnoughts is too expensive, it is basically not something the current Russian Government can bear.


    At most, they could only order one or two vessels to enhance the appearance of their fleet.


    Duke Sergei was indeed very efficient. After receiving Nichs II¡¯s authorization, he found Arthur the next day and raised his own questions.


    Arthur was well-prepared for Duke Sergei¡¯s inquiry, so he replied with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured, our Monarch-ss battleship is designed based on the data of the British Dreadnought-ss battleship and the German Nassau-ss battleship, after a long period of research andbining the advantages of the two battleships, a powerful battleship with abat powerparable to the Dreadnought-ss battleship. Our battleship is definitely a dreadnought level, and its performance andbat power can stand the test.¡±


    Russians are familiar with German Nassau-ss battleships. In fact, after the dreadnoughts were known by the vast majority of countries, Germany¡¯s counterattack had already secretly begun.


    In order to win over the Germans and deliver a powerful counterattack against the British Dreadnought-ss battleship, Germany disclosed part of the data of the Nassau-ss battleship and imed that it was a powerful battleship with abat power not weaker than that of the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    A Monarch-ss battleshipbining the advantages of the Dreadnought-ss and Nassau-ss battleships should also be of dreadnought level, right?

 Chapter 225: 210: Warship Orders and Airplanes

    Chapter 225: Chapter 210: Warship Orders and Airnes


    In order to reassure Duke Sergei and also to encourage the Tsardom of Russia behind him to be generous, Arthur took Duke Sergei to visit thergest shipyard in Austrsia, the Sydney Royal Shipyard owned by Arthur himself.


    The construction n for Austrsia¡¯s navy moved quickly, and they had already begun building small and medium-sized warships.


    Indeed, Austrsia chose to build small and medium-sized warships first, leaving the most expensive dreadnoughts forter.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t really leaving them forter; the main issue is that Austrsia¡¯s dreadnought designs were still only theoretical at this point. Building a real dreadnought would still bring up many issues.


    Thus, it requires a test unit to help the shipyard¡¯s experts and employees be more familiar with the construction of dreadnoughts, and Arthur would naturally not build an extra test unit.


    Under such circumstances, seeking foreign trade and using foreign orders as test models for exploration is a unanimous opinion of shipyard experts.


    In reality, it was not that serious. Austrsia¡¯s experts just wanted to build better and more perfect ships for their country, so they sought to gain more experience and proficiency before building ships for their own nation.


    More than six years had passed since thepletion of the Sydney Royal Shipyard. The shipyard¡¯s scale had undergone earthshaking changes during this time.


    Now, the Sydney Royal Shipyard can amodate the simultaneous construction of two battleships or five small warships, and in the busiest times, could even begin building three battleships at once.


    Thisid a good foundation for Austrsia¡¯s future naval expansion, at least without worrying that domestic production could not keep up when there were enough funds.<div>


    In addition to the Royal Shipyard, Arthur¡¯s Royal financial group had invested in more than a dozen shipyards of various sizes within Austrsia.


    Unfortunately, of these more than ten shipyards, only one could build warships and that was a shipyard in New Zend previously established.


    The rest of the shipyards could only undertake the construction of civilian ships and fishing boats, and most of the ships built were small fishing boats of less than ten tons.


    Although the shipyard in New Zend could build warships, they only built a few hundred tons of coastal defense ships. The capability to build small warships weighing over a thousand tons was there, but there were no corresponding blueprints and equipment.


    In the shipbuilding industry, although Austrsia already had the top-notch Royal Shipyard, aside from the Royal Shipyard, Austrsia stillcked many middle-to-low end shipyards, which would take a lot of time to remedy.


    Although the Royal Shipyard did not start building dreadnoughts, Duke Sergei believed from the professionalism of constructing small and medium-sized warships, that Austrsia¡¯s top shipbuilding technology had surpassed Russia.


    In fact, this was also a normal matter. Whether it ispared to old powers like British and French or emerging powers like Germany and the United States, Russia has a gap.


    If it were not for the vastnd area and abundant mineral resources, as well as the innate advantages brought by arge poption, enhanced by close proximity to Europe and the ability to effectively absorb the technological changes brought by the European Industrial Revolution, the fate of the Russian Empire would not be much different from that of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.


    Fortunately, the Russian Empire does attach great importance to maintaining its military strength and has invested heavily in both its army and navy.


    Regarding the potential dreadnought trade, Nichs II also generously granted Duke Sergei 5 million pounds of funds, aiming for at least two dreadnoughts, or even better, some small and medium-sized warships.


    After watching the Royal Shipyard of Austrsia, Duke Sergei sessfully brought the topic to the order of dreadnoughts.


    Arthur saw that the Russians really wanted to acquire dreadnoughts to strengthen their warship power in Europe and the Far East.


    Especially in the Far East, after the previous Pacific Squadron¡¯s Crown Prince was repaired, it could still maintain a slight advantage.


    However, following that, the ind nation also received andunched the battleship it ordered from Austrsia, and the bnce between the ind nation and Russia in the Far East battleships was maintained.


    Unfortunately, both sides were not satisfied with the previous war results and wanted to prepare for another war to change the previous results.


    Therefore, it bes important to maintain the advantage of their own army and navy, which is why Russia and the ind nation were very interested in the powerful new dreadnought warships.


    After learning about the specific performance of the Monarch-ss battleships, Duke Sergei quickly asked about the price.


    The price is also an important factor in determining the cost-effectiveness of dreadnoughts. Even if the Russians are passionate about dreadnoughts, they may be defeated by the high price.


    In fact, Duke Sergei¡¯s worries were not without reason.<div>


    Compared to the old-style battleships, the cost and construction price of dreadnoughts indeed increased a lot.


    Previously, the cost of a rtively strong old battleship was basically maintained at around 1.2 to 1.4 million pounds.


    However, the cost of the British dreadnought battleship has reached almost 1.8 million pounds, a significant increasepared to the old battleship.


    The actual cost of the Monarch-ss battleship in Austrsia is slightly higher than that of the dreadnought battleship because some technologies have yet to be mastered in Austrsia and need to be purchased from Europe.<div>


    The actual cost of the Dreadnought battleship is about 1.9 million pounds. If it is sold externally, the price may be close to 2.5 million pounds.


    However, due to the good rtions between Russia and Austrsia, coupled with Arthur¡¯s intention to support Russia against the Ind Nation, the sale price of the Monarch-ss battleship was not set too high, and the price for the Russian side was 2.4 million pounds.


    The price of 2.4 million pounds is somewhat heartbreaking for Duke Sergei, but it is not uneptable.


    From the strong data and performance of the dreadnought, this price is not too exaggerated.


    After much thought, Duke Sergei finally gritted his teeth and agreed to Arthur¡¯s price, and decided to represent the Russian government in ordering two dreadnoughts.


    Of course, it¡¯s not just dreadnoughts. After inspecting the entire Royal Shipyard, Duke Sergei also took a keen interest in the Duke-ss escort ships of Austrsia and ordered more than ten escort ships as well.


    As a result, the total cost of Russia¡¯s naval orders has exceeded 5 million pounds, reaching more than 5.1 million pounds.


    In order to express the good rtionship between Austrsia and Russia, and to save money for the Russians, Arthur very ¡°generously¡± touched the fraction and said that the Russians only needed to pay 5 million pounds for this deal.


    This move indeed won the favor of Duke Sergei, after all, for the current Russian government, the savings of more than 100,000 pounds could indeed be used in many more ces.


    On October 17th, 1906, after Arthur and Duke Sergei signed together, the naval trade order between Russia and Austrsia officially took effect.


    This naval trade order includes two Monarch-ss battleships and more than ten Duke-ss escort ships, valued at a total of 5 million pounds.


    After consultations between Duke Sergei and Arthur, both parties agreed that the two battleships would be delivered at the end of 1908 and mid-1909, respectively, while more than ten escort ships would be delivered in early 1909.


    This trade will take about three years, and by then, Russia will be one of the few countries in the world to have dreadnoughts.<div>


    It is also good news for Austrsia, as the profits from this trade will be up to one million pounds, which could be used elsewhere, such as in the airnes which have already shown promise.


    Yes, after Duke Sergeipleted his mission and discussed the wedding arrangements with Princess Louise before leaving, Arthur turned his attention back to the airnes.


    In fact, more than two years have passed since Arthurst proposed the three concepts of militarized airnes.


    During these more than two years, with the help of all the experts in the Aerospace Laboratory, Theodore and Ludwig conducted arge number of experiments and improvements on the previous Pioneer-1 and sessfully developed the Pioneer-2 and Pioneer-3.


    In addition, during this time, the gathering of aviation talents from Europe to Austrsia and the Victoria Award resulted in at least one-third of the world¡¯s top aviation talents in Austrsia, and the progress of aircraft research and development advanced rapidly.


    If the previous Pioneer-1 was simply soaring in the sky, then the performance of Pioneer-3, after the modification of Pioneer-2, is not weaker than the nes in World War I in history, and if piloted by a skilled person, it can alreadyplete some rtivelyplex tasks.


    At present, the average flying speed of Pioneer-3 is about 200 kilometers per hour, and the maximum flight speed can even reach 230 kilometers per hour.


    This level has seen a significant improvementpared to the time of Pioneer-1¡¯s experiments.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Previously, the maximum range of Pioneer-1 was about 360 to 430 kilometers, and it has now increased to more than 500 kilometers.


    Although Pioneer¡¯s 3rd generation aircraft has encountered several aeronautic idents in more than two years of testing, this is also inevitable in the development of aircraft.


    Arthur also provided substantialpensation to the pilots and experts involved in the idents, even providing up to 30,000 pounds inpensation directly.


    This has indeed significantly increased the enthusiasm of pilots and experts, and at least the vast majority of them are no longer resistant to participating in experiments.


    Of course, the main development has been the Aerospace Laboratory¡¯s improvements on the Pioneer aircraft, following Arthur¡¯s three ideas for the militarization of aircraft.<div>


    In addition to the Eagle-1 reconnaissance aircraft, the Pioneer-2 transformed Bengal Tiger-1 fighter and Phantom-1 bomber actually have considerablebat capabilities, and they can even be put into production.

 Chapter 226: 211: Equipping Airplane

    Chapter 226: Chapter 211: Equipping Airne


    However, Arthur was still not satisfied with the current performance of these three aircraft, so the Aerospace Laboratory shifted its focus to the development of Pioneer-3. After sessfully developing Pioneer-3, they sessfully created the second generation of all three military aircraft, the reconnaissance aircraft Eagle-2, the fighter aircraft Bengal Tiger-2, and the bomber Phantom-2.


    Arthur can confirm that in terms of military aircraft, Austrsia has sessfully taken the lead in the world, and can even be regarded as the most powerful aircraft manufacturing country at present.


    Of course, this conclusion is not baseless, but derived from Arthur¡¯s hands-on observation of thebat performance of these three military aircraft.


    First, the reconnaissance aircraft Eagle-2 has two seats, the front for the pilot and the back for observation.


    The size of the Eagle-2 reconnaissance aircraft is slightlyrger because it is equipped with arger fuel tank, allowing for a maximum range of about 600 kilometers. If equipped with two auxiliary fuel tanks, the maximum range can even reach thousands of kilometers.


    Of course, due to the increase in size and weight, the speed of this reconnaissance aircraft has also decreased.


    The average flight speed of the Eagle-2 reconnaissance aircraft can reach 190 kilometers per hour, with a maximum speed of 210 kilometers per hour.


    Although it cannotpete with faster fighter aircraft, this speed is already sufficient for intelligence reconnaissance.


    Speaking of fighter aircraft, the weapons currently loaded on them are still very rudimentary. The Bengal Tiger-2 fighter aircraft is equipped with only two Austrsian-Military-Factory-developed MA-107 Maxim machine guns, with most of the remaining weapons carried by the pilots themselves.


    What does this mean? If the ammunition for the two machine guns on board the Bengal Tiger fighter runs out, the only option for the fighter aircraft to engage inbat would be relying on the pilots¡¯ own weapons, other than returning to the airport to reload.<div>


    This is an unavoidable situation, as various weapons are not well-adapted to the current fighter aircraft. Even the onboard guns were manufactured after a long period of research by the military factory.


    Due to the use of drum magazines, these two machine guns have abined ammunition reserve of 1,500 rounds.


    This is the current disappointing aspect of the Bengal Tiger fighter aircraft, but itsbat weapons are believed to evolve into a diverse range as a result of joint research between the military factories and the Aerospace Laboratory, eventually maturing into a true fighter aircraft.


    Although there are many shorings in terms of weapons, the Bengal Tiger-2 fighter aircraft already has a maximum flying speed of 235 kilometers per hour and a maximum range of 500 kilometers.


    At present, among the three aircraft, thebat performance of the Bengal Tiger fighter aircraft is the worst, and its practicality is also not high.


    Of course, this is because countries around the world have not yet realized the importance of aircraft.


    Even the famous Wright Brothers, who have built Flyer II and III, have not yet received attention from the news media and the U.S. military.


    Their aircraft were even stored in a stable for more than two years before the U.S. military realized their powerful potential.


    That is to say, at present, only Austrsia has mobilized national resources to research aircraft.


    This is why Arthur is confident that Austrsia is currently the world¡¯s number one aircraft superpower since there are nopetitors in the short term.


    Of course, this also greatly reduces the practicality of fighter aircraft. Because of theck of opponents, Austrsia¡¯s various aircraft are still very safe in the skies.


    Apart from the reconnaissance aircraft, the most practical one is the bomber.


    At present, the only means for the military to bomb long-range targets is artillery, but the parab of artillery is basically fixed, and even the powerful shipborne artillery cannot avoid it.


    This is why the heaviest armor protection on modern battleships currently only covers some essential facilities.


    One of the reasons for the eventual obsolescence ofrge warships like battleships is the rise of aircraft.


    The thick armor on the battleship¡¯s hull and other areas is virtually useless against aircraft carrying bombs.


    Various types of bombers can easily find the weak spots of battleships and then bomb them.


    In addition to the ever-increasing cost of battleships, this is why they gradually declined after World War II.


    The firepower coverage of battleships is often only tens of kilometers, but the attack range of aircraft carriers carrying various types of aircraft can even reach hundreds of kilometers.<div>


    This means that when battleships have not yet discovered enemy aircraft carriers, enemy reconnaissance and bombers have already arrived overhead.


    Moreover, the design of aircraft carriers is straightforward. The initial design of aircraft carriers is even very rudimentary, requiring only the performance and practicality of aircraft.


    At present, Austrsia already has the capability to design aircraft carriers, and the birth of the world¡¯s first aircraft carrier is not far away.


    The bomber currently possessed by Austrsia is the Phantom-2, an advanced bomber modified from the Pioneer-3.<div>


    In order to give this bomber the ability to bomb high-altitude enemies, the military factory specially modified the current shells and designed ammunition that could be loaded onto aircraft.


    At the same time, in order to adapt to morebat targets, there are currently two models of this ammunition, which are 35mm shells and 75mm shells.


    If loaded with 35mm shells, the Phantom Bomber has a payload of 32 rounds; if loaded with 75mm shells, the bomber¡¯s payload would decrease to around 18 rounds.


    These shells are fixed in rows on the gun rack. After the pilot presses theunch button, the first row of shells will cascade down followed by an automatic switch to the second row of shells.


    The ammunition carried by the bomber now is still too smallpared to the future, but it can basically meet the current task requirements.


    Imagine, in the absence of any enemy precautions, arge number of shells falling from the sky would be enough to cause huge casualties to the enemy.


    More importantly, various warships are also one of the targets of bombers now. Since aircraft have not be the focus of various countries, their warships have no real anti-aircraft capabilities.


    If there is any defense capability, it might be navy soldiers using rifles to shoot at the bombers.


    However, warships are not as stable as thend, and navy soldiers pay more attention to the control of warships rather than marksmanship.


    In this situation, the chances of shooting down a bomber relying on navy soldiers are quite small.


    This also means that the current fighter aircraft can cause huge casualties to the current warships, and the research of aircraft carriers bes a possible task.


    After watching the demonstrations of all airne types at the Aeronautical Research Institute, Arthur nodded in satisfaction and immediately announced a reward of 10,000 Australian dors for each staff member at the Aerospace Laboratory.


    ¡°Director Theodore, how is the production of these three aircraft currently? If Austrsia is to adopt these three aircraft, can they be mass-produced at arge scale?¡± Arthur asked.<div>


    After the birth of the aircraft, the next issue is about the production and deployment of the aircraft.


    No matter how luxurious the aircraft¡¯s specifications are on paper, it ultimately needs to be equipped in the military and tested through training and real warfare.


    Although Austrsia currently is not troubled by wars, Arthur already ns to deploy aircraft on arge scale.


    It will not only improve thebat capability of the Austrsia Army, but will also train more pilots for the future Austrsia Air Force in advance.


    Keep in mind that pilots are not like regr army and navy soldiers who can be formal soldiers after one or two years of training.


    To be a qualified pilot, the training period is at least two years or more, and arge number of flight tests and real wars are required to transform into an excellent pilot.


    This is also the real reason why major countries prefer the aircraft to be destroyed rather than the pilot being killed in action.


    For an industrial strong country, manufacturing an aircraft is not a troublesome thing. But training a pilot requires a lot of funds and time, and the importance of pilots is far more than that of aircraft.


    Of course, the current research on aircraft has not been perfected, and the pilot training system is not yet established.


    At present, the way for Austrsia to train pilots is to rely on the experts of the Aerospace Laboratory. As the researchers of the aircraft, they are the most familiar with the operation of aircraft facilities.


    However, despite this, training and nurturing pilots is still a hassle.


    It has been more than two years since the birth of Pioneer-1, but to date, the Aerospace Laboratory has trained a total of fewer than a hundred pilots.


    Although these two years have given the Aerospace Laboratory a lot of experience in training pilots, the future speed of training pilots will be much faster.<div>


    Nevertheless, even for Austrsia today, pilots are still a very valuable asset.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Your Majesty, due to the different models of these aircraft, their cost varies. If mass-produced, the cost of our Pioneer-3 is about 18,600 Australian dors, the cost of Eagle-2 Reconnaissance Aircraft is about 20,100 Australian dors, the cost of Bengal Tiger-2 Fighter Aircraft is about 22,000 Australian dors, and the cost of Phantom-2 Bomber may exceed 23,500 Australian dors.¡± The Aerospace Laboratory had already estimated the cost of these four aircraft, so Theodore¡¯s answer was also very prompt.


    Arthur nodded.


    Due to the absence of war, currencies around the world are still rtively strong.


    The cost of various aircraft in Austrsia is basically around ten thousand pounds, with the highest cost not exceeding 12,000 pounds.


    This is good news for Arthur, at least deploying aircraft on arge scale is not a burden on the current Austrsian government¡¯s finances, and the Austrsian government can still afford it.

 Chapter 227: 212: Celebrating and Awarding Medals

    Chapter 227: Chapter 212: Celebrating and Awarding Medals


    ¡°At present, how is our training for pilots going? If we mass produce these aircraft, how many pilots can proficiently operate them?¡± Arthur inquired.


    Arthur was not too worried about the production of these three aircraft, after all, now in the field of military aircraft, Austrsia was absolutely dominant and had enough time to study, develop and produce these aircraft.


    However, the number of qualified pilots also determined how many aircraft Austrsia could equip at present. If there were not enough qualified pilots, it would mean that the number of aircraft Austrsia could equip would be limited.


    ¡°Your Majesty, after our training and cultivation during this period, we have trained 93 qualified airne pilots. Meanwhile, we have more than 100 pilots under training, and it is expected that they can proficiently fly airnes in six months.¡± Theodore replied.


    It was not easy to train airne pilots. The Aerospace Laboratory selected hundreds of soldiers from the Austrsian Army, but so far, the number of sessfully trained pilots was just under 100.


    ¡°The training speed of the Aerospace Laboratory is still too slow. Let¡¯s do this: transfer a group of experts with airne driving skills from the Aerospace Laboratory, and use the currently proficient airne pilots to establish a pilot training school.¡± Arthur thought for a moment before continuing, ¡°In the future, Austrsia will need arge number of airne pilots, both for civilian and military aircraft.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Theodore nodded and respectfully replied.


    After undergoing the initial difficult exploratory phase, the aerospaceboratory has made smooth progress in aircraft research and development.


    Each generation of aircraft would experience significant improvements in various aspects, and theb¡¯s researchers constantly pursued designing and manufacturing more powerful aircraft.


    ¡°You can start by trying to produce the Eagle reconnaissance aircraft and the Phantom bomber, with their respective quantities set at twenty and fifteen. Manufacture on a small scale first, and then expand the production based on the number of trained pilots after making sure there are no problems.¡± Arthur said.<div>


    At present, the performance of both the Eagle reconnaissance aircraft and the Phantom bomber had reached the point where they could be put into actualbat, and it was time for Austrsia to be the first country in the world to equip military aircraft.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, we will start production as soon as possible.¡± Theodore responded quickly.


    ¡°The establishment of the pilot training school should also be carried out as soon as possible. I hope that after the sessful establishment of the pilot training school, it can train at least two hundred airne pilots for Austrsia every year.¡± Arthur continued.


    Since Austrsia had gained an advantage in the field of airnes, Arthur did not mind further expanding this advantage.


    By the end of World War I, the warring countries had built a total of 180,000 aircraft, with more than 100,000 of them being deployed in the war.


    At the beginning of the war, the total number of aircraft owned by all participating countries was only 1,500.


    This was enough to show how powerful the war was in promoting human technology and industry. Airnes experienced rapid development in World War I and ultimately became one of the protagonists in World War II.


    Pilots were one of the highest casualties in World War I. If Austrsia did not want to face such a tragedy, it had to significantly improve the performance of various aircraft, always staying one step ahead of other countries¡¯ aircraft to reduce casualties among pilots.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the same time, if Austrsia did not want to fall behind in the field of military aircraft, the number of aircraft equipment and pilots must be rapidly developed.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Theodore nodded quickly and responded once again.


    ¡°Airnes should not only be used in the military field, and the Aeronautical Research Room can also start to develop civilian aircraft, exploring airnes with more passenger capacity.¡± Arthur nodded in satisfaction, looking at the respectful face of Theodore, and then continued.


    ¡°Like airships, airnes are another means to cross the ocean apart from ships. And in the sky, they can travel the shortest distance, which will greatly speed up our crossing of the ocean. The next task of the Aeronautical Research Room is to develop a civilian aircraft that can carry at least about ten passengers, with a speed of at least 90 kilometers per hour and a maximum range of at least 1,000 kilometers.¡± Arthur instructed.


    Apart from bringing great changes to the military, airnes also brought huge changes to the civilian field.


    Not to mention the great benefits of civilian aircraft in significantly reducing the time consumed for people to travel across continents, oceans, and even around the globe, the huge profits generated by civilian aircraft alone were enough to make people¡¯s hearts beat faster.


    The world¡¯s earliest civil airliner was born in 1919, converted from a military aircraft.


    This means that Austrsia has at least ten years to develop civilian aircraft, which could very likely change the world as well.


    Theodore nodded and epted the task.


    Developing civil aircraft was not difficult. After all, civil aircraft did not require too many modifications, and only needed to meet requirements for range and passenger capacity.


    The difficulty in this matter lies in the requirement of Arthur for more than ten passengers and an effective range of at least one thousand kilometers.<div>


    This means that the current various aircraft designs in Austrsia are not suitable for this kind of civil aircraft, and the Aerospace Laboratory needs to design anotherrger aircraft to amodate the number of more than ten passengers.


    This is a challenge for the Aerospace Laboratory, as the currentrgest aircraft can only carry two passengers.


    Changing the passenger capacity to more than ten people all at once is, in terms of design alone, enough to give the experts at the Aerospace Laboratory a headache.


    Seeing Director Theodore looking troubled, Arthurforted with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Director Theodore. The development of civil aircraft is not that urgent, and you can temporarily set the passenger capacity at five, and gradually improve it. Currently, the main purpose of the Aerospace Laboratory is still to develop more powerful aircraft while focusing on production and training pilots.¡±<div>


    Before aircraft gains the attention of the world, Arthur will not take the initiative to disy Austrsia¡¯s various aircraft.


    This also means that even if the Aeronautical Research Room develops a civil aircraft now, it is unlikely to be put intomercial use in a short period of time.


    Otherwise, given the terrifying industrial scale and R&D speed of the major Powers, it would not be difficult for them to catch up with Austrsia¡¯s aircraft development in a short period of time.


    Arthur will only gradually show the results when Austrsia¡¯s aircraft lead other countries by several generations.


    In fact, the current outdated aircraft products are prepared for other countries. Although these aircraft systems are already outdated for Austrsia, they are still very advanced for other countries.


    If the rtively outdated aircraft models can earn more profit for Austrsia, it would be an excellent result.


    The most advanced aircraft in Austrsia has no ns to sell overseas, but once the aircraft gradually gains attention from governments around the world, these clearly outdated aircraft can still be sold.


    This is also amon method used by the major countries, where the outdated technology is sold after a more advanced technological change. This makes the outdated technology produce itsst value and also reduces the funds consumed in the development of new technologies.


    Even after two years, it is believed that the first-generation Austrsian military aircraft will still be attractive to other countries.


    Of course, it is uncertain which generation of Austrsian military aircraft will be developed by then, but it will not be the current second generation.


    Lastly, there was the formal award for the experts at the Aerospace Laboratory. A total of one hundred and three experts participated in the research and experimentation of the Pioneer and the three military aircraft, not only are they the top experts in aviation globally, but they are also the absolute contributors to the development of Austrsian aircraft to this extent.


    Arthur naturally would not be stingy with these great contributors, and after the Aerospace Laboratory held a small celebration banquet, he personally awarded these experts the Medal of the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Yes, after the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia, the original Australian National Medal was officially renamed the Medal of the Kingdom of Austrsia, and the benefits received by the medal recipients remained rtively unchanged.<div>


    Theoretically, the person who awards the medal is the current Prime Minister, but since the Aerospace Laboratory is currently under a confidential status in Austrsia, Arthur awarded the medals himself.


    Most of the experts were delighted to receive the medal, even though it was the easiest to obtain among the three types of medals in Austrsia.


    Just having the medal alone, which allows them to receive ten times the local per capita annual ie every year, was enough to make most of the experts present excited.


    Keep in mind that the current per capita ie of Austrsia is nearly forty Australian dors, ten times that is almost four hundred Australian dors, or two hundred pounds.


    This is also equivalent to one or two months¡¯ sry for these experts, and the funds they can receive will increase with the per capita annual ie of Austrsia, and can even be imed up to their third-generation descendants.


    It is conservatively estimated that their descendants can receive this fund for at least a hundred years, and they can¡¯t even imagine the per capita ie of Austrsia after a hundred years.


    More importantly, they are the first group of people to receive medals in Austrsia, and their names will be recorded in the history of the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    After the small celebration banquet, Arthur returned to Sydney Pce.


    Arthur tactfully left more time for the experts to celebrate themselves. If he had stayed at the scene, most of the people would not have been able to let go and would have remained restrained.


    However, while celebrating, Arthur still reminded them not to forget their respective tasks, as the development of aircraft is also a top priority for Austrsia.

 Chapter 228: 213: The Wedding Begins

    Chapter 228: Chapter 213: The Wedding Begins


    Besides aviation, various industries in Austrsia witnessed a few significant changes.


    Firstly, regarding the tractor Arthur mentioned earlier, Benz Car Factory has produced a sample, which is running very stably at the moment.


    Looking solely at the agricultural field, it can speed up the growth of Austrsian agriculture and substantially reduce humanbor investments in agriculture in Austrsia.


    Of course, to Arthur, the most critical aspect of this tractor lies in its military performance.


    Arthur specially transferred a portion of personnel from the Benz Car Factory, added experts from the military industry, and formed yet another essential researchb in Austrsia, the Austrsia Mechanical Research Lab.


    Yes, Arthur¡¯s aim is clear, that is to start researching military machinery, which is akin to armored vehicles like tanks and war chariots.


    Of course, to prevent attracting attention and scrutiny from the powerful nations, the Austrsia Mechanical Research Lab remains a civilian researchb studying tractors on the surface.


    Of course, since the tractor has gone through the experimental phase, it definitely cannot be left idle.


    Arthur ordered the Mechanical Research Lab to start producing a few tractors, firstly to carry out pilot experiments, ensuring its positive impact on the agricultural field.


    Secondly, to enhance the capabilities of the personnel in the Mechanical Research Lab, training them to produce this type of machinery proficiently,ying a strong foundation for the birth of future tanks and war chariots.<div>


    There is another event worth mentioning; after several years of research by German experts and the military factory, the M1897 model 75mm cannon has also been improved and upgraded to a 105mm semi-automatic cannon.


    This cannon absorbs all the hard work of German and Austrsian military factory experts and is also one of the semi-automatic cannons with thergest caliber to date.


    This cannon is named GA1906 Model 105mm Semi-Automatic Cannon, capable of firing twelve shells per minute.


    The previous French 75 Miss also received a decent upgrade, with an increased firing speed from 15 rounds to 20 rounds per minute.


    With the birth of the GA-1906 model 105mm semi-automatic cannon technology, Austrsia currently owns three kinds of semi-automatic cannons of different calibers, specifically 37mm, 75mm, and 105mm.


    These three cannons can basically adapt to various situations faced by the Australian Army, and they are also the most equipped cannons in the Australian Army.


    Ever since the number ofnd forces exceeded sixty thousand, Austrsia¡¯s yearly military expenditure has seen a substantial increase.


    Just the sry for these sixty thousand soldiers is close to 2.4 million Australian dors. Adding the various expenses required for soldiers¡¯ training, along with the cost of maintaining the navy, Austrsia¡¯s current yearly military expenditure is around 3 million Australian dors.


    Of course, all the expenses of the Guards are paid by the royal family, which is the real reason why Australia¡¯s military expenditure has not exceeded 3 million Australian dors.


    In fact, the growth of per capita annual ie brings not only the increase of military expenditure but also the increase of the Kingdom Government¡¯s fiscal revenue.


    Before New Zend joined Australia, the yearly fiscal revenue of Australia and New Zend was approximately 10 million Australian dors and 4 million Australian dors respectively.


    After the establishment of the Australian and New Zend Federation, the Federation¡¯s total fiscal ie per year was approximately 18 million Australian dors.


    And now, with the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia, despite having only eleven months to date, the Kingdom of Austrsia¡¯s total fiscal revenue has exceeded 19 million Australian dors, and the estimated fiscal revenue for the whole of 1906 may exceed about 21 million Australian dors.


    These figures summarize the economic growth rate of Austrsia. It should be noted that after New Zend joined Australia, like Australia, allplicated taxes were waived, keeping only simple taxes.


    Despite having fewer taxes, the two regions still acquired much more fiscal revenue than the heavily taxed period before, showing how rapid the economic development of Austrsia has been in the past few years.


    If the fiscal deficit was quite massive previously, the government¡¯s ie and expenditure are now within an eptable range.


    Considering Austrsia¡¯s current economic development speed, exceeding total expenditure with total revenue will only be a matter of time.


    If the extensive domestic construction were not taken into ount, that target would have been achieved earlier.


    However, Austrsian Government is presently not in a hurry as the loanse from the Royal Family and the German government respectively, and the repayment deadlines are lenient, providing sufficient preparation time for the government.<div>


    Although Arthur loaned 100 million pounds of funds and equipment worth 50 million pounds to the government, the capital and assets that Arthur currently owns have surpassed these, hence there is no reason to urge the government to repay.


    The German loan does not need to be borated; the repayment deadline signed then was twenty years, by which World War I would have been over.


    After October passed, the wedding date that Princess Louise and Grand Duke Sergei had previously discussed for Arthur is nearing.


    The Austrsian Government also began a flurry of preparations for this day that is so important to all Austrsians.<div>


    The government was generous in its expenditures. Aside from the current financial solvency of the government, the fact that Arthur is an autocratic monarch also yed a significant part.


    Of course, Arthur did not get involved in the specific cost of the wedding, nor did he voice any opinions.


    The detailed processes and procedures were all hashed out by the Cab Government, with full support from both the Royal Parliament and the House of Representatives.


    Austrsia will allocate at least two million Australian dors for this wedding, to host a truly grand wedding of the century.


    The value of the various jewels and precious clothes tailored for Queen Mary alone has exceeded 400,000 Australian dors.


    For this royal engagement, most of the Australian fleet will be dispatched, picking up Grand Duchess Mary from Russia¡¯s capital Saint Petersburg, traveling all the way south, passing through the Suez Canal, crossing the Indian Ocean, and finally reaching the capital of Austrsia, Sydney.


    Arthur did not need to concern himself with the wedding preparations. Government officials and Princess Louise will take care of everything. All Arthur had to do was to officially participate as the protagonist on the day.


    In fact, Tsar Nichs II also made extensive preparations. Although the Tsardom of Russia was not financially prosperous, it was nevertheless the wedding of a member of the great Romanov family lineage, and the fianc¨¦ was a king from a noble European family.


    Because the government and Princess Louise ced such importance on this wedding, Arthur found himself without much to do during this period of preparation.


    However, to demonstrate his perspective on the wedding, Arthur decided to deploy the Guards, and the First Guards Infantry Division would be responsible for escorting Grand Duchess Mary from the Tsardom of Russia to Sydney Harbor.


    The Cavalry Corps, on the other hand, were entrusted with the task of weing the party from Sydney Harbour to Sydney Pce.


    Upon hearing this, Tsar Nichs II decided to further elevate the scale of this wedding. For this purpose, Nichs II nned to dispatch nearly half of his fleet, the escort for Grand Duchess Mary would consist of at least two battleships, apanied by about ten medium and small warships.


    Australia¡¯s preparations were far beyond this.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om<div>


    With Benz and Disel¡¯s expedited research, a morevish car was finally created for Arthur and Grand Duchess Mary to ride in on the wedding day.


    The cost of this luxury car exceeded 3,000 Australian dors, not only significantly reducing the rumbling sound of the engine, but also giving its look and design an upgrade.


    Another goal of Nichs II to augment the wedding scale was to take this opportunity to exhibit the remnants of Russia¡¯s power to the world.


    After the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, some countries started to cast doubt on Russia¡¯s might, treating it like an old man on the turn of the day, far from its glorious days as the overpowering force in Europe.


    Such spection was uneptable to Nichs II, hence he decided to use this wedding as an opportunity to show the world the current prowess of Russia.


    The preparation for this weddingsted for more than a month. Under the borate arrangements during this period, Sydney Pce also donned a new look, instilling a more festive color everywhere.


    To embody the spirit of a nationwide celebration, Arthur announced via the Royal Assistance Committee that on his wedding day, all Austrsian citizens can receive a bag of flour, 5kg of mutton, a liter of milk, and other supplies from their local government.


    Of course, the specific regtions vary from ce to ce, but they arergely simr, hence there won¡¯t be a great disparity.


    The Austrsians are most enthusiastic about such welfare policies. No amount of talk can match tangible benefits. Although the value of these goods is not high, they are avable to every Austrsian, highlighting fairness and justice.


    On December 27, 1906, after more than a month of urgent preparation, Austrsia finally weed Arthur¡¯s wedding.


    This wedding was also a focal point of attention among themon Europeans over the preceding month.


    The expenditure on this wedding could be regarded as one of the most costly in royal weddings, with the unusual protagonists being Arthur of the British Royal Family and Mary of the Russian Royal House.


    Furthermore, considering the amicable ties between Arthur and Germany, the nations monitoring this wedding even included top powers like the British Empire and the German Empire.<div>


    In this span of more than a month, Mary has be the object of envy for the high-borndies of Europe.


    This is, after all, avish wedding costing millions of Australian dors, which trantes into over a million pounds.


    Added to that the sundry other expenses, the total cost can almost amount to a dreadnought.


    Moreover, given the heat and attention this wedding stirred up worldwide, even some well-engageddies regretted that they were not the ones marrying Arthur.

 Chapter 229: 214: Summary of the Year 1906

    Chapter 229: Chapter 214: Summary of the Year 1906


    The weing fleet of Austrsia set off early, finally reaching the timeline of the wedding day, escorting Grand Duchess Mary to the outer Sydney Harbour.


    Escorting Grand Duchess Mary were not only the fleets of both parties but also a guard infantry group from Austrsia and two divisions from Russia Nation.


    These two Russian divisions were elite troops drawn from the European Region, and although theirbat power was not as strong as the Austrsian Guards, their weapons and equipment were rtively well-organized and uniform, making for an impressive sight.


    A total of more than thirty thousand troops were dispatched by both parties simply to escort a wedding ceremony.


    This was a rather rare sight, adding a touch of luxury and prestige to the grand wedding.


    For the soldiers of the Guards, this round trip journey also served as a form of training.


    They spent almost two months on the ships, gradually getting used to the sway of the warships at sea.


    After reaching the harbor, the infantry group was finally able to return to their base and rest, handing over the task of escorting Queen Mary to the long-awaiting Guard Cavalry Group at the harbor.


    Above the harbor, journalists and media from various countries were feverishly taking photos of these armies.


    The performance of the Austrsian Army caught their attention since the neat and uniform lines and disciplined demeanor indicated a formidable fighting force.<div>


    Of course, the crucial factor for the affirmation from these foreign media reporters was theparison with the Russian army.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although the two divisions from Russia Nation were mostly elite troops, the overall training level of their forces was worrisome, and they naturally couldn¡¯tpare to Arthur¡¯s heavily funded and painstakingly trained Guards.


    In short, with the contrast to the Russian army, Arthur¡¯s Guards made everyone believe that they were a powerful military force.


    After escorting Grand Duchess Mary to Sydney Pce, the wedding ceremony took ce in the church within the pce.


    Not presiding over this wedding was the Archbishop of Canterbury, but another bishop from the Church of Ennd.


    The cumbersome process of inviting bishops from the Church of Ennd for important events led Arthur to decide on promoting the establishment of Austrsia¡¯s own church and archbishop.


    Having a church and archbishop under his control would be more convenient ¨C or at least that¡¯s how Arthur saw it.


    After the sacred wedding ceremony in the church, it signified that Mary officially became the Queen of Austrsia, and Arthur¡¯swful wife.


    This also dered the grand wedding to be officially concluded, and Austrsia returned to a rtively peaceful life.


    This wedding resulted in considerable costs for both Russia Nation and Austrsia, with thebined expenditure of both countries exceeding 7 million Australian dors.


    Of course, the benefits brought to both nations by the wedding were by no means small, with Russia Nation demonstrating its strength and sending a message to the world that it remained a powerful nation and a strong power.


    For Austrsia, the benefits were even more numerous, almost too many to count.


    Firstly, Queen Mary¡¯s dowry alone amounted to millions of Australian dors, including a wealth of jewels, resources, food, and poption.


    Indeed, it was this straightforward. Queen Mary brought tens of thousands of Russian peasants with her, who would be formal citizens of Austrsia.


    After the wedding, the immigration treaty between Austrsia and Russia Nation would be vigorously implemented, with the number of Russian immigrants to Austrsia rising further each year.


    Having Queen Mary as his wife gave Arthur the most crucial factor: the legitimacy and legal basis to rule over these Russianmoners.


    By virtue of his marriage alliance with the Russian Monarchy, Arthur could ensure that these Russianmoners would better submit to his rule.


    These Russian immigrants would be as valuable as the British immigrants, with their recognition of Arthur¡¯s rule and the Kingdom much higher than that of other immigrants.


    A few days after the wedding, Arthur stepped back into his busy political affairs.<div>


    Due to the approaching end of the year and the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia, it was imperative for him to attend and hold formal year-end reports and meetings.


    More importantly, the following year would be 1907, marking the fourth term of the current Cab Government.


    This meant that the next Cab Government election would be held, and as a majority of the cab members had already served two terms, there might be significant changes in the Cab Government.


    Of course, they still have the opportunity to continue their terms, after all, Austrsia has adopted Australia¡¯s policy, allowing cab ministers to serve up to three consecutive terms.<div>


    Nevertheless, this year may be thest annual report conference they attend, which holds profound significance for many cab members and is also an important way for them to strive for re-election next year.


    On December 31, 1906, thest day of 1906, the 1906 annual report of the Kingdom of Austrsia Government was held smoothly in the Administrative Court.


    In the meeting room, all the officials were waiting for Arthur¡¯s arrival.


    As Arthur entered the conference room, the conference room immediately erupted in apuse and greetings: ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Arthur nodded slightly, signaling everyone to sit down, then said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that it¡¯s been nearly a year since the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia. Now it¡¯s time to test your work, let us listen to the achievements of the government together.¡±


    As usual, Prime Minister Evan took the lead in summarizing the government¡¯s annual report.


    ¡°Your Majesty, throughout 1906, the various developments and constructions of the kingdom have reached new heights. We can proudly announce that developments such as education, medical care, and other infrastructures have caught up with the steps of ordinary European countries and are catching up with those of powerful nations. Our industry has also stepped up to a new level, striving to be a stronger industrial power.¡± Prime Minister Evan reported.


    ¡°Both the ie of the people and the ie of the country have seen rtively obvious growth. Conservatively estimated, the kingdom government will achieve a bnced revenue and expenditure next year and will achieve a surplus in revenue and expenditure in the second year. Our agriculture and animal husbandry have also seen considerable growth, and all aspects of the country are growing steadily. I believe that under Your Majesty¡¯s wise leadership, the rise of the kingdom is within sight and not a distant future.¡±


    Prime Minister Evan¡¯s ttery earned a round of apuse from the audience, and Arthur also nodded his approval.


    After the general summary of the government, it was time for the various department heads to report on the details of their respective departments.


    Minister of Industry Pierre stood up, handed Arthur a report from the Ministry of Industry, then said to the audience, ¡°Your Majesty, my lords, we have seen a significant change in our industrial growth this year, not only in the high-end steel industry, but also in various low-end industries.¡±


    ¡°By the end of this year, our total steel output has exceeded two million tons, reaching 2,113,760 tons. Of these, our iron production reached 1,332,100 tons, and steel production reached 805,500 tons, officially entering the level of industrial powers.¡± Minister Pierre said with a smile.


    ¡°Meanwhile, with the help of the Germans, the kingdom¡¯s basic industries have also seen substantial growth. Factories of various types have been established in our major industrial zones, filling the gaps in various types of industries in the kingdom. I propose expanding our skilled worker schools and opening more majors to meet the recruitment needs of these different types of factories,¡± Minister Pierre proposed.<div>


    As the industry of Austrsia developed, the demand for different types of workers became more and more diverse.


    In this situation, expanding the scale of skilled worker schools and increasing the number of majors was a very good choice.


    Arthur nodded and decisively said, ¡°Of course, the Ministry of Industry can immediately expand our skilled worker schools. Not only do we need to develop our industries, but we also need to keep up with the supply of talent in order to better align with the mainstream of our development.¡±


    ¡°Currently, we have over seven industrial zones with a total of more than 100,000 Austrsian workers. At the same time, we also have over 100,000 indigenous people working in the industrial zones, which is one of the reasons why our industrial development has been so rapid,¡± Minister Pierre said with a smile.


    Arthur nodded.


    In order to boost the development of Austrsia, the government has invested at least six hundred thousand indigenous people, and that number is still increasing steadily.


    Of course, a certain amount of casualties was inevitable for the rapid development of Austrsia.


    ording to the government¡¯s iplete statistics, more than sixty thousand indigenous people have died in Austrsia so far, but their vacancies are quickly filled by new indigenous people.


    Although it seems cruel, it is the mainstream of this era. If Austrsia does notmit to development, those who may be oppressed and enved may well be the people of Austrsia themselves.


    ¡°Your Majesty, in addition to the growth of industry, our various mineral resources reserves have seen arge-scale increase. We have discovered arge amount of coal mines, iron mines, silver mines, bauxite mines, petroleum, and copper mines, as well as various other mineral resources. At present, our mineral resources have been exported to many neighboring countries and regions, which has also brought us many additional sources of funds,¡± Minister Pierre said.


    Austrsia is an absolute powerhouse of mineral resources, even with the immature exploration technology of the early 20th century.


    The development of neighboring countries and regions requires arge amount of mineral resources, and Austrsia just fills this gap.


    Especially with the previous mineral resources trade with the Ind Nation, that could bring more than 200,000 Australian dors in profits each year for Austrsia.<div>


    Of course, after ending the mineral resources trade with the Ind Nation, this ie is naturally gone too.


    However, a mere 200,000 Australian dors really isn¡¯t much to the Austrsian government¡¯s budget.


    After the report of the Ministry of Industry, Minister Walter of the Ministry of Civil Affairs stood up and submitted a simr report before introducing, ¡°Your Majesty, my lords, by the end of this year, the kingdom¡¯s total poption has exceeded six million five hundred and fifty thousand. Among them, the total poption of Australia is five million two hundred and ten thousand, the total poption of New Zend is one million three hundred thousand, and the total poption of the New Guinea Colony is less than forty thousand.¡±


    ¡°Compared to the previous year, our poption has seen a significant growth, and much of the credit goes to the immigrants from the European Region.¡± Minister Walter exined.

 Chapter 230: 215: The Development of University

    Chapter 230: Chapter 215: The Development of University


    ¡°Our current poption is still too small, and there are many disadvantagespared to even the second-tier countries in Europe. If Austrsia wants to be a powerful country, having a poption of tens of millions is the minimum guarantee.¡± Arthur shook his head and said, ¡°In the new year, I hope that all departments can work together to vigorously carry out the immigration program. British immigrants, German immigrants, Russian immigrants, and even European immigrants are our targets. I hope that the poption of Austrsia can break through tens of millions as soon as possible, and possess the real potential to be a strong country.¡±


    At any time, the poption is a very important resource for a country.


    Looking at all the great powers in the world at the moment, their poptions are in the tens of millions, sometimes hundreds of millions or even billions.


    These poptions bring these countries a lot of development potential, and it is one of the fundamental reasons why they can be world powers.


    A country with a poption of less than ten million, no matter how developed, can at most only be a regional power, and will still be somewhat restricted by other countries.


    ording to Arthur¡¯s development goals, Austrsia needs a poption of at least tens of millions in order to be a powerful country.


    If Austrsia wants to strive to be among the great powers, it needs at least 20 million or even 30 to 40 million people.


    Such a poption target cannot be achieved in a short period of time, but efforts must be made now, with the first step being to vigorously promote the immigration program.


    In fact, Austrsia¡¯s immigration program is already ahead of Australia¡¯s historical program by a lot.


    Demonstrating this is the more than one million increase in the poption of the Australian region over those six years, with an average growth of two to three hundred thousand people a year.<div>


    However, such growth rates clearly do not meet Arthur¡¯s expectations. ording to Austrsia¡¯s current needs, the more immigrants, the better, and there is no such thing as too many.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Minister Walter nodded repeatedly, and the other ministers followed suit.


    ¡°Continue!¡± Arthur motioned.


    ¡°Your Majesty, while our poption has grown, our per capita ie has not decreased as a result. As of now, the kingdom¡¯s per capita annual ie is about 40 Australian dors. Among them, the Australian region¡¯s per capita annual ie is 41 Australian dors, the New Zend region¡¯s per capita annual ie is 37 Australian dors, and the New Guinea Colony¡¯s per capita annual ie is 33 Australian dors,¡± continued Minister Walter.


    Due to the majority of Austrsia¡¯s construction being located in Australia, Australia¡¯s per capita ie is also the highest.


    To cater to the feelings of the people of New Zend, construction has already begun in the two states of New Zend, but it may take another year or two before results can be seen.


    As for the New Guinea Colony, as Austrsia¡¯s only colony at present, it has not received much attention because the entire Austrsia is undergoingprehensive construction.


    In addition, more than one-sixth of the indigenous poption in New Guinea has been sent to the maind for construction, resulting in a low increase in the colony¡¯s ie.


    There is also another factor: the mining resources in the New Guinea region are entirely state-owned, and the main economic source of the colony¡¯s poption is agriculture.


    This is an area suitable for agricultural cultivation, and the agricultural output here ounts for one-fifteenth of the total output of the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Although this ratio is not very high, the poption of the New Guinea Colony is less than forty thousand, and the per capita grain production is much higher than that of the native Austrsian poption.


    Due to the shortage of poption in the New Guinea Colony, the kingdom¡¯s government has also introduced some policies to attract immigration, encouraging a small proportion of the poption to move to the colonial area.


    Each person who moves to the New Guinea Colony can gain about ten acres ofnd and rent indigenous workers at a very low cost from the colonial government.


    If it were not for the currentck of poption, Arthur would have nned to extensively cultivate crops in New Guinea, developing it into a major granary for Austrsia.


    In fact, while arge proportion of Austrsia¡¯s vast territory is desert or not suitable for cultivation, there is still a lot of arablend in the entire Austrsia Kingdom.


    Currently, there are not many indigenous people involved in agriculture in the Kingdom. Even counting the New Guinea Colony area, there are less than 100,000 indigenous people engaged in agriculture.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In addition to Austrsia¡¯s agricultural poption, they can produce more than 5.5 million tons of food per year.


    If the numbers of livestock and dairy products from the developed animal husbandry industry are also included, this food is enough to feed more than 20 million people.


    If it weren¡¯t for the currentck of agricultural poption and immature agricultural technology, the entire Austrsian region could feed a poption of hundreds of millions without any problems.<div>


    It is precisely because of the abundant food supply that the impoverished poption in Austrsia can now obtain sufficient food.


    At least Arthur is confident that there will be no incidents of starvation within the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Since the establishment of the Royal Relief Committee, the living standards of the people within Arthur¡¯s jurisdiction have been getting better and better.


    At least within the Kingdom of Austrsia, the word hunger is bing more distant for people, and starvation has even be a rumor.<div>


    In this era, it is actually quite simple for a monarch to win the hearts and minds of the people, and Arthur has a deep understanding of this.


    All it takes is a promise, a promise to let people eat well and dress warmly, and lead a happy life.


    Then, they gradually realize this promise from nothing. As long as this promise is fulfilled, they will gain the approval and love of most people, and naturally, they will gain the hearts and minds of the people.


    Arthur provides the people of Austrsia with a good life, and naturally, these people would do their utmost to support Arthur to protect their good life.


    After Minister Walter finished his report, Minister Willy of Health stood up and reported on the situation of the Ministry of Health.


    ¡°Your Majesty, our medical work has made significant progress. Up to now, there are a total of fourteenrge hospitals within the Kingdom of Austrsia, distributed in all states and colonies of the Kingdom. Our n to encourage private medical professionals to establish small clinics and private hospitals has achieved good results. The number of small clinics and private hospitals that have been statistically recorded has exceeded one hundred, most of which are distributed in Australia and New Zend,¡± said Minister Willy with a smile.


    The development of medical care has reduced the mortality rate of the poption in Austrsia and significantly alleviated the medical environment in Austrsia.


    With the development of transportation, people can go to hospitals very conveniently. In addition, the establishment of various small clinics and private hospitals has made people¡¯s medical needs well met.


    ¡°Your Majesty, there is another issue that must be mentioned. During this period of medical development, we were surprised to find that some medical techniques from East Asia have a good alleviating effect on some conditions we do not understand. They can even better solve some intractable diseases that even current Western medicine does not possess,¡± said Minister Willy hurriedly.


    Arthur immediately understood what Minister Willy was saying.


    This is a medical system with a much longer history of development than Western medicine. The reason why this medical system declined inter generations is first, because it was suppressed, and second, because many advanced medical techniques and medical books disappeared in the course of history.


    ¡°Whether a medical technique is effective or not is not something that can be determined by talking. We have many indigenous people, right? First, try it on them. If it is confirmed that this medical technique can cure many intractable diseases that Western medicine cannot treat, then it is a good medical technique. If this medical technique is confirmed to be useful, then we don¡¯t mind promoting it extensively and learning from it. In any case, Austrsia needs an excellent medical system, and we should learn from the excellent aspects of other ethnic groups.¡± Arthur had an open attitude towards the development of Austrsia¡¯s medical system.


    Perhaps the integration of Chinese and Western medicine is the most suitable medical development. Moreover, at this time, many traditional Chinese medical knowledge has not been lost. Perhaps Austrsia can also be a major country in traditional Chinese medicine.<div>


    With Arthur¡¯s attitude, Minister Willy was relieved, and he was curious about how far the excellent medical techniques of other ethnic groups could go and what help they could provide for the growth of Western medicine.


    Along with the significant development of medical care, the education industry in Austrsia has also made great strides.


    After more than six years of painstaking development, the universities in Austrsia have also ushered in significant growth.


    Currently, Austrsia has a total of six universities, three technical schools, and numerous primary and secondary schools.


    The construction of primary and secondary schools has basically met the needs of the poption of Austrsia, and the per capita education level of Austrsia has grown to the level of junior high school.


    As for universities, there are currently three in the Australian region and three in the New Zend region.


    The three universities in the Australian region are Victoria University in Melbourne, the University of New South Wales in Newcastle, and the National University in Sydney.


    While the universities in the New Zend region are Oand University in Oand, Otago University in Otago, and Victoria University of Wellington in Wellington.


    Although there seem to be many universities, only the National University and Victoria University of Wellington can truly connect with the internationalmunity.


    Other than these two universities, the other four universities have an annual enrollment of just under four hundred students and are rtively small public universities.


    As thergest university in the Australian and New Zend regions, Austrsia National University currently has an annual enrollment of nine hundred students, while Victoria University of Wellington has an annual enrollment of six hundred students.


    All these various universitiesbined can produce nearly three thousand university students for Austrsia each year, making them the most promising source of talent for Austrsia.


    <div>

 Chapter 231: 216: Continuous Growth of Finance

    Chapter 231: Chapter 216: Continuous Growth of Finance


    Most of these universities were established just in the past two years, so it would take at least another one or two years before their first batch of students graduate.


    Currently, there are many majors offered in Austrsian universities, and different universities have their specialties.


    For example, Austrsia National University has arger enrollment in physics and chemistry, as well as architecture majors.


    The first thing that Arthur instructed Minister of Education Richard to do was to expand the scale of existing universities as much as possible and upgrade their teaching quality and standards further.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This also means that Austrsia needs to import more university professors and lecturers from the European region to meet the teaching needs of its universities.


    At present, there is no formal military academy in Austrsia to train military personnel in various fields for the country.


    After much consideration, Arthur finally decided to establish a military academy in the name of the royal family, named Austrsia Royal Military Academy.


    The Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Aeronautical College form aplete Austrsia Royal Military Academy.


    The Royal Military Academy will be funded by the royal family for 5 million Australian dors, with Arthur serving as the honorary principal, to train military talents for Austrsia in various fields.


    Among the three academies, the Aeronautical College is very simple. All the trainers from the aerospaceboratories need to be transferred, and this would be the simplest scale for the Aeronautical College.<div>


    For the staffing of the Military and Naval Academies, in addition to drawing from the military, Arthur also ns to hire high-paying experts from the European region.


    As long as they are capable, they will all be invited to the military academy as teachers with high sries.


    The Royal Military Academy mainly has two admission methods. One is by high school students entering through exams, who are the traditional students of the Royal Military Academy.


    The other admission method is to select potential soldiers from the military for admission.


    No matter which admission method is used, as long as they sessfully graduate, they will be officers in the Austrsia Army.


    To make the establishment of the Royal Military Academy faster and improve the teaching conditions, Arthur also ns to invite arge number of experts from Germany and Britain to help the academy establish smoothly.


    After all, Germany and Britain are currently the strongest in terms of the army and navy.


    If a country¡¯s army shows great potential and strength, it will often be called the ¡°Prussia¡± of a certain region.


    This shows that the strength of the German Empire¡¯s army has a deep impact and is also the best praise for the German army.


    Compared to the development of universities, the development of technical schools is much simpler.


    Because the purpose of nurturing talent is different, technical schools usually only require experienced people to be established, and students only need to master one technology proficiently to graduate.


    At present, the three technical schools in Austrsia can train thousands of skilled workers and talents for the country.


    If you consider various technical training provided by the private sector, the number would be even higher.


    However, Arthur was not satisfied with this number and specifically instructed Minister Richard to expand the scale of Austrsia¡¯s technical schools and establish more of them.


    In terms of skilled workers and talents, Austrsia will never have enough, so they will train as many as they can.


    After more than six years of construction and development, the transportation system in Austrsia has gradually been perfected.


    Firstly, the longest railway in Austrsia, the Industrial Railway, has basically achieved single-track operation and is only a few months away from the end goal of double-track operation.


    This industrial railway has greatly improved the transportation environment on the Australian continent, making themunication between the western and eastern parts of Australia more effective.


    Next is the railway in the New Zend region. The railway construction on the North Ind of New Zend has been basicallypleted, with the circumferential railway making transportation highly developed on the North Ind.<div>


    At present, the South Ind of New Zend has only one railway line, from the northernmost Picton to the southernmost Invercargill on the South Ind of New Zend.


    Of course, such a scale of railway cannot satisfy Austrsia. Arthur has proposed the next railway construction n for the Transportation Department, which is the Northern Railway in the Australian region, connecting the entire northern part of Australia, perfectly encircling Australia in conjunction with the southern Industrial Railway.


    This railway line is not inferior in length to the Industrial Railway, and Arthur has given an eight-year period toplete it.


    Fortunately, Australia has sufficient human resources and funds, and the Northern Railway construction n has been agreed upon by all parties.<div>


    As for railway construction in New Zend, it is already mostly perfected, and other areas that have not poprized railways are mainly sparsely popted mountain areas.


    It is not cost-effective andpletely unnecessary to build railways in these areas.


    Therefore, in the New Zend region, the most important job of the Transportation Department is to build more highways, enabling the highwaywork to cover all cities and towns in the New Zend region and allowing New Zenders to truly feel the benefits of transportation development.


    Thest to report is the Finance Department.


    In the entire year of 1906, the Austrsian Kingdom Government¡¯s total fiscal expenditure amounted to 29,310,000 Australian dors, and its total fiscal revenue was 21,120,000 Australian dors, with a fiscal deficit reaching around 8,110,000 Australian dors.


    The reason for such a high fiscal deficit is actually due to Austrsia¡¯s ongoing industrial construction.


    If only fiscal revenue is considered, the fiscal revenue of the Austrsian Kingdom Government has been steadily climbing, and the fiscal deficit has been getting smaller.


    This can be seen from the avable funds of the government¡¯s finance department. At present, the Ministry of Finance has avable funds of up to 230,400,000 Australian dors, which is a reduction of only 60 million Australian dorspared to four years ago.


    However, in the past four years, the economic development of Austrsia has already surpassed this figure, and the total fiscal revenue has even increased by halfpared to four years ago.


    In addition to the development of the industry, the agriculture sector in Austrsia has also seen a considerable amount of development.


    Due to therge amount of indigenous investment, the avable cultivatednd in Austrsia has increased by 50%pared to four years ago, and per capita cultivatednd area has increased by 30%.


    Not to mention the animal husbandry, Austrsia has more than 160 million sheep, which equates to each Austrsian being allocated twenty-four sheep.


    This figure is enough to show how outrageous the animal husbandry industry in Austrsia is, and it is by no means an exaggeration to call it a superpower in animal husbandry.<div>


    This is not even counting the cows and other animals Australia has. Wool, beef and mutton, and milk are all important agricultural and pastoral exports in Austrsia, generating considerable ie each year.


    Speaking of this, it is impossible not to mention the British Empire. In the beginning, the supply source of the animal husbandry industry for the British Empire was New Zend, followed by theter developed Australia.


    After the establishment of Austrsia, it naturally inherited the status of Australia and became the animal husbandry supplier for the British Empire as well as many European countries.


    Also, because of the highly developed animal husbandry industry, meat is cheaper than grains in Austrsia, and meat is an essential part of the diet for Austrsians.

 Chapter 232: 217: Albert Einstein

    Chapter 232: Chapter 217: Albert Einstein


    With the end of the 1906 government annual report meeting, time quickly came to 1907.


    After entering the new year, the frequency of the Kingdom Government issuing decrees increased significantly, and many effectivews were enacted, such as the ¡°Encourage Fertility Law¡± that could greatly increase the local poption.


    ording to thisw, as long as one holds a legal citizenship of the Kingdom of Austrsia, for each additional child born after the first, an immediate reward of 50 Australian dors will be given, and 20 Australian dors in child-rearing subsidies can be imed from the government each year.


    This funding will continue until the child reaches the age of six, and then it will be converted into a lower level fee reduction for tuition and misceneous fees.


    If a family has more than five children, the mother will be awarded the title of ¡°Mother of Heroes,¡± not only appearing on Austrsian newspapers but also giving all her children priority in entering schools and universities.


    Even when applying for schrships and grants, priority will be given, and numerous welfare policies will be provided from birth to graduation, significantly reducing the pressures of raising offspring for Austrsians.


    Many Austrsians weed this policy. After all, Austrsia¡¯s geographical location means it is not at the center of international attention, and various crises and wars around the world have little to do with Austrsians.


    Apart from the daily news and political news in their newspapers, the everyday leisure activity for Austrsians revolves around having children.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Once the government resolved their concerns about raising offspring, the people of Austrsia could feel at ease procreating and even receive generous rewards.


    Many families have decided to be the first to im the title of ¡°Mother of Heroes.¡± The numerous benefits brought by this policy and the funds and welfare thate with each additional child are tempting.<div>


    Meanwhile, various transportation fleets in Austrsia, including cruise ships and escort fleets, frequently traveled between Europe and Australia, bringing more immigrants to Austrsia.


    With the establishment of the Kingdom of Austrsia, Australia gradually became a migration choice for Europeans.


    Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that no one chose to immigrate to Australia before; it¡¯s just that European people at the time preferred to immigrate to the Americas.


    The Americas have vastnds and a developed economy, and there is not much difference innguage, so they can assimte well into life there.


    But now, Australia has simr traits to the Americas. Although Australia¡¯s economy is not as developed, its economy and quality of life are steadily growing.


    More importantly, there is no war or conflict in Australia, and the King of Austrsia, Arthur, is also more closely rted to Europeans in terms of lineage.


    Due to these factors, Austrsia has be the second choice for immigration after the Americas, and more and more European people want to immigrate to Australia.


    If all goes well, the poption growth in Austrsia in 1907 will be the highest in recent years, and as long as there is no war in Australia, the scale of immigration will continue to grow.


    With a strong source of immigration and the implementation of many domestic policies encouraging fertility, Arthur and the Austrsian Government see the hope of expanding their poption to the tens of millions.


    Such a poption growth rate is weed by everyone before the poption reaches the billions.


    Since the establishment of the Federation, exchanges between Australia and New Zend have be more frequent.


    It became even more frequent after the establishment of the Kingdom, and even the one or two days of sailing between the two regions could not discourage this economic convergence.


    This has also, to some extent, promoted the growth of Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding industry. In recent times, more and more people have taken loans from the Royal Bank to set up small private shipyards.


    Most of the ships they built are very small fishing boats or sailboats, all for daily work and travel.


    Due to the territory being made up of various inds and peninss, the fishing industry in Austrsia is also thriving.


    Famous seafood inter generations, such as Australian lobster, Australian abalone, blue-g tuna, and yellowtail fish, are all produced in various regions of Austrsia.


    Especially in the southern region of the Australian Continent and the area surrounding Tasmania Ind, there are many natural fishing grounds, and seafood is one of the features for Austrsians.


    These rich fishing grounds and aquatic products sustain arge number of fishermen and practitioners in the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    This has also allowed many people to see business opportunities. At present, Austrsia¡¯s shipbuilding industry is not well-developed, and although it can build top-of-the-line battleships and dreadnoughts, there are not many shipyards for building small civilian ships, and various small fishing boats and ships are in short supply.<div>


    For these loan applications, as long as the basic qualifications and conditions are not an issue, loans can be easily obtained.


    Of course, the amount of loans they can apply for is also basically bnced with the amount of assets they can mortgage.


    Arthur was not worried about running away with the loan; first of all, there were mortgaged assets aspensation, and secondly, Australian dors were only circting in the Austrsian region. Taking Australian dors to other countries could escape the supervision of the intelligence and public security departments, and whether other countries recognized Australian dors remained a question.


    Moreover, individuals applying for loans must have lived in the Austrsian region for more than ten years and have a legal citizenship of Austrsia.<div>


    Afteryers of screening, it was not easy for people with ulterior motives to obtain loans.


    In January 1907, Arthur attended the Victoria Award ceremony as usual.


    This annual international award has attracted at least about ten top international talents for Austrsia, and the number is still increasing.


    The name of the winner of this year¡¯s Victoria Physics Prize surprised Arthur, and he immediately decided to woo him into the embrace of Austrsia.


    Albert Einstein, a man with great fame in future generations.


    Einstein¡¯s achievements in physics were enough to make him one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century.


    The current Einstein was still very young, born in 1879, and was now only 27 years old, having just received his doctorate in physics from the University of Zurich.


    It was precisely because of Einstein¡¯s proposal of the photon hypothesis that sessfully exined the cause of the photoelectric effect that he won the 1906 Victoria Physics Prize.


    When Arthur first saw Einstein¡¯s name, he hesitated a bit.


    ording to Einstein¡¯s life trajectory and experience, he was first a pacifist and humanitarian, and then became a democratic socialist.


    Einstein had once been denied immigration to the United States under the refugee use because he believed and advocated for anarchism, and he was also used of being a participant and supporter of a certain movement between 1937 and 1954.


    In addition to being a Jew, Einstein supported Zionism and the choice of settling in the ancientnd of Judaism, that is, Jerusalem.


    Facing such a seemingly uncontroble top scientist, Arthur worried that winning over Einstein might cause some impact and fluctuation in Austrsia¡¯s political environment.<div>


    But after some thought, Arthur decided to win him over anyway. First of all, Einstein¡¯s abilities and knowledge were absolutely among the top scientists in the world today, and since such talent has appeared, Arthur naturally could not pass it up.


    Regardless of whether Einstein¡¯s political views are consistent with Austrsia¡¯s political situation, the current Einstein is still very young, and what he has revealed and supported is only pacifism and humanitarianism.


    Austrsia currently has no wars, and Arthur is also very passionate about aiding the bottom rung of the poption.


    Isn¡¯t this the simplest form of pacifism and humanitarianism?


    At least in the short term, keeping this top scientist in Austrsia and allowing him to contribute more to Austrsian research is something that Arthur can do.


    As forter matters, Arthur is definitely not a kind person. If such a top scientist cannot be controlled by Austrsia, then Einstein can only be invited to see the beautiful underwater world.


    On the day of the Victoria Prize ceremony, Arthur invited all the award-winning scientists and talents to a small celebration banquet.


    At this banquet, Arthur extended a unified invitation to all talents to carry out scientific research and technology work for Austrsia; Austrsia will provide them with more advancedboratories and more research funds.


    No one expressed any objection, and at most, they said they needed more time to think.


    Actually, they were not stupid, offending Arthur on his turf would be like shining antern in the toilet.


    Of course, Arthur¡¯s top wooing target was still Einstein. The day after the banquet, Arthur invited Einstein to the Austrsian National University and asked him to visit the majorboratories of the university.


    The National University was the first university established by Arthur with funding, and its construction standards and goals were internationally top-notch.


    As a result, manyboratories in the National University were among the world¡¯s top, and for this reason, Arthur and the government paid a price of millions of Australian dors.<div>


    After the visit, Arthur got straight to the point, inviting Einstein to be an honorary professor of physics at the Austrsian National University. All the researchbs in the National University could be opened to Einstein, and he could receive at least 200,000 Australian dors of research funds each year.


    At the same time, Arthur stated that he would form the Austrsian Royal Physics Research Association and invited Einstein to be the first president of the association to conduct academic research in Austrsia.

 Chapter 233: 218: East Asian Famine and Overseas Students

    Chapter 233: Chapter 218: East Asian Famine and Overseas Students


    At this time, Albert Einstein was still just a second-level technician at the Bern Patent Office in Switzend. Although he had just won the Victoria Physics Prize, he was still only slightly famous in the field of physics in Europe because of his age, he was not highly valued in Switzend.


    At least with Einstein¡¯s status as a second-level technician, some topboratories were not essible to him.


    However, if he were to work for Austrsia, not only would he automatically be the president of the Australian Physics Association, but he would also be able to use all the physics researchboratories in Austrsia and hold positions such as Honorary Professor of Physics at Austrsian National University. The level of attention he would receive would naturally be iparable.


    Albert Einstein was a German who had lived in Germany, Italy, and Switzend, and did not have a strong allegiance to any one country.


    His reason for choosing to be a Swiss citizen was mainly because he valued Switzend¡¯s neutral status and hoped to work in a peaceful home without the threat of war.


    For this reason, when Einstein received Arthur¡¯s invitation, he did not feel bound by any national obligation and instead seriously weighed the pros and cons of staying in Australia.


    For a top scientist like Einstein, personal wealth was often not that important to him.


    Moreover, just by winning the Victoria Prize, Einstein could receive arge amount of money and fame, so he naturally cared less about financial gain.


    For Einstein, a good working environment and the satisfaction of his research needs were more important than anything else.


    At present, perhaps Austrsia¡¯s academicmunity is not as developed as Switzend¡¯s, but at least the research facilities and funds are absolutely sufficient, and there is no need to worry about external disturbances.<div>


    Eventually, under Arthur¡¯s persuasion and temptation, Einstein agreed to stay in Austrsia as a temporary resident and serve as an Honorary Professor at the National University.


    Although he did not directly be an Austrsian citizen, it was only a matter of time.


    Arthur generously promised to provide Einstein with at least 200,000 Australian dors in research funds each year and offered to help him set up his own research team.


    Except for some more important research, all of Einstein¡¯s theoretical research belonged to him.


    Einstein¡¯s arrival not only added a physics heavyweight to Austrsia but also brought a good mentor for Austrsian physics talent.


    It was believed that under the influence of Einstein, the Honorary Professor of Physics at the National University, more physics talent and experts would emerge from the Department of Physics at the National University, and Austrsian research would also rank among the top in the world.


    In February 1907, after the first funds from the Russian Empire arrived, construction began on the Russian orders at the Sydney Royal Shipyard.


    The massive keels of two dreadnought battleships wereid, attracting arge number of domestic and foreign media observers, and Arthur also attended the opening ceremony of the two dreadnought battleships.


    Although these two dreadnought battleships were built for Russia, they were entirely based on technology controlled by Austrsia, and all the workers and experts involved in the construction were Austrsians.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was a memorable event in the naval history of Austrsia because it brought the country to a world-ss level in terms of dreadnought construction.


    Apanying Arthur at the opening ceremony was the Russian envoy to Austrsia.


    After the union between Russia and Austrsia, the rtionship between the two countries became even closer. Austrsian products began to be sold to Russia, and Russia sent arge number of agricultural poption to Austrsia.


    The two dreadnoughts were named Peter Pavlovskiy and Poltava by the Russians, coincidentally the same names as the first Gangut-ss dreadnought battleships in Russian history. Now they were brought forward, which was also a coincidence.


    Because their full load discement reached 20,910 tons, theying of the keel of these two battleships took a long time.


    After the opening ceremony, all domestic and foreign media present were asked to leave, and the Royal Shipyard would be a military restricted area. Until the two battleships wereunched, unrted personnel were basically not allowed to approach.


    In fact, the construction of dreadnoughts did not take a long time; the more time-consuming part was the sea trials and testing after they wereunched.


    The British Dreadnought-ss battleship, which adopted many new technologies, was built in just four months, showcasing the British Empire¡¯s industrial scale and efficiency.


    Austrsia¡¯s construction time would be much slower. ording to experts¡¯ estimates, the Peter Pavlovskiy is expected to beunched for testing at the end of this year, and the Poltava is expected to beunched for testing in early next year.


    If all goes well without any problems, the two battleships are expected to be delivered between the second half and the end of next year, around the end of 1908.<div>


    In mid-February, after more than a month of site selection, the location of the Austrsian Royal Military Academy was finally determined to be in the western outskirts of the Capital Territory.


    Of course, this is only the location of the Army and Aeronautical Colleges of the Military Academy. The Naval College would be located near Sydney Harbor, as naval training is inseparable from warships, which in turn require the ocean and harbor for training.


    In order to make the Royal Military Academy bigger and more prestigious, Arthur went all out this time, extensively searching for military experts and professors in Europe and America tomand the Royal Military Academy.


    As the construction of the Royal Military Academy would take at least a year, the training facilities of the Aerospace Laboratory were not relocated temporarily but remained in theboratory, carrying out pilot training programs.<div>


    So far, Arthur had several rounds of screening in the military, selecting hundreds of outstanding soldiers suitable to be pilots and assigning them a glorious and challenging task: mastering the aircraft driving techniques as soon as possible.


    All those participating in pilot training summed up to about 800 people.


    Once these individuals had thoroughly mastered driving techniques, Austrsia would have its first batch of air force soldiers.


    Also in February, the East Asian region suffered from severe famine due to natural disasters such as pests, mria, and acid rain.


    The major powers began to sell rice, flour, and grains at high prices in the affected areas, earning arge amount of ill-gotten wealth.


    Arthur strongly condemned this behavior, so he ordered various grain depots in Austrsia to transferrge quantities of grain to East Asia, joining the ranks of the powers.


    Of course, on the surface, Arthur did take action, ostentatiously collecting 100 tons of grain and announcing that it would be given for free to the affected people.


    However, he could not guarantee how much of this 100 tons of grain would ultimately reach the victims.


    This act of Austrsia instantly made the affected people grateful. After all, foreign sympathizers like Austrsia were rare in the eyes of the afflicted who saw the foreigners as superior and lofty.


    Years of oppression and the submissive mentality, coupled with the current extremely backward situation of their country, led to a severe admiration of foreign powers among some people.


    Even those who were not inclined towards foreign powers had no choice but to bow their heads in humility before the foreigners.


    What Arthur did not expect was that his superficial act of kindness inadvertently made many victims feel closer to Austrsia.


    They ced their hopes of changing the national situation on advanced countries like Australia, believing that only by learning advanced systems and technologies and using them to arm themselves could they change the crisis they and their nation currently faced.<div>


    It can only be said that these lower-ss people were too easily deceived. If they knew that the amount of grain transported by Austrsia to the disaster-stricken areas was as high as tens of thousands of tons, with all but the 100 tons of free grain being sold at several times the usual grain price, their feelings might be quite interesting.


    The natural disasters and famine in East Asia from February to March, inadvertently became a good opportunity for powerful nations to exploit.


    ording to the business firms operating in East Asia, in just over a month, Austrsia had made several times the usual profit on grain exports, while also winning the little goodwill of the affected people on the surface, thus achieving both fame and fortune.


    Arthur thought the impact of the famine incident was limited to this, but in March, the government received unexpected visitors: a group of students from the Qing Empire, requesting that Austrsia open its universities to allow some Qing Empire students to study at Austrsian universities.


    Because this involved the Qing Empire, where the interests of the powers were at stake, government officials did not dare to make decisions on their own, so they passed the buck to Arthur.


    At this time, most of the Qing Empire¡¯s study abroad students were wealthyndlords and gentry. As for the poormon people, even having enough food was a problem, let alone studying abroad.


    Poormoners were more likely to seek livelihoods abroad than enter university for study, enriching themselves to save their nation.


    In fact, these people may be worried that Austrsia would refuse, so they offered generous conditions.


    In addition to their own expenses in Austrsia, they would also pay a tuition fee of 1,000 Australian dors per person per year.


    If calcted at the current exchange rate, 1,000 Australian dors is roughly equivalent to 3,500 silver taels, which is enough to show that the current study abroad students are officials, gentry, and merchants.


    Arthur agreed to their request, but also made some corresponding demands. The most important one is that they must maintain Austrsia¡¯s rule and not engage in any illegal activities in Austrsia.


    Once these students were found to be engaged in any illegal activities, they would not only face heavypensation but also possible ountability from the Austrsian government.


    The reason Arthur agreed to their request for study abroad was actually to cultivate talent close to Austrsia.<div>


    If these people could rise to higher levels in their country or gain more power and status, wouldn¡¯t they also be able to influence their country to get closer to Austrsia and get more benefits for Austrsia?

 Chapter 234: 219: Pirate

    Chapter 234: Chapter 219: Pirate


    Arthur acted swiftly. Once Albert Einstein agreed to stay temporarily in Austrsia, the Royal Physics Research Association of Austrsia has already started preparations.


    In order to better attract talents, all members of the Royal Physics Research Association will receive a sry that exceeds those of renowned European university professors.


    Moreover, each member of the Royal Physics Research Association can apply for at least fifty thousand Australian dors in research funds each year, and also have the privilege to use all top-tierboratories in Austrsia.


    With high sries and abundant research funds, this is the most effective way and means to attract those scientists.


    Subsequently, Arthur appointed Albert Einstein as the vice president of the Physics Research Association and assigned the recruitment work to Einstein.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    These physicists all have their unique connections. Leveraging theirworks to attract talents for Austrsia also seems a good strategy.


    After entering March of 1907, the famine in East Asia worsened and many regions have seen the frenzy of rice snatching.


    Merchant ships traveling between East Asia and Austrsia increased, bringing food from Austrsia, profiting several to even over ten times of their previous earnings.


    Some of these merchant ships were organized by the government, while some went voluntarily. Arthur didn¡¯t hinder them. After all, the royal financial group has already had the lion¡¯s share, letting others benefit somewhat didn¡¯t matter.


    But problems arose from this.<div>


    In early April, a piece of news from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency was presented to Arthur,pletely changing the calm state of Austrsia.


    The root of the problem has to be traced back to the East Asian famine.


    This famine in East Asia covered a wide area. Aside from the nativend of the Qing Empire, it even affected areas such as Southeast Asia and the Philippines.


    Given such wide impact and severity of the great famine, it unavoidably exposed some evil forces that were previously hidden in these areas.


    In the South Ocean region, there once existed an infamous group of pirates, known as Moro Pirates.


    At their peak, they impacted the entire South Ocean and surrounding regions. They were one of thergest nuisances on the seas of Southeast Asia.


    Even when the fleet of the British Empire was in its full glory, the Moro Pirates dared to plunder British merchant ships.


    Edward Jones, an English sailor, once discovered Moro pirates near a and wrote in terror as he sat in a bamboo cage, ¡°Forty-five people were caught by them; some had their arms cut off, some had their legs severed, and I- my tongue was cut off.¡±


    These desperate thieves who dared to attack merchant ships of the world¡¯s strongest country, ran rampant in this area for over a hundred years.


    These pirates did not have fixed plundering targets. Anything that could be exchanged for money would not be spared by them.


    Be it sea cucumbers and bird nests destined for East Asia, pepper, and cloves going to India, silver coins to Batavia, or western weapons, all were within their grasp.


    On top of that, their proclivity to kidnap people caused the Moro pirates to be a widely resented nuisance in the South Ocean.


    Since the 1840s, the British Empire and the Kingdom of Spain haveunched various suppressions and eradication efforts against the pirates, but the activities of the Moro pirates in the South Ocean never ceased.


    It wasn¡¯t until after the end of the Spanish-American War when the American people gained control over the Philippines, they deployed some armored fast ships and small patrol boats and established a regr patrol system that the pirate threat in the area was alleviated.


    The Moro pirates historically reemerged after World War II. Due to the deteriorating regional security situation at that time, piracy was showing signs of resurgence in these areas.


    But what Arthur did not expect was that the East Asian famine this time forced these pirates to emerge and they chose to attack the merchant ships of Austrsia delivering grain.


    ording to the intelligence held by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, at least two merchant ships have been plundered and at least about ten Austrsians have been captured.


    Although it is unclear whether these pirates have attacked other countries, for Austrsia, this is the biggest crisis since its founding, and Arthur must immediately make ns.


    About ten minutester, Arthur had already arrived at the meeting room of the Administrative Court, and the other cab officials also hurried over.<div>


    Without wasting many words, Arthur directly briefly exined the situation of the two Austrsian merchant ships being plundered by pirates and asked for the opinions of the cab members.


    Upon hearing the situation, the faces of most people turned somewhat pale.


    This timing is not very friendly to all cab members as the election for the Austrsian cab is only more than two months away.


    If this matter cannot be properly resolved, I¡¯m afraid many people would lose in this election.<div>


    ¡°Your Majesty, no matter what, I believe we should protect our citizens and their properties. If necessary, we should deploy the military to protect our citizens.¡± Prime Minister Evan mused for a while before speaking.


    ¡°But the problem is we don¡¯t know where these pirates are stationed. And even if we did know their location, could weunch an attack? What if those damned pirates disregarded everything and executed our citizens?¡± Minister of Defense Kent promptly raised an opposing view.


    The situation at hand is indeed difficult, as they neither know the exact whereabouts of these pirates, nor could they recklessly deploy the military for fear that the pirates undeterred, would resort to a do-or-die mentality.


    ¡°Oh, shit! Those damn pirates, if we find them, we must y and torture them, then chop them up and throw them to the sharks.¡± Security Minister Thomas cursed angrily.


    The current situation puts the Cab Government in a predicament, as the election date is approaching, they must handle this matter as quickly as possible.


    But the intelligence at the moment is scarce. In order to ensure the safety of the kidnapped Austrsians, some brutal methods cannot be used just yet.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the most infamous pirates in this region are the Moro pirates west of the Philippines and east of Kalimantan Ind. The United States has a good patrolling system along the coast near the Philippines, and the pirates near the Philippines have been basically eliminated. Therefore, I think the pirates¡¯ base should be west of the Philippines, either within the Dutch East Indies or near Sulu in between area.¡± Minister of Defence Kent took out a map of Southeast Asia, carefully analyzed it for a while, and then respectfully addressed Arthur.


    Arthur nodded. Minister Kent¡¯s analysis was very reasonable.


    After the United States carried out patrols along the coast of the Philippines, those pirates could only flee west and south, that is, to the western Sulu, Sultan Country, and further west to Kalimantan Ind.


    At this time, Kalimantan Ind was ruled by two forces, Northern Borneo Protectorate belonging to the British Empire in the north, and Dutch East Indies Borneo in the south.


    Among these two countries, the British Empire has always been severe in dealing with pirates, so the likelihood of pirates appearing in Northern Borneo Protectorate is slim..


    However, the situation is different in the southern Dutch East Indies. The Nethends was a secondary country in Europe, and its poption has been overtaken by Austrsia.


    Add to that the expansive distance between the Nethends and the Dutch East Indies, the Dutch rule there is not solid.<div>


    Were it not for the colonial powers¡¯ agreement to Dutch rule in this region, particrly the British Empire¡¯s agreement, the Dutch East Indies would have changed hands a long time ago.


    At present, there are more than ten local indigenous forces within the entire Dutch East Indies.


    Some of these indigenous forces openly submit to the rule of the Dutch East Indies, and naturally, there are some areas that the Dutch East Indies cannot govern..


    The group of Moro pirates might also be hiding in areas out of Dutch East Indies¡¯ jurisdiction, quietly developing there.


    ¡°Your Majesty, if these pirates are hiding in Borneo or other areas, I believe that the indigenous forces in these areas must know their whereabouts. Perhaps the best breakthrough lies with these indigenous forces. As long as we can ascertain the exact location of the pirates, we can deploy arge military force to quickly eliminate these pirates and save our captured citizens.¡± Minister Kent continued to suggest.


    At the height of piracy in Southeast Asia, almost all of the local indigenous nobles were involved in piracy.


    Whether it¡¯sck of manpower orck of money and food, they were all one of their excuses to participate in piracy.


    Minister Kent¡¯s suggestion is also simple, to start with these local indigenous forces, questioning one after another about the whereabouts of the pirates.


    If they won¡¯t tell, it¡¯s simple ¨C If it turns out the pirates are near these indigenous forces, then there¡¯s no need for that force to exist anymore.


    As Election Day is fast approaching, and these pirates dared to face-off, they might have to forcefully eradicate them.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea, Minister Kent. Does anyone else have anything to add?¡± Arthur nodded with satisfaction, fully endorsing Minister Kent¡¯s suggestion.


    This is a moreprehensive and reasonable solution in the absence of exact knowledge of the pirates¡¯ whereabouts.


    Next, Arthur and the officials discussed the detailed n for action for quite a while. The meeting ended only on Arthur¡¯smand.<div>


    This incident posed a crisis to the Cab Government, but it was also an opportunity for re-election.


    If the Cab Government could resolve this crisis properly, they would win the people¡¯s favor, and re-election won¡¯t be so difficult.


    But if they can¡¯t handle it properly, not only could the re-election n fail, even the continuation of their political career would be uncertain.


    It¡¯s important to know that ensuring the safety of citizens¡¯ lives and property is a promise that Arthur maintains in every speech. If the government fails to solve this issue well, it would also affect Arthur¡¯s reputation.


    At that point, government officials would have to carry the burden and take the fall.

 Chapter 235: 220: Sulu Pirate

    Chapter 235: Chapter 220: Sulu Pirate


    Just the second day, the vast majority of the Austrsian fleet set out, carrying well-trained soldiers for over a year, heading to the Dutch East Indies in the north of Austrsia.


    The destination includes many, almost half of the indigenous forces of the Dutch East Indies, including the Sultanate of Sulu, which is already half-controlled by the United States.


    Austrsia¡¯s actions this time are huge, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also notified the Nethends and Dutch East Indies in advance.


    Because the situation is urgent, the Dutch response is not so important. Arthur believes that even if the Dutch are dissatisfied with Austrsia¡¯s actions, they will have to reluctantly agree.


    The nearest ¡°Western country¡± to the Dutch East Indies is now Austrsia. If the Dutch and Austrsia were to antagonize each other, whether the Dutch East Indies could be preserved would depend on the support attitude of the Powers towards the Nethends.


    But the problem is that not many Powers can influence Southeast Asia. Apart from the traditional Britain and France, the only ones with some influence are Germany and the United States.


    Previously, the Nethends had good rtions with Britain and Germany, and the rtions with France were not bad either.


    But the problem is that Austrsia also has a good rtionship with Britain and Germany. If a conflict between the Nethends and Austrsia breaks out, Britain and Germany may choose to remain neutral.


    Not to mention the marriage between Austrsia and Russia, in Southeast Asia alone, the Nethends may not necessarily be a match for Austrsia.


    Whether in terms of poption or industrial scale, Austrsia has already caught up with and surpassed the Nethends.<div>


    At the moment, the Nethends¡¯ only advantage lies in being a European country and having the background of being a prosperous country in the early days.


    However, the distance between Europe and Southeast Asia determines that the Dutch do not have much strength to y in Southeast Asia and are far inferior to the closebat capabilities of Austrsia.


    The first stop for the fleet was the Gowasu Sultanate, the strongest and most sessful kingdom in Swesi, which also has considerable influence in the region.


    The fleet went straight to the point, and under the protection of several warships, the transport ships slowly docked, and the armynded openly on the southern coast of Swesi.


    This action directly caused panic among the Wangjaxi Tribe. The Dutch hadnded like this before and then ruled the entire Swesi.


    The Sultan quicklymanded the subordinates who could speak Dutch and English to step forward and understand the intentions of these European people who hadnded.


    Bang!


    Before the trantor could get close, Minister Kent, who was leading the team, directly gave them a show of force.


    ¡°Stay away, monkeys. Where is your chief? Tell him to get out. If you don¡¯t obey, there is no need for your tribe to exist.¡± Minister Kent said in a mild tone, frightening all the natives.


    The subordinate hurriedly pushed back, conveying Minister Kent¡¯s words to the Sultan.


    The arrogance and aggression of these Europeans caused the Sultan to panic somewhat, but for the sake of the lives of everyone behind him, he had no choice but to carefully step forward.


    ¡°I am ¡­¡± The Sultan was just about to introduce himself cautiously, and was immediately interrupted by Minister Kent.


    He pointed to the trantor and said, ¡°Tell your chief that I am not here to chat with him. A few days ago, some pirates robbed two Austrsian merchant ships and captured more than ten Austrsians. Ask your chief if he knows anything about it, it¡¯s a matter of life and death for your tribe.¡±


    The trantor nodded quickly and then tranted word by word to the Sultan of the tribe.


    The Sultan racked his brains and finally shook his head, saying, ¡°We really don¡¯t know the whereabouts of the pirates. But the Wando people in the north may know. There have been many rumors about pirates there recently.¡±


    Minister Kent believed that these natives, under the threat of guns, generally would not fabricate lies.


    But before leaving, he still threatened a bit: ¡°I hope you monkeys are telling the truth. If I find out it¡¯s all fake, I promise to make all of your tribesmen disappear.¡±


    For European colonizers, the lives of colonial natives are really not that important.


    Even if Austrsia wiped out a native tribe, the Kingdom of the Nethends would definitely not say anything.<div>


    Over the next few days, such interrogations and threats took ce in many Sultanate countries.


    Almost all situations were like the Gowasu Sultanate, but one Sultan¡¯s answer was clearly hesitating.


    This is precisely the Wando people mentioned by the Gowasu Sultan at the time, that is, the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom established by this indigenous Wando ethnic group.


    Minister Kent noticed the slight hesitation in the king¡¯s answers to his questions and ordered to show the king the consequences of angering the Austrsians.<div>


    With a burst of gunshots and screams behind him, the king of the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom finally understood his situation and hurriedly told the whole truth.


    It turns out that as the Americans upied the Philippines, they naturally began to plot against the inds and indigenous powers surrounding the Philippines.


    Due to its proximity to the Philippines, the Sultanate of Sulu naturally became a tempting target for the Americans.


    After taking over the Philippines, the Americans fought multiple wars but neverpletely upied Mornd.


    They ultimately had to resort to diplomacy, conducting political negotiations with the Muslims in the south of the Philippines, and sessively signed the Jim-Bates Treaty with the Sultan of Moro and the Sultan of Maguindanao.


    This treaty stiptes that Americans are not allowed to enter the south of the Philippines, and all matters in the south are governed autonomously by the Moro people.


    However, this favorable situation did notst long. In 1903, with the promation of the Philippine Land Law by the American governor of the Philippines, unupiednd in the south became illegal in the eyes of the Americans.


    The newndw also stiptes that after Catholics in the north of the Philippines migrate to the south, the government allows them to upy 16 hectares ofnd.


    Meanwhile, Muslim families originally living in the south of the Philippines could have a maximum of eight hectares ofnd per household.


    A yearter, the Americans tore up the treaty reached with the Muslims, further squeezing the living space of the local Muslims.


    As arge amount ofnd was upied by the Americans and Catholics, many natives lost their livelihoods and had to resort to piracy as a quick way to make money.


    However, with American warships patrolling the coastlines and inds around the Philippines, the Moro and Sulu people had to move west and south.


    Many merchant ships carrying grain to East Asia during this famine enticed these newly-turned pirates.<div>


    And the Austrsian merchant ships that frequented East Asia with minimal warship escorts became targets for these pirates.


    It was not really the fault of the Austrsian government. To the north of Austrsia were the Dutch East Indies, and to the north of that were the colonies of the British Empire, France, and the United States.


    After passing through these colonies, they would have already reached their destination without going through the more chaotic areas.


    But who could have expected that the Philippine natives, under the oppression of the Americans, would once again choose the path of piracy and station their forces even further south and west?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    These pirates just happened to block the route from Austrsia to East Asia, so it is not surprising that their merchant ships were targeted.


    Regardless, those daring to target Austrsian merchant ships would inevitably make these damned pirates pay the price.


    Of course, the primary task now is to find out the exact locations of these pirates, and then n more detailed operations based on the topography of their hideouts.


    As Minister Kent suspected, the pirates did indeed have some connection with this chieftain.


    What the chieftain hadn¡¯t expected was that these pirates would have the audacity to provoke the nearby Austrsians, and that the Austrsian response would be so swift, with warships and troops arriving at their doorstep within days.


    Knowing that the only way for himself and his tribe to survive was to quickly confess everything, the chieftain made a great effort to reveal everything he knew.


    At present, the pirates in Southeast Asia are mainly Moro and Sulu people from the Philippines, who are stationed on the inds west of the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom and east of the Kutai Sultanate.


    These pirates are divided intorge and small gangs, with a total scale of several hundred people.


    Thergest of these is the pirate gang of the Sulu people, with more than 200 people, stationed on thergest ind in the area.<div>


    It is very likely that the pirates who robbed the Austrsian merchant ships were thisrgest pirate gang.


    After obtaining the information he wanted, Minister Kent nodded his satisfaction and ordered the soldiers to kill all the natives.

 Chapter 236 - 221: Actions in the Darkness of Night

    Chapter 236: Chapter 221: Actions in the Darkness of Night


    April 7, 1907, the fourth day since the pirate looting incident.


    Ultimately, the incident could not be concealed. Instead of letting the people specte, it was better to announce it directly, rallying Austrsians to unity and public outrage.


    The Victoria Newspaper and Austrsia Daily widely reported the news of two Austrsian merchant ships being looted by pirates, and it quickly became a topic of discussion among the majority of Austrsians. It sessfully aroused public outrage, demanding that the government dispatch the military immediately to deal with the pirates and rescue the captured Austrsian citizens.


    For peaceful Austrsia, such news was enough to shock the entire nation and its people.


    The day after the news report, Prime Minister Evan organized a public meeting, announcing that immediate action would be taken to protect the lives and property of Austrsians.


    At the same time, the royal family and Arthur stated that they would do everything they could to defend the lives and property of Austrsians, retaliate against all those involved in the looting, and promise to deploy the Guard Division and the navy.


    The naval size of Austrsia might not be worth mentioningpared to other powerful nations, but it was absolutely top-tier in Oceania and Southeast Asia.


    Deploying the Guard Division and the navy to eliminate pirates was the strongest assurance that the power of Arthur could provide.


    Even if the pirates had the support of other countries, they would never be a match for Austrsia.


    The decisive response from the government, the royal family, and Arthur dispelled much of the anger of the people of Austrsia, but it drew more attention to the pirate incident.


    Both the government and the royal family, as well as Arthur and the people of Austrsia, were waiting for the oue of the handling of this pirate incident.


    If the looted Austrsians could be rescued, it would prove that Arthur¡¯smitment to protect citizens¡¯ lives and property was real and that he would really use national power to aplish this.


    However, if the lives of those Austrsians were to be seriously jeopardized, even if the government deployed arge number of troops, it would cause serious damage to the prestige of the royal family and the government.


    Minister Kent also understood the severity of the situation. After obtaining detailed information about the pirates¡¯ whereabouts, he immediately led the fleet and the military to the area where the pirates might be located.


    The pirate base was located in the southern part of the Suvsi Sea and the northern part of the Wangjiaxi Strait, right in the east of the British-controlled Kutai Sultanate and the west of the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom.


    Due to its location at the junction of two seas and belonging to different indigenous forces on both sides, this area of inds was more likely to breed some rebellious forces.


    Neither the indigenous forces on both sides had the capacity to manage it, nor did the Dutch East Indies have the energy to explore these small inds at the junction of the two coasts, which made these ces the pirate bases of choice.


    Heading west along the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom, it took only a few hours to approach the Kutai Sultanate, located in Borneo.


    Of course, the fleet¡¯s destination was not the Kutai Sultanate but the small inds on the east coast of the Kutai Sultanate.


    There was a small penins protruding from the east coast of the Kutai Sultanate that formed a small bay, and severalrge and small inds in the bay formed a not-toorge archipgo.


    These pirate forces were usually stationed on these inds, and when they had good harvests, they were simple fishermen. But if the harvest was not good, they became life-threatening pirate gangs.


    As it was unclear where the captured Austrsians were, Minister Kent dared not act on his own to avoid unnecessary casualties.


    To prevent the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom from informing the pirates, Minister Kent ordered the army to exterminate all the royal and noble families of the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom and destroy all their fishing boats and small vessels.


    Minister Kent couldn¡¯t care about the lives and deaths of the indigenous fishermen, but if one Austrsian was killed or injured, it would not only be Minister Kent but also Arthur¡¯s prestige that would suffer a loss.


    Of course, as a precaution, Minister Kent ordered the navy to form a long and narrow encirclement line to eliminate any possibility of ships approaching the bay.


    ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s discuss it! We have already identified the location of the pirates, but we still can¡¯t determine where those captured people are.¡± Before starting the operation, Minister Kent gathered all themanders of the army and navy and held a small meeting.


    ¡°These small inds should be impossible, Mr. Minister,¡± said a navy captain, ¡°These inds are too small, and they can only amodate a certain number of people. This means that these small inds are probably those small pirate gangs. They shouldn¡¯t have the guts to loot our merchant ships.¡±


    Although the Austrsian merchant ships were not equipped with any escort forces, Austrsia did not have a gun ban. It wasmon for someone on a merchant ship to carry a gun for defense.


    These pirate gangs formed by Southeast Asian natives mostly had cold weapons and century-old muskets.


    To sessfully loot a merchant ship, at least dozens of pirates would have to surround the ship. Otherwise, the guns on the merchant ship would be enough to deal with them.


    Minister Kent nodded, looking towards thergest ind in the bay, and ordered: ¡°Tonight, the Guards will stealthily infiltrate the ind and locate the captured Austrsians. Once found, your mission is to protect their safety and prevent any casualties.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The Commander of the Guard Division nodded calmly, without any questions or hesitation.


    ¡°After locating our citizens, you can open fire freely. Upon hearing your gunfire, we will immediatelynd on all the inds and leave no pirate alive. I don¡¯t want to see any living person on these inds.¡± Minister Kent nodded satisfactorily and continued.


    Minister Kent¡¯s only concern was the safety of the Austrsian citizens on the inds. As long as their safety could be guaranteed, it would be time for the Austrsia Army tounch an offensive.


    Now was also the time to test the training results since thest expansion of the military. This time, not only did Minister Kent bring a Guard Division, but he also led more than a thousand men from the National Defense Third Division.


    At around 11 pm, a team of Guards soldiers quietly approached the ind¡¯s coastline on small sailboats under the cover of darkness.


    The pirates¡¯ defense was veryx, and due to the Guards soldiers not using any light sources, they were not discovered by the pirates.


    After silentlynding on the ind, the Guards soldiers only then realized that there were hardly any defenses on the coast of the ind.


    However, it was normal for these natives, who had just recently be pirates again, to not have defenses, considering their advantageous geographical position and many small inds nearby for defense.


    The Guards soldiersnded on the back of the ind, which was closer to Borneo and less likely to be discovered by the pirates on the ind.


    As they quietly approached the inner side of the ind, the Guards soldiers did not encounter anyone, which surprised them.


    But despite their surprise, the necessary caution was still in ce. As the soldiers cautiously neared the inner side of the ind, they were constantly on guard for possible signs of people.


    As it turned out, the soldiers¡¯ caution was somewhat excessive. Reaching the fishing vige where the pirates were located, the soldiers were stunned to find not a single sentry or patrol post.


    Only after arriving at the fishing vige did the soldiers find that all the natives were gathered there, celebrating with about ten bound Austrsians nearby.


    The extent of the natives¡¯ celebrations and their consumption of food indicated their excitement at the moment.


    In fact, it could be understood. These natives, living in famine, suddenly received hundreds of tons of grains, vegetables, and meats from two merchant ships, enough for them to enjoy a worry-free meal for several years.


    ¡°toon Leader, what should we do?¡± A Guards soldier asked cautiously.


    Almost all the pirates were gathered in the fishing vige, with the captured Austrsians not far away.


    This made the situation somewhat tricky, as the soldiers needed to take out all the armed enemies in order to ensure the safety of the captured people.


    After carefully observing the situation in the fishing vige, the Guards toon Leader found that there were not many natives with their homemade guns, at most about a dozen men.


    In addition to the natives close to the captured Austrsians, the soldiers only needed to deal with less than 20 people to ensure the safety of the Austrsians.


    ¡°Each of you is to take a target, even if you can¡¯t ensure a one-shot kill, you must make the target lose itsbat capability. First, Second, and Third Squads divide the targets ording to those by the bonfire, holding firearms, and close to the hostages respectively. Remember, if the first shot misses, immediately take a second shot and approach our citizens.¡± The toon Leader ordered.


    The Lee-Enfield Rifle, equipped by the Austrsia Army, is the fastest firing rifle among all rifles in the world today.


    This allows Austrsian soldiers to quickly rotate and pull the bolt after firing the first bullet, achieving multiple shots.


    Of course, just in case, the Guards toon Leader still ordered the soldiers that if the first shot missed, they should quickly approach the Austrsian hostages and protect their safety with their own lives.


    This was the loyalty of the Guards, who were willing to sacrifice their lives wholeheartedly toplete all tasks assigned by Arthur.


    After determining their individual tasks, the soldiers adjusted their weapons one by one, loaded them, and began carefully aiming ording to the targets assigned by their Squad Leader.


    ¡°Everyone, listen up. Immediately take your shot after hearing my gunfire. After the second shot, you must approach all hostages, understood?¡± The toon Leader asked once more before the missionmenced.


    ¡°Understood!¡± All the soldiers responded in low voices.

 Chapter 237 - 222: Nighttime Ship Guns Fireworks

    Chapter 237: Chapter 222: Nighttime Ship Guns Fireworks


    The pirates¡¯ celebratory sounds drowned out the soldiers¡¯ response, and all the pirates were still immersed in the joy of celebration.


    Bang!


    A sudden gunshot stopped all the natives in their tracks, as if time had stopped for a few seconds.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The soldiers of the Guards were not going to give the pirates time to react. Seeing that some of them were in a state of shock, they immediately opened fire.


    Fortunately, the soldiers¡¯ regr training was very effective, and with the pirates suddenly taken aback, they inadvertently became true stationary targets.


    ¡°Protect all citizens!¡± The toon leadermanded, leading all the soldiers to gradually approach the bound Austrsians.


    ¡°Is it our military? Thank God, thank His Majesty!¡± Hearing the familiar voice and seeing the familiar military, the captured Austrsians were overjoyed and began to fervently thank God and Arthur.


    On the other hand, the pirates were not doing so well.


    The training of the Guards¡¯ soldiers wasn¡¯t for nothing, as each of them had to fire dozens of bullets every day.


    While they couldn¡¯t guarantee that each of them was a sharpshooter, at least most of them could hit their targets.


    Although there may be deviations, real firearms were not toys. Any hit could lead to severe injuries, let alone incapacitation; even their lives might not be safe.


    ¡°We are the soldiers of the First Guards Infantry Division, ordered by His Majesty to rescue you. You are safe now!¡± The toon leader ordered the soldiers to untie the bound people while smiling and talking to them.


    ¡°Thank His Majesty, long live His Majesty!¡±


    Every rescued Austrsian rejoiced.


    ¡°Is everyone here? Any missing person?¡± The toon leader inquired.


    ¡°We¡¯re all here, sir. Those damn natives were nning to execute us after today¡¯s celebration. You came just in time, or else we would have been meeting God soon,¡± said the leader among the hostages.


    ¡°Rest assured, you are safe now. Outside the ind, our fleet and more troops are there. The government and His Majesty are deeply concerned about this matter, ordering the deployment of troops to eliminate all pirates,¡± the toon leaderforted.


    For those people who actually faced life and death, what they needed to do now was to try tofort them and help them out of the shadows as soon as possible.


    Since all the hostages were here, the toon leader was relieved andmanded the soldiers, ¡°Everyone, lead them to the coastline and let them board the warships first.¡±


    These pirates couldn¡¯t escape on the ind, and the most important task at present was to protect the lives of these people.


    Naturally, the safest ce was on the warships, where there were fleets and many troops to protect them, and the pirates could not pose any threat to the fleet.


    Off the ind, hearing the gunshots on the ind, Minister Kent immediately ordered all soldiers to take action.


    Though the pirates on the small inds hadn¡¯t attacked Austrsia, could they guarantee that they posed no threat?


    The best way to protect citizens was to eliminate all people or forces that could potentially threaten them. Naturally, these pirates were one of the targets.


    Of course, Minister Kent would not go so far as to use soldiers to attack these inds forcefully. Who could guarantee that all these pirates were a mob?


    Any additional casualties among the soldiers were unnecessary in Minister Kent¡¯s view.


    Although the warships of Austrsia were mostly small and medium-sized, their ship guns had a range of several kilometers, so it was enough to bombard the inds around them.


    Before this operation, Minister Kent had all the warships carry enough ammunition for the bombardment of the inds.


    Of course, thergest ind still required the dispatch of troops tond. After all, not only were there captured Austrsian citizens on the ind, but also Guards soldiers who had infiltrated the ind.


    Minister Kent¡¯s expression became somewhat grave, as the gunfire on the indsted for a while before it mostly ceased.


    This meant there were two possibilities: either the Guards had sessfullypleted their mission, or for some reason, they were forced to stop firing.


    If it was thetter, it would be somewhat unfriendly for Minister Kent at this point.


    But Minister Kent was still willing to believe in the abilities of the Guards soldiers, who were the absolute elites of the British Empire Army. After arriving in Austrsia, they underwent long-term training, participated in arge number ofprehensive training with German experts and soldiers, and hadbat capabilities no worse than those of the German elites.


    Minister Kent also disembarked, following the soldiers tond on the ind.


    After more than ten minutes, the Guards soldiers met with Minister Kent, and the news they brought relieved him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Since all the Austrsian citizens had been sessfully rescued, Minister Kent had no further concerns and ordered everyone to board the warships to use the ship guns to bomb all the inds indiscriminately until most of the shells were expended.


    The bombardmentsted half an hour, with each ind receiving at least forty shells from the Austrsian fleet.


    Thergest ind suffered the worst, bing the primary target of the fleet. After enduring over a hundred shells, the appearance of therge ind waspletely altered.


    Due to it being night, the actual situation on the ind could not be clearly seen. However, if it were daytime, Minister Kent would be able to see that the once lush ind had turned into a yellow-ck wastnd, with the ind shrouded in clouds of smoke from gunpowder.


    The soldiers were ordered to carry at least three hand grenades, a weapon for attacking fortified positions manufactured by the Austrsia Royal Military Factory. The grenades were filled with gunpowder, steel balls, and scrap iron, having a st range of only 1-2 meters but an injury range of more than ten meters.


    In fact, hand grenades had already been in existence for hundreds of years but became somewhat less useful due to the development of firearms.


    As the lethal range of firearms increased and the poprity of machine guns grew, this manually thrown weapon was not widely adopted by military forces around the world.


    It was during the two world wars that hand grenades reappeared in the equipment orders of various countries. To deal with therge number of enemy trenches and concentrated charges, the hand grenade, with its wide range of lethal effects, became highly valued by countries all over the world.


    Naturally, Arthur would not wait until hand grenades were widely regarded by the world to start manufacturing them.


    At present, the hand grenade production in Austrsia has initially taken shape, and the Royal Military Factory has two types of hand grenades: the stick grenade and the egg-shaped grenade.


    Due to the small poption of Austrsia, even each trained soldier was extremely precious.


    The soldiers were unfamiliar with the terrain and environment of the inds, which could potentially lead to ambushes by pirates.


    In this situation, hand grenades became an excellent weapon for siege, capable of causing significant damage to the enemy in areas whererge artillery could not cover.


    Although it might consume more military funding, it was better than causing unnecessary casualties.


    Under Minister Kent¡¯s leadership, the soldiers re-armed themselves and set out tond on the ind once again.

 Chapter 238: 223: Establishment of the Patrol System

    Chapter 238: Chapter 223: Establishment of the Patrol System


    The soldiers of the Guards also reorganized their equipment and joined thending forces.


    Although the country¡¯s financial ie is still in deficit, the military spending is not small and is in continuous growth.


    Of course, this can also be attributed to Arthur¡¯s attitude towards military training. Arthur believes that excellent soldiers are brought up by bullets and lots of training, so both the Guards and the National Defense Army consume quite a lot of bullets every day, with an average of at least thirty bullets being fired per person per day.


    The luxury of Austrsia¡¯s army can be seen from the equipment of the Guard soldiers. In this operation, each person not only carried several spare magazines, but also hand grenades and handguns.


    Although this would increase the weight of each person, the well-trained Guard soldiers are ustomed to it.


    The advance of the Austrsian Army is somewhat extravagant. Any ce that might hide pirates is subjected to several consecutive grenade bombings.


    This alsopletely eliminates the ability of the pirates to resist. Their muskets can only cause damage at close range, and it takes quite a long time to load ammunition.


    This results in the surviving pirates barely managing to fire a shot, unsure of the casualties, and then facing the fire coverage and grenade bombing from the Austrsian Army.


    Such luxurious firepower coverage, let alone the poorly equipped and trained pirates, even regr armies from European nations might not be able to withstand it.


    Seeing that resistance is hopeless, the pirates can only hope to hide and wait for these people to leave the ind.<div>


    Perhaps some people already regret plundering Austrsian merchant ships, but now no one will give them a chance to try again ¨C they must pay the price for angering Austrsia.


    The operationsted until daylight. Only after ensuring that there was not a single survivor on all the inds did Minister Kent order the fleet to return home contentedly.


    April 9th, 1907, Sydney Harbour, Austrsia.


    The news that Minister Kent had sessfullypleted the mission had already been reported back to Austrsia. Arthur and the Austrsian Government also promptly announced the good news.


    All the Austrsian people who were paying attention to the pirate plunder incident were cheering for the victory of the army.


    Many people had spontaneously gathered at Sydney Harbor, ready to wee their brave army, the real protector of their safety.


    In order to express the importance of this action, Arthur also arrived at Sydney Harbour before the fleet returned, waiting with the government officials.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the fleet sessfully approached Sydney Harbour and docked at the pier.


    Under the protection of the soldiers, more than ten captured Austrsians were relieved to set foot on the harbor again.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Seeing Arthur and his entourage waiting on the harbor, these survivors hurriedly came forward and paid their respects with genuine and fanatical salutes.


    They naturally understood that the only one capable of mobilizing the army on such arge scale in Austrsia was Arthur.


    In other words, their sessful survival from the pirates and return to Austrsia was entirely due to Arthur having mobilized the army to rescue them.


    To these people who almost experienced life and death, their attitude towards Arthur had turned fanatical, and they would be his loyal supporters.


    Arthur smiled and nodded, his faint smile appearing as warm as a divine embrace in these people¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the mission has been sessfullypleted. All pirates have been executed, and all their hideouts have been destroyed. There were no casualties in this operation, except for the consumption of some weaponry and ammunition.¡± Minister Kent stepped forward and respectfully reported.


    Arthur nodded again, his gaze not looking at Minister Kent, but at the onlookers around the harbor.


    ¡°My fellow citizens, this pirate abduction incident is a wake-up call for all of Austrsia. Our control over the surrounding seas is too weak, which allowed this pirate raid to take ce. Fortunately, our actions were not toote, and we were able to sessfully rescue all the captured people. My loyal soldiers are the protectors of all people and will spare no effort to defend all the people of Austrsia.¡± Arthur said solemnly.


    ¡°Long live Your Majesty!¡±<div>


    ¡°Long live Austrsia!¡±


    ¡°Long live the Kingdom!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The cheers of the people were their best response to Arthur.


    ¡°However, we cannot only act after the fact. I dere that the government will dispatch more fleets to form various patrol teams to protect the safety of all our people on our important waterways. All countries and forces must not attack ships flying the g of Austrsia, otherwise it would be considered a threat and deration of war against Austrsia. My army and I will prove with our actions that the Kingdom will always protect its citizens.¡± Arthur solemnly announced.<div>


    The pirate incident did provide a pretext for Austrsia to openly dispatch various patrol fleets to control nearby waters based on this pretext.


    Even the Dutch-controlled Dutch East Indies inner sea will be the target of the Austrsian navy¡¯s patrols.


    It can¡¯t be helped, who let the pirates emerge in the Dutch East Indies, and those pirates just happened to plunder Austrsian merchant ships, is this not just handing themselves on a silver tter?

 Chapter 239: 223: Establishment of the Patrol System_2

    Chapter 239: Chapter 223: Establishment of the Patrol System_2


    Arthur was not worried about the Kingdom of the Nethends¡¯ reaction. As long as the other powers did not intervene, the Nethends was no longer a match for Austrsia near Southeast Asia.


    Even in a few years, once Austrsian warships begin tounch like crazy, the Nethends wouldn¡¯t even qualify to be Austrsia¡¯s opponent.


    All the decisions Arthur made at the harbor were published in Austrsia¡¯s two official newspapers the next day.


    Without saying much about the sensation caused by Austrsia, these decisions also caused quite a stir in Europe.


    Of course, the Kingdom of the Nethends must have found it the hardest to ept. The essence of Austrsia is located in the southeast of Australia and the North Ind of New Zend.


    To reach Europe or East Asia from these areas, one would have to pass through the Dutch East Indies, either by going west through the a Strait and across the Indian Ocean to Europe, or north to East Asia.


    This also meant that part of the ocean in the Dutch East Indies fell within Australia¡¯s patrol range. If not stopped, the Dutch East Indies would essentially be wide open to Austrsia.


    But the question was how to stop it? Using the Nethends¡¯ own power was almost impossible.


    Although the Nethends had over 100,000 troops, only 50,000 were stationed in the Dutch East Indies. Neither their training level nor their equipment could match that of the Austrsian army.


    When ites to poption and industrial scale, Austrsia had surpassed the Kingdom of the Nethends. And due to geographical proximity, the slightest advantage was greatly magnified.<div>


    The Kingdom of the Nethends was able to defend the Dutch East Indies mainly because of the support from European powers.


    But more than that, Austrsia not only had a good rtionship with the German Empire but also had a matrimonial and mutual benefit alliance with the Russian Empire.


    As for the United Kingdom, Austrsia was formed by the merging of two colonies of the British Empire, and its rulers also came from the British royal family.


    Unless it¡¯s a matter of national survival, Austrsia and the United Kingdom are unlikely to have a falling out.


    After all, the memory of Queen Victoria¡¯s will is still fresh, and the majority of Britons have a lot of affection for Arthur.


    Despite knowing the difficulties of stopping Austrsia, the Kingdom of the Nethends had to grit its teeth and ask the powers for mediation, trying to fix the naval patrol scope of Austrsia within its territorial waters.


    But the Nethends¡¯ actions were doomed to fail. Germany and Austrsia were currently in a honeymoon period, and Austrsia¡¯s expansion posed no threat to Germany, even being of help to it.


    Therefore, William II decisively chose neutrality, and Germany explicitly stated that it would not interfere in the affairs of the two kingdoms.


    On the British side, Edward VII had a deep hatred for Arthur due to the briefcase incident, and naturally did not want to get involved in this matter.


    Apart from Britain and Germany, France is currently struggling with the choices of Britain and Russia and does not have the extra energy to deal with other matters.


    Russia and Austrsia had just formed a matrimonial rtionship, and not supporting Austrsia was already a favor, let alone supporting the Kingdom of the Nethends.


    As for the remaining powers, the Austro-Hungarian Empire sided with Germany. If Germany is neutral, so is Austro-Hungary.


    Italy doesn¡¯t need to be mentioned. Italian influence in Southeast Asia and Oceania is even less than that of the Nethends, so they are naturally unlikely to offend Austrsia for the Kingdom of the Nethends.


    As such, no external force could be relied upon to address this issue. Upon seeking out, the Kingdom of the Nethends had no other option but to feign ignorance and ept the patrol n of Austrsia.


    The Dutch were very good at consoling themselves. After being forced to permit the patrol n of Austrsia, they reassured themselves: ¡°This is just a patrol n borne out of their anger due to pirate raids. Once the influence of the pirate incident diminishes, they will naturally not be able to maintain such a massive patrol n.¡±


    What the Dutch did not expect was that ¡®Arthur¡¯ not only turned this patrol into a norm, but also added dreadnoughts and arge number of medium-sized warships a few yearster, turning half of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, as well as the territorial waters of the Dutch East Indies, into Austrsia¡¯s patrol area.


    This significantly increased Austrsia¡¯s influence in these areas, and even some of the indigenous forces of the Dutch East Indies started showing their favor towards Austrsia.


    They had no choice, especially considering the dire fate of the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom for offending Austrsia. The upper echelons of the Bng Menggongduo Kingdom were almost wiped out, and itsnd was almost partitioned by the Manda people and the Sultanate of Ruhunu from the south.


    More importantly, the governor of the Dutch East Indies and the Kingdom of the Nethends had no reaction to Austrsia¡¯s two major massacres in the Dutch East Indies.<div>


    What does this signify? The Dutch were also afraid of the sharp edge of the Austrsian army, and therefore kept silent.


    Since the Dutch were frightened, the indigenous forces that were forced to submit to the Dutch East Indies naturally knew which country they could least afford to offend.


    Arthur¡¯s actions were swift. Starting from mid-April, the naval forces of Austrsia were frequently deployed to patrol along Austrsia¡¯s coast and the northern sea.


    Even though this would increase the consumption of supplies, especially coal and oil, Austrsia has numerous coal reserves and severalrge oil fields, so they naturally didn¡¯t have to worry about these issues.N?v(el)B\\jnn<div>


    With the fleet¡¯s patrol and protection, no further issues befell the Austrsian merchant ships. Even the fishermen and vessels of the indigenous tribes typically avoided them for fear of inciting trouble.


    Arthur alsomended the soldiers who had previously participated in the rescue operation within the scope of the Guards.


    While there were no medals awarded, there were verbalmendments across the entire army, and each person was rewarded with 1000 Australian dors. This won the fanatic and loyal gazes of the soldiers.


    What Arthur did not expect was that thisrge-scale naval and army rescue operation not only made him and the government more beloved by the Australians, but also garnered the goodwill of many Europeans.


    After all, not many monarchs, like Arthur, truly care about the lives and deaths of the lower-ss citizens. In addition, Arthur¡¯s various tax reduction policies and benefits in Austrsia have significantly increased its appeal to immigrants.


    Starting from May 1907, it was noticeably apparent that more and more people were migrating to Austrsia to be permanent residents.


    Ifpared to the data of 1906, the number of immigrants to Austrsia has increased by more than thirty percent, which was a considerable increase.


    Please note that Austrsia now has an annual immigration of four hundred thousand people. If it can maintain a growth rate of thirty percent, this means that this year¡¯s poption will increase by more than one hundred and twenty thousandpared tost year.


    Furthermore, with Austrsia¡¯s policy to encourage fertility, it is highly probable that Austrsia¡¯s poption will exceed seven million before 1908 arrives.


    Of course, therge number of immigrants did pose some problems for Arthur. These immigrants generally prefer to live inrge Austrsian cities like Sydney and Melbourne, and are unwilling to move to Western Australia and South Australia.


    This was not a good phenomenon as Western Australia and South Australia have abundant mineral resources and need ample poption andbor for excavation.


    Furthermore, with the influx of arge number of immigrants, Sydney and Melbourne were inevitably facing nning insufficiencies which added a certain level of chaos to city construction.


    In the end, Arthur introduced a policy that anyone willing to go to the western region and small towns would receive fifty percent morend allocation than normal. This somewhat solved the problem.<div>

 Chapter 240: 224: The Election Approaches

    Chapter 240: Chapter 224: The Election Approaches


    After dealing with this crisis, the focus of the Austrsian political arena returned to the Cab elections in two months.


    This Cab election is highly attractive for all major political parties and individuals.


    ording to the system inherited by Austrsia from Australia, after Prime Minister Evan sessfully serves two terms, if he doesn¡¯t have Arthur¡¯s special permission, he will have to temporarily bid farewell to the position of Prime Minister of the Government, either be a department Minister or wait for the next election.


    But having experienced the power and status of Prime Minister, would Evan really be willing to step down and be a department Minister?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Actually, those most looking forward to this Cab election are a few influential Cab Ministers of the government.


    If Prime Minister Evan cannot continue his term, they will be the ones most likely to be the new Prime Minister.


    Even though the power of Austrsia¡¯s Prime Minister is greatly limited, it is still a position in politics where one is second only to the highest and above everyone else. These Cab Ministers cannot resist the temptation.


    Actually, after entering 1907, the atmosphere of the Austrsian Cab elections has gradually intensified.


    As time goes by, towardste April, the election atmosphere has be even hotter. Parties have been patiently preparing for four years, and they have started to gear up, ready to attack the highest political stage of Austrsia.


    Minister Willy¡¯s victory in thest government was unexpected for the political parties, but this time they are prepared.<div>


    Especially the Unity Party (a merger of Independent Party and Progressive Party), which currently holds arge number of seats in the House of Representatives and is one of the parties most likely to receive Minister positions.


    Austrsia¡¯s elections are different from those in other countries. In Austrsia¡¯s political arena, the Prime Minister¡¯s power is severely restricted by Cab Ministers, and they only hold administrative power.


    The enormous power of the Prime Minister in other countries is actually divided among the entire Cab members.


    If Austrsia were a democratic country, such a system would have many drawbacks.


    The first issue is the inconsistency in issuing orders. Cab Ministers can unite to resist the Prime Minister¡¯s rule, and fundamentally, Cab Ministers and the Prime Minister are not on the same side.


    As all Cab positions are elected independently, it means that Cab members might be enemies or friends, or even total strangers who don¡¯t know each other at all.


    This also reflects Arthur¡¯s importance. The Cab is responsible to Arthur and the Royal Parliament, while Arthurpletely controls the Royal Parliament.


    This means that Arthur hasplete control over the Cab, and Arthur is the highest point of national administration.


    The current Cab Government can be divided into three factions. The first faction consists of the former Prime Ministers from the colonial period. By relying on their past prestige from the colonial period, they upy several important positions in the Cab Government and are one of the most powerful factions.


    The second faction is the Cab members elected by the lower-ss citizens, including Agriculture Minister Henry, Minister of Transportation Connelly, and Minister Willy of Health.


    Most of these people have higher loyalty to Arthur and are truly pragmatic, genuinely wanting to achieve some aplishments.


    The third faction is the Cab Ministers appointed by Arthur, who arepletely loyal to Arthur.


    Actually, the number of people in this faction is notrge, and they only control two departments, Defense and Finance.


    But these two departments happen to be the most important in the Austrsian Cab Government, one representing military power and the other representing financial power.


    Although Minister Kent of Defence and Finance Minister Roger are not keen on fighting for power, no one can deny their positions in the Cab Government.


    Even Prime Minister Evan is unwilling to have conflicts with Minister Kent and Minister Roger. After all, these two represent Arthur within the Cab Government.


    Compared to other countries, the power of political parties in Austrsia is much smaller.


    Firstly, all legal political parties in Austrsia are subject to the supervision of the Royal Parliament.


    This supervision is not just a title, as the Royal Parliament has the power to supervise, punish, dere legal and establish, and dere illegal and forcefully dissolve political parties.<div>


    This also means that the Royal Parliament has the power of life and death over all political parties, so these parties cannot make much of a ssh in Austrsia.


    Secondly, indirect bribery, such as political donations, is not allowed.


    Austrsia has an Election Federation which oversees all elections, established and supervised by the Royal Parliament and the House of Representatives.


    The members of the Election Federation areposed of the royal family, the cab government, the Royal Parliament, and the House of Representatives, and are directly responsible to the royal family while being supervised by the Royal Parliament and the House of Representatives.<div>


    The only way for a political party to obtain legal development funds is to call on voters to donate to the Election Federation.


    All the funds received by the Election Federation, 70% are distributed ording to the proportion of seats upied by the political parties in the House of Representatives, and the remaining 30% are equally allocated to all legal political parties.


    It should be noted that due to the limited power of political parties, even the current Unity Party, which upies the most seats in the House of Representatives, only has 24% of the seats.


    This indicates that bribery by capitalists is basically impossible.


    Although a political party may get the lion¡¯s share of donated funds, it will never exceed 25%.


    This has turned themon practice of political donations in other countries into a joint development in Austrsia, where while developing oneself, one is also funding the enemy.


    This regtion has caused great difort to all major political parties, but due to the supervision of the Royal Parliament and the necessity to ept the interference of the Election Federation during the election, they can only grit their teeth and ept it.


    As for epting bribes in private, political parties do not dare to do so.


    Do not underestimate the level of supervision from the Royal Parliament and the Election Federation, coupled with the enactment of electionws and partyws, using strictws to eradicate such behavior.


    Arthur is very harsh on election bribery punishment. Once discovered, not only will all illegal proceeds be confiscated but the political party involved will be dered illegal and forcefully dissolved, and its main members will be barred from participating in any scale of elections in Austrsia, severing all ties with their political career.


    This is only the political punishment. For individuals, depending on the size of the proceeds received, one could face trial with sentences ranging from imprisonment to life imprisonment or even death.


    In addition, the capital of Austrsia is still very weak at present, and apart from the royal financial group, there is no capital that can challenge the government, or even have the courage to do so.


    Under such various restrictions, the election funds of major political parties in Austrsia are not abundant, with most of the fundsing from spontaneous political donations by Austrsians.<div>


    Although such donations are frequent, the amounts are not veryrge, and the total annual donations amount to less than 500,000 Australian dors, even for the most popr Unity Party, its annual budget does not exceed 100,000 Australian dors.


    Although it already seems like a lot, 100,000 Australian dors of thates from Arthur¡¯s support.


    If it were not for Arthur¡¯s 100,000 Australian dors, the financial situation of major political parties would be even worse.


    Of course, the booming development prospects of Austrsia are also one of the reasons for a limited size of political parties.


    The development pace of Austrsia makes its people very satisfied, and themon people are content with their lives, so naturally, they have no intention of engaging in politics.


    Without the support of more lower-ss citizens, this is the main reason why the current major political parties are notrge in size, and their support rates are not very high.

 Chapter 241: 225: The Candidate is Chosen

    Chapter 241: Chapter 225: The Candidate is Chosen


    On June 10, 1907, the election for the Kingdom of Austrsia¡¯s Cab Government officially began.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This election was much grander and more formal than the previous two elections.


    Moreover, as it was the first election since the establishment of the kingdom and an election for the Prime Minister¡¯s session, it not only caused a huge sensation in the political arena, but also attracted the attention of many Austrsians.


    Austrsians were looking forward to who the new government members would be and what specific administrative policies there would be.


    However, despite their anticipation, not a single Austrsian showed a nervous state of mind.


    The reason for this was that everyone knew Arthur was the highest authority. As long as Arthur was still the King of Austrsia, the various welfare policies in Austrsia would not disappear, but would only increase.


    Under such a premise, the choice of government officials became less important. The focus of Austrsians on the election was, in fact, more about their approval of the previous government and their support for the Kingdom Government.


    Inparison with the previous Cab election, only the House of Representatives participated in this election.


    However, as the number of members in the House of Representatives had already exceeded two hundred, this election was muchrger than the previous two, and the vast majority of people and political parties were eager to challenge the highest echelons of the Austrsia political arena.


    This time, the election participants included 212 Members of the House of Representatives, the current cab¡¯s 11 members, and responsible supervisors of the Royal Parliament, Election Federation, and Arthur.<div>


    The supervising Royal Parliament, Election Federation, and Arthur did not have the right to vote, but were merely supervisors and witnesses of the election.


    The rest of them were participants in the election, theoretically eligible to run for any position in the Cab.


    This election was more dramaticpared to the previous two, and it was very possible that there would be major changes in the Cab Government members.


    Over these four years, the scale of political parties had also experienced significant expansion. While not as noticeable among the lower-ss citizens, the current parties already upied more than 70% of the seats in the House of Representatives, significantly reducing the number of individual candidates.


    Of course, this was not good news for those who wanted to run for election. It meant that theirpetitors had changed from weak individual candidates to political parties, greatly increasing the difficulty of the election.


    The election wouldst for one week, during which the candidates would have to give speeches andcampaign, significantly increasing the election time.


    Such an election was more formal, after all, it was also necessary for all candidates to introduce themselves.


    During this week, Arthur only appeared on the first day and thest day, with the rest of the time being supervised by the Royal Parliament and the Election Federation.


    As for Arthur, staying at the scene would only make the candidates¡¯ performances unusual, so it would be better for him to return to the Sydney Pce and spend his honeymoon with Queen Mary, while also discussing the human body structure.


    After Arthur had been busy for several days, this Cab Government election was dered sessful.


    In fact, before the Cab Government election began, all the intelligence materials of the candidates had already been ced on Arthur¡¯s desk.


    Especially those with a high probability of being elected as Cab Ministers, their information was even more detailed, even including their ancestors, friends, and other details.


    Speaking of which, the expansion of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency must be praised.


    Currently, the number of intelligence personnel in the Royal Security Intelligence Agency has exceeded 700, spread across regions such as Austrsia, East Asia, Europe, and the United States.


    Among them, Austrsia is one of the regions with thergest investment, currently having more than 300 intelligence personnel, helping Arthur to control everything in Austrsia.


    Being able to grasp such detailed information before the election started also showed the ability and efficiency of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency at present.


    Arthur nced through the names on the list, focusing especially on those who were likely to be Cab Ministers.


    Among these people, the names of the Unity Party and the Rural Party were frequently mentioned. The leaders of the Unity Party and the Rural Party, in particr, were likely to be one of the Cab Minister candidates.


    The Unity Party and the Rural Party were also the two most powerful parties in Austrsia, upying 24% and 21% of the seats in the House of Representatives, respectively.<div>


    On June 16, 1907, thest day of the election, Arthur arrived at the meeting room where the election was being held. Looking at the eager faces of the Members of Parliament, he smiled and said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to witness the birth of the third Cab Government of Austrsia once again. There are familiar faces in the Cab, and I am happy that you can continue to stay in this position. Those who have not been sessful in the election should not be discouraged; everyone, whether as cab members, members of parliament, or even justmon people, can contribute to the development and construction of the kingdom in various different positions, and make their own efforts for the rise of our great country.¡±


    The crowd apuded excitedly.


    ¡°After the cab members take office, there will be numerous positions avable in each department. All those who have not been elected can, based on the future government announcements, apply for specific positions ording to the process,¡± Arthur continued.


    <div>

 Chapter 242: 225: The Candidate is Chosen_2

    Chapter 242: Chapter 225: The Candidate is Chosen_2


    For many new members just entering the political arena, bing a cab minister directly can be a bit difficult, but they also can serve as key officers in various departments.


    At this stage, they can also gain more political and managerial experience to prepare themselves for future elections andy a solid foundation.


    After all, these are key positions in important national departments. Although they aren¡¯t at the highest level of the national government, for ordinary people, it¡¯s like a leap into the sky.


    Especially the deputy roles, that is, those deputy ministers. If the department minister has an ident, they will take over the minister¡¯s duties temporarily until the next cab election.


    Although the deputy minister of the department does not have as prominent an identity as the minister and does not have as much power and status, he is also definitely one of the elite members of the government and is the most fiercely contested position in every election apart from the ministers.


    These positions are also the best choice for those without background but with good abilities.


    If they can gain higher recognition based on their abilities, such as attracting Arthur¡¯s attention, they can also achieve a leap into the sky.


    ¡°Alright, next is the announcement of the official list of cab members.¡± Arthur looked at the differing expressions of the crowd and opened his mouth with a smile.


    ¡°I dere, the choice for Minister of Industry in the new cab government is¡ª Pierre Silvio Berlusconi!¡±


    Well, there¡¯s no doubt about it. As one of the ministers of key departments, Minister of Industry Pierre is elected again, continuing to serve as Minister of Industry in the new cab government.<div>


    After hearing his own name, Minister Pierre clearly breathed a sigh of relief.


    In fact, before the election, Minister Pierre also hesitated as to whether tounch a charge for the position of Prime Minister, but ultimately decided to secure his position as Minister of Industry first.


    For Minister Pierre, bing Prime Minister may only be a possibility, but the position of Minister of Industry is virtually guaranteed.


    From the industrial development speed of Austrsia over the past seven years and more, one can see the contributions of Minister Pierre. Although Arthur has paved the way for many in Austrsia¡¯s industrial development, the practical policies and measures have been executed by Minister Pierre.


    ¡°The choice for Minister of Public Security in the new cab government is¡ª Thomas Chekhov!¡±


    Like Minister Pierre, Thomas was also one of the previous colonial prime ministers, and his aplishments were not small, so his continued tenure was also natural.


    Of course, this is also their third term as cab ministers. If they cannotunch a charge for the highest position in the next election, they will also temporarily leave the position of cab minister.


    ¡°The choice for Minister of Agriculture in the new cab government is¡ª Mark Ryder!¡±


    Mark Ryder, this is apletely unfamiliar name, and he is one of the new members of this cab government.


    Mark Ryder is the leader of Austrsia¡¯s secondrgest political party, the Rural Party. It¡¯s no wonder that he was chosen as Minister of Agriculture.


    Compared with the previous two ministers who have been reshuffled for the third time, Mark Ryder seemed much more excited. But this is understandable, after all, he has now be one of the upper echelons of the nation, you could say he¡¯s reached the peak of his life.


    ¡°The choice for Minister of Transportation in the new cab government is¡ª Lauren Robert!¡±


    This is also a new name, Lauren Robert is the person in charge of the Unity Party.


    ¡°The choice for Minister of Education in the new cab government is¡ª Richard Noble Chapman!¡±


    Minister Richard is also a familiar person, the education in Austrsia is currently developing very well, and Arthur has no ns to rece him at the moment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°The choice for Minister of Civil Affairs in the new cab government is¡ª Henris Klee!¡±


    Former Agriculture Minister Henry, in the new cab government, became the Head of the crucial Civil Affairs Department, something not even Arthur had anticipated.


    After all, Henry is an ordinary official from Sydney City Council, with no particr background or connections.


    However, Minister Henry is indeedpetent and possesses a heartfelt desire to serve his country, making him quite suitable for the role.<div>


    The fact that Minister Henry, when he was just a small city official, gave a third of his sry to help the poor, says a lot about his kindness and generosity.


    ¡°The new Cab Government, Minister of Health,


    is Willie Watson!¡±


    This is a position where capability is paramount, and for the time being, no one can challenge Minister Willie¡¯s position.<div>


    ¡°In the new Cab Government, the Minister of Defense is Kent Crawford Rowan!¡±


    ¡°In the new Cab Government, the Finance Minister is Roger Joseph Albert!¡±


    Ministers Kent and Roger are Arthur¡¯s stalwarts, their reappointment is only natural.


    The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance are crucial posts within the Cab Government and must remain under Arthur¡¯s control.


    Even if Ministers Kent and Roger were to step down in the future, their recements would undoubtedly be trusted allies of Arthur, not those from the electoral field.


    On this point, both the party and individual candidates have clear understanding, they would not be so deluded as to believe they could attain these two positions.


    ¡°In the new Cab Government, the Foreign Minister is Andrew Kim Potter!¡±


    Minister Andrew is a long-serving veteran, for these old hands, obtaining a third term is not difficult.


    The real period of choice for them will be at the next election.


    After fulfilling their third term as Cab Ministers, their choices, aside from challenging the Prime Minister, involve temporarily saying goodbye to the Cab Government.


    But the next Cab Government election will be more chaotic, Prime Minister Evan will have the chance to be re-elected. Added to this, the seeking of re-election by a new Prime Minister, the ambition of all the old staffers for the Prime Minister¡¯s position, might make this Austrsia¡¯s most fiercelypetitive Prime Ministerial election.


    ¡°Well, after the selection of Cab Ministers,es the position you all look forward to the most, the Prime Minister¡¯s.¡± Arthur took a deep breath and smiled.


    ¡°I announce that in the new Cab Government, the Prime Minister is Walter ck!¡±<div>


    Walter ck is the Minister of Civil Affairs in the second cab government and, aside from Prime Minister Evan, is the highest-profile figure in the Cab Government.


    Since the previous colonial period, Walter ck has always been the second man in Australian politics, always behind Prime Minister Evan.


    This time, he finally attained the Prime Minister¡¯s position, bing the number one figure in politics.


    After the list was read, Arthur made a concluding remark: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the new Cab Government has been born, let¡¯s congratte these elected members!¡±


    After a round of apuse, Arthur continued: ¡°The new Cab Government includes many familiar faces from before, as well as many new members. Whether old or new, I hope all can persist with the belief of striving for the development of the country.¡±


    ¡°You have be a part of the Cab Government, this shows the support of all members, and the support of all Austrsians. For Austrsia, for the rise and development of the kingdom, you need to perform better than before, and be a model for the people!¡±


    Amidst the apuse, this Cab Government election was officially dered over.

 Chapter 243: 226: New Cabinet, New Plan

    Chapter 243: Chapter 226: New Cab, New n


    On June 19, 1907, three days after the election, the first meeting of the new cab government officially began.


    Because there are many new faces in this cab government, coupled with the position changes of old employees, it is necessary for this meeting, and Arthur presides over it himself.


    For neers in politics like Agriculture Minister Mark and Transportation Minister Lauren, they need more time to adapt to their positions and understand all the information and materials of their departments.


    Of course, it also takes time for the new Prime Minister Walter to adapt to his identity, as the Prime Minister is the person in charge of the cab. He must coordinate the cab as much as possible toplete all the tasks assigned by Arthur.


    The meeting was held at the Sydney Pce, attended by the Prime Minister of the Cab Government and various ministers, as well as the deputies selected by these ministers, the deputy ministers of each department.


    Although these deputy ministers can also participate in this meeting, their main role is to assist their respective ministers, especially to provide information and materials for the neers.


    Of course, before the cab meeting began, there was a more solemn ceremony, which was for all members of the cab government to swear allegiance to Arthur.


    This has been a tradition since Australia, and it is the best way for these cab members to understand who they are working for.


    Arthur is already calm in such scenes, after epting the pledges of allegiance from all cab members, Arthur said: ¡°Gentlemen, I am very happy to see the establishment of a new Cab Government in Austrsia. After bing a cab member, your every move represents the government and country. I hope you all keep your original intentions, loyalty and unswerving, uphold the constitution of the Kingdom of Austrsia, love all citizens of the kingdom, loyalty to the royal family, and use fearless and unwavering faith to jointly develop our great country. I believe that in these past few days, you have learned about the current situation of each department. Now it¡¯s time to formte new ns to determine the new goals of national development during your tenure.¡±


    In any case, the new cab will definitely have a different style from the previous Prime Minister Evan.<div>


    Whether it is thepletely different personalities of Prime Minister Evan and Prime Minister Walter, or the current different situations in Austrsia, it means that Austrsia¡¯s policies will be different from before.


    After Prime Minister Walter took office, it is also necessary to make some moves. If it continues to maintain the same actions as the previous Prime Minister Evan, it is not a good thing for Prime Minister Walter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s briefly talk about the situation of each department! Let¡¯s first understand the situation of the country, and then discuss the specific ns.¡± Arthur said with a smile.


    The main thing is to let the new Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Transportation, as well as Prime Minister Walter and Minister Henry, who have changed positions, understand the situation. To develop a detailed and reasonable development n, the first step is to understand the current development situation of the department.


    This session naturally starts with old employees like Minister Pierre, who have been in office for two or three consecutive terms.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the current development situation of the industrial sector is good. With the help of the Germans, we have made up for the basic industry, especially the chemical industry, and solved the problem of our insufficient basic industry,¡± said Minister of Industry Pierre.


    ¡°On top of that, our industrial scale is also developing rapidly, and currently, the number of ourrge industrial zones has exceeded eight, and the total number of small and medium-sized industrial zones is nearly fifteen,¡± Minister Pierre introduced with some pride.


    The industrial development of Austrsia can be described as smooth sailing, and the speed of industrial development is also very smooth, without encountering too many obstacles.


    In addition, with the assistance of arge number of industrial equipment from the United Kingdom, the aid of Germany, and its own abundant mineral resources, Austrsia has be one of the current industrial powers in just over seven years, with a total steel output even surpassing that of Italy, ranked among the top ten in the world.


    Of course, this does not mean that the overall scale of Austrsia¡¯s industry has reached the first echelon under the powers.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Compared with the profound European nations, Austrsia still has many shorings and needs time to make up for them.


    However, Austrsia¡¯s development potential is visible to the naked eye, and industrial development is much smoother than expected.


    ¡°Currently, we are vigorously cultivating domestic factories. Up to now, Austrsia has hundreds of private factories, including machinery, papermaking, cement, ss, timber, chemicals, etc., and some even have a certain scale and can achieve long-term profitability,¡± Minister Pierre continued.


    Although most of the small factories still need funding from the Ministry of Industry, some factories have already be profitable on their own.


    Theserge and small, diverse factories produce finished products that fill the market in Austrsia, and are the potential stocks of Austrsia¡¯s civil industry.


    Of course, currently most of the military industry is controlled by Arthur, with a small part being co-operated by the royal family and the government.

 Chapter 244: Chapter 226: New Cabinet, New Plan_2

    Private military corporations have not yet emerged in Austrsia, as Arthur''s arms factory and shipyard have achieved a degree of technological superiority that cannot currtly be matched by capital in Austrsia.


    Following the Ministry of Industry, Security Minister Thomas was introduced.


    "Your Majesty,dies and gtlem. Our police training system has gradually tak shape after a long period of developmt. Up to now, there are more than 4,000 police officers distributed across over 300 police stations of varying sizes throughout Austrsia.


    Our police training system can also train over 00 officers annually, meeting our public security needs as the poption increases," Security Minister Thomas briefed.


    ording to the statistics for the previous year, there were fewer than ,000 criminal incidts within the Kingdom of Austrsia in 906, with less than one-tth of those involving human lives.


    Although nearly ,000 criminal cases may seem like a lot, Austrsia has a poption of over 6 million, giving it a crime rate of less than one in six thousand.


    Evpared toter gerations, such a low crime rate is undoubtedly excellt.


    It is understandable, as chaotic order and unstable vironmts oft lead to an increase in crime rates.


    However, the vironmt in Austrsia is very stable, and ev the merger with New Zend was done through peaceful referdums.


    Moreover, Arthur''s emphasis on the plight of the lower-ssmoners results in the Royal Relief Committee disbursing arge amount of funds every year to aid all lower-ss citizs.


    This is also a reason for the low crime rate in Austrsia.


    Of course, the currt crime statistics primarily ount for more severe criminal cases. Ordinary incidts such as fights and brawls are gerally dealt with by the police through mere admonitions, ev if they get involved.


    However, more severe incidts such as theft and robbery are strictly regted by the security departmt.


    This is also Arthur''s requiremt to create a pleasant immigration vironmt for Austrsia. Theft and robbery are considered serious crimes in Austrsia, and under certain circumstances, they may ev result in life imprisonmt or the death palty.


    After all, the Royal Relief Committee has sured that no Austrsianmoner will starve to death. Under such circumstances, those who stillmit theft and robbery are esstially criminals driv by greed, and their deaths are of little consequce.


    Arthur nodded approvingly.


    Arthur is delighted with the crime rate in Austrsia. It is worth noting that guns are currtly not prohibited in Austrsia. Althoughrge-scale gun ownership is not supported, remote herdsm and residts are legally allowed to own hunting rifles to protect themselves against wild animals or other dangers.


    Indeed, Austrsia is home to many deste areas, as well as vast primeval forests and mountain ranges.


    These areas have not be explored by humans and are inhabited by numerous wild animals and poisonous insects.


    Without hunting rifles for self-defse, the safety of people living near the countryside would not be guaranteed.


    After the Security Departmt, the Ministers of Education and Health also introduced their situations.


    The education and medical care in Austrsia have developed smoothly as well. Particrly since the Victoria Award has resolved the source of high-caliber talt, medical care in Austrsia has be thriving, and the construction and developmt of hospitals have gerally met domestic needs.


    Currtly, excluding the royal hospital built by Arthur in Sydney Pce, Austrsia has more than fifterge hospitals and about t medium-sized ones.


    Specifically, the Capital Territory, the most developed region in Austrsia, has tworge hospitals and one medium-sized one.


    Ev the more deste West Australia and South Australia each have onerge and one small hospital.


    In addition, private clinics spring up all over Austrsia, which helps to resolve the medical problems in the region.


    Particrly the first fewrge hospitals built and the royal hospital established by Arthur have attracted many medical experts from Europe, and their level of medicine can be considered advanced.


    Especially the royal hospital, which was built for the royal family and high-ranking governmt officials, has medical care facilities and equipmt on par with the top-tier in Europe.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The education situation in Austrsia is also exceptional, with the six universities barely meeting the demand for higher education.


    Based on this, the numerous primary and secondary schools across Austrsia form the foundation for the developmt of education, which is also the key to the continuous increase in literacy rates among the poption.


    Now, some of the factories in Austrsia have ev set academic requiremts for key positions.


    Fortunately, immigrants from the United Kingdom and Germany have at least primary school education or higher, and there are ev many people with secondary school education.


    Education levels areparatively lower among Russian immigrants, but they are more obedit and thus more likely to submit to the kingdom''s rule.


    In any case, Austrsia offers supplemtary adult education, which should easily provide the majority of Russians with at least primary school education.


    The Ministry of Education''s main n is to develop the six universities currtly in Austrsia into top institutions, attracting more European studts and retaining their services in Austrsia.


    Moreover, the number of universities in Austrsia is still too low, and Arthur''s appetite would only be temporarily satisfied if it were increased twofold or threefold.

 Chapter 245: Chapter 226: New Cabinet, New Plan_3

    Minister Andrew had nothing much to report, as Austrsia is basically not involved in international affairs. Apart from exchanges with a few better countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has virtually nothing to do.


    Minister of Defce Kt simply reported on the number of soldiers and their currt training status. The situation in the Ministry of Defce is unique at the momt. Although it is part of the Cab, the Ministry of Defce only reports to the Royal Parliamt and Arthur.


    Next up was Finance Minister Roger. The financial situation in Austrsia is quite good, not only does it have 30 million Australian dors on the books, but the fiscal revue in thest six months has also hit a new high, reaching a pleasing 5.3 million Australian dors.


    If this can be maintained, the total governmt fiscal revue for 907 has a chance of exceeding 30 million Australian dors, realising a surplus in governmt finances for the first time.


    Because in the first half of the year, the total fiscal expditure of the governmt was only 4. million Australian dors, ev wh the Northern Railway construction n wasunched.


    In the second half of this year, the construction of the industrial railway is about to bepleted, which also means that the governmt will have one less major expditure project.


    The governmt''s financial turna from deficit to surplus, has many ministers smiling from ear to ear.


    The improvemt in governmt finances also means that each departmt will receive arger budget, making it ev easier to carry out their tasks.


    Minister Hry wt straight from the not-so-high-ranking Minister of Agriculture position to Minister of Civil Affairs and became one of the upper echelons of the Cab Governmt.


    Despite being responsible forpletely differt affairs, years of political experice have allowed Minister Hry to quickly familiarise himself with the situation in the Ministry of Civil Affairs, making it easier to manage administrative affairs.


    Though only half a year has passed, the poption growth in Austrsia has be very rapid.


    So far, Austrsia has a total poption of 6.77 million, of which the total poption of Australia is 5.4 million and New Zend''s total poption is .3 million.


    It is visible to the naked eye that the scale and developmt speed of Australia''s poption is much faster than that of New Zend, this is due to Australia''snd area, as well as Australia''s original poption scale.


    However, this is a good thing for the currt Austrsia, Arthur''s base is Australia, and the stronger Australia is, the more stable the situation of Austrsian unity bes.


    Although the gap betwe Australia and New Zend is gradually bing a source of dissatisfaction for some New Zenders, Arthur also has measures to deal with this.


    Besidesunching many constructions in New Zend to let them truly feel the changes brought about by joining the kingdom, we are also promoting the concept of Austrsians, subtly merging Australians and New Zenders into one ethnicity, which can also eliminate the possibility of a gap betwe the two peoples and regions.


    Next up are the two new ministers, that is, the reports from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Transportation.


    First is the Ministry of Agriculture, the report from Minister Mark.


    The developmt of agriculture in Austrsia is also very rapid, which is thanks to thebour of arge number of indigous people.


    Due to the input of arge number of indigous people, the total area of arablend in Austrsia has be steadily increasing at a rate of at least 5% annually. Food production is ev more pleasing, from initially a  million tons in Australia, by 906 the annual production exceeded 5.5 million tons.


    This grain production can sustain a poption of 0 million. But Austrsia still has a lot of arablend, this is a valuable resource for Austrsia, and the key to supporting arger poption.


    What is noticeably differt from before is the cultivatednd area that Austrsia currtly gives to immigrants.


    Although each immigrant could previously be allocated three acres ofnd, less than a fifth of this was ready-made farnd, the rest required the immigrants to clear it themselves.


    But now Austrsia''s immigration policy has be upgraded once again. Each immigrant can not only obtain at least five acres ofnd, at least one-third of which is arable, but also hire indigous peoples for remation at a low price.


    Especially in the New Guinea Colony, immigrants heading to New Guinea Colony can ev get t acres ofnd, the Colonial Governmt will also dispatch indigous people for remation, and ev farming and harvesting can hire indigous people at a low cost, thus bing a farm owner.


    There was also a twist, the Dutch East Indies too felt the frantic speed of Austrsia''s developmt and made some adjustmts regarding the Indigous Peoples.


    Currtly, the frequcy of indigous people dispatched from the Dutch East Indies is significantly lower, and most of those st over are wom or the elderly who are not suitable asborers.


    Although their price is ev lower, Austrsia has no need to spd money buying waste.


    ording to the estimates of the Dutch East Indies indigous poption, there are at least more than forty million indigous people within the Dutch East Indies.


    However, in the Dutch East Indies, the indigous poption transported to Austrsia is only just over one million, which is trifling for the Dutch East Indies.


    Therefore, the reason for the Dutch East Indies reducing the frequcy of indigous transfers is very likely because they fear Austrsia''s speed of developmt.


    Perhaps they have also realized that continuing to transportrge numbers of indigous people will only continue to elerate Austrsia''s developmt speed.


    Wh Austrsia has developed to a certain extt and possesses ough military strgth, the Dutch East Indies, as Austrsia''s closest neighbor to the north, will undoubtedly be hit first.


    Arthur understood the Dutch''s apprehsions, but it was already toote for the Dutch to react.


    Looking at the currt developmt of Austrsia, the Dutch may not necessarily be a match for Austrsia.


    The Dutch East Indies wants to reduce the scale of indigous people transport, but it depds on whether Arthur''s loyal army agrees or not.


    This is an important issue about national developmt and can absolutely cause two fridly nations to fall out.


    If the Dutch are unwilling to continue the previous scale of indigous transportation, th they can only experice the intsity of the Austrsia Army.


    Of course, this also needs an opportunity. Arthur will not take the initiative to act against the Dutch without sufficit reasons.


    After all, this is a legally recognized colony of the Powers, and Arthur does not want Austrsia''s positive impression in the eyes of the Powers to be too badly damaged.


    The reports from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Transportation are all based on data.


    The transportation infrastructure construction of Austrsia is also progressing smoothly, the industrial railways estimated for t-year construction has alreadypleted more than half in more than six years and will be officiallypleted and oped to traffic in the second half of this year.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This will greatly alleviate the traffic issues betwe the east and west ds of the Australian Contint, and the abundant mineral resources of West Australia and South Australia can be transferred effectively and quickly to the most developed region of Southeast Australia.


    If the construction of the Northern Railwaypletes, themunication betwe the states of Australia will be very efficit, which will also be good news for the developmt of Austrsia.


    Of course, if the Northern Railway is sessfully built, Austrsia will have a better grip on the Northern Region of Australia.


    And the Northern Region of the Australian Contint is very close to Southeast Asia, especially some inds in the Dutch East Indies.


    This is also an arrangemt for the possible expansion of Austrsia, and the Southeast Asia region is also very important for Austrsia.

 Chapter 246: Chapter 227: Fishermen Conflict

    If the first two Cabs focused on domestic developmt, starting with the third Cab, Australia also sought to develop its international influce, looking outward for more power and influce.


    In July 907, with the joint efforts of many Austrsian artists andposers, the Kingdom of Austrsia''s national anthem, "Austrsia, advance!" was officially born.


    Although the name is somewhat simr to the historical Australian anthem, the contt is tirely differt.


    Historically, the Australian national anthem represted Australia''s detachmt from war and its idyllic, carefree beauty.


    However, the Austrsian national anthem, while extolling the royal family and Arthur''s contributions, courages Austrsians to join hands and push Austrsia to the top of the world.


    There are two versions of the national anthem: one is a purely instrumtal version, used to be yed on solemn asions of the country.


    The version with lyrics is used for asions like National Day, and both versions share amon easter egg: Arthur''s personally shouted, "Austrsia, advance!" in the closing of the music.


    Such a national anthem fits Arthur''s purpose, uniting all Austrsians and fostering their national consciousness and cohesion.


    Wh such anthems and music are yed at solemn asions, it stirs the hearts of many patriots and nationalists.


    Especially wh the anthem ds and Arthur''s own slogan is yed, it can''t help but elicit cheers from many Austrsians.


    In July 907, the Timor Sea in the northern part of Austrsia.


    The Timor Sea connects three countries and is a major transportation hub for the northern part of Austrsia.


    This area not only has abundant petroleum and natural gas resources, but it is also one of the regions with natural fishing gs in northern Austrsia.


    This has led to an influx of fisherm from the three countries, and while gerally peaceful, fisherm from differt regions and nationalities keep to themselves. Dutch East Indies fisherm are located in the northwest, Portuguese Timor fisherm in the northeast, and Austrsian fisherm in the south.


    However, as the Southern Hemisphere ters winter (the Southern Hemisphere''s seasons are opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere, with June to August being winter in the Southern Hemisphere), the natural fishing g locations will shift, gerally moving further north.


    Of course, the real movemt depds on the direction of the fish, which is not limited by humans, causing the fisherm a the Timor Sea to be affected to some extt every year.


    Based on the previous situation, Austrsian fisherm td to lose out the most since the fishing g shifts to the north, and geographically, they are closer to the Dutch East Indies and Portuguese Timor.


    But since thest pirate incidt, the national pride of the Austrsian people has be ignited, and their recognition of the royal family and the country has increased.


    Previously, the Austrsian fisherm were contt with their lot, ev if their catch was reduced, rarely straying too close to other countries'' waters.


    But now, with the onset of winter, Austrsian fisherm have gradually expanded further north, crossing Austrsia''s own Kajetia Ind and Ashmore Reef, tering the exclusive areas of the Dutch and the Portuguese.


    This aggressive behavior has naturally provoked some dissatisfaction among the Dutch and the Portuguese.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Fisherm from all a, who normally stayed in their respective ces without infringing on one another, now found their fishing gs upied, interrupting their livelihoods.


    To the fisherm, the daily catch sustains their livelihood, and fishing is their primary means of survival.


    Some may be able to dure this, but there are also some with a vtile temperamt, on the verge of picking up weapons and fighting.


    Initially, the situation could be contained, but such simple conflicts have gradually escted into conflicts betwe fisherm from the three countries in the region.


    Larger fishing boats may be safe, but especially small fishing boats not only have their fishing disrupted by boats from other countries but have also witnessed some malicious attacks.


    No matter how the Dutch East Indies and Portuguese Timor react, a series of fishing conflicts have attracted the atttion of the Austrsian Governmt.


    The governmt also conved an emergcy meeting to discuss how to deal with these conflicts.


    Soon, Arthur issued his orders, telling the governmt to publicly urge the fisherm to restrain themselves but secretly supporting more immigrants to move further north in the Timor Sea.


    Ordinary people might not understand such inttions, but the clever people in the governmt saw through them.


    Though the fisherm were asked to restrain themselves oply, in secret, ev more, were deployed to croach upon the fishing areas further north with the inttion of provoking the Dutch and the Portuguese.


    If it was the Dutch or the Portuguese who initiated the conflict, th there would be many more ways for Austrsia to respond.


    On July 7, 907, the first wave of fishing conflicts officially broke out.


    It started wh fisherm from Portuguese Timor, dissatisfied with the unaffected, abundant harvests of the Austrsian fisherm, grew vious and provoked Austrsian fishing boats.


    After during the frustrating harassmt fruitlessly, Austrsian fisherm evtually decided to usenguage and action in retaliation.

 Chapter 247: Chapter 227: Fishermen Conflict_2

    Due to the emotional conflict betwe the two parties, the Portuguese evtually became so angry and embarrassed that they chose to use fishing boats tounch a collision. After the fishing boats neared, they attacked the Austrsian fisherm with crude guns.


    The attacked Austrsians were seriously injured. Although their lives were not in danger, they required significant treatmt costs, and there was ev the possibility of permant disability.


    After the sessful attack, the Portuguese seized the Austrsian fisherm''s harvest and left arrogantly with insulting words.


    Evtually, the injured fisherm were discovered by an Austrsian patrol fleet and barely survived.


    Of course, the official exnation for the incidt came from Austrsia and was published in the Victoria Newspaper and the Austrsia Daily.


    However, the actual details of the incidt and the extt to which they were true remained unknown, perhaps only known by those who had truly expericed the conflict.


    Regardless, the conflict, which appeared to have only victimized the Austrsians, indeed sparked public outrage in Austrsia.


    Moreover, Arthur mobilized a lot of public opinion, and European Affairs Supervisor David prepared public stimt in Europe. Thus, most European citizs supported Austrsia in this conflict.


    Although the Portuguese governmt provided exnations, and the Portuguese media published the official conflict statemt, they ultimately could not withstand the photographs published by the Austrsian side.


    After the Austrsian Governmt prested the on-site photos of the incidt, all of the Portuguese''s exnations were se as quibbles by others.


    In fact, the oue of the conflict was not much differt from the Austrsian statemt, but the process was quite differt.


    In this conflict, the so-called "fisherm" were actually intelligce personnel from the Royal Security Intelligce Agcy.


    After being repeatedly provoked by the intelligce personnel, the Portuguese fisherm became furious.


    However, Arthur achieved the desired result. European citizs saw the exnation of the incidt and the real photos, so who cared about the actual process?


    Or rather, because of the guine photos and the victim status of Austrsia, the public was gerally more willing to believe the Austrsian statemt.


    Regardless of the time, ordinary people are easily guided. Public opinion has be the best weapon for attacking individuals and forces. As long as you gain public support, th what should be right is wrong, and what should be wrong is right.


    On July 9, 907, after sessfully saving the injured "fisherm" and learning the "true" course of the conflict from them, Arthur was "raged" and publicly stated that the Portuguese must give an ount to the injured fisherm and all the people.


    On July 30, 907, the Austrsian Governmt formally issued a notice to Portuguese Timor and the Kingdom of Portugal, demanding the perpetrators who attacked Austrsian fisherm be handed over andpsation be paid to all Austrsian fisherm affected by the conflict.


    At the same time, three neighboring countries in the Timor Sea should jointly demarcate specific spheres of influce to avoid more conflicts.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Indeed, Austrsia''s demands were not high, at least in the eyes of Europeans who considered themselves "neutral."


    Since the Portuguese were wrong, they should paypsation.


    Demarcating detailed spheres of influce among the three countries is ev more reasonable, as it can prevt more conflicts.


    But the problem is that the Portuguese heavily imed in their domestic propaganda that the fisherm were innoct, and domestic factions alsounched public opinion, stating that the country should support the fisherm of Portuguese Timor.


    It''s be just a few days since the incidt. Asking the Portuguese to hand over the fisherm directly is equivalt to pping the Portuguese governmt in the face, right?


    Of course, losing face is not an important issue at the national level.


    The difficulty lies in the currt unstable situation in Portugal, where domestic revolutions have already started to emerge.


    Previous propaganda made most Portuguese people support their own country''s fisherm. If the governmt hastily hands over the fisherm, how will the Portuguese people perceive it?


    Were the fisherm really wrong? Or is it the governmt''s ipetce, forcing them to frame innoct people?


    Portugal''s currt situation is very unstable, and it all depds on King Carlos I''s high-pressure policy.


    Carlos I was a rather autocratic monarch, but the Kingdom of Portugal had long established a Dual Monarch Constitutional System after its civil war decades ago.


    Carlos I''s high-pressure policy in Portugal and his harsh suppression of revolutionary activities greatly dissatisfied many Republican Democrats in Portugal.


    To what extt were they dissatisfied? In the original historical timeline, Carlos I was assassinated by radical Republicans a yearter, and his son Manuel II was overthrown by a revolution after just two years on the throne, resulting in the Portuguese people dethroning him.


    This also signifies the d of the Portuguese Braganza Dynasty''s rule in just three years. The internal turbulce within the kingdom can be imagined.


    It was due to the unstable domestic political vironmt that Carlos I had a difficult time making a decision.


    Backing down to the Austrsians seemed like a good and quick way to resolve the conflict. Although it would hurt the nation''s dignity, the actual price to pay would not be much.


    However, angry Portuguese citizs might join the revolutionary party and decide to overthrow the governmt''s rule out of discontt.


    For Carlos I, this was uneptable. To maintain the monarchy of the Kingdom of Portugal, and to protect his own position, Carlos I discarded the notion of backing down.


    The national governmt became more resolute in its actions to protect the interests of its citizs while also winning the hearts of themon people and increasing support for the monarchy in Portugal. This was the n that Carlos I had made a long decision on.


    For this reason, Carlos I consulted many confidants and finally unanimously decided to express Portugal''s determination to protect the interests of its citizs without backing down to Austrsia.


    In reality, Carlos I also st people to discreetly inquire about the British position.


    After obtaining the British hint that they would join France in mediating under certain circumstances, Carlos I firmly adopted a tough stance toward Austrsia.


    In Carlos I''s view, Austrsia was just a rectly indepdt country from the colonies, and the developmt of the nation relied heavily on resources and support from Europe.


    Ev if Portugal could not withstand Austrsia in Southeast Asia, once Britain and France interved, Austrsia would have to back down.


    As long as they could withstand the first wave of public opinion and let themselves and the governmt gain the reputation of strong protection of their citizs, there would be more avable diplomatic means in the future.

 Chapter 248: Chapter 228: Declaration of War

    On July 3, 907, the Kingdom of Portugal officially responded, deciding not to hand over any Portuguese fisherm and insisting that Portuguese fisherm had no responsibility in the conflict.


    This decision by the Portuguese governmt also caused quite a stir among European citizs.


    Europeans couldn''t believe that, under the circumstances where both human and material evidce were prest, the Portuguese still stubbornly died the responsibility of Portuguese fisherm in the conflict and ev brazly shielded the criminals.


    Ev Arthur didn''t expect the Portuguese to be so tough. Despite the clearly unfavorable European public opinion, they resolutely stuck to their position.


    However, this is a good thing for Austrsia. If the Portuguese governmt quicklypromised, th Austrsia would have no excuse to interve in Portuguese Timor.


    Now that the Portuguese governmt is stubborn, it''s a good excuse for Austrsia to get involved in Portuguese Timor, which could also be an opportunity for Austrsia to expand again.


    Arthur had originally thought that the opportunity for Austrsian expansion would be in the Dutch East Indies, but he didn''t expect the Portuguese to be restless first.


    On August , 907, Arthur expressed his shock at the attitude of the Portuguese governmt in a public interview, and firmly dered that the Austrsian army would seek justice for Austrsian citizs and that no country or power could prevail over Austrsians.


    On August 3, 907, the Austrsian governmt issued a final ultimatum to the Kingdom of Portugal, demanding that the Kingdom of Portugal immediately ept Austrsia''spsation demands and apologize to the attacked Austrsian fisherm.


    The Austrsian governmt also dered that if Portugal insisted that their fisherm did nothing wrong, they should produce the necessary evidce, rather than merely making unsubstantiated ims in newspapers.


    Austrsia''s demand once again won the approval of the European people.


    Ev after the initial rejection, Austrsia still only demanded that the Portuguese governmt apologize to the attacked fisherm andpsate all affected fisherm.


    In the eyes of most European people, these were very reasonable demands and conditions.


    Comparing the starkly differt attitudes of Austrsia and the Kingdom of Portugal after this conflict, many European citizs ev thought that such conditions would put Austrsia at a disadvantage.


    To the surprise of European citizs, the Portuguese governmt, or rather the autocratic monarch Carlos I, once again rejected Austrsia''s request.


    In fact, Carlos I quickly felt the immse prestige and respect that his strong protection of the people brought to the royal family and himself.


    Although in the European public opinion, Portugal''s prestige and reputation were repeatedly lowered. However, within Portugal, Carlos I''s prestige actually increased. A number of media outlets and individuals spontaneously voiced their support for King Carlos I''s decision.


    It should be noted that since Carlos I implemted high-pressure policies, many opposition parties and media have had no good reviews.


    Being able to publicly support Carlos I this time shows just how significant the impact of Carlos I''s decision is within Portugal.


    At this stage of the evt, ev if his purpose was simply to maintain his rule, Carlos I had no choice but to stick to his decision, which was to protect his citizs at all costs.


    This conflict has also attracted the atttion of many European countries, including Germany and Russia, which have close rtions with Austrsia.


    Britain''s attitude was ambiguous. Although they expressed concern about the situation, they did not clearly support either side.


    After the Kingdom of Portugal once again rejected the request of the Austrsian governmt, William II also expressed his surprise and dissatisfaction with the attitude of the Kingdom of Portugal governmt and his support for Austrsia.


    The Russians acted ev more decisively, not only criticizing the Kingdom of Portugal bluntly but also mocking Carlos I as a coward who dared not admit his mistakes.


    The dissatisfaction and challge from the two European powers also made Carlos I somewhat apprehsive.


    Fortunately, the British Empire soon secretly contacted Carlos I, expressing concern about the matter and dering that the British Empire would work with France to make efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully.


    With this, Carlos I gradually became reassured. As long as there were guarantees from Britain and France, Austrsia could not pose a significant threat to the Kingdom of Portugal.


    On the contrary, he could use this conflict to umte a significant amount of prestige within Portugal.


    Wh the time was ripe, he could simply prest the fisherm at the time as scapegoats and portray himself as a deceived king with a heart full of love for the people. This would allow him to emerge unscathed from the incidt and retain the vast prestige he had umted.


    But is it really that simple? Or rather, Carlos I underestimated the ambition of the Australians and the ambition of Arthur.


    On August 5, 907, after the d of the final 48-hour notice giv by the Austrsian governmt to the Kingdom of Portugal, the Austrsian governmt held a public meeting.


    Prime Minister Walter regretfully announced: "In view of the extremely unreasonable performance of the Kingdom of Portugal governmt, showing no mercy to the injured Austrsian fisherm, and ev fabricating lies and stirring up controversy, attempting to discredit the injured fisherm and the Austrsian governmt, the Austrsian governmt has decided to cut off diplomatic rtions with the Kingdom of Portugal and dere Austrsia to be on a war readiness status."


    Although Prime Minister Walter had not officially dered war on the Kingdom of Portugal, the fact that Austrsia had tered a state of war readiness indicated that the Austrsians were prepared for war.


    After tering a state of war, there was national outrage within Austrsia, and all temporary conscription offices were filled, with many Austrsians looking for various ways to donate funds to the governmt.


    With everyone united, at this momt, the emy of all Austrsians was only one: the Kingdom of Portugal, which had hurt the feelings of Austrsia.


    After diplomatic rtions with the Austrsian Governmt were severed, Carlos I became somewhat panicked.


    However, Carlos I''s solution to the problem was not topromise with Austrsia, but to seek the support of the British Empire and France, which had previously promised assistance.


    The British did indeed provide assistance; more precisely, they provided a method to resolve the conflict.


    In fact, after Austrsia made the decision, the British clearly expressed their attitude: they advised both parties to remain calm during the conflict and were willing to provide a professional team to investigate the truth of the incidt for both sides.


    This was quite normal considering the British''s character as troublemakers, so their decision was understandable.


    More importantly, Arthur had good support and favorability in the United Kingdom, and the special rtionship betwe Austrsia and the United Kingdom made the British closer to Austrsia.


    Moreover, no matter how one looked at the conflict, the victimized party was Austrsia. Whether to help on principle or to help on ties, it was obvious that support should be giv to Austrsia, right?N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Under such attitudes of the British public, if the British governmt made a decision contrary to the people''s wishes, the resulting turmoil would be predictable.


    Ev Edward VII, who was extremely dissatisfied with Arthur, would not stand up to be the target at such a time, let alone British politicians who had no grudges against Arthur.


    Expressing a neutral attitude already risked offding the British public; if it wer''t for Edward VII''s delicate position, the British politicians might have already dered their support for Austrsia.


    After all, their official careers depded on the support of MPs and the people. A governmt that offds the British people is destined not tost long.


    The attitude of the Frch was not much differt from the British; they only advised both parties to remain calm and restrained, and were willing to act as a neutral party in investigating the cause and process of the conflict and resolving the dispute peacefully.


    If such words could solve regional crises, there would be far fewer wars in world history.


    Unfortunately, such words were ultimately just for show; they could not prevt wars or save any losses.


    On August 8, 907, Prime Minister Walter once again made a public appearance and announced the final decision of the Austrsian Governmt and Arthur''s order: The Austrsian Governmt dered that it was immediately in a state of war with the Kingdom of Portugal and would dispatch troops to force its demands.


    Prime Minister Walter smiled and said that the goal of the Austrsian Governmt was only to achieve the previous demands: the Kingdom of Portugal must surrder the culprits behind the conflict, apologize to the injured fisherm, andpsate all affected Austrsian fisherm.


    Based on the time of the conflict and the number of affected fisherm, the Kingdom of Portugal should pay at least one million Australian dors inpsation to the ts of thousands of Austrsian fisherm and at least one million Australian dors inpsation to the injured fisherm.


    Although the totalpsation was only two million Australian dors, Carlos I knew that at this stage, Portuguese national stimt had be fully mobilized.


    If the governmt agreed to thepsation at this time, ev if it was only ,000 Australian dors, the Portuguese people would be very disappointed in the governmt.


    The person most affected, naturally, would be Carlos I, who had sessfully established his image as a patriot who loved the people and did not fear the powerful during this conflict.


    As a result, after Austrsia dered war, the Portuguese governmt responded decisively: Portugal and Austrsia were in a state of war.


    The Kingdom of Portugal was thousands of miles away from Austrsia, and the area most vulnerable to this war was Portugal''s Asian colony.


    To express his attitude, Carlos I decisively announced that he would deploy 40,000 troops from maind Europe to East Asia. These soldiers would arrive in batches in Portugal''s East Asian colonies within three months.


    Meanwhile, in Austrsia.


    Since the beginning of the conflict, Austrsia had be preparing for war.


    Although the preparation time was insufficit, the number of Austrsian troops was notrge, so the time for assembly was still adequate.


    On the day the governmt dered war, more than ,000 troops had already assembled at the Sydney Harbour, ready to board transport ships and, under the protection of the fleet, head to Portuguese Timor to capture Portugal''s important stronghold in Asia.

 Chapter 249: Chapter 229: Landing! Landing!

    Portuguese Timor is the second colony upied by the Kingdom of Portugal in East Asia, and one of Portugal''s crucial strongholds in Asia.


    The currt poption of Portuguese Timor is over 350,000. Ny perct are indigous peoples, three perct are other foreign ethnic groups, and less than sev perct are  immigrants from Portugal and Europe.


    Portuguese Timor is a small colony with a small poption, with just over 0,000  residts.


    However, Portuguese Timor''s economic value is high. Although the Nethends gradually upied more than half of the territory, which is the western region of East Timor Ind, Portugal still retained itsnd on the eastern part of East Timor Ind.


    More importantly, Portuguese Timor, despite only ,000 square kilometers, contains substantial mineral resources, including gold, manganese, chromium, tin, and copper. The nearby Timor Sea also boasts abundant resources of petroleum and natural gas.


    Although not many mineral resources have be discovered, Portuguese Timor is a crucial stepping stone for Austrsia, allowing it to control the ctral zone of the Dutch East Indies.


    If Austrsia can control Portuguese Timor, it would have the ability to turn the tire Timor Sea into its ind sea.


    Moreover, with Portuguese Timor, it can maintain some control over the western part of Timor Ind, which is Java Ind.


    Ever since the two kingdoms dered war on each other, this war has attracted some atttion among Europeans.


    Unexpectedly, what was initially merely diplomatic conflict escted into warfare betwe two nations.


    This can only be attributed to Austrsia''s firm stance and Portugal''s refusal to back down.


    Major European countries have expressed concern about this war, but in these chaotic times, Europeans are ustomed to war and gerally unfazed by it.


    At prest, Portugal has three colonies in Asia, located in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and India.


    But these three colonies sharemon features- small in size and poption, therefore it is impossible to have arge garrison.


    This led to the fact that the total garrisons in all Portuguese colonies in Asia are merely over 3,000 in size.


    Holding off the onught from the Austrsian army with just over 3,000 individuals is virtually impossible.


    Of course, Alfonso I is not relying on these 3,000 individuals to win the war. Reinforcemts from Portugal maind are already moving. The fastest ones will arrive in no more than a month.


    Ev before the war started, the Ministry of Defse had detailed ns. Austrsia will deploy at least 50,000 individuals, with ,000 as the vanguard, responsible for swiftly upying Portugal''s colony in Southeast Asia - Timor.


    The remaining 40,000 will be divided into two parts: a portion will act as the main force and willnd on Portugal''s other Asian colonies after the vanguard sessfully takes over Timor.


    The remaining reserve force will temporarily stay in Austrsia in a state ofbat readiness. On one hand, it can prevt possible emyndings in Austrsia. On the other hand, as a reserve force, it can support the frontline in emergcies.


    Of course, capturing Portuguese Timor rapidly and th leveraging it as a stepping stone fornding in Portugal''s other colonies in East Asia and India is critical.


    After losing three colonies sessively, the Portuguese governmt will have to consider the repercussions of continuing the war.


    On August 8, 907, at 4 pm, at Marlborough Port.


    After the Austrsian Governmt dered war on Portugal, the First Defse Division was prepared to take a transport ship for a beachnding on East Timor Ind.


    Brigadier Geral of the First Division is Silvio Lonnie Rodlin, apettmander who advocates offsive firepower.


    However, at this point, Silvio Lonnie Rodlin looked somewhat hesitant, his resolute face clouded with concern.


    Of course, Silvio Lonnie Rodlin was neither fretting over defeating the Kingdom of Portugal nor fearing the immint war.


    What troubled Silvio Lonnie Rodlin was actually Arthur''s order to minimize casualties as much as possible and curtail Portugal''s vitality in Timor, including Portuguese influce.


    Weaking Portugal''s vitality is straightforward, isn''t it about killing as many Portuguese soldiers as possible?


    Casuallties among soldiers can be reduced with careful nning. This can be achieved byying down heavy fire beforeunching an attack, trading increased firepower to hance the survival rate of soldiers, and minimize casualties.


    But how can they curtail Portuguese influce in Timor? They couldn''t possibly ughter Portuguese civilians in Timor, could they? Although doing so can weak Portuguese influce, Austrsia would th be perceived as the viin in this war.


    Turning a supported war into a condemned one is a losing proposition from any perspective.


    Shaking his head slightly, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin decided to temporarily set his worries aside and conctrate on capturing Portuguese Timor first.


    Unless it is a national emergcy, Arthur''s Guard Division is unlikely to be deployed to war.


    It represts Arthur''sst card, and it is also currtly the best-equipped and best-trained army in Austrsia.


    This is why the First Defse Division gets to be the vanguard. Apart from the Guard Division, the First is Austrsia''s oldest, most trained unit, whosebat capabilities are on par with Germany''s elite soldiers.


    To uphold the tradition of prioritizing firepower, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin ordered all artillerym to bring more than double their ammunition. He also requested assistance from the navy.


    Marlborough is a small port city in eastern Quend State, an ideal boarding location for thending party due to its small scale.


    Launching an operation under the watchful gaze of a metropolis like Sydney would inevitably alert the Portuguese ahead of time.


    Although it would not significantly affect the war''syout, the prepared Portuguese would definitely inflict more casualties on the Austrsian Army.


    The distance from Marlborough to Portuguese Timor is not short; ev if the fleet travels at full speed, it would take at least several hours.


    This has resulted in the fleet nearing Portuguese Timor at a six in the morning before the break of dawn.


    On top of this, it is currtly the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere. Although Portuguese Timor is not too cold, the dim predawn light provides the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack.


    The soldiers of the First Division have had a long rest on the transport ship, and although the quality of sleep may not be the best, they are full of anticipation.


    "Action!"manded Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin, and the soldiers of the First Division promptly disembarked from the transport ship in small boats, making a beachnding.


    At six in the morning, East Timor Ind was still pitch dark. Ev wh all the soldiers of the First Division had sessfullynded on East Timor Ind, daylight was just about to break.


    The real reason the First Division countered no resistance, in fact, is because thending site they chose was located in the Dutch-controlled area.


    The Portuguese may have be prepared, forcing security measures along the coast. But who would have expected that Austrsia''snding site would be in the Dutch-controlled area?


    The Nethends is differt from Portugal; it has numerous colonies throughout Southeast Asia, and the Dutch East Indies consist of manyrge and small inds.


    This has created an obvious problem for the Nethends. They simply cannot fully control the Dutch East Indies, giv their size.


    Many of the smaller inds and dested regions within the Dutch East Indies are significantly beyond their control.


    Although the west side of East Timor Ind was acquired throughpetition betwe the Nethends and Portugal, the Dutch''s main atttion on the ind is focussed on the city in the west.


    Afternding in the middle of East Timor Ind, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin issued forthwith an order for all soldiers to march eastward, aimed straight for Dili, the capital of Portuguese Timor.


    Portuguese Timor is home to more than twty thousand Portuguese. The vast majority reside in Dili, the capital of Portuguese Timor.


    Which means, controlling Dili is tantamount to controlling the tirety of Portuguese Timor.


    Of course, to guard the most important and only city in Portuguese Timor, there is a Portuguese garrison nearby of about one thousand soldiers, and approximately two thousand indigous soldiers.


    Hce, as the soldiers of the First Division drew near to Dili, they countered this peculiar sight.


    Defsive fortifications of a certain scale had already be built a Dili, including long stretches of trches and positions.


    Under the supervision of a few Portuguese soldiers, many indigous peoples were working there. It could be se that the vast majority of these fortifications were built by the indigous peoples.


    At dawn, the figures of a majority of the Portuguese troops wer''t clear. But they were probably still resting. After all, who would have thought that the Austrsian Army would arrive at Dili on the second day after proiming war?


    Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin immediately instructed his soldiers to halt their advance and conceal their presce, th ordered all the artillerym to set up temporary positions to bombard the Portuguese and indigous peoples in front.


    Perhaps due to the fatigue of not sleeping all night, the atttion of the Portuguese soldiers was focused on the indigous peoples. The soldiers asionally interchanged phrases, and thshed out at the indigous peoples nearby.


    The indigous peoples had it ev worse. Any slight pause in their actions would be met with the ruthless shouts of the Portuguese and evshes, making it impossible for them to be alert ough to detect the presce of the Austrsian soldiers.


    Moreover, since daylight had notpletely brok, the First Division was giv yet anotheryer of protection. Ev wh the artillery''s makeshift positions were set up, the Portuguese failed to detect anything amiss.


    Receiving the artillerym''s report, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin nodded in satisfaction. He eyeing the Portuguese hundreds of meters away coldly andmanded, "All artillery units, aim at the emy on the position, indiscriminate bombardmt!"


    What Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin referred to as indiscriminate bombardmt was in fact area bombing.


    This method was highly reliant on the consumption of shells, which in turn burned through military expses.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But for the rather extravagant Austrsians, trading ammunition expditure to reduce personnel casualties was a win-win deal.


    The First Division was equipped with the CA Machine Gun, the M897 type mm field gun, and the GA906 Model 5mm Semi-Automatic Cannon.


    Themon feature of these three guns was their semi-automatic artillery technology.


    Although this would also increase the consumption of shells, the boost to firepower was substantial.


    By virtue of these three semi-automatic guns, and the extra shells the artillerym were to carry as instructed by Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin.


    One of the reasons why Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin wasn''t worried about logistics consumption was Arthur''s promise.


    Arthur had specially instructed Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin before the army set off; to fight freely without having to worry about logistical costs.


    Because military factories had already produced arge number of spare bullets and ammunition and the Austrsian fleet would quickly deliver these supplies to the frontline.

 Chapter 250: Chapter 230: Birds in the Sky

    Boom! Boom boom! Boom boom boom boom!


    With a series of roaring and explosions, the carefully built Portuguese position in front burst out a brilliant ze of fireworks, followed by various cries and wails in differt dialects, which quickly dissipated as continuous firings of artillery bombings took ce.


    Of course, it might not be so much dissipation as the continuous explosion of artillery firepletely drowning out the cries and wails of the Portuguese and natives.


    "The emy ising! The emy ising!"


    "Take cover! Take cover!"


    "Damn it, it could be the Austrsians! How did they arrive so quickly?"


    "Go and inform the Commander, the Austrsians are here!"


    Portuguese soldiers who were lucky ough to not be involved in the bombing hurriedly crawled out of the bombing zone.


    By the time the Portuguese army responded and arrived at the position, more than t minutes had passed already.


    The first  of bombing was over by th. Therge amount of shells exploding covered the Portuguese position with ayer of dark ash.


    If someone were to look carefully, they might ev find some remaining limbs and abandoned digging tools in the corners.


    "Everyone get in position and defd against the emy!" The Portuguese soldiers desperately passed on the order.


    This half-built position was the first defse line of Dili and the only defse line.


    Frankly, a small town with over 0,000 inhabitants could build such arge-scale defse line, and it had to rely on arge number of natives.


    If it wer''t for these natives, they would never have built a defse line and would probably have be captured in the first  of bombing.


    The first  of bombing by the First Division was very effective. Many makeshift positions copsed, exposing unfinished outer artillery positions that were also destroyed in the bombing.


    Although there was a rtively sturdy section of trch that could serve as the frontline defse position.


    But relying on this trch to block the advance of the First Division was a futile attempt, ording to Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin.


    ncing at his watch, he noticed that it was already past eight o''clock in the morning.


    Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin muttered to himself: "Those guys should be arriving soon, right?"


    "Stop the bombing, let the Portuguese ter their positions," Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin suddly ordered.


    Although the artillerym didn''t understand Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin''s orders, they obeditly stopped loading the shells.


    Seeing this, the Portuguese army finally breathed a sigh of relief. Under themand of their militarymander, arge number of soldiers rushed into the position.


    Of course, the longeststing and sturdiest part of the trch was definitely upied by the Portuguese army.


    As for the temporary makeshift positions and partially copsed defsive positions, they were guarded by the native army.


    In order to sure the loyalty of the native army, all lower-ranking officers of the native army were tak up by the Portuguese.


    The Portuguese Timor militarymander also st a supervising team to monitor the natives'' actions closely.


    As long as the native army showed the slightest sign of retreat, they would be met with reltless bullets from the supervising team.


    And so, an uneasy ceasefire sued betwe the First Division and the Portuguese army.


    Portuguese soldiers anxiously awaited the assault of the Austrsians, while the First Division soldiers hid at a distance under themand of Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin.


    At the Portuguese positions.


    At first, the Portuguese were terrified. The explosions earlier were extremely frequt, as if there were thousands of guns firing simultaneously, and the shells were pouring down like a torrtial rain.


    Although the main force of the Portuguese soldier was not affected by the bombing, the tremors and noises from the explosions brought them a sse of despair and panic from the firepower suppression.


    This was also the reason why, ev though the first  of bombing by the First Division had stopped for more than t minutes, they did not dare to retaliate with their own artillery fire.


    The Portuguese artillery positions were already destroyed, and the number of artillery guns they had on hand was limited, and in terms of quantity and quality, they could never match the Austrsians.


    "Soldiers, the Austrsians have run out of shells! Although the bombing just now was frequt, it also depleted most of the Austrsians'' ammunition reserves.


    Cheer up, as long as we hold the line and wait for our reinforcemts to arrive, you will all be heroes of the kingdom, and His Majesty the King will personally bestow honors upon you!" said the militarymander of Portuguese Timor, Khalif Filho, hurriedly restoring the morale of his troops.


    Hearing themander''s exnation, and seeing that the Austrsians'' bombardmt had indeed stopped, the Portuguese soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the natives felt fortunate to be alive, for the momt.


    Hmm¡« Hmm mm¡« Hmm mm mm¡«


    A sudd humming sound broke the short silce in the positions, leaving the Portuguese soldiers with a bewildered expression on their faces.


    Now it''s the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere, and there ar''t many mosquitoes on East Timor Ind, let alone a widespread buzzing sound.


    So where does this buzzing sounde from? Surely all the Portuguese soldiers couldn''t have misheard it, could they?


    "My God, look at the sky, there are some big birds!" A sharp-eyed soldier suddly discovered the anomaly in the sky and screamed in rm.


    "Oh, shit! How can there be such big birds? Is it this group that''s making the buzzing sound?"


    Having never se such strangerge birds before, the Portuguese soldiers looked on in astonishmt.


    "Alright, be careful of the Austrsians'' sneak attack. This might be a new and novel species we have not se before on thisnd. After the war is over, we''ll have plty of time to study them.


    List, boys, I will personally rmd the soldier who kills the most emies for a Title of Nobility from His Majesty!" Khalif Filho naturally noticed the anomaly in the sky, but didn''t think much of it.


    Hearing Khalif Filho''s words, many Portuguese soldiers showed excitemt and involuntarily clched the gun barrels in their hands.


    The Portuguese Kingdom has a long history of monarchism, and the nobility is one of the most powerful sses in the kingdom.


    Everyone has a dream of bing a noble, and war is one of the ways to achieve it.


    After hearing the buzzing sound, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin finally showed a smile and nodded, saying, "Artillerym, make some noise for these guys. An unexpected sneak attack yields the best results."


    Of course, the Austrsian soldiers heard the buzzing sound and saw the strange things in the sky.


    However, as well-trained soldiers, they knew that their first task was to carry out their military orders.


    Boom!


    The first division''s bombing sounded again, but the frequcy was much weaker than thest time, and the consumption of shells was only about one-fifth of thest indiscriminate attack.


    The position was bombed again, and it was naturally the Portuguese soldiers who were the most nervous.


    However, hearing the obvious decrease in the frequcy of the bombing, Geral Khalif Filho confidtly smiled and had the soldiers convey his words: "The Austrsians no longer have many shells. Hold on through this  of bombing, and wh the emy gets closer, we will strike back with full force!"


    After the messger left to convey the order, Geral Khalif Filho veryfortably hid in a sturdier trch nearby that had be reinforced with concrete.


    These hiding spots had already be nned wh digging the trches, and because they were gerally made of concrete, they were more sturdy than ordinary trches.


    These concrete structures were connected to the trches, but the area where they connected had a sharp curve, which effectively prevted the shockwave of the shells from tering the trches.


    Basically, there would be one of these concrete structures every one hundred meters, providing a safe hiding ce for the bombed soldiers.


    This  of bombing came fast and ded quickly. Apart from the native soldiers who did not have concrete structures to protect them, there were very few casualties among the Portuguese soldiers.


    This greatly strgthed the Portuguese soldiers'' confidce in winning the war. The Austrsian soldiers wer''t that great either, only knowing how to throw shells from afar without daring to charge formally.


    Hum~


    The more appart hum interrupted the Portuguese soldiers'' thoughts, and many people looked up to see their pupils suddly bulging.


    What they thought were big birds in the sky were now dropping one ck dot after another.


    These ck dots were constantlyrging in the Portuguese soldiers'' pupils, evtually transforming into the shape of shells.


    "It''s shells! Take cover! Take cover!" Geral Khalif Filho was the first to discover the situation.


    After a few ck dots fell from the sky, Geral Khalif Filho curiously observed these ck dots with a telescope to see what they were.


    The result horrified Khalif Filho. What was in the sky were not birds, but mechanical devices that looked like birds.


    And these machines were dropping one shell after another, and thending point of the shells was right on the Portuguese position.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Unfortunately, from the momt Geral Khalif Filho discovered the situation and cried out, there were only a few seconds before the shells exploded.


    What can be done in a few seconds? How many times can you blink, or how many steps can you take?


    Apart from a few Portuguese soldiers who were closer to the concrete structure, the vast majority had no opportunity to escape from their positions into the concrete structure.


    Moreover, due to the elemt of surprise, the number of Portuguese soldiers who actually tered the concrete structure was only about t.


    Boom! Boom boom!


    This time, Austrsia st out a total of six bombers, all piloted by expericed pilots.


    Six bombers released a total of 36rge-caliber bombs in the first , causing extsive damage.


    Furthermore, the bombing continued  after . After the six bombers had dropped all of their bombs, they returned unabashedly to their base.


    At this momt, the sce on the Portuguese position was ev more tragic than the previousrge-scale bombing.

 Chapter 251: Chapter 231: Consecutive Battles and Victories

    The defse position built by the Portuguese can indeed withstand some bombardmt from the firearms, but they did not consider the threat from above.


    As a result, wh the Portuguese army was subjected to bombing from above, not only were the majority of Portuguese soldiers unprepared, but the defsive positions that had previously provided them with a lot of protection failed to serve any purpose.


    Although there were fewer shells in this  of bombing than before, the shells carried by the bombers were allrge-caliber, touch-on-impact bombs, filled with a vast number of fragmts of iron, steel balls, ss shards, and other sharp materials to maximize the damage.


    As luck would have it, one of the bombs fell right next to the Military Commander of the Portuguese Timor, Khalif Filho, and the force of the explosion swept him away, along with his deputy officer and messger.


    After dropping all the bombs, the bombers immediately turned back without a second thought, leaving behind a buzzing sound in the sky for the Portuguese to hear.


    Of course, it would be impossible to kill all the Portuguese soldiers and native soldiers with just over a hundred bombs.


    The precision of dropping bombs from high in the sky is not very high, and it would be rtively good if half of the hundred bombs fell near the Portuguese soldiers.


    Despite this, the sheer amount of shells falling from the sky causes a fear that can''t easily be alleviated.


    Especially the ones who witnessed the shells growingrger in their sight and finally exploding beside them, ev if they were lucky ough to escape death, they were already terrified.


    This was the case for the Portuguese, let alone the indigous army that was already loose in numbers.


    The indigous army suffered ev more casualties during the bombings; some terrified native people could no longer restrain their inner fear and ran out of their positions, crawling and rolling out of their positions.


    If it were under normal circumstances, these indigous people would be met with bullets and scolding from the Supervising Team as soon as they crawled out of their positions.


    But now, with Military Commander Khalif Filho, the deputy officer, and the messger all killed in the rect bombardmt, the Portuguese soldiers of the Supervising Team were still immersed in the fear of the bombardmt that had juste from the sky, and they initially failed to notice the disintegration of the indigous army.


    By the time the soldiers of the Supervising Team reacted, many native soldiers had already left their positions, sprinting towards the jungle at full speed.


    "Damn it, quickly stop those yellow monkeys!" A quick-thinking Portuguese soldier shouted out in desperation.


    As a member of the Supervising Team, overseeing all the native soldiers was their responsibility. If they let these indigous people sessfully dissolve, they would be held ountable whether the war was won or lost.


    Seeing that scolding was ineffective, several soldiers from the Supervising Team hurriedly pulled out their rifles and oped fire on the fleeing native soldiers.


    Although the sporadic gunshots did bring down a few natives, more of them elerated their pace of escape after hearing the gunshots, moving forward by rolling and crawling ev after falling uninttionally.


    The Portuguese soldiers were somewhat annoyed, but the first escaping natives had already run several hundred meters away and were not easily caught.


    Helpless, the Supervising Team could only focus on the remaining native soldiers in their positions, carefully prevting other native soldiers from escaping while immediately reporting to Military Commander Khalif Filho.


    But how could these soldiers of the Supervising Team know that theirmander, to whom they were loyal, had already perished in the earlier bombardmt, and their report was destined to be in vain?


    On the other side, after the bombing, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin naturally wouldn''t miss such an excellt opportunity.


    After three s of consecutive bombings, the morale of the Portuguese copsed and the indigous army ev began to flee.


    This was the best opportunity for the First Division to attack; if sessful, they could ev take the emy''s position in one fell swoop.


    Of course, to implemt the requiremt of minimal casualties, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin specifically ordered the artillery to bombard the emy''s position once more before the infantryunched their assault.


    This  of bombing, like the first one, was carried out on arge scale and at a high frequcy.


    This was to prevt the Portuguese from counterattacking the soldiers of the First Division and causing unnecessary casualties.


    This was also the currt logistics advantage of Austrsia. Faced with just a thousand Portuguese troops and two thousand indigous troops, the First Division had already consumed hundreds of shells and ev deployed bombers for this purpose.


    Of course, the effect of doing so was very appart. The First Division had not suffered any casualties so far, while the Portuguese had suffered heavy casualties, and the vast majority of the survivors had already lost their will to fight.


    Under the cover of the artillery, the soldiers of the First Division quickly approached the Portuguese positions.


    At this point, there were few Portuguese soldiers left with thewill to fight, and they were all suppressed by the artillery so much that they couldn''t ev raise their heads.


    It wasn''t until the soldiers of First Division were only a hundred meters away from the Portuguese positions that the coverage of the artillery fire quietly moved towards the rear of the emy''s positions to avoid injuring the soldiers of the First Division.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this point, the surviving Portuguese soldiers, due to the death of theirmander and the fear of the previous bombings and air raids, had be hiding in concrete facilities and did not dare toe out, thus naturally unable to counterattack at the slowly approaching Austrsian soldiers.

 Chapter 252: Chapter 231: Consecutive Battles and Victories_2

    Just after elev in the morning, the soldiers of the First Division sessfully upied the Portuguese positions, capturing over three hundred Portuguese soldiers and more than four hundred native soldiers.


    Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin simply gave a wave, instructing a squad to strictly guard these Portuguese soldiers.


    As for the native soldiers, naturally, they held no remaining value, and hce, the only fate awaiting them was death.


    After a brief rest and regroup in the battlefield, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin left behind a small detachmt to guard captured Portuguese soldiers, and the main troops continued to march northward toward Dili, the capital of Portuguese Timor.


    The Portuguese soldiers and the native armies on the battlefield likely ounted for all the troops in Portuguese Timor.


    At prest, the only defsive forces in Dili might be the few police forces in the city.


    But to rely on the police to resist the attack of the First Division would be more absurd than the wild dreams of a foolish man.


    A 3 PM, the Austrsian Army sessfully tered the city of Dili, andpletely upied both the Governor''s Mansion and Military Command Headquarters.


    Meanwhile, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin ordered the soldiers to move the captured Portuguese soldiers to the city and dispatched a telegram to the domestic country.


    Arthur received the telegram st by Silvio Lonnie Rodlin in thete afternoon, after 4 PM.


    Immediately, Arthur st a return telegram to Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin instructing him to handle everything in Timor appropriately and to maintain order as much as possible.


    At the same time, he asked him to construct some defsive positions along the coast and western borders of Portuguese Timor, to prevt pottialnding attempts by the Portuguese.


    At six in the eving, the Austrsian Ministry of Defse issued an order, and the Second Division divided into two routes, heading respectively to thest two remaining Portuguese colonies in Asia, for seizure and upation.


    Although these two colonies were far away for Austrsia, and Austrsia had no right to upy either the Portuguese colony in India or the Portuguese colony in East Asia.


    After upying, they would have to consider the positions of British India and the Qing Empire, therefore these two colonies were not within Arthur''s target range.


    Of course, during the war, it was still necessary to upy these two colonies.


    These colonies were also the strongholds of Portugal in Asia. Without these colonies, the closest region to Odsia would be the Portuguese Mozambique colony, separated from Austrsia by the tire distance of the Indian Ocean.


    On August , 907, at six in the morning.


    After a day and a half of sailing, part of the Second Division finally arrived at thest Portuguese colony in East Asia, and quickly began seizing the colony.


    This colony, much smaller innd areapared to Portuguese Timor, was also sparsely popted.


    If only counting the Portuguese, the colony had fewer than t thousand of them, and its garrison, cobbled together with natives from the colony, barely managed to total one thousand.


    This resulted in the questionable training level of the stationed army, with some troopsposed of local natives far behind in their equipmt.


    After a few s of artillery attacks, these Portuguese forcespletely lost their will to fight. A majority of them were captured, and the rest were bodies sacrificed in the shellfire.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Just like in Timor, once they secured victory on the battlefield here, the Deputy Commander of the Second Division immediately telegraphed the domestic country, briefly describing the procession and results of the war and received Arthur''stest instructions.


    Besides maintaining order and strgthing defses, which were very simr to those in Portuguese Timor, he also aimed to relocate as much of the Portuguese assets as possible.


    Although they couldn''t simply execute the Portuguese, dealing with their property was tirely eptable.


    The factories and assets that these Portuguese had painstakingly established in this region all became dowries for Austrsia.


    Timor didn''t experice this barbaric relocation because Portuguese Timor was Arthur''s main target, already included in Austrsia''s sphere of influce.


    As long as the war wt smoothly, at the d, Portuguese Timor should be ramed to Australian Timor. Thus, there would be no need to painstakingly move the Portuguese assets as they couldn''t escape wh thend transfer urred.


    A few dayster, on August th, the army led by the Division Two Commander Fritz Leiner finally crossed the Indian Ocean and reached Portuguese India.


    While talking about India''s overlords, most people would instantly think of the British Empire.


    But in fact, on thisnd of India, the British Empire was not the only colonial tity, Portugal and France were also among the countries that had colonised parts of India.


    However, the United Kingdom had, over a vast stretch of time, ruled the vast majority of India. Portugal and France simply upied narrow strips ofnd along the two coasts of India, which was insignificantpared to the tirety of India.


    That''s why, wh we talk about colonies in India, Portugal and France are usually not mtioned.


    Portuguese India was a colony upied by Portugal on the West Coast of India, with its capital at Goa.


    India, with its vastnd area and poption, ev the tiny Frch India and Portuguese India, held poptions of three hundred thousand and four hundred and fifty thousand respectively.


    Portugal had a garrison of two thousand in Portuguese India, half of whom were Portuguese, and half Indians.


    Ev though Portuguese India boasted arger poption and betternd than Portuguese Timor, the garrison in Portuguese India was surprisingly one thousand less than in Portuguese Timor.


    This was because Portuguese India''s neighbour was the mighty British India and Portugal would never be a match for the British Empire. Thus, the defsive forces of Portuguese India were not as significant.


    If the British Empire wished to annex Portuguese India, ev a garrison of five to six thousand m would have be no match for British India.


    But if the British Empire harboured no designs on Portuguese India, th ev without a garrison, the safety of Portuguese India could be preliminarily guaranteed by thew-forcing police force.


    Portuguese Timor was differt, though; its neighbour was Nethends, a countryparable in size to Portugal.


    Moreover, considering that Portuguese Timor had already lost nearly half of itsnds to Dutch incursion, the vignce against the Nethends could not have be lowered.


    With only a thousand Portuguese soldiers, Portuguese India could never stand against Division Two.


    Despite the loyalty of Indian soldiers being superior to the natives of Southeast Asia, theirbat abilities were ev inferior to the Portuguese soldiers, let alone being on par with the Austrsian soldiers.


    After having expded hundreds of shells, along with the casualties of dozs of m, Division Two managed to sessfully conquer Portuguese India and upied its capital, Goa.


    Just like in the colonies of East Asia, on the day of upation, Geral Fritz Leiner swiftly st a telegram to the domestic popce of Austrsia, and received the same response from Arthur: maintain urban order and strgth border defce.


    In the meanwhile, a small force started searching for various factories and assets in Goa, preparing to relocate them all to Austrsia.


    Only after the full upation of Portugal''s three colonies in Asia did Arthur thoroughly rx.


    Ev though the casualties of Division One and Division Twobined exceeded one hundred, considering the spoils of war, this small number of casualties was eptable.


    Moreover, all injured Austrsian soldiers would be quickly st back to Austrsia for treatmt.


    Not only would the governmt provide free treatmt, but it would also continue to pay the soldiers'' wages during their injury period.


    Once the preliminary implemtation of thebat n waspleted, Arthur felt secure ough to announce the news publicly.


    The previous secrecy about the progress of the war was born out of the fear that the emy might react, making the operations of the Second Division more difficult.


    Now, after thepletion of all preliminarybat operations, it was time to dere this good news to the tire nation and ev the whole world.


    Of course, some details could not be confessed inly, and instead were disguised under differt pres.


    For instance, the bombers that had once be deployed in Portuguese Timor were officially reced with airships by the Austrsian authorities.


    Regardless, airships could now fly in the sky and drop bombs below anytime.


    Since Europeans had never witnessed the war first-hand, naturally no one would suspect.

 Chapter 254: Chapter 233: The Second Generation Airship

    Although Silvio Lonnie Rodlin came from a military backg, he managed the small Emperor''s Power very well.


    Currtly, the factories and some important facilities in Portuguese Timor are in normal condition, and Silvio Lonnie Rodlin has only st some soldiers for supervision and inspection.


    As for the city of Dili, a rather strict martialw status has be adopted. Except for some shops selling grain, other shops are temporarily not allowed to op, and pedestrians are not allowed to linger on the streets for too much time.


    Although this would restrict the freedom of the Portuguese, this is already the best oue for them.


    After all, disobedit Portuguese would be forcibly st to major factories and mining districts, where they would be forcibly arranged as workers and miners.


    After all, Austrsia''s finances are not so afflut, and there are not ough funds to support these Portuguese.


    It is worth mtioning that the captured Portuguese soldiers, after receiving good medical care for their injuries, would be st to various mining districts in Austrsia topsate for the various medical resources used on them.


    After all, if Portugal is not willing to redeem these Portuguese soldiers at high prices in the future, wouldn''t Austrsia be making a loss?


    Aside from Dili, Arthur also inspected the various defsive positions established by Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin with the help of manpower in these few days.


    Since Portuguese Timor has a poption of more than 300,000 indigous peoples, there is no shortage of manpower in building these defsive positions.


    These indigous peoples are quite submissive. After Austrsia sessfully upied Portuguese Timor, they very wisely and voluntarily expressed their allegiance to Austrsia.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Of course, it is impossible for Austrsia to trust these indigous peoples. For Arthur and the Austrsian Governmt, the only trustworthy ones are the Austrsians.


    Moreover, Austrsia has a rather extreme racial policy domestically, and the White Australia n is no joke.


    In fact, Arthur could prevt this trd, but there is no need.


    Although the racial policy of White Australia would make it impossible for Austrsia to ept Asian immigrants, at this stage, European immigrants are the most useful for Austrsia and are the foundation for maintaining Austrsia''s unity.


    As for the indigous peoples and Asian immigrants within the country, apart from the poption increase, their contribution to the developmt of Austrsia is not significant.


    At prest, Europe is able to provide hundreds of thousands of immigrants for Austrsia every year, andbined with the newborns within Austrsia itself, the annual poption increase is already a very huge number.


    Arthur is very satisfied with the currt situation in Portuguese Timor and, after admonishing Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin a few words, he returned to Austrsia.


    There has be no movemt from Portugal so far, which means that Portugal must be preparing for a major move.


    After all, if Portugal wants to back down, they would have already quietly contacted the Austrsian Governmt.


    Theck of movemt now indicates that Portugal has not giv up yet and may ev be brewing a major action.


    Arthur''s first move is to order military factories to produce arge amount of ammunition, including arge number of rifle and machine gun bullets, as well as various firearm shells.


    For Arthur, there is also good news: the uing war is about to turn into a defsive battle, where firearms and machine guns will y a crucial role.


    As a result, not only have military factories tered an overtime production mode, but transport fleets are also crazily delivering ammunition to the three upied territories.


    Of course, the main focus is on delivering ammunition and supplies to Portuguese India and Portuguese Timor. Both of these regions serve as barriers for the East Asian colonies, and the chances of Portuguese directly crossing these colonies and heading to East Asia are not high.


    After the outbreak of the war, in addition to Europe''s atttion, the United States also st a telegram to Austrsia, asking whether Austrsia needs support in weapons and equipmt.


    As for the inquiry from the United States, Arthur naturally refused.


    What a joke, at prest, in terms of weapons and equipmt of the army, Austrsia can be said to be the world''s top, not inferior to Britain and Germany.


    Although the United States is currtly the most powerful industrial country, this is only in terms of scale.


    If one were to talk about the advanced level of technology and the power of weapons, the United States simply cannotpare to the currt British Empire and Germany.


    Without absorbing arge number of talts and property resources from Europe, the United States is merely a nouveau riche country with a booming economy and industry, and its technological backg ispletely iparable to the two strongest European nations, Britain and Germany.


    In terms of the navy, the Ministry of Defse has also formted some patrol ns to prevt Portugal from stealthily attacking Austrsia''s nativend.


    Although Austrsia''s naval strgth could not match Portugal''s, they were still capable of retreating wh facing a more powerful adversary.


    Especially the newlyunched small escort ships of Austrsia, which gerally had a speed of over 8 knots and could ev reach 9 knots.


    There were not many Portuguese navy ships that could reach this speed, and considering that they also had to escort their military, they naturally couldn''t pursue deeply.


    Fortunately, Austrsia currtly had no shortage of various resources, so they organized a fleet to transportrge amounts of supplies and food to Portuguese India, Portuguese Timor, and other regions.


    Moreover, Portuguese Timor was very close to Austrsia, while Portuguese India was adjact to British India, so there was basically no need to worry about the logistic lines being cut off.


    After various sectors in Austrsia tered a tse preparatory period, the situation also ushered in a brief period of peace.


    In September, Arthur received another piece of good news - the full oping of the Industrial Railway.


    This important railway connecting the east and west of the Australian contint would be the bridge ofmunication betwe the two regions.


    At the same time, with the oping of the Industrial Railway, the Northern Railway officially tered its construction cycle.


    Due to the total mileage of the Northern Railway being no shorter than that of the Industrial Railway, it would take about eight years to build, and the total investmt would exceed 40 million Australian dors.


    Although it was estimated to cost nearly 5 million Australian dors per year, with the currt financial situation in Austrsia, it waspletely affordable.


    Furthermore, the previous construction of the Industrial Railway also required three to four million Australian dors per year. Now that it waspleted, there was only an additional expditure of more than one million Australian dors per year.


    After attding the full oping celebration of the Industrial Railway, Arthur once again visited the Aerospace Laboratory.


    Of course, this time the visit was not about airnes but about the airships mtioned in the previous war report.


    After all, Austrsia''s war report mtioned the use of airships for aerial bombings, but if there were no airships in reality that could perform such bombings, it would be a bitical.


    Fortunately, although the developmt of airnes was the primary focus of the Aerospace Laboratory, the research work on airships did not fall behind - only the progress was somewhat slower than that of the airnes.


    However, the currt airship technology had already spawned a second-geration airship, the AU- Rigid Airship.


    The second-geration airship was an improved version of the first geration, with some changes in appearance and a considerable increase in volume.


    The second-geration airship was 3 meters long,  meters in diameter, and could amodate approximately 3,000 cubic meters of hydrog.


    It was precisely because of the increase in volume and hydrog capacity that the AU- airship''s payload increased to  tons, a full one ton more than its predecessor.


    Though it seemed to have increased by only %, the range and stability of the airship had improved a lot, which mattered more to Arthur.


    If the first-geration airship was considered a test version built by Zeppelin, th the second-geration AU- was already a stable version after being tested.


    Although the possibility of idts could not be ruled out tirely, the safety of the second-geration airship was much higher than its predecessor, so it could be used as a transportation tool in the civilian sector.


    Currtly, one of the advantages of airships over airnes was their far greater load-bearing capacity.


    Although airships could not match the speed of airnes, their advantage in sheer carrying capacity made them highlypetitive in transportation.


    Of course, with these airships, it was tirely possible to meet the characteristics of high-altitude bombing. Just ce some small shells on the airship and manually throw them out to perform high-altitude bombing.


    Ev specially designed machine guns could be installed on such airships, though stability would be left to fate.


    Regardless, the AU- was capable of performing aerial bombings as described in the war report, so there was no need to fear the European nations'' scrutiny of Austrsia''s airship technology.


    Naturally, to make the major powers of Europe believe ev more that Austrsia''s huge advantages in the war were due to the use of airships for aerial bombings, the airships would have to be deployed in the uing war and achieve significant victories.


    Fortunately, because of the ormous impact of airships in transportation, several were produced as soon as the second-geration airship was born. The Aerospace Laboratory currtly had five second-geration airships, and the number was just ough to meet the needs of the next war.


    Furthermore, since airships were much easier to control than airnes, the Aerospace Laboratory had ough airship pilots to be deployed.

 Chapter 255: Chapter 234: The Battle of Attack and Defense in Goa

    After a brief period of adaptive training, the five airships currtly owned by the Aerospace Laboratory were dispatched to Portuguese Timor and Portuguese India, serving as the trump cards for the defse of both regions.


    Since the airnes needed to be kept confidtial, they could not be used in the uing war. However, the airships could y a simr role to airnes, with good performance in reconnaissance, bombing and other aspects, and could also be used for transportation of supplies.


    If there was no war, the five airships would act as transportation tools, each being able to transport more than t tons of supplies and taking much less time than transport ships.


    Fortunately, the three upied colonies hadrge indigous poptions, so there was no shortage ofbor wh building the defses, and the construction speed was fast.


    After suring that the cemt and steel bars needed for fortification construction were avable domestically in Austrsia, defse fortifications were quickly established in the three colonies, with those in Portuguese India and Portuguese Timor being moreplete.


    As time moved into September, all three regions began preparing for war, and ev within Austrsia itself, arge number of fleets were deployed for patrols.


    What Arthur didn''t expect, however, was that September was drawing to a close, and there were still no signs of the Portuguese.


    If it wer''t for the Portuguese soldiers still working in the Austrsian minefields, Arthur would have nearly thought that Austrsia had tered a peaceful state with Portugal.


    Finally, inte September, a small-scale fleet patrolling near the Indian Ocean finally discovered the traces of the Portuguese fleet.


    Afteryers of reports, the news reached Arthur and the authorities in the three colonies.


    Austrsian soldiers showed no nervousness in anticipation of the approaching war. Instead, they had only expectation for the merit they were about to establish.


    Although Arthur did not personally go to Portuguese India, his speech in Portuguese Timor still reached the ears of the soldiers of the Second Division, in various ways.


    With various concerns resolved, the soldiers naturally looked forward to the merits of victory in the war. After all, who wouldn''t want to be a noble?


    Ev Major Fritz Leiner, the Brigadier Geral of the Second Division, was eagerly rubbing his hands and waiting quietly for the Portuguese to arrive.


    Of course, expectations aside, various preparations and response measures were also esstial. Brigadier Geral Fritz wisely abandoned coastal defses and instead built two strong lines of defse outside the urban city.


    This was because if the battle was conducted on the coastline, the Portuguese fleet could cause massive casualties to the Austrsian soldiers, which Brigadier Geral Fritz did not want to see.


    ording to Arthur''s character, ev if Brigadier Geral Fritz sessfully repelled all the Portuguese attacks, the merits would be offset if there were heavy casualties in the army, not only greatly reducing the des but also causing Arthur''s discontt.


    Therefore, Fritz''s defsive n was simple: to abandon the outer coast, and ev the city if necessary, with the goal of reducing the number of avable Portuguese forces.


    As long as all Portuguese reinforcemts could be eliminated, the war would be dictated by Austrsia.


    Using a small Portuguese India to exchange for a massive loss in Portuguese reinforcemts was sure to be profitable for Major Fritz Leiner.


    To prevt the Portuguese fleet from using ship guns to support the Portuguese soldiers, Brigadier Geral Fritz deliberately built the defse fortifications close to the city, and ev had some of the Portuguese people asbor during the war.


    As long as the Portuguese dared to use the ship guns for bombing, Austrsia would immediately release on-site photos and the terrible sces of Portuguese people being bombed.


    The spectacle of a country''s own cannons bombing its own people would surely cause a ssation domestically in Portugal.


    On September 8, 907, at the coast of Portuguese India.


    After nearly two months of preparation, the Portuguese fleet finally brought the first batch of troops to the vicinity of Portuguese India.


    This was a reinforcemt force of ,000 Portuguese soldiers and 9,000 native soldiers, urgtly dispatched by Portugal from its maind and African colonies.


    Of course, this was only the first batch of Portuguese reinforcemts. To ease the tsion and panic within the country, King Carlos I ordered the establishmt of an eighty-thousand-strong army by drawing forty-thousand troops from the colonies, on top of the existing forty-thousand. The goal was not only to take back the three upied colonies but also to teach Austrsia a lesson.


    However, transporting such a massive army was also an issue that would take at least three or four journeys.


    The first target of the army, after lgthy discussions within the Portuguese military, was set as Portuguese India.


    It was, in fact, easy to understand why. Portuguese Timor was too close to Austrsia, and reinforcemts from Austrsia could quickly arrive. Moreover, there was a concern that the Austrsian reinforcemts from Portuguese India could circle the Portuguese army.


    The situation was simr in East Asia''s colonies, with smallernd areas and fewer inhabitants; ev if conquered, it wouldn''t restore much morale for the people or the military.


    In contrast, Portuguese India had thergestnd area and the most populous of Portugal''s Asian colonies, and its indigous people were more obedit than those of other colonies.


    If Portuguese India could be reimed, it could be used as a springboard to recapture the other two colonies.


    Arthur and the Austrsian military had long anticipated this, providing Portuguese India with the most resources, and ev reallocating more than 3,000 troops from Portuguese Timor.


    This led to Portuguese India having a total of nearly ,000 troops, plus three airships and arge number of firearms and weapons reserves.


    On the afternoon of September 8, the Portuguese fleet officially approached the coast of Portuguese India andunched the so-callednding assault.


    Surprisingly, the 9,000 indigous soldiers heading the charge found no Austrsian soldiers on the coast, nor did they find any defsive positions or structures.


    Not tirely reassured, the Portuguese had the natives expand a kilometer outwards, and only after still not finding a trace of Austrsians did the Portuguese soldiers confidtly disembark. Themander of the reinforcemts evughed and said, "Learning of our arrival, the Austrsians have already lost their nerve! You will all be heroes in recapturing Goa City!"


    The Austrsians offered no resistance and were seemingly abst, causing the Portuguese topletely rx their guard.


    Before this, the Austrsians had tak three Portuguese colonies in just a few days, causing no small amount of panic among the Portuguese public and governmt.


    Now it appeared that the Austrsians were not as formidable as previously thought, and perhaps the conquest of the three colonies had already left them badly weaked, now filled with regret.


    Under themand of the Portuguese geral, 9,000 native soldiers led the charge, followed by over ,000 Portuguese soldiers as they slowly advanced towards Goa.


    Theck of any Austrsians in sight motivated the military to quick their pace, with many Portuguese soldiers already gleefully discussing where to drink in Goa after their arrival.


    Only upon nearing Goa did the lead native troops discover the Austrsian positions.


    At the same time, Major Fritz came across these Portuguese forces.


    The discipline of the native soldiers heading the charge was loose, and they looked rxed, showing no awaress that they were cannon fodder.


    The Portuguese soldiers behind them were simrly carefree; were it not for the situation, one might have thought they were on a leisure trip.


    Seeing this sce, Major Fritz ordered the messger to siltly notify the reserve forces behind to nk the Portuguese soldiers'' rear.


    He divided the ,000-strong force into three parts: 4,000 at the first line of defse, ,500 at the second, while the remaining 4,500 reserve troops were on standby to support the first and second lines.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With the Portuguese forces so scattered, Major Fritz was confidt that the defse could be maintained with just over 5,000 troops across the two positions and had the 4,000-strong reserve troops nk the emy''s rear, hoping to circle and eliminate all Portuguese soldiers as the final n.


    The reserve forces were over a kilometer away from the defsive frontline near Goa.


    With vegetation and buildings obstructing their view, the Portuguese military failed to detect the decrease in numbers at the frontline, nor did they notice the disappearance of a group of soldiers outside the defsive positions.


    After several reports, the Portuguese geral learned of the situation at the Austrsian positions.


    However, the Portuguese military was well prepared; the 9,000 native troops were perfect cannon fodder for this kind of trch warfare, while therge number of artillery pieces gathered from Portugal gave the Portuguese army the confidce to not fear such warfare.


    After ordering the artillery to target the Austrsian positions, the Portuguese geral gave a slight smile and ordered "Charge!"


    At hismand, the 9,000 native soldiers quickly rushed towards the Austrsian positions. It was not that they were extremely brave, but rather, they were driv by the supervising team and Portuguese soldiers with guns aimed at them; if they didn''t charge forward, they would surely die at the hands of the Portuguese soldiers.


    Don''t doubt the ruthlessness of Europeans towards these natives at the time; there were very few Europeans who regarded natives as human beings, so it wouldn''t be excessive to describe them as one in t thousand or one in a hundred thousand.


    For the vast majority of Europeans, these colonial poptions were like livestock; wh they were useful, they were exploited to the utmost, but wh they wer''t, their lives and deaths mattered little.


    To avoid causing panic in the Portuguese forces, leading them to hastily flee before the reserve forces could sessfully circle them, Major Fritz ordered a small-scale defse to hold the emy about 0-00 meters in front of the defsive positions, providing the attackers with the hope of victory in capturing the trches and keeping them temporarily stuck there.

 Chapter 256: Chapter 235: The Encirclement Forms

    Under themand of Major Fritz, the firepower of the Austrsian Army had be greatly restrained. Most cannons and machine guns were on standby, with only the rifles in the soldiers'' hands being used to counterattack.


    However, the Lee-Enfield rifle was one of the most powerful at this stage. Coupled with the well-trained Austrsian soldiers, they caused significant casualties to the native soldiers in the first counter.


    Of course, the Portuguese army wasn''t without achievemts, as their front line had advanced to within a hundred meters of the Austrsian positions. The native soldiers at the forefront could ev see the calm expressions of the Austrsians.


    However, since they had approached the positions of the Austrsians, the Portuguese army had be stopped in their tracks.


    No matter how bravely the native soldiers charged, they couldn''t push the front line forward ev by a meter.


    Seeing that they were just one step away from seizing the Austrsian positions, the Portuguese geral grew anxious, as this was a great merit.


    Without any hesitation, the Portuguese geral ordered all Portuguese soldiers to keep up. The war had tered a fierce stage, and holding back would be foolish.


    As the pressure on the frontline increased, Major Fritz became more satisfied.


    Only by dragging most of the Portuguese army''s atttion to the positions could Major Fritz''s strategy of diversion and circlemt truly seed.


    Since the Portuguese army had be fullymitted to the war, Geral Fritz also ordered his soldiers not to be too conservative. It was time to show the Portuguese what the Austrsian machine guns and cannons were capable of.


    Of course, the main purpose of doing so was to suppress the threat of Portuguese artillery.


    After all, ev wh they were in positions, the Portuguese cannons could still pose a considerable threat to the Austrsian Army.


    Simultaneously, Geral Fritz ordered the three airships with arge amount of shells and weapons to take action, soaring into the sky.


    Wh the circlemt was fully formed, it would be time to show these Portuguese the true strgth of the Austrsian Army.


    The sounds of gunfire and battles on the battlefieldpletely drowned out the noise of the airships taking off. The atttion of the Portuguese soldiers and gerals was all on the battlefield, oblivious to the fact that three barely visible  dots had quietly flown into the sky behind Goa.


    The Portuguese Army was almost twice the size of the Austrsian soldiers, but their weapons and artillery were far less than that of the Austrsians.


    Under Major Fritz''smand, the cannons'' main purpose was to suppress the positions of Portuguese artillery and not directly target the Portuguese army, for now.


    Furthermore, Division Two was still holding back, maintaining a delicate bnce with the Portuguese Army.


    The Portuguese Geral, seeing that the front line had advanced a few meters thanks to the involvemt of the Portuguese soldiers but was still unable to progress further, became anxious and said, "First, locate the emy''s artillery and machine gun positions. Once we remove their heavy weapons, the Austrsians will be sitting ducks."


    Unfortunately, although the logic seemed sound, the number and advanced state of the Portuguese cannons were no match for the Austrsian Army. Just as the Portuguese discovered the positions of the Austrsian artillery, their own positions were bombarded.


    Moreover, the Austrsians had many semi-automatic cannons that had superior coverage and firepower, which ordinary cannons couldn''tpete with.


    Under the suppression of the artillery unit of Division Two, the Portuguese artillery troops couldn''t ev raise their heads. The front line,cking the support of artillery, was pushed back ev further.


    Seeing that the suppression of the cannons wasn''t working, the Portuguese Geral became irritated, with no choice but to ce his hopes on the front line of the battle.


    However, the Austrsian Army had plty of weapon and ammunition reserves and wasn''t afraid of exhausting them since they were on the defsive.


    On the other hand, the Portuguese Army had mobilized arge transport fleet to transport 0,000 soldiers, leaving little room for the transportation of weapons, equipmt, and ammunition, which was in short supply.


    Originally, they had nned to capture Portuguese India first and th patitly wait for domestic resources to be transported. However, they had be stuck at step one.


    After an additional stalemate for some time, the Portuguese Geral''s expression darked as he began considering a retreat.


    Giv the currt situation, the Austrsian Army in Portuguese India couldn''t be defeated by just one of their armies; they''d have to wait for the arrival of the next batch of Portuguese reinforcemts before attempting to recapture Goa again.


    However, Geral Fritz couldn''t allow their wishes to be fulfilled. Seeing that the Portuguese army''s offsive had temporarily stalled, Major Fritz immediately ordered his soldiers to reduce the frequcy of their gunfire, pretding to have insufficit ammunition.


    At this point, the Portuguese army''s offsive had not stopped, which led them to notice the abnormality of the Austrsian Army.


    The Portuguese Geral''s expression changed, but he evtually decided to persist for a while longer, using the native soldiers to probe the situation of the Austrsians.


    Seeing his n working, Brigadier Geral Fritz instructed his soldiers to hold their fire again, ev more frequtly than before. Apart from a few machine guns still firing, only sporadic rifle shots could be heard on the battlefield.


    Although the machine guns provided suppression, their firepower was no longer as consistt, making them appear short on ammunition.


    This level of firepower was not ough topletely suppress the Portuguese army''s counterattacks. The numb-faced native soldiers once again saw the expressions of the Austrsian soldiers, a subtle look that seemed to be staring at a group of the dead.


    The native soldiers did not understand, but the supervising team behind them would not let them think too much, so they could only continue to charge towards the emy''s position.


    With arge number of native soldiers injured and killed, the Portuguese soldiers pushed the front line to within 0 meters of the Austrsian defsive position.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Seeing his conjectureing true, Geral Portugal Lewis withdrew his idea to retreat, intsifying the charge of the front line troops and adding reinforcemts from the rear to the front line.


    By this time, more than an hour had passed since the start of the battle, and the war hadpletely changed the face of the nearbynd.


    Brigadier Geral Fritz patitly awaited a response from the reserve forces. If gunfire erupted from the rear of the Portuguese army, it would signal the final momts of this war.


    In order to keep the Portuguese gaged, the firepower of the Austrsian Army never increased.


    This also led the Portuguese soldiers to advance closer to their position, the shortest distance being only a little over sixty meters.


    Brigadier Geral Fritz worriedly observed the excitemt of the Portuguese soldiers and the relief of the native soldiers. If they got any closer, he feared their shouts and spit might reach him.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    With the familiar sound of gunfire echoing from behind the Portuguese army, Brigadier Geral Fritz rejoiced and quickly ordered, "No more holding back! Kill all these damn emies with everything you''ve got!"


    Ratatatat! Boom!


    In an instant, all Austrsian firearms and machine guns oped fire, the intsity ev greater than what it had be during the previous exchanges.


    This sound was a sweet symphony to the ears of the Austrsian soldiers, but to the Portuguese soldiers, it was a death knell.


    At this momt, Geral Portugal Lewis was in turmoil. He hadn''t figured out what was happing with the gunfire from their rear, and the force of the Austrsian counterattack had increased several times.


    Such a powerful force was unprecedted. Where was the previously weak and ammunition-starved appearance?


    Geral Portugal Lewis realized that everything had be a plot by the Austrsian Army, but it seemed toote to grasp this understanding.


    "All troops retreat! All troops retreat! Evacuate to the coastline, where our fleet will protect us!" Geral Portugal Lewis quickly ordered.


    Fortunately, the Portuguese fleet had not yet left. If these soldiers could sessfully retreat to the coast, they could receive support from the navy''s cannons.


    However, Brigadier Geral Fritz had patitly dured so much for the sake of capturing as many Portuguese soldiers as possible.


    The Portuguese army, who had received orders to retreat, were astonished to find that whichever direction they attempted to retreat in, they were facing dless emies.


    With heavy casualties at the front and emies suring them from behind, the Portuguese army panicked. Many Portuguese and native soldiers disbanded, attempting to escape in all directions, only to be killed by the suring Austrsian forces.


    "Don''t panic! Don''t be disorganized! The Austrsians behind us don''t have heavy weapons, just conctrate on breaking through their ranks! Once we reach the coast, we''re safe. Supervising Team, list up! If anyone tries to break rank and disobey orders, kill them on the spot!" Geral Portugal Lewis tried to stabilize his forces, looking for any chance of survival.


    Indeed, this was the most suitable path. The reserve forces were mostly without heavy weapons as they needed to move quickly, bringing only a few machine guns and hand grades.


    Compared to the massive artillery and machine guns of the front-line Austrsian forces, the rear forces really did not have any heavy weapons and were rtively easier to break through.


    However, Geral Portugal Lewis overlooked a crucial fact. He had no connection to the army he was leading prior to the outbreak of war, and therefore had no prestige in the military.


    It was only due to his status as a geral and Carlos I''smand that he was able to lead this force smoothly.


    Nevertheless, the heavy casualties had already dishearted many soldiers, especially the native soldiers. Without supervising teams shooting several escaping native soldiers, the remaining few might have already fled.


    Out of the 0,000-strong Portuguese army, Geral Portugal Lewis only managed to gather just over 3,000. In such a chaotic situation, it was not easy to ry orders urately to every Portuguese soldier.

 Chapter 257: Chapter 236: Battle Results (Extra 1)

    Although only more than 3,000 soldiers were sessfully collected, the Portuguese geral had no choice at this point.


    Seeing that the Austrsian army at the frontline had begun to charge out, and there were still many Austrsians suring them and chasing them down.


    Under such circumstances, not fleeing earlier and continuing to collect the remnants of the defeated soldiers was just waiting for death, the clever Portuguesemanders chose the most reasonable method, which was to break through with the gathered troops.


    Most of the soldiers collected by the Portuguese geral were Portuguese, but there were also about a quarter of them who were native soldiers.


    Portuguese gerals are not stupid, breaking out is bound to be difficult, so letting these native soldiers explore the roads and break through is the best way.


    After casually choosing a direction near the coastline, the Portuguese geral led his defeated soldiers toward the coast to break out.


    Ev before the circlemt and suppression began, Brigadier Geral Fritz had specifically noted the possible emy retreat routes.


    The coastline is the most likely target for the Portuguese army to retreat, after all, the ind areas are British India, and the British do not have such a good rtionship with the Portuguese there.


    For this reason, there are the most circlemt forces along the coastline, and they have also sessfully be assigned two heavy machine guns and many hand grades.


    The Portuguese geral thought he had found a way to survive, but instead, it turned out to be thergest military feat in the eyes of the Austrsian soldiers.


    After more than t minutes of fierce battle, the group of defeated soldiers collected by the Portuguese geral suffered heavy casualties, and the remaining people could no longer stand it, hastily dropping their weapons and shouting their surrder.


    Unfortunately, the Austrsian soldiers couldn''t understand Portuguese, ev if these Portuguese soldiers looked like they were going to surrder. Still, they carried out the orders giv by theirmanders and tried not to leave any survivors.


    On the other hand, the frontline soldiers personallymanded by Brigadier Geral Fritz had already rushed out and chased down the copsing Portuguese army.


    Allowing these defeated soldiers to escape is not a good thing; these defeated soldiers can also cause casualties to the Austrsian army in secret.


    Ev if they dare not attack the Austrsian army, they are still an uncontroble force.


    The previous defse battle caused the Portuguese army to lose at least 8,000 m, of which 70% were native soldiers.


    Minus the more than 3,000 defeated soldiers collected by the Portuguese gerals, there are still 8,000 to 9,000 defeated soldiers on the front lines who are scattered a, and they are also the primary targets of Brigadier Geral Fritz''s pursuit.


    Fortunately, the airships in the sky can also provide firepower support, and they can also detect the specific escape direction of the defeated soldiers.


    Through the areas bombed by the airships in the sky, Brigadier Geral Fritz can easily know the whereabouts of the defeated soldiers and th lead the soldiers to circle and suppress them.


    The war continued from the afternoon until the eving, and finally, the sound of gunfire and battle gradually subsided.


    Seeing that the night was getting darker and darker, Brigadier Geral Fritz decisively ordered the troops to retreat and wait until the next morning to search again.


    The long war made the soldiers very tired, and Brigadier Geral Fritz didn''t say anything. In addition to letting more than ,000 soldiers from the second line of defse be on guard and patrolling, the other soldiers could count the number of people, casualties, and ammunition consumption ording to the organization and th rest on their own.


    Although Brigadier Geral Fritz returned to hismand room, he did not rest but patitly waited for the casualties to be counted by the troops.


    Half an hourter, the various units gradually counted their casualties and reported them to Fritz''s headquarters.


    This battle of attack and defse should be thergest casualty in the history of Austrsia since its founding, but also thergest harvest.


    First, the Austrsian side, with nearly ,000 troops had more than 700 casualties. Among them were more than 0 deaths, more than 00 seriously injured, and the rest were lightly wounded.


    There is a Portuguese fleet stationed offshore, and it is impossible to sd these wounded back to the country by transport ship for medical treatmt.


    Fortunately, Brigadier Geral Fritz still had three airships, and it was no problem to amodate the nearly 400 moderately and severely injured people.


    The rescue of the seriously injured was very urgt, and Brig-Geral Fritz ordered the airship soldiers to carry all the wounded on the airships and immediately set sail to sd the wounded back to the country for medical treatmt.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    By the time the airship returns, it can also bring some supplies and convey orders from home.


    As for the remaining more than 00 lightly wounded, most of them were only affected by the shrapnel of artillery fire and bullet grazes and did not lose muchbat power. Simple bandaging would suffice.


    Compared to personnel losses, the ammunition consumption in this war was not that significant, at leastpared to the battle on Portuguese Timor gs, the ammunition consumption was not significant.


    After all, for most of the time gaged in battle, the Austrsian army was in a state of being beat, so naturally, ammunition consumption would not be significant.


    The good thing was that arge amount of weaponry, ammunition, grain, and medical supplies were stockpiled in advance on the Portuguese Indian coast, and the casualties in today''s war were not significant. At least looking at the supplies now stockpiled, a few more such battles could be fought.


    Although it is unclear about the specific casualties of the Portuguese, most of the Portuguese troops today have be killed, and the remaining Portuguese soldiers do not ev ount for one-tth of the total number of troops.


    The defeated Portuguese soldiers can no longer pose a threat to Austrsia. It only takes one more cleanup operation, and they won''t have any resistance.


    Now, for Brigadier Geral Fritz, the real trouble is the Portuguese fleet off the coast.


    Ev though the Portuguese navy couldn''t rank among world powers, it was still more pott than the currt Austrsian navy.


    If these Portuguese navies do not leave, the ports of Portuguese India would not be able to resume traffic, and the only way for Brig-Geral Fritz to obtain logistics would be through airships.


    However, some defeated Portuguese soldiers should still be able to return to the coast. Once they have ryed the results of theplete defeat and copse of their army, the Portuguese fleet should not linger off the coast of Portuguese India for long.


    With that in mind, Geral Fritz st a telegram to the home front, detailing the tire process and course of the war and seeking Arthur''s nextmand.


    After waiting for a while and not receiving a telegram from the home front, Brigadier Geral Fritz chose to rest for a while, as there would be more heavy work the next day.


    Wh Arthur received the telegram, it was already the next morning.


    It''s not that the telegram was delivered so slowly; in fact, the telegram from Brigadier Geral Fritz was received in the middle of the night.


    However, after all, the telegram was good news, and it was not that urgt, so Minister Kt decided not to disturb Arthur''s sleep and chose to report the situation early the next morning.

 Chapter 258: Chapter 237: Intervention by the Powers (Extra 2)

    After quietly listing to Minister Kt''s report, Arthur smiled and nodded, saying: "Brigadier Fritz has done a good job this time, I believe that after this rescue force is annihted, the Portuguese should consider whether to continue opposing Austrsia."


    Thebined regr Portuguese army from the previous three colonies only totaled three thousand m, not ough to make the Portuguese governmt realize the power of Austrsia.


    But now it''s differt, although the specific scale of this rescue force is unknown, the number of soldiers is definitely over t thousand.


    Ev excluding the African natives used as cannon fodder, the number of Portuguese soldiers is definitely a t thousand.


    You know, Portugal is not exactly arge poption country. Ev until now, Portugal''s poption has just exceeded six million.


    The loss of these t thousand Portuguese soldiers is definitely a big blow to the Portuguese governmt. Ev if it does not reach the point of hurting its vitality, it will at least cause a headache for the Portuguese governmt.


    More importantly, ev after the loss of these many troops, the situation of the war has not improved at all.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    How many ts of thousands can Portugal afford to lose? The colonies of the African Trade Union also require arge amount of troops to guard, Portugal may not care about the death of the native soldiers, but the casualties of the Portuguese are real, which can shake the foundation of the nation.


    "Ev if the Portuguese governmt still refuses to give up, the forces they have left are probably not much." Minister Ktughed and said: "ording to our intelligce, Portugal has a total of sixty thousand native troops and eighty thousand colony troops."


    "Although it looks like a high total of one hundred and forty thousand troops, the Portuguese among them do not exceed eighty thousand. With the losses from the previous three wars, Portugal should have lost more than t thousand Portuguese soldiers and t thousand native soldiers up to now.


    Retaining home defse and colonial garrison forces, the army that Portugal can mobilize is less than fifty thousand, and is no longer ough to pose a threat to us." Said Minister Kt.


    At this point, we have to praise the Royal Security Intelligce Agcy and David Collins, the European royal affairs chief.


    Although it is not possible to obtain core ssified information, we know roughly the military strgth of the major European countries.


    Put simply, Portugal is a country with a poption simr to Austrsia, and it does not necessarily hold an advantage in terms of economy and industry.


    Moreover, with a long distance from the battlefield in Europe, it indirectly increases Portugal''s logistical burd.


    If Portugal continues to sd troops in groups of twty thousand, th they will be crushed one by one by Austrsia.


    But at prest, Portugal does not have more transport ships and fleets, and it can''t let the soldiers march from Europe to Asia. The war might be over before the army could ev reach Asia.


    "But, Your Majesty, we have an unresolved concern." Minister Kt said, looking at Arthur.


    "Do you mean the Portuguese fleet?" Arthur frowned and asked.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The Portuguese army can never beat us, but the currt navy does have an advantage. If we can''t find a way to solve their navy, our troops in India may be trapped, and ev run the risk of being besieged." Minister Kt nodded and said.


    India and Austrsian maind are not connected, the most important transportation method is still sea transportation at prest.


    But if Portuguese warships blockade the coast of Portuguese India, th the only remaining way to transport supplies to India is by airship.


    However, airship freight depds on the weather, and it''s not 0% safe.


    It can only be used as a special measure, and relying on airships for freight all the time is probably not safe.


    "It''s not exactly realistic to rely on our strgth to solve Portugal''s navy right now. Kt, do you have any good ideas?" Arthur frowned and asked.


    "At prest, there are two methods, both of which can solve the problem we are currtly facing." Minister Kt said: "The first method is to invite the European powers to interve, to d this war. We have good rtions with Germany and Russia, and Britain should not stand against us either. Giv the currt rtions betwe Britain and France, France should not be a concern either.


    Plus with public opinion from Europe, as long as these powers are on our side, meeting our demands will not be difficult."


    Now we have to praise the good rtions that Arthur maintains with the major powers of Europe.


    Germany and Russia would support Austrsia on Arthur''s face, while Ennd, because of blood rtions and Arthur''s poprity in the country, could not go against public opinion and stand on the side opposite to Austrsia.


    The remaining France would not risk offding the three countries for Portugal, so to put it nicely, it''s called intervtion by the powers, to put it bluntly, it''s forcing Portugal to have peace talks.


    Arthur nodded, did not directly conclude, but continued to ask: "What is the other method?"


    Seeing Arthur''s expression, Minister Kt continued to say: "There is another method that is rtively risky, but we may also get more befits."


    "Oh? Let''s hear it."


    "Your Majesty, isn''t the first battleship we built for Russia about to bepleted?" Minister Kt suddly asked.


    Arthur was stunned, th immediately understood what Minister Kt meant.


    The first of the two dreadnought battleships that Austrsia built for Russia, the Peter Pavlovskiy, is nearly finished and tering the stage ofunching and testing.


    Although the currt actual performance has not be thoroughly tested, after all, this is a real dreadnought.


    And the Portuguese navy does not ev have a battleship, naturally, they cannot rival this dreadnought.


    But the problem is, the Peter Pavlovskiy is the first dreadnought built for Russia, and Russia and Austrsia have good rtions.


    Using this dreadnought privately would definitely damage the trust betwe Russia and Austrsia.


    Moreover, it will still take some time before the Peter Pavlovskiy ispleted. Plus without any testing and navigation, and the fact that Austrsia''s navy soldiers have not guinely operated a dreadnought, the true strgth that this battleship can show still remains to be se.


    Using this battleship would only be in a desperate situation, but with the war still favoring us at prest, Arthur does not n to use it.


    "Using the Peter Pavlovskiy is not a good n, let''s invite the European powers to interve in the war! Contact Governor David and ambassadors of various countries, express our expectation for peace and our willingness to stop the war." In the d, Arthur chose the first method. At least while meeting Arthur''s goals, it will not give birth to many idts.

 Chapter 259: Chapter 238: Assassination

    As Austrsia and the major powers of Europe had already established diplomatic rtions, it was just a matter of meeting with their Foreign Affairs Ministers to sd notifications.


    Amongst these European powers, Austrsia focused on inviting the UK and Germany, who had huge influce in the internationalmunity, and Russia, with whom Austrsia had a very good rtionship.


    The responses from the Powers were swift, with Russia responding on September 30th, expressing its willingness to participate in the mediation as a neutral country, in order to bring peace to Austrsia and Portugal.


    Next came Germany and the UK, who also agreed to participate in the mediation. The Germans were not involved in the war and it was happing far away from Germany.


    Participation in this mediation had actually be agreed to by William II out of respect for Arthur.


    Finally, wee to the UK. The UK did have a minor involvemt in this war, as the main battlefield betwe Portugal and Austrsia was Portuguese India, near an important area of the British Empire.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With its strong influce in India and Southeast Asia, the British Empire was both most suited and high-ranking ough to participate in this mediation.


    After Britain, Germany, and Russia agreed to mediate, whether or not the other Powers participated actually mattered little.


    These three countries alone could easily crush Portugal in any region - it was not for the Portuguese to decide to participate in the mediation.


    On October , 907, the Governmt of Austrsia officially st out an announcemt in the name of the national governmt, oply inviting Britain, Germany, and Russia to mediate in this war.


    This war''s currt advantagey with Austrsia. That Austrsia was actively seeking mediation surprised Europeans.


    In response, the Austrsian Governmt provided what seemed a reasonable exnation: all Austrsian citizs and the governmt aspired to peace, and were not willing to bring about disaster for the World.


    In reality, Austrsia had already gained the befits it desired and there was no need to continue the fighting.


    Soon, the three countries publicly responded to Austrsia''s request, announcing they would participate as neutrals in the mediation, striving to bring peace to both parties in the war.


    On October , the three countries invited the Austrsian and Portuguese governmts to peace talks. The vue chos was London, not only one of the most developed cities in the world at the time, but also the capital of the profound British Empire.


    The invitation from the three countries left the Portuguese governmt in a dilemma.


    The developmt of the war to date hadpletely tak the Portuguese governmt by surprise. Ev based on currt trds, the possibility of Portugal winning had greatly decreased.


    This was a reputation war for Portugal, if they won, their governmt and the royal family would gain significant public prestige, which would further consolidate their rule, and stabilize the situation.


    It is one thing if they guinely lost. They could excuse themselves with an argumt of having fought to protect their national interest, but were overwhelmed by the emy''s strgth.


    However, if they wt to peace talks without a decisive war oue and ded up abandoning the fisherm they had promised to protect, it would probably dissipate the massive poprity that the Portuguese governmt and Carlos I had gained before the war.


    Considering the situation in Portugal, this could ev overthrow the Kingdom''s rule.


    In a haze of worry and under Carlos I''s direction, the Portuguese governmt chose to remain silt.


    For Britain, Germany, and Russia, this silce was infuriating. After all, these three countries were recognized as Powers and Britain and Germany were currtly the world''s superpowers.


    Having solemnly dered to the world that they wished to mediate in this war, and th being ignored by Portugal, felt like a personal affront.


    The day after Portugal chose to remain silt, a British governmt official oply appeared to im that in consideration of the dreadful impression made by Portugal in this war, the British governmt would reconsider its rtionship with the Portuguese governmt.


    Though he did not specify how, the veiled threat was clear to everyone.


    It did not stop there, Germany also dered its stance that day.


    The Germans were less diplomatic. A high-ranking German official oply expressed support for Austrsia''s efforts for peace and urged the Portuguese governmt to participate in the peace talks promptly, to create a peaceful vironmt for the people of both nations.


    As for Russia, it didn''t ev need to express its stand. In fact, Russia oply expressed its consideration to organize a global voyage for its navy, the nned route covering the war zone betwe Portugal and Austrsia.


    Consecutive statemts from the three countries put the Portuguese governmt under increased pressure.


    Although, the growing disapproval from the people over the war losses exacerbated Portugal''s internal and external crisis.


    On October 3rd, after discussions thatsted a full day and night, Carlos I reluctantly conceded, announcing that Portugal agreed to conduct peace talks with Austrsia.


    On October , 907, upon Arthur''s orders, David, the royal supervisor of European affairs, and Hry Cania, the Austrsian ambassador to the British Empire, formed the Austrsian delegation for the peace talks.


    The negotiating parties were Foreign Secretary Herbert Simon of the Portuguese governmt, Supervisor David, and Ambassador Hry. The British Empire, the German Empire, and the Russian Empire acted as neutral countries to oversee the fairness of the talks and sure the smooth progress of the contract.

 Chapter 260: Chapter 238: Assassination_2

    The first day of negotiations was destined to be difficult, and it seemed that the Portuguese side had no inttion of negotiating, with their demands ev more shocking.


    Despite being the losing side in the war, the Portuguese insisted on war reparations from Austrsia and demanded an apology from the Austrsian governmt and people for starting the war.


    Moreover, Austrsia must release all captured Portuguese prisoners without anypsation and provide highpsation for all killed Portuguese soldiers.


    This did not ev take into ount the property losses in the upied Portuguese colonies. If these were included, the Portuguese would demand at least 40 million Australian dors inpsation from Austrsia.


    These conditions were met with sneers from Chief David and silce from the represtatives of the British, German, and Russian countries.


    It was unknown how confidt the Portuguese were to make such an astronomical offer in this situation.


    In response, Chief David prested Austrsia''s position. First, the Portuguese governmt mustpsate for the war, including the losses incurred by Austrsia in the war, the casualties in the Austrsian army, the loss of people''s property, etc. The Portuguese governmt needs topsate the Austrsian governmt with ¡ê0 million, to be paid off in five years.


    Anypsation not paid off annually would be calcted with a 5% interest rate.


    Since the Portuguese were demanding exorbitant prices, Chief David naturally wasn''t polite either.


    Beyond these astronomical indemnities, Portugal needed to cede Portuguese Timor and Portuguese India to Austrsia, and Austrsia would gain joint control of Portuguese East Asia Colonies.


    Last but not least, for the over one thousand captured Portuguese prisoners, they only needed to pay 5,000 pounds each to safely return to Portugal.


    These conditions are very harsh. With the financialpsation alone, the Portuguese governmt may face bankruptcy, let alone losing two colonies and being unable to keep the remaining East Asian colonies.


    If they agreed to these conditions, Ambassador Herbert Simon felt he could escape the punishmt of Carlos I, but he would still be torn apart by the angry Portuguese citizs.


    However, Austrsia''s attitude made Herbert Simon understand that Austrsia was not a target to be manipted by Portugal.


    Moreover, Britain, Germany, and Russia were all prest here, and Portugal''s continued wrangling could risk offding these three powerful countries.


    After the first day of negotiations ded, Ambassador Herbert Simon st a telegram to Portugal seeking Carlos I''s opinion.


    Neither Austrsia nor the three countries of Britain, Germany, and Russia were foolish.


    The attempt to stall the progress of negotiations with such tactics was too naive.


    The next day, Ambassador Herbert Simon''s attitude changed drastically. He gave up on the idea of ??war reparations from Austrsia and only asked forpsation for the deaths of Portuguese soldiers.


    At the same time, Austrsia should withdraw from the three Portuguese colonies, and the spheres of influce betwe the two sides should return to the pre-war status.


    Austrsia naturally could not ept these conditions, and Chief David could not help but directly convey Arthur''s words to Ambassador Herbert Simon: "If the Portuguese don''t ept the negotiations within a short period of time, Austrsia will lease warships from Russia at any cost, annihte Portugal''s army, and sign contracts on Portuguese territory."


    Considering the currt military strgth of Portugal and Austrsia, the only advantage that Austrsiacked was in the navy.


    However, if Austrsia sessfully leased warships from Russia, ev directly rting a battleship, the naval superiority betwe Portugal and Austrsia would be directly wiped out or ev reversed.


    By th, Austrsia could not only easilyplete defsive wars, but alsond on Portugal''s African colonies.


    However, Portugal had no good solutions for this. Europeans gerally supported Austrsia in the currt war, which meant that European countries basically would not lease ships to the Portuguese.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ambassador Herbert Simon could not refute Chief David''s threat and could only sd a report to Carlos I about what had happed in the negotiations with a heavy heart.


    On October 3, 907, an ominous day, an important evt urred in the Kingdom of Portugal.


    The th reigning King Carlos I, together with his Crown Prince Louise, wt to the governmt to attd a meeting to discuss the ongoing negotiations with Austrsia.


    As they drove along, two ck-d m approached and fired two shots at Carlos I''s convoy with handguns from their pockets.


    Due to being closer to the assassins, Crown Prince Louise was hit directly in the chest by a bullet, while King Carlos I, who was sitting further away, was grazed by a stray bullet on his shoulder.


    It took several seconds after the shooting for the King''s guards to react. They immediately shouted to protect His Majesty the King and quickly chased the assassins.


    Meanwhile, the injured King Carlos I and Crown Prince Louise were escorted to the nearest hospital for treatmt under the protection of the remaining guards.


    King Carlos I''s injuries were not severe, and after the bullet was removed, there was no longer any danger to his life.


    However, Crown Prince Louise was injured very close to the heart, and due to therge amount of bleeding, it was very difficult to save him.

 Chapter 261: Chapter 238: Assassination_3

    After the assassination incidt, the Portuguese governmt reacted swiftly. After sessfully arresting the assassin, the Portuguese governmt released the information that the assassin might be from Austrsia, trying to confuse the Portuguese citizs and incite hatred towards Austrsia again.


    Ambassador Herbert Simon, who was attding talks in London at the time, also received news from his country. After receiving instructions, he suddly halted the talks and expressed his suspicions to Chief David.


    The incidt happed at a very coincidtal time - King Carlos I of Portugal was assassinated just wh the negotiations betwe Portugal and Austrsia fell into a stalemate.


    From this perspective, Austrsia seemed to be suspicious, and many Portuguese citizs were indeed deceived. They took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with Austrsia and rejoined the ranks supporting the governmt in going to war.


    Seeing that his goal was achieved, Carlos I''s mood improved a lot, and he focused on his son, Louise.


    Facing the Portuguese people''s me game, Chief David was baffled, but he still learned the news that King Carlos I of Portugal had be assassinated.


    It must be said that the assassination of Carlos I was indeed advantageous for Austrsia. A chaotic Portuguese governmt naturally would not be determined to continue the war.


    However, Chief David would not carry the me for others in vain.


    Chief David disdainfully refuted Herbert Simon''s questioning and stated that small Portugal did not need Austrsia to gage in petty tricks.


    The talks ded on such a note that day. Upon returning to his room, Chief David ordered his subordinates to investigate the details of Carlos I''s assassination and began spreading news extsively. He publicly disclosed all the conditions of the Kingdom of Portugal in the negotiations, belittling the brutal war the Kingdom had started.


    Already at a disadvantage, but disregarding the lives of Portuguese citizs, and having no guine desire to d the war peacefully.


    Public opinion was something Austrsia had to control. It brought a lot of befits to Austrsia, sessfully making Portugal a target in the war.


    Due to the favorable impression Austrsia had giv to European citizs before, most Europeans were willing to believe Austrsia''s words and stood on their side.


    However, what really allowed Austrsia to continue to maintain a lead in public opinion was not the European newspapers they controlled, but a small Portuguese newspaper.


    Although it was just a small newspaper, it was quickly reprinted by many domestic newspapers in Portugal after its cirction and attracted atttion from many European media outlets.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This allowed the news in this small newspaper to spread throughout most of Europe within a few days, making the contt known to most European people.


    The contt printed in the newspaper was actually quite simple, mainly some statemts from a Portuguese political party.


    However, this party was thergest opposition party in Portugal at the momt. It opposed not only the Portuguese governmt but also the monarchy and King Carlos I of Portugal.


    If the Portugal Republic Party was only known in Portugal before, its reputation had now spread throughout Europe.


    An extremist member of the Portugal Republic Party oply stated that the assassination attempt on Carlos I was nned by the party. The purpose was to eliminate the biggest disaster in Portugal at prest, King Carlos I, who has instigated wars and ushered in defeats.


    At the same time, this Portugal Republic Party member also listed many crimes of Carlos I, such as implemting high-pressure policies in politics, turning democratic and republican Portugal into a monarchy, and disregarding the interests of the majority ofmon people for the sake of maintaining their ruling status.


    To highlight Carlos I''s arbitrariness and barbarity, this member of the Republican Party specifically mtioned Austrsia''s reaction in the war. They emphasized that Austrsia''s initial request was only an apology andpsation from fisherm. However, the arrogant Carlos I instigated a war that never should have happed, causing numerous deaths of Portuguese soldiers.


    Up to now, the war has caused the loss of ts of thousands of Portuguese soldiers, but the Portuguese governmt still has no inttion of negotiating or ceasing its secret ns to counterattack, leading to more pointless casualties for the Portuguese soldiers.


    Carlos I''s arbitrary and barbaric actions, as well as the authoritarian and high-pressure policies he implemted in Portugal, were the real reasons for the Republican Party''s nned assassination.

 Chapter 262: Chapter 239: "London Contract"

    The statemt from the Portugal Republic Party caused a ssation in Portugal and quickly spread across much of Europe, bing one of the most talked-about topics among European citizs in rect times.


    Of course, this was also beficial for Austrsia, as it could quickly clear itself of suspicion for the assassination of King Carlos I of Portugal and immediately gain more goodwill from European citizs.


    After all, Austrsia and Portugal were at war, and the Portuguese people were already beginning to oppose Carlos I''s rule, ev harboring goodwill toward the emy nation of Austrsia.


    In contrast to Carlos I, Austrsia and Arthur were se as the most righteous side.


    As the saying goes, withoutparison, there can be no harm. Carlos I sought to maintain his autocratic rule and used the conflict with Austrsian fisherm to establish a loving and fearless image for himself among his subjects.


    However, he neglected the real public opinion in Portugal; continuing the war was of no befit to Portugal, only serving to sustain the image Carlos I had built for himself.


    Moreover, the Portuguese governmt increasingly appeared to be offding Britain, Germany, and Russia. At prest, trade betwe the United Kingdom and Portugal has gradually decreased, causing significant financial losses for many Portuguese factories and individuals.


    As a result, the Portuguese people grew ev more disillusioned with Carlos I. After all, at the time, there was clear evidce and photos of the conflict involving fisherm from Austrsia. These fisherm indeed suffered severe injuries, and their catch and property were also plundered.


    In contrast, the Portuguese governmt''s statemt on the fisherm conflict was vague andcked evidce, relying solely on the fisherm''s testimonies.


    If the governmt continues to offd Britain and Germany, Portugal may lose any standing in Europe.


    Currtly, Britain and Germany respectively represt the powerful groups of the Allies and the Ctral Powers. Britain has a close alliance with France, which in turn is allied with Russia.


    Meanwhile, Germany, Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are part of the Ctral Powers alliance, meaning that Britain and Germany are connected to all other powerful European nations.


    If Portugal offds all the great powers in Europe at once, isn''t it merely shooting itself in the foot?


    Befiting from a few decades of constitutional monarchy before Carlos I''s reign, Portugal had dozs of parties and supporters of republicanism and democracy.


    The ideals supported by these people were inhertly opposed to the principles of autocracy, and thus were naturally targeted by Carlos I''s oppressive regime.


    Carlos I''s failed scheming prested a gold opportunity for the republicans and democrats, who risked governmt crackdowns to make their stand.


    This newspaper''s impact on Portugal isn''t only limited to this; if there were detailed public opinion polls avable now, one could draw a surprising conclusion that the Portuguese Kingdom Governmt''s civilian support rate has plummeted dramatically, with ev less than 40% remaining.


    Although this may seem exaggerated, considering that the Portuguese Kingdom historicallysted for only a little over two years before vanishing, one can graduallyprehd why this has happed.


    Carlos I established a high-pressure oppressive system and autocratic rule in Portugal, but he did not bring about many befits for the Portuguese people.


    It''s no surprise that such a monarch, who only cared about his own power and status, would evtually face opposition.


    Carlos I did manage to gain some support from the Portuguesemon people, thanks to his seemingly unwavering dedication to protecting their fisherm.


    However, after this incidt, themon people started to wake up to reality, which was a reason why the Portuguese governmt''s support rate among the civilians dropped drastically.


    Hearing reports of nationwide protests, Carlos I felt rage rising in his chest but could do nothing about it.


    This wasn''t the only bad news either; after several hours of intsive rescue efforts, the hospital treating Crown Prince Louise ultimately dered their efforts unsessful.


    This was another blow to Carlos I, making the previously vibrant king appear over a decade older in an instant.


    By the time Carlos I returned to the Governmt Building, the high-ranking members of the Portuguese Kingdom Governmt were shocked to find that the king''s hair had turned .


    Portugal currtly faced internal and external threats, and thebined pressures of negotiating peace with Austrsia and dealing with domestic pro-democracy forces pushed the governmt to the brink.


    In order to maintain his rule, Carlos I reluctantly decided topromise with Austrsia and focus on resolving domestic threats, securing the governmt''s position and his own rule.


    On October 8, 907, the London Agreemt, paused by an idt for five days, resumed.


    This time, Portuguese ambassador Herbert Simon was noticeably more proactive and officially acknowledged Portugal''s defeat in the war.


    Seeing the Portuguese governmt finally taking action, the represtatives from Britain, Germany, and Russia nodded in satisfaction.


    After several days of negotiation and with the witnesses of the represtatives of Britain, Germany, and Russia, Chief David of Austrsia and Herbert Simon, the represtative of the Kingdom of Portugal, signed the "Austrsian and Portuguese Agreemt on Fisherm''s Conflict and War Incidt Resolution and Compsation" with a smile in London.


    Due to the signing in London, this treaty is also known as the "London Agreemt" betwe Australia and Portugal.


    ording to the provisions of the London Agreemt, Portuguese Timor will be ceded to Austrsia as Portugal''spsation and recognizes Austrsia''s sovereignty over it.


    In addition, Austrsia has the right to berth at ports in Portugal''s East Asian colonies, whether its warships or civilian ships can freely ter and exit the ports of the East Asian colonies.


    Furthermore, there is thepsation for the fisherm and the war funds. All Austrsian fisherm affected by the conflict and war are to bepsated by Portugal. Finally, thepsation amount is set at 5 Australian dors per person.


    As for the Austrsian fisherman involved in the conflict, the Portuguese governmt must pay him 0,000 Australian dors and publicly apologize to him.


    Regarding war reparations, the Portuguese governmt mustpsate the Austrsian governmt with five million pounds, which must be paid within three years. After three years, any unpaid amount will have an annual interest rate of one-fifth.


    What does this mean? If the Portuguese governmt does not pay any funds within three years, the annual interest after three years will be as high as one million pounds, which is no small sum.


    As long as two years'' worth of interest amounts to the value of a dreadnought, Arthur is happy to see Portugal repay the debtte.


    Anyway, with the witnesses of Britain, Germany, and Russia, Arthur isn''t worried about the Portuguese governmt defaulting. There are not many countries that dare to ignore the three veteran powers in Europe.


    Of course, the main reason why the represtatives of Britain, Germany, and Russia agreed to mediate the negotiations was because of Arthur''s face.


    Such favors need to be repaid. After all, to put it bluntly, there is a family rtionship betwe Austrsia and Britain, Germany, and Russia, and it is very necessary to maintain good rtions with these countries without any interest conflicts with them since Austrsia is far away from Europe.


    If it wer''t for the support of these three rogue countries, it would take some time for Austrsia to sign a real contract with Portugal.


    Although Austrsia is not afraid of Portugal''s military, Portugal''s navy is indeed troublesome.


    Of course, the main focus is on improving rtions with Germany and Russia. Although Australia''s main developmt target in the future is the navy, the British navy is currtly the strongest in the world, and its shipbuilding industry and technology are naturally top-notch.


    However, as long as Edward is the King of Britain, Austrsia cannot establish too close a rtionship with the British Empire.


    Not to mtion other things, ev if Arthur personally said that he didn''t care about the previous matters, would King Edward believe it?


    However, thanks to Arthur''s good rtionship with the previous Que Victoria and his poprity in Ennd, there is no need to worry about malice from Ennd, unless Arthur repeatedly stands on the opposite side of Ennd.


    In response to Europe''s thusiasm for researching airships, Arthur gerously donated an AU- airship to both Britain and Germany.


    With the technology of Britain and Germany, it wouldn''t be a difficult task to quickly master the AU- airship.


    Especially for Germany, the AU- airship is an improved and hanced version of the AU, and the AU is a replica of Zeppelin LZ''s rigid airship.


    With such a connection, Germany''s research on the AU- airship would be ev faster, and it may ev be able to manufacture it on its own soon.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The gift to Russia is differt from those of Britain and Germany. This is not to say that there is a differce in closess, but Russia''s research capabilities may not ev be able to sessfully grasp its technology by the time Britain and Germany have developed the next-geration airship.


    Therefore, Arthur catered to their preferces and gave Russia a batch of weapons and ammunition produced by military factories, which were originally prepared for this war.


    Austrsia was well-prepared for this war, with many weapons and equipmt produced.


    Although many weapons and ammunition were consumed under the powerful firepower of Austrsia, there were still arge number of leftovers.


    These remaining weapons and ammunition did not matter much to Austrsia, but they were like sding charcoal in the snow to Russia''s Far East Army.


    Although the currt situation in Russia is much more stable than in history, it is still the Far East Army that suffers as Russia invests in dreadnoughts.


    Receiving this batch of weapons and ammunition reserves, the Far East Army of Russia finally had a bit of foundation and was able to prepare for possible wars in the future.


    The Russians appreciated this gesture greatly, and ev Nichs II himself st a telegram to Arthur, thanking Arthur for the gift and praising the fridship betwe Russia and Austrsia.

 Chapter 263: Chapter 240: Five Years of Shipbuilding, Aiming for the Powers

    The war was over, but there was still much work to be done in the aftermath of the war.


    First, in ordance with the London Agreemt, Austrsia needed to withdraw its military from Portuguese India and the East Asian colonies, and to sure the safety of all Portuguese citizs in these two regions.


    Well, yes, the personal safety of the citizs.


    As for the property of these Portuguese people, most of their previous factories, equipmt, and other assets had long be carted away by Austrsia, a fact well known to all nations.


    And the more than a thousand Portuguese soldiers captured by Austrsia were also transported to Portuguese India, waiting for the Portuguese to receive them.


    Arthur made no im for ransom for these people, after all, Austrsia had made ough money in this war, and being too greedy would have be counterproductive since the war''s pre was to seek justice for the fisherm in the first ce.


    In fact, Austrsia''s gains from this war were considerable. Setting aside the resource-rich Portuguese Timor for now, the factories and various facilities in the other two colonies were almostpletely emptied.


    After all, Portugal had operated in these areas for decades, if not hundreds of years, and the wealth they had left behind was ough for Austrsia to reap a great harvest.


    As for the poption issue in Portuguese Timor, there was a rtively reasonable solution, which was to offer severance pay to those who were willing to leave and allow them to relocate to Portugal''s other two colonies in Asia.


    Those who were unwilling to leave would have to ept Austrsia''s rule and ev join its nationality.


    They would undergo a probationary period of at least three months, and only after it was determined that there were no issues would they be granted Austrsian nationality.


    Once more immigrants were brought in from the Native Land of Austrsia, the rule of Timor would be more stable.


    On October , 907, the Austrsian governmt officially announced that the Timor region would be the second colony of Austrsia and establish a Colonial Governmt to manage the area.


    Timor, or Portuguese Timor, was officially ramed Australian Timor.


    The Governor of Australian Timor was Roman Pito, a member of the Royal Parliamt and a former member of the Upper House of New Zend.


    After his sessful try into the Royal Parliamt, Roman Pito had expressed his absolute loyalty to Arthur in a very humorous manner, without being overly officious and keeping a low profile.


    Appointing such talt to manage the rtively small Australian Timor was more than ough and would make the New Zenders feel valued by Arthur.


    It should be noted that ev the newly-appointed Governor of Australian Timor held an administrative rank equivalt to the Governors of States and had a slightly higher status than the state Governor.


    After all, the state Governors were elected by the people of the states, while the Governors of the colonies and the Capital Territory were appointed by Arthur himself.


    This degree of closess and distance meant that the Governors of the colonies and the Capital Territory had a higher status than the state governors, and this was also why the Governors were members of the Royal Parliamt while the state Governors were not.


    After the military withdrew from the two upied areas, they returned to their original stations and tered daily training.


    Only one battalion of the First Division remained as a garrison unit in Australian Timor. The other soldiers returned to their stations in Austrsia.


    Although the victory in this war exposed many shorings in Austrsia''s military capabilities.


    Although the Austrsian Army is very strong and couldpete with the German regr forces, the total number of soldiers in the Austrsian Army is only just over 60,000, which is equivalt to a Guard Division and three Regr Divisions.


    This number of personnel is too few to defd the vast area of millions of square kilometers thatprise Austrsia.


    Next is the issue of Austrsia''s navy, which is the most exposed weakness so far.


    Austrsia''s naval strgth has not changed muchpared to the colonial period, with only a few additional medium-sized frigates and cruisers.


    A navy of this scale can only defd against pirates and the suring weaker countries, but it is nowhere near a match for European Nations.


    Ev countries like the Nethends and Portugal, whose paper strgth is simr to Austrsia''s, have muchrger navies than Austrsia, making them formidable opponts.


    Especially in this war, the naval disadvantage almost led to setbacks. If it had not be for timely negotiations with the three European countries, the war might havested ev longer.


    Following consultations betwe Arthur and governmt officials, the expansion n for the Austrsian navy over the next five years was formalized.


    The first point was the expansion of the most important type of warships ¨C battleships.


    The good news was that the two Russian warships were already in the final stages of construction, and the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship was nearingpletion.


    Next, the two Russian battleships would ter their sea trials phase, freeing up more resources for constructing warships for Austrsia.


    For this reason, the construction of battleships was the main focus of the five-year n and was on arge scale.


    ording to Arthur''s decision, the Austrsian navy will order three Monarch-ss battleships, which will be named the HMAS Austrsia, HMAS Australia, and HMAS New Zend.


    ording to the report from the Royal Shipyard, the first ship, HMAS Austrsia, will be able to start construction in January next year, while HMAS Australia and HMAS New Zend will follow in March and July, respectively.


    Due to the simultaneous construction of three battleships, the construction period will be somewhat extded.


    Conservatively estimated, thepletion time of the HMAS Austrsia will be a March of 909, while thepletion of thest-started New Zend battleship will not beter than October 909.


    Including the sea trial period of about one year, the Austrsian Navy will wee its first dreadnought at the beginning of 9, and receive three dreadnoughts in 9 if everything goes smoothly.


    By th, with three dreadnoughts, the Austrsian navy will undoubtedly rank among the world''s top t.


    In addition to the Monarch-ss battleships, Austrsia also has a new ss of strategic ships, or more precisely, battlecruisers.


    In fact, the British Empire already has battlecruisers.


    This is a type of warship that has be weaked in some aspectspared to battleships or dreadnoughts.


    For example, the hull and turret armor thickness of the British Invincible, Invincible, and Indefatigable battlecruisers currtly in service is only 6 to 7 inches, about 50 to 80 millimeters.


    However, at this time, the armor of the battleship has reached  to  inches, or 80 to 300 millimeters.


    The differce in armor thickness is literally twice asrge, not to mtion the actual protection capability, which may vary ev more.


    This disadvantage of the British battlecruisers, due to the reduced armor, allows the battlecruisers to have an unparalleled advantage over battleships: extremely fast cruise speed.


    Wh dreadnoughts can only reach convtional speed of 9 knots and maximum speed of  knots, the Invincible-ss battlecruisers have a horrifying speed of 6 knots, significantly ahead of the dreadnoughts.


    Moreover, the dreadnoughts'' speed is well ahead of the old battleships, which is ough to prove how exaggerated the speed of the battlecruisers is.


    More importantly, the British Invincible-ss battlecruisers are equipped with -inch, or 305-millimeter, guns.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This caliber is on par with that of the battleships of the same period, meaning that the battlecruisers, with their speed far exceeding that of the battleships, have the same firepower as them.


    Aside from the greatly weaked armor protection, the performance of the battlecruisers in other aspects can be considered top-notch among the battleships at prest.


    Although the weak armor significantly reduces the protection capability of battlecruisers, their extremely fast speed gives them strategic significance that no other warships can have.


    Battlecruisers can use their high mobility to perform nking, circle emy fleets, and pursue and intercept them, making escape almost impossible for the emy.


    More importantly, the fast pace of dreadnought upgrades does not affect the battlecruisers as much.


    Maintaining nearly the same firepower as battleships and having a very high speed, the strategic significance of battlecruisers will never disappear.


    After the birth of the Monarch-ss battleships, Arthur had instructed the shipyard experts to explore this type of warship.


    After a long time, the experts have achieved some results.


    The Austrsian strategic cruiser is named the Unity-ss Fast Cruiser, measuring approximately 73 meters in lgth, 4 meters in width, and 7.9 meters in height.


    The estimated standard discemt of the Unity-ss Fast Cruiser is about 7,000 tons, and the expected full load discemt can barely reach 9,000 tons.


    The power system of this fast cruiser is not much differt from that of the Monarch-ss battleships. However, due to the drastic cut of armor, the expected speed of the fast cruiser can reach more than 4 knots.


    The maximum speed will have to be tested after the warship is built, but it is expected to exceed 5 knots.


    The Fast Cruiser is equipped with four twin 45-caliber, 83-millimeter main guns,  single 45-caliber, 4-inch auxiliary guns, and sev machine guns.


    It also has four 458-millimeter underwater torpedo tubes for both defse and attack against submarines.


    Aside from the fact that the armor protection is significantly insufficit, there are no obvious ws in this Unity-ss Fast Cruiser, which is why Arthur has be determined to build it.


    In addition to the Monarch-ss battleships, building the Unity-ss Fast Cruisers is also a key part of Arthur''s n.


    However, the construction n for the fast cruisers only includes two ships, which will start construction after thepletion of the HMAS Austrsia and HMAS Australia. Thepletion of these ships is expected to be sometime in the second half of 9, with the naval outfit possibly not happing until a 9.


    But no one can dy that, after equipping three Monarch-ss battleships and two Unity-ss Fast Cruisers, the scale of the Austrsian navy will definitely reach the major power level, albeit a low-level one.

 Chapter 264: Chapter 241: Military Rank Reform and Awarding Medals

    Although it was known as the five-year shipbuilding n, in reality, the five main battleships could all be built before 9, with the sea trials taking about a year or so.


    If the five-year shipbuilding n was sessfullypleted, Austrsia would have three dreadnoughts and two battlecruisers, making the main fleet one of the world''s top tier.


    Secondly, there were various small and mid-sized warships, including armored cruisers and armored escort ships. The tonnage of these warships ranged from a few hundred to a few thousand tons, and the time and cost of construction were rtively small.


    Factoring in all these warships, Austrsia''s shipbuilding n was expected to cost nearly twty million Australian dors, or about  million pounds.


    With thepletion of the tire Austrsian navy, the total tonnage would break through 0,000 tons, reaching about ,000 tons.


    If we only look at the total naval tonnage, the Austrsian navy might be t timesrger after the five-year shipbuilding n.


    Since the war reparations from this Portuguese war amounted to 5 million pounds, the shipbuilding n did not pose arge financial burd on the Austrsian governmt and was tirely eptable.


    The only reason for building up to this number is the currt construction speed of the Royal Shipyard, which can only maintain building at most three warships at a time.


    After the five-year shipbuilding n, the scale of the Royal Shipyard may expand again, and perhaps the next  of shipbuilding ns will be ev more exaggerated.


    The shipbuilding n set by Austrsia spread quickly within just a few days, it was widely known within the scope of Austrsia, and European media had ev reported on the news as well.


    Without exaggeration, judging by the currt dreadnought construction n alone, Austrsia''s emphasis on dreadnoughts could ev be ranked in the world''s top five.


    At prest, only the United Kingdom, Germany, the Russia Nation, and the United States are building dreadnoughts, with the Russian dreadnought being built in Austrsia.


    As for the countries with preliminary dreadnought construction ns, only Italy and the Ind Nation were added.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire had ideas about dreadnoughts, their naval investmts were not substantial, and they hoped to have a dreadnought through Germany.


    The military expansion n was not limited to naval forces, as the Austrsian Army was also on the verge of a new  of expansion.


    Previous wars had exposed shortages in army personnel. Ev Portugal, with a poption slightly less than Austrsia, had more than 0,000 troops.


    With Austrsia''s army at just over 60,000 soldiers, if dispersed into each state and colony, each state or colony would only have slightly more than a regimt stationed.


    With a focus on maintaining adequate defse forces in domestic areas, the maximum number of troops Austrsia could currtly deploy was only two divisions.


    Although thebat capabilities of the Austrsian army were indeed impressive, the clear deficicies in manpower could not be ignored.


    ording to research and decision by the Ministry of Defse, the new  of the Austrsian Army expansion n was divided into Guard Division, Regr Division, and Colonial Divisions.


    The Guard Division would add an infantry regimt and an artillery regimt, bringing itsposition to three infantry regimts, one cavalry corps, and two artillery regimts, a total of over twty thousand personnel.


    The Guard Division would also be thergest division in the Austrsian Army, both in terms of numbers and firepower, as well as soldiers and officers''bat skills - considered to be top-tier and world-ss in the Austrsian Army.


    The Regr Division would also add a new unit: the Fourth Division. It would be formed by drawing officers and veterans from Divisions One, Two, and Three, along with a longer training period.


    Apart from that, there were new branches added to the army structure of the Austrsian Army - the majority of which consisted of Colonial Divisions, which many colonial countries had.


    Colonial Divisions, also known as Native Divisions, had their middle and high-ranking officers made up tirely of Austrsian officers, simr to the Portuguese indigous army, while the lower-ranking officers were native, based on their performance and rewards.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The majority of soldiers in the Colonial Division were made up of indigous peoples.


    Because of this characteristic, the Colonial Division would serve as the best cannon fodder inbat - ev if many soldiers died, it would not be distressing.


    The establishmt of the Colonial Division was a decision made after lgthy discussions betwe Arthur and Minister Kt.


    Currtly, Austrsia had two colonies, both of which were close to the nativend and had abundant mineral resources.


    Although the total poption of both Australian New Guinea and Australian Timor was less than one million (with at least 00,000 natives migrating to the maind), it was still possible to arm one or two Colonial Divisions.


    Moreover, Austrsia had another advantage as the homnd was close to the two colonies, allowing effective control over them, which naturally eliminated any concerns about native betrayal and desertion.


    If any native soldiers dared to desert, the consequces would be dire, with the tribes and nearby tribes they belonged to facing punishmt, ranging from implicating the tribe to implicating the tire region.


    At the same time, the Dutch East Indies had a native poption of more than forty million, and native lives were not particrly valuable.


    Because of these factors, the Colonial Division was the most numerous unit in the army expansion, with the formation of the First Colonial Division and Second Colonial Division during this .

 Chapter 265: Chapter 241: Military Rank Reform and Awarding Medals_2

    The Austrsian colonial division was very simply organized, with a colonial division consisting of four infantry regimts. This meant that the colonial division was purely an infantry division, with very few machine guns and firearms.


    With the addition of the infantry and artillery regimts of the Guard Division, the four regr divisions, and two colonial divisions, Austrsia''s army expanded by nearly sixty thousand people this time. Ev without counting the indigous soldiers of the colonial divisions, the expansion would still amount to more than thirty thousand people.


    As a result, the total number of Austrsia''s army would reach ,000, with a usable troop strgth of 80,000-90,000 in the evt of war.


    Workers and leaders of Arthur''s Arms Factory were happy during this time.


    The previous war and the currt expansion had increased the scale of Austrsia''s arms factories, as well as its growing military industry.


    Arthur''s Arms Factory now has more than two thousand employees and is certainly a major military industry terprise on an international level.


    Compared to the high-profile expansion of the navy and army, the expansion of Austrsia''s air force has be much more low-key.


    Airships are an op secret in technology, so they were ced out in the op.


    After winning thest war, Arthur announced with great fanfare that at least twty airships would be built to meet the transportation needs for some supplies and to establish an Austrsian air force.


    Although airnes have tak shape in various countries, their reliability is much lower than that of airships, and their practical value is far less than that of airships.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Moreover, the performance of airships in thest war led the European powers to follow suit and research airship technology.


    In addition to the twty airships, Austrsia also expanded its air force once again in secret.


    Previously, Austrsia had a total of 5 Phantom-3 bombers and 5 Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft.


    After conducting real-life tests of bomber and reconnaissance aircraft performance in thest war, Arthur promptly ced orders for thirty bombers, t fighter aircraft, and twty reconnaissance aircraft.


    With the establishmt of the Royal Military Academy, the selection and training of pilots has be more standardized.


    At prest, the Royal Military Academy''s Aeronautical College can train at least one hundred and fifty qualified pilots for Austrsia each year, allowing Arthur to aggressively expand its air force.


    It will take at least half a year for the Aerospace Laboratory to build the sixty aircraft in this order.


    By 908, Austrsia will have at least ny military aircrafts. In terms of both scale andbat power, Austrsia''s air force currtly ranks first in the world and is still a gbreaking world leader.


    In fact, the practicality of these aircraft is already on par with those of various countries during World War I.


    If Arthur insists, they could now establish a powerful air force with thousands of aircraft.


    However, the rate of aircraft upgrading is still quite fast, and there is no need to spd too much on models that may be outdated.


    At least ording to the Aerospace Laboratory''s response, the fourth geration of military aircraft is already taking shape, and all three types of military aircraft in the fourth geration will see significant performance improvemts over the third geration.


    This is one of the reasons why Arthur has not established arge-scale air force at prest. Firstly, the air force has no opponts, and Austrsia currtly has an overwhelming advantage in the air force field.


    Moreover, the birth of the fourth-geration aircraft is not far off, so it would be better to wait for the new aircraft to be born before expanding the troops, rather than spding money on possibly outdated aircraft now.


    In addition to expanding the army, rewarding the soldiers and officers who contributed to the previous war is also a very important issue.


    The army is Arthur''s trump card, and it is esstial to firmly grasp the military''s morale.


    As soon as the war was over, Arthur and Minister Kt discussed together the issue of rewarding soldiers and officers.


    Without a doubt, the most significant contributions were made by the First and Second Divisions, the former fired the first shot of the war, perfectly ying the role of the vanguard and upying Portuguese Timor with rtively low casualties.


    The Second Division not only upied Portuguese India and other colonies but also sessfully defded against and eliminated the threat from Portuguese reinforcemts.


    As themanding officers of the First and Second Divisions, Gerals Silvio Lonnie Rodlin and Fritz Leiner, are also likely to advance in their military ranks.


    Currtly, Austrsia''s military ranks are basically inherited from the British Empire, as is the case with the navy.


    Ev the design of the military rank insignia is esstially consistt with the British Empire. Now is a good opportunity to issue new military ranks unique to Austrsia during the awards ceremony.


    After lgthy discussions with Minister Kt, on November , 907, Austrsia''s new military ranks were officially announced.


    Starting from the newly listed soldiers, Austrsian military ranks are divided into three levels for soldiers (new recruits, second-ss soldiers, first-ss soldiers), three levels for nonmissioned officers (junior, middle, and sior sergeant), three levels for warrant officers (Second Lieutant, Lieutant, Captain), three levels for field officers (Major, Lieutant Colonel, Colonel), four levels for geral officers (Brigadier Geral, Brigadier, Major Geral, Lieutant Geral), and the highest rank, Marshal.


    This set of military ranks applies to the Austrsian Army, Navy, and Air Force, and soldiers from each branch will have their affiliation added in front of their military rank.


    Above the Marshals of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, perhaps there is only Arthur''s position as the Supreme Marshal of the Three Services.


    Of course, Arthur''s previous title was the Supreme Marshal of the Austrsian Army and Navy. Now that there is an Air Force, he naturally bes the Supreme Marshal of the Austrsian Army, Navy, and Air Force, simply referred to as the Supreme Marshal of the Three Services.


    However, Arthur''s title as Supreme Marshal of the Three Services is mostly an honorary one.


    Still, this title grants Arthur the legitimate power, in special and wartime periods, to legally and rationally mobilize all Austrsian military forces, including governmt national defse forces.


    Besides Arthur''s title as Supreme Marshal of the Three Services, the highest military rank is currtly held by Minister of Defce Kt, a Lieutant Geral.


    As for people like Major Fritz and others, their military ranks are all Brigadier Gerals. Firstly, it is for the convice of the Ministry of Defse to manage, and secondly, there has be no significant conflict in Austrsia since its founding. Awarding thesemanding officers too high of ranks without merit would devalue Austrsian military ranks.


    Moreover, awarding too high ranks early on might lead to a situation where there is nowhere left to promoteter on.


    If marshals evtually be a dime a doz, th the military rank system will truly be worthless.


    On November 5, 907, the Austrsian military awards ceremony officially began.


    The awards ceremony can also be called a medal ceremony, and while most participants are from the previous Austrsian war forces, the vue is still located outside Sydney Pce''s square.


    This has also led to many Austrsianmoners being able to watch, as medal ceremonies are not considered ssified information.


    Thergest promotions in this ceremony were naturally for themanding officers of the First and Second Divisions.


    Themanding officers of Division One, Silvio Lonnie Rodlin, and Division Two, Fritz Leiner, both sessfully advanced from Brigadier Geral to Brigadier, which may be their highest military rank in their position asmanding officers.


    If they want to advance further in military rank, they might have to either join the Ministry of Defse or wait for the birth ofrger units in the Austrsian military.


    After all, a Major Geral is considered a high-ranking figure in a nation''s military forces. It wouldn''t be appropriate to let such high-ranking personnel lead an ordinary regr division, as it would inevitably create many issues down the line.


    Currtly, the Minister of Defce, Kt, holds the rank of Lieutant Geral. If another Lieutant Geral is appointed as amanding officer, who should list to whom, considering they share the same rank?


    Other than the two Division Commanders who sessfully advanced to Brigadier, the Deputy Commanders of the First and Second Divisions were also sessfully promoted to the position of Brigadier Geral.


    This was to prepare for the expansion of the Fourth and Colonial Divisions, as their promotions also meant that they would be themanding officers of these units.

 Chapter 266: Chapter 242: Expansion of Assets

    The Austrsian military is set to expand with one regr division and two colonial divisions, and their divisionmanders can only be drawn from the existing forces.


    Fortunately, the two deputy divisionmanders of the first and second divisions had made significant contributions in the war and were just right for being promoted to Brigadier Geral tomand the newly established divisions.


    Th transfer the Third Division''s deputy divisionmander to the remaining colonial division, and candidates for the new divisionmanders will be in ce.


    As for the newly formed artillery regimt and infantry regimt of the Guard Division, their regimtalmanders are likely to be held concurrtly by the two deputy divisionmanders of the Guard Division.


    In fact,pared to the colonial divisionmanders, the deputy divisionmanders of the first, second, and third divisions found the regimtalmanders of the Guard Division more attractive.


    Not to mtion, the Guard Division is Arthur''s own force, not only joying far superior weapons and equipmt and ammunition but also having a much better welfare system than regr divisions.


    To give a simple example, the currt per capita ie in Austrsia is a 4 Australian dors. ording to regtions, the sry of regr division soldiers will barely exceed this level, usually reaching a 43 to 45 Australian dors. Ev with some holiday befits and subsidies, the final annual ie will not exceed 50 Australian dors.


    However, the ordinary soldiers'' sry in the Guard Division has reached 48 Australian dors, almost equal to the total sum of the sries, befits, and subsidies of regr division soldiers.


    Moreover, the status of Guard Division soldiers is much higher than that of regr division soldiers. Almost every soldier from the Guard Division has be selected from the regr divisions.


    This time, the award ceremony added two Brigadier Gerals, two Brigadier Gerals, three Colonels, two Lieutant Colonels, and four Majors to the Austrsian military, along with many other nonmissioned officers, further riching the reserve of middle and lower-ranking officers in the military.


    More importantly, during this award ceremony, Austrsia officially gave birth to three new nobles.


    First is the tirelessly serving Prime Minister Evan from the previous governmt. After working for the Austrsian Governmt for sev years, Arthur rewarded Evan with the title of Sir.


    From now on, the former Prime Minister Evan can also be called Sir Evan, a guine noble recognized by the Austrsian Kingdom Governmt and the royal family.


    Of course, the title of Sir does note with territories, and it is not inheritable. It is only a noble title in honor.


    Nevertheless, this is a step into the threshold of the aristocracy. In Austrsia, which has no aristocrats other than the royal family, a Sir is currtly considered a guine noble.


    Although there are no real territories, a Sir title can still receive a certain annual ie, at least three times the average annual ie in Austrsia (t times for the medal).


    Apanying former Prime Minister Evan, the divisionmanders of the first and second divisions were also awarded Sir titles.


    Of course, the reason why Division Commanders Silvio Lonnie Rodlin and Fritz Leiner were awarded the title of Sir was that Arthur wanted to promote the recognition of military merit in Austrsia more quickly, making it clear to the people of Austrsia that Arthur would never treat meritorious officials unfairly.


    In this way, after the next war, for the sake of title, honor, medals, rewards, military rank, and countless other rewards, the Austrsian military would be unstoppable.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This is also one of the befits of monarchism. Monarchs can grant recognized nobility, which is thedder for ordinary people to reach the upper echelons, naturally attracting the vast majority of people''s atttion and thusiasm.


    However, Arthur is still very strict in controlling the rewards of titles. Austrsia has be developing for more than sev years, but this is the first time the nobility has be feoffed, and it is still a Sir title that leans more towards an honorary title.


    In the future, the nobility of Austrsia will inevitably be a major force in the country, but Arthur is also strict in selecting future nobles.


    Apart from those who have made significant contributions to the country, aspiring nobles will have to rely on their vast military achievemts.


    As for the inheritable real nobility, such as Baron or Earl, apart from participating in a war of national significance, one can only touch the edge by umting siority and contributions.


    On November 7, 907, apanied by governmt officials, Arthur wt to inspect the newly built reservoir in New South Wales State.


    Due to the unique climate of Austrsia, many parts of the Australian contint are in a water-scarce state.


    Fortunately, the currt poption of Austrsia is not toorge, and ev though the demand for industrial water consumption is increasing rapidly, there is no significant water problem at prest.


    However, this is still a pottial issue, and several years ago, Arthur ordered the construction ofrge-scale water storage facilities in suitable areas throughout Austrsia to meet the future water needs of the poption.


    These water storage facilities, depding on their location and size, are also divided into industrial water storage facilities and domestic water storage facilities.


    Industrial water storage facilities supply water to major factories and industrial areas, meeting the water needs of those areas.


    The purpose of domestic water storage facilities is diverse, in addition to meeting people''s daily water needs, they also support the cultivation of crops, animal husbandry, and ev the thriving electrical power industry at prest, requiring arge amount of water resources.


    Of course, the electrical power industry does not actually use water but takes advantage of the differce in water levels betwe reservoirs, cooperating with waterwheel gerators to gerate electricity.

 Chapter 267: Chapter 242: Expansion of Assets_2

    At prest, thermal power geration is still the most widely used in Austrsia, while hydropower is in the testing stage.


    Of course, the reason for all this is that Austrsia has abundant coal resources and doesn''t face the problem of mineral resource shortages faced by other countries. The term "mineral resource shortages" doesn''t ev exist in Austrsia''s dictionary.


    The reservoir that Arthur inspected is located on the Timert River in New South Wales, so this reservoir is also called the Timert Reservoir.


    This is arge reservoir for solving the water problems in New South Wales and the suring area of Sydney, and it is also equipped with hydropower gerating devices, making it the first hydropower station in Austrsia.


    As early as the establishmt of the Power Research Lab, Austrsia had a clear electricity standard, which is 0 volts.


    Together with other industrial electricity standards, Austrsia has now established a rtivelyplete electricity system, and electric lights and power have gradually tered the homes of many Australians.


    Not to mtion, Arthur''s Sydney Pce is definitely one of the currtly best-equipped pces in terms of electricity deploymt.


    At the momt, crystalmps carved from various crystals can be se within the Sydney Pce, and the lights at night are colorful and beautiful.


    Thanks to the increase in per capita ie, Austrsians are no strangers to electric lights.


    The vast majority of Austrsia''s industries have be established in rect years, adopting all new types of industrial equipmt.


    This has led to Austrsia''s industries requiring arge amount of electricity, rather than still relying on steam equipmt from the Industrial Revolution, like Britain''s industries.


    At prest, in all states of Austrsia,rge and small thermal power nts have be established to supply electricity to major cities.


    Ev in Australian Timor, there are ns for the construction of small thermal power nts, but the earliestpletion will not be until next year.


    If you want to talk about the region with the best electricity deploymt at prest, it must be the Capital Territory where Sydney is located.


    The Capital Territory has two thermal power nts internally, onerge thermal power nt to supply electricity to the industrial area, and one medium-sized thermal power nt to supply electricity for domestic use.


    And the Timert Hydropower Station is Austrsia''s first exploration in the field of hydropower geration.


    At prest, streetlights in Austrsia''s major cities have be gradually reced with electric streetlights, although this is a test for the power system, it''s not too much of a burd.


    Austrsia''s electricity system isposed of the National Power Company and the Power Research Lab.


    The National Power Company is jointly owned by the royal family and the governmt, with the governmt holding 50.0% and the royal family holding 49.99%.


    The Power Research Lab is wholly owned by the royal family and is part of the Royal financial group.


    After years of hard work, the Royal financial group has now grown into a giant in Austrsia, controlling sectors such as finance, industry, military industry, shipbuilding, mining, electricity, petroleum, investmt, medicine, food, and so on.


    It can be said that ev without Arthur''s military power and reputation, the various industries controlled by the Royal financial group are ough to sure the stability of Austrsia''s royal family.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This is also a trump card that Arthur left for his descdants. Ev if the future ruler loses their military power, they can still be a powerful ruler as long as they don''t court disaster.


    As long as the future sessor, like Arthur, values their reputation among the people and continues to operate and maintain it, the position of the Austrsian royal family will not be lost.


    Of course, there must be other reasons for Arthur to personally inspect the Timert Hydropower Station.


    Therge reservoir where the Timert Hydropower Station is located guarantees water supply for the Capital Territory and parts of the cities in New South Wales and is part of the solution to Austrsia''s water resource issues.


    At prest, the governmt ns to build at least trge reservoirs like the Timert Reservoir, which, along with otherrge and small reservoirs, would be ough to meet the water needs of Australia''s poption up to 40 million people.


    And currtly, Austrsia''s poption is just 7 million, far from reaching 40 million.


    After inspecting the reservoir, Arthur immediately rushed to the military factory to watch the testing of the improved model of the MA-96 Maxim Machine Gun, the MA-7 Maxim heavy machine gun.


    After more than a decade, the military factory finally made some improvemts to the Maxim Machine Gun, slightly increasing the output frequcy of the gun, and to some extt, reducing the weight of the machine gun, alleviating the burd on logistics.


    More importantly, the slightly smaller Maxim heavy machine gun can be better installed on motorboats and airnes as their main attack weapons.


    And since Arthur started researching tanks, the weapons for future tanks have also be a headache for the mechanical researchb.


    The future tanks must have a cannon and a heavy machine gun to meet Arthur''s expectation of high firepower.


    Imagine what a spectacr sce it would be if tanks appeared on the battlefield in advance, covered with thick armor and equipped with cannons and machine guns to face the emy''s infantry and cavalry charges?


    Wh the emy''s cavalry attacks a tank with cold weapons, they will understand how desperate the change that technological crush brings to the army can be.

 Chapter 268: Chapter 242: Expansion of Assets_3

    This sce actually appeared in the historical World War II, where the Polish cavalry performed well in World War I, causing the Polish people to have great faith in their cavalry.


    Only wh their cavalry faced the Germans'' tanks, did they realize how fragile life was in the face of technology.


    Previously, the military factory had expanded considerably due to the two wars and had officially tered a profitable state.


    At prest, Austrsia has gained some reputation in East Asia and South Asia, and weapons produced by Austrsia have gradually be exported to these regions.


    Of course, the bulk of weapon sales each year are still to Russia and Austrsia.


    Russia''s Far East army purely due to its logistical transport problems, coupled with the fact that Austrsia''s German-made weapons are indeed good quality, and there is no need to have any involvemt with Russia, so the arms trade with Russia has never be cut off.


    While Austrsia does not need too many weapons domestically, the consumption of various ammunition and shells is impressive.


    In addition to the army expansion this time, these orders are ough for the armamt factory to produce for a while.


    The military factory and the shipyard, which had previously devoured a lot of money, have now be huge profits.


    The profitability of the shipyard is no secret, with just the orders from Russiating the shipyard nearly one million pounds, and Austrsia''s own orders also expanding the scale of the shipyard and never stopping construction of the various facilities.


    Of course, among Arthur''s assets, the most profitable is still Bz Automobile.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although Arthur hadn''t cared about the car factory''s ie for a long time, the car factory''s monthly ie was still being transferred to the Royal Bank on time and reviewed by Butler Kt.


    Not knowing is not a problem, but once Arthur found out, he was guinely tak aback.


    Although Bz car sales were not as exaggerated as at the beginning of sales, it had tered a stable phase.


    Moreover, at prest, no car manufacturer in the world canpete with the Bz car factory, ev the historically Ford car factory can''t.


    So far, the Bz One has only be on sale for just over four years and has sold over  million cars.


    Although Austrsia''s factories produce only one-sixth of the total, that is still a pure profit of 0 million pounds.


    Not to mtion the other factory divisions, plus the pure American factory ie, in just over four years, Bz cars have brought Arthur an ie of 76,,000 pounds, which converged into Australian dors amounts to ev ¡ê5,40,000.


    Keep in mind that Austrsia''s shipbuilding n, which would allow Austrsia''s navy to reach the top t in the world, also has a budget of 0 million Australian dors.


    This 50 million and change in Australian dors if all were invested in the navy can build a world-ss top three navy without exaggeration.


    After all, if calcted at 4 million Australian dors per dreadnought, these funds can build a total of 37 dreadnoughts.


    Historically, the British Empire had only built 9 dreadnoughts from 906 to 94, and Germany, which was catching up fast, had only built 7, showing the huge amount of funds.


    Of course, real naval investmt cannot be calcted this way.


    While the cost of building dreadnoughts is real, in order to make warships truly capable, the training of navy soldiers, the maintance cost of warships in theter period, and repair costs for various problems also tail massive expditure.


    But no matter how you look at it, the 50 million Australian dors can definitely build a world-ss top four navy, and evpete with any other country besides Britain and Germany.


    Arthur''s personal property is considered incredibly wealthypared to a nation.


    Currtly, Arthur''s personal assets are over 300 million pounds, with ¡ê0 million loaned to the governmt and half of the remaining being real estate, but over ¡ê0 million in avable funds can still be easily obtained.


    Plus, the Royal Financial Group contributes nearly ¡ê7,000,000 to Arthur''s after-tax ie annually, a frighting rate of making money, ev more than the Austrsian governmt.


    Arthur''s assets contribute ¡ê3,000,000 in annual tax revue to the Austrsian governmt, and with various economic growth, Austrsia''s fiscal revue this year is ev expected to break 30 million Australian dors.


    After field tests, the improved MA-7 Maxim heavy machine gun does indeed perform better in terms of stability and cooling effectpared to the previous MA-96 Maxim machine gun.


    In addition, the new machine gun has a lighter weight, making it ev more suitable for equipping troops.


    Therefore, under Arthur''s witness, the military and military factory signed an order, trying to rece all heavy machine guns in the army with new ones within two years.


    As for the old Maxim heavy machine guns that were reced, they can be sold to other countries and regions at a lower price.


    After all, although the MA-96 Maxim machine gun is considered outdated for Austrsia, in the eyes of some Asian countries, it is still a powerful, unprecedted heavy weapon that is worth purchasing and equipping for their national military.


    Austrsian-made weapons have quality assurance, and Arthur doesn''t have to worry about ack of buyers.


    At least within Asia''s scope, besides Russia, there are still three or four countries interested in Austrsian weapons.


    Especially the Qing Empire, which after thest exchange of studying with Austrsia, has be one of the countries seeking to purchase Austrsian weapons.


    Despite being a rather backward country, they nevercked money wh it came to a pinch.


    Additions to other small and medium-sized countries in East Asia and South Asia, Arthur believes that the reced heavy machine guns will be sold quickly.


    Fortunately, the improvemt of the machine gun was timely, allowing it to be equipped before the formal expansion of the army. Otherwise, if the recemt were to take ce after the military was fully equipped, it would have to rece hundreds of additional heavy machine guns - a considerable loss.

 Chapter 269: Chapter 243: Peter Pavlovskiy

    Time quickly came to the d of November 907, which was the day wh the first of Russia''s two dreadnought battleships, Peter Pavlovskiy, was officiallypleted.


    The Russians had high hopes for these two dreadnoughts and paid a considerable price for them.


    With an investmt of 5 million Pounds, they obtained two powerful dreadnoughts and some small warships. It could be considered as Russia''sst investmt in the navy.


    At least for the next five years, the Russians probably wouldn''t invest any more in the navy, as they were guinely out of money.


    However, the good news was that these two dreadnoughts had significantly improved Russia''s naval strgth.


    No matter which squadron these two dreadnoughts served in, they would have a more significant impact in their respective regions.


    Currtly, the Ind Nation had no ns to build any dreadnoughts. If Russia were to equip two dreadnoughts in the Far East beforehand, could the Ind Nation be Russia''s oppont?


    The answer, of course, was no. Although dreadnoughts had not yet participated in actual battles, their data was well-known to all countries.


    There was a rtively unified and standard answer from all countries: a single dreadnought could indeed be equivalt to two or three old-fashioned battleships.


    Of course, this is only from a theoretical perspective. If they were really involved in a naval battle, the oue would be ever-changing, but the dreadnoughts'' advantage was an undiable fact for everyone.


    The Russians took thepletion of Peter Pavlovskiy very seriously and ev st Geral Makarov, themander of the Pacific Squadron, to personally attd theunching ceremony of the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship.


    Of course, naval officers and soldiers from the Russian Pacific Squadron were also prest, as they would join the maritime test of the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship after theunching ceremony.


    On the one hand, they would be able to truly appreciate the power of this dreadnought; on the other hand, they would be able to master the control of Peter Pavlovskiy more quickly and developbat capabilities faster.


    Russia is currtly an important ally of Austrsia and one of the countries with the best rtionship with Austrsia.


    As a result, Geral Makarov''s arrival was tak seriously by Arthur, who dispatched Minister of Defce Kt to apany him in attding theunching ceremony of the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship.


    Theunching ceremony was straightforward. After Peter Pavlovskiy was transported from the shipyard to the nearby port and sessfullyunched, the sounds of cannons and cheers rang out over the harbor.


    Although this warship belonged to the Russians, it was indepdtly built by the Austrsians themselves, hce attracting some Austrsian onlookers.


    After all, ording to the governmt''s construction ns, Austrsia''s navy would be equipped with such warships in a few years, which was the real reason for the Austrsians'' curiosity about the Monarch-ss battleships.


    The main gun currtly equipped on the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship was a 83mm main gun, as Austrsia had not yet mastered the 45x caliber 305mm main gun.


    However, this situation would change soon. ording to information from Germany, by mid908 at thetest, Germany would fully master the technology of the 305mm main gun and be willing to share it with Austrsia.


    This meant that the battleships built by Austrsia after mid908 could be equipped withrger caliber main guns, resulting in a significant increase in firepower.


    Of course, Arthur had not forgott the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship, and ev promised that once Austrsia mastered the technology of the 305mm main gun, they would rece the main gun on Peter Pavlovskiy for free.


    Before seeing the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship with his own eyes, Geral Makarov was skeptical about the Austrsians'' shipbuilding capabilities.


    After all, only sev years ago, Austrsia was a colony of the British Empire, and Geral Makarov did not pay much atttion to thebined Australian Six Colonies at that time.


    It had only be sev years since th, and Geral Makarov did not believe that Austrsia could master the technology to build the most advanced battleships.


    However, the reality soon pped Geral Makarov in the face. Wh Geral Makarov saw the alreadypleted Peter Pavlovskiy battleship for himself, he couldn''t help but be moved to tears.


    This was Russia''s most significant investmt in the navy in rect times, and it was currtly Russia''s guinely world''s strongest battleship.


    "This is amazing! Such a beauty," Geral Makarov couldn''t keep his eyes off the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship since he first saw it.


    Indeed, there was nothing more exciting for someone like Geral Makarov, who was deeply in love with the navy and warships, than seeing the powerful warships of his own country.


    "Geral Makarov, would you like to go aboard and have a look?" Seeing that Geral Makarov truly loved the battleship, Minister Kt proposed with a smile.


    "Of course, of course. Let''s go, Minister Kt, let''s see how beautiful this dreadnought is. Austrsia is truly an incredible country, and I apologize for my previous doubts," Geral Makarov nodded eagerly and candidly said.


    "It''s normal, Geral Makarov. After all, it is a valuable asset worth several million pounds, so it''s natural to be cautious." Minister Kt said with a smile.


    After all, before this, Austrsia had only exported a Brunswick-ss battleship to the ind nation.


    As for the most powerful dreadnought, currtly only the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austrsia have the true capability to build them.


    There is no need to mtion the United Kingdom and Germany, as they are currtly the two most powerful countries in the world, their abilities won''t raise any doubts.


    Austrsia has be developing for a little over sev years, and it is a surprise and doubt that they suddly im to be able to keep up with the great powers in dreadnought developmt.


    Smiling, Minister Kt apanied Geral Makarov onto the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship and personally introduced all the equipmt on the warship to the geral.


    Naturally, the most attractive feature is the 83mm main gun on the Peter Pavlovskiy. Although the caliber of the gun is not yet equal to the British Dreadnought-ss battleship, this design is indeed the most advanced at prest.


    Geral Makarov looked at the neatly installed 83mm main guns on the warship and nodded with satisfaction.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ev with just a 83mm main gun, its firepower already surpasses most of Russia''s battleships.


    Not to mtion that the dreadnought-ss battleship also has excellt armor protection capabilities and advanced power systems using steam turbines and boilers.


    "Minister Kt, wh can we start testing the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship?" Geral Makarov asked impatitly.


    For an outstanding geral who has dedicated his life to the navy, he is already eager to see the true strgth of Russia''s new warship.


    "If you are willing, we can start now," Minister Kt said with a smile.


    The testing and sea trial of a warship is an extremely lgthy process, used to test the warship''s stability,bat capabilities, and the actual errors of the data on paper.


    Since Geral Makarov is here, this test is naturally not a boring stability test.


    Gerally, testing the speed and stability of a warship takes several months, so that the design and equipmt of the warship can be thoroughly tested for any issues.


    This test mainly focuses on the maximum speed and firepower.


    Apanying the Peter Pavlovskiy is another battleship from Russia Nation.


    Although it is an old-fashioned battleship, it is currtly one of the main warships of the Russia Nation''s Pacific Squadron.


    This time, it will apany the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship to truly experice the differce in speed betwe the two warships.


    The maximum speed of Russia''s old-fashioned battleships is only 8 knots, while the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship can reach a maximum speed of  knots. This differce may not seem significant, but in reality, it is immse.


    This can be se from the momt the two warships set sail. The Peter Pavlovskiy took the lead from the start, outpacing the Russian old-fashioned battleship by one body lgth. After sailing for more than a minute, it ev increased the distance from the old-fashioned battleship by more than 0 meters.


    As time passed, the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship has tak amanding lead, with the distance betwe the two warships ev exceeding one kilometer.


    Keep in mind that the sailing time of the two warships did not exceed t minutes. This means that in t minutes, the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship haspletely crushed the speed of Russia''s old-fashioned battleships.


    Looking through the telescope at the old warship in the distance, Geral Makarov nodded in satisfaction.


    At this momt, Geral Makarov''s satisfaction with the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship had reached its peak, and he eagerly anticipated its true service.


    After sailing for another half an hour, the Peter Pavlovskiy finally slowed down.


    Here, the Peter Pavlovskiy was to undergo a firepower test, including the uracy and impact of the guns.


    The advantages and disadvantages of the 83mm gunpared with the 305mm main gun are obvious. The 83mm main gun has a much higher firing rate than the 305mm main gun, which was the reason for Germans'' confidce.


    However, this advantage is not so fridly to the Austrsian and Russian naval soldiers aboard the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship.


    Since both the Russian and Austrsian naval soldiers were operating such a designed warship for the first time, they were unfamiliar with this kind of operation and needed more time to practice and be proficit.

 Chapter 270: Chapter 244: Annual Report Meeting on New Years Day

    Fortunately, after a period of adaptation, the soldiers'' aim had improved significantly.


    Several shells hit the designated area one after another, putting a bright smile on Geral Makarov''s face.


    Although the hit rate of the shells was a bit low at first, it was not bad for the soldiers who were expericing such warships for the first time.


    If they hadn''t rushed this time, they could have prepared a scrapped fishing boat to test the destructive power of the firearms.


    However, the power of the 83mm main gun made in Germany has already be tested. Although it is not as powerful as the firepower of the Dreadnought-ss battleship, it ranks among the best in the old battleships currtly in service.


    Overall, this test made Geral Makarov very satisfied. He ev secretly decided that if the domestic finances improve, he must promote the navy to continue purchasing Austrsian Monarch-ss battleships.


    Only this level of new battleship would y a decisive role in future naval battles.


    If the Pacific Squadron is equipped with two Monarch-ss battleships, the Ind Royal Navy would never be a match for the Russian Navy, at least until the number of dreadnoughts is bnced.


    After staying in Austrsia for a few days, Geral Makarov returned to the Far East Region, citing his busy schedule.


    Of course, the Russian navy soldiers who came with Geral Makarov did not return. Their next task is to familiarize themselves with all the equipmt on the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship so that they can formbat capabilities more quickly after the battleship is delivered.


    After the war ded, all departmts in Austrsia were very busy. After all, it was already nearing the d of 907, which meant the annual governmt summary wasing.


    Although many positions still had familiar faces, the Prime Minister had already changed, represting a new governmt. The new governmt also needed to show their achievemts and prove that they were not worse than the previous governmt.


    Especially for the new Prime Minister Walter and the two new ministers, they need to demonstrate their achievemts and capabilities since it was rted to whether they could sessfully be re-elected in the next cab governmt.


    Compared to these busy cab officials, Arthur''s life was much more rxed.


    There are currtly no major issues in Austrsia that require Arthur''s personal decision. Based on the established developmt goals, ministers only need to make detailed ns and execute them.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This left Arthur with plty of spare time to apany his family to joy the flowers, view the scery, and travel a Austrsia.


    Arthur''s royal financial group''s assets had already exceeded three hundred million pounds, which meant that ev if Arthur did nothing, he could still get ts of millions of pounds of pure ie each year.


    Nothing could be more rxing than this leisurely and happy life, at least that was what Arthur thought.


    Of course, the exchanges betwe Arthur and Que Mary have not decreased either. Every night, Arthur would experice the scery of two peaks, a canyon, and a dse forest, as well as the cheerful and pleasant bird sounds.


    The war is now over, and Austrsia will ter a rtively stable developmt period.


    Moreover, Arthur''s position is stable, and he doesn''t need to gage in any intrigues with the governmt.


    This also gives Arthur ough mood and time to explore the Human Origins Program and breed an excellt heir for himself and the royal family.


    After all, a crown prince is still very important for the stability of the country. Ev though Arthur is still young, the issue of session must be put on the agda.


    After spding more than a month in such a happy and rxed manner, time quietly came to 908.


    On January , 908, the New Year''s Day arrived.


    European countries attach great importance to New Year''s Day, and each country also has differt New Year''s customs.


    Most people in Austrsia are British immigrants, so New Year''s Day in Austrsia is more British.


    If you were in the countryside of Austrsia, you could see people rushing to draw water from the well on this day, which is a British New Year''s custom: drawing well water.


    ording to British customs, people gerally believe that the person who gets well water first on New Year''s Day is lucky, and the first bucket of water is also known as auspicious water.


    In addition to the well-water-drawing custom, British people also like to have wine in their bottles and meat in their cabs before New Year''s Day.


    People gerally believe that if there is no wine or meat left before New Year''s Day, the new year will be a poor year.


    Therefore, you can see that in Austrsia, wine and meat are very popr before New Year''s Day and are basically in short supply.


    After all, in addition to the tradition of having wine and meat leftovers, the celebration and cuisine on New Year''s Day are also a major reason for the consumption of wine and meat.


    However, Arthur and the cab officials were not so lucky.


    Due to the previous data collection taking too long, the governmt''s annual report meeting originally scheduled for December 3, 907, had to be postponed to the second day, the first day of the New Year.


    After all, governmt affairs are most important, so cab officials and Arthur can only be forced to give up their New Year''s Day rest.


    Fortunately, if the report meeting can be held faster, it is still possible to return before the eving and catch up with the celebration at night.


    In order not to dy the eving celebration, Arthur directly set the meeting location at the Sydney Pce Meeting Room, and the reunion with his family can be held in the banquet hall after the meeting is over.


    At eight o''clock in the morning, wh there are cheers across Austrsia, the annual report meeting of the Cab Governmt officially begins.


    For the cab officials, dying the meeting for one day is also beficial as they obtain more time to organize the information at hand and carefully ponder the possible questions and answers from Arthur.


    Of course, the most critical is the following n, the rationality of the n, and thepletion rate of the n which are also the esstial factors determining their performance in the next year.


    After a  of useless nonsse and oping remarks, the formal reports from various departmts begin.


    Prime Minister Walter takes the lead in summarizing. Although a war broke out in the second half of the year, it had no impact on the developmt of Austrsia. Instead, it promoted the developmt of the military industry in Austrsia.


    The summary by Prime Minister Walter can be condsed into one stce: Just like before, every industry in Austrsia was booming.


    After the geral summary, it is time for detailed speeches by the ministers of each departmt.


    First is the industrial sector, the industrial growth of Austrsia has not slowed down and still maintains a high level.


    Of course, this is all thanks to the ongoing national construction and the Bz Car Factory in Austrsia.


    Whether it is the various constructions nationwide or the Bz Car Factory, every year arge amount of steel is consumed.


    Currtly, Austrsia''s annual iron production output has reached more than 50,000 tons, while the steel production output has reached 3,000 tons.


    The industrial scale of Austrsia is currtly first-rate among other countries and has long surpassed the European second-rate countries like the Nethends and Portugal.


    More importantly, due to the support from Germany, Austrsia has gradually made up for the shorings of insufficit basic industries.


    There has also be significant progress in the chemical industry. Currtly, Austrsia has dozs of chemical factories.


    Compared to the previous year, the number of industrial zones in Austrsia has not increased. However, the number of workers in the industrial zones has increased by more than 30,000, and the number of indigous people in industrial zones has increased by ts of thousands as well.


    With so many indigous people gaged inbor, it is impossible for industries not to flourish.


    Of course, this can only happ on the premise that Austrsia has abundant mineral resources.


    If Austrsia did not have sufficit mineral resources, ev if it had a poption of hundreds of millions, it could never have such arge industrial scale.


    After obtaining Timor, the reserves of gold, manganese, chromium, tin, and copper mine in Austrsia have increased significantly.


    In addition to the abundant mineral resources in Austrsia, the trouble for other countries is theck of mineral resources, while the trouble for Austrsia is that the resources are distributed too widely, and it''s hard to decide which area to prioritize mining.


    Austrsia''s poption has also se considerable growth. Currtly, the main immigrant groups in Austrsia are from Britain, Germany, and Russia, ounting for 3%, 30%, and 7% of the total annual immigration, respectively.


    There are as many as 400,000 immigrants from these three countries alone each year. Together with immigrants from other countries, the total number of immigrants in Austrsia in 907 exceeded 450,000.


    In addition to immigration, the local birth poption is also a significant factor in poption growth.


    With the various governmt policies couraging poption growth, 907 saw explosive growth in the native poption of Austrsia.


    Of course, besides acting various policies to courage childbirth, the increase in per capita ie is also an esstial factor in therge poption growth.


    ording to the Ministry of Civil Affairs statistics, 907 saw the birth of more than 83,000 newborns in Austrsia while the death toll was more than 30,000.


    Adding the number of immigrants, Austrsia''s total poption growth in 907 exceeded 600,000.


    This has raised Austrsia''s poption from the beginning of 907 at 65.5 million to 7.5 million.


    Currtly, among all the poption in Austrsia, British descdants ount for 73%, German descdants ount for 4%, and Russian descdants ount for 9%, with the rest being the poption from other European countries.


    Because the British descdants hold the majority, there is not much opposition wh Arthur proposed the concept of the Australian nation.


    This also led to many immigrants from Europe being more willing to ept the concept of the Austrsian nation, as their own national proportion does not upy an advantage.


    Moreover, various welfare policies of Austrsia are aimed at the Austrsian people, which forced many to admit they are Austrsian.

 Chapter 271: Chapter 245: Medical Reimbursement Policy

    It was precisely because of the influx of arge number of immigrants and the increasing involvemt of indigous people in agriculturalbor that, in 907, the total grain output of Austrsia broke through to a new high of 6.7 million tons since the establishmt of the nation.


    If we look at the currt per capita consumption of grain in Austrsia, the grain produced in 907 alone would be ough to support over 0 million people, let alone the various meats and dairy products brought by the developed animal husbandry in Austrsia.


    It is also due to the increasing number of immigrants and indigous people that the per capita cultivatednd area in Austrsia has increased by about %, ev with an increase in the agricultural poption.


    If the poption growth rate in 907 is maintained, it will take another five years for the poption of Austrsia to officially break through t million.


    There should be more than t million people before World War I, although notparable to other powers, but the poption issue is not so severe.


    More importantly, the proportion of British descdants in Austrsia has always be above the 70% qualified line, which is also a major factor in the stability of Austrsia.


    Also rising steadily is the per capita annual ie of Austrsia. Since Arthur came to Australia, the per capita annual ie in this region has be growing continuously.


    By the d of 907, the per capita annual ie in Austrsia had reached 43 Australian dors, with 44 Australian dors in the Australian region and 40 Australian dors in the New Zend region.


    The per capita ies of the two colonial regions of New Guinea and Dili were 35 Australian dors and 4 Australian dors, respectively.


    The per capita annual ie in Dili has little referce value, as Dili has only be a colony of Austrsia for a few months, and the most important task at prest in Dili is to restore order and stability.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At prest, Australia and New Zend have sessively tered the dream of a happy life, and with their basic needs for food and clothing met, the medical and educational needs of the Australian people have also be well satisfied.


    Currtly, the people of Austrsia have gerally umted savings, and a considerable number of them have some assets.


    Under the patronage of the royal financial group, Austrsia has se the birth of arge number of petty bourgeoisie during this period, as well as arge number of small workshops and factories, and privately-run shops and stalls.


    These have also made a huge contribution to the economic prosperity of Austrsia, and they have also indirectly driv the developmt of the Austrsian economy.


    At prest, Sydney has three busiestmercial streets, with merchants from all over the world selling and promoting their products.


    With the economic developmt of Austrsia, its fame in Europe has be growing.


    This is also the reason why there are more and more European immigrants in Austrsia. With the guarantee of food, clothing, housing, and medical care and education, the attractivess of Austrsia to immigrants seems to be no less than that of the United States.


    Of course, the most attractive thing is that Austrsia not only has no ck chocte, but also has arge amount of indigousbor for free and can employ arge amount of indigousbor.


    Although it is in the form of leasing, after all, they also have oughbor to work for themselves. This makes the dream of many Europeans who want to be farm owners and factory ownerse true, as after all, being a capitalist themselves is much better than being oppressed by others in the United States.


    After all, the welfare policies for the Australian workers andmon people have long be spread in Europe and the United States, and many people have a good impression of Arthur, a monarch who strives to protect the interests of themon people, ev if they live in a free republic.


    Ev in countries like Britain and Germany that are recognized as world powers, people cannot guarantee that their treatmt will be as firmly protected as the treatmt of people in Austrsia.


    Although the ie of Austrsian workers is notparable to that of the powerful nations, they do not have to worry about wage deductions, oppression, or exploitation.


    Not only will they receive their wages on time, but Austrsian workers will also joy legal holidays, triple overtime pay on holidays, and befits such as holiday blessings and celebration gifts.


    After all,rge factories have arge number of indigousborers to exploit, so they naturally don''t have to take a lot of risks to exploit those workers.


    Indigousbor is so handy to use, you don''t have to worry about their lives, they don''t have to worry about food wh they''re in a bad mood, and every time an indigous person dies, the governmt will sd a new one to rece them, so there''s no need to worry about a shortage of indigousbor.


    After all, the areas currtly controlled by Austrsia alone have millions of indigous people, and the number of indigous people in the Dutch East Indies and Southeast Asian regions reaches hundreds of millions, so the rate at which Austrsia consumes indigous people ispletely iparable to the rate at which they reproduce.


    At prest, the region where indigous people are most frequtly used in agriculture is the New Guinea Colony. The New Guinea Colony has only more than 30,000 people, but has as many as 0,000 indigous people gaged in agriculturalbor.


    New Guinea''s agricultural output ounts for one-thirteth of the total output of the Kingdom of Austrsia, reaching about 50,000 tons.


    Just the agricultural products produced in New Guinea alone are ough to support the three regions of New Guinea, Dili, and New Zend.


    More importantly, New Guinea has arge area, and the developmt of arablend has only just begun.


    If several hundred thousand indigous people are invested in this area, it could be the granary of Austrsia. By that time, the output of New Guinea alone would be ough to support a poption of  million.


    Thanks to the domestic grain output, Austrsia has currtly established one or morerge grain warehouses in every province except for Dili. Thergest one is Newcastle grain warehouse in New South Wales State, with a storage capacity of more than 00,000 tons, which can meet the annual grain demand for millions of people.


    The reason for therge scale of Newcastle grain warehouse lies in the limited area of the Capital Territory, which naturally ces greater emphasis on industrial and economic developmt.


    The Sydney grain warehouse in the Capital Territory has a storage capacity of only about 0,000 tons, so part of Newcastle grain warehouse is prepared for Sydney as well.


    Austrsia''s domestic grain warehouses together have a total storage capacity of close to .5 million tons, ough to feed six million people for a year in theory.


    Considering the developed animal husbandry in Austrsia, ev if there is no grain output in a year, there is no need to worry about any famine.


    Wh the grain in the warehouse is full, it will be sold to neighboring countries in need of grain, and the vacancy will be replished with new grain.


    After all, food does notst long; it is not only prone to mold and insects but also experices a significant decline in taste and ure.


    At prest, annual grain exports can bring a lot of ie to Austrsia, particrly during the East Asia famine period wh grain exports earned them a fortune.


    Of course, it is due to the abundance of domestic grain production and the developmt of animal husbandry that food and meat products in Austrsia have always had low value, making it verymon for people to eat their fill and eat meat there.


    Actually, the number of hospitals has not changed a lot, since building hospitals requires not only arge amount of funds but also expericed doctors to run them.


    However, the Ministry of Health did not remain idle in 907. It issued a medical policy that greatly relieved people''s burd in medical treatmt.


    For instance, if the single medical treatmt cost exceeds 0 Australian dors, it can be included in the Austrsian medical reimbursemt range.


    The reimbursemt scope gerally does not exceed 30%, but at least % should be provided.


    If the single medical treatmt cost exceeds the local per capita annual ie, the reimbursemt scope gerally ranges betwe 0% and 40%.


    If the single medical treatmt cost is twice or more than the local per capita annual ie, the reimbursemt scope gerally ranges betwe 40% and 50%.


    This policy mainly takes care of patits with major illnesses, allowing most Austrsians to have the possibility of treatmt wh facing severe illnesses.


    After all, having a serious illness is still a heavy burd for most Austrsians, as most family savings in Austrsia do not exceed 0 Australian dors.


    As for medical treatmt costing less than twty Australian dors, although the governmt has some welfare policies, the reduction ratio is gerally below 5%.


    After all, it is moremon to have various minor illnesses, and if too much is reimbursed, it will also be a problem for the governmt''s finances.


    Although the intsity of the reimbursemt policy does not seem so great, it is rare in today''s world.


    It is precisely because of such medical befits that Austrsians are very proud of their country and governmt and always remember the changes that Arthur brought to their lives.


    Of course, this is also an important reason for hancing Austrsia''s attractivess to immigrants. Such medical prefertial policies are very rare, ev in top powers like Britain and Germany, which would not dare do so.


    The reason why Austrsia issued this medical policy is that 50% of the welfare policy is funded by the royal family.


    It is equivalt to the governmt only needing to pay half of the money, and Austrsia currtly has a small poption, so the financial burd is not too significant.


    However, such medical welfare conditions are very attractive to Europeans.


    Ev the Europeans who pride themselves on being civilized would not dream of introducing such prefertial policies in their countries.


    Because it is a huge burd on national finances, ev a little carelessness could lead to national bankruptcy.


    More importantly, it is maybe possible for a country to afford such welfare treatmt policy, but it''s easy to go from frugality to extravagance and difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.


    In the future, if the governmt wants to change the policy, it would depd on whether those who joy the policy agree or not.


    This is the real reason why most European countries are still indiffert ev though they know that doing so would greatly rally popr support.


    If the currt shortage of medical supplies, especially medicines, can be resolved, more than half of the medical problems in Austrsia would be solved.

 Chapter 272: Chapter 246: Royal Military Academy Starts the School Year

    It''s worth mtioning that, after more than six months of preparation, the Royal Military Academy finally oped inte 907.


    Although the reason for the differt start times of the Royal Military Academy and other universities is the slowed progress of school construction, the differt start times can also distinguish the differce betwe ordinary universities and military academies.


    The first rolmt of the Royal Military Academy was very strict. In addition to the soldiers recruited from the army, the first intake of the Royal Military Academy only recruited less than a hundred people.


    The specific requiremts are very demanding, not only requiring all family members to have lived in Austrsia for fifte years (those under 5 years old must have lived for eight years, and those under 8 do not count), but also during the residce, all family members must not vite anyws and have no close rtionships with any foreign forces or individuals.


    These are the simple backg requiremts, in addition to which there are some requiremts in physique, intelligce, eloquce, etc., and the minimum education level should be high school level.


    This is why more than two thousand people applied for the Royal Military Academy, and in the d, only less than a hundred were admitted from outside.


    The conditions for selecting studts from the army are somewhat more rxed, but they must have served in the military for at least one year, and there are also requiremts in physique,bat capability, intelligce, and loyalty.


    Backg checks are basically unnecessary for soldiers in the military, as their backgs have already be checked during recruitmt.


    The reason why the Royal Military Academy''s rolmt is so strict is that the graduates of the Royal Military Academy will basically be officers of the Austrsian Army.


    ording to the rules and regtions of the Military Academy, an external studt who graduates smoothly from the Royal Military Academy will have a minimum rank of Second Lieutant wh they go to the army. If they perform well, they may ev be First Lieutant or Captain.


    Studts selected from the military gerally already have initiatial military ranks of nonmissioned officers ormissioned officers.


    After graduation, their ranks will gerally be promoted by two to three levels, basically reaching the level of First Lieutant or Captain.


    As for officers above the level ofmissioned officers, they are beyond the reach of the ordinary graduates of the Royal Military Academy.


    Ifmissioned officers are considered intermediate military officers, th field-grade officers have already reached the level of sior military officers, requiring not only ability but also siority in the military.


    If these military academy graduates can rise to the rank of field-grade officer within t years, ev if it''s just Major, it''s ough to prove their ormous pottial. Of course, if arge-scale war breaks out, it''s another story.


    The rolmt of the Aeronautical College is not counted in the military academy because the Aeronautical College has the foundation of the previous Aeronautical Research Institute training sses and has already started rolmt.


    At prest, there are more than four hundred studts in the Aeronautical College, and the annual rolmt is about four hundred people.


    This also means that nearly four hundred pilots will be born in Austrsia every year, which is very beficial for the future expansion of the Austrsian Air Force.


    In order to build the Royal Military Academy, more than two million Australian dors out of the 5 million Australian dors in school construction funds were used to attract professors from European military academies and retired famous gerals to hance and supplemt the foundation of the Military Academy.


    Currtly, with the foundation of the Royal Military Academy, the long-standing concern about middle-level officer vacancies in Austrsia can be relieved.


    As the honorary principal of the Royal Military Academy, and with Arthur''s high poprity and support among the people, he can fully guarantee the goodwill of the graduates of the Royal Military Academy towards the royal family and Arthur, which is equivalt to cultivating talt loyal to himself oply and justly.


    It''s worth noting that most of the professors at the Army College of the Royal Military Academy were hired from Germany, while most of the professors at the Naval College were hired from the United Kingdom.


    In addition to the establishmt of the Royal Military Academy, the number of technical schools in Austrsia has also se explosive growth.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In 906, there were only three technical schools in Austrsia, all located in Australia.


    By the d of 907, the number of technical schools in Austrsia had increased to sev, with New Zend adding two new technical schools.


    These sev technical schools can train more than five thousand excellt technicians for Austrsia every year, filling the vacancies in some technical positions for factories.


    Arthur has only one requiremt for these technical schools: the more, the better, and the bigger, the better.


    As for outstanding technical talts, Austrsia naturally doesn''t mind having many. They want as many as they can get and will cultivate as many as they can.


    These technical school graduates are oft attracted to various factories with high sries and befits immediately after graduation.


    There''s no other way, as the currt number of factories in Austrsia has led to a continuous increase in demand for technicians, and ev those who graduate from technical schools do not have to worry about finding work.


    The final report came from the Finance Departmt, and it contained data that all ministers cared about.


    There is no other way a it, as the bnce of revue and expditure of the Ministry of Finance also determines the budget situation of other departmts for the next year. If the financial loss in the previous year was severe, the budget of each departmt would undoubtedly be reduced in the following year.


    Fortunately, Finance Minister Roger brought good news to everyone.


    In 907, the total fiscal expditure of the Kingdom of Austrsia Governmt was about 8,4,000 Australian dors, while total fiscal revue was approximately 36,0,000 Australian dors. Not only was there a fiscal surplus, but the excess amount also reached as high as 7,8,000 Australian dors.


    While continuing to carry out a significant amount of industrial construction, Austrsia''s fiscal expditure did not change much and maintained a level of a 30 million Australian dors.


    Meanwhile, fiscal revue grew substantially, jumping from just over 0 million to over 36 million.


    This includes tax revue from arms trade and dreadnought orders, as well as tax revue from the Bz Car Factory and the Royal Financial Group, which contributed at least  million Australian dors.


    It''s worth noting that, ording to the Austrsian constitution, the Austrsian royal family can receive one perct of the total governmt fiscal revue every year for use as royal funding to cover the costs of the royal family and pce.


    In 907, this one perct amounted to 360,000 Australian dors. Although it is a small ie for Arthur, it is considered a vast wealth for the lower ss.


    If Austrsia''s finances continue to develop smoothly, Arthur is confidt that ev without the Royal Financial Group''s ie, one perct of the governmt''s annual revue will be ough to support the tire royal family.


    Thanks to this year''s fiscal surplus, Austrsia''s currtly avable funds have not decreased but have increased, returning to over 40 million Australian dors.


    However, unfortunately, in the new year, Austrsia''s five-year shipbuilding n will officially begin.


    This is a considerable investmt, and whether this year''s fiscal situation can maintain a surplus remains uncertain.


    Another major reason for the high growth of fiscal spding is the growth of the livestock industry. As the country gradually stabilizes, Austrsia is increasingly showing the characteristics of a livestock superpower, which means there are many products rted to animal husbandry.


    Products such as beef, mutton, wool, cows'' milk, sheep''s milk, and others are exported to major regions of Europe and America and are a significant source of fiscal revue for the Austrsian governmt.


    As of now, Austrsia has more than 70 million sheep and ts of millions of cows and other livestock.


    How outrageous is this number? Every Austrsian can be allocated nearly twty-four sheep and sev cows, and one other livestock.


    It is precisely because of such a developed livestock industry that Austrsia''s livestock product prices are meager, with beef and mutton being standard dishes on most Austrsians'' tables.


    In particr, in Austrsian armies and schools, having meat for every meal has almost be a tradition.


    In school districts, cow and sheep milk are also provided in the mornings to supplemt the studts'' nutrition.


    At prest, thergest private ranch owner in Austrsia owns vast grasnds and mountains, as well as ts of thousands of cattle and sheep.


    These cattle and sheep can bring them over a thousand Australian dors in annual ie. Ev after dividing the tire family''s per capita share, each person can still obtain an ie of over a hundred Australian dors, far exceeding the currt average ie level in Austrsia.


    Arthur''s Royal Financial Group has, of course, also joined the livestock industry and hasrge and small ranches and a number of cattle and sheep in various states.


    These ranches, whbined, also have at least one million cattle and sheep, and the wool, cow and sheep milk, and meat products they produce each year are of excellt quality and are st to the royal pce. The rest is gerally sold abroad.


    Worth mtioning is that Arthur also owns tworge ranches dedicated to raising Australian wild horses.


    This is a tall kind of horse suitable for use as warhorses, and the cavalry troops of Austrsia currtly use this kind of Australian wild horse.


    Arthur''s two major ranches raise a total of over 0,000 Australian wild horses, which can quickly arm at least three cavalry divisions.


    However, Arthur is not very fond of cavalry troops. If possible, Austrsia can tirely transform the cavalry troops into motorized troops or ev mechanized units ahead of time. That''s why there is no indepdt cavalry division in Austrsia.


    Arthur is waiting for the practicality of trucks to improve in the future, and th he willpletely arm the forces to form mechanized divisions.


    As well as future tanks and automatic artillery being born, various tank divisions and artillery units will be the mainstream of the future army.

 Chapter 273: Chapter 247: Inspecting the Western Australia Industrial Base

    As time tered 908, Austrsia gradually regained its tranquility and returned to its usual developmt.


    After more than two months of restructuring and training, the expanded new army was formally formed. After being conferred with military ranks and numbers, the regr Fourth Division, First Colonial Division, and Second Colonial Division wt to their new stations and started a process of both garrisoning and training.


    Among them, the First Colonial Division wt to the New Guinea Colony, and the Second Colonial Division wt to Australian Timor for garrison duty.


    After all, the Colonial Division is currtly only in its embryonic form, and the actual soldiers will only be recruited after they head to the colonies.


    Nevertheless, once the two Colonial Divisions undergo initial training, both New Guinea Colony and Australian Timor are expected to have stronger defsive forces.


    After the change of defse with the Colonial Divisions, the forces stationed in Australian Timor and New Guinea Colony officially returned to the nativend of Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Therefore, the currt defse deploymt of Austrsia has be clear, with the Australian region having the regr First to Fourth Divisions stationed, and the New Zend region having the previously stationed New Zend Garrison and the 6,000-person New Zend Garrison transferred from New Guinea.


    Arthur''s Guard Division is not included in this. The Guard Division takes direct orders from Arthur, and its duty is only to guard the pce and protect Arthur.


    In addition to these defsive forces, Arthur also has thousands of royal guards and stinels, who are usually stationed in the pce, serving as the pce''s defse force.


    The protection force for Arthur''s geral travels and international visits is mainly the royal guards, after all, moving the Guard Division of several thousand to ts of thousands of people is a problem, and it is too conspicuous.


    The weapon of Arthur''s guard is not themon Lee-Enfield Rifle in the army but the Cassadine Submachine Gun indepdtly developed by the military factory.


    As for why it is called this name, it is necessary to mtion the invtor of the Cassadine Submachine Gun, Cassadine Nelson James Kway.


    Besides the Cassadine Submachine Gun, royal guards are gerally equipped with the self-developed As898 Semi-automatic Pistol.


    As for heavy weapons like machine guns and firearms, they are reserved in the pce''s armory, but the guards will gerally not use them.


    After all, the primary responsibility of the royal guards is to protect Arthur, not to carry heavy weapons to fight wars.


    Looking at it now, thend force of Austrsia is not too strong, but it is barely ough.


    As an ind countryposed ofrge and small inds, if the navy of Austrsia can defd its territorial waters, the army can actually maintain its currt size without major problems.


    This is also the reason why Austrsia''s defse funds have gradually be biased towards the navy.


    In fact, there are some simrities betwe Austrsia and the strategic vironmt of the United States.


    The United States is sured by sea on both the east and west sides, and the strgth of its northern and southern neighbors is rtively weak. This results in the United States having an excellt geographical location, allowing it to develop in peace away from the conflict in Europe.


    Looking closely at Austrsia''s geographical vironmt, the east and west are the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, the south is the uninhabited Antarctica, and the north is the weak Dutch East Indies.


    Although there are colonies of powerful nations nearby, most of them are small inds in the Pacific Ocean, and they are not so important to the Powers.


    The really important colonies are in the a Strait and India, but due to the separation betwe Austrsia and a Dutch East Indies, and the fact that they are both British colonies, there is no conflict of interest betwe them and Austrsia.


    As a result, Austrsia currtly has an excellt developmt vironmt, capable of avoiding conflict from the European side and bing a disruptor that influces the suring situation after quietly developing.


    After the various departmts reported their own situations, Arthur was very satisfied.


    Overall, although the Cab Governmt expericed significant changes in mid907, the developmt of the country did not stop, and Austrsia was still in rapid developmt.


    Ev in 907, the growth rate was higher than in previous years. Austrsia has begun to show a semnce of a strong country in terms of both poption and economy.


    The next task of the Ministry of Civil Affairs is still to attract arge number of immigrants from Europe and other ces to fill the poption of Austrsia.


    Under various medical, educational, and immigration policies in Austrsia, as well as policies guaranteeing welfare treatmt for workers, Austrsia''s attractivess to immigrants has greatly increased and has be the second most preferred destination for immigrants after the United States.


    Attracting arge number of immigrant poptions, guaranteeing the welfare policies of the currt poption, and focusing on and resolving civil affairs are the most important tasks for Austrsia''s Ministry of Civil Affairs.


    Minister of Civil Affairs Hry solemnly took on the task and promised to set a new high for the number of immigrants in 908.


    The task of the Ministry of Transportation is simple. Apart from the Northern Railway, other road and railway constructions have be basicallypleted.


    If the construction of the railways must be mtioned, it may be the railways rted to the two colonies.


    However, colonial affairs are gerally under the responsibility of the Governor, and ev the ministers of various departmts cannot participate.


    Construction of the Northern Railway is now in a stable phase, with more than 60,000 indigous people already invested and the number is still increasing steadily.


    If the construction progresses smoothly, it is estimated that the Northern Railway will bepleted and oped in 94. However, if the construction progress is not smooth, the timing may be dyed to 96.

 Chapter 274: Chapter 247: Inspecting the West Australia Industrial Base_2

    The mission of the Agriculture Departmt is rtively straightforward: organize the Indigous Peoples to continue cultivatingnd, and monitor grain prices both domestically and globally, to be ready for grain storage or dumping at any momt.


    At prest, the Ministry of Education has a rtively heavy workload. In addition to expanding existing universities, it needs to increase the number of universities and technical schools to train more university studts and skilled workers for Austrsia.


    Ev the currt pace of university construction could be temporarily halted, to some extt, to make way for technical schools.


    After all, technical professionals are vital for the developmt of industries right now, regardless of the industry.


    The developmt of the medical sector is rtively methodical. The number of hospitals should not expand too much without sufficit medical talt, so the mission of the Ministry of Health is to attract more medical talt and keep a talt pool ready for major hospitals.


    To resolve the shortage of medical professionals in Austrsia, three universities have started to offer medical majors, training nearly six hundred medical professionals every year.


    But these talts can only assist physicians. Without several years of experice, having them serve as attding doctors would harm the patits.


    The work of the public security departmt is,parably, quite rxed. The rising developmt of Austrsia has significantly reduced domestic crime.


    In fact, most of the currt crimes aremitted by immigrants. The order within Austrsia has actually be quite stable.


    In response to the high crime rate among immigrants, the Public Security Departmt, after consulting Arthur, has put forward appropriate solutions.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    First, improve the treatmt of immigrants and find jobs and ces to live for them as soon as possible, and sd them a certain amount ofpsation.


    Those who choosend will receive at least t acres. Those who do not wantnd will receive at least 0 Australian dors inpsation and will be referred to either factories or other job positions.


    Of course, there''s punishmt as well as reward. Punishmt for criminal immigrants from the Security Departmt is very strict.


    If it''s a minor crime, immigrants could face at least one month ofpulsorybor and a small fine too.


    If such crimes are put on record, they might affect the verification and issuance of citizship. Without Austrsian citizship, they can''t befit from the welfare policies issued by differt departmts.


    For serious crimes, punishmts from the Security Departmt range from a minimum of t years ofpulsorybor to the most extreme punishmt: the death palty. This could also affect their family and frids.


    However, one rule states that if they report their frids or family who are plotting or havemitted a crime, it won''t affect their immigration process.


    If they are just ordinary frids, perhaps fridship undergoes scrutiny here. After all, the perks thate with Austrsian citizship are substantial. These immigrants came to Austrsia preparing for permant residce.


    Actually, the most rxed departmt currtly is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


    Because Austrsia''s main policy remains focused on self-developmt, they don''t appear frequtly in international matters, except for a few countries with close rtionships.


    Austrsia''s impact is currtly limited to Southeast Asia, although it has gained considerable recognition in Europe.


    Although Austrsia doesn''t currtly have the ability to reach Europe or influce European countries,


    Austrsia has built quite a reputation in Europe. Many immigrants oft consider Austrsia as a pottial destination.


    This owes thanks not only to Arthur''s good reputation and support in Britain but also to the actions tak by the Portuguese governmt and Carlos I.


    If it wer''t for their determination, Austrsia''s reputation from the war wouldn''t have be favorable.


    Currtly, the only countries that have a good rtionship with Austrsia are Germany and Russia, and meanwhile, a superficially good rtionship is maintained with the United Kingdom.


    Aside from this, while diplomatic rtions have be established with most of the Powers and numerous European nations, in reality, the links betwe them are not closely knit.


    Austrsia currtly only has two truly reliable and good "allies": Germany and Russia.


    The most demanding sector is still the crucial industrial one.


    Prestly, the scale of Austrsia''s industry is technically considered first-ss among the Powers; however, its industrial foundation and backg are esstially still at a fledgling stage.


    Supported by Britain and Germany, naturally, Arthur would not miss out on such a gold opportunity.


    Therefore, Austrsia''s next step is to utilize the moderate backing from Britain and substantial support from Germany to thoroughly elevate Austrsia''s basic industry and other industries to the same level as the iron and steel industry, making Australia a bona fide industrial power in every aspect.


    For this, the Ministry of Industry has specifically nned a new industrial area, or rather, an industrial base.


    The new industrial base is located at the border betwe Western Australia and South Australia. Its proximity to the mineral resources in the west provides very favorable conditions for industrial developmt.


    The only problem is transportation, but the Ministry of Industry has already agreed with the Ministry of Transportation that the railway here will directly connect to the Southern Industrial Railway and the Northern Railway in the north. Railways will be intersecting from the south to the north, instantly resolving the transportation issue.


    Currtly, Austrsia''s main industrial bases are located in the southeastern part of Australia and the Northern regions of New Zend, as these two regions are respectively the best parts of Australia and New Zend, also the most populous and economically prosperous areas.


    For Austrsia, developing industry is not that difficult. More oft, the limitations are insufficicies in poption andbor.


    This in turn has led most of Austrsia''s industrial areas to be located in the eastern and southeastern vital regions of Australia and North Ind of New Zend.


    But mineral resources in these two regions are limited in variety and this is an important factor constraining diversified developmt in Austrsia''s industry.


    The selection of the new industrial base at the border of Western Australia and South Australia aims to ovee the previously limiting factor of limited types of mineral resources.


    Although the poption in Western Australia and Southern Australia is not that pltiful, the Ministry of Industry is determined to make a change this time a.


    For this, the Austrsian Governmt will allocate at least two hundred thousand Indigous peoples. Since there is abor shortage, they will make use of the Indigous poption topsate for this.


    Add to this the t of thousands Austrsian workers it is believed that the newly selected industrial base will soon catch up to the scale of the previous old industrial areas. After all, this is currtly Austrsia''s key project and the next important task for the Ministry of Industry.


    So as to emphasize the importance of this industrial base, and also because there was not much else to do these past few days.


    On January , 908, Arthur embarked on a journey to Western Australia, to personally inspect the newly chos industrial base.


    Due to the presce of the industrial railway, it only takes two days to reach the border of Western Australia and South Australia, and th by car to the new industrial base.


    At the industrial base, Arthur will inspect for a day. If progress goes smoothly, he should be able to return to Sydney before National Day, and also participate in this year''s National Day activities.


    As Austrsia is developing better year by year, the National Day activities of Austrsia are giv more importance each year.


    Typically, on National Day, all the shops and workshops will offer discounts, celebrating this grand national holiday.


    Especially on this day, the bright Austrsian national g will be spread throughout all the viges and cities nationwide, exemplifying the people''s love for their country.

 Chapter 275: Chapter 248: Ensure Quality First, Then Pursue Speed

    Therge-scaleprehsive industrial base nned by the Ministry of Industry is located to the west of the border betwe West Australia and South Australia, a the small city of Leonora and the northeastern part of Perth.


    The area is rich in mineral resources, withrge coal mines, iron mines, oil fields, tworge gold mines, and a nickel mine nearby.


    Further north of this region, there are superrge iron and gold mines, as well as manganese mines; and to the northeast, there are bauxite mines, copper mines, and more.


    Such rich mineral resources are destined to make this a great ce to develop an integratedprehsive industrial base.


    In fact, Australiater had non-ferrous metal and iron and steel industry bases in this area, without wasting the mineral resources of thend.


    Of course, the initially nned industrial base is not thatrge, and its scale is only the same as the convtional industrial base in the southeast.


    ording to the n, the first step of the integratedprehsiverge-scale industrial base construction project is expected to cover at least ,000 acres ofnd, and the Ministry of Industry''s budget is about 6 million Australian dors.


    If it is sessfully built, this industrial area will have at least 50 standardized factories and trge storage areas.


    The factories will upy about 900 acres, and the remaining less than 0 acres ofnd will be used for roads and some gre nts, as well as the initial treatmt of factory pollution.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Because it is an integratedrge-scaleprehsive industrial area, its industrial developmt is not limited to the iron and steel industry and simple chemical industry, but also includes traditional industries such as coal, machinery, and iles.


    Arthur''s ultimate goal is to build this industrial area into a highly conctrated industrial base withrge terprises at its core, simr to Germany''s Ruhr Industrial Zone, the United Kingdom''s Minds Industrial Zone, and the United States'' Northeast Industrial Zone.


    If the first two phases of construction of this industrial area are sessfullypleted and production starts smoothly, and the poption of Austrsia exceeds t million, th Austrsia will have the qualifications topete for the status of a power.


    Of course, ev if it bes a power at that time, it will still be at the bottom of the powers, and its say will not be very high.


    To truly be a power with sufficit say, a strong army is an esstial condition, in addition to developed industry and economy.


    Before the number of Austrsian g forces reaches 500,000 and the scale of the navy reaches the top five in the world, it is basically impossible to be an acknowledged power.


    Because the first phase of the integrated industrial area construction is near the small city of Leonora in West Australia, this industrial area is named Leonora Large Industrial Base.


    The idea of building such arge-scale integrated industrial base had be approved by the cab several months ago, so after the time tered 908, the construction of the integrated industrial base officially began.


    For the residts of the small town of Leonora, things began to change from the second half of 907.


    The number of peopleing and going near the town increased, withrge and small exploration teams and officials everywhere, all for the purpose of selecting the best industrial area location.


    At first, it was just officials from the West Australian State Governmt asionally checking in, and finally, it evolved into Minister of Industry Pierre personally overseeing the site.


    A few days after Minister Pierre arrived, news came that His Majesty the King wasing to inspect it personally.


    This directly rmed all the members of the West Australian State Governmt, and after a hectic preparation period, Governor Alexander Lowe, apanied by some state governmt officials, the mayor of Leonora, and all represtatives of West Australia, respectfully waited outside the town.


    Not long after, at a one in the afternoon, Arthur''s motorcade arrived at the small town of Leonora.


    It wasn''t easy; the journey had started in Sydney, passing through Melbourne, Adide, and Augustaport, before getting off the train near West Australian State and th taking a car brought by the train.


    More than two days of train travel and more than an hour of car travel made Arthur''s whole body extremely sore.


    If it wer''t for being in public, Arthur would really want to stretch his body and rx, and also exercise his muscles and bones a bit.


    "Your Majesty!"


    Seeing Arthur get out of the car, Governor Alexander Lowe hurriedly stepped forward and greeted him respectfully.


    "Don''t be so restrained, Governor Alexander Lowe," Arthur said with a smile.


    Although Arthur is only 5 years old now, his sev years of ruling experice as a monarch has giv him considerable prestige and deterrce.


    For example, ev political veterans like Prime Minister Evan dare not be disrespectful in front of Arthur.


    Because smart people know who the real master of this country is and who holds the power of life and death in this country.


    "Let''s go and have a look at the location of our industrial base," Arthur said with a smile.


    Thisprehsive industrial base is a prerequisite for Austrsia''s industrial developmt to advance further, which is why Arthur ces so much importance on it.


    Hearing Arthur''s request, Governor Alexander Lowe nodded repeatedly in agreemt and personally led the way for everyone to go.


    Their tourage included not only the Minister of Industry Pierre in charge of industry, but also the Minister of Transportation, Finance Minister, Minister of Public Security, and the Ministers of Education and Health.

 Chapter 276: Chapter 248: Ensure Quality First, Then Pursue Speed_2

    Only Prime Minister Walter and a few ministers were handling affairs in Sydney, while most of the Cab followed Arthur to West Australian State.


    After all, the establishmt of aprehsive industrial area is not as simple as constructing a few factory districts. The education and medical care vironmt in the suring area of Leonora is not very good, but it will be thergest industrial area in Austrsia in the future; therefore, the necessary education and medical care conditions must be provided.


    After all, if you want to let workerse here to work, you have to build their basic living conditions first.


    Apart from this, issues such as the security of the industrial area, transportation and the like require the personal participation of each minister to properly resolve, which is why most ministers havee along.


    Convitly, the location chos for the first phase of the industrial area was not far from Leonora. After a short 0-minute car ride, Arthur and his party arrived at the selected site in the southwest of Leonora.


    At this point, some people were already nning the specific location of the industrial area, dividing the area in detail ording to the blueprints provided by the industrial sector to facilitate future construction.


    Walking through, Arthur personally expericed the advantages and disadvantages of the currt industrial area.


    The advantages are self-evidt; the mineral resources near the selected site for the industrial area are abundant, which creates a prerequisite for the establishmt of the industrial area.


    But, the currt transportation vironmt of this area is not so good, only Leonora has a highway, and the road to the industrial area has only be temporarily wided and cannot be used normally in the future.


    This means that the most important thing for the industrial area at prest is the construction of a railway connecting the southern industrial railway and the oping of a main road for trains and trucks to transport goods.


    Thinking of this, Arthur looked at the Minister of Transportation and asked, "Minister Laur, wh can the transportation issue of the industrial area be solved?"


    Minister Laur immediately replied, "Your Majesty, the specific design drawings for the industrial area have bepleted, and road construction can be started at any time.


    We estimate that under the premise of employing ts of thousands of indigous people, the transportation railway connecting the industrial area and the industrial railway can bepleted and put into operation within a year, and the highway is expected to take just over six months."


    Arthur th nodded in satisfaction and instructed, "The various constructions of the industrial area must be tak seriously and absolutely not shoddy. The industrial area and all its affiliated facilities are major projects for the country and a prerequisite for the future industrial developmt of Austrsia.


    I do not want to hear any stain on the industrial area in the future, do you understand?"


    Arthur''s words were not light, for a despotic monarch like him who held the power of life and death, such words were not only a warning but also a sharp sword hanging over the heads of these officials.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. Please rest assured, I will personally supervise the road construction of the industrial area, suring that there will be no skimping or shoddy work," Minister Laur promised.


    Minister of Industry Pierre also chimed in, since what Arthur said was about the tire industrial area, the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry was the heaviest of all.


    Arthur nodded in satisfaction and, with a smile, said, "The construction of the industrial area is a national priority. If you find any problems during construction, you must report them promptly and not conceal anything. Of course, if there are any financial issues, your Cab Governmt can study and resolve them on your own.


    As long as the budget is used for the right purpose, exceeding the budget is no problem."


    Although the Finance Departmt has made a preliminary budget for the construction of the industrial area, after all, this is just a preliminary estimate, and it is inevitable that there will be overruns during construction.


    Arthur expressed understanding for budget overruns, as long as all these financial budgets are used for the right purpose, ev if the budget is doubled, it is an eptable situation.


    After all, what Austrsia needs now is not only to establish an industrial area, but also to establish a quality industrial area that can withstand scrutiny.


    On such key national projects as the industrial area, Arthur does not allow any idts or unexpected situations to happ.


    If these officials turn a deaf ear to Arthur''s words, they will also witness the power of a despotic monarch firsthand, who holds the power of life and death, which is not to be joked about.


    The establishmt andyout of education and medical care cannot be fully determined right now.


    After all, arge integrated andprehsive industrial base will be built here, and it is only the first phase now. The corresponding medical and educational vironmts must be nned ording to theplete form of the industrial base.


    Good news is that the construction cycle of the industrial district will take at least a year and a half, plus the introduction of foreign factories and domestic capital. The time for the industrial district to fully start production may be at least two and a half years.


    This period of time is sufficit for various departmts to establish corresponding education, medical care, public security, and transportation vironmts, thus providing aplete living vironmt for the industrial district.


    In order to convitly distribute sries to workers in the future, it is necessary to establish a Royal Bank near the industrial area.


    However, this is a matter for Butler Kt, and Butler Kt will not disappoint Arthur.


    Ev if it is just the construction of the first phase of the industrial area, it is estimated that ts of thousands of indigous people will be involved, striving to bepleted as soon as possible and to sure both quality and quantity.


    Currtly, the indigous workforce is gradually being prepared. Wh the construction team and the number of indigous people are all ready, it will be time for the industrial district to officially start construction.


    Arthur believes that this time is not far away. After all, he has se arge number of indigous people in the industrial area, and it is estimated that the number of indigous people is almost ough, and they are just waiting for various construction teams from home and abroad.


    After visiting the tire industrial base with the ministers from various departmts, Arthur stayed in Leonora Town for a few more days.


    Actually, there was no need to stay at all, but upon hearing that the industrial district was about to officially start construction, Arthur decided to stay, so as not to make any futile trips before the start of construction.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, as a major national construction project like this, Arthur has to participate in its officialmcemt.


    After waiting for a few days, on January 7, 908, the construction of the Leonora Industrial District officially began.


    Arthur attded the gbreaking ceremony and couraged all construction teams and officials at the ceremony.


    Arthur repeatedly emphasized the importance of gineering quality, suring that the construction site must guarantee both quality and quantity, and th speed.


    In order to sure the construction of the industrial area is not hindered, Arthur specifically arranged for the Ministry of Finance to allocate a total of two million Australian dors to various departmts.


    Combined, the total cost of the first phase of the industrial base is 8 million Australian dors,parable to the cost of four dreadnoughts.


    However, wh the industrial district is sessfullypleted, the return on investmt for Austrsia will be significant. Thisprehsive industrial base will able Austrsia''s industry to reach a new level, not just in scale but also in terms of its foundation and diversity, achieving the status of an industrial powerhouse.


    With the investmt of ts of thousands of indigous people, in just a few hours, the construction of the industrial area has be well-organized, and various facilities have begun construction ording to differt divisions.


    Naturally, Arthur doesn''t have time to wait. After instructing the ministers from the various departmts again, Arthur decided to return to Sydney. After all, Sydney is about to celebrate another National Day, and Arthur needs to be there for the evt.


    In fact, once the construction of the industrial area ters a stable stage, there is no need for the ministers from the various departmts to always be prest.


    They only need toe and check the progress and specific conditions from time to time to sure that no problems arise.


    After all, Arthur''s emphasis on the industrial district is well known. If problems were to arise in the industrial district, they would most likely lose not only their official positions but also may face criminal charges.


    After all, it only takes a word from Arthur to pin a criminal charge on someone. Although Arthur has never done this, it doesn''t mean that Arthur doesn''t have the power to do so.

 Chapter 277: Chapter 249: Bustling Sydney Streets

    Time moved forward to January , 908, wh the National Day celebrations of Austrsia officially kicked off.


    Since the establishmt of the kingdom, the National Day festivities in Austrsia had be more grand.


    Although military parades were not held every year, the necessary celebrations were abundant, and arge number ofmon people would gather tomemorate the birth of the country at this time.


    Thanks to Arthur''s multiple propaganda efforts, the patriotism among the people of Austrsia was strong, and they valued National Day and the festivities. Many people from across Austrsia could oft be se at these celebrations.


    In a sse, this also promoted Austrsia''s GDP, as people''s ie gradually increased, leading to an explosive growth in living standards.


    Although it was not as wealthy as the United States in the eyes of Europeans, Austrsia was no longer a poor ce, and people''s disposable ie continued to rise.


    As a result, travel expses increased, and every aspect of traveling, such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, contributed to the economic developmt.


    Ev wh there was no military parade, National Day in Sydney would attract hundreds of thousands of tourists from outside the city, and this influx of visitors, coupled with Sydney''s locals, made the city appear ev more prosperous during this time.


    Previously, Australian cities were led by Melbourne, followed by Sydney, th the capitals of all states, and major cities such as Ad and Wellington.


    After eight years of developmt, all the cities in Austrsia, whether from an economic, demographic, or importance standpoint, Sydney was definitely the most important city in Austrsia, ev far surpassing the oncergest city, Melbourne.


    Up to now, Sydney had a poption of more than 976,700 people, making it the city with the highest poption and the most developed economy in Austrsia.


    Prest-day Sydney not only took on the role of the political cter of Austrsia but also the economic, cultural, and industrial cter.


    Arthur''s n to establish an integrated industrial base in the West Australia area was actually aimed at creating another industrial cter to reduce Sydney''s urban functions.


    With Sydney''s currt poption of less than a million, it waspletely unqualified to be such a multi-ctered, diversified,prehsive, and omnipott city.


    The best approach was to relocate the industrial cter and the economic and cultural cters, and by at least moving two of them, Sydney would have better developmt prospects.


    In Arthur''s n, apart from building an industrial cter in West Australia, he also aimed to cultivate Melbourne as the secondary economic cter of Austrsia to relieve Sydney''s burd.


    As the most prosperous city in Austrsia, Sydney''s per capita ie had already exceeded 47. Australian dors, higher than Melbourne''s 46.3 Australian dors, making it the city with the highest per capita annual ie and disposable ie in Austrsia.


    Of course, the per capita annual ie did not take into ount the royal family''s property, otherwise, Sydney''s per capita annual ie would be ev higher.


    Note that the Austrsian royal family now consisted of only four people, but their annual ie was over  million pounds, or more than 30 million Australian dors.


    If this ie were included, Sydney''s per capita annual ie would directly exceed  Australian dors, on par with major power levels.


    It was precisely because of Sydney''s economic growth that the city showed a prosperous side, at least as Arthur saw wh he walked the streets of Sydney.


    After the National Day festivities, Arthur, apanied by the royal guards and Butler Kt, toured the suring areas of Sydney, also getting a firsthand experice of the developmts in Sydney.


    At least from Arthur''s point of view, the urban scale of Sydney had expanded more than twice since he first arrived, and the ctral streets of Sydney had grown ev more bustling.


    Many shops and establishmts had emerged along the main road leading from Sydney city cter to the Administrative Court, and th to the Sydney Pce.


    After all, this road was the main connection betwe the national governmt''s core and the city cter of Sydney. Ev during regr times, it was busy with people and vehicles, let alone on a major national holiday like National Day.


    Fortunately, there was a wide pedestrian walkway and an auxiliary road on both sides of this road, so there was no need to worry that the crowds and dse stalls would affect the traffic on the main road.


    The changes that Arthur could feel firsthand could actually be expericed on King''s Street, the busiest street in Sydney.


    King''s Street, as the name suggests, was a bustling street named after Arthur''s title. Its predecessor was an ordinary street near New South Wales Parliamt (Colonial Governmt Building), which gained its name because Arthur tered the Governmt Building through this street wh he first arrived in Australia.


    Over sev years of continuous developmt, this street had be one of the busiest streets in Sydney, with hundreds of businesses tering it and daily visitor traffic exceeding 0,000 people.


    Since this street offered a clear view of the former Australian Governmt Building, in addition to those who came to shop and y, many people wanted to see the former Australian Governmt Building and express their gratitude to Arthur in person.


    As Arthur walked, he came to this street. Although it had be less than eight years, the street had be unrecognizable to him.


    If it wer''t for his butler Kt exining the origin of the street''s name and its currt developmt, Arthur wouldn''t know it was the street he oft visited.


    But this was normal. As the core institutions of the country had moved to the suburbs of Sydney, Arthur''s visits to the city cter had be increasingly infrequt, sometimes only once every one or two years.


    His mother, Princess Louise, and Que Mary oft visited more oft, but their purpose was usually shopping and sightseeing, so they naturally wouldn''t care about the name and history of a street.


    This time, Arthur brought not only Que Mary but also Princess Louise and his younger sister Patricia.


    Seeing their hopeful eyes, Arthur naturally wouldn''t refuse, and he smiled, allowing them to take a look.


    Although the life of the Austrsian royal family was extremely extravagant, any royal family member''s simple meal could cost as much as an Austrsian family''s annual ie.


    But this lifestyle also brought many troubles, such as not being able to travel freely like ordinary people and having to maintain a dignified demeanor.


    Although Arthur was not so strict in his demands of Que Mary and his sisters, his well-educated mother, Princess Louise, had very high expectations for her two younger daughters.


    Esstially, Margaret and Patricia had not had many opportunities to go out before, which exined why they were always so happy wh they did.


    With the protection of royal guards and the watchful eye of their mother, Princess Louise, Arthur naturally didn''t need to worry about their safety.


    Ev if they were just traveling low-key today, thousands of security personnel were deployed wh the tire royal family wt out. In addition to the royal guards who protect the royal family members at close range, there were also disguised police and royal security bureau agts at a slightly greater distance.


    They would carefully observe the every move of anyone approaching the royal family members, and act immediately if there was any abnormality.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At least for now in Austrsia, there were no opponts or revolutionaries.


    Arthur had achieved great sesses in his various projects in Austrsia, ev in New Zend, which had rectly joined Austrsia, had made considerable progress in the past two years.


    This made the Austrsians extremely satisfied with Arthur. As long as everyone could eat their fill and dress warmly and ev have ough reserves, no one would want to give up their currt prosperous life to oppose the country.


    Not to mtion the pros and cons of doing so, just having such a thought would bring the disdainful eyes of family and frids.


    After all, most people knew who had brought about such great changes in Austrsia. Arthur had brought huge befits to the workers and people of Austrsia, and people in all walks of life are joying the befits of the policies Arthur acted.


    If anything happed to Arthur, wouldn''t it mean that Austrsia''s welfare policies would also disappear?


    Not to mtion the official citizs of Austrsia, ev newly arrived immigrants who have not yet obtained citizship status would not allow anyone to do so.


    After all, one of the main reasons they coulde to Austrsia was the welfare policies. If the policies were repealed, they would not only havee in vain but also couldn''t afford the money to return.


    Those who could afford to immigrate in this era were mostly people who couldn''t survive in their original country.


    These people could barely scrape together the money for their migration, and their hope was for a good life in their new homnd.


    Walking on the street named after himself, Arthur was quickly recognized by arge number of Austrsians.


    Although the guards and police kept the crowd at bay, people were still fanatically and excitedly shouting, "Your Majesty!", "Long live Your Majesty!", "Thank you, Your Majesty!" and so on.


    Arthur smiled and waved, but he also knew that his status meant he couldn''t stay in the street for long, so he signaled butler Kt to leave first.


    Kt immediately understood and walked to the d of the street with Arthur, where they both got into a car and left.


    In the car, Arthur lightly shook his head with a smile, saying to Kt, "Sometimes being too popr is not a good thing; at least there''s no personal space for shopping."


    Kt also smiled,forting him, "Your Majesty, it may not be a good thing for ordinary people, but for you, it''s the best thing. After all, a ruler who is widely supported is always better than one who is not cared about, isn''t it? Your high support in Austrsia is beficial for both your own rule and the status of the royal family."

 Chapter 278: Chapter 250: Master Servant Dialogue

    What Butler Kt said was naturally correct, as the ruler of a country, the degree of public support is the most important factor, and the troubles brought about by high public support are naturally negligible.


    Moreover, Arthur is not interested in shopping or anything like that, so instead of wasting time shopping, why not pay atttion to some national developmt issues, right?


    Without discussing this little episode further, Arthur kept his eyes on Butler Kt and asked with a smile, "Butler Kt, how is the status of the Royal Financial Group?"


    The Royal Financial Group makes up the majority of Arthur''s private property, and is also the cornerstone of Arthur maintaining his military power and reputation.


    After all, without money, nothing can be aplished. The role of the Royal Financial Group is to provide Arthur with a steady stream of ie, which is converted into military power, prestige and a variety of other things.


    "Your Majesty, overall, the developmt of the Royal Financial Group is going very smoothly. Starting with the Royal Bank, the bank''s business has now expanded to Europe and the United States, with a total of forty-sev branches worldwide," Butler Kt reported.


    "Currtly, Royal Bank has over 6,363,00 customers, with a total deposit amount of 43,70,000 Australian dors, averaging more than 5 Australian dors per customer. Currtly, our loan business has a total of ,34,00 loans, and the amount of loans distributed is up to 80 million Australian dors."


    The reason why the Royal Bank has so many customers is because most of the wage expditures of Austrsians rely on the Royal Bank, and the issuance of Australian dors is jointly carried out by the governmt''s Currcy Managemt Bureau and the Royal Bank. Therefore, the Royal Bank is the first choice for Austrsians to conduct currcy business.


    It is also the most popr and trusted bank because of Arthur''s guarantees and prestige.


    Hearing about millions of loans, Arthur was not rmed at all.


    After all, the loan business of the Royal Bank has to be reviewed, loans are only giv after it is confirmed that there is ough qualification.


    Moreover, in Austrsia, Arthur doesn''t have to worry about borrowers absconding at all.


    After all, before the loan is granted, the bank will sure that the borrower has ough assets. If people run away, wouldn''t the houses and properties left behind still be there? The bank won''t suffer a loss.


    Taking the currt developmt of Austrsia into ount, there are opportunities to make money everywhere, and there are already hundreds of foreignpanies stationed in Austrsia.


    Seeing such an opportunity, many people have tak out loans for this reason.


    Although the main reason for Arthur to establish the Royal Bank was to facilitate his own funds and to control the finances of Austrsia.


    But the currt Royal Bank has already be a high-profit industry, with an annual ie of the Royal Bank reaching millions of Australian dors, and this is mainly because the business of the Royal Bank is mainly in Austrsia itself.


    "In addition to the Royal Bank, the developmt of our arms factories and shipbuilding factories is also going very smoothly. The number of employees in the arms factory has exceeded 8,000, making it thergest factory in Austrsia with the capability to manufacture the most weapons.


    And the number of employees in the shipyard has also exceeded 6,000, making it thergest shipyard currtly in Austrsia.


    These two military industries can bring at least 3 million Australian dors in revue to the Royal Financial Group every year, and their significance is far greater than the ie they gerate." Seeing that Arthur didn''t show any inttion to ask, Butler Kt continued his report.


    Needless to say, these two military industries are of great importance to Arthur and Austrsia.


    At prest, most of the weapons equipmt and warships of Austrsiae from these two military industries. This is an important way for Arthur to maintain his military power and is also a significant factor for the rise of Austrsia.


    For Arthur, the scale of the arms factories and shipyards should not only berge, but also getrger andrger to meet Arthur''s expectations for Austrsia.


    "At prest, the Royal Financial Group owns shares in over a thousand small and medium-sized businesses, personal workshops, and factories. The proportion of the shares varies from one to forty perct. The total value of these shares is over two million Australian dors.


    Although these corporations hav''t brought any ie to the Royal Financial Group yet, our purpose of investing in them is not profit, but to provide momtum for the developmt of various industries in Austrsia.


    Looking at it now, at least t perct of these thousands of businesses will develop to some extt, and maybe some of them will be the Titans of some industries in about t years," Kt Butler said with a smile.


    The actions of the Royal Financial Group seem more like avder n, to nurture the industry giants of Austrsia from scratch.


    Ev if investing in thousands of businesses won''t consume too much capital, it will be a win for Arthur if a part of these businesses bes the giants of their industries in the future.


    The investmt in other businesses can also be considered incidtal, as most of the investmts in these small and medium-sized businesses are just petty tricks.


    "At prest, which of these businesses have developed on arger scale?" Arthur asked.


    The Royal Financial Group has be established for several years now, which means some of these businesses have be invested in for several years.


    A few years of developmt should not make having a certain scale difficult, or at least Arthur thinks so.


    "Your Majesty, among the businesses we own shares in, most are in the food and light industries, with a small proportion in other industries. The most developed currtly are a couple in the food industry in Sydney and Victoria State, thergest scale has reached over nine hundred people, there should be at least a hundred factories with a scale of over a hundred people," Butler Kt answered.


    The Austrsian Governmt also gives these terprises quite gerous subsidies, and coupled with the steady economic developmt of Austrsia, there''s arge amount of localbor in the industrial zones. And therefore, the expansion of these factories'' scale is not difficult.


    Especially these food industries, which made a lot of money during the East Asian famine, so their scale has naturally expericed arge expansion.


    "The substantial expansion in the number of factories and their scale is partly depdt on leading terprises like the Bz Car Factory." Butler Kt exined.


    "As Your Majesty knows, Bz Car Factory is currtly thergest car productionpany in the world, and our native main factory is also quiterge. Car production involves various kinds of equipmt and parts, these parts also provide many survival spaces for downstream small factories.


    Currtly, three businesses we invested in have cooperated with Bz Car Factory to specifically supply Bz Car Factory with quality rubber tires."


    No matter which industrial area, the scale of industry oft resembles aplete assembly line, where each factory takes what it needs.


    Just like the currt industrial zone in Sydney, the leading terprises are still Arthur''s Arms Factory and the Bz Car Factory.


    Let''s not talk about the arms factory for now, the Bz Car Factory has provided many convices for the developmt of the industrial zone.


    The scale of the Bz Car Factory is not sufficit to support the production of all automobile parts and equipmt, and there is no need to do so.


    This has also led to many small factories and workshops that can rely on the parts market of the Bz Car Factory for survival.


    In the Sydney industrial area, at least dozs ofpanies have cooperated with the Bz Car Factory to specifically provide parts such as tires, steering wheels, auto ss, seat belts, instrumt panels, and seats for the Bz Car Factory.


    After all, the annual production of the Bz Car Factory is as high as several hundred thousand. These orders can fully sustainrge numbers of small factories, which is why there are hundreds ofrge and small factories in the Sydney industrial area to this date.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Bz Car Factory needs steel and parts produced by other factories in the industrial area, and other small factories also need Bz Car Factory''s various part orders.


    The annual output value of the Sydney industrial area has exceeded 30 million Australian dors, and a considerable portion of this can be attributed to the Bz Car Factory.


    Arthur simply nodded. He wasn''t surprised by these circumstances.


    This situation is verymon in the industrial field. After all, no factory can guarantee that it is an all-er capable of indepdtly producing all the parts and materials needed for their products.


    If special production lines are built for some parts and materials that are not in high demand, not only would it require a lot of time, ergy, and money, the resulting cost is oft not worth the investmt, thereby causing a loss.


    This is where the role of these small factorieses to the fore. Because these are small factories, they can focus on producing certain parts and materials. The asional orders from the Bz Car Factory are ough for their survival for a year and can also provide sufficit raw material and part supplies for Bz Car Factory.


    Ev Arthur''s Arms Factory has numerous small factories with which it cooperates.


    However, because the military industry involves national and royal interests, these small factories are gerally controlled by the royal family, ev if they only produce wood gunstocks.


    "In addition to theserge and small factories, we also own thirty-one mines of various sizes, four oil fields, three hospitals, two universities, one polytechnic school, along with a newspaperpany. The Royal Financial Group- our shadow can be found basically everywhere throughout Austrsia." Butler Kt said with a hint of pride.


    The sess of the Royal Financial Group in achieving its currt scale, apart from Arthur''s initial substantial investmt, is alsorgely attributable to the efforts of Butler Kt.


    As the former butler of Duke Old Arthur, Butler Kt''s economic capability and vision are naturally beyond doubt. Otherwise, he would not have be in charge of Duke Old Arthur''s private assets.


    In addition to help from arge number of economic experts from Europe and Austrsia hired by Arthur, the Royal Financial Group''s rapid expansion also seems normal.


    At Kt''s slightly proud words, Arthur also smiled slightly and said sincerely: "The currt scale of the Royal Financial Group, Butler Kt, can''t be achieved without your contributions. The royal family and I will remember your contributions and those of Minister Kt. The during rtionship betwe the Lawrce Family and the royal family!"


    Butler Kt and his eldest son, Minister Kt, bothe from the Lawrce family. The name was giv by Duke Old Arthur, which shows the rtionship betwe the Lawrce family and the royal family.


    In fact, the rtionship betwe the nobility and the butler in Europe has a long history. If nothing unexpected happs, Butler Kt''s son will be the butler of Arthur''s descdants, and the next geration will be the same. This is the inseparable rtionship betwe the main family and the servant family.


    Because of this rtionship, Butler Kt is the most trusted loyal subordinate that Arthur can have, and Minister Kt has also be ced in an important position like the Ministry of Defse by Arthur.


    Most of Arthur''s military power is controlled at ease, thanks to Minister Kt''s role in the Ministry of Defce.


    Arthur was watched and raised by Butler Kt, and Butler Kt''s loyalty to Arthur is almost unconditional.


    After receiving such sincere words from Arthur, Butler Kt was almost in tears, and said emotionally, "Your Majesty, please rest assured that I and the Lawrce family will always stand firmly at Your Majesty''s front. The Lawrce family will always be the servants of the royal family!"


    Yes, servant, not a subordinate. Although it seems to be of a much lower status, this rtionship is much closer than that of a subordinate. For Arthur, Kt Butler is definitely one of the people he trusts most.

 Chapter 279: Chapter 251: Farewell to Grant Wilson

    On January 3th, 908, Arthur had a delightful birthday party at Sydney Pce, and at the same time, turned 6 years old.


    It seemed like just yesterday that he had arrived in Australia, but in the blink of an eye, eight years had already passed.


    Unable to do anything about the passage of time, Arthur could only focus more atttion and ergy on the developmt of the country, and use his whole life to create a powerful nation, at least not making his journey in vain.


    These few days, congrattions from all the officials have be pouring in, and if it were not for the high standards of Arthur''s banquet, ev more people would be moring to attd.


    At least in Austrsia, the royal family is the most dazzling presce, the most powerful, prestigious, and wealthy family in the Kingdom.


    On January 7th, Arthur received Grant Wilson, the head of the Unity Party, at Sydney Pce and inquired about the party''s currt size and ns.


    Grant Wilson was also a familiar figure, a person Arthur met during his first politically motivated trip to New Zend, and at the time, Grant''s position was the leader of the New Zend Alliance Party.


    Currtly, the political parties in Austrsia have gone through many years, and are no longer the sev major factions in Australia before.


    After the integration of Australia and New Zend, the parties betwe the two regions also expericed various mergers to differt extts.


    The merger of the Australian Labor Party and the New Zend Labor Party wt very smoothly, and it was the fastest party merger without any opposition voices.


    The merged party was called the New Labour Party, and its tform was to unite trade unions, rally workers, and strive to build a better Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the tform of the Labour Party has be a series of ups and downs, with the initial goal of promoting the establishmt of a unified federation of Australia realized by Arthur, followed by the protection of the interests of the working ss, which was also realized by Arthur and became an important reason for limiting the developmt of the New Labour Party.


    After all, if what you want to do has already be aplished by Arthur, doesn''t it imply that the party has no real use?


    Another party that has gone through major mergers is the newly established Unity Party.


    The Unity Party came from the merger of the original Australian Indepdt Party, the Progressive Party, and the New Zend Alliance Party. It has also undergone the most party integration since the establishmt of Austrsia.


    Due to thebination of three parties, the Unity Party is currtly thergest party in Austrsia, with Grant Wilson sessfully sitting in the position of party leader and also bing a member of the House of Represtatives.


    The party tform of the Unity Partybines the characteristics of the three parties, making it somewhat idiosyncratic.


    The party tform can be summarized in one stce, which is to maintain the unity of Austrsia and the Kingdom of Austrsia and the royal family.


    Therefore, the Unity Party can also be regarded as a Royalist party and the party closest to the royal family at prest.


    Thanks to this rtionship, Grant Wilson was granted an audice with Arthur, after all, the parties were all subject to the Royal Parliamt and the Election Commission, and there was no wave to be made in Austrsia.


    Besides the New Labour Party and the Unity Party, there are three other political parties in Austrsia, two of which are the National Party and the Democratic Party, and the Rural Party, which mainly supports rural and lower-ie poptions.


    There is also a basic survival of the fittest rtionship betwe the parties, after all, the political ara in Austrsia is only so big, and there are only so many members and poptions that can be attracted.


    If they cannot gain widespread support, parties will evtually dissolve due tock of funds or other reasons.


    Among the five political parties in Austrsia, they can esstially be divided into the New Labour Party represting the working ss, the Democratic Party advocating democracy, the neutral National Party and Rural Party, and the royalist Unity Party.


    Although the situation seems to be in bnce, in fact, the power struggle betwe the parties is esstially under Arthur''s control, just as if he had drawn a chessboard for them, with the size determined by Arthur, and the parties were destined not to jump out of it.


    These parties are also the greatest democracy that Arthur has giv to Austrsia. Under the premise of not harming Arthur''s interests, people in Austrsia can fully elect their favorite represtatives, and th let their supported represtatives elect new governmts.


    This rule applies not only at the national level but also to all states and territories.


    After all, for Arthur, the positions of Cab Ministers and Prime Ministers are just like working for him.


    As long as they canplete the ns and tasks he assigns, the specific candidates for the positions are not important to Arthur.


    In a small banquet hall at Sydney Pce, Arthur met Grant Wilson, a member of parliamt, once again.


    Compared to a few years ago, Grant Wilson has clearly be more mature and humble, and after seeing Arthur, he lowered his attitude, full of humility and respect, and greeted, "Your Majesty!"


    Arthur''s idtity has also undergone tremdous changes at this time, from the little Duke of Australia to the King of Austrsia.


    Although it seems to be just a differce in rank, the gap betwe the Duke and the King is vast in the European aristocracy system, and naturally, the influce of the European royal family is not the same.


    As a king, Arthur has reached the pinnacle in the aristocracy. Ev King Edward and William II are the same in terms of status as Arthur.

 Chapter 280: Chapter 251: Goodbye Grant Wilson_2

    However, the two m belonged to countries with very strong power, which made Edward''s title as Emperor of India and William II''s title as Emperor of Germania widely recognized.


    If one day Austrsia could develop to the strgth of the British Empire now, Arthur having an imperial title would not be too opposed.


    After all, in the currt international status, fists are much more significant than thew itself; having one''s own strgth and the strgths of the countries they belong to are the key principles.


    "It''s be a long time, Councilor Grant." Arthur nodded, returning a slight smile.


    Grant Wilson quickly bowed slightly, saying sincerely, "Thank you for your Majesty''s reception, as the leader of the Unity Party, we are extremely honored."


    "How is the developmt of the Unity Party now? I remember back in New Zend, your Alliance Party did an excellt job." Arthur asked with interest.


    The smooth integration of New Zend into Austrsia at that time wasrgely due to the publicity efforts of the Alliance Party in New Zend.


    That made Grant Wilson somewhat impressed in Arthur''s heart; Arthur still had some good feelings for Grant Wilson.


    Upon hearing Arthur''s inquiry, Grant Wilson hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, ever since the Federation''s establishmt, the Alliance Party has set our sights on the tire country. We have merged and integrated with the Indepdt Party and the Progressive Party to form the currt Unity Party."


    "I know that the tight union betwe Australia and New Zend cannot have any idts for our nation to develop further. Therefore, I boldly decided to set the new Unity Party''s mission to be upholding Austrsia''s unity and the Kingdom, as well as maintaining the position of the royal family.


    The developmt of Austrsia to its currt position and seeking greater status,rger scope of influce, and more power are inevitably linked to your leadership, Your Majesty. The Kingdom is determined to continue developing, and achieving ev greater dreams of rise also absolutely requires yourmand and leadership."


    As early as during his time in New Zend, Grant Wilson was clearly aware of the politicalndscape after the merger of Australia and New Zend.


    No matter if it was in Australia or New Zend, Arthur held an absolute position and had sufficit public support and poprity.


    Seeing the developmt rate of Australia back th, Arthur is also undiably a capable monarch.


    A skilled, popr, and well-supported monarch would only rise higher in status and be more stable. Therefore, Grant Wilson was determined early on to choose his side, to try to ter the upper echelons through another way.


    Although Grant Wilson''s words had some sycophancy, Arthur did not get angry but continued to ask, "Councillor Grant, what is your view on the currtws regarding political parties and elections?"


    The Party Law and Electoral Law are regtions on political parties and elections that were established during the time of Australia and are now the fundamtalws followed in Austrsia''s political party system and election periods.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The reason these twows emerged was that they greatly hanced Arthur''s royal power while also weaking the powers of political parties, putting them under the control of the Royal Parliamt. Ev during the election period, there is monitoring from the royal family and the governmt.


    While thesews allowed political parties in Austrsia legal status, they also deprived them of the opportunity to gain greater power.


    Despite the smooth developmt of Austrsia to the prest, Arthur still decides to list to other opinions to see the other parties'' reaction to the Party Law and Electoral Law.


    "Your Majesty, the Party Law and Electoral Law standardize Austrsia''s political parties and the electoral system, and also weak the influce of the major political parties as much as possible. Although this system is differt from Europe, it is very suitable for Austrsia at prest.


    What Austrsia needs now is to unite and develop the country instead of having new voices," said Grant Wilson after careful consideration.


    "As for the reaction of other political parties, it''s not very important, Your Majesty. As long as the people support it and the governmt supports it, the party''s response doesn''t matter.


    Besides, to my knowledge,  of the five major political parties in the country have explicitly opposed the Party Law and Electoral Law, and ev the Rural Party and the New Laboour Party are very supportive of the Electoral Law."


    The most significant feature of the Party Law and Electoral Law was that they eliminated any political donations, and ced the party''s ie on an almost equal level.


    For political parties to gain higher revues, they had to rely on public support to obtain seats in the House of Represtatives and distribute more funds ording to the ratio of seats in the House of Represtatives.


    In 907, a total of more than . million Australian dors were received from various donations from the public. ording to the provisions of the Party Law, 30% of it was evly distributed among the five major political parties, and each party could receive 7,000 Australian dors on average.


    Grant Wilson''s Unity Party gained a 30% share of the remaining 70%, amounting to 360,000 Australian dors.


    The two ies together allowed the Unity Party to obtain a total of 43,000 Australian dors in activity funds. Ev for the smallest liberal party at prest, the scale of funds received exceeded ,000 Australian dors.

 Chapter 281: Chapter 251: Farewell to Grant Wilson_3

    If we look at the situation in Europe, the political party with the least amount of funds must be the Rural Party.


    Why? Because the primary target audice of the Rural Party is the rural and low-ie poption. These people are already struggling to take care of themselves and their families, so the amount of funds they can donate to the Rural Party is naturally ev less.


    If this continues for a long time, a party like the Rural Party, which guinely cares about rural and low-ie poptions, will inevitably face bankruptcy and ev the risk of dissolution.


    However, it is precisely because of the Party Law promulgated by Arthur that each party can divide the remaining political funds ording to their level of support while suring a minimum ie.


    This is not exactly fridly forrger parties, but for the Rural Party and smaller factions, it is the key to maintaining the survival of the party and the real reason why the Party Law has not countered too much opposition.


    After all, thergest party is currtly the Unity Party, whose program is tirely for the royal family and can be considered as the royal family''s insiders.


    Arthur nodded and looked at Grant Wilson, seemingly casually asking: "Councillor Grant, what is your opinion on the currt developmt of the country?"


    Grant Wilson was startled and hurriedly organized his thoughts in his mind, but he didn''t dare to spd too much time. After a short momt, he said, "Your Majesty, I don''t dare to specte on the national level of developmt. However, I may have a clearer view of some small-scale issues from the outside.


    I think there are two problems exposed in the currt developmt, both of which are rted to the poption."


    Arthur smiled, showing some interest, and continued to ask, "Oh? Issues rted to the poption? If it''s about poption size, this issue is already well-known, and there is no need to repeat it."


    "It''s not about poption size, Your Majesty," Grant Wilson exined, "Although poption size is a significant issue for us, our annual intake of immigrants has steadily increased thanks to the efforts of you, Your Majesty, and the governmt. The problem of poption size is gradually being solved. What I want to say is actually rted to these immigrants.


    Regarding their resettlemt, I think the currt governmt''s approach is somewhat inappropriate. If we take a closer look at Austrsia as a whole, most of our immigrants are located in southeastern Australia and North Ind of New Zend. Ev more than 60% of immigrants have chos to relocate to major cities in these areas."


    "There are advantages to this situation, as our capital Sydney has a poption of more than 900,000 and is about to be the kingdom''s first city to exceed one million in poption. However, there are also some inappropriate aspects to this approach. The gap betwe our cities is gradually bing appart.


    Our poption is already small, and conctrating most people inrge cities is not ideal for the developmt of the nation and regions."


    Arthur nodded; this is indeed a noticeable issue, and ev the governmt''s previous policies have not eased the situation.


    Although Austrsia has be a popr choice for immigrants, it does not mean that all regions of Austrsia are wee to immigrants.


    Immigrants have diverse choices, but gerally, they consider factors such as local developmt, economy, cultural construction, education, healthcare, and poption.


    Compared to Austrsia''s major cities, smaller cities have noticeably weakerpetitivess and can naturally attract fewer immigrants.


    To give a simple example, the poption of Perth, the capital of West Australia, has only grown from just under 40,000 to just over 30,000 betwe 900 and early 908, with a total poption increase of just 90,000.


    In contrast, the poption growth of Melbourne, the secondrgest city in Austrsia, seems much faster.


    Simrly, from 900 to early 908, Melbourne''s poption grew from 440,000 to 7,000, with a total increase of over 70,000, exactly three times that of Perth.


    The reason why Sydney is not mtioned is that Sydney''s developmt is ev more exaggerated. As the former capital of the Australian Principality and now the capital of the Kingdom of Austrsia, Sydney has always be the focus of the governmt''s developmt efforts.


    Moreover, with the presce of the Bz Car Factory, the super factory, the Capital Territory, and Sydney have be the most popr destinations in Austrsia, ev surpassing most cities in the United States.


    Sydney''s poption size was initially smaller than Melbourne, but it has now reached just over 970,000, moving towards a poption size of one million.


    This means that Sydney has absorbed more than 500,000 immigrants in these eight years.


    How exaggerated is this number? Currtly, there are only sev administrative regions in Austrsia with a total poption of more than 500,000.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The total number of immigrants that Sydney has added in the past eight years is equal to thebined poption of Tasmania State and South New Zend State.


    However, this is not a problem with Sydney itself. After all, there is nothing wrong with developing and building Sydney, which is currtly the capital and gship of Austrsia. Sydney has yed an invaluable role in attracting so many immigrants.


    But the developmt of other administrative regions must also be tak into consideration, so it is necessary to divert some immigrants to other areas.


    Particrly in West Australian State and South Australia State, which have a wealth of mineral resources, thebined poption of these two states is only about .5 million. In contrast, New South Wales State still has a poption of more than .9 million, ev without therge city of Sydney.

 Chapter 282: Chapter 251: Goodbye Grant Wilson_4

    "This is indeed a significant hidd issue. Councillor Grant, do you have any good suggestions?" Arthur asked with a smile.


    "Your Majesty, the best way is to increase the attractivess of other cities.


    Currtly, Austrsiacks a propaganda departmt to boost the appeal of major Austrsian cities at home and abroad, allowing more Austrsian cities toe into the sight of Europeans, and change the direction of immigration from the source." Grant Wilson seemed to have prepared his answer well in advance, responding without hesitation.


    Arthur nodded again, more satisfied with Grant''s answer. Indeed, Austrsia is currtlycking a propaganda departmt.


    Although the public opinion of Austrsia was under Arthur''s control, the governmt did not have the corresponding publicity means, nor ev a propaganda managemt organization.


    Perhaps it is necessary to establish a propaganda departmt, but a small propaganda departmt is not ough to ter the cab, and at prest, it still needs to be affiliated with one of the departmts.


    At prest, the most suitable for the propaganda departmt is undoubtedly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has the ability to act internationally.


    With this in mind, Arthur nodded and smiled, "This is a good n, Councillor Grant. In addition to this issue, what is another problem?"


    Having already gone this far, Grant Wilson naturally wouldn''t hold back and continued to say, "Your Majesty, besides hancing the appeal of other cities, I think it is necessary to further ssify immigrants, allocating migrants from the same region to differt states and territories, which fundamtally eliminates the possibility of these immigrants forming forces."


    If one had to rank them in terms of closess to Arthur, the closest would naturally be Austrsians, followed by British immigrants, Russian immigrants, German immigrants, and th immigrants from other European countries.


    More than six hundred thousand immigrants arrive in Austrsia each year, which is good news for the country.


    However, the managemt of immigrants also needs constant vignce, as these foreign poptions are not tirely safe for national stability.


    At least without the necessary time for validation, Arthur wouldn''tpletely trust these immigrants. This is also the reason why the election for the Austrsian governmt requires residce in Austrsia.


    The structure of the Austrsian legiture can be divided into Represtatives, Territory councilors, City councilors, and so on.


    Represtatives can elect Cab officials and national governmt members, while state or territory councilors can elect state and local governmt members. And the lowest level of city councilors has the right to elect only city and vige governmt members.


    But ev for the lowest-level city councilors, one of the candidacy requiremts includes a minimum of three years of residcy in any part of Austrsia.


    State councilors require five years, Represtatives t years, and Cab members fifte years.


    Gerally speaking, under the influce of Arthur''s various welfare policies and propaganda, foreign immigrants who have lived in Austrsia for five years have basically begun to integrate into the Austrsian vironmt.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    And those who have lived in Austrsia for fifte years will undoubtedly develop feelings for Austrsia and recognize the country.


    What Grant is suggesting is actually dividing and disrupting all foreign immigrants, and th allocating them to other administrative regions on a family-by-family basis.


    This way, immigrants in the same administrative area basicallye from all countries, and the number of familiar people betwe them will be significantly reduced, greatly reducing the likelihood of these immigrants joining together.


    After considering this for a while, Arthur once again looked at Grant Wilson, speaking with a slight seriousness, "Councillor Grant, the two issues you mtioned do exist, and your proposed solutions do have some effect.


    Austrsia needs people like you who can contribute to the country, and I believe the Unity Party can also be an important support and pir for the governmt''s work under your leadership."


    "Yes, Your Majesty! Please rest assured, the Unity Party will always be a supporter of the country and the royal family and the vanguard of Austrsia''s rise. Although members of the Unity Partye from all regions, we are all blood-rted Austrsians." Grant Wilson quickly assured.


    At the d of the conversation, before letting the guards escort Grant away, Arthur seemed to casually add to Grant, "Councillor Grant, in a while, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will establish a propaganda departmt, and the departmt head candidates will be discussed in the House of Represtatives."

 Chapter 283: Chapter 252: The Upcoming House of Representatives Election

    On January 7, 908, after several days of negotiations and preparations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced the establishmt of the Austrsian Propaganda Departmt, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for domestic and foreign propaganda work.


    All news agcies, media, and writers associations will be monitored by the Propaganda Departmt to sure that no information that would affect national stability would circte domestically and internationally.


    The news of the new departmt quickly caught the atttion of many people in the political ara, as the currt positions in Austrsia could be described as more demand than supply, especially for important departmts like the Propaganda Departmt affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


    With Arthur''s hints, Grant Wilson made his preparations early and took advantage of the Unity Party''s dominance to sessfully secure the position of the first Minister of the Propaganda Departmt.


    As the Minister of Propaganda, Grant Wilson naturally knew Arthur''s purpose, so on his first day in office, he reported his ns for the Propaganda Departmt to the Foreign Affairs Departmt and requested Cab approval.


    On January 9, Foreign Minister Andrew sessfully submitted Grant''s n to the Cab for review, obtained the Cab''s approval, and put it into effect that same day.


    Starting from January 9, all immigrants to Austrsia will be allocated to differt regions on a family basis, with the focus shifting more towards areas with smaller poptions.


    In order to courage these immigrants to migrate to Western Australia and South Australia, the two state governmts have introduced relevant policies at the advice of the Cab Departmts, providing at least five acres of additionalnd aspsation to immigrants.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, these two areas ount for almost half of Austrsia''snd area and have only one-fifth of the poption, so it is time to give them some support.


    For immigrants, Austrsia''spsation is indeed gerous. If they go to Western Australia and South Australia, they will gain at least fifte acres ofnd, hire some indigousbor, and have no problem bingndlords.


    And if they give up the fifte acres ofnd, they can have priority to ter the Leonora Industrial District under construction and, after training, be workers in the industrial area with higher wages.


    Currtly, the ie of workers in Austrsia is not low, at least a 47 Australian dors.


    After the National Day, the Austrsian governmt restarted its busy work, and the construction across the country continued in full swing.


    Particrly the Leonora Industrial District, which is currtly heavily prioritized by the governmt, has already invested more than 0,000 indigous workers, with small changes in the site every few days and major changes every week.


    Starting from February, Arthur sessively attded the gbreaking ceremony of the Austrsian battleship, theunch ceremony of the Russian Second Battleship, the formation ceremony of the Fourth Convtional Division, and finally got some rest time in March.


    Although busy, Arthur finds it very gratifying.


    The future of the Austrsian navy has already tered the construction phase, which means that Austrsia will soon acquire powerful naval forces, and the security of the country will finally be guaranteed.


    On March 7, Prime Minister Walter requested Arthur to attd the regr Cab meeting, firstly to report on the currt governmt situation, and secondly to determine the specific process and arrangemts for the national election this year.


    Austrsia is differt from other European nations. The people of Austrsia can elect represtatives at all levels, and represtatives can elect governmt officials at the same level.


    The term of a represtative is gerally two years, but it can be maintained by being re-elected.


    The terms of all levels of the Austrsian governmt are the same, currtly uniformly set at four years.


    The Prime Minister of the Cab can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms and three terms in total. Cab Ministers can serve a maximum of three consecutive terms and five terms in total.


    State governors have slightly looser restrictions, with a maximum of two consecutive terms, but no limit on the number of terms in office.


    This means that if a governor is popr with the people, there is the possibility of continuing in office under a "three-term, two-term" arrangemt.


    The rules for city mayors are ev more lit, with the term stillsting four years but no limit on the number of terms.


    As long as city mayors are popr, Arthur doesn''t mind them continuing in office, as long as they achieve something.


    As for lower-level towns, vige heads are gerally appointed by the State Parliamt, with a term of six years and no limit on the number of terms.


    All of these officials are under the supervision of the two Parliamts and the people, and the Parliamt has the power to dismiss elected officials, of course, not including the Cab Governmt.


    However, the House of Represtatives may petition the Royal Parliamt and Arthur for the removal of the currt Cab and for new elections.


    As the election of the House of Represtatives is involved, Arthur decides to attd the meeting to better list to the governmt officials'' reports on their work over the past few months.


    On March 9, the regr meeting of the Austrsian Cab Governmt was held in the Administrative Court.


    Amid cheers and apuse, Arthur also attded the meeting and naturally took his seat at the head of the meeting room.


    The meeting first reported on the work of their respective departmts, such as the Ministry of Industry expanding which industrial bases, the currt status of new industrial base construction, and so on.

 Chapter 284: Chapter 252: The Upcoming House of Representatives Election_2

    What Arthur was more concerned about was the report from the Ministry of Civil Affairs on the immigration situation over the past two months.


    Currtly, immigration in Austrsia can be described as growing higher and stronger each year.


    After setting a new immigration recordst year, the number of immigrants in the first two months of 908 has already exceeded 30,000, and there is hope of setting a new high this year.


    If the addition of the data for the first half month of March is tak into ount, the number of immigrants in 908 has already exceeded 70,000, with an average of over ,000 immigrants received in Austrsia every day, showing the terrifying speed of immigration in Austrsia today.


    It is precisely because of such an exaggerated number of immigrants that Austrsia conducts csus actions almost every year to determine the true poption of Austrsia and facilitate governmt nning for the next step.


    At prest, with the addition of these new immigrants, the poption of Austrsia has exceeded 7,300,000, and the poption of Sydney has officially surpassed ,000,000.


    Of course, it is limited to ,000,000.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After the poption of Sydney reached ,000,000, under the efforts of various departmts such as the Propaganda Departmt, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Education, the vast majority of the remaining immigrants have be relocated to West Australia and South Australia, and the remaining half have gone to New Zend.


    West Australia and South Australia''s most popr attraction is, of course, the rapidly developing Leonora Industrial Base.


    This industrial base is highly valued by Austrsia and is expected to create ts of thousands of industrial jobs in the future, making it necessary to migrate to the area as early as possible.


    In addition to the good news that immigration has the pottial to set a new high, Austrsia''s currt financial revue situation is also very good.


    The total fiscal revue in the first two months has already exceeded 7 million Australian Dors, and although investmts are also massive, this can also be considered good news.


    Minister Grant also reported on the actions and achievemts of the Propaganda Departmt, and Arthur couraged him toy out more ns abroad and promote other cities in Austrsia to attract more immigrants.


    Arthur also proposed an idea to create a ranking list of suitable cities for immigration and to extsively publish and promote it overseas.


    As it is a list created by Austrsia itself, there is no harm in slightly favoring its own interests.


    As long as those European citizs choose to believe in this list, the Propaganda Departmt''s n will be sessful.


    Never mind if it''s true or not, just deceive the immigrants first. After all, immigrants in this era are not too wealthy, and it''s not that easy for them to afford -trip tickets.


    Of course, Arthur only put forward an idea, and how it is done and what to do depds on Minister Grant''s ability.


    For Arthur, all he needs to do is guide the country''s developmt at a macro level, while those officials are the real choice for micro-level execution.


    If a country needs its king to be personally involved in all aspects, th the country is destined not tost long.


    After more than two hours of reporting, the meeting finally reached thest agda item, the uing House of Represtatives election.


    The House of Represtatives election is a nationwide political activity in Austrsia, and is weed and participated in by most Austrsians.


    ording to thest House of Represtatives election in 906, more than two million Austrsians participated in the voting for the 98 seats in the House of Represtatives, showing the importance of the election in the hearts of Austrsians.


    This year''s election is separated from the previous one by a two-year gap, and the number of immigrants has increased by more than ,000,000 during this time.


    This indicates that the number of people participating in the votes this year is definitely more than two million, and the process and n for voting needs to be more detailed to avoid any idts during the election.


    Justice, opness, and uracy are the topics that Arthur cares about. The officers also know Arthur''s ideas, after all, the election of the House of Represtatives is not the first time.


    However, each election is differt, as Austrsia develops, the election of the House of Represtatives will be more and more valued by people, and the number of participants will certainly be more and more.


    In order to fully count these people''s votes, not only do arge number of officials need to calcte, but also go deep into cities and towns to collect the inttions of all people. This is a big project, at least for the currt Austrsian governmt.


    In fact, the governmt officials also attach great importance to the election of the House of Represtatives, as most of these officials have already had a party, and their parties also care about the proportion of seats they upy in the House of Represtatives elections.


    After all, ording to the regtions of Austrsia, the proportion of seats they upy in the House of Represtatives determines how much funding they can get each year and whether their main officials can ter cab departmts.


    For example, the tworger parties in Austrsia, the Unity Party, and the Rural Party, have each obtained a Cab Minister''s seat and the eligibility to ter the Cab Governmt because they upy more seats in the House of Represtatives.


    This is, after all, the Cab Governmt, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ter the highest governmt, one that no party or individual can afford to miss.


    After more than four hours of discussion, the governmt finally finalized an election process and n that satisfied everyone.


    First, there are the voting collection boxes, all viges and cities in Australia need to be equipped. Among them, small viges should be equipped with one voting collection box,rge viges and small towns with two voting collection boxes, andrge towns and small cities with three voting collection boxes.


    For cities with poptions exceeding 50,000, 0,000, and 00,000, they will be equipped with four, six, and t voting collection boxes, respectively.


    For all voting collection boxes, not only do soldiers specifically protect them, but state governmts also need to sd a certain number of officials, who will be dispersed and supervise the voting collection boxes in their non-residtial areas.


    Apart from the double supervision of soldiers and officials, state governmts also need to organize manpower to carry out random inspections on the voting collection boxes within their jurisdiction to avoid idts.


    Moreover, Arthur and the Cab Governmt will also carry out random spot checks, which is equivalt to a fiveyer insurance and basically prevts any idts.


    The House of Represtatives elections will begin on June st, with the voting period from June st to June 0th and the transportation phase from June st to July st.


    All the votes will be counted by the state governmts, under the supervision of the Royal Parliamt, the House of Represtatives, the Cab Governmt, the royal family, the people, and the military, and random spot checks will be carried out on the counted votes.


    States have about 0 days to count the votes, and it is expected that on July st, state governmts will report the final results to the Cab Governmt. After random spot checks are error-free, the results of the House of Represtatives elections will be announced a July 5th.


    In order to prevt possible idts during the election period, ev after the results are announced, all votes will still be conctrated in the capital, with Arthur personally organizing manpower to re-examine them.


    If the state''s statistical situation is incorrect or ev significantly differt, not only will the election results of the House of Represtatives be rejected, but the state governmts will also bear the corresponding responsibilities and ev trace back to each voting box.


    Arthur does not believe that under such a strict electoral system, there will still be people who secretly vite the rules or ev cheat.


    After all, the final result will be reviewed. If state governmts have the guts to tamper with the results, let them try it.


    Most people approve of such an election n, so it was smoothly determined as the 908 House of Represtatives election n and announced to the public.


    This also means that people have more than two months to think about who they should support as their new represtatives.

 Chapter 285: Chapter 253: London Sports Meet

    After the meeting, Arthur called upon Minister Grant again to inquire about the currt work of the Propaganda Departmt.


    For Austrsia, another important evt to be added was the 908 London Olympics held in London, United Kingdom at the d of April.


    Since its inception, the Olympic Games has sessfully held three evts. ording to historical records,  countries registered for the 908 London Olympics, with more than ,000 athletes participating.


    This means that countries all over the world have gradually begun to value the Olympic Games as a stage to show their national power peacefully, and  of them want to lose face in such an asion.


    It is worth mtioning that in history, New Zend also participated in this Olympic Games under the name of part of Austrsia.


    Austrsia did not participate in thest Olympic Games, after all, the scale of the Olympic Games was not toorge at that time, and the level of sports in Austrsia was not very high. Going there would only result in being at the bottom, so there was no need.


    It is necessary to participate in this London Olympics, after all, the number of countries that signed up and the number of participating athletes are quiterge, it''s good for Austrsia to show their presce.


    More importantly, Arthur wanted Australia to host the next Olympic Games.


    The next Olympic Games will be held in 9, and Austrsia''s developmt must have advanced further by th.


    By that time, the army and navy would have formed a scale, and it would be time to announce the existce of Austrsia to the world.


    The 90 Games were originally scheduled to be held in Germany, but due to the sudd death of the German Olympic Committee Chairman in May 909, Germany gave up the right to host and instead put the vue in Swed.


    This is somewhat simr to the experice of this year''s 908 Olympic Games. This year''s Olympic Games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome, Italy, but due to multiple earthquakes and volcanic eruptions causing huge economic losses to Italy, Italy evtually gave up the right to host.


    In order to hold the Olympic Games as scheduled, the International Olympic Committee sought help from Britain, and finally held the Olympic Games in London.


    From such evts, it can also be se that the importance of the Olympic Games by various countries is not that great. In in terms, countries only care about their own reputation rather than the number of Olympic medals won.


    Currtly, the Olympic Games include athletics, swimming, water polo, fcing, gymnastics, rowing, cycling, football, Greco-Roman wrestling, tnis, and shooting.


    Arthur called on Minister Grant with the purpose of letting him quickly organize an Olympic delegation domestically, and th rush to London before the Olympics are held on April 7, to participate on time.


    The purpose of participating in this Olympic Games is just to make an appearance, and the number of medals won is not important.


    As long as the International Olympic Committee can recognize the existce of Austrsia and take over smoothly after Germany gives up the hosting rights in the future with the help of their rtionship with Germany, th the purpose of going to London can be considered sessfully achieved.


    The number of participants in the London Olympics is greater than the total of the previous three Olympic Games. Of course, this is also because the host country, Britain, has st thergest delegation of more than 700 participants.


    It is important to note that there are only just over ,000 athletes participating in the Olympic Games, and more than one-third of them are from Britain alone.


    In the d, it is because the functional departmts of Austrsia are too rudimtary, and there is no real sports departmt to manage these matters.


    Therefore, the task of participating in the Olympic Games was delegated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or more specifically, the Propaganda Departmt under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


    After consulting with Minister Grant, it was finally decided that the approximate number of Austrsian participants in the Games would not exceed 50.


    The awaress ofpetitive sports in Austrsia is still very weak, and it is better to select an elite team to participate than to build a huge delegation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the specific evts to participate in, it depds on what the recruited athletes are good at.


    After giving simple instructions, Arthur couraged Minister Grant''s work in the Propaganda Departmt, asking him to continue supervising the actions of the Propaganda Departmt at home and abroad while preparing for the Olympics.


    As time tered early April, the Austrsian House of Represtatives election had also begun to warm up nationwide.


    Unlike the Cab election, the House of Represtatives election can be regarded as a real national election, and legal citizs who are 8 years old and have lived in Austrsia for more than five years have the right to vote.


    Of course, the eligibility to be elected is more stringt. In addition to these conditions, they must also live in Austrsia for a full  years, and neither they nor their family members have vited anyw in Austrsia.


    Walking on the streets of Austrsia, one can hear people of all professions discussing the House of Represtatives election.


    The developmt of political parties is bing more and more standardized, which also means that thepetition betwe political parties in the House of Represtatives is bing more and more intse.


    Since this kind ofpetition and struggle does not affect the rule of the royal family and the governmt, suchpetition using peaceful and fair means is allowed.


    After all, there are limited seats in the House of Represtatives, and to gain more seats and support from the people, one must defeat other political parties, or at least give more reasonable and persuasive public speeches than other political parties.


    ording to the election rules, although the election has not yet started, those with the right to be elected can organize public speeches on their own.


    There is only one requiremt, namely that public speeches must use party activity funds, while individuals must use personal or family assets.


    Of course, these public speeches are basically supervised by the Propaganda Departmt, and the spreading of information that may harm the governmt and the royal family''s rule is not allowed.


    However, most people do not have the courage, after all, the rule of the royal family is very stable, and the governmt''s rule, which derives its power from the royal family, is naturally very stable as well.


    As an autocratic monarch, Arthur naturally cannot joy the leisure time of European monarchs.


    Although the Cab Governmt can handle most governmt affairs, some major issues can only be decided by Arthur, while others only have the right to make suggestions.


    It is especially the case in matters rted to military power and finance, which basically require Arthur''s intervtion.


    However, there is also good news, though the governmt does not have the power to decide, they usually give advice in advance and Arthur only needs to choose whether to adopt or modify it.


    For those undetermined ideas within the governmt, holding a cab meeting every once in a while can basically solve these issues quickly.


    Therefore, this is also the reason why Arthur can still have some free time while holding a lot of power and achieving autocratic rule.

 Chapter 286: Chapter 254: Visitors from East Asia

    As time moved into May, Austrsia weed the deep autumn.


    Due to the approaching Election Day, public speeches in Austrsia had be ubiquitous. Ev in the two smaller colonies, politicians'' speeches could be frequtly se.


    This was not surprising. To take into ount the wishes of the colony''s poption, ev Portuguese Timor, with a poption of only 9,000, held a seat in the House of Represtatives, while New Guinea, with less than 40,000 people, had two seats. That was why politicians traveled to these regions.


    After all, ev if it was just one or two seats, there were destined to be fewer politicians in these colonies, and thepetition would be rtively lower.


    The mostpetitive city for election should be the Capital Sydney or the Capital Territory.


    The Capital Territory had a poption of up to a million, but only 40 seats in the House of Represtatives.


    Sydney''s electionpetition was not as simple as the overt numbers. As the capital and political cter of the kingdom, as well as the location of the royal family and governmt, during the election period, a considerable number of politicians would choose to give speeches in Sydney.


    If an exnation was necessary, the most appropriate analogy would be the feet of the Emperor.


    As the capital and the location of the royal family, Sydney''s importance was self-evidt. If a certain political party could win most of the seats in Sydney, it would also befit thepetition in the House of Represtatives.


    Thanks to the supervision of the Election Commission, ev if some political party members had already obtained high positions as ministers, they were prohibited from using illegal means to help their own parties.


    As Austrsian public opinion was controlled by Arthur and the Propaganda Departmt, if the major political parties wanted a seat in the House of Represtatives, they would have to rely on their own ideas and speeches to move the crowd.


    However, Arthur''s atttion at this momt was not on the public speeches outside but on a group of visitors from afar.


    To be precise, these were visitors from the East Asian Qing Empire, and the purpose of their visit was to learn about the concepts and system of Austrsia.


    Yes, Arthur was quite surprised that there would be a country willing to actively learn about the Austrsian system.


    Although the outward propaganda and image of Austrsia had always be a constitutional monarchy, in reality, the upper echelons of various countries knew that Austrsia was an undisguised authoritarian country.


    Austrsia''s monarchical rule ev surpassed the autocracy of the Russian Tsar. While the tsar faced trched opposing interest groups wh implemting policies and reforms, Austrsia had be scattered colonies before the unification, whichid a good foundation for Arthur''s authoritative rule.


    In summary, with the foundation of monarchism, in Australia, there were norge-scale opposition forces. This was simply monarchical-plus version.


    Qing Empire, theoretically an authoritarian nation itself, should aim at top world powers like Britain and Germany if seeking reform. Why would they target Austrsia?


    After the exnation by Foreign Minister Andrew, Arthur finally understood the reason.


    In in words, it was still a matter of power. Although the Qing Empire already had the idea of reform, it didn''t mean they could ept bing apletely constitutional monarchy.


    Austrsia, on the surface, achieved constitutional monarchy and gained the recognition and love of the majority of its people, while in reality, it remained fully authoritarian, which tempted some policymakers.


    Why not, if they could keep their power rtively unrestricted and promote the realization of reform?


    That was why the Qing Empire''s diplomatic mission approached Austrsia, in in words, the top rulers were still greedy for power.


    Other factors were also at y. Austrsia was a British colony just a few years ago, with a rtively developed economypared to East Asia. However, it didn''t look particrly remarkable to the top authorities.


    However, currtly, Austrsia possessed the most advanced equipmt and shipbuilding technology for the army and navy, and its industrial scale had reached world-ss levels. This gave some officials of the Qing Empire hope for emtion.


    If they could follow the path of Austrsia, they might be able to achieve their own revival.


    If they could learn advanced armored ship manufacturing technology from Austrsia, th hire relevant experts to train their own soldiers. Wouldn''t this be a new way to revive the country?


    Although Arthur did not have high hopes for this view, he still received the diplomatic mission.


    The reason is simple: if Austrsia can participate in this reform, it can also instill forces close to Austrsia in this country.


    Austrsia can naturally divide the befits and, at the same time, create an oppont for the Ind Nation.


    It doesn''t have to be too strong, just ough to keep the Ind Nation confined to East Asia.


    Wh Austrsia gradually begins to expand from Oceania, the Ind Nation will naturally no longer be Austrsia''s rival.


    Arthur sessfully approached this delegation from afar in the banquet hall of Sydney Pce.


    Although Arthur didn''t know anyone in the delegation, it didn''t prevt him from seeking more befits for Austrsia.


    "Your Majesty the King of Austrsia, I represt my Emperor and four thousand million citizs to offer sincere greetings to His Majesty the King," the head of the delegation greeted respectfully wh he met Arthur. (I''m just writing the names of the countries casually here, since we all understand)


    After some unnecessary small talk in Arthur''s view, the conversation finally got to the main point.


    "Your Majesty, as we have traveled from the port, we found that your country is changing rapidly and is already on par with the major powers of Europe. We are very interested in your country''s advanced technology and system, and we wonder if there is an opportunity to have a deeper exchange with your country?" the voy inquired.


    Arthur was not surprised by the voy''s flut English, as the British Empire''s influce was spread all over the world.


    However, before gaining ough befits, Arthur would not easily agree to others'' requests.


    "Mutual exchange is of course no problem. But sir, all of Austrsia''s technology and systems basicallye from Europe, and we have paid a huge price for them. Ev if I personally want to exchange with your country, I am afraid that governmt officials and the public would not agree," Arthur responded with a faint smile.


    The voy was no fool, and quickly replied, "That is natural, Your Majesty. If your country could sd experts to help us reform our system, we are willing to pay a sry of t thousand taels of silver to each expert per year."


    Arthur calcted in his heart that t thousand taels of silver was about ,400 pounds, or a little less than ,850 Australian dors.


    That was too insignificant an amount, and Arthur immediately replied, "Austrsia can help your country reform its system, industry, economy, military, and other aspects. But t thousand taels of silver per person per year is too little as sry, and not ev ough for us to pay these experts.


    How about this: if your country can raise the sry to fifty thousand taels of silver per person per year, th Austrsia will sd experts to your country until the reform ispleted."


    Since it was the other party seeking assistance, Arthur naturally did not hesitate to ask for more, but he did not overy it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, the most experts Austrsia could sd were in the ts of people, which only amounted to a few million taels of silver.


    The voy was somewhat pained, but agreed for the sake of future requests.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask how much your irond ships cost? Our country would like to purchase a few to fill the gaps in our naval power," the voy continued to ask.


    To buy battleships? Arthur was immediately interested.


    A battleship''s profit was at least several hundred thousand pounds, which was much better than sding experts, right?


    Although deploying experts sought political interests, who wouldn''t like the solid financial interests of selling warships?


    "What kind of warships does your country refer to? We currtly have Monarch-ss battleships, Unified Battlecruisers, Nassau-ss battleships, Brunswick-ss battleships, Duke-ss armored cruisers, etc. What is your country''s inttion?" Arthur asked with a smile.


    No matter what the purpose of the order was, Arthur wished they would order more warships so that the expansion of Austrsia''s navy would be granted more funds.


    ording to the manufacturing costs of warships, they only need to export two battleships, and the profits obtained can build a battleship.


    "That...", the voy hesitated. He was not a naval officer, so his understanding of the navy was limited.


    There were naval officers in the delegation this time, but they wer''t qualified to be received personally by Arthur.


    Seeing the voy hesitate, Arthur continued his sales pitch, "Sir, you may not know that we currtly have one of the most advanced and powerful battleships in the world, the Monarch-ss battleship. We also have the powerful Nassau-ss battleship developed by the German Empire. In addition, the Brunswick-ss battleship is also one of the powerful battleships developed by the German Empire.


    You have heard of Germany''s reputation, hav''t you, sir? Germany''s warships are naturally powerful, and you can trust their performance and equipmt."

 Chapter 287: Chapter 255: The House of Representatives Resolution to Increase Cabinet Seats

    Although the first meeting ded with Arthur failing to make a sale, Arthur knew that it was not because the warships he was promoting were unattractive, but rather that the other party''s finances were somewhat strained.


    Moreover, the emissary did not know much about warships, and it would have be problematic to sign a warship order for the first time.


    In fact, ev though the other party was a backward and decaying country, some reforms and industrial construction in rect years have increased their financial revue several timespared to decades ago.


    If Arthur remembered correctly, in 908, the other party''s financial ie reached 30 million taels of silver, which was not a small amount.


    Of course, this level of financial ie was nowhere near as exaggerated as it seemed on the surface.


    If converted slightly, 30 million taels of silver would only be equivalt to 3.85 million pounds and 65.7 million Australian dors.


    This was almost equivalt to twice the financial ie of Austrsiast year. Austrsia''s total poptionst year was just over 7 million, while the other party was a huge country with a poption of nearly 400 million.


    Furthermore, due to a series of previous evts, a significant portion of the 30 million taels of silver in financial ie was used aspsation, while most of the remaining funds were divided among the high-ranking nobility. Not much was actually avable for the governmt''s use.


    Maintaining such high revues wasrgely due to the exploitation and oppression of the lower-ss citizs.


    It would make no sse for a country like this not to perish. However, a unified country also has befits for Austrsia, and the interests of the major powers in the region are deeply tangled. A unified country is beficial for all the major countries, except for the ind nation.


    But who cares about the ind nation''s opinion? Due to the iplete victory in previous wars, the internationalmunity now perceives the ind nation as an emerging secondary power, barely able to touch the threshold of the major powers.


    But if the ind nation wants to be recognized as a major power by first-ss powers like Britain, Germany, Russia, and France, it probably has a long way to go.


    On May 7th, the East Asia delegation sought to meet with Arthur again.


    To make discussions more convit for both parties, the scale of this meeting was significantlyrger. The other party had an tire delegation, and Arthur also brought a lineup that included several ministers and deputy ministers.


    The subsequt negotiations were mostly about price wars, and Arthur''s position was no longer suitable for involvemt.


    After all, there was no need for someone of Arthur''s status topete for those minor profits. Such matters were better suited to seasoned politicians.


    However, Arthur still set specific targets and bottom lines. Firstly, for battleships, if the other party really had inttions of purchasing battleships, the lowest price could be offered at the same level as Russia''s selling price.


    For industrial equipmt and weapons, the price should be higher, as this kind of money should not be wasted.


    The reason for slightly lowering the battleship''s price was that battleships were the most valuable items that could currtly be manufactured by Austrsia''s industry. The cost of a battleship wasparable to arge-scale armamts trade order.


    The negotiationsted for several days, during which some ministers reported matters that needed Arthur''s judgmt.


    For example, the other party wanted to sd some studts to study at universities and military academies in Austrsia.


    Because graduates of the Austrsia Royal Military Academy had to serve in the Austrsia Army for two years, Arthur had to make a decision on the matter.


    After careful consideration, Arthur finally decided on the other party''s proposal to sd studts.


    However, he set a fixed amount for the expses of each studt, which was no less than 3,500 taels of silver per person per year, or ,000 Australian dors.


    For studts st to the Royal Military Academy, Arthur also waived the requiremt of serving in the Austrsia Army for two years.


    After all, these military studts would be outstanding talts wh they returned to their country, and they might ev be indepdt warlords or trusted talts of warlords.


    This would be beficial for Austrsia''s pursuit of more interests, as a country close to Austrsia is always better than a country close to other nations!


    Of course, this request for studts was differt from the previous one. Thest request was mainly for civilian studts, while this time it was from the governmt of the Qing Empire.


    Moreover, the studts from the previous request mostly wt to universities in Austrsia, while this time, their main goal was the newly built military academies in Austrsia.


    As for weapons and equipmt, the other party''s order this time was not small.


    The Royal Intelligce Bureau had an intelligce agcy in some parts of East Asia, so Austrsia was aware of some of the other party''s information.


    For example, the rect uprisings, although failed due tock of support, have indeed caused considerable impact on this decaying empire.


    ording to the tone of this delegation, they intd to establish a division armed tirely with foreign weapons and equipmt, and they have set their sights on Austrsia.


    The reason for this is Australia''s arms trade has gained some poprity in the Far East and East Asia, and they also had their eye on the Russo-Japanese War arms trade.


    To win the trust of both Russia and the ind nation, Austrsian weapons and equipmt are believed to be of good quality.


    More importantly, the British are more inclined to support the ind nation wh ites to exporting weapons, while Russia, needless to say, is short on weapons itself.


    Germany would be a good choice, but in order to sign a neutrality treaty with Russia, Germany has be scaling back its interests in East Asia.


    Additionally, purchasing German weapons would involve high transportation costs, so it is better to choose closer Austrsia instead.


    Hearing the Minister''s report on the oppont''s proposal regarding the Australian armed division, Arthur''s gaze was momtarily strange, but he still approved this order.


    ording to their n, at least ,000 Gew98 rifles, t MA-96 Maxim machine guns, twty mm artillery pieces, and millions of matching bullets and thousands of shells will be purchased to arm a division to test their strgth.


    If the armed division proves to have goodbat effectivess, they will consider arming more divisions to strgth their defsive forces.


    As for the weapons orders, Arthur''s attitude is naturally that the more, the better.


    After all, not only can weapon orders strgth Austrsia''s arms trade market, but most of the profits would go directly into Arthur''s own military factory, for both him and Austrsia, it''s a win-win situation.


    As for the more expsive battleships, although the voys seemed to be interested, they still imed that they needed to consult the governmt and emperor for a decision.


    Arthur was not surprised by this, as it seemed that their primary purpose ining was to seek talt to help them reform, with the arms trade as an added bonus.


    Finally, it was the matter of sding talt to help them reform. ording to the fridly agreemts betwe both parties, Austrsia needs to sd 0 legal and administrative talts, 5 industry experts, 5 economic experts, and  military experts to help the other party reform their governmt, economy, industry, and military.


    Under the premise of protecting the personal safety and property security of these 40 experts, the other party must pay . million taels of silver to Austrsia annually, and provide various necessary resources at a low price.


    The previously mtioned arms trade and study abroad ns will require a one-time paymt of 300,000 taels of silver to Austrsia, plus an annual minimum of 350,000 taels of silver.


    Yes, ording to the study abroad n signed by both parties, the number of studts st by the other party is fixed at a 0 per year, which is not a small figure.


    It seems that the other party does indeed have the inttion to reform, but whether the reform can seed will ultimately depd on the attitudes of the major powers and domestic forces.


    With both parties responsible for the negotiations signing the treaty, this fridly exchange treaty betwe both parties has officiallye into effect and is being implemted.


    As of now, this treaty has only brought ie to Austrsia, which is the fundamtal reason why Arthur agreed to sign it.


    No one would refuse the befits brought to their doorstep, and as for the personal safety of the experts st out, Arthur believed that they would be guaranteed.


    Not to mtion the extreme backwardness born within this country due to its admiration and fear of foreigners, the fridly rtions betwe Austrsia and the major powers alone would be ough to make the other party attach importance to these talts.


    If there are really people who are blind to this, ev at the risk of world destruction, Arthur will let them taste the pressure of a powerful emy.


    The signing of this treaty is just a minor evt for Austrsia and Arthur and is not so important for the developmt of Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The most important thing at the momt is still the House of Represtatives elections, but before the elections, there were already proposals in the House of Represtatives.


    On May 9, 908, shortly before the June election month, the House of Represtatives submitted several proposals to the Royal Parliamt, requesting the Royal Parliamt to review and notify Arthur.


    This situation is also quitemon for Austrsia, as the power of the Royal Parliamt is rtively the greatest, and the House of Represtatives oft reports to the Royal Parliamt for review wh it counters problems it cannot solve.


    However, once the Royal Parliamt received the proposal, they immediately reported it to Arthur, asking for his opinion on how to handle it.


    Gerally, this situation signifies the importance of a proposal and involves rtively significant national issues; it is only wh the members of the Royal Parliamt cannot make up their minds that they wait for Arthur''s final decision.


    Arthur picked up the several proposals on the table, and the promint words that caught his eye were the resolutions regarding the House of Represtatives voting to request additional seats in the Cab Governmt.

 Chapter 288: Chapter 256: Cabinet Restructuring

    After briefly browsing through the pages, Arthur got a geral idea.


    Austrsia''s Cab has developed to this day, and can basically handle all the work of the governmt.


    Although the functions of each departmt seem somewhat bloated, the size of Austrsia is not thatrge, so it does not constitute a major problem.


    The reason the House of Represtatives proposed to increase cab seats is, simply put, to n for themselves.


    After all, each additional seat means one more opportunity; the Cab Governmt is the top echelon of the Austrsian Governmt, with cab members being below the royal family and above the governmt.


    However, the currt elections for the House of Represtatives have not yet be held, and the final list of members has not be determined. Is it a bit too hasty to worry about the future cab elections now?


    Arthur shook his head and looked at another proposal.


    The other proposal clearly showed a line of  suggesting the establishmt of formal official positions such as Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Minister.


    In fact, each departmt currtly has a deputy minister''s position. Ev the Foreign Affairs Departmt, which currtly has fewer affairs, has a minister and a deputy minister.


    However, the position of the deputy minister is a bit awkward. Although it is within the Cab Governmt, they are not part of the Cab Governmt and upy an ambiguous position.


    The only good thing is that they can temporarily take over the minister''s position wh an idt urs in a departmt minister.


    But the problem is that there is currtly no possibility of war in Austrsia, and the age of departmt ministers is gerally a 40 years old.


    It is less likely for these young and strong ministers to have idts than for them to be elected to full positions in the next election.


    As for the proposal for a deputy prime minister, Arthur felt it was not bad.


    At prest, there is no position of deputy prime minister in Austrsia because the Cab Governmt usually works under Arthur''s decision.


    In addition, part of the power of the Prime Minister has be divided among various departmts, so there is no need for the position of Deputy Prime Minister.


    However, with the growth of Austrsia''s volume, the political affairs of the departmt ministers will be more bloated andplicated.


    Therefore, it is necessary to establish the position of Deputy Prime Minister in advance to share the possible increase in political affairs and matters in the future.


    After all, if Arthur has important matters to visit abroad in the future, having a Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister to hold each other back can also maintain domestic stability.


    After all, the Prime Minister is a position elected by the House of Represtatives. Although it ultimately requires Arthur''s approval and swearing allegiance to Arthur, this cannot guarantee the absolute loyalty of the Prime Minister to Arthur.


    Although Arthur, under the premise of holding military power, the Prime Minister basically cannot make any waves, but no one can guarantee that Arthur''s next or next geration can still firmly control the governmt.


    A monarch who loses monarch power must add several insurance policies to control the governmt.


    A deputy prime minister directly appointed by the monarch is clearly more capable of suring loyalty.


    After all, anyone who can be personally appointed by the monarch as the Deputy Prime Minister must be absolutely loyal to the monarch in the eyes of the monarch.


    In this case, it is necessary to strgth the monarch''s power a little more in other areas to prevt his own descdants from losing their royal power for various reasons. At least, they must sure that their own and their family''s royal power is not threated, and at worst, they must be a constitutional country where the monarch has certain powers.


    After thinking for a while, Arthur signed his decision on the two proposals and called the royal guard to sd them to the Royal Parliamt.


    On May 30th, the Royal Parliamt formally issued the final handling opinions on the two resolutions to the House of Represtatives, and handed them over to the Cab Governmt for discussion.


    The two resolutions were evtuallybined, and the cab seats were sessfully increased.


    However, the increased seats were not elected by the House of Represtatives as members had expected, but were directly appointed by Arthur or future monarchs, with a term of four years.


    The specific resolutions are as follows: It was decided through consultation betwe Arthur and the Royal Parliamt to reform the Cab Governmt of Austrsia.


    In addition to the ministers of the eight departmts and the prime minister, the reformed cab governmt also includes sev ministers personally appointed by Arthur (Chief Justice, Archbishop, Speaker of the House of Represtatives, Minister of State, i.e., Deputy Prime Minister, and Royal Affairs Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister of Defse).


    After the reform, the Cab Governmt became the supreme governmt departmt of Austrsia, and Cab Governmt members no longer served as members of the Royal Parliamt.


    The Cab Governmt is gerally responsible to Arthur and the Royal Parliamt, but the House of Represtatives also has supervisory power.


    If the House of Represtatives is dissatisfied with a Cab Governmt official or the tire Cab Governmt, it can submit a resolution to impeach the official or the tire governmt.


    Of course, the final impeachmt must be submitted to the Royal Parliamt and Arthur''s hands unless the approval rate exceeds %.


    This also means that unless the House of Represtatives joins together, it will lose jurisdiction over the Cab Governmt. Only the remaining supervisory authority is severely restricted, which is the peak of Austrsian royal power.


    In addition, the minister of the cab departmt was officially ramed the Departmt Minister, and the official title of the Cab Prime Minister was changed to Chief Minister.


    From this momt on, the Cab seats of Austrsia will be increased to 6, with Arthur controlling 7 seats and the House of Represtatives electing 9 seats.


    Aspsation for the House of Represtatives, Arthur decided to allow the incumbt Prime Minister to appoint a deputy minister for each departmt, with a term corresponding to that of the Prime Minister.


    However, the ministers of each departmt are still elected by the House of Represtatives, which can thoroughly differtiate the positions elected by the House of Represtatives from the Cab Prime Minister and various departmt ministers, and block the possibility of these positions uniting together.


    After all, the Prime Minister of Governmt will threat the power of the departmt ministers and will also cause the departmt ministers to have some fear of the Prime Minister.


    In the case where the Cab Governmt does not trust each other and is suspicious of each other, they will naturally not unite to pose a threat to royal power.


    It is worth mtioning that after thisplete cab reform, Arthur has firmly grasped the more important positions of Minister of Finance and Minister of Defse.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, this provision received the lowest response, because ev in the previous cab, the positions of ministers of finance and defse were firmly held by Arthur and could not be obtained simply through elections.


    This cab reform has a great impact on the political ara, and it can be said that it subverts the currt pattern of Austrsia''s top politics.


    In summary, the reform of the cab has greatly strgthed royal power, both in appearance and in practice.


    Althoughpsation was giv to the Cab Prime Minister with a deputy minister''s position in each departmt, the departmt ministers control the departmts, and it remains to be se whether the deputy ministers can gain power.

 Chapter 289: Chapter 257: Late-night Conversations and Amending Resolutions

    For the cab ministers, their positions were confirmed, changing from cab ministers to cab ministers, and the title became more like that of a monarchy.


    However, the bad news is that if this resolution is implemted, the Prime Minister will have the power to appoint deputy ministers to interfere in their respective departmtal affairs.


    After the resolution was st to the Cab Governmt for consultation, the cab''s attitude was quite ambiguous, basically divided into two factions.


    Prime Minister Walter, Foreign Minister Andrew, Minister of Industry Pierre, and Minister of Education Richard made nomts on the resolution, appartly in default.


    It goes without saying that the prime minister''s powers are not too great, and it would indeed be good news if he could appoint deputy ministers.


    Meanwhile, the other ministers are also contders for the next prime minister; although their ministerial powers would be weaked in the short term, what if they took the prime minister''s postter?


    The other faction, with somewhat differt opinions, was led by the Minister of Civil Affairs Hris and the two new Ministers of Agriculture and Transportation.


    They believe that having the prime minister appoint deputy ministers is certainly a good thing, but it could also increase the likelihood of internal disputes within each departmt.


    This is not a good developmt for the governmt, as an administration struggling with infighting would see a significant reduction in efficicy.


    Differt opinions emerged within the Cab Governmt, and ultimately only Arthur could decide.


    On the eving of May 3st, just before the d of the election month, several cab ministers jointly requested an audice with Arthur for their undefined status of cab reform and asked Arthur to make amdmts to the unreasonable parts of the reform.


    Although Prime Minister Walter was pleased with his growing power, he could not oply support the previous resolution.


    Does this not mean that he is a power-hungry and opportunistic person? If he acted that way, he would likely lose Arthur''s trust and favor.


    This is also the smart part of Prime Minister Walter; although he tds to support the previous resolution, he understands that only Arthur can decide this matter in the d, and all he can do is quietly wait for the result.


    Arthur also takes this incidt very seriously; after all, it was his own oversight that led to the situation.


    On the eve of early June, Arthur temporarily conved a cab meeting and held all-night negotiations on the reform of the cab.


    Although no one knows exactly what was discussed that night, the changes Arthur made can be se in the amded resolution issued by the Royal Parliamt the next day.


    ording to the June st resolution issued by the Royal Parliamt, the reorganization and increase of cab seats remained the same, but the Prime Minister''s authority to appoint deputy ministers was abolished, allowing each departmt''s authority to remain unified, increasing the governmt''s administrative efficicy, and reducing the possibility of infighting within governmt departmts.


    Additionally, for the two extremely important departmts of finance and defse, the ministerial candidates were not directly appointed by Arthur but were selected from a list of three to five nominees put forward by Arthur and th elected by the House of Represtatives, yielding the final Defse Minister and Minister of Finance.


    For Arthur and the House of Represtatives, this can also be considered as apromise, to achieve a satisfactory result for both parties.


    After all, the candidates Arthur nominates will definitely be loyal to him, so the final Ministers of Defse and Finance will also be loyal to Arthur, ev if they are elected by the House of Represtatives.


    Moreover, there have be some adjustmts to the newly added cab seats.


    The Royal Affairs Minister was appointed by Arthur himself, with the geral responsibility of handling affairs betwe the governmt and the royal family, which is the most important thing for a monarchy: the unity of actions betwe the governmt and the monarch.


    Chief Justice and Secretary of State (Deputy Prime Minister) were selected in the same democratic process as the Ministers of Finance and Defse, with Arthur nominating three to five candidates, and th the House of Represtatives electing the final Chief Justice and Secretary of State.


    Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Represtatives was elected by the House itself. This is a special position with a ture of only two years, which means the Speaker of the House is the position in the cab governmt that may rotate the fastest.


    Next is the Archbishop of Austrsia, a position appointed directly by Arthur.


    The Archbishop of Austrsia is responsible for coordinating the managemt of the Austrsian Protestant Association while also serving as the Archbishop of Austrsian Protestantism.


    Arthur also ns to establish the Austrsian Christian Association to sure the rights of other Christians are protected and to prevt European immigrants with non-Protestant faiths from losing interest in Austrsia.


    The Archbishop holds control over religion in Austrsia, and because of its unique status, will be a lifelong position.


    Therefore, the choice of Archbishop must be in the hands of the royal family. This is the only position in the cab departmt, apart from the Royal Affairs Minister, that is appointed directly by Arthur and requires no election.


    If the previous proposals made the House of Represtatives somewhat apprehsive, the new proposals to them are a breath of fresh air.


    The new proposal allocates  of the 6 cab seats to be elected by the House of Represtatives and, moreover, the House has the right to elect Arthur''s nominees for finance, defse, state affairs, and chief justice.


    Arthur can only personally appoint the positions of the Royal Affairs Minister and Archbishop, and though there are basically no term limits for these two positions, they can be considered lifelong positions as long as Arthur does not dismiss them.


    However, this is only for two positions,pared to more than t other seats.


    Both the House of Represtatives and the Cab Governmt weed the new proposal after the changes.


    Ev the election of the Speaker of the House of Represtatives after the House of Represtatives election has caused more atttion from other political parties.


    After all, the Speaker of the House of Represtatives is a position that directly ters the Cab, and although the term of office is only two years, it is the Cab!


    At the same time, several major positions after the cab reform has attracted many officials'' coveting and expectations.


    After all, the newly added cab positions have high ranks and heavyweights. The Chief Justice will naturally master the judiciary system of Austrsia and confront the House of Represtatives.


    As for the Archbishop, this is a divine position, and it is believed that the Anglican Geral Assembly also has certain ideas about this position.


    The position of the Secretary of State, simr to the Deputy Prime Minister, has ev aroused interest among some cab ministers.


    You know, some expericed cab ministers have be in office for three terms, and they must change in the next term, or they will have to say goodbye to the cab seats.


    But what''s above the Cab Minister? Previously there was only one Prime Minister''s position, and now there is the addition of the Chief Justice, Secretary of State, Royal Affairs Minister, and Speaker of the House of Represtatives.


    These positions are differt from the Cab Ministers and are the only way for them to stay in the Cab Governmt in the next term, other than the Prime Minister''s position.


    Because all these positions require Arthur''s nomination, it can be imagined that Arthur''s Sydney Pce will not be quiet in the near future.


    With the cab reform, Arthur has legally rified the appointmt methods of the governors of all states and territories and the colonial governors.


    State governors are elected by the State Parliamt and begin their four-year term after verification by the House of Represtatives.


    Meanwhile, Colonial Governors and the Governor of the Capital Territory are elected by the Royal Parliamt and appointed by Arthur himself.


    At the same time, cab officials no longer serve as members of the Royal Parliamt, and members of the Royal Parliamt consist of royal family members, the Archbishop of Austrsia, grand nobles, and members personally appointed by Arthur.


    All members of the Royal Parliamt have unlimited terms, and this will be a new lifelong position.


    The fully indepdt cab is directly responsible to Arthur and is subject to the supervision of the Royal Parliamt and the House of Represtatives.


    Under the various reforms of the system, although Arthur''s royal power seems to be somewhat weaked on the surface, in fact, for a monarch like Arthur, who has great prestige and military power, his power in secret bes higher.


    However, on the surface, Austrsia has indeed be more democratic. After all, out of the 6 cab positions, there are as many as  directly elected by the House of Represtatives, and Arthur''s direct control of the cab positions has dropped to two, one of which is a divine position.


    On June st, after the Royal Parliamt, the House of Represtatives voted in favor, and the resolution on the reform of the Cab seats, which was unanimously approved by the Cab, was formally implemted, and there were significant changes in the political ara of Austrsia.


    Among them, the most joyful ones should be those ministers who have already served in the cab governmt for three terms.


    The reform of the cab gives them hope to continue to stay in the cab, although it requires gaining Arthur''s special favor, but it is better than several people fighting for a Prime Minister''s position, isn''t it?


    But this also means that if they want to obtain more cab seats, they need to express their absolute loyalty to Arthur and gain Arthur''s trust as the first step.


    How to gain Arthur''s trust? Several ministers were momtarily perplexed, but some people have already looked at Grant or the Unity Party behind Grant.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Unity Party is the only oply monarchist party in Austrsia and is also the political party closest to Arthur at prest.


    If they can establish contact with the Unity Party, does it mean that their rtionship with Arthur will be closer?


    Although this situation is only a conjecture, in order to obtain a higher cab position and continue to stay in the cab, perhaps taking a shot is really thest resort.


    Arthur takes a bystander''s attitude towards the changes in the political ara after the promulgation of the resolution, as there is no harm to the royal family no matter how it changes.


    The cab reform is beficial for Arthur, or the future king of Austrsia. After all, the king determines the affiliation of several cab positions other than the ministers. The attitude of Arthur and future kings bes very important for cab ministers who want to stay in the cab or go further.

 Chapter 290: Chapter 258: Confirming the Candidate for the New Position

    In the following days, Arthur met with the bishops of Australia and New Zend in session and st a telegram to inquire about the opinions of the Church of Ennd. He subsequtly announced the establishmt of the New Protestant Association of Austrsia and the creation of the Archbishop of Austrsia.


    The title of Archbishop of Austrsia is primarily a religious one, as well as the head of the Austrsian Protestant Church, overseeing all the Protestant faithful in Austrsia.


    As such, it is the apex of the religious hierarchy in Austrsia, and the position that all Austrsian Protestant bishops aspire to.


    Steed Marlborough, an archbishop from the Church of Ennd''s Protestant Association, was chos as the first Archbishop of Austrsia.


    If all goes well, Archbishop Steed will arrive in Austrsia in early July to begin his term as the first Archbishop of Austrsia.


    Of course, in exchange for befits, the Austrsian Protestant Association will separate from the English Protestant Association and be an indepdt kingdom Protestant church.


    The residt church of the Archbishop of Austrsia is the Victoria Cathedral in the city cter of Sydney. This church has a history of over a hundred years, making it the oldest andrgest church in Austrsia, as well as the one with the most congregation members.


    To demonstrate his support for the church, Arthur announced that he would donate 500,000 Australian dors to church construction and, in his personal capacity,Donate 0,000 Aussie dors to Victoria Cathedral to help with maintance and construction.


    With its own indepdt Protestant Church, Austrsia can also make it more convit for Arthur to rule in Austrsia.


    At least in the future, the royal family''s activities will only require the invitation of Austrsia''s bishops and no longer necessitate the cumbersome journey to Ennd to personally invite the bishops.


    Arthur''s attitude towards the construction of the church has also won the goodwill of some loyal believers. Coupled with Arthur''s op and receptive attitude towards Christianity as a whole, the establishmt of the Protestant Church did not affect the arrival of other European immigrants.


    At the beginning of July, Steed officially arrived at Sydney Harbor, and Arthur personally met with Steed and his tourage, bestowing the position of Archbishop of Victoria on Steed.


    Archbishop Steed''s attitude toward Arthur is also very submissive, as he knows who his archbishop statuses from and that this is not an era wh divine power is greater than royal power like the Middle Ages.


    A few dayster, at Minister Grant''s suggestion, Arthur coborated with Archbishop Steed to establish the Victoria Language School, aiming to help immigrantsing to Austrsia quickly learn the Englishnguage.


    Although the British Empire is currtly the undisputed world superpower, this does not prevt the majority of ordinary Europeans from grasping the Englishnguage at best.


    If they are Western European immigrants, it is better, but Russian immigrants are basicallypletely inexpericed in English.


    Most of them are the lower sses of Russia, and if they could master flut English, something would be fishy.


    But Austrsia is after all a country dominated by British descdants, with English as the officialnguage and Protestantism as the official religion.


    This also means that these people who are not proficit in English must master conversational English in a short period of time in order to live better in Austrsian society.


    Currtly, with the increasing number of Russian immigrants, the problem of many people not speaking English has emerged.


    This is the initial inttion of Arthur, partnering with Archbishop Steed to establishnguage schools to help these Russians adapt better to Austrsian life.


    As for allowing the church to participate, it was Archbishop Steed''s request. Arthur did not need to think about the reason ¨C the newly-appointed archbishop had already begun plotting the spread of the gospel.


    However, this is also a good thing for the unity of Austrsia, so it is not wrong to let religious forces participate.


    Meanwhile, the House of Represtatives elections are underway in full swing.


    With the arrival of July, the ballots from all states will be unified for review and statistics at the state governmt level. This is a 0-day period for counting ballots, after which the states will report the final election results to the governmt and Arthur. These results will be released to the public upon verification of no errors.


    This period of time is the most unsettling time for some candidates. While they previously felt tse due to their busy campaign schedules, the sudd lull in activity, coupled with various psychological issues, made them ev more anxious.


    Fortunately, time passes quickly, and with thest state reporting its statistics on July , 908, the voting statistics phase hase to an official d.


    Next will be a four-day period of random checks, and if it is determined that there are no major problems with the votes in each state, the list of candidates for the new House of Represtatives will basically be confirmed.


    First of all, all cab ministers, without exception, have won seats in the House of Represtatives.


    Actually, it is tak for granted, as they have all reached the highest level of governmt and should be able to obtain the smaller position of a House of Represtatives member.


    It is worth mtioning that not only the currt cab ministers, but also the former Prime Minister Evan and the previous ministers have all obtained seats in the House of Represtatives, which means that they are likely to challge for cab seats once again.


    After randomly sampling the reported data from several states, on July 5, 908, the Austrsian Governmt and the Royal Family jointly disclosed the list of members of the new House of Represtatives and requested that the House of Represtatives elect a Speaker as soon as possible to join the Cab Governmt''s seats.


    This is a direct way to give birth to a cab member and the best opportunity for all members of the House of Represtatives to ter the Cab Governmt.


    However, the developmt of evts would definitely not be what these represtatives had in mind. In the d, the position of Speaker of the House of Represtatives was won by Prime Minister Evan, who had umted ormous prestige in the previous two governmts.


    Of course, at this point, a more appropriate title should be Sir Evan.


    As the Prime Minister of the previous two governmts and nobled as a knight by Arthur himself, Sir Evan''s prestige among the many members of parliamt was the highest. The position of Speaker, which requires arge amount of prestige to preside over the work of the House of Represtatives, naturally fell into the hands of Sir Evan.


    However, it is clear that Sir Evan also had ns of his own. Otherwise, it would also be possible for the major parties to win the position of Speaker.


    In fact, this is normal. Although he was the Prime Minister of the previous two governmts, Sir Evan has be away from the political ara for more than a year, and the next Cab Governmt election is ev three years away.


    As Austrsia develops more and more smoothly, the currt Prime Minister Walter and many ministers are also umting their own prestige.


    If he were to participate directly in the next election, sess would not necessarily be in Sir Evan''s reach. After all, ev if he was sessful in obtaining the Prime Minister''s position, it would be virtually impossible for him to be re-elected again.


    This is because ording to the Austrsian Constitution, a Prime Minister can serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms and three terms in total.


    If Sir Evan is elected, it will also be his third term as Prime Minister. Unless Arthur personally orders it, re-election is not possible.


    Under such circumstances, should they make frids with a pottial re-elected Prime Minister, or with Sir Evan, who is unable to be re-elected? This is a good question.


    Now that he can re-ter the cab in another way and, like everyone else, continue to umte his own prestige, this will undoubtedly increase the possibility of Sir Evan regaining the position of Prime Minister.


    It is worth mtioning that on the day of his sessful election as Speaker of the House of Represtatives, Sir Evan, or Speaker Evan, first requested an audice with Arthur. After an intimate and joyable conversation with Arthur, he wt to the Cab to meet his old frids.


    No matter what everyone''s inner thoughts were, the Cab Governmt''s meeting was very pleasant. Speaker Evan''s former subordinates expressed their congrattions and wee to the Speaker, and wished him good luck in joining the Cab Governmt again.


    Since the election of the House of Represtatives has bepleted, it is time to fill the remaining cab seats.


    On August 3rd, Arthur nominated candidates for Chief Justice and Minister of State to the House of Represtatives. After three days of elections and discussions, the final Chief Justice was determined to be Gregory Harris, and the final candidate for Minister of State was Kt.


    Yes, it is Defse Minister Kt. Since the position of Minister of State is higher than that of Defse Minister, Kt is also eligible to run for election.


    However, after being elected as the Minister of State, the position of Defse Minister would be vacant. Arthur th nominated three military personnel and let the House of Represtatives hold another election.


    Finally, the new Defse Minister was elected, who was the former Brigadier Geral Raul Prange of the Guard Division.


    At this point, the cab members after the reforms were basically determined, except for the Royal Affairs Minister directly appointed by Arthur.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, as this was a private matter of the royal family, no one mtioned it.


    The currt positions of the Austrsian Cab Governmt are: Chief Minister (Prime Minister) Walter, Secretary of State (Deputy Prime Minister) Kt, Archbishop Steed, Chief Justice Gregory, Speaker of the House Evan, Foreign Secretary Andrew, Minister of Education Richard, Industry Secretary Pierre, Secretary of Public Security Thomas, Minister of Livelihood Hris, Minister of Agriculture Mark, Minister of Transportation Laur, Minister of Health Willie, Minister of Finance Roger, Defse Secretary Raul.


    Although the cab seats have be expanded, the actual changes have not be significant. In addition to Defse Minister Kt bing the Minister of State and Brigadier Raul bing the Defse Minister, most of the other new positions are rtively indepdt, such as the Archbishop, Chief Justice, and Speaker of the House.


    These positions have little impact on the day-to-day affairs of the Cab Governmt. Their primary role in the Cab Governmt is the authority to vote in cab meetings.


    The only position that could pottially impact the Cab Governmt is Kt''s post as Minister of State. This is a de facto Deputy Prime Minister, but because he is an acquaintance of the cab ministers and tds to keep a low profile, he has not caused too much unrest or turmoil within the Cab Governmt.


    From August 5, wh the candidates for the new positions were basically determined, Arthur gave the new cab members two weeks to deal with their respective affairs. After two weeks, a cab meeting was held on August 0th. The purpose was not only to determine the new cab''s goals and the specific division of duties, but also to allow all members to have a formal meet-and-greet.


    This relieved those who were appointed to the new positions. After all, this was a new position for Austrsia, and they needed time to determine their responsibilities and gather collective information.


    If a cab meeting were held immediately, they would probably be ignorant about many things, and the meeting would lose its purpose.

 Chapter 291: Chapter 259: New Firearm Technology and Submarine

    On August th, Arthur attded the dyedmcemt ceremony of the New Zend battleship due to the slow progress of the Russian warship construction and couraged the workers of the Royal Shipyard.


    Starting with the Austrsian Battleship in January, the Royal Shipyard has now sessively started working on three battleships. The fastest one, the Austrsian Battleship, is expected to bepleted in a March or April of the following year, 909, for the finalunching test.


    This is good news for Austrsia, as March or April is only about half a year away.


    However, ev though he was looking forward to the battleship''sunching test, Arthur repeatedly instructed the person in charge of the shipyard and all workers to carefully control the quality of warship construction. What Austrsia needs is a powerful, excellt warship that can withstand the actual test of war, not just a showpiece.


    The good news is that Austrsia''s industry and shipbuilding were established with the help of the Germans, and the Germans'' rigid and serious character has had a profound impact on these Austrsian workers.


    At least Austrsia''s industrial products can withstand the test. Ev if they are not as meticulous as Germany, they are definitely striving for perfection.


    Currtly, the sea trials of the two Russian warships are going very smoothly, and the fastest Peter Pavlovskiy battleship can ev be officially delivered a October of this year.


    Based on the performance of the Peter Pavlovskiy battleship in maritime aspects, the actual performance of the Monarch-ss battleship is not much differt from its data on paper, and it is a true dreadnought that can beparable to the Dreadnought battleship in all aspects.


    It is worth mtioning that the first Nassau-ss battleship of Germany has be sessfullyunched, but the performance demonstrated in the test cannot be satisfactory.


    In history, because there was noparison, the Germans had some confidce in the Nassau-ss battleships.


    However, with the advt of Austrsia''s Monarch-ss battleship technology, the Germanspared the two warships in all aspects and ev produced one sample ship each forparison. In the d, they had to admit that the design of the Monarch-ss battleship was better than the Nassau-ss battleship, and the 305mm primary artillery was definitely more powerful than the 83mm main gun.


    More crucially, Germany''s most intimate ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, happs to have such artillery technology. After consultations betwe the two governmts, Germany quickly introduced the technology of 305mm ship guns from the Austro-Hungarian Skoda Arsal. As a price, Germany will help the Austro-Hungarian Empire to have dreadnoughts.


    This exchange is not a loss for Germany as the 305mm main gun can significantly improve the firepower level of the currt German battleship. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire has dreadnoughts, it can also increase its influce in the Mediterranean Sea, threating France''s southern coastline and the Strait of Gibraltar.


    The Germans kept their promise and shared a part with Austrsia after obtaining the 305mm main gun technology of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The Germans obtained the gun technology in July, and it was shipped to Austrsia in mid-August, just in time for the day wh the cab candidates had be determined.


    After obtaining the gun technology provided by the Germans, Arthur immediately conved all the artillery experts from the arsal and put the whole country''s strgth together to quickly grasp the 305mm main gun technology.


    At this time, there were fewer German experts in Austrsia. This was because the aid treaty signed with the Germans at the time was only for five years. However, due to the closer diplomatic rtions betwe Germany and Austrsia, some experts stayed for a few more years.


    From signing the aid treaty in 900 to August 908, Germany st a total of ,5 experts in various fields to Austrsia, providing Austrsia with a wealth of advanced industrial and scitific knowledge.


    So far, there are fewer than 00 German experts left in Austrsia, and the specific number is only 4.


    These 4 people are the result of Austrsia''s eight-year effort and finally managed to keep them permantly in Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, they used more peaceful means. The Austrsian governmt provided a lot of convice and policies, which retained one-ninth of the tire expert group''s talts.


    A considerable part of them are experts in the military factories and shipyards, ounting for 93 people, and the rest are talts in the chemical industry, basic industry, and other industries.


    Most of these experts have sessfully obtained Austrsian nationality, and the rest are considering it.


    Arthur offered gerous terms for winning them over. In addition to keeping their yearly wages unchanged, he promised to invite all their families to Austrsia and grant them nationality as soon as possible, joying the treatmt of Austrsian citizs.


    At the same time, they would be giv conditions that all immigrants would get, which means that these German experts'' families would receive at least several doz acres ofnd wh they arrived in Austrsia, and their living could be guaranteed.


    William II maintained a default attitude towards Arthur''s talt recruitmt. After all, the good rtions betwe Germany and Austrsia were ahead, and the abundance of German talt did not lead to dissatisfaction with Austrsia because of these more than one hundred talts.


    Following Arthur''smand, hundreds of arsal gun experts began aprehsive study of the 305mm main gun technology provided by the Germans under the guidance of dozs of German experts, striving to master the technology as soon as possible and th equip it on the Austrsian battleship.


    At prest, the two Russian warships have already be tested forunching, so they have to wait for Austrsia to master the technology before spding time recing the main guns of these two battleships.


    However, the good news is that it won''t take long to rece the main gun. It will bepleted in as short as half a month and as long as one or two months.


    Moreover, these disassembled 83mm main guns could also be installed on Austrsian coastlines as coastal defse batteries. This would not only solve the problem of waste but also hance the defse capabilities of the Austrsian coastlines.


    In addition, the submarine technology provided by Germany had basically be mastered by Austrsia. Since Germany''s currt submarine technology only reached the U-3 ss submarines, and that too only the first two vessels, their technology was not too advanced, at least by European standards.


    Germany''s U-3 ss submarine construction nsprised 0 vessels, divided into sev groups. Germany''s goal was to make performance improvemts in each group of U-3 ss submarines, which was also the reason for the rapid rise of German submarine technologyter on.


    At prest, Germany''s U-3 ss submarines were still in the construction phase of the first two vessels, the U-3 and U-4, which were the most basic U-3 ss submarines.


    This type of U-3 ss submarine had a surface discemt of 4 tons, and an underwater discemt of 5 tons. The lgth of the submarines was about 53. meters, with surface speeds reaching a  knots and underwater speeds reaching 9.4 knots.


    Inparison to the more advanced submarines developed by France and Italy at the time, these submarines were somewhatgging behind. Perhaps Kaiser Wilhelm II was aware of this, which is why he gerously shared the design blueprints of the U-5 to U-7 submarines, which were still in the design stage, with Austrsia.


    These were the second group of U-3 ss submarines, and the German Navy had higher requiremts for this group.


    ording to the design blueprints, the discemt of the second group of submarines was much greater than that of the first group, and each submarine was required to be equipped with at least three gines, allowing the submarines to have a surface speed of at least 4 knots.


    Furthermore, the German Navy demanded that this group of submarines have a cruising range of at least 000 nautical miles, a crew of a 0 people, and the ability to operate continuously underwater for 7 hours toplete missions.


    In terms of firepower, the submarines were equipped with two torpedounchers at both the front and rear ds, with a total of 6 to 8 torpedoes carried on board.


    ording to the design blueprints, the second group of submarines would almost satisfy the German Navy''s requiremts, with an estimated surface speed of a 4 knots, an underwater speed of more than 9 knots, and a maximum speed maintained betwe  to  knots.


    To be honest, there was noparison betwe the performance data of the first and second groups of submarines. The second group of submarines were truly battle-worthy and met Arthur''s satisfaction.


    Although the second group of submarines only existed on the design table at prest, Arthur believed in the German Navy''s technology. After all, ording to historical developmts, German submarine technology indeed expericed rapid progress during this period.


    Naturally, relying only on the efforts of Germans themselves wouldn''t be ough; the indepdt research of Austrsia was also crucial.


    Giv that the cost of building submarines wasn''t too expsive, Arthur immediately ordered the shipyard to thoroughly understand the design blueprints of the first group of U-3 ss submarines and to build a submarine to familiarize themselves with the process.


    Subsequtly, in-depth studies were conducted on the design blueprints of the second group of submarines. Once both Australia and Germany were sure that the design blueprints were wless, thrge-scale submarine construction wouldmce.


    After dealing with the naval interlude, the time neared the d of August, which was wh Arthur decided to conve the cab meeting.


    Although, in theory, this was just a regr cab meeting, since it was the first meeting after the restructuring of the cab and it also weed several new cab ministers, it was rather important.


    At this cab meeting, Archbishop Stede of Austrsia, Lord Chancellor Gregory, Defse Minister Raul, and Sir Evan would make their first appearances, with Evan returning to the cab in a new capacity.


    Moreover, with the addition of Kt Butler''s son, the former defse minister officially assuming the position of Secretary of State in the Cab governmt, there would likely be significant changes in the alignmt of the cab.


    However, this wouldn''t greatly affect Arthur. After all, he controlled the most important finances and defse sectors, and Secretary of State Kt was a highly loyal and trusted talt. There was no need to worry about the emergce of opposing factions within the cab.


    Based on the currt situation, the rtionship betwe Speaker of the House Evan and Chief Minister Walter would certainly not return to what it was in the previous governmt.


    One was a former Prime Minister, and now Speaker of the House, the other was a former Minister of Livelihood, and now a Prime Minister. If there were no surprises, both would likely aim for the position of Chief Minister in the next cab, which was a testamt to their strained rtionship.


    It could ev be said that after serving three consecutive terms as cab ministers, the former Prime Ministers of several Australian colonies would be the most threatingpetitors amongst one another, if they wished to remain in the cab.


    Apart from these more expericed cab ministers, the currt cab also included loyalists directly appointed by Arthur, as well as rising stars in the cab elected with the support of political parties.


    However, the only two political parties in the cab, the Unity Party and the Rural Party, both leaned towards Arthur. This significantly reduced the likelihood of the emergce of opposing factions within the cab.


    On August , 908, the long-prepared cab meeting was officially conved.


    Arthur attached great importance to this cab meeting, choosing to hold it in the grandest and most formal conferce hall of Sydney Pce.


    Starting from a sev in the morning, cab ministers had be waiting outside the door. Before the cab meeting officially began at eight o''clock, all ministers were in ce, quietly awaiting Arthur''s arrival.

 Chapter 292: Chapter 260: Current Development Issues

    "Your Majesty!" Seeing Arthur slowly approaching, the Cab members quickly stood up and respectfully said.


    Arthur simply nodded, sat down in the main seat, and smiled: "Gtlem, let''s begin. This is our first meeting after the reformation of our Cab."


    Hearing the words, everyone took their seats. However,pared to the previous meetings, this one had numerous additional cab seats, all of which were ced in front of the Cab Minister''s seat.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Interestingly, an empty seat was reserved betwe the Cab Ministers and the new seats, intded for the future Minister of Royal Affairs.


    "I presume you are all acquainted with each other by now, so let''s get to the point!" Arthur said, "Although our Cab has gone through restructuring, our goal has never changed. Developing our country has always be our evesting theme."


    "Prime Minister Walter, how many stages does this meeting have?" Arthur asked.


    "Your Majesty, in addition to reporting on the progress we''ve made over the past six months, discussing the distribution of duties among the reformed Cab Governmt is a key agda. In addition, the ongoing issues with governmtal work and solutions for improvemt will be addressed in this meeting," Prime Minister Walter promptly stood up and exined.


    "Let''s talk about the new distribution of duties within the reformed Cab Governmt first." Arthur smiled and directly raised the most important issue for the Cab Ministers.


    "The newly added Cab positions; the Chief Justice is responsible for the domestic judicial system, and the State Courts are also unified under the Chief Justice''s managemt. In judicial cases involving mid-to-high-ranking officials, both the judicial system and the House of Represtatives have forcemt powers.


    The House of Represtatives'' forcemt system is ountable to the House of Represtatives, while the Chief Justice is ountable to the Cab Governmt and the Royal Parliamt. Does anyone have anything to add?" Arthur looked a at everyone and asked with a smile.


    Seeing everyone wisely shaking their heads, Arthur continued: "In addition to his lesiastical responsibilities, the Archbishop of Austrsia is also the head of the New Protestant Association, coordinates and manages domestic issues rted to Protestantism. However, other religions should also have the authority to deal with their internal religious matters."


    "As for the newly created Minister of State, he or she is gerally responsible for assisting the Prime Minister in dealing with state affairs. Although the House of Represtatives theoretically has supervisory power over the Cab Governmt, the final decision of the Cab Governmt belongs to the Royal Parliamt and must be approved by me.


    As for the remaining Minister of Royal Affairs, he or she is responsible for handling affairs betwe the royal family and the governmt and is solely ountable to me."


    "This topic will be discussed this much for now, the most important things currtly are the developmt of the country and the next steps for each departmt." Arthur ded this topic and wt on, "Let''s discuss the progress and problems rted to the governmt''s work made so far this year. It would be perfect now that everyone is here, so we could brainstorm solutions to any problems."


    Seeing Arthur ding the topic swiftly,  of them dared to say more and quickly shifted their atttion to the new subject.


    Although Austrsia''s developmt has be gerally progressing well, it does not mean that there were no issues during its developmt.


    Each minister looked at the summaries in their hands, carefully pondering the achievemts made by their respective departmts and the problems they were currtly facing.


    "You non-departmt ministers should also list to the currt problems and achievemts of each departmt. As a member of the Cab Ministers, ev if you are not working on governmtal duties, it would be a contribution to the nation toe up with some suggestions," Arthur said as he looked at the new position candidates.


    "Yes, Your Majesty." They all nodded in agreemt.


    "Let''s briefly talk about the achievemts made so far by our governmt. First, let''s hear the good news from the governmt and th conctrate on solving the problems we have faced," Arthur instructed.


    "Your Majesty, up till now, all of our governmt''s developmt progress has be on a continuous upward trd. The number of immigrants in the first sev months of this year has already exceeded 40,000. At prest, our domestic total poption has reached 765,0, with non-immigrant poption growth just over 80,000," Prime Minister Walter stood up and summarized.


    "The developmt of both industry and agriculture has also be steadily rising. ording to our construction speed, Leonora Industrial Base is expected to start operational activities by the d of 909, finish the first phase of construction by mid9, and thmce the second phase.


    If progress goes smoothly, we anticipatepleting the second and third phases of the industrial area in 93 and 96, with the tire industrial area finished by 98."


    Prime Minister Walter paused for a while before continuing: "Our fiscal revue has also se steady growth. Up to now, in just under eight months, our fiscal revue has already surpassed 7 million Australian dors, and it is expected that the total fiscal revue for this year will surpass 40 million Australian dors."


    "Up until now, our fiscal expditure is approximately 33 million Australian dors, with a fiscal deficit of about 6 million Australian Dors. However, this is due to the construction of three battleships and the Leonora Industrial Base.


    If there are not too many constructions in the second half of the year, we expect that our fiscal conditions can still return to a surplus," exined Prime Minister Walter.


    The developmtal construction of Austrsia has be underway for eight years, and it is just beginning to turn its deficit into a surplus.

 Chapter 293: Chapter 260: Current Development Issues_2

    This status is still under the condition that domestic construction has not stopped, which also reflects the achievemts of the governmt''s developmt over the years.


    Having ough budget allows us to do more things. At least for now, Arthur is satisfied with the finances of Austrsia.


    After a brief report, Arthur looked at the cab ministers and asked, "If anyone has any issues that cannot be decided in your work, you can bring them up now, and the cab can vote on them."


    After a few seconds of silce, Agriculture Minister Mark Radcliff stood up first and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, everyone. ording to our developmt status until this year, our per capita cultivatednd area has reached approximately .3 acres, and the total cultivatednd area is about ,95,000 acres.


    We expect our annual grain production this year to reach over 7 million tons, which, after meeting domestic consumption and strategic reserve grain, could leave us with at least 3 million tons for export."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur nodded. The increase in both food production and per capita cultivatednd area is good news, and there is not much to say about such good news, so Arthur nodded and continued listing.


    "But such growth is tirely depdt on the use of arge number of Indigous Peoples and the increase in agricultural poption, rather than the use of our agricultural technology and machinery," Mark Radcliff continued. "Take our major grain-producing area of New Guinea as an example. New Guinea has a lot of cultivablend and many rivers, making it very suitable for growing crops."


    "We have an advantage in New Guinea because, due to its small poption, we can achieverge-scale unified nting and courage capable citizs to establishrge farmsteads in these areas. This will allow for a uniform nting and harvesting method usingrge machinery to upgrade our agriculture.


    Many regions in Austrsia can adopt this method, using a small agricultural poption and arge amount of machinery to produce ev more food. This way, we can allocate the saved agricultural poption to other fields, saving ourbor costs and manpower."


    "At the same time, I think we should also vigorously support the developmt of agricultural chemical industries, promoting fertilizer factories, ammonia synthesis technology, and other agricultural technology changes. If most of ournd can use more fertilizer technology, th our grain output should be able to rise by at least 0%.


    Currtly, the tractor experimts in some parts of Sydney have be very sessful, and I think they should be promoted nationwide as soon as possible, using machinery to drive agricultural production and transformation.


    If all these conditions can be implemted, I believe that ev if our avable arablend does not expand further, there is still a chance to break through  million tons of food production." After finishing, Mark Radcliff looked at everyone and th respectfully looked at Arthur, waiting for his thoughts and decisions.


    "Hmm, the ideas of the Ministry of Agriculture are good, do you have any opinions?" Arthur nodded and asked for the opinions of others.


    "Your Majesty, supporting the chemical industry, and agricultural technology, ammonia synthesis technology, and the corresponding factories are no problem. Our newly-built Leonora Industrial Base also includes such factories and fields.


    The purpose of building the Leonora Industrial Base is to construct technology factories involving various aspects of Austrsia to improve the currt production methods of Austrsia," Industry Secretary Pierre said, nodding his head.


    This idea is already contemted in the Leonora Industrial base, which is also the reason Pierre agreed without thinking.


    "The Ministry of Finance has no problem, Your Majesty." Chancellor of the Exchequer Roger Jackson nodded and said, "For factories and agricultural technologies, the Ministry of Finance can allocate about one million Australian dors to courage more factories to be established and develop corresponding fertilizers technology.


    As for the wide use of tractors mtioned by Minister Mark, I think it would be too much of a burd on the finances to implemt it all at once. It''s better to start with arge-scale pilot in New Guinea. If private farm owners want to buy tractors for agricultural production, we can also provide some subsidies to help tractors ter more private farms."


    Arthur nodded, this indeed was the best method for now. Although the cost of a single tractor is not very high, if it is to be widely used in Austrsia, it is not something the currt governmt finance can bear.


    The best approach is to promote it on arge scale in significant grain-producing areas such as New Guinea and couragerge private farm owners with specific prefertial policies to buy tractors on their own.


    As long as farm owners experice the convice that tractors could bring to agriculture and see the tangible befits, they would buy this kind of machinery proactively to speed up their farm efficicy, without the need for governmt inctives.


    "Does anyone else have anything to say?" Arthur asked.


    This issue was not a big problem, and Agriculture Minister Mark ev proposed a proper solution himself.


    With the opinions giv by the Ministry of Finance, considering the currt governmt financial situation, the agricultural issues are esstially resolved.


    Seeing everyone shaking their heads, Arthur th said, "Let''s move to the next departmt, any other issues?"

 Chapter 294: Chapter 260: Current Development Issues_3

    After a small period of silce, Minister of Education Richard Noble Chapman stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the tasks of the education departmt this year are heavy, and our budget is already short. The Ministry of Education requests at least 5 million Australian dors for the financial budget, to be used for the expansion of existing universities and to construct two new universities."


    "How is the work of the Education Departmt going on at prest? Approximately how much is your finance budget for this year? Has it be spt so quickly?" Arthur queried.


    At the annual d of the year summary meeting, the financial budget for the next year is allocated to each departmt based on the circumstances of the previous year.


    A departmt like the Ministry of Education, which the governmt attaches extra consideration to, typically receives an extra budget of a two million Australian dors.


    "Your Majesty, we n on expanding the Austrsia National University and Oand University, developing them into the first and second universities in Australrasia.


    The expansion of these two universities requires about one million Australian dors each, especially for Austrsia National University, it needs a budget of at least one to .5 million Australian dors to keep pace with European universities." Minister of Education Richard exined.


    "Moreover, to reserve more technical talts for the Leonora Industrial Base, we have built one technical training school each in West Australia and South Australia, to cultivate skilled workers for the industrial base. There are also expansions of technical schools near Sydney and Melbourne, which all together have also cost two million Australian dors.


    The total budget of the Ministry of Education this year is only 6 million Australian dors, minus the normal maintance costs of several universities, the avable budget of the Ministry of Education is now less than one million Australian dors, and we are unable to build any new universities." exined Richard.


    The Ministry of Education indeed took longer strides this year, not only n on expanding existing universities but also trying to attain the standards of European Universities.


    Additionally, they aim to construct new technical schools and universities to meet the increasing demand for technical workers and universities in Austrsia.


    Currtly, with the prevalce of Austrsia''s educational policy, the average level of education in Austrsia has reached high school level.


    Ev though many people have intermediate education level, getting the average education level to high school in this era is quite the aplishmt for the Austrsian Governmt.


    From the continuous eruption of various schools and universities in Austrsia over these years, one can observe the governmt and the educational departmt''s efforts in improving Austrsia''s educational vironmt.


    Arthur looked at Prime Minister Walter and Finance Minister Roger Jackson, waiting for the governmt and the finance departmt''s opinion.


    "Your Majesty, education is an important matter for a country. The poprisation of education is imperative for our developmt in all aspects. If it were not for the efforts in education, it would be difficult for our industry to develop to its currt scale due to talt shortage.


    I believe that the work of the education departmt is very necessary, and an additional budget of 5 million Australian dors is not much. Ev if it is for the construction of universities, I believe that the budget can be increased to about 8 million. This amount should be sufficit to expand the number of universities in our country to t, and this is meaningful for our educational work.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    " said Prime Minister Walter, taking the initiative to speak.


    Having t universities might only be a small fraction of the number of universities in the powerful nations, but for Austrsia, it can be se as a result of hard work.


    If they could have t universities, it would mean that they could cultivate thousands or ev ts of thousands of university studts each year. This would greatly fill the gap of intermediate-level talts and ev nt the seeds for the developmt of high-level talts in Austrsia.


    Among these thousands of university studts each year, many outstanding scitists and various experts could be fostered, and these talts are crucial for the developmt and construction of the country.


    Ev though Arthur can obtain a certain number of high-level talts every year by virtue of the Victoria Award, these self-cultivated talts are definitely more loyal than the attracted talts, and they are also very handy to use.


    Everyone''s eyes th turned to Finance Minister Roger Jackson, waiting for the final opinion of the finance departmt.


    Chancellor of the Exchequer Roger Jackson chuckled reluctantly and said, " Since the Prime Minister has said so, how can the finance departmt not support it? Your Majesty, the finance departmt can provide about 8 to  million Australian dors of financial budget to help the education departmt build more universities and expand schools.


    But after this  million Australian dors are spt, I am afraid this year''s financial situation will show a deficit again. Don''t me me wh that happs, Your Majesty!"


    Before Arthur could speak, Prime Minister Walter quickly said: "Rest assured, Minister Roger. This financial budget is to be used for education, ev if there is a slight deficit, it wouldn''t be much. This is a decision that everyone is involved in, and Your Majesty is watching personally; who would me you?"


    In the d, Arthur instructed: "Minister Richard, I hope that this additional financial budget can be used for education. Wh the Ministry raises its results, you, as the Minister, should take the credit. But I hope there won''t be any shoddy work in the construction of universities and other schools.


    The studts of Austrsia should live in a safe andfortable vironmt, not some dangerous construction, do you understand?"

 Chapter 295: Chapter 260: Current Development Issues_4

    Education Minister Richard quickly nodded and made his ownmitmt.


    Arthur is not too concerned about the cost of funds, but the quality of the projects and construction must be sured. This is his bottom line for various constructions in Austrsia.


    Basically, the departmts with construction projects would hear Arthur''s instructions and agree on the surface.


    At least for now, there have be no incidts of inferior quality projects in Austrsia, which is very satisfying for Arthur.


    But if inferior quality projects were to happ, Arthur would show no mercy, no matter who was responsible for it.


    The developmt of the country cannot tolerate any idts. Anyone who dares to hinder it is not only an emy of the country''s developmt but also an emy of Arthur and all Austrsians.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Does anyone else have any issues?" After giving the instruction, Arthur turned his gaze to the others and asked.


    "Your Majesty, the Public Security Departmt has a few issues that need your guidance." Secretary of Public Security Thomas Chekhov stood up and said.


    "The security departmt now has a total of more than ,600 police officers. Although it seems like arge number, it is still very few for the vastness of Austrsia, and it cannot effectively maintain the public security vironmt in any region.


    Moreover, with the poprity of cars and the construction of various types of roads, I believe it is necessary to establish a road police departmt to better manage the flow of traffic on the roads," said Minister Thomas.


    "Our police stations also frequtly receive various requests for help from the public. Among these, many are just small domestic matters, but they still have to be dealt with because people seek help. To arge extt, this wastes our police resources.


    Therefore, I think it is necessary to establish a separate assistance police departmt to handle these matters and differtiate them from our regr public security police."


    Before several police reforms took ce, although the police system was already prevalt worldwide, the division of police duties and what the police should do was not clear.


    At this time, the police could be regarded as abination of all types of police, resulting in Austrsia''s already limited public security departmt being very busy and inefficit.


    "Do you have any specific ideas?" Arthur asked.


    It is necessary to make a professional distinction among police duties. Although this would be several decades earlier than in history, increasing the efficicy of the Public Security Departmt is undoubtedly a good thing.


    Moreover, the specialization of the police does not involve any technical contt, only requiring some specialized training for certain aspects of the police force, which would not take much time and resources.


    "Your Majesty, I think the police in our security departmt should be divided into several categories. The first category is ourw forcemt police who are responsible for handling cases ofwbreaking and criminal cases, maintaining domestic safety, and social order. These police must be the most professional, requiring extsive training and internship time," said Minister Thomas.


    "The second category is the traffic maintance police that I mtioned. They only need to have some knowledge of trafficws and regtions to be eligible for the job. Their main task is to maintain domestic traffic order on the roads. They have now forcemt authority and are not allowed to own or carry firearms."


    "The third category of police are responsible for assisting residts with daily necessities and various disasters that we may counter in our daily lives, such as fires and floods. Residts can seek help from these police wh in difficulty. They will be the closest police departmt to the people."


    Arthur nodded and looked at the others.


    This was ultimately a matter for the Public Security Departmt. Other ministers chose to remain silt wisely, quietly waiting for Arthur''s opinion.


    "Your Majesty, I believe that such a professional distinction is necessary. It can greatly improve the efficicy of the police and ev has the pottial to reduce the crime rate and increase the sess rate of case resolution in our country," said Secretary of State Kt with a smile. "However, the problem is that the scale of the security departmt must continue to expand.


    If the currt number of police were divided into three categories,  of them would have sufficit numbers, which would slow down the efficicy of the police."


    It must be said that traffic police and geral police must each have at least one thousand personnel to reflect their roles in a preliminary way.


    Especially the geral police, not only must their numbers be sufficit, but they must also be deployed inrge and small cities to demonstrate their proximity to the people and their role in helping them.


    Arthur nodded and asked Minister Roger, "Does the Ministry of Finance currtly have ough budget?"


    Minister Roger responded, "Your Majesty, if only the police''s numbers were to be expanded, I think 500,000 Australian dors would be ough to train at least a few thousand police officers of various types. Ev if we would establish a training facility for three types of police, one million Australian dors would bepletely sufficit.


    It wouldn''t be a problem, and the funds could ev arrive tomorrow."


    Arthur nodded and said to Minister of Public Security Thomas, "I will give you one million Australian dors, Minister Thomas. The specific categorization of the police system, the establishmt of training institutions, and the expansion of the police scale are all up to you.


    I hope to see some results by the d of the year so that we can n to deploy three types of police in all cities next year."

 Chapter 296: Chapter 261: Germanys Dreadnoughts and the Formation of the Allies

    The Cab Meetingsted a long time, discussing the future developmt ns for several departmts and resolving some issues in the currt developmt.


    For example, the new proposal for the people''s livelihood policy in the Departmt of Civil Affairs, which involves more than sev million Austrsians, also means that the cost of the new proposal is not a small amount.


    ording to the Ministry of Finance''s estimate, the new policy will require at least an additional 5 million Australian dors in fiscal input every year. Therefore, the Cab''s attitude towards the new policy is divided into two factions.


    However, in the d, it was Arthur who decided on the implemtation n for the new policy.


    Another issue is the Ministry of Defse. With a new Minister in ce, he will inevitably need some time to familiarize himself with the currt military under the Ministry of Defse.


    Since the navy is about to undergo arge-scale expansion, at Arthur''s suggestion, the Ministry of Defse has established an Army Departmt and a Navy Departmt, each responsible for managing the Army and Navy systems.


    As for the currt small-scale aviation system, it is temporarily assigned to the Army.


    With the concurrt expansion of the Army and Navy, the Ministry of Defse has be thergest expditure in Austrsia''s fiscal budget.


    ording to this year''s report from the Ministry of Defse, the military expditure of Austrsia will reach a new high this year, with at least fourte million Australian dors.


    About half of this consists of soldiers'' sries, equipmt and weaponry needed for soldiers'' training, and the construction and maintance of the navy, totaling nearly sev million pounds.


    However, military expditure is the least and least willing to be saved. Therefore, ev if the Ministry of Defce applied for additional military expditure once again, Arthur still gritted his teeth and agreed.


    After several departmts spt so much, it is inevitable that this year''s fiscal deficit will be significant.


    However, it is the gold time for national developmt, and the currt avable funds in the Ministry of Finance are still quite abundant. Therefore, there are no temporary worries about funding issues.


    Moreover, Arthur assigned tasks to several new positions, asking them to quickly grasp their respective positions and devote themselves to their work as soon as possible.


    For Austrsia, if the surings are peaceful, the best choice is to quickly turn to developmt.


    Arthur is aware that the real opportunities lie in the future World War I and World War II, while everything else would only be considered minor skirmishes.


    The Cab Meeting finally ded with Arthur''s order, and the various departmts and Cab Ministers devoted themselves to their work.


    As time came to September, news once again set off a shatter in European public opinion, making the already highly focused European situation ev more intse.


    Ever since the birth of the Dreadnought-ss battleship, dreadnought battleships, advanced and powerful, have received widespread atttion from a the world.


    This also allowed the British Empire to show off, as they were the ones who built the dreadnought.


    If there were only one country in Europe capable of challging the British Empire in all aspects, it would undoubtedly be the German Empire.


    Although it had only be a few decades since the German Empire''s unification, no one could dy the strgth of the German nation, which quickly established itself as a world superpower with the strongest Army and the second strongest Navy.


    Following the birth of the dreadnought, Germany quickly brought out its own dreadnought technology, which was the historically anticipated but, in reality, not very useful Nassau-ss battleship.


    If the dreadnought can be said to be a full-scale improvemt over the old battleships, the Nassau-ss battleship is merely an old battleship with slightly hanced power and armor protection.


    The Germans cautiously did not adopt the new steam boilers, and theirck of atttion torge-caliber artillery resulted in the Nassau-ss battleship having a gun caliber of only 83 millimeters, far lower than the Dreadnought''s 305 millimeter primary artillery.


    Although the Germans'' 83mm main gun had be somewhat reinforced, with a faster firing rate, its destructive power and effect were far less than the 305mm primary artillery. This was the real reason why the Nassau-ss battleshipgged behind the dreadnought.


    But now it is vastly differt from history. The Germans have acquired new dreadnought designs from Austrsia, contrasting the Nassau-ss battleship with the Monarch-ss battleship.


    The Germans were surprised to discover that, apart from the armor protection capability of the Nassau-ss battleship which isparable to the Monarch-ss battleship, the theoretical firepower output and speed are slightly inferior.


    And the Monarch-ss battleship is a dreadnought designed with referce to German and British warships, which means there is a gap betwe the Nassau-ss battleship and the Dreadnought-ss battleship, right?


    This stark contrast quickly rmed William II, and at hismand, the original n to build two Nassau-ss battleships every year, a total of four, was cut in half, and the remaining two slots were allocated to the Monarch-ss battleship.


    Although the Monarch-ss battleship was not designed by the Germans, it employed many German technologies. With the help of blueprints and detailed information, it was not difficult for German experts to quickly master this technology.


    ording to the German 906 and 907 shipbuilding ns, the two Monarch-ss battleships Rhine and Pos werepleted in August 908 and September 908, respectively, making the German Empire the second country in the world to have a dreadnought.


    The Germans were not modest, suddly having two dreadnoughts. The British Bellerophon-ss battleship construction n totaled three ships, but ev the first Bellerophon battleship would not bepleted until a February 909.


    This caused Germany to suddly overtake Britain and be the country with the most dreadnought equipmt in the world currtly.


    The significance of the dreadnought is, of course, self-evidt. The navy is the standard for measuring a country''s strgth. Looking at all powerful nations, they are all maritime powers with sizable navies.


    Ev a lesser power like Italy has the sixth strongest navy in the world.


    As for Italy''s army, it does not need much exnation; its manifestedbat power is ev inferior to that of some secondary-power countries.


    The standard for bing a major power is whether the country''s naval strgth can reach the level of major powers, that is, the top eight in the world.


    In other words, the older battleships and the currt dreadnoughts are a country''s ticket to joining the major powers and the primary condition for being tak seriously.


    If Germany had be on the chase for Britain before, it is at least now that Germany has overtak the UK in terms of dreadnoughts in the rect period.


    This has left Germany unrivaled for a time, and ev some European citizs and small countries are discussing wh Germany will surpass Britain.


    This is uneptable to the British, and what is ev more intolerable is that Russia is moving closer to Germany, and there are ev rumors that Nichs II wants to sign a further non-aggression pact with Germany.


    At prest, the momtum on the European contint has clearly shifted towards Germany, which is the view of quite a few small countries and European citizs.


    Looking closely at the two opposing groups in Europe, the allies have the German Empire, which is currtly an absolute hegemon in the army and second in the navy, as well as the powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy with the sixth strongest navy in the world. These three countries are ough to dominate the world.


    Meanwhile, the Entte did not join Russia, because of the German-Russian rapprochemt and the Frch-Russian estrangemt.


    Although they still maintain a pact with France, the conflict betwe Britain and Russia has put France in a dilemma.


    At prest, France has signed separate agreemts with Britain and Russia, but Russia and Germany also have a neutrality treaty.


    Can Britain and France alone really stop the alliance of the three major powers of Germany, Austria, and Italy? It is really uncertain.


    After all, powerful as Britain is, it is in the realm of naval strgth. France in the European contint is always under threat from the German army.


    No matter how powerful the British navy is, it cannotnd and fight the German army, can it? And at prest, Germany has overtak Britain in dreadnoughts, so it is not certain which country will have a stronger navy in the future.


    Under various signs, the allies have firmly suppressed the Entte in terms of momtum, and some small countries that had a good rtionship with the Entte have also closed their mouths, fearing that they would bring disaster upon themselves.


    This situation is not eptable to the British. If they do not vigorously promote the expansion of the Entte, the European contint may be dominated by the allies in a few years.


    The British Cab has held a long meeting, and ev Edward VII appeared, saying amt that will awak the British Cab: "Do not forget who our biggest emy is. If we cannot solve Germany, th everything great about Britain will vanish."


    On September 7, 908, Britain formally made an inquiry to Russia, initiating a series of peace talks betwe the two sides on a series of contradictions.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although it is not clear what the contt of the talks betwe the two sides actually was, on September 7, 908, the two countries signed the "Agreemt Treaty," with the two sides choosing to forget the previous conflicts and be a peaceful and fridly country again.


    Afterward, on September 9, the heads of Britain, France, and Russia held talks. In order to express their respective sincerity, the talks were held in Saint Petersburg, which greatly pleased the Russians.


    On September 3, the "Anglo-Russian Agreemt" was formally signed. The British made concessions to Russia in several areas, ev promising that as long as Russia shifts its atttion back to Europe, Britain will temporarily abandon its support for the ind nation.


    The details of various treaties have not be made public, but the Anglo-Russian Agreemt haspletely reversed the situation in Europe.


    After the signing of the agreemt, the British oply stated that their conflicts with Russia no longer exist, and Britain, France, and Russia will jointly make efforts for peace and tranquility in Europe.


    The goal of these three countries is, of course, quite clear: apart from the rectly resurgt German Empire, no other country could make these three great powers abandon their past grievances and join together.


    Due to the understanding betwe Britain and Russia, the Entte was officially established. Britain, France, and Russia now have both the influce and the real power to stand up against the allies.


    The British have used their diplomatic means and influce to let the whole world understand who the true ruler of this world is.


    Upon hearing of the signing of the Anglo-Russian Agreemt, William II was momtarily silt.


    He had thought that he had sessfully won over Russia, but at this momt, the British have turned the tables.


    However, there was no way out. As the currt world hegemon, Britain has a strong influce in all major regions and can provide more befits to Russia.


    Rtions betwe countries arergely based on interests, and William II admits that if He were Nichs II, he would do the same for the sake of national interests.


    For a time, politicians and small countries close to the Entte surfaced one after another, as if their previous silce had not existed.


    Europe once again tered the era of the Entte after a brief period of Alliance prosperity.


    Arthur in Austrsia shook his head helplessly, not expecting history to repeat itself. In the d, the nations in the two major military blocs chose the path of historicalpetition.

 Chapter 297: Chapter 262: Queen Mary is pregnant

    The most significant impact of the formation of the Allies and theplete opposition to the Ctral Powers on the European situation actually came from the small and medium-sized countries suring these two military blocs.


    As thepetition betwe the two sides became clear, these small and medium-sized countries also faced a question: which side to choose, or whether to remain neutral.


    Such a decision was not easy to make, as both sides had a dominant superpower and wereposed of three powerful nations.


    This would result in a huge war that could easily affect the whole of Europe if both sides were to gage inbat, and no European country could easily escape unscathed.


    Could remaining a neutral country truly avoid this extraordinary war?


    Since September 908, the arms race betwe the two major military blocs had escted, but the main participating countries were still Britain and Germany.


    Once Germany surpassed the British in dreadnoughts, Britain immediately revised its shipbuilding n, elerating the construction of the three nned Bellerophon-ss battleships, and issued an order to the shipyards responsible for the construction of these battleships toplete them by the d of March 909 and conduct sea trials.


    It didn''t stop there, the construction n of the improved St Vinct-ss battleship was also elerated.


    ording to Britain''s original construction n, the earliestpletion time for the three St Vinct-ss battleships would not be until next May, and the remaining two would not bepleted until March or April the following year.


    However, Germany''s catch-up had rmed the British, and they specifically ordered the three St Vinct-ss battleships to bepleted by the d of 909 and be added to the naval fleet by mid-tote July 9.


    This meant that from this September, the British Empire wouldplete at least six dreadnoughts over the course of more than a year, consolidating its superiority as the world''s leading naval power.


    Compared to the pace of shipbuilding in Austrsia, the speed of the British Empire''s naval construction was astonishing, but this was still just the tip of the iceberg for the British Empire''s naval shipbuilding industry.


    In addition to building dreadnoughts, the British Empire also nned to equip its domestic army with a new  of weaponry, with the obsolete weapons being deployed to colonial forces.


    This was no small expse, but it was not too much for the financially powerful British Empire.


    It is worth noting that the British Empire''s military spding was the highest among the great powers; its spding reached a staggering 589. million poundsst year.


    Ranked second is the German Empire with military spding at 548.9 million pounds. Russia, which appears less developed, is ranked third with military spding at 53.8 million pounds.


    Meanwhile, France, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Kingdom of Italy ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth, and their military spding totaled 455 million pounds, .3 million pounds, and 85.7 million pounds, respectively.


    The high military spding of the major powers in the military domain represted a peak in the confrontation betwe the two European military blocs, with the arms race causing military expditure to escte.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But this was not the peak of military spding for the countries. Historically, after the outbreak of war, their military spding increased several times.


    Take the German Empire in 98, which had the highest military spding in the world. In that year, the German Empire''s military expditure reached a staggering 350 billion German marks, equivalt to 7.5 billion pounds, which also exins why the war brought ormous pain to European countries.


    Apart from the high military spding, the cost of the war this year was ough to drag down any country.


    As a defeated country, it was no surprise that Germany faced 500,000 marks worth of bread after the war, as long periods of warfare and high military spding had already caused rapid depreciation of the country''s currcy.


    In addition to the exploitation of other countries after the war and the exploitation of their own capitalists, the seeds of hatred grew in the hearts of the German people.


    Compared to the high military spding of the major powers, the military spding of geographically remote Austrsia is quite meager.


    In 907, Austrsia''s military expditure amounted to just over 4 million pounds. Ev this year, with the start of the shipbuilding n, total expditure will not exceed 8 million pounds.


    From this perspective, it is evidt that there is still a significant gap betwe Austrsia and the major European countries. The poption and economic situation in Austrsia are still far behind those of European nations, which is also a limitation for Austrsia to be a powerful country.


    As Christmas 908 approached, Christmas was an extremely important holiday for Western countries, and Austrsia also had a three-day national holiday for Christmas.


    Sydney Pce was well prepared for Christmas, with the trees and flowers in the suring square heavily decorated, and ev the statues in front of the pce bathed in sunlight and shining brightly.


    Of course, Arthur didn''t care too much about these matters, as more important news was waiting for Arthur''s atttion at the momt.


    After two and a half years of effort, Que Mary''s pregnancy was finally showing some signs of progression.


    The day before Christmas, Arthur received a report from the royal personal hospital''s doctor that Que Mary might be pregnant!


    This was good news for Arthur, the royal family, and ev the tire Austrsian governmt and country.


    With an heir, it can be proved that the dynasty can continue. Nowadays, as the monarch''s power is so high in Austrsia, officials are also afraid that the royal power will fall into others'' hands, causing the hardships of the country in rect years to be in vain.


    Arthur attaches great importance to his possible first son or daughter. Not only did he apany Que Mary from the momt he received the news, but he also gathered all the famous doctors of Austrsia, stationed at the Royal Personal Hospital for Que Mary''s recuperation.


    In fact, under Arthur''s efforts, the Royal Personal Hospital has long be the most advanced hospital in Austrsia with the most top medical talts.


    But it is better to be well-prepared for such things, so Arthur ev nned to recruit experts from major European hospitals at a high sry since there was plty of money anyways.


    Arthur did not order such good news to be concealed either. The spread of this news can also increase the governmt''s confidce in their work, and they don''t have to worry that their contributions to the country will be forgott by the rulers after Arthur.


    On Christmas Day, Arthur received congrattions from various European countries.


    Russia and Germany were the fastest, after all, Que Mary came from the Russian Monarchy, and Emperor William II of Germany was Arthur''s cousin, and the diplomatic rtion betwe Germany and Austrsia was very good.


    Not only Russia and Germany, many European powers and small and medium-sized countries, including the British Empire, also st congrattions to Austrsia.


    This includes the countries controlled by the members of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Dynasty, as well as other small and medium-sized European monarchies.


    After all, this is still the era of monarchism. For theplex rtions of European royal families, perhaps Arthur can indeed have connections with most European monarchies.


    For his possible first son or daughter, Arthur had high expectations.


    Various strict traditional elite noble educations, coupled with further training, are inevitable.


    As a son or daughter of a king, the little one in Que Mary''s belly is likely to have only two or three years of good days, before tering strict education.


    Austrsia has a good developmt vironmt and timing, and Arthur is confidt in developing it into a top power.


    However, the session of the country should be treated cautiously afterwards. In order to sure the developmt of the country and the continuity of the royal family, it is necessary to cultivate a capable sessor for oneself and the nation.


    Ev if not the sessor, Arthur''s offspring also represt the dignity and prestige of the royal family, which means they cannot be wasted.


    On Christmas Day, Arthur spt a warm day with his family, and officials were very tactful not to disturb Arthur.


    But starting from the second day of Christmas, blessings and congrattions from various officials came one after another. If Arthur hadn''t bezy and let Butler Kt take care of unified responses, he would have be in a congrattory atmosphere all day.


    Ever since Butler Kt learned of the news, his tire demeanor has be beaming with joy. The fact that Arthur has an heir is the best news for Butler Kt, and this news is ev more exciting than Arthur bing the King of Austrsia.


    Que Mary has also be the protected animal of the royal family. Not only is Princess Louise always with her, but more than t maids also serve her at all times, allowing Que Mary to avoid any fatigue.


    In celebration, Arthur specially instructed the Royal Relief Committee to provide at least two pounds of mutton and t pounds of grain to adult citizs with an annual ie of no more than 0 Australian dors on Christmas Day. As for underage citizs, they were provided with one pound of mutton and one liter of milk.


    Currtly, there are very few people in Austrsia with an annual ie of no more than 0 Australian dors, and ev with a poption of over 7 million, there are at most 800,000 people with an ie not exceeding 0 Australian dors.


    Many of these people are elderly people with no work capability. Ev if the whole country''s underage citizs are included, the total cost of this initiative is not expected to exceed 5 million Australian dors.


    For Arthur, with an annual ie exceeding 40 million Australian dors, 5 million Australian dors is just a drop in the bucket. In terms of maintaining his reputation and support, Arthur is very gerous.


    Arthur''s actions naturally aroused the goodwill of many Austrsians. Ev if they were not the beficiaries of this initiative, hearing about the reaction also made them feel grateful.


    If it wer''t for Arthur, they know they would not have their currt lives. Faced with such a bevolt and loving monarch, what else can they do besides maintaining gratitude and loyalty?


    Although there is no urate number for Arthur''s poprity in Austrsia, if anyone dares to say something bad about him on the streets of Austrsia, they may face the wrath of the people.


    If the words be more serious, it could not ev be guaranteed whether they could safely leave Austrsia alive.


    If there are really radical elemts, they are all like shrinking turtles.


    Arthur''s reputation among the people is no joke, and the people don''t mind sding anyone ill-advised to see God for His forgivess.


    After the Christmas holidays, what could be clearly felt, was the joyful atmosphere of Austrsia, and the efficicy of the governmt''s work has improved a lot.


    At this time, Austrsia can be said to be united, and with no worries, they are making their own efforts and contributions to the rise of Austrsia.

 Chapter 298: Chapter 263: William and Anna

    In the following days, Arthur found himself joying long-lost tranquility and leisure. Apart from spding time with his family, asionally inspecting the suring construction and attding Cab meetings, these were almost all of Arthur''s daily tasks.


    Austrsia was also low-key during this time, with hardly any international actions apart from the ongoing domestic construction.


    Like this, more than half a year passed by quickly, and it was soon September of 909.


    Since it was confirmed that Que Mary was pregnantst Christmas, nine months had already passed.


    Now that it was almost time for the birth, the royal pce was on high alert, and Arthur was waiting for his heir.


    Especially in thest month or two, Arthur was on high alert, and ev conducting office work almost by Que Mary''s side.


    ording to the doctors'' conclusions, Que Mary''s due date was roughly a mid-tote September, within a few days.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Starting on September th, Que Mary moved into the private hospital''s delivery room within the royal pce, equipped with more advanced instrumts to better care for her.


    The birth of Arthur''s heir was a significant evt for all of Austrsia. Most of the Austrsians were following the news, and the Cab Governmt tactfully reduced the number of times they reported to Arthur, handling some less important governmt affairs on their own and postponing those that could be dyed.


    "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! The Que is going intobor!" A maid rushed into Arthur''s office, shouting at Arthur.


    This maid was one of Que Mary''s personal maids, who had be granted permission by Arthur to ter the office for important matters, so the royal guards did not stop her.


    Arthur, who was reading the governmt report, immediately dropped the documts in his hand and hurried to the private hospital.


    Fortunately, the private hospital was not too far away from Arthur''s office, and in just a few minutes, he arrived outside.


    "Stay here, Arthur. You won''t be able to help by going in, but you might cause more chaos." Princess Louise quickly spoke as she saw Arthur wanting to ter.


    Arthur nodded helplessly and sat down on a bch outside.


    "How is it going?" Arthur asked.


    "Everything is going smoothly so far, and it looks like the delivery will indeed be today. Wait patitly, Arthur. You''re a monarch, after all. What does it look like to be so anxious?" Princess Louise responded.


    It was no wonder Arthur was anxious, as childbirth in this era was still a dangerous task. It was the beginning of the 0th ctury, an era wh medical technology was not well developed.


    While it was not as severe as ancit times wh amon cold could kill, tering the delivery room was definitely an evt that posed a life-threating risk.


    By Princess Louise''s side was Duchess Elizabeth, who had traveled thousands of miles from Russia more than a month ago.


    Duchess Elizabeth was the wife of Duke Sergei, and Que Mary''s foster mother.


    Since Duke Sergei and his wife did not have their own childr, they treated Que Mary and her siblings as their own.


    After hearing that Que Mary was about to give birth, Duchess Elizabeth traveled a long way from Saint Petersburg to Sydney just to take care of Que Mary personally.


    Ev though she knew Austrsia had good medical conditions and plty of servants, there was still a differce betwe taking care of her own child and others looking after her.


    After greeting Duchess Elizabeth, Arthur continued to sit outside the door and wait.


    One had to marvel at theplex rtionships within European royal families, as the unborn child in Que Mary''s belly already had an impressive backg.


    Besides being an Austrsian prince or princess, he (she) was a distinguished member of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family, a direct descdant of the British royal family, a nephew (niece) of Edward VII, a cousin (niece) of Emperor William II of Germany, an outer nephew (niece) of Tsar Nichs II, and so on.


    Already involving the three most powerful monarchic countries in the world, continuing further would reveal more than t countries with blood ties to the child.


    Such a backg could not be considered ordinary, and it was the true reason for the glory of European monarchism.


    Since announcing Que Mary''s pregnancy, congrattory and concerned telegrams had be pouring in, making Arthur truly feel the ormity of his family connections.


    Of course, a significant reason for this was the rise of Austrsia and its good rtionships with Britain and Germany.


    Only those with a blood rtionship were allowed to sd telegrams, and Arthur could not ignore these, which was perhaps the trouble of having many rtives.


    However, such a connection was something others could only dream of. As a member of the European royal family, Arthur naturally understood how important it was to maintain rtionships with other royal families.


    As long as there was no conflict of interest betwe himself and other nations, getting along well with everyone was a tacit choice.


    After all, no one could guarantee that their own family would not fall from grace, and these connections and rtives would at least provide a fallback option to survive wh the time came.


    As everyone waited, time passed by the minute and the second.


    About three or four hours after Arthur arrived at the hospital, the sound of crying finally came from the delivery room.

 Chapter 299: Chapter 263: William and Anna Miller_2

    Upon hearing the news, everyone immediately stood up, looking expectantly towards the delivery room.


    "Congrattions, Your Majesty, the Que has giv birth to a prince and a princess!" A female doctor came running out of the delivery room with a smile, reporting to Arthur.


    Huh~


    Arthur finally let out a sigh of relief, his slightly nervous heart finally calmed down, asking, "May I go in and see them?"


    The female doctor hesitated for a momt but quickly responded, "Of course, Your Majesty."


    Without any hesitation, Arthur strode into the delivery room.


    Although the Royal Personal Hospital took up only one floor of the eastern part of the Royal Pce, it had over a hundred wards and more than a doz specialized operating rooms.


    This room, where Que Mary was, was specifically prepared for the royal family members, with all the items being the best in the world, costing a fortune.


    On the hospital bed, Arthur finally saw the pale Que Mary and the two little ones in the wood baby beds beside her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You''ve worked hard, Mary!" Arthur walked up, gtly wiping the sweat from Que Mary''s forehead with a silk scarf, said.


    Que Mary nced at Arthur and the two childr beside her with a soft gaze, nodding with a smile.


    As Arthur turned to pick up the babies, Princess Louise and Duchess Elizabeth each picked them up instead.


    Arthur''s hand froze in mid-air for a momt, ultimately choosing to hold hands with Que Mary.


    "You''ve worked hard, Mary."


    Princess Louise came forward with a baby in her arms, smiling and speaking tderly and earnestly to Mary.


    "Not hard at all, Mother. It''s my duty to continue the royal family, hav''t you and Arthur be taking care of me for a long time too?" Mary shook her head with a smile, replying.


    Unlike the intrigues of other royal families, the atmosphere disyed by the Austrsian royal family was warm and affectionate.


    Of course, it also had to do with the fact that the currt royal family was not veryrge. After all, the currt royal family was esstially one family, and the atmosphere was certainly warmer than that of a huge royal family.


    Not long after, the news of Que Mary giving birth to a prince and princess quickly spread from the royal pce. Of course, without Arthur''s permission, such news couldn''t have spread.


    Ev telegrams were st from Sydney to various parts of the world, with most of the countries that had previously st telegrams of congrattions receiving the news.


    Naturally, various countries st congrattory telegrams, and Arthur finally had the mood to respond one by one, although the responses came only on the second day.


    Worth mtioning was the fact that ev at three in the morning, Austrsian printing factories were still brightly lit.


    Not only the two newspapers of the Royal Financial Group, the Victoria Newspaper and the Austrsia Daily, but also private newspapers throughout the country, were urgtly printing this good news.


    Regardless of whether doing so conformed to the politically correct theme, ording to the attitude of the Austrsian people at the momt, the number of people concerned about Que Mary in Austrsia definitely exceeded two million.


    This also meant that ev if they were pursuing their private interests by following the printing of newspapers, they would make a fortune.


    Unfortunately, theycked photos of the babies and their specific names; otherwise, the newspapers would sell ev more explosively, far surpassing other newspapers.


    But naming was not too big a problem; without Arthur''s permission, it would be impossible for baby photos to leak out. Whether it was the royal guards or the maids and servants, they were all under the strict supervision of the Royal Security Intelligce Agcy.


    This was also the reason for Arthur''s confidce, as it would be impossible to step into the royal pce without suring absolute loyalty.


    After the birth of the childr, finding names for the little ones became a headache for Arthur.


    There was a high repetition rate of names in Western countries, but choosing a unique name seemed strange.


    Names of Western nobility oft resembled their father''s or were from Western historical stories.


    For example, Arthur, his name was simr to his father, Duke Arthur, the only differce being a word in the middle of the name.


    Arthur originally wanted to consult Princess Louise and Que Mary for advice, but both of them decided that he should handle naming the childr himself because of the importance of names.


    It also served to remind Arthur that he couldn''t be careless about naming his childr, as the little prince would be his currt heir, and the little princess would be his only daughter; their names must be giv strong political significance.


    Arthur was born into the British Royal Family with strong British ancestry, while Que Mary was born into the Russian monarchy, a guine Russian.


    This meant that the names of the little prince and princess should either be influced by British or Russian style.


    But leaning towards either style would also affect the political direction in Austrsia; it could also be se by other countries as an indication of Austrsia''s closess to a particr country.


    Ev if Arthur named his eldest son with a Russian style, the British would certainly be dissatisfied.


    After all, both Austrsia and Arthur were the product of the British Empire, so naming an heir with a Russian style obviously distanced the country from the British Empire.


    After a long headache, Arthur finally settled on the names for the two little ones.


    The eldest son was named William Alexander, and the eldest daughter was named Anna, one with the British style, and one with the Russian style.


    If their names included Arthur''s own name, the full names of the two childr would be William Alexander Conrad Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Anna Conrad Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.


    As for the religious beliefs of the two little ones, they would naturally follow the English Protestantism that was practiced by the royal family and the majority of the Austrsian people.


    Of course, after theplete separation from the English Protestant Association, it would be more appropriate to call the currt religion in Austrsia "Austrsian Protestantism."


    Actually, Arthur could name the childr Arthur to symbolize their heir status, but he didn''t quite adapt to the idea of his offspring having the same name as him; wouldn''t such a name be confusing?


    Primogiture gerally had to be maintained, unless the eldest son was truly raised as a waste.


    But giv the currt royal family and governmt''s atttion to William, the likelihood of him bing a waste was slim, if not xistt.


    After finalizing the names of the two little ones, Arthur directly announced them through the two newspapers, and once again had the Royal Relief Committee organize another free distribution evt.


    At the same time, in celebration, Arthur nned to begin a nationwide inspection and tour of Austrsia; of course, it wouldn''t exclude a leisurely purpose as well.


    After all, staying in the pce for half a year had indeed be boring, and it was time to go out and rx.

 Chapter 300: Chapter 264: Parade in New Zealand

    Although preparations have be made for a nationwide tour, Arthur also needs to go through a meticulous preparation process before embarking on the journey.


    After all, as a ruler of a country, one must settle domestic affairs before setting out, right?


    Firstly, due to the half-year absce while apanying Que Mary, Arthur spt half a month processing all the tasks umted from the neglected governmt affairs. He also held a meeting with the Cab Governmt to review their progress.


    He th arranged matters at the royal pce. Leaving Hunter Steward in charge and most of the royal guards and security forces remained at the pce.


    The First Guards Infantry Division will be responsible for escorting Arthur on this trip, so there are ough guards and security forces left in the kingdom.


    This tour will cover several regions of Austrsia, starting from the capital Sydney, first taking the fleet to New Zend, andmcing a half-month inspection.


    After leaving New Zend, the fleet will go to the New Guinea Colony for inspection and review.


    Next is Australian Timor. After leaving there, they will head south to West Australia to inspect the construction progress of the Leonora Industrial Base, th take the industrial railway to Adide and Melbourne before returning to Sydney.


    This is equivalt to circling the tire territory of Austrsia. Including the time spt on inspections and reviews in each area, this tour is estimated to take about two months.


    Departing in mid-October signifies that after this tour, 909 will being to an d.


    On October , 909, Arthur, apanied by Prime Minister Walter, Secretary of State Kt, Defse Minister Raul, and a host of governmt officials, once again visited the Royal Shipyard located at Sydney Harbour after more than a year.


    The real reason for the gathering of Arthur and Cab Officials at the Royal Shipyard is that the three battleships in Austrsia''s Five-Year Shipbuilding n have all bepleted after more than a year.


    Actually, the first battleship, HMAS Austrsia, was alreadypleted in February this year.


    At that time, Arthur attded theunching ceremony but hurried back to the pce after the ceremony ded.


    This time, thepletion andunching ceremony of HMAS Australia and New Zend battleships carry extraordinary significance for Austrsia.


    The Monarch-ss battleships are cutting-edge battleships made by Austrsia themselves, represting that Austrsia''s currt shipbuilding level has reached a world-ss standard.


    These three battleships are the beginning and the signal for the expansion of the Austrsian navy. With the acquisition of three dreadnoughts, the Austrsian navy can undoubtedly ter the world''s top t.


    Of course, if only considering dreadnoughts, Austrsia is currtly third in the world and is the fourth country to have a dreadnought.


    The historic leap in naval size is a memorable evt for both Arthur and Austrsia.


    On the day Australia Battleship and New Zend battleshipunched, arge number of Australrasian newspapers and foreign media gathered at the port, writing news about Austrsian battleships for the people of Austrsia and the rest of the world.


    Although dreadnoughts aremon for major powers like Britain and France, both sides have already gaged in a fierce arms race, and their shipbuilding ns ev reached several vessels.


    However, for other countries a the world, dreadnoughts are still unattainable, powerful warships.


    Not to mtion the dreadnought''s exorbitant cost of a . to  million pounds, in order to build a dreadnought, first, the ability to build old battleships must be mastered, as well as all the various new technologies of the dreadnought. This eliminates virtually all non-great power countries from thepetition.


    Don''t ev talk about dreadnoughts; less than fifte countries currtly master the technology to build more advanced battleships, let alone acquiring various new technologies of dreadnoughts and designing and building their own dreadnoughts based on these new technologies.


    HMAS Australia and the New Zend battleships are built tirely ording to the design blueprints of the Monarch-ss battleships, and they are equipped with Germany''stest 45-caliber 305mm main gun.


    And the original 83mm main gun of HMAS Austrsia has also be reced, all changed to the 305mm main gun.


    Since ample room was reserved for the main gun recemt at the time, the task of recemt was not too burdsome.


    Only with the 305mm main guns, the Monarch-ss battleships can truly be considered the real dreadnoughts worthy ofparison with the Dreadnought-ss battleships.


    Looking at the three giant warships drifting in the near-sea, and the ferocious gun muzzles on them, Arthur nodded proudly and satisfactorily with a smile.


    These three battleships not only serve as further evidce of the rise of Austrsia''s navy but also as a symbol of hope and a call to arms for the navy.


    As a nationprised of numerous inds, naval power is esstial for the currt Austrsia.


    Following thepletion of the two battlecruisers, Arthur decided to embark on the next construction project non-stop, aiming to raise Austrsia''s naval scale to at least five dreadnoughts, four battlecruisers, fifte submarines, and dozs of medium and small warships before the outbreak of World War I.


    If Austrsia can have such a naval scale before World War I, not only can it protect its own security during the war, but it can also seek more expansion and befits.


    After all, such a naval scale can definitely be considered at the level of major powers, and European nations can only choose to embrace a strong country that is rtively far from Europe.


    The sessfulunch of the two battleships is also good news for Austrsia, as the two battlecruisers that follow will soon begin construction.


    However, thepletion of these two battlecruisers will have to wait until at least the second half of next year, which means that before 9, the naval expansion of Austrsia will not be significant.


    On October 7, 909, after settling all affairs, Arthur, escorted by the First Guards Infantry Division and Minister of Defce Raul, First Division Brigadier Geral Thomas Johanson, and Propaganda Departmt Minister Grant Wilson, officially embarked on a toursting at least two months.


    The fleet tasked with escorting Arthur can hardly be said to be anything less than luxurious. The two newlyunched battleships, needing sea trials, were directly incorporated into the escort procession.


    This resulted in an escort fleet consisting of three dreadnoughts, one submarine, and t escort ships, which can be considered a national effort for Austrsia.


    Arthur''s first stop was Wellington, the capital of North New Zend State. In fact, Wellington is not too far from Sydney, and if one were to travel by warship at the fastest speed, it would only take a little over a day to arrive.


    But after all, the main purpose of this trip was a cruise, and Arthur was out to rx rather than hurrying to undertake official duties.


    Therefore, the speed of the fleet was not fast, and its average speed was only a fifte knots.


    This meant that it was already the eving of October 9th wh Arthur arrived in Wellington.


    Officials from Wellington and North New Zend State had received news of Arthur''s arrival; ev though he arrived in the eving, many governmt officials and citizs were waiting for him at the harbor.


    On the first night in New Zend, Arthur did not perform any official duties but stayed in a room prepared by the Wellington City Council.


    After a day''s rest, Arthur wt to the suburbs of Wellington and the suring industrial areas to carry out his inspection and review.


    Austrsia''s overall animal husbandry industry is highly developed, with New Zend''s animal husbandry industry ounting for more than 0% of Australia''s total animal husbandry industry.


    ording to the report of the North New Zend State Governmt, the tire North New Zend State has at least t thousandrge and small ranches, with a total of over 5 million cattle, sheep, and other livestock.


    Arthur had no doubts about this, since there were manyrge and small ranches a Wellington alone, and various colored cattle and sheep could be se everywhere - this was undiably true.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It is worth mtioning that at least within North New Zend, industrial, animal husbandry, and agricultural areas are rtively well separated, which greatly reduces the possibility of animal husbandry and agriculture being affected by industry.


    Arthur was quite satisfied with this because the thick ck smoke spewing from the chimneys into the sky in this era''s industry could clearly show that it is not vironmtally fridly.


    However, in this era, if you want a nation to be strong, the developmt of industry is indispsable.


    Developing industry inevitably leads to vironmtal damage, but who can help that this era''s industry has such unique characteristics?


    On the second day in New Zend, Arthur inspected the suring agricultural and pastoral areas of Wellington and visited one of the industrial areas a Wellington.


    This day could be considered somewhat busy, at least Arthur felt so.


    In the following days, Arthur''s life in Wellington was mostly spt in leisure. The little official work time he had was used to investigate the living conditions of Wellington''s urban residts and North New Zend residts.


    The results of the investigation were quite pleasing; although the life of Wellington citizs could not be considered too good, they at least had ough food and clothing.


    Making sure that all subjects have food to eat and are free from hunger was Arthur''s first wish wh he ascded the throne.


    Seeing the preliminary results now, at least in the areas of Austrsia that Arthur can understand, the people are basically not hungry.


    After all, in addition to the various welfare policies acted by the governmt, the Royal Relief Committee also provides relief to arge number of low-ie people every year, suring that they have at least ough food to eat and do not go hungry.

 Chapter 301: Chapter 265: The End of the Parade

    Arthur stayed in Wellington for about a week, visiting not only Victoria University of Wellington but also holding a speech for over an hour at Victoria University.


    Although the actual impact is unknown, the effectivess of the speech seemed to be good as evidced by the awe-inspiring and passionate eyes of the faculty and studts of Victoria University of Wellington, as well as the hardworking responses from the university studts.


    After leaving Wellington, the cars that came with the fleet started toe in handy.


    Riding in cars, Arthur headed northwest towards a small town in South Taraki Bay of the Tasman Sea, Opunaki.


    This small town is no differt from an ordinary fishing town in New Zend, but it holds special significance for prest-day New Zend and Austrsia.


    Since the typhoon hit New Zend on November 8, 903, the situation in New Zend and the tire Oceania has undergone a tremdous transformation.


    The first step was New Zend''s referdum to join Australia after the disaster, forming the Australia and New Zend Federation, and th the currt Kingdom of Austrsia.


    And the first area where the typhoonnded in New Zend is the seemingly ordinary small town of Opunaki.


    Outside Opunaki Town now stands a monumt to the typhoon evt at that time.


    This monumt attracts many Austrsians to visit, not only as one of New Zend''s great disasters but also as one of Austrsia''s great disasters.


    The losses caused by the disaster to New Zend include not only the death and injury of more than 0,000 people but also the loss of millions of cattle and sheep andrge areas of crops, which is also the real reason why the total poption of New Zend is still only .35 million to this day.


    Arthur stood in front of the typhoon disaster memorial for a long time and offered a bouquet of flowers.


    Although this was only a normal gesture in Arthur''s view, it was greatly appreciated by many New Zenders who expericed the typhoon evt firsthand.


    After all, following the typhoon, Australia not only donated to New Zend, but Arthur also made two donations, one as Duke of Australia and another in his private capacity.


    After finishing what had to be done in Opunaki Town, Arthur set off along the western highway of North New Zend and, passing through New Spreymouth, Pio Pio, Hamilton, Huntley, Waitako Harbour, and Manukau, finally arrived at his second destination in North New Zend, Oand.


    Oand at this time is a rebuilt Oand and has quickly grown into the secondrgest city in North New Zend.


    This is because many of Oand''s citizs chose to stay in Oand, ev though it had be a wastnd after the destruction of the typhoon.


    Upon arriving in Oand, Arthur found that the area had be well rebuilt. Although the industrial area is not very developed at the momt, agriculture and animal husbandry are everywhere, reflecting Oand''s currt developmt situation.


    In Oand, there is also one of the three universities in New Zend, Oand University. As per the usual, Arthur visited Oand University and gave a speech.


    People in Oand are ev more grateful to Arthur, as it would have be impossible for Oand to rebuild so quickly without the gerous donations from Arthur and Australia.


    It can be said that the fact that Oanders could quickly recover their pre-disaster life within a few years isrgely due to Arthur and Australia''s donations.


    After the same tedious but unavoidable inspection and review, Arthur boarded the fleet and arrived at Pickton, the capital of South New Zend State, just across the sea from Wellington.


    There is a world of differce betwe the developmt levels of North New Zend State and South New Zend State.


    In terms of area, the South New Zend State isrger than North New Zend State, but its poption is only about half that of the North New Zend State.


    As thergest city in South New Zend State, Pickton has a poption of over 80,000. However, the secondrgest city in New Zend, Oand, which was rebuilt after the disaster, already has a poption of over 0,000.


    If it is said that North New Zend has a certain scale of industry, th the only advantage New Zend State has is animal husbandry and agriculture.


    South New Zend Stategs far behind North New Zend State in all aspects, which is the clearest feeling Arthur has after traveling through North New Zend and South New Zend.


    However, in South New Zend State, one can also see more lush farnd andrger pastoral areas, and the faces of South New Zend State residts are full of smiles.


    There really isn''t much worth inspecting in South New Zend State, with three major cities, Pickton, Crestchurch, and Invercagill, all with poptions of less than 0,000, and the total poption of South New Zend State not exceeding 500,000, which is less than half of Sydney.


    After casually strolling through the three cities, Arthur reviewed the New Zend garrison stationed in Pickton.


    After couraging all the soldiers and personally presting sries and supplies to some of them, Arthur was satisfied with his trip to New Zend and headed to his next destination, the New Guinea Colony.


    After several years of construction, the capital of the New Guinea Colony, Moritzby Port, had grown into a fledgling city with a poption of fifty thousand.


    Due to Arthur''s strategic grain reserve n, New Guinea had always be regarded by the Austrsian governmt as a natural granary and one of the test gs for Austrsian mechanized agriculture.


    Currtly, New Guinea has more than one sixth of the grain output of Australia, and the food produced in New Guinea alone is ough to feed more than four million people for a year.


    Due to the good rtionship with Germany, some of the grain produced in New Guinea is directly transported to German New Guinea in the north, leading to the fact that there are not many cultivatednds in German New Guinea, as Germany has no inttion of vigorously developing agriculture in such regions.


    The officials of the New Guinea Colonial Governmt took Arthur''s inspection very seriously, and Arthur symbolically couraged the officials and apanied important officials of the colonial governmt to visit severalrge ntations in New Guinea.


    He th inspected the New Guinea military, spding three days in New Guinea doing these actions.


    After all these, Arthur hurried to Australian Timor without stopping and continued with his next tour.


    The Governor of Australian Timor was Roman Pito, a member of the Royal Parliamt and an official from New Zend.


    As one of the earliest New Zend officials to swear allegiance to Arthur, it was not surprising for Roman Pito to be the Governor of Australian Timor, after all, the core members Arthur brought from Britain were virtually all assigned heavy responsibilities, and the vacancies could only be filled by promoting talt from Australia and New Zend.


    However, this could also be considered a good thing, as it made the Australian and New Zend forces loyal to Arthur feel at ease.


    After all, if Arthur only recognized the officials he brought from Britain, the local forces of Austrsia would never be integrated into Arthur''s core circle of subordinates, and their loyalty to Arthur would naturally decrease.


    As thetest territory incorporated into Austrsia, Australian Timor naturally has a pitifully small poption.


    Ev after several years of developmt, the poption of Australian Timor has just barely exceeded t thousand, and almost all the inhabitants of Australian Timor are located in the capital, Dili.


    If New Guinea is considered an important grain-producing region for Austrsia, th Australian Timor is more like a military fortress and outpost.


    Although there are only just over t thousand residts, there are as many as three thousand garrison troops a Dili, and there are several radio stations, constantlymunicating with the domestic situation in Austrsia.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In fact, that was exactly what Arthur and the governmt had nned. Australian Timor could not develop in the short term, so the governmt positioned it as an outpost for Austrsian defse.


    Due to the fact that there are still several thousand Portuguese residts in Australian Timor, Arthur''s stay there was the shortest.


    Although Arthur was very interested in witnessing the civil life of Australian Timor, he decided against it after thinking about it.


    After all, it has only be a little over two years since thisnd was annexed by Austrsia, and there are still thousands of Portuguese residts in Dili.


    Although several weapon recovery operations had be organized by Governor Roman in this area to maintain the stability of Australian Timor after its official annexation, no residts other than those from Austrsia were allowed to possess firearms, and ev Australiasian residts who owned firearms had to register with the governmt and report each use of a weapon.


    However, who could guarantee that there were no people hiding firearms among these Portuguese residts, just waiting for the arrival of Arthur and high-ranking Austrsian governmt officials?


    As the saying goes, no matter how high your Kung Fu skills are, you still fear the kitch knife; Arthur, no matter how well-prepared, would not gamble on whether anyone would try to assassinate him.


    After all, are there not many such cases in history? A very simr one is Archduke Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary, which triggered World War I.


    And there are many other kings and high-ranking nobles, including King Alexander I of Serbia and King George I of Greece.


    These blood-soaked incidts tell Arthur a truth: no matter how noble his status, no matter how much love he receives from others, he is still an ordinary person and will die if shot.


    A ssible king wouldn''t risk his own life in a gamble, and Arthur wouldn''t be so foolish.


    In fact, as long as Arthur didn''t take any risks, the possibility of being assassinated would be almost zero. After all, there was a battalion of troops protecting him oply and many intelligce personnel from the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau were secretly following him. If there was any abnormality near Arthur, these intelligce personnel would take action immediately.


    It''s worth mtioning that only those who have be cleared can get within 300 meters of Arthur.


    Those who can get within 00 meters have to undergo another  of searches. Unless the person is a minister or official particrly trusted by Arthur, his guards and members of the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau will not be polite and will arrest those who do not submit to the search first.

 Chapter 302: Chapter 266: Sudden Change of the German Olympic Committee

    It has be over a month since the tour began, and ev though Arthur had prepared himself beforehand, he was already starting to feel homesick.


    After all, it was Arthur''s first time as a father, and he had be away from Sydney for more than a month, guinely missing his little one.


    From the time he returned to the nativend of Austrsia, Arthur''s tour became much simpler.


    After all, Arthur''s control within Australia was still strong, and with the help of the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau, he had a handle on the information in each state, making the tour more of a formality.


    At the very least, these officials needed to know that Arthur would check in on their work from time to time, suring that they maintained a cautious and active attitude, better helping the developmt of Austrsia.


    On this tour, Arthur mainly inspected three aspects: first, the living conditions of the residts in the city, which esstially boiled down to the local people''s stimts and support for the governmt.


    The second and third aspects were the industrial and agricultural conditions near the city. The importance of industry, regardless of its type, ys a crucial role in the developmt of a country.


    Agriculture was ev more important. As the saying goes, "people regard food as their primary need." If ough food couldn''t be produced, th education, medical care, and industry would all be insignificant.


    Without adequate ess to food, Arthur couldn''t guarantee that his citizs wouldn''t take drastic measures.


    Therefore, the governance strategy of Austrsia was simple: first, sure that all citizs were well-fed and not hungry before considering national developmt issues.


    The currt governmt and Arthur had both done a good job in this regard. Although the poption of Austrsia continued to grow, they could guarantee that every citiz wouldn''t go hungry.


    After staying in the Leonora Industrial Base for a few days, Arthur finally embarked on his return journey aboard the industrial railway.


    The Leonora Industrial Base yed a critical role in the industrial developmt of Austrsia in rect years, which was also why Arthur stayed there indepdtly for a few days.


    Not only did he inspect the currt construction situation of the Leonora Industrial Base, but he also sured that there were no instances of corruption or embezzlemt in the establishmt of the industrial base, which Arthur absolutely couldn''t allow.


    If the construction wt smoothly, the Leonora Industrial Base would be thergest and most conctrated industrial base in Austrsia''s future, with West Australia bing its industrial cter.


    This construction couldn''t be hindered by anyone, as it not only concerned the future of national developmt, but also the fate of Austrsia in the uing two wars.


    After leaving the Leonora Industrial Base, the remaining tour became much simpler.


    Arthur spt just over a week on the tire industrial railway journey, finally returning to Sydney a mid-December.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As it was approachingte December, Austrsia was about to wee another Christmas.


    Recallingst year''s Christmas, wh the good news of Que Mary''s pregnancy arrived, Arthur hadn''t had much time for official business for almost a whole year.


    Upon returning to Sydney Pce, William and Anna were already two months old. Although they couldn''t clearly call Arthur yet, their babbling, affectionate actions, and curved lips told him they were trying to call him.


    Arthur had tried to teach the two little ones to call him "Dad," but ultimately gave up in frustration.


    After all, they were only just over two months old, and learning to call someone was asking too much of them.


    Just as Arthur was joying the happiness of having both a son and a daughter, Foreign Minister Andrew and Propaganda Minister Grant visited together, interrupting his idyllic life.


    "Your Majesty, the Chairman of the German Olympic Committee suddly passed away, and the Germans may give up hosting the next Olympic Games," said Foreign Minister Andrew hurriedly upon seeing Arthur.


    Since the first Summer Olympic Games were held, four editions have be held as of 909.


    The number of participating countries and athletes in each Olympic Games has be steadily increasing, especially during thest London Olympics, setting a record.


    That Olympic Games ev caused a stir in almost half of Europe and the Americas, barely bing a globally noteworthy evt.


    Moreover, any country hosting any edition of the Olympic Games would receive worldwide atttion during the evt, and with good nning, the evt could leave a significant impact.


    This would be extremely helpful for a country to hance its international influce, and to frequtly appear on the international stage, which is exactly what Austrsia needs right now.


    If hosting the Olympic Games can expand Austrsia''s international influce and attract more immigrants from Europe, th hosting an Olympics is not a loss at all.


    "Is the news urate? What is the reaction of the International Olympic Committee?" Arthur immediately became interested and asked.


    "The news should be correct, Your Majesty. The Germans did not conceal this news, and they ev have shown inttions of giving up their right to host the Olympics," Foreign Secretary Andrew quickly responded.


    "This is good news. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately contact the relevant German departmts to inquire if they will give up hosting the Olympic Games. If they choose to relinquish them, ask if they will directly transfer the hosting rights to us," Arthur contemted for a momt and immediately made up his mind.


    Such an evt also happed this year in history, but it was in May.


    At that time, the German Olympic Committee Chairman suddly passed away, and Germany immediately announced that they would give up hosting the 5th Olympic Games.


    Because there were less than three years until the evt, the fifth Olympic Games became a mess at that time, and Swed, which had be eager to host the Olympics for a long time, finally won the bid.


    Arthur originally thought that the historical incidt would not ur, but the German Olympic Committee Chairman, who had escaped May, evtually passed away suddly before the New Year arrived.


    However, there were two pieces of good news for Austrsia. The first is that the timing was more postponed, the mess would be ev worse, and Swed would have to consider taking over.


    The second is that giv the close rtionship betwe Austrsia and the Germans, if the Germans really want to give up hosting the Olympic Games, there is a high chance that the Germans will transfer the hosting rights to Austrsia.


    Such a thing might seem unimaginable inter gerations, but in this era of great power rivalry, sports were indeed controlled by politics.


    As the second powerful country in the world, if the German Empire were to announce the transfer of hosting rights oply, would other countriespete for the rights?


    Hard to say, but there shouldn''t be that many foolish ones.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. I will immediately contact the German Sports Departmt and the German governmt. If it is confirmed that Germany would like to give up their hosting rights, I will request the German governmt to transfer the rights to us in our governmt''s name," Minister Andrew immediately nodded and said.


    "Hmm, this matter needs to be done quickly. We are not the only country that wants to host the Olympics, we cannot let others pick the fruit first," Arthur nodded and signaled Minister Andrew to make the connection immediately.


    Upon receiving the order to leave, Arthur looked at Minister Grant of the Propaganda Departmt and ordered: "Minister Grant, if we really win the right to host the next Olympic Games, your Propaganda Departmt''s task will be very heavy."


    Grant Wilson solemnly nodded and made a promise: "I understand, Your Majesty. Please rest assured that the Propaganda Departmt will do its utmost to promote our Olympic Games both domestically and internationally, spreading them widely."


    Although the Olympic Games have be valued by many countries so far, no one can guarantee that any unexpected evts will ur during the Olympics held in Austrsia.


    The best way to prevt idts is to promote Austrsia''s Olympic Games to an eye-catching level worldwide.


    Some countries may not participate in an ordinary sports evt, but what about an Olympic Games that have caught the world''s atttion and involved many great powers?


    This imbues the Olympics with many political implications. Big countries, for the sake of their international influce and reputation, will inevitably participate andpete with other countries they have mities with.


    Wh big countries participate, are the small countries sheltered by the big countries dared not give face and participate? After all, if the big brothers go on the field and the little brothers do not, isn''t that disrespecting the big brothers?


    In this way, one link after another, Arthur does not believe that the Olympic Games he hosts will be worse than the previous ones. Ev if they cannot surpass the London Olympics hosted by the world''s first superpower, the British Empire, they should at least be better than the previous three Olympic Games!


    Of course, Arthur still has some backup ns. After a little thought, Arthur looked at Grant and smiled, "Minister Grant, in addition to your Propaganda Departmt''s job, I have another task for you."


    Hearing Arthur''s words, Minister Grant immediately sat upright and listed carefully and quietly.


    "It''s not a big deal, Minister Grant. If we sessfully obtain the right to host the Olympic Games, we will inevitably sd many athletes to participate in this Olympic Games. But as you know, Austrsia''s currt sports system is not mature yet, and many people in the sports industry are participating out of interest rather than true love.


    If possible, I hope you can seize the establishmt of the sports departmt, build aplete sports system for Austrsia to cope with future Olympic Games, can you do that?" Arthur smiled and made the originally serious atmosphere a little more rxed.


    Minister Grant quietly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "No problem, Your Majesty. There are currtly two years left for us to establish the sports departmt and train a group of athletes. However, to achieve good results in the Olympic Games with these newly trained athletes may not be a simple thing."

 Chapter 303: Chapter 267: Obtaining Hosting Rights

    "The athletes who participated in the Olympic Gamesst year will also be handed over to you. With their help, establishing a sports departmt should be easier," Arthur thought for a momt and continued to add.


    Upon hearing this, Minister Grant also breathed a sigh of relief. After all, it is not easy to build a sports system from scratch in two years, let alone showcasing it directly on the world stage such as the Olympic Games.


    With the foundation ofst year''s Austrsian athletes participating in the Olympic Games, at least athletes can be trained more swiftly and quickly, and the number and scale of athletes will be supported first.


    As for the matter of sports medals, shouldn''t these athletes who have trained for another four years achieve some results?


    "If Austrsia''s sports developmt is doing well, the governmt may consider establishing a sports departmt. Minister Grant, I allow you to rmd a candidate for the Minister of Sports in the future, but the prerequisite is to build up Austrsia''s sports. At least achieve some results in the future Olympic Games, understand?" Arthur looked at Grant with a slightly profound smile.


    Upon hearing this, Minister Grant immediately nodded and promised, "I understand, Your Majesty. Please rest assured that I will try my best to train at least a few hundred athletes for the country to participate in the Olympic Games before the Olympics, so that our scale will not be inferior to the previous London Olympics."


    Arthur nodded and signaled Minister Grant to go ahead.


    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs acted quickly, and perhaps because of the good rtionship with Austrsia, Germany did not hide its attitude, expressing directly to Minister Andrew that Germany would abandon its hosting rights for the next Olympic Games.


    Minister Andrew seized the opportunity to make a request.


    In view of the good rtionship betwe Germany and Austrsia, after consulting with William II, the German governmt and sports departmt agreed to Austrsia''s request, and a few days before Christmas, they publicly dered that Germany would give up its hosting rights for the next Olympic Games and oply hinted that Austrsia was suitable to be the hosting country.


    It must be said that the faces of the Powers are indeed quite big.


    The day before Christmas, the International Olympic Committee st a telegram to the Austrsian governmt asking if Austrsia could build a stadium that could amodate at least 40,000 people and make every effort to promote the Olympic Games and invite more countries to participate.


    The International Olympic Committee is willing to transfer Germany''s hosting rights for the Olympic Games to Austrsia.


    Because Austrsia does not have a sports departmt, the International Olympic Committee''s inquiry was directly st to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


    Foreign Secretary Andrew, upon receiving the telegram, immediately consulted with Arthur.


    As for the conditions of the International Olympic Committee, Arthur agreed without ev thinking.


    After all, sports have be valued by countries a the world to this day, and the developmt of sports in Austrsia is also an inevitable trd.


    Whether or not the Olympics can be held, it is necessary to build arge-scale, ts of thousands of people-capacity sports vue.


    For some European immigrants who joy sports, the poprity of various sports may also be one of the reasons for choosing immigration.


    As for the remaining conditions of vigorous promotion and inviting other countries, any Olympic host country will definitely do it and will do it wholeheartedly.


    After all, no country holds the Olympic Games for charity, and politicians and nobles of this era do not have this kind of consciousness.


    In addition to the strong demands of the people, the main reason why countries hold the Olympic Games is actually the need to expand national interests and external influce.


    After spding a wonderful Christmas with his family, the response telegram from the International Olympic Committee arrived on the second day of Christmas.


    They congratted Austrsia on obtaining the 9 Olympic Games hosting rights and stated that after the announcemt, the International Olympic Committee would sd a team to Austrsia to help with vue construction and prepare for the Olympic Games in two and a half years, while also supervising Austrsia''s vue construction, as the hosting of the Olympic Games also concerns the reputation and status of the International Olympic Committee.


    A sessful Olympic Games can not only greatly hance the prestige and status of the host country but also greatly hance the influce and status of the International Olympic Committee.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This also means that Austrsia and the International Olympic Committee are now on the same boat. If the Olympics are not well-organized, not only will Austrsia''s prestige suffer losses, but other countries will gradually take the Olympic Games lightly.


    But if this Olympic Games is well-organized, not only will Austrsia''s external influce and international status be improved, but the International Olympic Committee''s influce will also be greatly hanced.


    Of course, the arrival of the International Olympic Committee actually has another more important purpose, which is to negotiate the specific evts for the next Olympic Games with the host country.


    Ev inter gerations of the Olympic Games, host countries will have some privileges, and they can decide whether or not to hold a small number of sports evts on their own.


    This also means that future host countries will be able to hold evts in which their country excels and cancel those in which other countries excel.


    Of course, this privilege is ev more appart in this era. Take, for example, the 9 Swedish Olympic Games, which eliminated evts such as boxing, freestyle wrestling, weightlifting, field hockey, and archery for the reason that these sports were detrimtal to health, prone to injury, and not widely practiced.


    Although the reasons seemed formal, perhaps only the host country at the time and the International Olympic Committee knew the specifics of the cancetions.


    However, such regtions are basically tak for granted, after all, a country spds a lot of money and resources to host an Olympic Games, and if the nationalmittee does not make some concessions, who would be willing to waste their time?


    Arthur''s ambitions were notrge either, and with dozs of Olympic evts, he only needed to judiciously cancel five that Austrsia was not good at and rece them with evts in which domestic athletes excelled.


    As for the remaining regtions on hosting the Olympic Games, officials and the International Rtions Committee can discuss them.


    As long as it does not harm Austrsia''s interests, some concessions can be made.


    After all, Arthur''s main goal is to increase the influce of Austrsia through this Olympic Games.


    If the changes are too drastic and many countries are unwilling to participate, th it would be a case of not worth the effort.


    ording to Arthur''s memory, the 9 Olympic Games in history, used electronic timing and finishing cameras in many evts, significantly increasing the uracy of the timings and resolving disputes over finishing order.


    These improvemts are very meaningful for sports, and if conditions permit, there is nothing wrong with such improvemts happing at Austrsia''s Olympic Games.


    Because telegrams could only be used for briefmunication, Minister Grant negotiated with the International Olympic Committee, and they agreed to have a more detailed discussion after the other side arrives in Austrsia.


    However, it was necessary to officially announce the transfer of hosting rights, and Minister Grant ev prepared to promote the Olympic Games now.


    At the d of December, after Christmas, the International Olympic Committee publicly announced that due to Germany voluntarily cancelling its hosting rights for the Olympic Games, the decision was made after themittee''s research, and with Germany''s strong rmdation and abiding by Germany''s wishes, Germany''s hosting rights were transferred to Austrsia.


    The 5th Olympic Games will be held as scheduled in Austrsia, with the date roughly from May to July 9, and the location in Sydney, the capital of Austrsia.


    By this time, the influce of the International Olympic Committee was not small, so many people, sports organizations, and countries officially paid atttion to the Olympic Games after the IOC issued a formal statemt.


    Olympic Games have evolved into a form of peaceful struggle for some countries, and sports have gradually gained political influce.


    Put simply, if Britain and Germany jointly participate in the Olympic Games, the athletes of these two countries will naturally bepetitors and emies.


    The only reason is that their countries are in apetitive state and the intsity ofpetition is extremely exaggerated.


    Ev if they are fridly to each other, they will be forced to confront each other under the pressure of domestic and international media public opinion and the expectations of the people.


    If they fail in such a big evt, it would not just be their loss, but also the loss of the media and the people who supported them behind the sces.


    The peacefulpetition in sports can also turn into a struggle for politics and national dignity.


    After the International Olympic Committee''s public announcemt, Arthur immediately conved the Cab to develop a n for the construction of sports vues as soon as possible and asked the Ministry of Finance to prepare sufficit funds.


    As expected, the construction of sports vues is not a small investmt, with the added costs of extsive domestic and foreign publicity, the reception of athletes and organizations from other countries, the hosting of the Olympic Games, the awarding of medals, and the procuremt of equipmt.


    Arthur also had specific requiremts for the scale of vue construction this time, with the sports vue needing to amodate at least 45,000 people and suring its use for at least several decades or ev a hundred years.


    Arthur didn''t want the painstakingly constructed sports vue to be a dangerous building in a short period, especially as it was rted to national prestige.

 Chapter 304: Chapter 268: Good News about the Population

    Seeing Arthur''s emphasis on the construction of sports stadiums, the cab members naturally did not dare to be careless.


    After a week of discussion and preliminary nning, the specific n for the construction of sports stadiums was finally ttatively discussed.


    Firstly, the size of the stadium, under Arthur''s insistce, the stadium''s capacity was increased to a maximum of fifty thousand people.


    This would be a superrge-scale sports stadium, with the vue located to the north of the Capital Territory, very close to Newcastle, where there is oughrge innd to build the stadium.


    In order to amodate the Olympic Games, many vues will be built inside the sports stadium to meet the needs of the Olympic Games at that time.


    About the new stadium''s naming, after consulting Arthur''s opinion, the Cab decided to name the new vue Austrsia National Stadium.


    After all, this Olympic Games is for the purpose of hancing Austrsia''s prestige and international influce, starting with the sports stadium to promote Austrsia, also echoing the original inttion of the Olympic Games.


    After the preliminary construction n was determined, the Cab Governmt decided to initially allocate  million Australian dors in two years for the construction of the new stadium and invite constructionpanies from outside to undertake various major modules of the sports stadium.


    Austrsia''s attitude towards constructionpanies from within and outside the country is op and inclusive.


    However, the governmt''s requiremts are strict, and if any problems arise in the construction of the Olympic vues, it will escte into a dispute betwe the countries, and the person in charge of the constructionpany will be stced by the Austrsian Governmt.


    It is worth noting that thews of Austrsia are quite harsh, which is also a major means for the governmt to crack down on criminal cases.


    After all, themon people of Austrsia can eat and be clothed, and those who gage in illegal and criminal activities in Austrsia are oft the incurable habitual criminals and desperate people.


    These people have no use for Austrsia''s developmt and ev hinder the developmt of the country and the stability of society.


    The harshws are designed to punish them, and the more serious cases are basically stced to death, either by hanging or by firing squad.


    ording to rough statistics from the security departmt, from the establishmt of Australia in 900 to the d of 909, a total of more than 3,0 death stces were imposed in the Austrsia region during these t years, of which more than ,000 were brutal criminals with human lives on their hands.


    After the execution of these more than 3,000 people, the crime rate in Austrsia has now be reduced by more than 0 timespared to 900, and there have be fewer cases of homicide in the major cities.


    With the governmt''s announcemt of the sports stadium construction news, the construction of the sports stadium has also attracted a lot of atttion and support from arge number of Austrsians.


    This is not due to Arthur''s high poprity, but because after eating and being clothed, Austrsia has a lot of mood and time to do some other tertainmt.


    However, at prest, there are not many tertainmt facilities in Austrsia, and since the governmt has gradually started to control the sale and cirction ofrge weapons, civilian inferior handguns are not very realistic for hunting, so hunting, one of the few tertainmt methods, is gradually falling out of the mainstream.


    But it is worth mtioning that due to the strict implemtation of the t-hour work system in major factories in Austrsia, and ev the eight-hour work system in some royal factories, people have a lot of free time to waste, and under the premise that various tertainmt facilities are unlikely, making babies has be a helpless choice for a considerable number of Austrsians.


    In addition, the governmt has rectly be couraging childbirth, rewarding money for each child born, and suring the education and life of all childr in multiple-child families before they reach adulthood.


    This has led to Austrsians not being opposed to childbirth, and ev, if operated well, multiple births can create additional ie for the family, equivalt to having an extrabor force earning money.


    The increase of more than one hundred thousand newborn babies in Austrsia every year is the best proof, which is also one of the reasons for the increasing poption growth rate in Austrsia.


    How strong is the public''s support for the new sports stadium? Ev before the construction of the sports stadium officially began, arge number of Austrsians spontaneously wt to the nning area of the sports stadium, intding to level thend in the stadium area to facilitate future construction.


    However, such actions were soon stopped, after all, although leveling the construction area is necessary before construction, there is no need to waste such preciousbor.


    Ar''t these hard and tiring tasks meant to be done with the indigous people? After all, as far as Austrsia is concerned, the indigous people are the least valuable, and who cares if ts of thousands or hundreds of thousands of them die every year?


    Time passes quickly, and before the sports stadium officially began construction, the time hade to January 9.


    Arthur takes this year''s annual report summary meeting very seriously, after all, throughout 909, he did not properly handle political affairs, it is time to thoroughly grasp the domestic developmt and n for the next few years.


    If one looks at history, there are still a few years before the outbreak of World War I. But who can guarantee that the course of the world will develop as it did in history, and what if the war breaks out tomorrow?


    It is precisely because of this attitude of being prepared in advance, Arthur decided to remind the governmt to prepare for a possible super war on the European contint in the future.


    Before the Cab Meetingmced, Arthur announced an appointmt, appointing Hunter, the younger son of Steward Kt and the younger brother of Prime Minister Kt, the Minister of Royal Affairs, which was thest vacant seat in the Cab.


    The appointmt was somewhat sudd, but the Cab members found it to be well deserved.


    The position of Minister of Royal Affairs was destined to be held by Arthur''s closest confidant, and others simply had no eligibility topete for it.


    Speaking of Arthur''s closest confidant, Butler Kt was undoubtedly the top candidate.


    However, Butler Kt already held the position of the Royal Butler and was also responsible for managing the affairs of the royal financial group.


    Ev if he were giv the position of Minister of Royal Affairs, it would only make Butler Kt''s title sound better. The actual authority and role would not change at all.


    It was also reasonable for Hunter, the younger son of Butler Kt, to rece his father as the Minister of Royal Affairs.


    After all, positions like royal butlers, barring any unforese circumstances, basically followed a hereditary session system.


    The family that held the title of Royal Butler were typically the monarch''s most trusted families. Although at first nce it may seem like the position of a servant, in an absolutist monarchy like Austrsia, Butler Kt''s power was not necessarily much less than that of a cab member.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that wh choosing betwe cab members and Butler Kt, Arthur would not hesitate to choose Butler Kt.


    The reason was simple: Arthur could sure Butler Kt''s absolute loyalty. It''s no joke that if Arthur thought Butler Kt was useless, he would not hesitate to order Butler Kt to die if necessary.


    As the second son of Butler Kt, while his elder brother tered politics, Hunter was destined to inherit his father''s mantle and be the next chief royal butler.


    Therefore, the position of Minister of Royal Affairs was quite suitable for Hunter as it allowed him to familiarize himself with serving Arthur in advance, and also allowed him to receive guidance from Butler Kt at any time.


    As for the fact that the positions of Butler Kt, Secretary of State Kt, and Royal Affairs Minister Hunter could pottially amass ormous power and threat the monarchy or give rise to other ideas, Arthur had no worries.


    Not to mtion that the tire Kt family''s power came from the royal family. If there were no royal family, they would not have any power. Arthur trusted the loyalty of the Kt family very much.


    Moreover, the Royal Security Intelligce Agcy was not to be trifled with. By now, after such a long time of developmt, if it couldn''t control the tire royal pce''s intelligce and protect the royal family''s safety, th it would be time for the Director of the Royal Security Intelligce Agcy to be reced.


    Hunter also attded this Cab Meeting and received congrattions from the cab ministers.


    For someone who was basically a shoo-in as the future chief royal butler, the Cab members still wanted to maintain a good rtionship.


    Although Hunter had only juste of age, by the time he serves as the Royal Chief Butler, these Cab members would most likely have long retired from politics.


    Wh that timees, if any issues arise, they could rely on their familiarity with Hunter to ask for help, couldn''t they?


    The Cab Meetingsted the tire day, allowing Arthur to learn about the currt state of developmt in all areas of Austrsia.


    Ev the new appointees reported their work, allowing Arthur to better understand the currt state of judiciary and religion in Austrsia.


    Overall, the developmt of Austrsia was still smooth and sessful, and the growth in poption was very promising.


    By January 9, Austrsia''s total poption had exceeded 8.5 million,ing closer and closer to the regional powerhouse poption target of  million people set by Arthur at the time.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Among them, the poption of the Australian region was nearly 7 million, while the New Zend region''s poption was a .5 million. The poption of the New Guinea Colony had exceeded 50,000, specifically a 5,50 people.


    Ev the least popted Australian Timor had surpassed 3,500 people. This was the result of both colonies continually implemting various immigration-attracting policies.


    From the structure of the poption, British immigrants ounted for 69.7% of the total poption of Austrsia, German poption ounted for .%, Russian poption ounted for .9%, and other poptions ounted for 6.3%.


    From the poption structure, it is clear that the majority of the poption in Austrsia was still British immigrants, with a total number of about 5.94 million people.


    The second and third most populous groups were Germans and Russians, with .03 million and .0 million people, respectively.


    This shows the extt of European countries'' immigration to Austrsia, with the majority of Austrsia''s poption growth relying on these European immigrants.

 Chapter 305: Chapter 269: Surge in Food Production

    The proportion of British-descdant poption has always remained at a 70%, which is good news for Austrsia and something that Arthur is quite satisfied with.


    Although Austrsia is an op immigration country and theoretically does not exclude any  immigrants from Europe.


    Nevertheless, there are preferces among immigrants. For Austrsia and Arthur, the closest will always be British immigrants, because both Austrsia and Arthur were born in the United Kingdom, and British immigrants are the foundation of governance in Austrsia.


    Secondly, Russian immigrants are, besides British immigrants, the most eptable and governable ethnic group for Austrsia.


    First of all, the marriage betwe the Austrsian royal family and the Russian monarchy brings the two countries closer as fridly inws.


    Additionally, Russian immigrants gerallye from a backg of serfdom, and Russia is an authoritarian country ruled by the Tsar. These Russian immigrants have a higher eptance of monarchism, and ev a majority of them maintain a fond attitude towards it.


    As for the currt secondrgest group of German immigrants in Austrsia, Arthur is not very opposed to them but does not want to introduce too many.


    At least the scale of Russian immigrants should rise to the second ce, which would be a more satisfactory racial ratio for Arthur.


    The reason is quite simple. Although Germany and Austrsia currtly have very good rtions, this is because there are no conflicts of interest betwe them.


    However, Arthur knows that Germany will inevitably stand against the United Kingdom in the future. If there are too many German immigrants in Austrsia, conflicts will surely erupt betwe British immigrants, which Arthur does not want to see and which may threat national stability.


    Moreover, Arthur cannot guarantee that Austrsia can always maintain a fridly rtionship with Germany.


    For example, Arthur would not want to befrid the Third Reich that emerged after the abolition of monarchy after Germany''s defeat in World War I.


    If Arthur is ever pulled onto the Third Reich''s war chariot, it would be a bitter experice.


    However, overall, poption growth is good news for Austrsia. Ev in today''s world, a country with a poption less than  million cannot be called a strong country, and without a poption of more than 50 million, it does not have the qualifications topete with the powers.


    If you look closely at every powerful country in the world, each one has a vast territory and arge poption.


    Resources,nd area, and poption are major factors limiting a country''s developmt. For Austrsia, the only limitation is the poption.


    This is why Arthur is eagerly anticipating the poption to rise to  million or ev ts of millions. By th, what kind of pottial will Austrsia unleash?


    Currtly, the state-level administrative region with thergest poption in Austrsia is Victoria State, with a total poption of ,399,795. New South Wales State is not far behind, with a total poption of ,396,487.


    As the capital and only city in the Capital Territory with a poption exceeding  million, Sydney currtly has a total poption of ,94,594.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Apart from these three state-level administrative regions, the only state with a poption exceeding  million is South Australia State, with a total poption of ,5,487.


    The neighboring West Australian State has also reached a poption of 864,679. The construction of the Leonora Industrial Base has prompted the governmt to transport arge number of immigrants to these two states.


    This is the real reason why the poption growth in southeastern Australia has gradually slowed down, as arge number of immigrants have be transported to West Australia State and South Australia State,ying the gwork for the construction of their industrial bases.


    It is conservatively estimated that, before the initialpletion of the Leonora Industrial Base, the poptions of South Australia State and West Australia State will reach .3 million and  million respectively, fully meeting the initial demand for workers andbor in the industrial zones.


    By the time the industrial zones are trulypleted a 96, the poptions of South Australia State and West Australia State may ev reach over .5 million and . million respectively,pletely revitalizing these areas.


    Compared with the sev regions in Australia, New Zend''s poption seems to be much smaller. The currt poption of North New Zend State is about 90,000, while that of South New Zend is about 570,000. Besides the more populous North New Zend, the poption of South New Zend is the smallest among therger states.


    In terms of cities, Sydney is currtly the most populous city, followed by Melbourne, with a poption of over 870,000. At prest, apart from the capitals of the two colonies and Tasmania''s Hobart, the capital cities of other states have poptions of more than 0,000.


    ording to intelligce from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, there are a total of 3 cities with poptions over 0,000 throughout Austrsia, more than half of which are located in southeastern Australia.


    This highlights the currt developmt status of Austrsia: the most important region of Austrsia is Australia, and the most important region of Australia is the southeastern region.


    Although the poption has expericed significant growth, the per capita ie of Austrsia has not be affected and has ev expericed growth.


    ording to the report from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, by January 9, the per capita annual ie of Austrsia was nearly 47 Australian dors, and the per capita annual ie of the Australian region ev reached as high as 48 Australian dors.


    The New Zend region was not far behind, with per capita annual ie of about 44 Australian dors, far exceeding the per capita ie of the two colonies, which was 6 Australian dors.


    Arthur had no doubt about the growth of per capita annual ie because the deposit information of Austrsian people in the Royal Bank, which he controlled, had shown that their savings had be increasing more and more in rect years. Didn''t everyone''s family have a hundred or two hundred in savings?


    Of course, the growth of the economy was also reflected in the governmt''s finances.


    Throughout 909, the total fiscal revue of the Kingdom of Austrsia was about 54,50,000 Australian dors, an increase of 8 million Australian dorspared to 908, and the first time it had exceeded 50 million Australian dors.


    Inparison, total fiscal expditure reached as high as 49 million Australian dors, an increase of 6 million Australian dorspared to 908, which included some military expses and expses of other governmt departmts.


    For the first time in 909, Austrsia''s total military expditure exceeded 9 million Australian dors, which was due to the various tests and maintance costs after thepletion of the battleship. In addition, the corresponding training of naval officers and m also meant that military expditure growth was normal.


    More importantly, despite the crazy growth in various expditures, Austrsia''s finances surprisingly maintained a surplus, which was good news for both the treasury and governmt developmt.


    ording to the regtions rted to the royal funds, in 909 the royal family received 54,500 Australian dors from the governmt, which was used to maintain the operation of the royal family and the royal pce, as well as to serve as special funds for the royal family.


    The provision that the royal family would receive % of the total governmt fiscal revue as royal special funds had already existed during the Australian period, but the ie th amounted to only ts of thousands of pounds.


    This also meant that no officials or members of parliamt would object to the royal family taking more than 500,000 Australian dors from the treasury at the momt.


    After all, wh the country was in crisis, the amount of funds the royal family received was small. Now, this over 500,000 Australian dors was what the royal family deserved. Moreover, Arthur''s daily private input in Austrsia''s civil affairs and various policies far exceeded this amount.


    Currtly, the avable funds in Austrsia''s treasury have reached a terrifying 30 million Australian dors, which ev made Arthur feel like he couldn''t spd it all.


    However, Arthur quickly eliminated this idea because he knew that the cost of war was ormous.


    For example, it took a long time for old powers such as the United Kingdom and France, which upied arge number of colonies, to recover after World War I.


    It is important to note that, as top powers, the United Kingdom and France could each make huge profits from their colonies every year, something that Austrsia could never imagine.


    Yet ev these profits nearly failed to cover the costs of World War I, let alone the currt state of Austrsia, where revues have only just moved into surplus.


    The developmt of agriculture in Austrsia is also couraging news. At prest, the total cultivatednd area in Australia has reached 9,953,95 acres, and the averagend area per capita remains a .3 acres.


    It was precisely because of the increase in arablend that the food production of Austrsia reached a record high in 909, reaching about 8.9 million tons.


    Yes, the growth in food production was dramatic, with total output increasing by nearly  million tonspared to two years earlier in 907, although the total area of arablend had only increased by slightly less than  million acres.


    The real reason for the massive increase in food production was that agricultural machinery, such as tractors, had begun to be widely used in some agricultural areas in New Guinea and Austrsia.


    Furthermore, the construction and production of agricultural chemical nts and fertilizer processing nts had gradually increased Austrsia''s grain yield per acre, ev effectively approaching that of European grain production.


    Currtly, the food production of the New Guinea colony has exceeded  million tons, ounting for % of the total food production of Austrsia.


    Thanks to the continuous increase in food production in various regions, Austrsia''s strategic food reserves have reached  million tons, ough to feed all Austrsian people for one year.


    At prest, the annual total consumption of food in Austrsia is about  million tons. In 909, Austrsia exported a total of 5 million tons of food, which was sold to Europe, America, and some powerful colonies.


    Old powers like the United Kingdom and France basically have a certain degree of cooperation with Austrsia.


    Whether it is grain or meat products, Austrsia is one of the suppliers and has a significant share in the markets of these two powerful countries.


    Thanks to the geographical vironmt of Oceania that is more suitable for grazing, Oceania beef and mutton, or rather Australian beef and mutton, has gained a notable reputation, which is the currt achievemt of Austrsia''s animal husbandry industry.

 Chapter 306: Chapter 270: The Development of Industry and Airplanes

    The industrial developmt of Austrsia has always be smooth, especially under the dual aid of Germany and the United Kingdom, the construction of industry has always be on the rise.


    Up to now, Australia''s annual total steel output has reached slightly over 3. million tons, of which the annual output of iron is .797 million tons, and the annual output of steel is .34 million tons.


    Although the number of steel output looks a lot, it currtly just slightly surpasses the level of thest of the great powers, Italy, and is less than half of that of Russia and France in the same period, and slightly more than one-fifth of that of Britain.


    Ev though it has surpassed a traditional European power like Italy, Arthur still doesn''t feel the least bit joyful.


    Although Italy is said to be one of the European powers, it only sounds impressive. Its actual status is definitely at the bottom of the European powers - it''s perhaps only slightly better than the currt ind nation.


    Moreover, it is only the steel output that has surpassed Italy, and there is indeed nothing to be happy about. To truly equal or surpass European powers, Austrsia still has a long way to go. Perhaps, it will only be relying on the two wars to take a shortcut.


    The good news is that the various industrial constructions in Austrsia are approaching perfection. In addition to the top-ranking steel industry, various chemical industries, civil industries, machinery factories, ss factories, fertilizer factories, cemt factories, etc., are all in a flourishing state.


    Particrly the James Machinery Factory funded by the royal financial group, it has now developed into thergest in Victoria State and the secondrgest in Austrsia, bing a leader among many private terprises.


    As for thergest machinery factory, it is naturally the Royal Machinery Factory, which is controlled itself by the royal financial group. The Royal Machinery Factory has orders from car factories, gine factories, various military factories, and other various factories. The annual production of machinery equipmt upies 60% of the Austrsia market, and it has more than 0,000 workers.


    All factories and terprises under the royal financial group have more than 400,000 employees, who are spread across from various industries and fields in Austrsia and is an absolutely giant in Austrsian businesses.


    The taxes the royal financial group pays to the governmt each year amount to ts of millions of Australian dors, and its own profit has exceeded 50 million Australian dors.


    However, the people of Austrsia wee the various terprises owned by the royal financial group, which not only provides them with jobs but also; any factory or business belonging to the royal financial group offers the best befits and policies in Austrsia.


    This is why wh Austrsians are looking for jobs, the royal financial group''s businesses and factories are their first choice.


    There is a piece of very good news, after nearly two years of construction, the initial construction of the Leonora Industrial Base is officiallyplete.


    The Ministry of Industry is currtly discussing the specific list ofpanies to settle in the Linnora Industrial Zone, and thesepanies are undoubtedly the giants of various industries in Austrsia.


    Since the construction purpose of the Leonora Industrial Base is to create arge integrated industrial cluster, this terprise invitation will definitely take into ount more types and fields of industries.


    For example, the chemical industry, the agricultural industry, the machinery factories, etc., that the governmt has vigorously developed in the past, will be the main target of this industrial base invitation.


    To demonstrate the emphasis on the industrial base, after discussing with the governmt, Arthur decided to divide the tire Leonora Industrial Base into a city-level direct-administrated area, directly under the managemt of the Ministry of Industry.


    The person in charge of the Leonora Industrial Base, the rank is directly equivalt to the rank of the mayor of a provincial capital city in Austrsia.


    The person in charge of the Industrial Base is appointed by the Ministry of Industry, with a term of four years.


    This also represts Arthur''s stance. Except for the Cab Governmt, no one has the right to interve in the Leonora Industrial Base.


    Starting from January 9, the preliminarilypleted Leonora Industrial Base officially began to invitepanies to settle in.


    The initial goal is to invite thirtyrge terprises and hundreds of small terprises, and t superrge storage areas have be prepared for thesepanies.


    As early as the start of the industrial zone''s construction, the railway and highway connecting the industrial zone had begun construction, and it had bepleted ev before thepletion of the industrial zone.


    The currt Leonora Industrial Base not only connects with Austrsia''s industrial railway, but also connects with the strategic highwaywork, which can quickly reach both the east and west coasts of Australia.


    A conservative estimate is, ev if only the first phase of the Leonora Industrial Base is constructed, it will be able to create more than 50,000 jobs and produce at least 0 million Australian dors in annual output value for Austrsia.


    Allpanies within the industrial zone are conservatively estimated to create tax revue of millions of Australian dors for the governmt annually. If developmt is slightly better, making two to three million will not be too difficult.


    And if the tire industrial base ispleted? Create 00,000 jobs? Gerate annual production value of 0 million Australian dors? Create annual tax revue of  million Australian dors?


    Although these numbers are somewhat unimaginable, many people in the Cab Governmt have a vague feeling that they can be achieved and they ev support the construction of the Leonora industrial base more.


    Of course, regardless of the attitudes of others, Arthur attaches great importance to the Leonora industrial base and ev instructed Minister of Industry Pierre to inspect the industrial base oft unless he is really busy. He must sure that the construction of the industrial base ispleted with quality and on schedule.


    Pierre, being the Minister of Industry, took Arthur''s instructions seriously. He visits the Leonora industrial base approximately every half a month, for fear that any unexpected evts in the construction of the industrial base would cause him to dure Arthur''s anger.


    For Industry Secretary Pierre, who has already sat at the Industry Secretary position for three terms, if he wants to continue to stay in the Cab Governmt, he can only advance further in a Cab Minister position.


    However, cab ministers like Minister Pierre Peile are not few in number, and there''s ev fiercerpetition for further cab positions, with two of them having already served as prime ministers. The pressure cannot be understated.


    If they could win Arthur''s favor and support, it would be a decisive help for their further advancemt.


    Of course, Arthur knew nothing of all this, and ev if he did, he wouldn''t care.


    For Arthur, it was just a word that could allow anyone to rise to power, but why would he say that word?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this momt, Arthur had arrived at the Aerospace Laboratory, with all his atttion on the new aircraft in theboratory.


    After over four years of effort, the aerospaceb''s military aircraft had sessfully advanced to the third geration, with huge improvemts in performance over the second geration nes.


    Wh ites to the manufacturing and technology of currt nes and military aircraft, Austrsia is unquestionably the world leader, ev far outperforming the second in the world.


    If it''s said that the second-geration military nes could barely be used inbat, barely reaching the level of World War I, th the third geration military nes have not only achieved but ev surpassed the level of military nes during thete stages of World War I, and ev if Austrsia were to stop developing nes now, it would probably take other countries five to six years to catch up.


    But would they stop developing nes? Absolutely not.


    Arthur''s focus on the developmt of aircraft is increasing, with funding for the aerospaceboratory also steadily rising.


    However, the Aerospace Laboratory is Arthur''s private property, so it doesn''t eat into governmt funds, and is instead financed and controlled by the Royal financial group.


    The aerospaceboratory costs Arthur at least half a million Australian dors each year, so naturally, the nes researched and produced at such great expse overperform the ones privately researched in other countries by the same era by a great margin.


    Not to exaggerate, but Austrsia has already lured at least two-fifths of global aviation talt and this proportion is still growing steadily.


    If other countries want to overtake Austrsia in aviation and aircraft manufacturing, they would have to take control of all the remaining three-fifths of the aviation talt and they would also have to spd a great amount of resources, possibly within several years.


    Would that be realistic? The remaining three-fifths of aviation talt are distributed across Europe and the United States and are more or less valued by local governmts and ev some countries.


    In addition, amongst these talts are also many patriots which ev Austrsia can''t attract despite offering muchpsation, and Arthur doesn''t believe that any country could control all the remaining talt.


    Moving on to the currt third-geration military aircraft.


    First is the Eagle-3 Reconnaissance Aircraft, which is currtly the fastest and longest-range aircraft in Austrsia''s arsal.


    Like the second-geration aircraft, the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft still adopts the design approach of having two seats, one in the front and one in the back, butpared to the previous geration of reconnaissance aircraft, its size is somewhat reduced.


    Of course, factoring in the additional two auxiliary fuel tanks, the size of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft is evrger than the previous geration''s.


    The maximum range of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft, without the auxiliary fuel tanks, is 700 kilometers, and with two auxiliary fuel tanks, the maximum range can ev reach ,0 kilometers.


    That''s not all, the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft employs a aircraft gine specially developed by Disel for it, which allows it to fly at an average speed of 5 kilometers per hour, with a maximum speed of 40 kilometers per hour.


    The average flight speed of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft alone surpasses the maximum flying speed of the previous geration''s reconnaissance aircraft, demonstrating how significantly the performance of the gine has improved.


    Of course, in order to amodate speed and range, the weapons equipped on the reconnaissance aircraft are rtively simple, only a MA-7 Maxim machine gun.


    But giv the terrifying flight speed and range of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft, ev wh countering reconnaissance aircraft or fighter aircraft of other countries, it would have no issues fleeing if it couldn''t win the fight.


    Looking at this brand new Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft, Arthur couldn''t help but wonder whether the most advanced military aircraft of other countries would be able to beat this reconnaissance aircraft of Austrsia, which is merely used for intelligce reconnaissance.


    Ev if it''s only equipped with a single heavy machine gun, this is still one of thetest products researched and developed by Arthur''s Arms Factory after more than t years, since thest heavy machine gun, and its performance is undoubtedly top-tier among heavy machine guns.


    In the original history, most of the military aircraft in World War I were only equipped with heavy machine guns or other weapons. The weapon systems were rather crude and far from being as advanced or powerful as the nes of World War II.


    Thinking about the pottial future of Austrsia''s reconnaissance aircraft massacring other countries'' fighter jets and bombers, Arthur couldn''t help but think of it amusing, but he ultimately withheld hisughter.


    Because showing inappropriate behavior before arge crowd could hurt the dignity of the king.


    Anyway, a sce like this would only be a good thing for Austrsia. So wh it happs, just let those countries be surprised!

 Chapter 307: Chapter 271: Aircraft Carrier

    The improvemts of the Bgal Tiger-3 Fighterpared to the previous geration of fighters are very significant.


    Arthur had previouslyined that among the three types of military aircraft, the fighter was, counterintuitively, the least useful. Now, it''s apletely differt story.


    The currt Bgal Tiger-3 Fighter can reach an average speed of  kilometers per hour, with a maximum speed of up to 40 kilometers per hour, only slightly slower than the Eagle-3 Reconnaissance Aircraft.


    The slightg in speed is due to the Bgal Tiger-3 Fighter being equipped with two MA-7 Maxim heavy machine guns and upgraded armor protection.


    Moreover, the ammunition capacity of the machine guns has also be increased significantly. The previous fighter models only carried ,500 s of bullets, which upon exhaustion, they either had to rely on the pilot''s own weapons or return home to reload.


    Now, the Bgal Tiger-3 Fighter has doubled its ammunition capacity to 3,000 s, greatly hancing itsbat durance and firepower output capabilities.


    With these hancemts, the fighter assumes a significant role. The Bgal Tiger-3 Fighter, with increased protection, firepower, and speed, may ev be capable of taking on multiple nes from other countries.


    However, the Bgal Tiger-3 Fighter''s range is not as impressive as the reconnaissance aircraft. Without auxiliary fuel tanks, the Bgal Tiger-3 Fighter''s maximum range is 570 kilometers. With two auxiliary fuel tanks, this range extds to 890 kilometers.


    This performance not only surpasses that of contemporary aircraft from other countries but also outperforms models used by various countries during World War I.


    Unexaggeratedly speaking, Austrsia''s aircraft could have created numerous aerial legds ev amidst the backdrop of World War I.


    The aircraft that Arthur currtly sees as the most practical for military use is, naturally, the Phantom-3 Bomber.


    Last time, the swift defeat of the Portuguese army wasrgely thanks to the bombers.


    Right now, no country in the world has much defse against aerial forces as anti-aircraft weapons hav''t be developed yet.


    The best they can do is probably to use rifles and machine guns against the aircraft.


    However, Austrsia''s three types of military aircraft are far superior to basic models from other countries. Not only are they faster, but they are also quite well-armored.


    While it is possible to take out an aircraft with just rifles and machine guns, the probability is less than a primitive ne defeating a more advanced emy aircraft.


    The Phantom-3 Bomber is the slowest of the three types of military aircraft, with an average speed of 95 kilometers per hour and a maximum speed of only 5 kilometers per hour.


    This is because the bomber is loaded with arge number of differt types of bombs. There are currtly three types of bombs that can be carried by the bomber: 45-pound small-scale lethal bombs, -pound medium-scale lethal bombs, and -pound sting bombs.


    The capacity for each type of bombs is as follows: 4 for the smallest, 4 for the medium, and  for thergest.


    The firing mode allows two bombs to be fired at a time, deploying two bombs with a single press of the fire button.


    This leads to a peculiar characteristic of the bomber''s firepower. The bombing frequcy depds on the firing speed of the pilot.


    Nevertheless, firing too rapidly could lead to system malfunctions. This is, however, quite unlikely as pilots are unlikely to go on a chaotic and reckless frzy.


    The increase in payload and bomb power has significantly hanced the bomber''s destructive power.


    Without any exaggeration, the destructive power of a single Phantom-3 Bomber far exceeds that of t GA906 semi-automatic cannons.


    Before anti-aircraft weapons and other countries'' aircraft are developed, Arthur is ev confidt that with Austrsia''s currt aircraft, the safety of Austrsia can be assured.


    However, looking at the bomber reminded Arthur of an especially important issue.


    While the world''s nations are heavily developing their navies and battleships, Arthur realizes that the era of battleships ising to an d.


    What truly led to the obsolee of battleships was not the emergce of other powerful warships, but the birth and rise of aircraft.


    The armor protection capabilities of battleships depd on knowledge about the parabolic arcs of other ship guns. Yet, aircraft bombings do not consider such trajectories as they gerally drop their bombs directly downward.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This gave way to the rise of aircraft carriers, outfitted with aircraft they became the nemesis of ev the most powerful battleships that dominated thete 9th and early 0th cturies.


    Having said that, although aircraft carriers appeared during World War I,pared toter gerations, those early models were extremely crude.


    What does the research for aircraft carriers need? The answer is aircraft. Without nes, talk of aircraft carriers is meaningless.


    Secondly, there''s shipbuilding level. Currtly, Austrsia has mastered the technology of building dreadnoughts. Their shipbuilding level is absolutely capable of constructing a simple aircraft carrier.


    If they can build aircraft carriers, why don''t they just build one directly?


    Arthur suddly came to a realization, th he asked Director Theodore in a serious tone, "Director Theodore, what is the shortest takeoff distance for our aircraft at the momt?"


    Theodore answered, "Your Majesty, for our fastest reconnaissance aircraft, the shortest takeoff distance is a ,400 meters."


    Arthur nodded. This level is close to the takeoff distance of aircraft during World War II, which also proves the researchers in the Aerospace Laboratory have indeed made efforts.


    But this is clearly still not ough. If they want to equip aircraft on an aircraft carrier, a sea warship, they should understand that ev thergest warships at prest are no more than a couple hundred meters in lgth.


    This also implies that the takeoff distance of an aircraft on an aircraft carrier is at most two hundred meters, which ces very strict requiremts on the construction technology of aircraft and aircraft carriers.


    What methods of taking off from aircraft carriers were there forter gerations? Arthur thought carefully for a long time, but he was still clueless.


    He only remembered that aircraft seemed to take off by catapulting and vertical lifting, but he didn''t remember the specific form and principle at all.


    Arthur shook his head slightly, th he decided to leave the professional tasks to the professionals.


    Looking at Director Theodore, who was full of anticipation, Arthur smiled and said, "Director Theodore, your efforts aremdable. I am very pleased with the developmt of these three types of military aircraft, and I, on behalf of the military, promise to equip at least 500 nes within the next three years."


    Theodore smiled joyfully and respectfully answered, "This is all thanks to Your Majesty''s support. Without it, we would still be only auxiliary developers of airships."


    "We can''t drop the improvemts to the third-geration aircraft and the research and developmt of the fourth-geration aircraft. Meanwhile, there is also a rather important task for you and the rest of the researchers," Arthur continued.


    "Your Majesty, just give the orders," Theodore was respectfully listing.


    "I once heard a suggestion, asking whether it''s possible to equip warships with aircraft to able theirunch anywhere on the ocean, broading the attack range and operational area of our aircraft. Director Theodore, what do you think of this?" Arthur inquired.


    "Your Majesty, may I ask whose idea this is?" Theodore cautiously asked.


    No one could me Theodore for being cautious. Those who are qualified to propose ideas and suggestions to Arthur are definitely Arthur''s trusted ministers or subordinates.


    Under such circumstances, ev if the ideas and suggestions were unreal, Theodore would not dare to refute them!


    After all, this is an authoritarian state. If the suggesting minister is dissatisfied with Theodore and finds an opportunity to suggest Arthur to dismiss Theodore, th he would be in serious trouble.


    Arthur chuckled, naturally seeing Theodore''s internal thoughts. He reassured him, "Speak your mind freely. Rest assured, in this case, rmdations from experts like you are more important."


    Upon receiving Arthur''s assurance, Theodore th courageously said, "Your Majesty, I believe this is a bold idea. From a hypothetical standpoint, if we can equip warships with aircraft, it would indeed greatly hance the aircraft''sbat capabilities and radius. However, ev our shortest takeoff distance for nes at prest is ,400 meters.


    Surely, we could not build a warship over ,400 meters long!"


    Ev in thete times, the world''srgest ship, the legdary Sea Giant, is only 485 meters long.


    But such a super colossal warship, with a full discemt of 80,000 tons, is dozs of timesrger than the currtrgest battleship.


    Let''s not ev consider whether technology can support the construction of such a ship. Just the cost of building such a huge warship could probably bankrupt a second-tier power.


    Arthur smiled and exined, "What if we used specialunching methods? Like adding an extra power for the airne to possess the initial speed to take off? Or, alter the span of the warship''s deck, slightly bding it upwards, so the ne has a better takeoff scope? Could the required takeoff distance be reduced in this way, thus making it possible for airnes to be equipped on warships?"


    The birth of the aircraft carrier in World War I proves that ev in that period there were technologies and methods to significantly reduce the takeoff distance of aircraft.


    Austrsia''s currt nes are already a step ahead of other countries in the world. Arthur doesn''t believe that the developmt of the aircraft carrier could be blocked due to a minor issue of airne takeoff.


    With the collective scitific research capabilities of the whole country invested in it, Arthur doesn''t believe that the progress of Austrsia''s aircraft carrier research and developmt willg behind other countries in a few years.


    After listing to Arthur''s exnation, Theodore pondered earnestly for a while, th answered seriously, "Your Majesty, this could indeed be possible. But let alone us, the currt worldwide research on sea takeoff tforms is practically zero. Ev if this idea could be a reality, I am afraid it won''t be developed in a short time."


    Arthur nodded, smiling, "This is not a rush, Director Theodore. You can consider this as an important but not urgt task, not for at least the next three years. At prest, our main task is still the massive equipmt of aircraft to build a real air force and the vast construction of warships to build a strong navy.


    This idea may be Austrsia''s main target for future naval construction, but it will take at least several years to implemt. Wh you''ve got some free time, you might want to have a detailed conversation with the experts from the shipyard. I''ll give you three years. As long as there''s some progress in this area, it''ll be considered substantial sess."


    Aircraft carriers only yed a key role in World War II. For the research and developmt of Austrsia''s aircraft carrier, Arthur aimed to have one within three to five years.


    As long as they could build an operational aircraft carrier within this period, it would be considered going smoothly.

 Chapter 308: Chapter 272: Big Belly No. 1

    The performance of the third-geration military aircraft has be significantly improved, and its cost has also increased considerably.


    The cost of the Eagle-3 reconnaissance aircraft reached 7,45 Australian dors, and the cost of the Bgal Tiger-3 fighter aircraft reached 9,5 Australian dors. The most expsive is the Phantom-3 bomber, which costs 3, Australian dors.


    In Arthur''s n to build 500 military aircraft, it includes 50 reconnaissance aircraft, 0 fighters, and 50 bombers, with a total cost of up to 5,05,500 Australian dors, which is not a small number.


    Ev that is only a few million Australian dors less than the military budget of Austrsiast year, which is ough to show the currt high cost of aircraft.


    However,pared to these expses, the role these 500 aircraft will y is far greater than the cost.


    After equipping all aircraft and formingbat capabilities, the naval andnd forces of Austrsia will be hanced for coastal operations and operations within a certain range.


    The reason is nothing more than because Austrsia has mastered theplete air superiority.


    Imagine that if a certain country''s naval andnd forces were at war with the Austrsian Army, and suddly hundreds of bombers appeared in the sky to conduct a bombing, who could stop them?


    This is not only a huge, unprecedted threat to the army, but also a significant threat to warships within the bombing range.


    At this momt, various warships have not mastered anti-aircraft weapons, and these 50 bombers can at least destroy a few dreadnoughts.


    If the aircraft that was previously equipped is also included, after thepletion of this aircraft order, the number of military aircraft equipped in Austrsia will reach 560, far exceeding the total number of military aircraft equipped by other countries globally.


    Of course, it is not clear whether other countries have military aircraft at the momt, and for the first time, Arthur felt the sse of isted domination in Austrsia in a specific area.


    However, although a significant step ahead of other countries in military aircraft, Arthur currtly has no idea ofpletely publicizing the Air Force.


    Thest war with Portugal has already attracted the atttion of airships from all countries worldwide. After that war, many countries have begun investing in airship research and developmt and have made no small achievemts.


    Although there are also cases of research and developmt failures, where is the sess of all weapon research and developmt? Other countries have no doubt about the practicality of airships.


    As far as Arthur knows, investmt in airships in Britain and Germany has already be significant, with at least several million pounds.


    Of course, the achievemts are also outstanding, already catching up with or ev surpassing the achievemts of Austrsian airships, and continuous research and experimtation are being carried out.


    The sess of these two countries has convinced the somewhat weaker powers and subordinates.


    After all, the two most pott countries are continuously researching airships and making significant progress, so what reason do they have to doubt airships?


    Up to now, the number of airships equipped in Europe has exceeded ,000. It can be said that this is a temporary airship gold age.


    If no surprises ur, Arthur believes that the most magnifict momt of airships in history will be staged in Europe more than t years earlier, after all, the atttion and full-blown research and developmt of a top power are not jokes.


    It is also because of the atttion of airships worldwide that various kinds of airshippanies and factories have be born.


    Although a specific business system has not yet be formed, Arthur believes that airships are about to be a major transportation tool in Europe and th spread from Europe to the whole world.


    While airships do indeed have good transportation capabilities, certain areas of Austrsia also use airships for transportation.


    However, for air transportation, Arthur is more looking forward to airnes.


    Yes, after thest time Arthur requested an Aero Labs to develop a passger aircraft and four years of research, the first passger aircraft was finally born.


    Of course, if you only carry passgers, in fact, the second-geration reconnaissance aircraft is already ready. However, this kind of aircraft that can only seat two people cannot bemercialized. To run a single trip for one person, how much would this ne ticket cost?


    The first manned aircraft developed by the Aeronautical Research Room is named SF by Director Theodore.


    SF actually means safe because the most important thing for an aircraft with multiple passgers is to sure the safety of people.


    SF can currtly amodate up to sev passgers, excluding the driver, with a maximum load of .5 tons.


    Because the seating position is in the belly of the ne, this also caused the SF to have a big belly and was ev jokingly referred to as Big Belly No.  by the researchers of the Aerospace Laboratory.


    As the SF carries more people and weight, the average flight speed of this manned aircraft is only 70 km/h, and the maximum flight speed is only 95 km/h.


    This flight speed is far behind military aircraft, but it is ough for manned flights.


    After all, neither the currt trains nor the ships can reach the terrifying speed of 70 km/h.


    For example, the currt passger trains in Austrsia, with an average speed of only 70 km/h, the maximum speed is only 85 km/h.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Not to mtion ships, the speed is far behind trains, let aloneparable to aircraft.

 Chapter 309: Chapter 272: Big Belly Number One_2

    This also means that this manned aircraft can greatly hance the connection betwe two distant regions and significantly reduce the time it takes to travel to these remote areas.


    If you travel from West Australia to the capital Sydney via industrial railway, it will take at least two days.


    But what about taking this passger aircraft? At an average speed of 70 kilometers per hour, it takes about t hours to reach Sydney.


    Of course, currt airnes can''t support such long flights, ev with multiple fuel tanks, the SF''s maximum range is only  kilometers.


    Actually, based on the size of SF, it is tirely possible to add a few more fuel tanks and increase the maximum range to at least 500 kilometers.


    However, doing so might not be worth the risk as nobody can guarantee that the aircraft gine won''t counter problems, especially during long flights.


    Ev the very stable car gines we have today can pottially fail after running continuously for more than t hours.


    Although the chances of failure have now be reduced to a very low frequcy, if a car has a breakdown on the road, it''s just an inconvice. If an airne fails in the sky, the death rate is 0%.


    Therefore, a maximum range of  kilometers is sufficit for currt airnes, as it still requires nearly sev hours of flight time.


    After more than sev hours, ev if the aircraft gine has no problems, it must be allowed to cool down and undergo maintance before flying again.


    Anyway, the distance from West Australia to New South Wales is not too far. If necessary, a transfer stop in the middle of the route wouldn''t waste too much time.


    Although passger aircraft have be developed, Arthur has no ns to use them in the short term, at least not within two years.


    He would wait for these aircraft to undergo a high-frequcy, long-term tests that prove the fault rate is within an eptable range before attempting to use them.


    Of course, Arthur will also take all necessary precautions ev in such situations.


    Arthur is not very satisfied with the currt passger capacity and stability of SF and has no need to expose the aircraft to the scrutiny of other countries. He gave Director Theodore the task of continuing to develop passger aircraft with improved stability, safety, speed, and maximum range.


    As for the number of passgers per aircraft, Arthur hasn''t made any requests in the short term.


    After all, ev if the aircraft''smercial use increases rapidly, it would still be a long time before it bes a transport option for ordinary civilians.


    Until it bes popr amongst people, the market formercial aircraft won''t be very substantial.


    Therefore, a sev-passger aircraft would suffice for now, and if need be, additional flights can be arranged.


    The sessful developmt of several aircraft has pleased Arthur, and the reward for the research staff, such as experts and scitists in the aeronautical research room, was gerous. They received at least five thousand Australian dors, along with various valuable supplies worth over a thousand Australian dors which left them utterly grateful.


    Ev the ordinary workers in the aerospace research room, such as ordinaryborers, were able to receive at least five hundred Australian dors in rewards and supplies. The rewards alone could ount for several years of their wages.


    Although the rewards cost millions of Australian dors, it is only a drop in the ocean for Arthur.


    Moreover,pared to over a million Australian dors, Arthur is more interested in the work attitude of the research staff and the progress of aircraft developmt.


    After instructing Director Theodore to never neglect the quality of the aircraft being built, Arthur left the aerospaceboratory satisfied and returned to Sydney Pce.


    The main task of the aerospaceboratory will now be the production of the 500 aircraft, and Arthur felt there was no need to stay and personally supervise the building of the nes.


    These tasks can be handled by his subordinates. As for Arthur, apart from the developmt of advanced weapons and the initiation ofrge-scale national construction projects, there ar''t too many matters that require his personal atttion.


    After all, as a king, one must remain dignified. Arthur has already earned ough prestige, goodwill, and support among the public. Now, he needs to hance the authority of the king.


    A few dayster, Arthur arrived at the Royal Shipyard to inspect its progress.


    Since theplete construction of the three dreadnoughts in October 909, the Royal Shipyard has be preparing for the construction of the Unified-ss battlecruisers.


    Since all three Monarch-ss battleships were undergoing sea trial tests, the Royal Shipyard had not started building new warships, but was ready to repair the battleships if needed.


    After all, each battleship was built with millions of Australian dors and needed to be protected from any idts.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The good news was that over the past few months, there had be no idts during the naval tests of the three dreadnoughts. The Austrsia, having undergone a year of rigorous sea trials, is almost ready to be officiallymissioned into the fleet.


    As for the remaining Australia and New Zend battleships, if the sea trials go smoothly, they should be able to be officiallymissioned in thetter half of this year, bing the trump cards of the Austrsian navy.


    By th, Austrsia will officially be one of the top t naval powers in the world. Ev stretching the truth, it is not impossible to say that their naval power has reached the great power level.


    In fact, considering the control of the sky by the aircraft, the Austrsian navy does have great power levelbat effectivess in coastal operations, although it can only be considered at the tail d of the major power level.


    To catch up with top powers like Britain and Germany, having dozs of dreadnoughts would be absolutely necessary.


    After all, historically, since the birth of the dreadnought in 906, the construction of dreadnoughts has be quite exaggerated amongst the major powers during the short eight-year period until 94.


    The British Empire built the most dreadnoughts, a whopping 9 ships in just eight years, leading the world pack.


    Ranked second naturally was the German Empire, which built 7 dreadnoughts in eight years.


    Although the United States was rtively weak before World War I, they still built six sses of dreadnoughts totaling  ships.


    Britain''s construction speed was extremely exaggerated, averaging 3.6 dreadnoughts per year, a rate that Austrsia''s shipbuilding industry could not ev catch up to if it tried.


    Germany was also quite exaggerated, building two dreadnoughts per year on average.


    If considering Austrsia''s shipbuilding capabilities, working at full capacity for eight years, they could build only about t dreadnoughts.


    Of course, this does not consider the costs of building dreadnoughts and crew training time, only taking into ount the construction speed of the warships.

 Chapter 310: Chapter 273: Water Cabinet and Tank

    The two Unified-ss strategic cruisers to be built in the Royal Shipyard, named Unity Scott and Peace Harmony, officially began construction in mid-January of this year.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Since the main task of the Royal Shipyard this year is to build these two fast cruisers, the construction speed of these two warships will be slightly faster, expected to bepleted in October at the earliest, and should not exceed December at thetest.


    After attding the oping ceremony of the warships, Arthur approached the person in charge of the Royal Shipyard and asked the same question he had previously asked Director Theodore at the Aerospace Laboratory.


    Without bragging, the person in charge of the Royal Shipyard carefully and cautiously thought for a while before giving Arthur a ttative answer.


    After receiving the response, Arthur nodded with satisfaction and ordered the person in charge of the Royal Shipyard to connect with the Aeronautical Research Room.


    The developmt of aircraft carriers cannot be achieved without the joint efforts of the shipyard and the Aeronautical Research Room ¨C not only must the aircraft be able to take off in a short distance, but theirbat capabilities and designs must be more reasonable.


    Let the Aerospace Laboratory and the Shipyard deal with the specific designs and experimts! For Arthur, all he needs to do ise up with an idea, and there are many people to put it into practice.


    After attding the oping ceremonies of the two warships, Arthur officially approached the members of the International Olympic Committee inte January and held a grand banquet to wee their arrival.


    After the banquet, Minister Grant and the International Olympic Committee members immediately wt to the designated area of the Austrsia National Stadium.


    The International Olympic Committee is gerally satisfied with Austrsia''s arrangemts. After all, their requiremt is to build a sports vue that can amodate up to 40,000 people. ording to Austrsia''s n, the National Stadium will be a superrge sports vue that can amodate 50,000 people, far exceeding the requiremts of the International Olympic Committee.


    To build the National Stadium, the Austrsian Governmt has spared no expse to hire well-known designers and constructionpanies from Europe and America, aiming to build a national stadium that will be in use for over a hundred years. Ev if the stadium is no longer in use in the future, it can serve as a witness to the developmt of Australrasia over the cturies.


    Determining the design of the stadium is not an easy task, as the Austrsia National Stadium will be one of Austrsia''sndmarks and an external symbol of its sports field.


    This also means that the design requiremts of the stadium are very strict, not only to show the country''s good side, but also to be innovative ough to attract more people.


    Under the coordination of the internationalmittee and Minister Grant, major constructionpanies and designers took more than a month to finalize the initial design.


    During this period, more than half of the time was spt arguing over which design was better. Two constructionpanies ev quarreled over it, not ruling out that one party was British and the other was German.


    Once the design is finalized, the next most important task is definitely to ter construction.


    Arthur, Prime Minister Walter, Chancellor Kt, and several ministers attded the gbreaking ceremony of the National Stadium. At the ceremony, Arthur delivered an important speech, emphasizing how important sports are to the diversified developmt of Austrsia.


    He also couraged and called for more Austrsians to devote themselves to the developmt of sports, making contributions to the country while keeping fit and healthy.


    ording to Minister Grant''s report, thousands of Austrsians wanted to sign up to be athletes just on the day Arthur''s speech ded.


    However, selecting athletes must be done carefully and strictly, evaluating their physical fitness and talt while also giving priority to patriotic young people.


    Arthur''s speech relieved Minister Grant. As this speech began to spread nationwide, there was no need to worry about the number of athletes.


    Minister Grant ev suspected that if the sports departmt rxed the recruitmt of athletes, the number of athletes in Austrsia could easily exceed ts of thousands at any time.


    It sounds crazy, but there is no real need for such quantity. It is important to remember that ev the Olympics with the most athletes involved just over two thousand people.


    At the London Olympics, where a single country had the most athletes, Britain st only over sev hundred athletes.


    There are only first, second, and third ces in the sports industry, no participation or constion prizes, so the selection of athletes should focus on quality rather than quantity.


    Minister Grant made great efforts to select nearly five hundred young people with seemingly good physical fitness and talt from the ts of thousands of applicants. In addition to the over one hundred athletes who had participated in the previous Olympics, he assembled a team of over six hundred athletes, preparing for the Sydney Games to be held in Austrsia.


    With nearly two and a half years before the Sydney Gamesmce, Minister Grant st these more than six hundred athletes to designated locations for secret training.


    It is believed that more than two years of training will yield results for these athletes. Minister Grant''s expectations are not high ¨C as long as one-tth of these more than six hundred athletes can win medals, it will satisfy his expectations.


    It is worth mtioning that Minister Grant specially spt part of the funds to consult the National Committee officers on methods for rapidly training athletes, which could provide shortcuts for their training.


    Fortunately, there is no strict regtion in currt sports training, mainly relying on instinct and physical fitness.


    In March 9, the construction of the Austrsia National Stadium officially began. The construction of the sports vue is expected to take 0 months, but may be dyed to about 4 months.


    This also means that the stadium will bepleted by March 9 at thetest, barely in time for its official use before the oping of the Olympic Games in June 9.


    The construction of hotels and other facilities, as well as roads to support the sports vue, is expected to bepleted by the d of 9 at the earliest and noter than March 9 at thetest.


    The construction period is carefully nned and predicted by various constructionpanies and designers, and will not exceed the predicted range.


    Arthur is gerous with the construction of the stadium, with an initial budget of 6 million Australian dors, a reserve budget of 4 million Australian dors, and the option to add more at any time.


    Arthur''s only requiremt is to sure quality and efficicy, andplete the construction on time.


    This demand is quite flexible for the constructionpanies, so their thusiasm for work is rtively high.


    Furthermore, with the input of many Indigous people, it saves a lot ofbor and manpower, reducing the cost of the stadium''s construction.


    In April, Arthur wt to the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory in the Sydney suburbs to inspect the rect situation of the factory.


    Of course, Arthur''s visit is ostsibly to inspect the construction of tractors and the specific situation of tractors at the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory.


    Since tractors began to be used on arge scale in some parts of Austrsia a few years ago, they have be an integral part of the developmt of Austrsia''s agriculture.


    People were surprised to find that tractors not only significantly reducebor consumption, but also perform better than humanbor in plowing thend.


    At the same time, tractors can be used for harvesting and some other tasks. They are like dedicated serfs with great strgth, other than being expsive and requiring fuel consumption.


    By now, Australia has more than ,000 agricultural tractors in use, with more than 70% of them in state-owned or royal farms in Austrsia.


    The substantial growth of Austrsian grain production is indeed attributable to the contribution of tractors.


    However, Arthur would not personally interve in such a small tractor matter. The real reason he came is that the Agricultural Machinery Factory, under the guise of researching tractors, researched and manufactured the first-geration tank.


    Of course, the reason this thing is called a tank is because in order to keep its research secret, the Agricultural Machinery Factory called it a "water cab", which is "tank" in English.


    After Arthur''s approval, the thing, which had nothing inmon with tractors in its actual use, was officially named the "tank".


    The tank made by the Agricultural Machinery Factory is slightly taller than a normal tractor in appearance.


    At first nce, it is not much differt from a tractor except for the addition of a seemingly thickyer of steel te.


    Of course, due to the steel te coverage, the front of the tank has only one small observation hole, and it is basically airtight in other ces.


    A long gun barrel protrudes from the top of the tank, its dark muzzle seemingly capable of capturing souls.


    This tank has a total of four crew members: a driver, amander, a gunner, and a loader.


    Normally, themander also serves as the tankmander and observer, standing at the tank''s only observation hole.


    The driver sits in the front part of the tank, operating the tire tank in the same way as a tractor is operated.


    The gunner is responsible for firing and aiming the mm howitzer mounted on top of the tank while also being in charge of the machine gun at the very top.


    Of course, in order to use the machine gun at the top, passgers must stick half of their body out of the tank, which is bound to be somewhat dangerous.


    The loader''s simplest task is to load ammunition into the tank''s guns. The ammunitionpartmt and guns are on either side of the loader, who doesn''t need to move to load the ammunition.


    The observer, also the tankmander, is responsible for guiding the tank''s movemts and fire.


    Through the observation hole, the observer monitors the tank''s position and direction of movemt, ordering his three subordinates to perform corresponding actions.


    The four crew members work together, maintaining the operation of the tire tank.

 Chapter 311: Chapter 274: Test on the Training Ground

    The tire tank weighs about .5 tons, and on top of amodating four crew members, it can also carry two  ammunition pouches with ,00 machine-gun bullets, 8 shells, and weapons for all four crew members.


    Because it''s a tracked tank, this tank can reach an average speed of 5 kilometers per hour on t roads, with a maximum speed of 3 kilometers per hour.


    Of course, if it''s a non-t road, th the average and maximum cruising speeds would greatly decrease, and may ev affect the stability of the tank.


    While this big guy is rather slow to move, it has a maximum travel distance of a whole  kilometers.


    Because the tank body is fully covered with 7 millimeters of steel armor, it makes this big guy look rather bulky, but its protective ability is indeed trustworthy.


    If we look historically,te World War One tank armors were only about 5 to  millimeters thick, whereas the armor thickness of the first-geration tank of Austrsia has far exceeded this number.


    Of course, this is still a long way from the armor thickness of tanks from the World War II period. During World War II, tank armor thickness had universally reached 45 to 0 millimeters, and the armor thickness of the Mouse Super Heavy Tank ev reached a terrifying 350 millimeters.


    What does 350 millimeters mean? It''s almost half a meter high, bullets could probably only scratch off ayer of paint.


    Seeing Arthur''s interest in the newly developed tank, the researchers at the Agricultural Machinery Factory quickly organized a performance test for the tank.


    Of course, this test couldn''t be carried out at the Agricultural Machinery Factory. After all, if there were constant explosions and machine gun fire at a factory producing agricultural machinery, people would start asking questions.


    To maintain secrecy, the tank test was ced at the Guard Division''s station in the Sydney Suburbs. The artillery and machine gun fire could be falsely said to be part of the Guard Division''s training.


    The Guard Division''s station, at a certain training g.


    Normally at this time, this ce would have already started various cannon and shooting trainings.


    But at this momt the training g was rather quiet, and there were some trches, iron wire meshes, tunnel trches, water ditches, fortresses, and simply built small fortresses on the training g.


    Of course, although these facilities were simply constructed, their sturdiness was absolutely trustworthy.


    At least in war, it would be a qualified defsive position, and the protective performance would be absolutely better than hastily built defsive positions.


    Perhaps because of yesterday''s rain, the training field had be rather muddy. Wh walking on this kind of road, one couldn''t avoid slipping, which would naturally decreasebat power during a battle.


    On a high tform outside the training g, Arthur, Defse Minister Raul, Secretary of State Kt, Brigadier Thomas, and the person in charge of the Agricultural Machinery Factory, stood on the high tform carefully examining with telescopes.


    Inside the training g, a peculiarly shaped tracked vehicle slowly approached, its tracks helped it avoid slipping on the somewhat muddy training field.


    Naturally, this was the star of today, the tank. Everything on the training g was set up for the tank, with the purpose of testing the performance of the tank built by the Agricultural Machinery Factory.


    "Mr. Factory Manager, does this big guy truly have the abilities you mtioned?" Brigadier Thomas asked curiously.


    Although the factory manager of the Agricultural Machinery Factory had praised this tankvishly, no matter how Brigadier Thomas looked at it, he still felt that it was a clumsy thing. Could it really be used in the battlefield and be a weapon of mass destruction?


    "Brigadier Thomas, just watch!" The Factory Manager nced at Arthur''s face, th smiled and told Thomas.


    Under everyone''s gaze, the tank slowly approached various defsive works and wt through them effortlessly: iron wire mesh, wood stakes, puddles, these obstacles which infantry would struggle with were easily ovee.


    Seeing the tank effortlessly pass through these troublesome obstacles, Brigadier Thomas raised an eyebrow and continued to watch with interest.


    Next up was a seemingly effortful steep slope, and a convtional trch at the bottom of the slope.


    Because the steep slope and the trch are rtively close, this means that the tank could fail to brake in time and fall into the trch.


    But this was no match for the tracked tank. After easily climbing the steep slope, the tracked tank crossed the trch as if it were t g, as if the two-meter deep trch didn''t exist.


    The d of the trch is a simple fortress constructed of steel and cemt. Although not thick, having infantrym take down this fortress would likely tail significant casualties.


    For such fortresses are much like tortoises on a battlefield - there is little that can be done if they retract within their shells.


    The tank approached the fortress, and the troops hidd within it chose to retreat promptly after three minutes of rifling and machine-gun fire, once they recognized they could not inflict any harm on it.


    After everyone vacated the fortress, the tank bombarded it, quickly sting a sizable hole under the excessive consumption of shells, and ultimately destroying the feeble fortress at the tank''s impact.


    The biggest challge for infantry trying to overtake such a fortress is the variety of counterattacks from within it, inflicting heavy casualties.


    Still, the tank dured three minutes of firing from within the fortress before destroying it - this was to prove that while demolishing the fortress, the tank can withstand the assault from its upants.


    At this sight, not just Brigadier Geral Thomas, but also Defse Minister Raul and Secretary of State Kt, were all pleasantly surprised, showing considerable interest in this new weapon that the agricultural machinery factory developed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After watching the tank destroy the fortress and leisurely return to its starting point, the military officials slowly shifted their eyes towards the machinery factory. Their excitemt could hardly be concealed.


    "All right, you were all invited here to witness the practicalbat capabilities of this new weapon. This new weapon will certainly be deployed in our military, beginning with the Guard Division," Arthur said amusedly, looking at their excited faces.


    "Your Majesty, why don''t you equip us with a battalion instead! This big fe will be a deadly weapon on the battlefield, reducing casualties on our side, and ruthlessly destroying the emy''s troops and fortresses without mercy." Upon hearing this, Brigadier Thomas could not suppress his eagerness and promptly requested.


    "Deploymt is inevitable, but the tank is still in the developmt stage, so its performance is not yet stable. Today''s tank experimt wt smoothly, but that doesn''t mean idts won''t ur in the future. However, it''s undiable that this tank has ormousbat capabilities and can y a decisive role on the battlefield," said Arthur, with a smile.


    No wonder these military leaders were so excited about the tank - ev in original history, it was a powerful weapon capable of changingbat concepts.


    Didn''t the Red Russians'' massive steel stream of tanks and armored cars cause the European nations to tremble for a long while inter gerations?


    "Factory Manager Joel, why don''t you exin to these gtlem the currt developmt progress of the tank," Arthur suggested, chuckling.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," responded Joel, the Factory Manager of the agricultural machinery factory. He th exined respectfully to the trio, "Gtlem, our tank is still in the developmt phase. It''s estimated to take about six more months before it''s ready for mass production. You wouldn''t want to purchase tanks that break down now and th, would you?


    Please give our machinery factory half a year''s time. I assure you that we can provide the military with reliable tanks in six months'' time."


    Upon hearing Factory Manager Joel''s six-month deadline, all three nodded in understanding.


    Quality and stability are of primary concern to military weapon purchases. After all, soldiers would hate for their weapons to malfunction in the middle of a battlefield, wouldn''t they? That would be like ying with their lives!


    Minister Raul nodded and said,ughing, "Factory Manager Joel, you must ramp up all the following tests and improvemts at your factory! Rest assured, there''ll never be any shortages in military orders. Ev if it means going all out, I will lobby for an order for at least a thousand tanks for the military."


    Whether it''s Secretary of State Kt, Defse Minister Raul, or Brigadier Thomas, they are all high-ranking officials and elites from the military.


    They''ve already developed aprehsive understanding of thebat power of tanks and their decisive impact on the battlefield.


    If the Austrsian military could be equipped with a thousand tanks, ev if the total strgth of our military is just one hundred and twty thousand people, it would still be absolutelyparable to the armies of other nations numbering in the hundreds of thousands.


    It''s not ev an exaggeration to say that with a thousand tanks, the Austrsian army could ter the level of major powers in an instant. Ev among these powers, it would definitely not rankst.


    "The information regarding our tanks must be kept absolutely secret and mass deploymt within the military in a short timeframe is basically impossible," Kt countered, looking at Defse Minister Raul.


    "My apologies for the oversight," Defse Minister Raul quickly conceded, facing his former superior and Arthur''s absolute confidant, Deputy Prime Minister Kt.


    "What Kt said is absolutely right. Currtly, the tank is ssified top secret for Austrsia and cannot be oply deployed in the military. However, we can secretly establish armored divisions and form an armyposed solely of tanks, asionally dispatching other divisions to conduct mixed training with the tank division.


    Of course, the personnel from these divisions participating in the training must be carefully selected. In short, until other countries vigorously develop tanks, ours are best kept a secret," Arthur nodded, thereby agreeing with Kt''s opinion.


    Seeing that Arthur had spok, Defse Minister Raul certainly had no objections.


    "Of course, if other European nations begin to vigorously develop tanks, th our tanks can also be oply dered. At such a time, as Defse Minister Raul stated, ev if it requires the deploymt of a thousand tanks, we must sure our superiority in tanks against other nations."

 Chapter 312: Chapter 275: Synthetic Ammonia

    After watching the tank performance, Arthur met with Fritz Haber from Germany a few dayster without a break.


    Wh ites to Haber''s name, it might be unfamiliar to those who are not very interested in the chemical industry.


    But if the ammonia synthesis technology is mtioned, the fame would undoubtedly be much higher.


    Haber was born in a Jewish family in Breu, Silesia, Germany, and was a well-known German chemist.


    Because he seeded in producing ammonia from the air in 909, he won the Victoria Chemistry Award at the d of 909 and received Arthur''s personal invitation toe to the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    The predecessor of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association was the Royal Physical Research Association, and the chief presidt was Albert Einstein.


    The establishmt of the Physical and Chemical Research Association is naturally for attracting top physical and chemical talts from Europe and ev all over the world.


    Up to now, Arthur''s investmt in the Royal Physical and Chemical Research Association has exceeded ts of millions of Australian dors, and the achievemts have indeed be not small.


    Many famous physicists and chemists, including Albert Einstein and Haber, have be personally invited by Arthur to join the Royal Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    They only need to change their nationality to Austrsia, and they can receive at least five thousand Australian dors in annual sry, plus at least fifty thousand Australian dors in research funds per person per year.


    In addition to these, all state-ownedboratories and materials in Australia, as well asboratories and some equipmt within the University, are provided free of charge to members of the Royal Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    In short, once you be a member of the Royal Physical and Chemical Research Association, the research funding is provided by the Research Association, and you will receive a high sry, and ev the daily necessities of family members have arrangemts.


    This is good news for some scitific researchers who love scitific research but are financially embarrassed. It is also precisely because of these conditions that the Royal Australian Physical and Chemical Research Association has attracted more than 0 members so far.


    These are all famous physical and chemical researchers from European and American countries, all of them have certain research results, and their abilities are recognized by famous experts.


    Haber''s reputation inter gerations is actually not very good, because Haber served as the director of a chemical factory during World War I and was responsible for the developmt and production of chlorine gas and mustard gas. He used it in the war, causing nearly a million casualties.


    This inhumane act was condemned by scitists from many countries such as the United States, Britain, and France, which also caused Haber''s reputation in the scitific researchmunity to decline drastically.


    However, this does not hinder Haber''s talt in chemistry at all. The ammonia synthesis technology he developed is also esstial at the national level.


    Of course, wh ites to ammonia synthesis technology, the importance of ammonia cannot be ignored.


    Ammonia is a colorless gas with a strong irritating odor. Ammonia is apound of nitrog and hydrog, which is easily soluble in water and is an esstial raw material for making nitrate fertilizers and explosives.


    The importance of ammonia synthesis technology lies precisely in the vital mineral for making gunpowder and agricultural fertilizers, saltpeter.


    Because it can make gunpowder and is also an esstial source of agricultural fertilizers, this leads to the unmatched importance of saltpeter mines and is held by very few countries.


    Currtly, the world''srgest Saltpeter minees from the Pampas Desert in Chile, which ev inter gerations, is still thergest saltpeter mining area and saltpeter export site in the world.


    Wars erupted for this saltpeter mine among neighboring countries and Chile, but Chile finally seeded in obtaining it.


    With the support of the British, Chile sessfully became one of the three powers in South America. But the cost was that this saltpeter mine was firmly upied by the British, and the mining and sales of saltpeter mines were basically controlled by the British.


    The British Empire''s monopoly on saltpeter mines has caused dissatisfaction among many other countries. There is no way, saltpeter mines are esstial for military industry and agriculture. Ev if they cannot get a share from the British-upied saltpeter mines, they must find alternatives to saltpeter mines to solve the raw materials for making gunpowder and fertilizers.


    Among the various alternatives to saltpeter mines, ammonia is undoubtedly one of the esstial alternatives.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As early as 795, someone tried to synthesize ammonia under normal atmospheric pressure but ultimately failed. Th, others tried to test it under multiple differt atmospheric pressures, but the result was still a failure.


    This situation did not progress until the second half of the 9th ctury. Advances in physics and chemistry allowed people to realize that the reaction of nitrog and hydrog to synthesize ammonia is reversible.


    Increasing pressure will push the reaction towards ammonia production: increasing temperature will shift the reaction in the opposite direction, but the reaction rate is too small if the temperature is too low; catalysts will have a significant impact on the reaction. This has provided theoretical guidance for the ammonia synthesis experimt.


    At that time, Nestor, the German authority in physical chemistry, clearly pointed out that nitrog and hydrog could synthesize ammonia under high pressure, and provided some experimtal data.


    Frch chemist Le Chatelier was the first to attempt a high-pressure ammonia synthesis experimt, but due to the oxyg mixed into the nitrog-hydrog mixture, an explosion urred, causing him to abandon the dangerous experimt. Having a good foundation in the field of physical and chemical research, Haber is determined to ovee this daunting problem.

 Chapter 313: Chapter 275: Synthetic Ammonia_2

    Haber first conducted a series of experimts to explore the optimal physicochemical conditions for ammonia synthesis.


    In the experimts, some of the data he obtained were differt from Nestor''s; he did not blindly follow authority but relied on experimts to test, and finally confirmed that Nestor''s calctions were incorrect.


    With the assistance of Lorzo, a British studt, Haber sessfully designed a set of equipmt suitable for high-pressure experimts and a process for synthesizing ammonia, which involves: blowing steam over hot coke to obtain a nearly equal volume mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrog gas.


    The carbon monoxide in the mixture further reacts with steam under the action of a catalyst, producing carbon dioxide and hydrog gas. Th, the mixed gas is dissolved in water under a certain pressure, and carbon dioxide is absorbed to produce rtively pure hydrog gas.


    Simrly, steam is mixed with an appropriate amount of air and passed through red-hot coke; oxyg in the air reacts with carbon to produce carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and is absorbed and removed, thus obtaining the required nitrog gas.


    The mixture of nitrog gas and hydrog gas is synthesized into ammonia under high temperature and pressure conditions and the action of a catalyst.


    But what are the optimal high temperature and pressure conditions? And which catalyst is the best? This still requires a lot of effort to explore.


    With perseverance and through continuous experimts and calctions, Haber finally achieved inspiring results in 909.


    This means that at 600¡æ high temperature, 00 atmospheric pressure, and osmium as a catalyst, a yield of about 8% ammonia can be obtained. An 8% conversion rate is not high, which will certainly affect the economic befits of production.


    Haber knew that the synthesis of ammonia could not reach as high a conversion rate as sulfuric acid production, where the oxidation reaction of sulfur dioxide has almost a 0% conversion rate. What to do?


    Haber believed that if the reaction gas could be processed in a closed loop under high pressure and the ammonia produced could be continuously separated from the loop, the process would be feasible. He sessfully designed the closed-loop process for the feed gas. This is the Haber process for synthesizing ammonia.


    After the birth of the ammonia synthesis technology, Haber''s name became famous throughout the European chemicalmunity.


    After sessfully obtaining the patt for the Haber process of ammonia synthesis, Haber also received the news that he had won the Victoria Chemistry Award that year.


    In order to bring his process out of theboratory and formally start industrial production, Haber made a decisive decision to ept Arthur''s invitation and take up a position at the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    Of course, what really attracted Haber, in addition to the various conditions of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association, was Arthur''s additional promise that as long as Haber was willing to give his process to Austrsia, Austrsia would do its best to quickly industrialize Haber''s process, build an ammonia synthesis nt within five years, and officially start production.


    At that time, the befits would be shared with Haber, and he was invited to serve as the Executive Vice Presidt of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    Arthur''s confidce in being able to build a full-scale ammonia synthesis nt stemmed from the fact that, in the original history, Haber''s ammonia synthesis concept was officially realized in 93, and a 30-ton-per-day ammonia synthesis nt was built and put into operation at that time.


    It would take only about three years to build the nt, and historically, Haber had only giv the technology to Germany''srgest chemicalpany.


    Arthur didn''t believe that, with the full support of the nation, he couldg far behind a chemicalpany.


    The day after Haber''s arrival, Arthur announced Haber''s appointmt as deputy chairman of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association and, in the presce of Haber and Butler Kt, announced that the Royal Financial Group would invest one million Australian dors in the construction of an ammonia synthesis nt using the Haber process.


    Haber contributed his ammonia synthesis technology, holding forty perct of the shares, while Arthur''s royal financial group invested  million Australian dors, holding sixty perct of the shares.


    The ammonia synthesis nt would be located in the Leonora Industrial Base, and the construction of the nt itself would not be difficult; however, the specific equipmt and methods for industrial production of ammonia synthesis still needed further research by Haber and other members of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    Arthur made a promise in this regard: as long as the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association could solve the ammonia production problem, the royal family would give the Association one million Australian dors for research funding and an additional twty thousand Australian dors for each member.


    One million Australian dors in research funding, divided among the 0-plus experts of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association, would amount to ts of thousands of Australian dors per person.


    And as long as the group could solve the ammonia production technology issue, each member would receive an additional twty thousand Australian dors in rewards, which is equivalt to four years of their sry, and no one would refuse.


    It is important to know that the sries of members of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemistry Research Association are definitely not low and are gerally at a medium-to-high level in Europe.


    Moreover, Arthur is gerous. As long as there are significant research results, there will be rewards. Therefore, the actual ie of these members is ev higher than that of most experts in Europe. Also, they have free ess toboratories and an annual fixed amount of research funding. This is why experts are willing to change their nationality toe to Austrsia.


    After trusting the challge of industrializing synthetic ammonia to the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemistry Research Association and letting Haber pay atttion to the construction of the synthetic ammonia factories, Arthur finally set his mind at ease.


    In fact, besides synthetic ammonia, Austrsia currtly also attaches great importance to the chemical industry.


    Several chemical factories that have newly settled in the Leonora Industrial Base have mainly joyed the strong support of Austrsia for the chemical industry.


    In addition to the extra tax concessions, the royal financial group and governmt provided double loans to these chemical industries to sure that they have sufficit funds for developmt.


    At prest, the tax paid by geral industries is about elev perct, while that of the chemical industry is only eight perct.


    And these chemical factories can asionally get free help from members of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemistry Research Association. Of course, if they have sufficit funds, they can directly hire these members as consultants.


    Besides these, the Austrsian governmt has also provided greater support for the chemical gineering majors in various universities.


    Not only has the number of studts admitted to the chemical gineering majors increased, but there has also be more reduction in tuition and misceneous fees for studts rolling in chemical gineering majors. There are also more schrships and befits to cultivate more talt for the chemical industry.


    Currtly, the strongest in the chemical industry should be Austrsia National University and Oand University.


    The chemical gineering major of Austrsia National University currtly rolls up to 400 studts per year, while that of Oand University rolls 00 studts per year.


    In addition to the chemical gineering majors in other universities, regardless of their size, the chemical industry of Austrsia can train at least 700 university studts per year, which can make up for the shortage of talt in the chemical industry.


    Of course, as for top chemical talts, Austrsia currtly has no way to cultivate them by itself and can only rely on hiring them from Europe and the United States.


    Most of the time, however, they hire from Europe. After all, education in Europe is already very popr, and various talts are also very abundant, making it somewhat easier to win them over.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In countries like the United States, although the economy is very developed, education is not as widespread as in Europe.


    Ev the reason for the rise of the United States inter gerations is due to the attraction of arge number of European talts during World War I and World War II.


    To draw talts from the United States now, first, these talts are highly valued by the American governmt, and second, their talt may not necessarily beparable to Europeans.


    With the currt good rtionship betwe Austrsia and Germany, it is rtively easy for Austrsia to invite some chemical experts from Germany.


    So far, Austrsia has hired more than forty well-known experts from Europe, most of whom are outstanding talts who have basically joined the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemistry Research Association.


    The remaining talts with a little fame have also tered the chemical gineering majors of various universities under Arthur''s arrangemt, cultivating more middle-level talts in the chemical industry in Austrsia.


    Although the chemical industry has both advantages and disadvantages for human society, the befits far outweigh the disadvantages and are very important for a country''s developmt.


    Under various measures tak by Austrsia to develop the chemical industry, various chemical factories have sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain, and talts in the chemical industry have gradually be umted.

 Chapter 314: Chapter 276: The Fall of the Old King

    With the onset of April, Austrsia was ushered into the deep autumn of the southern hemisphere.


    Honestly, wh Arthur initially travelled from the United Kingdom to Austrsia, he had difficulty adapting to thepletely opposite seasons of the southern and northern hemispheres.


    While the northern hemisphere dures summer from June to August, it''s the coldest season in the southern hemisphere.


    However, the good news was that during the British summer, Arthur could still experice a taste of snow, albeit not much.


    As a ruler of a nation, Arthur''s life was privileged and opult, yet also dull and uninteresting.


    Firstly, he was inundated with state affairs. Many decisions that the governmt could not decide were oft referred to Arthur for his opinion.


    Secondly, he had to periodically inspect various domestic constructions and other significant affairs that were happing within the country.


    Arthur was highly esteemed and supported among the people. He typically delivered a speech every Christmas that was distributed nationwide through newspapers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In addition to that, he had to periodically oversee the military, attd weekly cab meetings, read colony reports, understand the developmt of various royal financial group terprises, among other things.


    After all, how could a monarch who is not fully aware of the condition of their own military, governmt territory, and terprise developmt manage and coordinate arge-scale nation?


    As time tered May, while the Industry Secretary Pierre was reporting on the currt status of the Leonora Industrial Base construction to Arthur in his office, Butler Kt hurriedly arrived and said, "Your Majesty! There is big news from the United Kingdom."


    Minister Pierre promptly expressed that he would report another day and hurriedly left.


    Once Minister Pierre had left, Butler Kt walked over and said, "Your Majesty, ording to the news from the British Royal Family, King Edward has just passed away today."


    Arthur suddly stood up, th just as quickly sat back down. His expression returned to normal, exhibiting a serious demeanor as he asked, "Is this news urate? How did Uncle Edward suddly pass away?"


    "The telegram was st directly from the British Royal Family, so the news is highly likely to be urate. As for the cause of King Edward''s death, the British Royal Family has not disclosed it," Butler Kt replied.


    "Order the navy to prepare the fleet and notify Foreign Minister Pierre to immediately form a visiting group set to depart for the United Kingdom tomorrow," Arthur immediatelymanded without hesitation.


    Ev though his rtionship with Edward VII wasn''t particrly good, officially, they were still on good terms as uncle and nephew.


    Furthermore, Arthur joyed high poprity among the British people, and naturally, he couldn''t do anything foolish that could tarnish the good impression the British had of him.


    After all, the support of the British people was still very crucial to Austrsia. Giv Arthur''s status among the British, the British governmt could not possibly oppose Austrsia.


    Although these matters were not important on a national interest level, these politicians were not fools. None of them would dare step forward and be targeted for malice and contempt from the British people.


    Currtly, only royal families of certain powerful monarch nations should know about the news of Edward VII''s death. The British governmt has not publicly disclosed it.


    It''s only to be expected, as any transition of monarch power could cause instability in the country and society.


    For a country like the United Kingdom, possessing extsive colonies and consisting of many kingdoms on its nativend, national stability and tranquillity are of the utmost importance.


    The passing of Edward VII was not necessarily bad news for Arthur, but it wasn''t all good news either.


    The passing of Edward VII officially marked the d of the Victorian Era. This indicated that Que Victoria''s residual prestige was dwindling; as time progressed, Arthur''s status in the hearts of the British public would likely decline, bing less significant.


    Moreover, beginning with the subsequt King George V, the power of British monarchs wasn''t as substantial. They could no longer suppress various formal groups and organizations within Britain.


    Historically, King George V indeed did not possess the dexterity of Que Victoria and Edward VII. To solidify the royal family''s position during World War I, the royal family had to give up the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Dynasty and change their surname to Windsor.


    Although this action was glorified as being in line with public stimt, a king changing his surname represts the waning of the royal family and the monarch''s power, does it not?


    If the public truly supported the royal family, th the restmt should have be directed at Germany, not at the Royal Family, who, despite having originated from Germany hundreds of years ago, had be thoroughly British except for their surname.


    One should know that changing one''s surname not only involved the royal family''s dignity but also the family''s honor and history.


    As the monarch of the most powerful nation in the world, King George V''s act of changing his family''s surname symbolized the decline of Britain''s royal power and the royal family.


    If the monarch during World War I was Que Victoria, th there would absolutely be no pressure for the royal family to change their surname.


    Regrettably, great monarchs like Que Victoria are few, and the final glory of the Victorian Era is about to d.


    It''s worth mtioning that Arthur is also from the British royal family and is a direct descdt.


    If the British royal family changes its surname in the future as it has in history, should Arthur acknowledge it?


    Arthur shook his head subtly, dismissing that idea. Within Austrsia, no power could make Arthur change his surname, and he had no inttion of doing so either.


    After all, his rtionship with the British royal family after King George V was not that close, Arthur had no need to follow any name change made by Britain, and risk losing face.


    After ordering Butler Kt to notify the navy and Minister Andrew, Arthur returned to his bedroom in the royal pce, bidding farewell to Que Mary with a regretful face.


    He had promised Que Mary after thest tour that he would not frequtly leave the pce for at least two years, so that their son William and daughter Anna could see their father at any time.


    Unexpectedly, in less than half a year, Arthur had to break his word.


    However, this was unavoidable. Que Mary was very understanding and evforted Arthur with a smile, reassuring him that she and Princess Louise would sure there would be no problems at the pce.


    Of course, before leaving, Arthur also needed to hold a cab meeting to arrange governmt affairs after his departure from Austrsia.


    The death of Edward VII posed a significant problem for the British Empire, the old empire.


    Despite Arthur''s dislike for Edward VII, he had to admit that this man, whocked discretion in his personal life, was indeed capable in managing state affairs.


    Although Britain is currtly the undisputed top power in the world, with the world''s best navy and the third-strongest industry,


    Britain''s internal situation is already pretty bad, with not only ss differces, but also political contradictions and party disputes.


    The major political fight in Britain is betwe the two major parties, the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party.


    Prime Minister Asquith, the leader of the Liberal Party, has implemted many reforms in Britain, earning a great deal of prestige and solidifying the Liberal Party''s position as the ruling party.


    However, the problem is that Edward VII, who supported the reforms, has passed away, and whether the Liberal Party can continue to rule depds on the opinion of King George.


    In other words, the soon-to-be-crowned King George holds a significant stake in the future political trd of Britain.


    If King George chooses the Liberal Party, the political struggle in Britain may be postponed or temporarily eliminate the hidd danger of political instability.


    If King George chooses the Conservative Party, which is opposed to the Liberal Party, the struggle over reforms betwe the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party will begin.


    However, the good news is that for a powerful country like Britain, the struggle betwe political parties does not consume much of the country''s resources.


    In other words, the consumption caused by inter-party struggle is just a drop in the bucket for Britain and will not affect Britain''s status and power.


    But the issue lies in the fact that all these ur under the condition that foreign forces will not interve. If Germany or other countries want to stir up trouble, it may make the already somewhat chaotic British political sce ev more chaotic.


    However, all of this has little to do with Arthur. Currtly, Austrsia does not have much influce internationally, and no country has any designs on Austrsia for the time being.


    After all, to harbor ambitions against Austrsia at this time would mean confronting the joint forces of Britain, Germany, and Russia, the three major powers.


    Going deeper, Britain can pull in France, and Germany can pull in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Doesn''t this mean that anyone who has designs on Austrsia would face the united condemnation of the five major European powers of Britain, Germany, France, Russia, and Austro-Hungary?


    At prest, no country in the world can withstand the joint pressure of these five countries, which means that Austrsia will be quite safe for a long time, at least until other countries and powers rise.


    Arthur called a cab meeting, first to ask the cab''s view on the currt situation in Britain and Europe, and second to have the cab fully prepared for a possible European War.


    Although the historical World War I will not break out for several years, Arthur does not dare topletely rely on history.


    If some country''s brain short-circuits and decides to start a war at this momt, the saying "If one hair is touched, the whole body is affected" is justified, and the tire Europe would be ignited into a great war. If Austrsia is unprepared at that time, wouldn''t that mean countless opportunities would be missed?


    Arthur''s firstmand was to have the Ministry of Industry always ready. If the countries of Europe show signs of fighting, production in the factories can be increased ordingly.


    Concerning medical care, grain, supplies, equipmt, weapons, ammunition, and other strategic materials, they can be transported inrge quantities to Europe wh the timees, in exchange for more befits.

 Chapter 315: Chapter 277: Unexpected Harvest

    Although the chance of war breaking out in Europe was slim at the time, neither the cab governmt nor Arthur dared to gamble on that one small possibility.


    Judging the currt situation and preparing in advance was the first thing Austrsia had to do.


    However, from the standpoint of national interests, Arthur did not wish for World War I tomce just yet.


    After all, if World War I were to break out, countries would naturally impose certain restrictions on emigrating poptions. At that point, it would not be an easy task for Austrsia to attract more immigrants.


    In other words, during the immint outbreak and the actual onset of a war, the number of immigrants to Austrsia would certainly decrease drastically.


    This was an unavoidable circumstance, as manymon people dreaded war. If there were a war, many would certainly choose to migrate abroad.


    However, if these migratory masses were allowed to leave their home countries unchecked, it could lead to a significant poption drain. This would be detrimtal to a country gaged in war, hce the need to curb the issue at its roots.


    As the king of the world''s most powerful country, Edward VII''s funeral was bound to be grand beyond imagination.


    Indeed, if Arthur remembered correctly from history, Edward VII''s funeral was attded by nine European monarchs, five crown princes, more than forty royal nobles, sev ques, and numerous members of the nobility. It was thergest royal gathering in history.


    This was quite possibly the pinnacle of aristocratic gatherings. After World War I, monarchism was significantly weaked, and the power and status of the nobility in various countries were sessively reduced. Monarchism and the nobility slowly withdrew from the political stage in most countries.


    Arthur definitely had to attd such a grand gathering of the aristocracy. Of course, as a member of the British royal family, Arthur had to attd Edward VII''s funeral.


    After all, based on blood rtions, Arthur was Edward VII''s nephew and Que Victoria''s direct grandson.


    Having arranged matters pertaining to the royal family, and giv further instructions to the governmt, Arthur, along with Prime Minister Walter and Foreign Secretary Andrew, as well as a diplomatic visiting group, set out for London aboard the Austrsian battleship.


    Of course, the warships apanying him were not just these. Another two battleships also followed, along with more than t escort ships and arge supply fleet.


    Although this arrangemt risked leaving the Australian coast vulnerable, Arthur believed that no country would dare tond on the Australian coast at this time.


    The Ind Nation and the United States were perhaps the only ones with the ability to do so, but both were quite far away andcked the audacity to provoke the major powers of Europe.


    This time, taking three battleships along served to demonstrate Austrsia''s naval power to the outside world, and to showcase its shipbuilding capabilities, in the hope of getting orders for battleships from the major powers of Europe and monarchist countries.


    It should be noted that one battleship could bring Arthur nearly .4 million Australian dors worth of pure profit, and orders for two foreign battleships would be ough for Arthur to build another one.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Ev Arthur, who did not currtlyck funds, thought of such a bargain as something worth striving for.


    At prest, thepetition in shipbuilding among European countries was intse. Many countries wanted to have dreadnoughts, but did not possess the capacity to build them.


    The European countries capable of building dreadnoughts were in fact mostly busy building their own.


    This resulted in Austrsia having prospects to obtain orders for dreadnoughts from Europe, which was also why Arthur brought along the Foreign Secretary on this trip.


    Foreign ministers were notably articte and might be able to secure some orders for dreadnoughts, which would befit both the royal family and the governmt.


    It should be known that currtly, the countries that truly possessed dreadnoughts were only the British Empire, the German Empire, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Italy and the United States are still constructing their battleships or have ns to do so.


    At prest, the only countries really able to export dreadnoughts were the British Empire, the German Empire, and Austrsia.


    However, the navalpetition betwe the British Empire and the German Empire was intse. Both were too busy constructing dreadnoughts for themselves to spare the effort to build them for other countries.


    Although a single dreadnought could earn them several hundred thousand, or ev over a million pounds in profit, these profits seemed somewhat insignificant in the face of nationalpetition.


    On Arthur''s journey to London, the British governmt had already formally notified countries worldwide, so presumably, political affairs had initially stabilized.


    Of course, while Edward VII died on May 6th, the funeral was scheduled in mid-June, so as to give ough time for all the major countries to travel to London for the funeral.


    Especially for distant countries like Austrsia, Arthur''s status meant that he had to attd, so the funeral had to be postponed for a few days.


    Fortunately, they were traveling on the fastest dreadnought avable, so it only took a little over twty days to get from Austrsia to London.


    If it had be the earlier old battleships or warships, reaching London within a month would have be impossible.


    Of course, if they were aboard the under-construction battlecruisers, they might have arrived a few days earlier.


    Unfortunately, the construction of the battlecruisers was going to take a long time, and it would not be until the d of the following year before they were really put into naval service.


    In early June, the fleet of Austrsia officially arrived at the Port of London.


    At this point, the atmosphere in London had turned very solemn. Laughter on the streets of Britain had considerably diminished, indicating Edward VII''s poprity among the British.


    Arthur, being quite far away, was among thest to arrive.


    Closer countries such as Portugal, Norway, Dmark, Spain, and Belgium, had basically arrived by May.


    However, the look in the eyes of King Carlos I of Portugal towards Arthur was not so fridly. After all, not long ago, Austrsia had seized Portuguese Timor from Portugal and turned it into its newest colony.


    Of course, national interests were not the real reason for Carlos'' hostility towards Arthur. The main reason was that Arthur had controlled the public opinion in all of Europe at the time, turning Carlos into aughing stock among European nobility.


    The stern of a monarch was seriously shak, no wonder Carlos showed such animosity towards Arthur.


    Arthur found it somewhat amusing. As far as Arthur was concerned, he didn''t mind King Carlos I''s hostility towards him. After all, Portugal was ultimately a third-tier European country. Its influce couldn''t ev match that of Austrsia at this point.


    Moreover, if it wer''t for Arthur''s influce over the situation in Portugal, perhaps Carlos I would have be assassinated along with his heir, just like in history. By now, Portugal''s king might have be Manuel II, and the Portuguese royal family might be close to extinction.


    Que Victoria was known as the grandmother of the European royal families, and as her eldest son, Edward naturally became the great uncle of the European royals.


    Of course, this was not just lip service. Edward VII held a high prestige among the European royals, and his funeral was attded by the vast majority of the European monarchies and royal families.


    While King Carlos I held some animosity towards Arthur, on British soil, Manuel could only y by their rules.


    What''s more, at Arthur''s side, William II was sharingughs with him, which showed the close rtionship betwe William II and Arthur.


    With so many European royals prest, William II''s choice to stand by Arthur''s side showed that his rtionship with Arthur was the best among them.


    If Carlos I were to pick a fight at such a time, it would surely be a sign of madness.


    It''s worth mtioning that Nichs II did not attd the funeral. It''s not that Nichs II had any objections to Edward VII; Russia and Britain had already reached apromise and, together with France, formed the triple alliance. Naturally, they couldn''t afford to slight Britain at such a juncture.


    The reason Nichs didn''t attd was that his son and heir, Prince Aleksei, suffered from hemophilia, which had tak a severe turn rectly. This left Nichs II no choice but to stay at his son''s side.


    Hemophilia, to the European royal families, was something akin to a damning taboo. Many European people ev called it the "royal disease" as many members of European royal families suffered from it.


    Theoretically, the emergce of hemophilia should be attributed to the tradition of close kinship within the European royal families.


    The currt hemophilia found in the European royal families originated from Que Victoria.


    A significant portion of Que Victoria''s offspring suffered from hemophilia and, through marriage alliances, it spread into other national royal families.


    However, the good news was that neither Arthur nor Duke Old Arthur were hemophiliacs; hce why Duke Old Arthur lived such a long life historically.


    It seems that the hemophilia of Alexei, the Russian heir, was somehow cured by a pseudomysticist.


    Arthur didn''t know the details. After all, there was nothing he could do for the momt, so he focused on his immediate interests and matters at hand.


    By mid-June, the farewell ceremony for Edward VII officially began.


    The scale, standing, and number of participants in the farewell ceremony set a new world record.


    Of course, there was no such thing as world records at this time, but each piece of news and all sorts of records were graved with this evt.


    A total of t kings rode horses, following the hearse, apanied by hundreds of thousands of British citizs bidding farewell to Edward VII.


    Arthur was among these t people, and ev in a rather forward position.


    Although the power of Austrsia was not sufficit to allow him to be among the top t emperors, Arthur was of British royal family''s origin and therefore had a closer rtionship. This allowed him to have the right to be in the front row.


    On the surface, Arthur appeared to be very sadded by the death of Edward VII. After all, he needed to maintain his rtionship with the British governmt and the British public. As a qualified monarch, necessary pretses are esstial.


    Judging from the reaction of the British public, Arthur''s pretse was quite sessful. Many British people remembered Que Victoria''s instructions to Arthur upon her death, and numerous British media praised Arthur as a great monarch who values blood ties, loves his family and cherishes his subjects.


    All sorts of praise from these British media were used in the news about Arthur, which was th printed and dispersed throughout the British Empire.


    There was no way a it, praising Arthur had be a political correctness. Since the British public appreciated Arthur, if the newspapers and media sang another tune, could they still be viable in terms of market and sales?


    The exaggeratedplimts from more media and newspapers towards Arthur made the unaware British public ev fonder of him.


    This inadverttly increased Arthur''s poprity and favorability in Britain and allowed Arthur to once again make an appearance before the British public.


    Originally, Arthur was worried that with the d of the Victorian era, the British people might gradually forget him.


    Unexpectedly, with this idt, the British public liked him ev more. Many British citizs ev spontaneously visited the grave of Duke Old Arthur and his assassination site to remember this loving son of Que Victoria and the bevolt duke of the British Empire.

 Chapter 316: Chapter 278: Joint Statement of European Royal Families

    The funeral and farewell ceremony of Edward VII was ev grander than Que Victoria''s funeral.


    In fact, in rect years, the British have also felt the crisis. The situation is differt from the glorious Victorian era, as the British Empire now has many strongpetitors.


    Particrly the German Empire, which not only maintained arge scale and strongbat power in military affairs but also reltlessly pursued the British Empire in terms of naval power.


    As the German Empire''s strategy gradually shifted towards international expansion, the German Empire and the British Empire gradually moved towards confrontation.


    From the currt point of view, the German Empire is the strongest emy of the British Empire and is the most likely emy to rece the British Empire as the new world hegemon.


    At such a time, the British people are more nostalgic for the glory of the Victorian era.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the peak of the Victorian era, the British Empire was the most powerful country in the world, and otherpetitors could not pose much threat to it.


    After the grand farewell ceremony, many British people were unwilling to leave for a long time. They spontaneously organized memorial evts for the two monarchs of the Victorian era outside the Royal Cemetery and on some streets.


    European nobles who attded the funeral of Edward VII were invited by King George V to attd a grand royal gathering.


    How grand was this royal gathering? It had as many as t monarchs, the lowest of whom was a king.


    At the same time, it also had several ques, crown princes, princes, and grand dukes, as well as distinguished dukes.


    Ev some less promint dukes were not qualified to appear at such a gathering, which shows the high standard and high level of the gathering.


    At the banquet, European royal family members were basically in a state of casual conversation. Usually, these people were from far and wide, upying their own corners of the world.


    For example, a monarch like Arthur, who is far away from Europe, might note for several years.


    Ev European monarchs like William II, due to the busyness of domestic affairs, might not necessarily have time to gather with other royal families.


    Of course, an important factor is that European countries have now divided into two distinct factions.


    As a member of European countries, the behavior of these royal family members greatly influces the views of their countries. Of course, the views of their countries also greatly affect their behavior.


    For example, if a ruler belongs to a country where the domestic governmt and the people are closely acquainted with Britain, ev if the ruler has a better rtionship with the German royal family, he must consider the opinions of the domestic governmt and the people.


    After all, ev though monarchism is still the mainstream in European countries and ev the world, the fact that the power of monarchs has gradually weaked, and fewer monarchs have real power, cannot be died.


    The protagonist of this banquet was naturally King George V. Although Emperor William II of Germany''s status and standing were no worse than George V, it was after all in London, George V''s home court, so it was understandable for him to be the protagonist.


    In fact, Arthur had high expectations for the transformation of the UK''s attitude after George V''s ession. Don''t underestimate the authority of the European royal family at prest.


    Although the rights of individual monarchs may not seem that great, the tire European royal family can represt five European powers, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Kingdom of Italy, as well as many small and medium-sized European monarch countries.


    Most of the European monarch countries participated in the future World War I, which indirectly led to the weaking of European monarchism after the war.


    As a member of the European royal family, Arthur felt it necessary to make some preparations in advance to protect monarchism.


    At the very least, for his own sake, he needed to protect as many European royal families as possible. After all, disregarding national interests, monarchical countries have a better cooperation vironmt.


    P>


    Preserving more monarchical countries can jointly resist the spread of liberal democratic ideas after World War II and defd the tradition of monarchism that hassted for thousands of years together.


    Arthur''s idea of protecting royal power has gained the recognition and approval of many European royal families. After all, from the starting point, this proposal is to safeguard the interests of all monarchical systems and royal families.


    However, the difficulties in implemting the idea of ??the n are not small. Although the power of national monarchs has weaked, the heyday of monarchism is still now.


    Among the eight great powers of the world, all countries are monarchies, except for the United States and France.


    As for France, it constantly alternated betwe republicanism and monarchism, and there were many domestic pro-royal parties and royalists among the people.


    Under such circumstances, the thusiasm of royal family members for promoting the implemtation of this treaty was naturally not high.


    After all, everyone''s rights seem secure, and there seems to be no need to go the extra mile for this treaty.


    After all, as members of the national royal family, they naturally cannot easily promise some things without necessity.


    At least, they would not be able to help other countries'' royal families without their own country''s political forces being willing.


    At its core, this involves using national power for the private interests of the royal family, and ev the likelihood of deploying troops to wage war.


    Very few royal families in Europe could do this, and ev fewer could deploy their own troops for the sake of other countries'' royal families.


    For the time being, the royal families of very few small countries have the idea of ??reaching such an agreemt.


    After all, the status of the royal families in small countries is the most unstable, and they may be abolished due to a political struggle within the nation.


    For countries like Bulgaria, where the royal families have an illustrious backg, kings gerally won''t be abolished but may have their power stripped away.


    Of course, if it were during the aftermath of World War II, wh the monarchy was inplete decline, ev those with a deep-rooted family backg could not escape the fate of being removed from the throne.


    Unfortunately, these small countries can''t y a crucial role in the implemtation of the treaty. The real key yers in pushing for this treaty would mainly be the royal families and monarchs of the five European Great Powers: the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia Nation, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy.


    Since Tsar Nichs II is not prest, and Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire have a close rtionship, the implemtation of the treaty depds mainly on the future King George V of the United Kingdom and Emperor William II of Germany''s opinions.


    Although George V has not yet ascded the throne, ev after his coronation, he is destined not to hold the same power as Que Victoria and Edward VII.


    But it cannot be died that George V, as the future King of the United Kingdom, has a significant say in the European royal family. Many nations that are close to or directly depdt on Britain and their royal families are also waiting for George V''s opinion.


    Arthur is quite hopeful for the implemtation of the treaty, which may be the only chance to achieve a treaty protecting royal power.


    Looking back, ev though there were powerful British monarchs like Que Victoria and Edward VII, there was no opportunity to gather most of the European royal family members together.


    Though Que Victoria''s funeral was a good opportunity, Edward VII would not allow Arthur to advocate the treaty and gain increased prestige and goodwill from many European royal families.


    After all, setting aside all other issues, on the basis of consolidating royal power, the positions of the royal family members of all countries are fundamtally aligned.


    As long as someone can ovee the opposition to achieve a treaty that protects royal power, this person will certainly receive a great deal of goodwill and prestige from other royal families and may ev have some say among European royal families.


    George V is interested in the treaty to protect royal power proposed by his cousin Arthur, but he also understands that he must acknowledge the opinion from within the United Kingdom, at least until he formally ascds to the throne.


    George V does not want to cause too much chaos in Britain; maintaining the currt stability of the nation is the most important, as it rtes to the stability of the British Royal Family and George''s own position.


    After much thought, George V ultimately chose to remain silt. In other words, he intded to see the opinions of others first.


    If the promotion of the treaty is widely epted, th George V would not mind going along with it and facilitating the implemtation of the treaty.


    However, if other royal family members are not particrly interested in advancing the treaty, he would not have to risk offding other political forces within the country to help Arthur push for the treaty, only to gain nothing himself.


    After all, defding the royal family and royal power implies that George V is seeking more power and status, doesn''t it?


    In other words, this would be equivalt to George V loudly dering, ev before he ascds the throne, that he wants more power, and solidifying the royal family and his own position.


    George V''s silce has also led some royals who are close to Britain to choose silce as well.


    Although some small and medium-sized countries have expectations for the implemtation of the treaty, they certainly don''t want to offd Britain and George V over a treaty that others can easily break!


    Theirmon sse is that if the treaty is sessfully carried out in the future, those more likely to protect the royal families of other small countries are powerful great powers like the United Kingdom and Germany.


    Ev if other small and medium-sized countries have thoughts about this, they can''t risk their own throne by providing support to other nations with their national strgth.


    If they offd Britain and this leads to the formal implemtation of the treaty, what would they do if Britain doesn''t help them wh they really need assistance?


    Under various considerations, the royal families of these nations see the situation clearly. Although the treaty protecting royal power is indeed beficial for them, it is more important currtly to maintain their own positions, so as to gain strong support from great powers like Britain and Germany.


    With the support they deserve, their throne and power can be consolidated to some extt. This is much better than a verbal agreemt.


    After George V remained silt, Arthur turned to William II and asked for his opinion.


    William II is not actually particrly interested in such a treaty; after all, in his view, the status of the German Royal Family in Germany is rtively stable.


    William II would protect the royal families of countries that rely on Germany anyway, but how could Germany possibly protect the royal families who are close to British forces?


    But since Arthur initiated this treaty, William II couldn''t reject it outright; he instead proposed apromise, changing the protection of royal authority and royal families to the protection of the personal safety of European royal family members and European monarchs.


    The terrible acts against European royal families, such as regicide and assassination of royal family members, should be condemned and opposed by all European royal families.


    Regicide is emphasized in particr. If there is a regicide incidt in any other European country now, European royal families should unite to protect the other royal family members in that country, sanction the regicides and their forces, and help that country restore its rightful monarch and order.


    At the same time, European royal families should also provide shelter to the royal family members of other countries as necessary.


    Arthur never expected that the original treaty aimed at defding royal power would somehow be a treaty protecting royal family members.


    But this is the best oue for now. Arthur could only nod in agreemt with William II''s opinion.

 Chapter 317: Chapter 279: Questioning in Front of the Tomb

    On June 5, 9, with the joint witness of many European royal family members, the "European Royal Family Union Deration" was officially signed in London, the capital of the British Empire, and took effect immediately.


    The Joint Deration states that European royal families should protect the safety of all European royal family members, prohibit all regicide actions, and condemn all acts of assassinating royal family members.


    If regicide urs in any European royal family member''s country after signing the deration, other European royal families should unite to protect the royal family members of that country and restore its monarchy and social stability.


    Although this is somewhat differt from Arthur''s idea of ??consolidating the monarchy and monarchist power in the world, it is still a protection for the royal families and monarchs of various countries.


    Regicide is almost a taboo topic among European royal families. European royal families can watch monarchs of other countries lose their status or ev their throne, but they cannot sit idly by and let European monarchs be killed bymoners and forces.


    This is tantamount to a direct challge to European monarchism and European royal families, and also threats the safety of all royal families and European monarchs.


    For example, after the Frch Revolution broke out, the Frch people st the Frch King to the guillotine, resulting in a coalition of anti-Frch monarchies in Europe.


    The revolution and ideas spread by France severely threated the stability of other monarchist countries. Moreover, the Frch people st their king directly to the guillotine, which made European royal families extremely fearful of the revolution and ideas sparked by the Frch, and ev organized armies to extinguish the Frch Revolution.


    What if the Frch did notmit regicide? Could the formation of the anti-Frch alliance be so smooth?


    All these are unknown, but no one can dy that regicide is definitely taboo for European royal families, and those whomit regicide will definitely be hit hard by the European royal families.


    It is worth mtioning that although Carlos I was very dissatisfied with Arthur, he was very active wh signing this European Royal Family Union Deration.


    After all, in this European group, the behavior of Carlos I is clear to other royal family members.


    Because of the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau, Arthur has some understanding of the currt situation in Portugal.


    The currt situation in Portugal can be described as a mess. Portugal should also be one of the countries where the monarch and monarchism are most likely to be eliminated among all European monarchist countries at prest.


    How serious is it? This time Carlos I directly mobilized his own trusted gerals to escort him, and ev requested the protection of the British Empire, fearing that the reactionary forces at home would eliminate him at sea.


    Unfortunately, this is all Carlos I has. Although there are still loyal armies in the country, Carlos I dare not mobilize them.


    If this army is mobilized, th the situation in Portugal would really be unbearable, and what would happ, no one would dare to guarantee.


    Fortunately, Carlos I did not die in the previous assassination attempt. After all, having be a king for many years, his political skills are much stronger than his younger son, Manuel.


    In history, after the assassination of Carlos I, the throne fell to Prince Manuel, the second heir, because the king and the crown prince died at the same time.


    Unfortunately, Manuel was never trained as a crown prince, and with a short time in power and no prestige in Portugal, Portugal became a republic in just a few years time.


    The currt Portugal is still under the control of Carlos I. Although the domestic situation is also very bad, it is better than the historical Manuel II scario.


    At least the Portuguese monarchy can barely maintain itself, although maintaining the monarchy itself is a strain for Carlos I.


    This time,ing to attd the funeral of Edward VII, Carlos I also had the inttion of seeking protection and allies.


    Unfortunately, among the several European powers that can help Portugal''s monarchist rule, Tsar Nichs II did note for personal reasons, George V has not yet ascded the throne, and domestic affairs were busy ough that he didn''t have the mood to manage other countries'' affairs.


    And the only capable and willing King William II has a much better rtionship with Arthur than with Carlos I, which makes Carlos I very vious and jealous of Arthur.


    Unfortunately, Carlos I''s vy and jealousy of Arthur is not known, and ev if he knew, he would not care.


    Facing the crisis of subverting the national regime, Carlos I''s means seem somewhat pale.


    If it were Arthur, he would spare no effort to strangle all forces that could threat his own kingship.


    Ev if it stirred up a storm of blood in the country for a while, it would be better than letting the royal family and the tire family head towards extinction.


    It is worth noting that although Portugal and Austrsia were at war, many European royal families expressed support for Carlos I wh he and his heir were assassinated.


    At that time, Carlos I could negotiate with Austrsia, and with the support of other countries, he could catch all the restless forces in the country at once and eradicate them for assassinating the king and the crown prince.


    Although it would cause a huge loss of personal reputation, it couldpletely change the currt crisis in Portugal and ev make the royal power and the position of the royal family more stable.


    Unfortunately, at that time Carlos I was very angry with Austrsia, ev treating Austrsia as the biggest emy, rather than domestic reactionary forces.


    The fact is that Austrsia is only interested in the small territory of Portuguese Timor. However, reactionary forces within Portugal are constantly trying to overthrow Carlos I and the tire Portuguese Royal Family.


    Having missed the best opportunity to eliminate the Republican opposition forces at the time, ev with the support of European powers, Carlos I could only maintain the status quo at most now.


    Unless Carlos I could control all the military power of Portugal, or persuade the European great powers to sd troops for protection, any radical move could lead to the outbreak of civil war in Portugal.


    Logically speaking, though the Kingdom of Portugal had declined, it still possessed a considerable number of colonies.


    ording to the currt crisis in the Kingdom of Portugal, many European countries should be coveting Portugal''s colonies.


    However, more than a decade ago in the Anglo-Portuguese War, the British had agreed to provide security guarantees for Portugal''s colonies in exchange for Portugal''s support.


    This is the real reason why ev now, with Portugal in a severe crisis, the smaller European countries still dare not covet Portugal''s colonies.


    As for whether William II would agree to help Carlos I stabilize the situation in Portugal, Arthur did not really care.


    After all, ev if the situation in Portugal stabilized, it was destined not to be a rival for Austrsia unless both Britain and Germany provided substantial assistance to Portugal, helping it develop to the currt level of Austrsia.


    But is this realistic? Britain and Germany would not do so without sufficit interests.


    Portugal can''t offer much in return, at most only African colonies.


    However, if Carlos I dared to offer African colonies, ev with the help of Britain and Germany, his reign would likelye to an d.


    Like the currt Kingdom of the Nethends, Portugal''s few remaining colonies also serve as a fig leaf for the country''s pride.


    If those few remaining colonies were also stripped away, Portugal would truly sink to the level of a third- or ev fourth-tier European country, with the risk of being swallowed by Spain.


    The European royal gatheringsted only two days, and most of the royal family members departed soon afterward.


    After all, the affairs of various European countries are numerous at prest, and they cannot afford to dy for too long.


    There are not many European monarchs like William II and Arthur who hold real power, so few can joy the leisurely life like Arthur and William II in other countries.


    After the gathering ded, Arthur received an invitation from King George V to visit the United Kingdom as King of Austrsia and to discuss further trade and cooperation betwe the United Kingdom and Austrsia.


    This was King George V''s goodwill toward Arthur, as the British Empire and Austrsia are connected by blood, and both rulerse from the British Royal Family¡ªa reason to deep their rtionship.


    Arthur dly epted the invitation, as there was no reason to refuse.


    From June 8th, Arthur officially paid a visit to the British Empire and wt to pay tribute at Que Victoria''s tomb.


    While Arthur paid tribute to Que Victoria, arge number of British people and media gathered outside the royal tomb.


    After the evts at Edward VII''s funeral, Arthur became a popr figure in the British Empire and attracted the atttion of many British people.


    As Arthur emerged from the royal tomb escorted by numerous guards, someone in the media shouted from dozs of meters away, "Your Majesty Arthur, what are your thoughts on the British Empire?"


    Arthur paused his steps toward the convoy, th walked a few steps closer to the crowd, looked in the direction of the voice, and replied sincerely and loudly, "No matter wh, the British Empire is my beloved homnd. Here are my childhood, the cities I love, and my dear father and grandmother. Of course, now there is also my uncle.


    I am honored to be a member of the British Royal Family, and I will never forget any momts in the United Kingdom, which will be my most precious memories."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Wh mtioning his father and grandmother, Arthur''s voice noticeably trembled, touching the hearts of the media and reporters prest.


    "Such guine stimt!" Someone could not help but praise from the bottom of their heart.


    "Your Majesty Arthur, stay in Britain!" The crowd was silt for a while before someone dared to speak up.


    Arthur shook his head and smiled, "I love the British Empire and all the people living here. But I am sorry that I am now the King of Austrsia, and I must consider my subjects. Compared to the prosperous and wealthy British Empire, Austrsia, which is currtly backward and impoverished, clearly needs more help.


    Moreover, I made a promise to my grandmother to make Austrsia a prosperous and strong country. I''m sure you don''t want me to break my promise to my grandmother, do you?"


    Arthur emphasized the words "prosperous and wealthy British Empire" and "backward and impoverished Austrsia," impressing them deeply upon the minds of the listers.


    After a brief pause, Arthur continued, "Of course, I still look forward to every trip to the British Empire. I hope the British Empire and Austrsia will always be frids, and my visits to the British Empire will never be hindered."


    "Well, gtlem, I can only chat with you up to this point. Tomorrow I have many trade and aid negotiations with the British governmt. I believe you will hear the news in a few days." Seeing that the atmosphere had be well established and the message intded for external dissemination had be basically conveyed, Arthur ded the conversation and got in the car to leave.

 Chapter 318: Chapter 280: Talent Plan

    As Arthur had anticipated, all the words he had spok were printed and sold throughout the British Empire by newspapers and media in a short period of time.


    Of course, the first ce to react was naturally London itself. As the capital of the British Empire, the poption of London had long surpassed one million, ev reaching a terrifying 7,56,000 people.


    This means that the poption of London alone is more than half of the total poption of Austrsia, which shows how advanced and vast the capital of the most powerful nation in the world is.


    With so many people living in London, it is not surprising that Arthur''s words at the Royal Tomb have caused such a ssation in the city.


    Especially the stce about his father and grandmother, and now his uncle, which instantly ced the powerful Arthur into the category of a vulnerable group.


    In addition, Arthur deliberately let the media deep the impression of the poverty gap betwe the United Kingdom and Austrsia, leading many British people to believe that Arthur still lived in a rtively poor country.


    Although many rational people have begun to exin that Austrsia is no longer as poor as it was t years ago, and that various constructions have already begun to develop.


    However, the media''s coverage has left a preliminary impression, with some British people finding out that the per capita ie in Austrsia is only 47 Australian dors, which is just a little over 3 pounds, and less than half of the currt per capita ie in the United Kingdom.


    This has also led many British people to agree more about the poverty of Austrsia and begin to sympathize with Arthur.


    Starting from the second day, many informed British people began to march on the streets of London, demanding that the governmt increase its support for Austrsia so as not to let Que Victoria''s favorite grandson suffer in Austrsia.


    The good impression that Arthur had always giv to the British people,bined with his previous words,pletely ignited the public opinion among the British people.


    From June 9th, protests began to be held a London, demanding that the governmt not be stingy and increase support for Austrsia.


    Seeing the momtum of public opinion, Arthur nodded in satisfaction and ordered the media controlled by Austrsia to stop their actions.


    Let the British public opinion fermt naturally, and more guidance would make this public opinion suspicious.


    The public opinion and protests that broke out among the British people quickly caught the atttion of the British governmt and reactionary forces.


    Apart from the self-interest of the British people, there ar''t many people who would spontaneously march for someone else. Before, it was Que Victoria, and rectly, Edward VII.


    Unexpectedly, Arthur could also be one of them, and all he needed to say was a few words.


    But the British governmt has no time to learn from experice because if they don''t handle this matter properly, it will be a basis for the Conservative Party to attack the Liberal Party.


    After all, this incidt has involved hundreds of thousands of British people in London and its suring areas. If it is allowed to fermt, the number of protesters may expand to millions or ev ts of millions.


    After all, people always follow the crowd at any time. If public opinion is allowed to fermt, ev if there ar''t many people who guinely want to do something for Arthur, the number of protesters will continue to grow.


    King George V, who resides in Buckingham Pce, naturally heard about the public opinion that has erupted in Britain rectly.


    King George V was amazed at the extt to which Arthur was popr in Britain. If it wasn''t for Arthur already being the King of Austrsia, King George V would have to worry about whether his position would be affected.


    For the following negotiations, Arthur does not need to be prest. The task will be handed over to Prime Minister Walter and Foreign Secretary Andrew.


    All Arthur needs to do is list to the daily progress reports from Prime Minister Walter and Foreign Secretary Andrew and express his opinion.


    Of course, this does not mean that Arthur will be idle. In fact, after David Collins, the Chief of European Royal Affairs, sought an audice with Arthur, he prested Arthur with a list of high-level British talts who could be drawn in over the years.


    There were many people on the list before. Chief David Collins had managed to attract some of them to Austrsia through various efforts.


    Some wt to the United States and other regions, while others were more loyal to the United Kingdom and were not willing to leave the British Empire for now.


    These people have naturally be removed from the list, leaving either some new talts or some deeply rooted ones that require Arthur to be personally involved.


    Arthur took a cursory look at the list, and most of it consisted of physicists, chemists, medical scitists, botanists, historians, novel writers, artists, and military strategists.


    Basically, there are all kinds of talts, and the detailed information avable, ev extding to the talts'' parts and childr.


    Of course, information such as where they live, what they like to eat, and what they are interested in is also avable, which is ough to prove how detailed David Collins'' investigation of these people has be.


    This is good news, as it effectively increases the probability of sessfully attracting these people.


    After some searching, Arthur found some familiar names on the list.


    These include British microbiologist Dr. Wright and his disciple Alexander Fleming.


    Wright''s name may not be well-known, but his studt, the famous Alexander Fleming, is a name Arthur is quite familiar with.


    The reason is simple: Alexander Fleming, a rowned British microbiologist, first discovered picillin in 98.


    The importance of picillin as a powerful antibiotic is well-known, as it ded the era of untreatable infectious diseases and ushered in the search for new antibiotic drugs.


    For his discovery of picillin, Alexander Fleming''s contribution to humanity and medical care is, of course, immeasurable.


    The significance of picillin as a drug that dramatically reduces casualties during wartime is undoubtedly of strategic importance to any nation.


    Arthur made the decision to invite Dr. Wright first.


    The reason to invite Wright rather than Fleming first is an interesting story.


    Alexander Fleming''s academic journey was quite challging, first at the age of 3, he wt to London to work with his brother, and th he idtally inherited a fortune from his uncle, which allowed him to ter the University of London St. Mary''s Medical College to study.


    After graduating in 906, Fleming stayed at St. Mary''s Medical College''sboratory, assisting his teacher Dr. Wright in immunology research.


    By the prest time, Fleming is still staying in Dr. Wright''sboratory and is Dr. Wright''s most capable assistant.


    The real reason why Fleming chose to stay in Dr. Wright''sboratory is because, based on his currt academic reputation, he could not obtain the right to use aboratory without Dr. Wright''s help.


    Dr. Wright, on the other hand, is a rather tolerant and gtle person, allowing his assistant Fleming to conduct indepdt scitific research ording to his interests, of course, without interfering with his research and work.


    This gave Fleming arger indepdt research space and abled him to grow ev more during this period.


    A year ago, Fleming indepdtly began trying to vinate against e and sessfully improved the cumbersome testing procedure for syphilis.


    This aplishmt earned Fleming an initial reputation in academia, which caught David''s atttion and ced him on the priority list for talt recruitmt.


    It is worth mtioning that ev though Fleming achieved many indepdt research results, he did not deviate from Wright''s research scope. Under Wright''s guidance, he conducted extsive research on phagocytes, cytokines, and typhoid germs, significantly expanding his abilities and knowledge.


    Arthur, of course, would not let go of such talt.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    During the negotiations betwe Minister Walter and Chancellor Andrew and the British Governmt, Arthur, led by David, visited Dr. Wright''sboratory and easily persuaded both Dr. Wright and Alexander Fleming to ept positions in Austrsia.


    The sess of this talt recruitmt owes to Arthur''s status and the gerous mary befits offered.


    The invitation from a ruler of a nation, coupled with better sry and conditions, made it a natural decision for Dr. Wright to ept the offer.


    Alexander Fleming, on the other hand, did not mind going to Austrsia, as what mattered most to him was his research vironmt, funding, and the help he could receive.


    Austrsia could provide all of these things, ev more so than the help Dr. Wright could provide.


    Having sessfully recruited talt for the first time, Arthur was in a great mood.


    Looking at the list, the next talt to be recruited was Hry Moseley, an outstanding but not very promint talt.


    Hry Moseley in the original history was a famous British physicist and chemist who discovered Moseley''s Law.


    What made Moseley not as famous as the others is because he quit his job in 94 to join the Royal Engineers Corps.


    Unfortunately, this decision cost him his pottially brilliant life.


    On August , 95, as a technical officer, Moseley was killed by a Turkish sniper while using a telephone to ry orders, at the age of just 7.


    An American scice writer once wrote: "Considering Moseley''s scitific achievemts, his sacrifice could be regarded as the most costly sacrifice to humanity."


    Based on Moseley''s research findings, British physicist Charles Bar discovered X-ray diffraction in various metal elemts and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 97.


    Ernest Rutherford Gre once said about Moseley''s achievemts: "The first two years of his research career would be ough to win him a Nobel Prize." Many scitists believe that if Moseley, who died at the age of 7, had lived, he would have made an ev greater contribution to atomic structure research.


    If Moseley and Einstein were added to the base, along with arge number of physicists and chemists, Arthur believed that it was not impossible for Austrsia to invt the atomic bomb earlier than in the original history.

 Chapter 319: Chapter 281: Saint Vincent Class Battleship

    Arthur''s talt recruitmt campaign wt on for four days. Apart from Alexander Fleming and his mtor Dr. Wright, Arthur also personally visited promint physics and chemistry talts such as Moseley, Joseph Thomson, William Hry Bragg, William Lawrce Bragg, and Charles Gruff Buckley.


    In addition to those he visited personally, Arthur''s recruitmt list included over a hundred physicists, chemists, m of letters, historians, novelists, artists,posers, scitists, and medical experts, totaling 04 people.


    With the efforts of Arthur and Chief David in just four days, 5 people have already agreed to go to Australrasia.


    Meanwhile, nearly 70 more people are noticeably wavering and require a few more days for consideration.


    Out of the 04 people, only about 0 are unwilling to leave the British Empire. Arthur has no solution for this, as there are always true patriots in every country.


    If all goes well, Australrasia could gain over 0 talts from the 04, which would be a significant addition to the high-d talt pool in Australrasia.


    It''s somewhat regrettable that Arthur''s talt recruitmt for the military industry has not be as sessful.


    However, this is understandable. After all, as the 0th ctury ters its second decade, the contradictions andpetition betwe the two major European military blocs be increasingly intse, and the European nations'' control and emphasis on military talts are growing.


    Under such conditions, it is basically impossible for Arthur to attract many military talts using the same funds and befits as he does for other fields.


    On June 5, 9, a piece of exhrating news for Britain and Australrasia was jointly announced by the British and Austrsian Governmts.


    After lgthy fridly consultations betwe the British governmt and Australrasia, both parties decided to maintain the aid treaty signed at the time, and based on the treaty signed t years ago, to strgth some uses and add many new supports.


    Regarding aid, the British governmt agreed to give more assistance to the Austrsian governmt, estimated at no more than  million pounds annually, but at least more than sev million pounds.


    The aid areas include military industry, geral industry, machinery, and various other fields. Arthur is very interested in France''s submarine technology, which has also be included in the aid treaty.


    Of course, Australrasia will not receive these befits for nothing. Britain and Australrasia have signed a peace treaty; ports in Australian Timor and the New Zend region are op to the British Empire, allowing British warships and merchant ships to dock as transit ports and supply bases for the British Empire.


    Arthur has no problem with this, as there is no reason for him to refuse such requests with the good rtions betwe Australrasia and Britain. The docking of these merchant ships could also stimte local port consumption, and Arthur is not worried about the safety of these ports after oping them to Britain.


    As long as Australrasia and Britain do not oply confront each other, there is no reason for Britain to take the initiative to attack Australrasia.


    Australrasia also reached a further trade agreemt with Britain. Australrasia will officially be Britain''s primary source of imported grain and meat.


    Arthur does not need to worry that therge increase in food and meat production in Australrasia will fall into a slump, as the British Empire will act as a safety and the consumption during the future war will form a double guarantee.


    Of course, this trade treaty is not limited to just grain and meat exports from Australrasia to Britain. It also covers British exports to Australrasia, including various medical supplies, machinery, more advanced systems, and various talts.


    If the British governmt''s attitude towards Australrasia''s talt recruitmt during Edward VII''s reign was to turn a blind eye and remain neutral, not supporting or opposing it, th during the reign of King George V, at least before World War I, the British governmt supported Australrasia''s talt recruitmt.


    This is of great help to Australrasia''s talt recruitmt in Britain, and the number of British immigrants should also see a temporary increase.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    King George V of Britain and Arthur are of the same geration, with George being Arthur''s cousin.


    However, like William II, George V is already 45 years old, a full cycle older than Arthur.


    This also means that George V and Arthur do not actually have many topics inmon, but this does not prevt them from pretding to be very close brothers in public, ev closer than their actual blood rtions.


    For Arthur, it is necessary to maintain good rtions with Britain, as the most likely winners currtly seem to be the Allies.


    It must be remembered that the Allies historically managed to win ev after Russia withdrew halfway through the conflict.


    Currtly, though still harboring domestic risks, Russia''s situation is much better than in history.


    Russia still holds most of the interests in the Far East and is the absolute ruler in the region. The ind nation, which was supposed to have ris after the Russo-Japanese War, stagnated due to only gaining interests in the Korean Pins at that time and has now be the weakest power.

 Chapter 320: Chapter 281: Saint Vincent-class Battleship_2

    Thus far, the Ind Nation has sev battleships, but they are all old battleships, with limitedbat capabilities.


    Although the Ind Nation has ns to build dreadnoughts, the n was already in ce as early as 907.


    However, in order to cooperate with Russia, the United Kingdom promised to suspd aid to the Ind Nation during the validity of the Anglo-Russian Agreemt.


    With the help of the United Kingdom, could the Ind Nation indepdtly produce dreadnoughts? The answer is negative.


    In history, the Ind Nation''s first dreadnought, the Settsu-ss battleship, was notpleted until the d of March 9, ev with the help of the United Kingdom.


    The second dreadnought was notpleted until early July 9, making the Ind Nation one of thetest among the major powers to build dreadnoughts, aside from France.


    Now, without the aid of the United Kingdom, the Ind Nation''s dreadnought-building n was naturally dyed once again.


    Arthur had be paying atttion to the Ind Nation, and if the Royal Security Intelligce Agcy''s intelligce was correct, the Ind Nation''s dreadnought-building process seemed to have run into trouble. It was good ough for them to expect to see their dreadnoughts in 93, let alone like the historical timeline where they werepleted sessfully in 9.


    However, this didn''t matter to Arthur, as the Ind Nation was also considered a pottial emy for Austrsia.


    The slow progress of the Ind Nation in building dreadnoughts may not be a bad thing for Austrsia.


    After establishing a good rtionship with the United Kingdom, Austrsia had a good foundation for rtionships with major countries among the Allies and the Allied Nations.


    This would be helpful for Austrsia to join World War I in the future, as they could calmly choose the more advantageous side to join.


    However, before the European Nations suffered heavy damage, Arthur did not intd to directly ter the European War.


    But the damage of the European Nations could not be too severe, otherwise, the rise of the United States would be inevitable.


    At least the European Nations should still have the ability topete with the United States after the two world wars, so as not to let the Old World Powers ck against the United States and the Soviet Union''s export of liberal nationalism, as major European colonies dered indepdce due to their powerlessness like in history.


    The copse of the colonial system would be a heavy loss for the Old European Powers, and it might not be a good thing for Arthur either.


    After all, Austrsia had arge number of Indigous Peoples, although they were not recognized at the momt and their role was just cheap and freebor.


    But wh the colonial system copsed in the future, it would be impossible to ughter all the Indigous Peoples in Austrsia.


    If these Indigous Peoples still existed after World War II, they would very likely seek indepdce under the influce of the United States.


    This would also be a headache for Austrsia, as it would not be easy to control public opinion and ughter colonial natives without restraint after World War II.


    At the invitation of King George V, Arthur visited the Royal Fleet stationed near London and personally boarded the first dreadnought, HMS Dreadnought.


    Austrsia''s three dreadnoughts also participated in joint training with the Royal Navy for a few days. Judging from their performance in the training, thebat capabilities of the Monarch-ss battleships and the Dreadnought-ss battleships should not be much differt.


    King George V was very interested in the dreadnoughts indepdtly developed and built by Austrsia.


    In fact, King George V''s career as a prince was known as the Sailor Prince.


    This was because King George V, as a naval cadet, was assigned to HMS Bhante to receive nautical education.


    During his service, George visited the British colonies in the Caribbean, South Africa, and Australia, as well as Norfolk, Virginia, South America, the Mediterranean, Egypt, and East Asia.


    At that time, George V''s brother Prince Albert was still alive, and he was the second in line to the throne, so he needed to prepare himself for inheriting the throne.


    Therefore, King George V chose to be a navy officer, following his father Edward VII and his brother Prince Albert.


    George V''s naval officer career included serving as the captain of a torpedo boat and a naval squadron leader, among others, but a severe typhoid fever ded his naval service.


    However, this did not prevt Prince George from loving the navy and warships. This was how he got his nickname as the Sailor Prince.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It''s worth noting that during his naval service, George V was under themand of his uncle, Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.


    During that time, George V fell in love with the Duke of Edinburgh''s daughter, Princess Mary. Th, George fell in love with another Princess Mary from the Kingdom of Fortberg.


    Unfortunately, George V''s elder brother, Prince Albert, got gaged to Princess Mary, causing a rift in their rtionship that had be very good.


    Interestingly, just six weeks after Prince Albert and Princess Mary announced their gagemt, Prince Albert unexpectedly died of pneumonia.


    The unfinished bride of Prince Albert, Princess Mary, was also designated by Que Victoria to marry George V, who wouldter be George V''s Que Mary.


    George V evtually got the woman he loved, although the process was somewhat melodramatic and bumpy.

 Chapter 321: Chapter 281: St Vincent-class battleship_3

    Arthur saw that King George V was very interested in the Monarch-ss battleship and invited him to visit the Austrsian Battleship.


    This move won the favor of King George V, and Arthur joyed a warm rtionship with him during his time in the British Empire.


    Arthur took the opportunity to propose deeper cooperation with the British Empire in warships.


    Specifically, Arthur was willing to exchange the blueprints and information of the Monarch-ss battleship with the blueprints of the St Vinct-ss battleship, which was currtly under construction in the UK, to strgth the warship design in Austrsia.


    This request from Arthur made King George V somewhat difficult.


    The St Vinct-ss battleship is an upgraded model of Bellerophon-ss, with increasedbat effectivesspared to the Dreadnought and Bellerophon-ss battleships.


    In terms of firearms, the St Vinct-ss battleship is equipped with 305mm 50 caliber twin-gun, while the previous two dreadnoughts had a 305mm 45 caliber gun.


    This improvemt made the firepower of the St Vinct-ss battleship significantly higher. Combined with a slight improvemt in armor and horsepower, the cruising speed of the St Vinct-ss battleship could stably maintain at a  knots.


    Without exaggeration, this is currtly the most advanced dreadnought under construction and the main battleship of the British Empire''s 9 construction n.


    However, the problem is that the St Vinct is not the most advanced battleship currtly designed by the British Empire.


    Following the St Vinct-ss battleship, the British Empire has already designed the Neptune-ss Battleship and Colossus-ss Battleship, which are only to be built in 9.


    This also indirectly reflects the currt strgth of the British Empire in warships. While Germany is still stuck with 83mm main guns, Britain''s 305mm main guns have advanced to 50 calibers, and several dreadnought levels have be developed.


    The importance of the St Vinct-ss battleship is self-evidt, but it is not yet crucial ough for absolutely strategic confidtiality.


    At least for King George V, exchanging warship blueprints and information with Austrsia is eptable, as it would quickly earn him a reputation for caring for his cousin and valuing emotions, which would be very beficial for him to consolidate his rule.


    After all, Arthur is now the darling of the British public, and establishing a good rtionship with Arthur is undoubtedly the right move.


    In addition, Austrsia is not without paymt. The Monarch-ss battleship contains many German technologies, which also help Britain to better understand German technology.


    Although King George V had already agreed to the deal in his heart, he did not make a direct promise but said he would try his best to discuss it with the Cab Governmt.


    Arthur nodded in understanding. After all, King George V had not yet ascded the throne, and ev th, his influce in the Cab would not be too great in the short term.


    It was up to the UK Cab Governmt to make the decision, but King George V''sck of opposition was a good indication.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After the negotiations, Arthur ordered Chief David to arrange for secret visits to some British Cab officialste at night.


    Some officials had a good rtionship with Duke Old Arthur, and after Arthur''s operation, there should be a few who would support him.


    As long as a quarter of the Cab officials directly support him, Arthur is confidt that the deal can be reached.

 Chapter 322: Chapter 282: Obtaining the Blueprint, Visiting the Ruhr District

    On July st, 9, Arthur, apanied by the farewell of many British people, embarked on the Austrsian battleship and left the Port of London.


    From the expressions of the British people bidding farewell to Arthur, it could be se that many of them were reluctant to let him go, as Arthur was, after all, a part of the Victorian era.


    Upon boarding the battleship, Arthur''s mood was actually quite good in the angle where those British people couldn''t see.


    After several days of lobbying by Arthur, and the paymt of hundreds of thousands of pounds in funds, he finally obtained the const of the UK Cab Governmt. The British governmt agreed to provide the St Vinct-ss battleship as a condition of this aid, permantly providing it to Austrsia at a cost.


    Of course, the condition for providing it was the technical information of the Austrsian Monarch-ss battleship, as well as the purchase prices of grain and meat trade below the market price.


    However, this was not too bad for Arthur, as he could gain all the information of a more powerful battleship in exchange for these things, which was a sure win deal.


    Moreover, under Arthur''s constant request and lobbying, King George V agreed to provide the technology to build the St Vinct-ss battleship to Austrsia, including the much-desired 50-caliber 305mm main gun.


    Although both were 305mm main guns, the differce betwe 45-caliber and 50-caliber was huge.


    Although these specific technologies had to be gradually taught to Austrsia by British experts after their assistance arrived,


    it was expected that these technologies could be mastered by Austrsia within a few years.


    In other words, Arthur was confidt that within a year, with the help of British experts, he could build a St Vinct-ss battleship on his own.


    In two to three years, Austrsia would be able to master the ability to indepdtly build the St Vinct-ss battleship, raising Austrsia''s shipbuilding capabilities once again.


    It had to be said that Arthur''s close rtionship with the British royal family, along with his good reputation and status among the British people, and Que Victoria''s extreme love for him, allowed Arthur to obtain the powerful St Vinct-ss battleship that the British Empire was currtly building diligtly.


    Without any of these factors, the chances of Austrsia obtaining the St Vinct-ss battleship would be greatly reduced.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This also couldn''t help but illustrate the truth that it''s good to lean on a big tree, as the battleships that Arthur got from the United Kingdom may be advanced warships that other countries cannot build ev with their full strgth.


    The St Vinct-ss battleship was 63.4 meters long, 5.6 meters wide, and had an average draft of 8.5 meters.


    It was equipped with two sets of four-shaft Parsons direct-drive steam turbines, along with 8 mixed-fuel boilers, reaching an unprecedted power output of 4,500 horsepower.


    Of course, these were not the most important factors. The true reason for the St Vinct-ss battleship''s terrifying capabilities was the five 50-caliber 305mm double-mounted guns, sixte mm 50-caliber single-mount guns, and three 450mm underwater torpedo tubes.


    In terms of firepower, the St Vinct-ss battleship was the most powerful among all the battleships built in 9, surpassing the American Dware-ss battleship, the German Monarch-ss battleship, and the Helgnd-ss battleship being built at the time.


    Both the Dware-ss battleship, the Monarch-ss battleship, and the Helgnd-ss battleship represted the most powerful battleships being built by the other powers besides the British Empire.


    The fact that the St Vinct-ss battleship could surpass these three battleships spoke volumes about its extraordinary performance and the research capabilities of the British Empire.


    Of course, the reason for onlyparing these three dreadnoughts with those of America, Germany, and Austrsia was that other powers were extremely slow in the developmt of dreadnoughts, and there was simply no need forparison.


    Aside from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and Austrsia, the only other powerful nation with a dreadnought at the time was Russia, which showed just how far behind other countries were in the developmt of dreadnoughts.


    After leaving the British Empire, Arthur decided not to return to Austrsia directly, but instead turned his direction to Germany.


    After all, both Germany and Russia had good rtions with Austrsia, and it was necessary to visit these countries while in Europe.


    Of course, Arthur would not choose to share the St Vinct-ss battleship''s blueprints and technology with Germany.


    This was because it was acquired from the United Kingdom and relied heavily on the emotional bond betwe Arthur and the British people.


    If the British were to find out that Arthur had shared the blueprints and technology of the St Vinct-ss battleship with Germany, they would undoubtedly be dissatisfied.


    Arthur couldn''t bring himself to do something that would harm himself and befit others, but it was still okay for him to mtion the importance ofrge-caliber guns to William II.


    Wh Arthur attded the funeral of Edward VII in London, William II had invited him to visit Germany.


    Arthur had agreed at the time, but the visit would have to take ce after his visit to the United Kingdom.


    On July 3, Arthur sessfully arrived in Germany and had a fridly exchange with William II for five days.


    Arthur also visited the famous Krupp Factory in Germany, German shipyards, and the military, giving high praise.


    After various evts, the Germans finally began to pay atttion to the caliber of ship guns and focused on their developmt.


    After visiting the Krupp Factory, Arthur learned that the Germans had already begun research on the 50-caliber 305mm main gun, and had achieved some results.


    If all goes well, the Germans should equip the next geration of dreadnoughts with a 50-caliber 305mm main gun. Although slightly behind the British, they are still ahead of other major powers.


    Of course, during these few days, Arthur also visited Germany''s Ruhr Industrial Zone, which is one of the world''srgest industrial zones and the core area of German industry.


    As of now, Ruhr Industrial Zone has an annual coal production of 0 million tons, coke production of one million tons, steel production of  million tons, and power geration of 0 million kWh, making it the heart of German industry.


    From an industrialyout perspective, Ruhr Industrial Zone''s design is quite reasonable. Most industrial products and mineral products in the industrial zone are processed and consumed locally, avoiding unnecessary transportation.


    Although the two world wars had a huge impact on this area, ev in the 970s, coal production in the Ruhr District still reached  million tons, ounting for 80% of Germany''s total production at the time, and an annual steel output of 0 million tons, ounting for 70% of Germany''s total production.


    There were also nearly  billion cubic meters of coke ov gas, and nearly one million tons of coal tar.


    The developmt of the Ruhr Industrial Zone not only relies on abundant coal resources but also on superior water transportation conditions.


    In addition, arge number of railways, highways, and extsive canalworks facilitated transportation within the Ruhr Industrial Zone andid the foundation for the developmt of the industrial zone.


    The construction of the Leonora Industrial Base in Austrsia partly drew from the Ruhr Industrial Zone. Arthur''s idea was also to build the Leonora Industrial Base into the Ruhr District of Austrsia.


    Arthur was very vious of the Ruhr area in Germany and ev determined to build the Leonora Industrial Base well.


    For this purpose, Arthur personally requested William II to hire relevant German experts to help Austrsia build the Leonora Industrial Base.


    Arthur''s requiremts were not high; if the production capacity of Leonora Industrial Base could reach one-tth of the currt Ruhr area within t years, it would meet Arthur''s expectations and goals.


    William II readily agreed to Arthur''s request, seeing it as amon need for national developmt and considering the good rtionship betwe Austrsia and Germany.


    It''s worth mtioning that William II also proudly invited Arthur to visit the German airship factory, precisely the Zeppelin Airship Factory.


    After the fame of Austrsian airships worldwide, both Britain and Germany began to pay much higher atttion to airships.


    Austrsia''s rigid airships were already learned from Germany, so it was rtively easy for Germany to surpass Austrsia.


    Currtly, Zeppelin airships have gone through several gerations and are no longer the lz airship wh Arthur first established the Aerospace Laboratory.


    Upon introduction by William II, Arthur realized that Zeppelin airships had developed to the fifth geration.


    As the developmt of Zeppelin airships had gained governmt atttion, the progress was much faster than in history. The performance of the currt lz-5 airship is far more advanced than Austrsia''s AU- airship.


    The lz-5 airship isrger than Austrsian airships, with a terrifying payload capacity of 7 tons.


    It should be noted that ev though the Aerospace Laboratory had conducted numerous airship studies, the payload of the AU- airship remained at only  tons.


    The Germans'' ability to increase the payload of the airship to 7 tons is not a small improvemt.


    The average flight speed of the lz-5 airship is also rtively fast, reaching 4 kilometers per hour, with a maximum speed of 45 kilometers per hour.


    Arthur inquired about the stability of the airship and was told it was very stable. The Germans had organized hundreds of experimts for this airship, and to this day there have be no idts, proving its stability.


    As of now, the lz-5 airship has improved its payload, speed, and stability, making it not only practical but also ying a crucial role ev wh used merely as a transportation tool.


    William II firmly believed in Austrsia''s statemt that airships could carry bombs for aerial bombing and had ev organized an airship fleet specifically trained for precise aerial bombing with dozs of airships and hundreds of personnel.


    For this, Arthur could only awkwardly smile, and could not directly say that the practicality of airships is far from that of airnes and that airnes could easily shoot down airships in the air!

 Chapter 323: Chapter 283: New Warship Order

    After his trip to Germany, Arthur wt straight to Russia, visited Tsar Nichs II and Duke Sergei, and saw the still bedridd Crown Prince Aleksei.


    There was no alternative; perhaps this was the trouble with having many rtives. Both Germany and Russia had close familial rtions with Arthur, and their rtions were also very fridly betwe the countries, which meant that Arthur had to move about more.


    Moreover, both Germany and Russia could provide a lot of help to Austrsia, and their status as powerful nations is precisely what Austrsia currtlycked in allies.


    Of course, the tangible help that Russia could provide to Austrsia at this time was not much, perhaps the most useful would be the dless stream of Russian immigrants.


    During his few days in Russia, Arthur signed a new immigration treaty with Nichs II.


    As stipted in the treaty, Austrsia would pay the Russian governmt 5 million rubles inpsation each year in exchange for the Russian governmt''s strong support in exporting immigrants to Austrsia.


    Of course, because of the increased funding, Arthur also made a request that wh screing immigrants, they must meet the corresponding conditions of Austrsia.


    While 5 million rubles was not a lot of assets for Arthur, it was not too little for the Russian governmt''s finances.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Under the witness of Nichs II and Arthur, the two governmts quickly signed an agreemt.


    Nichs II ev joked that if Austrsia needed it, he could fully mobilize the governmt to export millions of immigrants to Austrsia every year.


    In truth, for the Russian Empire, exporting millions of immigrants every year was tirely feasible.


    It should be noted that as of this year, 9, Russia''s poption exceeded 60 million. In rect years, the annual increase in the Russian poption fluctuated betwe 3 million and 5 million; exporting  million people every year was not painful to the Russian Empire at all.


    However, the problem was that if Austrsia were to ept one million Russian immigrants each year, it would quickly increase the poption in the short term, and there was hope that the poption would break through 5 million before World War I.


    But the possible consequces faced might be an imbnce of national proportions within the country, with Russian immigrants ev approaching the main ethnic British immigrants, affecting internal unity and stability.


    ording to the new immigration treaty signed betwe Arthur and Nichs II, the treaty wouldst for five years, with Austrsia paying 5 million rubles each year, and Russia exporting 400,000 screed immigrants to Austrsia.


    The five-year validity of the treaty would bring about an influx of  million Russian immigrants to Australia, which also happs to be the maximum amount of Russian immigrants that Austrsia can absorb.


    With the addition of immigrants from Britain, Germany, and other parts of Europe, Austrsia has the expectation that by 95 the poption will exceed 3 million, with the British poption still able to maintain the 60% majority.


    By the d of World War I, with anotherrge wave of refugees, the poption should reach 7 million before 90.


    Although it is uncertain whether there will be a World War II in this world, within five years of the d of World War I, the poption of Austrsia had hopes of breaking through 0 million, cemting the power and position of major powers.


    During these few days in Russia, the Russian Navy Departmt frequtly sought an audice with Arthur, and finally, with the nod of Nichs II, a new warship procuremt order was agreed upon.


    The previous two Monarch-ss battleships, Peter Pavlovskiy, and Poltava, had shown excelltbat capabilities and performance, far exceeding the performance of all the old battleships of the Pacific Squadron during training.


    The performance of the two dreadnoughts allowed Geral Makarov, who was stationed at Port Arthur, to report overnight to the Navy Departmt and Nichs II, requesting that the Russian governmt order more Monarch-ss battleships.


    ording to Geral Makarov''s words, if the Pacific Fleet were equipped with two additional dreadnoughts, th ev with Britain''s support, Japan would never be a match for Russia.


    Unfortunately, Britain conceded some interests and reached an agreemt with Russia that Russia could not act in the Far East in the short term. Thus, Geral Makarov''s n was thwarted.


    However, the power of the Monarch-ss battleships had already tered the vision of the Russian high-ranking officials.


    Russia had a strange characteristic: the upper echelons were willing to spdrge sums of money to buy imposingrge cannons and battleships but were reluctant to provide fresh meat and food for the naval officers and soldiers, as well as the corresponding refrigeration and preservation equipmt.


    The military officers in charge of procuremt were ev willing to risk being beat to death by mutinous naval soldiers rather than buy fresh ingredits for them, ev considering it a normal part of naval life.


    In 905, the Eagle battleship mutiny urred because an officer brought a diseased cow to the kitch to make lunch and gave it to the naval soldiers.


    In June of the same year, the Po Jiangjin battleship mutiny urred because a procuremt officer made borscht with maggot-infested rott meat and gave it to the soldiers, resulting in the tire battleship being controlled by the rebellious naval soldiers and escaping to Romania.


    In May 907, some naval officers and soldiers of the ck Sea Fleet were nning to mutiny on four battleships but due to the n being leaked, the mutiny ultimately failed.


    All these mutiny incidts had caused Nichs II himself to lose confidce in the highly mutinous Baltic and ck Sea fleets.


    If it were not for the importance of the Navy and the Pacific Fleet under Geral Makarov giving Nichs II hope, the Baltic Fleet would have gone directly under the control of the Army, which had already be responsible for guarding the security of the capital Saint Petersburg. This had already cost the Baltic Fleet itsbat capabilities.


    It must be acknowledged that the Russian Empire was already extremely corrupt by this time.


    The empire''s upper and ev middle sses had be very corrupt and extravagant. The bottom-level military force was in disarray, and the soldierscked training and discipline. The country''s situation was no longer that of a strong nation.


    However, Arthur felt helpless regarding this situation, as he was not a part of the Russian Monarchy after all. Ev if Arthur made suggestions, it was unlikely that Nichs II would adopt them.


    He could only pray that the copse of the Russian Empire in future wars would be slower and that there might be a chance to save the Russian Monarchy.


    The new warship procuremt order was undoubtedly gerous, and it should be Russia Country''sst order within five years.


    This procuremt order included two Monarch-ss battleships and two Unified-ss battlecruisers, a total of four powerful main battleships.


    At first, Arthur was amazed at the Russians'' gerosity, but wh he heard that all four warships would be equipped to the Baltic Sea, he understood that there must be support from Britain and France.


    After all, the stronger the Russian navy in the Baltic Sea, the more restrained the Russian High Seas Fleet would be.


    If the Frch were more proactive in the developmt of dreadnought battleships, they could ev join forces with Britain to blockade the High Seas Fleet in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.


    Unfortunately, the Frch were as slow in their dreadnought actions as in history, and perhaps they would have to rely on British protection for France''s North and West coasts, just like in history.


    The two Monarch-ss battleships were named the Empress Maria and Empress Catherine the Great, while the two Unified-ss battlecruisers were named Gangut and Sevastopol.


    ording to the agreemt reached betwe the Russian Navy and Austrsia, Austrsia needed to deliver half of the four main battleships by the d of 93, andplete the tire order by the d of 94.


    Arthur made a rough calction and found that there was plty of time.


    Austrsia is currtly building two Unified-ss cruisers, which should bepleted a the beginning of 9.


    From the beginning of 9 to the d of 93, there are nearly three years, ough toplete the construction and testing of two of the four warships.


    The cost of a Monarch-ss battleship is about .9 million pounds, with a sale price to Russia of .4 million pounds.


    Unified-ss cruisers are slightly cheaper, at a .7 million pounds, with a sale price to Russia of . million pounds.


    Due to the good rtionship betwe Russia and Austrsia, the sale price of both warships to Russia is cheaper than the external sale price, but the profit of the shipyard is still substantial, at over 400,000 pounds pure profit for each vessel.


    The total cost of the Russian order for four warships is as high as 8 million rubles, which amounts to 8 million Australian Dors.


    And Arthur''s Royal Shipyard is expected to earn 3.5 million Australian Dors in this trade. After deducting the taxes paid to the governmt, the shipyard should be able to book at least 3 million Australian Dors in profits.


    It must be said that the profit from exporting armamts, especially selling warships, is really high. This order of four warships can allow Arthur to build another battlecruiser.


    As time ters the second decade of the 0th ctury, the variouspetitions in Europe have visibly be more intse.


    No country involved in the two major military blocs can escape this arms race.


    ording to the Royal Intelligce Bureau, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is secretly building dreadnoughts and has named them Joint Power-ss battleships.


    However, among the major European powers, the path of dreadnoughts for the Austro-Hungarian Empire is considered rtively difficult.


    Since the birth of the dreadnought, several years have passed. Countries like Britain and Germany have already innovated on the basis of dreadnoughts, designing and building more powerful dreadnoughts.


    As for the powers like the Austro-Hungarian Empire, ev the most basic dreadnought has not started yet, and they are still arguing with their parliamts.


    If it wer''t for the Navy Departmt''s unauthorized self-funding and starting the construction of two dreadnoughts without getting parliamtary approval, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s first dreadnought would probably have to wait until the d of 95.


    Currtly, the two countries, Britain and Germany, which are best able to export dreadnoughts, are basically in a navalpetition, so it is unlikely they will take in too many outside orders for warships.


    This means that, in theing years, it should be the best opportunity for Austrsia to sell warships abroad.


    Keep in mind that, in this era, there is also a naval race in smaller regions like South America, which is also an opportunity for Austrsia.


    After all, making money is not a small matter. If they could use the profits from the sale of Monarch-ss battleships to build more St Vinct-ss battleships, it would be of great significance for the navy of Austrsia.


    After finalizing the order and delivery time with the Russian Navy Departmt, Arthur hurriedly embarked on his journey back to Austrsia.

 Chapter 324: Chapter 284: Cultural Export Plan

    On July 7, 9, Arthur ded his tour in Europe and boarded the Austrsian Battleship to return to Austrsia.


    Wh he set off for Europe, in order to keep up with the funeral of Edward VII, Arthur managed to rush to London in just over 0 days, under the full escort of the Austrsian Battleship.


    This rush, however, left the remaining supply ships to trudge slowly to catch up, shielded by the Australia Battleship and the New Zend battleship.


    On the return, there was no rush, hce they could rx and slowly integrate both fleets into one, deliberatively heading towards Austrsia.


    Inte August, after a month of chasing, Arthur finally arrived in Sydney Harbour.


    Prime Minister Walter and Minister Andrew wt to prepare for official duties and work, while Arthur, who temporarily had nothing to take care of, returned to the Royal Pce to y with his childr.


    William and Anna Miller are now nearly a year old and can crawl on their own. However, their mother, Princess Louise, and Que Mary, are deeply in love with these two youngsters. Besides letting them crawl a a bit daily for exercise, they carried the two little ones most of the time.


    This prevted Arthur from being able to carry either of his childr himself since Princess Louise and Que Mary were extremely affectionate towards their grandchildr. Arthur felt a slight neglect.


    But Arthur didn''t mind these things and shook his head and plunged into his busy work.


    After resting for a few days, Arthur summoned the head of the Royal Shipyard to inquire about the progress of the shipyard.


    The news was couraging. The construction of two Unified-ss battleships was more than halfplete, and they were expected to be fully finished by the d of the year and would th ter the sea-navigation testing stage.


    If the test was sessful, they should be able to officially join the navy''s formation betwe the d of 9 and the beginning of 9 to strgth Austrsia''s naval forces.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for Russia''s order, it was also expected to begin construction by the d of the year or early next year, and it should have no problempleting the four warships for Russia by the d of 94.


    Wh Arthur learned that the two Unified-ss battleships still had no artillery installed, he had a sudd inspiration and immediately issued themand to the shipyard to suspd the instation of the main gun after the other construction of the ship waspleted.


    After all, they managed to acquire 305mm, 50-calibre artillery technology from the British. They might as well rece the guns of the two Unified-ss battleships with 305mm 50-calibre guns and make the firepower of the battlecruiser ev more pott.


    Without any unexpected evts, the aid from Britain, including the relevant experts, should arrive within a month.


    Theoretically, there would be time for the gun recemt, and it esstially won''t dy the two battlecruisers'' from being constructed by the d of this year.


    After arranging the affairs of the shipyard, it wasn''t many Days before, on August 4, Arthur weed guests from the Qing Empire who had travelled a great distance.


    The external conditions for this Empire hadn''t be very good in rect years, with all sorts of cmitiesing one after another.


    In early August, a number of regions were hit by a flood disaster, which affected several provinces. Although it was not as severe as previous national disasters, it still represted a significant loss for the country.


    The fact that they came to visit Austrsia was for two reasons. Firstly, they wanted to buy more food from Austrsia to alleviate the famines caused by the flood disaster in their country.


    Secondly, they asked for a visit from a represtative of Austrsia, as the implemtation of constitutionalism has shown a certain amount of achievemt under the guidance of Austrsian experts. Moreover, the Consultative Bureau, which took a great deal of money to construct, is also about to be established.


    The Consultative Bureau was set up by the Qing Empire. It was a ctral consultation organ established in ordance with the legal system of Austrsia to prepare for the Parliamt.


    The Bureau was set up because the authorities felt that the Houses of Parliamt couldn''t be established at the momt. The Bureau wouldy the foundation for the establishmt of these Houses.


    Nothing else to say, the construction of the Consultative Bureau, which is effectively the Congress of the Qing Empire, was extremely magnifict.


    Continuing the consistt style of the Eastern Empire, the Bureau is luxurious and top-grade, impressive and profound. Besides the obvious disadvantage of extravagance and waste of money, it is undiable that the Consultative Bureau of the Qing Empire has surpassed the scale and construction of the Administrative Court of Austrsia.


    But this is normal. After all, one country has a poption of only over 8 million, while the other has a poption surpassing 40 million (ording to the csus data issued by the Qing Empirest month). The ie level and economic situation of the two countries arepletely iparable.


    Hearing this news, Arthur shook his head. If they could use this money construct their Military and Navy, th they could at least build the top Navy and Army in Asia, couldn''t they?


    In the final analysis, the country had decayed to its core. Superficial reform could not change this situation.


    As for Austrsia''s Administrative Court, Arthur has no ns to expand it in the short term. It is just ough to barely amodate the Cab Governmt, departmts of the governmt and other departmts of the national governmt, it isn''t very crowded.


    At least until the overcrowding impacts the operation of the office, Arthur thinks the currt Administrative Court would suffice.


    With the country''s finances, save where it is possible to save. Couldn''t the money be used for other constructions or expanding the Navy and Army?


    As to the matter of dispatching an voy to attd the oping ceremony of the Consultative Bureau, Arthur resolutely handed it over to Foreign Minister Andrew.

 Chapter 325: Chapter 284: Cultural Export Plan_2

    Until their upper echelons are willing to undertakeprehsive reforms, these will only amount to surface level changes, futile and iplete.


    Arthur feels there''s no need to participate, but of course, if they wish to order battleships, Arthur would certainly wee it.


    About the query for buying grains, Arthur unreservedly agrees. The currt floods in East Asia are severe, reaching to millions of refugees, which also have a significant impact on the price of grain.


    Not to mtion, it''s only normal to increase the price of grain by about t perct on the original basis, right? Don''t underestimate this evt, it could bring no small ie to Austrsia, and also provide an opportunity to rece the old grains in the strategic grain reserves.


    In addition to these developmts, at the d of August came the great news that Edison sessfully invted the sound film, dragging movies into a new era.


    Of course, the so-called invtion esstially means the developed technology of sound film was nowmercially viable.


    In fact, as early as 900, the world''s first sound film had screed in Paris.


    Yet, after all, the technology was not mature at the time,mercially viable sound films were not wholly feasible, and therefore the impact was naturally not great.


    Arthur values sound films because since its inception in 9, sound film became a global phomon in just over 0 years, making Hollywood, USA the most influtial cultural andmercial cter in the world.


    Of course, what allowed the United States to surpass the European countries in sound film was the skeptical attitude of many European filmmakers and critics towards new technology.


    They were worried that too much dialogue would reduce the special aesthetic of silt films, so sound film did not capture as much atttion in Europe as it did in the United States, which allowed Hollywood to sessfully be the symbol of world cinema.


    The birth of sound film signifies the uing era of massive developmt in the film industry.


    Arthur naturally understands the importance of movies. They are not only an extremely important means of making money, but also an important tool and method for foreign publicity, transmission of culture, and hancing international influce.


    Wh ites to cultural output, nothing canpare to film. Traditional books, music, and art can only influce a small part of the poption, and progress is slow.


    But films are differt. In just over one hour, a film can easily radiate its influce across the world.


    A few years ago, Austrsia had a film factory, and ev broadcasted silt films.


    But Arthur was not interested in these silt films, so after watching them once, he no longer cared.


    After the birth of sound film, Arthur inquired about the currt developmt of the Austrsian film industry from Butler Kt, and overall it was quite good.


    Contrary to Arthur''s opinion, Butler Kt was quite interested in silt films, so the royal financial group had invested quite a lot of funds in several movie factories.


    Currtly, there are three major film factories in Austrsia, namely the Royal Film Studio, the Victoria Film Studio, and the Austrsian National Film Factory.


    From these names, it is clear that all three film factories have the backing of the Royal Financial Group, and the controlling stakes are mostly over 60%.


    This is somewhat understandable, after all, without the help of the Royal Financial Group, it would be impossible for the 8 million people in Austrsia to support the three film factories.


    The developmt of the film industry at this time was nowhere near as vast as it would be inter gerations, before the birth of sound film, these silt film factories could easily go bankrupt if they didn''t have good work.


    Now that sound film is born, Austrsia''s cultural output to foreignnds can also begin.


    Of course, there''s another important purpose, which is to create a set impression in the minds of Austrsians through a variety of movies, namely that all immigrants are Austrsians and Austrsians should unite.


    Epassing all immigrants in Austrsia under a new ethnic group is the best solution to the immigration issue in Austrsia.


    The good news is that the Austrsia region used to be a colony and was ev a barrnd before.


    This also meant that if Arthur wanted to rewrite the history of Austrsia through various films, it would actually be quite easy.


    For instance, nobody would argue with Arthur over the interpretation of the Austrsian ethnicity. This allows him to integrate all immigrants into the Austrsian ethnicity as much as possible, solidifying unity among the domestic popce.


    No matter if you''re from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, or Russia, now there is amon term for all ¡ª Austrsians.


    Don''t underestimate literary works and movies for their subconscious influce on the public.


    With the help of movies, Arthur was confidt he can make all Austrsians unquestioningly believe in the concept of their ethnicity within t years. At least over half of the Austrsian immigrants would be united under this overarching ethnic framework.


    Therefore, some European writers, authors, and novelists are also within Arthur''s talt recruitmt range.


    Austrsia had already attracted over a hundred literary talts from Europe. Coupled with about t or more literary talt Arthur garnered on his trip to Europe, as well as the talt cultivated by all universities in Austrsia''s Literature Departmt, they were ough to write various stories about the ethnicity.


    The best ones can th be adapted into scripts, filmed into movies, and broadcasted nationwide in Austrsia.


    The public is usually easily swayed. With such significant influce, it''s safe to believe that in a few years'' time, if outsiders were to im that certain immigrants are not Austrsians, these immigrants would be reluctant.


    The good news is, early sound film technology was quite simple. For Austrsia''s currt state of technology, developing the sound film technology is not difficult.


    Put simply, the most basic sound film involves ying the sound as the film is being projected to achieve synchronised audio and visual effects.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Implemting this technology isn''t hard. At its simplest, one can use a phonograph to y the sound, although this requires some coordination betwe the audio and visuals.


    A slightly moreplicated method would be to use two types of film with differt photossitive properties¡ªone for recording images, the other for sound. Th, through a series of techniques, the sound and images can bebined on a single copy of the film, ready for screing.


    During a screing, the projector also has a sound system that can reproduce the sound as the images are projected, creating a sound film effect.


    Objectively speaking, neither of these technologies is difficult, and both can be used formercial sound film technology.


    Arthur handed over these two sound film technologies to the three major film studios, each with a budget of 0,000 Australian dors.


    Arthur''s only request was that they research sound film technology as soon as possible, write a great number of historical scripts about the Austrsian ethnicity, film these into sound films and broadcast them extsively throughout Austrsia.


    For this, Grant''s Propaganda Departmt will coordinate with these three film studios. The Propaganda Departmt is responsible for domestic and overseas publicity, and they control all Austrsian newspapers and media.


    The Propaganda Departmt, in cooperation with those writers, along with some novelists who are good at making things up, could absolutely rewrite the history of Austrsia.


    With the three film studios working diligtly on the side, they aim to turn these stories into scripts as soon as possible, th shoot them into films and showcase them on the big scre.


    At prest, the main audice is still within Austrsia. But some films may also be considered for screing in Europe and the United States.


    As for other areas, like Asia and South America, Arthur has temporarily giv up on them.


    After all, ev a very rudimtary film requires money to buy a ticket and watch it.


    For regions where most people stillck the disposable ie to watch films, it''s better to leave the opportunity to Europeans and Americans.


    The good news is that there ar''t struous restrictions on films at prest. As long as they don''t tantly satirise the local governmt or propagate thoughts and conceptions that are not recognized or duly forbidd in those localities, th the films gerally won''t be restricted.


    Perhaps for some Ind Nation directors, this is good news. Since prest-day movies are not strictly ssified by age, theoretically, the films they shoot can be screed anywhere.


    It''s a shame that they couldn''t joy such prosperous times; otherwise, the Ind Nation''s films could have global reach, albeit with a less than ideal reputation.

 Chapter 326: Chapter 285: Royal Film Production Studio

    In any country, there is a phomon referred to as "one word from above, and legs running below."


    What does it mean? A thought from the upper echelons of a country can lead to arge number of people in the middle and lower levels scrambling to carry it out.


    Especially for a monarch like Arthur who has great power, a single word from Arthur can set the tire Austrsia in motion.


    This is actually a double-edged sword. If this power is used properly, it can push the country in a more robust direction.


    However, if those using this power only pursue their own selfish desires, they may likely push the country into the abyss, a ce of no return.


    The good news is that Arthur carefully considers most of the orders he issues, and consults with the Cab Governmt or other officials wh uncertainties arise.


    Although Arthur has various experices fromter gerations, after all, he is just an ordinary person and may make mistakes.


    However, as the ruler of a nation, Arthur has arge number of subordinates and governmt officials to discuss with. These officials are meant for this purpose, and Arthur finds it quite handy to use them.


    Under Arthur''s decision to vigorously develop sound films, Austrsia''s three major film studios and rted researchers quickly got to work. Hundreds of literary workers, including various writers, novelists, m of letters, historians, and ev artists, were all gathered together.


    Their only mission is topile stories about the Austrsian nation to promote national unity and cultural idtity.


    The stories can be based on relevant historical facts or tirely made up, as long as they appear reasonably authtic.


    As long as they follow the overarching theme of national unity and cohesion, Arthur allows them to build an alternative framework for national stories, ev outright fabrications.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, Austrsia has the final say in Australia, and no country willpete with Austrsia for the right to interpret this region''s history.


    The experts assembled take this task very seriously, because they have received news that the stories theypile will not only be adapted into sound films and aired nationally and ev worldwide but also pottially be selected and included in Austrsian books.


    These experts may also have their stories remembered in Austrsia for thousands of years.


    After all, they have chos to adopt Austrsian nationality, and who wouldn''t want to have a good reputation in this country?


    Sydney, Royal Film Production Studio.


    The Royal Film Production Studio is the film studio with the most shares held by the royal financial group, ounting for 0%.


    Of course, the other two major film studios, the Victoria Film Studio and the Austrsia National Film Studio, are also backed by the royal financial group. It can be said that in the film studio field, the royal financial group is the big boss behind the sces, and the three major film studios are actually fighting within the royal financial group.


    However, thispetition is allowed, and somemercialpetition can also make the industry''s developmt smoother.


    It''s better than a single dominant yer, letting market monopoly lead to a decline in film quality and various services!


    Kar is a professional film projectionist at the Royal Film Production Studio. The so-called film projectionist is actually a person who takes movie screing equipmt to small towns or rural viges without cinemas to show movies to people there.


    At first, it was because the filmpanies wanted to promote movies and expand their channels, so they wt to rural viges and small towns for promotion.


    Over time, some people have be ustomed to this form of tertainmt. People in some viges oft pool money wh they have extra funds to invite a film projectionist to show a movie.


    In Austrsia, there ar''t many people who can watch movies. If they can afford to invite a projectionist to their vige to show a movie, the vigers won''t mind bragging about it for a whole year.


    But for those film projectionists, while small towns are fine, remote viges are particrly troublesome because the process is time-consuming and burdsome. After all, at this time, film projectionists'' belongings could not ev fit in one horse carriage. Going to a small vige is tirely a punishmt.


    But there''s no choice, as this is the strategy of film studios to expand their markets and the livelihood of these film projectionists.


    The good news is that the price of screing a movie is not cheap. If you include the travel expses and costs to remote areas, the expse of screing a movie is equal to half a year''s ie for an ordinary Austrsian worker.


    This is why most viges and small towns choose crowdfunding wh showing movies, as the cost of a single movie screing requires more than thirty Australian dors, which is close to the average annual ie in Austrsia.


    Because of this reason, the business of film projectionists like Kar is not very good.


    Although a single movie screing can earn them at least two to three months of ie for an ordinary Austrsian, the problem is that for those small towns and viges, the number of movie screings per year may only be one or two times, or ev once in several years.


    This has led to Kar''s business operating once every two or three months, and his ie is only a the average ie level in Austrsia.


    If it wer''t for Kar asionally finding opportunities to scre a movie in a city square, attracting hundreds of viewers and earning some extra ie, his annual ie might be the same as that of an ordinary person.

 Chapter 327: Chapter 285: Royal Film Production Studio_2

    However, despite this, Kar still doesn''t want to lose her job. Although the projectionist''s job is not easy at the momt, the overall ie has be on the rise.


    A few years ago, projectionists like Kar could hardly find an opportunity to scre films for more than half a year. asionally, they would secretly scre films in the city square, worrying about being reported by the cinema staff for taking their business.


    With the overall film market on the rise, Kar is naturally unwilling to give up her career.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Moreover, including the ie from secretly screing films in the city, Kar''s annual ie is almost double the average ie. How could she be willing to give up such a high-paying job, ev if it''s a bit more struous?


    Having just finished a screing and ready to take a good break, Kar suddly received a notice from the Royal Film Studio, asking all projectionists to gather there as soon as possible for an important announcemt.


    This news made Kar frown, as besides new films for them to collect or wh settling rtal fees, they would only be called to the Royal Film Studio.


    Yes, these projectionists mostly rt their equipmt from the Royal Film Studio. They have to pay half of their ie from each film screing to the studio as rtal fees.


    However, the good news is that after twty years of handing over 50% of their profits, the film projection equipmt truly belongs to the film projectionists. They only need to pay the studio for the film rtal and no longer pay for equipmt rtal.


    As for Kar''s dream, it is to earn ough money and th op her own cinema in big cities like Sydney.


    She heard that cinemas in Sydney make ts of dors for each screing, with hundreds of dorsing in daily, making Kar and many projectionists vy.


    Carrying some anxious thoughts, Kar came to the Royal Film Studio early in the morning, waiting with a slightly apprehsive heart for the office area''s doors to op.


    "Kar, you''re so early?"


    After waiting for a while, Kar''s frid and colleague Trick walked over and greeted her warmly.


    "Yes, Trick. I want to know sooner what the film studio wants from us and hope it isn''t bad news." Kar replied to her frid with a bitter smile.


    "Hopefully, Kar. But considering the currt developmt of the film industry, I think it shouldn''t be bad news. If it were bad news, the film studio could just inform us directly. Why gather us here?" Trickforted, seeing her frid was a bit down.


    "Maybe you''re right, Trick." Hearing her frid say this, Kar''s mood got a little better as they waited together for the arrival of others.


    After waiting again for a while, most of the projectionists from a Sydney had arrived and began gathering in small groups.


    Finally, at eight o''clock, the office area''s doors oped, and Frank, the head of the Royal Film Production Studio, walked out with a smile. Addressing everyone, he cut straight to the chase:


    "Gtlem, I have good news for you all. The Royal Film Studio will continue to expand its market and ns to build more cinemas in big cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Of course, cities with a poption of over 0,000 will also have a chance to build cinemas, and you may be the person in charge of these cinemas."


    Frank''s words acted like a soothing remedy, instantly calming the anxious projectionists who looked at him expectantly.


    "I know you are all curious why we suddly want to build so many cinemas. I can reveal some news to you. Some time ago, sound films were born, and His Majesty decided to vigorously develop sound films and the film industry, and has invested a lot of money in us." Frank exined with a smile.


    Frank didn''t mtion that the other two major film studios had also received the same funds.


    After all, this asion was to cheer up and motivate their own employees, so they needed to highlight the importance of the Royal Film Studio.


    Hearing that King Arthur was very optimistic about sound films and wanted to vigorously develop the film industry, all the projectionists in the room couldn''t help but excitedly exim.


    With His Majesty the Kingmitted to developing the film industry, how could they worry about losing their jobs?


    No! A movie projectionist with some ambitions like Kar is already looking forward to the position of the manager in the city''s cinemas.


    Although these newly built cinemas belong to the Royal Film Studio, they can not only gain early exposure as managers of cinemas, foster their own abilities but also earn higher ies andy a solid foundation for their future indepdt cinemas.


    "We are currtly developing sound film technology vigorously, and I believe that within at most six months, we should be able to start shooting sound films. That is to say, it''s only a little over a year from the screing of sound films. This period is also an opportunity for all of you. During this time, we will build at least t cinemas and hire more than 0 film projectionists.


    Their only responsibility will be to show arge number of our free movies to the public, and strive to let the vast majority of Austrsians see them."


    "Factory Director Frank, are you talking about free movies?" someone asked.


    You should know that they all make money by charging for movies. If they suddly changed the movies to free ones, where would their iee from?


    "Yes, the main focus of the Royal Film Studio in the future will be shooting public interest movies about our nation and country. Naturally, these public interest movies should be yed for free to all Austrsians.


    But don''t worry, these public-interest movies are supported by His Majesty the King, and both cinemas and projectionists will earn their deserved ie for every public-interest movie screing." Frank nodded and exined.


    The cost of showing one movie nowadays is not small, easily amounting to several dozs of Australian dors.


    Therefore, it also gives rise to a problem, which is that ev if the film studios make movies about national unity, the number of people watching will not be too many.


    After all, watching a movie is not a small burd for themon people, and ev if Arthur can use his influce to get most viges to scre a movie, it would definitely be a loss.


    As such, Arthur decided to show these national and ethnic movies in the form of public interest after much consideration.


    As for the cost and expses of the screings, these will be borne by the governmt and the royal financial group. ording to the agreemt betwe Arthur and Prime Minister Walter, the governmt will reimburse 40% of the movie costs, and the remaining 60% will be borne by the royal financial group.


    In Austrsia, the total number of screings in small andrge citiesbined would not exceed t thousand a year.


    Is the cost of ,000 movie screings expsive? Based on the cost of thirty Australian dors per screing, ,000 screings would only amount to 300,000 Australian dors, and the cost is not high.


    Ev if there are more screings, both the governmt and the royal family''s finances can handle it.


    Changing the way movies are screed to free public interest movies can also attract more people to watch these specially shot movies and make them more effective.


    Not to mtion, the mere name of a free movie would be ough to attract most viges and individuals to watch.


    After all, it''s a free movie, and ev just to take advantage of the cheap offer, many small towns and viges would invite film projectionists to scre a movie.


    Of course, the cost of a movie naturally includes not only the screings but also the shooting, scriptwriting, etc.


    However, these are not significant expses, especially for the rtively rudimtary movie industry at prest, the cost of making a movie is indeed not high.


    Furthermore, by leveraging public interest movies first, the Three Major Film Studios can expand their movie market.


    Therger the market, the higher the profit for the film studios, which is of great help for indepdt developmt and profitability for the Three Major Film Studios.


    After hearing Frank''s exnation, many film projectionists finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    After all, everyone needs to support their families. If their ie is lost due to public interest movies, they really need to find a ce to cry.

 Chapter 328: Chapter 286: Stock Exchange

    As time tered September 9, the floods in several provinces in East Asia became more and more severe, causing local people to plunder food and riots broke out among refugees, creating a desperate situation.


    It was time for Austrsia to show its good side. Arthur announced, on behalf of Austrsia, that they would sd 0 tons of food and fifty thousand Australian dors in aid to the disaster-strick areas, demonstrating Austrsia''smitmt to peace and fridship.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sure ough, after receiving the good news of Austrsia''s aid, not only did the local governmts promote it extsively, but the local victims and refugees were also very grateful to Austrsia.


    Unfortunately, what they didn''t know was that the ie Austrsia earned from selling food during this disaster was easily hundreds of times more than the aid they provided.


    In early September, the first securities exchange in Austrsia was established in Sydney, and Arthur attded the oping ceremony of the exchange, delivering a speech asserting the importance of the securities exchange.


    As a matter of fact, stock trading had already tak ce in Amsterdam, the Nethends, in 60. At that time, the Dutch governmt printed the world''s first stock, shares in the East India Company.


    During the 7th and 8th cturies, the Nethends, Germany, France, Britain, and the United States sessively established their own securities exchanges, which have be in existce for at least one hundred years.


    Ev in the seemingly underdeveloped ind countries that Arthur observed, two stock exchanges were established in 878.


    Inparison, the establishmt of Austrsia''s stock exchange was far behind other countries.


    The newly-established Sydney Stock Exchange was under the control of the Ministry of Finance and was not aimed at making a profit.


    However, the establishmt of the stock exchange and the stock market yed an important role in the developmt of both the country and private terprises.


    Private terprises could choose to go public on the stock exchange, selling theirpany in several shares to other people.


    This allowed cash-strappedpanies to raise developmt funds in the stock market, meeting therge amounts of capital needed for construction and developmt.


    In addition to raising funds, the stock market also diversified investmt risks and increased the value of private terprise assets.


    This befitted the developmt of Austrsian businesses and also attracted arge amount of external capital to Austrsia, driving all aspects of the region''s developmt.


    Considering the poption and economic scale, establishing the stock exchange in Sydney was already sufficit.


    Sydney is the only city in Austrsia with a poption of over one million, and it is the political, economic, and cultural cter, naturally attracting more capital.


    It is believed that after the establishmt of the stock exchange, small and medium-sized terprises in Austrsia would also see some developmt.


    As September gradually passed, Arthur became increasingly concerned about the situation in Europe.


    ording to historical developmts, the Second Moran Crisis should be immint.


    The Moran Crisis consisted of a political conflict betwe Germany and France in Moro, and it also intsifiedpetition in Europe and exacerbated the deterioration of rtions betwe Germany and other countries.


    After the First Moran Crisis and the upation of the eastern part of Moro by Frch forces in March 907 under the pre of a doctor being killed, tsions betwe Germany and France increased suddly.


    However, at that time, Germany chose a conciliatory attitude that surprised other countries, agreeing to submit the incidt to arbitration, thus peacefully resolving the issue.


    The main reasons for Germany''s conciliatory attitude were twofold. First, the previous Bosnian crisis had already made the European situation extremely tse, and the Germans did not want to add fuel to the fire. Secondly, the First Moran Crisis made Germany realize that France''s control of Moro was difficult to resist.


    Instead of continuing to fight against France in Moro, it would be better topromise and exchange for Germany''s economic interests in Moro, as well aspsation from France.


    After all, Germany, no matter how you put it, was the second major power in the world. If it made concessions to France in Moro, France would have to give somepsation!


    Therefore, on February 9, 909, Germany and France signed the Franco-German Agreemt. France dered its recognition of the indepdce and integrity of Moro and acknowledged Germany''s equal economic rights in Moro.


    Germany, on the other hand, recognized France''s special political rights in Moro and promised not to interfere with Frch actions to maintain peace and stability in Moro.


    The signing of the Franco-German Agreemt satisfied the politicians and upper echelons of both countries to a great extt, and it ev greatly eased the contradiction betwe the two nations, almost shifting the Franco-German contradiction to the negotiating table rather than the battlefield.


    Unfortunately, the rapprochemt betwe France and Germany made the British extremely cautious and observant.


    After all, there was no possibility of reconciliation betwe Germany and France as long as Britain was involved.


    No matter whether it was Germany or France, both countries had a dominant position in Europe. If these two countries united, they would really be able to control the whole of Europe.


    This was something the British absolutely did not want to see. After the reconciliation betwe France and Germany, wouldn''t their emy naturally be Britain?


    Moreover, if Germany could reconcile with France, couldn''t it also reconcile with Russia?


    And what would Britain do th?


    It should be noted that although Britain and France were the two countries with thergest colonial possessions in the world at that time, the majority of the befits were actually controlled by Britain.


    The true emies of the major powers in Europe, one could imagine, are the United Kingdom.


    As the famous European empire that stirs up trouble, can the British Empire tolerate such a situation?


    Not to mtion, the reconciliation betwe Germany and France is thest thing the UK wants to see. After the Franco-German reconciliation, the major contradictions on the European contint will also dissipate.


    This will lead to the reason for the opposition betwe the two major military blocs bing the conflict betwe Britain and Germany, or in in words, the struggle betwe the first and second major powers for the position of world hegemony.


    Under such circumstances, will France and Russia still willingly sacrifice themselves for Britain?


    Ev not participating would be a good option. After all, the British Empire upies the most colonies and has thergest share of the spoils among all the powers. If everyone was at peace, dividing the British Empire would seem to be beficial to most countries.


    If history follows its course, the Second Moran Crisis will erupt in a few months.


    The Second Moran Crisis made the British-German conflict ev more acute, as Germany became the sole target of British politics.


    Meanwhile, the Second Moran Crisis also made the rtions betwe the Anglo-Frch Agreemt ev stronger.


    Because at the most critical momt for France, Britain came to its aid and struck a fatal blow against Germany.


    This made the Frch people extremely grateful to Britain and strgthed the close cooperation betwe the two countries in various aspects in order to jointly fight against Germany.


    The Second Moran Crisis created an ev more tse situation in Europe, ev making the atmosphere of war grow stronger.


    If it wer''t for Britain''s tough stance during the crisis and the German retreat, the Second Moran Crisis might have be the catalyst for World War I.


    Anyway, being prepared for this crisis is necessary. The Moran crisis in history was rtively well resolved, but who can guarantee that the Moran crisis in this world wouldn''t be a fuse for war?


    After all, this world has a butterfly like Arthur, and many developmts and previous histories have already be differt.


    Under such circumstances, it''s not impossible for Britain and Germany to have other ideas.


    If Germany chose to be tough, wouldn''t that mean World War I wasing?


    Of course, ev if the Second Moran Crisis did not be the catalyst for World War I, it would still be necessary to be prepared for it in advance.


    This crisis has caused the three major European powers, Britain, Germany, and France, to focus their atttion tirely on it, making them busy with this struggle and many other ambitious countries to take advantage of the crisis to expand their interests.


    For example, the Italo-Turkish War and the Balkan Wars that broke out during the crisis.


    It is worth mtioning that in both of these wars, one of the protagonists was the already decayed Ottoman Turkish Empire.


    It is worth mtioning that the historical catalyst for World War I, the Sarajevo Incidt, is also rted to the Balkan Wars.


    The Balkan Wars, to be precise, were wars betwe the Balkan nations and Turkey, including Serbia, where Sarajevo yed a leading role.


    After the two Balkan Wars, the Balkan states formed two opposing camps.


    On one side were Serbia, Greece, Romania, and Montegro, backed by the Allies.


    On the other side were Bulgaria and Turkey, backed by the German-Austrian-led Ctral Powers.


    From this, we can see the control and influce of the great powers on the small countries. Due to the influce of the two major European military blocs, the Balkan region was also divided into two factions.


    Since they were divided into two major factions, it was inevitable that conflicts would break out betwe them.


    As one of the Balkan states, Serbia naturally had ambitions. Serbia fantasized about unifying the Balkans and establishing a Greater Serbia-Yugovia.


    This ambition naturally conflicted with the strategic interests of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, which the Austro-Hungarian Empire had annexed two years earlier, the majority of the inhabitants were Serbs and Serbia was adjact to them.


    Because of border conflicts, Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire became emies, but small countries could never resist big countries.


    Therefore, some young nationalist officers in Serbia formed a Mafia-like organization called Unity or Death, nicknamed the ck Hand.


    And this organization, formed by Serbian officers, was the one that wouldter provide weapons to the assassins who killed Archduke Ferdinand.


    It can only be said that the conflicts betwe the countries in Europe are rted. The Second Moran Crisis prompted Italy tounch the Italo-Turkish War.


    It was precisely because the Italo-Turkish War made the Turks preupied that the Balkan countries formed an alliance andunched the First Balkan War.


    Later, due to the unev distribution of war gains and the confrontation of the countries behind them, the Balkan countries split into two factions.


    Moreover, Serbia''s territorial expansion during the two wars gave birth to the idea of ????establishing a Greater Serbian South via.


    This idea conflicted with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which in turn angered some young Serbian nationalist officers, particrly those who opposed the Greater Serbian doctrine and were hostile to Serbia, such as Archduke Ferdinand, a key figure in Austria-Hungary.

 Chapter 329: Chapter 287: The Chileans Super Dreadnought Ambition

    As time moved into October 9, Arthur received another piece of good news: the Australia Battleship and New Zend Battleship had officially tered the naval service.


    That''s right, after nearly a year of sea trials, these two battleships had finally passed the tests and truly became naval warships.


    Through more than a year of operation and experimtation, navy soldiers had be very familiar with these two battleships, and theirbat capabilities had gradually tak shape.


    At prest, the navy of Austrsia had three dreadnought battleships and two battlecruisers nearingpletion. The size andbat capabilities of the navy hade a long waypared to before.


    At the same time, Austrsia weed guests from South America.


    Like the naval arms race in Europe, in rect periods, and ev from thete 9th ctury to now, several major countries in South America, particrly the threergest ¨C Chile, Argtina, and Brazil ¨C gaged in a series of fierce naval arms races due to territorial disputes.


    Chile and Argtina ev broke into conflicts due to territorial disputes, ultimately restoring peace with the mediation of the United Kingdom.


    However, thepetitive rtionship betwe the three countries did not d with temporary peace. After the conflict, the United Kingdom sold two Constitutional-ss pre-dreadnoughts to Chile, followed by Argtina ordering two Rivadavia-ss battleships from Italy.


    Wh the Dreadnought-ss battleship was born, Brazil decided in 907 to stop buying pre-dreadnought battleships and use all its funds to purchase the newly born Dreadnoughts.


    This year, the United Kingdompleted the construction of two Minas Gerais-ss battleships for Brazil, making Brazil the fifth country in the world to have dreadnought battleships after the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, and Austrsia.


    In fact, in history, Brazil should have be the third country to have dreadnought battleships, but the presce of Arthur and Austrsia led to Austrsia and Russia acquiring dreadnought battleships ahead of schedule.


    With the two dreadnought battleships officially in service, Brazil''s naval strgth rose above all other countries in South America.


    It was precisely because of these two dreadnought battleships that the South American naval race officially began, with major countries purchasing more powerful dreadnought battleships to counterbnce their rivals.


    Earlier this year, the Chilean National Assembly approved a resolution allocating at least 4 million pounds for naval expansion, including tworge battleships of over 0,000 tons, six destroyers, and two submarines.


    Initially, the Chilean governmt nned to choose apany to build dreadnought battleships for them through bidding.


    However, due to the busy schedule of British and German shipyards building dreadnought battleships for their own countries, the participating biddingpanies were basically shipyards from small and medium-sized European countries.


    This dishearted the Chilean governmt. After all,  of the countries where these bidding shipyards were located had dreadnought battleships, and the Chilean governmt did not believe that these shipyards could build very powerful dreadnought battleships.


    At this time, the second ship trade order betwe Russia and Austrsia reminded some Chilean naval officers and governmt officials of Austrsia.


    Although Austrsia was not significantly differt from those small and medium-sized European countries overall, it was a country that had reached two ship trade agreemts with one of the Powers, Russia. The performance andbat capabilities of the warships they built must have gained the trust and recognition of the Russians.


    Since the Russians had equipped arge number of them (a total of four battleships and two cruisers in the two trade orders), what reason did Chile have to doubt?


    If the battleships built by Austrsia could meet thebat needs of the Powers, couldn''t they meet thebat requiremts of Chile?


    With this in mind, the Chilean governmt st a visiting group to Austrsia to investigate in person.


    The Chilean delegation''s visit caught Arthur''s atttion, or rather, he was interested in the delegation''s funds.


    Although Arthur did not know that Chile had decided to purchase warships from Austrsia, he knew that the South American naval race was underway, and that the arrival of the Chilean diplomatic team was most likely rted to Austrsia''s dreadnought battleships.


    In fact, the Chilean delegation was indeed straightforward, expressing the inttion of the Chilean governmt to examine Austrsia''s dreadnought battleships from the outset.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After hearing Foreign Minister Andrews'' report, Arthur didn''t think much of it and asked Minister Andrew to take the Chilean delegation to the Royal Shipyard.


    During the trip to the Royal Shipyard, the minister''s conversation with the Chileans was somewhat surprising.


    The Chileans'' requiremts were quite high. For battleships, they wanted at least a 8,000-ton giant battleship equipped with -inch guns.


    The -inch guns were easy to handle, as they were actually 305mm primary artillery, which all of Austrsia''s dreadnought battleships were equipped with.


    However, the issue was that the tonnage of the dreadnought battleships might be a problem. Ev with the Monarch-ss battleships, the full-load discemt was only 0,9 tons, far from the 8,000-ton giant battleship required by the Chileans.


    In fact, the battleship built ording to the Chilean''s request in the original history was the most powerful super dreadnought at that time.


    With the developmt of the dreadnought, the caliber of the main guns had grown to 3.5 to 5 inches, the effective range of the firearms was constantly increasing, the main gun turrets were arranged on the longitudinal cterline of the hull, reducing or eliminating the turrets in the waist, and increasing the discemt to more than 5,000 tons.


    This level of dreadnought wasmonly referred to as a super dreadnought.


    In fact, the country that first developed and built super dreadnoughts is still the British Empire, which is why King George V was able to agree to give Arthur the blueprints and technology for the St. Vinct-ss battleship.


    The British Empire''s first super dreadnought was the Orion-ss battleship, a new design of four main battleships by the British to cope with the pressure of the intse naval shipbuildingpetition betwe Britain and Germany.


    The Orion-ss battleship emphasized firepower and waspletely differt from the previous dreadnoughts built by the British, who called it a super dreadnought.


    An important change was that the Orion-ss battleship was equipped with 3.5-inch main guns, far surpassing the -inch main guns of the St. Vinct-ss battleships.


    This allowed the battleship''s gun caliber to jump directly from 305mm to 343mm, greatly hancing its firepower.


    The first Orion-ss battleship, Orion Battleship, had already begun construction at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and ev quietlyunched in August this year.


    Thanks to the previous secrecy experice of the Dreadnought battleship, the secrecy of the Orion Battleshipunch was done very well and has not yet be known to other countries.


    Minister Andrew saw the absurd demands put forward by the Chileans which reminded Arthur of the super dreadnoughts that should be immint or already born in history.


    Larasia had finally be a world leader in dreadnoughts and naturally would not give up such a leading position easily.


    Arthur made a decisive decision, summoning naval experts and asking them to design arge warship with a total tonnage of no less than 3,000 tons and a full-load discemt of no less than 7,000 tons, based on the requiremts of the Chileans.


    Arthur demanded not only to strgth the firepower, but also to strgth the armor protection and power system of military vessels, so that the military vessels could maintain a speed of about  knots under the premise of arge increase in size and weight.


    For the experts at the naval shipyard, this was a difficult task, as they had no referce in suchrge military vessels. They could only rely on the drawings and materials of the Monarch-ss and St Vinct-ss battleships to make improvemts and changes in some aspects, striving to achieve the data and results required by Arthur.


    After visiting the Royal Shipyard for several days, the Chileans were very satisfied with the Royal Shipyard of Larasia.


    The only drawback was that the most advanced battleship currtly controlled by the Royal Shipyard (only for external disy and export of the Monarch-ss) had a full-load discemt of just under ,000 tons.


    Ev with some modifications to certain aspects, the Monarch-ss battleship''s full-load discemt could not exceed ,000 tons, which was quite a distance from the 8,000 tons the Chileans expected.


    However, there was good news. Minister Andrew personally assured them that, by Arthur''s order, the Royal Shipyard was already designing a super warship with a full-load tonnage of a 8,000 tons, with a design requiremt that catered to the needs of the Chileans, which would basically meet their requiremts.


    After careful consideration and consultation with the opinions of their domestic officials, the Chilean diplomatic team decided to reach an initial cooperation with the Royal Shipyard.


    If the new warship designed by the Royal Shipyard meets the requiremts of the Chileans, at least most of them, th the Chileans will officially sign a contract with the Royal Shipyard for two battleships, six destroyers, and two submarines.


    The main reason the Chileans decided to wait for the Royal Shipyard''s design results was that the developmt of Larasia''s Royal Shipyard was indeed good, and the Royal Shipyard had aplete military ship system with battleships, destroyers and submarines, much more reliable than those smaller European countries without dreadnoughts.


    In addition, the Chileans saw some German and British faces at the Royal Shipyard.


    This also indicated that the Royal Shipyard of Larasia had the support of German and British technical experts.


    The Chileans believed that under the guidance of British and German experts, the warships built by Larasia would definitely be guaranteed.


    In Arthur''s presce, the Chilean diplomatic team signed a treaty with the Royal Shipyard.


    If it is confirmed that the new warships meet most of Chile''s requiremts, th the warship order will take effect. If the requiremts are not met, th the warship order will be officially invalidated.


    If the warship order is invalidated, the Chileans will not have to pay any funds.


    This is also the reason why the Chileans are willing to sign the treaty, as they do not have to spd any money before the warship order is in effect.


    In fact, Arthur also had a purpose in reaching such an agreemt with the Chileans. After all, in the area of ??super dreadnoughts, Larasia was also an indepdt and original research and had no referces.


    If there is an order from the Chileans, there will be a chance for the shipyard to umte experice wh building super dreadnoughts in the future. Wh building super dreadnoughts for Larasia itself in the future, the shipyard will be able to handle them efficitly, not only speeding up construction but also significantly reducing the chances of problems arising.

 Chapter 330: Chapter 288: Hope-class Battleship

    The Chilean''s concept of the super dreadnought swiftly awaked Arthur, who had be indulging in the dreams of Austrsia''s rise.


    Although Austrsia is currtly leading the world in tanks, airnes, and dreadnoughts, and its military industry is absolutely world-ss, it is still far from ough.


    Under the influce of the intse arms race betwe Britain and Germany, the pace of their military technology recemt is beyond Arthur''s imagination.


    Since its birth, the dreadnought has instantly be the most powerful battleship in the world. Ev now, there are only five countries that truly possess dreadnoughts.


    Arthur was somewhatct about this, as not only did Austrsia possess dreadnoughts, but it also controlled the construction technology of advanced main fleet warships such as the Nassau-ss battleship, Monarch-ss battleship, St Vinct-ss battleship, and Unified-ss battlecruiser.


    In the construction of dreadnought-ss main fleet warships, Austrsia could be said to rank after Britain and Germany,peting for third ce in the world.


    However, Arthur overlooked the speed of military technology recemt in Britain and Germany during this period.


    Admittedly, the dreadnought is still the most powerful warship in the world. But Britain has already developed and ev sessfully built the super dreadnought, leading the world by far in warship technology and leaving the second and third ces far behind.


    If Austrsia truly wants to rise, it must not be contt with its currt achievemts and should aim for greater heights, with a deep understanding of the world.


    Thus, Arthur also made up his mind that ev if the deal for the super dreadnought order with Chile falls through, Austrsia must develop its own super dreadnought with the fastest speed possible.


    On October , 9, at Arthur''s summons, the majority of naval shipbuilding experts in Austrsia arrived at the Royal Shipyard, including the German experts who had settled in Austrsia.


    Arthur attded the meeting at the Royal Shipyard and gave the experts a requiremt to design a battleship with a total tonnage of at least 3,000 tons, a full load tonnage of at least 7,000 tons, a main gun caliber of 3.5 inches, andprehsive upgrades in power, armor protection, and firepower.


    For this purpose, Arthur prested the construction blueprints of the Monarch-ss battleship and St Vinct-ss battleship, allowing the experts to refer to the constructionyout and technology of these two types of battleships and find ideas for designing new battleships.


    Following Arthur''s order, the shipbuilding experts began to get busy, starting to design the new warships in their minds.


    Arthur set the design time to three months, with the person who sessfully designs the battleship receiving a substantial reward and possibly ev a title of nobility.


    This gerous condition attracted the thusiasm of many shipbuilding experts, and the Royal Shipyard was packed with them.


    Fortunately, the construction of the two battlecruisers was almostpleted, so ev though most of the experts at the Royal Shipyard were mobilized, it barely affected the final assembly of the two battlecruisers.


    As time tered November 9, the Sydney Stock Exchange founded by Arthur gradually began to take shape.


    The currt Sydney Stock Exchange has attracted more than t foreign capitals and hundreds of domestic small and medium-sized terprises in Austrsia.


    It has attracted millions of Australian dors from foreign capital, allowing many small and medium-sized factories and terprises to break through t thousand dors in assets.


    The currt Sydney Stock Exchange can be described as bustling, with a daily flow of thousands of people and ts of thousands of Australian dors in funds.


    This year was a disaster for East Asia, with various natural and man-made disasters, gues, and epidemics, causing huge losses to the region.


    Austrsia exported more than 4 million tons of grain this year, half of which was exported to East Asia, and was profitable for state-owned, royal, and private farms.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In mid-November, Arthur attded theunching ceremony of the two battlecruisers, which marked thepletion of all the ships under Austrsia''s five-year shipbuilding n, and the navy''s first five-year n had bepleted.


    For the second five-year shipbuilding n proposed by the navy''s internal drive, Arthur temporarily chose to suppress it.


    For Austrsia, there is no need to stack the number of dreadnoughts so high for the time being.


    Before World War I, if the number of dreadnoughts in Austrsia continued to increase, it would definitely attract the atttion and emphasis of European powers.


    Ev if the powers have no other inttions, they will have a certain amount of apprehsion in the face of the increasingly powerful Austrsian navy.


    This is not good news for the developmt of Austrsia, as Arthur still hopes to purchase 3.5-inch main gun technology from Britain, or at least buy dozs of 3.5-inch main guns to meet the instation of main guns for future super dreadnoughts.


    If it draws the atttion and apprehsion of powerful European nations in advance, leading to a certain level of technology blockade from European countries against Austrsia, that would be too counterproductive.


    While the navy is undoubtedly important to Austrsia, it would be unnecessary to develop the navy if it aroused the apprehsion of European countries.


    Austrsia may have a second navy five-year n, but it should not be at this momt wh the clouds of war in Europe are looming.


    Arthur''s authority silced the naval officers, who could only pin their hopes on the training of the two newly built battlecruisers.

 Chapter 331: Chapter 288: Hope-class Battleship_2

    If thebat effectivess of these two battlecruisers isparable to that of dreadnoughts, th Austrsia will be able to wee five dreadnought-ss main battleships, and the navy''sbat power can surpass that of bottom-ranking powers like the Ind Nation, thus providing some means of self-protection.


    With the construction of the Austrsian navy, it is evidt that the national pride of Austrsia is growing higher and higher.


    It has to be admitted that, for this era, the navy is indeed the most important branch of all military forces.


    A powerful nation can be without a strong army, but it cannot be without a strong navy to protect its coastline and territory.


    Of course,ndlocked countries are another matter. But in this age of colonization, it is not easy for andlocked country to be a power.


    How important is the navy? It can be said that if Austrsia had a few more dreadnoughts, it could really mor for the status of a power.


    Moreover, by participating in one or two naval battles and fiercely pping the faces of bottom-ranking powers, they can be a recognized new power by stepping on the status of those lower-ranking powers.


    However, there is no need for Austrsia to do so. What Austrsiacks now is not the status of a power, but the real strgth and foundation of top-level powers.


    Not to mtion, the Ind Nation is now indeed referred to as the Eighth Power. But the question is, apart from those decaying nations such as the Ottoman Turkish Empire, which power would take a country like the Ind Nation seriously?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ev the equally decaying Russian Empire, if it moved all its forces and navy in Europe to the Far East, the Ind Nation might not necessarily be a match for the Tsardom of Russia.


    This is the real strgth and foundation of the old powers, which Arthur and Austrsia have be longing for.


    During this time, the experts of the shipyard also made progress. Ev t warship designs have bepleted, but each design is still a certain distance from Arthur''s requiremts.


    Among all the requiremts of Arthur and the Chileans, tonnage is actually the easiest thing to achieve.


    The simplest way to increase tonnage is to install thicker armor on various parts of the warship.


    Armor can greatly increase the tonnage of a warship, and by making the warship''s volumerger, it is easy to reach the 8,000 tons required by the Chileans.


    But the problem is that such a warship is esstially an empty shell. Mindlessly increasing the volume and thickness of the armor will significantly reduce the power of the warship.


    If they really did this, Arthur wondered if the new warship could ev match the speed of the old battleships.


    The warship design problem persists until the d of 9.


    On December , 9, Arthur finally received good news; The experts of the Royal Shipyard have finally designed a more reliable new design than other warships after their concerted efforts.


    The new battleship design refers to the design of the two dreadnoughts, the Monarch-ss battleship and the St Vinct-ss battleship, but overall, it can be described as apletely newly designed battleship.


    More than 60% of the new battleship design consists of technologies that Austrsia does not have. This also means that in order to build the new battleship, they need to rely on the officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to negotiate with the British Empire and purchase the corresponding technology.


    Of course, Arthur had anticipated this drawback. After all, ev the 3.5-inch main gun is a technology that Austrsia does not have, and it needs to be imported from the United Kingdom.


    Not to mtion the more advanced power systems, armor protection, and so on, which also need to be imported from the British Empire, and it would be best to purchase their manufacturing technology and principles.


    The battleship design that was reported to Arthur has basically met the requiremts of Arthur and the Chileans.


    Of course, not all requiremts can be met, as the construction technology of Austrsia must be considered, so as not to turn the warship''s blueprint into a mere empty picture.


    The estimated lgth of this battleship is about 8 meters, width 8 meters, and draft 8.4 meters.


    In terms of volume, the new battleship far exceeds the Monarch-ss battleship and St Vinct-ss battleship, truly being a superrge battleship in its own right.


    Increase in volume is due to the expansion of armor and power systems. Including all sections and systems, the new battleship is expected to have a standard discemt of ,800 tons, and a full-load discemt of 6,9 tons.


    If all goes well, this battleship will be equipped with t 45-caliber MK¢õ-type 3.5-inch caliber main guns.


    In addition, it will be equipped with eighte 4-inch 50-caliber secondary guns and four 533mm underwater torpedounchers.


    Compared to the Monarch-ss and St Vinct-ss battleships, the new battleship has achieved a significant improvemt in firepower.


    In terms of power, the new battleship adopts the same power system as the St Vinct-ss battleship, including two sets of four-shaft Parsons direct-drive steam turbines and twty-two Hercules-ss Vir-style mixedbustion boilers.


    The change here is the addition of four mixedbustion boilers, which also gives the new battleship an estimated power of 34,000 horsepower and a cruising speed of at least  knots.


    In terms of armor protection, the new battleship will increase the thickness of the main armor belt to 6.5 inches, the deck to 3.5 inches, the watertight bulkhead to 4-8 inches, the gun turret to .5 inches, the gun mount to  inches, and themand tower to .5 inches.


    This level of protection is a huge improvemtpared to previous dreadnoughts. Coupled with the improvemts in firepower and power, Arthur believes that the new battleship''sbat strgth would increase by at least 40%pared to the currt St Vinct-ss battleships.


    Of course, a 40% increase inbat strgth is a rtively conservative estimate. No one can guarantee what will happ on a real naval battlefield, but the new battleship''s actualbat capabilities will indeed crush older dreadnoughts.


    Arthur is very satisfied with the design of the new battleship and ultimately decides that the design of Austrsia''s first super dreadnought will be based on the currt blueprint.


    After much deliberation, Arthur decides to name Austrsia''s super-dreadnought the Hope-ss battleship.


    Hope signifies the hope of national rise. Arthur hopes to rely on the super-dreadnought to continue Austrsia''s dream of rise, to radiate Austrsia''s distinctive colors and let the world hear Austrsia''s voice.


    The establishmt of the super-dreadnought design n is a good reason for Arthur to feel pleased, and he has also begun to reward the experts of the Royal Shipyard gerously.


    First of all, each person has a reward of ,000 Australian dors, and for the main designers of the Hope-ss battleship, corresponding medals will be awarded as couragemt.


    Arthur is very gerous to the scitists and other talts in his hands, as these talts are the hope of Austrsia''s rise.


    Ev if they each receive a reward of ,000 Australian dors, it only adds up to just over 00 shipbuilding experts involved in the design of the super dreadnought.


    More than  million Australian dors were exchanged for the blueprint of the Hope-ss battleship, an investmt that seems worth it no matter how one thinks.


    Since more than 60% of the technology for the Hope-ss battleship needs to be imported or purchased from the United Kingdom, this has led to the construction cost of the battleship being much higher than the Monarch-ss battleship.


    ording to the shipyard experts'' conservative estimates, the cost of a Hope-ss battleship could exceed  million pounds and might ev reach a . million pounds.


    How to price the Hope-ss battleship became a headache for Arthur. If based on the profit of the Monarch-ss battleship, the price of the Hope-ss battleship might be close to 3 million pounds, a price that Chileans may not be able to afford.


    Moreover, in Arthur''s view, the Chileans'' naval order is an opportunity for the shipyard to practice building super-dreadnoughts, so it seems necessary to lower the price of the warship again.

 Chapter 332: Chapter 289: Revenue Breaks Through Sixty Million

    The Foreign Affairs Departmt has already made a request to the Chilean Governmt, stating that the super battleship the Chileans demanded has already be designed. They invited the Chileans toe to Austrsia for an on-site inspection and to sign a formal warship purchase order.


    However, Chile is located on the east coast of the Pacific Ocean, separated from Austrsia by the tire South Pacific Ocean.


    The arrival of the Chileans will still take some time, and before the Chileans arrive, Arthur also wees the d of 9.


    On December 3st, 9, the annual report meeting of the Cab Governmt formally conved at Sydney Pce.


    This year''s Cab Governmt summary report meeting has be more important thanst year''s. Apart from the European situation bing more serious, the Cab Governmt is also about to wee a new  of elections next year.


    This will be the first election after the cab reform, and many old-time cab ministers will also face an important choice in their political careers.


    The maximum term of office for Cab Ministers is three terms. This means that if these Cab Ministers want to continue to stay in the Cab Governmt, they must aim for differt positions.


    In addition to the Prime Minister and the Minister of State, which are the highest points in the Cab Governmt, the Chief Justice, the Speaker of the House of Represtatives, and the Royal Affairs Minister are also important positions that can allow them to continue to stay in the Cab Governmt.


    However, thepetition for these positions is extremely high, especially for the Minister of State, Chief Justice, and Royal Affairs Minister. Elections for these roles can only be held under Arthur''s nomination.


    This means that if Arthur is not optimistic about them, th they can only work towards the positions of Prime Minister and Speaker of the House of Represtatives.


    However, in addition to the other Cab Ministers,petitors for these two positions include incumbt Prime Minister Walter, former Prime Minister Evan, and incumbt Secretary of State Kt.


    In addition to the five sior ministers of the Cab Governmt, there may be more than tpetitors for the two positions, and all of them are top-tier politicians who have served as cab members. This is a huge pressure for these cab ministers.


    Therefore, these cab ministers view the annual summary report meeting at the d of this year as extremely important. This is theirst chance to showcase their political achievemts, and thest chance to gain Arthur''s trust and get him to think highly of them.


    The atmosphere at therge conferce table in the pce has be very serious.


    Prime Minister Walter stood solemnly and respectfully in front of the conferce table and was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, colleagues, please allow me to start the annual summary report of the Austrsian Cab Governmt in 9. The first item to report is the overall domestic situation.


    During the tire 9, our developmtal situation was good, with orderly and intse developmt in all aspects."


    After a series of reports from the Cab officials, the currt situation of Austrsia was finally reported in detail.


    First is the poption issue that Arthur values most. By the d of 9, the total poption of Austrsia had exceeded 9 million, with the exact number being over 9.43 million. Compared to the previous year, the poption increased by 9,000, among which the number of immigrants exceeded 850,000, the number of newborns exceeded 0,000, and the number of deaths was over 40,000.


    As the core of the country, the poption of the Australian region has already exceeded 7.54 million, and the poption of the New Zend region has already brok through .8 million.


    The poption of the two colonies, New Guinea and Timor, has also brok through 60,000 and 0,000 respectively, with an overall healthy poption growth.


    In terms of poption structure, British immigrants have declined slightly, but still maintained 68.% of the total poption.


    For the first time, the Russian poption has surpassed the German poption, reaching 4.4%. The German poption has dropped to third, ounting for 3.9% of the total poption.


    With Russia''s increase in immigration to Austrsia, the proportion of Russian immigrants should continue to rise.


    However, Arthur''s baseline for British immigrant proportion is 65%. If the proportion of British immigrants falls below 65%, th Arthur would consider reducing the quantity of immigrants from other countries. After all, the stability of the nation is far more important than poption growth.


    Currtly, the developmt of Melbourne is also very rapid, with the poption reaching over 950,000 by the d of this year.


    If nothing happs, the poption of Melbourne should exceed  million within 9, thus bing the second city in Austrsia with a poption of over a million.


    However, the bad news is that in the short term, the only cities in Austrsia with a poption over a million will be these two. The cities currtly ranked third and fourth in poption are Wellington and Newcastle, with poptions exceeding 470,000 and 450,000 respectively.


    These two cities are still a long way from having a poption of a million, ev after the d of World War I.


    However, for a country like Austrsia with a poption of less than  million, having too many cities with a poption exceeding a million may actually be detrimtal to the developmt of the country.


    After all, Austrsia has a vastnd of millions of square kilometers. If most of the poption is conctrated in certain cities, th the developmt of other regions is bound to be limited.


    Due to the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base, West Australia has also be a major region for the Austrsian Governmt to dispatch immigrants.


    The poption of West Australia has now exceeded one million, and the constraints on industrial developmt are not so great anymore.


    Speaking of industrial developmt, thepletion of the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base and the attraction of factories to move in and officially start production, have brought a better developmt stage for all industries in Austrsia.


    The scale of steel production in Austrsia has also se a substantial increase, with an annual output of .3 million tons of iron and .4005 million tons of steel.


    In the chemical industry, the Leonora Industrial Base has attracted more than t chemical factories, two agricultural machinery factories, one synthetic ammonia factory, two small fertilizer factories, 7 civilian factories and so on, producing agricultural machinery, fertilizers, and various chemical products.


    It has made a significant contribution to various developmtal constructions in Austrsia.


    More than a doz factories,rge and small, at the Leonora Industrial Base have created over ,000 job opportunities, driving significant economic developmt in the region of West Australia.


    The per capita ie of Austrsia has now reached 48.7 Austrsian dors, and the per capita ie of some parts of Austrsia has exceeded 50 Austrsian dors.


    The construction of the two colonies is also almost on track. The per capita annual ie of the New Guinea Colony''s total poption of 60,000 is 4 Austrsian dors, while the per-capita ie of the Australian Timor with a poption of 0,000 is 40 Austrsian dors.


    By theory, the ie of the colonies should notg behind that of the nativend. However, as the colonies continue to experice an influx of immigrants, these immigrants will have rtively low ie in the short term, thereby reducing the overall per capita annual ie of the colonies.


    Of course, the governmt''s total fiscal revue has also se substantial growth. Thanks to the disaster in East Asia in 9, Austrsia made a dect profit in grain exports.


    Plus, with considerable aid from Britain, the finance of Austrsia was also revitalized.


    In the tire year of 9, the total fiscal revue of the governmt was 64.7 million Australian dors, which increased nearly  million Australian dorspared to the previous year.


    Of course, if you do not count the extra profits from exporting grain to East Asia, the increase in total fiscal revue is about the same asst year, probably a 8 million Australian dors.


    Of course, with the increase in fiscal revue, the governmt''s spding has also se a considerable rise.


    In the tire year of 9, the total fiscal expditure of the governmt was as high as 57 million Australian dors, an increase of 8 million Australian dorspared tost year.


    Among them, military investmt exceeded 0 million Australian dors for the first time, specifically .35 million Australian dors.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    From this year onwards, the scale of the Austrsian navy will reach three battleships, two battlecruisers, more than t guards and destroyers, two submarines, and over 0 small patrol boats, etc.


    Although the strgth of the navy has significantly increased, the rise in its expditure is also substantial, leading to a continuous increase in Australia''s military expditure.


    However, the good news is that the governmt is still in a surplus situation, although the surplus is only about 7 million Australian dors. But, after all, sustaining a navy of major power level with a poption of less than  million and still achieving surplus is already pretty amazing.


    The special funds for the royal family also increased fromst year''s 54,500 Australian dors to 64,700 Australian dors. The special funds for the royal family are gradually growing with the developmt of the Austrsian economy.


    This can also be considered as a small befit Arthur left for his descdants. In the future, wh Austrsia is developed, it is perfectly fine for the special funds of the royal family to grow to millions or ev ts of millions of Australian dors.


    If the royal financial group is not well managed in the future, it can still rely on the funds obtained from the governmt each year to maintain a noble and luxurious life for all members of the royal family. At least being a rich man will not be a problem.


    This is also Arthur''s vision. Arthur spares no effort in cultivating the next geration and sessors. However, if the sessor''s ability is not very good in the future, Arthur will consider reducing royal power and pushing Austrsia to a constitutional monarchy if he does not think he can control the tire country.


    This approach can also ease the contradiction betwe the monarchy and the governmt. It might be difficult for the future monarchs to be conquerors, but with the royal financial group, being a steward should not be a problem.


    At worst, they can stay on this piece ofnd in Austrsia, live a luxurious and ordinary life.


    The more power, the more responsibilities. A despot without abilities could plunge the tire royal family into the abyss.


    Thanks to the fiscal surplus, the Austrsian governmt''s avable funds have reached 40 million Australian dors, and the funds are getting more and more.


    This is very beficial for futurerge-scale expansion of Austrsia in the navy or other areas. After all, having adequate funds makes things easier and provides some protection against the huge consumption of war.


    On the agricultural side, it continued to maintain the same level asst year, with a slight increase in per capita cultivatednd area. Ifst year''s per capita cultivatednd area was a .8 acres, th this year''s per capita cultivated area officially exceeded .3 acres. Of course, it is only about .3 acres.

 Chapter 333: Chapter 290: The Focus of the World - Morocco

    Of course, although the per capita cultivatednd area seems to have only increased by 0.0 acres, the total cultivatednd has expanded by approximately .8 million acres.


    After all, the poption has grown by more than 900,000, and to maintain the same level of per capita cultivatednd, arge amount ofnd must be reimed for cultivation.


    Thanks to the increase in cultivatednd area, Austrsia''s food production in 9 also saw a significant increase, already breaking through 9.6 million tons.


    This brings Austrsia''s food production to just a step away from  million tons, and by next year, wh the poption exceeds  million, food production should also break the  million mark.


    However, throughout 9, Austrsia''s total food consumption was less than .9 million tons, which means that Austrsia can export 6 million tons of food annually, which is not a small ie.


    Of course, due to the signing of a further trade agreemt with the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom has be the main target of Austrsia''s food exports.


    Austrsia exports at least  million tons of food to the United Kingdom every year, confirming the close rtionship betwe the United Kingdom and Austrsia.


    This is the currt developmt of the governmt, as for the developmt of the royal financial group, Arthur can only describe it as ormous.


    After the cab meeting, through a report from Butler Kt, Arthur understood how huge the currt royal financial group is for Austrsia.


    Of course,st year''s royal financial group was already huge ough, and this year it expanded ev more on top of that.


    At prest, the royal financial group has established hundreds of factories and terprises, and holds stakes in thousands of them.


    The total number of employees in all the terprises and factories managed by the royal financial group has exceeded 500,000, covering every state, field, and industry in Austrsia.


    In 9, the royal financial group''s profit reached 54.3 million Australian dors, ev after deducting nearly  million Australian dors in taxes for the governmt.


    The royal financial group''s ie is only  million Australian dors less than the country''s total fiscal revue, showing the vast scale of the royal financial group in Austrsia.


    Ev without exaggeration, as long as Arthur wants, the royal financial group''s ie can surpass the country''s total fiscal revue at any time.


    However, the royal financial group only controls some of Austrsia''s more important industries, such as heavy industry, petroleum, chemical industry, military industry, and so on., Some civil industries and fields are not too involved with the royal financial group, after all, the people of Austrsia should have some opportunities.


    If there is currtly a ranking of the world''s top 500 terprises, Arthur believes that his royal financial group would definitely rank among the top t.


    A profit of up to 54 million Australian dors, which is equivalt to 7 million pounds, is rare in this era, and this ie ev surpasses some small and medium-sized European countries.


    In mid-January 9, the Chilean diplomatic delegation finally arrived in Austrsia again to inspect the Hope-ss battleship designed by Austrsia.


    This time the Chilean diplomatic delegation included several naval officers and high-ranking governmt officials, who were obviously very interested in the new, highly powerful battleship that Austrsia imed.


    Frankly, with the exception of the Chileans'' expectations for the Hope-ss battleship being somewhat unmet, other aspects such as firepower, power, and armor protection are basically simr or ev superior to the Chileans'' requiremts.


    Chile''s final stubbornness about tonnage was defeated by Minister of Defce Raul''s statemt that tonnage was not as important asbat power.


    However, this is indeed a truth, instead of blindly pursuing the tonnage and size of warships, it is better to focus on the speed, firepower, and protection capabilities of warships.


    Ev arge warship with weakbat power could be a live target in naval battles, and it might be the fastest one to sink.


    After a week of discussions betwe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chilean delegation, the final naval order was finally confirmed.


    The Chilean side has funded a total of 5 million pounds, which is  million Australian dors, to purchase two Hope-ss battleships, six Duke-ss escort ships, and two German submarines.


    This order is expected to start in the middle of this year. The two submarines will be delivered noter than mid93, the six escort ships will be delivered noter than mid94, and the two Hope-ss battleships will be delivered noter than the d of 95.


    Overall, the schedule for this naval order is quite gerous, allowing the Royal Shipyard to manage the production of Chilean naval orders whilepleting the Russian naval orders.


    Of course, there is also a disadvantage, that is, at least until 94, the Royal Shipyard will have no time to build Austrsia''s own warships.


    However, this is a minor issue. Wh World War Ies and the European countries are busy with the war, Austrsia will have plty of time and resources to build its own fleet, which is not urgt at the momt.


    The two Hope-ss battleships were excitedly named by the Chileans as Admiral Latore Naval Vessel and Admiral Keckl Naval Vessel. Perhaps this is the dream of the rise of the navy of a small nation!


    It cannot be died that although the countries of South America are not veryrge, their investmt in the military, especially the navy, is quite gerous.


    After the naval order was signed, Arthur received a brief gap in his schedule. However, at this momt, Arthur was waiting for news from Europe.


    ording to the information from the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau, the Moran crisis seems to be immint.


    Of course, this is not Arthur''s prediction.


    In fact, Moro''s situation has not be very good in rect years. Due to the weather, Moro has expericed a rare drought, leading to an agricultural crisis in many areas, crop failures, and unbearable suffering for farmers.


    Moreover, the shortsightedness of the Sultan''s governmt and the corruption of some officials have exacerbated the situation. As the disaster was already evidt, no relief measures were tak, but instead, some taxes were increased, causing great dissatisfaction among the lower-ss citizs and sessive revolts against taxation.


    On the other hand, France has controlled Moran politics since the First Moran Crisis.


    Arge number of Frch products have impacted Moro''s native economy, causing many craftsm in Moro to go bankrupt one after another, leading to dissatisfaction among the majority of the middle ss towards the governmt.


    Offding both the middle and lower-ss citizs, it is easy to imagine how chaotic the country is with such a decayed upper echelon and governmt.


    In January 9, arge-scale uprising broke out in Moro. Dissatisfied with the governmt and the Sultan, the people called for the overthrow of the governmt and besieged some cities.


    The wave of uprisings swept through most of Moro and made the Frch governmt behind Moro uneasy.


    Because apart from opposing the Sultan, some of the rebels'' ims were also against Frch invaders.


    If these rebels overthrow the Sultan''s governmt, wouldn''t their next target be the Frch colonists?


    In February 9, the severe internal situation in Moro made the Frch impatit. The Frch governmt upied Fes City and some nearby cities under the pre of protecting expatriates and restoring Moran order.


    Faced with the Frch army, the small Moran forces had no resistance at all. The majority of the rebels,posed of ordinary people, were no match for the Frch Army. In the face of the Frch Army, they could be said to be in disarray.


    At the same time as France''s actions, Spain also st troops to station in the north of Moro, which has also made Moro''s de facto indepdce status lost.


    France''s actions in Moro have caused dissatisfaction among some European countries. The most dissatisfied among them is the German Empire.


    Because France''s actions brazly vited the Algeciras Treaty signed five years ago due to the First Moran Crisis.


    Ev though the Frch ambassador Kang Bond had informed the German Foreign Minister Kidron of France''s decision to dispatch troops to Moro before France''s actions, the problem was that Kidron had clearly opposed it at that time.


    He believed that the deploymt of Frch troops would not only destroy the Algeciras Agreemt but also cause ev more fierce resistance from Morans and dissatisfaction from German people.


    Wh talking about the dissatisfaction of the German people, German Foreign Minister Kidron also strgthed his tone, expressing Germany''s attitude.


    The Germans'' view is to hope that France could postpone the military upation and negotiate well with the German governmt on this matter.


    In fact, the op and hidd meaning is to let France make some concessions in other areas. After all, everything can be negotiated as long as the befits are sufficit.


    But what the Germans did not expect was that they thought France would make concessions elsewhere, but instead, France maintained a consistt hard-line attitude, ev dispatching troops to interfere in Moro''s order directly without notifying Germany.


    This not only directly invalidated the previously signed Algeciras Treaty but also pped Germany in the face.


    After all, Germany is also the second major power in the world. France''s backstabbing in Moro has left Germany with no face. Where would Germany''s face go?


    By coincidce, William II''s temper is not so good. Germany has many interests in Moro too. France''splete disregard for Germany''s interests in Moro is ough to change the attitude of the outraged German governmt.


    But the question is, can France dare to back down now? The Frch governmt''s hard-line stance has pleased the Frch people since Germany is a country that had stepped on France just a few decades ago to achieve unification.


    If the Frch governmt quicklypromises with the Germans, the disillusioned Frch people might not mind changing the cab directly.


    It should be noted that France has a long tradition of revolution. France''s cab does not want to test the bottom line of the people. They are brave ough to rebel!


    Under such high pressure, the German side is urging the German governmt to take appropriate actions to protect the interests of the German people due to the continuous pressure from the German media and monopoly organizations.


    Under such pressure, to force at least a major concession from France onpsation, Foreign Minister Kidron prested a brilliant n to Emperor William II of Germany, which was to sd warships to the important ports of Agadir and Mogador in Moro under the so-called pre of protecting German expatriates and theirmercial interests.


    If such vital coteral can be secured, the Germans can calmly watch the further developmt of the Moran incidt, and ev wait for the possiblepsation that France might propose to exchange some colonies to get the Germans out of these two ports.


    Kidron''s n is very loud, and by upying these two chips in the chaotic Moro now, France needs to use other regional colonies to exchange for these two ports if it wants to unify its interests in Moro.


    But the question is, will the Germans'' act of directly dispatching troops really not escte the severity of the situation?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 334: Chapter 291: The Leap of the Leopard and the Italic War

    The actions of the Frch in Moro sparked strong dissatisfaction among the German people and the governmt, and made the already tse European situation ev more intse. War seemed immint.


    In order to quell the soaring domestic anger, and because the actions of the Frch had indeed touched upon German interests, William II adopted the strategy of Foreign Minister Kidron, sding warships to the important ports of Moro as a bargaining chip while watching the developmt of the Moran situation.


    On March , 9, Germany officially submitted a memorandum to France and other major European powers, dering that in order to protect the safety of German nationals and Germany''s interests in Moro, the German governmt decided to sd warships to the Agadir Port and withdraw immediately once the Moran situation stabilizes.


    Before the German governmt decided to act, William II had cautiously consulted Kidron, who proposed the idea.


    In response to William II''s cautious questions, German Foreign Minister Kidron confidtly stated: "We are only taking corresponding actions and are not hindering France''s actions in Moro. As long as the Frch are willing to pay the corresponding interests in colonies, we can withdraw our warships immediately and recognize Frch upation of Moro."


    Such words reassured William II slightly, leading him to decide to sd the Panther gunboat to the important port of Agadir in Moro.


    It''s worth mtioning that the Panther gunboat did not, as Foreign Minister Kidron said, sit idly by after tering the Agadir port in the face of the Moran crisis.


    This small warship, with a tonnage of less than ,000 tons, did notmunicate with the Frch after arriving at the Agadir port, but directly aimed its guns at the urban city.


    This famous historical provocation, known as the "Leap of the Panther," immediately heighted the already tse Franco-German rtionship. Many people ev thought that war was immint and began selling their assets in panic.


    As the saying goes, antiques are for prosperous times, and gold is for chaotic times. If war did break out, everyone would know that their various assets would be the least valuable.


    Only by converting as much as possible into gold and important supplies before the war could they survive better wh the war broke out.


    This behavior also filled the German and Frch securities markets. Numerous people sold their stocks, and many small and medium-sized German and Frchpanies wt bankrupt overnight.


    The people of Germany and France were full of grievances, and their hatred for each other''s countries deeped ev more.


    The sudd appearance of the Panther gunboat at the Agadir port startled the Frch troops stationed there.


    What''s more, the small gunboat aimed its guns at the city, or rather the Frch troops stationed in the city, as soon as it arrived at the port.


    Such a bold and provocative move directly shocked and angered the Frch troops stationed at the port.


    After all, France was still one of the most powerful powers in the world at the time. Ev if Germany''s overall strgth had surpassed France, it could not sd such a small warship to provoke France so tantly.


    Although the Frch infantry was furious, there was not much it could do against gunboats. They quickly reported the situation to the domestic governmt, exaggerating the facts, and asked for battleships to be st for assistance.


    After being embellished by the Frch troops, the news quickly reached Paris.


    The Frch governmt was furious at the sudd appearance of the German warship, and its overt disy of aggression, believing that Germany''s use of a small gunboat to directly provoke Frch troops and actions was a great insult to an old superpower like France.


    But it didn''t d there. The next day, Germany st a message to the Frch governmt, demanding that Francepsate Germany sufficitly for its actions in Moro and guarantee Germany''s interests.


    The operation, which had originally be like a threat, had now be a direct one. Somehow, the news leaked out, and the Frch public became aware of Germany''s threats. They took to the streets in protest, demanding that the governmt dere war on Germany to protect Frch interests and the Frch people.


    Faced with emies and public opinion, ev a fool would know how to choose.


    On March 4, 9, the Frch governmt officially announced to Germany that it was unwilling to ept Germany''s diplomatic ckmail and only promised to protect the safety of Germans in Moro.


    The Frch''s tough stance and unwillingness to back down led to a stalemate in the "negotiations" betwe Germany and France.


    Under Foreign Minister Kidron''s "ingious n," the Germans did not back down, but instead chose to continue their extortion, sding the Berlin cruiser to Moro.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If the deploymt of the Panther gunboat was just a diplomatic extortion and threat, th the deploymt of the Berlin cruiser in the eyes of the Frch seemed like a war threat and extortion.


    Today''s France is not the weak country it would be decadester. Faced with Germany''s tant threats and intimidation, Frch public anger was almost unstoppable, ev iming that if the country backed down, they would overthrow the cab.


    Do not underestimate the voice of the Frch people; if they say they will overthrow the cab, they really dare to do so.


    At this time, the Frch governmt was also very angry, so it chose to continue to be tough on Germany.


    After Germany continued its extortion, the Frch governmt refused to see the German ambassador to France, demonstrating France''s tough stance.

 Chapter 335: Chapter 291: The Leap of the Leopard and the Italic War_2

    France''s repeated refusals have also angered the German people. Both sides believe the other party is at fault, and ev protests and initiatives demanding the governmt dere war have be dless among the public.


    On March 7, the German main army moved towards the Frch border, and the situation seemed to have an implicit inttion of waging war.


    The Frch were not willing tog, and merely one day after receiving the news, afternoon of March 8, the Frch main army likewise set off, heading to the border area adjact to Germany.


    Due to the German army''s strgth, the Frch directly announced mobilization in parts of the border area to guard against possible unprovoked warfare by the Germans.


    Both parties'' actions directly prompted continuous conflicts along the German-Frch border, seemingly prompting millions of troops to struggle for survival at the behest of the upper echelons.


    After France announced its military mobilization, Germany also dered military mobilization, and William II directly ordered the German Geral Staff to issue battle ns to all armies.


    Now, the oil drum had be directly ignited.


    Originally, the British wanted to watch the German-Frch struggle, let the German-Frch rtions be ev worse, and directly eliminated the possibility of a German-Frch alliance.


    But the British did not think of waging war against Germany at this time, for before the frequtunches of the super dreadnoughts, the number of German dreadnoughts was not much differt from that of Britain, and the advantage of the navy was not significant.


    It goes without saying that the German army is considered the best in the world, and solely relying on the power of the Frch is not ough to resist the German army.


    At this time, the British governmt had no idea that Germany''s goal was only to ckmail France''s Congo colony and still thought that the Germans were really angry and wanted to gage in a real war with France.


    More importantly, if wares, the Germans upying Agadir and establishing a naval base on the Antic coast would seriously threat Britain''s waterway from Europe to the Cape of Good Hope, so the British strongly opposed Germany''s upation of the Moran port.


    On March , 9, Britain formally interved, warning the German Ambassador to Britain: "This matter (the Second Moran Crisis) affects the interests of the British more deeply than any other evt, and the British Empire will resolutely refuse to recognize and oppose any solution without the participation of the British people."


    The intervtion of the British did not make the Germans pay atttion, and the German governmt insisted on negotiating the crisis with France alone.


    But the Germans did not expect that the British attitude in this crisis would be so firm that it would directly push the British-German rtionship into the abyss.


    On March 7, 9, British Minister of Finance, Raul George Miller, gave a speech in London that shocked the world, stating, "I am prepared to make a great sacrifice for peace...


    But if we are forced into such a situation that only by giving up the important superior position that Britain has fought for over cturies with heroic spirit and victorious performance, peace can be maintained, and if such humiliation of Britain is imposed on the issue of Britain''s vital interests as if she no longer ys any role in the world family of peoples, th I must emphasize that the peace obtained at such a cost is an insufferable humiliation for our great Empire."


    The speech had a strong smell of gunpowder and directly brought the currt German-Frch conflict to the forefront, dering the British''s strong support for France.


    What''s worth mtioning is that the speaker of the speech was not the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Grey, who has always opposed and ev be hostile to Germany, but the Minister of Finance, Raul George Miller, who has always advocated peace and fridly rtions towards Germany.


    Such a change has hanced the deterrce of the speech. On the day the speech ded, the British governmt announced that the navy was on alert.


    If Raul George Miller''s speech is to express the position and attitude of the British people, th the announcemt of the Royal British Navy tering a state of readiness is to dere how firm the position of the British people is.


    If the Germans continue to be tough, a war with the British and Frch is very likely to erupt. This is something the Germans don''t want to see either because many of their dreadnoughts are still in the shipyard and it will take quite a while tounch officially.


    Within one or two years, at least, the Germans are not willing to see a war betwe Britain and France. After being discouraged by many people in the governmt, William II reluctantly allowed the governmt to exin the actions of the German governmt to the British people.


    On March 0, 9, after the British Navy hadpleted war preparations, the Frch governmt officially notified Britain, dering that Germany had no inttion of setting foot on the Antic coast of Moro. Their purpose was just after Moro was ced under Frch protection, to demand suitablepsation from the Frch people in other respects.


    On March 4th, Germany reduced itspsation demands in certain aspects and reoped negotiations with France, which calmed the tse situation in Europe that was on the brink of war.


    However, at the same time, it is worth noting that the British firm stance led to the rapid deterioration of rtions betwe Britain and Germany. The positive impression of William II among the British no longer existed, and the good attitude of Germans towards Britain also disappeared directly.


    The contradictions betwe Britain, France, and Germany were irreconcble, and the Germans'' hatred for Britain and France was insurmountable.


    Ev this hatred would grow more and more as time passed until it became intolerable, perhaps marking the true arrival of the World War.


    It is worth mtioning that during this crisis, another noteworthy evt urred in the European region. However, due to the intse conflict betwe Britain, France, and Germany, and the immint war, not many people paid atttion to this evt.


    In March of this year, the Agadir Incidt attracted the atttion of the whole of Europe and ev the world.


    This also led Italy to believe that it had an opportunity to achieve its ambition to annex Tripoli.


    At the d of March, the Italian newspaper Heartfelt God Society suddly began to aggressively attack the Turkish governmt for its mistreatmt and coercion of Italian immigrants in Tripoli.


    Under the intse propaganda campaign of the major Italian newspapers, the Turkish governmt had be portrayed as a devil doing all sorts of evil, and the Italian immigrants in Tripoli were in urgt need of rescue by the Italian governmt.


    Feeling almost ready, in April 9, the Italian governmt officially notified the Turkish governmt and issued a final notice. The Italian governmt imed that Turkish rule had plunged Tripoli into chaos and poverty, Italian terprises in Tripoli faced hostility from Turkey, and the lives of Italian immigrants were threated.


    As a result, being forced to care for and protect its own dignity and interests, Italy decided to carry out a military upation of Tripoli and Xni and demanded that the Turkish army provide assistance and take measures to guard against any possible resistance actions against the Italian army.


    The outrageousness and absurdity of this treaty were rare ev in history.


    Naturally, the Turkish governmt tly rejected Italy''s ultimatum and angrily called the Italian governmt greedy, shameless, and absurd clowns.


    On April 7th, Italy officially dered war on Turkey.


    The Ottoman Turkish Empire was already in a state of decay at this time, and facing the aggression of the Italian powers, the Turkish governmt called on the major powers of Europe to interve.


    However, long before this, the Italian governmt had gone through several decades of diplomatic efforts, sessively signing the rewal of the Triple Alliance, the Italo-Frch Agreemt, and the Italo-Russian La Kuan Jie Agreemt, allowing Germany, France, Russia, and other European powers to recognize Tripoli as an area of Italian influce.


    Since there were prior agreemts, the European powers could not condemn Italy for its bullying behavior and had to pretd not to see it. Some powers ev advised the Turkish governmt to ept Italy''s unreasonable demands to avoid a sinful war that should not have urred in the first ce.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In fact, the real reason that the European powers were unwilling to help Turkey was that the Ottoman Turkish Empire was now in a close rtionship with Germany.


    Moreover, in the d, Italy and Turkey were actually on the same side, both being part of the allied camp. With both Allies fighting each other, the Entte powers were more than happy to watch the drama unfold. Thus, how could they possibly interve?


    On the German side, having just suffered a diplomatic defeat in France, the German governmt had lost face.


    Furthermore, both Italy and Turkey were Germany''s allies, and favoring either side would damage the rtionship with the other.


    The German governmt could only express its inability to help, and except for providing some funds to the Turkish governmt, there were no further actions tak in diplomacy.

 Chapter 336: Chapter 292: The Delayed Rubber Crisis

    During the time wh Europe expericed the Second Moran Crisis and the Italo-Turkish War, Arthur and the Royal financial group also carried out numerous actions in Europe.


    Firstly, the tse atmosphere and impding war in Europe during these two evts caused many civilian factories andpanies to depreciate in value in an instant, ev facing the danger of bankruptcy.


    Not only in the stock markets of France and Germany but also, including the United Kingdom, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Russia Nation, the stock market conditions were not too great, and after the Italo-Turkish War, Italy''s stock market was added as well.


    Of course, the currt depreciation situation is not too serious, at leastpared to war periods in history.


    Once the war breaks out, these terprises will face ev more severe depreciation, which is also an opportunity for Arthur, the royal financial group, and ev the tire world to pick up bargains.


    After the war, the vast industries of the defeated countries will face bankruptcy, and the acquisition th will be ts of times cheaper than now.


    In the meantime, the royal financial group is also heavily selling some of its assets in Europe, including the stocks of some factories andpanies invested in by the royal financial group.


    If they do not sell now, they will never have the chance to sell again, as thesepanies will basically always be in a state of depreciation, until the d of the war, except for some more critical military factories.


    However, the problem is that military factories are also esstial to the powerful nations, and the royal financial group does not yet have the capability to interve in major military factories of various powerful nations.


    Moreover, the military factories of the defeated countries will also face liquidation after the war, and it would not be toote for them to poach some technology of the Krupp Factory at that time.


    The only asset not easy to withdraw is the joint car factory built with the United Kingdom and Germany maind forces.


    Whether it is a car factory in the UK or Germany, the scale is already huge, with ts of thousands of workers, making it simply impossible to withdraw investmts easily.


    However, the good news is that currtly, Austrsia has good rtions with both Germany and the UK; on Arthur''s ount, it should not be subject to artillery fire whether ites to the UK or Germany''s car factories.


    Of course, upation is unavoidable, but surely Austrsia can recover its own interests after the war.


    It is worth mtioning that during the Second Moran Crisis, the Rubber Crisis, which was supposed to break out in 9, was finally dyed.


    The reason for the dy in the outbreak is that the Bz Automobile ushered in an ev more brilliant era for the rubber industry, making the world''s rubber developmt far more exaggerated than historical parallel worlds.


    How exaggerated is it? Ev betwe the d of 9 and the beginning of 9, there were as many as 00 rubberpanies registered in East Asia.


    However, the problem is that the quality of thesepanies is unev; some are indeed guine rubber productionpanies, but others are shamelessly registering rubberpanies after buying only a piece ofnd in the Southeast Asian region.


    The purpose of them registering rubberpanies is to list their rubberpany stocks in the East Asia stock market and make huge profits by selling stocks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As everyone knows, the rapid developmt of the rubber industry resulted from cars bing popr ahead of time worldwide.


    This is because car developmt relies on tires, which are gerally made of rubber.


    This has led to countless tire factories in various countries; after all, ev if they cannot catch up with the technology of the Bz Car Factory, they can also produce tires as car factory tire suppliers and obtain substantial profits.


    Take Austrsia as an example; the royal financial group of Austrsia owns several rubberpanies, and there are ev more private tire factories, ranging fromrge to small, amounting to about t.


    Although the Sydney Stock Exchange in Austrsia was only established for less than a few months, it also attracted manypanies from Europe to register rubberpanies here due to its more developed economy and simr culture.


    However, Arthur pays great atttion to the Sydney Stock Exchange, and thepanies listed on the Sydney Stock Exchange also need to undergo certain audits.


    At least thosepanies that only have ough money to buy a piece ofnd and want to register a rubberpany would never seed in listing on the Sydney Stock Exchange.


    However, the situation is differt with East Asia stock exchanges. They are controlled by a corrupt nation, which means that these stock exchanges have backward managemt and insufficit power to supervise and manage foreign terprises.


    Due to ack of a unified and mature financial managemt system, East Asia''s stock exchanges have be the primary targets for foreign capital and businesses to plunder wealth.


    The international price of rubber has also ris from  shillings per pound of rubber at the start of the car''s birth to an exaggerated 7 shillings per pound of rubber.


    This has led to the stocks of almost every rubberpany rising with the tide, and the stock prices of a newly registered rubberpany can quickly double or ev increase t-fold in a short period.


    The rubberpany of the royal financial group has indeed made considerable profits from this, and ev the securitiespany of the royal financial group has made hundreds of thousands of Australian dors by merely helping severalpanies to list their rubber stocks.


    Arthur ev secretly supported many rubberpanies to be established in Southeast Asia and th listed in East Asia to make huge profits.


    Arthur learned the real reason for the uing Rubber Crisis through information from Germany, which had sessfully developed synthetic rubber technology. Furthermore, Germany wanted the synthetic rubber factory it nned to create to have a cooperative rtionship with the Bz Car Factory and ev be one of its designated tire suppliers.


    Historically, it was precisely the technology of synthetic rubber, coupled with the fact that the developmt of rubber had indeed reached its peak, that led to the Rubber Crisis in 9.


    Once Arthur learned that Germany had sessfully developed synthetic rubber technology, he did not hesitate and immediately ordered Butler Kt to instruct the royal financial group to sell all the stocks of rubberpanies they held at the fastest speed possible, and for the Sydney Stock Exchange to temporarily suspd the listing of rubberpany stocks.


    Not selling them would be wrong, as after the outbreak of the Rubber Crisis, not only did the price of rubber fall several times in a short period, but the stock price of rubberpanies also plummeted to the limit in a short time.


    If the stocks of rubberpanies were kept long-term, the losses in the future Rubber Crisis would be far more than what they had earned before.


    However, to sure the smooth sale of the rubberpany stocks, Arthur, under his private name, thick-skinnedly asked the Germans to dy the announcemt of the synthetic rubber technology for a while.


    Aspsation to the Germans, Arthur patted his chest and agreed that the German Synthetic Rubber Factory would be one of the tire suppliers for the car factory.


    After all, the rubber factory that Germany was supplying was also a German car factory. It was nothing more than transferring their production to another tire factory and letting the Germans worry about it themselves.


    In mid-April 9, the royal financial group finally sold all the stocks of rubberpanies.


    A few dayster, on April 0th, Germany announced that they had sessfully developedmercially viable synthetic rubber technology, and they would establish a synthetic rubber factory to rece the existing rubberpanies.


    With William II happily announcing this news, the stocks of Germany''s rubberpanies saw a decline on the same day.


    Of course, this was just the beginning of the Rubber Crisis.


    Following this, Germany, the United Kingdom, Austrsia, the United States, and other important rubber importing countries announced that this year''s (9) rubber imports would temporarily remain atst year''s level, represting the saturation of the world''s rubber developmt and the d of the gold age of rubber in rect years.


    This news was quite deadly for the currt rubber market, as the joint announcemt by several major rubber importing countries meant that the developmt of rubber had reached its peak and the demand for rubber was bing saturated.


    Firms and terprises tering the rubber market in the future would not only be unable to make money, but they might ev threat the currt rubber market.


    What was more deadly was that Bz Automobile, thergest car brand in the world, quickly announced that its German factory would cooperate with Germany''s uing synthetic rubber factory, using synthetic rubber tires to rece natural rubber tires.


    It is worth noting that the role yed by automotive developmts in promoting the expansion of the rubber industry cannot be underestimated


    The four Bz car factories in Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Austrsia, can be described as the fourrgest car factories in the world.


    This indicated that the rubber market would not only fail to expand but would shrink rapidly in a short period.


    These pieces of news were devastating for the rubber market, causing rubber stocks to plummet rapidly in various stock markets.


    Byte April, the price of rubber had fall from 7 shillings per pound to  shillings per pound, a more than one-third decrease in less than t days.


    Of course, ev more severe was the state of rubber stocks. By the d of April, the prices of rubber stocks on the London Stock Exchange had gerally be reduced to just one-tth of what they had be t days before, and the rate of reduction was getting faster and faster.


    Rubberpany stocks were previously worth several ts of pounds per share, but now most rubberpanies'' shares are worth less than t pounds, and some are gerally down to just two or three pounds.


    Of course, for a strictly regted securities trading market like London, it is a manageable situation.


    In East Asia''s securities trading market, the plunge is ev more severe.


    Due to theck of strict regtion, the number of stockpanies in the East Asian securities trading market is vast and mixed with many shellpanies.


    During the gold hours of stock listing, many people bought stockpanies'' stocks, but now people are dumbfounded.


    Stocks that were once worth a fortune might not ev be ough for a meal now. What''s ev worse is that no one wants to take over the stocks they want to sell on the stock market, forcing them to sit back and watch their stocks continue to plummet.


    In just over a month, the price of a single stock has plummeted from several ts of pounds to t pounds, th to a few pounds, and finally to less than one pound.


    Such prices do not ev reach the initial public offering price, which is ough to prove how intse the Rubber Crisis''s impact on the rubber industry and rubberpanies has be.


    ording to Arthur''s spection, especially in Southeast Asia, there are at least thousands of rubberpanies going bankrupt due to the Rubber Crisis, and the total loss of funds is incalcble.


    A few rubberpanies that got the news early have already cashed out during the highest stock price and disappeared quietly with therge amount of pounds they earned during this period..


    The ordinary stock investors who had no idea about the news could only react wh the crisis arrived. By that time, it was toote, and all the people in the stock market were trying to sell their stocks. Who would buy them?

 Chapter 337: Chapter 293: Bottom Fishing for Rubber Company

    The good news is that the Rubber Crisis does not involve many other industries, and the crisis is almost limited to the rubber industry.


    In addition, the strict supervision of the stock market by other European countries led to the implemtation of corresponding policies after the copse of the rubber stock market, which in turn caused the stock markets and economies in most regions, including Austrsia, to not suffer too much fluctuation and avoid arge-scale global economic crisis.


    In order to minimize the impact on the Sydney Stock Exchange, Arthur instructed the Royal Financial Group to announce the acquisition of all rubberpany stocks on the market wh the rubber stock prices plunged to less than half of their issue price.


    This move saved the economies of some Austrsian rubberpanies and allowed some investors to sell their stocks.


    For Arthur, this action would not cause too much loss, since the shares of rubberpanies have already fall to their lowest price, and they can''t fall much lower.


    After all, Arthur''s Royal Financial Group made quite a fortune in this rubber boom, so it was only right to spd some of that money to save the rubber market in Austrsia.


    As for the rubber markets and rubberpanies in other parts of the world, Arthur could only say that he was helpless.


    After all, the currt crisis facing the rubber industry isrgely caused by the greed of these small-scale capitalists.


    In this Rubber Crisis, Arthur did not actually make much money. Although he knew that shorting rubber stocks could bring in huge profits for the Royal Financial Group, Arthur was not interested in such ill-gott gains, as reputation is more important than capital for a monarch.


    However, one ethnic group profited greatly from this crisis by shorting stocks and amassingrge amounts of capital.


    That group was the historically famous Jewish ethnicity, but this also led to increased hatred toward Jews among many Europeans.


    Some areas ev saw anti-Semitic actions, making life difficult for some lower-ss Jews.


    This could be considered as the Jews bringing misfortune onto themselves, as one can be greedy, but not too greedy.


    Facing such an extremely greedy nation, who would have a good impression of them?


    After World War I, defeated Germans had to deal with the phomon of 500,000 marks bread, and Jews yed a significant role in contributing to this misery.


    This indirectly led to the Holocaust of Jews under the Third Reich, as the hatred for Jews was deeply ingrained in the hearts of all Germans at that time.


    In early May 9, Butler Kt happily reported to Arthur on the spoils the Royal Financial Group had reaped in the Rubber Crisis.


    Since its establishmt, the Royal Financial Group had invested nearly  million Australian dors, creating and investing in more than 40 rubberpanies and over 00 rubber production gards.


    At that time, the Sydney Stock Exchange had not yet be listed, and knowing the damages the rubber crisis would bring to the stock market and national economy, Arthur made sure that these rubberpanies were listed in other regions overseas, such as New York, London, etc.


    "Your Majesty, our ie from selling shares exceeded 3 million Australian dors, and the proceeds from liquidating stocks at high prices reached 3 million Australian dors. After deducting various expses during this period, our total profit should be over 35 million Australian dors." said Butler Kt with a smile.


    The Royal Financial Group''s annual profit was already more than 35 million Australian dors, which was why Butler Kt did not show too much emotion while reporting.


    Nevertheless, this money was earned effortlessly, which was ough to make people happy.


    "How much did we spd on repurchasing stocks after the stock market disaster?" Arthur asked with interest.


    The Royal Financial Group''s high-profile acquisition of all rubber stocks on the market had be greatly appreciated by many Austrsian investors.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, if it were not for the acquisition by the Royal Financial Group, the stock price would have fall further, making it less valuable than waste paper.


    "There were not many rubberpanies listed in Sydney in the first ce. Up to now, we have purchased almost all the shares of the majority of the listed rubberpanies in Sydney, spding a total of 590,000 Australian dors." continued Butler Kt.


    Although there were only about t rubberpanies listed in Sydney, purchasing thesepanies before the outbreak of the Rubber Crisis would have required at least  million Australian dors.


    Now, with a mere 590,000 Australian dors, perhaps only a fraction of the previous amount, all the shares of these listedpanies could be bought.


    Moreover, the rubberpanies listed in Sydney were gerally in good standing and could continue production after the Rubber Crisis.


    Because in Arthur''s knowledge, ev inter gerations, synthetic rubber could not tirely rece natural rubber.


    This means that the value and role of these natural rubber ntations and rubberpanies were still significant, despite the currt crisis they faced.


    In fact, the real cause of the Rubber Crisis, besides synthetic rubber and the saturation of rubber production, was the confusion in the rubber market. In Southeast Asia, a major rubber-producing region, there were numerous shellpanies.


    After eliminating the majority of rubber businesses and shell rubberpanies in the rubber crisis, the rubber market would stabilize again in a few years.


    After much discussion with Butler Kt, Arthur decided to begin arge-scale acquisition of Southeast Asian rubberpany stocks and rubber ntations after they reached their lowest point.


    The timing was almost perfect, as investing just a few million Australian dors could buy hundreds of rubberpanies.


    More importantly, Southeast Asia is very close to Austrsia, and Austrsia''s influce is still significant in this region.


    After acquiring these rubberpanies and ntations, Arthur would have the power to fully control them and th influce the rubber prices in Southeast Asia and the tire world.


    With Arthur''s approval, the Royal financial group ns to invest at least 8 million Australian dors to acquire rubberpanies and ntations in the Southeast Asian region.


    As for rubberpanies in other regions, they are not currtly being considered for acquisition by the Royal financial group, because Austrsia''s reach cannot extd that far, and the rubber market is not something Arthur can monopolize tirely.


    Of course, after acquiring the stock of these rubberpanies, the necessary delistings must still be carried out.


    There''s no doubt that making money from these rubber stocks is impossible, and the rubber market will not recover to its pre-crisis state for at least a decade.


    At this time, selling stocks was increasingly the goal of every stockholder in the stock market.


    Therefore, wh the Royal financial group began to acquire rubber stocks inrge quantities, many stockholders started to sell their stocks, and the Royal financial group quickly acquired stocks for more than 0 rubberpanies and 00 rubber ntations in Southeast Asia.


    The acquisitionsted for more than half a month, with the Royal financial group acquiring more than 500 rubberpanies and over ,000 rubber ntations.


    Meanwhile, the remaining rubberpanies on the market were almost all acquired, and the tumultuous rubber crisis came to an d.


    The Royal financial group now owns more than 500 rubberpanies and over ,000 rubber ntations. Thesebined rubberpanies are no small terprise.


    After careful consideration, Arthur decided to merge the rubberpanies in Southeast Asia into the Australian Rubber Company, run indepdtly.


    After all, the scale of the Royal financial group is already quite massive, and ev if Arthur can control it now, it may not necessarily be controlled by the next monarch or subsequt monarchs.


    It is better to prepare for the breakup of the Royal financial group early, splitting it into industry giants, with the royal family as the behind-the-sces controller.


    Without directly participating, the royal family could still receive substantial dividds every year - a better oue than running a conglomerate and being targeted by others.


    As time tered May, several major news evts urred worldwide.


    The first was the formal implemtation of the Cab System in the Qing Empire of the East. However, Arthur was not very optimistic about this change, as positions in the Cab were still reserved for royal family members and nobles, with ordinary people basically ineligible.


    In addition to the establishmt of the Cab System, the Qing Empire nationalized all railways, causing widespread outrage domestically.


    In Europe, the intsity of the Italo-Turkish War continued to escte.


    On May st, more than 0,000 Italian troopsnded in Tripoli, marking the first battle of the Italo-Turkish War.


    Compared to the Turkish garrison, the Italian army had a clear advantage in equipmt and numbers.


    As one of the great powers, Italy used its fleet to blockade Tripoli''s coastline and ev deployed military airships and aircraft to participate in the war.


    As in history, this was the first time that aircraft had be used in warfare.


    However, due to the influce of Austrsia earlier, the progress of aircraft developmt among European nations was gerally slow, and the military aircraft deployed by Italy were ev more outdated than those in history.


    That being said, the developmt of Italian airships did see some progress, and more airships than aircraft participated in the fighting.


    The aerial advantage made it difficult for the Turkish army, and the British prevting Turkish reinforcemts from tering Egypt resulted in the Turkish army in Tripoli being trapped without any help.


    The actions of the British in aiding the Italians angered the Turkish governmt and people. However, at the same time, tsions betwe Turkey and Italy escted rapidly, which is why the Turkish people did not choose to join the Allied nations ev after bing hostile towards the British.


    Arthur shook his head as he looked at the war reports from Europe, wondering if the evts that led Turkey to join the Ctral Powers in history would ever ur in this world?

 Chapter 338: Chapter 294: Balkan League and War Preparations

    In mid-May, as Italy and Turkey were at loggerheads, Arthur also st a business team to Southeast Asia to integrate and buy up all the rubber manors andpanies.


    Although Arthur''s takeover of rubberpanies were all in Southeast Asia, it is currtly one of the major rubber-producing areas in the world, and ev in the future, it will still be the most important rubber-producing area in the world.


    If Arthur remembers correctly, from 94 onward, Southeast Asia ounted for half of the world''s total rubber production, and the region was a veritable rubber kingdom.


    Integrating these rubberpanies in Southeast Asia now and creating a unique rubber brand is also beficial to the future developmt of the rubber industry in Southeast Asia.


    The first person in charge of the Australian Rubber Company is Charles Wynne, the former head of the rubberpany under the Royal financial group.


    Charles Wynne has be involved in the rubber industry for more than t years, and his leadership of the Australian Rubber Company has a positive effect on its business developmt.


    Charles Wynne''s first task is to visit and take control of over 00 rubberpanies and over ,000 rubber manors bought up by the Royal financial group.


    These rubberpanies and manors will be the industrial foundations of the Australian Rubber Company and its main business.


    To sure Charles Wynne''s safety, Arthur dispatched more than t security personnel to him, all of whom were members of the royal guard or expericed police officers. They were all equipped with Cassadine submachine guns and AS898 semi-automatic pistols to sure Charles Wynne''s safety as much as possible.


    After all, the capital behind the more than 00 rubberpanies is a mixture of various interests, and no one can guarantee whether they would hand over the rubberpanies to Charles Wynne peacefully.


    After all, most of the employees behind these rubberpanies are Southeast Asian natives who don''t have a good impression of Austrsia and are susceptible to maniption and could do something unexpected.


    With the protection of more than t security personnel, Arthur feels rtively at ease. After all, it would take at least a thousand natives to break through the defse of t or so security personnel.


    It is unlikely that any force in Southeast Asia would incite thousands of natives to attack Austrsian businessm.


    At the d of May, with the help of the British, the Italian army quickly defeated Turkey''s limited garrison forces in Tripoli and sessfully upied Tripoli and the coastal areas.


    However, due to the fierce resistance of the local Turkish poption, the advance of Italian forces into the hintend was very slow.


    In early June, ev before the war ded, Italy hurriedly dered the annexation of Tripoli and Xniya, and restored the old name of Libya to the region.


    However, Italy''s harsh demands were immediately rejected by the Turkish governmt, and the local Turkish residts began to gage in widespread guerri warfare against the invasion, prolonging the Italo-Turkish War.


    On June , 9, as the Italo-Turkish War became more intse, Tsar Nichs II inquired in his personal capacity about Austrsia''s military industry''s production capacity. Arthur did not understand why, but quickly undertook to supply the Tsardom of Russia with 50,000 rifles and 3 million bullets.


    In July 9, the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Bulgaria formed an alliance. Half a monthter, Montegro and the Kingdom of Greece joined, forming the famous Balkan League.


    Only th did Arthur understand why Nichs II had inquired about the military industry''s production capacity in Austrsia ¨C it turned out that the puppet of the Russian Empire was about to make a move.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The purpose of forming the Balkan League is to jointly seize Turkey''s territory in the Balkan Pins, expand their own countries and territories.


    With the support of the Russian Empire, Pan-vism has be the mainstream ideology in the Balkan Pins, and the various kingdoms of the Balkans have be actively expanding their armies and carrying out diplomatic work.


    Moreover, during the Italo-Turkish War, much of Turkey''s domestic atttion was drawn to the conflict, and preparing for war with Turkey now could achieve a surprising effect.


    If nothing goes wrong, the order for 50,000 rifles from the Russian Empire should be prepared for the several countries of the Balkan League.


    But no matter who it is for, Austrsia is the side that makes money, and Arthur doesn''t concern himself with it too much.


    In early July, another matter caught Arthur''s atttion.


    Since the d of May, Charles Wynne had spt more than a month integrating rubberpanies in Southeast Asia.


    On July 3, after more than a month, Arthur received a progress report from Charles Wynne, but the results of the report did not make Arthur very happy.


    ording to Charles Wynne''s report, the main personnel of the Australian Rubber Company had arrived in Southeast Asia at the d of May to start the process of integrating all the small rubberpanies.


    But the integration has not be smooth. Firstly, the previous rubber crisis has plunged the managemt of therge rubberpanies into chaos, with not only the top executives disappearing but also the rubberpany employees running away. Secondly, some sior executives of rubberpanies have be resisting Charles Wynne''s leadership.


    This is not the main problem, but ev more serious is that there have already be two aboriginal attack incidts. Although they were easily dealt with by the guards armed with submachine guns and semi-automatic pistols, there must be someone behind these natives.

 Chapter 339: Chapter 294: The Balkan Alliance and War Readiness_2

    Sitting at his desk and thoughtfully considering for a while, Arthur called for the head of the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau, Barty Crouch.


    Looking at Director Barty, who had hurried over, Arthur directly handed him the report in his hand, and with a touch of mockery, said, "Director Barty, I give you one week''s time to find out the force behind these indigous people. Can you do it?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Absolutely, Your Majesty. Wait for my good news!" Director Barty epted Arthur''smand decisively, and at Arthur''s signal, he returned to the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau to make his own arrangemts.


    The Royal Security Intelligce Bureau has developed for nearly t years now, and its scale is no longer that of the small intelligce organization it once was.


    Currtly, the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau has thousands of intelligce personnel, among which nearly a thousand are elite intelligce officers. Some of them are stationed in Austrsia, and some are scattered in Europe, the United States, and the Southeast Asian region.


    In addition to these nearly a thousand elite intelligce agts, there is also a majority working part-time.


    In other words, they also have their own regr idtities and jobs, but they also conduct deals with the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau, asionally providing intelligce clues to the Security Bureau.


    The distribution of these people is ev more dectralized, and apart from the managemt system of the Royal Security Intelligce Bureau, ev ordinary intelligce personnel don''t know their whereabouts.


    It is ev very likely that pedestrians and shopkeepers who look normal on the street, or famous businessm and capitalists from other countries, these intelligce personnel are spread far and wide.


    Director Barty acted swiftly, and in fact, it only took him four days to fully investigate the force and purpose behind the attack on Charles Wynne.


    This is also because Charles Wynne controls and integrates the Southeast Asian rubber market.


    The force behind these indigous people is in fact a rubberpany that was acquired during the crisis.


    The original owner of this rubberpany was a member of the nobility of a state in the Dutch East Indies who took advantage of the high price to sell out his stocks in advance during the rubber crisis.


    Now that the rubber crisis is over, he wants to buy back hispany at a low price, but finds that his rubberpany has be wholly acquired by a man named Charles Wynne and delisted a couple of months ago.


    This angered the original owner of the rubberpany. Because this rubberpany took most of his capital to establish, it was not only his hard work, but it also created a huge amount of revue for him each year.


    Although he had already made a fortune from selling his stocks at high prices, facing that thepany which should belong to him was tak away by others, made him tempted to resort to nefarious means.


    However, upon finding out that Charles Wynne was from Austrsia, the original owner of the rubberpany didn''t act rashly, but through severalyers of rtionship, he gathered a few doz indigous people in a way that almost couldn''t be traced back to him, intding to create an incidt that would lead to Charles Wynne''s death in an indigous uprising.


    As long as Charles Wynne is dead, he can easily take back hispany, which is simply a win-win situation.


    However, what he did not expect was that only a few dayster, another group of indigous people attempted to assassinate Charles Wynne. This made the seemingly idtal indigous uprising very suspicious, and made Charles Wynne determined to report to Arthur in person.


    Knowing that something was wrong, both forces behind these two groups of indigous people hid away and tried their best to sever ties with the indigous people.


    Arthur scoffed and shook his head, his gaze falling on the two backg forces that Director Barty had investigated.


    The first hidd force was the Hoffman family from the Dutch East Indies, a family whose history in the Dutch East Indies could be traced back as far as 596.


    Of course, this does not mean that the history of the Hoffman family has be passed down since 596. Rather, it was a history born in thete 7th ctury, wh a colonial devotee from the Nethends changed his surname to Hoffman tomemorate the first Dutchman, Hoffman, to arrive in the Dutch East Indies.


    Nevertheless, the Hoffman family has be hovering in the Dutch East Indies for over a hundred years. Their influce and voice in the region are naturally significant, making them the unquestionably first family in the Dutch East Indies.


    Another power lies within the Catholic nation, the Kingdom of Larantuka, within the territorial range of the Dutch East Indies.


    The people of Larantuka, known as the Topas people, are in fact the descdants of local Portuguese m who married indigous wom. These individuals are also referred to as ck Portuguese by the Dutch.


    Within the kingdom, there are the Dakosta and Dohna families, both of whom are constantly gaged in bloody power struggles.


    Furthermore,bined with a small portion of domestic Muslim forces and the Sultan, the political situation in this Catholic nation located in the southern part of the Dutch East Indies is quite chaotic. The Dutch suzerain dispatched only one military and administrative officer and did not interfere much with Larantuka''s politics.


    After reviewing the information on these two powers, Arthur nced at the map of Southeast Asia and discovered that the Kingdom of Larantuka was very close to Australian Timor, lying across the sea to the west of Australian Timor.


    After a momt of thought, Arthur finally spoke slowly, with a tone of determination and unquestionability, "The Royal Security Intelligce Agcy is to immediately head to the vicinity of the Kingdom of Larantuka to gather more information, while also monitoring the reactions of the Dutch East India Colonial Governmt. Guard, summon the Cab Governmt. I want to conve an emergcy meeting."


    Director Barty promptlyplied and withdrew quite tactfully.


    Soon, the cab ministers rushed to Sydney Pce, awaiting Arthur''smand.


    "Gtlem, since its establishmt, the Austrsian Army''s mission has always be to protect the country and all its people. Since the Fisherm''s Crisis, I believe our army has performed well. No country dares provoke the majesty of Austrsia and the Australian People." Arthur, looking at the slightly puzzled cab members, began.


    "But I''ve received news that some of our domestic merchants'' legitimatemerce in Southeast Asia has be significantly obstructed by local forces, who have ev deployed arge number of indigous peoples to threat our merchants'' lives. I hope the governmt can promptly investigate the course of evts and demand that the relevant parties provide a reasonable exnation.


    Otherwise, they will face a full-scale suppression from the Austrsian Army, which will fight for the dignity of our country and citizs."


    Arthur''s words instantly rified several things for the Cab Ministers.


    First, some forces in Southeast Asia have upset Arthur. Second, Arthur has made up his mind to take action against these forces.


    As for Arthur''s other rhetoric, the cab members certainly wouldn''t take it literally.


    Calling such a mobilization, directly summoning the Cab Governmt for an emergcy meeting, was definitely not just about holding those forces ountable.


    "In this incidt, the Kingdom of Larantuka in Southeast Asia is most likely the backstage culprit. If this is confirmed, I suggest deploying our military forces in the Kingdom of Larantuka to give all our citizs a fair oue." Arthur said, looking at Defce Secretary Raul with a hint of connotation.


    "Affirmative, Your Majesty," Defce Secretary Raul immediately nodded.


    Although Arthur had said it as a suggestion, Defce Secretary Raul would not foolishly take Arthur''s words as just a suggestion.


    Not to mtion that Arthur was the actual controller of the military, ev if Arthur''s words were only a suggestion, Minister Raul would not dare to disregard them.


    "Alright, let''s conclude the meeting here. The governmt shall immediately liaison with the Dutch East Indies, and the military shall terbat readiness status effective immediately. Within three days, I want a precise answer from the Dutch East Indies." Arthur did not pay atttion to the cab members who were still receiving information and directly issued his final order.

 Chapter 340: Chapter 295: The Batavia Peace Talks (Request for monthly votes!)

    On July 4, 9, the Austrsian Governmt officially unterally notified the Dutch East India Colonial Governmt and the Governmt of the Kingdom of the Nethends behind it, demanding an exnation for the multiple attacks by Indigous Peoples on businesses owned by the Kingsley Corporation of Austrsia within the Dutch East Indies.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The attitude of this announcemt was surprisingly strong, and the Austrsian Governmt specifically stated that if the Dutch East Indies Governmt does not respond within 48 hours, the Austrsian Governmt will take necessary military action to protect the safety of its citizs.


    Although 48 hours were giv for a response, the time formunication and negotiation betwe the two levels of governmt actually took up a considerable part of that time, from Southeast Asia to the European Maind of the Nethends.


    This also meant that the Governmt of the Kingdom of the Nethends, which backed the Dutch East Indies, had less than a day to make a decision.


    In case of emergcy, on July 4th, the same day as the Austrsian Governmt issued the notice to the Dutch East Indies and the Governmt of the Kingdom of the Nethends, Arthur privately called King George V and William II, rifying that Austrsia''s inttion is only to protect its citizs'' safety and promised King George V that the conflict would not extd west of the dividing line betwe Borneo and Java Ind.


    Using Borneo and Java Ind as the divide is significant, as Java Ind is the essce of the Dutch East Indies and the most developed area with the most Dutch colonists.


    And Borneo is thergest ind in the Dutch East Indies, adjact to the important a Route.


    If these two inds were used as the boundary, the importance of the eastern regions would be less significant, and ev if Austrsia swallowed them all, the reaction of the Powers would not be as intse under the precondition of an advance arrangemt.


    Of course, Arthur is not so aggressive. Ev if the Dutch have giv Arthur an excuse, he does not intd to annex all the territories east of the dividing line.


    However, it is necessary to cut a piece of flesh from the Dutch East Indies and make the Dutch understand who should be the master in this region.


    The reason for giving George V a separate guarantee was because the most influtial in Southeast Asia is the British Empire, and ev the German Empire, the second major power in the world, does not have much influce in this region.


    As long as the British are willing, the actions of Austrsia would not be opposed by other countries.


    By the time the Governmt of the Kingdom of the Nethends received the news, it was already the eving of July 4th.


    In response, the Dutch Governmt conved an emergcy meeting, but the Cab Governmt had no solution and could only leave the decision to the th Dutch Prime Minister Jim Simms.


    Jim Simms, th Dutch Prime Minister, was the leader of the Anti-Revolutionary Party, one of the three major parties in the Nethends.


    And the Dutch Monarch''s power is not high; it is a true constitutional monarchy.


    This also led to the Prime Minister having thergest power in the Dutch Governmt, and the Prime Minister has the final decision on such matters.


    After a night of careful deliberation, Dutch Prime Minister Jim decided to seek help from major foreign Powers, mainly targeting Germany and Britain, who have always had good rtions with the Nethends.


    But what the Dutch Governmt didn''t expect was the unclear attitude of the German governmt, which neither rejected the Dutch proposal nor showed any inttion of helping the Dutch people.


    As for the British Empire, the attitude was clearer. British Foreign Minister Grey decisively rejected the proposal, iming that such contradictions were unteral betwe Austrsia and the Nethends, and the British Empire would not favor either side.


    The problem is that Austrsia''s currt military strgth haspletely surpassed the Kingdom of the Nethends, and its navy has three dreadnoughts, which directly crushed the Dutch navy.


    Not helping the Nethends at all is actually tantamount to watching Austrsia invade the Dutch East Indies. In other words, Britain''s attitude is to default to support Austrsia''s actions.


    After hitting a wall with Britain and Germany, the Dutch Governmt understood the attitude of the European Powers.


    Regardless of who is in the right in this matter, no country will support the Kingdom of the Nethends.


    Of course, Germany may help the Kingdom of the Nethends with some funds due to their good rtionship, but this does not make any differce to the huge military gap betwe Austrsia and the Nethends, and at most less thepsation to be paid.


    On July 5, after a series of internal struggles, the Dutch Governmt called Austrsia, expressing their willingness to sit at the negotiating table and resolve the currt problems through peaceful means.


    What made the Dutch capitte was not only the attitude of the European Powers but also the increasinglyrge military gap betwe Austrsia and the Kingdom of the Nethends.


    Because of the great distance betwe the Nethends and the Dutch East Indies, the navy yed a crucial role in the conflict betwe them and Austrsia.


    However, the problem is that the total strgth of the Dutch navy is no match for Austrsia''s navy, which indirectly led to the Nethends'' chance of victory in this conflict being reduced to zero.


    Not to mtion Austrsia''s three dreadnoughts alone, which left the Dutch Kingdom with no chance of victory in naval battles.


    Moreover, Austrsia has twopleted battlecruisers undergoing sea trials. The addition of five main battleships to the military gap is ough to make the Dutch give up.

 Chapter 341: Chapter 295: The Batavia Peace Talks (Request for monthly votes!)_2

    What Arthur didn''t expect was that the Dutch wouldpromise so decisively, so decisively that it caught Arthur and most of the governmt by surprise.


    They originally thought that a war would break out betwe the Dutch East Indies, but the Kingdom of the Nethends surrdered without a fight.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At Arthur''s indication, the Austrsian governmt agreed to the request of the Kingdom of the Nethends and asked the Dutch governmt to sd represtatives for peace talks in Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies.


    Although admitting defeat directly would cause a significant loss of face betwe governmts, it is currtly the best method for the Dutch governmt.


    If a war broke out with Austrsia, the navy of the Dutch East Indies would not stand a chance against Austrsia''s navy.


    Without the support of the navy, the Dutch East Indies army would be defeated one by one.


    If the military strgth of the Dutch East Indies waspletely wiped out by Austrsia, ev if Austrsia did not upy the Dutch East Indies, the ts of millions of indigous people within its territory would be ough to directly overthrow the tire Dutch colonial governmt.


    At least peace talks could minimize the Dutch losses. Dutch Prime Minister Simms did not believe that Austrsia had the appetite to swallow the whole Dutch East Indies.


    Ev if Austrsia did have such an idea, the powers would likely interve and put a stop to it.


    After all, small altercations don''t amount to much, and the powers would turn a blind eye in the interest of maintaining good rtions.


    But if Austrsia were to annex the tire Dutch East Indies, Austrsia''s pottial andprehsive strgth would rise a notch, and its influce in Southeast Asia would be greatly hanced.


    This would be something that  of the great powers would like to see, since it would affect their positions in Southeast Asia and ev East Asia.


    Therefore, the Dutch Prime Minister was confidt that ev if peace talks took ce, the Dutch losses would not be too heavy, and at least they could resolve this dispute in a way that would not cripple them.


    As for the future, it wasn''t a significant concern for Prime Minister Simms. Based on the normal term of the Dutch Prime Minister, Simms'' term would d in 93, which would also be hisst term as Prime Minister.


    Yes, since first bing the Dutch Prime Minister in 874, Simms had served three non-consecutive terms.


    Giv his age, it wasn''t likely that he would have another shot at bing Prime Minister after this term, so there was no need for him to take responsibility for the next Prime Minister, right? Just leave this big problem of Austrsia to the future Dutch governmt and just take things as theye for now.


    After understanding this point, Simms''s mood actually improved a lot, and he was ev able to y some tricks with his secretary.


    On August 7, 9, the peace talks betwe the Dutch governmt and the Austrsian governmt officially began in Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies.


    The peace talks were led by several Dutch governmt ministers and the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. This was a humiliating negotiation, so naturally, the Dutch Prime Minister Jim Simms did not want to be involved.


    No one could guarantee how the situation in Southeast Asia would develop in the future. If the Dutch East Indies were to be lost by the Nethends in the future, these peace talks might be remembered by many Dutch people and regarded as the culprit and origin of the loss of the Dutch East Indies.


    By that time, wouldn''t the Dutch governmt officials involved in these peace talks be scapegoats?


    As a wily politician, Simms naturally wanted to avoid such a situation from happing.


    After all, having be an official for decades, Simms was not willing to have his final political career tainted by such an incidt, which could lead to aplete dial of all his political achievemts and his tire political career.


    Besides the Dutch and Austrsian sides, the peace talks also involved the British ambassador and the German ambassador as neutral witnesses.


    The United Kingdom has the greatest influce in the Southeast Asian region, and Germany is the country with the best rtionship with the Nethends. Hce, they were naturally invited as neutral witnesses for these peace talks.


    Of course, there are other powerful countries with influce in the Southeast Asian region, such as France trched in the Southeast Asian pins and the United States in the Philippines.


    Unfortunately, since thest Moran crisis, the Frch have strgthed their vignce against Germany, with all their atttion focused on hancing their domestic military equipmt.


    As for the United States, although its economy and industry are already top-tier, it is still looked down upon by old powers like the United Kingdom and France as a nouveau riche.


    Ev the German Empire, which has be unified for only a few decades, looks down upon the upstart United States.


    This has led to the United States having strong economic and industrial capabilities but not much influce internationally, just a bit higher than countries like the Ind Nation.


    Of course, a significant reason for this is the previous policy of spldid istion in the United States governmt.


    The so-called spldid istion policy can be divided into military and economic aspects. In terms of military, they refrain from participating in other international military disputes, except for defding their homnd.


    In terms of economics, they implemted various policies to restrict exchanges with foreign countries as much as possible.


    This has led to the fact that, although the United States has grown quite strong, European countries still harbor prejudice towards it, believing that the United States is merely a nouveau riche, far behind the European powers in terms of both heritage and strgth.


    Of course, this statemt is correct in some respects. At least in advanced and top-notch technology industries, the United States is still no match for the currt European countries.


    The reason for the rapid rise of the United States inter history was that it attracted arge number of European talts during the two world wars, thus filling the gap in its top-notch technology and talt.


    But now, if the United States wants to attract arge number of top talts from Europe just like in history, it depds on whether Arthur and Austrsia agree.


    August 7, Batavia.


    The peace talks begin officially, with Foreign Minister Andrew and Secretary of State Kt represting Austrsia.


    From the very beginning, Minister Andrew set very strict demands, requiring the Dutch East India Colonial Governmt to hand over all the ringleaders involved in the attack on Austrsian merchants and cede all inds east of Bali and south of the Banda Sea.


    Moreover, they also seek shared jurisdiction over New Guinea Ind, with the establishmt of West New Guinea to be jointly administered by the Dutch governmt and the Austrsian governmt.


    In addition to that, there''s financialpsation. In light of the good attitude of the Dutch governmt, Minister Andrew gerously stated that the Dutch governmt only needs to pay  million pounds inpsation and meet all the conditions set forth by the Austrsian governmt to perfectly resolve the dispute betwe the two countries.


    Although peace talks usually started with high prices followed by gradual haggling, the high prices set by Austrsia still made it hard for the Governor of Dutch East Indies to bear.


    Bali is arge ind east of Java and very close to it. Once all inds east of Bali are ceded, it means that Austrsian influce is very close to the core of the Dutch East Indies, Java Ind.


    While the Dutch still control hundreds of thousands of square kilometers ofnd in western New Guinea, they still have to pay  million pounds inpsation, which is ough to build four dreadnoughts. If the Dutch were willing to spd that much, they would have built dreadnoughts themselves a long time ago, so why would they need topromise with Austrsia so humbly?


    Th, the Dutch side put forth their own conditions.


    The Dutch governmt is willing to apologize to the Austrsian governmt over this matter and provide 0,000 pounds in humanitarianpsation.


    In addition, the Dutch governmt is also willing to work with the Austrsian governmt to investigate and uncover the real culprits behind the attack on Austrsian merchants, and hand them over to the Austrsian governmt.


    These are all the conditions of the Dutch, which do not involve anyndpsation and only 0,000 pounds in funding.

 Chapter 342: Chapter 296: The Batavia Agreement (Request for monthly votes!)

    If the conditions of Austrsia seemed to be a bit of a lion''s roar, th the conditions proposed by the Dutch Governmt were simply nonsse.


    It was absolutely impossible for the Austrsian Governmt to mobilize so many people just for apsation of 0,000 pounds and an apology.


    Such conditions were akin to dismissing beggars, and only strgthed the resolve of Kt, who was originally determined to take advantage of the Dutch.


    "If your country doesn''t have much sincerity in the peace talks, th I think it''s better to let the military strgth of both sides decide the oue. The conditions of the peace talks can be decided by the victorious side in the war, regardless of the oue, we will not have any objections." Minister Kt sneered at the Dutch represtative and put forward his own opinions.


    Kt was a graduate of the Military University and had once served as Austrsia''s Minister of Defse.


    Kt, imbued with a military atmosphere, spoke in a straightforward manner, unlike the hypocritical politicians.


    "This..." The Dutchman was dumbfounded, not expecting such an aggressive stance from the represtative of Austrsia, who was considering solving the issue through military action in just a few words.


    "Mr. Kt, since you havee to participate in these peace talks, it is reasonable to assume that Austrsia has an inttion for peace talks.


    Why not give the Dutch governmt more time to discuss, and I believe they wille up with satisfactory conditions." In the d, the Germans couldn''t stand it any longer, looked at Kt with a slight smile, and eased the awkward atmosphere at the conferce table.


    "Governor, you better hurry to telegraph your country ande up with a satisfactory solution." With that, the German represtative looked at the Governor of the Dutch East Indies and said unhappily.


    Although Germany and the Nethends have always had a good rtionship, it doesn''t mean that the Germans are willing to give up a good rtionship with Austrsia to help the Dutch unconditionally.


    Since the Second Moran Crisis made the Germans feel isted and helpless, the German governmt has be ev more proactive in attracting allies, which is why they were willing to ept the invitation of the Dutch governmt and participate in these peace talks as a neutral party.


    However, the problem is that the Nethends is nowpletely iparable to Austrsia in terms ofprehsive strgth or strategic position.


    Austrsia''s unique geographical location allows it to detach itself from the main contradictions in Europe and watch the developmt and changes in the European situation.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The reason why William II wanted to make frids with Austrsia was that he valued Austrsia''s advantageous geographical location and believed that Austrsia could provide unexpected assistance to Germany in the conflict betwe Germany and France.


    Of course, with Britain''s involvemt, the conflict betwe Germany and France has now evolved into a conflict betwe Britain-France-Russia and Germany-Austria-Italy.


    The special rtionship betwe Austrsia and Britain has greatly reduced the chance of Austrsia directly joining Germany in the conflict.


    But don''t forget, Austrsia has a lot of mineral resources that Germany needs domestically. It canpletely reach a trade agreemt with Germany in a neutral way, which is what Germany needs in the war.


    Moreover, Austrsia can now serve as a fallback option for Germany, while German New Guinea is a gift prepared by William II for Arthur.


    Though William II was rash in his actions, as an emperor of a country, he had to have some wisdom.


    Germany directly became emies with Britain and France. Ev though William II was confidt in the German army, he still has some worries at times.


    In terms of the army, William II believed that he could bear the weight of a coalition betwe Britain, France, and Russia. However, in terms of the navy, the alliance betwe Britain and France put immse pressure on William II.


    Britain was already the world''s number one naval power. The previous Two-Power policy imed that the British navy''s tonnage would surpass the total of the second and third-most powerful navies.


    Ev though Germany is now catching up in the navy as much as possible, William II does not think that the High Seas Fleet can surpass the Royal Fleet of the British Empire.


    If France''s fleet was added, although its achievemts in dreadnoughts are far inferior to Germany''s, the numerous pre-dreadnought battleships would still be ough to cause headaches.


    After the German represtative spoke, the British represtative did not say anything further.


    The first day of peace talks ded on an unhappy note, but it was clear that the true positions of Britain and Germany were leaning towards Austrsia, which caused the Dutch governmt to abandon itsst bit oy, negotiating its bottom line ev under the bright lightste at night.


    On the second day, both Austrsia and the Dutch governmt made demands that were much more reasonable than the ones on the first day.


    On the Austrsian side, the requiremts changed to the coastal areas along the Flores Sea, which meant giving up the im to therge ind of Dragon Eye east of Bali, and giving up the joint control of New Guinea.


    Austrsia''s demand th changed to the Nusa Dungara Inds, the Southwest Inds, the Southeastern Inds, the Aru Archipgo, the Cay Inds, and other inds in the northern part of Austrsia and the southern part of the Dutch East Indies.


    This ind group includes East Timor Ind, as well as Flores Ind and Alo Archipgo, where the Lakntu Kingdom is located.


    With these inds, Austrsia would be able to establish aplete defsive ind chain in the northern region, along with New Guinea and New Zend, forming a fully-fledged defse ind chain in both the north and east.


    This would greatly strgth the defse capabilities of Austrsia''s nativend,bined with the increasingly powerful Austrsian navy, capable of repelling emies while avoiding war risks to their homnd.


    This also means that, at least before World War II, the homnd of Austrsia would basically be secure.


    As for the World War II period, by th, Austrsia''s various weapons would undoubtedly have blossomed. The concern for homnd security would not be Austrsia, but rather other countries with a directpetitive rtionship with Austrsia.


    On the Dutch side, they were willing to offer the tire East Timor Ind, as well as Rhode Ind to the west of East Timor Ind and the Leti Inds to the east as territorialpsation.


    As for economicpsation, the Dutch finally became more gerous, willing topsate 500,000 indigous people and one million pounds.


    However, the appetite of Austrsia was evidtly not limited to this, and the negotiations once again reached a deadlock ¨C the Dutch governmt frantically bargained, while the represtatives of Austrsia tried to secure as many befits for their country as possible.


    Austrsia did not have many opportunities to expand its territories, considering its few neighboring countries.


    At prest, except for the Dutch East Indies, most of the neighboring regions are colonies of powerful countries.


    This made it difficult for Austrsia to expand its territories, and considering Arthur''s goal had always be to develop the homnd, Austrsia had only used war and conflict to expand its territories twice since its establishmt.


    On August 9, 9, after more than t days of tse negotiations, Austrsia and the Dutch governmt finally reached an agreemt called the Austrsia-Dutch Batavia Agreemt.


    The Batavia Agreemt stipted that both sides would cease hostilities in the Dutch East Indies region from the date of the agreemt''s signing and resume good diplomatic rtions prior to the conflict.


    To express their apologies to Austrsia, the Kingdom of the Nethends ceded all inds and archipgos east of Bali Ind, south of Flores Sea and Banda Sea, and west of New Guinea.


    At the same time, the Kingdom of the Nethends offered ¡ê0,000 inpsation to the attacked Austrsian merchants and ¡ê million to the Austrsian governmt, which represted all Austrsian citizs.


    In the d, the Austrsian side gave up its demand for the western part of New Guinea Ind, considering it constituted nearly a quarter of the tire Dutch East Indies with an area of hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.


    After the treaty was signed, both Austrsia and the Dutch breathed a sigh of relief.


    For Austrsia, it had gained ts of thousands of square kilometers ofnd and millions of indigous people without losing a single soldier or ev just a deration by the governmt, along with ¡ê million inpsation from the Dutch side; it was surely a win-win.


    After all, Arthur''s original inttion in sding Charles Wynne to the Dutch East Indies was merely to integrate rubberpanies and manor houses in Southeast Asia and control the rubber industry there.


    Who could have imagined that some shortsighted individuals in the Dutch East Indies would bring such huge losses to their country by provoking them?


    As for the Dutch governmt, although they had ceded many inds and archipgos, the main inds of the Dutch East Indies were not affected.


    The good news was that the most important ind, Java, still had arge ind called Bali to the east, which prevted the Austrsians from directly reaching Batavia and Java Ind.


    After all, it was just some inds in the south of the Dutch East Indies, right? With a poption of just over a million indigous people, the damage to the wealthy Dutch East Indies wasn''t that big anyway.


    It''s much better than losing New Guinea Ind or ev jeopardizing Java Ind! Such a loss would have truly overturned Dutch rule in the East Indies and ignited public outrage in the Nethends.


    As for the archipgo that was ceded now, the Dutch governmt guided domestic public opinion to pretd that the governmt had resisted in many ways, only to change the colossal demand of the Austrsians into a few small archipgos.


    After all, the public could see the huge military disparity betwe the two sides, and with some guidance of public opinion, the Dutch would only vt their anger on the Austrsians without paying too much atttion to their governmt''s powerless performance in this incidt.


    With a rtively peaceful conclusion, the conflict in Southeast Asia also came to an d. It was undoubtedly one of the most peaceful and fridly resolutions of any conflict in rect years.


    However, for Austrsia, epting these inds ceded by the Dutch would take some effort and might ev require the use of military force.

 Chapter 343: Chapter 297: Occupying Larantuka Kingdom (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    The swiftpromise of the Dutch and the signing of the Batavia Agreemt provided a sigh of relief for Arthur and the Austrsian Governmt.


    Of course, this does not mean that Arthur would fear the Dutch Governmt. The sigh of reliefes from the fact that the Austrsian Army could save some troops.


    Although the poption of Austrsia is about to exceed  million, many of them are immigrants who arrived in thest two years.


    These immigrants still need a long period of education and influce before they can develop a strong sse of national idtity and national pride for Austrsia.


    Therefore, whever Austrsia conscripts, there would be a rigid requiremt: they must have lived in Austrsia for at least three years.


    Of course, this is just the requiremt for ordinary troops. If it is Arthur''s trusted Guard Division, the requiremt is at least five years of residce in the Austrsia region.


    Such a requiremt can effectively scre for soldiers who have a sse of idtification with the country.


    After all, Arthur is confidt that under the influce of various policies and propaganda in Austrsia, very few people would not have any sse of idtification with the country after living in Austrsia for five years.


    After the signing of the Treaty, the upation of these Dutch ceded territories became the top priority for the Austrsian Governmt.


    Although most of thends ceded by the Kingdom of the Nethends are small archipgos, they also include the only Catholic country in the Dutch East Indies, the Larantuka Kingdom.


    This country still has a certain military strgth, and the Dutch''s interferce in Larantuka Kingdom has be insufficit, resulting in this country having significant autonomy and military power.


    For Arthur, this hidd danger must be eliminated. Besides, the force behind the attack on Charles Wynne includes the Larantuka Kingdom. Although it may not be the inttion of the national governmt, who would let the conspirators be from Larantuka?


    On September , 9, the Austrsian Governmt officially issued a public announcemt, dering the expansion of Australian Timor to the tire East Timor Ind, and forming a new provincial administrative region, the Royal Territory, for all acquired territories outside East Timor Ind.


    After the announcemt was made public, the Ministry of Defse officially began its operation.


    The Ministry of Defse mobilized the First and Second Divisions, a total of more than 30,000 troops, to upy and temporarily militarize the newly acquired territories under the escort of the fleet.


    Among them, the important target of the army is the Larantuka Kingdom, located on Flores Ind, which is the only country among all archipgos with military power.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Arthur doesn''t want other countries to exist in the territories he governs. Moreover, the currt appearance of this country shows that it is a typical rogue country.


    The best oue for the Larantuka Kingdom would be to be annexed by Austrsia and be part of the Royal Territory.


    If the people of Larantuka resist, Arthur doesn''t mind letting them experice the fate of the Indigous Peoples, ev if they are the descdants left by the Portuguese and the local Indigous Peoples.


    Didn''t the Portuguese fight anyway? Will Arthur care about the descdants left by the Portuguese?


    On September , the First and Second Divisions officially began their operation, heading together to Flores Ind. They will capture and upy the Larantuka Kingdom first, and th head separately to the regions east and west of Flores Ind.


    The First and Second Divisions are excited about such operations. After all, there is a military merit system in Austrsia. Besides the wealth awarded by military merit, umtion of military merit could ev earn a title of nobility.


    Although a significant amount of military merit is required for a noble title, as the saying goes, a soldier who doesn''t want to be a geral is not a good soldier, and a soldier who doesn''t want to be a noble through military merit is not a good soldier either.


    People should have dreams, who knows if they mighte true?


    With such thoughts, the fighting desire of the Austrsian army is strong, and they are ev fearless of death.


    After all, the psion system of the Austrsian Army does exist. Wh they die, their families may live ev better.


    This also eliminates the worries of most soldiers. After all, apart from having their own meal, the pursuit of most people is to allow their families to live a better life.


    On September 3, after a period of vigorous preparations, the First and Second Divisions arrived at the southern city of Luton on Flores Ind.


    The defsive force of the Larantuka Kingdom is virtually non-existt in the face of the First and Second Divisions. They didn''t have the strgth to resist the Dutch rule, let alone the more powerful Austrsians.


    Thousands of Larantuka troops, in front of the First and Second Divisions, were likembs to the ughter, only consuming hundreds of thousands of bullets.


    Ev because the firepower suppression of the First and Second Divisions was too strong, the few gun units of the Larantuka Kingdom couldn''t do anything. This allowed the Austrsian soldiers to shoot more freely, with ough time to aim and ev achieve higher uracy.


    In the afternoon of September 3, the unstoppable Austrsian Army easily arrived at the capital of Larantuka Kingdom, a small town called British-German.


    The war continued until now, and what actually slowed down the Australrasia Army''s attack was the size of Flores Ind.


    Although it is a small city for Austrsia, it is still arge ind with a lgth of 380 kilometers and a width of more than 70 kilometers, with a total area of over 4,000 square kilometers.


    The capture of the capital of the Larantuka Kingdom, like the previous small town of Luton, was almost effortless.


    Ev before nightfall, the Austrsian army had already stationed in the capital of the Larantuka Kingdom and had begun to maintain order in this small kingdom.


    The method of maintaining order in the army was simple: to implemt militarized managemt, unify food distribution, and execute disobedit people directly.


    After all, these natives were not Australians, nor would they be recognized by the Austrsian governmt.


    This also represts a fact: as long as it is not shown in the op, the lives and deaths of these natives arepletely in the hands of these soldiers.


    Of course, before the militarized managemt began, it was necessary to eliminate the upper echelons and the royal family of the Larantuka Kingdom directly.


    Keep them, on the contrary, would affect the order of the Larantuka Kingdom, who knows if there will be people loyal to the royal family.


    As for the other native residts of the city, the army was not worried about their rebellion. After all, any rebellion would be executed on the spot, their army had no room for rebellion, and some civilians naturally would not affect the army.


    After resting on Flores Ind for a day, on the morning of September 4th, Division One and Division Two left nearly 3,000 troops to be stationed on this ind.


    The remaining troops each set out to upy arge number of inds and archipgos in the west and east.


    Division One was responsible for the western Dragon Eye Ind, Sumbawa Ind, and Sumba Ind, and Division Two was responsible for the eastern Alo Archipgo, Southwest Inds, Southeastern Inds, Cay Inds, and Aru Archipgo.


    In geral, the western part of Flores Ind is mostlyrge inds, and the eastern part is tirelyposed of small inds, and the span is huge.


    In fact, not only this area, but there are countlessrge and small inds throughout the Dutch East Indies, which greatly affected the rule of the Dutch East India Colonial Governmt in this area.


    To properly rule this area, in addition to having a hundreds of thousands strong army, you must also have a particrly strong navy.


    But the fact is, the Dutch East Indies colony, including native divisions, has just over 0,000 soldiers in total.


    Although 0,000 people look like a lot, more than half of them are Native Divisions made up tirely of natives, who can barely keep the rebellion under control, but in the face of a war against a powerful nation, they can only be cannon fodder.


    As far as naval power is concerned, the Dutch navy is second-rate among many small and medium-sized European countries; however, the naval power in the Dutch East Indies is downright poor.


    The Dutch East Indies currtly has only one medium-sized warship of just over 6,000 tons as itsrgest naval vessel; without the foundation of battleships, it is doomed that the Dutch East Indies navy can only suppress the domestic rebellion and not fight against external forces.


    This is also why the Nethends quickly sumbed to Austrsia. After all, it''s their territory, and they know that the military power of the Dutch East Indies does not support them for long. Ev if they are firm, they will only d up being upied by Austrsiater.


    Instead of being tough and waiting for Austrsia topletely upy the precious Dutch East Indies territory, it is better to admit defeat and strive for morend to reduce the losses of the governmt.


    Theplex geographical vironmt of the Dutch East Indies territory actually determines that the controllers of thend cannot manage it well.


    Take the example of a certain country established in the hintend in modern times. Due to the multitude of inds and ethnicplexity, ev in modern times, domestic ethnic conflicts and conflicts are frequt.


    But for Austrsia, the more than one million native poptions on newly acquirednd are very useful.


    Whether used as cannon fodder in future wars to gain a sse of presce and role in the war or as a freebor force to support the country''s various constructions, they are very useful.


    Anyway, various constructions need arge number ofbor forces, and for the native part, Austrsia is really undiscriminating.


    Of course, Arthur is not worried about these natives causing trouble to the order of Austrsia during peaceful times in the future.


    In Arthur''s n, these natives simply ar''t considered in Austrsia.


    This also means that apart from contributing their lives to the developmt of Austrsia, their only choice is to be cannon fodder, allowing Australia to gain a sse of presce at the international level.


    After all, Austrsia will participate in the uing World War I, and if it wants to gain ough speaking power after the war, it must make certain sacrifices and efforts in the war.


    It''s better to let these natives pay for it than for the Australians to pay for it! ording to the reproduction rate of these natives, Arthur would not be heartbrok if several hundred thousand died.

 Chapter 344: Chapter 298: The Crazy Shipbuilding Plan (Seeking monthly tickets!)

    On September , 9, by Arthur''s appointmt, the first Governor of the Royal Territory, Hdrik Campbell, officially took office on Flores Ind.


    The Royal Territory can be divided into three parts, respectively made up of the Dragon Eye Ind, Sumbawa Ind, Sumba Ind, Flores Ind, Alo Archipgo which form the Nusa Dungara Inds, as well as the southwestern inds of the eastern part of East Timor Ind and the Leti Inds, and finally the Southeastern Indsposed of the Tanning Bar Inds, Cay Inds and Aru Archipgo in the east.


    The Cocos Inds and Christmas Ind in the southern part of Java Ind are also under Austrsia''s control.


    This has led to the official formation of Austrsia''s northern ind defse chain, effectively keeping emies out of these inds and prevting the nativends from being covered by war.


    The small town of Flores City on Flores Ind has be officially ramed Flores, serving as the capital and administrative cter of the Royal Territory.


    Arthur ns to build a port city here, which will also be one of Austrsia''s naval bases.


    Almost allrge inds in the Royal Territory are home to ts of thousands of indigous peoples. Managing them is quite troublesome due to their scattered distribution.


    Arthur gave Hdrik his first directive, which was to ctralize the indigous inhabitants of the Royal Territory as much as possible in each ind''s urban cities to facilitate subsequt relocation.


    Yes, aside from a portion of the indigousbour, Arthur does not n to let the remaining indigous people continue to stay on these inds.


    Only Austrsians will be allowed to live on these archipgos and inds in the future. Apart from using the indigous people asbour and cannon fodder, the rest will evtually be expelled.


    The indigous poption is currtly useful to Austrsia, but as the poption of Austrsia grows and some jobs are inevitably reced by machines.


    The usefulness of this freebour will not be very significant. Apart from using them as cannon fodder, the only option left would be to expel them to the Dutch territories.


    After about a week, the assaults of the First Division and Division two have be making good progress.


    After leaving Flores Ind, the First Division proceeded to Sumba Ind, Sumbawa Ind and Dragon Eye Ind, easily capturing these threerge inds.


    In addition to these threerge inds, there are countless small sub-inds a them.


    Attacking these inds is very troublesome and requires ev more time than the threerge inds.


    The task of the First Division and Division Two was only to upy and control theserger inds, and the n of the Ministry of Defce for the smaller suring inds was to hand them over to the First and Second Native Divisions.


    The Native Division has be in training for quite some time since its establishmt, and now it is time for them to witness bloodshed.


    After all, the soldiers of the Native Division arergelyposed of indigous peoples. As long as there are no major losses among the sior officers, there won''t be any grievances if many indigous people die.


    On September 5, 9, afterpleting their tasks, the First Division and Division Two switched defses with the First and Second Native Divisions respectively.


    The First Division and Division Two returned to Austrsian maind, while the two Native Divisions will be responsible for garrisoning the Royal Territory.


    The two Native Divisions will be divided by Flores Ind. Including Flores Ind, the western part will be stationed by the First Native Division, while the numerous archipgos in the east will be scattered and garrisoned by the Second Native Division.


    With the expansion of territory, the shortage of the Austrsia Army has emerged again.


    Although there is currtly one Guard Division, four Regr Divisions and two Native Divisions in Austrsia, they are still too sparse wh spread over millions of square kilometers ofnd in Austrsia.


    The core areas of Austrsia, Australia and New Zend together have nearly 8 million square kilometers ofnd, but theoretically, the troop force responsible for garrisoning is onlyposed of four regr divisions.


    This means that if Austrsia were to go to war with others, at most it would be able to mobilize the two most elite regr divisions, the First and Division Two.


    Two divisions together can only consist of a force of 3,000 troops. It''s ough for small skirmishes, but if it''s arge-scale war, this force might just be barely capable of defding the territory.


    As the good news from the Ministry of Civil Affairs came in early September, with the total poption of Austrsia officially exceeding  million, Arthur also decided tounch another military expansion in Austrsia, and at least increase the army''s personnel to consist of two guard divisions, six regr divisions, four native divisions, and two colonial garrisons totaling slightly over 0,000 troops.


    This also implies that the total number of soldiers in the Austrsian Army will officially exceed 00,000, amounting to double the number before the expansion.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Since nearly 80,000 troops from the four Native Divisions are made up of the indigous people, the real burd on the  million poption of Austrsia is to support an army of just ,000. Thus, the burd is not that great.


    Of course, the scale of the expansion was not directly decided by Arthur. The expansion magnitude was decided upon after days of contemtion and discussion by Arthur, Kt, and the incumbt Minister of Defce, Raul.


    The pivotal reason is that the Military University is able to train several hundred army talts for Austrsia every year, and the army also has a good pipeline of talts. Therefore, directly increasing by nearly 0,000 troops is not that struous.


    Considering that World War I is approaching, expanding the country''s army in advance would be beficial. Of course, Arthur wouldn''t dy that he is slightly vious of the alliance that the Balkans are currtly nning. These small countries have armies of more than 0,000 to 00,000, ev though their poptions are less than half of Austrsia''s.

 Chapter 345: Chapter 298: The Crazy Shipbuilding Plan (Seeking monthly tickets!)_2

    On September 6, 9, Austrsia''s expansion announcemt was officially made public.


    The announcemt set off a storm of thusiasm, almost overflowing recruitmt cters in various cities of Austrsia. Some people ev queued up the night before to sign up as early as possible.


    Royal financial group employees, military personnel, and officials should be the three most popr upations in Austrsia.


    The reason is simple. Arthur''s Royal financial group is one of fewpanies in Austrsia that thoroughly implemt the eight-hour work system.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Moreover, employees of factories under the Royal financial group do not have to worry about wage cuts or reduced befits.


    Because if such problems are discovered and reported, they will not only receive arge amount of rewards but also not worry about losing their jobs.


    As long as the report is true, the person who was reported would basically go to jail. Austrsia is quite strict in punishing such behavior, and at the very least, the punishmt would be imprisonmt for more than t years.


    Obviously, no need to mtion the military. The welfare and treatmt of the military can ev be regarded as one of the best in Austrsia, plus there are certain rewards and gifts during holidays.


    Moreover, with the psion system, reward system, and military merit system in ce, the military has be a position that people in Austrsia dream of.


    Unfortunately, Austrsia has a strict screing process for soldiers, and immigrants within three years cannot ter the military.


    As for thest category of officials, it goes without saying. In any country, officials joy better befits.


    In addition to their sries, officials'' welfare and various policies are also the most prefertial, leading to their actual ie being significantly higher than per capita annual ie.


    Ev ording to statistics from the Ministry of Finance, the average sry of all Austrsia officials is as high as 90 Australian dors, which is four times the average ie of the Austrsians.


    Of course, this is actually due to the fact that the majority of ordinary officials have lowered the ie of sior officials. For example, among the ministers of the Cab Governmt, the minimum ie among them exceeds 6,000 Australian dors. With various bonuses and welfare policies, the annual ie is at least more than ,000 Australian dors.


    However, while the ie of Austrsian officials is high, Austrsia''s anti-corruption policies are very strict as well.


    Although Arthur has not yet organizedrge-scale anti-corruption activities to date, ording to Austrsianw, embezzlemt of more than 3,000 Australian dors is a capital offse, and embezzlemt of over ,500 Australian dors is life imprisonmt.


    The lightest punishmt for embezzlemt, which is not more than 00 Australian dors, also faces dismissal and punishmt, and the person and their immediate family members are prohibited from holding office for three gerations.


    For officials, it is not worth taking such a big risk to embezzle. After all, the ie of Austrsian officials is not low, and it is considered highpared to some European countries.


    What Arthur and the Ministry of Defse did not expect was that the fuss over expansion within the country led to a total of 500,000 registration requests at local recruitmt cters within a week.


    Arthur originally thought that it would take at least a month to fill the 0,000 expansion quota.


    Now it seems that ev if all recruitmt cters stop recruiting now, these 500,000 registration requests are ough to select more than 0,000 qualified soldiers.


    The recruitmt n of the Ministry of Defse was promptly terminated, and the main task now is to select the best 0,000 soldiers from more than 500,000 registration requests and join the army.


    As Austrsia began to expand its military on arge scale, the situation on the Balkan Pins in Europe finally changed.


    The first evt was a revolt staged by the inhabitants of the previously Italian-upied Tripoli region.


    This forced Italy to expand its expeditionary forces to 90,000 and brutally suppress the Turkish people in the upied areas.


    Up until now, the developmt of the Italo-Turkish War has somewhat tak the Italians by surprise.


    Despite having advanced equipmt, arger army, and sufficit preparations, Italy achieved good victories in the early stages of the war.


    However, the war has now reached a stalemate, as thebat capabilities of the Italian army are not as strong, and theck of coordination within the Italian forces has led to ev poorer performance.


    Yet, this news is a wee sight for the Balkan nations and the Russian Empire.


    A month ago, Austrsia had already delivered 0,000 rifles and millions of bullets from the 50,000 rifle order agreed upon with Nichs II to the Far East, as per his request.


    This allowed Arthur to finally understand Nichs II''s inttions, which were to sell Russian weapons to the Balkan League and use the profits to purchase German weapons from Austrsia.


    That was also the reason why Nichs II requested that weapons and equipmt be transported to the Far East.


    Although the actions of the Russian Empire were somewhat underhanded, the fact remains that there are only interests betwe nations.


    For Arthur, it did not matter who ultimately received the shipmt of weapons. What mattered was that Austrsia could expand its arms trade market overseas and also clear out the umted production invtory.


    Indeed, several years ago, Arthur had already made preparations for the uing World War I. This has caused military factories in Austrsia to continue production, despite no expansion of their forces in rect years.


    So far, the military factory invtory includes hundreds of thousands of rifles and billions of bullets, as well as thousands of cannons and millions of shells.


    In order to produce these weapons and equipmt, Arthur has invested a significant amount of funds, waiting for the outbreak of World War I to make ev more profits from these armamts.


    The Balkan League in the Balkan Region has be formed for more than two months, and these small nations are already making intsive preparations.


    If Arthur''s predictions are urate, the First Balkan War should break out soon, as Italy and Turkey are now fiercely gaged in conflict, which is indeed the best opportunity for the Balkan League to take action.


    Before the outbreak of the Balkan conflict, there was another important piece of news in Europe: the new shipbuilding n announced by the Germans.


    Speaking of shipbuilding ns, it is impossible not to mtion the psychological impact of the Second Moran Crisis on the Germans.


    Although the oue of the crisis was that the Germans sessfully obtained part of the Frch Congo colony, the close alliance betwe Britain and France during the crisis made it clear to the Germans that their biggest emy had be the British and Frch, rather than just the Frch.


    Being emies with the British made the importance of the navy unparalleled, which is the real reason for the Germans'' announcemt of the new shipbuilding n.


    So far, the Germans have a total of four Monarch-ss battleships: Nassau, Westfal, Rhine, and Pos.


    And they also have four other battleships under construction: Helgnd (expected to bepleted this October), Ostfriend (expected to bepleted this October), Rhine (expected to bepleted this November), and Pos (expected to bepleted next March).


    This means that, by the d of this year''s shipbuilding n, the Germans will have almost eight dreadnoughts.


    But this clearly does not satisfy the appetite of the Germans, as the number of dreadnoughts publicly disclosed by the British far exceeds that of the Germans.


    The British dreadnoughts include the world''s first dreadnought, the Dreadnought-ss battleship, three Bellerophon-ss battleships, three St Vinct-ss battleships, and two Colossus-ss battleships, totaling nine battleships. In addition, there is one Neptune-ss battleship under construction (expected to bepleted this November).


    If the so-called battlecruisers built by the British are also counted, their currt main battleships ev total .


    Such a huge gap in naval power makes the Germans anxious about their navy and prompts William II to be determined to expand the naval construction n.

 Chapter 346: Chapter 299: Major Military Expansion of Various Countries (Request for monthly votes!)

    ording to the Naval Act announced by William II, Germany will build three battleships and one battlecruiser every year from 9 to 94, striving to have more than 7 dreadnought and super-dreadnought battleships, 5 battlecruisers,  pre-dreadnoughts, 3 cruisers, 4 destroyers, and 30 submarines in the German Navy by the d of 94.


    This Naval Act includes as many as four more battleships than it did historically, which means that during the following three years, Germany will build .33 more battleships per yearpared to the history.


    The naval supplemt act that the Germans announced, which will officially begin at the beginning of 9, quickly caught the atttion of the British who pay great atttion to German affairs.


    On October 5, 9, shortly after the Germans announced their naval expansion act, Winston Schmidt, who had just exchanged jobs with Navy Secretary McKna, became the new Navy Secretary of the British Empire.


    This politician, who once hindered the increase in navy budgets asmerce secretary, now faces the German naval supplemt act and proposes in response: for every main battleship built by the Germans, the British will build two.


    In fact, Churchill did so in history, which led to a terrifying ¡ê44.08 million naval budget for the UK in the 993 fiscal year, twice that of Germany.


    Churchill oply stated that if the Germans build three main battleships each year, the British Empire will build four main battleships and two battlecruisers to maintain aprehsive advantage over the German Navy.


    Thepetition in the navy field betwe the two strongest countries in the world has brought European naval arms race to its hottest state.


    France, Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire sessively announced their naval expansion ns, and together with the Russian Empire, which had already ced warship orders with Austrsia, the European powers acted, and warships wereunched like dumplings.


    Besides these major European powers, there are actually two other powers that are also developing dreadnoughts.


    The Ind Nation''s dreadnought has already tak shape, and their first dreadnought design is named Hanoi-ss dreadnought.


    However, ev the earliest Hanoi-ss battleship would not bepleted until early 93 at the earliest.


    In fact, the Ind Nation''s dy in having its own dreadnought has also caused the country, which once gained power status through the Russo-Japanese War, to give up its position.


    Ev many Europeans are more inclined to view Austrsia as a power, as, after all, it is a Western country with three dreadnoughts.


    Of course, Austrsia''s currt military strgth is not yet worthy of the status of a major power. Some Europeans say this only because of the racial and national discrimination of the European people.


    But it cannot be died that the currt naval power of Austrsia has reached the level of major powers. Main battleships have surpassed trailing Italy, and the number of dreadnoughts is second only to Britain and Germany.


    In the corner of Europe, where many countries pay little atttion, the American developmt of dreadnoughts has also tak shape.


    The American South Carolina-ss Battleship is a warship design of the same era as the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    However, due to the dy in finalizing the design n for a long time, the two South Carolina-ss battleships wereunched three yearster than the Dreadnought.


    The American South Carolina and Michigan-ss battleships werepleted in January and Marchst year, respectively, and have already officially joined the United States Navy this year.


    However, the design of the South Carolina-ss battleship is not as impressive as that of the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    The South Carolina-ss battleship has a power of only 6,000 horsepower, resulting in a speed of just over 8 knots for the ss, far below the 0 to  knots of the Dreadnought-ss battleship.


    Therefore, the South Carolina-ss battleship can also be regarded as an old-style battleship with strgthed firepower and armor. There is still a considerable distance betwe its speed and that of the true dreadnought battleship.


    American second dreadnought design, the Dware-ss battleship, is the true dreadnought of America and the first battleship to receive a budget without specifying discemt in the United States Navy.


    The Dware and North Dakota-ss battleships were bothpleted in Aprilst year and have already joined the United States Navy.


    The speed of the Dware-ss battleship can reach  knots, which is the standard speed of currt dreadnoughts.


    Of course, American dreadnought designs are not limited to these.


    The Florida-ss battleship is a powerful battleship improved from the Dware-ss battleship by the United States.


    The United States ns to build two of them, and the Florida-ss battleship and Utah-ss battleship were bothpleted in early September this year and have now tered the sea navigation test stage.


    Naturally, America''s ns for building battleships also include thetest Wyoming-ss battleship.


    There are two ships nned for the Wyoming-ss battleship construction, namely the Wyoming and the Arkansas.


    Thepletion of these two battleships will have to wait until a September next year, and barring idts, this should be thest dreadnought design in the United States.


    American warship construction ns also reveal that America''s currt ambition is not small.


    Including the South Carolina-ss battleships, the United States currtly has a total of sixpleted dreadnoughts and two nned dreadnoughts, making it undoubtedly the thirdrgest navy in the world.


    If it were not for the fact that Germany is too close to the United Kingdom and the United States is too far away, the main conflict of World War I might have be betwe the United Kingdom and the United States.


    At prest, the pottial shown by the United States is ev more significant than the threat posed by Germany to the United Kingdom.


    However,pared with the United States, which is far away across the Antic Ocean, Germany, which is right under the noses of the British, is considered their greatest concern.


    By the time the British realize the ambitions and pottial of the Americans, the United States will have be unstoppable for a Britain wounded by two world wars.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This led to the colonial order maintained by the British and the Frch for hundreds of years, being easily eliminated by the United States in alliance with a newly born country.


    Under the influce of the ideas of freedom and democracy, the colonial order copsed instantly, and various ethnic groups in the colonies demanded indepdce one after another. As a result, Britain and France were instantly reduced to their original state.


    For Arthur, the emy of Austrsia is not the currt powerful British Empire and German Empire.


    Arthur has always be clear that, although European countries are powerful, their decline is inevitable with the developmt of time and the two world wars in Europe.


    And the pottial shown by the United States, as well as its favorable geographical location, is bound to make it the greatest emy of Austrsia.


    Not to mtion the American concept of freedom and democracy that undermines the British and Frch colonial system, which also has a certain negative impact on Austrsia.


    No matter how fierce the European countries fight, after all, they are rtives and, to put it inly, they are all family.


    But the Americans are differt; they are not a monarchy, and their rtions with the major European royal families are not very good.


    It is not good news for the European royal families to let such a country be the world''s hegemon.


    Wh necessary, a monarchical alliance can be formed with the post-war European monarchies to counter the United States, which would limit the developmt of the United States and at least slow down the copse of the colonial system.


    In early October 9, at the request of the officials of the Cab, the Cab meeting of Austrsia was officially conved.


    What was actually discussed at this meeting was the more intsepetition among European countries for warships and military equipmt that erupted inte September.


    To put it bluntly, the military equipmtpetition of European countries is already preparing for war.


    Everyone understands that war has be inevitable, which is why they are still insisting on the arms race despite the huge costs.


    "Your Majesty, should we alsounch a new  of naval expansion?" At the conferce table, Minister of Defce Raul asked with anticipation.


    Although the previous request of the Ministry of Defce for naval expansion was rejected by Arthur, the military has rectly expanded, and the Ministry of Defce believes that the opportunity hase. Now is the time for Austrsia''s military strgth to rise to the major power level and seek to be recognized as such in the internationalmunity.


    "First, tell me about the situation in Europe! Apart from the naval expansion ns of each country, have there be any reports on the army expansion ns of each country?" Arthur did not refuse Minister Raul''s proposal directly but changed the subject and asked.


    As a monarch of a country, there are some things that Arthur could say, but it is better to avoid saying them directly.


    If he refuses the proposal for naval expansion directly in front of Minister Raul, it will damp the thusiasm of the military radicals and aggressors.


    Although there is no temporary n for arge-scale expansion of naval power, it would be counterproductive if it led the Austrsian governmt towards istion and pacifism.


    After all, for Austrsia to achieve a true rise, there must be significant conflicts with the pseudo-imperial ind nations and their greatest emy, the United States.


    Therefore, the zeal of the governmt is very necessary. Let the other members of the cab governmt reject the proposals made by the Cab Ministers!


    "Your Majesty, ording to the news released by other countries, at prest, the major European countries are already secretly nning to expand their military equipmt. Russia has oply dered its inttion to expand its army by 500,000.


    Although the progress of Russia has always be slow, if we take into ount their existing army of millions, their military force will reach a terrifying figure of more than .5 million, which I am afraid the Germans will find difficult to bear," Foreign Minister Andrews reported respectfully.


    Arthur marveled at and vied the Russian action.


    Wh Austrsia expanded its army by 0,000, it had to carefully calcte the capacity and financial situation of its domestic poption, as well as the reserves of officers and weapons and equipmt.


    On the other hand, Russia, which already had a standing army of millions, would directly increase its army by another 500,000, bringing its total force to ev more than thebined forces of Ennd, France, and Germany.


    Based on the number ofnd forces alone, Russia is indeed the undisputed number one in Europe at prest.

 Chapter 347: Chapter 300: Chain Reaction (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    "The Germans also announced an expansion of 500,000 troops with a rtively mature reserve mechanism, which should make the formation of these 500,000 soldiers much shorter than what Russia would require," replied Minister Andrew.


    Although the size of the German army is not consideredrgepared to Russia, thebat effectivess of the German army is far superior to that of the Russian army.


    It is no exaggeration to say that ev if Russia had an army of .5 million, it would not stand a chance against Germany.


    It is precisely because of the terrifyingbat effectivess of the German army that France and Britain would soon follow Germany''s expansion.


    Sure ough, Foreign Minister Andrew continued: "Shortly after Germany announced the expansion of 500,000 troops, the Frch announced the expansion of 450,000.


    ording to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Frch seem to be seeking amdmts to the conscriptionw, raisingpulsory military service from two years to three years, in order to increase the number of standing and reserve forces.


    ording to asional news from the Frch Parliamt, the Frch governmt may also wish to rx the age of listmt to obtain more reservists."


    After Germany expanded its army by 500,000, the most nervous and fearful would probably be the Frch.


    After all, apart from the British Empire, it is currtly France and Germany that have the deepest hatred. Moreover, the rect Moran crisis has caused Germany to lose face in front of the world, which was the result of France''s hardline stance.


    Arthur rubbed his brow softly and asked, "I assume the other countries in the two major military blocs have also expanded their armies? This is quite a grand evt!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Although the Italians are still at war, it does not prevt their governmt from announcing the expansion of 300,000 troops. Moreover, the Italians have also released news that the navy will expand by 30,000 personnel, and in the next five years, they will build at least three dreadnoughts," replied Foreign Secretary Andrew respectfully.


    Compared to the Italian navy, which is barely respectable, Italy''s army is not tak seriously by the major powers of Europe.


    Of course, this is not without reason. The war betwe Italy and Ethiopia more than a decade ago turned the Italian army into aughingstock of European countries at the time.


    In that war, Italy''s 7,000-strong army suffered ,000 casualties and 4,000 were captured. The Ethiopian army suffered only 4,000 to 5,000 deaths and 6,000 to ,000 injuries.


    Famous Iron Chancellor Bismarck oncemted: "They came to the African contint with great appetite but full of decayed teeth."


    Indeed, from Italy''s currt war with the Ottoman Turkish Empire, it can be se that although the equipmt of the Italian army is indeed good, theirbat capability is another matter.


    "What about the Austro-Hungarian Empire? As Germany''s staunchest ally, their expansion ns must be quite substantial!" Arthur asked with curiosity.


    Among the three countries of the allied nations, thebat effectivess of Germany is unquestionable. Apart from Germany, only the Austro-Hungarian Empire has an army that is prestable.


    Of course, this does not exclude the fact that there are many Germanics in the Austro-Hungarian army.


    "The Austro-Hungarian Empire also ims to expand its army by 300,000. It is said that the Vina governmt had a lgthy tug-of-war with the Hungarians before this was settled. If all goes well, one of the two dreadnought ships being built by the Austro-Hungarian Empire is to be named after Budapest, although more than half of the cost of this dreadnought is borne by the Hungarian governmt."


    Speaking of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this country is differt from most other European countries.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire is a bicameral monarchy, mainlyposed of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary.


    Due to the existce of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary''s governmts, the union of the two countries is not very close.


    Although the imperial capital is located in Vina, the Hungarian Kingdom governmt has autonomy within Hungary.


    If it wer''t for the Vina governmt''s agreemt to name one of the dreadnoughts after Hungary''s capital, Budapest, the proposal to expand the army by 300,000 troops would not have be so easy to agree on.


    At least in terms of the budget for the 300,000-strong army, the Hungarians initially had a straightforward refusal.


    Thinking about this, Arthur couldn''t help but appreciate the greatness of Emperor Franz of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Uniting two countries that are not tightly united, and maintaining great power status for so many years, demonstrates Emperor Franz''s prestige and influce in those two countries.


    Indeed, Emperor Franz has an unparalleled prestige and status in both countries. The bad news is that after the assassination of his original heir, Archduke Ferdinand, in Sarajevo, the Empire no longer has a universally recognized sessor.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This indirectly led to the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I, and a powerful nation was divided into several smaller ones.


    The cautionary tale of the Austro-Hungarian Empire has made Arthur understand how important it is to unite a country closely, which is also why he vigorously promotes the concept of Austrsian nationalism within Austrsia.


    After all, Austrsia is a country formed by thebination of Australia and New Zend. If they are not integrated as much as possible now, contradictions betwe the two regions may arise in the future, possibly leading to the disintegration of the tire country.


    "What about the United Kingdom? Does the United Kingdom have any ns for military expansion onnd?" Minister Andrew mtioned all the powerful nations on the European Contint, but did not mtion the currt most powerful country, the British Empire.


    Arthur couldn''t help but feel curious. Was the United Kingdom only focusing on the developmt of the navy and giving up on the expansion of the army?


    "There is no news of British military expansion at prest, but the British governmt''s steps in the naval field are toorge. I''m afraid the army''s expansion will not be too much ev if it does happ." Minister Andrew shook his head.


    In order to cope with Germany''s crazy naval expansion n, British Naval Minister Churchill had dered that for every main battleship built by Germany, Britain would build two.


    Ev though the British Empire was currtly the most powerful country in the world with the most colonies, it could not withstand such terrifying consumption.


    Moreover, the United Kingdom is a country mainly relying on sea power. The expansion of the army is basically rare, and if there is any, it will not be too significant.


    After learning about the expansion ns of various major countries in Europe, Arthur nodded his head and looked at the Cab Governmt, asking with a smile, "What do you think of the currt situation? Should Austrsia expand its military power or hide for the time being and wait for the developmts in Europe?"


    "Your Majesty, after expanding the army, I think it is necessary for us to expand the scale of our navy as well, at least to maintain a main force level of six dreadnoughts and three battlecruisers.


    As for medium and small-sized warships and submarines, I also believe that we should have a certain expansion so as to sure the safety of the tire Austrsian waters and watch the developmts in Europe." Upon hearing Arthur''s question, Minister of Defce Raul immediately said eagerly.


    For a more aggressive military man, there is nothing more exciting than having his own country''s military forces be more powerful.


    The developmt of both the army and navy, ultimately maintaining ast-ce major power level, is also Minister Raul''s expectation for the military power of Austrsia.


    "Does anyone else have any opinions?" Arthur nodded with a smile but did not agree with Minister Raul''s view. Instead, he looked at others.


    "Your Majesty, I believe that for the currt Austrsia, the most important thing is to develop its own industry and economy. Ev if our military power reaches the level of major powers, there is still a certain gap betwe our industrial and economic developmt and that of the major powers.


    Moreover, the situation in Europe is not clear at prest, and the confrontation betwe the two military blocs is very serious. If Austrsia has the strgth of the major powers at this time, it will only involve it in this military conflict, which is actually harmful to our developmt." After a brief quiet momt, Minister of Industry Pierre finally spoke.


    Although Arthur hoped that someone would stand up to refute Minister Raul''s opinion, there were only a few people who could stand up and refute Minister Raul.


    First of all, including Kt, Royal Affairs Minister Hunter, the Archbishop, and the Chief Justice were not suitable to stand up and refute Minister Raul''s opinion.


    After all, they have a closer rtionship with Arthur and are equivalt to Arthur''s close ministers.


    If they stand up for op refutation, it is easy to be se as Arthur''s instruction. Ev if the Cab Governmt agrees with Minister Raul''s opinion, they will oppose it for the sake of Arthur''s face.


    But Arthur needed a suitable Cab Governmt with its own ideas so as to provide him with more appropriate suggestions.


    If they only acted as a yes-man, the role of the Cab Governmt would be greatly reduced instead.


    "Does anyone else have any other opinions?" Arthur still nodded with a smile, and his gaze remained on others.


    After a momt of silce, Arthur continued, "Since there is no unified idea, let''s have the tire Cab Governmt vote by raising their hands."


    Everyone had no objection to voting by raising their hands. At Arthur''s instruction, they began to support the proposal they were more optimistic about.


    In the d, the voting results were eight votes in favor of continuing to develop in a low-key manner and four votes in favor of military expansion.


    Arthur nodded and said with a smile, "Let''s follow the voting results th. At least for the next two years, the main goal of Austrsia is still developmt, and the disputes in Europe are temporarily unrted to us."


    With Arthur''s final decision, the dispute in the Cab Governmt was resolved.


    As a matter of fact, as se from the orders of the Royal Shipyard, Arthur had no ns for naval expansion within the next two or three years.


    Ev after counting the naval orders from Russia and Chile, the Royal Shipyard was busy in a state of business until a 94.


    Ev if the Ministry of Defce announced a new naval expansion n, the Royal Shipyard, in order toplete previous orders, would not have the spare capacity to build new naval orders.

 Chapter 348: Chapter 301: Cabinet Election (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    As time tered October, due to the previous conflict with the Dutch and the aftermath of the rubber crisis, Arthur announced the start of the postponed cab election.


    The third cab governmt was fortunate because they served four months longer than their predecessors.


    However, they were also unlucky, as the election for the fourth cab governmt of Austrsia was extremelypetitive, which meant that several cab ministers might be leaving the cab.


    On October 7, 9, the election for the fourth cab governmt of Austrsia officiallymced.


    Before the election, on October 5, 9, the third cab governmt made a performance report on the square outside Sydney Pce and through broadcast form to the whole country.


    Compared to the previous two cab governmts, the third cab governmt underwt significant changes. Moreover, during their ture, Austrsia expanded some of its international influce.


    Overall, Arthur was very satisfied with the work of the third cab governmt. Prime Minister Walter''s work was no less than Prime Minister Evan''s, and the developmt of various aspects of Austrsia was outstanding.


    The achievemts of the third cab governmt,posed of ts of thousands of words, can be summarized in a few points.


    ording to Prime Minister Walter''s report, the main achievemts of the third cab governmt are:n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    First, vigorously develop the poption.


    ording to Prime Minister Walter''s report, during the ture of the third cab governmt, the total poption of Austrsia had grown from less than 7 million to .35 million, with a total increase of over 3.35 million and an average annual growth of over 80,000.


    Second, vigorously promote the economy.


    Wh the third cab governmt took office in 907, the total fiscal revue of the national governmt was only . million Australian dors, and the total fiscal expditure was as high as 9.3 million Australian dors, with a fiscal deficit of 8. million Australian dors.


    After four years of developmt,st year the total fiscal revue of Austrsia was 64.7 million Australian dors, total fiscal expditure was 57 million Australian dors, and there was a surplus of 7.7 million Australian dors.


    In just four years, the annual fiscal deficit of 8. million Australian dors had turned into an annual fiscal surplus of 7.7 million Australian dors, and the cab governmt deserved great credit.


    In addition, the per capita ie of Austrsia was only 40 Australian dors in 906, and it reached 48.7 Australian dors in 9, showing the governmt''s emphasis on residts'' annual ie.


    Third, vigorously develop industries.


    Industry, as one of the bchmarks of a country''sprehsive strgth, has be a focus of developmt in Austrsia since its establishmt.


    Since taking office, the industrial developmt of Austrsia under the third cab governmt has be rapid.


    Annual iron production has increased from .33 million tons at the d of 906 to .3 million tons at the d of 9, while annual steel production has increased from 800,000 tons at the d of 906 to .4005 million tons at the d of 9.


    In addition, Austrsia has vigorously developed domestic iron, coal, petroleum, and other important mineral resources, allowing the extraction of mineral resources to keep pace with consumption.


    In addition, during the term of the third cab governmt, the cab governmt also presided over the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base, expanding various aspects of Austrsia''s chemical industry, agricultural industry, civil industry, military industry, and the mechanical industry.


    Currtly, the Leonora Industrial Base has provided at least 0,000 jobs for Austrsia, and it is expected that at least 0,000 jobs will be provided after thepletion of the second phase of construction.


    Regarding machinery, Austrsia has poprized agricultural machinery in severalrge farmsteads within its territory. This not only saves arge amount ofbor for Austrsia but also significantly increases food production and elerates the developmt of agriculture to a certain extt.


    In addition to these more important directions, promoting policies in the fields of education, medical care, and other livelihood areas have also be the focus of Prime Minister Walter''s speech.


    For the third cab governmt, advocating for outstanding achievemts is beficial to their pursuit of re-election or higher positions.


    Under the expectations of people all over Austrsia and the atttion of many media, the election for the fourth cab governmt of Austrsia officially began on October 7, 9.


    This electoral meeting was held in therge meeting room of the Administrative Court and was attded by all members of the House of Represtatives of Austrsia.


    Up to now, there are a total of 98 people in the House of Represtatives; nearly 60% have joined parties, but almost 40% are non-partisan.


    After all, Austrsia is an authoritarian country. In addition to restrictions by the Electoral Law and the Party System Law, parties do not provide that significant help to a candidate, so there are quite a few nonpartisan members in the House of Represtatives.


    The cab election is differt from the parliamtary election because, with less than 300 people participating, the results are esstially produced within a week.


    However, this week is very agonizing for all the participating parliamtarians and is a pivotal momt in determining their fate.


    In order to show the importance of the cab governmt election, Arthur attded the first day of the electoral ceremony and, as usual, dered the solemnity and fairness of the election.


    The rest of the time is left to the parliamtarians to freely perform. Besides certain positions requiring a list from Arthur, basically, all members of Parliamt can register, and parties with more than t seats in the House of Represtatives can ev nominate a non-member of the House of Represtatives as one of the candidates for a particr departmt.

 Chapter 349: Chapter 301: Cabinet Election (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)_2

    This cab election is of great significance for Austrsia, as the fourth cab governmt will be inevitably differt from the third.


    Inyman''s terms, at least over half of the cab ministers who have held office for three consecutive terms in the third cab governmt cannot continue to serve in the cab.


    Fortunately, Arthur stated in advance that aside from a few cab positions he needs to nominate, he will not interfere with the rest of the positions.


    This implies that if these cab ministers want to advance further, they will have to rely on their own efforts.


    On October 5, 9, Arthur once again tered the meeting room of the Administrative Court. His arrival signifies the d of the election for the fourth cab governmt.


    As he tered the meeting room and sat at the head of the table, Arthur looked at the members seated at the conferce table with a smiling face and began, "Everyone, the results of the fourth cab governmt election are out, and I believe this is your sincere choice.


    Before formally announcing the list of the fourth cab governmt members, I would like to say a few words to all members prest."


    After seeing everyone sitting upright, serious and atttively listing, Arthur continued, "I believe you can all see that the situation in Europe and ev the world is getting more and more tse, and no one can prevt the outbreak of war. Ev if Austrsia is located in Oceania, it cannot guaranteeplete neutrality in this war.


    Therefore, I have ev stricter requiremts and expectations of you all, hoping that with your joint efforts, Austrsia can watch the developmt of the world situation in a neutral posture, and under the premise of protecting the interests of the country and the people, strive for more international influce and status for the country as much as possible."


    "The House of Represtatives must more carefully supervise the work of the state governmts, suring that we do not stop because of our own troubles. Besides, I hope that all members can focus on real work, use their actions to build a better Austrsia, and together with the next cab governmt, jointly protect and develop our great nation."


    p! p p!


    With Arthur''s speech, there was continual apuse in the meeting room.


    "Alright, next, let Butler Kt announce the specific members of the fourth cab governmt!" Arthur said with a smile, turning his gaze to Butler Kt who held the final election results of the cab governmt.


    "The specific list of the fourth cab governmt of the Kingdom of Austrsia, Foreign Minister Darr Watson, Education Minister Stefan Cross, Health Minister Willie Watson, Secretary of Public Security Robert Hillyer, Minister of Transportation Laur Robert, Minister of Livelihood Philip Chapman, Agriculture Minister Mark Ryder, Industry Secretary Paul Hogan, Minister of Finance Kevin Nobel, Defse Minister Raul Prange, Royal Affairs Minister Hunter Montague Lor, Speaker of the House of Represtatives Evan H.


    Parks, Chief Justice Gregory Harris, Archbishop Steed Marlborough, Minister of State Roger Joseph Albert, and Prime Minister Hunter Crawford Lor. This is theplete list of the fourth cab governmt of Austrsia."


    The results of the election were almost as Arthur predicted, most of the officials from the third cab governmt were not as fortunate in the fourth cab governmt.


    This includes not only Pierre, Thomas, Richard Burke, Andrew Wilson, and Hris, but also Walter, the Prime Minister of the third cab governmt.


    Their failures in vying for higher positions also indicate that the old officials from the Six Colonies of Australia have basically left the upper echelons of Austrsia''s political ara.


    The currt cab officials of Austrsia are mostly elected, or are the confidants Arthur nominated.


    Of course, the reason why Speaker Evan continues to stay on the Speaker''s seat in the House of Represtatives is because the Speaker of the House of Represtatives is elected along with members every two years.


    The next election for the Speaker of the House of Represtatives takes ce in 9, that is, next year.


    This also implies that if Speaker Evan wishes to retain his position in the Cab Governmt, it won''t be as easy as it is for those Cab Ministers.


    After all, after missing out on the cab governmt, the former cab ministers perhaps only hope for Evan''s position as Speaker of the House of Represtatives.


    Arthur, nce at people''s differt expressions, chuckled, "This cab governmt has invited many neers, and I hope this can bring fresh vitality to governmt work. For those who have be sessfully elected to the cab governmt, I hope you can quickly get acquainted with your new positions and affairs, and involve in the affairs of all departmts in Austrsia."


    "Bing a cab member does not mean that you can be set for life; instead, this is just the beginning of your political career. Europe and ev the whole world situation are unstable. Austrsia must not stagnate at such a momt.


    We need to continuously increase theprehsive pottial of the country, develop the industry and economy, build up agriculture, education and medical care, and expand our military to sure that we can protect the country and its citizs under any circumstances."


    "I will give you all a week to familiarise yourselves with your duties. Next week, we will officially hold the first cab meeting of the Fourth Cab Governmt in Sydney Pce," Arthur said, smiling.


    Arthur''s n is not to remain neutral and peacefully survive World War I. Austrsia must gain ough befits and positions in World War I to sure that it has the right to participate in the distribution of befits after the war and to n for World War II.


    What''s more, no matter which side loses the war, Austrsia can seize the opportunity to absorb arge amount of industry and poption. This is an opportunity that Arthur absolutely cannot afford to miss.


    "For those members who were not elected, don''t be discouraged. Regardless of which position you''re in, you can contribute to the developmt of a country. These contributions will also serve as your capital for running in the next cab governmt election.


    No matter what position you are in, I hope that everyone can regard the developmt of the country as the most important thing, actively and spare no effort to make Austrsia better." After finishing hisst stce, Arthur nced at everyone, left the meeting room with the steward Kt.


    Only after Arthur left did the people in the meeting room breathe a sigh of relief. Some congratted those elected to the cab governmt.


    The one who received the most congrattions was naturally Kt, who had be the new Prime Minister in the cab governmt.


    Thest time the cab was restructured, Arthur pushed Kt to the position of Minister of State, causing some changes in Austrsia''s political ara.


    The Prime Minister''s position had be controlled by the governors of the six old colonies of Australia already for t years. Arthur clearly hopes that those who are more loyal to him can obtain this position.


    This is also why butler Kt has received a lot of support for the position of Prime Minister.


    After all, in addition to the six major governors of the original colonies, the mostpetitive for the Australian Prime Minister is indeed these confidants appointed by Arthur.


    As for the factions and members of the Austrsian political ara, they may already have a significant say, but if they want to directly impact the throne of the highest Prime Minister, their base and strgth are still a bit insufficit.


    Therefore, why not just do a favor and directly support Kt.


    Also because of this, the fourth  of the cab governmt''s blood transfusion, more talts have the opportunity to ter the cab governmt.


    Among the t ministers in the fourth cab governmt, only four are old faces from thest cab governmt. The other six positions are allwmakers who were elected cab members for the first time, which also reflects the fairness and fairness of this cab election.


    After all, most of the previous cab governmt positions were dominated by veteran politicians, inevitably leading to rumors and whispers.


    Now that more fresh blood has joined the cab governmt, this is not only what the people hope to see, but also what Arthur hopes to see.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 351: Chapter 303: Inspecting the Stadium Construction (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    In December 9, due to the uing year of 9, Arthur once again visited the National Stadium to inspect the construction of the stadium.


    After two years of construction, the National Stadium had be built more than halfway, and now only some finishing touches remained.


    During this time, the Austrsian Olympic Preparatory Organization received applications from as many as 0 countries a the world to participate in the Olympic Games.


    Compared to the previous London Olympics, the rules for this Olympic Games were slightly modified, with each country allowed to participate in up to sev people per evt, and it was rmded to participate in three people.


    At the same time, some more innovative technologies, such as electronic timing and finish line camera equipmt, would also be added to this Olympic Games to make the timing of the Olympic Games more urate and to better resolve some ranking disputes.


    More importantly, because of the more urate timing, which has be precise to a tth of a second, and therge amount of funds Arthur invested, the International Olympic Committee has announced that they will record the performance of athletes at this Olympic Games and publish the corresponding world records.


    That is to say, the outstanding performance of the Sydney Olympics will go straight into the world record.


    This made athletes who wanted to bring glory to their country and gain fame for themselves ev more eager for this Olympic Games, and it also made the Sydney Olympics widely discussed a the world.


    The medals for this Olympic Games have also be prepared early, with gold medals made of gold and jade, and each medal is estimated to be worth at least ,000 Australian dors, which is truly valuable.


    Don''t underestimate the value of these ,000 Australian dors. ording to one pound being equal to 7.33 grams of gold, ,000 are equal to ,000 pounds, which is equal to 7,330 grams of gold.


    If the value of this medal is estimated ording to theter gerations'' approximate gold price, it would ev exceed 3 million yuan.


    Of course, this is only based on the proportional calction of the gold price. If factors such as currcy depreciation are considered, this price may be ev higher.


    The silver medal''s price is slightly lower, with an estimated value of a 600 Australian dors, which is just over a third of the gold medal''s value.


    As for the bronze medal of the third ce, the estimated value is the lowest, about 50 Australian dors, which can only be considered a dect participation award.


    Of course, the number of evts in the Sydney Olympics has also be reducedpared to the previous London Olympics.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ording to negotiations with the International Olympic Committee, the Sydney Olympics will have only over 40 evts, with the expected start time from June to July 9, and it will take no more than two months toplete.


    Arthur has spt a lot of money on this Olympic Games. In addition to building sports vues and organizingpetitions, Austrsia will also provide -trip cruise tickets and amodation expses for all participating athletes and sd professional medical teams to sure the safety of all participating athletes'' lives.


    However, these expses are worth it. After all, the next Olympic Games are destined to be held a long time after this one.


    Considering the currt tse situation in Europe, Arthur ev had to pray that the European situation would not wors to sure the smooth and sessful holding of the Sydney Olympic Games.


    It is worth mtioning that although only 0 countries have registered to participate in this Olympic Games so far, the number of registered athletes has exceeded ,000, with 500 of them being from Austrsia.


    These 500 athletes were carefully selected by the previous athlete training team, and after a period of hard training, they should be able to achieve certain aplishmts.


    In addition to the 500 people from Austrsia, the country with the second-highest number of participants is Britain, with a total of 93 people. The third highest number is from Norway, with 07 people. The fourth-highest number is from Swed, with 99 people.


    After that, there are Find with 86 people, Germany with 85 people, Russia Nation with 78 people, and the United States with 74 people, which are also countries with a rtivelyrge number of participants in this Olympic Games.


    Arthur''s goal is to strive for the number of participating countries in the Olympic Games to reach the threshold of 30 before the start of the Olympics.


    At the same time, it would be best if the number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games could exceed 3,000, as hosting an Olympic Games is not easy, and therger the scale, the better the effect naturally.


    The construction of the stadium should bepleted before March 9, and there is no problem with it being put into use before the June Olympic Games.


    As for the supporting hotels and various auxiliary buildings and roads for the stadium, they have be basicallypleted so far.


    Only after visiting the hotel and training facilities prepared for the athletes, as well as the roads connecting the stadium and the urban city, did Arthur satisfactorily d his inspection tour of the stadium construction.


    So far, the construction of the stadium has not only exhausted the initial 6 million Australian dors budget, but also used an additional  million Australian dors in reserve funds.


    This resulted in a total construction cost of 8 million Australian dors for the stadium, which is almost equivalt to the cost of four dreadnoughts.


    However, considering the currt construction of the stadium, Arthur believes that the money spt is worth it.


    If the National Stadium can be used for several decades or ev a hundred years, the historical and cultural heritage it represts is definitely more valuable than the millions of Australian dors spt now.


    After the inspection of the National Stadium, Arthur hurried to the Agricultural Machinery Factory without stopping.


    This is where Arthur''s secret weapon is hidd, and it is also one of the weapons the Austrsian Army will focus on equipping in the future.


    "Your Majesty!" Outside the Agricultural Machinery Factory, Factory Manager Joel greeted Arthur respectfully and th took him to the warehouse of the factory.


    Several newly produced tanks were parked in the warehouse, which were finalized after more than a year of testing and improvemt since thest experimt and are the first-geration tanks.


    Compared to the first test period, these new tanks have gained huge improvemts in stability.


    Although this does not change the asional small problems of tanks, such as the asional shedding of tracks, who cares about those small issues wh you have a heavily armored and powerful weapon?


    Looking at these brand-new tanks, Arthur nodded in satisfaction and asked Factory Manager Joel, "Manager Joel, what is the currt production speed of the Agricultural Machinery Factory for these tanks?"


    "Your Majesty, producing such arge weapon is not easy. If we can set up a production line, we can guarantee a production speed of one tank every four days. If we can set up two production lines, we should be able to increase the production speed to one every two to three days." Factory Manager Joel answered.


    Tank production includes armor, firearms, chassis, power systems, tracks, and other modules, and practicality and stability issues must be considered as well.


    In addition, the testing stage each tank must go through adds to the production time, making the production of a tank not very fast, ev if it is just an improvemt on the tractor.


    Arthur nodded in understanding and instructed, "Now, have the Agricultural Machinery Factory set up a tank production line and produce tanks at a rate of one every four days. The currt production speed should be sufficit. I hope to have at least 00 tanks before 94."


    Austrsia is still far fromrge-scale warfare, and the role of tanks is not yet so high.


    Th, Arthur turned his gaze to Factory Manager Joel, asking, "Manager Joel, can you design a transport vehicle with armor protection based on the currt tanks and tractors to improve the efficicy of our army''s movemt?"


    "We can also mountrge-caliber cannons on tractors, making it easier for the cannons to move and be mobilized. If these ideas can be realized, our arsal may need to add a few more secret weapons." Arthur said with a smile.


    "It is possible, Your Majesty. It is not difficult to implemt these ideas, but it will take some time to show their full pottial in battle. Our factory is really understaffed, Your Majesty.


    Could you please sd more outstanding employees and some military industry experts to help the Machinery Factory better realize these ideas?" While talking, Factory Manager Joel suddly began to plead, looking helpless and sad.


    "The Agricultural Machinery Factory is indeed under a lot of pressure while producing and researching tractors while also developing military weapons like tanks. We can do this, I will allow you to negotiate with military factories and invite some military industry experts to preside over the Agricultural Machinery Factory and better implemt the ideas I proposed.


    As for the issue of outstanding workers, you can negotiate with the top technical schools in the country and have their graduates st to the Agricultural Machinery Factory as a priority next year." Arthur nodded, agreeing to Factory Manager Joel''s request.


    Actually, it can''t be helped. After all, the production of tanks is still in a confidtial state, which also means that military weapons like tanks can only be produced and researched under a factory focused on agricultural machinery like the Agricultural Machinery Factory.


    Although the Agricultural Machinery Factory is quiterge in scale, the simultaneous research and developmt of tractors and tanks does make them look understaffed inparison.


    "That''s great, thank you, Your Majesty. I will definitely pay atttion to the weapon ideas you mtioned and strive to realize these ideas as soon as possible," said Factory Manager Joel, delighted with Arthur''s const.


    "Don''t forget the developmt of the second-geration tank. The refitted tractor-based tank has limitations after all, and a new tank design is needed, which should be continuously improved and ultimately form the final tank system.


    Compared to the first-geration tank, I hope the second-geration tank can give me more surprises, and perhaps by th, it will be time forrge-scale tank equipmt," Arthur instructed.


    Developmt must always look forward. Although the Agricultural Machinery Factory sessfully developed and manufactured the world''s first tank by retrofitting tractors, this sess is only temporary and cannot be satisfied with just one tank based on the retrofit of tractors.


    Arthur''s expectation for Austrsian tanks is to have a goodbat capability before World War I, develop at least a second-geration tank during the war, and to avoid losing their advantage in tank production due to leaks from the first-geration tank.

 Chapter 352: Chapter 304: Dream of Australasia

    As time tered December of 9, summer finally arrived in Austrsia.


    However, the temperature in Sydney was not too hot, perhaps because it was just the beginning of summer, the average temperature in Sydney was a 0 to 5 degrees Celsius, which was just right.


    The real reason for Arthur''s outing, in fact, was the immintpletion of the Royal Film Production Studio''s first sound film, and Arthur was invited to inspect and appear in the film alongside the other actors.


    At this point, it is necessary to mtion Austrsia''s first sound film.


    As a film financed by the royal family, this first sound film was destined to have strong political themes.


    The film was named Dream of Austrsia, consisting of four short stories which focused on the origins of Australia and New Zend''s people, the pitiful conditions of the Austrsians during the colonial period, and the disasters and unity of the nation. Thest story was about Arthur bing the Duke of Australia, the Duke of New Zend, and the King of Austrsia.


    In thetter two stories, Arthur was the protagonist, which meant that he would definitely appear in the film.


    However, this posed a problem for the Royal Film Studio. If they had an actor y Arthur, and the actor failed to capture Arthur''s dignity and reputation, the angry reactions of the Austrsian public could lead to the studio''s downfall.


    But the movie could not do without Arthur, as his immse poprity in both Australia and New Zend was, inrge part, responsible for the unity of Austrsia.


    Therefore, after much deliberation, the head of the Royal Film Production Studio decided to consult Butler Kt.


    After asking for Arthur''s opinion, it was finally decided that Arthur would y himself andplete the final shooting of the film.


    The film was scheduled to premiere on January th, National Day, and would be screed simultaneously in all cities with a poption of over 0,000 in Austrsia.


    This would be a feast for the tire Austrsian people, as the film would be yed once daily during the sev-day National Day Celebration Week in Austrsia.


    As a film with a heavy political agda, it was unlikely to be widely distributed in Europe.


    If the sound film were to seed, the Three Major Film Studios would continuously produce more sound films to meet the leisure needs of Europeans while making huge profits from them.


    Anyway, at that time, Europeans and Americans were the wealthiest people, and making money from them could be se as a form of wealth redistribution.


    Royal Film Studio.


    Arthur''s arrival attracted a lot of atttion and ev temporarily halted the film''s production.


    There was no helping it, with Arthur''s currt poprity in Austrsia, anyone able to see him up close would be excited, except those who did not recognize him or had a weak sse of national idtity.


    For ordinary people, they might feel a geral sse of goodwill towards their monarch, but wh the monarch actually stood in front of them, the tsion and confusion were inevitable.


    Spding two days at the Royal Film Studio for the shooting, Arthur expericed what it was like to shoot a film a hundred years ahead of time.


    Of course, the currt film technology was not as advanced as it would be inter gerations, and the methods and techniques of filmmaking were also quite differt.


    Upon Arthur''s inquiry, the Royal Film Studio stated that the final shooting would take about a week toplete and could be finished before January.


    In fact, the film Dream of Austrsia was jointly produced by the Three Major Film Studios, and wh it would be screed nationwide in the future, it would also be a joint deavor of the Three Major Film Studios.


    This cooperation shorted the film production time somewhat, and was the primary reason for its nationwide screing.


    After all, although the Royal Film Studio was thergest film studio in Austrsia, it faced difficulties screing films in all cities with poptions exceeding 0,000.


    As for the parts of the film that had be shot, Arthur was quite satisfied.


    Thebination of truth and fiction, devised by writers, m of letters, historians, and novelists, made the film seem like a chronicle of Austrsia, documting the rise and fall of the nation from hundreds of years ago to the prest day.


    The climax of the whole film was definitely the period after Arthur''s arrival. Although this was just one of the four short stories, it ounted for one-third of the tire film, about 50 minutes long.


    This proportion was determined only after extsive research. Too much or too little contt would not be as effective, one-third was just the gold ratio.


    It is worth mtioning that the oping of the film was Arthur''s speech announcing the establishmt of the Kingdom of Austrsia, which discussed the main theme of the film, the dream of the rise of Austrsia.


    At the d of the film, the Austrsian national anthem, "Austrsia, Advance!" yed.


    As a perfect oping and ding, the film''s impact on people in an eracking tertainmt culture could not be underestimated.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that this is the world''s first patriotic sound film, and the changes it brings to Austrsia are definitely momtous.


    Naturally, the more such movies the better. Anyway, Arthur is very willing to see patriotic films like the Dream of Austrsia blooming in the movie market across Austrsia.


    However, this puts a burd on those writers. After all, creating a truly ssical film like this one is not an easy task, ev if hundreds of writers work together, the time needed would still be counted in six months.


    Actually, if this movie were charged for, there should still be a lot of people in Austrsia willing to watch it.


    After all, in an era wh sound films were not yet popr, such a ssic sound film was absolutely epoch-making, with far greater influce than silt films.


    However, after careful consideration, Arthur still feels there is no need. After all, charging might make some money, but Arthur is clearly not short of it.


    Rather than charge for it, make it free, so more Austrsians can see it, and more people are influced by this film, bing ev more patriotic, more loving of their nation.


    After all, the political significance of this film far outweighs its practical befits, and Arthur knows how to choose.


    Approaching the d of the year, another good news is the uingpletion of the Northern Railway.


    The construction of the Northern Railway began with the Annual Report Conferce of 906 and officially started in January 907.


    Originally, the construction of the Northern Railway was expected to take about eight years, which means it should bepleted a 95.


    However, due to the governmt''s atttion and increased investmt in funds and manpower, the construction period of the Northern Railway was shorted to five years, and it is expected to bepleted in January 9.


    The Northern Railway is of great importance to Austrsia, and its significance is in no way inferior to the Industrial Railway in the southern region.


    What''s more important is that the Northern Railway and the Industrial Railway are connected,pletely connecting the core area of Australia, forming a true circumnavigation railway a Australia.


    This will greatly facilitate domestic transportation in Austrsia and closely connect the sparsely popted northern part of Australia, allowing effective control of northern Australia while expanding influce to Southeast Asia north of Austrsia.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that this ev alleviates the military pressure on Austrsia.


    Ev now, the vast territory of Austrsia still has only over 00,000 troops stationed and dispersed in various colonies and territories.


    With the smooth passage of the Northern Railway, Austrsia''s military can quickly reach every corner of the core area of Australia, greatly improving the military''s coverage of Australia.


    At the same time, the efficicy of the military dispatch to Southeast Asia has also be significantly improved. Previously, traveling to Southeast Asia bynd route took much longer than by sea.


    However, the transportation ships of Austrsia can only carry up to two divisions, and it is impossible to swiftly dispatchrge forces to reach Southeast Asia.


    But once the Northern Railway bes operational in the future, the military can first take the railway to Austrsia''s northern ports, and th take ships there, saving a great deal of time.


    If the construction goes smoothly, thepletion of the Northern Railway might ev be ahead of National Day, allowing it to be announced on National Day and making all Austrsians rejoice.


    Arthur is likely to attd the Northern Railwaypletion ceremony, but he has no inttion of personally expericing the Northern Railway himself.


    Out of curiosity and regard for the importance of the first railway spanning over 000 kilometers wh the Industrial Railway waspleted, Arthur boarded the train for the experice.


    But trains in this era are not fast, and theck of tertainmt facilities makes train travel ev more tedious than inter gerations.


    More importantly, in order to maintain the dignity of the monarch, Arthur could only sit on the train and pretd to joy the experice while inwardly longing to stand up and stretch his back.


    He won''t be expericing it again at the Northern Railwaypletion ceremony in a while, regardless of what he says.


    Indeed, it is best not to take trains in this era if possible.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur is ev looking forward to the widespreadmercial use of airnes, after all, airnes are morefortable and convit, and one can reach the destination quickly just by taking a short nap.


    Speaking of airnes, Austrsia currtly has a military aircraft fleetrge ough, with a total of over 600 aircraft.


    However, Austrsia''s aircraft are currtly military secrets, trained quietly ind, and there is no news coverage of it.


    It is an unavoidable situation; after all, due to the previous achievemts of airships, European countries gerally pay more atttion to airships rather than airnes.


    If news of more advanced aircraft is exposed, I am afraid that the major powers of Europe would invest heavily in researching aircraft, and the rate of aircraft rewal will undoubtedly be rapid; this would rder the progress Austrsia has made in rect years in vain.

 Chapter 353: Chapter 305: Wolves Smoke Rising

    As time tered the d of 9, people all over the world finally breathed a sigh of relief, having made it through a year filled with crises and conflicts.


    Throughout 9, there was hardly any good news for European citizs.


    The Second Moran Crisis intsified the confrontation betwe the two major European military blocs, deeped tsions betwe the United Kingdom and Germany, and further elerated a more radical naval arms race.


    What''s more, all European powers joined this naval arms race, which means these powerful countries had a clear perception that war was immint and they were preparing for it.


    Apart from that, major European countries were also expanding the scale of their armies. From the expansion of 300,000 troops in the Italian Austro-Hungarian Empire to France, Russia, and Germany''s expansion of 500,000 troops, it shows the severe situation Europe is facing, and war seems to be on the brink.


    The actions of these powerful countries to expand their armies and navies have also led to an explosive growth in their military terprises.


    A simple example is the rowned German military industrial terprise, Klub Factory. In 873, it had only 9,000 employees; by 90, this number increased to 43,000. By the d of 9, the number of employees in the Klub Factory had reached 70,000.


    The military industry in Britain is also massive, employing over 0,000 people.


    British military industry has two main characteristics. First, it prioritizes the developmt of warships and merchant shipbuilding, which is consistt with Britain''s emphasis on its navy. Secondly, private military factories hold an important position, which is differt from the royal arsals in Austrsia.


    In Austrsia, royal military factories ount for 87% of all military factories, and only a small portion of weapons that other factories are unwilling to produce are made by private military workshops.


    Apart from this, the armamts industries in France, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are huge as well. The military preparations and numbers of soldiers of these powerful countries also befit from the massive military industries.


    This can be se from Austrsia as well. Currtly, there are about 5,000 employees in all sectors of the military industry in Austrsia.


    If the hidd aeronautical research rooms and agricultural machinery factories are also considered, the number of employees in the military industry has exceeded 0,000.


    Compared to the expansion of regr standing armies, the number of reserve soldiers brought by the major European countries is ev more exaggerated.


    Except for the British Empire, the focus of European powers'' military expansion is actually the army.


    As a result, so far, the number of military preparations and soldiers among major European countries is extremely exaggerated.


    At prest, among all the powerful countries in Europe, Russia has thergest number of soldiers, with . million in the regr army and 5.65 million in the reserve.


    France ranks second with 7,000 regr troops and 5 million reservists.


    Germany follows closely, with 700,000 regr troops and 4.9 million reservists.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire has 400,000 regr troops and 3 million reservists, Italy has 380,000 regr troops and .8 million reservists, and the British Empire has 50,000 regr troops and . million reservists.


    Although the major European countries have already announced their military expansion, the progress of the expansion is not the same.


    Currtly, the smoothest expansion should be in Germany and France. So far, they have recruited more than 00,000 reservists into their regr forces and have started long-term training.


    On the other hand, the countries with slower military expansion progress should be the Russian Empire, with thergest number of reserve soldiers.


    It is undiable that the decadce of this country is shocking. Ev though the expansion has be announced for several months, so far only ts of thousands of soldiers have be recruited and they have not ev reached their designated training locations yet, still being transported  route.


    If the expansion of these powerful countries ispleted, Europe may face a vast war involving ts of millions of soldiers during the future wartime, and the loss to major European countries is immeasurable.


    Aside from the confrontation betwe the two major European military blocs, the shadow of the Balkans is also bing increasingly dse.


    The Balkan countries are either preparing for war or preparing within war.


    To prepare for future wars, the Balkan countries, such as Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Mdinero, have all announced military expansion ns. The armies of Bulgaria and Serbia have already surpassed 300,000 and 00,000 troops, respectively, and ev the smallest Mdinero has reached 35,000 soldiers.


    With the support of the Russian Empire behind the Balkan League, the Balkan countries naturally purchase the weapons and equipmt needed for their expansion from Russia.


    For this reason, the Russian Empire has eliminated some weapons currtly in service and sold them to Balkan countries at prices slightly lower than the market price.


    As for the Russian Empire, in addition to the previous order of 50,000 rifles, it has also ordered 50,000 rifles and ts of millions of bullets from Austrsia to prepare for domestic military expansion.


    This has made Arthur feel the huge profits from selling armamts. Ev though the war has not yet started, and only Russia is ordering weapons from Austrsia as European countries prepare for war, the military factories have still made hundreds of thousands of Australian dors.


    If war truly breaks out and European countries urgtly need weapons, the profits from the arms trade could expand to ts of millions or ev hundreds of millions of Australian dors.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For this reason, Arthur gerously provided ts of millions of Australian dors in funds to the Royal Military Factory, allowing the factory to work at full steam to produce at least one million rifles, billions of bullets, ts of thousands of firearms, and millions of shells for future wars.


    After all, within Austrsia, there are British weapons, German weapons, and weapons and equipmt developed by Austrsia itself.


    And within Europe, the more popr ones are British and German weapons, and there is basically no difficulty in exporting weapons.


    Arthur ev thought that if military aircraft were widely used in World War I and countries showed great interest in them, th it might be possible to build arge number of the first two gerations of aircraft and sell them on arge scale.


    After all, Austrsia''s military aircraft research has already reached the third geration, with the research of the fourth geration also underway.


    As long as the fourth geration of military aircraft is sessfully researched in the future, selling the previous two gerations to the major powers of Europe would not affect Austrsia''s aircraft research. Besides, due to the impact of the war, it is impossible for them to catch up with Austrsia in a short period.


    Moreover, the cost of these aircraft can range from ts of thousands to ev hundreds of thousands of Australian dors. The profits from selling them to European countries on arge scale will not be lower than those from exporting weapons.

 Chapter 354: Chapter 306: Military Layout of 1912 (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    On December 3st, just a few days after the Christmas vacation, the Austrsian Governmt retered the whirlwind of state affairs.


    Thest day of the year oft coincided with the time for the Cab Governmt''s annual report meeting.


    However, as the new Cab had only be working for a few months, the report would be a summary of the previous Cab''s actions, thus, the contt of the annual report was rtively sparse.


    Of course, the main focus of this meeting was the new Cab''s n for its term.


    Due to the vtile situation in Europe and a the world, no one can be certain whether war will break out tomorrow.


    This implies that the work of the Fourth Cab Governmt is extremely difficult, and there is a high likelihood that they will experice a world war unprecedted in history during their term.


    This also means that the Fourth Cab Governmt''s role is very critical. A single misstep could pottially set the country''s progress of t years up in mes.


    While history from the future can provide Arthur many lessons and experices, who can guarantee that this world will follow the same course?


    Will Italy switch sides? Will the United States ter the war? Will revolution erupt in Russia Nation?


    Set aside these three questions, Austrsia itself is something that Arthur could not easily predict.


    Theoretically, whichever side Austrsia aligns itself with, it would be able to provide some substantial assistance, and possibly ev alter the course of the future war to some extt.


    But Arthur''s aim isn''t limited to this. What Arthur seeks is for Austrsia to gain a higher international status through this war and to befit from the defeat of other countries. After the First World War, it should be at least a yer, not a pawn.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although the annual report meeting had be greatly streamlined, what was reported was mostly vital news.


    As of December 3, 9, Austrsia''s poption had officially reached over .5 million, with Australia''s poption at 8.7 million and New Zend''s poption at .4 million.


    The New Guinea Colony, Australian Timor, and Royal Territory poptions were 73,000, 9,000, and 8,000 respectively.


    Austrsia now officially had its second city with over a million people: Melbourne.


    Melbourne''s currt poption was just over .04 million people, making it the second economic cter of Austrsia, behind Sydney. These two cities were considered the two brightest pearls in Oceania.


    With more than a decade of developmt, at least within Austrsia''s urban cities, the level of developmt has initially caught up with that of ordinary cities in Europe.


    For cities like Sydney and Melbourne, with poptions in the millions, their scale and developmt level is in no way inferior to top-tier European cities.


    In truth, this is quite normal, giv that Austrsia has devoted the strgth of the tire nation to developing these two cities.


    These two cities are peerless within Austrsia, establishing their unique dominance amongst the cities in Austrsia.


    Ev under Minister Grant''s advice, Arthur has already formted and issued relevant immigrationws, heavily couraged immigration to remote areas, colonies, smaller towns, and to some extt, reduced the welfare treatmt of big cities.


    Yet, still, four out of every t immigrants chose to stay in a big city, or at least, in a state capital with a poption in the hundreds of thousands.


    After all, onlyrge cities can provide more job opportunities and more opportunities for these immigrants to find.


    What''s there to do in small towns? Except for special cases like the Leonora Industrial Base, small towns are mostly gaged in agriculture developmt, serving at most as a farm owner.


    Most immigrants harbour dreams of striking it rich and are not contt with merely being obedit farm owners.


    T million is a threshold, a necessary condition for formally embarking on the path to bing a strong country.


    In this world, a country with fewer than t million people is destined to never be a powerful nation.


    But in reality, a poption of t million is only one of many criteria. If Arthur wants to achieve his ambitions, a poption of just t million for Austrsia is far from sufficit.


    In Europe, the number of regr and reserve troops of the European Nationsbined is in the millions, ev approaching t million.


    Though full mobilization would harm the foundation of these countries, it also indicates that these countries have the courage and the ability to fight a desperate battle.


    Now look at Austrsia, a 500,000-strong army may already be the currt limit. Any more would seriously impact the nations'' developmt.


    But if Austrsia wants to be a recognized Power with international status, besides a strong navy, and army exceeding one million is also very necessary.


    This shows that Austrsia''s poption must exceed twty million in order to have the strgth and confidce topete with other powerful nations.


    Giv the currt rate of Austrsia''s immigration, to exceed a poption of twty million, it would take at least another t years.


    If you take into ount that wh war breaks out in Europe, countries are sure to limit emigration. That means that during the brink and duration of the war, immigration to Austrsia will definitely decrease, possibly to a significant degree.


    In other words, it might require twty years until Austrsia''s poption can break through twty million.


    Twty yearster, World War II might already be on the verge of beginning. At this point, Austrsia is only just starting to build confidce in terms of poption, that might be somewhat toote.

 Chapter 355: Chapter 306: Military Layout of 1912 (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)_2

    It seems necessary to adopt some measures to elerate the absorption of immigrants before and after the war.


    For the Austrsian Governmt, there is another good news that the total fiscal revue for the whole year of 9 has reached a new high, up to 78.4 million Australian dors.


    The continuous growth of fiscal revue actually represts that the achievemts of Austrsian developmt have gradually shown up.


    Of course, it cannot be died that the growth of fiscal revue depds on orders such as arms trade and grain exports, but this is undoubtedly good news.


    Of course, the total fiscal expditure of the governmt is also growing continuously. In 9, the total expditure of the Austrsian Governmt reached 67 million Australian dors, achieving a fiscal surplus of over .4 million Australian dors.


    Among them, military expditure has reached as high as 8.7 million Australian dors. Although the scale of the navy has not grown, the army has expanded by a massive 0,000, and with various weapons and equipmt, the military expditure of Austrsia upies more than 40% of the governmt''s total expditure, which is also a major feature of this era.


    In fact, military expditure in European countries is gerally high. After all, everyone knows that the emies that are to be faced are thebinations of several major powers.


    If military expditure is not high at this time, the loss to the country and governmt in the future will be much higher than the exorbitant military expditure in these years.


    Some small countries are ev expanding and developing their military by borrowing heavily from both domestic and foreign sources.


    This can also be considered as a gamble, with the winner gaining territory, poption, and war reparations. Not only can this fill the gap left by previous loans, but it can also further hance the national pottial.


    As for failure, perhaps those who dare to gamble with the stakes have not really thought about the consequces of failure.


    Of course, countries that dare to gamble actually have some confidce. In the ongoing Italo-Turkish War, Italy relies on the power of the great powers and its powerful navy, as well as the certainty that other great powers will not interve, tounch the war confidtly.


    As for the Balkan nations that are currtly preparing for war, they are not only massively expanding their armies for the war but have also gained the support of the Russian Empire, and the atttion of the Ottoman Turkish Empire is tirely focused on the currt Italo-Turkish War. This is the reason why they dare to prepare for war against Turkey.


    The currt naval and arms race in Europe can also be se as ack of confidce in the two major European military blocs to defeat each other. Therefore, they can only hope to expand their military preparations to gain more advantages against the emy.


    The avable funds of the Austrsian Governmt have now exceeded 50 million Australian dors, which is also a little confidce for the governmt to massively expand its military preparations and hance its national defse force in the face of the uing war or during the war.


    If we take into ount the massive loans from both the private and governmt sectors, Austrsia could probably spd at least half a billion Australian dors, and it may not be impossible to build a top-three navy in the world.


    After a brief report, it''s now time for the new cab governmt''s four-year n for the future.


    ording to the currt situation in Europe, war could break out at any time. This means that the developmt of the military industry is crucial within the next four years.


    First of all, the defse budget for theing year, the Cab Governmt approved the Ministry of Defse''s 9 financial budget of up to 30 million Australian dors, but also put forward several requiremts for the Ministry of Defse, which must speed up the training of newly formed troops, and strictly force daily training of all troops, making all armies an elite force that can be used.


    In terms of the navy, Arthur hopes that the navy can organize several more exercises in international waters, hance navy soldiers'' familiarity with warship operations, and strgth the navy''sbat capabilities.


    As the saying goes, "A cannonball''s roar, worth t thousand golds." This cannon also includes ship guns on warships.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ev the funds consumed by ship guns can be much higher than ordinary cannons. Just organizing a naval exercise could cost hundreds of thousands or ev millions of Australian dors.


    If all fleets are deployed for arge-scale exercise, the costs might ev multiply.


    However, various exercises must be done. After all, in the absce of various wars, besides daily training, this kind of exercise is the only means for the navy to increase itsbat power.


    The 30 million Australian dor defse budget is prepared for the massive exercises and training of the army and navy.


    Arthur ev directly stated that if military expditures exceeded the governmt''s budget, the royal family would be willing to subsidize  million Australian dors annually. However, the condition is that the subsidized military expditures must be used effectively; it''s not that they are afraid to spd funds, but they must be used purposefully.


    The currt royal financial group is not short of money; every year, the ie is as high as about 50 million Australian dors, which is not much differt from the governmt.


    The annual tax revue brought to the governmt by the Royal Financial Group is as high as over 8 million Australian dors, making it a major contributor to governmt tax revue.


    The total assets of the Royal Financial Group are currtly as high as 400 million pounds, which is a full 800 million Australian dors.


    Apart from the 0 million pounds lt to the governmt, the total value of various factories and terprises invested and constructed by the Royal Financial Group is also over 0 million pounds.


    In addition, the Royal Financial Group has a cash flow of up to 50 million pounds, which is 300 million Australian dors, as well as ts of millions of Australian dors in stocks.


    In the past few years, the main ie of the Royal Financial Group relied on Bz cars, but now, the ie of Bz cars is less than half of the total ie of the Royal Financial Group.


    Not to exaggerate, the ie of the Royal Financial Group is ough to support all the military forces in Austrsia and ev have a surplus of more than 0 million Australian dors every year.


    This has also led to the extravagant equipmt of the royal private army, the first and second guard divisions, and they are the only two forces in Austrsia equipped with military trucks.


    Of course, the real reason for the two guard divisions to be equipped with military trucks is that they are mostly stationed near Sydney and are responsible for the security of the capital city and the royal pce.


    And the transportation vironmt near Sydney is very convit, so it is more convit to travel by truck.


    However, other units are differt. Most of the other units are stationed in mountainous or remote areas, and truck transportation is not so convit.


    Of course, the governmt''s insufficit financial budget is another major reason. It is believed that after the expansion of military spding in theing year, other regr forces will also be able to see some military trucks.


    The wealth of the Royal Financial Group is also the foundation for Arthur''s developmt of advanced military weapons such as tanks, aircraft carriers, and aircraft.


    It must be known that, so far, the research and developmt of all these advanced military weapons have consumed the funds of the Royal Financial Group.


    Although the research scale of these three weapons is notrge, it costs millions of Australian dors every year.


    If it were not for the wealth of the Royal Financial Group, the governmt would probably not dare to bear such a consumption easily.


    This is actually the bottom line of having money. If there is no money, not to mtion starting research, ev recruiting talts will be obstructive.


    Speaking of this, we cannot help but thank Arthur''s grandmother, Que Victoria.


    It should be known that Duke Old Arthur left Arthur only over 80 million pounds in inheritance, and the rest of it was brought to Arthur by Que Victoria.


    Ev including New Zend and New Guinea, these were gifts giv to Arthur by Que Victoria.


    If it wer''t for Que Victoria''s will, it might not be easy for Australia to get these two regions.


    After all, with the rtionship betwe Arthur and Edward at the time, ev if the importance of these two regions to the British Empire was minimal, Edward VII would have obstructed in secret.


    Perhaps this is the advantage of one''s backg! Born in a family of the British Empire''s royal lineage, and being the only son of Que Victoria''s most beloved son, it seems only natural to receive these befits.


    For someone with a family backg, making good use of one''s origin can bring more befits and save some detours.

 Chapter 356: Chapter 307: Splitting the Military University (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    Besides national defse construction, the second phase of Leonora Industrial Base''s is also of utmost importance for Austrsia.


    In fact, the second phase of the Leonora Industrial Base started as early as 9, with initial expectations ofpletion by 93.


    After all, the second phase construction, in terms of scale and nning, was set to significantly surpass that of the first phase of the Industrial Base.


    All the factories from the first phasebined could at most provide less than fifty thousand jobs for Austrsia, ev at full capacity.


    However, upon thepletion of the second phase, it alone could create over one hundred thousand jobs.


    Combining both phases, the tire Leonora Industrial Base could provide at least 50,000 jobs for Austrsia, not only fulfilling the job needs of West Australian State but also extding befits to South Australia.


    With substantial governmt and industrial sector funds, the construction of the Industrial Base is progressing faster than expected.


    If everything goes as nned, the construction of the Industrial base should bepleted by the d of 9 or the beginning of 93, and is set to be operational by 94.


    This means that, if World War I took ce as it did in history, Austrsia would have a super industrial area with over 50,000 jobs ev before the outbreak of World War I. This would further solidify its industrial levels and scale, and able it to export arge amount of industrial products to the European Region.


    With the growth of Austrsia''s poption, there would also be an increasing demand for jobs. Various constructions, including the industrial base and other projects, were nned to meet the needs of the Austrsian people, besides serving the national developmtal needs.


    In preparation for the pottial European War, Arthur also issued orders to the agricultural sector, requesting to expand agricultural production where possible, and temporarily decrease food export.


    Aside from the disaster-affected areas with high food prices, food export from all other regions were to be reduced.


    After all, the currt food prices couldn''tpare to those during war times. It''s better to stockpile food in preparation for a pottial war and sell it off after the outbreak of the European War.


    By that time, European Countries would have st hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of troops into the war. Their domestic military and civilian factories would have to make way for the war industry, causing a natural decline in food production.


    Stockpiling food now for sell-off during war times can also be se as prevting pottial starvation and death due to hunger in Europe.


    After all, Arthur is, in the d, a European. How can he stand by and watch Europeans suffer from starvation due to war?


    Though the umtion of food isn''t free, it would at least save lives, wouldn''t it?


    Considering Austrsia''s annual food production of several million tons, the profit from stockpiling food until the outbreak of World War I would not be insignificant.


    Apart from agriculture, Arthur also made some ns in terms of education and healthcare.


    Firstly, regarding healthcare, it was bing increasingly difficult to attract medical talts from Europe.


    The major powers of Europe were increasingly protective of important talts in industries such as medical care and the military industry, especially as war was approaching.


    Therefore, Austrsia had to seize this limited opportunity, attracting as many medical talts as possible before the outbreak of World War I.


    Be it skilled doctors or medical scitists involved in research, they were all talts that Austrsia needed and wascking.


    Arthur was ev nning to have the Royal financial group establish a medical group, focusing on research and production of medicines. This could result in the production of more medical supplies for Austrsia and ev the tire world. Although the motive may be profit-driv, it is still a contribution to humanity.


    For example, Alexander Fleming, who is currtly working in Austrsia, discovered picillin. This medicine could be described as a miracle drug during war times, holding significant strategic importance and value.


    If the discovery and manufacturing techniques of picillin could be sessfully mastered before World War I, this technology alone could bring immse wealth to Austrsia, making it the new superpower of the world.


    Weapons, bullets, and equipmt might run short for the powerful nations, but wouldn''t be criticallycking.


    After all, ev if bullets make it to the battlefield, more than half of them would be wasted, and fewer than one in a thousand bullets would sessfulnd a kill.


    But picillin was differt. Picillin could save a brave soldier who should have died from a infected wound, avoiding huge casualties among the European Peoples.


    This held immse value for the war. Whoever could master this miracle drug could gain an advantage in the war.


    After all, it might take a wounded veteran several months to a year to recover from a battle injury.


    The training of a new recruit would also take roughly the same amount of time. But thebat effectivess of the two was not on the same level. The major powers of Europe were ev willing to pay several times the price to obtain more veterans rather than new recruits.


    The greatest use of picillin was to save the lives of elite soldiers as much as possible, preserving thebat power of the army.


    Establishing a unified medical group to oversee Austrsia''s medical research and drug production could not only improve research and production efficicy, but also prevt wastage of human and material resources.


    If this could help expand the reputation of Austrsia''s healthcare, ev after the war, there would not be a void in Austrsia''s medical market. This would be a lucrative business deal.


    Money is the least of the concerns for the royal financial group right now. The cost of establishing a unified medical group is insignificant to them. Arthur is more focused on research in the medical field and the production of medical supplies.


    Of course, he has not forgott about the domestic healthcare industry. Under Arthur''s requiremts, both universities and technical schools have started offering medical majors.


    However, while the studts graduating from universities can function as interns, the studts from technical schools can only work as nurses or doctor''s assistants.


    This is not just due to educational disparity. University education takes four years and makes use of various advanced instrumts and excellt teachers.


    Technical school training only takes half to one year, the differce in knowledge andpetcies leads to a gap betwe graduates from technical schools and universities.


    Although such gaps can be made up forter, as long as studts graduated from technical schools have a high motivation in their specialized area, it''s not difficult for them to be a qualified doctor.


    This also reflects some shorings in Austrsia''s currt education system, for instance, theyck universities focused on certain fields, like medical universities.


    After careful consideration, Arthur has decided to establish one medical university and one normal university, specifically to cultivate more talt in the medical and educational fields for Austrsia.


    The initial scale of these two universities will not be veryrge, admitting about eight hundred to one thousand studts per year, focusing on cultivating talts in specific directions.


    Of course, Arthur only needs to give a n. The specificities of building these universities were left to the education departmt to decide on. Arthur only needs the d result.


    In addition to this, Arthur has also decided to subdivide the existing Royal Military Academy into several military universities.


    The currt Royal Military Academy officially oped in 907 and has now be a for more than four years.


    With the graduation of the first batch of graduates from the Royal Military Academy and their subsequt try into the military, the Academy has officially got on track.


    However, the mix of studts at the Royal Military Academy is currtly too diverse, with studts from the civilian sector, the military, and ev foreign exchange studts.


    After careful consideration, Arthur has decided to separate civilian and military studts, with foreign exchange studts being ssified under civilians.


    It is ttatively nned that the Royal Military Academy will be divided into the Sydney Royal Military Academy and the Melbourne Royal Military Academy.


    The Sydney Royal Military Academy will be responsible for civilian studts, foreign exchange studts, and the cultivation of sior officers.


    This means that a bachelor''s degree holder from the Sydney Royal Military Academy will ter the army with at least the rank of second lieutant. They could possibly ev achieve the rank of lieutant if they perform well.


    These graduates are the backbone of the Austrsian army, and they should have no problem being school-level officers, ev if they struggle in their careers.


    Although the Sydney Royal Military Academy also admits studts from the military, there are certain requiremts for their military ranks.


    Those who are eligible to attd the Sydney Royal Military Academy are usually officers at the rank of lieutant or school-level officers.


    They will receive advanced officer training at the Sydney Royal Military Academy. Lieutants can advance their ranks by one or two upon graduation, while school-level officers can usually advance by at least one rank.


    In other words, the military studts admitted by the Sydney Royal Military Academy are basically pottial officers who have be idtified for focused training. In the future, they could be top-ranking military personnel, like Brigade Gerals.


    As for gerals and army groupmanders, that is currtly not something that can be considered in Austrsia.


    As for the newly established Melbourne Royal Military Academy, its main function is to train junior officers for the military, that is, lieutants, and below.


    This makes the recruitmt requiremts for the Melbourne Royal Military Academy very simple. For civilian candidates, a middle school education and normal conscription conditions are required. The requiremt for military studts is to have served for at least a year and to have excellt performance records in the military.


    Ev in theory, the Melbourne Royal Military Academy is also op to native soldiers from the Native Division, after all, all the junior officers in the Native Division cannot be Austrsians.


    inly put, the purpose of the Native Division is to serve as cannon fodder and bear the casualties for the Austrsian Army.


    Austrsians do not need to serve as the lowest-ranking officers in such an army. As long as the natives receive some simple training, there should be no problem for them to be a low-ranking officer.


    However, ev for the opportunity to receive the most basic officer training, the quota for the natives in the Native Division will not be that much.


    Also, these natives tering the military academy will receive strict supervision, and they are forbidd to carry weapons under any circumstances.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The only chance they get to touch a gun, perhaps, is wh the military academy organizes shooting practice every now and th.


    After all, the safety of other studts at the military academy and the public must be considered. Ev though these natives are soldiers of Austrsia, their loyalty cannot be fully guaranteed.


    If an extremist were to escape with a weapon, it would be a significant threat to the security vironmt in Austrsia and the safety of the people. It is a risk that cannot ur.

 Chapter 357: Chapter 308: John Moses Browning

    The Cab Meeting emphasized the developmt of various aspects of Austrsia, and the new year''s Cab budget also increased by nearly twty million Australian dors.


    This means that if the new year''s fiscal revue growth is not significant, Austrsia may once again face a fiscal deficit.


    However, the twty million Australian dors budget was used for the right purposes, so Arthur did not feel distressed at all.


    After all, spding twty million Australian dors now is better than facing skyrocketing prices and material shortages during a war, which would lead to multiple times higher expditures.


    Especially the preparation of medical supplies in advance, this is very important for Austrsia and the futureyout in Europe, just the profits that can be earned from these medical supplies are ough for Arthur to prepare in advance.


    Of course, in addition to the cab meeting ns, Arthur had many other private preparations, such as an uing guest.


    This guest''s name is John Moses Browning, an American living in Belgium.


    Of course, John Moses Browning has another well-known idtity, that is, the expert who developed the Browning M9 dual-use automatic pistol.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This small pistol has a glorious history, with nearly a million produced in history.


    Of course, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the evt that shocked the world and ev triggered World War I, was carried out by the assassin Princip using this pistol.


    At prest, Browning''s reputation is not as great as it will be in the future, and the weapons he produces, apart from the single-shot breech-loading rifles he designed several decades ago, are just Browning series automatic pistols.


    But Arthur knows that this famous light weapon design expert willter research various automatic rifles, light machine guns, heavy machine guns, and automatic pistols, making great contributions to the United States'' light weaponry.


    Before Browning''s name has be heard throughout the United States, it is the best time to dig him to Austrsia.


    Good news is, because the automatic shotgun made by Browning in 897 was refused production by the Winchester Company, Browning angrily wt to the Belgian Herstal National Arsal to be the chief designer of the Belgian National Arsal.


    It is a bit difficult for Austrsia topete with the United States, but there is no problempeting with Belgium.


    After Arthur invited Browning to be the chief expert of light weapons of the Austrsia Royal Military Factory, and allowed Browning to design and produce his own researched weapons while helping the military factory weapons research, Browning was tempted toe to Austrsia.


    After all, the reason why Browning wt to Belgium was that his talt couldn''t be fully showcased in the United States.


    The Americanpanies didn''t believe in Browning''s technology, which led Browning to go to the small European country  Belgium in a fit of anger.


    But the problem is, ev though Belgium is willing to produce Browning''s firearms, the business of the military factory is limited, and thepetitivess of the Belgian military factory is far inferior to that of British and German military factories.


    Apart from these two major powers, there are also the military factories of France, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, and Russia Nation''s national arsalpeting for the market, which has resulted in fewer production orders for Belgium and naturally not much funding for Browning to research.


    However, Austrsia is differt, and the person st by Arthur solemnly stated that there would be no limit to Browning''s research funding as long as he was willing to be the chief light weapons expert of the Austrsia Royal Military Factory.


    And the Royal Military Factory will help Browning produce his researched weapons and try to sell Browning''s researched weapons to the world under the premise of producing existing weapons and equipmt.


    Keep in mind, the arms trade betwe Russia and Austrsia is not confidtial, and Browning naturally knows about this weapons purchase treaty as well.


    This also means that there is an international market for the weapons produced by Austrsia, and the firearms designed by Browning in the Royal Military Factory will have better developmt.


    After a lot of thinking, Browning finally decided to go to Austrsia, not only to visit the Royal Military Factory in person but also to see if what Arthur said was true.


    On January nd, 9, at Sydney Pce, Arthur finally met this famous firearms expert.


    Browning is now over 50 years old, but his eyes still look sharp and ergetic all over.


    After seeing Arthur, Browning eagerly asked if he could officially start working the next day.


    Yes, before being summoned by Arthur, Browning had already visited the Royal Military Factory, and the response he got was that the scale and talt reserve of the Royal Military Factory had far exceeded Browning''s expectations.


    Browning was looking forward to working in such a huge military factory and was eager to dive into weapons research.


    Arthur smiled, as what Austrsia wascking right now were talts full of thusiasm like Browning.


    However, there was no need to hurry with work, as Arthur gave Browning nine days of  holiday, plus sev more for the National Day, amounting to more than half a month to deal with issues outside of work.


    After the National Day holiday, he officially joined the workforce, researching and producing more light weapons for Austrsia.


    "Mr. Browning, do you have any suggestions about the currt semi-automatic pistols and submachine guns in the Royal Military Factory?" After discussing work matters, Arthur looked at Browning and began some casual conversation.


    Browning, after all, was a rowned light weapons design expert; and although Arthur had ideas for Austrsian light weapons, their implemtation was fraught with difficulties.


    Especially in the area of pistols, Austrsia''s only pistol was the AS898 Semi-Automatic Pistol developed by the Royal Military Factory in 898, which was already outdatedpared to the popr automatic pistols of other powers.


    Arthur''s expectation for Browning was to develop a new type of automatic pistol based on the AS898 as soon as possible, equipping the Austrsian army and police with it.


    "Your Majesty, the currt pistol design of the Royal Military Factory is outdated. It is now the era of automatic pistols. Give me three months, and I will improve on the currt pistols of the Royal Military Factory and design a brand-new automatic pistol." Browning thought seriously for a while before speaking with a slight frown.


    In fact, Browning indeed had such confidce.


    Although not yet famous in other areas of weaponry, Browning was considered one of the top design experts in the world for pistol design.


    Browning''s M-series automatic pistols, be it the M9 or M9, were among the most advanced automatic pistols in the world.


    Especially the M9, which had already be the standard pistol of the United States Army and had be massively equipped for troops.


    It is worth mtioning that, unlike the Browning M9 automatic pistol, the full name of the M9 is the Colt M9 Automatic Pistol.


    Although the designer of the M9 pistol was Browning himself, thepany that produced the pistol was Colt, Browning''s rivalpany.


    Colt bought the patt rights to this pistol and named it the Colt M9 pistol, securing the interest of the United States Army and sessfully bing their standard pistol.


    In history, this pistol was equipped with American troops for as long as 70 years. It was not until 985, after the United States'' new firearm selection, that the M9 withdrew from the American weaponry stage.


    This also demonstrates the powerful performance of Browning''s designed pistol, which was sufficit for the United States, the strongest country in the world after World War II, to use for 70 years.


    By attracting Browning to Austrsia, it would not only hance Austrsia''s design capabilities in the field of light weapons but also weak the United States'' expertise in light weapon design.


    As the gap betwe the two countries narrows through this mutually reinforcing strategy, it also exins why Arthur ced great importance on attracting talt from the United States and Europe.


    The more talt Austrsia attracts at this time, the less talt the United States will absorb after the war.


    Moreover, by th, the United States''petitor for talt would also be Austrsia, which would undoubtedly hinder the United States'' developmtpared to history.


    Arthur nodded without any doubts about the three months proposed by Browning.


    After all, 3 years had passed since the developmt of the AS898, an already outdated pistol.


    For a light weapons expert like Browning, it is not impossible to improve on a new pistol in three months.


    "As for the Royal Military Factory''s Cassadine Submachine Gun," Browning spoke with a touch of admiration and surprise in his eyes wh mtioning the Cassadine Submachine Gun, sincerely saying, "This advanced weapon design, unlike a rifle, is very forward-looking, and I am looking forward to meeting the researcher of the Cassadine Submachine Gun and working together."


    Perhaps it is due to the mutual admiration among talted individuals that Browning is very curious about and admires the yet-unacquainted submachine gun designer''s talt in weaponry.


    Arthur smiled and said, "That''s for sure. After the National Day holiday, you should be able to meet Cassadine. Speaking of which, as experts in light weapons research, you and Cassadine should have some interesting topics to share."


    Although Austrsia already possesses the advanced Cassadine Submachine Gun, Arthur did not mind having an ev more advanced one.


    If Browning had some unique insights into submachine guns, it would also befit their developmt.


    "Of course, improving on pistols is an esstial aspect. However, as the chief expert in light weapons at the Royal Military Factory, you are fully titled to your indepdt researchboratory and office. Besides the currt weaponry series possessed by the Royal Military Factory, I am looking forward to seeing your designs, Mr. Browning.


    I believe that you are an invaluable talt not only in pistols but also in other weapons." Arthur said with a smile.

 Chapter 358: Chapter 309: National Day Speech

    For a light weapons expert like Browning, Arthur naturally attached great importance and trust.


    As long as Browning used all the funds for weapons research and developmt, what would it matter if there was no upper limit on the funds?


    After all, the research and developmt of weapons wouldn''t cost hundreds of thousands of Australian dors a year. If Austrsia could obtain an extremely advanced light weapon, it would be much more valuable than those few hundred thousand Aussie dors.


    It should be noted that light weapons are not limited to handguns and submachine guns. Rifles, light machine guns, and heavy machine guns are all ssified as light weapons.


    If Browning put it to good use, Austrsia''s light weapons improvemt and research and developmt for the next twty years would not be a problem. They would always be at the forefront of the world in military industry.


    It should be noted that heavy machine guns currtly installed on aircraft and tanks are also an esstial source of firepower.


    This also represts the importance of machine gun research for heavy weapons such as aircraft and tanks. After all, the performance of the mounted machine guns determines thebat capabilities of tanks and aircraft, and it is one of the most effective means of killing.


    Although Browning had a half-month vacation, Arthur still gave him a few tasks, considering Browning''s eagerness to work.


    Of course, these tasks only required making advanced preparations. Browning would not start the formal research and developmt of weapons until after the National Day holiday.


    There are many talts in Austrsia''s military industry but not many with a big historical name like Browning.


    As the saying goes, "the able work harder." Since Browning could make such a big name in history, it meant that his ability must not be low.


    As the chief expert of light weapons in the Royal Military Factory, Arthur handed over the research and developmt tasks of submachine guns, handguns, light and heavy machine guns to Browning, letting him quickly familiarize himself and master the now-existing technologies of these three types of weapons used in Royal Military Factory, and make improvemts ording to his abilities.


    Rifles were not among them for the momt, not because Browning did not have knowledge in this area, but because the Gew-98 Rifle and Lee-Enfield Rifle that Austrsia had at prest were tirely sufficit. At least for the next two or three decades, these two weapons performed very well, and there were no ns to design new weapons.


    Of course, if Browning could further improve these two weapons, Arthur would not have any reason to refuse.


    After talking happily with Browning for several hours, Arthur handed him a cheque for 0,000 Australian dors, allowing him to find a proper residce and bring his family to Austrsia. This delightful conversation finally came to an d.


    0,000 Australian dors is about 50,000 pounds. Ev for Browning who had be the chief firearms designer at the Belgian National Military Factory, this amount was a fortune.


    It should be noted that because Belgium''s National Military Factory''s business wasn''t too good, ev Browning''s annual sry as a chief expert would not exceed 000 pounds.


    This 0,000 Australian dors cheque was equivalt to Browning''s 5 years of Belgian sry, which showed Arthur''s sincerity.


    With this 0,000 Australian dors, one can purchase an excellt property or a standalone vi in any city in Austrsia, or ev buy outright some small and medium-sized businesses in Austrsia and be a capitalist.


    Browning was very surprised and grateful for Arthur''s gerosity. As the King of Austrsia, Arthur has giv Browning the highest level of respect and atttion.


    This also sparked the fighting spirit in Browning, who came because of the promise of ample research and developmt funding.


    He was determined toplete the task assigned by His Majesty Arthur, which is at the very least to improve and upgrade the weapons of Austrsia.


    An expert like Browning could break off cooperation with apany on a whim because they didn''t appreciate his weapon designs, and would instead go to Belgium. Simrly, he would be determined to work harder toplete Arthur''s task because of Arthur''s trust in him.


    Time passed quickly, and in just a few days, January th arrived - Austrsia''s National Day.


    This year''s National Day was rather grand. Although there was no military parade, there were plty of other activities, along with rumors that Arthur and the royal family would be participating, which attracted many people.


    More importantly, it was the first public appearance for Arthur''s childr, Prince William and Princess Anna Miller, which also attracted many domestic media outlets.


    Ev many European newspapers came specifically for the chance to report on Arthur and the royal family members.


    In Austrsia and some European countries, people have a very positive impression of Arthur.


    Especially in major powers like Britain and Russia Nation, Prince William and Princess Anna Miller have blood ties to the British Royal Family and the Russian Royal House.


    If calcted ev further, Arthur had the right to inherit the British throne, albeit in a very remote position.


    As Arthur''s childr, Prince William and Princess Anna Miller naturally had the right to inherit the British throne.


    Although inheriting the British throne was theoretically impossible, having the right to inherit it represted their closess to the British Royal Family.


    After all, only those within the direct line of desct of three gerations could have the right to inherit the British throne.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 359: Chapter 309: National Day Speech_2

    The g-raising on National Day is differt from other times, as the national g is to be hoisted at the very first momt the sun rises.


    As a result, the timing of the National Day celebrations varies each year, but it is usually a six o''clock.


    It can''t be helped; January is summer in Austrsia, so the sun naturally rises earlier.


    After the g of Austrsia fluttered in the azure sky, Arthur began his speech.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Citizs, I am delighted to meet you all on this special day. January th is a unique day for Austrsia each year. We have expericed the colonial era, the integration of colonies into a country, and the unification of the country into a kingdom.


    The royal family and the governmt have bemitted to creating a peaceful and happy social vironmt, where all Austrsians need not worry about hunger, poverty, war, or oppression."


    "So far, we have achieved considerable results and are still striving for our highest goal. I believe everyone knows that although Austrsia is a peaceful and stable country, there are still many wars and crises worldwide. As the King of Austrsia, I ammitted to prevting Austrsia from getting involved in wars and hoping that all my citizs can live a peaceful and happy life."


    "At the same time, we should also make some preparations as expected. We do not want war, but if any country or force tries to infringe upon the interests of Austrsia and its people, our tire military will not hesitate to fight.


    Let us unite in this great country and strive for our highest dream - the rise of Austrsia, let the world remember Austrsia, and let the people of Austrsia stand at the peak of the world!"


    Unsurprisingly, Arthur''s speech resonated with the people of Austrsia. As cheers and apuse continued from the audice, Arthur knew that he had prepared for the possible future involvemt of Austrsia in war.


    After all, Austrsia is an Oceania country, and the future World War I is a European war.


    If preparations are not made in advance, it won''t be easy to get the people of Austrsia, who live in a peaceful vironmt, to support a war against a European military bloc.


    After all, war inevitably leads to casualties and losses.


    Once Austrsia participates in the war, casualties in the military, the consumption of supplies, and financial losses are inevitable.


    Although victory in war would bring arge amount ofpsation and befits, the people cannot joy these things, let alone the uncertain time after the war.


    Behind Arthur, Prince William and Princess Anna stood obeditly by Que Mary. Seeing the people of Austrsia pping in session, the two childr pped along, quite happily.


    Arthur saw this sce and smiled. If nothing unexpected happs, this should also be thest time these two childr can joy themselves.


    As the only prince and princess of Austrsia, Prince William and Princess Anna will receive very good and traditional noble education from the age of three.


    Ev Princess Anna, who is only second in line to the throne, will have to undergo various forms of noble etiquette education and develop various hobbies from a young age.


    As the first in line to the throne and the only prince, Prince William''s noble education will be ev more demanding.


    It''s not too bad in the first few years, just some noble etiquette education and ideological education, apanied by some simplenguage courses.


    But starting at age six, Prince William will begin learning history, politics, psychology,nguage, and economics, and under the guidance of various private teachers, learn how to be an excellt heir and future king.


    Especially in a monarchy like Austrsia, Arthur attaches great importance to the cultivation of the heir.


    All conceivable and inconceivable education is what Prince William must study before adulthood.


    Takenguage, for example, English, the officialnguage of Austrsia, Frch, which is popr among European nobility, Russian, Que Mary''s mother tongue, and German, the thirdrgestnguage of the Austrsian ethnic group, are the most basguages ??Prince William must learn.


    In addition,nguages ??like Dutch and Spanish, which are popr in Europe, must also be learned, ev if not as thoroughly, but simplemunication is necessary.


    And history, politics, economics, psychology, and so on, are esstial knowledge for a ruler in an authoritarian country.


    Without understanding these things, it''s easy to be deceived by one''s subordinates, and it would be impossible toe up with ns to improve the country''s currt situation and promote developmt. How can you govern a country well?


    The subject of history, though seemingly insignificant, is actually of great importance.


    By learning from history and emting the virtues of great past monarchs, one can be a great monarch themselves.


    In Arthur''s n, if the grooming of his heir doesn''t go well, he may turn Austrsia into a constitutional monarchy with some military power before abdicating, rather than an absolute monarchy.


    An absolutist state may strgth national cohesion and improve the efficicy of governmt administration. However, it also ces strict demands on the monarch and is only suitable for a wise ruler in one geration.


    Of course, ev if Arthur reforms the country into a constitutional monarchy, he will leave behind hope and a trump card forter gerations of monarchs to grasp power.


    As long as future monarchs have the ability to gain authority from the cab governmt, a constitutional monarch can still possess the same level of power as an absolutist ruler.


    On the other hand, many emperors in Eastern dynasties, whose power was ev more ctralized than that of an absolute ruler, were still easily sidelined, wer''t they?


    This represts a truth: capable, trustworthy monarchs will naturally hold a certain level of influce within the governmt.


    If a monarch is indiffert to the well-being of the people, ev if they hold extsive power through an absolutist rule, they will still lead the country into the abyss, and the royal family towards oblivion.


    However, looking at his two smiling childr, Prince William and Princess Anna Miller, Arthur believes that under his careful cultivation, at least they won''t be rulers that would lead to the country''s demise.


    Following Arthur''s speech is the governmt''s public work report for the previous year.


    This is more or less a tradition of the Austrsian governmt, since National Day falls at the beginning of each year, it is also the time wh the cab governmt publicly reports its progress from the previous year.


    Although the majority of the audice is made up of Austrsian citizs, there are still many foreign tourists and media prest.


    As such, not all information is publicly reported; aside from the geral growth situation of industrial scale, agricultural growth, education, medical care, policy implemtation, and transportation construction, not much else would be reported.


    Since this information has already be reported in detail during cab meetings, Arthur has no inttion of listing to it all over again.


    Sitting in his seat, Arthur appears to be listing to Prime Minister Kt''s report, but his gaze constantly drifts towards Prince William and Princess Anna Miller, his face full of smiles.


    The National Day evtssted several hours, starting at six in the morning and not ding until after t o''clock at night.


    Ev after the National Day evts ded, many citizs of Sydney chose to stay.


    Because soon after, a movie screing was going to be held in Sydney Square.


    Though the movie "Dream of Austrsia" hadn''t begun, it had be promoted in Austrsia for a long time.


    Previously, the cost of watching a movie was not cheap, but now it could be watched for free, and it was a film starring Arthur and rted to the Austrsian ethnicity; this piqued the interest of many people. Ev though the movie would start in a few hours, they still didn''t want to leave.


    Sydney Pce Square, thergest square in Australia, had prepared t sets of equipmt for movie screings.


    Moreover, Arthur would appear in person to watch the movie. To the people of Austrsia, watching a movie with Arthur had more value than watching several free movies.


    Besides, although the movie would be broadcasted nationwide simtously, this location would undoubtedly be the first to start. That is why the people of Austrsia were reluctant to leave.

 Chapter 360: Chapter 310: Why Not Support Australasia?

    The screing of the film "The Dream of Austrsia" continued throughout National Day Week in Austrsia.


    ording to the joint statistics of the three major filmpanies, throughout National Day Week, more than 30,000 screings were held across Austrsia, attracting millions of viewers.


    This doesn''t mean that the rest of the people wer''t interested in watching the movie, but each screing was overcrowded, which inevitably left some people unable to get in.


    Regardless, the film has be watched by at least 70 million people so far, setting a new record for the number of viewers.


    Arthur believed that if there had be more screings or if the film had be shown for a longer period, at least ts of millions of Austrsians would have watched it.


    Ev inter gerations, the appeal of a free movie would draw many spectators.


    In this era wh tertainmt options were limited, a free sound film promoting the country and its people was bound to attract ev more viewers.


    Of course, these thirty thousand screings cost the three major filmpanies up to two million Australian dors.


    Adding in the cost of purchasing projection equipmt and training projectionists, as well as the cost of filming and editing the screy, the total expditure for this movie was probably in the ts of millions of Australian dors.


    But in reality, for Arthur, this  million Australian dors was the best and most worthwhile investmt he has made rectly, without any doubt.


    What was evidt was that after National Day Week, the crime rate and cases across Austrsia had significantly reduced, and conflicts among various ethnic immigrants had also decreased.


    Many people were ev able to put aside their previous prejudices and be frids or partners just because of the phrase "We Are All Austrsians."


    For the first time, the broad and vague concept of the Austrsian ethnicity was widely epted by all Austrsians and all immigrants.


    Ev ording to the news from the Royal Parliamt, since National Day holiday, there have be dozs of applications to form nationalist parties, and "Austrsian" has be the most honorable recognition in the eyes of all the inhabitants of Austrsia.


    This was a good thing for Arthur, as it could mitigate the hidd dangers posed by non-British immigrants.


    In attracting immigrants, Arthur could finally absorb arge number of European immigrants without worrying about the decline in the proportion of the main ethnic group causing internal problems and contradictions in the country.


    It could be said that as long as the concept of the Austrsian ethnicity was well managed, there would always be only one unified ethnicity in Austrsia.


    Those who did not ept the unified concept of being an "Austrsian" would be outsiders in Austrsia, not only unepted by those a them but also excluded from the governmt''s welfare policies.


    Yes, many welfare policies would be avable for Austrsians in the future, but all with a single premise: only Austrsians could joy them.


    With the arrival of mid-January 9, the British Empire''s naval policy was officially changed, apanied by a debate and meeting in the British Cab.


    In fact, the trd of changing the United Kingdom''s naval policy had already be revealed during the Cab meeting at the d ofst year.


    The actual reason was quite simple: it all wt along with Naval Minister Churchill''s n that for every battleship built by Germany, the British Empire would build two.


    A : ratio of battleship construction quickly led to the British Empire''s active and nned battleships outnumbering Germany''s.


    However, the problem was that Germany was building a significant number of battleships and investing heavily in their navy.


    This meant that Britain''s investmt was double that of Germany''s, and ev with the vast resources of its colonies, the British Empire couldn''t withstand this terrifying consumption for long.


    At the d of the financial report in 9, the British Cab was shocked to find that Britain''s finances could barely keep up with the progress of the Naval Act.


    Based on Churchill''s : ratio, if Germany was to build three battleships and one battlecruiser every year, it meant that the British Empire had to build at least six battleships and two battlecruisers each year.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    From 9 to 94, the British Empire would have to build a total of 8 battleships and 6 battlecruisers in a three-year period, with a cost of over 40 million pounds for main battleships alone.


    Ev if this cost was divided over three years, the annual cost of building main battleships alone would be at least 5 million pounds.


    Ev with the British Empire''s currt annual military budget of over 60 million pounds, they couldn''t afford such a terrifying expse.


    It''s worth noting that ev the previous, less intse naval arms race had put a considerable burd on the European countries.


    If the terrifying construction n continued, the British Empire''s finances would inevitably face problems in the long run.


    At this point, it''s worth mtioning the series of welfare policies acted in the United Kingdom during the reign of Edward VII after the Reform Party took control of the governmt.


    These welfare policies greatly improved King Edward VII''s and the British governmt''s prestige, making the people of the British Empire more united.


    However, these welfare policies had already put a strain on the British Empire''s finances. If the massive battleship construction continued, the empire''s finances would inevitably be unsustainable.

 Chapter 361: Chapter 310: Why not support Australasia?_2

    What was ev more unbearable for the British Empire was that Germany had already announced that it was building Super Dreadnoughts.


    Originally, this was the British Empire''s trump card to dominate the Germans in terms of warship quality, but it had already be quietly followed by the Germans.


    This also meant that half of the British Empire''s warship construction ns had to be devoted to building Super Dreadnoughts; otherwise, wh the German Super Dreadnought fleet caught up, the navy would still not have a significant advantage.


    But the problem was that the cost of the most advanced dreadnoughts was already a  million pounds.


    And the cost of the most advanced Super Dreadnoughts was ev higher, at a .4 million pounds.


    No matter how you calcte it, the British Empire''s finances would only be more burded, which made other governmt officials a bit worried.


    After all, if the once-invincible British Empire wt bankrupt in the hands of this governmt, the public''s spit alone would be ough to drown them.


    After all, once the governmt runs out of money, the people''s welfare policies will decrease. How would the people who are ustomed to reaping befits see it? Isn''t it just a sure sign of governmt ipetce?


    To address these concerns, the British Cab held an emergcy meeting to discuss currt shipbuilding ns and financial difficulties.


    The currt Prime Minister of the British Empire, Asquith, also serves as the Minister of Finance, which shows the importance of finance to a country.


    The Finance Departmt of Austrsia is also one of the cab departmts controlled by Arthur.


    "Mr. Churchill, I think it is necessary to reconsider the navy''s construction n. Ev if our financial ie is almost twice that of Germany, it cannot withstand such a huge consumption!


    You must know the state of our financesst year, and if we continue to build ships at this mad pace, I''m afraid it won''t be long before our finances are overwhelmed and we have to borrow like crazy," Prime Minister Asquith, frowning, looked at a slightly confidt Navy Secretary Churchill and said during the Cab Meeting.


    "Mr. Prime Minister, now is not the time for the British Empire to back down! The Germans are building warships at a crazy pace, and if we suspd our shipbuilding ns, it will mean handing over our position as the world''s number one navy, won''t it?" Navy Secretary Churchill, with an excited face, stood up and argued, ev in the face of Prime Minister Asquith.


    "We know that the navy is facing tremdous pressure right now. Although Germany needs to pay atttion to the developmt of its army, we also need to focus on the security and welfare policies of our colonies. Don''t we? Our military expditure has already exceeded a quarter of our total financial ie, and this year it will ev exceed a third.


    Do you want to serve the tire British Empire and ignore developmt just for the sake of the navy?" The Minister of Home Affairs stood up and refuted Churchill''s words.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It is worth mtioning that the currt Minister of Home Affairs, McKna, was the Navy Secretary of the British Empire six months ago. The previous Minister of Home Affairs was Churchill, and they exchanged their positions in November 9.


    During Churchill''s ture as Minister of Home Affairs, he argued against the navy''s expansion in order to alleviate financial pressure.


    However, after bing the Navy Secretary, Churchill changed his stance, intding to expand the navy drastically to maintain the British Empire''s status.


    As for McKna, who had once stood firmly on the side of navy expansion, after bing the Minister of Home Affairs, his viewpoint shifted to prioritize the governmt and, naturally, he had to rebut the ns for navy expansion.


    "I am also aware of the pressure our finances are facing, but can''t we issue bonds abroad? As long as we can maintain our naval advantage, the Germans will shift their focus to army expansion, which will reduce the pressure on both the navy and our finances. If we give up now, the Germans will surely surpass us in both naval andnd power, overtaking the Frch and Russians.


    At that time, no single nation or power will be able to suppress Germany. This will be disastrous for the currt situation in Europe and ev more so for the British Empire and the governmt," Churchill was not convinced and continued to argue his views and opinions.


    "We maintain our naval advantage, watch the confrontation betwe Germany and France''s armies, and extd a helping hand to France wh necessary.


    Doing so not only drags down Germany but also prevts the rise of France after Germany''s defeat, isn''t this consisttly our idea and purpose?" Churchill brought up the British Empire''s long-standing policy of stirring up trouble in Europe, making it seem like anyone who disagreed with naval expansion was a traitor to the British Empire.


    "That being said, are bonds free? The bonds issued will evtually be repaid by governmt finance. If arge number of bonds are issued, the scale of the navy can indeed be built up, but can the navy take on the interest of the bonds for the governmt? If it is as Your Excellcy says, I''m afraid our finances will copsepletely before we ev drag down the Germans.


    We must know that our emies are not limited to Germany; the United States has also invested heavily in its navy and will sooner orter be one of our mainpetitors.


    If we fund resistance against Germany ourselves, it will be either France or the United States that befits in the d." Prime Minister Asquith, who also serves as Minister of Finance, shook his head, still insisting on dying the naval expansion.


    Though the British Empire possesses the world''s most powerful navy and thergest number of colonies, its status and interests are also coveted by many countries.


    Take Europe as an example; the British Empire''s emies are every European power that could pottially be the ruler of Europe, which is why the British Empire adopts the troublemaking policy in Europe.


    Although the British Empire is the most powerful country in the world, it can ultimately only assure its security in the British Isles.


    This also means that if a country bes the ruler of Europe, it will threat the British Empire''s nativend.


    This is why Britain fought against France before and now confronts Germany.


    For the British Empire, the currt Germany is a rival to be defeated. However, if defeating Germany allows France to rise, th defeating Germany would be meaningless.


    The best way is to have Germany and France both suffer losses during the war so that neither can possibly threat Britain''s status.


    If currtly the most powerful country in Europe were France, Britain would probably join Germany''s camp to fight against France.


    In addition to the European situation, the British governmt is also concerned about a country that keeps a watchful eye on the European situation - the United States.


    Although the United States had be previously looked down upon by major European countries, se as nothing but a nouveau riche upying a goodnd area, it cannot be died that the developmt of the United States has gradually caught up with the European pace, and its economy and industry are now world-ss.


    What the United Statescks to be a top power is the military and technological foundation. If giv several more decades, it is likely to grow into apetitor ev more terrifying than Germany.


    "The United States?" Churchillughed dismissively and asked, "Why don''t we try supporting Austrsia? Since the support for the ind nation has failed, we might as well find another country to help. Austrsians share the same origins as us, and as long as the British descdants upy the majority of Austrsia, they can never be our emies. Isn''t this the best candidate for support?


    Although Austrsia''s poption is small, they are mostly European immigrants, making them more eligible to be a developed country and a major power than the ind nation."


    There is a reason for the British Empire supporting the ind nation.


    The geographic location of the ind nation is destined to face a war with the Far Eastern superpower, Russia, if it rises.


    Moreover, the ind nation is only separated from the United States by the Pacific Ocean. With the United States unable to extd its reach to Europe, its expansion could only be directed towards South America and the opposite side of the Pacific. The Philippines is a prime example.


    Supporting the ind nation is one of Britain''s methods to counterbnce the United States and also to divert Russia''s atttion, exhaust Russia''s power in the Far East, and prevt Russia from plotting against British India.

 Chapter 362: Chapter 311: Supporting Australia Against America

    Churchill''s words were akin to a wake-up call, prompting all members of the British Cab to thoroughly contemte the issue.


    What was the purpose of supporting the ind nation? Was it not to divert the atttion of the Russians and also as a strategy to counter the United States'' massive expansion in the Pacific?


    However, Russia is currtly an ally against Germany, and due to the agreemt with Russia, the British Governmt is not nning to assist the ind nation in the short term.


    After all, the help of the ind nation is nowhere near as valuable as Germany right now, and the British governmt still needs Russia to tie up some of Germany''s forces.


    Although the British Governmt can no longer support the ind nation, it doesn''t mean they can''t support other countries.


    Churchill''s words made perfect sse. Britain and Austrsia share the same ancestry; the majority of the poption in Austrsia is made up of British immigrants.


    This represts something extremely important to the British Governmt ¨C an Austrsia filled with British immigrants would never willingly oppose the British Governmt.


    Ev if Britons chose to be immigrants, they still held deep affection for Britain in the short term.


    If the Austrsian governmt decided to oply oppose the British Empire, I fear the wrath of their native British immigrants would force them to think twice.


    Austrsia also shares the same ancestry with the British royal family, with such favourable rtions, why wouldn''t they support Austrsia?


    Moreover, in the minds of Caucasians in this era, there is always some hint of  supremacy.


    Instead of supporting an ind nation with differt ethnicities and cultures, it is better to support Austrsia that shares the same ancestry and will most likely never be an emy.


    Although Austrsia''s poption is a significant hindrance, wasn''t the ind nation still an ignorant and backward country decades ago?


    If the British Empire was capable of supporting the ind nation to be a major power on par militarily with the world in just decades, it was also possible for them to increase Austrsia''s naval capacity to a major power level and give rise to a new major power in Oceania.


    What''s more, Austrsia''s shipbuilding industry already has a considerable scale and is indeed reaching a major power level in terms of dreadnoughts.


    As long as they slightlypsate for the poption defect and provide more support, Austrsia could be a major maritime power at any time soon.


    Although the rise of Austrsia would inevitably lead to the sufferings of the Dutch East Indies in the north.


    However, it''s a Dutch colony after all, and the British governmt can give it up decisively wh it''s time to do so.


    Most importantly, in the eyes of the British, the threat posed by the Americans to Britain is far greater than an Austrsia that owns the tire Dutch East Indies.


    If Austrsia could acquire the Dutch East Indies, perhaps it could also offset some of the poption issues and grow into a major power that truly has the capability to confront the United States.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although significant effort is needed, it''s still better than sitting idly by and watching the rise of the United States after the turmoil in Europe, isn''t it?


    The members of the British Cab exchanged nces, each seeing approval and suddprehsion in the others'' eyes.


    Prime Minister Asquith was the first to nod, saying, "Let''s put aside the concept of expanding the navy momtarily. Supporting Austrsia is indeed a good choice. Apart from European conflicts, we do need to beware of threats from across the ocean.


    In order to prevt the expansion of the American navy from posing a threat to the British Empire, I believe it is necessary to support Austrsia, to nurture a country in the Southwest Pacific region that has the strgth to confront the United States."


    "That''s correct, Austrsia is situated in Oceania, it would be arduous and unrewarding to expand westward across the tire Indian ocean. To the east are our inds and those of France, and if Austrsia is wise, they should not be interested in these areas in the short term.


    To the south is the vast Antarctica, an extraordinarily cold region that Austrsia probablycks the ability to explore. Therefore, their only direction for expansion is probably up north.


    After taking control of the Dutch East Indies, if they want to avoid conflict with us, it seems their only options for expansion would be in the direction of the Philippines, which would naturally conflict with American interests." The Minister of Home Affairs, McKna, agreed wholeheartedly.


    After supporting the aid for Austrsia, the Dutch East Indies, in the eyes of these British politicians, have be a region that can bepletely abandoned. There''s no need to ruin the rtionship with Austrsia for the sake of the Dutch.


    After all, the interest of other countries cannot measure up to the strategic nning of our own.


    Moreover, the ownership of Dutch colonies truly hangs on the whim of the British Empire.


    Were it not for the British Empire''s profession of the Dutch upation of thisnd, forbidding other great powers from meddling, the Dutch colonies would have long be upied by other nations. This is, after all, a time of survival of the fittest!


    "If we could foster Austrsia, tying it to the Allies'' war chariot, it would be beficial for us as well," another cab member chimed in.


    "Gtlem, Austrsia has be an important trade partner of the British Empire¡ªthey possess abundant supplies of grain, meat, and mineral resources. Such a country is a natural ally to us and a natural emy to the United States. I support fostering Austrsia, ev to the point of advocating for swift governmt action to tether Austrsia to the Allies'' war chariot promptly.


    This would be beficial in the wake of European conflicts¡ªwe would have an additional wartime supply base to alleviate the pressure on our domestic supply chain."


    It was only th that Churchill said leisurely, "Don''t forget, gtlem, Austrsia is currtly a naval power equipped with three battleships and two battlecruisers. Their scale may not be significant, but they can shoulder some of the defse duties in the Indian Ocean region for us and relieve the naval pressure in the colonies.


    Furthermore, it is rumored that they are constructing a Super Dreadnought, named ''Hope-ss battleship'' for Chile. If they indeed master the technology to build such dreadnoughts, their importance will significantly increase."


    The importance of the Super Dreadnought is on par with the Dreadnought of a few years ago. As the most pott battleship design currtly in the world, the Super Dreadnought is inevitably the backbone of naval warfare and one of the most crucial projects in the ongoing British-German naval race.


    If Austrsia can master the construction technology of the Super Dreadnought, it would mean that Austrsia''s naval shipbuilding capabilities have reached the top four in the world, trailing only Britain, Germany, and the United States.


    If the British Empire could provide some financial support to allow Austrsia to rampantly expand their naval fleet, could they birth a top five navy?


    It is hard to say, but the hope is undoubtedly significant. A Dreadnought''sbat capabilities are equivalt to two to three old-fashioned battleships, while thebat capabilities of a Super Dreadnought are theoreticallyparable to two Dreadnoughts.


    This means that Austrsia''s currt navalbat capabilities have theoretically surpassed the Ind Nation, which possesses sev battleships, and has truly achieved the level of a great power.


    If they add another Super Dreadnought, a Dreadnought, and a battlecruiser, th Austrsia''s naval capabilities will surpass the Austro-Hungarian Empire and give Italy a run for its money.


    Supporting Austrsia in the discussions among the Cab Ministers of the British Empire has evolved into a fail-safe investmt.


    The more people spoke, the more excited they became, ev proposing immediate ns to foster Austrsia.


    "Alright, gtlem, while understanding the importance and necessity of supporting Austrsia ording to our currt conversation, it''s still about the necessity of naval expansion, isn''t it? The n to support Austrsia can be discussed in the next meeting. Let''s first resolve the issue of naval size.


    This is where the governmt''s financial worries lie." In the d, it was Prime Minister Asquith who reluctantly brought the conversation to a halt to avoid straying off-topic in the Cab Governmt''s agda.


    Seeing that Prime Minister Asquith remained unaffected by his remarks and continued to advocate for reducing the naval expansion n, Navy Secretary Churchill shook his head resignedly but stubbornly retorted, "Your Excellcy, the Prime Minister, I persist in believing that reducing the scale of naval expansion is not a good idea.


    If the governmt is truly short of funds, in addition to issuing bonds,rge revues can be gerated in the colonies, can they not?"


    Before Prime Minister Asquith could respond, Foreign Minister Edward stood up. Abandoning his previous silce, he directly rebutted, "I must say that it is a foolish idea, Minister Churchill.


    Forgetting how we could extract more taxes without provoking the colonial natives, the Germans would likely propagate rumors of our oppression of colonial poptions as soon as we act severe misceneous taxes in the colonies. If they interfere, a colonial crisis could erupt at any momt.


    Once the colonies counter problems, not only would we have to deploy the army and navy for suppression, the burd on our finances would be ev more severe."


    Although previously, the European Countries tacitly oppressed the colonies while pretding to the outside world to be civilized gtlem.


    But at the time, everyone was in on it. With all the great powers united in doing so, which country would speak against it?


    But the situation is differt now. If only the British Empire acted in such a manner, the Germans'' tactics would surely be dless.


    If the Germans were adamant about inciting rebellions in the colonies, the British Empire may be caught off guard.


    Of course, the main reason is that Germany doesn''t have many colonies.


    If Germany also had arge number of colonies, such propaganda would harm both others and itself as its colonies may also be besieged by the threat of rebellion.


    "Moreover, Minister Churchill. Our proposal is to reduce the scale of naval expansion, not to halt it tirely. The financial departmt is powerless against having twice the number of battleships as Germany, so why not change the ratio to :.5?" After speaking, Foreign Minister Edward turned his gaze to Churchill, offering a more moderate proposition.

 Chapter 363: Chapter 312: The Secret Establishment of the Air Force

    Navy Secretary Churchill nced a, realizing that in the grand British Cab, no cab member actually supported him.


    Left without a choice, Churchill evtually agreed to the  to .5 construction proposal put forward by Foreign Minister Edward.


    Of course, this does not mean that Britain would build half a battleship, but that for every two battleships Germany builds, the British Empire must build at least three to maintain a numerical advantage.


    This is a concession from Churchill to the other Cab Governmt officials, as well as a financial concession from the British Empire to Germany.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But this is actually very normal. After all, although the British Empire has the most powerful navy fleet in the world, this fleet has to protect a true sun-never-setting empire.


    Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and Oceania¡ªthese six contints withrge poptions living on them¡ªall have British territories or colonies.


    This means that the range the Royal Fleet has to protect, in a true sse, can be ev said to be worldwide.


    It is no exaggeration to say that the British Empire upies one-fifth of the Earth, about 7 million square kilometers ofnd.


    Thisnd brings the British Empire unparalleled glory and profit, but it also forces the British Empire to deploy arge defse budget and navy fleet separately in these areas.


    If it were an tire Royal Fleet of Britain, the German High Seas Fleet would have no chance to surpass it.


    However, if it were only the British maind fleet, the German High Seas Fleet would still have the power to fight.


    What made the British choose to retreat was not the over t million pounds of the fleet''s annual construction n but the high and dless growth of the annual defse budget.


    The currt scale of funding has cost the British Empire a budget of over 60 million pounds. If they continue to expand the fleet size at this crazy rate, how terrifying would the defse budget be? Would it be 80 million pounds, 0 million pounds, or ev several hundred million pounds?


    The British Empire could afford it for a while, but it could not afford it forever. If the defse budget continues to grow so exaggeratedly, not only will other cab ministers be unwilling, but the people will also be unwilling.


    In fact, such a problem exists not only in the British Empire but also in all the expanding powers.


    Especially for the German Empire, which serves as a directpetitor to the British Empire, the pressure on funding is ev more exaggerated.


    Although it seems that the economy of Germany''s maind has surpassed that of Britain''s maind, and military preparations have captured the world''s first army and the world''s second navy with both navy and armypetitions, in reality, the Germans'' financial crisis is ev more severe than that of the British.


    However, Germany at this time is more like holding its breath, and they just can''t stop.


    Either they start the war and let the emy pay for their loan interest and losses, or they just go bankrupt, wait for the country to go bankrupt, and let other countries divide up the property!


    In reality, the financial situation in Austrsia is ev more severe, with military expditure ounting for more than 40% of the total governmt fiscal expditure.


    But who can rely on the Austrsian Governmt for money? Coupled with therge amount of construction that raises Austrsia''s fiscal revue, as long as they remain in a surplus situation, a high proportion of military spding is not a major problem.


    Speaking of military spding, in reality, Austrsia''s military spding will only increase.


    It''s just that the currt expditure on the Air Force and Guard Division depds tirely on the royal family, otherwise, the military expses should have increased by at least two to three perct.


    As for the Air Force, as the First World War approached, Arthur decided to set up the Air Force in advance to be prepared.


    Of course, this decision is still rtively confidtial for now. In addition to the important sior officials of the Austrsian Ministry of Defse, ev the Cab Governmt is unaware of the establishmt of the Austrsian Air Force.


    ording to history, the British Empire should be the first to establish an air force, which should be established in May 9.


    Although countries a the world pay more atttion to airships than airnes at the momt, this does not mean that they will give up the developmt of airnes.


    In fact, ording to Arthur''s information, if urate, top powers including Britain, Germany, France, and the United States have already researched preliminary militarized aircraft.


    However, their aircraft technology is iparable to Austrsia''s first-geration military aircrafts, and their aircraft technology still has a long way to catch up with Austrsia.


    Austrsia currtly has more than 600 military aircraft, but the Air Force still has no head.


    After some careful consideration, Arthur secretly calls Prime Minister Kt and Defse Minister Raul to discuss the establishmt of the Air Force.


    "Gtlem, it''s time to formally organize our airnes into troops and establish a new, soaring army in the sky." Arthur looked at Prime Minister Kt and Minister Raul with a smile.


    Air Force, this is apletely new military branch, and the concept of air force did not exist before this.


    Hearing Arthur''s words, Prime Minister Kt and Minister Raul finally understood why Arthur had formed a sizable fleet of aircraft but did not attribute them to the army or navy.


    It turns out, His Majesty is forming a whole new branch of the military to equip these aircraft!


    Although somewhat shocked, Prime Minister Kt quickly reacted and asked, "Your Majesty, how should this new military branch be established?"


    After all, it is a new branch of the military. How to establish it, itsbat method, and its importance all need to be explored before it can be determined.


    "I believe you should all understand the role of the three types of military aircraft. The importance of aircraft is not less than that of the army and navy. The Air Force, along with the Army and Navy, will be the three most important branches of the military," Arthur said with a smile.


    Prime Minister Kt and Minister Raul nodded their heads naturally.


    Although they had some doubts about the new branch of the Air Force, it did not mean they would dy the role andbat capability of the aircraft.


    Arge-scale fleet of aircraft indeed ys a crucial role in the battlefield, fully deserving the atttion of the tire nation for its developmt.


    "The Ministry of Defse can secretly start forming an Air Force Departmt. I will transfer all 600+ aircraft to the Air Force Departmt of the Ministry of Defse. Your mission is to expand our Air Force to over ,000 personnel within two years, with oughbat capabilities to instill trust," Arthur instructed Minister Raul.


    With the Aeronautical College of the Military University, the training of pilots is already more than ough. It''s not a problem for the currt Austrsia to cultivate ,400 more pilots, ev double that number.


    The rtively more difficult task is actually to conduct more detailed research on the Air Force, discuss itsbat methods, specifics, and how to cooperate with other branches of the military, as well as routine training matters.


    These will be ough to vex the Ministry of Defse and need to be carried out underplete confidtiality, which will test Minister Raul''s capabilities ev more.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. Please be assured that I willplete the task," Minister Raul nodded without hesitation, epting Arthur''s mission.


    "The formation of the Air Force Departmt must remainpletely confidtial for several years. Without my const, you must not disclose any information about the Air Force to anyone other than the Air Force personnel. This is very important for our Air Force developmt and is something that must be done," Arthur instructed Minister Raul before turning his atttion to Prime Minister Kt.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. I will assist Minister Raul in keeping the information of the Air Force strictly confidtial," Prime Minister Kt nodded in agreemt.


    Fortunately, training pilots is not as difficult as inter gerations, at least Austrsia can currtly train thousands yearly.


    Of course, suchrge-scale training is not cost-effective at prest, so the temporary rollmt quota of the Aeronautical College is only 400 people.


    However, if needed, the Aeronautical College can immediately expand its rollmt scale to over ,000 people, cultivating more Air Force talt for Austrsia.


    As for the production speed of aircraft, with therge investmt from the royal financial group, the Aerospace Laboratory''s currt aircraft production speed can reach at least ,000 a year, just right to match the training speed of the Aeronautical College.


    This means that if Arthur wants to, he canpletely cultivate at least 4,000 Air Force pilots before the outbreak of war and form an Air Force fleet of over 4,000 military aircraft.


    Such arge number of aircraft would give other countries a crushing advantage in air superiority.


    It''s just that Arthur does not want other countries to pay atttion to the Air Force early on, so he hides his aircraft carefully.


    In addition to expanding the Air Force to at least ,000 aircraft, Arthur also made demands on the training of the army.


    Whether it is a regr division or a native division, in the next few years, training must be strictly carried out.


    There is no need to fear the waste of weapons and ammunition. Quickly improving thebat capabilities of the military and the cooperation betwe soldiers in various formations is the most important task for the Ministry of Defse at prest.


    Arthur ev promised that if Minister Raul can achieve this, he will allow the Ministry of Defse to increase its annual budget by 5 million Australian dors.


    The royal financial group will provide this funding as a financial subsidy for the defse departmt in another aspect.


    This 5 million Australian dors is not a small amount of money for the Ministry of Defse, at least it can speed up the equipmt of other units'' military trucks and heavy weapons.


    Minister Raul is looking forward to this, so he is very motivated toplete the strict training requiremts set by Arthur.


    As for the two guard divisions, there is no need to say much. More than a year ago, Arthur had announced that more rigorous training would be carried out for the guard divisions.


    Of course, although the training time and projects have be increased, to maintain the soldiers'' physical and mtal condition, the catering standards for all Austrsian troops will be raised again.


    Not only suring they have meat in their meals but also supplying various vegetables, meat, fruits, snacks, etc., to alleviate the fatigue and tsion caused by the intse training for the soldiers.

 Chapter 364: Chapter 313: Balkan War Flames

    Speaking of the first major evt of 9, it must be thepromise of British Empire in warship construction.


    Although the modification of the naval n was not publicized broadly, the sudd cancetion of certain shipbuilding ns by certain British shipyards still attracted media atttion throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, especially the Germans.


    Originally, everyone thought the British must be preparing a big move, but after waiting for a long time, those shipyards that canceled their shipbuilding tasks had no news, which forced everyone to believe one fact: the British Empire actuallypromised on warship construction.


    For the German Empire, this might be the best news in the second decade of the 0th ctury.


    If everything were to go ording to the British''s previous crazy construction n, the High Seas Fleet could never possiblypete against the Royal Fleet.


    Moreover, Germany has pottial in its army and cannot spd all of its defse budget on building its navy.


    The Germans wouldn''t be foolish ough to cripple their own military power, especially as they were the world''s strongest army.


    German media widely publicized the British retreat as a fear and incapacity of Germany''s growing military strgth and proudly dered that the German Empire would soon wee another great victory.


    Just wh Europe was expericing drastic changes due to the British retreat, a war was quietly being nned in a part of Europe: the Balkan Region.


    The Balkan region is uniquely positioned, as it has Russian interests and those of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Ev countries such as Italy, Britain, and Germany, which are powerful, have significant interests in the region.


    Located at the intersection of Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Balkan Pins is the vital route from Europe to the Middle East and Near East and has a significant geographical position.


    Located at the junction of Europe and Asia, Constantinople controls the junction of the ck Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and determines whether the Russian ck Sea Fleet can reach the Mediterranean Sea and ultimately the ocean.


    In addition, the strategic resources within the Balkan Pins are immsely rich, and it has naturally also be a battleg for major powers.


    This small pins has numerous ethnicities. These ethnic groups''nguages, cultures, religious beliefs, and customs are not idtical and are in conflict with each other.


    The Balkan Pins almost became a gathering point for various contradictions before World War, with not only the conflicts betwe European powers - German-Austrian-Russian contradictions, British-German contradictions, Austrian-Italian contradictions, British-Russian contradictions - but also the conflicts betwe ethnic groups, that is, the contradictions betwe various Balkan nationalities and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire.


    Besides, the contradictions among the Balkan countries'' nationalities are also an esstial factor leading to the unstable Balkan situation. These various contradictions ovep, crisscross, and areplicated, making this region a famous powder keg in Europe.


    The poor performance of the Ottoman Turkish Empire in the war with the Kingdom of Italy elerated the formation of the Balkan League and prepared for the war.


    Although the participating countries in the Balkan league have differt goals, they have amon emy: the Ottoman Turkish Empire, which has ved the region.


    The Balkan League isposed of the Kingdom of Serbia, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, the Kingdom of Greece, and the Kingdom of Montegro. Among them, the most important and the two strongest countries form an alliance - the alliance betwe Serbia and Bulgaria.


    ording to the alliance treaty signed by Serbia and Bulgaria, if any of the two countries is vited by one or more countries, the other party has the responsibility to provide full support.


    Additionally, both parties arranged the timing of the war against Turkey and the issue of dividing Turkey. They agreed to notify Russia first during the war and submit any disputes betwe the two countries to Russia for arbitration.


    From the alliance treaty betwe Serbia and Bulgaria, one can see Russia''s attempt to establish hegemony over the vic countries by bing the arbiter of all issues in the Balkan region.


    In this way, Russia could control Constantinople and the only strait that would allow the ck Sea Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea.


    Wh Frch Prime Minister Laurce Pg first learned of the treaty betwe Serbia and Bulgaria, he couldn''t help but exim, "This is a treaty tirely prepared for war!"


    Later, hemted on the treaty in his notes, "This treaty not only harbors the seeds of war against the Ottoman Turkish Empire but also conceals the seeds of war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It further establishes Russia''s hegemony over the vic countries because, ording to the treaty''s provisions, Russia will be the arbiter of all issues in this region."


    It has be more than six months since the establishmt of the Balkan League. During this time, the countries of the Balkan League have be expanding their militaries on arge scale, with clear inttions.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In February 9, Bulgaria issued an ultimatum to the Ottoman Turkish Empire, demanding autonomy for the Macedonian Region.


    At this time, Turkey, due to its war with Italy, was already exhausted domestically but was not willing to give in. Therefore, it decided not to respond to Bulgaria''s ultimatum and try to dy as much as possible.


    The situation in the Balkan region quickly attracted the atttion and alertness of the major powers of Europe.


    Because the region''s importance is so high, European countries are unwilling to lose interest in the area.

 Chapter 365: Chapter 313: Balkan War Flames_2

    Almost all the Powers were concerned about this, but all the Powers also unanimously took the attitude of sitting back and watching the developmt of the Balkan situation.


    For the European powers, it would put them at a disadvantage to take the field personally unless it was a critical momt.


    No one knew whether the fire burning in the Balkans would spread to themselves. For the European powers, who were not yet fully prepared for war, this was naturally uneptable.


    At this time, the major European powers were like onlookers, quietly but highly anticipating the developmt of the Balkan situation.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Without disappointing these onlookers, another strong country in the Balkan, Serbia, stepped forward, demanding that Turkey recognize the autonomy of the Macedonian region andpsate for the previous oppression of various ethnicities in the Balkan region.


    With the two most powerful countries making their positions clear, the remaining Balkan Allies naturally could not be idle.


    On February 9th, Greece and Mdinero sessively stated their positions, demanding that Turkey recognize the autonomy of the Macedonian region, and specifically dering that if there is no response within a week, it will be considered a rejection of this resolution.


    This ultimatum, which specifically states the time limit, can also be regarded as the final preparation being carried out by the Balkan countries.


    On February 6th, after the Ottoman Turkish governmt remained silt for a week, the Bulgarian governmt dered a nationwide military mobilization.


    Only one dayter, on February 7th, the Serbian governmt, the Greek governmt, and the Montegrin governmt sessively announced the total mobilization of their national military forces.


    Starting from February 7th, the armies of the Balkan Allied nations began to gather at the Turkish border, and various weapons, ammunition, and equipmt supplies were quickly transported to the front line.


    On the Turkish side, they had to deploy their forces in the European area and inquire about the attitudes of the European powers as much as possible.


    However, to the disappointmt of the Turkish governmt, the European powers only offered verbal sympathy and support. Beyond that, they advised both parties to remain calm without taking any practical action.


    On February 9th, a day that could only be countered once every four years, the Balkan Alliance''s troops and the Turkish army shed at the border for the first time, with dozs of casualties on both sides, marking the arrival of war.


    On March st, 9, the Kingdom of Bulgaria took the lead in dering war on Turkey. Immediately after, on March nd, Montegro dered war on the Turkish governmt, followed by Serbia and Greece, and the Balkan War fully broke out.


    ording to the previous agreemt of the Balkan League treaty, Bulgaria dispatched 300,000 troops, Serbia 0,000, Greece 5,000, and Montegro 35,000, totaling 670,000 troops.


    On the Turkish side, although the Turkish army was not small, the maximum number of troops they could deploy was only about 350,000, limited by the constraints of the Italo-Turkish War.


    The gap in military strgth betwe the two sides was already significant. Moreover, the Balkan nations had be preparing for this war for a long time, while the consumption of the Italo-Turkish War left the domestic situation in Turkey more exhausted, resulting in an unstoppable offsive by the Balkan nations.


    In terms of attack direction, Bulgaria, which deployed the most troops, chose to head south, upying eastern Macedonia and Sevres, and attacking Constantinople.


    Meanwhile, Serbia chose to head south to upy northern Macedonia, expanding its territory and alsopeting for a sea outlet.


    Although Serbia had the ambition to rise and establish a Greater vic Serbia, it was esstial to have a sea outlet to be a strong country. Prior to this, Serbia was apletelyndlocked country, bordered by Austro-Hungarian Empire to the north, Romania and Bulgaria to the east, Montegro to the west, and Turkey to the south.


    The main purpose of this expansion to the south was to gain a sea outlet.


    As for Greece, which is located at the southernmost part of the Balkan Pins, it naturally expanded northwards to reim the southern Macedonian region.


    As for Montegro, which has the weakest strgth, their choices were limited, and they could only expand slightly to the east. After all, the country''s strgth also determined how muchnd they could swallow.


    In fact, from the direction of each country''s attack, it can be se that their ultimate goal was certainly not to promote the autonomy of Macedonia, but to divide Macedonia into three parts.


    Bulgaria and Greece would gain more territory, Serbia would obtain a sea outlet, and Montegro would carry out a small-scale expansion. This was the n to divide the spoils that the Balkan Alliance had discussed earlier.


    Due to the advantages in numbers and equipmt, and seizing the initiative, the expansion of the countries wt smoothly. In just a few weeks, the Ottoman Turkish Empire lost more than half of its European territory.


    During this expansion, Britain supported Greece, and Russia supported Serbia.


    However, at the same time, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had conflicts with Serbia, was paying atttion to Serbia''s expansion. They did not allow a threating emy to appear beside them.


    With the developmt of the war, the focus of the Powers shifted to the direction of Bulgaria''s attack.


    In terms of importance, the most crucial area for Turkey in the Balkan Pins was naturally Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.


    Historically, Constantinople was the capital of the previous Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, with thousands of years of history and culture and considered one of the holynds for Eastern Orthodox believers.

 Chapter 366: Chapter 313: Balkan War Flames_3

    The importance of Constantinople is self-evidt, as it not only connects the European and Asian parts of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, but also controls the connection betwe the ck Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.


    Outside of Constantinople, the Turkish Empire established a heavily fortified military town to protect its capital.


    Adriafort, one of the strongest military fortresses in the European part of the Turkish Empire, is second only to the impregnable capital city of Constantinople.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After the war broke out, the Turkish governmt specifically withdrew some of the troops from Albania and Macedonia to garrison Adriafort, located in the Sevres area.


    This is the outpost for Bulgaria and Balkan nations on the way to Constantinople, as well as thest line of defse for the capital of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.


    If Adriafort falls, Sevres will be a smooth path, and the emy''s army will quickly arrive at Constantinople.


    In order to seize this military stronghold, Bulgaria mobilized an tire army group to sur the town, implicitly revealing its ambition to upy Constantinople.


    The rapid expansion of the Balkan nations rmed the Turkish governmt, which hurriedly called on European powers to mediate.


    It should be noted that the strategic position of the Bosphorus Straits is very important and has always be a battleg for military strategists.


    For this strait, wars and crises have erupted several times throughout history, and this time will be no exception.


    Due to therge-scale attack of the Bulgarian army, as expected, a new straits crisis broke out.


    On March 0, just half a month after the start of the war, the Bulgarian army was only 5 miles away from Constantinople, which was already a very dangerous distance.


    With the Bulgarian armyunching an attack on Adriafort, British and Frch forces also deployed troops in the Bosphorus Straits.


    The intervtion of the powers made the situation in the Balkans ev more tse.


    Russia, taking precautions, ordered the ck Sea fleet to be ready for battle and secretly advised the Bulgarian army to halt its offsive.


    But at this point, Russia''s advice could no longer restrain the somewhat frzy of Bulgaria due to its easy victories.


    Bulgaria dispatched more troops to Adriafort, demonstrating a determination to break through Constantinople before turning back.


    As Britain and France were about to take their next step, Bulgaria, intoxicated by victory, disrupted its own military operation.


    On March 6, 9, after capturing Adriafort, the Bulgarian army continued to attack Constantinople but was sessfully ambushed and blocked by the Turkish army outside of Constantinople.


    The offsive of the Bulgarian army stalled; though it was already very close to Constantinople, it still could not advance an inch further.


    The failure of the Bulgarian army was a relief for Russia, which had be supporting Bulgaria, and it led Britain and France to decide to temporarily observe the situation and halt their actions.


    The temporary safety of Constantinople was sured, and the straits crisis gradually subsided without escting into a new international crisis.


    Although the attack on Constantinople failed, the Bulgarian army''s advance into East Macedonia and the Sevres region was very sessful.


    At the d of March, Albania dered its indepdce from the Ottoman Turkey and established apletely indepdt national governmt.


    From th on, Turkey lost almost all of its Europeannd, leaving only a few narrow areas and strongholds to hold on to.

 Chapter 367: Chapter 314: Preheating before the Olympic Games

    The Ottoman Turkish Empire''s territories in Europe were rapidly consumed by Balkan states, with the Albanian region seizing the opportunity to dere indepdce.


    Currtly, Turkey can only control the capital, Constantinople, and the suringnd within fewer than twty miles.


    As for the spoils of war, the Serbian army upied most of Macedonia, northern Albania, and the new Zappa state.


    The Greek army held territory from southern Macedonia to Thessaloniki, the Bulgarian army held eastern Macedonia and parts of the Sevres region, and Montegro had expanded itsnd to the east.


    In summary, each country had its gains, roughly achieving their strategic goals.


    But it wasn''t over; the issue in the Albanian region was the more explosive matter of this war.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy hoped to establish an autonomous Albanian state, but Serbia upied some areas in northern Albania, sessfully obtaining ess to the Adriatic Sea.


    Serbia''s expansion received strong support from Russia, but it brought about strong opposition from Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Especially the Austro-Hungarian Empire, after Serbia officially upied northern Albania and acquired the port, they expressed their opinion to Serbia, asking them to withdraw from northern Albania immediately, otherwise, they would have to mobilize in some areas to sure their interests in the Balkan Pins.


    Germany promptly gave strong support to the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s actions, while the underprepared Russia chose to back down, on the one hand, persuading Serbia to yield, and on the other hand, handing the problem over for discussion at the congress of great powers.


    Although the situation in the Balkans temporarily calmed due to intervtion from the great powers, in fact, it was precisely because of their interferce that the Balkan situation was destined to be more intse.


    Of course,  of this currtly concerns Austrsia.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As time tered April of 9, the Sydney Olympics also tered the final preparation stage.


    This was a world evt created by Arthur with the power of the whole of Austrsia, and over 5 countries and more than 3,000 athletes have signed up to participate.


    In fact, fromte February to early March, many foreign athlete delegations havee to Austrsia, tering a tse and exciting training phase.


    Some powerful nations have alreadyunched training in their countries, and they already prepared to go to Austrsia to participate in the final Olympic evt.


    The good news is that the Balkan war did not affect the holding of the Sydney Olympics, ev though the Balkan countries were deeply embroiled in war, they still st a certain number of athlete teams to participate in the Olympics.


    Actually, it''s normal, as the great powers gerally stand behind Balkan nations. It would be inappropriate for these Balkan countries to ignore it wh the great powers are participating.


    To make this Olympic Games and Austrsia more famous worldwide, Arthur decided to use a global voyage to boost Austrsia''s global fame, as well as to promote the Sydney Olympics.


    Of course, this is not a simple global voyage. The first global voyage in history dates back to the mid-fifteth ctury.


    At that time, the global voyage usedrge sailing ships and directly oped up the Age of Great Navigation and Colonial Erasting hundreds of years, also being one of the main reasons why Europe reached the pinnacle of the world.


    After the global voyage, Europeans finally realized how small the ce they lived in was, and that beyond Europe, there were vastnds and arge poption.


    The global voyage that Arthur nned would use an airship made in Austrsia, specifically the AU-3 airship, to make an airborne global voyage.


    Undertaking a global voyage by air, this is a great milestone that no one has yet achieved.


    If Arthur can champion the airship''s global voyage, it will also give Austrsia a stroke of bright color in aviation history.


    Speaking of this, it''s necessary to mtion the AU-3 airship developed by the Aerospace Research Institute.


    The developmt speed of airships is rtively slowpared to that of airnes, which is actually due to Arthur''s formtion, where the importance of airnes is greater than that of airships.


    However, with the umtion of technology over so many years, along with a certain investmt in the developmt of airships, updating the airship to the third geration, to be precise, the second geration in the research of the Aerospace Research Institute, is quite easy.


    Another reason why Arthur promotes global voyages by airship is to attract the atttion of European countries once again after thest Aus-Portuguese War, and let European countries invest their budget in the research and developmt of airships.


    AU-3 Airship, has made a significant upgrade in performancepared to the previous geration of airships.


    Especially the increase in flight speed, giving the AU-3 airship guine global voyage capability.


    After Arthur had assigned the task, the Aerospace Laboratorymced the intse nning for the global voyage. They carefully pondered upon the choice of stopovers during the flight with the goal of aplishing this meaningful global journey in the shortest time possible.


    For a global voyage, there lies an esstial differce betwe the first and the second time.


    Just as people only remember the champion in apetition, the news will also focus on the first global flight.


    After all, pioneers are always moremdable than followers. Why shouldn''t the second or subsequt flights be inevitable after the first?


    The Aerospace Laboratory decided tomce the global voyage on April th, with Sydney as the departure point. The first stopover would be Hawaii in the United States, followed by Los Angeles, and th London, United Kingdom. Next would be Berlin, Rome, Delhi, and finally, Batavia, before returning to Sydney.


    ounting for Sydney, the airship would only need to stop at eight points toplete this nned global flight.


    In fact, if the Aero-Laboratory wished, it could further reduce the number of stopovers.


    But after all, the purpose of this voyage was not just to carry out a rapid global flight. It was also intded to use the first-ever global flight as a gimmick to promote Austrsia and the Sydney Olympics.


    Therefore, the choices of these stopovers had some hidd inttions. It was necessary to stop in Hawaii during the trip across the tire Pacific Ocean.


    Arthur didn''t favor the global journey he painstakingly nned to sink in the Pacific Ocean because of any missteps or idts. That would truly lead to amusemt.


    Following Hawaii, the next stop Los Angeles, a major western city in the United States, was crucial for gaining worldwide fame.


    The same was true for London, United Kingdom. It was believed that the British people would not refuse. The reasons for not choosing Paris or Berlin were either the proximity to London or the route seemed out of the way.


    The choice for the final stopover, Batavia, was purposeful for Arthur. It was an opportunity to unt the power of Austrsia through the global flight, and also aid Austrsia to better control Southeast Asia.


    Although Arthur didn''t intd to directly annex Dutch East Indies, it was indeed necessary for Austrsia to hold a considerable authority in this region.


    The Aero-Laboratory had quickly finalized its ns, and the media controlled by the royal financial group had swiftly published the news.


    On April 8, 9, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia Nation st their congrattions to Arthur through telegrams and inquired if there was any assistance needed.


    Unexpectedly, the British party was the quickest to sd a telegram, an urrcepletely unlike the reign of Edward VII.


    Despite the constant congrattory messages from the British Royal Family to Arthur during the reign of Edward VII, they typicallygged behind the German Royal Family and the Russian Monarchy. At times, they were amongst thest of the European powers to sd their congrattions.


    What surprised Arthur further was that the British Governmt also st a congrattory telegram. They proposed the aim of a deeper cooperative rtionship as well as strategic cooperation in areas of economy and military.


    Though unclear on the inttions of the British Governmt, it was definitely advantageous for Austrsia to cooperate with the world''s leading power.


    Under Arthur''s guidance, the Austrsian Governmt responded with a telegram to the British Governmt expressing their wee to further strategic cooperation.


    Both parties continued theirmunications and astonishingly, they were able to draw up a simple agreemt a day before the global flight. They decided that after the Olympics, Austrsia would sd a diplomatic team to London, United Kingdom to discuss official cooperative matters.


    In expressing their advance congrattions on the sess of the global flight, the telegrams from Germany and Russia subtly mtioned their hope to introduce Austrsia''stest airship technology, in the evt of a sessful flight.


    Naturally, Arthur wouldn''t refuse. After all, the cost of constructing an airship wasn''t low. The price of selling it to foreign countries would be ev higher.


    If it was about exporting technology, the money earned could be greater. Ev though this was the most sophisticated airship technology in Austrsia, having alreadypleted several gerations of military aircraft research, who would worry about the currtly fragile status of the airship?


    Arthur''s definitive agreemt cheered up the Germans.


    Originally, William II presumed that Austrsia intded to align with Britain. However, it now seemed that maybe they just intded to avoid war and dered neutrality, refraining from getting involved in the struggles betwe the two major military blocs.


    Ev though Germany might lose a valuable ally during the war, befriding Austrsia with its advantageous geographical location was undiably more worthwhile than antagonizing them.


    In his conversation with Nichs II, both parties extded courtesies to each other''s families. Crown Prince Aleksei Smith''s hemophilia was miraculously cured by Rasputin, which cheered up Nichs II tremdously.


    However, what Nichs II didn''t foresee was that Rasputin, who had cured his child, regarded by the Empress as a saint, was one of the primary causes for the copse of the Russian Empire.

 Chapter 368: Chapter 315: Global Voyage

    April , 9, Sydney.


    After over a week of meticulous preparations and with permissions from the respective countries of every stop secured, Austrsia''s airship circumnavigation officially began.


    News of Austrsia''s a-the-world trip on the airship quickly became a ssation, following the Balkan War, in Europe or ev the whole world.


    Regrettably, due to time constraints, European media was unable to reach Sydney before the airship''s departure.


    But they had other methods; they could get firsthand ounts of the airship by setting up camp at the stops before the airship''s arrival.


    Despite it being only eight in the morning, Sydney was already filled with crowds. This included major Austrsian newspapers and media, curious local citizs, as well as Arthur and the Austrsian Governmt.


    In order to further promote the Governmt''s name, the official sponsors of this global voyage were the Austrsian Governmt and the Royal Family, with all costs to be jointly borne by them.


    "Oh my, can this giant thing really soar into the sky? And make a global flight?"


    Among the watching crowd, someone looked at the airship, an ormous object in the not so far distance, and couldn''t help but question.


    "Damn, are you doubting His Majesty would lie to us? Ev if it is an iron lump if the king says it can fly, it can fly," a person visibly apanion next to them replied crossly after hearing their frid''s question.


    "Hav''t you se this thing fly in the sky? It''s huge, its shadow isrger than a building," a person who had se the airship soaring in the sky before, couldn''t help but exin it to the curious crowd.


    For the Austrsians, such big news like a global voyage would naturally be the subject of everyone''s delight.


    Moreover, since this hotspot was promoted by Arthur and the governmt, it naturally attracted more curious Austrsians to watch and pay atttion.


    Airships wer''t too ali concepts for the Austrsian people. It has be several years since the birth of Austrsia''s airships, and they are neither ssified pieces of information.


    What arouses surprise and doubt is, in fact, the size of this airship adorned with the Austrsian g and the royal emblem.


    Compared to previous airships, this one is at least several times their size, making it look more impressive and grand.


    "Your Majesty,dies and gtlem. This is the Aerospace Laboratory''stest masterpiece, an airship that can bear a load of 40 tons and achieve a top speed of  kilometers per hour, AU-3!" On a makeshift tform at this empty space, Theodore, the head of the Aerospace Laboratory, was excitedly introducing the AU-3 to Arthur, all governmt officials, the media, and the audice below.


    Theodore''s voice was broadcasted far and wide through a loudspeaker, abling practically every nearby person to hear him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "ording to our conservative estimates, AU-3 can amodate at least 5 people and store at least half a month''s worth of supplies. Ev at a full load of 40 tons, AU-3 can maintain a speed of at least 70 kilometers per hour, significantly reducing themunications time betwe contints."


    Aside from the royal family, governmt, media, andmon people attding the global voyage departure ceremony, there were also a number of small and medium-sized capitalists from Austrsia.


    Currtly, Austrsia does not have an established nobility system, the few nobles that do exist are those to whom Arthur has granted the non-inheritable title of knighthood.


    "Director Theodore, how many people does it take to operate such a numoth?" An officer from the governmt asked with a hint of curiosity.


    "Despite AU-3''s size being several timesrger than previous airships, its operating system is more straightforward. Counting all operation personnel, to allow this airship to soar perfectly in the sky, two shifts with a total of 3 operators would suffice. If it''s a short flight, we don''t need to consider fatigue, and 6 operators would be ough," confidtly answered Director Theodore.


    With the new airship facilitating ultra-long-distance flights, it needed to consider a fairly severe issue, that is, operator fatigue.


    Though an airship could fly non-stop for several days or ev half a month, operators could only work for about t hours or so. They needed to be reced to prevt idts due to fatigue.


    This also meant that wh the airship makes a long journey, it must carry at least two groups of operators for shift changes.


    Hearing this, people found it perfectly reasonable and nod. It was within reason and expectations that controlling such arge object would require 6 people and two shifts would require 3 operators.


    However, with a maximum capacity of only 5 people, subtracting the 3 operators and 5 service staff, the maximum passger capacity was limited to 58 people.


    It''s worth mtioning that, at the request of European and American countries, of the 58 passger seats of this a-the-world flight airship, Austrsia did not monopolize all and distributed 6 to the United States,  to Britain, 8 to Germany, 7 to Russia, and 5 each to France, Austria, and Italy.


    This also implies that the airship tickets Austrsia could sell domestically are only , merely a one-sixth of the total.


    However, this did not prevt Austrsia from iming all the credit for this global voyage. The interest shown by various countries in airship tickets also indicated their interest in airships, so Arthur did not decline.


    Anyway, the currt price of airship tickets is quite expsive, with a single ticket costing hundreds of pounds, more than what an average Austrsian can afford.


    Arthur was quite pleased to see the European countries vying for airship tickets. Once this global voyage is sessful, it would signify themercialization of airships.


    Austrsia, being the first country to achieve global navigation by airship, will leave a deep impression on the people and nations worldwide through their airships.


    The selling of airships, airship technology, and so on, will bring tremdous profits to Austrsia. The value of these profits is far more important than these few doz airship tickets.


    "Ladies and gtlem, our aerospaceboratory has now achieved assembly line production for the AU-3 airship. If this global flight is sessful, we n to support the establishmt of aviationpanies and find aviationpany partners worldwide," said Director Theodore, giving a plug for theb''s airship-building technology at the d of the airship prestation.


    Barring any unexpected circumstances, such words will be repeated at all stops until they reach the ears of the capitalists and nobility of major European and American countries.


    Director Theodore''s inttion is clear ¨C to promote the airship market and make a big profit for the aerospaceboratory.


    If airships achieve global navigation, their value is tirelyparable to that of ocean liners.


    Ev just in terms of time spt, airships and ocean liners are not on the same level.


    A trip from Europe to America takes at least one to two weeks. The trip from Europe to Austrsia or Asia takes more than a month.


    Ev the most advanced warship would take at least two to three months to sail a the world.


    But judging by the speed of the airship, a passger-only airship seems to need only a few days to travel from Europe to North America.


    Ev on long trips like from Europe to Asia or Austrsia, it''d only take a t days to half a month.


    This means people who choose airships will save time on a scale of weeks, greatly facilitating intercontintal travel.


    What''s ev better, you can joy the scery and the pleasure of flight on an airship.


    But what about an ocean liner? Besides the rocking on the sea surface, does the boundless ocean count as a view?


    It might initially, but watching the dless sea for a prolonged time would just increase tedium and irritation.


    "Your Majesty, the airship introduction isplete. Request to begin the flight preparation," said Director Theodore, seeing that the time was almost right and respectfully asked Arthur.


    "Yes, it''s about time for the global flight to begin. Director Theodore, I wish you all the best in advance!" Arthur nodded approvingly, fuelling Theodore''s request.


    Yes, Director Theodore, the head of the Aeronautical Research Ctre, will be in charge of this global flight. He will also be the main pilot of this ship toplete this -the-world task.


    "Yes, Your Majesty, I will not let you down!" Director Theodore nodded solemnly, th turned his eyes to the airship.


    The gineers and drivers of the airship, having received the order, hurriedly carried out the final inspections and checks to sure no idts would ur before takeoff.


    After these tasks werepleted,  Austrsians carrying airship tickets, barely able to contain their excitemt, boarded the airship in high spirits under the guidance of the staff.


    "Austrsian AU-3 airship, codame Dawn, ready for lift-off!"


    After all the supplies and personnel had boarded the airship, the Dawn airship slowly flew into the sky under the gaze of all the media and spectators at the site and gradually became a smaller and smaller  dot, until it disappeared.


    "The airship era has begun," said Arthur, watching the airship bing more distant, his eyes revealing a deep intt.


    Witnessing the massive airship gradually ascd into the sky and th disappear, many Austrsians had wided their horizons. They remained, thusiastically discussing it with their frids.


    Although they had heard many feats of the airship before, nothing beats seeing for themselves. After witnessing such a colossal airship fly into the sky, many Austrsians couldn''t help but imagine how wonderful it would be if they could ride such an ormous airship into the sky andplete a spectacr -the-world voyage!

 Chapter 369: Chapter 316: The Shock of Everyone

    Global voyages carry far greater significance for humanity than mere befits, and they bring a thrill of conquering the world.


    The Earth is vast, and every milestone global voyage is recorded in human history, having a tremdous impact on both humanity and the.


    The global voyage of the Austrsian Airship has now be one of the topics of concern for people all a the world.


    People are curious as to whether this novel mode of transportation, the airship, can achieve the greatest aplishmt in sailing¡ªa circumnavigation of the globe.


    Some are curious, some are skeptical, some are in awe, and some are dismissive. Nevertheless, in April 9, the world''s atttion has gathered on Austrsia, specifically on the airship that gradually moves away from the skies of Sydney.


    The first leg of this global voyage was challging. ording to the n, the first stop was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in the American Hawaiian Territory.


    There is nothing special about this stopover; Arthur chose it simply for the sake of caution, to inspect and repair the airship midway across the Pacific Ocean.


    The straight-line distance from Sydney to Hawaii is a massive 800 kilometers. Ev with the fastest cruise ships of the time, this journey would take about half a month toplete.


    However, the Dawn Airship departed on April th and arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, in just nine days and four hours.


    After more than t hours in Honolulu, during which the airship was inspected, repaired, and resupplied with some living esstials, the Dawn Airship took off again, heading straight for thergest city in the western United States¡ªLos Angeles.


    After arriving in Hawaii, the nativend of the United States was already much closer. The distance from Hawaii to Los Angeles is only 4,097 kilometers, almost half of the distance from Sydney to Hawaii.


    To fulfill Arthur''s goal of not only sessfully circumnavigating the globe but also minimizing the time spt doing so, thereby increasing the impact of this global voyage, Director Theodore instructed the airship to travel at a faster speed after leaving Hawaii.


    On the 4th day of the global voyage, April 4, 9, the Dawn Airship finally reached the skies of Los Angeles, arriving at thergest city in the western United States.


    The history of Los Angeles can be traced back to thete 8th ctury, with a history of over 0 years.


    However, up until the mid9th ctury, ev though the gold rush in the west attracted many immigrants to Los Angeles, its poption was only a ,600.


    The rapid rise of Los Angeles, bing thergest city in the west, actually urred in thete 9th ctury and early 0th ctury.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Due to the discovery of oil, Los Angeles'' economy quickly tered a prosperous era, and the city expanded rapidly.


    Of course, the peak of this city is not now, but after two world wars, wh Los Angeles became a major American metropolis due to the growth of modern industry,mercial finance, tourism, and immigration.


    As the second stop for the Dawn Airship in the United States and itsst stop, the streets of Los Angeles have already gathered a significant number of American media and people.


    People are curious about the unknown, especially actions with significant meaning, such as global voyages.


    In the past, the American people may have thought they had se it all, from cars to airships and airnes, the United States had a wide variety of means of transportation.


    However, it was not until the news of the Austrsian airship circumnavigating the world came without any information from any American airshippanies that the American people realized that the United States is not omnipott in all aspects.


    Suddly, a ck dot appeared in the distant sky, growingrger and slowly turning .


    "It''s the airship! It''s that Dawn Airship!"


    Someone on the street excitedly said.


    "Oh, damn, that thing looks bigger than a building. How did the Austrsians make it fly?"


    "Is it made of steel? This is truly a masterpiece of God. Are the Austrsians going to use this thing to attack us?"


    "Damn, hav''t you guys thought about it falling? Find a ce to hide, you idiots!"


    As the airship approached, more and more voices were heard on the streets of Los Angeles, and the streets evtually came to a standstill.


    Ev the passing vehicles couldn''t help but stop to watch the huge airship in the sky.


    Of course, most of these people were just ordinary residts of Los Angeles. As for the small capitalists and wealthy merchants, they were now standing in the skyscrapers with great interest.


    "John, this is the Austrsian airship? It''s a big fe." Inside a skyscraper in Los Angeles, an American man who looked somewhat wealthy spoke to hispanion.


    "Nevermind anything else; the fact that the Austrsians can make such an ormous thing fly is impressive. Daniel, don''t you have ns to start an airship global travelpany? Why not just use something like this? The gimmick has be created for you by the Austrsians.


    If you create an airship global travelpany, I reckon you and thepany will be famous the next day." The wealthy man''spanionughed and spoke to him.


    "This is a big fe, and I''m afraid it''ll take a lot of capital. John, do you have any interest in joining me for a big vture? We''ll monopolize the tire American airship industry, and we''ll be the new titans of this sector!" The wealthy man nodded without refuting hispanion''s viewpoint, looking at hispanion with interest and asking.

 Chapter 370: Chapter 316: The Shock of Everyone_2

    The wealthy businessman named John didn''t rush to answer Daniel''s question. Instead, he looked at the airship with admiration and th replied leisurely, "Alright, I admit that such a big guy is absolutely irresistible. If the Austrsians seed in their global voyage this time, I''m willing to invest 5 million US dors."


    This is actually the gap betwe the way the upper and lower sses view issues. While the lower-ss people were amazed by the airship, capable people were perhaps already thinking about the pottial uses and value of the airship.


    Within the range of Los Angeles, there are many capitalists who are paying atttion to this airship. Many capitalists who cannot make it to Los Angeles have also st subordinates or are also following news about the airship.


    Once the airship''s global voyage is truly sessful, that is wh the airship''s gold age will arrive, airship travelpanies will spring up everywhere, tering the gold age of airshipmerce.


    After this day, a photo tak from the tallest building in Los Angeles wt viral in the United States and ev expanded to most parts of Europe.


    The photo is actually very simple; since the city is not yet excessively polluted by industry, the sky appears a beautiful blue.


    In the middle and slightly above the photo, an airship adorned with the pattern of the Austrsian g and royal emblem soars across the blue sky, beath it is the city of Los Angeles.


    The usually imposing urban buildings seem so small in front of this massive airship. The airship is so huge that it seems to block out the sun and brings a tremdous shock to the tire city.


    People in the city look up at the Dawn in the sky, while those on the airship look down at the not-so-prosperous city of Los Angeles from differt angles.


    "Is this the city of the United States? It does not seem all that great."


    With the seemingly small city before their eyes, some people couldn''t help but express their disappointmt.


    "You''re standing too high, buddy."


    One person''s words brought everyone back to reality. It''s not that the city isn''t grand or prosperous, but they''re standing so high above it that the city seems somewhat small.


    Paring the view outside the airship window with the small city below, imagining the admiring gazes of the people in the city, the passgers on the airship can''t help but feel extravagant and thoroughly joy themselves.


    Luckily, the airship doesn''t stay above the city of Los Angeles for too long. A giant like this is destined tond in the outskirts.


    On the outskirts of Los Angeles, after negotiating with the American governmt, a t airship parking area has be prepared. There are already quite a few American spectators and media gathered.


    Ev the mayor of the city of Los Angeles, the governor of California State, and military officials are gathered near the parking area.


    While the capitalists are assessing the value and role that the airship can bring, these politicians and the military are doing the same.


    As for themon people, most of them are just watching the excitemt. After all, the parking area is the best ce to have a close-up view of the airship, as it will dock here for some time for inspection and supply replishmt.


    ording to the agreemt with the American governmt, there will be six passgers aboard the airship in the United States to experice the global voyage.


    Director Theodore has no idea that the six airship tickets in the United States have be hyped up to a price of ts of thousands of dors, but they are still priceless in America.


    Although they don''t know who exactly has pocketed these six airship tickets, one thing is certain: anyone who gets ev one of the tickets is definitely either rich or prestigious.


    Unlike the ordinary people, politicians and the military watch the airship, secretly noting something in their hearts.


    Especially the U.S. military officials, who, upon seeing the airship, have already begun recording details, and ev writing more urgtly, showing a clear sse of urgcy in their eyes.


    After the visit, the American military officials got into their military vehicle and hurriedly left.


    Once onboard, the American Major spoke with unmistakable concern and urgcy to his subordinates, "Report to the Geral immediately, that the Austrsians'' long-range airship has be a weapon of sufficit threat. If such an airship is fully equipped with weapons, it will be able to cross any terrain limitations and reach any part of the world in an incredible way.


    This will greatly strgth military power, not only for the transportation of strategic supplies but also for long-range bombing and assassinations."


    With a bitter smile, the American Major mocked, "If the Austrsians want to bomb Los Angeles, I''m afraid no one could stop them as long as they''re in the sky."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    His subordinates also understood the importance of the matter, so they quickly reported to the Geral as the Major instructed.


    "Tell the Geral that the United States must establish an airship corps, which is both urgt and needs to be done immediately. The United States used to have the advantage of being sured by two oceans and didn''t have to worry about threats to its nativend.


    But with the advt of such long-range airships, the United States'' homnd is no longer safe unless we have a sufficitly powerful airship corps." Fearing that his report would not impress his superiors, the Major thought for a momt and added further.


    He firmly believed that once European countries witnessed firsthand the airship that could travel a the world, they would definitely continue to promote the developmt of airships.


    If the airship is designed to be a bombing weapon, it will be the first terrifying weapon in the world capable of covering a bombing range across the tire world.

 Chapter 371: Chapter 316: The Shock of Everyone_3

    More importantly, if a country being bombed does not have arge ough airship force, they can only watch helplessly ev in the face of danger.


    Thanks to the previous airship research trd led by Arthur, European countries gerally have a considerable airship industry.


    However, airship developmt has always be lukewarm, and ev the fast-progressing German Empire has yet to possess an airship capable of traveling a the world.


    As long as European countries'' airships cannot cross oceans, the United States, ev without an airship force, need not worry about the security of its nativend.


    But, from the momt the Dawn Airship arrived in Los Angeles, everything changedpletely.


    If the United States cannot have an airship force, Austrsia, situated along the Pacific coast, will evtually be one of America''spetitors.


    At least for now, the United States has no countermeasures against airships flying high above the skies.


    If the emy dropped bombs from high altitudes, will the Americans catch them with their hands?


    Ev if the emy''s bombing is not urate, the panic brought to the people byrge-scale bombing is ough to plunge the United States into chaos.


    Arthur might not ev realize how much change his nned airship trip a the world will bring to the U.S. military.


    Of course, if Arthur knew, he might ev be more relieved.


    After all, no matter how fast airship developmt is, as long as it doesn''t surpass the era, airships stand no chance against airnes.


    The main reason is that European and American countries do not ce too much emphasis on the developmt of aircraft, so their aircraft performance is not too strong.


    This has also led them to not discover that aircraft''s military uses far outweigh airships; otherwise, their nes would probably have be upgraded many times.


    As the report of the American major was widely spread and supported by the U.S. military, the photo of the airship and the airship news also became the headline news in the United States.


    Ev the six Americans who boarded the airship in the photo were exaggeratedly called by the American press and the American people: "The Divine Chos, about to approach God."


    In an era without airnes and airships, the sky was a fantasynd that could only be dreamed of by everyone.


    Being able to ascd to the sky was so dreamy and exaggerated for Americans who had never expericed such an evt before.


    Perhaps it was because of people''s fear and dreams of the sky that the price of airship tickets soared.


    Of course, the fact that Americans have money is not ruled out. After all, the cost of building a Dawn Airship is only a 40,000 pounds, which is just about 00,000 US dors.


    ording to the value of airship tickets in the United States, a flight loaded with 58 Americans can make a profit of more than 580,000 US dors, ough to build three airships.


    Although the price is somewhat inted due to the hype of the first global flight, the value and significance of the airship''s global flight can be se from it, which is also why those capitalists value airships and this global flight.


    The Dawn Airship stayed in Los Angeles for a whole day, not only undergoing a long period of inspection to sure that there would be no problems with the subsequt journey.


    At the same time, arge number of living supplies were replished, six Americans were boarded, and the voyage to London began.


    So far, the global flight has tak up 5 days. The time it took was neither long nor short, and for Director Theodore, who had a preliminary n, this time was eptable.


    The second day, under the watchful eyes of the media and Americans, the Dawn Airship set sail again, this time heading to London, United Kingdom, crossing the tire United States and the Antic Ocean.


    On the Dawn Airship, in a spacious seat, sat John and Daniel, who had beughing on a skyscraper in Los Angeles before.


    The two were actually already interested in airships and had spt a lot of money to buy two tickets wh airship tickets wt on sale in the United States.


    Now sitting on the airship, watching the clouds drifting by outside the window from time to time, Daniel realized how shocking airships were.


    "Daniel, say no more, as soon as we get back to Los Angeles, let''s start setting up the airlinepany!" At this momt, John, sitting next to Daniel, was a bit intoxicated by the view outside the window and spoke impatitly.


    For wealthy people like Daniel and John, the ts of thousands of dors spt on an airship ticket is nothing.


    Sitting by the window of the airship and watching the clouds shing by outside, the two felt that the ticket price was already worth it.


    Moreover, the time saved by the airship is sometimes worth more than the ticket price.


    "You''re right, John. But I expect many people will covet the huge aviation cake. It looks like we''ll need to find some partners." Daniel nodded in agreemt and said with a smile.


    The two had originally thought that their ts of millions of dors in assets would be ough to start a monopoly airline in the United States.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But it seems far from ough; only by pulling in more partners can they get more of the aviation cake.


    "We should be grateful that the Austrsians chose Los Angeles as their port of call, not the eastern New York. If it had be New York, ourpetition would have be greater, and our advantage would have be gone." John looked at his resolute frid and said somewhat thankfully.


    Although Los Angeles is thergest city in the western United States, its developmt is still somewhatggingpared to the core eastern United States.


    As the most prosperous and developed city in the United States, New York has not only gathered arge number of top American capitalists and terprises but also countless high-ranking officials and nobles.


    High-ranking families, huge financial groups, deeply rooted capital, and various new political forces are all forces that John and Daniel cannot shake.


    If Austrsia had chos New York as its port of call, Daniel and John would have only be left with leftovers in the aviation industry, no matter how interested they were.


    "You remind me, buddy. Why don''t we start with the Austrsian side? After all, the only airships that can travel a the world are made by Austrsia. If we monopolize the sale of airships in the United States, isn''t that the same as monopolizing the U.S. aviation industry?" Upon hearing his frid''s words, Daniel instantly woke up and said to John.


    The two exchanged nces and instantly understood each other''s inttions. However, due to therge number of Americans a them, they both just nodded tacitly.


    "You''re right, Daniel. I have a suggestion; our destination this time is Sydney anyway, so let''s not go back. If we can reach an agreemt with the Austrsian side on the sale of airships, it will be far more valuable than starting an airline first." John, his face excited, whispered to Daniel.

 Chapter 372: Chapter 317: All Sides Come for the Airship

    Subsequt sces in London and Rome were no differt from what had previously be se in Los Angeles, USA. Scores of media, curious onlookers, investors with ulterior motives, solemn military forces, and countless other forces and groupsposed the ts of thousands of spectators observing the Dawn Airship.


    Every time the Dawn Airship arrived at a location, it immediately became the focal and hot point of the locale, sometimes ev of the tire country, and was widely reported on by local media.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that this global tour n brought in plty of profits for many European and American media outlets and rejuvated numerous small newspapers on the verge of bankruptcy.


    ording to estimates, more than sev hundred thousand people worldwide have made the trip to see the airship, and over five million people have followed the global voyage.


    The Austrsian Airship became the world''s most famous technological product in an instant, with everyone striving to board the airship for a world tour as their lifetime goal.


    On May , 9, after a month and t days, the Dawn Airship returned over the skies of Sydney City, receiving a warm wee from a multitude of Austrsians.


    This was the first time that Austrsia led the world in global flight history. It was the people of Austrsia, and the flying device developed by Austrsia, that took on the mission of global flight for the first time.


    At this momt, the outskirts of Sydney had be an ocean of people, and the foreign media who came from all over the world virtually gulfed the area.


    Everyone knew that if this global voyage n seeds, Sydney would momtarily be the most dazzling pearl in the world.


    To gain the first news of the airship''s global voyage, as well as subsequt developmts, these foreign media had no choice but to travel to Sydney.


    For Arthur, this was good news because the spding level in Sydney had ris significantly in thest month with foreign media and tourists creating a considerable contribution to Sydney''s GDP.


    As the Dawn Airshipnded amidst gusts and dust in the op space on the outskirts, the prepared band immediately yed a joyful tune to celebrate this significant momt.


    A short whileter, the door of the Dawn Airship gradually oped with attdants stepping out first, followed by the passgers, andstly, the pilot and Director Theodore.


    "Ladies and Gtlem, you have collectively aplished a great momt. On behalf of the Austrsian Royal Family and the Governmt, I congratte you and courage you, and prest you withmemorative badges," Arthur said, smiling on the erected high tform.


    Thememorative honor for this global voyage was a gold-ted silver badge. The front of the badge depicted the Dawn Airship, and the back bore a clear statemt: This badgememorates the AU-3 Airship, codamed Dawn, for its global voyage program that began on April , 9.


    This programsted for one month and elev days, sessfully ded on May , 9, and ismemorated with this badge.


    The total weight of the badge was a 0 grams, with the gold contt exceeding 30%, amounting to about 30 grams.


    ording to the currt values of gold and silver, the production cost of this badge was over t pounds, which equates to several months'' wages for an ordinary person in Austrsia.


    Of course, thememorative significance of such an item far surpasses its actual value. If you take into ount itsmemorative significance for Austrsia and certain personages, perhaps its worth may multiply several times or ev ts of times.


    For Austrsians, such a badge had an extraordinarymemorative meaning. Besidesmemorating this global voyage, the badge was personally awarded by Arthur, adding much intangible value to the badge.


    Although for passgers who had paid thousands of pounds for a ticket, a badge worth less than t pounds didn''t mean much.


    But after all, the badge was exquisitely made and had a specialmemorative value, so the passgers who received it were fairly satisfied.


    Austrsia, of course, also extded invitations to all the passgers on the airship to attd the celebratory banquet held tonight.


    The passgers naturally epted, after all, one had no reason not to attd a grand and free banquet.


    For the capitalists who were already eyeing the airship, the most important job at prest was to inquire about the status of the Austrsian Airship Company, making this banquet a necessity.


    After everyone had temporarily left, Arthur looked at Director Theodore and said with a smile, "You''ve worked hard, Director Theodore. You''ve aplished a feat that will go down in Austrsian history, you''re a hero of the tire of Austrsia!"


    Although the performance of the airships produced by the Aerospace Laboratory was already very depdable, this was still the first time for a long-distance global flight to be conducted. It was impossible to im that it was risk-free.


    As the director of the Aerospace Laboratory, Director Theodore who personally took charge of this global voyage, braved the risk of a pottial airship crash. He aplished an action that allowed Austrsia to hog all the limelight, and could be said to be a significant contributor.


    "Being able to contribute to Your Majesty and the nation, is what I should be doing. Besides, we can trust the performance of the Dawn Airship, this voyage of ours was more like a fully funded tour." Director Theodore respectfully responded.


    "Alright, you should rest for a few days after today''s celebration banquet. I''ll grant you and all operators three days off. After three days, I fear that the Aerospace Laboratory will have to take on ev tougher tasks. The demand for the airships this time may not be small." Arthur patted Director Theodore''s shoulder and told him.


    Arthur was definitely aware of the movemts of the capitalists from Europe and America. He naturally knew why they hade to Sydney.


    Truth be told, this was a good thing for both Arthur and Austrsia. The more airships were sold, the more profits Arthur could make, and the more he would be able to lead the major countries of Europe and America into a deep pit.


    Just think, a few yearster wh the airships of various designs developed by differt countries are flying in the sky, getting ready to bombard emy countries, Austrsian airnes appear in the skies above, instantly crushing and massacring these airships from all sides. How fascinating would the expressions of the European and American countries be th?


    One should know that, for the currtly most advanced AU-3 Airship, if it were to be sold, Arthur would be making a profit of at least twty thousand pounds for each airship sold.


    This profit would be just ough for Austrsia to manufacture an airne, or scrape together the profit for several doz airships, and it would still be ough to build a super dreadnought.


    The celebration banquet that night was magnifict, including the high echelons of the Austrsian governmt, the royal family, domestic and international business capitalists in Austrsia, globally influtial and famous mediapanies, all passgers, operators and attdants from the airne were invited to the banquet.


    Arthur also briefly attded the banquet, but did not steal the limelight, instead, after couraging everyone, he handed the banquet over to Director Theodore and the Aerospace Laboratory.


    After Arthur and the high-ranking governmt officials had left, the initially somewhat solemn banquet turned much more rxed. Everyone started to chat andugh, as if there was no longer a distinction of rank.


    "Director Theodore, would yourb be willing to sell airships like the Dawn to the outside world, to promote the developmt of the world''s aviation industry?" Wh the banquet reached its climax, someone took advantage of Director Theodore''s good mood to ask a question.


    "Hmm, that is an issue," Director Theodore pretded to contemte for a momt and seeing everyone''s eyes focused on him, waiting for his answer, he th said, "Actually, everyone should be able to tell that our AU-3 Airship truly has the ability to travel a the world.


    Ev if there are no docking points set up, it can fly for at least half a month, or in other words, at least a distance of fifte thousand kilometers, on the basis of carrying fewer than forty people. Without exaggeration, this airship could reach any ce in Europe or America in about half a month."


    "This also signifies that such an airship possesses extremely high strategic value and theoretically, the rted technology should be kept strictly confidtial."


    Although it was decided from the start that there waspletely no need to keep this type of airship confidtial, in the face of these capitalists, Director Theodore obviously would not foolishly reveal all his cards.


    Under Arthur''s guidance, they were to make these capitalists beg Austrsia to sell the airships, rather than Austrsia pleading them to buy airships. Only th could the maximization of profit be achieved and these greedy capitalists be kept in check.


    Seeing the disappointed expression on many faces, Director Theodore casually said, "However, things are not without hope."


    "Director Theodore, what do you mean?" Someone boldly asked.


    "Aside from the extremely important strategic value that this airship represts in the military field, the value it represts in the aviation industry, and its importance to human developmt and human life, are also extremely significant.


    Taking these factors into consideration, His Majesty specifically told me that as long as it can be sured that the purpose of purchasing the airship is for non-military fields, we can currtly sell AU-3 model airships to the outside world." After a teaser, Director Theodore finally started answering.


    Upon hearing Director Theodore''s response, many people at the sce heaved a sigh of relief. Among them, few hade specifically for military purposes, who would be foolish ough to oply buy Austrsian airships for military purposes, except for some countries that have an exceptionally good rtionship with Austrsia.


    At this time, the US military had made up two ns, couraging some domestic capitalists to go to Austrsia to buy airships, and th see if they could get one or two airships from these capitalists for research.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At the same time, the US was also preparing to vigorouslyunch airship research domestically. The US military didn''t believe that with the tirety of the United States'' effort, they would be unable to catch up with Austrsia''s developmt in airships in five years'' time.

 Chapter 373: Chapter 318: The Focus of the Celebration Banquet

    "Director Theodore, could you give us an idea of the price range for advanced airships like the Dawn Airship?" Hearing that airships could be sold for non-military purposes as described by Director Theodore, most people breathed a sigh of relief and asked further questions.


    Seeing that someone had already tak the bait, Director Theodore calmly answered: "Ladies and gtlem, as you know, it''s not easy to build an airship that can traverse the tire world. If it were the previous two gerations of airships, it would be fine, but for the most advanced AU-3 Airship, its cost has already exceeded sixty thousand pounds.


    The selling price should be a eighty thousand pounds."


    Doing business with capitalists, naturally, they would try to drive up the price as much as possible. Ev if the true cost of the Dawn Airship was only over forty thousand pounds, it did not stop Theodore from asking for such a high price.


    But, to be honest, ev if the final selling price was a eighty thousand pounds, there is still plty of room for growth in the aviation industry.


    The price of a single airship ticket for the Dawn Airship is as high as ts of thousands of US dors, which equates to at least a starting price of two thousand pounds.


    Ev without the selling point of the first global voyage, it shouldn''t be too difficult to maintain a ticket price of over one thousand pounds.


    At least for the next t or so years, airship travel a the world will ultimately be the standard for wealthy individuals and nobility.


    As for ordinary people who want to travel globally, other than taking a considerably slow cruise, perhaps they can only realize this dream in their sleep.


    If calcted by a ticket price of one thousand pounds per airship, an airship can sell up to 58 tickets, totaling 58,000 pounds.


    With that in mind, just two global voyages would allow the airshippany to recoup the tire cost of buying the airship and ev make a small profit.


    Ev if the ticket price drops more severely, there should be at least a baseline of five hundred pounds. One voyage''s ticket revue could make nearly thirty thousand pounds of profit, along with various fees from services offered on the airship, making it incredibly easy for an airlinepany to break ev.


    "Director Theodore, may I ask wh your institute will be able to officially cooperate with external parties? Frankly, I have ns to establish an airlinepany. If your institute allows it, we can sign an order for at least t airships immediately." A man dressed as an English nobleman, upon hearing the official external quotation for the airship, eagerly spoke to Director Theodore.


    Taking advantage of the heat from this global trip, airship ticket prices will likely remain above one thousand pounds for some time.


    This also means that the sooner you can establish an airlinepany andunch flights, the sooner you can be the first person to split the cake.


    Although the currt market for airship travel is limited to governmt officials and nobles from Europe, America, and a the world, as well as capitalists with tremdous wealth in hand.


    However, thebined number of governmt officials, nobles, and capitalists from all a the world is quite terrifying, ough to sustain the aviation industry.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Especially with the developmt of the United States economy, the connections betwe the United States and Europe have be ev closer.


    Fleets can be se back and forth across the Antic Ocean. If many European and American officials, nobles, and capitalists can switch from taking cruises to airships, they are likely to be willing.


    More importantly, airships are not only great for carrying passgers but also very useful for cargo transportation.


    With a maximum payload capacity of 40 tons, airships have be one of the best means of small-scale transportation, with a high speed that ev surpasses trains.


    Furthermore, airships only require an op space for takeoff andnding, while trains not only need to build railways and train stations but also require regr maintance of the tracks; otherwise, trains run the risk of derailing.


    Compared to these two transport methods, the people prest felt that trains and cruises had be blown out of the water.


    Ev some capitalists and nobles who hadn''t nned to start an airlinepany couldn''t help but consider purchasing a private airship.


    After all, airships were truly time-saving. Wh carrying over a hundred people, they only took one month and elev days to travel a the world, ev with many detours.


    If only carrying a few doz people and traveling a the world at the fastest speed without detours, it probably would take less than a month.


    Amidst everyone''s conversation, what should have be a celebratory feast for the Aeronautical Research Institute suddly turned into a negotiation banquet betwe foreign capitalists and the institute.


    Seeing the interest many people had in airships, Director Theodore breathed a sigh of relief.


    ording to Arthur, at least half of the profits made from selling airships this time would be invested in the Aeronautical Research Room for the developmt and manufacturing of airnes and airships.


    To Director Theodore''s surprise, the eighty thousand pound asking price for the airships was epted as reasonable by these foreign capitalists.


    They did not ev n to bargain, which led Director Theodore to wonder if the pound had depreciated.


    It should be noted that at the eighty thousand pound selling price, an airship sale would make a profit of forty thousand pounds for Austrsia.


    For every fifty airships sold, Austrsia could build a super dreadnought. This act of expanding one''s military with other people''s money is simply exhrating!


    Is 50 airships too much? Director Theodore carefully observed the people a him and ev had the illusion that however many airships the Aeronautical Research Institute produced, these people would monopolize them.


    In fact, this was normal. If they couldpletely monopolize the aviation industry, the profits they would earn would be much higher than simply establishing an aviationpany.


    If they were to monopolize the aviation industry, they could control airship ticket pricing, which directly affected the aviationpany''s profits.


    However, this did not matter much to Austrsia at the momt. After all, at this time, only Austrsia could build airships capable of traveling a the world.


    With this technology, at least for a short time, Austrsia held a monopoly in airship construction.


    It was Director Theodore''s n to use this time to make ough profit for the royal financial group and aerospaceboratory.


    Well, in fact, Director Theodore was not greedy. If he could use this opportunity to create at least 3 million pounds in budget for the aerospaceboratory, that would meet his expectations.


    It would take the sale of  airships to make such a profit from three million pounds.


    But looking at the capitalists suring him and thinking about the worldwide ssation caused wh the news of Austrsia''s intt to sell airships became known, Director Theodore considered this number not exaggerated.


    "Ladies and gtlem, in theory, our Aeronautical Research Institute has fully mastered the ability to mass-produce airships. However, it will be some time before we officially cooperate with foreign partners, and that will only be after we have made adequate preparations.


    If you are all willing, you can visit the Aeronautical Research Institute tomorrow for contract negotiations, such as airship purchases, and to observe our airship production line, and so on," Director Theodore exined with a smile.


    "If all goes well, we should be able to sell the first batch of airships after the Olympic Games. However, due to production limitations, the first batch of airships should not be too numerous, and there should be no more than 0 at most.


    Rest assured that once we have expanded our production line, the second batch of airships will be in intse production," Although Director Theodore wanted to use the momtum of the worldwide trip to sell arge number of airships for a huge profit.


    But a certain level of scarcity marketing was necessary. If too many airships were sold in one go, not only would the production line not keep up, but the effects would not be as good as scarcity marketing.


    Anyway, purchase orders need to be signed ahead of time, but the production speed of airships is fast. This would not only increase these capitalists'' longing for airships but also make them more gerous with their money wh the timees.

 Chapter 374: Chapter 319: Actions of Various Countries

    The day after the banquet, which was May nd, 9, Austrsia announced the establishmt of the Royal Aeronautical Machinery Manufacturing Company and officially started selling airships to the outside world.


    In addition, the Austrsian Royal Airship Company also was established and would set up a global route before the start of the Olympic Games to facilitate athletes from all over the world to travel to Austrsia.


    This decision immediately made the concept of an airshippany eagerly anticipated by many people in Europe and America, and also made the Sydney Olympics ev more popr.


    Think about it, ev if you don''t get a good ranking in the games, you can still experice a -the-world airship journey, which doesn''t seem like a bad deal.


    After all, Austrsia has dered that during the Sydney Olympic Games, airship tickets for athletes from all over the world to travel to Austrsia will be free.


    For many countries, this is quite gerous. After all, a country''s athletes can easily number in the ts or ev hundreds.


    If calcted based on currt ticket prices, a -trip airship ticket would cost at least ts of thousands of pounds, which is not a small expse for the sports departmts and associations of various countries.


    Being able to travel for free made many countries more thusiastic about participating in the Olympic Games.


    Anyway, it doesn''t take long to travel to Austrsia by airship. After Austrsia announced the airship schedules, several countries temporarily chose to register for the Olympics.


    For Arthur, this is good news. If all goes well, the number of countries and regions participating in the Sydney Olympic Games will exceed 30, and the number of athletes participating in the Olympics will reach a terrifying figure of more than 3,500.


    This scale not only far exceeds the London Olympics four years ago, but also significantly surpasses the Stockholm Games in the original history.


    As for the cost of transporting these athletes, it is actually not much for Austrsia.


    After all, Austrsia''s airshippany can joy the cost price of the airships, and using these athletes and the Olympic Games can in turn advertise the airships and the airlinepany, making this a win-win situation.


    Anyway, Arthur had previously promised to bear all the travel expses of the participating athletes, and provide free amodation and food for the athletes in Sydney, all to make the Sydney Olympic Games more famous.


    It''s just a matter of changing ships to airships, which not only greatly saves time for athletes to travel to Austrsia, but the changes in travel expses should not be too significant.


    After all, insiders know the ins and outs of the airship. The reason why the ticket price is expsive is due to the poprity of this world tour and the novelty of the airship as a new type of transportation.


    The cost of an airship traveling a the world, including all expses, should be a t thousand pounds.


    Ev if the various services and food and drinks on the airship are not tak into ount, calcting the ticket price alone, 58 seats with an average price of 7 pounds per person would be ough for the airlinepany to break ev.


    By that calction, ev if all athletes travel on free airships, the cost price of two  trips is just over a million pounds, which can be earned back by selling dozs more airships.


    Furthermore, as the airline''s business gradually flourishes, the profits from the airline alone will be ough to cover these costs.


    It should be noted that those who can currtly afford airship tickets are basically the rich and powerful sses of various countries.


    For these sses, a ticket price of thousands of pounds for an airship is nothing, and efficicy andfort are their top priorities.


    And riding an airship is definitely much faster than a ship, and itsfort far exceeds that of a ship.


    This means that as long as safety is sured, the airlinepany focusing on airships will be the mainpetitor in the global travel business for years or ev more than a decade toe.


    The huge capital and nobility from all over the world will make numerous airlinepanies earn lots of money in the aviation industry.


    Of course, as the provider of airships, Austrsia will definitely earn the most money.


    Before other countries andpanies can provide airships with performanceparable to the AU-3, Austrsia will be the arbitrator of the aviation business and the absolute leader of global aviationpanies.


    In fact, it is foreseeable that major European and American countries will definitely catch up with Austrsia rapidly in terms of airship capabilities.


    Not to mtion ordinary powers, top powers like Britain and Germany can catch up with Austrsia in airship technology in just a few years, which is not a difficult task.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This means that the profits of the airship industry in Austrsia can onlyst for one or two years, and th they will face fiercepetition from Europe and the United States.


    However, this developmt is actually within Arthur''s expectations and estimates.


    Keep in mind, it is not that easy and safe for airships to travel a the world. If airships were really that convit and safe, they would have reced airnes as the mainstream means of aviation in history.


    The famous Hindburg incidt in history dealt a devastating blow to the once booming airship industry.


    The airships in this era developed ev faster than those in history, and it is uncertain whether the Hindburg incidt would happ during one of those global flights.


    Withdrawing from the airship aviation business in advance would actually be a good thing for Austrsia.


    After all, if an evt simr to the Hindburg disaster urred, not only would there bergepsation paymts, but the governmt and airlines would also face damage to their reputations.


    Especially since the royal family is involved in Austrsia''s airlines and airshippanies, a mishap could pottially damage the prestige of the royal family.


    Perhaps the befits and value demonstrated by airships have captivated European and American capitalists.


    In any case, on the second day at the Aeronautical Research Institute, Director Theodore and European and American capitalists signed airship orders totaling hundreds of airships, with each airship costing as much as ,00 pounds, making the total value of all orders more than 8 million pounds.


    A preliminary estimate suggests that the pure profit from these orders is a 4 million pounds, which is equivalt to two super dreadnoughts.


    From this perspective, Arthur''s n for a global voyage and to cover athletes'' travel expses seems like a drop in the bucket.


    After all, hundreds of airships can''t meet the global demands for aviation. ording to Director Theodore''s estimate, only wh there are thousands of airships can the world''s aviation demand be considered saturated.


    However, airships can be damaged, and with inspection, maintance, and the recemt of various parts, the Aeronautical Research Institute will notck ie in theing years.


    Adding in Austrsia''s own airlinepanies, it is likely that the annual revue from aviation will exceed ts of millions of Australian dors.


    After this global voyage, both governmts and capitalists of various countries have se the usefulness and value of airships.


    In the civilian sector, airships will be the fastest means of transportation, and perhaps ev the most popr and trusted method of global travel among people.


    Although airship tickets are indeed not cheap, only the afflut can freely travel to other countries nowadays.


    These people are either rich or noble, and their spding power is much higher than that of themon people in developed countries.


    In the military sector, the pottial of airships currtly on disy is ev more substantial.


    This is an aerial transportation tool that can reach any part of the world. For any country, this is a pottial threat.


    Keep in mind there are no satellites now, and people can only detect emy attacks through the naked eye.


    This creates favorable conditions for airship sneak attacks, and no country can guarantee that every inch of its territory will not be attacked by an airship.


    Whether it''s for transporting strategic supplies or soldiers, airships'' speed and efficicy are worth noting.


    Ev as a standalone weapon, airships can carry bombs weighing in the ts of tons, posing a serious threat to g troops and facilities.


    Starting at the d of May, European and American countries have announced a new  of airship research and construction.


    The British governmt has urgtly allocated funds to domestic airship research institutions andpanies, reportedly investing at least two million pounds in airship research.


    Germany has notgged behind. As thergest and most advanced airship manufacturer in the country, Zeppelin Airship has received support from the German governmt, obtaining funds.


    ording to German sources, Nichs II has also approved airship developmt ns within Russia Nation, with an investmt exceeding 500,000 pounds


    .


    The United States, on the other hand, has gerously funded multiple domestic airshippanies, with aid exceeding 30 million dors.


    In addition, with numerous American capitalists, it is expected that in the next few years, American airship manufacturingpanies will emerge like mushrooms after rain.


    Ev the Ind Nation, which has lost British support, tighted their belts under the emperor''s call and umted  million y to purchase airships and invest in research.


    Several European powers, including France, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy, also have their own airship purchasing and research ns.


    In a short period, the importance of airships in both civilian and military fields has be unparalleled and has be valued by countries worldwide.


    Among all the countries determined to invest in airship research, the wealthiest should be the United States.


    The U.S. military has contacted several domestic airship manufacturers, proposing their airship procuremt n.


    The U.S. military is demanding an airship with a carrying capacity of at least 0 tons and capable ofpleting a global journey.


    The U.S. military has put out the message that if any airshippany meets this requiremt, they will purchase at least fifty airships and establish a long-term partnership with the airshippany.


    This is not a small sum. Referring to the price of Austrsian airships, fifty airships would be worth more than 4 million pounds, with at least a quarter being pure profit.


    That is to say, as long as the requiremts of the U.S. military are met, a profit of  million pounds can be obtained, which is equivalt to 5 million dors. This is certainly not a small number.

 Chapter 375: Chapter 320: The Arrival of the Olympic Games

    As time tered June in 9, the poprity of the circumnavigation of Dawn Airship cooled down somewhat.


    However, at the same time, the Sydney Olympics became one of the main topics of worldwide discussion, and attracted the atttion of Europe and America.


    Particrly under the constant conflicts among European nations, sportspetitions at the national level also wielded significant influce.


    Especially against arch-rival nations, no country wanted tog behind, for it would otherwise face instigations from domestic and foreign media and inquiries from the public.


    People are blind, and under the guidance of some domestic and foreign media, who knows if their anger will be directed towards the governmt?


    With the developmt of previous Olympic Games, the Games have be a way for countries topete for national dignity and honor peacefully.


    If a country''s athletes perform well at the Olympics, it can bring good prestige to the governmt and the nation.


    On the other hand, if a country''s sports performance is mediocre, especially wh up against hostile nations, not only will the athletes be held to ount by the public and the media, but the governmt may be implicated as well.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was vividly demonstrated inter gerations. Because of the developmt of the Inte inter gerations, these situations were almost everywhere. To sum it up, it''s "winner takes all."


    Winning brings praise from the heavs, but losing, especially losing face in front of an emy country, will make someone a viin in the eyes of the media and those with ulterior motives, ev if they had previously made great contributions.


    At prest, numerous media from European and American countries have arrived in Austrsia, with a conservative estimate of over a thousand journalists.


    Before the Olympics, there should be at least a few hundred more journalists arriving.


    After all, ev newspapers and media have distinctions in scale. Larger newspapers and media outlets can afford the expse of airships, while smaller ones may not.


    Sydney Suburbs, Austrsia National Stadium.


    The construction of the stadium waspleted over a month ago and has be op for all athletes to use rectly.


    Theoretically, the stadium and all associated training facilities are provided free of charge to all domestic and foreign athletes.


    But this is only in theory. The most significant sports teams upying the stadium and affiliated training facilities naturallye from the powerful European and American countries.


    Austrsia''s sports teams are not among them, but this is not because Austrsia is not qualified topete with these powerful countries. Ev solely based on the rtionship betwe Austrsia, Britain, and Russia, there would be no way they would be prevted from using training facilities.


    The main reason is that Arthur had already built separate training facilities for Austrsia''s sports teams, with aplete range of diverse and well-equipped facilities, so they didn''t have topete with other nations.


    Unlike the Olympics ofter gerations, the participants with the most athletes in the prest Games are still  people.


    Most athletes from powerful nations are , with only a fewing from Asian and South American countries that have yellow-skinned athletes.


    As for ck people, ev though they have remarkable talts in sports, they would never be recognized by countries a the world, much less have the qualifications to participate in the Olympics.


    It should be noted that racism is still very popr in Europe at prest. The major powers of Europe do not appreciate each other''s ethnic groups, let alone those from the barbariannds, right?


    This can also be well-reflected in Austrsia. If Arthur were simply pursuing a poption, absorbing Asia''s vast poption would easily push it past t million.


    But there is no need for that. Racism and discrimination in this era are not a joke. Colored people can never be recognized by  people.


    A colored Austrsia could never be recognized by Western countries and would never receive substantial assistance from Germany and Britain.


    For example, to the British, the Ind Nation is just a pawn used to counter Russia and the United States.


    At a time wh European powers are at their peak, countries like the Ind Nation can never truly be allies to the European powers but can only serve as their pawns.


    If the Ind Nation truly became a top power in such an era, it would definitely be targeted by other powers.


    It is worth mtioning that, like in history, this Olympic Games still faced many political disputes regarding nationality and national gs.


    The most intse and famous dispute was the dispute betwe the Finnish and Bohemian teams.


    Of course, the dispute was not betwe these two countries, but betwe Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Both countries were gerally weak and had already be upied by Russia. Moreover, some regions of Bohemia were under the jurisdiction of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Before participating in the Olympic Games, Find and Bohemia put forward a request to insist on indepdce and represt Find and Bohemia separately in thepetition.


    This request was naturally rejected by Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After all, if they agreed to let these athletes participate in the games on behalf of Find and Bohemia, wouldn''t it mean that they were acknowledging their status as invaders and indirectly giving the people in these two regions a reason to resist their rule?


    Facing such a conflict, Arthur decided to adopt the Swedish method in history to resolve the conflict.


    In history, Pierre de Coubertin proposed sports geography to resolve this diplomatic evt, allowing the Stockholm Olympics in Swed to proceed smoothly.


    The so-called sports geography means that participating in the Olympic Games does not have to be an indepdt country. It can also be a region with an indepdt nation. The geography of sports can sometimes be differt from political geography.


    Wh Find and Bohemia participate in the future Olympic Games, they will only raise the team namete during the oping ceremony, not the team g.


    And wh receiving awards, they will raise the national g of the upying country, followed by a small triangr local g to show the differce betwe them and the athletes of the upying country, thus solving the problem more satisfactorily.


    Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire expressed understanding and recognition of this solution, while the athletes from Find and Bohemia achieved their pursuits and naturally had no objections.


    After perfectly resolving this national g dispute, the Sydney Olympics began preparations.


    ording to the International Olympic Committee''s schedule and the situation in Austrsia, the Sydney Olympics was expected to officially start in June, with the closing ceremony scheduled for a the d of July.


    As time is close, the oping ceremony of the Olympic Games has begun rehearsals, and tickets for various evts have started to go on pre-sale.


    Austrsia''s National Stadium is expected to amodate more than 50,000 spectators, so ticket revue will be significant.


    Especially as the Olympic Games willst for nearly two months, dozs of evts will be held during this time, with tickets sold for each evt. The umted revue will undoubtedly be substantial.


    Before the ticket pre-sale began, ticket pricing became a headache for Austrsia.


    If the price is set too high, the Austrsians may not be able to afford it. If their country''s Olympics do not have local spectators, it would be awkward.


    But if the price is set too low, it could miss a great opportunity to make money.


    Afterprehsive consideration andbining the actual situation of previous Olympic Games and the economic situation of Austrsia, the final ticket price for each evt is expected to be a  to 3 Australian dors.


    Of course, the actual ticket price will vary. If you are an Austrsian citiz, you can joy a 40% discount wh purchasing tickets.


    As for tourists from other countries, they can only buy tickets at the original price.


    However, a ticket price of  to 3 Australian dors is not too expsive, at least for those wealthy Europeans and Americans who can afford to travel abroad, this price is quite cheap.


    ording to the evts of the Olympic Games, ev if only 0,000 tickets are sold for each evt, they can still make a profit of a 40,000 Australian dors.


    All evtsbined can easily bring in a profit of over two million Australian dors, which is also a way to recover some costs.


    However, Arthur''s purpose for hosting the Olympic Games was not to make money, but to use the Olympics to increase Austrsia''s international reputation and status.


    ording to the currt situation, this Olympic Games and the previous Global Sailing n have brought ts of thousands of foreign tourists to Austrsia in rect months.


    These tourists have made significant contributions to the economy of Sydney and nearby cities, and the financial ie this year is expected to increase a lot.

 Chapter 376: Chapter 321: The End of the Olympics and the Medal Table

    On June 9, 9, the fifth Summer Olympic Games, i.e., the Sydney Olympics, officially took ce in the capital of Austrsia, Sydney.


    All athletes from the 3 countries a the world who participated in this Olympic Games, totaling more than 3,500, attded the oping ceremony on June 9.


    ording to statistics from the Austrsian Governmt, there were more than 50,000 spectators at the oping ceremony, and outside the stadium, there were over 0,000 Austrsians watching.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was a nationally watched evt. Also, many governmts and ts of millions of people a the world were paying atttion to the Olympic Games.


    Arthur also attded the evt that day and announced the official oping of the Olympics.


    Arthur''s arrival caused a frzy among the Austrsians prest and demonstrated the extt of his poprity in Austrsia to foreign spectators.


    The involvemt of both Arthur and Prime Minister Kt in the oping and closing ceremonies showed the importance of the Olympic Games to the Austrsian Governmt.


    Arthur personally delivered the oping speech, and Prime Minister Kt would deliver the closing speech.


    More importantly, Arthur would personally prest the first gold medal, which will go down in the history of the Sydney Olympics.


    ording to the International Olympic Committee''s announcemt, all medals awarded in this Olympic Games will go down in history and be officially recognized by themittee.


    This means that the first gold medal of this Olympic Games can be regarded as the first gold medal officially recorded in the world, which cannot be reced in terms of value andmemorative significance.


    It should be noted that ev countries facing war, such as the Balkan nations, st a certain number of athletes to participate in the Olympics.


    Several countries, including Egypt, Luxembourg, Portugal, Syria, and the Ind Nation, participated in the Olympics for the first time.


    This brought the number of athletes participating in the Olympic Games to a record high, with the Sydney Olympics being the Games with the most participants and countries among the five Olympic Games held so far.


    The Olympics willst until the d of July, and for Austrsia, the two-month-long evt is one of the governmt''s most important tasks in the short term.


    ording to conservative estimates, the Olympic Games attracted hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists to Austrsia, significantly driving the developmt of Sydney and nearby cities.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the influx of foreign tourists also poses security challges to these cities.


    Starting in May, Arthur ordered the Security Departmt to recruit more police from other cities to maintain security in Sydney and its suring cities.


    Arthur would not ept the Olympic Games, an evt watched by the world, to cause national humiliation due to security issues in Austrsia.


    After all, Arthur aimed to use the Olympic Games to introduce the people worldwide to the country of Austrsia and its standard of living.


    This would be of great help to the governmt in attracting immigrants and should not be jeopardized by minor issues.


    Compared to the historical Stockholm Olympics, the overall process of the Sydney Olympics this time was shorter and faster.


    Under Arthur''s personal witness, just over a month''s time was tak to determine the oues in athletics, swimming, cycling, shooting, gymnastics, wrestling, equestrian, fcing, modern ptathlon, rowing, sailing, football, and tnis. It also marked the d of the Olympic Games.


    The good news for Austrsia was that each evt attracted more than 30,000 spectators, setting a new record in viewership.


    Based on the number of tickets sold and the projected number of viewers, Austrsia conducted a preliminary estimate that a total of ,433,5 tickets were sold during the Olympics, with a total viewership of over 4,000. Both the total number of tickets sold and the viewership set historical highs.


    The over .43 million tickets gerated nearly 6 million Australian dors in revue for Austrsia. Coupled with the consumption of athletes and foreign tourists in Sydney, the governmt was surprised to find that it seemed that there was not much expse for hosting this Olympic Games.


    While the construction of the Austrsian National Sports Ara cost a considerable amount of funds, the construction of the stadium was necessary and required for sports developmt.


    Overall, hosting this Olympic Games was absolutely worth it. The Austrsian Governmt and royal family spt nearly 5 million Australian dors on this Olympic Games.


    Currtly, just relying on ticket revue alone has recovered 6 million Australian dors. Considering the reputation and influce the Olympic Games brought to Austrsia, the money spt was not a loss at all.


    In fact, Arthur was already nning to see if there was a chance to host another Olympic Games after World War I ded.


    Or maybe establish some other sporting evts; after all, money could be made by selling tickets and providing more tertainmt facilities and activities for the people of Austrsia.


    With this in mind, Arthur already had the idea of ??organizing a national sports evt throughout Austrsia.


    However, the Olympic Games just ded, so there is no need for another nationwide sports evt to cause unnecessary excitemt.


    At this Olympic Games, thepetition in sports was quite intse.


    At prest, the political significance of sports is not small, which also means that athletes from various countries are under certain pressure in sportspetitions and have ev received instructions from their own governmts before setting off.


    For these athletes, they have the expectations of their country''s people behind them, as well as the pressure from the governmt.


    The best way is to win a gold medal or defeat an athlete from a rival country in a sportspetition to have a good exnation to the people and the governmt.


    This time, the Austrsian Games has introduced a medal table, and the International Olympic Committee specially announced that the number of medals won by various countries in this Olympic Games will be recorded in history and included in the overall Olympic medal table.


    This also means that those with an advantage in this Olympic Games will also have a certain advantage in the Olympic medal table.


    As the host country of this Olympic Games, Austrsia naturally holds an absolute advantage in the medalpetition.


    The additional sportspetitions in Austrsia have won gold, silver, and bronze medals, which are naturally all Austrsian athletes.


    At this time, there is no rule that a country cannot monopolize gold, silver, and bronze medals in an evt, and with the advantage of being the host country, it is natural for Austrsia to train in advance for newly added evts and take all the medals as a matter of course.


    In the Sydney Olympics medal table and overall Olympic medal table, Austrsia holds an absolute advantage, winning a total of 7 medals.


    Of these 7 medals, there are 3 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze. The number of gold and silver medals is the first in this Olympic Games, and the number of bronze medals is the second.


    Ranked second in the medal standings is the United States across the ocean. The Americans won a total of 6 medals, with 3 gold, 9 silver, and 9 bronze. The number of gold and silver medals for the Americans ranks second in the world, and the number of bronze medals ranks first in the world, making them the country with the most medals after Austrsia.


    Ranking third in the medal standings is, of course, the world''s number one power, the British Empire. Both in terms of rationality and reasonabless, the British Empire should not fall out of the top three, which is also the confidce and strgth of the British Empire as the world''s first power.


    The British Empire won a total of 4 medals, with  gold, 5 silver, and 6 bronze, ranking third in the world for gold, silver, and bronze medals.


    Ranked fourth is Find, with 9 gold, 8 silver, and 9 bronze medals, totaling 6 medals.


    Fifth is France, with 7 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals, totaling 4 medals.


    The sixth is Germany, with 5 gold, 3 silver, and 7 bronze medals, totaling 5 medals.


    In this Olympic Games, a total of 8 countries won medals, ounting for nearly half of the participating countries.


    It is worth noting that all the powerful countries have won medals. First, they do have arger poption and economy and can spare no expse to develop sports.


    Secondly, as a powerful country, they should also win a medal in both emotion and reason unless they have be rott and ipett.


    The rules for ranking the medal table are simple, prioritized by the number of gold medals, followed by the number of silver medals if the number of gold medals is the same, and th by the number of bronze medals if the number of silver medals is the same.


    In geral, this Olympic Games is rtively fair, and the referees in variouspetition evts are basically provided jointly by the International Olympic Committee and Austrsia.


    Austrsia upies the first ce in the medal table and overall medal table, which has noints from other countries.


    After all, it is also considered a welfare of the host country of the Olympic Games. As the host country of the Olympic Games, it is possible to choose a few additional sports evts freely.


    Gerally speaking, the host country of the Olympic Games will choose evts that their country is good at, and ev some evts that only their country has. In such a situation, it is impossible not to win the first ce in the medal standings.


    Many records have be set in the Olympic Games. After all, with the developmt of sports, athletes'' training has be more standardized.


    Countries'' investmt in sports evts is also getting higher and higher, which also leads to better and better levels of athletes, and breaking records in sportspetitions is a matter of course.


    Of course, the real reason for the many records brok in this Olympic Games is that all the results of this Olympic Games will be recorded in the annals of the Olympic Games.


    Breaking records before didn''t ev make the news, but breaking records at the Sydney Olympics will be truly remembered by Olympic history.


    Unless their record is brok by others, those who break records in this Olympic Games will forever be the record holders, remembered by human beings for decades along with the record itself.


    Athletes also recognize the results of this Olympic Games, as they have used more advanced electronic timing and finish line camera equipmt. Austrsia has spt a lot of money on this equipmt.


    This has made the results of this Olympic Games, especially athletics, more standardized and urate to 0. seconds.


    This is the real reason why the results of this Olympic Games will be officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee and recorded in history.


    With the dual protection of electronic timing and finish line cameras, it can sure that the results achieved by the athletes are correct and there will be no deviation caused by human factors.

 Chapter 377: Chapter 322: Consecutive Global Voyages

    As the Olympic Games came to an end, the heat brought by this two-month event that attracted the world''s attention also quickly dissipated.


    By the end of July, with the delivery of the first batch of 20 airships, the world''s public was met with another hotly debated news - the official establishment of various countries'' aviationpanies.


    Although these foreign capitalists only received their airships two monthster, they were not idle.


    During these two months, they sent a considerable number of employees to Austrsia to learn airship piloting skills, aiming to let the airships enter the operational phase as soon as they were officially obtained.


    It should be noted that the enthusiasm for global air travel is gradually dissipating, and the future ticket prices for airships are bound to be lower and lower.


    The sooner the aviationpanies can enter the operational status, the sooner they can get a share of the cake.


    If it were not for the limited production capacity of Austrsian airships, global aviationpanies would have sprung up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain all over the world.


    Of course, the difficult problem of limited airship production could not stump foreign aviationpanies. Although the most advanced airships capable of traveling around the world were not enough in quantity, it did not mean that there were not enough ordinary airships for domestic aviation!


    In order to make aviationpanies'' business more developed, these aviationpanies sessively established cooperation with domestic airshippanies in their countries and purchased some small airships for the development of short and medium distance aviation services.


    Especially the powerful countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. There were quite a few airshippanies already in these countries, and with the establishment of various aviationpanies, these airships became sought after by capitalists and were snapped up by major aviationpanies to expand their domestic aviation services.


    European international routes and domestic routes, intercontinental routes between Europe and the Americas, the United States'' domestic routes, and global routes spanning Europe, America, Africa, Asia, and Austrsia, etc. These various routes are the main targets of business expansion for major aviationpanies worldwide.


    After obtaining airships from Austrsia, several airshippanies from Europe and the United States imed to be nning a global air journey to officiallyunch their airshippanies'' global travel services.


    This is actually normal, as thest global air journey had been more than two months ago, and the enthusiasm was in a dissipating state, which could notst long.


    In order to maintain the enthusiasm for global air travel and prevent the ticket prices of airships from falling too fast, the only option is to arrange new global air journeys to attract the attention of the world''s public.


    ording to the news reported by Director Theodore to Arthur, aviationpanies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire all had ns to arrange a global air journey.


    Unfortunately, at present, only aviationpanies from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have secured a share of airships.


    This also means that the aviationpanies that can truly n a global air journey are now limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.


    From the current number of aviationpanies in the world''s major powerful countries, it can be seen that the domestic capitalists of these countries are already paying great attention to airships.


    Even many European and American airshippanies have sought to be listed on the Sydney Stock Exchange, but were rejected by the Exchange.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, ording to the news from various major stock exchanges in Europe and America, as of the end of July, there were at least more than 20 aviationpanies worldwide, with half of them either already engaged or nning to engage in the global air travel business.


    In a short period of time, airships became the most concerned mode of transportation. And global air travel on airships became a hot topic among the people worldwide.


    Thanks to the influence of global air travel news, many young people in various countries have dreamed of traveling around the world in an airship, and this has even been promoted as the most romantic way by many media and newspapers.


    Taking advantage of this trend, many aviationpanies openly promoted airship proposals in the sky as the most romantic way, and evenunched their own advertisements, stating that couples would receive a 30% discount on bookings.


    Reality proves that in any era, women are easily blinded by so-called romance.


    Reality also proves that using romance for publicity is an effective approach. Many aviationpanies have attracted their first batch of passengers precisely because of this type of promotion.


    In early August, after negotiations with the Austrsian side, the global air travel of the American, British, and German aviationpanies officially began.


    Although not as popr as the global air journeys organized by Austrsia, the global air journey ns for these countries'' aviationpanies also attracted quite a bit of attention from the public.


    Some aviationpanies even touted their own country''s first global air journey and used national pride to get their people to support them.


    Also, by riding the wave of global air travel enthusiasm and the curiosity of the public towards airships as a new mode of transportation, the share prices of airshippanies listed on major exchanges usually skyrocketed several times.


    With this tailwind, Arthur instructed Butler Kent to establish the Sydney Aviation Company and list it on the New York Stock Exchange.


    As for why Royal Aviation Company was not listed, the name "Royal" was not suitable for Arthur''s uing ns after all.


    The registered person of the Sydney Aviation Company is an ordinary Austrsian, but it is still controlled and managed by the Royal financial group in practice.


    However, Sydney Airlines is only responsible for the airship business. In Arthur''s eyes, this is just a subsidiary created to take advantage of the poprity of airships and to make money.


    Thispany is destined to be abandoned. After being listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Arthur will gradually sell the shares of Sydney Airlines,pletely severing the rtionship between himself, the royal financial group behind him, and Sydney Airlines.


    If everything goes as expected, using the enthusiasm for this round-the-world flight, making tens of millions of Australian dors after going public is not a problem.


    As for those American investors who might be taken advantage of, that''s none of Arthur''s concern. After all, Arthur is not the person responsible for Sydney Airlines, and any future aviation idents involving the airships have nothing to do with him.


    As time enters August, Austrsia wees another major news: the two Monarch-ss battleships built for Russia have beenpleted and have officially entered the sea trial phase.


    In the naval order signed with the Russians two years ago, it includes two Monarch-ss battleships and two Unified-ss battlecruisers.


    The two Monarch-ss battleships that have been built are the Empress Maria and Catherine the Great.


    The Russians have ced high hopes on these two battleships, which are to be equipped for the Baltic Fleet, strengthening Russia''s naval power in Europe.


    The two Unified-ss battlecruisers, Gangut and Sevastopol, are also about to enter the intensive construction phase, with an estimatedpletion date at the end of 1913 and delivery before the end of 1914.


    Afterpleting the Russian navy order, the workload for the Royal Shipyard will be much easier.


    In addition to the Russian order of two Monarch-ss battleships and two Unified-ss battlecruisers, the Royal Shipyard also has orders from the Chileans, including two Hope-ss battleships, six Duke-ss escort ships, and two submarines.


    At present, the construction of the Chilean order proceeds slowly, with thepletion of the two submarines expected in a few months, to be delivered by mid-1913.


    Thepletion of the six escort ships may have to wait until the end of this year, with a theoretical delivery inte 1913.


    As for the two Hope-ss battleships, the construction time is the longest and the mostborious.


    If everything goes as nned, thepletion of these two battleships will have to wait until mid-1914 or even the end of 1914, with delivery waiting until the end of 1915.


    Nevertheless,pletion and delivery within the negotiated time frame is not a problem. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen the Royal Shipyard''s capabilities in building super dreadnoughts while constructing the two Hope-ss battleships.


    When the Austrsian Navy is equipped with super dreadnoughts in the future, the construction process will be even smoother.


    Speaking of Chile, with the previous rubber crisis and drop in coffee prices, the naval arms race in South America has left some countries exhausted.


    The once extravagant image has disappeared, and there are even rumors that Chile, on its side, wants to abandon its order for two super dreadnoughts to alleviate its financial pressure.


    Arthur expressed no concern about such rumors and even felt likeughing.


    No matter what, Austrsia is currently a regional powerhouse, with a naval strength that can squeeze into the top eight in the world.


    A country like Austrsia is not a joke for Chile to mess with.


    If the Chileans dared to openly abandon this naval order, it would be like a direct p to Arthur and Austrsia''s face, giving Arthur the opportunity and excuse to invade Chile.


    Under the premise of Austrsian righteousness and reason, what would be the problem withunching an invasion of Chile?


    Moreover, Austrsia is getting closer and closer to Britain. Without British support, how can Chile possibly stand against Austrsia?


    This is the audacity backed by sufficient strength. As long as Austrsia''s overall strength is much greater than Chile, Arthur will never worry about the Chileans reneging on this order.


    Frankly, Arthur is also very interested in South Americannd. Especially the cknd in southern Argentina, one of the four major cknds in the world, which is a good agricultural area.


    If the Chileans give Arthur an excuse, he wouldn''t mind taking the opportunity to extend his reach into South America and plot for the cknd in southern Argentina.


    The Chileans probably wouldn''t be so foolish. After all, even with financial difficulties, they can still seek external loans and debt.


    Breaking the contract openly is undoubtedly giving Austrsia a reason to invade theirnd. The Chilean government certainly wouldn''t be so stupid.


    In history, when facing such a predicament, the Chileans seemed to have only sold the two warships under construction to ease their financial pressure.

 Chapter 378: Chapter 323: Anti-Bulgaria Alliance

    After the Olympics and the hot air balloon global voyage began to cool down, the ongoing Balkan War in Europe and the peace talks of the Balkan nations once again became the focus of discussion among European countries.


    Actually, this is only natural. The vastness of Europe has gone for decades without arge-scale war. A conflict involving multiple European countries, with both sides mobilizing millions of soldiers, is already enough to enter the Europeans'' field of vision and be talked about with great interest.


    The peace talks between the Balkan countries and Turkey were scheduled to take ce in London, the capital of the British Empire. With the British Empire witnessing these negotiations, it naturally gained the trust and recognition of other countries.


    At this time, London is crowded, and the rich are driving various types of cars, shuttling along the well-connected roads in London.


    Thedies gather in threes and twos, holding a drink called C, sipping it through a straw now and then, chatting andughing with their friends.


    With such a prosperous scene, it is no wonder that London is the capital of the world''s most powerful country and one of the most developed cities in the world at present.


    For all Londoners, and even British people and Europeans, the ongoing Balkan War seemed to be a war that existed only in history and folk tales.


    Knights d in magnificent armor seem to need only one charge to defeat their enemies and scatter them in flight.


    The European old-timers, whose memories have been washed away by time, don''t know that war is cruel to anyone and is a ruthless harvesting machine for any life.


    From the beginning to now, the casualties on both sides of the Balkan War have exceeded tens of thousands. The number of soldiers killed alone is already tens of thousands.


    If it weren''t for the fact that the peace talks were being held in London, perhaps the cruel war would have nothing to do with London at all.


    But even with the peace talks taking ce in London, the lives of the European old-timers remain unaffected.


    Although the London peace talks have been going on for more than half a month, progress has been almost zero.


    Any progress in the negotiations will be affected by the Powers, who will then destroy the progress.


    The reason is straightforward: although the Balkan War seems to be the result of the Balkan countries'' dissatisfaction with Ottoman Turkey''s oppressive policies in the Balkan region, it is still a political game between the Austro-Russian-led Powers in the Balkan region.


    The involvement of the Powers has made thisnd extremely chaotic and has also directed the progress of the peace talks towards a direction that some people might not understand.


    To put it bluntly, after more than half a month of negotiations, the only consensus reached by both parties is Ottoman Turkey''s acknowledgment of defeat in this war.


    There has been no other progress, and the half-month peace talks might as well have been about the representatives of various countries enjoying life in London.


    The most anxious about this negotiating process should be the Balkan nations.


    Turkey is not in a hurry. After all, the longer the peace talks drag on, the more power Turkey can umte internally, and perhaps even seize the opportunity tounch a counterattack and reim the upied territories.


    However, for the Balkan countries, the total mobilization within the country is a burden. Each day the mobilization continues, the immeasurable damage caused to the country''s economy and industry mounts.


    Being able to achieve an earlier peace agreement and demobilize reservists sooner, allowing these people to return to their previous production and life, is the most desirable.


    Moreover, the Balkan nations have upied arge number of new territories and need to formte new policies to upy and absorb them.


    If the situation drags on like this, it is inevitable that extremists from Turkey will influence the situation domestically.


    These newly upied fat morsels are, of course, more reassuring the sooner they are consumed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Unfortunately, at present, the disputes between the Powers are very intense, mainly divided into German-Austrian-Italian Ottoman Turkey and Russia supporting the Balkan Alliance.


    The Balkan Alliance has significant disagreements about dividing the spoils, leading to the current peace talks seemingly without any hope of reaching a consensus.


    Besides the German-Austrian-Russian trio directly involved, Britain and France maintain a neutral attitude towards the peace talks.


    For Britain and France, as long as the situation in Constantinople remains stable, they can ept the peace talks developing in any way.


    However, should there be a risk of Constantinople falling into Russian hands, Britain and France would not object to direct involvement and interfere in the peace talks using various means.


    Italy, which is rtively close to the Balkan War but had no ns to interfere in or participate in the peace talks, also took advantage of the Balkan War to upy the Dodecanese Inds in the Aegean Sea.


    It is worth mentioning that Italy took advantage of the Balkan nations dering war on Turkey and seized the opportunity to win a significant victory on the battlefield, sessfully forcing the Turkish government to sign the Treaty of Lausanne.


    The signing of the treaty allowed the Italian government to breathe a sigh of relief and also enabled Italy to acquire the territories of Tripoli and Xniya, sessfully expanding its colonial territories in North Africa.


    In fact, if it were not for the Balkan War, Italy would probably have had to expend more effort to reach an agreement with Turkey.


    With the Balkan nations'' containment, most of Turkey''s forces in Europe were exhausted, and after losing a sufficient number of soldiers, the Turkish army suffered a swift and crushing defeat, followed by the signing of the treaty.


    In this sense, the Balkan nations could also be considered benefactors of Italy, as they attracted a fair amount of animosity on Italy''s behalf.


    To repay the favor of the Balkan nations, Italy immediately announced its intentions to upy the Aegean archipgo and turned its attention to the newly independent region of Albania after the war.


    The failure of the peace negotiations greatly troubled the Russian representative. To ensure that the Balkan situation leaned towards Russia, the Russian representative visited the British and French representatives and inquired about their opinions on the Balkan peace negotiations.


    Although Britain, France, and Russia stood firmly together due to their mutual agreements, their attitudes towards Constantinople and the Bosphorus Straits were surprisingly unified¡ªthey absolutely refused to allow Russia to control Constantinople.


    Moreover, since Germany and Austria were also leaning towards Turkey in the negotiations, after consulting with their domestic authorities, the Russian Empire eventually chose to back down.


    On August 17, 1912, the Balkan Agreement, also known as the London Agreement, was officially signed, finally bringing long-awaited peace to the Balkan region.


    The Balkan Agreement stipted that all Turkishnd west of the Enos-Midia line, except for Albania, would be ceded to the Balkan League member states.


    Albania, on the other hand, was granted independent status but was under the supervision of Russia, Britain, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. The issue of the Aegean inds was to be handled by Germany, Austria, Italy, and Russia.


    The signing of the London Agreement caused the Ottoman Turkish Empire to lose all its European territories west of Constantinople, and the influence of the Balkan League countries expanded directly across the entire Balkan Penins.


    However, at the same time, the Balkan nations faced a rather serious problem: the distribution of benefits after the war.


    Serbia''s n to obtain a port in northern Albania was thwarted by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Albania gained an independent status, supervised by the Six Great Powers.


    But as one of the two major powers in the Balkan Alliance, Bulgaria, although its invasion of Constantinople suffered some setbacks, its conquest of other territories went smoothly.


    Looking at the four Balkan Alliance countries, Bulgaria upied the mostnd in this war, from the eastern part of Thessaloniki to the western part of Constantinople. The total area of the newly acquired territories even surpassed the sum of the territories acquired by Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece.


    Although the benefits were indeed allocated this way before the war, and Bulgaria indeed provided the most troops.


    The problem was that Serbia''s expansion to an outlet to the sea was sabotaged by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but Bulgaria''s expansion encountered no such setbacks.


    Furthermore, as Greece looked enviously at Bulgaria''s expansion, Bulgaria, being the country with the most territorial gains in this war, was also bound to be the target of all parties.


    On August 21, 1912, just four days after the signing of the London Agreement, Greek Foreign Minister Corizis, responsible for signing the agreement, appeared in the capital of Romania, Bucharest.


    In the reception hall of the Romanian Foreign Affairs Department, Greek Foreign Minister Corizis spoke facetiously to the old man before him.


    The old man was the Foreign Minister of Romania, a politician with great status and prestige in Romania.


    "Your Excellency Corizis, if you havee here just to invite Romania to join the alliance against Bulgaria, please return! Romania has no interest in involving itself in your disputes." The old manughed and shook his head at Corizis, showing no interest in his proposal to join forces against Bulgaria.


    "Your Excellency Tyrol, it''s not that we want to go against Bulgaria. I believe you can see from the current situation that, after Bulgaria has gained new territory, it now ranks first in terms ofnd area among all Balkan nations.


    As long as they can integrate the people in the newnd, their poption size will approach that of Romania." Greek Foreign Minister Corizis was not discouraged by Tyrol''s rejection of his proposal and continued to speak.


    "However, you must know that the bravery andbat skills demonstrated by the Bulgarians in this war are enough to put their army''s strength above the Balkan nations. If Bulgaria is allowed to integrate its newly acquired territories, they will undoubtedly be the dominant power in the Balkan region.


    As a neighbor of Bulgaria, is your esteemed country really indifferent to the imminent rise of Bulgaria?" Corizis chuckled.


    No country or strongman can allow a threat to grow unchecked before their eyes.


    All the Balkan nations had great ambitions, and Corizis did not believe that Romania could truly allow Bulgaria to rise and allow a power that could threaten its status and security to emerge on its doorstep.


    "Beforeing to Romania, we have reached a consensus with Serbia. As long as your country is willing, we can form a joint army that outnumbers the Bulgarian army by several times. Afterpletely defeating Bulgaria, Romania will receive its rightful reward: the South Dobroga area." Corizis continued, speaking words that tempted Tyrol.

 Chapter 379: Chapter 324: Romania Enters the Game

    Serbia and Greece''s alliance to resist Bulgaria was actually nned during the London talks.


    However, relying solely on Serbia and Greece, and Montenegro, which had expanded its territory slightly, could only achieve a bnce in numbers with the Bulgarian army.


    Given thebat capability of the Bulgarian army, it would not be difficult to defend the upiednd. This prompted both Serbia and Greece to consider attracting more allies to participate.


    As for the strong countries in the Balkan Region besides the Balkan Alliance, Romania is the only one located in the northeastern part of the Balkan Penins apart from the powerful nations and Turkey they had just jointly defeated.


    Romania is located to the northeast of Serbia and north of Bulgaria. Before the outbreak of the Balkan War, it was thergest and most populous country on the Balkan Penins, apart from the Ottoman Turkish Empire.


    Because it did not border the Ottoman Turkish Empire directly, Romania had no reason to participate in the previous Balkan War and could only watch as the Balkan States acquired more territory and poption.


    Corizis''s proposal was indeed attractive to Romania''s Foreign Minister Tyrol.


    It would enable Romania to address a potential threat while acquiring some territory. More importantly, among the allies opposing Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece are the countries adjacent to Bulgaria''s new territory. Although they would acquire more territory after victory, they would also attract Bulgaria''s hatred.


    In this way, with the second and third strongest countries in the Balkan Region harboring irreconcble hatred, Romania could sit back and watch the fight, even waiting for an opportunity topletely unify the Balkans.


    However, it was almost impossible for a political veteran like Tyrol tomit to sending troops directly to Romania.


    Politicians are as cunning as foxes. They won''t makemitments until they believe they have enough chips to move them.


    "I understand your Excellency''s point of view, and I even highly appreciate your proposal. However, I''m sorry to say that a peasant uprising urred in Romania not long ago, causing no small loss to Romania''s political situation and economy.


    At least before we fully recover, we have no power to send troops abroad," said Tyrol, Romania''s Foreign Minister, spreading his hands, expressing that although he was tempted, he was powerless.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Romania''s unique geographical location allowed it, as the strongest Balkan country in terms of area and poption, to y little part in the Balkan situation.


    The actual reason is also simple. To the north of Romania is the Russian Empire, and to the west is the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The two great powers both have great ambitions in the Balkan Region and naturally cannot allow Romania, the strongest Balkan country, to intervene.


    More importantly, Romania borders Serbia to the southwest and Bulgaria to the south.


    Except for the eastern part with ess to the sea, countries bordering Romania on other sides have a certain degree of strength, and Romania cannot handle them.


    Moreover, Serbia and Bulgaria were supported by the Tsardom of Russia, and it was impossible for a small Romanian kingdom to covet.


    So, Tyrol''s idea is also simple. Romania can send troops, but Greece and Serbia also have to give Romania enough rewards; otherwise, Romania is not willing to take the risk of alienating the powers and Bulgaria to make dowries for Serbia and Greece.


    "Of course, Your Excellency Tyrol. We understand Romania''s difficulties and sympathize with Romania''s plight. We unanimously believe that if Romania can take domestic risks and agree to send troops, it should receive enough rewards. In addition to 4,000 square kilometers of southern Dobroga, Romanians scattered in Bulgaria and the Macedonian Region can return to their mothend.


    As long as the war can achieve victory, our country will, together with Serbia,pensate your country after the war. The total value will definitely not be less than 3 million pounds," Corizis said with a smile.


    When deciding to bring Romania into the anti-Bulgarian alliance, Greece and Serbia were already prepared to concede some interests.


    However, the good news is that Romania does not border Macedonia and Sevres, which means that Romania can only obtainnd from Bulgaria at most.


    The views of the Greek and Serbian sides are also very unified. Romania''s expansion can only be carried out through Bulgaria.


    After obtaining Bulgariannd, Romania and Bulgaria will naturally have a considerable hatred.


    If Bulgariannd and some financialpensation can be used to bring about Romania''s demise, it is absolutely a win-win deal.


    Seeing Tyrol seriously considering it, Corizis continued to agitate: "In fact, both emotionally and rationally, your country should join the alliance against Bulgaria. After the rise of Bulgaria, it is inevitable that there will be further foreign expansion. However, Constantinople is a taboo for the powers, and they will naturally not allow Bulgaria to continue to expand.


    In addition to the direction towards Constantinople, other countries would suffer if Bulgaria wants to expand further. In this case, it is better topletely resolve the threat before the danger urs and let the Balkan Region usher in a longer peace."


    For a professional diplomat, it is a piece of cake to im that turning against each other due to uneven distribution of interests is a contribution to human peace.


    In this era of survival of the fittest, falling behind invites attack, a timeless truth that never goes out of fashion.


    If Bulgaria were a great power, the anti-Bulgarian alliance would not have been possible.


    But if the gap between Bulgaria and the Balkan nations is not toorge, Bulgaria, which has acquired the mostnd, will naturally attract hatred from neighboring countries, even if it is Romania, which did not participate in the Balkan Wars.


    As the saying goes, an innocent man may be guilty of possessing a precious treasure. Before having enough strength, vast territory, a developed economy, and rich mineral resources are all reasons for a country to be invaded.


    "Your Excellency Corizis, I have to admit, you have persuaded me. But I''m sorry, such a major matter must be reported to His Majesty the King.


    At the same time, we also need a promise that during the war between us and Bulgaria, even if Russia does not express support for the war, it cannot intervene in this war," Tyrol, obviously being moved by Corizis'' offensive, said, not forgetting his diplomatic responsibility.


    For Romania, it''s not difficult to join forces with Serbia and Greece against Bulgaria.


    But the most critical issue is to ensure that Russia will not interfere in this war, otherwise, Romania will not only offend Russia for nothing but also face the hatred and invasion of the rising Bulgaria.


    You should know that the Balkan nations almost allunched wars with the support of Russia, but Romania did not.


    Simply put, Romania has no hidden cards, which is why Tyrol is so cautious.


    As a third-rate country neighboring two great powers, Romania must be extremely cautious in every action and must also consider the choices of the two surrounding great powers.


    "You can rest assured, Your Excellency Tyrol. We can guarantee that the Russians will not interfere in this war and will not provide any help to Bulgaria. Even German-Austrian would not interfere in this war, which is purely an internal war between the Balkan states," Corizis responded decisively and without hesitation after hearing Tyrol''s request.


    In theory, the members of the Balkan League are supported by Russia and are Russia''s allies.


    However, there must always be a difference in closeness. Compared to Bulgaria, the connection between Serbia and Russia is closer, and Russia attaches great importance to its alliance with Serbia.


    How much does Russia value its alliance with Serbia? World War I broke out because neither the Austro-Hungarian Empire nor Russia was willing to give in on the issue of Serbia, which led to a full-scale war between the two military blocs.


    After the Sarajevo incident, both Austria-Hungary and Germany rashly believed that Russia, with its backward weapons and equipment, and slow war preparations, was not ready for war and would give in on the issue of Serbia.


    Unexpectedly, Russia attached great importance to its alliance with Serbia and refused to back down on the issue of Serbia.


    At that time, the situation in Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire had developed beyond the control of Emperor William II of Germany and Emperor Francis Walters. The military, industrialists, capitalists, and nationalists all called for war.


    Under such circumstances, a war that none of the European monarchs wanted to see broke out, dealing a crushing blow to European monarchism.


    The reason Corizis can confidently guarantee is that Serbia has already informed Russia that, although Russia is in a difficult position, it still chooses to stand on Serbia''s side.


    Actually, this is normal, for the rtionship between Serbia and Russia has been longsting, while Bulgaria was only a country that temporarily sided with Russia before the Balkan War.


    After receiving Corizis'' confident guarantee, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Tyrol nodded in satisfaction, asking Corizis to wait a few more days; he would seek an audience with the king tomorrow and wait for the king''s decision.


    With the current situation, it is inevitable that Romania will join the anti-Bulgarian alliance.


    The King of Romania cannot oppose it and has no reason to oppose Romania''s expansion.


    This is actually amon problem for European monarchs, as there are hardly any monarchs who canpletely suppress domestic forces and keep the domestic situation calm when war enthusiasm is high.


    As Tsar Nichs II wrote to his cousin and ally, King George V of Britain, when he announced the mobilization order for the whole country, "I do not know what will happen. The war recklessly initiated by the Austro-Hungarian Empire is likely to escte into arge-scale war involving many countries. Perhaps it is just a local war, or it may drag Europe into the abyss."

 Chapter 380: Chapter 325: The Rise of the Tourism Industry

    Even though it has been over a month since the Olympic Games ended, officials from Austrsia have been surprised to find that the number of foreign visitors traveling to all regions of Austrsia has not decreased, but has even increased over time.


    From the end of the Olympic Games at the end of July till the end of August, a period of more than a month, Austrsia''s customs have documented over 30,000 European tourists.


    This signifies that currently within Austrsia, there are several hundred thousand foreign tourists remaining.


    Even if this is to some extent due to the efforts of the Propaganda Department recently, the increasing volume of tourists unavoidably has drawn the attention of the Austrsian Government.


    Keep in mind, intercontinental travel is still a very luxurious journey for mostmon people at present.


    In the peak tourist season, the price for the most luxurious suite on a ship traveling across the Antic can even escte to several hundred pounds.


    The cost of the most ordinary single room on a cruise ship in the peak tourist season is also over fifty pounds, something thatmon people simply cannot afford.


    It is precisely such extremely exorbitant travel costs that restrict people traveling in this era.


    Aside from the European middle ss, seemingly only high-ranking officials, the nobility, and capitalists can afford the expensive ship fare required to travel to various ces around the world.


    Of course, now there is a new form of travel in addition to ships, and that is by airship.


    But for the European middle ss, an airship is still an unreachable form of transportation.


    The cost of airship tickets is still maintained at over a thousand pounds, a figure that is over twenty times the average ie of the British ¨C an exorbitantly high cost that most Europeanmoners and the middle ss can hardly imagine.


    Gauging from the per capita ie of the major European and American nations currently, the average American ie is 346 US dors (approximately 69.2 pounds, 138.4 Australian dors), whilst the same period in Britain is only 244 US dors (approximately 48.8 pounds, 97.6 Australian dors).


    In Germany it is 184 US dors (approximately 36.8 pounds, 73.6 Australian dors), in France it is 153 US dors (30.6 pounds, 61.2 Australian dors), and in Italy it is 108 US dors (approximately 21.6 pounds, 43.2 Australian dors).


    Compared to these European nations, the per capita ie in Austrsia has already surpassed Italy, but there is still a significant gap between the older European powers and the United States.


    Up to now, the average ie in Austrsia is about 49.7 Australian dors, approximately 24.85 pounds, 124.25 US dors.


    If evaluated based onprehensive power, Austrsia should be part of the minor powers, following Britain, Germany, the United States, France, Russia, Austria, and approximately of the same strength as Italy, the Ind nation.


    Of course, the mainstream view in Europe right now is to regard Austrsia as the eighth power.


    The Ind nation, having lost Britain''s support, is universally recognized as a nation with rtively strong military power after the Eight Powers.


    In reality, this is just the racism of Europeans at y. Theoretically, theprehensive power disyed by Austrsia might not surpass the Ind nation.


    But after all, Austrsia is a genuine Western country, made up entirely of Caucasian poptions. The European media and the nations would not mind paying respects and directly passing the Ind nation, recognizing Austrsia as the Eighth Power.


    Anyway, the Ind nation is tens of thousands of miles away from Europe. However displeased the Ind nation may be, Europeanspletely do not need to consider the Ind nation''s feelings.


    Precisely because the power status of Austrsia has been gradually recognized by the European nations and media, coupled with the fact that Austrsia''s promotion in the Olympic Games and global flight gained huge poprity worldwide, in recent times Austrsia has be a desirable immigration selection and tourist destination, rivaling the United States.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Furthermore, the recent screenings of films from Austrsia in Europe allowed European citizens to discover the various beautiful sceneries in Austrsia.


    Among them is the Australian Gold Coast, the famous tourist destination that is supposed to gradually be known and visited by people only after more than a decade.


    Today, of course, this coastline has apletely new name, and that is the Austrsian Gold Coast.


    The Austrsian Gold Coast (Gold Coast, Austrsia) is located on the eastern coast of Austrsia and is a holiday resort consisting of dozens of beautiful beaches spreading out over 42 kilometers.


    The reason this beach became famous is that after King Arthur took Queen Mary and William, Anna Miller to joyously y on this beach in Austrsia''s summer in December, it was reported by various major Austrsian newspapers.


    Citizens came from far and wide to experience the location visited by the royal family. This gradually turned the beach into a very popr tourist attraction.


    Capitalizing on this fame, the Royal Film Production Studio shot a promotional tourism film of Austrsia and named it Gold Coast, which then led this beach to be renowned in Europe, thousands of miles away, attracting numerous European tourists.


    A rather unfortunate point is that there are still three months until Austrsia''s winter season arrives.


    During this period, the tourists that came to Austrsia for the Olympic Games are destined not to catch a glimpse of the magnificent view of the Gold Coast.


    Austrsia''s territory almost covers the majority of Oceania, so many Europeans and Austrsians have also grown ustomed to calling Oceania as Australia.


    To assert Austrsia''s dominant position in Oceania, Arthur naturally would not deny this trend. In fact, some of Austrsia''s newspapers, when printing news from Oceania, often change ''Oceania'' to ''Austrsia''.


    This brings us to the imed range of Austrsia.


    When the French schr Brose first proposed this concept, Austrsia''s direct trantion was ''south of Asia''.


    This actually implied that all thend south of Asia could be collectively referred to as Austrsia.


    Whether in terms of geographical or political divisions, Austrsia almost perfectly epasses the majority of Oceania, except for some inds upied by major powers.


    As the only independent country in Oceania, Austrsia naturally began to be subconsciously considered synonymous with Oceania by people.


    The United Kingdom, Germany, and France, who possessed colonies in Oceania, did not respond to Austrsia''s im, which also led to multiple instances of Austrsia gradually recing Oceania in European news publications, gaining eptance among European citizens.


    This is because the per capita ie in Austrsia has been growing and is not inferior to most European countries.


    This also led many European citizens to see Austrsia as a worthwhile destination, second to only the United States.


    More importantly, Austrsia is a thoroughly Caucasian country, and its political system is easier for immigrants from European monarchies to ept.


    Moreover, Austrsia is equally distant from Europe, so there is no need to worry about potential wars in Europe. This also made Austrsia the second choice for immigration after the United States.


    Massive immigration, coupled with arge number of foreign tourists, made Sydney, a city whose poption already exceeded one million, even more crowded.


    Under the adornment of many tourists, Sydney seemed to have be on par with the prosperous cities of Europe. Furthermore, the busy roads and numerous shops in Sydney made the city appear sufficiently modern.


    One must admit that industrialization and technology have brought massive changes to humanity. Western countries, by virtue of their colonial exploitation globally, have alreadypletely led the world in industrialization and technology.


    asionally Arthur would be stunned looking at the streets of Sydney, as the city''s current state is something that the East would only have been able to achieve nearly a hundred yearster.


    Products exuding a sense of modernity, such as c, cars, bicycles, and traffic lights, were present all over Europe even before World War I.


    Sydney has even established taxipanies and profitable parking lots to satisfy the need for vehicles and parking.


    The development of the Benz Car Factory had reached an extremelyrge scale. The main factory in Austrsia alone employed more than ten thousand workers, producing over a hundred thousand cars annually.


    Nine years have passed since the initial sales of Benz cars. ording to the collective sales results of several Benz car factories, it is estimated that by 1914 total sales would officially breach 4 million units.


    As of the end of August 1912, Benz cars have sold over 3.16 million units in just over nine years, ounting for over 90% of the world''s total car market.


    Currently, the selling price of a Benz car has been reduced to 120 pounds, but the profit on each car is still more than 50 pounds.


    Taking into ount the sales revenue during the period of high car prices, these three million plus Benz cars have brought in a gross profit of nearly two hundred million pounds.


    Of course, after deducting the shares of the British and German branches, as well as taxes and other expenses in various countries, the royal financial group''s total ie is only 107 million pounds.


    The average annual ie is just over ten million pounds, but this ie is very stable, at least for the next ten years, the downward trend will not be too great.


    It should be noted that the historic Model T created a sales record of 15 million units.


    Although theunch of the Benz car was five years earlier than the Model T, the car''s price was very low from the start and it has been continuously improved.


    Arthur is confident that the Benz One will surpass the historical achievement of the Model T, creating a new car sale record for Austrsia.


    More importantly, currently in the stage of car market development, whoever can upy arger share of the car market will have more advantage in the future car upgrade process.


    At this point, the Benz Car Factory, holding nearly 90% of the world''s car market, is undoubtedly the world''s leading car giant.


    As long as this advantage can be maintained, the huge car market is enough to bring endless wealth to the Benz Car Factory and the royal financial group.


    With the Benz Car Factory alone, Arthur could even be the world''s richest king.


    If you take into ount the royal financial group, their wealth is incalcble.

 Chapter 381: Chapter 326: Nikola Tesla

    In September 1912, with Arthur''smand, the Austrsia Department of Sports was officially established and was temporarily under the management of the Department of Civil Affairs.


    This also meant that the position of Minister of Sports had a political rank simr to that of a Mayor, but it belonged to a government department under the management of the Department of Civil Affairs.


    Arthur''s intention to establish a sports department was not only to fulfill his promise to Minister Grant, who was in charge of propaganda at the time, but also to develop the sports industry in Austrsia in a more regrized manner.


    After the Sydney Olympics, many Austrsians had shown interest in sports.


    Furthermore, Arthur was very encouraging of the development of sports, and in a short period, various sports associations were born in Austrsia.


    From athletics and swimming to shooting and football, various sports associations needed a more regrized department to manage them.


    After all, the current state of sports is easily influenced by politics, and it can also greatly impact politics.


    Arthur''s first step was to establish a sports department, followed by organizing various sports events, to bring Austrsia''s sports development to the forefront of the world.


    In fact, Arthur was confident because the development of sports in other countries around the world was just beginning.


    Better-off countries, such as the powerful nations, could allocate some funds to build training venues and provide better food for athletes.


    In worse-off countries, athletes might be temporarily recruited, with varying degrees of training; some might have been selected based on curiosity alone.


    This is why the issue of whether the host country of the Olympic Games would bear the travel expenses directly determined whether each country would participate in the Olympic Games.


    If Austrsia could take advantage of this opportunity to develop its sports and even maintain its status as a sports powerhouse, not only would it create many new recreational activities for themon people of Austrsia, but the advantages of sports for Austrsia would also be very important during peacetime.


    By then, the contests held by Austrsia itself would have an increased gold content, bringing a lot of prestige and recognition to Austrsia. Meanwhile, these sports leagues would also be a considerable source of revenue.


    The enormous attention received by football and basketball leagues inter generations shows that as long as Austrsia bes a leader in these sports, it will neverck fame and fortune.


    Although basketball has been born, its influence and poprity cannotpare with football.


    At least in terms of football, the conditions for establishing international events have been met. If Austrsia could seize this opportunity and host the Austrsia Cup, it could certainly have a share in the sess of football.


    Of course, the specific nning of the sports department would naturally be left to the future Minister of Sports to do.


    Arthur only had a general framework and vision for the development of the sports department; how to achieve it would depend on the efforts of the sports department.


    After consulting with Minister Grant, he proposed a candidate for the sports department, Harry MacDowell.


    Harry MacDowell was an important figure in the Unity Party and had some achievements in sports. He wouldn''t bepletely lost in his work.


    Of course, more importantly, as a candidate from the Unity Party like Minister Grant, if Harry MacDowell could be the Minister of Sports, it would naturally strengthen the power of the Unity Party once again.


    Arthur was not surprised by Minister Grant''s rmendation, and he didn''t care.


    For Arthur, as long as the Unity Party was under his control, it didn''t matter who the Minister of Sports was.


    After Arthur nodded, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Harry MacDowell would be the new Minister of Sports.


    After the government made an official announcement, Harry MacDowell officially took office as Minister of Sports and carried out various reforms and improvements in sports for Austrsia.


    At Arthur''s suggestion, Harry MacDowell had already begun preparations for the first football event in Austrsia, the Austrsia King''s Cup.


    The first edition was expected to be held in 1914, with subsequent editions every four years. It would be the most standardized,rgest-scale, and most-watched football event in Austrsia.


    If all goes as nned, the first Austrsia King''s Cup will be held at the Austrsia National Stadium, arge sports venue with a capacity for 50,000 spectators.


    Arthur was looking forward to this new event, and the scale of the Austrsia King''s Cup would be international, making it a global football event.


    §å§à?%§Ô%-


    The specific organization and matters of the King''s Cup were left to the Department of Sports and Harry MacDowell to take care of.


    Arthur was happy to rx and just wait for the results of the sports department''s nning.


    As time went into mid-September, the number of tourists from Europe and the world not only did not decrease, but continued to increase.


    More and more tourists also posed a challenge to Austrsian public safety, causing many police officers, who were originally sent to Sydney to maintain order for the Olympic Games, to stay till now and not leave Sydney.


    Secretary of Public Security Robert must be the busiest minister in recent times. With therge number of foreign tourists, their safety and social order have be the greatest challenges for the Austrsian government.


    No one dared to make any mistakes at this moment, as it could impact Austrsia''s international reputation and immigration attractiveness.


    As is well known, Arthur attaches great importance to Austrsia''s international reputation and immigration attractiveness, which directly determines how many immigrants Austrsia can attract.


    If there were any mistakes in public security, not only domestic and international attention and ountability would be faced, but also Arthur''s anger might be provoked.


    Not only in the City of Sydney, but also in many famous tourist spots in Austrsia, the security department temporarily dispatched additional police patrols to avoid any idents.


    Taking advantage of the increase in foreign tourists, Arthur issued a task to the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to closely monitor the situation of foreign tourists, and once notable scientists, physicists, chemists, and other talents from Europe and America were found in their ranks, notify Arthur immediately and try to win them over if possible.


    It should be known that those who have the qualifications for international tourism, besides the upper-ss and capitalist figures, could include internationally renowned experts and talents.


    Any capable talent can easily obtain a well-paying job. For example, some famous European physicists and chemists, as long as they choose to work for their country, their sries would easily exceed hundreds or even thousands of pounds.


    And the ie of a well-known university professor could also exceed a thousand pounds when all the various sources are added up. Such ie canpletely afford international travel, as these people are also considered part of the upper ss of their respective countries.


    If such talentse to Austrsia, it would be a pity not to win them over.


    Arthur''s attitude towards talent is one of extreme eagerness. Without Austrsia''s consistent attention to talent and Arthur''s perseverance in attracting talent from Europe at great cost, it would have been almost impossible for Austrsia''s various technologies to achieve such significant progress.


    After receiving Arthur''s orders, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency focused mainly on investigating foreign tourists.


    Although the management of foreign tourists is not so strict in this era, it is still easy to distinguish the professional types of foreign visitors.


    The primary goal of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency is to identify those tourists who appear to be scientific workers, then investigate their identities and backgrounds to determine whether they are the people Arthur is looking for.


    After a half-month of collection and investigation, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency preliminarily identified at least 1,000 people out of several hundred thousand foreign tourists who seemed to be likely to engage in scientific research.


    After another half-month of investigation, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency finally submitted a report to Arthur.


    ording to the rough investigation by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, there are indeed a considerable number of actual scientific researchers among the tourists in Austrsia.


    About 40 of these researchers have a rtively high reputation in an individual country.


    Of these 40 people, only one is truly internationally renowned. The remaining 39 are basically only well-known in their own countries or in their respective fields.


    Although the number of these people is only 40, Arthur is not greedy at all. After all, for the talent acquisition n in Austrsia, this can be considered an unexpected surprise.


    What pleased Arthur the most was the only internationally renowned researcher, who has a well-known name: Nik Te.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, Te has no connection to the well-known carpany ofter generations, he was a man who was extremely close to divinity.


    The inventor of the extensive use of alternating currentworks in Austrsia was none other than the well-known Te.


    After learning that Te was in Austrsia, Arthur immediately ordered the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to monitor Te''s every move and investigate why he came to Austrsia and what he was doing before.


    Speaking of Nik Te, there are countless legendary stories behind him. Both the rivalry between him and Edison over direct current and alternating current, and the countless inventions and research throughout Te''s life, are enough to make him one of the most famous inventors and physicists of the 19th and 20th centuries.


    After receiving Arthur''s orders, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency immediatelyunched an investigation into Te, even contacting some intelligence personnel in the United States.

 Chapter 382: Chapter 327: Visiting

    Nik Te, a Serbian,ter became an American citizen.


    Up to now, Te is one of the world''s leading inventors, physicists, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, and one of the top talents in scientific research.


    Te, born on July 10, 1856, is now fifty-six years old but still dedicates himself to the front lines of scientific research.


    Since Te won the war between direct current and alternating current, also known as the dispute with Edison, he has been considered America''s greatest electrical engineer, highly recognized across the United States.


    Throughout Te''s decades-long research career, he owns a vast number of patents in areas such as alternating current systems, wireless radio systems, wireless energy transmission, ball lightning, turbines, amplified transmitters, particle beam weapons, sr energy engines, X-ray devices, electric energy meters, missile science, remote sensing technology, aircraft, cosmic rays, radar systems, and robots, all with significant research achievements.


    In terms of scientific research, Te''s greatness is unquestionable. His numerous patents could have brought Te vast wealth.


    Te''s inventions throughout his life are a testament to his selfless contributions to society. Although he devoted his life to continuous research and achieved about 1,000 (some say 700) patented inventions, he remained impoverished and financially strained in hister years.


    Although many entrepreneurs exploited the love and talent of this genius scientist, deceiving him of his research achievements and honors, he still devoted hister years to research and invention for the sake of human happiness.


    Of Te''s many inventions, his various alternating current devices are the most beneficial to the public. In every corner of the world, economic development, scientific progress, and enjoyment of life all rely on the assistance of alternating current. The major power outages in the United States and Europe at the end of 2003 once plunged society and the economy into a state of paralysis.


    As early as 1882, Te invented the world''s first high-frequency alternating current machine and invented multiphase current and multiphase transmission technology in 1885.


    After Edison invented direct current, electrical appliances were widely used, but at the same time, electricity costs were very high. Therefore, the business of supplying direct current became the most profitable business at that time.


    In 1885, Te left Edison''spany and met George Westinghouse, the head of Westinghouse Company, who supported him in officially introducing alternating current to society in 1888.


    At the Columbia Exposition in May 1893, Te demonstrated alternating current lighting and became the winner of the "Current Wars." After that, Te obtained the right to undertake the design of the Niagara Hydroelectric Station.


    Since then, alternating current has reced direct current as the mainstream of power supply. Te owned the patent rights to alternating current, and at that time it was mandatory to pay Te a royalty of 2.5 US dors for every horsepower of alternating current sold.


    Under the drive of strong interests, a consortium at that time threatened Te to give up this patent right and intended to monopolize the profits. After several negotiations, Te decided to give up the patent rights in alternating current, on the condition that the patent for alternating current would be permanently open.


    From then on, he tore up the patent for alternating current and lost the right to collect royalties. Since then, alternating current has no longer had a patent and has be a free invention.


    If the invention of alternating current had not been offered for free use by all humankind, then every horsepower of alternating current would have brought him a "patent fee" of 2.5 US dors, and he would have been the richest man in the world.


    Te''s peak period should have been from the 1880s, when he won the current war, to the end of the neenth century. During this time, Te was incredibly sessful in the scientific research field, gaining the trust of arge number of American financial groups.


    In 1900, with the arrival of the new century, Te started the construction n of Wodencliffe Tower with 150,000 US dors (more than half provided by the Morgan family).


    At that time, the American media called Wodencliffe Tower Te''s million-dor building, showing how glorious Te was in that era.


    However, the good times did notst long. In 1904, the US Patent Office revoked its previous judgment and awarded the patent rights for wireless radio to Guillermo Marconi.


    This forced Te to be involved in a longsting struggle over patent rights, losing the support of American financial groups during this period and once again bing an impoverished scientific researcher.


    The withdrawal of American financial groups was certainly influenced by patent rights issues, but the central problem was that Te''s current research efforts could not bring more profits to the financial groups.


    Te might have researched wireless radio before Marconi, but in order to gain the continued financial support of the financial groups, he chose to temporarily conceal the sessful development of wireless radio, using the funds of the financial groups to carry out his other research.


    Such behavior, of course, could not be epted by the American financial groups, and it was only natural for Te to be abandoned.


    Currently, several years have passed since Te was abandoned by the American financial groups.


    Although Te is still a well-known expert in the United States, his financial situation is very poor.


    ording to information from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, Te is now visiting Austrsia, likely to visit his sister Miyaka.


    Since Te has never married, his three surviving sisters, Miyaka, Angelina, and Marieka, are his only remaining rtives.


    Te''s three sisters originally lived in Serbia, but due to the previous war in Serbia and the current chaotic situation in the Balkan Penins, Te''s eldest brother-inw decided to take the entire family to the far-off Austrsia to escape the disaster.


    Actually, when Miyaka and her husband were discussing where to flee, they might have considered Te''s residence in the United States.


    §å?§à*¦Ô§Ô-


    But when Miyaka learned of Te''s poor conditions in the United States and that he had a debt of tens of thousands of dors, she decisively abandoned the idea of going to the United States.


    At present, Miyaka''s family lives in a vige on the outskirts of Sydney. Because the family has not yet decided to settle permanently in Austrsia, they naturally cannot obtainnd allocated by the Austrsian government. Currently, they are simply renting from a farmer in the vige.


    On October 3, 1912, after instructing the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to investigate all of Te''s background, Arthur set out with sufficient preparation, a team of guards, and intelligence personnel from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to head to the vige where Miyaka and Te were staying.


    In fact, although Te''s current financial situation is very poor, the old saying that "too much debt does not oppress the body" holds true. Whether it is the cost of ocean-going tickets or hotel stays, Te can bear it.


    Arthur chose this day to visit because Te would be visiting his sister, which meant that Te would be in the vige where Miaka was located.


    Arthur''s goal was simple: to win over this extraordinary man and have him work and research loyally for him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But merely trying to win over Te might fail, as he had seen much of the world and experienced the glory of his peak years, so he would not be easy to win over.


    If Te were with his sister Miaka, it would mean that Te also had a weakness that could be exploited.


    For Te, who had lived for 56 years without apanion, his three sisters were not only the only family members who were still alive but also one of the few emotional attachments he had.


    What do refugees like Miaka, who fled from the Balkans, need most? Only money and safety.


    What could make these refugees travel halfway across the world to Austrsia? Apart from avoiding wars and disasters that could threaten their lives, it would probably be poverty and hunger.


    About an hourter, Arthur finally arrived at the vige on the outskirts of Sydney.


    The so-called outskirts of Sydney were actually the outermost part of the Capital Territory, almost adjacent to New South Wales State in the north.


    Since the Capital Territory was an administrative region divided from New South Wales State, there were always some viges on the border between the two.


    Undoubtedly, the city center and harbor of Sydney were the core areas of the Capital Territory, while New South Wales State''s core region had already shifted north to Newcastle.


    This caused the development of the areas adjacent to the two state-level administrative regions to be not so smooth. It was fortunate that they were still located in the southeastern corner of the continent, the core area of Austrsia, so it was still eptable.


    For the vigers living here, apart from a small proportion who stayed in the vige for agriculturalbor, most of them had gone to work in factories or businesses in Sydney or nearby cities.


    Factory wages were several times higher than what they could earn from agriculture, which is why most of the vigers chose to work in factories.


    Because of these reasons, there were many vacant houses in these viges, which were asionally rented to immigrantsing to Austrsia.


    Some immigrants'' nationality checks could take several months or even half a year, which meant they were not yet eligible for various welfare benefits in Austrsia during this period.


    Although they could get work that provided enough food, living in the city seemed impossible.


    That was the case for Miaka and her family. Without Austrsian citizenship, they could only rent a house on the outskirts of Sydney and live in a vige.


    However, this environment was still eptable for Eastern European refugees like Miaka.


    After all, the situation in Eastern Europe might not be any better than in Austrsia. At least in terms of job opportunities and sry, the factories in Austrsia would be better.


    About half an hour before Arthur arrived at the vige, the roads around it had already been controlled by his guards.


    There were also many Security Intelligence Bureau personnel scattered throughout the vige, whose sole mission was to ensure Arthur''s safety under any circumstances.


    Times had changed, and Arthur took his personal safety very seriously.


    It should be noted that all firearms could be lethal if they hit a vital spot, proving the universal truth that in the face of firearms, everyone is equal.


    Throughout history and into the future, countless assassinations targeting national rulers and royal family members have taken ce, and Arthur would not be careless.


    In Austrsia, Arthur''s safety ranked even higher than national development.


    Currently, the peaceful coexistence of the three major immigrant groups in Austrsia was essential, and Arthur''s prestige among these three groups yed a crucial role.

 Chapter 383: Chapter 328: The Divine Attack

    In an old house in the vige, Arthur sessfully met Te and his sister Miyaka''s family.


    The few were very surprised by Arthur''s arrival, and because there was no preparation, they seemed a bit scared and uneasy.


    Even Te, who had seen the big world, couldn''t help being a little surprised, but he wasn''t very nervous.


    Apanying Te''s family was the vige chief, an elderly Englishman with white-bearded whiskers.


    After greeting Arthur and knowing the purpose of his visit, the others left with great interest, leaving Arthur enough space to win over Te.


    When everyone else had walked away, Arthur turned his gaze to the famous Te and said with a smile, "Mr. Te, I have long admired your name."


    "Your Majesty''s reputation is also very good in the United States, and I have had the honor of seeing the Dream of Austrsia." Having seen the upper echelons of American society, Te was somewhat surprised by Arthur''s arrival, but not at all flustered.


    "Your Majesty!"


    In the gap between their conversation, Miyaka''s family finally came forward cautiously and greeted Arthur respectfully.


    After all, Miyaka''s family was just the lower-ssmon people of Serbia, and the highest officials they had seen on a daily basis were only the town mayor and councilors.


    Let alone Arthur, who has already been recognized as the king of a powerful nation, even the king of Serbia, the Miyaka family had no right to see him in person.


    Now that Miyaka''s family suddenly saw Asher, there was no way they could not be nervous.


    "You must be Mr. Te''s sister? Wee to Austrsia, I hope you can treat this ce as your hometown, and jointly operate and maintain this peaceful and prosperousnd." Arthur nodded indifferently and said with a slight smile.


    Miyaka''s family is the breakthrough for Arthur to win over Te.


    For Te, in his twilight years, the people he missed the most were his own family.


    At present, Te''s parents had long passed away, and the closest rtives to Te were his three sisters.


    Seeing Arthur''s gentle manner of speaking, Miyaka''s family couldn''t help but rx.


    Te''s brother-inw, Miyaka''s husband Zelos Whitfield, seemed to understand something when he saw Arthur''s friendly attitude and his brother-inw''s calm demeanor.


    "Mr. Te, to be honest, Austrsia urgently needs an expert in electricity to n the electrical engineering of Austrsia. If Mr. Te is interested, you are wee to work part-time for the Austrsian Government. I can provide generous remuneration for Mr. Te, and find suitable jobs in the Royal Financial Group''s factories for Ms.


    Miyaka''s family." Arthur said straightforwardly.


    As a ruler of a nation, Arthur naturally didn''t need to beat around the bush.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that, considering Arthur''s status, Arthur could satisfy all Te''s wants, as long as they could be found in Austrsia.


    This was the enormous power granted by Arthur''s status, and also the strongest guarantee for Arthur to win over Te.


    As expected, upon hearing Arthur''s offer, a flicker of light passed through the eyes of Miyaka''s husband, Zelos Whitfield, before being well concealed.


    Although Arthur''s conditions include employment for their family, it was clear that the choice was Te''s, and they had no right to interfere.


    If they speak out of turn, they might even provoke Arthur''s disgust and let their once obtainable job slip away.


    "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but I still have apany and a job in the United States, and I don''t have much time to work part-time in Austrsia." Te said half-truthfully.


    It is indeed the case that Te has apany and work in the United States, and his spare time is not that abundant.


    However, if there was a squeeze, there would be enough time for a part-time job in Austrsia. But the question is, why would Te want to work part-time in Austrsia?


    Although Arthur''s offer was very good, without a verypelling reason, there was no need for Te to agree.


    "I know that too, Mr. Te. But the situation may not be as you said! ording to my intelligence, yourpany''s financial situation in the United States is very bad, and you have lost the support of the Morgan family.


    If nothing goes wrong, I''m afraid your debt has already reached tens of thousands of US dors, and haspletely dragged down your scientific research progress." Arthur said with a meaningful smile.


    Without enough investigation beforehand, Arthur would certainly not act recklessly.


    In fact, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency''s investigation into Te not only focused on Te''spany''s financial situation but also examined and understood Te''s coboration with all corporate financial groups.


    "Forgive my frankness, Mr. Te. A talent like you, if hindered by financial constraints, slowing down the progress of various research projects, would be a loss to the world. It is well known that the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association has an annual research budget of millions of Australian dors, and they can only increase, not decrease.


    This demonstrates how much Austrsia values talent, and I really can''t bear to see a renowned talent like you suffer setbacks in scientific research progress because of debt," Arthur directly exposed Te''s situation and said with a smile.


    "Your Majesty, although that is true, if I can regain the patent for wirelessmunication, I have the confidence to rely on my research and patents to bring my financial situation back to normal." Although Te''s financial situation had been exposed by Arthur, he still stubbornly retorted.


    Compared to Edison, Te''s talent is naturally stronger.


    However, the problem is that Edison is not only an inventor but also apetent and even excellent capitalist.


    But Te, an outstanding inventor and physicist, has a terrible ability when ites to capital operations. Coupled with the loss of patent revenues, Te''s assets are basically negative without the support of financial groups.


    And Te''s various research projects require tens of thousands of dors in funding. Although having negative assets cannot stop Te from continuing his research, it is evident that Te''s research progress has already been significantly impacted, and should the funding problem not be solved, the research progress may stagnate.


    "Mr. Te." Arthur did not mind Te''s rebuttal and looked at Te seriously, taking a sincere tone: "In my opinion, how can a great physicist be limited by funding problems? If Mr. Te is willing to trust me, I will provide you with an advanced privateboratory and at least 200,000 Australian dors in research funding per year.


    I don''t care how the funds are spent, as long as they are used for scientific research, they are allowed in my book."


    ording to the current exchange rate between the Australian dor and the US dor, 200,000 Australian dors is equivalent to 500,000 US dors. This amount of funding would be an astronomical asset for Te, who is currently struggling financially.


    More importantly, if Te agrees to work for Arthur, this 200,000 Australian dors will not only arrive on time but will be provided every year.


    Honestly, for a scientific researcher, a private, professional researchb and ample research funding are incredibly attractive.


    If you narrow the scope of scientific researchers to those like Te, whose research progress has been hindered by long-standing debt issues, then the attraction only grows exponentially.


    Just as a woman can''t refuse cosmetics, Te carefully swallowed, admitting that he was tempted by the conditions Arthur proposed. experience-MVLeMpYr


    "If Mr. Te is willing to join Austrsia, the Royal Financial Group is willing to solve all your troubles in the property field. Including yourpanies and work in the United States, all your concerns will be taken over by the Royal Financial Group. If you agree now, I can bring both your sisters to Austrsia for a family reunion.


    Of course, we will arrange all your jobs andnd within a short period. If you are willing to join Austrsian nationality, that would be even better. Austrsia wees talents like Mr.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Te and your family members to join the embrace of Austrsia." Seeing that Te no longer stubbornly argued and was even considering the matter, Arthur struck while the iron was hot and continued putting forward his conditions.


    Bringing Te''s two remaining sisters from Serbia to Austrsia would be a simple task for Arthur.


    Even if Arthur is willing, with the use of an airship, they could safely transport the whole family to Austrsia within a month.


    As for the employment of Te''s extended family, this is not a problem for Arthur.


    The expansion of the businesses under the Royal Financial Group is rapid, and job vacancies appear frequently.


    As long as Te''s family members undergo simple training, they can enter these jobs.


    For Arthur, the cost of engaging talentpared to the value of the talent itself is nothing.


    Especially for a top talent like Te, who is capable of changing a certain field of the world, what could paying a bigger price for engagement cost?


    Furthermore, the conditions for engaging Te, for Arthur, are not significant.


    "Nik, my brother, I don''t know what you are hesitating about, but His Majesty thinks highly of you, and I don''t want your talent wasted in a ce like the United States. Be firm, Nik. Do it for me, for Angelina and Mareika.


    They are not doing well in Serbia; wouldn''t it be nice for us to reunite in Austrsia?" As Arthur smiled and waited, and Te was deep in thought, Te''s sister, Miyaka, could not help but speak up.


    As Te''s elder sister, Miyaka is now in her 40s, and her son is already over twenty.


    However, to date, Miyaka''s son has not married; he did not have a decent job in Serbia and naturally could not attract any girls.


    Now that they have arrived in Austrsia and have such a great opportunity, Miyaka does not want to miss out.


    Moreover, in Miyaka''s view, the conditions proposed by Arthur are not harmful to Te: getting a higher-paying job, having his ownboratory and more research funding, reuniting with his family members, and having more respectable jobs in a more prosperous country. Isn''t this a wonderful thing no matter how you think about it?


    Arthur secretly nodded his head, quite satisfied with Miyaka''s divine intervention at this critical moment.


    However, this is human nature.


    After all, at Miyaka''s age, she is already a wife and mother. As an ordinary person, who wouldn''t want their family and children to have a better life?


    Although Arthur also took advantage of Miyaka''s ordinary person''s psychology, in fact, he did give Miyaka''s family more benefits.

 Chapter 384: Chapter 329: Expanding the Shipyard

    In Mia''s hopeful gaze, Te saw her anticipation and longing. After a slight hesitation, he finally agreed to Arthur''s request.


    Seeing that Te had finally agreed to stay and work in Austrsia, Arthur nodded in satisfaction and smiled, "Mr. Te, wee to the big family of Austrsia. The Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association has many top experts like you, I believe you should have plenty ofmon topics of interest."


    The establishment of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association was to provide a good research environment for the top physical and chemical talents lured from Europe and America.


    As of now, the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association has more than a hundred members, all of whom are well-known experts in physical chemistry in Europe and America.


    These experts are Austrsia''s top talent reserve in physical chemistry.


    The various research conducted by these people is of exceptional significance to Austrsia.


    This is why till today, the annual research funds of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association exceed 3 million Australian dors, with an average of nearly 30,000 Australian dors per person.


    30,000 Australian dors is not a small figure. ording to the exchange rate, this is equivalent to 15,000 pounds, or 75,000 US dors.


    In an era when the war had not started and the devaluation speed of various countries'' currencies was not so rapid, the value of 15,000 pounds was equivalent to two kilograms or precisely four pounds of gold.


    Of course, there is a difference in the research funds of each member of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    Talents as renowned as Albert Einstein and Te naturally enjoy a higher proportion of research funds.


    Of course, most of the time, these talents'' research funds are provided additionally by Arthur and are not included in the total research funds of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    The Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association has now established cooperation with several universities within Austrsia, and many members of the research association have be honorary professors and lecturers at these universities.


    Of course, as the president of the research association, an expert of Einstein''s level directly became the honorary dean of the Physics Department of the Austrsia National University.


    These experts from the research association, while conducting their research, asionally teach at the universities where they are attached, cultivating high-end talents for Austrsia''s future physical and chemical industry.


    Currently, Austrsia''s talent cultivation system has basically matured, and talents in all fields have the ability to self-cultivate.


    Whether it''s the ubiquitous technical schools or universities specializing in mid-to-high-end talent, they have be verymon in Austrsia.


    If ten years ago, in Austrsia, a high school education was considered valuable, then for Austrsia today, the truly valuable and highly valued talents are those students graduating from technical schools and universities.


    Te nodded in agreement to join Austrsia''s Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    The association does contain many top talents from Europe and America, and Te was also very much looking forward to joining such a top academic association.


    Finally, under the somewhat expectant eyes of Mia''s family, Arthur promised that someone would pick them up the next day and after settling them down in the city of Sydney, they would find them good-paying jobs in ces near where they live.


    Of course, it is also essential to find a ce for Te to live. Since Te has agreed to join Austrsia, he naturally cannot be put up in a cheap hotel.


    Fortunately, the scale of Sydney City is continually expanding, and vacant properties can be found everywhere.


    Settling Te and Mia''s family is no problem, and if they wish, they could move into a new house the next day.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After sessfully winning over Te, Arthur was in a good mood, and he promptly rewarded Te and Mia''s family each with 2,000 Australian dors. They were to use the money to furnish and decorate their new houses after moving in within the next two days, and to start their new lives in earnest.


    As for Te''s other two sisters still in Serbia, Arthur promised that they would bring all of them to Austrsia within two months, and they would also enjoy the benefits of Mia''s family.


    After returning to the pce, Arthur summoned Butler Kent and had him contact Chief David in Europe. David would be in charge of bringing Te''s two other sisters'' families over to Austrsia.


    The Balkan War had entered a state of peace due to the signing of a contract.


    read-first-at-MVLeMpYr


    This was good news for Te''s two sisters and their families, as Serbia in a peaceful state would allow them to easilye to Austrsia.


    Of course, even if Serbia were in a state of war, it would not be too difficult for Arthur to bring Te''s two sisters and their families to Austrsia.


    After all, Arthur and the Russia Country have a marital rtionship, and Russia Country is a supporter of the Balkan States.


    Even considering the face of Russia Country, Serbia would absolutely not deduct from two ordinarymon families.


    After meeting with Butler Kent, Arthur learned that, with the support of the royal financial group and the government, Austrsia''s shipyard was about to undergorge-scale expansion.

 Chapter 385: Chapter 329: Expanding the Shipyard_2

    Before this, there were more than tenrge-scale shipyards throughout Austrsia.


    However, apart from the Royal Shipyard in Sydney, most of the other shipyards were products of the colonial period in Australia and New Zend, with their main business being the construction of sailing ships and small fishing boats.


    Most of these shipyards could not build ships with a tonnage of more than 50 tons, just some medium and small-sized civilian vessels.


    There were only three shipyards capable of building warships in the entirety of Austrsia.


    Besides the Royal Shipyard, the remaining two military shipyards could only build shore defense gunboats and small escort ships, with a weight of no more than one thousand tons.


    This greatly limited the development of the navy in Austrsia.


    Take the current development situation of the Royal Shipyard as an example: after receiving naval orders from Russia and Chile, the Royal Shipyard has entered full-load construction status and cannot undertake any domestic orders from Austrsia for a short period of time.


    Although the construction level, skilled worker level, and scale of the Royal Shipyard are absolutely world-ss.


    But the problem is that the shipbuilding industry in Austrsia only has the Royal Shipyard as its showpiece.


    This is unhealthy for the development of the navy, and the expansion of new military shipyards is imminent.


    The Royal Shipyard is wholly owned by the royal financial group and belongs to the royal family''s private property.


    The background of the currently expanded two shipyards is a joint venture between the government and the royal family. The royal family holds forty-nine percent of the shares, and the government holds fifty-one percent.


    In the expansion n proposed by the royal financial group, the royal financial group and the government will jointly invest twenty million Australian dors to expand the Melbourne Shipyard and Oand Shipyard, allowing these two shipyards to have the ability to build at least ten-thousand-ton main ships.


    Of course, in addition to these twenty million Australian dors, the Royal Shipyard will provide some shipbuilding equipment and staff support, and in a short period of time, provide some expert technical support for the two newly expanded shipyards.


    The good news is that the shipbuilding industry of Austrsia has received strong support from Germany and the United Kingdom, and there is no shortage of skilled workers and mid-level technical experts in the industry.


    Even as long as the European War does not break out, Austrsia will be able to continuously obtain technical support from the United Kingdom, keeping its shipbuilding level at a world-ss level.


    Before the outbreak of World War I, advancing the expansion of shipyards could also receive assistance from the British, and the progress would be much faster.


    Even if sessful and based on the historical outbreak of World War I, Austrsia should currently have about two years.


    Having two shipyards capable of building ten-thousand-ton main battleships within around two years, and with the help of the British Empire, is possible.


    Of course, in theory, in the few years when World War I broke out, Austrsia also had a good development time and opportunity.


    After the end of World War I, a group of technical experts in the military industry could be introduced from the defeated European countries to strengthen the technology of military factories and shipyards.


    If construction proceeds smoothly, Austrsia should have three shipyards capable of building super dreadnoughts after World War I.


    This would be helpful to the n of crazily expanding the navy after World War I and bringing the strength of the army and navy to the level of the major powers.


    With Austrsia''s industrial level, although it may not have therge-scale industrial development like Britain, Germany, and the United States, warships can be built like dumplings.


    On October 17th, 1912, as the first batch of shipyard equipment purchased from the United Kingdom had arrived, the expansion n of the Melbourne Shipyard and Oand Shipyard, approved by the Cab Government, officially began.


    Although the expansion of the two shipyards was a joint participation between the royal family and the government, it was in fact divided into the government providing funds, while the royal family provided equipment, employees, and technology. -read-now


    The expansion n of the shipyards was rtively important, Arthur also went to inspect the Melbourne and Oand shipyards and personally attended the opening ceremonies of the two shipyards'' expansion.


    Good news is that the British are very supportive of Austrsia''s development in the shipbuilding industry, and even many shipyard-rted equipment is being sold at a lower pricepared to market rates.


    Moreover, the British Government has promised to send an expert team of over 200 people within three months to support the expansion ns of the two major shipyards in Austrsia.


    Among these 200 experts, there are not only experts in shipyard design and construction, but also experts in shipbuilding and warship design.


    For the two shipyardscking foundation, this is a greatplement. At least during the period these experts support Austrsia, the two shipyards can learn a lot and be well-prepared for their future stand-alone ventures.


    Arthur is not yet aware of the British government''s n to strongly support Austrsia in order to counterbnce the growing influence of the United States on the other side of the Antic Ocean.


    However, the strong support from the British to Austrsia is very helpful for the current development of Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Arthur was initially concerned that if Royal Shipyard were to allocate some equipment, skilled workers, and experts to Melbourne and Oand shipyards, it would undoubtedly speed up the expansion of these two shipyards, but would also affect the construction of naval orders for the Royal Shipyard.


    But now, with the help of the British, this problem naturally resolves itself.


    The speed of the arrival of British equipment and technical assistance is much faster than expected. In mid-October, the first batch of expert teams had arrived in Austrsia and went to the two major shipyards to participate in the expansion design of the shipyards.


    Most of the difficult issues regarding the expansion of the two shipyards have been resolved by the British. Arthur is happy to see the situation, delegating appropriate authority to British experts under the supervision of the government and Butler Kent.


    For the Austrsian Government, another piece of good news is that the second phase of the Leonora Industrial Base construction is about to bepleted.


    The construction of the second phase of the Leonora Industrial Base began in 1910, and it has been built for almost three years to date.


    The scale of the second phase is about three times that of the first phase.


    This has allowed the construction area of the second phase to reach more than 3,000 acres, with a construction area of up to 2,000 acres.


    In addition, there are more than 200 acres ofndscape construction and road construction, as well as improvements to the pollution problems of the industrial base.


    If all goes well, the second phase of the industrial base will have at least 200 standardized factory workshops and more than 20rge storage areas.


    This means that at least 100rge factories and several hundred small factories can be housed in the second phase of construction.


    To meet the needs of so many factory employees, the government has already transferred arge number of immigrants to West Australia State in advance, and even neighboring South Australia State has a fair number of immigrants.


    In addition, several technical schools have also formed partnerships with the industrial base.


    These technical schools can train various skilled workers for the industrial base, recruit employees from other ces, and provide further training for the technical workers in the industrial base, enabling them to have stronger technical abilities.


    ording to the construction progress of the second phase of the industrial base, if everything goes well, the second phase of construction should bepleted by November and December, and factories can start moving in and operating from next year onwards.


    If the entry of factories and the hiring of workers both go smoothly, thebined construction of both phases of Leonora Industrial Base will be thergest industrial base in Austrsia, and the most advanced, diversified, and extensive in terms of involved industries and fields.


    By then, Leonora Industrial Base can be called the Ruhr District of Austrsia.


    ording to the nning of the first and second phase of the industrial bases, at least 200,000 skilled workers and hundreds of factories can be housed within.


    This will be the industrial center of Austrsia and also the base for chemical industry, coal industry, mechanical industry, textile industry, etc.


    It seems that by the time World War I breaks out, Leonora Industrial Base should be able to employ an outturn of nearly 200,000 employees and several hundred factorypanies, and Austrsia will have made sufficient preparations for all aspects of production during the war.

 Chapter 386: Chapter 330: Exchange of Interests

    After the Balkan War, the world seemed to fall into longsting silence.


    The arms race between the two military blocs was still ongoing, and it had developed from the simplest naval armaments race to an arms race involving the army, navy, and even air force.


    If the deployment of airships and airnes by Italy during the Italo-Turkish War could be seen as a representation of the European Great Powers'' emphasis on their aerospace weapons.


    Then after the sess of Austrsia''s global airship journey, airships capable of traveling around the world had be essential weapons, no less important than armies and navies, and were highly valued by countries all over the world.


    Germany, with its Zeppelin Airship Company, achieved the first results in the airship field. Fromte September to October, Germany announced the establishment of its Air Force and ns to equip it with at least 30rge airships, 100 small airships, and dozens of various aircraft within the next five years.


    Although the number does not seem that significant, Germany was the first country to announce the establishment of an air force, mainlyposed of airships and airnes.


    After Germany announced the establishment of its air force, Britain naturally did not fall behind and soon dered the establishment of its air force as well, aiming to equip it with over 50rge airships and 100 small airships.


    Owing to the pride of being the world''s number one power, the British set their airship numbers well beyond Germany''s to ensure they would have an advantage in this new field.


    With the examples of Germany and Britain, major European powers announced the establishment of air forces within a month. Even Italy, with the smallest projected air force, nned to equip it with tenrge airships and dozens of small airships.


    It is no wonder that these countries ced so much importance on airships, as their performance has surprised and rmed many European nations.


    Previously, the longest recognized range of airships was only a few hundred kilometers. Coupled with their rtively slow speed, they did not pose a significant threat.


    But now, the performance of Austrsian global airships had increased significantly, and they could even travel around the world with a few stops.


    This also means that without air defense measures, no region in the world is safe, and even the capital cities of top powers like Britain and France are at risk of being bombed by enemies.


    Before mastering more advanced defense weapons, it is necessary to acquire arge number of airships.


    This is not only to ensure a certain level of deterrent capability against enemies but also to have countermeasures against potential unknown aerial threats.


    The degree to which European countries focus on airships can be briefly described as follows: You may not pay attention to airships, but you cannot be without them.


    Although European countries have been paying close attention to airship research and development, it is unlikely that they will possess airships capable of global travel in a short time.


    Therefore, Austrsia''s AU-3 airship has be the primary means for European countries to obtain global airships in the short term.


    Although Austrsia has previously dered that it would not sell airships to the military industry nor allow foreign airshippanies to resell them, there is never anything certain.


    All European powers believed that as long as there were enough benefits involved, not only could airships be purchased, but it would not even be that difficult to buy airship technology.


    Starting from mid-October 1912, European powers have been contacting Austrsia''s Aerospace Laboratory one by one, inquiring about the possibility of purchasing airships and airship technology.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Upon receiving their requests, Director Theodore did not dare make decisions on his own and hurried to consult Arthur at Sydney Pce.


    At this time, Arthur was enjoying leisurely days at the pce after having just visited the Melbourne and Oand shipyards.


    Upon hearing Director Theodore''s inquiry and the European Great Powers'' requests to purchase airships and airship technology, Arthur couldn''t help butugh and said, "In theory, our airships, whether for civilian or military use, possess irreceable value.


    However, if European countries are willing to spend strategically valuable technology, buying and exchanging airship technology is not impossible."


    After all, airships in the air could never have the same advantage as airnes. Even though Austrsia''s research on airships had notgged, Arthur had to admit the fact that the most advanced airships were sitting ducks in front of the most advanced airnes.


    Having been aware of this ring disparity, airships'' importance to Arthur paled inparison to that of airnes.


    If European countries wanted airships and airship technology, it was not an impossible request. The key question was, what kind of technology could those European countries offer in exchange for Austrsia''s airship technology?


    Among these European countries, Arthur was most interested in the British Empire.


    see-MVLeMpYr-for-more


    As the world''s number one superpower, the British Empire''s naval technology was highly coveted by Arthur and something he would love to include in Austrsia''s arsenal.


    Apart from that, almost all European powers had areas of strength, and their technologies were also coveted by Arthur and urgently needed to build Austrsia''s foundation.

 Chapter 387: Chapter 330: Exchange of Interests_2

    Although Arthur had not originally intended to use airships to make a fortune off the European great powers, since they hade to him themselves, he couldn''t let the opportunity slip away.


    Following Arthur''s advice, Director Theodore engaged in long negotiations with Europe, aiming to acquire advanced technology and technical experts from European great powers.


    Thanks to the emphasis ced on airships by Britain and Germany, the European great powers had no choice but to equip themselves with airships to gain air superiority and strengthen their air counterattack capabilities.


    The negotiations between the two sidessted a long time. After Germany began to equip its own airships and announced that they would hold an airship parade soon, the British couldn''t sit still, expressing their willingness to offer more technology and technical personnel in exchange for airships and airship technology.


    Firstly, on the British side, ording to Arthur''s suggestion, Director Theodore requested many ship-gun design experts, as well as warship power system design experts and so on.


    With the future development of super dreadnoughts, the caliber of the guns would increase to a staggering 15 inches, which is about 381 mm.


    Keep in mind that the dreadnoughts currently equipped by other great powers have a gun caliber of about 305 mm. read-only-on-MvLeMpYr


    Although the British currently only possess 343 mm gun technology, their sess in hastily changing the original 343 mm main gun technology to 381 mm and achieving great sess after the outbreak of World War I had demonstrated that their naval gun technology was quite sessful and worth Arthur''s attention.


    Benefiting from a good rtionship with the British, and Arthur''s assurance that he would not sell the AU-3 airship technology to the Germans, the British government happily agreed to Arthur''s request, promising to send 300 experts to Austrsia, with 100 experts in ship guns, power systems, and warship design each.


    This was a generous offer by the British government, as they promised to have the 300 experts and their families sent to Austrsia within a month and a half to reside there permanently.


    Due to the British''s generosity, Director Theodore also generously offered to sell 50 airships to Britain at a price lower than the market price, which was 70,000 pounds, and directly transfer the AU-3 airship technology to Britain.


    Arthur is estimated to make a profit of 1.5 million pounds from these 50 airships. Along with the 300 British experts, this exchange would be absolutely worthwhile for Arthur.


    As for the promise not to cooperate with Germany, even if the British hadn''t mentioned it, cooperation between Arthur and Germany would have been unlikely to happen.


    Though Germany''s airship technology wasn''t as advanced as Austrsia''s at the time, they were definitely the leading contender in the rigid airship field outside of Austrsia.


    Moreover, after receiving the AU-2 airship donated by Arthur previously, German research on rigid airships never ceased, and the Zeppelin Company received strong support.


    This time, almost all European countries contacted Austrsia to buy technology, with the exception of Germany, which only wanted to buy a few airships but didn''t mention anything about airship technology.


    If nothing unexpected happens, the Germans should soon master airships capable of global navigation. After all, global navigation is actually a journey made up of multiple long-distance flights.


    Judging by the furthest distance that the AU-3 airship can fly during its global navigation, it would only be over 8,000 kilometers from Los Angeles to London and Sydney to Hawaii.


    Following the historical trajectory, the world''s first airship capable of global navigation should have been produced by the Zeppelin Company.


    Now, with the strong support of the German government, it is not impossible for the Zeppelin Company to develop an airship capable of global navigation ahead of schedule.


    Aside from Britain and Germany, at Arthur''s suggestion, Director Theodore also reached cooperation agreements with other European great powers.


    Including France, Russia, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Italy, Austrsia gained arge number of technical experts and staff, as well as many advanced technologies from these countries.


    From ship guns, firearms, warship power systems, engine technology, medical technology, industrial equipment, industrial technology, and so on; coupled with thousands of technical experts, Arthur believed that Austrsia''s technology would make significant progress within a few years, truly reaching the status and influence of the great powers, which is not far away.


    Since cooperation has been reached with these European great powers, the manufacturing of airships by the Aerospace Laboratory can be elerated.


    After sharing technology with these countries, it is expected that the airshippanies and airship technology of these countries will advance quickly.


    Perhaps in a few years, airships like the AU-3 that can fly around the world will no longer be valuable, and the profit margins in the airship market will be significantly reduced.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, being the newest mode of transportation, airships currently have high speeds and morefortable travel experiences, along with the ''luxury'' appeal, which leads to the high prices of airships and airship tickets.


    Any airshippany possessing airships capable of global navigation would instantly make huge profits, and their stock market value would increase several times, if not ten times.


    This frenzied situation even surpassed the previous rubber market. If the Aerospace Laboratory had not been suppressing the construction speed of airships before, the airship market might have be saturated like the rubber market, eventually facing a stock crisis.

 Chapter 388: Chapter 330: Exchange of Interests_3

    If the Aerospace Laboratory begins producing airships at the current rate, it would only take about half a year to fulfill these orders from the Great Powers.


    Add in other orders from foreign private customers, and the airship market can be sustained for a few years, although the proportion upied by Austrsia''s airshippanies will only get smaller and smaller.


    After all, making quick money was Arthur''s n, he never intended to put much effort into this aspect. He was quite satisfied with the profits he gained thus far.


    Although the 30-airship order from Germany was lost, the United Kingdom ordered 50, France 30, Russia Nation 20, Austro-Hungarian Empire 15, Italy 15, and the United States 40, still bringing a total of 170 airships orders for Austrsia.


    Apart from the United Kingdom, airships from other countries were priced at the original price of 80,000 pounds.


    By this calction, these 170 airships could bring Arthur an ie of 6.3 million pounds, equivalent to 12.6 million Australian dors, which is a nice bonus.


    This sum of money, if invested in the navy, could almost build three super dreadnoughts, definitely not a small number.


    Although Arthur did not intend to invest this money in the navy, it could help a lot regardless of where it was invested. read-only-on-MvLeMpYr


    Among all the airship orders, the American People''s name appeared somewhat abruptly.


    In fact, when the European powers first contacted Austrsia, the American People were actually not aware of it.


    But Arthur thought, since he had already tricked the European People, how could the United States, a well-known nouveau riche country, be an exception?


    Therefore, under Arthur''s direction, the Aerospace Laboratory released the news that the European Great Powers were seeking to purchase airship technology, which quickly attracted the attention of the American military and the American Government.


    As early as when the Dawn Airshipnded in the United States, the generals of the American army had already realized the strategic significance of airships.


    Knowing that the European Great Powers were purchasing airship technology, how could the American military remain silent? They immediately demanded the government''s intervention to ensure that the United States was equipped with at least the same level of airships as the European powers, to protect the American sky.


    In order to persuade the United States Congress, the military''s arguments almost wore out. They repeatedly stated the strategic significance of an airship capable of global travel, able to reach any part of the United States at any time, posing a deadly threat to the American People and the American army.


    At the same time, the American military publicly dered that if the American army could not equip themselves with advanced weapons like airships, the military power of the United States would be significantly behind that of the European powers.


    Although the United States currently had no intention of participating in the European chaos, it did not mean they had no ambition for global hegemony.


    Various policy changes in the United States showed that this country had great ambitions. Naturally, the military''s rhetoric caught the government''s attention and the airship purchase n proceeded smoothly.


    Of course, at present, the United States'' technological levels were clearlygging behind those of the European powers, and Arthur did not value their technology too highly.


    Inparison, the United States'' overall industrial scale and economic level were the important guarantees for the United States to maintain its status among the powerful nations.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As for the current military technology and military level of the United States, it could be described in four words: hard to put it in words.


    Since the American People had money, Arthur naturally could not pass up this opportunity. After discussions with the American Government, they agreed to purchase 40 airships at the original price and a 20 million Australian dor price tag for the AU-3 airship technology.


    Moreover, in addition to that, Arthur and the American Government negotiated on the grounds of ack of funds for national development and organized a loan from the American Government and private sector for 500 million German marks, agreeing to repay, with interest, a total of 650 million German marks in fifteen years.


    The reason for borrowing in German currency was that Arthur specifically stated that most of the borrowed funds would be used in Germany to purchase arge number of industrial equipment and technology. Hence, it made sense to have the Americans make direct preparations for the German marks.


    Of course, since the borrowing was in German marks, the repayment would naturally also be in German marks.


    As for the interest, which amounted to 150 million marks, Arthur could totally ignore it if the European situation developed ording to its original history.

 Chapter 389: Chapter 331: Royal Science Academy

    When Arthur saw the technical experts from various European countries, a smile would asionally appear on his face.


    All the European great powersbined provided Austrsia with thousands of technical experts.


    These technical experts covered almost many fields, including military, warships, chemical industry, medical care, and even talents in physics and chemistry.


    After this transaction, Austrsia''s pool of high-level talents became more abundant, and Austrsia''s foundation grew closer to that of the European great powers.


    With so many talents, the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association alone could not manage them. After discussions with Albert Einstein, Ste, and others, the Austrsia Royal Science Academy was officially established at the end of October 1912.


    As the name suggests, the Royal Science Academy would bring together all top talents in Austrsia. No matter what field, as long as one has outstanding contributions and achievements in their area, they could join the Austrsia Royal Science Academy and be an academician.


    ording to the ranking of the Royal Science Academy, from the lowest level of first-ss academicians, to second-ss academicians, third-ss academicians, honorary deputy director, deputy director, honorary dean, and dean.


    In theory, the rank of an academician is equivalent to that of a mayor, deputy director is equivalent to the position of a governor, and dean is equivalent to the position of a cab minister.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, these are just theoretical administrative ranks. Although the academicians of the Science Academy have such administrative positions, they definitely do not have the actual power of the mayors, governors, or ministers.


    The reason why Arthur gave these experts and talents higher administrative positions was actually to enhance the status of all scientific researchers in public and make scientific researchers a goal that everyone in Austrsia would want to achieve.


    Education and talent can help a country prosper. In order to maintain Austrsia''s position as a power, and even challenge the position and strength of the top powers, the reserve of top talents in Austrsia and the emphasis of the nation, government, and all Austrsians on scientific researchers and technology are critical foundations.


    At present in Austrsia, there are about three ways to sessfully obtain a title of nobility. see-MVLeMpYr-for-more


    The first is to join the military, make significant contributions in wars rted to major national interests or even national survival, which can naturally result in obtaining a title of nobility.


    Beyond that, the second method is to join the ranks of scientific researchers. As long as they can research technology that can change a certain industry in Austrsia, or the technology they research has important strategic significance for Austrsia, they may also be awarded medals and titles.


    In addition, the third way suits all non-military and scientific researchers. As long as they make significant contributions to the royal family and the government, the title is rightfully awarded when medals are not enough forpensation and rewards.


    Other than these three ways, there is one more way to obtain a title of nobility, and that is to be born as one of Arthur''s children.


    As Arthur''s children, William and Anna Miller are bound to receive titles. However, since the two little ones are still young, Arthur has not yet nned to grant them titles.


    Among the three ways for ordinary people to obtain titles, the first one is definitely the most risky.


    After all, in this era''s military, the danger in war is definitely not low.


    Whether it''s World War I''s heavy machine guns, artillery bombings, or World War II''s tanks and airnes, all are powerful weapons that can easily harvest soldiers'' lives.


    In order to obtain a title through military merits, besides having extraordinary abilities, one also needs strong luck, not only to avoid artillery and machine gun fire on the battlefield but also to avoid stray bullets that asionally fly past in war.


    The remaining two methods both have greater difficulties, but bing a scientific researcher has a slightly lower difficulty.


    Of course, this does not mean that researching a technology that can change Austrsia is simple.


    The real reason is that ordinary people in Austrsia usually have limited ess to Arthur; they want to make significant contributions to the royal family and the government but have no channels or ways to do so.


    Inparison, as long as they sessfully graduate from a university and be a scientific researcher, they can enter the scientific research and development of rted industries.


    As long as their abilities are sufficient, it may not be impossible to research powerful technology.


    In addition to the deserved status, all members of the Royal Science Academy also enjoy generous benefits and treatment.


    In theory, members of the Royal Science Academy can hold part-time jobs in various universities and have their own independent research projects.


    Moreover, their sries in the Royal Science Academy are high. After the expansion of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association into the Royal Science Academy, the academicians'' sries were also increased.


    For the basic sry alone, a first-ss academician earns 1,200 Australian dors, a second-ss academician 1,800 Australian dors, a third-ss academician 2,800 Australian dors, an honorary deputy dean 3,800 Australian dors, a deputy dean 4,000 Australian dors, an honorary dean 5,500 Australian dors, and a dean 6,000 Australian dors.


    Judging from the basic ie of scientific researchers, the ie of academicians of the Austrsia Royal Science Academy is not much different from that of experts in European countries.


    Considering the ie from various research and part-time jobs, the academicians of the Austrsia Royal Science Academy might not have a lower ie than famous European experts.

 Chapter 390: Chapter 331: Royal Science Academy_2

    Of the 1607 technical personnel sent by Europe, more than a hundred are research talents engaged in various scientific research work.


    These talents are spread across fields such as physics, chemistry, medical care, and technology, and they are all talents that Arthur and Austrsia urgently need.


    Unsurprisingly, Arthur included more than a hundred of these talents into the Royal Science Academy, which brought the size of the academy to over two hundred people, precisely 221.


    Among them, there are 155 first-level academicians, 58 second-level academicians, 6 third-level academicians, 1 vice president, and 1 president.


    Naturally, the presidency of the Royal Science Academy was held by the former president of the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association, Albert Einstein, and Te became the vice president of the Royal Science Academy.


    The main reason is that, among the 221 talents in the Royal Science Academy, Arthur was more familiar with and had the highest reputation with Einstein and Te.


    Others also have some reputation, butpared to Einstein and Te, they are currently inferior by arge margin.


    Of course, there are still many promotion channels in the Royal Science Academy. In addition to producing universally acknowledged research results, contributions to the Association and the royal family and the profits brought by the research results can all help the academicians advance their rankings.


    However, after the Royal Austrsian Physical and Chemical Research Association was upgraded to the Royal Science Academy, the number of people doubled, which also means that the research funding for the Royal Science Academy will increase significantly every year.


    Theoretically speaking, although the number of people doubled, most of them are first-level members, so the research funding for each person can still be calcted ording to the previous 30,000 AUD of the Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    By this calction, the annual research funding for the Royal Science Academy is about 6 million to 7 million AUD, which is a significant expenditure.


    Arthur''s royal financial group can afford this expense, but they cannot let these technical experts have ess to this research budget without restrictions.


    To deal with the skyrocketing research budget of the Royal Science Academy, Arthur decided to implement a policy in the Royal Science Academy after consulting with Einstein and Te.


    First of all, the research budget of the members of the Royal Science Academy is divided ording to the current academician level.


    ording to the level of academicians, first-level academicians can apply for up to 10,000 AUD per year, second-level academicians can apply for 20,000 AUD, third-level academicians can apply for 30,000 AUD, and honorary vice-presidents and vice presidents can apply for 50,000 AUD.


    For the highest-ranked honorary president and vice president, they can apply for up to 100,000 AUD in research funding.


    Of course, academicians can also apply for research funding ording to the research project. ording to the estimated time required for each research project, they can apply for research funding from one month to two years.


    This also means that first-level academicians can apply for up to 20,000 AUD in research funding based on the project.


    Although in theory, academicians'' research funding applications will generally not be refused, if the research fails in the previous year or project, the next year or project''s research funding will be reduced by half until the project is sessful.


    This can ensure that the research funding of the Royal Science Academy is put to good use, and technical experts who are not sure about their research projects should also consider whether their reckless actions might lead to a reduction in their research funding for the next year or project.


    Arthur is not afraid of these experts spending money, but he does not want them to becent and even affect the progress of scientific research because it is too easy to obtain research budgets.


    Although research budgets will be reduced to some extent, for those who are truly capable, such as talents like Einstein and Te, research budgets will not be affected.


    The most affected are the first-level academicians, who make up the majority of the Science Academy ande from ordinary European research experts.


    However, even for the most ordinary first-level academicians, the annual research budget of 10,000 AUD is equivalent to 5,000 pounds and 25,000 US dors, which is not a small amount.


    However, Arthur''s family business isrge, so in Arthur''s view, this 10,000 Australian dors is not much.


    In the whole of Austrsia, the number of people earning more than 10,000 Australian dors a year definitely does not exceed a thousand people.


    Even if the royal family is not taken into ount, it can be estimated that the number of people earning more than 10,000 Australian dors a year, in addition to the highest echelons of government officials, is limited to only Austrsia''s top capitalists.


    Unfortunately, in Austrsia, whether it is high-level officials or top capitalists, their numbers are very small, and certainly no more than two hundred.


    Byparison, the fact that a First-ss Fellow can receive a research budget of 10,000 Australian dors annually is not a small amount.


    The money they spend each year is a huge sum that ordinary Austrsian families would take fifty years to earn back.


    If you consider the expenses of a family for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and other expenses, this 10,000 Australian dors might take a family a hundred years to earn back.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, although it reduced the research budget of ordinary researchers to some extent, for middle and upper-level researchers, this reduced budget is actually not important.


    After all, the projects that these fellows undertake independently are mostly small ones, and the expenses of these projects theoretically are not toorge, so it is not a problem to save 10,000 Australian dors.


    Arthur also established special funds forrge-scale projects, which involve dozens of fellows.


    Theoretically, a Second-ss Fellow can apply to jointly research a medium-sized project with other First and Second-ss Fellows.


    The research budget for medium-sized projects is generally around 50,000 Australian dors, which can be increased appropriately in special circumstances.


    Starting with Third-ss Fellows, they can apply to jointly researchrge-scale projects with other Fellows.


    Large-scale projects led by Third-ss Fellows can apply for up to 100,000 Australian dors in research funds. Those led by vice-deans can apply for up to 200,000 Australian dors, and those led by Deans can apply for up to 500,000 Australian dors.


    Of course, these research funds are theoretical values. The actual situation varies and may be increased to a certain extent from the theoretical research funds, but it will not double at most.


    Other than these, after thepletion of sessful projects, Fellows will also receive varying rewards based on the Royal Science Academy''s assessment level of the project.


    If it''s an ordinary project, the reward will generally range from 1,000 to several thousand Australian dors. If the project is important to Austrsia, the reward will usually be between 10,000 and 30,000 Australian dors.


    As for those projects with an extremely important strategic value that can change a particr industry in Austrsia, there is no theoretical valuation for such project rewards, and it depends on Arthur''s mood at the time.


    However, no matter what, once such an important project is sessfully researched, the reward will definitely not be less than other projects, and even medals and titles of nobility are possible.


    These various reward policies make Fellows of the Royal Science Academy earn much higher sries than their basic sry.


    This is also the gift Arthur has prepared for the researchers. As long as they work for Austrsia, they are important talents in Arthur''s heart and deserve special rewards.


    Of course, in addition to all kinds of funds and policies mentioned above, all Fellows of the Royal Science Academy will receive a vi near the Royal Science Academy and a Benz One produced by the Benz Automobile Factory.


    If Fellows don''t know how to drive, the Car Factory''s employees can provide personal training to them or they can request the Royal Science Academy to hire a driver for them.


    After all, a driver''s sry is only about 50 Australian dors. For the Royal Science Academy, allowing a Fellow to travel quickly between their residence and the Royal Science Academy and get more involved in their work is far more important than the few dozen Australian dors.

 Chapter 391: Chapter 332: The Research and Development of Weapons

    As time entered November of 1912, the Austrsian Royal Physics and Chemistry Research Association was basically reorganized into the Royal Science Academy.


    Former members of the Research Association transformed into Fellows of the Austrsian Royal Science Academy.


    For these researchers, the change in their status was a good thing. After all, although the Royal Physics and Chemistry Research Association was valued by Arthur, their status as members was not so high.


    Now, after bing members of the Royal Science Academy, at the very least, they have a position simr to that of an urban city mayor, and they are considered middle-upper ss in Austrsia.


    As long as they can sessfully reach the level of a second-tier Fellow by breaking through the barrier between a first and second-tier Fellow, these researchers will truly enter the upper ss of Austrsian society, having an extraordinary status.


    Since the Royal Science Academy has been established, it is time to begin its major research projects.


    Arthur attended the first plenary session of the Royal Science Academy, emphasizing several research directions for the academy.


    First and foremost is wirelessmunication technology, already mastered by Te. It is an essential technology for both civil and military fields.


    Wirelessmunication technology will be one of the main research directions of the Royal Science Academy, with telegrams being the primary focus of Te and the Academy.


    Apart from wirelessmunication technology, Te must also strengthen the research on alternating current technology. Various power generation equipment and electricity transportation devices need new improvements.


    Besides serving as the vice-president of the Royal Science Academy, Te was appointed by Arthur as the chief designer of Austrsian national power engineering, responsible for the development of Austrsian power engineering projects.


    As the top electrical engineer in the United States, Te is, of course, the most suitable candidate for the position of chief designer of power engineering.


    It is worth mentioning that electricity has be one of the mostmonly used energy sources in Austrsia.


    Inrge cities like Sydney and Melbourne, electric streetlights can be seen everywhere. Electric lights have also entered thousands of households, bing one of the main lighting methods for urban residents.


    In addition, electricity and electric equipment are being widely used in the industrial sector.


    Although Austrsia has separated from the British Empire, the most obvious difference between the two at present is the innovation of industrial technology equipment used.


    Many old factories in Britain still use old-fashioned equipment with steam power as the main source of energy. However, in Austrsia, many new factories have adopted electricity as their primary energy source, with only a small portion having to rely on steam and coal power.


    Due to the early birth of air conditioning, some factories in Austrsia even have air conditioning units powered by electricity operating in indoor workshops with higher temperatures.


    The main research directions determined at this conference are all projects rted to the vital interests of Austrsia.


    Of course, in addition to these projects, fellows of the Royal Science Academy can also choose their research projects and apply for their research funds at the Academy.


    Besides the Royal Science Academy, Arthur also had high expectations for the technical experts of military factories and shipyards.


    With the supplement of European talent, the Royal Military Factory and the Royal Shipyard are no longer short of personnel, and they now have enough manpower to conduct research on new weapons.


    After the conclusion of the Royal Science Academy''s meeting, Arthur summoned Browning, who had already been working for some time, to discuss the current research direction of the Royal Military Factory.


    Browning''s experience in the field of small arms was definitely among the top talents of this era.


    Handguns, light machine guns, heavy machine guns, submachine guns, and automatic rifles - there are almost no weapons that Browning cannot design and improve.


    Considering Austrsia''s current arsenal, Arthur asked Browning to improve the country''s handguns and submachine guns, and try to develop a lighter machine gun.


    Currently, the only handgun in Austrsia is the AS-1898, which has been in development for more than ten years and is clearly behind the times.


    Browning''s achievements in handgun design are undeniable, and he is the most suitable candidate among the military factory experts to improve this weapon.


    As for submachine guns, although Austrsia currently has the Cassadine submachine gun, its design was based on Arthur''s proposal and can only be considered a submachine gun that barely meets his requirements.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If Browning can improve the Cassadine submachine gun, increasing its rate of fire and power, it would also be beneficial for the Austrsian Army.


    After all, there are quite a few troops equipped with the Cassadine submachine gun now, including Arthur''s personal guards, and the pce guards, all equipped with this submachine gun.


    As for heavy machine guns, there is not much need for improvement. At present, Austrsia has the MA-107 Maxim heavy machine gun, an advanced weapon improved from the MA-99 Maxim heavy machine gun, which is already a world-ss heavy machine gun.


    However, Austrsia has made no progress in the field of light machine guns.


    Although heavy machine guns are good, they not only require several people to operate but also pose a significant challenge in transportation.


    If there is a lighter machine gun with not much less firepower topensate for the shorings of heavy machine guns, it can not only increase the firepower diversity of the Austrsian army but also ensure that the troops can carry sufficient firepower weapons during long marches.


    Now with the technology of European countries, the need for improvement in Austrsia''s artillery technology is not that great.


    From the 37mm machine gun to the 283mm Krupp Giant Cannon, the Royal Military Factory in Austrsia can now produce these, and the technology is reliable.


    Of course, although the 283mm cannon looks very exaggerated, the weapons with the most significant equipment in the Austrsian army are actually the gun series that mainly includes the CA-1 37mm machine gun, M1897 75mm cannon, GA1902 75mm Rapid Fire Cannon, Krupp 105mm Howitzer, Krupp 155mm Howitzer, and GA1906 105mm Semi-automatic Cannon.


    The M1897 cannon is the famous French Lady, and the GA1902 cannon is a more powerful weapon obtained by Austrsia and Germany after improving the French Lady.


    The French Lady can achieve a firing rate of 15 rounds per minute, while the GA1902 cannon has a firing rate of 20 rounds per minute.


    At present, the Austrsian army has fully reced the French Lady with the GA1902 cannon, gradually abandoning the previously trusted French Lady.


    As for the GA series, the GA1906 105mm rapid-fire cannon is still a cooperative product of Austrsia and Germany.


    Using the principle of the French Lady, this gun can also achieve a firing rate of 12 rounds per minute.


    Combined with its 105mm caliber''s huge lethality, it makes 37mm, 75mm, and 105mm rapid-fire cannons the most equipped heavy weapons in the Austrsian army.


    Fast-firing semi-automatic cannons and machine guns are used to cause mass casualties, while giant cannons with calibers reaching 155mm and 283mm are used to bomb and inflict devastating attacks on enemies'' strongholds.


    This has made the firepower of the Austrsian army theoretically perfect in its various calibers. In terms of firepower, the Austrsian army is not inferior to any country.


    Also, with various machine guns, submachine guns, and advanced rifles on board, this is why Arthur firmly believes that the Austrsian Army''sbat strength ranks among the world''s top forces.


    More importantly, apart from these very powerful firepower weapons, the Austrsian army does not skimp on ammunition and shells during training.


    find-more-stories-on-MVLeMpYr


    With extensive trainingbined with advanced equipment, how could thebat strength of the army not be strong?


    Speaking of artillery, experts from the Royal Military Factory have also received tasks and requirements from Arthur.


    At present, thergest caliber gun equipped by the Austrsian Army is the 283mm Giant Cannon of the Krupp Factory.


    However, in terms of naval guns, above the 283mm cannons, the Royal Military Factory and Shipyard also control 305mm and 343mm ship guns.


    These two calibers correspond to the artillery calibers of dreadnoughts and super-dreadnought ships, guaranteeing and sourcing the powerful firepower of current military ships.


    The Austrsian 305mm cannon technologyes from Germany, while the 343mm cannon technologyes from the British Empire.


    After obtaining artillery experts from countries such as the British Empire, France, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Arthur naturally would not be satisfied with the current cannon calibers.


    It should be noted that, during World War I, the British Queen Elizabeth-ss battleship used 15-inch caliber cannons.


    At 15 inches, which is about 381mm, the gun caliber would far exceed other countries'' naval gun calibers, giving the British navy a unique advantage in terms of firepower.


    Indeed, in response to pressure from the German navalpetition and to consolidate the British warship''s superior position in firepower, Navy Secretary Churchill of Britain strongly advocated installingrger caliber guns on the new warships, that is, recing the original 13.5-inch caliber guns with 15-inch caliber guns on the Queen Elizabeth-ss battleships.


    Inter history, British experts were rushing to research 15-inch main guns, ultimately equipping the Queen Elizabeth-ss battleships in January 1915 and putting them into the war.


    Although the British were pressed for time in researching the 15-inch main gun, the good performance and huge firepower of the 15-inch main gun they researched resulted in the building of the Queen Elizabeth-ss battleships, demonstrating goodbat power in the war.

 Chapter 392: Chapter 333: Food Storage and Immigrants

    The British managed toplete the design of 15-inch caliber main guns between 1912 and 1915, and to equip them on the Queen Elizabeth-ss battleships.


    Arthur believed that Austrsia, which had integrated British and German artillery technology, could also achieve such a feat.


    Even if it could not be done in just over two years, it should not be difficult for the technical experts in Austrsia to master 15-inch caliber main guns within the World War I cycle.


    Austrsia is currently at the forefront of the world in terms of dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts, even one of the strongest countries.


    Such an advantage must be maintained, and efforts should be made to continue to enhance this advantage.


    With a cab meeting in November, the Austrsian government has now determined a new task: to prepare in advance for a possible European war.


    Not only must they stockpilerge quantities of strategic supplies, food, medical care, materials, military weapons and equipment, and various rare mineral resources, but they all fall within the scope of the Austrsian government''s preparations.


    As timees to the end of 1912, Arthur is well aware that there is not much time left for Austrsia to prepare.


    Perhaps thest half of the golden time for Austrsia to attract immigrants is all that remains.


    If the war continues to break out in 1914 as it did in history, then immigration to Austrsia may not be as smooth from the beginning of 1913.


    After all, if these immigrants stayed in their homnd, they could serve as excellent sources of soldiers during the war, or be put into civilian economic production.


    With the outbreak of war and the conscription of arge number of military soldiers, civilian production will inevitably be dyed. At that time, arge poption is needed to make up for the stagnation of production caused by the withdrawal of the young and strong.


    "Prime Minister Kent, from now on, expand our food production scale as much as possible. And, apart from some necessary food exports, reduce the scale of food exports as much as possible and increase the reserves of food." In the Cab meeting, Arthur looked at Prime Minister Kent with a serious face and instructed.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Prime Minister Kent also nodded solemnly.


    "If necessary, the propaganda department of the Foreign Affairs Department can cooperate in action, spreading news of future food shortages and price increases among the public, so that the people will spontaneously store food. If the European war breaks out, the food in our hands can not only bring us a lot of profits but also bring us more benefits.


    It''s also good for the people to store food." Arthur said with a smile.


    The government''s storage of food is to sell it abroad during the European War to obtainrge profits and benefits.


    Encouraging the public to store food is to avoid the phenomenon that they have to buy expensive food due to a shortage of food when food prices rise in the future.


    After all, when food prices rise in the future, Arthur ns to take advantage of Europeans, not to make his own citizens fall into the trap.


    Anyway, the current prices of grain and meat in Austrsia are not expensive, so it is not a big burden for the people to store some food appropriately.


    Hearing Arthur''s instructions, Foreign Secretary Daize nodded to show understanding.


    The Austrsian newspapers are under the control of the propaganda department, and the propaganda department is directly under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


    Foreign Secretary Daize naturally understands the importance of this matter and attaches great importance to Arthur''s instructions.


    Thanks to the control of the royal family over public opinion in Austrsia, the two newspapers of the royal family, the Austrsia Daily and the Victoria Newspaper, have high credibility.


    In addition to these tworge-scale newspapers covering most states, some native local small newspapers and state-owned newspapers established by the government also have good credibility in Austrsia.


    After all, public opinion in Austrsia is basically under the control of the royal family and is supervised by the propaganda department.


    Under such circumstances, other small and medium-sized newspapers cannot possibly print fabricated news, otherwise, they may face ountability from the propaganda department.


    This has also led to the fact that as long as therge-scale newspapers in Austrsia print news, the people of Austrsia will choose to believe it the first time.


    Especially the two newspapers of the royal family, the news in these two newspapers basically represents the truth in Austrsia.


    If someone says that the news published in these two newspapers is false, those around them will probably sneer and then say, "Get lost!"


    More importantly, newspapers of all sizes bear legal responsibility for the news they print.


    If someone dares to print false news, especially false news about the government and the royal family, not only will the newspaper be closed down, but all relevant personnel will face imprisonment.


    Under such circumstances, as long as the brain of a newspaper is normal, it will basically not look at the printing of forged messages.


    This has greatly strengthened Arthur''s control over public opinion; as long as the royal family''s two newspapers speak, any other newspaper or media has no right to refute.


    The day after the Cab meeting, several media outlets, including the Victoria Newspaper and the Austrsia Daily, began to print news about the possible decline in global food production due to disasters such as droughts and floods in various ces.


    The Austrsia Daily also made a visionary prediction that global food may experience significant fluctuations within a few years, encouraging Austrsians to stock up in advance to cope with the potential food crisis.


    Seemingly in response to these news reports, the Austrsian Government announced the following day that it would significantly reduce food exports to foreign countries, except for some cooperation with the United Kingdom and Germany, and increase the scale of domestic grain reserves.


    Since the government is hoarding grain, could this news be fake?


    In anticipation of this, the people of Austrsia began to enter into the hoarding phase in response to the call of major newspapers and media outlets.


    Of course, the call for the public to begin hoarding grain is to protect them from future food price hikes.


    As a result, the government will impose certain limits on the scale of grain hoarding by the public.


    Theoretically, each household is only allowed to purchase 500 catties of grain to avoid the crisis of insufficient grain reserves due torge-scale hoarding by the public.


    The government reassured the public that it would increase its grain reserves and not let the people of Austrsia suffer from ack of food, which then persuaded the public to ept the 500-catty limit on grain purchases.


    In addition to increasing strategic food reserves, attracting poption was another key topic discussed at this Cab meeting.


    Everyone knows that during a war, the major powers will not allow arge number of people to emigrate abroad.


    Not only will this weaken the nation''s control over certain areas, but it will also undermine the nation''s potential before the outbreak of war.


    Furthermore, many people are afraid of death, and their numbers are by no means small. If there were no restrictions on these people during a war, there would likely be an outward dispersion of millions of people in a short time after the outbreak of the war.


    These people, with diverse upations and even important positions, would be lost if their departure is no longer restrained and would show disrespect for the impending war.


    Therefore, now that war has not yet broken out or perhaps before it ends, this may be thest chance for immigration to Austrsia.


    In order to attract more immigrants before the war, Arthur issued an order for the Department of Civil Affairs to cooperate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, with the support of the Cab Government, extensively attract immigrants from major European countries.


    This time, Austrsia''s immigration incentives have be more generous, with conditions improving almost 30%pared to previous immigration offers.


    In addition, the Austrsian Government will reimburse boat tickets for anyone willing to immigrate to Austrsia and provide housing and food to new immigrants before they officially obtain citizenship.


    Such an immigration policy will inevitably attract more immigrants to Austrsia.


    In this era, there are still arge number of European people who want to emigrate abroad.


    Especially with the European war seemingly drawing closer, many peace-loving people who do not want to see a war already have ns to emigrate to a peaceful country.


    Countries like the United States and Austrsia, which are far from the conflicts in Europe, have unique geographical advantages and even have significant industrial and economic scales and the status of major powers, are naturally the top choices for those who want to emigrate.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At present, the priority of European countries for emigration is: The United States and Austrsia for the first tier, European colonies for the second tier, South American countries for the third tier, and Asian countries for the fourth tier.


    Although immigration to Austrsia has already set a new record this year, who would think there are too many people?


    Arthur even set a target of attracting at least 200,000 immigrants in the final two months of 1912.


    The change in immigration policy has taken Austrsia''s immigration appeal to a new level.


    But at the same time, the cost of immigration is also constantly increasing. In order to attract more immigrants, Arthur has also lifted restrictions on the source of immigrants.


    As long as they are European countries and white people, they will rx immigration restrictions and encourage all European white people to emigrate to Austrsia.


    In order toplete Arthur''s mission, the Austrsian Government has made great efforts.


    If immigrants are allowed to buy their boat tickets, this would be a huge expense. Therefore, the government has specifically leased more than tenrge cruise ships from Europe to be responsible for safely transporting immigrants to Austrsia. This-is-a-NovelBin-special


    At the same time, not only will Austrsia cover the cost of immigrant boat tickets, but it will also provide free food to immigrants during their journeys, attracting even more immigrants.


    Additionally, the government has decided to use warships to escort the cruise ships to ensure the safety of the ships and immigrants and to demonstrate Austrsia''s naval power, telling all European immigrants that Austrsia has the ability to protect all its citizens.

 Chapter 393: Chapter 334: 1913

    By the end of 1912, life was rtively peaceful, and Arthur experienced a calm November and December.


    On Christmas Day in December, as was customary, Arthur gave a speech in Sydney Square, encouraging Austrsians to make their own contributions to their country''s development and sincerely unite to protect all theirpatriots.


    Of course, besides these more peaceful words, Arthur''s speech also touched on military matters, such as the n to expand the navy and army once again in theing years.


    That night on Christmas Eve, newspapers printed Arthur''s speech and circted it nationwide throughout Austrsia.


    In these newspapers, Arthur''s speech took up nearly thergest space, with other news being reduced to the smallest font, printed on the side and back of some sections of the paper.


    The slogan "National strength lies in education and a powerful military" apanied Arthur''s Christmas speech and spread throughout the streets and alleys throughout Austrsia.


    It was said that after Arthur''s speech, many families chose to encourage their children to strive towards the path of scientific research.


    Bing an outstanding researcher became the most glorious thing for many Austrsian families.


    Of course, Arthur''s statement that the army and navy would be expanded in the next few years attracted the attention of many Austrsians.


    Austrsian soldiers'' sries were the highest in the country, and the welfare benefits during peacetime were also very generous.


    Many people had already started exercising in advance to improve their physical fitness as much as possible before the next recruitment so that they could be selected by the Austrsian recruitment office.


    Of course, the other major condition for recruitment, the political background check, cannot be changed.


    This also saddened those who did not meet the requirements and had to shift their struggle goals to scientific research or other directions.


    On major holidays like Christmas, the royal family usually gives small gifts to the public.


    This year''s gift was a pound of beef and mutton and a liter of milk, which theoretically all Austrsians could receive.


    Of course, immigrants who had not yet obtained Austrsian citizenship were also included, and they could receive theirs from the country''s municipalities, cities, and governments at various levels from Christmas to National Day, whichsted for half a month.


    story-source-NovelBin


    Although each person only received a pound of meat and a liter of milk, the number of people in Austrsia was not small, and the total expenditure on these gifts would be more than 5,000 tons of cattle and sheep meat and 5,000 tons of milk.


    As Austrsia is vast, the time for the public to receive these supplies has also been extended till the end of the National Day holiday.


    From Christmas Day in December to the end of the National Day holiday on January 17th, the public had half a month to collect their supplies.


    Those who failed to collect their supplies on time were deemed to have voluntarily given up collecting them, and there would be nopensation after the deadline passed.


    However, this should not be seen among the Austrsianmoners. Formoners, a pound of meat and a liter of milk might not be much, but who would be willing to give up free stuff?


    Arthur and his family had a pleasant Christmas at the pce and prepared a gift for William and Anna Miller.


    William''s gift was a specially made AS-1898 semi-automatic pistol model.


    Since it was a model, it had no killing power and there was no need to worry about William''s or anyone else''s safety around him.


    By giving such a gift to William, Arthur showed his intention to cultivate his eldest son and heir''s interest in military weapons from a young age, enabling him to take control of the army morefortably in the future.


    For Arthur, his sessor must have exceptional abilities to inherit the current Austrsian system.


    Arthur, as the founding monarch of Austrsia, was naturally unquestionable in terms of the respect and prestige he held among the people.


    The absolute authority of the monarchy during Arthur''s reign in Austrsia was something that future monarchs could not match.


    Such a high level of authority had its advantages and disadvantages, and the requirements for the ability of the national monarch were also very strict.


    As Arthur''s heir, William needed to have abilities in both literary and martial arts to lead Austrsia to greater heights.


    It is worth mentioning that because William and Anna Miller had already reached the age of three, they began to receive basic noble education in the second half of the year.


    This left the two little ones with little leisure time. Besides noble etiquette, most of their time was focused on extracurricr education.


    Of course, it was not so bad for Anna Miller, as the country''s only princess, all she needed was basic noble education and simple preschool education.


    However, it was different for William. William''s long academic journey had already begun, and although he was only three years old, he already had several personal teachers who were imparting some wisdom to him.


    In addition to various knowledge, traditional noble equestrian and shooting skills were also part of what William needed to learn.


    Of course, to avoid overtraining and to give William enough rest, he was allowed two days off a week.


    Anna Miller''s gift was an exquisite princess crown.


    The crown was specially crafted by a jeweler for Arthur and contained gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, pearls, and other precious gems, making it a very intricate and beautiful piece.


    The cost of these materials alone totaled more than 100,000 Australian dors. If thebor and potential value were also considered, the value of this princess crown would likely be several hundred thousand Australian dors.


    As for William''s pistol model, the cost would not exceed 100 Australian dors. The price difference between the two gifts was thousands of times, which also showed Arthur''s different attitudes towards grooming William and Anna Miller.


    For Arthur, Anna was not the first heir, and being a girl, she naturally needed to be pampered.


    As for William, being the first heir to the country, he bore more responsibility than anyone else, and therefore required a more rigorous upbringing.


    Arthur had even nned that after William graduated from high school andpleted all his education, he would send him to a military academy for training, and even to serve in the military. Only by knowing everything about the military could he better control it.


    This meant that William was destined to have a hard time in the next twenty or so years.


    His academic achievements and capacity building were constantly supervised by Arthur, and his public image and life were also monitored by the House of Representatives and the people.


    With Arthur as a shining example, to better control the country, William had to do even better and win the trust of the Austrsian people.


    Within a few days after Christmas, it was thest day of 1912.


    As the New Year''s Day of 1913 would be the day after, the annual summary report conference of 1912 would be held on thest day of 1912 as usual.


    It was the familiar conference room of Sydney Pce. The annual report conference was held here.


    For Arthur, there was quite some good news this year.


    First of all, the poption of Austrsia this year reached 12.116 million, with a total poption of 9.727 million in the Australian region, 2.237 million in the New Zend region, 90,000 in New Guinea, 42,000 in Australian Timor, and 20,000 in the Royal Territory.


    ording to the current poption growth rate, the Australian region''s poption should break through 10 million by the time of the next annual summary report conference.


    The 12.11 million people of Austrsia can rank among the top 20 in the world, precisely around ten or so.


    Butpared with the powerful nations, there is still a big gap. The poption of powerful countries can be tens or hundreds of millions, which is the foundation and strength of those countries.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ording to the strength revealed by the countries around the world at present, the ranking of the poptions of the top eight countries in the world now is:


    First ce, Russia Nation 165 million people (affected by immigration).


    Second ce, United States 94.31 million people (decreased immigration).


    Third ce, Germany 65.41 million people (affected by immigration).


    Fourth ce, Austro-Hungarian Empire 52 million people.


    Fifth ce, Ind Nation 51.3 million people.


    Sixth ce, United Kingdom 44.1 million people (affected by immigration).


    Seventh ce, France 39.7 million people.


    Eighth ce, Italy 35 million people.


    From this ranking, it can be seen that apart from Austrsia, all the other recognized powers in Europe are among the top eight countries in terms of poption.


    The only powerful non-power country among the top eight in poption is Ind Nation, which is now simr to Austrsia in terms ofprehensive strength.


    This shows how important poption is for the development of a country.


    To be a regional powerhouse, one must have tens of millions of people. To be a regional hegemon or a powerful country, one must have tens of millions of people.


    There is good news for Austrsia: one of Austrsia''s main sources of immigration, Russia Nation, has arge poption.


    More importantly, the upper echelons of Russia Nation are not too concerned about the loss of poption. This is actually normal, given that the poption of Russia Nation grows by two to three million each year, and even four to five million during some periods.


    In this context, the loss of several hundred thousand to less than a million people each year overseas is not a concern for the Russian government.


    At present, Russian immigrants have reced British immigrants as thergest group of immigrants in Austrsia in a year.


    A total of 1.6 million people have been added to the poption of Austrsia during this yearpared to the annual summary report of the previous year.


    Of these, nearly 310,000 are newborns, while the remaining nearly 1.3 million are all immigrants from the European region.


    In these 1.3 million people, Russian immigrants ount for 770,000, making up more than half of all European immigrants.


    Following Russian immigrants are 290,000 British immigrants and 170,000 German immigrants.


    Due to the good marital rtionship between Russia Nation and Austrsia andx management in Russia Nation''s domestic affairs,


    It can be stated with certainty that even if the European War breaks out in the future, Austrsia will still be able to attract arge number of immigrants from Russia Nation.


    Of course, some benefits may have to be offered to the Russian government if immigration is to be attracted in the future.


    But for Austrsia, which has been stockpiling strategic supplies such as grain, armaments, and medical care, exchanging some armament supplies for poption is absolutely worthwhile.

 Chapter 394: Chapter 335: A Gratifying Financial Situation

    If the poption of the powerful nations in the Allies and the Central Powers are calcted separately, the total poption of the Allies would be 65.41 million + 52 million + 35 million, equaling 152.41 million people.


    The total poption of the Central Powers would be 165 million + 44.1 million + 39.7 million, equaling 248.8 million people.


    152.41 millionpared to 248.8 million, there is a poption gap of nearly 100 million between the Allies and the Central Powers.


    Although most of this 100 million people are Russians, don''t forget that Britain and France also have extensive colonies.


    If the poption of India and African colonies are included, the poption of the Allies would increase by several hundred million and would be far ahead of the poption of the Central Powers.


    From the huge poption gap, it can be understood that there is still a gap in thebat power between the Allies and the Central Powers at present.


    If the extremely unstable factor of Italy is added, the gap between the Allies and the Central Powers would be even greater.


    If it were not for the strength of the German Army being too strong, the situation in Europe would hardly be as it is now.


    The huge poption gap also means that the Allies have greater war potential.


    If the war were a kind of war thatsts only a few months to less than a year, perhaps the gap in war potential between the two sides would not be so huge.


    But if the warsts for several years, Germany, even if it doesn''t suffer much in the war, would be dragged to death on the European battlefield by the joint efforts of Britain, France, and Russia.


    In 1912, the gross national product (GNP) of Austrsia reached 1.43 billion US dors, and the growth rate of the economy was much faster than the previous year.


    At present, the economic situation of Austrsia is among the top ten in the world.


    Of course,pared to the powers like Britain, Germany, and the United States, this level of economy is not even a fraction, butpared to inferior powers like Italy and the Ind Nation, there is hope for catching up.


    In 1912, the GNP of the major countries in the world were:


    First ce, United States, 39.14 billion US dors.


    Second ce, Germany, 12.477 billion US dors.


    Third ce, United Kingdom, 11.785 billion US dors.


    Fourth ce, France, 9.522 billion US dors.


    Fifth ce, Russia, 8.438 billion US dors.


    Sixth ce, Italy, 4.065 billion US dors.


    Seventh ce, Beiyang, 3.652 billion US dors.


    Eighth ce, Ind Nation, 2.5 billion US dors.


    Ninth ce, Austro-Hungarian Empire, 2.042 billion US dors.


    Compared to countries like the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ind Nation, Austrsia has the potential to catch up.


    But in fact, that''s not the case, as the data doesn''t reflect the current economic situation in Austrsia.


    Actually, the reason why Austrsia''s GNP is as high as 1.43 billion US dors is mainly due to the contributions of the various enterprises of the Royal Financial Group.


    Especially in the case of Benz Car Factory, which sells well all over the world, the contribution to the total economy of Austrsia and the contribution to tax revenues each year are much greater than what the numbers can show.


    Without the contributions of the various enterprises of the Royal Financial Group, the GNP of Austrsia would probably barely surpass one billion US dors.


    The development of the economy can also be seen from the standard of living of the people. As of now, the per capita annual ie of Austrsia has reached as high as 50.3 Australian dors, with the growth rate visibly slowing down.


    But this is actually quite normal, as the real reason for the rapid growth in per capita ie at the beginning was due to the rtively low base of per capita ie.


    And the various factories and enterprises founded by Arthur offered sries that were far above the average level of per capita ie, and therefore also rapidly drove the growth of per capita ie.


    At this time, the per capita ie of Austrsia is not low and is considered middle-to-upper ss even within Europe.


    NovelBin-chapter


    As of now, the highest per capita annual ie should be in the economically most developed United States.


    America''s per capita annual ie is as high as 350 US dors, which is around nearly 70 pounds, 140 Australian dors.


    Next is the United Kingdom, with a per capita ie of 249 US dors, about 60 pounds.


    Germany, France, and Italy rank third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, at 190 US dors, 160 US dors, and 115 US dors.


    Comparing this, the per capita annual ie of Austrsia is 50.3 Australian dors, equivalent to about 125.7 US dors, and has already surpassed that of powerful nations like the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia, and Italy.


    Although the total economies of these countries are much more developed than Austrsia, their poptions are also several times to more than ten times that of Austrsia.


    Among the powerful nations where the per capita annual ie is rtively low, Russia has many Russianmon people still facing famine and poverty, even having a full meal may be a luxury.


    In such situations, it is not surprising that arge number of Russianmon people choose to immigrate to countries mainly in Austrsia.


    After all, the most famous policy in Austrsia at the moment is advocated by Arthur, which is to eliminate hunger throughout Austrsia.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that once you go to Austrsia and pass the immigration check there, you don''t have to worry about facing hunger.


    Because once you pass the immigration check, you will be considered an Austrsian and enjoy the welfare food policy of Austrsia.


    Even those with low education levels who cannot find a job will be arranged by the government to work on some construction sites and projects, using the work-for-relief method to exchange for food and housing.


    Although the royal family incurs millions of Australian dors in expenses each year for various welfare food distributions, it is all worth it.


    Who in the whole of Austrsia does not feel grateful to the royal family and Arthur?


    It is a good deal for Arthur to gain people''s recognition and love with a little investment.


    Let people be fed and clothed, and even the society is more stable.


    At the beginning of the establishment of the Australian Principality, the security environment was not that good. At that time, there were even criminal cases of theft and robbery for a meal.


    But now, unless the amount of money involved is enough to shock people, who would be willing to take risks for a meal and break thew?


    Please note that for low-ie or no-ie people registered in Austrsia, the Royal Relief Committee will distribute free food every year, which is enough for these people to eat.


    Although they are all basic food, with a small amount of meat, milk, etc., it is better for people facing hunger to have something to eat than nothing.


    More importantly, these foods are mostly distributed directly to low-ie and no-ie people through the Royal Relief Committee.


    This means that there will be no government intervention, and under the supervision of the royal family, corrupt practices of food and food will not ur.


    Of course, if something like this really happens, Arthur doesn''t mind letting people see the majesty of the royal family and the consequences of offending the royal family.


    Although Arthur seems to be very kind and hardly gets angry, the high officials and old people in Austrsia''s political arena know that once someone angers Arthur, God can''t save him.


    For Arthur, who has high sovereignty, Arthur is the sky of Austrsia, and Arthur''s words are the truth of Austrsia.


    Another significant manifestation of the high-speed economic development is the fiscal revenue of the Austrsian government.


    In 1912, the total fiscal revenue of the government reached a high of 96,370,000 Australian dors, with a growth rate of about 23%pared to the previous year.


    Of course, the reason for such a huge growth is that in 1912, Austrsia not only held the Sydney Olympics but also weed the global voyage of the airship Morning Star.


    Arge number of foreign tourists gathered in Austrsia, making a significant contribution to Austrsia''s economy and government fiscal revenue.


    In addition to the growth of the domestic economy in Austrsia, government fiscal revenue is already infinitely close to the 100 million Australian dor mark.


    However, there are no Olympic Games in 1913, and it is not easy for Austrsia''s fiscal revenue to continue to grow.


    However, there is good news that the second phase of the Leonora Industrial Base is fullypleted, and it can be employed into production in the new year.


    This will make a significant contribution to Austrsia''s industry and economy, and it is not impossible for fiscal revenues to continue to grow.


    Of course, the crazy growth of fiscal revenue also means that fiscal expenditure will not decrease.


    In 1912, the total fiscal expenditure of the Austrsian government reached 89.13 million Australian dors.


    Compared to 1911, the total fiscal expenditure in 1912 increased by more than 22 million Australian dors.


    The reason for such arge increase is not only the preparation for the Olympic Games but also the increase in immigration and the implementation of more immigration policies.


    Of course, throughout this year, Austrsia has been stockpiling food and rapidly producing weapons, equipment, and medical supplies.


    Theserge stockpiles of strategic material reserves also cost the government a lot of money.


    However, the supplies currently being prepared are for future wars, and the money paid now will yield several or dozens of times more in the future.


    The good news is that even though fiscal expenditure increased by nearly 22 million Australian dors, the government''s fiscal status remains in surplus.


    Although there is only a surplus of 7.24 million Australian dors, it is still better than a fiscal deficit!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Don''t underestimate it, there are not many countries in the world''s major powers that can achieve a fiscal surplus.


    Even purely, except for Britain, which has a vast colony, other countries have more or less fiscal deficits.


    A survey from the European Division of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency shows that all the homnds of the powers, except for the British Empire, are in a fiscal deficit.


    The most significant fiscal deficit should be the Russian Empire.


    The Russian Empire''s fiscal revenue in 1912 was as high as 130 million pounds, which seems like a lot, but the total fiscal expenditure was also as high as 185 million pounds.


    By this calction, the fiscal deficit is as high as 55 million pounds, which is much higher than Austrsia''s total fiscal revenue.


    This is also the advantage of having arge poption. Even though the Russian economy is not that good, having arge poption still ranks among the top in terms of fiscal revenue.


    Even Russia''s fiscal revenue has nopetitors in the world, except for the most economically developed countries such as Britain, France, Germany, and the United States.

 Chapter 395: Chapter 336: Comparison of National Power

    Currently, the rankings of the total fiscal revenue of major powers in the world are as follows:


    The nativend of the British Empire has a total fiscal revenue of 200 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure of 198 million pounds, achieving a fiscal surplus of 2 million pounds.


    The total revenue of British Empire colonies is 185 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 173 million pounds, achieving a fiscal surplus of 12 million pounds.


    The United States has a total fiscal revenue of 151 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure of 153 million pounds, resulting in a fiscal deficit of 2 million pounds.


    Germany''s total fiscal revenue is 150 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 220 million pounds, with a fiscal deficit of approximately 70 million pounds.


    The fiscal revenue of maind France is 145 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 200 million pounds, a fiscal deficit of about 55 million pounds.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The French Colony''s total fiscal revenue is 55 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 51 million pounds, and a fiscal surplus of 4 million pounds.


    Russia''s total fiscal revenue is 130 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 185 million pounds, resulting in a fiscal deficit of 55 million pounds.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire''s total fiscal revenue is 75 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 110 million pounds, and a fiscal deficit of 35 million pounds.


    Ind Nation''s total fiscal revenue is 53 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 60 million pounds, with a fiscal deficit of approximately 7 million pounds.


    Italy''s total fiscal revenue is 40 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 55 million pounds, with a deficit of about 15 million pounds.


    The Ottoman Empire''s total fiscal revenue is 26 million pounds, total fiscal expenditure is 40 million pounds, with a deficit of 14 million pounds.


    Due to consecutive naval arms races and army expansions, the major powers of Europe generally face fiscal deficits.


    However, this is also an unavoidable situation, after all, as long as their own military expansion stops, the military gap between them and other countries will widen.


    For the major powers of Europe, fiscal deficits may be undesirable, but the growing gap with enemies is even more uneptable.


    If they win the war, they can get everything, so naturally, they are not afraid of a small financial deficit. Once they lose the war, even if they have umted a lot of wealth, it will be looted and upied by others.


    Currently, Austrsia''s fiscal situation has always maintained a surplus, which is a good thing. It means that even if Austrsia''s fiscal expenditure rapidly increases in the future, the financial deficit problem will not be too serious.


    The development of industry is also very rapid. Although the growth of steel production has slowed down, in 1912, Austrsia''s total steel production reached 1.701 million tons and 2.7192 million tons.


    Currently, Austrsia''s steel production ranks seventh in the world, next only to the United States, Germany, Britain, Russia, France, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    At this scale, the total output of steel has outstripped the second-rate powers, the Ind Nation, and Italy.


    Although the total steel output does not fully represent the industrial level, it is also one of the important criteria for judging the industrial level.


    At present, whenpared with Italy and the Ind Nation, except for the obvious disadvantage of poption, Austrsia has significant advantages in the economy, industry, and other fields.


    Even in terms ofnd and naval technology, Arthur is confident that they are ahead of Italy and the Ind Nation by one notch.


    For coal production, which is closely rted to industry, Australia has alreadypletely surpassed the Ind Nation and Italy. NovelBin-chapter


    ording to the information disclosed by countries around the world, the country with the highest total coal production in the world should currently be the United States, with an annual coal production of 530 million tons.


    Followed by:


    Second ce, Russia with 360 million tons.


    Third ce, Germany with 277.2 million tons.


    Fourth ce, Britain with 210.5 million tons.


    Fifth ce, Austro-Hungarian Empire with 54.2 million tons.


    Sixth ce, France with 40.8 million tons.


    Seventh ce, Austrsia, with 37.7 million tons.


    Eighth ce, Ind Nation with 7.8 million tons.


    Ninth ce, Italy with 700,000 tons.


    Unlike in history, Britain''s coal production in the original history should have exceeded Germany''s, but due to the separation of Austrsia, the British Empire lost an important mining resource area, resulting in coal production lower than Germany.


    Austrsia''s mineral resources are not inferior to any country, but the real reason for its limited coal production is the small domestic market in Austrsia.


    First of all, Austrsia''s climate is not that extreme, with the hottest summer temperatures generally around twenty degrees and the coldest winter temperatures around freezing.


    This means that the demand for coal heating in Austrsia is rtively low. In Austrsia, coal is mainly used for industry and power generation.


    However, many of Austrsia''s industrial equipment is electric, which further reduces the usage demand for coal.


    Moreover, the government does not need to sell mineral resources in exchange for funds, so Austrsia''s coal production has always been stable at an adequate level.


    If calcted based on the total reserves of various coal types in Austrsia, at the current mining rate, it will be enough for domestic mining in Austrsia for thousands of years.


    However, with the development of domestic poption and various construction economies, the demand for coal is bound to increase.


    ording to Austrsia''s coal reserves, it is basically enough for hundreds and thousands of years.


    In addition to the most basic coal production and steel production, due to the construction of the first and second phases of the Leonora Industrial Base and the extensive encouragement of various industries, Arthur believes that the current industry in Austrsia has caught up or even surpassed Italy in at least the industrial and economic level, Austrsia has already had the strength of a major power.

 Chapter 396: Chapter 336: Comparison of Strengths Between Countries_2

    From the current global industrial production shares, can we discern the influence of the powerful nations on the world.


    The world industrial proportion ranking is as follows:


    The United States holds 31.8%


    Germany holds 14.8%


    The United Kingdom holds 13.6%


    Russia Nation holds 8%


    France holds 6%


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire holds 4.4%


    Austrsia holds 3.7%


    Italy holds 2.2%


    Ind Nation holds 1%


    The industrial production of these nine countries ount for 85.5% of the world''s industrial production shares, and the remaining 14.5% is shared by dozens of countries and regions.


    In fact, byparing all the charts, it is clear that apart from the German Empire, there is a significant gap between the other countries of the Allied Nations and the three major Allied nations.


    Although Germany is catching up with Britain in terms of industry and economy, the tricky issue is that thebined industrial economy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy is no match for France.


    There is a significant difference between the Alliance and the Allies in terms of poption size, industrial scale, and economic base.


    If it weren''t for the overpowering strength of the German Army, World War I would''ve probably ended quickly in history.


    With the expansion of the major powers of Europe in the army and navy, the total number of armies and navies in European countries has grown significantlypared to a few years ago.


    Ranking of the total number of armies in major countries in the world:


    Russia Country: 1.468 million


    France: 967,000


    Germany: 944,000


    Austro-Hungarian Empire: 726,000


    United Kingdom: 640,000


    Italy: 600,000


    Ottoman Empire: 450,000


    Ind Nation: 370,000


    Austrsia: 222,000


    Romania: 200,000


    United States: 164,000


    Thanks to itsrge poption, Russia naturally holds thergest size army among the powerful nations. thanks for reading on m|v|l|e|m|p|y|r


    However, training of Russian soldiers is generallycking, many soldiers'' equipment is also outdated, and their overallbat power is not strong.


    The United States, which currently has the smallest number of soldiers among the powerful nations, has never paid much attention to the army.


    With its advantageous geographical environment, as long as the U.S. Navy has sufficient scale, it can guarantee the safety of the U.S. territory.


    This bes increasingly apparent after the strength of Canada in the north of the United States and Mexico in the south has declined.


    Currently, the United States is the strongest country in North America, so there is no need to expand the army.


    Of course, there''s another key point, that the military technology of the United States is not advanced and thebat effectiveness of both the army and navy is not high.


    Even if the United States has several hundreds of thousands of soldiers, it may not necessarily be able to withstand the forces of about ten European armies.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In fact, from these rankings, it can be seen that Austrsia''sprehensive strength has reached the requirements of a strong country, this is the real reason why the European media and some countries im Austrsia is the eighth power.


    In addition to favoring the Whites more than the Ind Nation, Austrsia''s own strength is also an important factor.


    Of course when ites to the strength of the army, the widely recognizedbat power of the army is also an important measure.


    Among all the countries in the world, the strongest recognisedbat power is, of course, the German Empire, which is currently the world''s number one army superpower without doubt.


    The strongbat power of the German Empire''s army is indisputable and requires no exnation or rification.


    After the German Imperial Army, the French Army should be the world''s second.


    The French Army''s status as the second in the world is widely epted, although it was defeated by Germans a few decades ago, it was once the dominant power and number one army power in Europe.


    A thin camel is always bigger than a horse; moreover, the French camel is not dead, it''s simply malnourished.


    Aside from Germany and France, the country with the third outmostbat power is somewhat uncertain.


    European media have different views on this, some support Russia with a significant number of armies, while others support the former Central European hegemon Austro-Hungarian Empire, and some look favourably on Austrsia, and in short, opinions differ.


    However, if we disregard the advantage of the size of the Russian Army and only calcte thebat power, Russia definitely has no chance of securing the third ce.


    The Austro-Hungarian Army also has a w, that is the armiesposed of Germans have very strong capabilities while the armiesposed of other ethnic groups are not strong.


    Their military equipment and training levels are pretty good, but theplex ethnic distribution makes military ordersplicated and messy.


    What''s worse is when a squad''s soldierse from many ethnic groups who can''tmunicate with each other, let alone cooperate well inbat.


    Therefore, when Arthur made a list in his heart, he justly ranked Austrsia as the world''s third-army superpower (just in terms ofbat power).


    If we consider the military technology currently possessed by Austrsia, even the Austrsian Army could potentially face off against the German Army. Therefore, Arthur''s ranking is not wrong.


    If it were not for the fact that the French Army performed fairly well in World War I in history, Arthur would have even ranked thebat power of Austrsia''s army second in the world.


    Following Austrsia, if considering only armybat power, the next in line should be the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The fifth inbat power should be Ind Nation. Russia is ranked sixth by Arthur.


    The reason is simple, the performance of the Far East Russian Army in the Russo-Japanese War a few years ago raised serious concerns, even making people question the realbat capabilities of the Russian Army.


    Although the Russians have purchased arge number of weapons and equipment from Austrsia in recent years. However, if the training level of the soldiers and the supply of materials are not resolved, Arthur doesn''t believe their individualbat capabilities can surpass the Ind Nation.

 Chapter 397: Chapter 336: Comparison of Strengths Between Countries_3

    However, Russians do have more than a million standing army after all, so it''s not a problem for them to have superiorprehensive military strength than the ind country.


    The remaining countries'' armies ability to fight are not worth ranking; thendbat capability of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy are all just subpar.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Apart from a few elite troops that have passablebat capability, the conventional army''sbat ability is simply a mess.


    Of course, Arthur''s ranking of the army''sbat capabilities is only based on the current situation revealed by each country, as well as their participation in previous wars and performance in history.


    There may be some differences in the specific situation, but it shouldn''t be too far off.


    In fact, the armies of European powers in this era, except for France and Germany which are reputed to be truly elite, the fighting strength of other countries'' armies is difficult to express, and have more or less shorings.


    However, for European countries, having arge poption is also an advantage.


    If the scale of the army and itsbat capability are taken into ount to calcte the overall strength of the army, then this ranking of the army''sbat capability will also undergo significant changes.


    In terms ofprehensive military strength, if calcted ording to the number of active and reserve forces, the estimatedbat power of the army, the equipment level and training level of active forces, then the ranking is as follows:


    Germany still rightfully dominates the world as number one, with more than 900,000 standing troops plus several million reserve forces, making Germany the most powerful country in the world, with none to match.


    France still ranks second. France has a slightlyrger standing army than Germany and also has several million reservists.


    Although theirbat power is somewhat inferior to the German army, they have a significant advantagepared to other countries.


    Ranked third inprehensive military strength is Russia with over 1.4 million standing soldiers. Russia also has up to tens of millions of reservists. Even with poor equipment levels and training quality, the sheer power of their numbers alone is enough to secure the Russian army''s position as the third strongest in the world.


    Of course, if the turmoil within Russia is not taken into ount, Russia''sprehensivend force strength could even surpass France.


    However, ording to Arthur''s observations, the situation within Russia is not blissful. It greatly affects Russia''sndbat capability, as if the government ceases to exist, who would the army fight for?


    Ranked fourth inprehensive military strength is the Austro-Hungarian Empire, currently Germany''s only reliable ally.


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    The Austro-Hungarian Empire has over 700,000 standing troops and several million reservists. Their army equipment is quite good, and if they can solve thenguagemunication problem caused by the multitude of nationalities, they could indeed be a strong ally of Germany.


    Arthur ranked Larasia''s army as the fifth strongest in the world. Although Larasia only has 220,000 standing troops, they can also mobilize millions of troops without consequences.


    Furthermore, considering the various hiddennd military technologies that Arthur possesses, ranking fifth in the world is not an exaggeration.


    Following Larasia, the sixth-strongest army in the world should most likely belong to the British Empire.


    This is because the British Empire, including its colonies, has a poption of hundreds of millions, which also represents tens of millions of inexhaustible cannon fodder.


    With these cannon fodders alone, the British Empire''snd force is strong enough to climb a huge step and has the strength topete with the top five countries to attain the final victory in a war.


    Ranked the seventh strongest army is the ind nation. Although the ind nation has been dismissed from the rank of powers by many European media and countries, this does not deny that their army''sbat capability is still average among the powers and significantly stronger than countries like Italy and Britain.


    If the ind country can solve the problems of outdated equipment and small industrial scale, their army will undoubtedly be formidable.


    After much circling, Italy is begrudgingly ced as the eighth strongest army in the world.


    Italy''s cement as the eighth strongest army does not mean that they have the strength to match this rank, but rather that the strength of the following countries'' armies is even smaller; in other words, Italy''s cement is due to the backdrop of their peers.


    After Italy, the ninth and tenth strongest armies in the world are the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria, respectively.


    Although Bulgaria defeated the Ottoman Empire in the previous Balkan War, this victory was achieved with the full cooperation of the Balkan Alliance and the Ottoman Turkish Empire being tied up by Italy.


    If Bulgaria''s army ispared separately with the Ottoman Empire, although its strength is indeed higher, the Ottoman Empire also has arger poption.


    As mentioned before, the power of human wave tactics cannot be underestimated in the absence of clear technological gaps.


    In addition to the top ten, countries like Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece, which performed well in the Balkan Wars, are all qualified to be among the top fifteen in worldnd force strength.


    Of course, this list mainly records the powers and European countries. Otherwise, a certain Asian country possessing the world''srgest poption could also make it onto the list by relying on human wave tactics.


    As for the United States, which has the status and strength of a superpower, theirprehensivend force strength is not stronger than countries such as Serbia and Bulgaria.


    Determining theprehensive strength of an army can be challenging; however, determining theprehensive strength of a navy is rtively more straightforward.


    Simply put, theprehensive strength of a navy can be judged based on the total tonnage of warships and the number of main battleships.

 Chapter 398: Chapter 336: Comparison of Strengths Between Countries_4

    The total tonnage of warships represents the number of warships, while the number of main ships determines the realbat power of the navy.


    Currently, the British Empire holds the first ce in the total tonnage of naval vessels in the world, reaching up to 2.51 million tons.


    Germany ranks second, with a total naval tonnage of 1.17 million tons.


    The United States upies the third ce, with a total naval tonnage of 840,000 tons.


    France upies the fourth ce, with a total naval tonnage of 800,000 tons.


    Russia Nation ranks fifth, with a total naval tonnage of 600,000 tons.


    Ind Nation ranks sixth, with a total naval fleet of 510,000 tons.


    Italy ranks seventh, with a total naval tonnage of 390,000 tons.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire ranks eighth, with a total naval tonnage of 190,000 tons.


    Austrsia ranks ninth, with a total naval tonnage of 150,000 tons.


    Although there is still a significant gap in total naval tonnage between Austrsia and the European powers, if only the dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts are considered, the number of Austrsian dreadnoughts ranks among the top five in the world.


    Even in terms of the realbat power of the navy, Arthur is confident, exceeding the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy.


    There is no other reason; these two countries have very few dreadnoughts, and their navalbat power is definitely discountedpared to their naval tonnage.


    Even the Ind Nation, which currentlycks support from the British Empire, has the tonnage of old battleships from the past, but their nned dreadnoughts have not yet been put into service.


    Austrsia''s three dreadnoughts and two battlecruisers are not necessarily a match for the Ind Nation''s eight old battleships.


    Even if one battleship''sbat power is deemed equal to two old battleships, the overallbat power of the Austrsian navy would still exceed that of the Ind Nation''s navy.


    It can only be said that technological progress has brought about great improvements in the strength of the army and navy. After the birth of dreadnoughts, the role of old battleships has been infinitely reduced.


    After the birth of the super dreadnought, the importance of dreadnoughts has also declined a lot.


    Before calcting a country''s navalbat power, the number of super dreadnoughts and dreadnoughts owned will be prioritized.


    The number of dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts can basically represent the true strength level of a country''s fleet.


    Not all countries with dreadnoughts are necessarily top naval powers, but all top naval powers have dreadnoughts.


    Dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts, which are currently the two main battleships, have be naval weapons that European powers and world naval powers can overlook but must have.


    Having a certain number of dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts has bemon sense for a recognized naval power.


    Ind Nation lost to Austrsia in military power and was robbed of the title of Eighth Power, precisely because it never had a dreadnought of its own.


    On the other hand, not only did Austrsia equip itself with its own dreadnoughts early, but it is currently building super dreadnoughts for other countries.


    The gap between the two has be enormous, making it almost a foregone conclusion that the Ind Nation would lose its status as a power.


    Bad news for Austrsia is that by the end of the year, or more precisely, by the end of 1912, the average cultivatednd per capita in Austrsia has decreased from the original 2.3 acres per person to 2.1 acres.


    However, this is also a natural urrence, as the development ofrge cities, coupled with various industries and construction, will attract arge number of immigrants and rural people into the cities, bing the urban poption.


    Among all Austrsian immigrants, only about a quarter chooses to engage in agriculture, apart from therge-scale private farms that have been formed.


    Despite the decline in per capita cultivatednd area, the total cultivatednd area in Austrsia has still reached 25.43 million acres, expanding by nearly 6 million acrespared to three or four years ago.


    Due to Arthur''s constant emphasis on the importance of food, the food production and total cultivatednd area of Austrsia are also continuously growing.


    Thanks to the increase in the total cultivatednd area, the entire food production of Austrsia in 1912 has reached more than 11.58 million tons, breaking a new record after surpassing 10 million tons in the previous year.


    Austrsia''s strategic food reserves have also grown from 2 million tons a few years ago to 10 million tons.


    Of course, such high food reserves are due to the suspension of many government ns to export food.


    This has resulted in a significant reduction in government revenues, and even a considerable amount of funds were spent to purchase food from farmers.


    In general, only food with a long hoarding time would be considered for export.


    Other food will be hoarded for future use, waiting for the outbreak of a European war and then selling it to European countries at a higher price.


    How exaggerated is the 10-million-ton food reserve? It should be noted that the total annual food consumption in Austrsia will not exceed 3 million tons.


    This means that the current strategic food reserves in Austrsia are more than enough to feed the entire nation for three years.


    During these three years, the food production in Austrsia will continue to expand; to put it more affectionately, there is no way they can eat it all.


    The good news is that this feels like an era where Austrsians have just escaped from poverty and hunger, so food waste is rare.


    Large-scale extravagance and waste basically do not exist, which to some extent also reduces people''s food consumption.


    In 1912, only less than 2 million tons of the food production of 11.58 million tons were exported. In addition to the domestic consumption of over 2 million tons, the government''s strategic food reserves increased by nearly 7 million tons this year alone.


    Of course, the reduction of food exports from Austrsia has little impact on international food prices.


    After all, European countries have extensive colonies, and many countries surrounding Germany also export food, so they do not have to worry about food problems.


    Even if food prices rise, the increase is minimal, so European countries do not care much.


    Even countries like Britain and France would prefer to see such things happen.


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    After all, both Britain and France have extensive colonies, and it''s just a matter of spending a little more on transportation; they won''t be short of food.


    However, Germany is different. If it wants enough food, it has to pay high prices to buy from neighboring countries.


    Apart from the favorable food prices offered by allies like the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the prices in other ces will rise slightly, which means more spending.


    With tens of millions of people, Germany''s annual food consumption is not a small number.


    While food exports from Austrsia have decreased, meat exports have not decreased much.


    After all, Austrsia''s animal husbandry is toorge; there is no need to make articles on meat exports.


    Given Austrsia''s current 200 million sheep, tens of millions of cows, and countless other domestic animals, meat will never be scarce at any time.

 Chapter 399: Chapter 337: Preparatory Military Service System

    The year 1912 had just passed, marked by crises but nothing too serious.


    In this year, the Italo-Turkish War, the Balkan War, and a more intense arms race among navies, along with the smaller scale straits crisis, made the European situation increasingly unpredictable.


    While people did not know when the European War would break out, the smell of gunpowder was already spreading across Europe.


    Compared to previous years, the 1913 National Day was quite ordinary, but with the distribution of free grain and meat, it appeared lively in the streets and alleys of Austrsia.


    Just after the National Day holiday, Arthur summoned Prime Minister Kent and Minister of Defense Raul to inquire about the military preparedness situation of Austrsia.


    The military expansion of European countries was rapid, not only expanding their standing armies but also revising variousws to increase the number of reservists.


    Although Austrsia was far away in Oceania, the eventual World War I would also be crucial, not only as the real start of the country''s rise but also as the best opportunity to truly control all of Oceania.


    For Austrsia to gain more international say after World War I, it was essential to be one of the victorious nations.


    Although strict neutrality could lead to better development, a neutral country would not have much say.


    Between the two major European military blocs, if Arthur had to choose which one to side with, he would undoubtedly choose the Allies, who seemed to be stronger on paper.


    Both emotionally and logically, the Allies were a better choice for Arthur.


    First, Austrsia and the British Empire had closer blood ties, and the two countries were both offshoots of the same origin, thus having more intimate connections.


    Second, Arthur possessed the experience ofter generations and naturally understood which side would have thestugh in this war.


    Despite Russia''s withdrawal from the war, the Allies had more extensive colonies, poptions, and ultimately achieved victory.


    In theory, as long as Austrsia participated in World War I and dered war on the Central Powers from the perspective of the Allies, it could smoothly take over German New Guinea, consolidate the colonial territories in the region, and even advance westward, merging the previously divided New Guinea into one giant direct colony.


    Also, in theory, dispatching the army to fight could be a bargaining chip to make Britain and France give up some of their colonies in Oceania.


    Thus, Austrsia could control the entire Oceania and be the true continental hegemon.


    In the meeting room of Sydney Pce, Arthur summoned Prime Minister Kent and Minister Raul to discuss the military preparedness of Austrsia.


    "Minister Raul, how are our military preparations? If the European War breaks out in the future, how many troops can we mobilize at most to participate in the European War?" asked Arthur solemnly.


    Arthur''s original n was to y both sides, selling armaments to both of them. After the war situation became clear, he would then join the more advantageous side.


    However, upon reflection, such a fence-sitting approach would be too demeaning. Besides, after World War I, Britain and France would remain the top world powers, and as long as the United States did not drain Europe''s blood during the war, the world would still be Europe''s domain.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This would also be beneficial for Austrsia, as after Germany''s defeat, the directpetitor of Britain would be the United States.


    And for Austrsia to rise and dominate the Pacific Ocean, their enemy would also be the United States.


    In this regard, not only could Austrsia cooperate with Britain and France in World War I, it could also be their ally in World War II.


    As the saying goes, one reaps what one sows. Instead of standing on the sidelines, truly participating and contributing to the victory would give Austrsia more say.


    Of course, Arthur would not foolishly bleed his nation for the British and French cause. your chapter source mv-l,e mp _yr


    After all, there were many indigenous people in Austrsia who could form indigenous armies and rece the Austrsians in dying for the cause.


    "Your Majesty, we currently have 220,000 standing troops. Our reserve system is not mature enough, so if we want more soldiers, at least six months of training is required. Based on the enthusiasm of our countrymen towards the army, we have about 1 million troops in total," replied Minister Raul after careful consideration.


    "Reserves?" Arthur nodded, turning his gaze to Prime Minister Kent, asking, "Do we have the conditions to institutews on the reserve and conscription systems? If we implement conscription within Austrsia, how many potential soldiers can we get?"


    "Your Majesty, under normal circumstances, if we implement conscription in Austrsia, we should be able to get nearly one million reservists. Considering Your Majesty''s prestige among the people, I''m afraid the number could even be higher,"ughed Prime Minister Kent.


    A highly esteemed and popr monarch has one advantage: any policy they implement will be well received by the people.


    Austrsia has no shortage of manpower, and as long as Arthur called to arms, millions of people would likely enlist.


    However, an army of millions of troops from a poption of 12 million would hurt the national development too much and be a burden Arthur could not bear.

 Chapter 400: Chapter 337: Preparatory Military Service System_2

    "There''s no need to exaggerate, Prie Minister Kent. However, in any case, increasing our number of reservists is a necessary task. Even though I do not know when the European war will start, for Austrsia to advance further, we might have to participate in this war that could have been avoided." Arthur quickly stopped Prime Minister Kent''s exaggerated statement andughed as he exined.


    It is not entirely necessary for Austrsia to desperately join one of the two military blocs.


    With Austrsia''s geographical location being far away from Europe, it is certain that its nativend will not be threatened.


    In this situation, how could Arthur possibly exhaust Austrsia''s potential for Britain and France?


    "If that is the case, Your Majesty, I suggest that we only require adult male citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 to participate in military training once a year, and they can be good reservists." Prime Minister Kent said: "If we have no intention of sendingrge-scale troops, I believe that 220,000 regr troops and 300,000 reservists are enough to ensure the safety of our nativend at any time."


    Arthur nodded in agreement and said: "Let''s focus the training on adult male citizens in non-important posts. Hold military training sessions every six months or annually, with training timesting at least half a month. These participants can be provided with funds equivalent to the average ie as remuneration for their participation in military training."


    If they can receive payment for participating in military training, it is expected that no one will refuse.


    After all, bing a reservist only requires one or two training sessions per year, which will not interfere with normal work and life.


    "Have the British experts arrived as promised? If I remember correctly, their diplomatic team should arrive soon, right?" After deciding on the matter of the reservists, Arthur turned to Prime Minister Kent with a smile and inquired.


    When they sold the airship technology to Britain, both parties had agreed on the timing of sending experts.


    The British government had also reached an intention with Austrsia to send a diplomatic visiting group to Austrsia to achieve further cooperation between the two countries.


    In fact, this also represented Austrsia moving closer to Britain once again. If previously the German aid to Austrsia was far greater than the British aid, then from the moment King George V ascended to the throne, Austrsia and Britain became closer, and the aid given to Austrsia by Britain gradually surpassed the scale of German assistance.


    By now, British aid has far surpassed that of German aid in terms of warships, military industry, industry, chemical industry, education, medical care, talent, grain, and other aspects, as greatmunication between Austrsia and Britain has been established.


    It is no exaggeration to say that Austrsia is an important strategic partner of the British Empire, providing various supplies such as mineral resources, grain, and meat.


    In fact, looking at the map, Austrsia''s geopolitical location is very important for the British Empire.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Austrsia is situated in Oceania and serves to effectively protect the a Strait under the control of the British Empire, which is the key tomunication between East Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, and even Europe.


    Austrsia is separated from India by only the Indian Ocean, with India being the core of the British Empire''s colonies and the region that Britain cannot lose.


    The security issue of India alone is enough for the British to attach great importance to Austrsia.


    Furthermore, spanning across the Indian Ocean, Austrsia poses a certain threat to Eastern and Southern Africa.


    This further increases the importance of Austrsia, whose geographical position canpletely threaten the core of the British Empire''s colonies.


    Moreover, since thest conference, the British government has established a policy of abandoning the ind nation and supporting Austrsia as its core policy. They also wish to be closer to Austrsia and jointly confront the hidden enemy, the United States.


    In this situation, it is not surprising that the United Kingdom sent a diplomatic visiting group.


    "Your Majesty, the experts promised by the British have basically arrived, with thest batch to arrive along with the British diplomatic visiting group. Thanks to these British experts, the expansion of our two shipyards has been progressing well, and even the Melbourne shipyard is expected to begin production by mid-next year," Prime Minister Kent nodded and said with a smile.


    The British spared no effort in the expansion ns of the two shipyards in Austrsia.


    From the design of the shipyard expansion, to the various equipment and machinery, as well as various technical experts in the shipyards, British figures were everywhere.


    story source -mp|y|r


    Under the guidance of these British experts, the expansion progress of the Melbourne and Oand shipyards went smoothly. It is hoped that the Melbourne shipyard willplete the expansion by mid-1914, and the Oand shipyard is expected toplete the expansion betweente 1914 and early 1915.


    This also means that by around 1915, Austrsia will have one shipyard capable of building 30,000-ton warships, and two shipyards capable of building 20,000-ton warships.


    With the help of British experts, even the most advanced Hope-ss battleship in Austrsia can now be built at the Melbourne and Oand shipyards.


    Of course, there are still at least two years left before that period, which also means that the scale of the expansion of the Austrsian navy will not be significant within two years.


    Arthur is also waiting for the military factory and shipyard to develop the 381mm caliber main gun.


    With the technology of the 343mm caliber main gun, and the help of many British military industry experts, the 381mm main gun will surely be born sooner orter.


    "Pay close attention to the reception of the British visiting group. The British are our most important partners, and we have the closest rtionship with them," Arthur urged.


    In order to continue expanding in Southeast Asia and Oceania''s inds, it is essential to gain the support of the British.


    Moreover, if Austrsia wants to take over the German colonies in Oceania, it must have the consent of both Britain and France.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. I will prepare the highest reception for the British delegation. The most luxurious hotel in Sydney has prepared the best rooms for them, just waiting for our guests to move in," Prime Minister Kent nodded.


    After all, the British are currently the world''s number one superpower, and their diplomatic groups will receive the highest local reception wherever they go.


    Not to mention that Austrsia is of the same root as Britain, even without Arthur''s instructions, Prime Minister Kent would prepare the highest reception ceremony for the British delegation.


    "Minister Raul, I hope that the Ministry of Defense can submit a n report on the expansion of colonial divisions as soon as possible. I hope that by 1915, we can have at least 15 colonial divisions, and make them capable of fighting," After instructing Prime Minister Kent, Arthur looked at Minister Raul and said.


    One colonial division has nearly 20,000 soldiers, and 15 colonial divisions represent nearly 300,000 soldiers.


    But this is not much, after all, Austrsia currently has millions of indigenous people, and it is no problem to mobilize 300,000 adult indigenous people to form 15 colonial divisions.


    These 15 colonial divisions with 300,000 troops will, if all goes well, be the Austrsian expeditionary force, recing the regr Austrsian troops in the war.


    Of course, regr divisions will also be deployed, but just not as many. For Arthur, he doesn''t care how many native divisions die, but if the regr divisions suffer heavy casualties, Arthur would truly feel hurt.

 Chapter 401: Chapter 338: The British Delegation Arrives

    On February 3, 1913, the Austrsian Conscription Act was officially proulgated.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Act stiptes that all male legal citizens who are 18 years old and under 30 years, except for students, medical workers, scientific researchers, educators and other important fieldworkers, must participate in militarized training twice a year.


    Theoretically, the military training is conducted in July and October each year,sting half a month each time.


    During this half-month of military training, everything from formation training to gunnery training is covered.


    Although these trained individuals will not quickly be qualified soldiers within a short period, they are more preparedpared to ordinary people who have never received any military training.


    For Austrsia now, Arthur does not intend to mobilize millions of troops all at once.


    This would not only damage the country''s potential for development, but the enormous military would also put a strain on the government''s finances.


    However, there is no choice, having sufficient reservists is also a means to ensure national security.


    In an era when other powerful nations have hundreds of thousands of standing armies and millions of reserve forces, how could the security of Austrsia be guaranteed if its military is too scarce? see ,em,pyr for more


    Even if the security of the nativend could be ensured, all the colonies and territories outside the nativend, as well as Austrsia''s influence and status abroad, also need substantial military strength to maintain.


    Although in Arthur''s estimation, Austrsia has sessfully achieved the status of a power in industry, economy, and military.


    However, even among the powers, there are significant differences. The status of power that Austrsia has achieved is only equivalent to that of lower tier powers like Italy, considered as the gatekeepers of the powers.


    It may seem like a power, but whenpared to top-tier powers such as Britain, France, and Germany, even two Austrsias are no match.


    The enactment of the Conscription Act did not meet much opposition in Austrsia.


    In fact, this is normal. After all, anyone who participates in military training during this period can receive a sry equivalent to the average annual ie at the time.


    And they don''t have to worry about losing their jobs because they participate in militarized training.


    If there really arepanies that dismiss employees on such grounds, they need not worry, the Austrsian Government and the royal family will see justice done for the employees.


    In fact, from the timing of Austrsia''s militarized training, it can be seen that the government had foreseen this.


    In most parts of Austrsia, January to June is the busy farming season, and it is also the time to nt wheat and other grain crops.


    From July to October, wheat is in its growth stage, which is a ck farming period. For the farmers and herdsmen of Austrsia, this is a period when they have enough spare time for militarized training.


    From November to December, it''s the wheat harvesting period, and the busy agricultural season starts again.


    Therefore, the Ministry of Defense specifically arranged the annual military training for July and October, which are rtively close.


    The timing from August to September coincides with the sheep shearing period. Thus, the timing of Austrsia''s militarized training almost perfectly avoids the busy agricultural and pastoral periods.


    As for the financial burden that annual militarized training brings to the Ministry of Defense, after Minister Raul''s calctions, the rough figure was around 6 million Australian dors.


    Among these, there are about 1 million male citizens of Austrsia who are 18 years old and under 30 years old.


    After deducting students and some important positions, the number of people participating in military training each year is about 800,000.


    Two training sessions in total mean providing a month''s sry for these 800,000 people, about 4.2 Australian dors per person, in total around 331 million Australian dors.


    Although there are 800,000 people participating in the training, that doesn''t mean the government has to provide weapons for them all.


    In fact, the training can be staggered. Of these 800,000 people, only about 100,000 to 200,000 rifles are needed so that everyone can fire a few dozen bullets during their training.


    Adding up all the expenditure, Minister Raul gave an approximate figure of about 6 million Australian dors.


    This amount is not too high for the Ministry of Defense and is affordable.


    Of course, representing the royal family, Arthur also expected to take action. Thus, he directly stated that the royal family would bear the sries of all those undergoing militarized training.


    Considering this, the royal family would cover around 300 million Australian dors, and the government would cover around 300 million Australian dors for the annual militarized training in the short term.


    For the Ministry of Defense, the added military budget for this year is not just that.


    The first is the proposal report on the increase in the number of Colonial Divisions put forward by Arthur. Arthur stiptes that by 1915, there must be 15 Colonial Divisions and they must have certainbat capabilities.


    And there are only two years left until 1915, so the expansion of the Colonial Division is imminent. The time left for Minister Raul to draw up the expansion n is pretty scarce.


    Fortunately, although a Colonial Division has as many as 20,000 soldiers, all the soldiers and most low-ranking officers areposed of local Indigenous Peoples.

 Chapter 402: Chapter 338: The British Delegation Arrives_2

    This also means that as long as there are enough indigenous people, 15 colonial divisions can be expanded in a short time toplete the task assigned by Arthur.


    For the current Austrsia, 300,000 indigenous people are not a big problem, as there are millions of indigenous people without citizenship, all of whom are potential indigenous soldiers.


    On February 17, 1913, the expansion announcement of the Ministry of Defense was officially released.


    Unfortunately, this expansion announcement was bound to disappoint many people, as it was only about expanding the number of colonial divisions.


    ording to the n provided by the Ministry of Defense, Austrsia will expand 6 colonial divisions this year and 5 more next year.


    These 11 new expanded colonial divisions, plus the four existing colonial divisions, will mean Austrsia will officially have 15 colonial divisions, with nearly 300,000 indigenous soldiers.


    The good news is that, besides the original four colonial divisions, Austrsia also has two colonial garrison battalions.


    These two garrison battalions can be responsible for the defense of several colonies after reallocating.


    In the expansion n of the Ministry of Defense, the officers above thepany level in the colonies are all from Austrsia.


    And officers below thepany level are a mix of both Austrsians and indigenous officers who have been trained.


    In this way, the number of required Austrsian officers will be reduced directly, because the number of upper-middle-ss officers is actually not many.


    ording to the current progress of the two major military academies, it is no problem to have Austrsian officers for these 15 colonial divisions within two years.


    As for the training of indigenous officers, Melbourne Military Academy is already enough. After all, the colonial divisions are just cannon fodder prepared by Arthur for future European wars.


    The fighting power of these people is not really important, as long as they can use weapons and are obedient enough.


    Of course, to make these indigenous people obedient, some necessary measures need to be taken, such as controlling their families and tribes, and distinguishing their treatment from ordinary indigenous people, creating a natural opposition between them.


    As long as the families and tribes of these indigenous people are under the control of Austrsia, and also have a supervising team, Arthur believes that they will behave obediently.


    The promulgation of the Conscription Law and the expansion n in February made the Ministry of Defense the busiest cab department in Austrsia.


    Unlike the previous expansion, since these indigenous soldiers need to be selected, it is necessary to go to their locations or gathering ces and select indigenous people with families or at least rtives to join the colonial divisions.


    Arthur would not feel at ease using indigenous people without families and rtives. Only by holding their weaknesses in his hand can he ensure their absolute loyalty to Austrsia.


    While the Ministry of Defense was busy selecting indigenous soldiers, the Austrsian government also weed important guests: the British Visiting Team.


    On February 21, 1913, at Sydney Harbour.


    As soon as the fleet of the British Empire with its gs arrived at Sydney Harbour, it was greeted by the crowd and the team at the port.


    Smiling, Prime Minister Kent stepped forward and shook hands with the representative of the British visiting group, British Foreign Minister Grey.


    "Minister Grey, wee to Austrsia!"


    "Prime Minister Kent, long time no see." Grey also said with a smile.


    In fact, most of Arthur''s confidants at present were followers of Old Duke Arthur, that is, the British who came to Austrsia with Arthur.


    Prime Minister Kent, on the other hand, had already known Grey during his time in the UK, and the two were friends.


    "Prime Minister Kent, I wonder when I will have the honor of meeting His Majesty Arthur?" After the two parties had gotten acquainted, Grey looked at Kent with eager anticipation and could not wait to ask.


    The pressure Germany currently imposed on Britain and France is enormous, so much so that the proud British had to seek additional allies.


    "Minister Grey, ording to His Majesty''s arrangements, if you are willing, His Majesty will meet with you tomorrow," Prime Minister Kent said with a smile.


    "Of course, Prime Minister Kent. Let''s set it for tomorrow, then. It has been a long time since Ist saw His Majesty Arthur after ourst parting in the United Kingdom." British Foreign Minister Grey nodded repeatedly, without any objection to Prime Minister Kent''s arrangements.


    In fact, British Foreign Minister Grey''s attitude in Austrsia was much better than in other European small and medium-sized countries.


    Even if it were Italy, which is also considered as a power, Grey might not have such a good attitude.


    This is actually quite normal, after all, the monarch of Austrsia is Arthur, a ruler born in the British royal family.


    Disrespecting Arthur is actually tantamount to disrespecting the British royal family and disrespecting thete Queen Victoria.


    Not to mention a Foreign Minister like Grey, even the previous British King Edward VII, whose rtionship with Arthur was not good, had to pretend to have a good uncle-nephew rtionship with Arthur.


    Especially as Arthur holds a considerable position in the hearts of the British people, if one does not give Arthur face, it is tantamount to joking with one''s own political career.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Both Austrsia''s important geographical location and its decent strength, as well as the close rtionship between Arthur and the British royal family, determined Grey''s respectful attitude in Austrsia.


    Prime Minister Kent prepared the most luxurious hotel in Sydney for the British visiting group, and Grey''s room was said to cost hundreds of Australian dors a day to stay in.


    This also means that an Austrsian, working hard for two years without eating, drinking or spending, can only stay in Grey''s room for two days with the money they earn.


    Of course, the Victoria Royal Hotel where Grey is staying is not something ordinary people can stay in.


    As the most luxurious and best-equipped hotel in Sydney and even the whole of Austrsia, the Victoria Royal Hotel is open only to important domestic and foreign figures, and even millionaires cannot stay there without connections.


    The main purpose of the construction of the Victoria Royal Hotel, built a few years ago, was to provide amodation for the most distinguished foreign guests.


    Generally, closer royal family members can get the qualifications to work and live in Sydney.


    Foreign royal families with more distant rtionships and blood ties, top foreign politicians and officials, the highest-ranking capitalists, and so on, may also be eligible to stay in this hotel.


    Of course, theoretically, researchers who have made outstanding contributions in some fields can also qualify to stay in this hotel.


    But generally, such talents will receive high-level reception upon arrival in Austrsia.


    Especially after confirming to join Austrsian nationality and work for Arthur, they would also receive a vi and a car, as well as higher sries, making the Victoria Royal Hotel seemingly less important. find more stories on NovelBin|lempyr


    In fact, the name of the Victoria Royal Hotel could give a rough analysis of who the behind-the-scenes controller of the hotel is.


    It is one of the royal financial group''s industries, and at present, the royal financial group has built more than ten hotels in Austrsia and Europe and America. These hotels can be roughly divided into three categories: the top-level Victoria Royal Hotel for the highest-level guests, the mid-level Victoria Hotel for middle-range guests, and the Manor Hotel for low-medium range clients.


    As an example of the top-level Victoria Royal Hotel, any guest staying at the hotel can have a driver on standby at all times.


    Food is provided free of charge in the hotel, and a limited supply of royal private grape wine from Duke Arthur''s Vineyard is also provided.


    It should be noted that since the construction of Duke Arthur''s Vineyard nearly ten years ago, the red wine produced by the Vineyard has upied a considerable share in the European red wine market, and its reputation has long been established.


    After all, this is the royal private contribution red wine of the Austrsian royal family, and it is a luxury enjoyed by the royal family in Austrsia.


    If it were a mid to low-end grape wine, it would be fine, but the highest-end royal private supply is rarely avable in the market except for being gifted by the Austrsian royal family.


    A bottle of this red wine typically costs several hundred or even over a thousand Australian dors, and it is one of the top choices for many capitalists to entertain guests and host banquets.


    The Victoria Royal Hotel provides guests with a limited supply of royal private supply wines at irregr intervals.


    Although it costs money, it is, after all, a valuablemodity that is not avable on the market, and many people are willing to pay a high price for a taste.

 Chapter 403: Chapter 339: Discussing Individual Needs

    Originally, Prime Minister Kent had nned to prepare a wee banquet for Minister Grey and the British visiting group, but it was declined by Minister Grey on the grounds of exhaustion from the long journey.


    Indeed, the trip was quite taxing. Even though the British visiting group traveled on the most luxurious British cruise ship, apanied by British warships, it still took them about a month to reach Austrsia.


    During that time, the visiting group made stops at the Suez Canal and India, which indirectly prolonged their journey.


    Staying on the cruise ship for more than a month, even the seemingly ustomed Minister Grey couldn''t help but feel weary and tired.


    After giving brief instructions to his subordinates, Minister Greyy down on therge bed in the Victoria Royal Hotel, and fell into a deep,fortable sleep.


    The day after the British visiting group arrived at Sydney Harbour, on February 22, 1913, Arthur received the British visiting group at Sydney Pce, apanied by the Cab Government headed by Prime Minister Kent.


    After the British visiting group greeted him, Arthur smiled and looked at Minister Grey, saying, "Minister Grey, how did you sleep yesterday?"


    "Very well, Your Majesty. Sydney''s environment is much better than London''s, and the air is much betterpared to London," replied Minister Grey with a respectful smile and nod.


    British Foreign Minister Grey was, by this time, a well-known figure across Europe.


    Of course, this was due to Grey''s diplomatic stance towards European nations during his tenure.


    Minister Grey was one of the most determined figures within the British Cab Government advocating a tough stance against Germany.


    If there were a person in the British Cab who was most hostile towards Germany, it would undoubtedly be Minister Grey.


    During Grey''s tenure, Britain sessively signed agreements with France and Russia, ying a significant role in the formation of the two major European military blocs'' current confrontation.


    Such a clear-cut figureing to Austrsia not only aimed to win their support, but also send a message to the outside world that Austrsia was growing closer to Britain.


    This indirectly bound Austrsia to Britain''s war chariot. After all, after hosting Minister Grey with such high standards, even if Austrsia didn''t publicly dere its stance or release any messages drawing closer to Britain, they would still be naturally categorized as being close to Britain.


    As such, Austrsia''s previously strictly maintained neutrality would be broken.


    Unless Austrsia could immediately reiterate its neutral stance and dere that it would not join either side, their rtionship with the British people would inevitably be damaged as they had chosen to follow Britain over Germany.


    Since Arthur had already made a decision between Britain and Germany, he naturally would not hesitate.


    Although joining the Allies and bing enemies with Germany clearly harmed the rtionship between Arthur and William II as well as with the Germans,


    what could personal emotions count for in terms of national interest?


    At the very least, Arthur could try to ensure William II''s family and the German royal family''s safety during the war, which would be considered a form ofpensation to William II.


    Arthur hoped that William II could escape the fate of history, not losing the German royal position due to being stripped of power in thete stages of the war and causing the decline of the Hohenzollern family.


    In fact, the social ss most severely damaged in World War I was the deeply rooted and highly powerful monarchs and nobility.


    After World War I, the powerful countries that lost their royal positions included the Russian Monarchy, the German Royal Family, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire Royal Family.


    Many countries were left with monarchies that had lost some, or even most, of their power.


    The worldwide decline of monarchism was not a good thing for Arthur. As a member of the European royal family, a stronger European royal family could bring some benefits to Arthur.


    Therefore, preserving as many national royal families as possible during the war was also one of Arthur''s goals.


    "Your Majesty, on behalf of the British Government and Royal Family, I would like to extend my greetings to you, the Austrsian Royal Family, the government, and all the people of Austrsia. We look forward to further exchanges with Austrsia.


    We are natural allies and even closer blood rtives." As an experienced foreign minister, Grey yed the emotional card from the start, emphasizing the good rtions between Austrsia and the United Kingdom.


    In fact, solely based on the rtionship between Austrsia and the United Kingdom, it would be impossible for Austrsia to stand against Britain.


    Among the current poption of over 12 million in Austrsia, more than half, nearly 8 million, are British immigrant descendants.


    This means that British immigrant descendants are the foundation of Austrsia. The government and the royal family in Austrsia must also consider the opinions of British immigrant descendants. -mp _y,r.


    Perhaps Arthur could rely on his enormous prestige and support from the people to go against their wishes and join Germany''s side.


    However, this would also hurt the British immigrant descendants'' feelings and have negative effects on Austrsia''s governance.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Under such circumstances, Minister Grey believed that at worst, Austrsia would remain strictly neutral and would not join Germany and the Allied Nations.

 Chapter 404: Chapter 339: Discussing Individual Needs_2

    Although the geographical location of Austrsia is crucial and can pose a threat to the British Empire''s colonies in India and Africa.


    However, Minister Grey confidently stated that Austrsia would only be an ally to their own kind, and India and Africa would still be safe.


    "Of course, even though Austrsia is far away from the British Empire, the blood ties between our two countries will never change." Arthur nodded naturally, replying.


    In Arthur''s view, the close rtionship between the two countries has a significant impact on the extensive assistance the British have given to Austrsia.


    Moreover, Austrsia is far from Europe and would not affect the British Empire''s position in Europe. Even if for the sake of pleasing their domestic citizens'' emotions, it would not be possible to join the anti-British camp directly.


    This also means that Austrsia is basically unlikely to stand on the opposite side of the British Empire, which is already determined by the close rtionship between the two parties.


    Unless the immigration structure in Austrsia changes, and British immigrants be a minority or even a tiny minority, from the majority.


    Only under such circumstances could the policies of Austrsia change. But before that, even for the sake of Queen Victoria, it would be impossible for Austrsia to be hostile to Britain.


    "Your Majesty, Ie with His Majesty the King and the Cab''s orders to discuss with your government a n for bringing our two countries closer together. To be honest, besides Germany, I believe that we have mutual enemies, that is, the United States on the other side of the Pacific Ocean." Minister Grey said with a smile.


    "Although Germany is the primary enemy at present, the growth of the United States cannot be underestimated. Due to its unique geographical location, the U.S. may be our greatest enemy. The U.S. is located on the British Empire''s side of the Antic Ocean and on your country''s side of the Pacific Ocean. With such power in Europe, the U.S.


    can only expand from the Pacific side. In fact, they are doing so. If your country wants to continue expanding northwards, sooner orter, you will face the Americans directly."


    From Minister Grey''s words, Arthur deduced a piece of information: the British government is not opposed to Austrsia continuing to expand northward.


    story by m|v_l,e,m,p,y,r


    This means that, to a certain extent, in order to win over Austrsia, the British people regard the Dutch East Indies as an area they can give up.


    Anyway, it''s not the British''s colony, and using the Dutchnd to win over an ally is a good deal for Minister Grey.


    Seeing Arthur nodding, which seemed to agree with his words, Minister Grey seized the moment and continued: "Your Majesty, if you agree, I represent the British government and would like to sign a treaty with your government, a treaty about a joint defense against the United States.


    If you agree, the British Empire supports your country''s expansion in Dutch East Indies, and if a conflict breaks out between your country and the United States in the Southeast Asian region, the British Empire is willing to reach out its helping hand and stand firmly behind Austrsia."


    The British government does attach great importance to an ally like Austrsia. Especially after the policy of assisting Austrsia against the U.S., the importance of Austrsia to the British Empire is second only to that of France and Russia, making it the third most important ally of the British Empire.


    Ranking third does not mean that Austrsia is not important. First, France and Russia are top powers with formidable military strength, and Britain relies on these two countries to defeat Germany.


    Second, although Austrsia''s military strength is already on par with the Great Powers, it is only the lowest-ranking power.


    In addition, Germany is still Britain''s most important enemy at present, while the United States is only potentially the biggest enemy.


    As a result, the Austrsian ranking is naturally behind France and Russia, only ranking third.


    "Of course, if Your Majesty is willing, we would be delighted to see Austrsia join the Allies. If Austrsia joins the Allies, we will have the four great powers of Britain, France, Russia, and Austrsia.


    Both the military strength shown so far and the potential far surpass the three powers of Germany, Austria, and Italy." In order to win over Austrsia, Minister Grey directly and openly mentioned the rumor circting among European civilians and parts of the government, that Austrsia is the Eighth Power.


    Minister Grey believed that a position as the Eighth Power, personally acknowledged by the British Empire, would be extremely attractive to the Austrsian Government and the royal family.


    After all, only after bing one of the powers could one truly reach the pinnacle of the world.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "The powerless are all ants beneath the powers" is not merely an expression in this era. For the Eight Great Powers, these eight countries control most of the world''s wealth and territories and have enough say in any global event.


    One power may not be strong enough, but if several powers agree, the remaining countries, even if they oppose, will definitely be for naught.


    "We understand what Minister Grey is saying, and indeed, we also look forward to cooperating with the British Empire. Regrettably, however, given our current level of development and military preparation, it is difficult for us to be of much help to the British Empire." Arthur did not speak, but nced at Prime Minister Kent. After getting Arthur''s hint, Prime Minister Kent spoke with a smile.


    Although it is already a foregone conclusion that Austrsia will cooperate with Britain, Arthur wants to strive for more benefits for Austrsia and more aid from Britain.


    However, such matters do not require Arthur to speak in person, as his subordinates can handle them well.


    "Of course, Prime Minister Kent, Your Majesty. Besides the potentialmon enemy - the United States, Germany is currently the biggest enemy of the British Empire.


    If Austrsia can join the organization of the Allies and make some contributions to resisting the Germans in the future, we are willing to provide more support to Austrsia, helping it gain more strength," Minister Grey said with a nod and a smile, as if it is only natural.


    Since the British Government has decided to win over Austrsia and support it in its fight against the United States,


    Support for Austrsia is inevitable, after all, the current industry and economy of the United States are already at the level of a top-strong country.


    In addition to the natural disadvantage of Austrsia''s poption, in order for Austrsia to resist the United States'' expansion in Asia, and even directly be the first line of defense against the United States, it is necessary to give Austrsia more powerful forces, at least to the point where the gap between them and the United States is smaller.


    After hearing Minister Grey''s words, the Austrsian Cab members present were visibly excited and eager to present their demands.


    Although Austrsia can develop by relying on its own strength, having the help of the world''s strongest nation, the British Empire, can make their development smoother and faster.


    For the ministers of these departments, having the help of British talent and technology is critical to the development of their departments.


    In just a few minutes, the ministers proposed requests for talent, technology, and equipment in various fields. The scale of the demand was so exaggerated that it even surprised Minister Grey.


    In the description of these Cab ministers, Austrsia was like a baby waiting to be fed, needing arge amount of talent, technology, and equipment in every aspect.


    But this was obviously different from the information Minister Grey had. ording to his understanding, while Austrsia had shorings in some areas, some advanced technologies and industries were already on par with those of a lower-level power like Italy.


    As the matters were significant, the negotiations between both parties became a tug of war. Arthur was pleased with this, as gaining more aid for Austrsia was crucial to the country''s development.

 Chapter 405: Chapter 340: British-Australian Agreement

    After several days of negotiation, on February 28, 1913, thest day of the month, the Austrsian Government and the British visiting group reached a certain consensus on British aid to Austrsia.


    As both parties had a strong willingness to cooperate, Austrsia wanted to obtain more assistance and gain morend and benefits in World War I to elerate the country''s rise.


    As for the British Empire, it also needed countries like Austrsia, which already have the strength of great powers in various aspects, and can provide the British Empire with mining resources, grain, beef, and mutton, medical supplies, and other logistical resources.


    The navy of Austrsia could also join the British navy in patrolling areas such as the Indian Ocean, protecting the British Empire''s African and Indian colonies.


    In this way, aplete transportation route can be formed, including Britain, France, the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, the Indian Ocean, Oceania, the South Pacific Ocean, Chile, and the Antic Ocean.


    This route almost covers all the colonies of the British Empire, important mineral resource providers like Austrsia and Chile, and blocks Germany''s ess to external resources.


    At the same time, if the navy of Austrsia can share the pressure of the British Empire''s naval forces in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean, the British Empire can mobilize more main fleets to the Antic Ocean and the European maind to blockade Germany''s transportation lines.


    If this n seeds, Germany, no matter how powerful, will copse under the attrition tactics of the Allies due to ack of logistical resources.


    In order to fully bring the country of Austrsia onto their side, Minister Grey received instructions from the British Cab and was very generous in these negotiations.


    In the preliminary assistance n agreed upon by both parties, Minister Grey agreed to provide Austrsia with approximately 30 million pounds in support in terms of funds.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, this 30 million pounds would be paid over seven years, with 5 million pounds of aid provided to Austrsia each year for the first three years, followed by 3.75 million pounds each year for the following four years.


    Although this financial assistance does not seem like much, it ispletely free and does not need to be repaid by Austrsia.


    In fact, the total amount of 30 million pounds seems quite significant. Evenpared to the most advanced super dreadnoughts, it could build at least a dozen or so.


    Even if the payments were made over seven years, the funds provided by the British government to Austrsia each year could at least build one super dreadnought and one dreadnought. Arthur has no reason not to ept this, as it is free.


    Both the British government and the Austrsian government are satisfied with the financial assistance. m vl _emp y,r the story tform


    For the British government, although the financial aidsts for seven years, the highest cost in the first three years is only 5 million pounds per year.


    For the British Empire, with an annual fiscal revenue of nearly 400 million pounds, this 5 million pounds expenditure is really nothing to them.


    For Austrsia, whether it is the first three years of 10 million Australian dors or the following four years of 7.5 million Australian dors, these amounts are not insignificant.


    After all, Austrsia''s total fiscal revenue in the previous year did not even reach the level of 100 million Australian dors, and the amount of aid provided by the British could give the Austrsian government more financial reserves.


    These funds, whether used for the people or the military, can bring many benefits to Austrsia.


    Both parties are satisfied with the agreed-upon amount of financial assistance, so it quickly became the first item in the agreement between Britain and Austrsia.


    Of course,pared to other forms of assistance, financial aid can only be considered an appetizer.


    Both parties know that the 30 million pounds alone cannot allow Austrsia to have a higher level of military and industrial strength and can only be considered a small embellishment.


    If they want Austrsia to willingly join the future European War, the British need to provide more support, including morend.


    As time entered March, the discussions between the two parties continued fervently.


    The next step in the negotiations, and the focus of this negotiation, is the scope and extent of British support for Austrsia in terms of technology and personnel.


    For any country, advanced technology, equipment, and talent are indispensable parts of national development.


    Advanced technology and equipment constitute the present of a country, and a rich reserve of excellent talents is the future of a country.


    Now that there is a big patron like Britain, Arthur certainly would not miss the opportunity to take advantage of the British.


    At present, the proportion of global talent is as follows: 80% of top talents are in Europe, 10% in the United States, and the remaining 10% in other regions.


    Although the clouds of European war are thickening, and European talents have been in massive decline,


    it still cannot be denied that Europe is still the brightest pearl in the world, with the most advanced technology, thergest industry, the most prosperous economy, and the most advanced systems.


    As the strongest country in Europe and the world, the talent reserve of the British Empire is naturally no small matter.


    At least in the naval field, the talent reserve of the British Empire is the richest in the world, without any equals.


    Due to previous assistance from Germany and Britain, Austrsia''s naval technology has already be world-ss.

 Chapter 406: Chapter 340: British-Australian Agreement_2

    However, there is still a huge gap between them and the British Empire. Arthur also greatly coveted the British Empire''s talent and technology.


    Under Arthur''s guidance, the Austrsian Government specifically discussed the second round of talks, and decided that the higher the range of assistance, the better.


    In terms of technology, talent, and industrial equipment, the more aid they receive, the more they can improve their current strength and potential for the future.


    With Arthur''s support, government officials were truly bold in their requests. Not only did a single cab department propose arge number of technology and equipment requests, but they also hoped that the United Kingdom would support hundreds of talents.


    .


    Adding up the requests from several departments, the British government would need to provide thousands of talents every year, which even they could not bear.


    Even if the British were rich and powerful, Minister Grey dared not agree to such high demands for assistance.


    Based on the requests put forward by the Austrsians, the strength of Austrsia after receiving aid would probably be among the top five powers.


    This was clearly in conflict with the current goals of the British.


    What the British needed was an Austrsia with enough strength to provide logistical support for them in future European wars and help them protect their rear.


    At most, they needed to work together after the war to guard against the expansion of the United States across the Antic Ocean.


    Looking at the current aid requests, it is likely that Austrsia after the aid would have the ability topete with the United States alone.


    Although a stronger Austrsia could perfectly contain the United States, if they continued to expand northward, the British were worried that it would go beyond their control.


    After ten more days of bargaining, on March 11, 1913, the second article of the treaty between the two parties was finalized.


    The treaty stiptes that Britain will provide arge number of industrial machinery, mainstream and modern technology, and various outstanding reserve talents to Austrsia from 1913 until the end of 1919, a total of seven years.


    In terms of industrial machinery equipment and technology, they will assist ording to Austrsia''s needs.


    Austrsia will purchase these industrial equipment and technologies at slightly below market prices, and Britain will be responsible for imparting them to Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    That is, after obtaining British technology, Austrsia can skip the long process of mastering the technology and directly let British experts teach them the technical knowledge.


    This will greatly enhance Austrsia''s speed of mastering British technology and allow their technological level to quickly catch up with Britain.


    Although it would cost money to purchase industrial equipment and technology, for the Austrsian government, which has a surplus of finances every year, money is the least of their concerns.


    Not to mention, they could easily afford to spend 20 million Australian dors a year to purchase British industrial equipment and technology.


    Although 20 million Australian dors may not seem like much, its purchasing power is quite impressive at this time.


    Moreover, Minister Grey personally promised that the industrial equipment and technology sold to Austrsia would be priced below market rates, and they would offer the most preferential prices to their allies.


    Indeed, after these two conditions were basically reached, Austrsia and the British Empire had actually be substantive allies.


    Aside from military matters that have yet to be discussed, they are already cooperating in diplomacy and the economy as true allies.


    As for the second matter of talent assistance, after several rounds of "bargaining," Minister Grey reluctantly agreed to Austrsia''s demand for at least 300 talents per year for a total of seven years.


    These 300 talents will cover various fields in all walks of life, and the specific talent requirements will be based on Austrsia''s needs.


    Even in Arthur''s n, talent in education and medical care would be included within these 300 people.


    In short, whatever talent Austrsiacks, they will request from the British Empire.


    In addition to the two matters of assistance, Arthur proposed an additional request to Minister Grey: for the shipyards of Austrsia and the British Empire to have friendly exchanges every year.


    In addition, Austrsia''s three major shipyards would send some students to study at the shipyards of the British Empire, and some British shipyards would also send experts to Austrsia for guidance.


    Arthur could not pass up the opportunity to benefit from the British Empire''s excellent shipbuilding industry. By sending students and inviting experts simultaneously, he did not believe that the shipyards of Austrsia could not learn more.


    As for the British lead in warship technology, Arthur would willingly send shipyard students to British shipyards every year.


    The current dreadnought and super-dreadnought technology possessed by Austrsia is undoubtedly significant thanks to the help of the British.


    After the two main aid items in the treaty had been discussed, the focus of the talks shifted to another major point besides aid: military cooperation between Austrsia and the British Empire.


    As the saying goes, there are gains and losses. The reason the British Empire aided Austrsia was not without purpose.

 Chapter 407: Chapter 340: British-Australian Agreement_3

    This kind of assistance was different from the patronage that came before. The scale of assistanceid out in the treaty was sufficient for Austrsia to advance even further.


    It also meant that Austrsia had to provide satisfactory returns in military cooperation for the British.


    As the saying goes, "true hearts reciprocate true hearts." In order for both parties to jointly fulfill their obligations under the treaty, besides the mutual conditions, it is also crucial for both parties to have the motivation to uphold the agreement.


    Since March 12th, the talks between the British Empire and Austrsia had turned into Minister Grey proposing terms while Prime Minister Kent and the Cab haggled over them.


    The first condition proposed by Minister Grey was that in the event of a European War, Austrsia would dispatch at least three main battleships to assist Britain in maintaining the situation in the Indian Ocean Region.


    India''s coastline is of great importance to the British Empire, as are the British colonies in Africa, and crucial strategic locations like the a Strait.


    Therefore, patrolling this region has be vital, particrly in wartime, when a sufficient number of warships must protect the area''s security.


    If the Austrsian Navy could join the Indian Ocean patrol system, it would enable the Royal British Navy to save a few main battleships and deploy them in potential naval battles in Europe.


    This would also further widen the gap between the Royal Fleet and the High Seas Fleet, reducing the likelihood of the two allied fleets converging.


    Prime Minister Kent immediately agreed to Minister Grey''s first request without much thought.


    Dispatching three main battleships to assist the British in patrolling the Indian Ocean after the outbreak of the European War was not a harsh condition, and it was entirely eptable to Austrsia.


    The second request from Minister Grey was for Austrsia to send at least 200,000 troops to participate in the war if the European War broke out, with at least a quarter of them being regr troops.


    In return for the military contributions of the Austrsians, Minister Grey also promised to take responsibility for the logistics of Austrsian troops in Europe and to bear half of the wartime military spending for Austrsia.


    In fact, it was not just Austrsia that received such terms. The British Empire also put forward such conditions to its two other allies, France and Russia Nation.


    In case of a European war, the British Empire would take on part of the military costs for France and Russia to alleviate their financial stress.


    This is especially true for Russia Nation, whose domestic political situation was already unstable, and whose industry and economy were rtively far behind, which madeBritain''s support all the more necessary.


    Moreover, Russia already owed France a significant amount of debt, and its financial situation was already quite precarious.


    Maintaining thergest army in Europe, if the British Empire did not provide some financial support, Russia might fall into massive debt and even face bankruptcy risk even before the start of the war due to huge military spending.


    Prime Minister Kent could not make unteral decisions about Minister Grey''s requests.


    Only after consulting with Arthur did Prime Minister Kent agree to the terms, but he also made some changes to Minister Grey''s requests.


    Regarding the dispatching of troops, Austrsia would send at least 250,000 troops to Europe following the outbreak of the European War.


    While the number of troops had increased, Minister Kent also set limits on the timing of dispatching regr troops.


    The Austrsia Ministry of Defense would send a total of more than 50,000 main forces to Europe during the entire war.


    However, the requirement was that the ultimatemand of all dispatchedbat troops would be in the hands of the Austrsia Ministry of Defense. Britain, France, and Russia could request the assistance of the Austrsian Army, but they could not issuepulsory orders.


    Arthur''s idea was quite simple. Although he had confidence in thebat capability of his army, troops that had not experienced major wars were ultimately not at their peak fighting capacity.


    If they could utilize the European War to train the main force of Austrsia by participating in the battle in batches, it would not only satisfy the British but also improve thebat capability of Austrsian regr troops.


    However, Arthur had no intention of turning his troops into cannon fodder for Britain, France, and Russia, fighting on their behalf.


    Whether it was non-main forces or main forces dispatched to Europe in rotation, the finalmand must be in the hands of Austrsia itself.


    The small number of main forces are the foundation of the Austrsian Army. While Arthur had prepared for casualties when nning to send them to Europe, he couldn''t eptrge-scale losses. If the British, French, and Russian forces were tomand the Austrsian Army, it was highly likely they would be sent to brutal meat-grinder battlefields like Verdun after the start of World War I.


    Bear in mind that there were severalrge-scale battles like Verdun during World War I, each involving millions of troops and resulting in millions of casualties.


    Even if Austrsia could send 250,000bat troops, suchrge-scale battles would only see them being depleted, and ultimately, it is Arthur and Austrsia who would suffer the consequences.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Therefore, Arthur would rather send an additional 50,000bat troops to ensure that themand of the troops is firmly controlled by Austrsia itself.

 Chapter 408: Chapter 341: The Four Major Powers of the Allies

    At this point, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia, the allies, had not yet reached the tight rtionship they would have during the war, and each had different degrees of preparation and progress for war.


    At this time, when Austrsia proposed that it should havemand over its ownbat forces, Minister Grey had nothing much to argue against it.


    Because considering the current situation, even if the war broke out, Britain, France, and Russia would at most only coordinate their efforts, and it was impossible for them to hand overmand of their own army to other countries.


    Under such circumstances, it was reasonable for Austrsia to demand independentmand of its own army. After all, no one is so generous as to hand over themand of their country''s army to others, which would be equivalent to handing over the lifeblood of the army.


    As for the issue of military expenditure, under the rmendation of Prime Minister Kent, Minister Grey also made some modifications.


    Once the Austrsian troops set out for Europe, the British Government would provide half the soldiers'' sries and bear all the military expenses during thebat period.


    This meant that, once the Austrsian troops arrived in Europe, they could fire their weapons freely, backed by the deep pockets of the British.


    The Austrsian Government only needed to cover half of the increase in personnel, which would not only satisfy their military training objectives but also meet the requirements of the British forbat duty.


    Of course, the British were not just providing financial support for nothing. Minister Grey also imposed a new requirement that once the European war broke out, Austrsianbat forces in Europe must maintain a scale of no less than 200,000 men.


    If, for any reason, there were reductions, Austrsia would need to continue to dispatch troops to Europe to maintain the size ofbat forces at over 200,000.


    This meant that, counting casualties, Austrsia might need to mobilize at least 500,000 troops to join the European war to meet British requirements.


    However, the condition proposed by Minister Grey did not explicitly require any specific number of Austrsian main force troops.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was eptable to Arthur, because after World War I, it would be necessary to reduce the number of native people to avoid possible ethnic problems in the future.


    Regarding the potential manpower issues caused by the decrease in native people, the majority of heavybor they did could gradually be reced by machinery.


    Furthermore, the poption of Austrsia was constantly increasing. Based on the current annual poption growth, Austrsia''s poption was expected to exceed 13.5 million by the outbreak of World War I, if it urred as it did historically.


    Before 1920, the poption of Austrsia could at least exceed 20 million, and the issue ofbor shortages would not be as serious as it is now.


    Even for a considerable period after the end of World War I, which included the stage when Austrsia would acquire arge number of immigrants.


    If managed well and sessfully reced the United States'' position during World War I, Austrsia would be facing millions, if not tens of millions, of immigrants annually.


    In addition to absorbing the resources of the defeated countries, Arthur could even hope to turn Austrsia into a major power with a poption of thirty to forty million, with military strength ranking third globally andprehensive strength ranking fifth.


    In addition to these military agreements, another important topic discussed during this negotiation was the division of interests after the war.


    This is a topic that can never be avoided. If the alliance of Germany, Austria, and Italy aimed to disrupt the existing colonial order, with Germany obtaining more colonies, Austria-Hungary expanding in the Balkan Penins, and Italy acquiring new territories, then the Allies also had their own goals.


    Although the establishment of the Allies was originally intended to jointly resist German expansion, should victory be achieved in the war, they would certainly demand many benefits from the defeated nations topensate for their military expenses and consumption.


    The UK, France, and Russia were still okay. Whether it was receiving colonies from the Allied Powers or obtaining territories from them, there were many ways to enjoy the benefits and expand.


    But Austrsia was different. Austrsia, in remote Oceania, was adjacent to only one small area influenced by the Allied Powers: German New Guinea.


    But German New Guinea certainly could not satisfy the appetite of Austrsia. Arthur agreed to dispatchrge numbers ofbat troops, certainly not for this small territory he could take over immediately at the start of the war.


    In the vicinity of Austrsia, apart from the territory of German New Guinea, othernds were either British and French possessions in the Pacific Inds or the northern Dutch East Indies.


    However, the Nethends is a rtively weak countrypared to Austrsia, which could obtain any territory of the Dutch East Indies it wished for without any support from other countries.


    This meant that if Britain and France wanted to satisfy Austrsia''s appetite, they would have to make some concessions among the Pacific Inds.


    Especially for inds close to Austrsia like the British Solomon Inds, French New Caledonia, the jointly controlled New Hebrides Inds, British Fiji, French Wallis and Futuna, the British Gilbert and Ellice Inds Protectorate, the British Toku Inds, and the British Phoenix Inds.


    These inds and archipgos were not far from Austrsia, but they were very far from the maind of Britain and France.

 Chapter 409: Chapter 341: The Four Major Powers of the Allies_2

    Given its location in Oceania, it is impossible for Austrsia not to want thesends.


    These inds and archipgos are all part of the Pacific Ocean and serve as important defense lines for Austrsia.


    If they can obtain these inds, Austrsia can buildplete ind defense chains in the Southwest Pacific region.


    With numerous coastal defense guns, powerful warships, and air forces, they can block any enemying from the Pacific Ocean, preventing them from ever getting close to the Austrsian maind.


    More importantly, these inds epass the core parts of Austrsia (Australia, New Zend, and New Guinea), making them a solid barrier for the defense of the nativend.


    If Austrsia wants to confront the United States, it must seize these inds. This will ensure that they have the confidence and bargaining power topete with America before catching up in industry and economy.


    With these inds as defense, Austrsia''s nativend will be safe at all times.


    However, it remains to be seen whether Britain and France will be willing to give up these Pacific inds to tie Austrsia to the war chariot.


    Minister Grey and the British government foresaw Austrsia''s demands early on.


    For Austrsia, these Oceania inds are like fat meat next to the pillow, which must be eaten if one has ambition.


    Considering the many expansions of Austrsia in the Southeast Asian region, Arthur''s ambition is not small, and his demands for the inds in Oceania are expected.


    After the Austrsian region seceded from the British Empire, the British control over the Pacific inds had weakened significantly.


    This is normal, as the British Empire has vast colonies, and the scattered inds in the Pacific are not that important to the British.


    However, these inds also involve French territory. Even if the Anglo-French Agreement links Britain and France closely together, Britain cannot directly decide for France.


    Nevertheless, in principle, Minister Grey agreed to Austrsia''s demands. If war breaks out, Britain would directly transfer all the archipgos mentioned above to Austrsia in exchange for their direct participation in the war.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the same time, since Austrsia will be at war with Germany once it joins the war, German New Guinea bes the spoils of war for Austrsia.


    As long as Austrsia has the capability, it could even take over thisnd the day the war breaks out.


    As for the French inds in Oceania, Minister Grey also promised to do his best to lobby for Austrsia, striving to have France agree to transfer these archipgos directly.


    However, it seems unlikely that the French would refuse. After all, for France, these Oceania inds are not that important.


    France''s core colonial regions are still in Africa. As long as the African colonies are not lost, a few inds and archipgos in the Pacific in exchange for hundreds of thousands of supportive troops from Austrsia to reduce French casualties is not a bad deal.


    Moreover, if the war is won, the French can certainly obtain somend from Germany. Aren''t Europeannds more important than Oceania''s inds?


    In order to express his and the British government''s sincerity, Minister Grey sent a telegram to the British government on the same day that Austrsia proposed the conditions and requested that the British government negotiate with France to reach a consensus on these inds as soon as possible.


    Grey received a reply from the British government several dayster, on March 19.


    As expected, neither Britain nor France ced much importance on these inds in Oceania.


    Both parties agreed to transfer these inds in Oceania to Austrsia in exchange for Austrsia joining the Allies after the outbreak of the war.


    The French were very interested in Austrsia''s n to join and send 250,000bat troops and even wanted to invite Austrsia to participate in the Entente Powers Conference in 1913.


    Since thest Entente Powers Conference and Central Powers Conference, these have be traditional events for the two major military blocs.


    Unless there are special circumstances, they are basically held once a year.


    The purpose and content of the conferences are to discuss responses to war based on thetest situation after the outbreak of war.


    At this point, major European countries are well aware that avoiding this European War is impossible.


    So far, the major European powers have invested countless funds in thepetition between each other.


    Many countries'' finances have already faced problems, and even if the arms race were to be stopped now, it would cause irreversible damage to the development of the nation.


    The only way to solve such a situation is to use a resounding victory to enhance national unity and support while using the spoils of war and warpensations to save the government''s finances.


    "Only war can end the current situation." This phrase has been uttered by many high-ranking military officials of European powers.


    No matter how well the governments of each country have prepared for the war, their armed forces are eager to try anyway.


    Since it has been decided to join the Allies, it is necessary to participate in the uing Entente Powers Conference in order to gain more benefits for Austrsia in World War I.

 Chapter 410: Chapter 341: The Four Major Powers of the Allies_3

    Minister Grey also invited Arthur, who naturally agreed and promised to attend this year''s Entente Powers Conference.


    The location of the Entente Powers Conference, which was held since 1911, has certain political implications.


    The first Entente Powers Conference was held in London, United Kingdom. As the core of the Entente Powers, it was justifiable to host the conference in London.


    The previous year''s conference, the one in 1912, was held in Paris, France.


    France serves as a bulwark against Germany, bearing the brunt of Germany''s military pressure.


    Therefore, hosting the second Entente Powers Conference in Paris, France, not only highlighted France''s status as the second-strongest nation in the alliance, but also reassured the French people that Britain and Russia would stand united behind France.


    By convention, this year''s conference should have taken ce in Saint Petersburg, Russia, as it is the due treatment for Russia as the third major power in the alliance.


    In addition to attending this necessary conference, Arthur also nned to take advantage of the asion to visit Britain, France, and Russia to establish good rtions with the three countries and gain more benefits in future wars.


    Although Arthur''s rtionship with Russia has always been good, he cannot guarantee that the Russian Empire, which is in a better state than in history, will not fall apart in this war.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If Austrsia loses the Russian Empire as an allied rtive, the United Kingdom would be the only remaining rtive in the alliance that they can rely on.


    Therefore, taking such an opportunity to interact with Britain and France is essential.


    Moreover, as the weakest of the Four Great Powers of the Entente, it wouldn''t be unreasonable to ask Britain and France for some benefits.


    It is important to note that as longstanding top powers, Britain and France have a wealth of resources at their disposal.


    Gaining ess to various military and warship technologies would provide significant improvements for Austrsia.


    More importantly, by establishing good rtions with the two countries, Austrsia can, by virtue of its position among the Four Great Powers of the Entente, fully rece the United States'' role in World War I history.


    Even if the United States is stronger than Austrsia, it cannot gain the approval of Britain and France without participating in the war at the beginning of World War I.


    Arthur initially nned to adopt the American approach by selling armaments to both parties during the early stages of the war, and then join the advantaged side in the middle ortter stages to put an end to the battle.


    However, after conversations with Prime Minister Kent and Butler Kent, Arthur finally saw things clearly.


    If Austrsia adopted the same strategy as the United States, the United States would undoubtedly have a greater advantage due to its more developed economy and industry.


    In this case, Austrsia would not be able to stop the rise of the United States and may lose the trust of the British government and people after the war due to its support for Germany during the early stages of the conflict.


    However, if Austrsia enters the war at its beginning and participates in the world war as one of the Four Great Powers of the Entente, its status and position would be significantly different.


    Compared to the United States, which seeks to profit in the early stages of the war and seize benefits in the middle andter stages, it is evident that Austrsia is considered more of an "insider" by Britain and France.


    Additionally, given the British government''s existing wariness towards the United States, it remains to be seen whether the United States can obtain the enormous profits and benefits it gained historically from World War I, depending on not only Austrsia''s consent but also whether the British and French governments are naive enough to fall for it.

 Chapter 411: Chapter 342: Military Expansion and Loans

    On March 27th, 1913, before Arthur''s eyes, Minister Grey and Prime Minister Kent signed the treaty, formally representing the conclusion and implementation of the British-Australian Treaty that had been negotiated for over a month.


    This was aprehensive agreement covering diplomacy, economy, and military cooperation, with Austrsia officially bing an ally of the British and joining the ranks of the Allied Powers.


    The signing of the Anglo-Australian Treaty caused quite a sensation in both Austrsia and Europe on that day.


    It also meant that Austrsia would officially join the Allied Powers, bringing the number of Powers in the alliance to four, ahead of the three in the Central Powers.


    Although Austrsia''s status as a great power has only been acknowledged by European governments and media in recent years and still facespetition from ind nations,


    no one can deny Austrsia''s status as a great power - even if it is the eighth power, it is still much stronger than non-great powers.


    If we look at the strengths of the Allies and the Central Powers on-paper, the advantage of the Allies is even greater.


    Both Italy and Austrsia are bottom-ranking great powers, and to some extent, Austrsia''s military strength is even stronger than Italy''s (mainly reflected in the army, with bnced naval forces).


    Russia is also stronger than the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Combined, the British and French powers surpass Germany''s.


    Additionally, with the advantage ofnd area and poption, the scales of war seem to be tipping in favor of the Allies.


    On the day Austrsia announced its signing of the treaty with Britain, William II sent a telegram to Arthur inquiring about the situation.


    During the reign of Edward VII, Arthur''s rtionship with William II was undeniably better.


    However, the rtionship between the two countries is not sustained by Arthur''s personal connections. For Austrsia, joining the Allies brings more benefits and status, enabling it to be one of the top five powers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But if Austrsia joins the Central Powers, it would have no hope of victory unless it exhausts itsst drop of blood and shows its true cards.


    For both Arthur and Austrsia, it is uneptable to exhaust their potential and resources for Germany''s victory.


    Therefore, joining the Allies was the best oue, at least for Arthur and Austrsia.


    Although it may seem immoral given the rtionship between Arthur and William II, the development of the nation is like this, regardless of the individuals involved.


    In response to William II''s inquiry, Arthur could only exin that the majority of the British poption wanted the alliance.


    However, Arthur also assured William II that Austrsia would not use any illegal weapons in the war.


    Many illegal weapons were used in World War I. Both sides constantly devised new tactics in their quest for victory.


    Aside from the Maxim heavy machine gun, one of the deadliest weapons of World War I, there were also chemical weapons and methrowers, which struck fear into every soldier.


    Chemical weapons, with their various types of poisonous gas, caused soldiers to go blind, suffocate, be infected, or even die.


    The seemingly less destructive methrower inflicted cruel damage when it was used. Although they couldn''t break through sturdy fortresses, their extremely high temperatures could enter through loopholes and venttion holes, causing painful burns to enemies at close range.


    Those unfortunate enough could even be roasted alive by the methrower, a much crueler death than other methods.


    Even if someone was lucky and further away from the loophole, they could still suffocate or be dehydrated due to the quick consumption of oxygen and moisture caused by the high temperature.


    Furthermore, the high temperatures could ignite ammunition and shells inside the fortress, making it a close encounter with death for those without any shelter within.


    Although Austrsia''s joining of the Allies made them potential enemies with Germany in terms of position,


    the rtionship between Arthur and William II did not change significantly, and the two were still able to converse happily via telegram.


    However, as a top-ranking monarch, William II had his pride and would not try to retain Arthur, considering his actions were a form of betrayal.


    In William II''s view, victory on the battlefield should serve as proof to Arthur that the British-French alliance was just a shell, unable to withstand the might of the German Empire''s forces.


    It must be said that many Germans were somewhat arrogant during this period.


    Since the founding of the German Empire was based on the defeat of then Western European hegemon France, the feeling of facing a former defeated foe when confronting France and Ennd now made the German military and many high-ranking officials increasingly confident, not taking the French army seriously.


    The news of Austrsia joining the Allies also caused a stir domestically.


    The supportive poption naturally consists of immigrants from Britain and Russia. Due to the proportion of British immigrants and the high growth rate of Russian immigrants in recent years, thebined total of both British and Russian immigrants ounts for more than 85% of Austrsia''s total poption.


    Therefore, from the perspective of the people of Austrsia, joining the Allies was the general will of the people.


    As for the German poption, which ounts for less than 10%, they naturally did not want to see this happen.

 Chapter 412: Chapter 342: Military Expansion and Loan_2

    However, the proportion of German immigrants was not high to begin with, and Arthur, with his foresight, dispersed them among therge numbers of British and Russian immigrants, effectively making it impossible for them to make waves.


    Moreover, most of those who emigrate are those struggling or unable to thrive in their original countries.


    After all, who would willingly travel thousands of miles to a foreignnd, just to make a living, if they could thrive in their original countries?


    These German immigrants in Austrsia believe they are living well. To ask them to stand up and oppose the government''s decisions, regardless of their current stable life, would be overestimating their affection for their countries of origin.


    Unless someone deliberately rallies these Germans and incites them, German immigrants in Austrsia fundamentally cannot affect the situation in Austrsia.


    Moreover, with the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau monitoring domestic situations, even with the support of other countries, it would be hard to rally these dispersed German immigrants.


    As for maintaining order within Austrsia, Arthur has spared no effort.


    He also strongly supports and values the growth of the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau.


    As of now, the total number of Royal Security Intelligence Bureau personnel has exceeded tens of thousands.


    If you count those stationed in other countries and various informants, this number could be multiplied several times.


    In Austrsia alone, the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau has over five thousand intelligence personnel embedded in various cities and viges.


    This allows Arthur to always have ess to first-hand intelligence within Austrsia, and to monitor the movements of his officers and subordinates at all times.


    The overseas intelligencework of the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau mainly covers Europe, the United States, and East Asia.


    The number of intelligence personnel dispatched to Europe is thergest, with over four thousand. Including local hires and informants, the total number of intelligence personnel in Europe exceeds tens of thousands.


    The number of intelligence personnel in the United States is slightly less, but including various informants, the total is still over four thousand.


    There are about three thousand intelligence personnel in East Asia and Southeast Asia, about a thousand in South America, and about a thousand in Africa and other regions. This is the current distribution andyout of the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau''s intelligence personnel.


    The first benefit of joining the Allies was to form alliances with the three major powers--Britain, France, and Russia.


    As Austrsia hasmitted to sending a sizablebat army in the event of future European wars, Arthur has been shameless in demanding more benefits and aid from Britain, France, and Russia.


    Of course, the aid from the Allieses mainly from Britain and France, as Russia is also a recipient of assistance.


    On the day the government officially announced its joining of the Allies, Arthur signalled the government to establish contact with the French government and prioritise establishing good diplomatic rtions.


    The French weed the inclusion of Austrsia because thebat troops deployed by Austrsia would alleviate some of the pressure on the French Army.


    While in contact with the French, Arthur also brought up his own demands, which included the purchase of French submarine technology.


    While Austrsia already possessed mature German submarine technology, the development of said technology in Germany currentlygs a step behind Britain and France.


    Of course, even if Germany''s submarine technology was on par with Britain and France, learning some additional submarine technology would also be beneficial to Austrsia''s submarine development.


    In addition, Arthur instructed the Austrsian government to seekrge amounts of low and interest-free loans from the British and French governments and the private sector.


    The excuse was that to reserve sufficient military power, Austrsia needed to invest more budget in the military sector.


    After World War I, all kinds of currencies will depreciate, whether it''s an interest-free loan or low-interest loan, they are all profitable for Austrsia.


    Even just by sellingrge amounts of mineral resources and food supplies to Britain and France during the war, they could easily repay these loans.


    Perhaps out of importance for their new ally, the French agreed promptly to Austrsia''s request to purchase submarine technology.


    Of course, the French did not object to Austrsia''s request for loans, as they have been a major debtor for decades, one more Austrsian does not bother them.


    Through the envoys sent by both parties, Austrsia quickly signed a loan agreement with the French government.


    The agreement stipted that Austrsia would borrow a total of 500 million francs (20 million pounds, 40 million Australian dors) from the French government and civilians. Out of this, 150 million francs woulde from the French government in the form of an interest-free loan. The remaining 350 million francs woulde from French civilians, as a low-interest loan.


    The total loan term was ten years. After ten years, the Austrsian Government would be obligated to repay a total of 535 million francs in principal and interest.


    Of course, this 500 million francs would not be paid in one go. Given the financial condition of France, the 150 million francs from the government would be paid in two batches in mid and end of this year.


    The 350 million francs from the French public would depend on the specific negotiations between the Austrsian Government and French banks.


    France, being a major yer in the lending sector, was quick to expedite the loan process, and the loan agreement came into effect swiftly.


    If all goes well, about 150 million francs should arrive in the first half of this year, and 250 million francs in the second half. The remaining 100 million francs might not get paid until next year.


    With these funds supporting them, the Austrsian Government could spend morevishly on building their military.


    Once the naval orders of Russia and Chile are finished, it would be Austrsia''s turn to demonstrate their military shipbuilding prowess.


    Since the United States was seen as the future target and enemy, it was crucial to quickly enhance naval capabilities.


    Arthur nned to expand Austrsia''s naval arsenal starting from 1914.


    From 1914 to 1918, Austrsia''s next five-year shipbuilding n would be officially executed.


    For this five-year shipbuilding n, Austrsia will build at least one aircraft carrier, seven super dreadnoughts or equivalent main battleships, four battlecruisers, dozens of escort ships and armored cruisers, and more, to fully enrich Austrsia''s naval reserve.


    The aircraft carrier was an experimental product for the navy, and its sess or failure would not affect the expansion of the navy.


    The real highlight was those seven or more super dreadnoughts or equivalent main battleships and a minimum of three advanced battlecruisers.


    If this new five-year shipbuilding n can bepleted, the size of Austrsia''s navy will reach seven super dreadnoughts, three dreadnoughts, six battlecruisers, totaling sixteen main battleships after the end of World War I.


    By then, if nothing unexpected happens, the navies of the Allied Nations should also have encountered their unexpected circumstances.


    At that time, Austrsia''s naval size would rank at least among the top five in the world, and might even rank third in the world, only after the UK and the US.


    In fact, looking at the attitudes of Britain and France, it is evident that they ce considerable importance on Austrsia, their newly joined ally in the Allies.


    France not only agreed to exchange military technology with Austrsia, but also agreed to their loan request.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for Britain, the assistance they promised during the negotiations is already being prepared after the signing of the Anglo-Australian Treaty.


    Because the original package includes all sorts of things, even various technologies, blueprints, data, and talents, the preparation also takes some time.


    However, the British do not intend to wait. As soon as the preparations for the first batch of aid is ready, transport ships from the British Empire will set sail under protection of their fleet, heading for Austrsia thousands of miles away.


    This batch of aid contains arge amount of industrial equipment and data, as well as the talents that Arthur had requested in various fields.


    Of course, the British government would not straightforwardly ask these talents to immigrate to Austrsia. Instead, they subtly changed the concept and sent them over in the name of expert delegation, so these people and their families could stay in Austrsia for a long duration.


    On the surface, these experts only need to stay in Austrsia for a few years before they can apply to return to the British maind.


    However, the issue is that they would be bringing their families and most of their property to Austrsia.


    After living in Austrsia for several or even more than ten years, would their families truly want to traverse thousands of miles to return home to Britain?


    If they are willing, Arthur would simplymend their love for the homnd, and then let them return.

 Chapter 413: Chapter 343: Submarine Technology

    As time entered April 1913, Arthur also entered a rtively rxed and pleasant leisure time.


    With the arrival of batch after batch of aid from the United Kingdom, Austrsia once again entered a rapid development stage.


    With the talent support from the United Kingdom, Austrsia quickly mastered the new British and French technology and techniques they had acquired.


    One of the technologies that Arthur valued more was the submarine technology from France.


    Under the efforts of a group of British experts and Austrsian experts, the Royal Shipyard quickly cracked the French submarine technology and even nned to build one or two for experiments.


    In its early days, France''s submarine technology led other European countries. However, due to many detours taken, the current leading advantage has narrowed a lot.


    One of the more important factors was the French indecision when choosing the power source for their submarines.


    In terms of submarines, France was one of the first countries to use abination of diesel and electric engines. However, they have been indecisive, and they have continued to use steam and electric engines in their submarine designs.


    Although it seems to be an exploration of diversified submarine power systems, it actually wasted the advantage France maintained in the field of submarines, which waster surpassed by the United Kingdom and the rising Germany.


    Inparison, British submarines and German U-boats established the torpedouncher as the primary weapon loadout early on, canceling the Jeveczki Rack that would break the hull shape, and having a more reasonable hull development. With a more focused choice of power systems, British and German submarines maintained a long-term lead in terms of underwater speed over French submarines.


    For French submarines in the period before and after World War I, the most iconic example might be the cruiser submarine Narval-ss, which has a 4330-ton discement and carries a twin 203mm gun turret. Although seemingly powerful, it still belongs to the "wrong technology tree" type.


    On the one hand, the turret is slow to rotate in battle, has sealing issues, and disrupts the submarine''s hull shape. On the other hand, the huge vibrations and recoil caused by the cannon cause the hull to struggle, making it far less practical than medium and small caliber deck guns - a ssic example of being shy but impractical.


    However, for Austrsia at present, there are still many areas to learn from French submarine technology.


    Austrsia currently holds the German submarine U-3 technology and is thest of seven series of submarines.


    It should be noted that when Germany built submarines, it adopted a group construction method.


    This also makes the performance gap of the seven series of U-3 submarines, with each series differing greatly from the others.


    Germany began to equip submarines with diesel engines beginning with the seventh series of U-3 submarines.


    Having undergone the evolution of seven series and 22 submarines, the current U-22 submarine has advanced performance.


    Because it is equipped with two eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines, the total power reaches 1,700 hp, which also makes the discement of the submarine reach 837 tons, with a maximum surface speed of 15.4 knots and a maximum underwater speed of 9.5 knots.


    In addition, the main weapon of the submarine was reced with a 500mm torpedouncher, which is a deadly blow to unarmored cruise ships and transport ships.


    This also gives submarines a unique strategic significance; underwater, submarines are elusive assassins for cruise ships and transport ships.


    Of course, due to the current submarines'' performance not being very advanced, submarines have no room to resist when facing regr main battleships.


    Compared to German submarines, which have rtively singr levels and series, the current French submarines'' series and levels are more diversified.


    As one of the founding countries of modern submarines, France has more than ten levels of submarines to date, with various sizes and types, offering a wide range.


    Currently, France''s world-ss submarine models are the Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarines, Aurore-ss submarines, Beimont-ss submarines, Dupuy de L?me-ss submarines, Diana-ss submarines, Amied-ss submarines, Joessel-ss submarines, and Lagrange-ss submarines.


    Except for the Amphitrite-ss submarines, which have a range of only 2,400 kilometers, all other submarines'' range is more than 4,000 kilometers, allowing them to perform long-range operational tasks.


    Even thest two Joessel-ss and Lagrange-ss submarines have an incredible range of 8,000 kilometers at a speed of 11 knots, greatly expanding thebat range of submarines and enhancing the strategic position of submarines.


    These two levels of submarines can be seen as the true meaning of ocean-going submarines, expanding submarine threats to the Antic Ocean.


    Meanwhile, German submarines have a range of only a little over 2,000 kilometers, falling far short whenpared to French submarines.


    Apart from the Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarines, which began construction in 1911, the other models were either started this year or are nned for construction.


    From this point, one can see the sincerity of the French. At least with these submarine technologies, the French really gave them!


    However, this does not mean that the French are generous. ording to Arthur''s estimation, the French should have more advanced submarine designs, just not having started any construction ns for the time being.


    Regardless, the several levels of French submarine technology currently provided to Austrsia are indeed more advanced than German submarine technology.


    Once Austrsia fully masters French submarine technology,bining the advantages of both German and French submarines, and independently developing their own submarines, it will be the time for Austrsian submarines to make a name for themselves.


    At present, the French submarine technology mastered by Austrsia is actually the Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarines that the French started building two years ago.


    The Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarine has a total length of 74 meters, a width of 6 meters, and a submerged discement of 1098 tons, entering the medium-torge sized submarine category, serving as a lead submarine in the French navy.


    Although its size isrger than that of German submarines, it is equipped with a power system with a total power output of 5120 horsepower, including 2 sets of 1750-horsepower steam engines and 2 sets of 810-horsepower electric motors, allowing a world-ss speed of 17 knots on the surface and 10-11 knots underwater.


    The endurance of the Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarine is also excellent, with a total range of 5,780 kilometers/10 knots, and it can amodate 47 officers and crew.


    The main weapon of the submarine is 8 450mm torpedoes, 2 in the torpedounchers, and 6 on the external double racks. It also has a 75mm deck gun and a 47mm deck gun,parable to other countries'' medium-torge submarines.


    Overall, the Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarine is a world-leading submarine with advanced technology.


    Arthur quickly agreed to the Royal Shipyard experts'' request to build several Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarines, and named two Gustave Z¨¦d¨¦-ss submarines to be built Q03 and Q04.


    In Austrsia, submarines built by other countries are designated with the letter Q. Currently, two are in service, with two more expected to be built.


    Although the current French submarine technology is quite good, it is basically at the world-leading level.


    However, for Arthur, technology that is well known by other countries can only serve as the foundation for Austrsia''s submarines.


    Only when Austrsia develops its advanced submarine technology, Arthur would dare to use it with confidence.


    Fortunately, the submarine technology of this era is not thatplicated, and the technology is not as good as inter generations.


    As long as the German and French submarine technologies are mastered, and their essence is extracted, it is not difficult to develop advanced Austrsian submarines.


    After all, Austrsia currently has the capability to independently design and build dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts. Compared to dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts, is submarine technology still considered difficult?


    Even if it were not for the shipyard experts to master the French submarine series earlier, Arthur would have given the order for the experts to start developing a new submarine series.


    For Arthur, there is good news: although Austrsia has joined the Allies, it does not need to bear the naval pressure from Germany.


    The naval mission of Austrsia is just to help Britain maintain the order on the western and northern shores of the Indian Ocean, that is, the East African coast and the southern Indian coast.


    Generally speaking, the German fleet would not appear in this area, as they would have to break through the blockade of the Allied fleet to reach it.


    Moreover, the British would never allow the Germans to appear in this area.


    Because this area is not only an important transportation route for Austrsia to Europe, but also the connection between the British maind and the Indian colonies.


    This means that even if World War I breaks out in the future, Austrsia will still have plenty of time to build its own military.


    And because of Austrsia''s excellent geographical location, it is almost impossible for it to be invaded during World War I.


    The only possibility of invasion is either the ind nation joining the Allied Powers, or the United States joining the Allied Powers.


    However, both conditions are unrealistic. The ind nation is still a loyal follower of Britain before Britain cuts off its aid.


    They don''t have a good rtionship with Germany, and the ind nation needs to weigh the strength of the British Empire in order to join the Allied Powers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the United States, it is the same case. Although it has be a real power in terms of economics and industry, its military strength, especially in the army, is not evenparable to that of some lesser powers.


    Moreover, throughout World War I, Austrsia''s homnd will be protected by the Allies.


    Anyone who is an enemy of Austrsia is equivalent to being an enemy of the entire Allied Nations.


    Even after World War I in history, thebined remnants of Britain and France were much stronger than the military strength exhibited by the United States.


    Moreover, in this current situation that has changed the world, it is basically impossible for the United States to achieve rapid development as it did in World War I.


    In this way, the gap between Britain and France and the United States after World War I will berger andrger. At least until World War II breaks out and the power of Britain and France ispletely exhausted, the United States cannot be a rival of the two countriesbined.


    Even if the colonial system of Britain and France does not copse, the British Empire and France will always be traditional powers and one of the world''s strongest countries.


    Nowadays, Austrsia is also a member of the world''s colonial system. If the United States wants to destroy Britain and France''s colonial system as easily as it did in history after World War II, it must consider whether Austrsia agrees or not.

 Chapter 414: Chapter 344: Hunting and the Royal Zoo

    As the King of Austrsia, during times when political affairs were not too busy, Arthur''s work was actually quite rxed and enjoyable.


    Since cab meetings were held once a week, this also meant that, in the absence of cab meetings and not many political affairs, Arthur had six days a week to arrange freely.


    However, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was not easy to find some sufficiently entertaining leisure activities, even for Arthur as the ruler of a nation.


    Fortunately, Arthur had enough power to do anything he wanted, including promoting popr activities in Austrsia, such as sound films, football, sports, and more.


    Arthur has many ways of entertainment now, such as asionally watching a new movie, watching football matches organized by various Austrsian states, horse racing, and even traditional nobility hunting, all of which are among Arthur''s leisure activities.


    Speaking of horse racing, it has been a noble sport for centuries, loved by nobles in the East and West.


    Before the birth of cars and trains, horses were the only convenient means of transportation for humans. They appeared in various aspects of life for people before the 20th century.


    As early as 1174, the first rather formal horse racing took ce at the Smithfield Friday Horse Market in London.


    With the development of British horse racing, a horse racing craze swept Europe around the 13th century.


    In the West, horse racing is known as the Sport of Kings. Because the oue depends on knightly skill and the running speed of the horse, it is a considerable test of riding skill and the endurance of the horse.


    During the undeveloped Middle Ages, those who could afford to organize and participate in horse racing events were usually local nobility and wealthy households.


    So far, horse racing has be popr in the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Australia, and some parts of Asia, and each horse racing event in these areas attracts arge number of spectators.


    Austrsia''s horse racing history dates back to the colonial period of 1840. Flemington Racecourse held more formal horse racing events even during colonial rule and continues to this day.


    As Austrsia''srgest horse breeder, Arthur''s assets have as many as several hundred thousand Australian wild horses.


    Of course, "Australian Wild Horse" is a rtively unified term. In reality, of the hundreds of thousands of horses that Arthur owns, there are about three main breeds: purebred Arabian horses imported from overseas, and native Australian Victorian Kent horses and Donald horses.


    These three horse breeds have the longest history in Austrsia and are the most numerous breeds.


    The Arabian horse breed dates back hundreds of years, when British colonizers imported purebred Arabian horses to improve the bloodline of working horses native to Australia.


    The remaining two native Australian horse breeds, both possessing remarkable speed and endurance, have been preserved throughout long European history, bing two of the few superior horses retained among many horse breeds in Australia.


    These three herds are all suitable for military use and are the main breeding targets of Arthur''s horse farms.


    At present, Arthur''s private horse farm has more than 500,000 Australian horses, making it thergest horse breeder in Austrsia, with a total number of horses that could directly arm at least 100,000 cavalry troops.


    As the monarch of Austrsia, and the real owner of the horse farm, Arthur has ridden as many as ten horses, all among the finest horses in Australia.


    As thergest horse breeder, Arthur''s horse farm also hosts horse races. Although not held at Arthur''s behest, for mostrge Western horse farms, holding horse races is even more normal than eating and drinking.


    Arthur hosts thergest horse race in Austrsia each year at Victoria State''srgest horse farm, Kent Racecourse.


    Of course, Kent Racecourse has nothing to do with the Butler Kent father and son. The racecourse is located in the town of Kent, Victoria State, which is the birthce of Victorian Kent horses. That''s why the racecourse was named Kent Racecourse.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At Kent Racecourse, over 100,000 Victorian Kent horses and tens of thousands of horses of other breeds are bred, making it not only thergest horse farm under the royal financial group but also thergest horse farm in Austrsia.


    Whenever a horse race is held at Kent Racecourse, tens of thousands of spectators gather around the racecourse.


    Many people are just there to watch the fun and seek the lively atmosphere, but others seek to get rich overnight by gambling on the horse races.


    However, fortunately, at Arthur''s horse farm, there is a rule that the maximum bet amount for any individual is not to exceed 10 Australian dors.


    After all, gambling is a matter of luck ¨C although there would be no cheating at Kent Racecourse, who could guarantee that these gamblers wouldn''t lose money?


    To prevent the situation where families are ruined by gambling, the racecourse staff sets a maximum bet amount for each person as a solution.


    Of course, this restriction does not exist for nobles and capitalists with high social status.


    Because nobles and capitalists would not bet withmon people, this restriction would only apply to themoners.


    Actually, ten Australian dors is not a small amount. Based on the current average ie in Austrsia, ten Australian dors is equivalent to more than two months'' sry formon people, which can also be considered arge amount of money.


    Of course, there are also many leisure activities for themon people of Austrsia.


    In addition to the annual horseracing event at the racecourse, Arthur has also built many zoos of various sizes and crowds of tourists and citizens can buy tickets to watch.


    Zoos were initially a form of entertainment exclusively for Eastern and Western ancient nobility and monarchs, enclosing gardens of diversendscapes and housing a variety of rare and treasured animals for the nobility and monarchs to enjoy and hunt.


    The earliest zoos evolved from hunting grounds and started with rtivelymon wildlife to provide nobles with hunting opportunities.


    Over time, some zoos became more formalized, growing trees and flowers and breeding rarer wildlife, serving merely as ces for amusement and appreciation.


    In Europe, these zoos first appeared at the end of the 18th century, more than a hundred years ago.


    Along with the development of zoos, some even began scientific research in biology.


    While Austrsian zoos developed early enough, the abundant number of Australian wildlife and ack of support from colonial-era policies led to slow development of zoos.


    After Arthur''s arrival, tworge-scale zoos were established in the Capital Territory and Victoria State followed by another one in New Zend.


    The good news was that each of the threerge zoos housed at least hundreds of different animal species, thanks to Australia''s diverse wildlife.


    Of course, Austrsian zoos did not exhibit poisonous snakes. Arthur had no interest in disying such deadly creatures, despite the wide variety of venomous snake species in Australia.


    Thergest zoo in Austrsia, the Sydney Royal Zoo, currently houses more than 300 nt and animal species, receiving over 5,000 visitors daily.


    With an admission fee of 0.5 Australian dors per person, the Sydney Royal Zoo''s daily ticket revenue amounts to more than 2500 Australian dors.


    However, the daily cost of feed for over 300 species and more than 5000 animals within the zoo far exceeds that revenue.


    Fortunately, there was a royal ranch nearby, providing part of the meat consumption for the zoo''s wild animals.


    Of course, there were also many herbivorous animals in the zoo. Their daily food consisted of vegetation from the zoo and additional feedings.


    It is worth mentioning that the Sydney Royal Zoo is open to the public from Sunday to Friday. Saturdays are reserved exclusively for the royal family and nobility''s service.


    Even during other times when royal family members wish to visit, it is theoretically necessary to clear the zoo for royal service.


    However, after visiting the zoo once or twice, Arthur lost interest in the flora and fauna there.


    On the contrary, Queen Mary and the two children frequently visited the zoo.


    This prompted Arthur to consider: since Austrsia''s zooscked flora and fauna from other regions, why not bring them here and breed them in designated areas?


    This would be especially beneficial for some rare wild nts and animals ofter generations, allowing early investment and nning.


    After a few days of contemtion, Arthur made a list of rare nts and animals fromter generations and handed it to Butler Kent. He asked the butler to use the royal financial group''s power to purchase these items from around the world.


    For the royal financial group, acquiring rare wild nts and animals from around the world and transferring them to Austrsia for cultivation and breeding was not a difficult task.


    Compared toter generations, some wild nts and animals that were highly valued were not as precious a hundred years ago thanks to the slower pace of industrial development.


    Furthermore, the concept of protecting rare wild nts and animals did not yet prevail during this time. Normal hunting activities took ce in Europe as the pollution from industry was less severe.


    The underdeveloped industrialization in Australia only made this phenomenon more apparent.


    Most of Australia''snd remains in an undeveloped, barren state with vast primeval forests and abundant wildlife.


    Austrsia had previously imposed a ban on long guns, which Arthurter admitted to be a mistake, and changed the restriction to banning short guns instead.


    However, firearms avable for cirction among civilians in Austrsia were mostly in hunting rifles and muskets.


    The more advanced Lee-Enfield rifles, Gew-98 rifles, and other national standard rifles, submachine guns, light and heavy machine guns, hand grenades, andrger caliber weapons remained strictly regted.


    Even the popr fully automatic pistols from abroad required stringent management in Austrsia.


    Nevertheless, these measures did not suggest Arthur feared assassination attempts. Under the protection of arge number of intelligence personnel, royal guards, and security forces, Arthur was never exposed to any danger or unforeseen circumstances while in Austrsia.


    It was not an exaggeration that just one simple trip for Arthur involved the deployment of thousands of security personnel.


    Around Arthur, within a radius of two to three hundred meters, anyone with the slightest abnormal movement would be instantly subdued by the protective forces.


    For Arthur''s exclusive security personnel, their course of action was to err on the side of caution: rather kill ten men by mistake than miss a single potential threat.


    After all, Arthur''s safety was the top priority; everything else had to take a backseat.

 Chapter 415: Chapter 345: The White Deer Shepherd

    April 25, 1913, Friday, Sunny.


    With the arrival of autumn in Austrsia, the annual hunting season hase for Arthur.


    Starting from April, the temperature in Australia would drop to about 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, making it very suitable for hunting and outdoor activities.


    Moreover, there are no overlyrge carnivores in Austrsia, with thergest being the Australian wild dog.


    Aside from being cautious about poisonous snakes and insects hidden deep in the forest, hunting in Austrsia is considered a safe and enjoyable activity.


    ording to records fromter generations, Australia alone has 378 species of mammals, 828 species of birds, 4,000 species of fish, 300 species of lizards, 140 species of snakes, 2 species of crocodiles, and about 50 species of marine mammals.


    Over 80% of the mammals, reptiles, and frogs are unique to Australia. Some of the most famous animals include kangaroos, kos, echidnas, Australian wild dogs, typuses, bandicoots, and marsupial bears.


    The diverse animal poption, coupled with the pristine forests and grasnds, makes hunting in Australia very easy.


    This time, Arthur chose a rural manor in New South Wales as his hunting ground.


    Due to the limited territory of the Capital Territory, after the continuous expansion of Sydney, the forest vegetation of the Capital Territory has also been somewhat destroyed.


    Compared to this, the more extensive New South Wales and Victoria states are better options for hunting.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur frequently visits these two states, and deep in the mountains of both states, there are rural vis specially built for hunting.


    Although they are called rural vis, their scale is still quiterge, capable of amodating dozens of people.


    As for the guards who followed Arthur, they could only sleep in tents outside the vi.


    On this hunting trip, Arthur brought William and Anna Miller. Besides giving them a break from their hard studies, he also wanted them to see the natural scenery of Austrsia and witness the lives of lower-ss Austrsians.


    Coming from a European royal background, the Austrsian Royal Family naturally has the traditions and customs of European nobility.


    For European nobility, hunting is a very normal daily activity. In addition to women, horse racing, military matters, and gambling, hunting is the top choice for entertainment among European nobility.


    Arthur was holding Anna in his arms, riding a tall and handsome white Victorian Kent horse.


    William, on the other hand, was held by Butler Kent, following closely behind Arthur.


    With Arthur as the center, hundreds of guards were scattered around them. As they hadn''t approached the hunting grounds yet, there was no need to worry about dying their hunting activities.


    "Father, what is this?"


    "Father, what is that?"


    Throughout the journey, Arthur''s most frequent interaction was with little Anna''s curious inquiries in his arms.


    Although almost four years old now, the farthest William and Anna had ever gone was only to Sydney Harbour to greet Arthur.


    This trip out of the Capital Territory for hunting excited both of them. They eagerly pointed out and questioned Arthur about the various nts and wildlife they saw along the way.


    One can''t help but marvel at the diversity of wildlife in Austrsia. On this journey, Arthur had already seen dozens of wildlife species, as well as countless nts of indistinguishable species.


    Fortunately, Butler Kent had a good understanding of these things. Whenever Arthur was unsure about animal or nt species, he could ask Kent to rify.


    In fact, this is quite normal, after all, Arthur is not a professional botanist or zoologist. He went hunting only once or twice a year, for about a week or two each time.


    Given his busy political affairs, it would be difficult for Arthur to recognize all of Austrsia''s flora and fauna.


    On their way from Sydney to New South Wales, they traveled by car, but after entering the forest of New South Wales, cars were not as useful anymore.


    Upon Arthur''smand, the hunting party quickly mounted their horses and headed towards the vi deep in the forest.


    Before Arthur''s arrival, a group of guards was sent to investigate the vi. Although forest vis like these amodate a small number of guards and a few servants even when not in the hunting season, it was still necessary to send a team of guards ahead of time to ensure Arthur''s safety and clear any obstacles on the way.


    Suddenly bing a duke, Arthur''s firearm skills were quite poor before bing the Duke of Australia. However, aftering to Australia, his skills improved with multiple hunting trips, and every hunting trip provided him with gains.


    For Arthur, the value of the animals he hunted was not important. What was important was the mood and experience during the hunt.


    Arthur, who controlled the whole royal financial group, was not too concerned about the animals he hunted, asionally enjoying the taste of game.


    Although Arthur''s main goal was to reach the vi, it was impossible for him to leave Austrsia without encountering a few wild animals along the way.


    During the journey, they encountered several wild deer, wild rabbits, etc., which the hunting party captured and killed.

 Chapter 416: Chapter 345: White Reindeer_2

    The wild rabbits in Austrsia are notablyrge and breed at an rming rate.


    ording to records fromter generations, at the beginning of the 20th century, there were tens of billions of wild rabbits in Australia, which was more than 2000 times the human poption of Australia at the time.


    Even though the poption of Austrsia has grown significantlypared to history, the number of wild rabbits, even under the certain policies of Arthur, is still nowhere near tens of billions.


    Yet, the problem of wild rabbits remains a serious issue in Austrsia. The vast number of rabbits poses a threat to thend and elerates desertification in Austrsia.


    The good news is that the present wild rabbits in Austrsia do not have the various bacteria and viruses hidden within them due toter rabbit eradication policies.


    Although the wild rabbits in Australia inter years could also be eaten and the viruses within them did not pose a significant threat to humans.


    But just the mere mention of the word ''virus'' makes one feel ufortable, let alone ingesting it.


    The current wild rabbits in Austrsia, on the other hand, not only can be eaten but also, in a nutshell, taste like vorful and crunchy chicken.


    After traveling for another half hour or so, they finally reached Arthur''s vi deep in the forests of New South Wales State, a ce of remarkable beauty but wed essibility.


    The guards stationed here can change their posts every two months to prevent boredom and mental issues due to the destion.


    After settling the troops for a rest, Arthur, along with Butler Kent, William, Anna, and several guards, started heading out to look for good hunting grounds.


    Although wild animals and nts in Austrsia are almost everywhere, Arthur''s hunting targets were never ordinary animals.


    They are eitherrge and rare creatures or rtively unusual wild animals. After all, it seems there''s no need for Arthur to make a special trip to New South Wales just for thesemon wild animals found everywhere.


    It must be said that hunting freely in extensive forests and grasnds is much morefortable than hunting in confined areas.


    Thanks to the vast and sparsely popted features of Austrsia, suitable hunting grounds are almost everywhere. Hunting has be a leisure activity for Australians and a source of additional meat.


    In Austrsia, hunting is even a way to entertain guests. Especially for the aristocracy from Europe, hunting in a vast ce like Austrsia is far morefortable than hunting in a minor forest in Europe.


    After riding for a long time in the forest, they still couldn''t find any game that piqued Arthur''s interest.


    Just as Arthur was about to temporarily abandon the hunt and head back to the vi, suddenly, an eye-catching white figure in the jungle instantly attracted Arthur''s attention.


    "Butler Kent, is that a white deer?" Arthur asked somewhat excitedly.


    White deer, a rare wild creature, carries an extraordinarily special meaning, both in the East and the West.


    It goes without saying that in the East, the meaning of a deer is extremely special. The term ''deer chasing'' is the best interpretation of the ancient view of deer in the East.


    As for this kind of white wild deer, its significance is even more extraordinary.


    The white wild deer in the East symbolizes felicity and is believed to bring good luck and fortune.


    In the West, deer have a special significance in European mythology. Especially the white stag (a male deer), which is often contrasted and exchanged with unicorns.


    Images of white stags in the Middle Ages often had a crown around their necks. This imagery likely originated from medieval kings who made white stags their emblem, which is why the pictorial representation of white stags was widespread in the Middle Ages.


    The reverence for white stags in Europe can be traced back to the Celtic People, who associated the color white with the otherworld. The white stag was seen as a representative from the otherworld and was believed to appear on earth if the sacred codes got breached.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In Arthurian legends, white stags are perpetually elusive. They symbolize human pursuits of some lofty and abstract objectives, like the knightly spirit, and so on.


    Catholicism views the white stag as a representation of Jesus Christ. For example, in the vision of Saint Eustace, Roman soldier Eustace was chasing a white stag, which approached Eustace and revealed itself as Jesus. Inspired by this event, Eustace converted.


    Or a variation of this story has it that King David I of Scond was hunting in the woods when a white stag startled his horse, causing him to fall. The stag then turned to attack him, but a sudden vision of cross appeared between him and the stag. In some versions, the stag''s antlers turned into a cross. Inspired by this event, he founded the Herreli Abbey.


    Although Arthur''s faith, Protestantism, is different, the meaning of a white deer, specifically a white stag, is equally significant. It is believed to bring good luck as well as signify favor and approval from God.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Such a white wild deer is a rarity and is a catch we absolutely cannot allow to slip by," Butler Kent, looking in the direction pointed out by Arthur, instantly spotted the eye-catching white figure in the jungle.


    Unlike before, upon confirming that it was a white wild deer, he looked forward to it. Contrary to his usual demeanor, he stated confidently to Arthur.


    Arthur nodded, clearly understanding the implications if they were to catch a white wild deer, specifically a white stag.

 Chapter 417: Chapter 345: White Reindeer_3

    Although religion no longer held such a special status in the early 20th century, the majority of people in Europe and even the whole world still believed in religion.


    Ifbined with public opinion propaganda, this could not only bring Arthur considerable prestige, but also add ayer of mystery to his identity and status.


    For such a rare white deer, it was obvious that it had to be captured no matter what. If it was killed directly, it would be a pity.


    Arthur turned to his subordinates and ordered them to fetch a specially-made hunting rifle.


    This rifle had a smaller caliber, and its killing power was naturally weaker. As long as it wasn''t aimed at a vital part, it wouldn''t be lethal to the prey.


    Of course, although the power was weaker, lethality still existed. If hit in the limbs, it would essentially lose its ability to move.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur''s goal was naturally to hit the white deer''s limbs, causing it to lose its mobility, and naturally unable to escape.


    He raised the rifle, took a deep breath, and concentrated as he aimed at the white deer several dozen meters away.


    Fortunately, when the deer was spotted, the team had already stopped their movements, and hid themselves at Arthur''s gesture.


    Although this series of actions caused some slight noise, it did not frighten the white deer.


    Bang!


    After the deafening gunshot, the front leg of the white deer was instantly hit, flesh and blood sttering, and the intense pain made it cry out, struggling to stand up and escape.


    Although only its front leg was hit, the massive wound and pain were enough to render this seemingly robust wild deer unable to move.


    Seeing that the white deer could no longer move, Arthur had no intention of firing another shot. He approached with Butler Kent and a few guards, intending to capture the deer alive.


    "It''s really strong, it should be a reindeer, Your Majesty." Butler Kent looked at the white deer getting closer, its huge antlers and strong body proved it was an adult white reindeer.


    "Where''s the doctor? Have him treat his poor creature''s wounds." Arthur, who was now close, looked at the wounded deer lying on the ground, constantly crying out, and spoke to the apanying doctor.


    Although not a regr veterinarian, treating the deer''s wounds would be no problem at all.


    After all, the apanying doctor for the hunting party was an expert from the royal private hospital in the pce, and his knowledge in medical care was among the best;


    These experts were very skilled in emergency surgeries and wound treatment. Using them to treat this deer may even be a bit of an overkill.


    The closer he got, the clearer he could see the robustness of this white deer. Arthur nodded, quite satisfied with his hunting results.


    "After bandaging him up, take him back to the vi! Remember, watch his wounds carefully; I want to keep a healthy deer, understand?" Arthur instructed the doctor who was treating the deer''s wounds.


    At least before returning to Sydney, this medical expert''s primary task would be to care for the white deer that Arthur had hunted.


    Hiring a specialist with a sry of over a thousand Australian dors to care for a freshly captured wild animal - such extravagance could perhaps only be possible for the nobles and capitalists of this time.


    And Arthur was not only one of thergest nobles in the world, but also one of thergest capitalists.


    For Arthur, the sry of this medical expert was merely a drop in the bucket.


    Though capturing this white reindeer had satisfied Arthur''s expectations for the hunt, now that they were here, they couldn''t just leave now.


    Besides, the two young ones hadn''t had their fill of fun either, so returning now would be a bit of a dampener to the mood.


    After a team of guards and the medical expert escorted the white reindeer back to the vi, Arthur continued with Butler Kent, the two children, and the remaining about ten guards, searching for the next hunting spot.

 Chapter 418: Chapter 346: Sydney Royal Zoo

    After spending most of the day strolling in the forest, Arthur, Butler Kent, and a group of guards, along with the two children as eyewitnesses, hunted dozens of wild deer and bison before returning to the vi satisfied.


    There are still many wild animals in Austrsia, especially some domesticated ones, such as cattle and sheep, which gradually be wild after escaping from the ranch.


    For the hunting team, the main food during this period is the wild animals they catch.


    Even though there are hundreds of guards on this trip with Arthur, the daily consumption of grain amounts to several hundred pounds.


    In addition to a small amount of staple food, such as potatoes and flour, Arthur''s main meal consists of grilled venison, beef, and mutton, as well as some wild fruits from the forest.


    Fortunately, the chef''s skills are pretty good. Even with simple ingredients, the food he prepares is still delicious.


    Of course, the apanying servants and guards don''t enjoy the same treatment. Their food is mostly simple grilled meat, with wild fruits as their staple food asionally.


    As for the water issue, there''s a very clear stream near the forest vi.


    Although the stream is not veryrge, the water source is very clean and has not been polluted by any industry.


    Although soldiers typically take the water directly for drinking, Arthur has to boil it before drinking it.


    It is because of this stream that washing for Arthur and the children is not a problem.


    Otherwise, ording to previous hunting experiences, they would only be able to bathe once every few days, and only when they found a source with a good flow of water.


    That night, after a simple wash, Arthur, Anna, and William sat together and enjoyed a carefully prepared dinner by the chef.


    The two children were very excited about their hunting experience during the day, and they talked tirelessly about the white reindeer and other animals they had hunted.


    "Father, when can I hunt like you?" At that moment, William put down his fork and knife and asked curiously.


    Although today''s hunting experience was exciting, the two children only passively experienced it while being held on horseback by others.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Witnessing the event firsthand and experiencing it personally are twopletely different feelings, which made William curious to ask.


    "When you have mastered your shooting skills, William. You haven''t even started your shooting lessons yet, and you can''t even hold a gun steady. How can you hunt?" Arthur said with a smile.


    "It''s a deal, Father," William said, undeterred and full of anticipation.


    For traditional nobility, having good shooting skills is essential. Especially for a noble like William, who is to be a ruler, he must not only be familiar with the most mainstream weapons in the world, understand their structure, advantages and disadvantages, but also have a more in-depth understanding of military matters, which requires attending a military academy.


    If everything goes as nned, regardless of William''s performance in his pre-university studies, his final choice will undoubtedly be the Sydney Royal Military Academy.


    Which of the three majors at the military academy he chooses doesn''t matter, but after graduating from the Royal Military Academy, William should serve at least three years in the military to gain a better understanding of the military and grassroots units.


    The King of Austrsia has considerable power, and this is also true in the military aspect.


    Arthur doesn''t want William to have an interest in military affairs without the corresponding military abilities.


    If a war breaks out, blindmand could lead to defeat.


    To have power, one must also have abilities. If Williamcks military capabilities, Arthur would consider reducing his future military power and transferring themand during wartime back to the Ministry of Defense.


    Of course, units like the Guard Division will always be thest resort to defend the royal family and must always be under the control of the royal family.


    But if William''s military talents are mediocre, the Guard Division may be the only unit he can directlymand in the future.


    With the light-hearted conversation between the father and his two children, the busy day passes quickly.


    To ensure that the injured white reindeer won''t have any issues, Arthur stayed in the forest for two more days, before deciding to end the hunting journey on April 28, 1913, and return to Sydney.


    The purpose of this hunt was for rxation and enjoyment, and it seems quite sessful so far.


    At least, Arthur is now much more rxed, and the two children no longer have the same level of academic pressure as before.


    It took almost a full day to travel from the hunting grounds back to Sydney. Not until the convoy stopped at the gates of Sydney Pce, did Arthur breathe a sigh of relief.


    Although there aren''t many wild animals in Austrsia that eat meat and pose no threat to Arthur''s hunting team,


    there are plenty of wild poisonous snakes and insects in Austrsia, particrly in the dense forests where they were hunting, and they frequently encountered poisonous snakes and insects.


    Although Arthur was protected by the entire hunting team, given the current state of medical care, there wasn''t much hope of survival if bitten by one of these snakes or insects.


    Therefore, while Arthur enjoyed the hunting process, he also paid close attention to the possibility of hidden snakes and insects in the dark.

 Chapter 419: Chapter 346: Sydney Royal Zoo_2

    Fortunately, every hunt went smoothly along the way, and even if there were asional snakes and insects, they would flee quickly because of the arrival of therge hunting party.


    Very few wild animals are unafraid of humans. When faced with arge, unfamiliar "animal" they have never seen before, these snakes, insects, and other animals would also feel scared.


    As early as when Arthur went hunting, the news of his sessful capture of a white reindeer had already been released by the newspapers, attracting attention from many media outlets and people alike.


    Even some European media reached out to Arthur to get the firsthand information on the event.


    Although the religious atmosphere in Europe was no longer as strong as it used to be, the capture of a genuine wild white reindeer was still definitely a memorable and worthwhile event to promote.


    While the advancement of science could exin many things and reduced the significance and legend of gods, when something astonishing happened, people would still resort to miracles to exin it.


    The influence brought on by thousands of years of religion could not be easily eradicated in a short time. Even in theter generations, over 100 yearster, there were still numerous religious believers, right?


    Not to mention that it was an era when technology had just begun to develop, and most of the technologies had not yet been unveiled or born.


    In Austrsia, Arthur had been honorably praised as the Divine''s Chosen Son, widely believed to be appointed by God to help build Austrsia into a prosperousnd.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Considering Arthur''s achievements over the past ten years or so, his reputation and support among the people soared.


    If people held him in high regard and offered wholehearted support before, now they were utterly fanatical and eagerly pursued him.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t the Middle Ages anymore; otherwise, the promotion of such a miracle, coupled with the lively wild white reindeer, would have added to Arthur''s divine aura.


    When the caravan arrived at Sydney Pce, there was already arge crowd gathered outside, wanting to personally witness the appearance of the wild white reindeer and to wee and cheer for Arthur, who had already be a great monarch in the eyes of the Austrsians, even though the history of the country had seen only one monarch.


    Unfortunately, the white reindeer was well protected, and people just caught a glimpse of it before it disappeared from their sight.


    However, much to everyone''s delight, the royal guards soon spread the news that Arthur had decided to disy the white deer at the Sydney Royal Zoo, starting in three days.


    During the exhibition of the white deer, the Sydney Royal Zoo would no longer have time restrictions, and it would be open seven days a week for ticket purchases and visits.


    Even more, there would be discounts for Austrsians at the Sydney Royal Zoo. With proper legal citizen status and proof, they could enjoy a 30% discount on the zoo''s tickets.


    In fact, the Royal Zoo didn''t make much money from ticket sales. Even with the added poprity brought on by the white reindeer, the daily ticket sales would only increase a few times over, and it was hard to say if they would reach 10,000 Australian dors.


    Since it couldn''t make money anyway, why not give the people of Austrsia a practical preferential treatment, and in the process, win over their affection once again?


    It is important to know that after the news of Arthur hunting a white reindeer reached Europe, it would inevitably attract a number of European tourists and media.


    And the fact that the Austrsian people could enjoy discounted zoo tickets would also give them a sense of national pride.


    Even when confronting Europeans, the people of Austrsia would have an advantage, which embodies their national pride.


    Consequently, Arthur, who yed a primary role in creating this situation and making the people of Austrsia feel superior to the Europeans in some areas, would surely be pursued and admired by the people of Austrsia.


    National pride is crucial to a country''s development and can even determine whether a country can prosper.


    How can a nation be confident in outperforming other countries if they cannot muster the self-esteem to face each other?


    Again, how can a nation be able to be strong if it not only discourages the cultivation of national pride but also tramples on their own people while pursuing and coaxing the people from other countries?


    The development of a country and national pride are closely rted. Only when a country bes strong and has sufficient confidence to protect its people can they nurture pride.


    In one sentence: The reason I''m proud is that my country can firmly protect me, whereas yours cannot.


    But if a nation deliberately praises others and ignores the feelings of its own people, how can it find confidence for its future while the grievances of its own people go unattended?


    At present, Austrsia sincerely protects its people and genuinely looks after their interests.


    In return, the people also sincerely and passionately support the government, making every effort to make their beautiful country stronger.


    Because the people of Austrsia know that the homnd they devote themselves to building will also do its best to protect them and their interests.


    As long as the people thrive and prosper alongside the country, both the people and the nation will be invincible.

 Chapter 420: Chapter 346: Sydney Royal Zoo_3

    After three days of treatment at the private hospital in Sydney Pce, the reindeer named Little White by Anna was ced in the Sydney Royal Zoo.


    During the treatment, Arthur''s mother Princess Louise, Queen Mary, and the two little ones would visit Little White from time to time, both to satisfy their curiosity and because they had a fondness for such fluffy and pure white animals.


    Although they were reluctant to have Arthur send Little White to the Royal Zoo, they knew that instead of keeping it at the Sydney Pce for the royal family''s private viewing, it would be better to let people from all over the world watch it, both to add to Arthur''s legend and to demonstrate the generosity of the Austrsian royal family.


    After all, the Austrsian royal family wanted long-term rule, and the prestige of the royal family was far more important than the interests of the royal family.


    During these three days, the Victoria Newspaper and the Austrsia Daily were the only two media and newspapers able to ess Little White in Austrsia.


    These two newspapers also made use of the news gap to extensively report on Arthur''s legendary hunting of Little White and even unusually included photos of Little White in the newspaper.


    It was like hunger marketing; if Little White had been sent directly to the Royal Zoo, people might not have been so expectant.


    After the three-day healing period, on the day Little White entered the Royal Zoo, the tickets for the zoo were quickly sold out, and the people gathered at the entrance of the zoo were even moring for the zoo to pre-sell the second day''s tickets in advance.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It''s worth noting that zoo tickets are generally non-refundable. This means that if people buy the tickets and somethinges up the next day, they may lose a considerable amount of money.


    Although the price of the zoo ticket is only 0.35 Australian Dors after the discount, just a little more than two days'' wages for Austrsians.


    But this does not mean that the ticket price is not expensive. Even if converted toter generations, if the average ie is calcted as 5,000 per month and 60,000 per year, the ticket price for a zoo like the Royal Zoo would be about 350.


    For ordinary people, there might not be many who can afford and are willing to pre-purchase a zoo ticket for 350 in advance.


    From this, it can also be seen how much the Australian people wee Little White. If it wasn''t for the fact that such a rare white reindeer has only been found once in Austrsia, Arthur even considered listing it as a national treasure of Austrsia.


    In fact, after Butler Kent returned to the Royal Pce, Arthur''s previous decision to collect endangered nts and animals from future generations was already being implemented.


    Negotiations are currently underway with some countries in East Asia and Europe. If the progress goes smoothly, they will be able to purchase and transport them back to Austrsia within one to two months.


    The first batch of precious wild animals and nts purchased include the Caribbean monk seal, Mexican grizzly bear, ckbear worm-eating warbler, Kien Mountains wolf, and Wake Ind rail.


    These are all wild animals that became extinct in the 20th century, and their value is self-evident.


    Of course, it is now only the beginning of the 20th century, and although many of these animals have already decreased in number, they can still be found with careful searching.


    Arthur''s goal is to establish an endangered animal museum in Austrsia. By the time these animals be extinct elsewhere, the surviving animals in Austrsia would be unique treasures.

 Chapter 421: Chapter 347: The Second Balkan War and South American Conflict

    As time entered May, the public exhibition of the white reindeer, Little White, officially began.


    As one of the few wild white reindeer, Little White was treated like a national treasure at the Sydney Royal Zoo.


    Zoo staff took special care of his food and drink, for fear of any issues with Little White.


    He was fed specially harvested fresh green grass, tender branches, and leaves. He drank water from a flowing river, which was diverted to ensure a clean water source.


    The ticket sales at the Sydney Royal Zoo have been a hot topic recently.


    Many people requested advance sales to avoid the hard work of visiting the zoo, not being able to see Little White, and possibly missing the opportunity to see him the next time.


    As a result, the Sydney Royal Zoo allowed ticket pre-sales, causing even more craze for buying tickets.


    Perhaps because white reindeer are a rare sight, crowds have flocked to Sydney, making the already crowded city even more congested.


    Not only the citizens of Sydney but also visitors from all over the country, and even the world, came to the city, contributing to Sydney''s bustling atmosphere.


    However, this has caused Sydney''s GDP to grow even faster. Sincest year''s Sydney Olympics, the tourism industry has be a major economic pir industry for Austrsia, especially in cities near Sydney and Melbourne.


    Due to the southeastern region of Australia being the core part of Austrsia, this area attracts the most tourists.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This has led to the growth of tworge cities with poptions of millions, as well as the trend of city clusters emerging in southeastern Australia.


    In order to limit the current wave of pre-purchasing tickets at the Sydney Royal Zoo, the Royal Zoo has issued a regtion, allowing pre-sales of tickets only up to three days in advance.


    If not for this restriction, out-of-town visitors to the Sydney Royal Zoo would face tickets being sold out within a month or two, and even having to queue for tickets avable two monthster.


    However, this has caused the ie from the Royal Zoo''s ticket sales to soar. Previously, daily ticket fees only reached a peak of several thousand Australian dors.


    Now the ticket revenue can easily exceed 10,000 Australian dors, and the Sydney Royal Zoo has the potential to be profitable.


    However, this is only temporary.


    With Butler Kent purchasing more rare wild animals from around the world, the daily operating costs of the Sydney Royal Zoo will also rise.


    It is important to know that every precious wild animal has its own unique living environment.


    Especially rare animals from all over the world, their requirements for living conditions are not only demanding but also vary greatly between species.


    Even just setting up their living environments is enough to put the Royal Zoo into a prolonged deficit.


    Fortunately, the Royal Zoo is, after all, the property of the royal financial group. With the backing of the wealthy royal financial group, these expenses are just small numbers.


    With the smooth disy of the white reindeer at the Royal Zoo, various reports on the white reindeer have been eagerly covered by major media outlets around the world.


    Yes, although it has only been a few days, the capture of the white reindeer is definitely big news, so foreign media can''t help but spend thousands of pounds on airship tickets, bringing their cameras and equipment to visit Austrsia.


    Luckily, Austrsia is the originator of airship global voyages and one of the earliest countries to establish the airship aviationpany and initiate global aviation services.


    In addition, Austrsia''s airship technology leads the world, so when other countries'' airshippanies n their global routes, they also consider stopping at Austrsia.


    This allows for better maintenance and repair of airships in Austrsia, as these techniques have not yet been properly mastered by other countries'' airshippanies.


    Especially when major problems ur, airships can only be sent to Austrsia for maintenance, making global flights indispensable for Austrsia''s participation.


    Don''t underestimate the stopping points of global voyages, which are usually chosen fromrge cities and capitals around the world. This allowsrge capitalists and nobility to travel, and they are also the primary customers for airships.


    Because of Little White, there have been considerably more tourists in Austrsia than before, which has also had some impact on the urban security of Sydney.


    However, this is not a concern for Arthur at the moment, because shortly after Little White entered the Royal Zoo, the global situation became chaotic again.


    The London Agreement signed half a year ago was ultimately torn apart by the Balkan League that signed it.


    The Balkan Alliance, which had originally united against the Ottoman Turkish Empire, eventually divided into two camps due to uneven distribution of benefits.


    Of course, one of the camps consisted only of Bulgaria, as it had gained the most from the previous Balkan War.


    Moreover, the Kingdom of Romania joined the other camp, turning the Balkan situation into a joint confrontation against Bulgaria, also known as the Anti-Bulgarian Alliance.


    In theory, Bulgaria should have been the weaker side facing several enemies and should have tried to avoid war or seek help from outsiders.


    In fact, Bulgaria did just that. The main countries of the Anti-Bulgarian Alliance, Serbia and Russia, were on good terms, and Russia was one of the four Great Powers of the Allies.

 Chapter 422: Chapter 347: The Second Balkan War and South American Conflict_2

    In search of protection, Bulgaria quickly aligned itself with the Allied Nations, who were short of allies. Specifically, Bulgaria connected with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was seeking to extend its influence over the Balkan Penins.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire was deeply concerned about the unity the Balkan League had previously disyed, which led to Russia controlling the Balkan situation.


    Seeing Bulgaria approach them for help, the Austro-Hungarian Empire naturally found no excuse to refuse.


    After recognising the anti-Bulgarian alliance brewing among the Balkan nations, Bulgaria did not hesitate to sign a sovereignty defense treaty with the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The treaty stipted that the Austro-Hungarian Empire would provide loans to Bulgaria, helping it maintain military preparation and domestic order.


    In case Bulgaria''s territorial safety was seriously threatened, they agreed to send troops to protect Bulgaria''s independence and territorial integrity.


    This treaty emboldened Bulgaria to believe that, with the support of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and security guarantees for Bulgaria, it could live free from worry, even taking the initiative to attack other Balkan nations.


    In fact, this is exactly what Bulgaria did.


    On May 19, 1913, after obtaining approval from Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bulgaria took the first step inunching an attack against Greece and Serbia.


    350,000 Bulgarian troops were distributed among 100,000 fighting against Greece, 150,000 against Serbia, and 100,000 reserve forces, who initiated an overwhelming offensive.


    To fulfill their alliance obligation and stake a im in the war, on May 23, Romania dered war on Bulgaria. It was an excuse for the war was Bulgaria''s alleged destruction of Romanian borders while mobilizing its troops.


    The same day, Montenegro also dered war on Bulgaria. Thus, the Balkan Penins fell into a brutal war once again, less than a year after thest one.


    But there was more. At the end of May, the Turkish government, believing it was time to seize an opportunity, also dered war on Bulgaria, iming to recover its national territory.


    Almost overnight, except for Bosnia, which was upied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Albania, which was under the joint administration of several countries, the whole of the Balkans was enveloped in the dark clouds of war.


    Initially, the Austro-Hungarian Empire nned to fulfill the agreement it had signed with Bulgaria.


    Indeed, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had prepared enough troops, aiming tounch an attack on Serbia to alleviate Bulgaria''s military pressure.


    It should be known that at this time, Bulgaria was under siege from the anti-Bulgarian alliance and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, with sessive failures and retreats on all fronts.


    If support was not promptly provided, Bulgaria''s defeat was almost a foregone conclusion.


    However, the problem was that Russia gave firm support to Serbia, expressing support for the war initiated by Serbia.


    With Britain and France behind Russia, if the Austro-Hungarian Empire acted recklessly, it could directly provoke a war between the Allied Nations and the Allies.


    Russia''s steadfast support for Serbia was undeniable because Serbia has been a reliable ally of Russia for a long time and is a guarantee of Russia''s interests in the Balkan region.


    Serbia yed an indispensable role in Russia''s easy control of the Balkan nations.


    The attitude of Britain and France towards Russia''s support was also very firm. As a result, they directly sent a telegram to Arthur to inquire about his attitude, implying that if the Austro-Hungarian Empire maintained a firm stance, Britain and France would not hesitate to start a war.


    Britain and France''s statement was actually a means to probe Arthur''s attitude.


    After all, as one of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, Austrsia could not possibly stand apart if conflict erupted between the Allied Nations and the Allies.


    Unless Arthur wanted to switch sides midway like Italy, he had to firmly support Britain, France and the Allies in order to maintain his position as one of the Four Great Powers of the Allies and ensure post-war benefits distribution.


    After receiving an inquiry telegram from the British and French governments, Arthur responded quickly, stating that Austrsia was ready to fight at any time and would do its utmost to support Britain, France, Russia and the entire Allied collective.


    The firm stance of the Four Great Powers of the Allies put considerable pressure on the Three Great Powers of the Allied Nations, especially the strongest country¡ªThe German Empire.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire looked set to attack Serbia, after much thought, Germany ultimately decided to halt the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s actions.


    In June 1913, William II''s letter to Emperor Francis, sent from Berlin to Vienna, rified William II''s attitude: "Supporting Bulgaria is certainly not wrong, but it would be somewhat loss-making if it caused a war with the Allies. It''s not that we''re afraid of them. From what I see, preparations for a world-level war have not yet beenpleted.


    We should postpone all military actions against the Allied Nations until our military preparations areplete."


    Even the slightly arrogant and temperamental William II had to admit that he was under overwhelming pressure when facing the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    France and Russia are located to the east and west of Germany, which means that if they were to fight against the Allies, Germany would have to endure the pressure of a two-front war.


    If thebinednd forces of France and Russia were enough to contain Germany''s army, then thebined fleet of Britain and France could easily overwhelm the German High Seas Fleet.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The inclusion of Austrsia in the Allies did not significantly boost the overall strength of the Allies.

 Chapter 423: Chapter 347: The Second Balkan War and South American Conflict_3

    Of course, this does not imply that Austrsia is not powerful. In reality, the overall strength of the Allies is so immense that even with the inclusion of Austrsia, the proportion of the rise in power would not be high.


    While overall, Italy seems more powerful than Austrsia at the moment, William II, who has visited Austrsia several times, knows that in terms of total military strength, Austrsia is stronger than Italy.


    More importantly, the homnd of Austrsia is not in Europe. As long as its nativend is not damaged, they canpletely match their ally countries in terms of consumption.


    Although the homnds and core interests of the other three Powers of the Allies are in Europe, they all have a vast amount of territory, as well as arger poption.


    If they were to recklessly challenge the Allies, the inevitable end result for the Allied forces would be defeat.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire is Germany''s staunchest ally. After receiving the letter from William II, even if Emperor Francis was unwilling, he had no choice but to cease domestic military operations.


    Bulgaria, having given up its strongest card, faced attacks from several other countries. Bulgaria was steadily retreating and almost all the territory gained in the First Balkan War was lost.


    On June 15, 1913, Bulgaria, which had been waiting in vain for military support from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, finally realized the severity of the situation.


    The Bulgarian army was changed from offensive to defensive. Their goal had altered from winning the war to defending their territory.


    On June 17th, arge battle ensued between the Greek army and the Bulgarian army. The Greek forces ultimately triumphed, setting the final tone for this war.


    Bulgaria''s defeat was imminent. Even if Ferdinand wanted to persist, he probably wouldn''t be able to hold on for another month.


    The wise abandonment by Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire left Britain, France, and Russia very satisfied, and temporarily eased Arthur''s anxiety.


    If World War I were to break out ahead of time, it wouldn''t be good news for Arthur either.


    Firstly, domestic preparations in Austrsia were not quite sufficient. It would be difficult to guarantee enough military power after the war.


    Secondly, theplete change in the global situation could also rob Arthur of the opportunity to foresee everything.


    After all, if the war broke out ahead of its time, it would mean that everything in the original world would change, if not prematurely.


    This would also mean that Arthur, being a time traveler, would lose his advantage, which was not a good thing for him.


    Before Britain, France, Russia and other Powers could rest, at the end of June 1913, conflict broke out again in South America, quickly attracting the attention of the major Powers and the world.


    South America is home to three major powers: Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.


    These three countries have simrprehensive strengths. Apart from significant differences in territorial area, there is no significant difference in poption, economy, and industry.


    This resulting in disputes over territory among the three countries, but arge-scale war was unlikely.


    To win a war, it would require staking the fate of the nation and exhausting everything.


    None of the three countries had the courage or ambition to take such a gamble because losing would mean falling behind the other two countries.


    The previously heated naval arms race in South America also represented the conflicts and disputes among these three countries.


    Moreover, as Chilean domestic mines produce the world''srgest source of saltpeter, it is an essential source of saltpeter for the British Empire and the world.


    Hence, when conflict erupted in this region, it quickly attracted the attention of the British Empire, the Allies, and the world.


    This conflict did not involve Brazil, thergest country in South America. The main yers were Chile and Argentina, two major countries in southern South America.


    Chile and Argentina did not have suchrge territories decades ago.


    In their expansion over these decades, they both expanded a significant amount of territory to the south, and these territories were adjacent to each other.


    Given the very narrow national boundary, it was impossible not to have any issues.


    Consequently, Argentina and Chile have had strained rtions for a long time, with significant conflicts along the border.


    Both of these countries were previously under Spanish colonial rule, and after independence, the Andes formed a natural boundary line.


    But the problem is, this formed only a simplend boundary line which did not determine the boundary of the nearby strait.


    This led to unending disputes over the ownership of three inds in the Beagle Channel; Pickton, Lennox, and Nueva.


    Although the total area of these three inds is only over 300 square kilometers, the Beagle Channel, where the inds are located, has a strategic location and abundant seabed resources.


    Whichever of the two countries could upy this strait would gain certain advantages over the other.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For two evenly matched countries, this was the key to tipping the bnce.


    In 1902, Argentina and Chile signed the General Arbitration Treaty, entrusting their conflict to the British Empire for arbitration.


    But because of Chile''s close rtionship with Britain, Chile naturally won the ownership rights to the three inds, bing the victor of the conflict.


    But this didn''t signify the end of the conflict. On the contrary, Argentinians were not satisfied with this arbitration, and the conflict between them and Chile not only didn''t stop due to arbitration but instead escted, sparking a trend of hatred between the two countries.

 Chapter 424: Chapter 348: Continuous Conflicts on the Borders

    Argentina and Chile, these two countries, due to the issue of borders, led to constant conflicts and countless disputes between each other during the centuries since their founding.


    If it were a regr minor conflict, although the Powers would pay attention, they would generally not interfere too much.


    But if it were a majorrge-scale conflict, the situation in South America would inevitably be subject to the Powers'' intervention.


    There is no way around it; the strategic significance of this region is too high. Chile possesses the world''srgest natural saltpeter mines, and saltpeter is an important raw material for making fertilizer and gunpowder.


    The importance of fertilizer and gunpowder need not be emphasized; one promotes the development of agriculture while the other boosts military growth.


    For the major Powers in the current chaotic world situation, the natural saltpeter mines in Chile carry undeniable significance.


    Chile has always been on good terms with the British Empire, which controls all the saltpeter mines in the country.


    The previous vigorous research on ammonia synthesis technology by various countries was aimed at breaking free from the British Empire''s control over saltpeter mines, hence the search for a material such as synthetic ammonia that can rece saltpeter.


    But given the current technology and development, synthetic ammonia is far from being aplete recement for saltpeter.


    It can only be said that it can partially rece it; the importance of saltpeter still remains high, and the British Empire always keeps an eye on the news from Chile.


    The bad news is that the conflict between Argentina and Chile this time is clearly different from the past.


    More precisely, the conflict between Argentina and Chile this time seems more like an extension of the previous South American naval arms race.


    The South American naval arms race, triggered by Brazil''s lead in building dreadnoughts, saw Brazil lose its leading position in the arms race due to a Navy rebellion.


    The real cause of the uprising was actually due to conflicts between races.


    Most of the ordinary soldiers in the Brazilian Navy are ck, but the middle and upper echelon officers leading these ck soldiers are exclusively white.


    When the white menmand these ck naval soldiers, they often do not care about the opinions of the ck men, and in severe cases, they even disregard the lives of the ck men, which led to the urrence of the naval rebellion.


    After the incident, thebat effectiveness of the Brazilian navy was greatly reduced, and the government no longer trusted the navy.


    This indirectly led to the forced sale of Brazil''s third battleship, the Rio de Janeiro Vessel, to foreign countries.


    After Brazil''s withdrawal from the naval arms race, the remaining two countries still in the race were Argentina and Chile.


    Argentina''s naval vessels were built in the United States, and Chile''s naval vessels were built in Austrsia.


    Although the tonnage is roughly the same, in terms of the advancement of the warships, Chile''s warships are more advanced than Argentina''s.


    Although the construction startedter, the time for Chile to officially deploy these warships might be about a yearter than Argentina.


    But once the Chileans get hold of these warships, Argentina''s navy will be at a disadvantage, which will further widen the gap between Argentina and Chile.


    It should be known that the saltpeter mines in Chile are very important to the British Empire, so the British Empire values its rtions with Chile very much.


    This also leads to the fact that although the founding times of the two countries are simr, and their initial development potential was not much different.


    However, with the improvement of rtions between Chile and the British Empire, there is hope of catching up with Argentina.


    The Argentinians naturally do not want this to happen because it is very likely that the disputed three inds will permanently belong to Chile, and even Argentina''s territory may be threatened.


    After all, Argentina is Chile''s closest neighboring country, and they have had longstanding enmity with Chile for decades.


    Seeing Chile gradually bing stronger and stronger, for the Argentinians, it is even more ufortable than losing money.


    Perhaps the recent outbreak of the Second Balkan War gave the Argentinians hope.


    Or maybe they made contact with a certain country, which gave the Argentinians some trump card and confidence.


    In any case, in June 1913, a medium-scale military conflict broke out on the southern border between Argentina and Chile.


    This conflict resulted in the deaths of about ten soldiers from both Argentina and Chile and dozens of soldiers injured.


    The tension between Argentina and Chile was ignited instantly because of this conflict.


    Both countries'' governments and congresses have called for army preparations and to seek justice for their citizens.


    Only the border soldiers know the real cause of the conflict, but the soldiers on both sides are either injured or dead. Other soldiers have different opinions, and it is difficult to determine the real responsibility for the conflict.


    After the outbreak of the conflict, Argentina and Chile both sent officers to closely control their border troops.


    However, it is evident that, at least on the Argentine side, the control of the border troops is not strict.


    As a result, under the premise that the Chileans remain restrained, Argentina''s border troops still asionally invade Chile''s borders, and the two sides seem likely to break out in conflict again.


    Theoretically speaking, Chile has the support of the British Empire behind it, and Argentina cannot possibly blindlyunch wars and conflicts.


    But the current state of Argentina should have the corresponding trump card and confidence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This also means that Argentina should have gained the support of the Powerful Nations, which gave them the confidence to provoke conflict with Chile, even at the risk of offending the British Empire.

 Chapter 425: Chapter 348: Endless Conflicts at the Borders_2

    Although the conflict between Argentina and Chile had not yet spread to the saltpeter mining area, the British Empire had already paid close attention to it.


    However, the situation had not yet escted to the point of requiring intervention from the British Empire, and the Allies and the Covenant Nations merely issued statements urging both parties to exercise restraint.


    Unfortunately, such a conflict was already beyond the control of both governments. The previous conflict had resulted in nearly a hundred casualties on both sides, causing Argentine and Chilean border forces to harbor deep animosity towards each other.


    Under the tense atmosphere between both parties, on June 21, 1913, the second conflict took ce.


    Since the previous conflict, both sides had urgently deployed some weapons and equipment to the border areas to defend against potential attacks from the other side.


    At the same time, the number of Argentine and Chilean border defense and patrol forces increased significantly.


    Although this effectively ensured the security of the national borders, it also increased the possibility of conflicts between the two armies.


    After all, the patrol forces of both sides might have only encountered each other once every one or two weeks before.


    But now, with the increase of border defense forces, the patrol forces of both sides almost met every day, making it impossible not to have conflicts.


    Edward Montalvo was an ordinary Chilean border soldier, belonging to a patrol squad of the border garrison forces.


    As it was almost winter in the Southern Hemisphere, Edward Montalvo''s patrol squad had also put on thicker cotton-padded clothes.


    Before the conflict broke out, Edward Montalvo and hisrades thought it was just a simple patrol.


    Although only a few days had passed since thest conflict, both Argentina and Chile knew that the other side had deployed more troops at the border, and that breaking out a conflict now could trigger an even bigger war.


    For several days in a row, the two armies remained rtively calm, easing the soldiers'' tensions and making them feel that the conflict was unlikely to happen again.


    But the ident happened all of a sudden.


    The squad leader of Edward Montalvo''s patrol was the first to cross the snow-covered hill from the previous day and saw to his surprise an Argentine army of several dozen men.


    "Enem..." The squad leader couldn''t even finish his sentence before being hit by an oing bullet and falling instantly into the white snow.


    Within a few seconds, arge amount of blood gushed out, staining the pure white snow bright red. The snow mixed with the blood quietly flowed down to Edward Montalvo and hisrades'' feet.


    "The enemy has crossed the border! Quick, fire the signal gun!" Edward Montalvo was the first to react, taking out his Lee-Enfield rifle from his back and speaking to hisrade beside him.


    Although the gunfire would quickly attract the attention of both armies, it was not easy to determine the exact direction in such a forest hill.


    If a signal gun was used, the location of the conflict could be quickly identified, which would be conducive to the arrival of their reinforcements.


    Of course, there was a drawback to this: the enemy could also see the signal gun, and it was very likely to attract their support as well.


    At this point, it would be a matter of whose support arrived faster. This not only determined the oue of the conflict but also might decide who would have the upper hand in the conflict between Argentina and Chile.


    After instructing his teammates to use the signal gun, Edward Montalvo carefully climbed to the top of the hill and counterattacked with his rifle.


    Edward Montalvo knew that if he didn''t suppress the enemy''s attack with firepower, the enemy would climb the hill, and their entire patrol squad would be live targets for the enemy, facing only death.


    Fortunately, the British Lee-Enfield rifle''s quality and firepower were sufficient to be trusted.


    As the fastest firing rifle currently avable, the Lee-Enfield rifle had excellent firepower suppression. Edward Montalvo sessfully forced the Argentine army to cower in the mountain brook, unable to advance any further.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a slightly dull gunshot, a red smoke shot straight into the sky, eventually exploding high in the air, leaving behind a conspicuous cloud of red smoke and exhaust.


    Every Chilean border patrol squad was equipped with one or two signal guns to deal with possible emergencies.


    As soon as the troops stationed at the border saw this red smoke, they would immediately rush to the location of the smoke to rescue the soldiers who might be in danger or trapped by the enemy.


    "Oh, shit! Damn it,e and help!" Seeing the teammate who fired the signal gun was still standing there dumbfounded, staring at the corpse of their squad leader, Edward Montalvo couldn''t help but curse under his breath and shout a reprimand.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, it wasn''t entirely the fault of Edward Montalvo''srades. Chile, a small country with little war experience, had naturally less active military training than powerful nations.


    Especially for border patrol soldiers like Edward Montalvo, they had only undergone simple training, armed themselves with weapons and equipment, and joined the patrol squad.


    They were unaware of the cruelty of a real war. Seeing their squad leader, who had justughed and talked, fall in front of them, blood flowing everywhere, made them feel helpless and confused.


    Upon hearing Edward Montalvo''s curses and scolding, the others finally came to their senses and quickly picked up their weapons, quietly climbed to the top of the hill, and began to counterattack the Argentine army at the foot of the mountain.

 Chapter 426: Chapter 348: Endless Conflicts on the Borders_3

    There was no significant difference in thebat capabilities between the Argentine and Chilean armies. However, due to the excellent performance of the Chilean Lee-Enfield Rifles, even though the Chilean troops were fewer in number, both sides were in a stalemate for a time.


    About ten minutes into the battle, hundreds of bullets had been consumed. Edward Montalvo and hisrades-in-arms looked at the Argentine army at the bottom of the mountain, which had not suffered many casualties, and were momentarily taken aback.


    In fact, the Argentine army at the bottom of the mountain was also somewhat taken aback. While the Argentine''s standard Rifle did not shoot as fast, due to the advantage of having more troops, the bullet consumption was even higher than the Chilean army''s.


    Looking at the current firepower of the Chilean army, however, their casualties did not seem to be high. The only possibility was that they had arge number of soldiers, and once casualties urred, reserve forces would immediately fill in.


    However, this possibility was quite low. After all, the Argentine army on this side only had several dozen troops; if the Chilean army had a significant number of troops, they would not choose to hunker down on the mountain summit and fire from cover.


    For the first time, both parties experienced the true nature of war, with massive consumption of life and weapons and equipment.


    If there were satellites to count the casualties of both parties, the Argentine and Chilean soldiers would find a somewhat exaggerated data.


    Together, they consumed thousands of bullets, but the actual casualties caused were rtively small, even less than ten.


    In a strict sense, other than the Chilean patrol squad leader who was unlucky enough to be killed by a direct bullet hit in the beginning, the other soldiers were more or less hit by stray bullets.


    Together, Argentina and Chile averaged one casualty for every 500 rounds of bullets.


    If only considering death statistics, it would even take an average of 1,000 rounds of bullets to kill each enemy.


    This was because the distance between both armies was not too far away, and coupled with the Chilean side''s advantage of overlooking aerial positions, the Argentine army with no camouge appeared more conspicuous, creating a small number of casualties.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If someone was attentive enough, they could even notice that theirrades-in-arms might be pointing their gun barrels at the sky when firing back.


    No one is not afraid of death, especially the armies of Argentina and Chile, who have not undergone much training and ideological education.


    To ensure that they would not be the most unfortunate ones, some people would just stretch out their hands to shoot, while the other parts of their bodies remained hidden in the nearby cover of their positions.


    Concerning this situation, both parties had some feelings. It was estimated that it would not be long before both sides'' reinforcements might arrive. This was not good news for the Argentine army because this was Chilean territory, closer to the Chilean border troops.


    To break this situation, the Argentine army''s only choice was to cause arge-scale casualty to the Chilean army in front of them, forcing them to withdraw or even kill them off.


    Without the Chilean patrol teams as a hindrance, the Argentine army could return to hiding in the long range of border mountains, ambushing the Chilean troops as before.


    At this point, the Argentinemander somewhat regretted that no heavy weapons had been carried during the operation to facilitate movement, leaving the Argentine army without a good solution against the Chilean army on the mountain.


    Even though they knew the number of Chilean troops was far less than their own, the long hill had no shelter, andunching an attack on the Chilean troops on the mountain would be sending the Argentine army to their deaths.


    If they had one firearm, even just a small-caliber one, it could pose a threat to the Chilean troops on the mountain and even annihte them quickly.


    Moreover, with the cover of the firearm, the Argentine army could find an opportunity to sneak up the mountain and deal with the cunning and annoying Chilean troops.


    However, now was not the time for the Argentinemander to regret his decisions. Seeing the troops already being dragged by the Chileans into the mountain brook, the Argentinemander realized that he had to make a decisive choice to save the lives of himself and his soldiers.

 Chapter 427: Chapter 349: Edward Montalvos Opportunity

    Perhaps, to elite soldiers, the border conflict between Argentina and Chile seemed like child''s y.


    In battle, less than one in ten had the courage to stick their heads out from behind cover, let alone calmly aim their shots.


    But for the Argentine and Chilean soldiers at the time, this was a real war, a war where people could easily die.


    Even if it was a game of make-believe, they held not sticks for fire-making, but real, sophisticated firearms created by human intelligence.


    As the saying goes, whether it''s a man, woman, or child, the power of the firearms in their hands is the same.


    For the currentrge-caliber rifles, touching meant injury, and contact meant death - this was no joke.


    The shsted over twenty minutes, and with time running short, the Argentine army had no choice but to hastily withdraw into the forest under themand of their leader.


    This ce was, after all, within Chilean territory, and when it came to reinforcements, the Chilean army would certainly be faster.


    Continuing the stalemate now would not benefit the Argentine army, and at least now, before the military, weapons, and strategic resources were in ce, Argentina did not intend tounch a full-scale war.


    Seeing the Argentinians at the foot of the mountain slowly retreating, Edward Montalvo shouted to hisrades, "Stop them! They''re withdrawing!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Edward Montalvo''s performance in the conflict made hisrades willing to follow hismand, it did not mean that others were willing to sacrifice themselves for their country.


    Shooting from a position of terrain advantage was one thing, but pursuing the enemy meant giving up their cover and exposing themselves to the Argentinians, didn''t it?


    Even after Edward Montalvo shouted twice, not one person was willing to stand up and follow him in pursuit.


    After exhausting all his bullets, Edward Montalvo had no choice but to return, deeply disappointed in hisrades.


    When the reinforcements arrived, it was already more than ten minutester. During this time, the patrol team had conducted a preliminary clean-up of the battlefield, and calcted the casualties on both sides.


    "Sergeant Edley? Sergeant Edley!"


    After the reinforcements arrived, they called out for the patrol squad leader, Edley.


    But unfortunately, as one of the first casualties, patrol squad leader Edley was destined to not hear the call.


    "Squad leader Edley is dead, sir." Edward Montalvo replied.


    "What happened? Soldier." Hearing that Edley was killed, themander of the reinforcements was surprised for a moment and then turned his gaze to the soldier who answered the question.


    "We encountered the Argentine army during our patrol. Squad leader Edley was killed in an ambush by the Argentinians. Afterwards, we counterattacked and engaged in war with the Argentine army in this area." Edward Montalvo answered methodically.


    "The Argentinians again? Those damned bastards, do they really want to start a war?" Themander of the reinforcements cursed under his breath and then looked at Edward Montalvo, continuing to ask, "What were yourbat results? Soldier."


    "We used up almost all of our bullets and killed a total of three enemies. The rest of the Argentine army has retreated to the forest at the foot of the mountain. On our side, we suffered the loss of tworades, including Squad Leader Edley, and two were injured." Edward Montalvo continued to report.


    Edward Montalvo''s performance in the war earned him the respect of hisrades, and with the death of Squad Leader Edley, Edward Montalvo had effectively be the person with the highest authority in the patrol squad.


    In fact, that was indeed the case, as, apart from the original squad leader Edley, only Edward Montalvo was a veteran with over three years of service.


    As for the other soldiers, most of them were new recruits, which exined why they were so flustered when facing the Argentine army.


    "How many are in the Argentine unit approximately? Did they carry heavy weapons? What was their general direction of retreat?" After hearing the details of the incident, the person in charge of the reinforcements clearly took it more seriously and asked solemnly.


    Each question concerned the severity of the situation; the infiltration of such an Argentine unit on the border would pose a threat to both nearby cities and rural viges in Chile.


    The situation between Argentina and Chile was tense, and if this group of Argentine soldiers were to do something foolish, the Chilean border guards would be unable to bear the responsibility.


    "The Argentine army we fought consisted of about several dozen troops. At least during the engagement, they didn''t use heavy weapons. They escaped to the west of the forest at the foot of the mountain, about 20 minutes ago from now." Edward Montalvo recalled in his mind, made sure his memory was urate before answering methodically.


    "What''s your name? Soldier." Themander nodded, satisfied with Edward Montalvo''s detailed answer.


    "Edward Montalvo, sir. My father was a veteran, and he was unfortunately killed in the previous conflict with Argentina." Edward Montalvo replied firmly.

 Chapter 428: Chapter 349: Edward Montalvos Opportunity_2

    Of course, the so-called conflict was not the one that happened a few days ago, but another conflict between Chile and Argentina over a decade ago.


    In fact, throughout the 100-year histories of both countries, numerous conflicts have urred between them, even escting to several small-scale wars.


    For Chile and Argentina, two countries with bnced powers, it was impossible not to have conflicts.


    Both countries have great ambitions, and as the saying goes, one mountain cannot amodate two tigers. Unless there is a strong external enemy to suppress them, or the bnce between the two countries is broken, such conflicts will continue.


    "Edward Montalvo? Your father was Pablo Montalva?" Themander suddenly showed interest and asked curiously.


    "Yes, sir, do you know my father?" Edward Montalvo said, somewhat surprised.


    "Yes, Pablo was myrade-in-arms a decade ago. If he hadn''t had an ident, he would be at least a Lieutenant by now, right?" Themander sighed slightly with nostalgia and said.


    Because Chile has not experiencedrge-scale wars in recent years, military promotions have been rtively slow.


    However, if Edward Montalvo''s father, Pablo Montalva, were still alive and serving in the military, he could at least hold apany-level position.


    If Pablo were still alive, Edward Montalvo could have had a better future, perhaps even the opportunity to attend a military academy, rather than starting as an ordinary soldier in the military.


    Companymanders in Chile''s military should not be underestimated. Due to its poption being just a few million people, the Chilean military has only tens of thousands of soldiers.


    In Chile, Brigadier General-ranked officers are basically the upper echelons of the military, and their numbers are not toorge.


    Even seemingly lower-rankedpanymanders are considered middle-to-high-ranking officers in the military and have ess to considerable resources.


    After all, casual promotions to this rank typically require at least over a decade of experience and strong connections.


    "Although I deeply regret the loss of your patrol squad leader, a patrol squad cannot be without amander. So, Edward Montalvo, I hereby appoint you as the acting squad leader of your patrol squad. Your primary task is to return to your base, reorganize, replenish your personnel, and continue patrolling.


    The current situation between us and Argentina is unclear, so patrolling duties need to be taken more seriously." Themander thought for a moment before saying this.


    Appointing someone at the squad leader level was a simple decision for him. Of course, adding the prefix "acting" to Edward Montalvo''s squad leader position was meant to test his capabilities.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    If he does well in his patrolling duties, themander won''t mind helping his fallen oldrade''s son, Edward Montalvo, by promoting him.


    "Yes, sir!" Edward Montalvo said, his face full of excitement.


    Although Edward Montalvo did not join the military to be an officer, but to avenge his father, he also wanted to inherit his father''s aspiration to be an excellent soldier.


    But as the saying goes, a soldier who doesn''t want to be a general isn''t a good one, and the same could be said about a soldier who doesn''t want to be a squad leader.


    After being the patrol squad leader, Edward Montalvo would have the power tomand his soldiers, using arger number of personnel and resources to achieve his goal.


    "Alright, Squad Leader Edward, take your soldiers and execute your mission! I will report your promotion, and it should be official in about half a month''s time." Themander looked at the excited Edward Montalvo, smiled, and said.


    "By the way, I am Lucas Fontaine, the Company Commander of the Second toon of the First Regiment of Border Garrison Division II. If you have any problems, you can also find me at my barracks, as I''ll be here during this time." Finally, themander smiled at Edward Montalvo and added.


    "Yes, Commander Lucas!" Edward Montalvo responded without hesitation and decisively.


    Edward Montalvo''s patrol squad belonged to the Second toon of the First Regiment of Border Garrison Division II.


    What does this mean? His father''s oldrade-in-arms was his superior''s superior, which was great news for Edward Montalvo. As long as he can grasp this opportunity, he might even surpass his father''s achievements.


    It should be known that the current situation is extremely chaotic. If one could take advantage of military achievements to progress further, it would be much faster than relying solely on experience.


    Edward Montalvo''s father strictly trained him from a young age to be an excellent soldier, inherit his father''s legacy, and serve his country.


    Watching Edward Montalvo take his soldiers and head towards their base, Lucas Fontaine finally turned his gaze backward. He looked coldly at the western forest at the foot of the mountain reported by Edward Montalvo and waved his hand: "Let''s go, find those damned Argentinians and eliminate them!"


    Encountering his oldrade''s son once again reminded Lucas Fontaine of the conflicts that had erupted between his country and Argentina since he joined the military.

 Chapter 429: Chapter 349: Edward Montalvos Opportunity_3

    In the more than ten years since Lucas Fontaine joined the army, there has been a small-scale war and more than ten conflicts between Chile and Argentina.


    These conflicts varied in scale, withrger ones involving dozens of casualties and smaller ones resulting in several injuries.


    However, because the strength of both parties was not very different, the oue of these conflicts was mostly inconclusive, and Chile did not suffer too much overall.


    But this time was different, as the Argentinians had openly invaded Chile''s borders and attacked the Chilean border defense forces twice, resulting in dozens of casualties on the Chilean side.


    ording to the information provided by Edward Montalvo, there were only about a dozen Argentinian soldiers who had entered the border. Therefore, Lucas Fontaine did not intend to request any more reinforcements.


    His second toon had more than a hundred soldiers, along with some machine guns and firearms. In the face of the Argentinians whocked heavy firepower, this difference in strength was enormous.


    Furthermore, the overallbat effectiveness of Lucas Fontaine''s second toon was much higher than that of the patrol squad.


    After all, Chile was one of the countries that had adopted the German military model, reforming and training its army.


    Chile was one of the few South American countries with a strong army and was also known as the Prussia of South America.


    The reason why Edward Montalvo''s patrol squad had lowbat effectiveness and poor disy of military professionalism was due to these soldiers being new recruits who had not been in the army for a long time.


    However, as part of the two Chilean border defense regiments, Lucas Fontaine''s second toon still had a number of elite soldiers.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In addition to their advantage in firepower and the Argentine army''s previous consumption in battles with the patrol squad, Lucas Fontaine was sure that this Argentine force might be a rare opportunity for merit.


    Even Lucas Fontaine had grown tired of umting military ranks through seniority. ording to the current pace of promotion, it would take at least five more years to advance one more level.


    And Lucas Fontaine was not without rivals. The higher the military rank, the fewer the corresponding positions, and the fiercer thepetition.


    If there was no corresponding merit or background support, the position of captain might be Lucas Fontaine''s peak.


    This opportunity for military merit was a good one. If he could wipe out this group of invading Argentine troops and deliver a heavy blow to the Argentine military and civilians, his promotion to captain would be basically secured, and he might even have a chance to be a school-level officer.


    It could only be said that for Chilean soldiers like Lucas Fontaine, serving in Chile was both fortunate and unfortunate.


    The good news was that aside from people like Lucas Fontaine who served at the border defense regiments, there was virtually no warfare in the divisions stationed inside the borders.


    This made soldiering in Chile very safe, but at the same time it also lost the room for upward mobility.


    People like Lucas Fontaine were still fortunate, as they managed to secure a position as apanymander due to their excellent performance and umtion of experience over more than ten years.


    However, many others could only go as far as bing a toon leader, and throughout their lives would be likely to be only a deputy toon leader or equivalent officer.


    Shaking his head slightly, he cleared away all the distracting thoughts in his mind, and Lucas Fontaine looked at the distant forest.


    In a few minutes, the troops arrived at the base of the mountain, which was the location of the previous battle between Argentina and the patrol squad.


    The ce had already been cleaned up, and other than the bloodstains, bullet holes, and some earth and rocks, it did not look too chaotic.


    In this chaotic area, several Argentine soldiers'' corpsesy scattered, but their firearms had already been taken away by the Argentinians.


    This was normal, after all, with the soldiers dead, the guns would naturally be left to the next person to make the most out of their value.


    The thinyer of snow underfoot and the messy footprints confirmed that the Argentine troops had indeed retreated towards the forest to the west.


    Even traces of blood could be seen, proving that the Argentine troops had taken their wounded with them during the retreat.


    This was good news for Lucas Fontaine because the marching speed of the Argentinian army carrying their wounded would undoubtedly be slow.


    Moreover, the trail of blood also further exposed the direction of the Argentine army''s escape.


    However, once entering the forest, Lucas Fontaine realized that he had underestimated this Argentine force.

 Chapter 430: Chapter 350: War and Expeditionary Army

    After entering the forest, the Argentine army''s movements were deliberately concealed. Footprints in the snow were hastily erased, and even the surroundings were camouged, making it impossible to determine in which direction the Argentine forces had withdrawn.


    Due to concerns about an Argentine ambush, Lucas Fontaine had his soldiers search for a little while unsessfully before deciding to withdraw with his troops.


    Unexpectedly, just as he was about to order a retreat, a soldier suddenly reported that the body of an Argentine soldier had been found not far ahead.


    The body was obviously not long dead, with blood still flowing from a wound in the abdomen. It appeared that the Argentine army had abandoned the injured soldier in their haste to flee, knowing he could not be saved.


    The body held little value for Lucas Fontaine, as the evidence already in hand could prove that the troops that had entered the territory were Argentine soldiers.


    However, the rifle carried by the body caught Lucas Fontaine''s interest. Having dealt with the Argentine army many times, he knew that this sleek-looking rifle was definitely not standard equipment for the Argentine forces.


    If he guessed correctly, this should be the equipment of the powerful nation behind Argentina and the confidence behind Argentina''s repeated provocations of Chile.


    Recognizing the importance of the matter, Lucas Fontaine took no chances and ordered his soldiers to withdraw with the rifle.


    As for the body of the Argentine soldier, it was hastily buried on the spot.


    About an hourter, Lucas Fontaine finally returned to the campsite.


    Without any rest, he took the rifle to his superior and reported his findings.


    After being reported up the chain ofmand, the rifle eventually ended up in the hands of the Chilean Brigadier General in charge of the Second Border Defense Division.


    The upper echelons of the Chilean military could not possibly be unfamiliar with this rifle, as it was none other than the famous M1903 Springfield rifle, the standard issue rifle of the United States Army and the only powerful nation in North and South America.


    For a time, the news that Americans might be involved behind Argentina was quickly reported to the upper echelons of the Chilean government.


    For Chile, it was no longer a simple conflict with Argentina; it was more like a direct sh between Britain, which supported Chile, and the United States, which supported Argentina.


    Although the United States was not a militarily strong country, it was still a powerful nation in the face of Chile, which was rtively small in terms ofnd area and poption.


    Without the slightest hesitation, the Chilean Government reported the possibility of U.S. involvement in the conflict to the British Government and requested their help.


    Upon receiving Chile''s request for assistance, the British Government paid close attention to the conflict between Chile and Argentina and took it very seriously.


    Unfortunately, the Americans tly denied providing any assistance to Argentina and denied that they were the true culprits behind the conflict between Argentina and Chile.


    To ease Chilean concerns, the British Empire urgently allocated a batch of equipment, including 50,000 Lee-Enfield rifles, hundreds of firearms, dozens of heavy machine guns, and various ammunition.


    A significant portion of this weaponry and equipment was purchased from Austrsia, which,pared to other powers, was rtively unupied and under little pressure to expand its military arsenal.


    With the support of the British Empire''s weaponry, Chile took a tough stance and issued a final ultimatum to Argentina, demanding aplete withdrawal of its invading forces from the border, an apology for the two conflicts, andpensation for the corresponding losses.


    Naturally, Argentina could not agree to Chile''s terms, let alone thepensation that Chile demanded, which was enough to build another dreadnought.


    On July 1st, 1913, Argentina tly denied Chile''s demands and stated that Argentine forces were merely patrolling their border and carrying out legitimate activities, and that Chile had no right to demand their withdrawal.


    By this time, news of the two conflicts between both parties had already spread among civilians, and the hatred between the two countries had deepened.


    Chile naturally did not tolerate such shameless behavior by Argentina and released photos of the two Argentine soldiers'' bodies, along with images of the battlefield confrontations.


    Meanwhile, Chile reissued an ultimatum to Argentina, demanding aplete withdrawal of the invading troops; otherwise, it would be considered a provocation and deration of war against Chile.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If the Argentine forces did not withdraw within 48 hours, Chile and Argentina would officially be in a state of war.


    After a day''s interval, Argentina responded. Argentina admitted the bodies were Argentine soldiers but imed that they were moved into Argentine territory after being ambushed by Chileans to fabricate evidence.


    The Chilean border photos with traces of war were also forged by Chileans to frame Argentina.


    The Argentine government dered that to protect the interests of the government and the Argentine people, the Argentine army would not back down and would never fear the dangers posed by enemies.


    Over these few days, the diplomatic systems of Argentina and Chile were very busy.


    After the 48-hour deadline set by the Chilean ultimatum had passed, the Chilean government officially met with the Argentine envoy in Chile, announcing the government''s decision that from that day, July 3rd, 1913, Chile and Argentina had officially entered a state of war and demanded the Argentine envoy to return to Argentina immediately.

 Chapter 431: Chapter 350: War and Expeditionary Force_2

    On the day of dering war, Chile mobilized two divisions to the border regions and announced nationwide mobilization.


    Being a country with a decent army, there are currently five divisions of regr troops and 100,000 reserves.


    If the nation is mobilized, it could arm at least ten divisions, yielding over 150,000bat troops.


    Due to the proximity of the two nations, Argentina swiftly received news of Chile''s deration of war.


    With the situation developing as it has, both nations had made some preparations for war and quickly deployedrge numbers of troops upon the deration of war.


    Argentina had made more thorough preparations and some reserves had already joined the army.


    At present, the Argentinebat force exceeds 100,000, half of which were located at the Argentine-Chilean border, with the other half on the way.


    "Enlist in the army, defend the Mothend!"


    "Your great homnd is behind you, fight for your homnd and family!"


    "Gentlemen, your country needs you!"


    In a short time, recruitment slogans permeated the streets of Chile and Argentina, both nations had mobilized fully.


    It''s worth mentioning that Argentina''s new troops are mainly equipped with the M1903 Springfield Rifles, whereas Chile''s new army is primarily armed with Lee-Enfield rifles.


    Themencement of the war in South America was quickly broadcasted globally.


    At this time, the White House in the United States was led President Wilson, who had only been in office for a few months.


    However, President Wilson''s mood was far from joyous as he btedly realized that the situation in South America was not ying out as he''d anticipated.


    The decision to contact and assist Argentina had indeed been under Wilson''s advisement. After all, South America could be seen as America''s backyard, and as President, Wilson harbored considerable ambitions towards the region.


    However, the timing chosen by President Wilson to strike was not now, but at a more opportune time, such as during the outbreak of the European War.


    After the European War broke out, the Powers were bound to be too preupied to meddle in South American affairs.


    Even the powerful British Empire would need to worry about challenges from Germany.


    But now things are different. The British Empire remains the most powerful nation. It''s not a game that America can y on its own.


    A direct confrontation with the British is not good for America at this time and perhaps it would merely benefit Germany.


    "Fuck! Shit!" President Wilson cursed quietly, yet he had no choice but to confront the current grim situation.


    If Chile and Argentina go to war, the United States has to decide whether or not to aid this new ally of theirs.


    Even if America aids Argentina, it and Argentinabined would still not match the power of Britain and Chile.


    If the US does not aid Argentina, it is likely to lose this newly acquired ally, losing sight in South America.


    Of the three South American powers, Chile is friendly with the United Kingdom, and Brazil has good rtions with Germany.


    The remaining Argentina became America''s breakthrough point and is a crucial condition for America to transform South America into its backyard.


    The choice now has be a dilemma: either way would cause losses to America.


    In contrast to America''s awkward position, the British Empire''s choice is much simpler.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    On July 4, 1913, one day after the outbreak of the South American war, the British Empire formally stated that Argentina has exhibited shameful aggression in this war, posing a significant threat to Chilean territorial security.


    To maintain peace and tranquility in South America and reduce further casualties, spreading peace around the world, the British Empire announced that it would provide military aid to Chile, along with an interest-free loan.


    At the same time, American aid was transported to Argentina.


    To avoid offending the British Empire after the war, America had specially renamed its support. On the surface, it was Argentina buying US armaments, and the order was signed before the war.


    With the backing of the major power behind the scenes, the war between Chile and Argentina became even more intense, evolving into a ferocious conflict along most of the border.


    It is proven that Argentina, who had prepared for war in advance, did indeed gain certain advantages in the early stages of the war.


    Within just one week of the outbreak of the war, Argentina had advanced several kilometers forward on the border, eliminating thousands of Chilean soldiers.


    Although Argentina also suffered heavy casualties, by virtue of numerical superiority, it had gained certain advantages on the battlefield.


    This war between the two nations involved heavy weapons, including firearms and heavy machine guns, causing substantial casualties for both sides.


    For the British Empire at this time, the war in South America was more important than the Balkan War, and Britain was prepared to get involved at any time.


    The British Empire did not have many interests in the Balkan region, most of which concerned the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia, and Italy.


    As long as Constantinople is not threatened, the British Empire can ept whatever happens in the Balkans.


    But the situation is different in South America. Chile is the main strategic partner of the British Empire, and also the world''srgest exporter of saltpetre and saltpetre products.


    If there are problems with the situation in South America, it is uneptable for the British Empire. Especially, if America gains control over South America, it would be an invincible nation.

 Chapter 432: Chapter 350: War and the Expeditionary Army_3

    The United States, already geographically superior and hard to conquer, coupled with support from South American resources, indeed have the potential to be a world superpower.


    This is something that the British Empire neither wants to see nor ept, which is why they''ve been fostering Austrsia to counteract the United States.


    Under the keen observation of Britain and America, the war in South America continued for another week.


    Up to now, the war has inflicted tens of thousands of casualties on both Chile and Argentina, with abined death toll exceeding two thousand.


    Even though South America had been rtively prosperous, the strain of the war has inflicted severe hardship on these two countries.


    If it weren''t for the British and Americans providing backup and support, these two countries would have had to drain their national resources to win the war.


    On July 17, 1913, Arthur received a telegram from the British Government inquiring if Austrsia was interested in jointly dispatching an expeditionary army to end the war in South America.


    Of course, there would be rewards. After the victory of the war, a buffer zone would be delineated between Chile and Argentina for joint management by all countries that participated in the military expedition.


    This essentially includes Britain, Russia Nation, France, and Austrsia. As Allies, these four great powers have the strongest support for the British Empire, naturally excluding Britain itself.


    The Allies have shared interests, so their rtionships remain rtively tight now.


    Arthur does not know if France and Russia Nation have agreed to Britain''s terms, but for Austrsia, Britain''s conditions are not too bad.


    The scale of the expeditionary army to end the war in South America will not exceed 50,000 at most. This means, if the four great powers jointly dispatched troops, each country would only need to contribute slightly more than 10,000 soldiers.


    The n to divide a buffer zone for joint management by the four great powers is considered good news for Arthur.


    After all, by distance, Austrsia is the country closest to South America.


    Moreover, after World War I breaks out, other countries will be upied, and the management of the buffer zone would essentially be up to Austrsia.


    Arthur has a clear understanding of the buffer zone. Although the British Empire proposes it with legitimate reasons to defuse disputes between Chile and Argentina,


    Looking at the rtionship between Chile and Britain, most or even all of the buffer zone should be in Argentina.


    And Argentina owns one of the world''s four ck Land areas, the Pampas. This ck soil in spans a total area of 105 million hectares, with Argentina holding the vast majority, up to 89 million hectares.


    Each of the world''s four ck Land areas holds tremendous potential as a grain harvest.


    And with the uing World War I, the economic crisis, and World War II, the importance of grain is indisputable.


    Even in peacetime, food production is a significant indicator for a country.


    Arge poption country must control the production of its food. If they can control a part of the ck Land in Argentina, it would be meaningful for Austrsia''s development.


    This is indeed a good opportunity, allowing Austrsia, with the British Empire''s agreement, and even anticipation, to control part of Argentina''s ck Land.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As long as Argentina''s strength does not surpass Austrsia''s, Austrsia can continue to hold this ck soil and develop it as their own granary.


    Arthur cannot resist coveting this ck Land as the value of the world''s four ck Land areas are truly significant.


    Thergest ck soil area, the Eastern European in, has always been Europe''s major granary and will shine even more brightly in the future under the Soviet Union.


    The secondrgest ck soil region is located in North America, within the United States, affectionately called the "bread basket" by the American People.


    The thirdrgest region is in Northeast Asia, which has developed from a deste area to an important grain production area, earning the reputation of "North Granary".


    Although the ck Land of South America is the smallest, Argentina''s 89 million hectares ofnd are enough to cultivate it into a super granary.


    With this vital grain production area, Austrsia can confidently expand its poption to tens of millions or even hundreds of millions without worrying about any food crisis.


    Food is the basis of the poption, and as long as there is enough food production and reserves, whether in war or crisis, Austrsia has the full confidence to get through safely.


    More food production can also bring substantial profits to the country and take the country''s development to the next level.

 Chapter 433: Chapter 351: Joining the War, Expeditionary Army

    In response to the British Empire''s inquiry, Arthur responded with a positive attitude. Austrsia was very interested in sending troops to Argentina, not only for maintaining the position of the allied countries but also for the benefit of Austrsia itself.


    Other countries of the allied nations also held simr views. If the British Empire''s nativend was threatened, that would be one thing; but involving allied countries to protect the interests of the British Empire overseas, there would not be enough benefit for other countries to be willing to do so without sufficient incentive.


    However, for France and Russia, even if they jointly controlled the whole of Argentina, the actual interests and enthusiasm were not very great.


    Both France and Russia have vast territories and colonies, and Argentina is too far away from the two nations, not to mention the hindrance by the United States; jointly controlling Argentina would be more trouble than it''s worth.


    To persuade France and Russia to send troops together, the British Empire might still have to give up some interests in other ces to satisfy these two nations.


    On July 23, 1913, arge-scale war broke out on the southern border of Argentina and Chile.


    In this war, Argentina and Chile deployed more than a hundred thousand troops, almost assembling the entire armed forces of their respective nations.


    Besides the reserve forces still in training, it was no exaggeration to say that the majority of thebat-ready troops from Chile and Argentina had all been concentrated in this region.


    As for the current state of the war, Argentina was in an offensive position, while Chile was in a defensive position.


    Both sides were anxious about the war, with Chile eager for support from the British Empire and Argentina desperately trying to end the war before the great powers could react and put the matter to rest.


    Argentinian government''s high-level officials knew that if their acts of aggression rmed the great powers, the consequences would be uneptable.


    Only by quickly annihting Chile''s military before the great powers took action, and turning Chile''s defeat into an indisputable fact, could they face the condemnation of the great powers without fear after the war.


    But if they failed to defeat Chile before the great powers'' intervention, they would be unable to withstand their anger even with the support from the United States.


    Fortunately, all the other seven great powers of the world besides the United States were far away from Chile and separated by vast oceans.


    As for the rtively close United States, they were supporting Argentina.


    This also represented that, with Argentina''s geographical advantage and the support of the United States, they had a real chance of quickly ending the war.


    The well-known diplomatic rtionship between the British Empire and Chile relied on Chile''s rich saltpeter mining resources.


    As long as Argentina ensured that the British Empire''s saltpeter mines were not destroyed, the British Empire should not be too angry with Argentina, right? They probably wouldn''t be, right?


    It was precisely because of such a mindset that the Argentinian military had to elerate their offensive steps and strive to end the war as soon as possible, so as not to let the war turn into something unexpected.


    If they were to y it safe, taking into ount the time for the great powers to react and deploy troops, Argentina would have at least two to three months to end the war.


    However, the development of the situation somewhat exceeded the expectations of Argentina''s government and military, and the war between the two powerful South American nations fell into a rather strange stalemate.


    But in fact, this was quite normal, since Chile and Argentina had a rather closeprehensive strength, and their poption and economic scale were not very different.


    Both sides also possessed the support of great powers, so it was not strange for the war to fall into a stalemate under such circumstances.


    Especially since the first batch of weapons supplied to Chile by the British Empire had already been shipped from Austrsia, the Chilean army had sufficient weapons, equipment, and ammunition to keep up the fight.


    On the other side, Argentina also received support from the United States, which included arge amount of weaponry, equipment, and ammunition supplies.


    This resulted in a rather strange stalemate in the war, where both parties'' soldiers showed little concern for ammunition consumption, but their achievements were minimal.


    If there were reconnaissance aircraft carefully observing the battlefield, they would notice the peculiar phenomenon that the shooting from both sides'' soldiers was basically random spraying, and their aim was not to kill the enemy but to exhaust all the ammunition in their hands.


    Aside from the battles where senior officers were supervising, all other sub-battlefields had fallen into this strange state.


    Argentinian and Chilean logistical officers were shocked to find that since therge-scale offensive and defensive battle had started, their ammunition consumption had increased significantly, but their achievements were meager.


    Even their own side''s casualties were lower than before; apart from the fierce casualties during the offensive and defensive battle, the casualties at other times were not high.


    This led to a rather peculiar phenomenon: in the first half of July, Argentina and Chile suffered tens of thousands of casualties.


    In the second half of July, with only tworge-scale offensive and defensive battles taking into ount, the number of casualties on both Argentinian and Chilean sides barely exceeded ten thousand.


    Bear in mind that in the second half of the month, both sides had deployed over a hundred thousand troops on the southern border, engaging inrge-scale offensive and defensive battles.


    Logically speaking, not only should the consumption of supplies increase, but the number of casualties should also rise significantly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, apart from the rapid consumption of ammunition, medical supplies, and grain, there was no significant increase in the casualties of both the friendly and enemy forces.

 Chapter 434: Chapter 351: Joining the War, Expeditionary Army_2

    However, this was a good thing for Chile, as their goal was only to defend and they had no intention of counterattacking.


    For the Chilean side, their most important task was to hold their territory before British support arrived and to protect the British mining interests in Chile.


    But for Argentina, a stalemate in the war was thest thing they wanted to see.


    Once the war entered the attrition phase, it would not only consume arge amount of Argentina''s domestic resources, but most importantly, it would waste Argentina''s time.


    If the battle couldn''t be resolved quickly, would the Americans send troops to help Argentina?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Perhaps they would if the opponent were Italy. But the opponent was the British Empire, the world''s first superpower, and even the German Empire wouldn''t offend them easily, let alone the United States, which was generally despised by Europeans as nouveau riche.


    Frankly speaking, the war had already be too much for both of the two major South American nations to handle. If it weren''t for the strong conviction on both sides to win, they might have already reached the stage of seeking peace.


    In order to win the war, Argentina spared no expense and purchased arge number of heavy machine guns and firearms from the United States in an effort to break through Chile''s defenses as quickly as possible.


    On July 29, 1913, as July was drawing to a close, the third offensive and defensive battle between Argentina and Chile officially began.


    This time Argentina went all out, sending an additional 10,000 reserve troops to the frontlines, as well as providing arge number of machine guns, artillery, and weaponry ammunition, along with medical supplies.


    Currently, Argentina''s equipment on the frontline had surpassed Chile''s, which showed just how huge the price Argentina had paid for the war.


    These weapons, equipment, and strategic supplies alone put the Argentinian government deep in debt.


    If they could not repay this debt with war reparations, Argentina''s development could be severely limited for more than ten years in the future.


    After all, this debt was owed to the Americans, and it was virtually impossible to default on their debts in the Americas.


    The third offensive and defensive battlested for more than half a day and eventually ended in a major defeat for Chile due to the negligence of theirmander.


    This battle also shifted the bnce of attack and defense between Chile and Argentina, transforming the war from an initial bnce to Argentina having a certain advantage.


    The casualties on both sides were telling. In this battle, Argentina deployed more than 50,000 troops, suffering 3,024 deaths and 12,058 injuries.


    On the Chilean side, there were also more than 40,000bat troops, with 5,021 deaths and 14,231 injuries.


    In addition to the higher number of casualties in Chilepared to Argentina, the negligence of the Chileanmander led to the loss of a solid defensive position for the Chilean army, who were forced to retreat more than ten kilometers.


    This meant that the Argentine army had officially expanded more than ten kilometers forward, and the fighting area had already reached Chilean territory.


    This situation was very urgent for Chile and forced them to seek help from the British Empire once again.


    On August 2, 1913, after mutualmunication between the Four Great Powers of the Allies, they announced their intervention in the war between Chile and Argentina and pledged to form an expeditionary army to help Chile defend their territory.


    The intervention of the Four Great Powers in the war between two small countries instantly made the South American war a hot topic worldwide. People were curious about what kind of magic this region possessed that could attract the four Great Powers to send troops.


    In fact, if it weren''t for the well-hidden United States behind the scenes, the public would know that the South American war involved not only the Four Great Powers, but also the United States in the Americas, making it a total of Five Great Powers.


    If it weren''t for Germany''s obsession with developing its navy and itsck of interest in getting involved in this conflict, perhaps not only the Allied nations would be attracted to South America, but also the Central Powers.


    It had been half a month since thest telegram from the British Empire was sent to Arthur.


    During this half-month, the Four Great Powers of the Allies had initially negotiated the number of troops they would send.


    ording to the agreement among the Allies, the proportions of troops to be sent by the Four Great Powers were: 20,000 from Britain, 25,000 from France, 30,000 from Russia, and 16,000 from Austrsia.


    The total personnel of the Four Great Powers exceeded 90,000, and with the powerful navy providing escort, as well as the remaining tens of thousands of Chilean troops, there was no doubt that they could resolve the small South American war.


    Aside from ending the South American war and protecting Britain''s interests in South America, this war also served as an important means for the Four Great Powers of the Allies to showcase their respective military strengths.


    Therefore, ording to their respective agreements, the expeditionary forces of the four countries would send their elite troops, and thebat capabilities of the expeditionary forces must be guaranteed.


    While Arthur was not sure about other countries, the troops Austrsia nned to send were the Fourth Regr Division, which had undergone long-term training.


    The Regr Division was the military unit with the most luxurious weapons and the most outstanding training in Austrsia, apart from the Guard Division.


    Although the Fourth Division was thest to be established, it had been training for several years.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, it was necessary for the soldiers of the Fourth Division to gain some experience and witness some bloodshed.


    After all, an elite force can only be formed after experiencing numerous battles, bothrge and small.


    A force based solely on training cannot grow into an elite army. Only soldiers who have seen blood and been on the battlefield can be excellent elite soldiers.

 Chapter 435: Chapter 351: Joining the War, Expeditionary Army_3

    And the reason that the current number of the Austrsia Expeditionary Force is 16,000 is because the number of one division in Austrsia happens to be 16,000.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Although the four major powers can easily gather a million troops together, just dealing with a small country like Argentina, let alone a million troops, a hundred thousand troops would be toorge.


    Even if all the troops had the strength of the Austrsia regr army, Arthur is confident that he would only need 30,000 of them to conquer the whole of Argentina.


    Although the troops sent by the four major powers are called the Allies Expeditionary Force, they do not all set off at the same time.


    In order to arrive at the battlefield as quickly as possible, ording to the internal agreement of the Allies, Austrsia, which is closest to here, will send troops first.


    The task of the Austrsia Army is to go to Chile and help the Chilean army defend their territory.


    Hold on until all the Allied Expeditionary Forces arrive, and then gather all the manpower to organize a counterattack.


    By the way, they can also train all the forces of the Allies to cooperate with each other, so that when the European War begins, the four major powers of the Allies can fight together.


    On August 5th, 1913, the 4th Regr Division of the Austrsia Expeditionary Force embarked on transport ships for their journey to Chile.


    To protect the transport fleet carrying the 4th Regr Division, the Austrsia Navy sent an escort fleet consisting of a dreadnought and a battlecruiser.


    Although the escort fleet was notrge, there was no match for it in the entire South American region.


    Even looking at the entire Americas, the only force that could pose a threat to this escort fleet would probably be the United States, one of the eight great powers.


    But would the United States dare to openly attack the transport fleet of Austrsia? Perhaps the American naval power is stronger than that of Austrsia, but the actions of Austrsia are jointly supported by the Allies. The American people must also weigh the consequences of offending the Allies.


    Without mincing words, as long as the Americans jump in now and fight against Audrsia, the four major powers of the Allies will send even more expeditionary forces to directlynd on the territory of the United States.


    Unless the Allied Forces also help the United States, the dignity of the four major powers of the Allies in this era cannot be trampled upon.


    It is important to note that there are only eight positions of great powers in the world, and the Allies directly concentrated half of the eight great powers, which shows the strength of the Allies.


    From this point, it can actually be seen how the current confrontation between the two major European military blocs affects the world.


    It is important to note that the two major European military blocs, the Allied Nations and the Allies, epass seven of the eight great powers in the world.


    Except for the United States, which is far away in the Americas and is not affected, all the great powers in the world have participated in the disputes between the two major military blocs.


    This also represents a frightening fact: if the two major military blocs go to war, it will be a global war involving at least seven great powers and covering the whole world.


    It is precisely because of this that both parties in the dispute have many scruples and do not dare to start a world war recklessly.


    If there is not enough preparation, the current two major European military blocs would not have too intense disputes.


    After all, now because of the confrontation between the two major military blocs, the hatred between European powers and their people is already high.


    If disputes are recklessly provoked, the people will be easily affected and the government will be urged to wage war on other countries.


    By then, even if European countries do not yet have ns to start a war, public opinion will be boiling over, forcing them tounch a major war.


    Europe has been developing rapidly due to the Industrial Revolution, but various revolutions can be seen everywhere.


    This leads to a situation where the opinions of the country can be easily influenced by the people, as no one wants to be the kind of country like France, where governments are constantly overthrown, or even have their governments overthrown.


    National opinions can influence the opinions of the people, and the opinions of the people can likewise influence the judgement of the country. For decision-makers in European countries, considering public opinion is also a necessary link and factor.

 Chapter 436: Chapter 352: Industrial Base and Railway Construction

    Before the expeditionary army set out, Arthur gave an encouraging speech to the Fourth Division, stating that he would personally award them honors and medals upon their sessful return.


    This speech ignited the enthusiasm of the Fourth Division, as the soldiers still had high passion for war. After all, there were not many wars in Austrsia, and each war would be a great victory, waiting to reap the rewards.


    Arthur had great trust in thebat capability of the Fourth Division, and he had great trust in themand ability and adaptability of the divisionmander Scott Malone.


    Scott Malone was a talent cultivated by Austrsia itself, a native Austrsian.


    Brigadier General Scott had sessively served in the Austrsia Colony Garrison, Austrsia''s First Division, and the Guard First Division, and studied at the Sydney Royal Military Academy, before being appointed as the Deputy Division Commander of the Second Guard Division.


    When the Fourth Division was formed, Scott sessfully became one of the candidates and eventually obtained the position of Division Commander of the Fourth Division.


    Scott, currently themander of the division, is not yet 40 years old, and still has plenty of room for upward mobility.


    After instructing General Scott to minimize casualties and maximize the killing of Argentina''s living forces to achieve victory in war, Arthur confidently watched the departure of the expeditionary army.


    Arthur''s consistent principle is not to blindly interfere in the war of the troops. Except for his own Guard Division, the conventional division operations are basically carried out under themand of the Ministry of Defense.


    Of course, the war results and progress also need to be reported to Arthur since a monarch who is ignorant of the current military situation cannot manage the country.


    It will take some time for the expeditionary army to reach the border between Chile and Argentina, and during this time, Arthur has important work to do.


    It has been more than half a year since the second phase of the Leonora Industrial Base''s construction waspleted.


    During this time, Leonora Industrial Base has sessfully attracted investment and most of the industrial areas have been put into production.


    However, the relocation and establishment of factories are not that quick. ording to a conservative estimate by the industrial sector, the second phase of the Leonora Industrial Base will not be fully operational until the end of this year and the beginning of next year, greatly enhancing Austrsia''s industrial strength and promoting economic growth.


    Without exaggeration, the current Leonora Industrial Base is the industrial core of Austrsia and the brightest industrial pearl in Oceania.


    At present, the Leonora Industrial Base has nearly 200 factories, 170,000 workers and technical personnel, covering all aspects of Austrsia.


    The sessfulpletion of the first and second phases of the industrial base has also given Arthur and the Ministry of Industry full confidence to promote the construction of the third and expected final phase of the industrial base.


    Time waits for no one, and since it is already August, Arthur does not want to wait for the second phase of the industrial base to be fully operational before starting the construction of the third phase.


    Fortunately, the second phase of the industrial base is rtively far from the nned construction of the third phase, so there will be no interference between the two phases.


    On August 9, 1913, the Austrsian Government officially announced themencement of the third phase of the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base, following the customary cab meeting.


    The construction n for the third phase of the Leonora Industrial Base is thergest and most expensive in all three phases of the industrial base.


    ording to the n provided by the Ministry of Industry, the total construction area for the third phase of the industrial base will be nearly 6,000 acres.


    Of these, the construction area will cover 4,800 acres, with greenery, environment, drainage, environmental protection, and road construction consuming a total of 1,200 acres ofnd.


    If you include the total area for all three phases of the industrial base, the entire Leonora Industrial Base will be a superrge base upying more than 10,000 acres.


    Based on the standards of the second phase of the Industrial Base, the third phase will have at least 400 standardized factory workshops and 50rge-scale storage areas, capable of amodating at least 200 superrge factories and hundreds of smaller factories.


    This means that the third phase of the industrial base alone can amodate nearly 350,000 employees, creating 350,000 jobs.


    The entire Leonora Industrial Base will create more than 550,000 jobs for Austrsia, and the immeasurable impact it will bring to the industrial and economic growth of Austrsia.


    Perhaps due to the experience gained from the construction of the first two phases of the industrial base, the design and nning of the third phase of the base went very smoothly.


    On August 15th, after mobilizing arge number of construction teams from Sydney, Victoria State, and New South Wales State, the third-phase construction of the Leonora Industrial Base officially began.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As usual, Arthur attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the industrial base and expressed satisfaction with the construction and production of the first two phases of the industrial base.


    Today''s Leonora Industrial Base has gained considerable reputation not only in Austrsia but also internationally. Themencement of the third phase has attracted many Austrsian media outlets.


    "The third phase of the Leonora Industrial Base officially begins; what kind of exaggerated potential does Austrsia''s Ruhr District have?"


    "With 500 standardized workshops and 100rge storage areas, what kind of exaggerated scale has Austrsia''s Ruhr District reached?"

 Chapter 437: Chapter 352: Industrial Base and Railway Construction_2

    With the official start of the Leonora Industrial Base, various newspapers and media outlets have published their own news stories, all tacitly choosing eye-catching headlines.


    For European citizens, the prosperity and development of Europe are taken for granted. People also enjoy discussing things outside of Europe in their leisure time.


    As one of the currently recognized Powers, Austrsia''s reputation in Europe is not small.


    Even with Austrsia''s strength alone, Oceania has be the top choice for European immigration after the Americas.


    News and reports about Austrsia often attract many European viewers and curiosity.


    They are always curious about new things, and it is not surprising for Europeans to want to learn about Austrsia, a country that is thousands of miles away across the ocean.


    In fact, when ites torge urban cities, Austrsia''s development is already on par with European nations.


    The traffic lights, streetmps, various automobiles, and modern facilities found everywhere in Europe can also be seen in Austrsia.


    In this era, buses and cable cars can also be seen in major cities in Austrsia.


    Even Arthur, with his view fromter generations, sometimes cannot help but have the illusion that Sydney is a modern city.


    Without exaggeration, the development of Sydney at this stage is more prosperous and advanced than some cities inter generations.


    Thanks to Te''s involvement, the power development in Austrsia has almost reached all cities and is now being promoted to more remote viges and towns.


    Electricity is no longer a stranger to Austrsians and has be one of the daily lighting methods readily avable on the streets.


    It''s worth mentioning that during the massive construction of Austrsia earlier, Southeast Asian natives were seen everywhere, providing freebor for Austrsia.


    But so far, for variousrge-scale constructions, Austrsia has been trying to rece these natives with its own people.


    Apart from some highly dangerous jobs that still employ the natives, other regr jobs are now carried out by Austrsians.


    This situation was inevitable, as with the passage of time, the natives of Austrsia will eventually be consumed and sent back to Southeast Asia.


    These people staying in Austrsia are also a menace, and if not dealt with early, the situation will be more difficult in the future.


    With the development of technology, some machines can gradually rece manualbor or significantly reducebor demand.


    Moreover, the poption of Austrsia continues to grow, with the number approaching 13 million this year, and the demand forbor is no longer as tight.


    Therefore, most natives in Austrsia have been sent to the northern colonies and royal territories.


    The development of these colonies and royal territories still requires these natives, and since they are far away and sparsely popted, no one cares about the exploitation of natives.


    It cannot be denied that natives have made significant contributions to Austrsia''s development.


    Austrsia''s rapid early development without burdening its ordinary citizens can be attributed to these natives.


    ording to an iplete count, from the founding of the Australian Principality to August 1913, more than 2 million natives havee to Austrsia, contributing greatly to the country''s development.


    Meanwhile, there are no more than 300,000 natives left in Austrsia.


    Even considering the more than 1 million natives sent to the northern colonies and royal territories, the number of nativesing to Austrsia has been reduced to less than 1.4 million.


    This represents that over about ten years, nearly 800,000 natives have lost their lives in Austrsia, in exchange for its prosperity and development.


    To give back to these natives, Arthur intentionally provided them with long-missed and unseen meat, which came from parts of animals that Australians rarely eat and can''t sell.


    In the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base, only thousands of natives were used, and they were all in high-risk positions.


    In addition, all workers and technicians in the engineering team, as well as experts nning the construction of the industrial area, were from Austrsia.


    Apart from the Leonora Industrial Base, at a cab meeting, the government also discussed the n for anotherrge-scale construction project.


    The saying "If you want to get rich, build roads" rings true in any era. So far, highway construction in Austrsia has been smooth. It now connects all cities andrger towns in each state, with small viges and settlements also connected by roads.


    In terms of railways, following the industrial railways and Northern Railways, the transportation department has applied for theunch of the next railway construction n.


    The first focus is on Austrsia itself, mainly the Australian region.


    The Northern Railway and the industrial railways have connected the ind of Australia. The next step is to establish railways connecting major cities and the central part of the Australian region.


    ording to the transportation department''s n, the next railway construction has been collectively named the Central Railway.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Central Railway is divided into three parts. The first part is located in the West Australian State, starting from Esperance, connecting northward to the industrial railway, then to the Leonora Industrial Base, followed by Micass, Newman, and Port Hend.

 Chapter 438: Chapter 352: Industrial Base and Railway Construction_3

    The construction mileage of this part of the railway is not long, and the railways near the industrial base are already in ce, so it is expected that the construction period will only take a year and a half.


    The second part of the Central Railway, located in the true center of the Australian region, connects Darwin, Bodem, Tennant Creek, Alicia Springs, and Takura from north to south, eventually linking back to the Industrial Railway.


    The third part of the Central Railway is actually about the railway connections between Victoria, New South Wales, Queennd Capital Territory, and the four regions.


    All four regions are located in the east of Australia, which also has thergest Australian poption.


    The railway nning in this part is quiteplicated; not only are the railways interconnected between the four regions, but also within each administrative region, the railways must form a loop to facilitate poption movement and economic exchange.


    This part of the railway can be divided in detail into the railway circles of Townsville, Hewnden, Dag, Jericho, Rockhampton, Brisbane, and Charlville in Queennd.


    New South Wales has Newcastle, Ondo, Wolget, Burke, and Dn Banda railway circles.


    Victoria has Melbourne, Geelong, and Oboost railway circles.


    As well as the Sydney Railway Circle in Capital Territory.


    The four major railway circles form a set of systems, interconnected to promote economic exchange and poption mobility in arge area.


    If the three main parts of the Central Railway are fully constructed, more than half of the railway construction in the Australian region will bepleted, basically meeting the current traffic demand brought by the poption.


    Of course, adding up the three main parts of the Central Railway is a more difficult construction n than the Northern Railway and Industrial Railway.


    Because the estimated total mileage has exceeded 10,000 kilometers, the construction period is expected to be about ten years.


    If the construction of the Central Railway is started, the Transportation Department will be busy in the next ten years.


    Moreover, due to therge-scale construction of railways, the government''s financial burden will also increase, and the growth of government financial expenditure is inevitable.


    But there is no other way. To be wealthy, build roads first; this statement applies at any time and is the truth of national development.


    Any construction and economic cirction need developed transportation methods. The construction of the Central Railway in Austrsia is inevitable and necessary.


    Fortunately, the government''s financial situation is still very good, so after consideration, Arthur agreed to the railway construction n of the Transportation Department.


    Of course, as the saying goes, you can''t get fat in one bite. Although the Central Railway construction n is approved, it does not mean that all three parts of the Central Railway construction n will be carried out simultaneously.


    For the construction of Leonora Industrial Base, and also because the Leonora Industrial Base has existing railways, making construction smoother, under Arthur''smand, the Transportation Department will first build the first part of the Central Railway, that is, the railway running through Leonora Industrial Base.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After thepletion of this railway, the transportation of West Australian State will be very developed, and it will also facilitate the rapid transportation of supplies from the Northern Railway and the Industrial Railway to the Leonora Industrial Base.


    Following the principle of importance, after thepletion of the first part, the most challenging and longest third part will be constructed.


    The third part is located in the central part of the Australian region, the most populous, economically developed, and core area of Australia and the entire Austrsia.


    The importance of this part of the railway is far greater than that of the railway running through South Australia State, and it is also an important goal of government railway construction.


    Only after thepletion of these two parts of railway construction, the Transportation Department can consider the South Australia railway construction and thenplete the entire Central Railway.


    ording to the Transportation Department''s estimation, the construction of the entire Central Railway will take about ten years and require at least 50 million Australian dors to start.


    However, the good news is that this fund is not a one-time expenditure and will be consumed slowly during the construction of the railway over more than ten years.


    This means that the annual government expenditure on railway construction is only about 5 million Australian dors, which is entirely within the government''s capacity to bear.


    It''s important to note that the increase in job opportunities brought by railway construction alone can keep Austrsia''s economy growing continuously.


    For national-level projects, investing in infrastructure construction is not a loss, as the funds spent will, in turn, promote the country''s economic growth in another way.

 Chapter 439: Chapter 353: Receiving the Solomon Islands Archipelago

    ording to the agreement between Austrsia and the Allied Nations, when the standing army of Austrsia reaches 400,000, it will be the time for Britain and France to transfer the Pacific colonies to Austrsia.


    It should be noted that although there are only several archipgos and inds in the Pacific colonies, their total area is not veryrge.


    However, this does not mean that the transfer of the colony is a simple process. Even if Austrsia is rtively close to the colonies, it would take at least half a year to fully receive them.


    It also involves the eptance and repatriation of the colonial poption, the reconstruction of the colonial order and government, and the takeover of the colonial garrison, etc.


    More importantly, this region covers almost half of the Pacific Ocean, which means that the Austrsian navy must patrol this area to ensure the maritime security of these colonies.


    However, the good news is that Austrsia currently has no rivals in this region and is supported by the Allied Nations, so it is not worried about the security of these colonies being threatened.


    Of course, if one must consider a potential danger, it would be the United States at the present time.


    Due to the current South American war, the powers behind Argentina and Chile are actuallypeting secretly.


    However, it is presumed that the United States would not have the guts to get directly involved. Without the help of the Allied Nations, theprehensive military power of the United States is currently not on par with either Britain or France.


    Nevertheless, for the sake of security, Austrsia will first take over the nearby inds, such as the British Solomon Inds Protectorate, which is very close to Australian New Guinea.


    The totalnd area of the Solomon Inds is about 28,400 square kilometers and has a total poption of nearly 220,000.


    However, at present, the Solomon Inds are divided and governed by Britain and Germany, with Germany upying the two northern inds and Britain upying the remaining Solomon Inds.


    Aftermunicating with the British ambassador in Austrsia, the official colonial transfer began on September 1, 1913.


    The poption of the British Solomon Inds Protectorate is about 150,000, of which less than 20,000 are British and European immigrants, with the rest being local indigenous peoples.


    The issue to be addressed is the fate of these 20,000 people. As for the remaining nearly 130,000 indigenous peoples, the problem is rtively simple.


    Either they sacrifice their lives for the future construction of the Solomon Inds, or they are repatriated to Southeast Asia or other regions.


    There is also a thorny issue regarding the settlement or political divisions of the Solomon Inds.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At present, there are generally two ideas and methods: one is to make the Solomon Inds independent and establish the Solomon Inds Colony.


    The other idea is that, due to the proximity of the Solomon Inds to New Guinea, some officials suggest incorporating the Solomon Inds into the Australian New Guinea Colony without establishing a separate administrative division.


    For Arthur, the impact of these two proposals is not that significant.


    After all, the colonial governors are appointed by Arthur himself, which means that the colonial governors will be more loyal to Arthurpared to elected governors.


    Regardless of whether the Solomon Inds are incorporated into Australian New Guinea or established as an independent colony, either choice falls within the scope of colonial influence, so the differences are not too significant.


    Afterprehensive consideration, under the advice of Prime Minister Kent, Arthur decided to designate the Solomon Inds as a separate colony, named the Solomon Inds Colony.


    After all, the Solomon Inds are several hundred kilometers away from Australian New Guinea, making it inconvenient to manage them in a unified manner.


    Having more state-level administrative units is also conducive to Arthur''s rewarding of subordinates. At the same time, these colonial governors, to some extent, can also support Arthur''s position as loyal followers.


    On September 2, a force of 1,000 colonial garrison troops, apanied by the first governor of the Solomon Inds Colony, Mark McOnd, set out for the Solomon Inds. This marked the expansion of Austrsian power throughout Oceania and the Pacific.


    Before Mark McOnd''s departure, Arthur personally met with him and tested his abilities.


    There are currently three tasks for the Solomon Inds: first, to retain the colonial poption as much as possible to ensure the development of the colony.


    Second, to stabilize the colonial order as soon as possible and prevent the Solomon Inds from descending into chaos.


    Third, to establish a perfect defense system in the Solomon Inds as much as possible, as maritime defense is essential, given that this is currently Austrsia''s actual northeast border.


    Of course, carrying out these tasks is not difficult in practice. At least, from Mark McOnd''s ability,pleting these tasks would not be a challenge.


    After all, more than 130,000 indigenous people in the Solomon Inds can be used as expendablebor resources,ying a solid foundation for various construction projects in the Solomon Inds.


    Seizing this opportunity with the Solomon Inds, Arthur also revised the defenses of all colonies.


    The Solomon Inds and Australian Timor will each have around 1,000 garrison troops stationed there.


    Australian New Guinea and the Royal Territory will have 3,000 garrison troops stationed in each.


    These garrison troops will be independently formed and directly subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. The colonies have the right to apply for troop transfers, but the sries, weapons, equipment, and other expenses of the garrison will be provided entirely by the Ministry of Defense.

 Chapter 440: Chapter 353: Receiving the Solomon Islands Archipelago_2

    This would weaken the power of the Colonial Governor and minimize the possibility of the colonial governor''s mercenaries bing independent.


    However, the colonial governor still had the authority to mobilize these garrisons. After all, certain policies concerning the security of the colonies also required the cooperation of these garrisons.


    After such a move, the number of troops stationed in the Northern Colony and the Royal Territory would be significantly reduced, with only about 8,000 left.


    However, with the assistance of the Austrsian navy, the security of these colonies could still be guaranteed.


    As for the 15 colonial divisions currently owned by Austrsia, Arthur gathered them in Austrsian nativend for unified and standardized training.


    Before the outbreak of World War I, they would also undergo a period of training to ensure they have a certain level ofbat capabilities.


    Of course, what is more important is to cultivate the loyalty of these indigenous soldiers. At least during the war, there would be no confusion, no desertion - which is the most basic requirement.


    But it probably won''t happen. After all, these troops will eventually be deployed to the European battlefield. Who can they desert to? To Germany?


    It should be noted that European racism is much more serious than in Austrsia. Escaping the battlefield may not necessarily avoid the risk to their lives.


    It would be better to fight for Austrsia and receive the rewards promised by Arthur after victory.


    Yes, in order to motivate these soldiers and ensure that the indigenous army does not be chaotic, Arthur promised that as long as these indigenous soldiers serve Austrsia for ten years, they would receive a mary reward and, along with their families, be sent to live in Southeast Asia.


    This is the first time that Arthur publicly promised to send the indigenous people to Southeast Asia safely since he took control of the entire Austrsia.


    This has given hope to some indigenous people who thought they would die tragically in Austrsia, even if it is just for their families, they want to hold onto this lifesaving straw.


    In order to make these indigenous soldiers believe in him, and to develop theirbat abilities and ensure their loyalty, Arthur generously provided them with meat, albeit only once every two days.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But this was much betterpared to their previous life. As long as they trained obediently every day, they would receive enough food, beef and mutton, and fruit every two days, even if it was just a tomato or an apple, it was enough to excite these indigenous people.


    Moreover, all colonial divisions have guidance officers set up by Arthur, who are essentially in charge of brainwashing them.


    Therefore, since the beginning of training, these 15 colonial divisions have not erupted in much chaos, and the training is progressing in an orderly manner.


    In fact, this is quite normal, since after these indigenous people join the army, the treatment of them and their families will be much better.


    One of the many welfare benefits for indigenous soldiers is that their families can be exempted from forcedbor and be regr workers under the government or colonial government, with paid work.


    This means that after these indigenous people join the army, the safety and life of their families is guaranteed.


    At the same time, more generous rewards and safeguards are provided for some indigenous people who are promoted to serve as squad leaders and officers. With these indigenous people supervising internally, the control of the entire colonial division can be more secure.


    The key to ensuring the loyalty of the colonial divisions is to establish a rule among the indigenous soldiers called the Whistleblowing Rule by Arthur.


    As long as one can expose the disloyalty of theirrades and superiors, once verified, they will receive generous rewards.


    These rewards include a certain amount of funds and the freedom of the whistleblower and their family.


    This means that if the disclosure is sessful, they and their families are likely to gain freedom directly.


    Even if money is not attractive to them, Arthur believes that no indigenous person would not yearn for freedom. By implementing the Whistleblowing Rule, even if the indigenous people do not have the courage to disclose theirrades and superiors, it will make some malicious indigenous people wary, causing rifts between indigenous people and other indigenous people.


    At the same time, there will not be too many indigenous soldiers from the same region within a colonial division.


    This rule even permeates the squad level, with generally no more than two indigenous people from the same region in the samebat squad.


    This means that these indigenous soldiers are rtively unfamiliar with theirrades, which increases the likelihood of them reportingrades, and heightens the distrust and suspicion between indigenous soldiers.


    The best way to manage these Indigenous Peoples is to divide them and use Indigenous Peoples to manage them.


    With all these policies in ce, even if the loyalty of the colonial divisions is not very high, they can still be used forbat.


    After all, once these colonies are sent to Europe, their fate is not important to Arthur.


    Of course, Arthur will keep his word. After World War I ends, most indigenous people will be sent back by Arthur, including those who did not join the army.


    All indigenous soldiers are uniformly equipped with Lee-Enfield rifles, which also used up some of the rifle inventory of the Royal Military Factory.


    However, the good news is that the British Empire has provided part of the funds for this batch of equipment, so the expenditure of the Austrsian Ministry of Defense is minimal.

 Chapter 441: Chapter 353: Receiving the Solomon Islands Archipelago_3

    Apart from the rifles, colonial divisions had very few heavy weapons. Each colonial division was only equipped with a few machine guns and about ten artillery pieces, and their heavy firepower was rather symbolic.


    Compared to thevishly equipped regr troops and guard divisions, the colonial divisions seemed poorly equipped.


    However, after all, they were the cannon fodder to be used by Arthur, and being able to equip some machine guns and artillery was quite impressive.


    In terms of training, the colonial divisions had a substantial gappared to regr troops.


    The most important training for colonial divisions was discipline and Englishnguage training.


    This was to facilitate bettermunication with Europeans after these soldiers arrived in Europe and to allow them to better follow themands of the Austrsian officers.


    As for shooting practice, although the colonial divisions had it too, it was not as frequent as regr troops.


    Generally, these native soldiers could have shooting practice every five days, each consuming about ten bullets per person, averaging two bullets per person per day.


    This meant that the 300,000 native soldiers consumed as many as 600,000 bullets per day, testing the production capacity of the Royal Military Factory.


    However, this consumption proved effective. At least the marksmanship of these indigenous soldiers had improved significantly since they joined the army.


    Of course, the Ministry of Defense didn''t expect these native soldiers'' marksmanship to be very good. As from the once-every-five-days shooting practice, the Ministry''s requirement was merely for these native soldiers to master the use of firearms proficiently enough to know how to operate a gun on the battlefield.


    For once they arrived on European battlefields, the consumption of these native soldiers would be mainly provided by the British Empire.


    As for whether these native soldiers would waste a lot of bullets, it would depend on the logistical capabilities of the British Empire and the speed of production in their factories.


    While the colonial divisions underwent extensive training, the regr forces of Austrsia, including two guard divisions and three regr divisions, continued their training as well.


    This resulted in a massive figure of daily consumption for the soldiers of Austrsia in present times.


    Currently, ordinary soldiers consume about twenty bullets per shooting session, which means a total consumption of 1.6 million bullets for them in each session.


    This figure doesn''t include the consumption of the colonial divisions, or else it would be even higher.


    Of course, regr troops wouldn''t have shooting practice every day, as they had many other types of training to participate in. But in theory, regr soldiers would have shooting practice at least three times a week.


    By this calction, the annual bullet consumption of all Austrsian forces is nearly 100 million.


    If not for Arthur''s early preparation for the uing World War, ordering the Royal Military Factory to expand madly and increase the production speed of weapons and equipment, the consumption of Austrsia alone would be enough to make the factory suffer.


    The current Royal Military Factory is one of thergest enterprises in Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It has a total of 17,000 employees, a main factory, and two subsidiary factories.


    With thebined capacity of the three factories, the Royal Military Factory can produce 500 Lee-Enfield rifles, 200 Gew98 rifles, 90 various artillery pieces, 30 heavy machine guns, 110 submachine guns, and 400 hand grenades a day.


    As for ammunition, the factory can produce 500,000 rifle bullets, 150,000 machine gun bullets, and 8,700 artillery shells daily.


    If they could concentrate their efforts on producing certain types of weapons or ammunition, the output of that category could increase several times, but the downside would be a decrease in the output of other types of weapons and ammunition.


    However, the good news is that the production capacity of the Royal Military Factory is still increasing, and it grows every few months.


    Moreover, apart from the Royal Military Factory, various civilian military factories in Austrsia, including those invested in by the government and the royal financial group, can also produce over 100 rifles and more than 100,000 pieces of ammunition daily.


    A developed military industry is the confidence that allows Austrsia to participate in World War I and for Arthur to be confident in earning enough benefits during the war.


    Keep in mind that during World War I, countries around the world were in dire need of weapons, ammunition, and supplies.


    In the war, the problems caused by the shortage of weapons and ammunition made these countries suffer tremendously.


    Particrly, Austrsia''s current ally, Russia, was one of the countries most affected by the shortage of weapons, ammunition, and supplies.


    In 1915 alone, Russia ordered 3 million rifles, 20 billion bullets, and 12 million shells from the Allies and various neutral countries, but only 8-15% of these munitions actually arrived.


    This also implied that the market for armaments during World War I was enormous. Being able to obtain a share of this market depended not only on a country''s strength but also on the development of its military industry.


    Thanks to Arthur''s foresight and preparations, it wouldn''t be difficult for the Royal Military Factory and Austrsia''s military industry to secure enough orders for weapons during World War I.


    As a result, under Arthur''s urging, the Royal Military Factory has begun to stockpile weapons and equipment madly, including various weapons and ammunition.


    ording to Arthur''s understanding, the Royal Military Factory has currently stockpiled over 500,000 various rifles, 2.5 billion bullets, 1,200 machine guns, 750 artillery pieces, 67 million machine gun bullets, 1.1 million shells, and 209,000 hand grenades, with the numbers still growing.


    If not for concerns about damaging Austrsia''s normal development, Arthur would even consider expanding the Royal Military Factory and other military factories madly, massivelyying production lines for various weapons and ammunition.


    At least during World War I, weapons and ammunition sold themselves. The more weapons and ammunition produced, the more funds and benefits to be gained.


    As one of the Allies, Austrsia could sell weapons and ammunition to Britain, France, and Russia, earning the goodwill of all three nations, so why not?

 Chapter 442: Chapter 354: Military Purchases from All Sides - Trucks

    The news of Austrsia''s eptance of the Solomon Inds was well received by the Austrsian public.


    For Austrsians, who already have a strong sense of national pride, the expansion of their national territory was unquestionably good news.


    For the British, exchanging a few Pacific inds for Austrsia''s inclusion in the Allies was a good deal.


    Consequently, the transfer of sovereignty over the Solomon Inds from Britain to Austrsia was seen by both parties as a mutually beneficial transaction.


    Thus, after the colonial government assumed control over the Solomon Inds, it easily amodated the less than 20,000 European immigrants on the inds.


    Among these immigrants, the majority were willing to stay on the Solomon Inds and be Austrsian citizens.


    Only a minority did not wish to stay on the inds. Governor Mark McOnd''s response to this was to offer those people a severance payment and transport them to the nearest British Colony.


    The assets left behind by these departing individuals were taken over by the Colonial Government who would distribute them to future settlers in the Solomon Inds Colony.


    Governor Mark McOnd''s mild policies weed by the local people and attracted many to the Austrsian Colonial Government.


    After all residents received their Austrsian citizenship, Governor McOnd began implementing benefits and policies, which further increased his and the government''s poprity among the locals.


    The development of the Solomon Ind Colony was a great sess. This allowed Arthur to shift his focus back to domestic development inside Austrsia.


    The arms race amongst the major powers of Europe, as it stood, was not limited to just weaponry and ammunition.


    They also began stockpiling cars, preparing for a future war.


    Data from the Benz Car Factory showed that since the second half of 1912, European countries began making massive purchases of automobiles.


    From the initial dozens or hundreds to the current hundreds or even thousands, it is clear how much emphasis European nations put on automobiles.


    Among all types of vehicles, the most popr one being purchased by European nations was the transport truck developed by the Benz Car Factory.


    The most well-known and longest-standing car industry in the world was, of course, Austrsia''s Benz Car Factory.


    Currently, with the total scale of the Benz Car Factory, along with its four affiliated Mercedes factories, they upy over 70% of the global car market, making it a dominating force in the world''s car industry.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If it weren''t for other European nations fostering their own carpanies, the share of the market that the Benz Car Factory upies would be even higher.


    As it stands, there aren''t any other car factories that can challenge the Benz Car Factory. If not for the massive support from their home countries, many other car factories would have potentially been overshadowed by the Benz Car Factory.


    The current car market can be divided into passenger vehicles and transport vehicles, with Benz One dominating the former, and Benz trucks dominating thetter.


    The respective market shares of passenger cars and transport vehicles of the Benz Car Factory are 65% and 83%.


    This also means that the Benz Automobile Factory, and therefore Austrsia and Arthur, can''t be kept in the dark when European countries purchase cars.


    Interestingly, the Benz Car Factory has built branch factories in the major countries of the Allies and Allied Nations, Britain and Germany respectively, and has also built a branch factory on the other side of the ocean in the United States.


    This has allowed the Benz Car Factory to have orders from the Allies, Allied Nations and Neutral Countries, hence not influenced by the situation in Europe.


    If other car manufacturers have a certain impact on the Benz Car Factory in terms of passenger cars, then in transport trucks, the Benz Car Factory has basically nopetition.


    After all, trucks do not rely on their appearance but on their utility. Things like load capacity, failure rate, maintenance convenience, fuel consumption, and power are all considered.


    In these aspects, the Benz Car Factory is superior to other car factories, thus it naturally acquires the majority of the market share.


    ording to information from the Benz Car Factory, Germany ced an order of 1,000 cars and 3,000 trucks at the Benz branch factory in Germany recently, with a requirement for delivery within six months.


    The trucks purchased by Germany are of arger size. Although slower, these trucks have arger carrying capacity and can handle various terrains.


    Such trucks can be driven unrestrained in most parts of Germany, and even in Europe. This is crucial for Germany''s logistics supply.


    For a majornd power like Germany, the quantity of their army and their equipment can significantly improve the army''sbat capabilities.


    At the same time, arge number of soldiers and weapons present a test for the country''s transport system and logistics capability.


    The transport of firearms, ammunition, and even soldiers in the army requires more convenient tools, and trucks are a popr choice.

 Chapter 443: Chapter 354: Military Purchases from All Sides - Truck_2

    After all, the future battlefields and military bases will certainly not all be near train stations. This indicates that within this distance from the train station to the military base, there is a need for a very effective means of transport to move supplies.


    It is quite understandable that the Germans are focusing on trucks. After all, time has proven that cars are the most convenient and effective means of transport onnd, apart from trains.


    And trucks with cargo capacity are likely also the most convenient and effective means of transport onnd, again, apart from trains.


    The Germans'' ability to ce an order for 3,000 trucks at once proves that they have researched trucks and are confident that trucks can meet their transportation needs.


    After all, theserge trucks ordered by the Germans are juggernauts that can carry more than 3 tons of goods and maintain a speed of over 35 kilometers per hour.


    The other type of truck previously produced by the Benz factory can carry over 1.5 tons and reach speeds of over 45 kilometers per hour.


    The branch of the Benz factory in Germany is in coboration with the local German nobility. This means that the head factory has no right to refuse this order.


    Actually, Arthur would not refuse this order, as it represents considerable profits.


    However, to fulfill ally obligations and also to remind the British and French, Arthur still passed this news on to the British and French government.


    Germany has a Benz Car Factory and so does the United Kingdom.


    Britain and France''s countermeasures were also simple. After receiving information from Arthur, they conducted a simple investigation. Once they determined that trucks had significant transportation potential, both nations ced orders for 4,000 and 3,000 trucks respectively, also requiring the UK car factories to deliver within six months.


    There was a problem when Russia heard the news and wanted to purchase trucks as well, but the orders for British car factories were already fully booked, and they had no capacity to take on additional orders in the short term.


    Out of helplessness, the Russian Government could only turn its attention to Austrsia. On September 27, 1913, after receiving a sufficient loan from Britain and France, a Russian delegation headed to Austrsia to inspect the Benz Car Factory and discuss the truck purchase order with the Austrsian Government.


    Under normal circumstances, the technology possessed by a factory branch of the Benz Car Factory should also be possessed by the main factory, and even more advanced.


    Trucks that are heavily ordered by Britain, France, and Germany, their potential and role are no doubt obvious.


    In fact, the main purpose of the Russian delegation''s visit was not to inspect the function of trucks, but to lower the price of trucks as much as possible to save more funds.


    You should know that Russia has thergestnd area in Europe (excluding colonies) and thergest number of troops, which leads to thergest logistical pressure among European countries.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Because of its geographical environment, Russia''s domesticmunication relies mostly onnd transportation, that is ¨C trains, cars, and horse carriages.


    This means that if Russia wants to use trucks to relieve domestic logistical pressure, the number of trucks Russia needs to order may be the highest among European powers.


    For the Russian government, this is a massive financial expenditure, which is why Nichs II dispatched a diplomatic team to specially negotiate a lower price for trucks.


    In early October, this Russian diplomatic team arrived in Austrsia by airship.


    After visiting the Austrsian Government and Arthur, the Russian team immediately went to the Benz Car Factory to inspect the production status of their trucks.


    At present, there are not a few cars in Russia. The Russian Monarchy alone owns up to hundreds of cars.


    Russia also has a small number of trucks at home. Before this diplomatic team set off, Russia had already tested the actual transportation capacity of trucks and affirmed their usefulness.


    Especially the Russian military, they have repeatedly requested the government and Nichs II to purchase at least 10,000 trucks.


    The reason given by the military was that if the Russian army could have 10,000 trucks, it would greatly increase the transportation capacity of the Russian army.


    It is estimated that theprehensivebat capability of the Russian Army, possessing ten thousand trucks, could be increased by at least 30 percent.


    Although ten thousand trucks are not cheap, Nichs II decided to grit his teeth and purchase this batch of equipment.


    Of course, given the good rtionship with Arthur and Austrsia, Nichs II felt it was necessary to press the price as low as possible to save some funds for the government.


    At this time, in the Benz Car Factory.


    "Gentlemen, this is our production workshop. The vast majority of Benz truck bodies are forged, manufactured, and assembled here," Benz exined seriously to the Russian representative.


    Next to Benz was an interpreter, tasked with tranting the content of Benz''s introduction into Russian.


    Although some members of the Russian diplomatic team could understand the German spoken by Benz, a few were somewhat foggy and needed the trantor to ry things again.


    On the Russian representatives'' side, there was also a dedicated trantion officer who was responsible for tranting some of the Russian spoken by the Russian representatives into German or English.


    Fortunately, most of the current diplomats generally have a goodmand of English, French, German, and Russian. Otherwise, Benz, a German who only mastered simple English, would find himself in some awkward situations.


    "It''s incredible that your factory can achieve such a standard assembly line production," the Russian representative earnestly watched as the steel was forged into parts one by one, which were then transported to other assembly lines for assembly, and couldn''t help but exim.


    Powerful nations like Austrsia, which had risenter, were actually stronger in terms of industrial innovation than the old powers. Including current Germany, the United States, and Austrsia, their industrial technology was even more advanced and not too much resistance to reform.


    However, the old powerful nations led by Britain, France, and Russia, who wanted to reform in terms of industry, the first thing they had to face was the owners and capitalists of the old factories.


    For capitalists, whether the factory technology was advanced or not, was not important as long as they could produce qualified products, and the cost was not high.


    Regarding the rtively slow production speed, this problem is easy to solve, just oppress the factory workers crazily.


    As long as the workers of these factories work overtime, their production speed is not too much slower than modern factories.


    "Mr. Benz, how many trucks can your factory produce each day?" a Russian representative curiously asked.


    This Russian representative was a high-ranking officer in the Russian military and one of the main proponents of buying trucks.


    "Your Excellency, currently we can produce two types of trucks, small andrge. The production speed of the small truck B1 is 75 per day, and therge truck B2 is 45 per day," Benz replied with a smile after hearing the question ryed by the trantor. "If your country only needs one type of truck, we can temporarily stop the production of the other type.


    In that case, the production speed of the truck should be able to increase by about twice."


    Trucks,pared to automobiles, are undoubtedlyrger in size. They not only require more powerful engines but also requirerger bodies and parts.


    This also means that the cost of a truck will be higher than that of a car, and the production time will also be longer.


    If it were amon Benz One car being manufactured, the production speed of the main factory has already been able to reach at least 300 per day, with a yearly production of over 100,000.


    The Russian military representative who asked the question nodded in satisfaction. The car factories in Austrsia produce trucks not slower than those in the United Kingdom and Germany.


    This also implies that even if Russia''s orders were more, the time for the military to equip trucks would not be much slower than that of Britain, France, and Germany.


    If the sale price of the truck could be cut to a rtively low figure, it would be huge good news for both the Russian government and military.

 Chapter 444: Chapter 355: Signing the Order

    Although the Russian diplomatic team had already made ns to purchase trucks, and the Russian military was satisfied with their speed of production.


    However, for such arge deal, negotiations would not be so quick.


    Under Benz''s guidance, the Russian diplomatic visiting group visited tire production workshops, body assembly workshops, vehicle final assembly workshops, etc., and even visited the Diesel Engine Factory next to the Benz Automobile Factory.


    The Diesel Engine Factory is the designated engine supplier of Benz automobiles and thergest and most advanced engine manufacturer in Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It is no exaggeration to say that the various types of engines produced by the Diesel Engine Factory are indispensable for shipyards, car factories, military factories, machinery factories, airshippanies, and otherrge heavy industrial factories in Austrsia.


    The Russian representatives thought that their industry was second only to Britain-France-Germany-US, but when they saw the advanced industrial system in Austrsia, they realized the backward situation of Russia Nation.


    It is no exaggeration to say that,pared with Austrsia, Russia Nation''s industry is only ahead in overall scale.


    When the Russian representatives saw the assembly line production in Austrsia, there was no way they could not be envious.


    Although assembly line production has been around for a long time and is not unfamiliar to major European countries.


    However, in reality, factories adopting assembly line production are not widespread and are mostly concentrated in emerging industrial powers like the United States and Germany.


    In old powers like Russia Nation, there are not many factories using assembly line production. Moreover, many factories still use outdated technologies, which have beengging behind assembly line production for decades.


    But achieving change is not easy. After all, there are too many old-fashioned factories in Russia Nation, and many capitalists are unwilling to use new technologies.


    After all, new technologies require the purchase of new equipment, and new equipment is a huge investment, which is an unnecessary expense for the capitalists.


    Impressed and praised by the Russian representatives, Benz showed them the entire automobile factory and then led them back to the meeting room.


    All the inspections had beenpleted, and now it was time to discuss the specific details of the automobile orders.


    After everyone has taken their seats, Benz smiles and says, "Gentlemen, we are very optimistic about the cooperation with your country. Can you tell us your specific requirements?"


    "Mr. Benz, we are satisfied with your factory''s production technology and speed. Frankly, we are of course willing to cooperate with your factory and quickly sign the automobile purchase order. However, as you know, our government''s financial situation is not too good.


    Can your factory offer arger concession on the price for the trucks?" The Russian military representative praised the advanced production technology of the Benz Automobile Factory, but did not forget his duty to try to lower the price of trucks as much as possible.


    The Russian representative''s words relieved Benz. Judging by the Russian representative''s attitude, half of this truck purchase order has been basically reached.


    That the Russian people want to lower the price is something that Arthur and Benz had already expected. After all, people usually bargain when buying vegetables and meats, let alone suchrge-scale trade between countries.


    By slightly cutting the price, the total price could be reduced by tens of thousands.


    This is undoubtedly a money-saving opportunity for the current financially embattled Russian government that they cannot miss.


    "Of course, Your Excellency the General. We attach great importance to the cooperation with your country. ording to His Majesty''s order, we will provide our lowest price for Benz trucks to your side, 520 Australian dors for B1 type trucks, and 710 Australian dors for B2 type trucks.


    Compared with the prices offered by European factories to Britain-France-Germany, this price has been greatly reduced." Benz''s assistant directly stated the car prices decided by Arthur in advance.


    This price does not really cheat the Russians. Compared with the prices offered by European factories to Britain-France-Germany, it is generally reduced by several tens of Australian dors.


    Of course, it is also not ruled out that the average ie gap between Europe and Austrsia has caused this phenomenon.


    European factories have to pay more wages to workers, which means that the cost of cars and trucks produced by European factories is higher than those produced in Austrsia.


    The price offered by the German factory to the German government is 7,500 marks (375 pounds, 750 Australian dors) for each B2 type car, which is about 40 Australian dors more expensive than the price offered by Austrsia to Russia.


    And the price offered by the British factory to Britain and France is 380 pounds (760 Australian dors) for each B2 type car.


    The reason for this difference is that the British have higher average ies and higher costs incurred by workers than Germany.


    Uponparison, the price offered to Russia by Austrsia is already quite low, and it seems like a very profitable deal.


    It should be known that the official sales price of the B2 type truck is as high as 800 Australian dors, which is much cheaper for the European powers.


    After all, the major powers are the biggest customers of the car factory, and the United Kingdom, France, and Germany are some of the strongest countries in the world, so they deserve the necessary respect.


    Although the price offered by the Benz Car Factory is very reasonable, the Russian delegation is clearly not satisfied and wants to further lower the price.


    "Mr. Benz, such a price is still too high for our finances. We need arger number of trucks, and we hope that your factory can lower the price further, considering the friendly rtions between our two countries," said a representative of the Russian military. "If the price is reasonable, I promise your factory at least 10,000 truck orders from within our country. And this 10,000 is not the end.


    If the trucks are indeed effective in equipping the troops, we will continue to purchase your factory''s trucks."


    "What price would you find appropriate?" Benz asked with a smile after some consideration.


    "In my opinion, B1 type trucks should be priced at 450 Australian dors and B2 type trucks should be priced around 650 Australian dors. If your factory agrees, we can sign the orders immediately," said the Russian military representative without hesitation.


    This was a ruthless bargain. On top of the already lowest prices, both types of trucks were shed by 60 to 70 Australian dors.


    The discounted prices were almost close to one-tenth of the sales price of the two types of trucks, almost reaching their cost level.


    "Your Excellency the General, we cannot ept such a price. We are willing to continue lowering the price based on the low sales price, but you have to know that building a truck is not easy, and the materials and time spent are notparable to ordinary cars.


    The price we offer has actually let go of most of the profits, and we have only done so considering the good diplomatic rtions between Russia and Austrsia," Benz hurriedly spoke, interrupting the Russian officer''s proposal on the price.


    "As for lowering the price again, I''ll give you a bottom line, Your Excellency the General. On the basis of not incurring too much loss, the lowest sales price for B1 type trucks is 500 Australian dors, and the lowest sales price for B2 type trucks is 690 Australian dors."


    "This is the lowest price that can be given considering the current situation of our car factory. We cannot offer a lower price; this is already close to the cost of the trucks." Benz added, seemingly afraid that the Russian officer would continue to bargain.


    As for such prices, the Russian officer was already overjoyed internally, but on the surface, he appeared calm and said with a pained expression, "Indeed, this is not our ideal price, but considering our good rtions, we can ept this price."


    "Mr. Benz, may I know when we can officially sign the car order and when can we receive the delivery?" The Russian officer continued to inquire.


    "It depends on the number of trucks your country wants to purchase, Your Excellency the General. However, I assure you that even if your country purchases 10,000 trucks, we will deliver them to your country within six months," Benz and his subordinates finally breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly said.


    It is not difficult toplete an order for 10,000 trucks within six months at an elerated production pace.


    Even ounting for transportation time, six months is more than sufficient.


    "That''s good, Mr. Benz. To be honest, we nned to buy 5,000 trucks beforeing to Austrsia. But I believe that 5,000 trucks are not enough to fundamentally change the transportation situation in Russia. I will try my best to get the order quantity increased to 10,000 trucks from within our country," said the Russian officer with satisfaction, nodding and smiling.


    Being able to receive the trucks within half a year is good news. After all, truck orders from Britain, France, and Germany are all delivered within half a year, and Russia cannotg behind in terms of time.


    After discussing for a while longer, the truck purchase orders between Russia and Austrsia were finally signed officially.


    ording to the agreement between Benz and the Russian officer, the truck order is temporarily set at 5,000 units. Once Russia agrees to increase the number of trucks to be purchased, the order quantity will be changed to 10,000 units.


    Among these 5,000 trucks, Russia will purchase 1,000 B1 type trucks and 4,000 B2 type trucks.


    If the order quantity is 10,000, the number of both types of trucks will be doubled.


    At the time of signing the order, both the Russian officer and Benz showed smiles, believing they had taken advantage of the situation.


    Although the Russian officer negotiated a ruthless bargain, Benz''s agreement to such truck prices means that the car factory will not lose money by selling trucks at these prices.


    It is indeed true. Thanks to the lowbor costs in Austrsia, the production costs of the two types of trucks are 450 Australian dors and 580 Australian dors.


    Even with the already oundishly low Russian orders, the car factory can still achieve a profit of 50 Australian dors and 110 Australian dors for each truck.


    Let alone higher-priced orders from Britain, France, and Germany, any single order''s profit could reach hundreds of thousands of Australian dors.

 Chapter 445: Chapter 356: Warship Delivery and Launch

    Because the truck order includes at least five thousand trucks, maintenance in the future will also be quite troublesome.


    Therefore, Benz and the Russian side agreed that Benz Automobile Factory would build at least three car repair factories in Russia. Russia would be responsible for funding, Benz Automobile Factory would be responsible for providing technology, and Benz would own 40 percent of the shares.


    In this way, Russian trucks can be repaired domestically when problems arise, not only greatly shortening the time needed for truck maintenance but also improving the efficiency of truck maintenance.


    For Russia, the maintenance factories they build themselves can also save some maintenance costs. In short, anything that saves money is weed by the Russian government.


    To celebrate thepletion of both parties'' orders, Benz held a celebratory banquet on behalf of the car factory and gave a small gift to all members of the Russian diplomatic team.


    The banquet was of reasonable scale, at least the Russian diplomatic team was quite satisfied.


    Since the order was signed in early October, thetest delivery time for the trucks agreed by both parties was the end of April 1914.


    If all goes well, the Benz Automobile Factory will be in continuous production for the next six months.


    After all, trucks are consumables, and especially in wartime, truck damage is verymon.


    After the truck order was signed, the Russian diplomatic team did not rush to leave, but temporarily stayed in Sydney.


    For Russia, in the next few days, the Empress Maria Battleship and Catherine the Great Battleship will soon enter service.


    The warship orders for these two battleships were signed with Austrsia in 1910, and three years have passed since then.


    As early as the middle ofst year, the two monarch-ss battleships, Empress Maria and Catherine the Great, had been sessfully built and entered the water-testing stage.


    Now more than a year has passed, and the sea voyage test phase of the two battleships has been sessfullypleted, and they can be officially taken over by Russian navy soldiers and officially in service with the Russian navy.


    In addition, the remaining two main battleships of the naval order at that time, the Gangut Battleship Cruiser and the Sevastopol Battleship Cruiser, will also beunched for water testing this month.


    For the Russian Navy, this can be considered a double happiness. Because of this, the Russian diplomatic visiting team also brought many Russian navy soldiers, ready to officially take over the two battleships.


    Sydney in October is in the spring, and the climate is very suitable for traveling. Warm sunshine and colorful flowers and nts everywhere make Sydney beautiful like a dream city.


    However, for the Russian diplomatic team and Russian navy soldiers at this time, there are not too many mindsets to appreciate this beautiful scenery.


    The joy of having two battleships soon is more tempting than the panoramic views.


    For these navy soldiers, nothing is more attractive than two brand new battleships of their own unless it is two even more powerful battleships.


    But given Russia''s current financial situation, it should not build arge number of battleships in the short term.


    After all,pared to the threat on the sea, most of the threats from Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empiree from thend.


    Today''s Sydney harbor has a touch of festivity.


    Flowers are everywhere in the harbor, and many onlookers have surrounded the harbor to witness the new battleships'' journey to service together.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although these two battleships do not belong to Austrsia, they were built by Austrsia, so the people of Austrsia also attach great importance.


    Under the gaze of the people of Austrsia, with the excited eyes of Russian navy soldiers, the two battleships slowly lowered the g of Austrsia and raised the g belonging to the Emperor of Russia.


    Thousands of Russian navy officers and soldiers, led by their respective captains, boarded the warships they had been longing for.


    Some of these navy officers and soldiers have been training in Austrsia for a long time, while some have just arrived from Russia.


    Fortunately, not many hands are needed to control these battleships. As for other less familiar soldiers, they can be trained slowly after returning to Russia.


    The final destination of these two battleships is the Baltic Sea, which means that these navy soldiers have enough time to master the two battleships before they reach their station.


    The Russian diplomatic team looked at the two huge battleships docked at the harbor, and their previous depression at being overtaken by Austrsia in the industrial field had also vanished.


    At least in terms of military strength, two Austrsias would not catch up with Russia, which was thest constion of the Russian diplomatic team officials.


    Defence Secretary Raul of Austrsia also participated in the handover ceremony of the warships. This was not only out of respect for the Russian side but also to convey to the public the government''s emphasis on naval forces.


    Arthur understands that some people are disappointed that Austrsia has notunched the second phase of the naval expansion n.


    After all, in the eyes of the public at present, the strength of the navyrgely represents the strength of the country.


    A powerful country without a powerful navy is not worthy of its name, especially for a country like Austrsia, with many inds and sea areas.


    However, there is also good news for Austrsia, that is, Russia''s naval orders have all beenpleted, two battleships have been delivered, and two battlecruisers have entered the sea voyage test stage.


    This also means that the Royal Shipyard''s warship orders are only left with two super dreadnoughts from Chile, and the construction period of this order is not so urgent.


    This also meant that the naval expansion n of Austrsia could be restarted to firmly establish Austrsia''s status as a naval power.


    After the handover ceremony of the two battleships, the Russian diplomatic team stayed for a few more days and attended theunching test ceremonies of the two battlecruisers before embarking on their brand-new battleships for their journey back to Russia.


    If all went well, these two battlecruisers would be delivered around mid tote 1914,pleting the naval order on schedule.


    The Russians were very satisfied with the battleships built in Austrsia, even leaving with beaming smiles.


    And the truck orders signed by the Russians in Austrsia were quickly learned of by other powerful nations.


    Britain and France were the first to find out. As allies of Austrsia and Russia, they were happy to see this and even provided the funds for the Russian truck orders.


    For the Allied nations, though, William II''s mood was not so delightful.


    Trucks yed a crucial role that could greatly enhance thebat capabilities of the Russian army.


    Not to mention, the improvement in logistics efficiency alone was enough to boost Russia''s army''sbat capabilities by 10 to 20 percent.


    After all, these trucks could transport not only weapons, ammunition but also food, medical supplies and even clothing.


    These supplies were equally important for a war, sometimes even determining an army''sbat capabilities.


    At Germany''s suggestion, Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy quickly signed a truck purchasing order with German car factories.


    However, the order size of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy paled inparison to that of other powerful nations.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire ordered 1,500 trucks, with a ratio of two big trucks to one small truck.


    Italy ordered 1,000 trucks, with a ratio of one big truck to one small truck.


    Now, the Allied nations had another aspect in which theygged behind the Allies - the quantity of military trucks.


    Over 12,000 military trucks were ordered by the Allies, while the Allied nations had only 5,500.


    Regardless, all these truck orders were signed with the Benz Car Factory.


    This meant that the more than 10,000 trucks would bring considerable profits to Arthur. Even with preliminary estimates, pure profits could exceed one million Australian dors.


    These profits alone were enough for Arthur to equip the military with 2,000 B2 type trucks, demonstrating how much money Arthur had made this time.


    It was worth mentioning that the truck buying frenzy among the major powers of Europe also led to a significant expansion in the truck market.


    Some European nations followed suit, and although their numbers were notrge, they added up to several thousand trucks.


    Perhaps most notably, the American government signed an order with American car factories for 3,000 trucks, showcasing their nouveau riche nature.


    Arthur even believed that if it weren''t for the small size of the United States Army, the number of trucks ordered in the United States would increase.


    Apart from these countries purchasing trucks for military use, the smaller B1 type trucks were popr and increasingly sold among European and American civilians.


    ording to the report from the Benz Car Factory, since the major powers of Europe began purchasing trucks, sales of Benz trucks in European and American civilians had grown by more than 30%.


    Of course, unlike military customers who generally favoredrge trucks, civilians preferred the smaller B1 type trucks.


    After all, for private individuals,rger trucks were not only more expensive, but their massive cargo capacity was not necessary either.


    The small trucks with a 1.5-tonne carrying capacity were more than sufficient, and even faster speeds allowed truck owners toplete transportation tasks more quickly.


    As the world went on a truck buying spree, Arthur naturally wouldn''t miss out. However,pared to other countries and civilians, Arthur''s truck purchases were really made at cost price.


    After all, the car factory belonged to Arthur, and he had the final say on pricing.


    With the massive annual profits from Benz One, Arthur had no worries about the Benz Car Factory facing a debt crisis even if they lost some money on trucks.


    After consulting with Defense Secretary Raul, Arthur officially finalized an order at a cab meeting containing 500 B1 type trucks and 1,500 B2 type trucks.


    The total cost of this order amounted to 1.28 million Australian dors, which was precisely the profit earned by Benz Car Factory this time.


    This expense was not significant to the current affluent government, so the cab quickly approved Arthur''s decision.


    Austrsia''s truck requirements were not as urgent as Russia''s pressing orders.


    Considering there wasn''t much spare capacity to produce domestic orders after producing Russia''s truck orders, Arthur set the delivery of trucks by the end of 1914. Over a year, it was entirely enough for the Benz Car Factory to produce these trucks.

 Chapter 446: Chapter 357: Fourth Generation Military Aircraft

    As time came to October 1913, the Second Balkan War, which had erupted in the middle of the year, was essentially drawing to a close.


    Before the outbreak of the war, both Bulgaria and the Anti-Bulgarian Alliance had full confidence in their oue.


    However, with the outbreak of the war, the significant gap in strength between the two sides made all countries in the world realize one truth: nations supported by the Powers and those without such support are truly at opposite extremes.


    Bulgaria''s humiliating defeat in the war proved that the reliability of the Powers'' promises isn''t always that high.


    If one doesn''t possess strong power, the Powers can turn against them at any time, tearing up their previous promises and agreements.


    The Second Balkan War began on May 19th, and in less than five months, on October 17th, both parties signed a peace ord, hastily ending the war.


    As the defeated country in the war, Bulgaria suffered heavy losses.


    ording to the Bucharest Treaty signed by both parties, Bulgaria lost arge amount of territory it had upied during the First Balkan War, and had to pay arge sum of money to the Anti-Bulgarian Alliance aspensation.


    Because the Anti-Bulgarian Alliance involved countries like Romania, Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and even Turkey participated in this war.


    This also led to the division of Bulgarian territory by as many as five countries, causing Bulgaria''s territory to shrink significantly after the treaty.


    Serbia gained Wadamacedon, Greece gained Aegean Macedonia, Montenegro gained a portion of the outer territories, and Romania gained Dobroga Ind.


    A part of the Sevres region was also divided by Greece, and the treaty between Bulgaria and Turkey resulted in the near-total loss of Bulgarian territories upied during the previous Balkan War, along with extensive casualties in its military and a financial crisis.


    In this war, the biggest loser, apart from Bulgaria, was actually another country - the previously promised aid of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Breaking their promise made the reputation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire unfriendly among European nations and caused some damage to the prestige of their allied countries.


    Of course, this is not the main issue. More importantly, after the Second Balkan War, Serbia''s strength significantly increased, bing the most powerful country in the Balkan region.


    Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were already in a hostile state, which further obstructed the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s expansion in the Balkan Penins.


    Moreover, the Balkan War fueled the nationalist liberation movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, causing the people in the region to demand liberation from the Austro-Hungarian rule and merge with Serbia.


    The already severe national crisis within the Austro-Hungarian Empire was exacerbated, adding even more burden to the old empire.


    In the long run, Serbia''s strength intensified Russia''s intervention in the Balkans, and the conflict between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbia inevitably interfered with both the Allies and the military blocs.


    The Balkan War intensified the conflict between the two major military blocs, indirectly elerating the arrival of the World War.


    If they had remained neutral, Arthur would have had enough leisure to watch the development of the European situation.


    However, since they have joined the Allies now, they have no choice but to make better preparations to ensure that the Allies will be the final victors in this world.


    After signing the truck purchase order with the Benz Car Factory, Arthur went directly to the Aerospace Laboratory to visit thetest fourth-generation aircraft developed by the Aerospace Laboratory.


    The biggest drawback of military aircraft in this era is as follows: due to the rtively simple initial military technology, the aircraft''s update and recement speed is fast.


    From the birth of the airne to the present, it has only been less than ten years, and as of now, they have already developed the fourth-generation military aircraft.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    On average, every two and a half years, an update iteration is needed, makingrge-scale military aircraft equipment seem somewhat unrealistic at present.


    After all, based on the current update and iteration speed of the aircraft, the heavily funded aircraft will be outdated products in just a few years.


    Even the construction of airnes takes a long time, from six months to several years; it is possible that the airne orders haven''t beenpleted yet, and there are already new airnes waiting for inspection.


    The development progress of the fourth-generation military aircraft varies, but it still follows passenger aircraft and is reported to Arthur for inspection.


    Hearing the news of the development of the fourth-generation military aircraft by the Aerospace Laboratory, Arthur immediately rushed to the Aerospace Laboratory to inspect the most advanced military aircraft in the world.


    Generally speaking, the fourth-generation military aircraft have undergone a considerable changepared to the third generation, and the aircraft''s performance and data have been significantly enhanced.


    Of course, this all depends on Disel''s improvements to the aircraft''s dedicated engine. The fourth-generation military aircraft all use Disel''s improved new aircraft engine, which has increased the speed of the fourth-generation military aircraft by more than 30%.


    First is the Eagle-4 Reconnaissance Aircraft, currently the fastest airne in Austrsia.


    Its structure is not very different from the third-generation reconnaissance aircraft, but its size has slightly increased.


    Without auxiliary fuel tanks, the maximum range of the Eagle-4 Reconnaissance Aircraft can reach 750 kilometers; with two auxiliary fuel tanks, the maximum range of the Eagle-4 Reconnaissance Aircraft can reach as much as 1250 kilometers.

 Chapter 447: Chapter 357: Fourth Generation Military Aircraft_2

    That''s not all, the improved aircraft engine allowed the Eagle-4 reconnaissance aircraft to achieve an average flight speed of around 250 kilometers per hour, with the maximum flight speed even reaching 280 kilometers per hour.


    As far as flight speed is concerned, it has crushed all current aircraft and airships. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is currently the fastest mode of transport in the world.


    As an ally of Britain, France, and Russia, Austrsia can also get ess to aircraft data from Europe.


    Although airships are the main focus of research in European countries, this does not mean that European countries will abandon aircraft research.


    Both Britain and France have their own aircraft research centers and have achieved a certain degree of sess.


    However, the achievements made by Britain and France, whenpared to Austrsia, seem somewhat insignificant.


    If the intelligence is correct, the most advanced and fastest aircraft in Britain and France will not exceed a speed of 130 kilometers per hour.


    The speed of Austrsia''s Eagle-4 is almost double that of these aircraft, which creates an insurmountable gap between the two types of aircraft.


    The changes in weaponry are not significant, after all, the Eagle-4 is a true reconnaissance aircraft, its role is to collect intelligence, not to participate in airbat as a fighter.


    Of course, ording to the MA-107 Maxim heavy machine gun used by the Eagle-4 reconnaissance aircraft, one could estimate that this reconnaissance aircraft''sbat capability would not be weak.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that the Eagle-4''s weaponry exceeds most of Britain and France''s nes. This is what leading by a step, and always being ahead is all about.


    However, this also indicates some bad news, that the development of the fifth-generation military aircraft is not easy, and it may be normal to have no news for four or five years.


    After all, due to the improvement of the aircraft engine, the performance of the fourth-generation military aircraft has significantly improvedpared to the third-generation military aircraft.


    But improving the aircraft engine is not easy. The improved engine used by the fourth-generation military aircraft is the result of years of effort by Diesel.


    It''s even possible that during the entire World War I, Austrsia''s military aircraft will not wee the next generation.


    Therefore, after careful consideration, Arthur decided to beginrge-scale equipment of the fourth-generation military aircraft.


    For reconnaissance aircraft, this fastest aircraft, which can perform reconnaissance tasks well, is most important in a war.


    Considering the financial situation of the Austrsian government, Arthur waved his hand and issued an order for 500 Eagle-4 reconnaissance aircraft.


    You must know that the cost of an Eagle-4 reconnaissance aircraft is as high as 28,493 Australian dors, and 500 aircraft cost a total of 14.25 million Australian dors.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Luckily, the financial situation in Austrsia is very good, they not only have sufficient funds but also have a loan from the United States, which allows them to sign this order without hesitation.


    For fighters, the Bengal Tiger-4 has also made significant improvements.


    After the Bengal Tiger-4 fighter was equipped with thetest aircraft engine, the average flight speed was able to reach 215 kilometers per hour. The maximum flight speed was 245 kilometers per hour, and it has an outstanding performance.


    In terms of weapons, the Bengal Tiger-4 fighter carries two MA-107 Maxim heavy machine guns and has good armor protection capabilities. This is why after being equipped with thetest aircraft engine, the speed of Bengal Tiger-4 fighter did not increase a lotpared to the previous generation of fighters.


    However, this speed is actually sufficient. Having stronger firepower and armor protection capabilities, on top of a speed far exceeding that of other countries'' aircraft, can further enhance the fighting capability of the aircraft.


    Even after several tests by the aerospaceboratory, asional bullet sweeps on the body of the Bengal Tiger-4 fighter had no significant impact.


    The design of the fighter and its thicker armor grants it good defensive capabilities.


    After all, in the sky, machine gun sweeping is not so urate. Many aircraft in Britain and France rely on pilots holding machine guns to aim, which makes aircraft aiming impossible in such a situation.


    What has improved significantly for the Bengal Tiger-4 fighter is the ammunition reserve of the two machine guns.


    The two machine guns have a high reserve of 4500 rounds, greatly enhancing the fighter''s continuousbat capability and firepower output capability.


    If uracy can''t be guaranteed, then ensure the output of firepower. If every bullet can''t hit the target, then massively increase the ammunition supply. Some bullets are bound to hit the enemy, right?


    However, there''s bad news. The Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft, which has increased armor and ammunition, has also greatly increased its weight.


    This has resulted in the Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft having a much shorter maximum range than reconnaissance aircraft. Without additional fuel tanks, the maximum range of the Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft is 600 kilometers.


    Even with two auxiliary fuel tanks, the maximum range of the Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft will not exceed 900 kilometers.


    But regardless, this performance is far ahead of other countries'' nes. Evenpared to various nes from World War I in original history, it is no less superior.


    However, considering the current situation, the role of fighter aircraft is actually the smallest among the three types of military aircrafts.


    After all, there are not many anti-aircraft means in various countries at present, and the development of aircraft is not valued too much.


    And for airships, which are highly valued by all countries, they have little room to resist in front of ne.


    This leads to even reconnaissance and bombers, whosebat capabilities are not strong, can calmly carry out reconnaissance and bombing missions when facing enemy''s nes or ground troops without worrying about their own safety.


    Even thebat power of reconnaissance aircraft is enough to fight against various enemy nes without being at a disadvantage.


    Under these circumstances, it is only natural for fighter aircraft to lose their strategic value.


    However, in order to guard against a possible technological explosion from Germany during the war, Arthur had decided to order 100 Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft.


    Given the powerfulbat capabilities of the Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft, even facing several times the enemy''s aircraft, there isn''t no hope for victory.


    The cost of the Bengal Tiger-4 Fighter Aircraft is slightly higher than the Eagle-4 Reconnaissance Aircraft, at around 29,857 Australian Dors.


    However, because only 100 were ordered, the spending isn''t too high, less than 3 million Australian Dors.


    In terms of bombers, this upgrade should be thergest among the three types of military aircraft.


    To be honest, after Arthur saw the specific data of Phantom-4 Bomber, he could not resist the impulse to equip bombers on arge scale.


    In terms of flying speed, the Phantom-4 Bomber also has a certain improvement, the average flight speed can reach 215 kilometers per hour, which is exactly the maximum flight speed of the previous generation bomber.


    And the maximum flight speed of the Phantom-4 Bomber can reach 245 kilometers per hour, it''s not an exaggeration to call it a fast-moving artillery tower.


    Of course, the biggest improvement of the Phantom-4 Bomber is the various ground bombs it carries.


    The type of bombs that Phantom-4 Bomber can carry has been updated to four: 45-pound small-scale lethal bomb, 75-pound medium-scale lethal bomb, 120-poundrge-scale lethal explosive bomb, and 155-pound giant explosive bomb.


    The first two bombs are mainly targeting the enemy''s ground troops. When the enemy''s positions are concentrated, they can give the enemy a devastating blow.


    Thest two types of bombs are mainly for the enemy''s ground fortress and stronghold. Especially under the premise of dropping bombs from the sky, they can cause unexpected damage.


    Of course, both types of bombs can be thrown at the enemy''s ground troops. These bombs have higher casualties, but it seems more like using a cannon to kill mosquitoes.


    In terms of bomb load, the Phantom-4 Bomber has also undergone aprehensive upgrade, greatly enhancing the bombing capability of the bomber.


    For the four types of bombs, their load is 90, 70, 28, and 12 respectively.


    Theunch method is still the same as before, press theunch button once, and two bombs are automatically released.


    However, the Phantom-4 Bomber currently has a disadvantage, that is, it can''t flexibly choose the type of bomb to carry, it can only choose to equip a certain type.

 Chapter 448: Chapter 358: Naval Expansion Act

    However, this drawback is negligible for the Phantom-4 Bomber, which is undoubtedly the most effective military aircraft of this era.


    Imagine, when arge-scale war is about to break out, hundreds of bombers suddenly fly overhead of the two armies.


    The incessant bombs dropping and the buzzing of the nes in the ears are enough to destroy the enemy''s mental defenses.


    As we know, trench warfare was nearly ubiquitous during World War I. While trenches can defend against the enemy''s machine guns and cannons, they cannot defend against aerial bombings.


    During periods of deadlock in the war, the use of airnes by Austrsia could potentially change the course of the conflict.


    Arthur ces great importance on the Phantom-4 Bomber, hence the decision to directly order 500 Bombers.


    The cost of the Phantom-4 bomber is the most expensive of the three types of military aircraft,ing in at 31,035 Australian dors each.


    This means that the cost of constructing 500 bombers amounts to 15.5 million Australian dors, making it the most expensive of the three types of military aircraft.


    With thebined orders of all three types of military aircraft, Arthur ns to order 1100 military aircraft, with a total cost of over 32.75 million Australian dors, nearly matching thest year''s government military spending.


    However, spending these funds is certainly worthwhile. After purchasing these 1100 nes, the total number of military aircraft in Austrsia will exceed 1700, surpassing thebined total of other countries.


    This also means that Austrsia''s air force is currently the strongest in the world, and a significant gap has appeared.


    It is needless to say how essential air supremacy is in a war. The air force advantage held by Austrsia would be of great assistance to the Allies in future wars.


    As for the third generation military aircraft in Austrsia that are already outpaced, they could be sold to their Allies at a lower price.


    After all, for the Allied Nations, thegging third-generation aircraft from Austrsia would still be considered advanced.


    They could also leverage the nes sold by Austrsia to study the technology and improve their own aircraft.


    However, after such a long period of development in the aviation sector of Austrsia, it has already drawn over one-third of the aviation power-rted talents in the world.


    If other countries wish to surpass Austrsia in the field of aviation, they not only need to put more effort into the talent aspect but also need the assistance of some top scientists.


    The issue is, as other countries are researching aircraft, Austrsia is doing the same, maybe even more.


    Unless the research in Austrsia is obstructed, overtaking in the field of aircraft research would depend on whether Arthur is willing to allow that to happen.


    The good news is that after years of development at the military academy in Austrsia, there is no shortage of potential pilots.


    Even with the sudden acquisition of 1100 airnes, the corresponding number of pilots could be quickly assigned.


    However, if we want the air force to be battle-ready, it might take some time and training.


    ording to data from the Aerospace Laboratory, the fastest this fleet of 1100 aircraft could be fully constructed would be the end of next year.


    The silver lining is that the Aerospace Laboratory, as well as the Aeronautical College at the Royal Military Academy, are equipped with sufficient training nes. As long as their engines are reced with thetest improved models, they can definitely be used for training purposes.


    In view of the time frame of pilot training, by the end of 1914, or at the beginning of 1915, it would be possible for the air force to be battle-ready. Then, even if the war breaks out as scheduled, the air force would be fully prepared to participate.


    The order for trucks is just the tip of the iceberg in weapons race that the European countries were engaged in 1913. Even though Austrsia''s air force has achieved an astonishing lead, Arthur does not think he has taken the advantage in this arms race.


    Speaking of which, one cannot avoid mentioning the startling state of the arms race among the European countries.


    The navalws enacted by various countries are simply like passing wind because the actual number of warships built has long exceeded the stiptions of thesews.


    So far, within just half a year, Germany has started the construction of five battleships and three battlecruisers, with rumors of at least one more main battle ship to be built.


    British, naturally not to be outdone, has begun the construction of seven battleships and six battle cruisers in response.


    The number of main battleships built by Britain and Germany in a year is twice the naval force of a major power like Austrsia.


    This is enough to testify to the exaggerated industrial capabilities of Britain and Germany, but it also indirectly indicates their financial statuses are likely not in good shape.


    One should know that the cost of warships is just the beginning. After building a warship, one must also take into ount the daily maintenance of the ship, the replenishment of weapons and equipment, and the cost of training soldiers, etc.


    Austrsia, with just three battleships and two battlecruisers, is already spending significantly. Not to mention the considerable force of main battle ships belonging to Britain and Germany.


    It can be seen from the data for the entire year of 1902 that the European powers are broadly operating at a financial deficit.


    Only Britain and France, whose finances are rtively stable, are able to barely maintain a bnce due to therge amounts of revenue from their extensive colonies.


    Germany, without vast colonies, was in a dire fiscal situation.


    Of course, the financial state of powerful nations like Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were also not much better, as they were consumed by heavy debts.


    Especially Russia, despite its vastnd area and poption, had an economy that was rtively poor.


    If it were not for France''s long-standing loans and the continuous financial support from the British Empire, Russia''s fiscal state would probably have been the first to copse.


    The naval arms race, although primarily between Britain and Germany, did not exclude other nations from the Allies and the Entente Powers.


    As one of the European powers with a rtively good fiscal situation, especially when they had clearlygged behind in dreadnoughts, the French were not outdone in the speed of their shipbuilding. In just over ten months this year, they crazily started construction on four battleships and four battlecruisers.


    There was no choice in this matter, the French were already veryte in their response to dreadnoughts.


    If they do not make significant efforts, the French fleet may not be able to defeat even the Italian navy, let alone control the Mediterranean Sea.


    In the era of dreadnoughts, dreadnoughts were the strongest warships. Moreover, now that super dreadnoughts have emerged, if the French do not make a significant effort in dreadnoughts, there is a possibility that it will be an opportunity for the Allied Powers to break through the blockade of the Entente nations.


    It''s worth mentioning, while significantly constructing dreadnoughts themselves, France also loaned arge amount of money to Italy, a member of the Allied Powers.


    This allowed Italy to acquire adequate funds to expand their military and Italians started the construction of three dreadnoughts and two battlecruisers, clearly trending to shake off their status as a lesser power.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire had only built one battleship this year, two dreadnoughts, which it had started building the previous year, had entered the marine testing phase and were expected to bemissioned soon.


    The same was naturally true for Russia. Two battleships and two battlecruisers that were ordered from Austrsia a long time ago had two alreadymissioned this year, and the other two had also reached the stage of marine testing.


    As a result, to Arthur''s surprise, the naval strength of Austrsia has been surpassed by all the other powers.


    Austrsia''s status as a major power seems to be teetering, at risk of being surpassed by powerful countries like ind nations at any time.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that the naval strengths of every major power in the world are undergoing drastic changes every year, all going through a phase of crazy expansion and chase.


    At this time, if a country does not have a few dreadnoughts, it''s ashamed to call itself a naval power. If a country does not have more than ten dreadnoughts plus super dreadnoughts, it''s even embarrassed to call itself a top power.


    The disadvantages of Austrsia''s temporary halt in naval development were also exposed at this moment. If they do not catch up in terms of naval development, the major power status of Austrsia, which was acknowledged just a few years ago, may be revoked.


    In October 1913, after trucks and airnes, following a cab meeting, Austrsia officially announced its second naval expansion n.


    ording to the provisions of Austrsia''s Naval Expansion Act, Austrsia''s naval expansion will begin in early 1914, for a period of five years.


    During these five years, Austrsia will build at least two super dreadnoughts and one battlecruiser each year, maintaining Austrsia''s naval scale at amon power level.


    If this five-year naval expansion n can be sessfully implemented, then by the beginning of 1919, Austrsia will have ten super dreadnoughts, three dreadnoughts, seven battlecruisers, a full-fledged naval power level.


    As soon as this naval expansion n was announced, it immediately incited a frenzy of cheers and anticipation from the people of Austrsia.


    No one doesn''t want their country to be prosperous and strong. In fact, most Austrsians are looking forward to seeing the government expand the navy again, which is not only a manifestation of a strong country but also a better way to achieve the goal of protecting the country, the nation, and the people.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Although this naval expansion n would make Austrsia''s military expenditure skyrocket, Arthur understood that if you do not spend a hefty price for preparation before the war, you will have to pay a hefty price to bear the losses during and after the war.


    Fortunately, Austrsia joined the naval armamentpetition rtivelyte, and there were nopetitors, so the burden was not too heavy.


    Even many civilian banks in Britain and France have stated that they are willing to provide interest-free loans to Austrsia to help their ally expand its navy.


    Especially after France loaned money to Italy, many French citizens angrily questioned their government as to why they would lend money to their enemy.


    Had it not been for the consistent hard-line attitude of the French government that pleased its citizens, it would have been a matter of minutes before the French government fell.


    Because of this, many French citizens demanded that the French government focus on its allies. If they have spare money, they should help their allies rather than their enemies.


    Being part of the Entente powers and an ally of France, Austrsia naturally also gained the attention of French citizens.


    After Austrsia''s naval expansion n was announced, French citizens publicly stated that if the government wanted to make foreign loans, they should lend to Austrsia and Russia.


    In addition to France, Britain and Russia were also very supportive of Austrsia''s navy expansion.


    The increase in Austrsia''s naval strength could greatly alleviate the naval pressure of the British Empire in the Indian Ocean.


    This would also allow the British Empire to mobilize more troops from the Indian Ocean region to the Antic and European coastal waters to participate in the blockade andbat against the Allied Powers.

 Chapter 449: Chapter 359: Argentina Surrenders

    It is worth mentioning that, besides the powerful nations, the Ottoman Empire also had a battleship purchased from Brazil, built in Ennd, as well as a battleship directly purchased from the United Kingdom. Both battleships have now beenpleted and just recently underwent sea trials.


    The Ottoman Empire had great expectations for these two battleships, and even ced much of their hopes for national revitalization on them.


    However, the fate of these two battleships in history was full of twists and turns.


    Although both battleships have now beenpleted and entered the testing stage, whether the Ottoman Empire can sessfully receive these two battleships remains a question worth considering.


    Of course, the real driving force behind the naval arms race is still the European powers led by Britain and Germany.


    In fact, Austrsia''s naval pressure is not that great, and even the current naval size is already sufficient.


    But for the sake of expanding military power and consolidating national status, it is necessary to expand the scale of the navy.


    After all, the geographical location of Austrsia determines that it is a country that desperately needs maritime power.


    Austrsia can be without a strong army, but not without a strong navy.


    Currently, the good news is that Austrsia''s army, navy, and air force are developing in a bnced way, and there are nogging military branches temporarily.


    Although the scale of the three military branches is different,pared to the European powers and other countries, Austrsia''s army, navy, and air force are not too strong, but definitely not too weak.


    After only a few days, good news arrived from the war in South America.


    Since the allied forces of Britain, France, Russia, and Austrsia officiallynded on the maind of South America, Chile''s momentum has changed, and it has entered a full counterattack state.


    So far, in this war, which hassted more than three months, the situation haspletely turned in favor of Chile and the Allies behind it.


    As Arthur had predicted, the Americans did not dare to show their faces in this war, and could only provide assistance to Argentina from behind the scenes, praying that Argentina could hold back the limited allied forces.


    However, in reality, there was a clear gap between the powers'' armies and those of ordinary countries, especially in the training quality of soldiers and weapons and equipment.


    Although American aid narrowed the gap in weapons and equipment, the problem was that most Argentine soldiers were not familiar with the new weapons and equipment, thus weakening thebat effectiveness of the Argentine army.


    Especially after the powerful Austrsian Armynded in Argentina, it swept through several Argentine positions.


    If not for the fear of being cut off from logistical supply lines due to the long distance, and the danger of exposing the nk to the enemy, the Austrsian Army would probably have already advanced deep into Argentine territory.


    But after the arrival of reinforcements from the other three countries, the Austrsian Army no longer needed to worry about their rear.


    From then on, the allied forces made rapid progress. They forced the battlefront between Chile and Argentina to shift dozens of kilometers into Argentine territory, and Argentina''s interior was already in jeopardy.


    The consumption of both sides in this war was enormous. Even Austrsia, who joined midway, had consumed tens of millions of bullets, tens of thousands of artillery shells, and arge amount of supplies so far.


    Fortunately, the British Empire directly promised to cover the material costs of this war, otherwise, the consumption of weapons and equipment would be enough to make Arthur distressed.


    It was precisely because the British Empire agreed to bear the costs of weapons and equipment that the Austrsian Army was very bold in this war, and bullets and shells were scattered towards the enemy as if they were free.


    Although the consumption of weapons, equipment, and supplies was indeed distressing, the results achieved were the greatest among the four allied forces.


    So far, Austrsia has killed at least 2,000 Argentine troops and captured more than 3,000.


    These 5,000 people ounted for almost one-twentieth of the total number of Argentine troops, which was a severe blow to the Argentine Army''s strength.


    So far in the war, the casualties of the Argentine Army have reached more than 20,000 people. If we add the number of prisoners, the Argentine Army''s current fighting force is no more than 70,000 people.


    This also means that so far, Argentina has lost almost one-third of its army, and its morale has plummeted.


    While Arthur was guessing when Argentina would surrender, on October 30, 1913, ording to news from the British Empire, Argentina formally requested a ceasefire.


    In order to express its sincerity, Argentina had already ordered its front-line troops to stop exchanging fire and not to fire first under any circumstances.


    Seeing that their strategic goals had been achieved, the four great powers of the Allies had no desire to continue the offensive.


    France and Russia did not want to waste any more energy; Arthur did not want his army to suffer losses for no reason.


    And for the British Empire, it was somewhat unable to bear the crazy consumption of the Austrsian Army. Although Austrsia sent only one division to South America, its insane ammunition consumption was equivalent to thebined forces of Britain, France, and Russia.


    British people really didn''t expect that the total number of troops dispatched by the four great powers of the Allies would be only a few tens of thousands. They believed that the consumption of weapons and resources would not be toorge.


    Who could have expected that Austrsia would be the exception? After all, it was their own bluff, and they had to fulfill their promises with tear-filled eyes.


    Finally, the Argentinians formally requested to surrender, and the British could not sit still anymore and gratefully said, "Argentina, you really are a good person!"


    On November 7, 1913, representatives from the British Empire, France, the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Austrsia, Chile, and Argentina gathered in Sydney, the capital city of Austrsia, to discuss a perfect ending for the ongoing South American War.


    The reason for choosing Sydney as the location for the negotiations was that firstly, Austrsia was the closest allied power to the South American battlefield.


    Secondly, the capitals of the other three allied powers were all located in Europe, which made it difficult to guarantee that the Central Powers would not interfere or cause trouble.


    In a meeting room at the Sydney Administrative Court, the negotiations opened smoothly.


    Firstly, both parties expressed their demands.


    Chile requested Argentina to pay 10 million pounds inpensation and acknowledge that all disputed areas were under Chilean sovereignty. Argentina would abandon its sovereignty over these areas.


    Meanwhile, Chileans requested Argentina to cede Tierra del Fuego Province, which epassed all regions south of the Magen Strait.


    The southern part of Argentina, Tierra del Fuego Province, and Santa Cruz Province were separated by Chileannd and the Magen Strait.


    This would make it difficult for Argentina to reim these regions in the future if Chile gained control of them.


    With the backing of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, Chile''s appetite was quite big. Apart from demandingpensation and cession of territories, Chile requested that the total strength of the Argentine army not exceed 40,000, with the number ofnd troops not exceeding 30,000.


    If Argentina epted this condition, it would lose its right topete for hegemony in South America in the short term.


    The demands of the Four Great Powers of the Allies were quite simple. France and Russia did not have high territorial demands in South America, and after signing secret agreements with the British Empire, they only requested war reparations from Argentina.


    As for Austrsia''s demands, they requested that a jointly managed area be drawn within Argentina''s ck Land to guard against the possibility of Argentinaunching another war in the future once it grows stronger.


    The British Empire had no major demands since vast territories in the British Empire were not interested in Argentina''snd.


    In order to get the Four Great Powers of the Allies to agree to their demands, Chile started to engage with the foreign diplomats of the Four Great Powers and made numerous undercover moves.


    Argentina''s demands were straightforward. As the only defeated country, Argentina knew that it had no strength to resist and had no outrageous demands.


    Argentina was willing to pay about 1 million pounds inpensation and restore the borderlines between the two countries to their pre-war positions while giving up the disputed areas with Chile.


    As for Chile''s demands for limiting the military scale, ceding Tierra del Fuego Province, and Austrsia''s request for a jointly managed area within the ck Land, Argentina stated that it could not ept these terms.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Although Argentina''s attitude of admitting its mistakes was good, the terms Argentina agreed to seemed somewhat perfunctory in the eyes of the Four Great Powers.


    The Four Great Powers sent troops from a distance, and the total cost definitely exceeded 1 million pounds.


    In addition to Chile''s domestic losses, 1 million pounds was a drop in the bucket for Chile and the Allies.


    Isn''t it the obligation of a defeated country to give up disputed inds?


    As a defeated country, do you, Argentina, still want to keep your sovereignty over disputed areas?


    Because opinions differed, the negotiations came to a standstill.


    However, the Allies and Chile were not in a hurry to negotiate. At least the current war expenditures were bearable for the Allies and Chile, and the bnce of power in the war had long tipped in favor of Chile.


    Even if the Argentine government was now biting back, refusing to agree to morepensation fornd and funds, when the Argentine frontline could no longer hold, the demandedpensation would not be so small.


    It is believed that the Argentine government also understands this principle. The current refusal toply may just be a show of stubbornness by Argentina.


    On November 11th, after four days of negotiations and without any results, Chile dered that it would resume a state of war with Argentina and ordered frontline troops to deploy for an immediate attack.


    Although the powerful nations did not express their position, the expeditionary forces sent by the Allies began nning an attack on the Argentine army when Chile announced the resumption of the state of war.


    Later that evening on the 11th, the South American battlefield witnessed renewed warfare, and the sound of gunfire, which had only been silent for a few days, rang out again in the region.

 Chapter 450: Chapter 360: The US-Japan Alliance

    In order topletely intimidate the Argentinians, the armies of the Allies did not spare any ammunition this time, assembling and bombarding the Argentine front lines with hundreds of firearms. The verdant forests were bombed into wastnds, and the protruding mountains along the border were ttened.


    Just in the bombing on the 11th day, over 40,000 shells were consumed by the Allies, with an average of more than a hundred rounds fired by each firearm.


    It is unclear how many casualties the Argentine army suffered, but judging from the situation on the front lines, the Argentinians'' losses were certainly not small.


    After experiencing two rounds of shelling, the Argentinians could not withstand the pressure any longer. On November 13th, 1913, Argentina once again requested a ceasefire.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The good news is that since the Allies and Chilean representatives realized Argentina could not hold out for long, they stayed in Sydney.


    On the Argentine side, the domestic situation did not allow for the withdrawal of negotiation representatives, so the talks in Sydney smoothly resumed.


    Perhaps realizing their current predicament, the Argentinians became very obedient during these talks.


    After two days of consultations and negotiations between both parties, on November 15th, Argentina''spensation was finally determined to be 11.83 million pounds.


    Of this amount, 8 million pounds were to be paid to the Four Great Powers of the Allies, and 2 million pounds were to be given to Austrsia.


    The remaining 3.83 million poundsprised of 2 million pounds as warpensation for Chile and 1.83 million pounds topensate the Chilean people and government for their losses during the war.


    For Argentina, apensation of nearly 12 million pounds was no small sum.


    Even with the help of the United States, it would take years to fully pay off this debt.


    More importantly, this was a significant blow to Argentina''s national pride. It would not be easy for them to regain their status as one of the three hegemons in South America.


    It is worth noting that Chile would receive more than 3 million pounds inpensation, significantly alleviating their current economic downturn.


    This would indirectly lead to a widening gap between Chile and Argentina, as Argentina would be cultivating a formidable enemy for itself.


    Of course, Chile is not the primary concern of the Argentinian government currently. Once theplete contract was published, the Argentinian government would first have to face the anger of the Argentine civilians.


    As for the Chilean demands for the entire Tierra del Fuego Province, the Argentinian government could not possibly ept it.


    If they agreed to Chile''s demand, even if Argentina did not perish in this war, the Argentinian government would be overthrown by the angry Argentine civilians.


    For any nation or ethnicity, ceding nationalnd is a disgrace. The person who agrees to sign the treaty is usually put on the pir of shame.


    Of course, the ultimate decision-makers are the Four Great Powers of the Allies, or more precisely, the British Empire.


    Including Austrsia, they were not too interested in this matter, therefore, the attitude of the British Empire became crucial.


    Although the British Empire was an ally of Chile and had friendly rtions with them, the long-standing continental bnce policy of Britain still made the British government somewhat hesitant about this matter.


    Argentina''s defeat and subsequentpensation were unavoidable, but Britain was vexed over how much to exact and what kind of restrictions to put on Argentina.


    If Argentina''spensation was too little, Chile might be dissatisfied. But if Argentina was weakened too severely, there would be no more obstacles for Chile in the southern part of South America.


    Once Chile reaped the fruits of war, South America would be a direct confrontation between Chile and Brazil.


    From the current situation, Chile had an advantage, and it was not impossible for them to be the hegemon of South America.


    Even if they couldn''tpete with Brazil in the short term, Chile could still continue to oppress Argentina and umte a foundation for its rise.


    This was not permitted by the British Empire. Chile had saltpeter mines that were very important to the British Empire, which meant that Chile''s national strength could not be too strong; otherwise, it might exceed Britain''s control.


    The Argentine representative seemed to understand this point. After the territorial negotiations reached a stalemate, the Argentine representative repeatedly requested private talks with the British representative and spoke privately for a long time.


    Finally, on November 20th, 1913, at the suggestion of the British Empire, both Chile and Argentina each took a step back and changed their demands.


    Ultimately, the negotiations went smoothly, and Argentina agreed to cede thend east of Karen, north of Saint Sebastian, and the inds of Estrados, Saint Diego, and others. They also gave up sovereignty over all disputed areas.


    Although Argentina did cedend in the end, it was only small inds and soil that they could ept.


    While the Chileans were somewhat unwilling, they had no choice but to ept the British Empire''s decision.


    At least they acquired new territory, which was an exnation they could give to the media and the people.


    The only issue remaining in this negotiation was the request by Austrsia for the establishment of a jointly-administered zone in Argentina''s Northern ck Land region.


    Austrsia had agreed to send troops in this war for the sake of Argentina''s ck Land.

 Chapter 451: Chapter 360: The US-Japan Alliance_2

    Austrsia had previously reached an agreement with the British Empire, so Austrsia''s demands were supported by the other three major powers of the Allies.


    Facing the joint demands of the Allies'' four major powers, Argentina had no ability to resist. After long negotiations, they finally agreed to Austrsia''s demands.


    Argentina''s cknd is mainly concentrated on the Pampas ins. The cknd here has a feature; it is primarily red oxidized ck soil.


    The surface of this ck soil is red soil. Underneath the red soil is the real cknd. The disadvantage is that it is not as fertile as regr ck soil.


    Moreover, developing agriculture on this ck soil has a drawback ¨C it is prone to causing soil erosion and damaging the soil.


    None of these issues are problems for Austrsia. Arthur wanted to obtain thisnd in order to build a granary in the short term, preparing for grain storage during the two wars.


    After the end of World War II, thisnd would definitely be returned to Argentina.


    The designated area for joint management of the cknd is located along the coast of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina, with nca Port as the center. It covers an area of dozens of square kilometers, officially leased by the Allies for 45 years.


    During this period, the four major powers of the Allies can engage in various economic activities, including agriculture and animal husbandry, without any interference from Argentina. The results obtained belong to the working party, regardless of Argentina.


    This means that, for the next 45 years, thisnd can serve as an overseas farm for Austrsia, growingrge quantities of agricultural crops.


    Local Argentine civilians can also serve as cheap tenant farmers. Austrsia only needs to reap the benefits and gain arge amount of food.


    Regarding the soil erosion and fertility damage caused byrge-scale cultivation, Austrsia has no rtion to it after 45 years.


    Of course, to protect its interests in thisnd, Austrsia specifically demanded the deployment of garrison forces to safeguard the security of Austrsian enterprises and citizens.


    At the same time, the garrison could deter the Argentinian Government and ensure that Argentina properly restrained its civilians.


    On November 27, 1913, the Sydney Treaty was officially signed in the capital of Austrsia, Sydney, marking the beginning of peace in South America.


    Under the witness of many media and citizens, representatives from Britain, France, Russia Nation, Austrsia, Chile, and Argentina all signed the treaty, representing the official implementation of the agreement.


    ording to the agreement between the two parties, Argentina''s high war reparations had to be repaid within a maximum of five years.


    If thepensation period exceeded five years, Argentina would have to pay 10% interest to the winning countries annually.


    Considering the financial situation of the Argentinian Government, even if they can pay these reparations within five years, Argentina''s finances will be very bad.


    Perhaps to save a soon-to-be-lost ally and apologize for their non-involvement in the war, the American Government contacted Argentina a few days after the Sydney Treaty was announced, iming they could help Argentina with the reparations.


    Although Argentina no longer had much faith in the American People, this was one of the few options left for Argentina.


    Fortunately, the American People genuinely wanted to save their Argentinian ally. A few dayster, the United States and Argentina reached a new agreement, offering Argentina an interest-free aid of 3 million pounds and a low-interest loan of 15 million pounds to help Argentina restore domestic order after the war.


    The 18 million pounds of aid in total somewhat appeased the Argentinian Government.


    At least after repaying the war reparations, Argentina would have about 5 million pounds left to save its domestic situation.


    In fact, the American People now felt the pressure from the Allies. The Four Great Powers of the Allies had teamed up ¨C even Germany couldn''t withstand this, let alone the United States, which currently had an underwhelming military force.


    To ensure their security was not threatened, at the beginning of December 1913, the United States announced a new round of Naval Expansion Act, seeking to expand their navy as a way to demonstrate safety to themselves and the citizens.


    As expected from the wealthy United States, the Naval Expansion Act seemed quite exaggerated.


    ording to the naval expansion n announced by the American Government, from 1914 to the end of 1916, during these three years, the United States would build three super dreadnoughts and two battlecruisers each year, totaling nine super dreadnoughts and six battlecruisers.


    If the United States'' naval expansion n could be implemented smoothly, the number of the US main battleships would reach the world''s top three levels by the end of 1916, significantly enhancing its naval strength.


    The main reason the American People had such an exaggerated naval expansion n was the joint action of the four Great Powers of the Allies.


    In the past, the United States believed that due to its unique geographical location, the security of its Native Land could not be threatened.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the joint actions of the four Great Powers of the Allies made the United States realize one truth ¨C naval forces could reach even faraway ces.


    Either having a powerful army capable of annihting the enemy onnd ¨C although it may bring the war to their Native Land ¨C it would still have the benefit of killing the enemy''s living forces, achieving ultimate victory in the war.

 Chapter 452: Chapter 360: The US-Japan Alliance_3

    Or by possessing a powerful navy, fundamentally eliminate the possibility of an enemynding on one''s territory.


    As long as the coast of the United States is not threatened, the maind of the United States will not be threatened.


    Currently, the situation in Europe has clearly been leaning towards the Allies, something the Americans are somewhat reluctant to witness.


    If the Germans are defeated, the most threatening country to the British Empire would be the Americans themselves.


    By that time, the seemingly very secure geographical location in the United States would not hold up against the naval blockade of the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    Rapidly enhancing the strength of the navy and enabling the US Navy to protect its coastline is the pressing task for the United States at the moment.


    It is precisely because of the pressure from the Allies, the passage of the Naval Expansion Act was very smooth, and the corresponding financial appropriations were swiftly approved by the United States Congress.


    Keep in mind, anytime before when the US government wanted to achieve any agreements, it needed to lobby Congress for appropriations for a long time.


    Now that the United States Congress has agreed to appropriations so swiftly, it is evident that the congressmen are also feeling tremendous pressure from the Allies.


    This is actually quite normal. After all, the world''s most powerful country with the world''s most powerful navy, coupled with two top powers with strong armies and navies, and another power with decent army and navy strength, such a coalition of four countries is unstoppable in this world unless there are four equally strong countries to counter them.


    At present, the only Allied Nation with the strength to contend against the Allies is one with the world''s first-strongest army and the Austro-Hungarian Empire with a decent army.


    As for Italy, it previously could be considered a power with a decent navy, but its army was somewhatcking.


    In fact, the actions of the Americans go far beyond this.


    The strength of the Allies, while making the Americans feel pressured, has also made them realize the importance of allies.


    However, there are not many worthy allies worldwide, especially powerful countries. Either they are already involved in the vortex of Europe or their strengths are not that strong.


    The United States is unwilling to join the Allied Nations and confront Britain directly.


    Not to mention whether the Allied Nations could contend against the Allies if the United States joins them, just facing the currently strong Allies is already causing headaches for some people in the American government.


    After much consideration, the Americans eventually set their sights on the ind nation across the Pacific Ocean.


    This is a country located in the Pacific Ocean with a hostile andpetitive rtionship with Russia, one of the Great Powers of the Allies.


    Although it had a good rtionship with the British in the past, because the British wanted to forge a rtionship with the Russians, Britain has temporarily ceasedmunication with the ind nation.


    And the special geographical location of the ind nation determines that if this country wants to rise, it must focus on the nearby continent.


    In the past, the hegemon of the Far East was Russia, which meant that the ind nation had to fight Russia, and behind Russia, the Allies.


    In this sense, the ind nation appears to be a suitable ally for the United States. Additionally, seeking American support to contend against Russia, the ind nation has already had ties with the United States, making it easier to win them over.


    As a result, the US government has formted a n to win over the ind nation, in order to relieve the pressure from the Allies by forging an alliance with the ind nation.


    On the ind nation side, they were naturally overjoyed when the United States extended an olive branch. Bear in mind, since Britain suspended its aid, the ind nation seemed to be in dire straits.


    The various industries of the ind nation were already severely restricted, and there were not enough mineral resources to supply. With Britain cutting off aid, the ind nation not only lost its recently acquired status as a powerful nation, but it might even lose the possibility of bing a strong country.


    After all, the enemy of the ind nation bing a strong country is Russia, and Russia is a member of the Allies.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The current strength of the Allies is so mighty that even the Allied Nations cannotpare, let alone the ind nation that is not even a great power.


    Therefore, when the ind nation received an olive branch from the Americans, they agreed without hesitation to the United States'' request.


    For the ind nation, another advantage of having the United States as an ally is that there would be no conflict between them in a short period of time.


    The hands of the United States had not yet fully extended to this side of the Pacific Ocean, and the ind nation did not have many interests in the Pacific Ocean at the moment.


    This also means that if the two countries forge an alliance, their rtionship would be close during the honeymoon period in the short term.


    On December 7, 1913, the US government announced that it had reached an agreement with the ind nation on co-building dreadnoughts, and both parties signed a reciprocal trade agreement, marking the initial establishment of the US-Japanese Alliance.

 Chapter 453: Chapter 361: The True Dominator of the Pacific Ocean

    For the people of Austrsia, 1913 was definitely a surprising year.


    Apart from Arthur''s announcement to expand the navy, Austrsia also received many colonial territories in the Pacific from the Powers that year.


    Indeed, in thest month of 1913, Austrsia once again began its effort to receive the British and French Pacific colonial territories.


    The reception of the Solomon Inds has been progressing smoothly so far, which has prompted Arthur to elerate the reception of these colonies, in hopes of fully receiving the colonial territories of the Powers in the Pacific region before the outbreak of World War I.


    For this colonial transfer, Arthur specially sent an entire division to the inds of the Pacific and dispatched the navy to patrol the waters.


    On December 11, 1913, Austrsia announced that it would rename British Fiji, which it took over from the United Kingdom, to the Australian Fiji Colony, with Georges Valerianos as its Governor.


    Thend area of Australian Fiji covers more than 18,300 square kilometers and is a regionposed of hundreds of inds and archipgos.


    Like the Solomon Inds, although the poption is up to 150,000 people, the core European immigrants are only about 20,000, and the others are local indigenous people.


    The most important thing for Austrsia''s newly received colonies is to maintain stability.


    Therefore, before order in these colonies is genuinely stable, Arthur does not intend to deal with the indigenous poption of these colonies for the time being.


    Australian Fiji is treated simrly to the Solomon Inds, with a 1,000-strong garrison and state-level administrative divisions.


    Although the totalnd area of these Pacific colonies does not match a single state of Austrsia, the poption is mostly only around 100,000.


    However, these colonies are rtively dispersed and not suitable for unified management. Breaking them down into various colonies can not only alleviate the pressure of colony management but also improve the government''s control over individual colonies.


    Australian Fiji was just the beginning. In a few days, the French also started their actions.


    This time, the French transferred the region of French New Caledonia, which is currently surrounded by Austrsia''s territory.


    Thend area of French New Caledonia is simr to Fiji, covering 18,575 square kilometers.


    But the poption in this region is much smaller; even counting all indigenous people, the total poption of French New Caledonia would not exceed 100,000 people.


    In addition to French New Caledonia, the New Hebrides Inds in the north of New Caledonia were also transferred to Austrsia.


    New Hebrides Inds, with and area of about 12,200 square kilometers and a poption of only around 70,000 people.


    This region is unique because missionaries from Britain and France are widely distributed, so a few years ago, Britain and France signed a treaty to dere joint management of the area.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity to transfer colonies, Britain and France directly transferred this colony to Austrsia, also saving much trouble.


    It should be noted that the Pacific colonies are far from the homnds of Britain and France, and most of them have not achieved food and resource self-sufficiency.


    This also means that in many cases, Britain and France need to send supplies and food to the troops and residents on the inds, which often represent a considerable expense.


    Losing these colonies is not a big deal for Britain and France since they both have colonies in Southeast Asia, and Britain also has the extensive colony of India. Naturally, they do not care about the small inds in the Pacific with a poption of just over 100,000 people.


    Therefore, transferring these colonies may seem like a loss ofnd for Britain and France, but in fact, it is also an opportunity for them to reduce the burden of their governments.


    After studying, the Austrsian government has decided to merge the two colonies of New Hebrides Inds and French New Caledonia to form Australian New Caledonia due to their proximity.


    After the merger, the poption of the new Australian New Caledonia will also reach more than 100,000 people, on par with the Solomon Inds and Fiji.


    From the map, it can be seen that the Royal Territory, Australian Timor, Australian New Guinea, Australian Solomon Inds, Australian New Caledonia, Australian Fiji, and New Zend form a chain of ind defenses that start from the north of Austrsia and are continuously wrapped around to the southeast.


    After thoroughly integrating these regions, Austrsia can rely on these inds and colonies to prevent any enemy from the Pacific from invading the ind defense chain.


    As for the western and southern sides of Austrsia, where there is no ind defense chain, one is the cold Antarctic, where enemies are highly unlikely toe. The other is the vast Indian Ocean, currently controlled by Australian allies Britain and France, and there is no threat for the time being.


    This also means that the current security of Austrsia is very stable. As long as these colonies are well managed, they can defend the enemy outside even in the face of powerful foreign enemies.


    Perhaps Britain and France had already agreed to transfer all their Pacific colonies in one go.


    As 1914 approached, Austrsia sessfully received French Polynesia, British Phoenix Inds, British Toku Inds, British Gilbert and Ellice Inds Protectorate, British Tonga Protectorate, British Cook Inds, British Kermadec Inds, British Pitcairn Inds, and other colonial territories, sessfully expanding their influence over more than half of the Pacific.


    After taking over these colonies, it is no exaggeration to say that Austrsia has upied more than half of the Pacific, truly a powerhouse in the Pacific.


    Of course, this also gave rise to a very serious issue. After the departure of Britain and France from the Pacific region, Austrsia would collide directly with the United States.


    This means that, whether it is now or in the future, the United States will always be Austrsia''s biggest enemy.


    If the United States wants to implement the Pacific strategy and expand in the Pacific area, it must confront Austrsia, which upies more than half of the Pacific.


    And if Austrsia wants to maintain its dominant position in the Pacific, it will not be able to avoid directly confronting the United States and bing enemies with them.


    Looking at it this way, Arthur understood why Britain and France were so eager to let go of their colonies.


    Rather than holding onto a few small inds of little use, it would be better to transfer them all to Austrsia, allowing Austrsia to be a fortress directly confronting the United States.


    In this way, even if the alliance of the Allies breaks down in the future, Austrsia will have to face the United States alone.


    As long as Austrsia wants to maintain its hegemony in the Pacific region, it is only natural for them to be enemies with the United States.


    This is the scheme of Britain and France, but now that things havee to this point, Arthur has no choice but to bite the bullet and go along with it.


    Austrsia has sessfully taken over the wide-ranging colonies of Britain and France in the Pacific region, and Arthur cannot possibly give up these areas.


    Fortunately, the alliance of the four great powers of the Allies is still stable, and the military strength of the United States is not yet too strong; Austrsia is fully capable of dealing with this.


    In order to better govern the newly acquired vast archipgo andbine the opinions of the Cab, Arthur divided all the new colonies, except Fiji, the Solomon Inds, and New Caledonia, into two parts.


    With German New Guinea and German Samoa as the dividing line, the areas to the north were designated as the Australian West Pacific Territories, with the capital in Tarava of the Gilbert and Ellis Inds area.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Below the dividing line, the Australian South Pacific Territory was established, with the capital in Papeete of the Polynesian area.


    From now on, Austrsia''s current political structure has been determined.


    Eight states, five colonies, and four territories havee together to form theplete and unified Kingdom of Austrsia.


    Arthur directly appoints the governors of the colonies and territories, which is good news for him.


    The loyalty of governors directly appointed by Arthur to the colonies and territories is obviously more reliable than that of the state governors elected by the State Parliament.


    Of course, even though the chief executives are directly appointed by Arthur, there are many differences between the colonies and territories.


    Colonies belong to the country but the monarch has the right to appoint officials, exercise jurisdiction, and mobilize the military.


    However, in legal terms, the territories belong directly to the monarch and can bepletely free from government control, only answering to Arthur.


    Of course, as the location of the kingdom''s capital, the Capital Territory has a special status. The Capital Territory is between a territory and a directly governed state, with its main officials appointed directly by Arthur but also subject to the control of the Cab Government.


    Aside from dividing these colonies for administrative purposes, Arthur, after talking with Minister of Defense Raul, determined the domestic defense deployments of Austrsia.


    The domestic defense deployment of Austrsia can be roughly divided into four areas. The Australian Region, centered on Austrsia''s core homnd, establishes the Australian War Zone with its headquarters in Sydney.


    New Zend is the New Zend War Zone with its headquarters in Wellington. The Royal Territory, Australian Timor, and Australian New Guinea form the Southeast Asian Theater with its headquarters in Moritzby Port.


    Finally, the Pacific Theater is formed by the major Pacific colonies and archipgos, with its headquarters in Suva, Fiji.


    The purpose of the Australian and New Zend war zones is mainly to defend the homnd and maintain domestic security.


    However, the Southeast Asia and Pacific War Zones y a crucial role in Austrsian military deployments. If everything goes ording to n, these two zones will focus on deploying the Air Force and Navy, as well as building a coastal defense system.

 Chapter 454: Chapter 362: Rapid Growth of Economy and Population

    For Austrsia, December 1913 was decidedly the busiest month. In just this one month, Austrsia epted arge number of Britain-France-Pacific Colonies, sessfully expanding its sphere of influence over arge part of the Pacific Ocean.


    If we only consider the currentnd area of Austrsia, it is only over eight million square kilometers.


    But if we include Austrsia''s territorial waters, Austrsia could potentially be said to be a massive country with an area of tens of millions of square kilometers.


    It''s worth noting that the definition of territorial waters by countries worldwide is not clear, and there is no standardized figure to specify the range of territorial waters of each country.


    This means that if the naval power of Austrsia were strong enough, there is potential to turn the majority of the Pacific Ocean to the west and south of Hawaii into its territorial waters.


    If this goal could be achieved, no one would be able to encroach upon Austrsia''s nativend, and the Pacific Ocean would be an ind sea of Austrsia.


    The Austrsian Government ces great importance on the eptance of new territories. The navy is on standby at all times, ready for any possible contingencies.


    In reality, if Austrsia could gain total control over these new territories, it would form a solid defensive chain of inds outside Austrsia.


    By then, even in confrontation with an industrial economy powerhouse like the United States, Austrsia would have sufficient strength and confidence.


    What Austrsiacks most at the moment is time. Time is needed not only to develop the poption but also to stabilize the rule over these new territories.


    The naval fleet escorts transport ships to the major colonies and territories. They not only transport the governors of new colonies and territories but also the troops stationed there, and some local scarce resources and grain, etc.


    Time flies. In the busyness of the Austrsian Cab Government, December quickly reached itsst day.


    On December 31, 1913, in ordance with tradition, the annual report conference was held at the Sydney Pce.


    This year''s annual report conference had to report not only the full year''s situation for 1913 but also the deployment situation of the new colonies.


    Austrsia''s current actual sphere of influence has expanded to the central Pacific, and these territorial waters need to be defended.


    Simrly, the scheduling andmunication between the various colonies, as well as the connection between the nativend and the colonies, require the implementation of corresponding policies for stabilization.


    Throughout 1913, Austrsia''s poption was still in a state of rapid growth. Although some European Nations have begun to limit emigration, Austrsia, due to joining the Allies, was in reality not restricted in terms of immigration.


    Immigrants from vital countries for Austrsia, like Britain and Russia Nation, were constantly arriving in Austrsia, bing official citizens of Austrsia.


    In 1913, the number of newborns in Austrsia exceeded 400,000 for the first time, reaching 431,400.


    This figure is the highest in Austrsian history for newborns in a single year. The Cab''s Encouraging Fertility Policy ys an undeniable role in this.


    The Encouraging Fertility Policy has removed Austrsians'' worries about having children. Not only can they receive rewards for having children, but the government also bears arge part of the fees for the newborn''s education and medical careter on.


    This has also made Austrsians more enthusiastic about having children. Since everyone usually does not have loan pressure, having children has be the choice of the majority.


    Regarding immigration, due to the significant increase in Russian immigrants, the immigration environment in Austrsia still maintains a high growth rate.


    In 1913, Austrsia gained a total of 1.3 million immigrants, of which more than 800,000 were contributed by Russia Nation.


    To attract immigrants from Russia Nation, the Austrsian Government even sent people to bribe Russia''s lower-middle-ss officials, which allowed the path of immigration to be unimpeded.


    For Russia Nation, fewer than a million immigrants is simply a small figure, inconsequential to Russia''s total poption.


    By facilitatingrge-scale immigration to Austrsia, Russia Nation could also exchange military equipment and strategic supplies from Austrsia, which was apletely risk-free deal.


    Russia Nation does notck people, Austrsia does notck weapons and industrial products, andrge-scale immigration is a win-win for both parties.


    Of the remaining nearly 500,000 immigrants, Britain-France Two Nations immigrants ount for more than 310,000, German immigrants 20,000, Italian immigrants 40,000, and other immigrants distributed in various European Nations.


    However, due to the poprity of welfare benefits and medical developments in Austrsia, the number of deaths in 1913 was very low, only a little over 20,000.


    In addition to a newly received poption of over a hundred thousand from the colonies (Indigenous Peoples not counted), Austrsia saw a increase of over 1.8 million people.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After deducting the number of deaths from the increase in poption, Austrsia''s poption growth still reached over 1.82 million, making it one of the countries with the highest poption growth rate in the world, if not the highest.


    Austrsia''s total poption has also reached 13.932 million, rapidly inching towards 15 million.


    Of course, when the Austrsian Government counts the poption, it will not count the Indigenous Peoples in Austrsia, which currently number in the millions.


    If the Indigenous Peoples were included, Austrsia''s poption would have already exceeded 15 million.

 Chapter 455: Chapter 362: Rapid Growth of Economy and Population_2

    The problem is that due to the extreme nationalism in Austrsia, the millions of indigenous people are not epted by most Austrsians.


    Most of these people have fundamental differences in religion and culture with ordinary Austrsians and are not so easy to assimte.


    The easily assimted ones are the indigenous people of the newly acquired colonies. These indigenous people have lived with European immigrants for decades, many of them can use English proficiently, and some have even converted to Christianity.


    Especially in some colonies of the British Empire, many indigenous people have adopted Protestantism and regard English as their mainnguage.


    These indigenous people are rtively easy to assimte and may be recognized citizens of Austrsia in the future.


    Although the increase in poption is good news, the various subsidies granted by the Austrsian Government to newborns and immigrants have also consumed a lot of funds.


    ording to the statistics of the Ministry of Finance, the subsidies given by the Austrsian Government to newborn families amounted to more than three million Australian Dors.


    These figures have grown by more than 20%pared tost year, which shows that there are more and more newborns in Austrsia.


    However, this is good news for Arthur and the Austrsian Government.


    Compared to immigrants, the native-born infants are the core poption. These people are of pure Austrsian blood from birth, and their recognition of the nation and the people is much higher than that of immigrants from abroad.


    These immigrants from abroad need at least fifteen years of assimtion to fully integrate them into Austrsian society.


    It is still due to the reason that European immigrants and Austrsians are almost of the same origin. If they were immigrants of different skin color and race, the time for assimtion would be multiplied.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Due to therge number of newborns, the average number of people per household in Austrsia is as high as 6.3.


    This also means that Austrsian couples of childbearing age have generally started to choose to have three or four children.


    If this continues, it may only take a few years for the number of newborns in Austrsia alone to reach as high as one million each year.


    By then, the Austrsian Government will not need to work hard to import immigrants from abroad; it only needs to properly handle the domestic increase in poption and develop Austrsia into a country with arge poption.


    If the current poption trend is followed, Austrsia''s poption growth rate is very exaggerated.


    If the poption growth rate can be stabilized, the poption of Austrsia may double in ten years.


    Of course, immigration will more or less be affected by the war, and doubling the poption in ten years is entirely achievable.


    If it weren''t for Austrsia''s strict requirements for Russian immigrants, the number of Russian immigrants alone would have exceeded one million years ago.


    For the Russian poption, Arthur only needs thosemon people with clear backgrounds, that is, the former serfs.


    For those with unique thoughts or who are not very stable, they naturally have to go through strict selection and will not be allowed to enter the territory of Austrsia.


    Arthur does not want a future Russian revolution to spread to the territory of Austrsia. The most destructive thing for a country is not foreign aggression but internal chaos.


    Of course, foreign intelligence personnel are not omnipotent, and some may slip through the to Austrsia.


    However, all immigrantsing to Austrsia must go through an observation period of about six months.


    During this half-year, intelligence personnel, immigration agencies, public security, and police departments, as well as local governments, will closely monitor these immigrants. Once any problems are discovered, their ultimate fate is to work in the mines for a lifetime.


    Do not underestimate Arthur''s emphasis on immigration. Just in 1913, the Austrsian Government singled out hundreds of "unstable elements" with unclear backgrounds from immigrants.


    Some of them either engaged in illegal activities before immigration or were participants and nners of revolutions.


    These people don''t even think about it, they go straight into Arthur''s cklist and win the right to minebor.


    If they want to regain their freedom, they may have to pray that Austrsia bes a world hegemon soon so that Arthur can be happy, and maybe with a wave of his hand, he will release them.


    Moreover, once these people are identified, they have to go through interrogation. If it is discovered that they purposefully came to Austrsia as part of a gang, they may face immediate execution by firing squad.


    For the stability and security of Austrsia, Arthur adheres to the attitude of "better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let one go" in immigration.


    Even if he can maintain stability during his own rule, Arthur cannot guarantee that without his suppression, Austrsia''s revolutionary forces will not surface.


    Therefore, eradicating them from the root is the only way Arthur can think of to maintain national stability.


    As long as the people of Austrsia can live good lives and the entry of foreign revolutionaries is curtailed as much as possible, the safety and stability of Austrsia can still be guaranteed.


    Although Austrsia is in dire need of poption, it still maintains a six-month observation period restriction on every immigrant.

 Chapter 456: Chapter 362: High-Speed Growth of Economy and Population_3

    Unless of exceptional ability or a technical or scientific researcher, one must contribute significantly to gain Austrsian citizenship.


    For instance, were an American to steal high-tech weapon information from the United States, they could obtain Austrsian citizenship.


    Of course, such a possibility is slim since, at present, the United States is not vastly superior to Austrsia in any military technology areas.


    Until it recruited European scientists and technicians, American technology was at best on par with the major powers, and evengged behind older powers, such as Britain, Germany, and France in many aspects.


    In 1913, Austrsia''s economic development was also rapid. The substantial poption growth was one factor, second only to the ongoing infrastructure projects within Austrsia and the operationalmencement of the Leonora Industrial Base.


    In 1913, Austrsia''s Gross National Product (GNP) reached 1.578 billion US dors, equal to 315.6 million pounds, or 631.2 million Australian dors, with a growth rate of 10.3%.


    Although the growth rate was impressive, it was still somewhat behind that of the other major powers.


    The high-speed growth in GNP was most evident in terms of per capita ie.


    By the end of 1913, Austrsia''s per capita ie was 51.7 Australian dors, trailing behind France but slightly surpassing the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia, and Italy.


    It was actually all too normal for Russia tog behind in per capita ie. Most of the Russianmoners were still struggling with hunger and cold, so it would be strange if their per capita ie could catch up with other major powers.


    Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were not far behind Austrsia, but the gap was gradually widening.


    If these two countries did not have multiple times the poption of Austrsia, Austrsia''s GNP would have surpassed them long ago.


    Although Austrsia''s per capita ie was still lower than Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, if happiness index was the only indicator, Austrsia might hold its own against these countries.


    Arthur did not distribute millions of Australian dors in relief funds every year for nothing. The major powers, such as Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, could not avoid people dying of hunger and cold.


    After all, they had poptions in the tens or even hundreds of millions. If they were to implement corresponding relief policies, it would be an unsustainable burden on the country''s finances.


    Austrsia didn''t have this problem. When the relief policy was implemented, Austrsia''s poption was still small. Based on per capita ie and average family ie, the number of people needing relief was small, and the funds spent were naturally not much either.


    Although the poption has increased now, many people''s ies have already exceeded the average level.


    With various constructions bringing no shortage of jobs domestically, therefore, the number of people in Austrsia needing relief remained rtively low.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    To be able to eat well, dress warmly, have some savings, and a happy family. This should be the most beautiful wish of mostmon people in the world!


    In Austrsia, this beautiful dream has a good chance ofing true. This is the real reason why Australians love Arthur and adore their country.


    Themon people really don''t ask for much, if a ruler only takes simple care of themon people, they can earn their affection and allegiance.

 Chapter 457: Chapter 363: The Necessity of Language Unification

    In terms of fiscal revenue, Austrsia''s annual fiscal revenue broke through 100 million Australian dors for the first time, reaching 101.5 million Australian dors, an increase of about 5%pared to the previous year.


    Growth this year has slowed downpared to the previous year, but the growth rate is not slow.


    If it weren''t for the official start of production at the Leonora Industrial Base, perhaps the fiscal revenue this year would still struggle to break through 100 million.


    Of course, the high fiscal growth rate also means a high fiscal expenditure. The Austrsian Government has never been thrifty when ites to spending for national construction and development.


    Throughout 1913, the Austrsian Government''s total fiscal expenditure reached 100.1 million Australian dors, with the expenditure growth rate much faster than the ie growth rate.


    This resulted in a fiscal surplus of only 1.4 million Australian dors in 1913, whichpared to the previous years, fiscal surplus in the tens of millions, made Austrsia look like one of the two main military blocs.


    Of course, arge part of the high fiscal expenditure growth is due to military growth.


    In 1913, Austrsia''s military expenditure reached 47.06 million Australian dors, almost half of the government''s annual fiscal revenue.


    Although a major reason for this is the 300,000 colonial troops, it cannot be denied that, due to Austrsia joining the Allies, the military spending of Austrsia will only continue to rise in theing years.


    In fact, Austrsia''s fiscal situation is already considered good, as it can at least maintain a surplus situation.


    Currently, the fiscal situation of the major powers of Europe is not very good, with many countries falling into debt crises, and some even facing bankruptcy.


    The current situation of the European arms race has be unbearable for the major powers of Europe.


    If the arms race cannot be alleviated by certain events, then the only foreseeable oue would be to forcibly end the arms race byunching a war.


    In industrial aspects, Austrsia has made rapid progress.


    At present, the growth rate of steel production has gradually slowed down, as the government''s focus has shifted from steel production to other industrial sectors, such as the chemical and mechanical industries.


    However, due to Austrsia''s unique advantage in mineral resources, the steel production of Austrsia is still growing.


    By the end of 1913, Austrsia''s total steel and iron production had reached 1.8639 million tons and 3.0762 million tons, ranking seventh in the world.


    In addition to total production of steel, the iron ore and coal mining volumes of Austrsia are also among the world''s top eight.


    Austrsia''s current industrial output now ounts for 3.8% of the world''s total industry, with a goal to catch up with the traditional European industrial powerhouse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Australia is currently overtaking one of Europe''s great powers, Italy.


    To be blunt, the only clear advantage Italy has over Austrsia is perhaps Italy''s poption.


    This advantage is also being furiously chased by Austrsia. If Austrsia''s poption continues to grow rapidly, it is expected that within no more than five years, Austrsia will greatly surpass Italy in all aspects and be promoted to the seventh great power in the world.


    Of course, if the Austro-Hungarian Empire is dismantled in World War I as it was in history, Austrsia might leapfrog directly into the sixth great power position.


    With the benefit of 300,000 colonial troops, Austrsia''s total army strength has reached 522,000, ranking seventh among all countries involved in European conflicts.


    If Austrsia''s naval size can be enhanced, it can shed the title of the eighth great power and seek opportunities to surpass Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    In terms of the more critical food production, Austrsia has also seen significant growth.


    In 1913, Austrsia''s total cultivatednd area reached 27.41 million acres, and the per capita cultivatednd area was reduced to 1.98 acres.


    This is actually quite normal, as arge number of infrastructure and industrial base constructions have attracted arge number of immigrants and rural poptions to be workers, so the agricultural poption has naturally declined.


    However, due to therge-scale poption growth, the overallnd area in Austrsia is still increasing.


    Currently, Austrsia''s annual food production has reached 12.79 million tons, making it a trulyrge food-producing country.


    Of course, most of the food that Austrsia produces is currently being shipped to major domestic granaries for strategic reserves.


    Of the 12.79 million tons of food, only about one-tenth is exported, with the exports still going to allies like Britain, France, and Russia.


    How exaggerated is Austrsia''s food production volume? If you eat frugally, 12.79 million tons of food can feed 50 million people for one year.


    Plus, with Austrsia''s highly developed animal husbandry industry, Austrsia''s annual food production can feed the whole poption for three years, and it''s rich in both vegetables and meat.


    Just the agriculture within Austrsia alone is enough to support the entire poption of the region.


    If the cknd rented from Argentina this time is fully exploited for agriculture, the food production of Austrsia will increase even more.


    Taking into ount the total territory of Austrsia, Arthur is confident that even with the current agricultural level, they can support a poption of 50 million.


    Not to mention that with the development of poption and technology, agriculture will also undergo earth-shattering changes.


    After listening to the Prime Minister and various ministers'' reports on the current state of the nation, Arthur is quite satisfied with the overall situation.


    ording to this development trend, as long as they are victorious in World War I, Austrsia can be one of the world''s top five powers after the war.


    Even if Russia experiences a mishap during the war, Austrsia will directly be the world''s fourth power after Britain, France, and the United States.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At that time, the responsibility ofpeting with the United States will fall on Austrsia, as Britain and France recover from their colonies.


    Although it is a challenge, there are benefits to be gained from the assistance of Britain and France for the development of Austrsia.


    After all, Britain and France are not willing to see the United States provoke conflicts at this time. A weakened Britain and France may not be a match for the United States, so whether Austrsia can withstand the U.S. will be the most important topic after the war.


    After a brief annual report, Arthur shifted the topic to the newly acquired colonies and asked the Cab Government about the policies for these new colonies.


    "Your Majesty, to control these colonies and territories in the long run, besides military control, some changes in education are also needed. I think that within the entire Austrsian region, English should be made the officialnguage, withpulsory education.


    Moreover, the supervision and restrictions on non-English schools should be increased, so that the people can be unified in speaking English and can be brought together more effectively." Minister of Education Stefan took the lead in standing up and suggesting.


    It''s true that to better unify a region, amonnguage and amon system are necessary.


    "Hmm, Minister Stefan''s proposal is very good. Do any of you have other opinions?" Arthur nodded and said with a smile.


    "Your Majesty, in addition to education, we should also send arge number of missionaries in the field of religion and change the faith of the entire Austrsian region to Protestantism, or at least Christianity. Only by being loyal to God can one be a loyal Austrsian." Archbishop Steed suggested.


    The official religion of Austrsia is Protestantism, more specifically, Australian Protestantism.


    Australian Protestantism has its own Archbishop, who is loyal to the King of Austrsia.


    Apart from some minor differences, Australian Protestantism is virtually indistinguishable from British Protestantism, but Arthur made a more precise division just to make his rule more convenient.


    While the official religion of Austrsia is Protestantism, different beliefs are held by immigrants from various parts of Europe, so the religion of the Austrsian people varies.


    Thergest number of believers belong to the same Christian faith, including Protestantism, Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.


    English immigrants and German immigrants believe in Protestantism, while Russian immigrants believe in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. As for other European immigrants, some believe in Protestantism, others in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and some in Catholicism.


    In any case, these three religions belong to Christianity, and are within the eptable range of the Austrsian government.


    Other religions besides Christianity are not weed in Austrsia and are mostly believed in by indigenous peoples and their descendants with immigrant backgrounds.


    A united country must have a unifiednguage and belief. Archbishop Steed is right in saying that at least a majority of the people in Austrsia should believe in Christianity.


    The gap between beliefs can be immense, and even in the modern age when religion has lost its power, there are still many who are obsessed with religious beliefs.


    The rulers of Austrsia all believe in Protestantism, which means that the people of Austrsia should believe in Protestantism, or at least the closely rted Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.


    When conflicts arise between the upper echelons and themon people, it is usually themon people who have to change, not the upper echelons.


    Of course, the current situation in Austrsia is not bad, and it is only in a small number of colonies and areas that missionaries need to be sent to spread the gospel.


    As for the issue of religion, Arthur also attaches great importance. After Archbishop Steed''s suggestion, Arthur nodded and said, "It is very necessary to send missionaries. Archbishop Steed, this matter is left to you.


    The task of the Ministry of Education is to establish arge number of English-only schools in the new colonies, while the task of the Church is to dispatch arge number of missionaries to these areas."


    Upon hearing Arthur''smand, Archbishop Steed solemnly nodded and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the Church''s missionaries will advance into the new colonies within a few days toplete Your Majesty''s task."


    Although Archbishop Steed came from the Church of Ennd, he had already understood who he was truly loyal to in the political environment of Austrsia.


    When the religious mystique fades away, religion has no choice but to bow before secr power.


    Clearly, Archbishop Steed is a wise man. He knows that although his poweres from the Church, it is Arthur who grants the Church''s power.


    If Arthur is dissatisfied, he can be reced at any time. Therefore, aftering to Austrsia, Archbishop Steed regarded himself as the Archbishop of the Austrsian Church, not the Archbishop of the previous English Church.

 Chapter 458: Chapter 364: Hope Battleship

    This era is not the same aster generations, private education has not yet been poprized among the general public.


    Although there are many private schools in Europe at this time, there are also numerous private schools in Austrsia.


    These private schools generally bear the titles of the aristocracy, and those who are able to attend these private schools are either nobles or wealthy capitalists.


    Even in some more traditional aristocratic schools, there are cases where top-level capitalists with a worth of millions or even tens of millions have no right to attend such schools.


    Such schools generally serve only the descendants of high-ranking nobility, training outstanding descendants for the aristocratic ss.


    These schools are not only for providing top-notch education, but also for providing an excellentwork of connections for the descendants of the nobility.


    It should be noted that in such top-notch traditional aristocratic schools, every student''s parents and their families have considerable power and influence.


    By connecting through such means, the entire aristocratic ss has be more united.


    This also means that it is difficult for ordinary people to ess any other forms of education besides the state-run public education.


    As for the content taught in public schools, it is actually determined by the Austrsian government.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Austrsia''s unifiednguage policy has been implemented since the time Archbishop Steed first arrived in Austrsia several years ago, not only defining the status of English in various schools, but also establishing Victoria Language Schools in themunity.


    In Austrsia''s nativend, all current public schools only teach the Englishnguage. Only after entering a corresponding literature department in a university can students choose othernguages.


    This means that among Austrsian students, they are now all able tomunicate effectively in English.


    These students include arge number of those of British descent, as well as those of German, Russian, and Italian origin.


    For a country like Austrsia, which is made up of a majority of immigrants, the importance of a unifiednguage is unmatched.


    "Minister Stefan, tell me about our current progress in promoting English!" Arthur looked at Minister of Education Stefan and asked with a smile.


    Although the Victoria Language School is jointly established by the Austrsian government and the Austrsian Church, the major fundinges from the education sector.


    There is no choice, as thenguage schools that poprize the country of Austrsia are beyond the reach of the current Austrsian Church.


    Moreover, the importance of promoting English has led most of thenguage schools to be free of charge, so the education sector and the church cannot make any profit from it.


    Therefore, the establishment of Victoria Language School has always been funded by the Ministry of Education, while the church and the education sector jointly provide talent.


    Archbishop Steed''s reason for venturing to establish the Victoria Language School despite the risk of loss is to take advantage of the poprization of English to gain more opportunities to spread the faith among non-English-speaking immigrants.


    After all, only when there are more adherents to Protestantism can the Protestant Church and Archbishop Steed gain a higher status and benefit. So, for both the Austrsian government and the church, the new version of Victoria Language School is a win-win proposition.


    "Yes, Your Majesty." Minister Stefan replied with respect.


    "Your Majesty, the Victoria Language School has been in operation for nearly five years since its founding. Considering the importance of poprizing English, our goal during these five years has been to poprize Victoria Language School in various ces.


    So far, in the eight states and one territory of the Australian and New Zend regions, there are more than 100 Victoria Language Schools, training nearly 700,000 short-term trainees and nearly 200,000 long-term trainees.


    Our next goal is to strive to train at least 300,000 people every year so that more immigrants canmunicate proficiently in English.


    Because it is aimed at the general public, the Victoria Language School is divided into two terms: six-month courses and one-year courses, corresponding to short and long-term training.


    Generally speaking, after studying at anguage school for six months, one can usually use most simple English formunication, which does not hamper their life in Austrsia.


    At present, the majority of non-English-speaking immigrants choose to study short-term courses for six months.


    In fact, the Cab Government has also proposed a quick way to improve the English poprization rate, which is to enforce restrictions on factories and high-paying jobs that require knowledge of English.


    However, if this is done, it would easily cause dissatisfaction among immigrants who do not speak English, which is not good for the country''s stability.


    It should be noted that there are already quite a few people of Russian and German descent in Austrsia. If such restrictions are blindly increased, it can easily lead to dissatisfaction among these people.


    Hence, after much consideration, Arthur chose a rtively moderate approach: setting up free Englishnguage education schools like the Victoria Language School for the public.


    These immigrants, to make a living and to adapt better to Austrsian life, would always try to learn and understand English.


    At present, Austrsiannguage schools can teach over 200,000 immigrants a year, and the poprity of English has already improved significantly throughout the region.


    Arthur strongly supported the essibility of English. With sufficient funding provided to the department of education, he set a new goal: to increase the number of people receiving English training to over 500,000 within three years.


    Besides assigning tasks to the Ministry of Education, Arthur also assigned specific tasks to each department, covering all aspects of Austrsia.


    With the new year approaching, no one could guarantee that the future year would be peaceful or wartime.


    Under these circumstances, it was crucial for Austrsia to prepare themselves to face wars at any time, and all factories and enterprises should also mobilize for this.


    At the Cab Meeting, Arthur rejected some ministers'' proposals to hold a military parade for both the army and navy.


    Firstly, there were only about ten days left until the National Day, and preparations made on short notice would not be sufficient.


    Secondly, holding a high-profile military parade in Austrsia at present could inevitably impact the tense situation in Europe.


    Even if the Germans did not misunderstand, how would the Austro-Hungarian Empire perceive it? As a member of the Allies, arge-scale military parade in Austrsia at this time could be seen as provocative in the eyes of others.


    However, National Day celebrations were still indispensable. This could be thest peaceful National Day celebration for the people of Austrsia before World War I, and Arthur intended to give a speech to strengthen the morale within the country and remind everyone that Austrsia could be involved in a major European war at any time.


    After the cab meeting, the time quietly came to January 1, 1914.


    On New Year''s Day, Austrsia received good news: the Hope-ss battleships, Hope and Dream, were about to begin construction.


    Given the experience of building Hope-ss battleships for the Chileans, modifications were made to the Hope and Dream battleships to enhance their performance.


    The main improvements were in armor and power. The armor of the two Austrsian Hope-ss battleships was more robust, resulting in a standard discement of 23,000 tons and a full load discement of 27,100 tons.


    To match the increased weight, two mixed-fuel boilers were added to the power system, boosting the Hope-ss battleships'' power to around 35,000 horsepower, with an anticipated top speed of 21.5 knots.


    Of course, there were no significant changes in firepower. Because the 45-caliber MK V type 13.5-inch main guns expected to be mounted on the Hope-ss battleships were the most advanced,rgest caliber, and most powerful main ship guns in the British Empire.


    As for the more powerful 15-inch main guns, not to mention Austrsia, even the British Empire was researching anxiously.


    However, the good news is that the construction cycle of the Hope and Dream battleships is about a year, and the time for the British Empire''s historical 15-inch main guns to be installed is in 1915.


    This implies that the two battleships could be equipped with 15-inch main guns. As soon as either the British Empire or Austrsia researches a stable 15-inch main gun, they can immediately change equipment.


    Even if the 15-inch main guns are not mounted, the 45-caliber 13.5-inch main guns from the former British Empire are undoubtedly among the most powerful main ship guns in the world.


    Especially the upgraded Hope-ss battleships, they will represent Austrsia''s highest shipbuilding level and symbolize Austrsia''s power.


    Arthur was very cautious about the start of the Hope and Dream battleships, and on January 1, the second day of the cab meeting, he personally attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the two battleships and made an important speech.


    In his speech, Arthurpared Hope and Dream to the bridge of improvements in Austrsia, vital trump cards to protect the safety of Austrsia itself and its people, and safeguard their interests.


    The entire 1914 naval construction n focused on the construction of these two Hope-ss battleships. If built smoothly, the two Hope-ss battleships were expected to bepleted and enter sea trials by early 1915, and officially enter service betweente 1915 and early 1916.


    Admittedly, the cost of the Hope-ss battleships¡ªone of the world''s most robust battleship designs at that time¡ªwas also very high.


    Even though the Royal Shipyard offered a sale price to the Ministry of Defense that was barely higher than the cost price, the cost of each Hope-ss battleship was still around 4.6 million Australian dors.


    This signified that the Ministry of Defense''s financial budget for the year had already spent nearly 10 million, the result being only these two battleships, which would not enter service until the end of next year.


    From this perspective, it can be seen how exaggerated the naval arms race among European countries had be in terms of financial consumption.


    Austrsia only built two super dreadnoughts, and the mere construction cost ounted for one-tenth of the government''s annual fiscal revenue.


    If the follow-up testing, training, and maintenance fees are included, Austrsia''s finances could not afford too many super dreadnoughts.

 Chapter 459: Chapter 365: The Drawbacks of Urban City Population

    On National Day speech, Arthur also adhered to the previous n, which was to give all Austrsians a vination that war might not be far for Austrsia.


    While it was a speech, it also had a bit of a mobilization meaning. After all, geographically speaking, this European war could bepletely ignored by Austrsia, maintaining a neutral position and even taking the opportunity to sellrge amounts of food and weapons resources to both sides.


    However, if Austrsia wants to rise and be a truly strong country in the world, it has to participate in this war.


    Not participating in this war would mean not being able to have a share of the benefits after the war. Without the distribution of benefits, Austrsia would forever be just the eighth power.


    More importantly, this would cause the gap between Austrsia and the United States to widen further and further.


    When Europe gradually loses its leading position due to internal consumption, no one would be able to stop the rise of the United States.


    As for the other country that will be born in Russia in the future, judging from its national system, this country could never be an ally of Austrsia.


    The real reason why European countries generally besieged this country after its birth was precisely because the terrible system and ideas it brought were enough to subvert most of the monarchical countries in Europe.


    The good news is that Austrsia has always been well managed by Arthur. The royal family and the government have put a lot of effort into the civil affairs, and the living standards of the Austrsian people have also risen steadily.


    True ordinary civilians seeking for a satisfactory life has already been somewhat achieved in Austrsia.


    This has led to a very high support for the government among Austrsian civilians, and with Arthur''s prestige, the stability of the country is well ensured.


    At least in Austrsia, revolutionary parties like this have no way out. The stable and powerful country and the happy life of the people make it hard to see why anyone would risk their lives to oppose such a country.


    Those with ulterior motives have mostly been captured by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, either being sent to minefields forbor or secretly executed.


    Even if there were fish that escaped the, in the politically stable environment of Austrsia, they would either choose to flee or hide and wait for opportunities.


    But would there really be opportunities for these people? As long as the happiness of the people of Austrsia does not decline, there will be no opportunities for these revolutionaries.


    The good news is that following Arthur''s speech, the reaction of the Austrsian people was supportive of the decision made by Arthur and the government.


    Even many fanatical loyalists of Arthur are already moring for active war preparations and eager to join the army.


    The people''s support for the country to participate in this potentially avoidable war is good news for both the government and Arthur.


    Seizing this opportunity, Arthur also announced a donation of 5 million Australian dors to the Royal Relief Committee, which caused the audience to cheer even more.


    Currently, the Royal Relief Committee receives 2 million Australian dors in funds provided by the royal family each year, plus various donations from the outside world.


    But evenbining the two would not exceed 3 million Australian dors. The 5 million Australian dors Arthur donated is equivalent to the relief funds needed by the Royal Relief Committee for two years.


    All these funds are used for the low-ie poption in Austrsia, which is why the audience cheers.


    In addition to donating to the Royal Relief Committee, Arthur also announced lifting restrictions on residents buying food.


    Previously, each household was not allowed to purchase more than 500 catties of grain at a time, which has now been increased to one ton, that is, 2000 catties.


    ording to the average of 6.3 people per household in Austrsia, if each household purchases the maximum allowable grain quota, about 2.21 million tons of grain is needed.


    It should be noted that the total annual grain consumption in Austrsia is less than 3 million tons.


    This means that one ton of grain per household can basically meet the food needs of the family for half a year.


    And the 2.21 million tons of grain is actually only about one-tenth of Austrsia''s strategic grain reserves.


    To sell it to the people not only alleviates the public''s food anxiety due to the impending war, but also sends a message to the public that the country has sufficient food supply and there is no need to worry about famine.


    In order to ensure the stability of food supply for the people, Arthur also specifically stipted that at this stage of selling food, the price of grain must remain the same asst year''s selling price and does not allow any significant increase.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Austrsia is a major food-producing country. Arthur will not tolerate any low-priced purchase and high-priced sale of food.


    Anyone who takes advantage of the national crisis is a betrayal to the country and a disgrace to the nation.


    Austrsia''s meat and grain production has always been well-developed, and it is also a famous major exporter of meat and cattle and sheep.


    In addition, currently developed agriculture allows Arthur to confidently say that even during the entire World War I, the people of Austrsia do not have to worry about food shortages.


    Of course, the rise in grain prices was inevitable, and Arthur and the Austrsian Government would control the grain prices within a reasonable range.


    For Arthur, exporting grain to foreign countries to earn foreign money is much more profitable than making money from domestic people.


    Arthur doesn''t care how high the grain prices rise abroad, but the two main cities in Austrsia must not experience significant price increases at any given time.


    Following the customary g-raising ceremony, this National Day celebration can be considered as a sessful event.


    The crowd gathered at Sydney Pce Square did not disperse in a hurry. Due to the fact that the military parades in previous years were held at Sydney Pce, a prosperous economic chain has already formed outside the pce.


    Even the shops and vendors around the main road from Sydney City to Sydney Pce show the current prosperity of Sydney.


    As the city with thergest poption in Austrsia, Sydney''s development is beyond doubt.


    Also, because a majority of Austrsia''s poption is immigrants, this has led to an unbnced distribution of poption.


    Although various policies have improved the situation, Sydney and Melbourne remain the two strongest cities in Austrsia without any opponents.


    Currently, thebined poption of Sydney and Melbourne is close to 3 million, which is over one-fifth of the total poption of Austrsia.


    The government''s policies have had a certain effect, allowing for significant poption growth in the states surrounding the two major cities and West Australia, where the construction of industrial bases is prioritized.


    However, immigrants still have arge say in choosing the ces they want to go. Everyone wants to settle inrger cities, which results in at least one-third of the 1 million-plus immigrants per year choosing to stay in Sydney and Melbourne.


    ording to statistics from the Department of Civil Affairs, Sydney is expected to reach a poption of 2 million this year, bing one of thergest cities in the world.


    A poption of 2 million is not a small number, and a city with such a poption has a significant global standing.


    Looking at current capitals and developed cities of major powers, cities with a poption of over 2 million include London in the United Kingdom, New York in the United States, Berlin in Germany, Paris in France, Saint Petersburg in Russia, and Vienna in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Among them, the poptions of Berlin, Saint Petersburg, and Vienna are just above 2 million, while Paris has a poption of around 3 million. This shows that cities with a poption of 2 million are indeed considered massive.


    Of course, there is still a considerable distance from London, the most populous and developed city in Europe at present.


    London currently has a poption of nearly 8 million, which is more than that of many small and medium-sized countries, demonstrating the strength of the British Empire.


    As one of the European powers, Italy''s capital Rome has a poption of just over 600,000, which is about a third of Sydney''s poption.


    Keep in mind that Italy''s poption is more than twice that of Austrsia.


    However, the capital of Italy only ounts for one-third of Austrsia''s capital poption, which shows the imbnced poption distribution in Austrsia.


    Add to that Melbourne, another major city in Austrsia, and the severity of the situation bes more evident, even hindering the development of other states in Austrsia.


    Every year, one-third of the immigrants stay in Sydney and Melbourne, and many others remain in New South Wales and Victoria.


    This results in only about half of the total number of immigrants going to other states, who are then further divided among New Zend and the colonies.


    Aside from Victoria, New South Wales, and the Capital Territory, other states receive approximately 100,000 immigrants per year.


    For regions like West Australian State, focused on industrial development, the number of immigrants each year is only about 200,000 to 300,000, which is far from sufficient to meet the needs of urban and regional development.


    Meanwhile, the scale of both Sydney and Melbourne is gettingrger, and the poption of either city is more than that of some states, making management quite troublesome.


    If necessary, reducing the functions of these two cities, especially Sydney, would allow other cities and regions in Austrsia to develop better.


    Sydney is currently Austrsia''s administrative, religious, cultural, economic, and military center.


    If it weren''t for the construction of the Leonora Industrial Base, Sydney might have taken on the title of the industrial center as well.


    Although this makes Sydney thergest city in Austrsia and one of the top six cities in the world in terms of poption, it poses a problem for Austrsia, which has a poption of just under 14 million.


    Leaving other issues aside, even the early modification of Sydney''s urban nning has not been enough. Up to now, Sydney''s poption has tripled in just over a decade, and some urban areas have already be quite chaotic and congested.


    To properly solve such problems, in addition to spending a great deal of time and money to re-n the urban area, finding a new location for the capital is also an effective solution.

 Chapter 460: Chapter 366: T-14 Tank and T-14A Tank

    Initially, Sydney was chosen as the capital not only because it was the capital of thergest colony of New South Wales at the time, but also because it had one of thergest ports, Sydney Harbour, which was suitable for economic development, and likewise appealing to immigrants from abroad.


    However, now the drawbacks of Sydney being close to the coast are bing apparent. Until the naval scale of Austrsia is increased, the safety of Sydney is not so reliable.


    Moreover, the issues that have arisen as Sydney''s poption exploded have led to growing voices within the Austrsian government calling for relocation of the capital.


    Moving a capital is not a strange thing for a country. When faced with problems such as economy, politics, military, and environment, relocation bes an effective and inevitable solution.


    Take the United States as an example; its capital is not in the most developed city, New York, but in the less popted and rtively less developed Washington.


    For Austrsia, having the capital located in a southeastern coastal city like Sydney creates another problem: neglecting the development of ind and western cities.


    Austrsia actually has ins and the only river in the Australian region, the Mure River.


    Theoretically, the development potential of the Mure River Delta could even be higher than that of southeastern Austrsia, and due to its ind location, it is rtively safer.


    This area is also a barrennd for Austrsia, sparsely popted and economically underdeveloped.


    If relocating the capital, this area would be the most suitable but also the most troublesome.


    Building a new city here would be no different, representing the need for the Austrsian government to spend decades developing this area.


    However, the benefits are also very obvious. It has thergest river in the Australian region and is located in the Central in of Australia, offering huge development potential.


    If developed well, just along the Mure River, tens of millions of people could live here.


    It also means that the Australian region alone can amodate at least 100 million people. Combined with New Guinea of New Zend and the various colonies, Austrsia could amodate at least 200 million people, meeting the poption demand to be a superpower.


    Arthur, from the future, knows that although the Australian region has more than 7 million square kilometers of vastnd, inter generations, the useablend is scarce, with the poption concentrated along the coast and southeast.


    It should be noted that inter generations, the vast Central in of Australia has beenpletely gobiified and desertified.


    Now, more than 100 years ago, there is still the possibility of saving this Central in, especially the Mure River Basin.


    If this area could indeed be developed into a cultivatable and livable region, it would be a good thing for Austrsia and for Arthur.


    Just the Mure River Basin could support tens of millions of people. If the northern Darling River Basin is included, tens of millions more people could be supported.


    Together with the defensive ind chains built by Austrsia''s outer colonies and archipgos, the status of Austrsia as a top power would be basically established.


    However, although the benefits of relocation outweigh the drawbacks and asional calls for relocation emerge from within the government.


    For present-day Austrsia, it is temporarily not suitable to undertake the relocation with fanfare.


    First, the more than one million people in Sydney would certainly not want the government to move. After all, there is a huge gap between a capital and a non-capital city. Sydney''s rapid development as the capital is undoubtedly the reason why it has surpassed Melbourne to be Austrsia''s first city with a poption of over one million.


    If it loses its capital status, Sydney may not be overtaken by Melbourne, but its current status will definitely decline.


    Secondly, relocating the capital is not something that can be implemented immediately once decided. Choosing the location of the new city, constructing it, including the future government buildings, and the construction of a new royal pce, requires not only a lot of time but also a lot of funds.


    Moreover, Arthur feels that the European war is not far away. Therefore, Austrsia will not attempt to relocate the capital before the end of World War I, and Arthur has no ns for relocation for the time being.


    Instead of using government funds for a new capital, it is better to produce more weapons and equipment and seek greater profits in the war.


    Once Austrsia has made enough money in this war, and there are no threats of war or foreign enemies, it will not be toote to announce a grand relocation.


    With the great prestige brought by winning the war, even if the people are unwilling at the time of relocation, no one will jump out to directly oppose it.


    However, although there are no ns for relocation for the time being, the investigation of the area near the Mure River can begin.


    Even if this area will not be the future capital, it is still and worth developing.


    It should be noted that the current Mure River Basin''s soil has not yet suffered considerable damage. Apart from a few areas that have already be gobiified, most areas are still lush grasnds and forests with great development value.


    As long as the issue of Austrsia''s rampant wild rabbits can be addressed properly, this area will be the future granary of Austrsia and one of the most developed and populous areas.


    For a country, a in as a geographical area has the greatest development potential and is what a country needs most.


    Not only can ins be used to build urban clusters, but they can also be used to build pastoral areas, grain-producing areas, and industrial zones, etc.


    Moreover, it is easier to build transportation infrastructure in in areas, andying highways and railways is rtively simpler.


    For example, in the southeastern mountains and hills, whenying railways and highways, tunnels and bridges need to be taken into ount as well.


    On the other hand, with ins, you only need toy roads with closed eyes, which can not only save a lot of manpower and supplies but also save a lot of time.


    On January 17, 1914, after looking at the map of Austrsia for a long time, Arthur finally issued his order, dispatching a geological survey team to the Mure River Basin.


    If it is confirmed that this area is suitable for development and has great potential, Arthur would not mind relocating the capital to this area and developing Austrsia''s own ins.


    If the development potential is not that great, Arthur will still allocate some energy after World War I to develop this area, considering its status as one of the few ins in Austrsia.


    Of course, if the development potential of this area is not huge, apart from implementing some policies to hinder the desertification and Gobi-formation of this region, Arthur''s desire to develop this area will not be that high.


    Geographical environmental survey is a major project, which not only explores the geographical environment of this area but also investigates its mineral resources, freshwater resources, and the suitability for developing agricultural and animal husbandry industries.


    Even if the geological survey team progresses quickly, it would take at least two or three months to obtain aprehensive report.


    Of course, Arthur is not in a hurry about this. Apart from patiently waiting for the geological survey team''s news, Arthur has other important things to do, such as the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory.


    On the surface, the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory is thergest tractor manufacturer in Austrsia but is also engaged in research on tanks.


    Since the development of the first-generation tank four years ago, after a long period of exploration and experimentation, Austrsia''s second-generation tank was sessfully produced.


    The research of the first-generation tank was crude. After adding weapons, steel tes, and ammunition storage, etc., to the basis of a tractor, the first-generation tank was born.


    Although it has been modified many times after that, such a tank design is still very simplistic, not only ugly but also prone to problems.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that the first-generation tank would break down every several tens of kilometers, greatly testing the contemporary tank soldiers'' ability to repair tanks.


    Although most of them are minor issues and can get back on the road after simple repairs, the problem is that the frequency of issues with the first-generation tank is just too high.


    And the second-generation tank is pinned with high hopes by Arthur.


    Because the second-generation tank is a brand-new design, not only is its appearance significantly different from the first-generation tank, but also the performance gap is huge.


    Upon seeing the second-generation tank for the first time, Arthur immediately abandoned the design of the first-generation tank.


    The reason is simple: in Arthur''s view, the second-generation tank is indeed a more modern one.


    Even if you don''t look at the performance data where the second-generation tank leads by a wide margin, just from the appearance alone, the second-generation tank is enough to kill the first-generation tank in a second.


    The second-generation tank is named the 14-Year Tank by Arthur, abbreviated as the T-14 tank.


    ording to the design of the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory, the T-14 tank is divided into two models: the basic T-14 tank and the T-14A tank.


    First, the T-14 tank is the basic version of the second-generation tank. It is slightlyrger than the first-generation tank, amodating five crew members, including a driver, amander, a gunner, a machine gunner, and a loader.


    The T-14 tank is equipped with a GA1902-75mm semi-automatic cannon and an MA-107 Maxim heavy machine gun, making it unrivaled in firepower.


    The gun turret on the top can rotate freely, theoretically allowing it to attack enemies in 360 degrees.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Below the turret, a heavy machine gun is mounted with a fixed direction, which can only attack enemies in front of the tank.


    In addition to improvements in firepower, the T-14 tank is also covered with 21mm steel armor, greatly improving the tank''s protection capability.


    The Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory has also considerately equipped the tank with an air conditioner, which allows the tank soldiers to adjust the tank''s temperature at will, without worrying about the temperature problems they may face during summer and winter battles.


    Of course, with the enhancement of firepower and armor, the weight of this tank has reached a staggering 14.6 tons, which is an absolute giant on the battlefield, and its weight alone is enough to crush any enemy.

 Chapter 461: Chapter 367: The Indigenous Peoples Problem

    Thanks to the 14.6-ton weight of the T-14 tank, it can amodate five crew members while carrying 2800 machine gun bullets, 42 shells and some supplies, as well as enough fuel to travel over 400 kilometers.


    Of course, the personal weapons of the five crew members are also included. These are to be used for self-defense andbat when the tank is scrapped or breaks down.


    The T-14 tank also has a significant improvement in speed. Although it has also gained much in weight, the T-14 tank can still maintain an average speed of at least 26 kilometers per hour on t ground, with a maximum speed of around 30 kilometers per hour.


    But data taken only on t surfaces can''t illustrate much, since tanks are designed to adapt to various road conditions, even against trenches and gullies dug by the enemy.


    Unfortunately, even with enhanced power, the T-14 tank is not fast on non-t terrain.


    Considering a variety of road conditions, under non-t and obstacle-filled surfaces, the T-14 tank can maintain an average speed of 15 kilometers per hour, without exceeding the maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour.


    If the speed exceeds 20 kilometers per hour on obstacleden surfaces, there will soon be problems like stalling, turning the powerful weapon into a pile of scrap iron.


    This issue is not something that can be resolved in the short term, as even in the history of World War II, tanks would asionally encounter problems.


    At present, the capability of Austrsia''s tanks has already taken a significant lead in the world''s tank research and development.


    Although the asional issue of the T-14 stalling cannot be solved, overall, as long as the tank can be quickly repaired, the T-14 tank is still a massive weapon on the battlefield.


    With robust armor and a 75mm semi-automatic cannon, and a Maxim heavy machine gun, thisbination of an imprable shield and a sharp spear on the battlefield ensures that unless the enemy has anti-tank weapons or usesrge caliber bombardments, the tank will pose no danger.


    The T-14 tank is known as the basic improved version of the first-generation tank because there are such killers as the T-14A heavy tank.


    If you look at the weight of the T-14A tank, you''ll know there are many differences between it and the T-14 tank.


    The T-14A tank weighs 21.7 tons, a whole 7.1 tons more than the T-14 tank.


    In terms of firepower, the T-14A tank is equipped with a GA1906 Model 105mm semi-automatic cannon, a CA-1 37mm machine gun and an MA-107 Maxim heavy machine gun.


    Because it has significantly improved firepower, the T-14A tank has a main gun turret and a forward gun turret.


    The only heavy machine gun is mounted on the forward gun turret, along with a CA-1 37mm machine gun, to ensure effective damage to the enemy''s ground troops.


    The 105mm semi-automatic cannon in the main turret is used specifically to capture enemy positions and fortresses, making it a top weapon for charging and breaking through defenses.


    In terms of armor protection, the T-14A tank has a steel armor thickness of up to 35mm and is a whole sizerger than the T-14 tank in physical dimensions.


    This makes the protective capability of the T-14A tank greatly enhanced, at least rendering the enemy''s light weapons no threat to this heavy tank.


    Even somerge-caliber guns do not pose much of a threat to this massive guy. Because of the overall design of the T-14A tank, unless the shell directly hits and explodes, it will be deflected by the sturdy steel armor, significantly reducing its destructive power.


    Unless the shell explodes at the bottom of the tank or directly blows up the tank''s track, the T-14A tank on the battlefield only needs to charge headlong.


    The T-14A tank has two more crew members than the T-14 tank, with a total of seven crew members including one driver, onemander, two gunners, one machine gunner, and two loaders.


    As a heavy tank, the T-14A tank can carry even more weaponry and ammunition.


    Generally speaking, the T-14A tank can carry 4600 machine gun bullets, 180 37mm shells, 22 105mm shells, and enough fuel for the tank to travel more than 300 kilometers.


    Of course, this data is rtive. If the tank is on a t road, it can carry more weaponry and ammunition. Otherwise, it will carry less.


    As a heavy tank, although the T-14A tank hasrger and more diesel engines, its speed is slightly slower than the T-14 tank.


    Of course, this is actually the design of this tank. It does not pursue speed, but rather seeks more important stability.


    ording to several private tests by the Agricultural Machinery Factory, this heavy tank can reach a maximum speed of 22 kilometers per hour on a t road, with an average speed of 18 kilometers per hour.


    On non-t roads, the T-14A tank can reach a maximum speed of 16 kilometers per hour, with an average speed of 12 kilometers per hour.


    Although the speed does not seem fast, if Arthur recalls correctly, the speed of most tanks in World War I, did not seem to reach ten kilometers per hour.


    And it''s been about twenty years since World War II began after World War I, so it''s quite normal for all kinds of tank technologies to have made considerable progress.


    Given the current progress of Austrsian tanks, it''s possible that tanks with World War II performance could be manufactured about ten years earlier.


    "Factory Manager Joel, have these two types of tanks been tested in practice?" After reading the data on the two tanks, Arthur, with a hint of curiosity, looked at Joel, the manager of the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory, and asked.


    "The machinery factory has already done small-scale tests, Your Majesty. However, to determine the actual performance and stability of a military weapon like this, I''m afraid it requiresrge-scale and long-term testing," Factory Manager Joel replied hurriedly.


    After all, these are military weapons to be used on the battlefield. Even though the agricultural machinery factory has conducted several tests, Factory Manager Joel still doesn''t dare to guarantee that there will be no problems.


    The official testing of a weapon typically involves the military and R&D industry''s upper echelons attending. If the military confirms that there are no issues with the T-14 Tank and the T-14A Tank, even if some defects arise during use, they aren''t likely to be med on Factory Manager Joel.


    Even during the testing of crucial weapons and equipment, Arthur might personally attend and give his opinions.


    Who would dare to say there''s a problem with a tank that passed a quality inspection under Arthur''s supervision?


    Arthur nodded, naturally understanding Factory Manager Joel''s caution, and said, "Organize the official testing as soon as possible. But the news must be kept secret. Besides some upper echelons of the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory, those participating in the tank test can only be the military''s upper echelons and trustworthy soldiers."


    Building a tank is rather simple. For example, Austrsia''s first-generation tank was simply a tractor that had undergone some improvement, bing a tank that unites the spear and the shield.


    Although the tank''s exposure is inevitable, Arthur still wants to dy that exposure.


    Certainly, falling behind in airne and tank research weakens the British and French''s power a bit, but it''s also weakening Germany''s power.


    As long as Austrsia has tanks and airnes, the Allies''prehensive military strength would far exceed the Central Powers''.


    As for Britain, France, and Russia not having tanks and airnes, Austrsia could sell them to them. The prices would definitely be fair and honest.


    Having second-generation tanks before World War I broke out is good news for Arthur.


    Even if the second-generation tank''s production rate isn''t high and they only have a few dozen of them at most if war breaks out, they would y a crucial role in the war.


    Looking at the T-14A tank''s performance data, without a doubt, this is a powerful weapon that could ignore the enemy''s firepower and easily destroy the enemy''s position and fortress.


    If such a weapon appeared in the trench warfare in Europe, could it speed up the progression of the war?


    That''s an unknown, but one thing for sure is that the emergence of second-generation tanks will significantly reduce the Austrsia Army''s casualties, at least the casualties of the regr army.


    As for the hundreds of thousands of indigenous soldiers, no one would care about their casualties.


    Even if some indigenous soldiers safely returned, they would ultimately be dispatched by Arthur to other regions or secretly killed in ces unknown to the public.


    If the reason must be given, it might be because the majority of Austrsian colonies in one of the three major inds of Oceania, where most Mnesians live, are inhabited by ck people.


    The territories of Mnesia include New Guinea, Royal Territory, Australian Timor, Australian Solomon Inds, Australian New Caledonia, Australian Fiji, etc., which upy the vast majority of Austrsia''s overseas territories.


    And the name "Mnesia"es from the Greeknguage, implying "Negro Inds".


    ording to the Austrsian Government''s preliminary statistics, about a million indigenous people live on thesends, most of whom are Mnesians, with a small number being New Guinea people.


    Among Mnesians, pure bloodlines are maintained. Only cks marry cks, which also leads to the most pure ck bloodline on thisnd.


    It''s this reason that they will never be epted by Austrsia. Austrsians'' strong racism will not ept such a poption, and Arthur''s strong personal will would also definitely not ept such a poption.


    In fact, after Austrsia took over these colonies in the Mnesia region, the fate of these natives only had two oues. Apart from serving Austrsia to their deaths, their best oue was being sent to the Dutch East Indies in Southeast Asia.


    But up to now, the recorded actions of sending indigenous people by Austrsia didn''t exceed three times, with no more than 2000 people each time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This suggests that among the hundreds of thousands of indigenous people in Austrsia, at most 6000 have safely left Austrsia so far.


    Meanwhile, nearly 1.5 million people have been hastily buried en masse on thisnd.


    Their sacrifices were worth it. They built a powerful nation in about ten years.


    Arthur and Austrsia haven''t forgotten these indigenous people''s contribution, and the action of sending indigenous people away is still ongoing and has even increased from before.

 Chapter 462: Chapter 368: The Outstanding Merits of Browning

    On January 27, 1914, two models of tanks were secretly tested in the suburbs of Sydney.


    The test site was chosen to be the training ground of the First Guard Division. The advantage is that the division''s training can serve as a pretext to mask the explosion sounds during the tank tests.


    Fortunately, the performance of the two tanks in the actual tests was pretty much as predicted, with minor differences in speed, stability, etc.


    Although the real testing willst a long time, testing the actual stability of the tanks under various environments is required.


    But what can be assured is that based on the current experimental data, the second generation of tanks can now be deployed for actualbat. Once the testing ispleted without any issues, they can be equipped on a small scale and be the secret weapon of the Austrsian Army.


    As for therge scale equipment of tanks, it would have to wait at least over a decade, until the third or even fourth generation tanks are developed.


    If tanks are equipped on arge scale now, the logistical and repair problems it will bring will cause the entire military system to copse.


    Imagine hundreds of tanks breaking down collectively during warfare. It''s likely the enemy could simplyugh themselves to death without a fight.


    Although adding someical elements to warfare is not necessarily bad, Arthur would certainly not be willing if it means losing his own soldiers.


    The military upper echelons who participated in the secret tank test were only Defence Secretary Raul, and former Defence Secretary, current Prime Minister Kent, and Brigadier Thomas of the First Guard Division.


    After all, the test was being conducted at the station of the First Guard Division, Brigadier Thomas could not possibly be kept uninformed.


    Furthermore, as the Brigadier of the First Guard Division, Brigadier Thomas is undoubtedly a member of the upper echelons of the Austrsian military and a strong contender for the next Defence Minister.


    The promotion order of the Austrsian Army is such that the Deputy Commander of the Guard Division is equivalent to the Brigadier of the Regr Division. The Brigadier of the Regr Division is then promoted to Brigadier of the Guard Division, and the Brigadier of the Guard Division is promoted to Defence Secretary or Deputy Defence Minister.


    Although the rank and title of a Colonial Division Brigadier is equivalent to that of a Deputy Commander of a Guard Division, not one Deputy Commander of a Guard Division is willing to serve in a Colonial Division.


    The difference in treatment between the Guard Division and the Colonial Division is far greater than the difference in treatment between a biological and adopted child.


    Although the number of soldiers in the Guard Division and the Colonial Division are about the same, the difference in military expenditure between the two is at least ten times.


    Although the matter of the tanks has momentarilye to a close, the inspection of military equipment has just begun.


    The most important thing at the moment is the masterpiece of Browning, the chief light weapons expert at the Royal Military Factory.


    Being a famous light weapons expert in history, Browning''s expertise in light weapons is naturally unquestionable.


    After spending exactly two years in Austrsia, Browning finallypleted the task assigned by Arthur, researching new pistols and submachine guns.


    The standard pistol of Austrsia has to be traced back to the AS-1898 semi-automatic pistol designed over a decade ago, which is significantly behind the world''s mainstream automatic pistols.


    The importance of pistols can''t be overstated. Officers, tankmen, pilots, police, and even some intelligence personnel and Arthur''s guards, are all equipped with pistols on arge scale.


    Police and pilots are one thing, but officers and soldiers, intelligence personnel and guards, urgently need more advanced automatic pistols to enhance theirbat power.


    After two years of research, under the efforts of Browning, the AS-1914 automatic pistol was officiallypleted and possessed excellentbat capabilities.


    The AS-1914 pistol was an improvement on the AS-1898 semi-automatic pistol,bining the advantages of the M1910 semi-automatic pistol and M1911 semi-automatic pistol developed by Browning. Browning proudly eximed that it was the most powerful pistol he had ever developed to date.


    The M1911 semi-automatic pistol, in particr, was not only the standard pistol of the American army at the moment, but it also served through two world wars and retired only in 1986, setting the record for the longest service time of a pistol.


    Recorded production of the M1911 semi-automatic pistol exceeded 2.5 million units, making it the best-selling pistol in history.


    The reputation of a pistol may not prove its performance and poprity, but the sales of the pistol most certainly can.


    The pistol that has the highest sales ever in history, its superior performance is beyond doubt.


    The AS-1914 automatic pistol, which was designedbining the advantages of the M1911 semi-automatic pistol, not only increased its power and stability but also its safety and magazine capacity, etc.


    The AS-1914 pistol has three safety features. One is a safety bolt, the other is a safety grip, and thest is an empty chamber lock.


    The safety features ensure the safety of the gun user and those nearby, making the pistol suitable for various scenarios.


    Because it uses .45 caliber bullets, the gun is slightly smaller in size, making it more suitable for use by intelligence personnel.


    The AS-1914 pistol also does a good job in concealment. Its smaller size can be hidden in more ces and is less likely to be exposed.


    When Browning reported, this handgun had already undergone various tests and was confirmed to be ready for the market and war.


    ording to the data Browning reported, this handgun has undergone high and low temperature testing, dry and humid environment testing, long-term usage testing, different environment testing and so on, and the results are pretty good, showing a significant improvementpared to the previous generation handgun.


    Arthur has a rtively high trust in Browning. What''s more, Browning''s organized tests invited the military to participate, therefore the data from the tests are undoubtedly reliable.


    Upon Arthur''s confirmation, the Austrsian military began aprehensive recement with the AS-1914 Automatic Pistol, followed by the Royal Guards, intelligence personnel, police, etc.


    The good news is that the production capacity of the AS-1914 pistol barely meets the demand for the Austrsian military toplete the recement within six months. After all, only officers and certain branches of the military carry the pistol, while ordinary soldiers are equipped with Lee-Enfield rifles.


    Apanying Browning''s report was a request for an order of 30,000 AS-1914 pistols from the military.


    Of these, more than half were ordered by the four Guard Divisions, approximately 18,000 pistol orders.


    Regr Divisions, Colonial Guard Troops, Colonial Divisions and other unitsbined, have applied for orders of only 12,000 pistols.


    The cost of producing a pistol is not expensive, at leastpared to the Lee-Enfield rifle. Arthur nodded and agreed to the procurement of pistols by the Ministry of Defense and the Guard Divisions.


    In addition to the pistol, Browning also reported on the progress of research on an important firearm, the submachine gun.


    Just like the previous handguns, the Austrsian military only had one series of submachine guns, which was the Cassadine Submachine Gun researched by submachine gun expert Cassadine.


    But the Cassadine Submachine Gun can only be spoken of as the exploratory version in the field of submachine guns, and some problems arose with its actual use.


    After two years of research, Browning finally made significant improvements based on the Cassadine Submachine Gun and designed apletely new submachine gun named the 1914 Submachine Gun.


    Of course, the current name is just a code to distinguish the submachine guns, the real naming of the submachine gun will only be considered after Arthur confirms the design feasibility.


    The importance of a submachine gun is no less than that of a pistol, ying an extremely crucial role in many aspects.


    Whether it is to equip the military, intelligence agencies, Royal Guards, police, etc., this type of weapon, which is shorter and lighter than a rifle, can y a significant role.


    Although the long-distance lethality of a submachine gun is far inferior to that of a rifle, within the effective shooting range, the power and lethality of any firearm are beyond doubt.


    It is unlike the design in games where you lose some blood with one shot, in reality, being hit by any firearm can result in serious injury or even death, especially from an infection or it could be a direct fatality.


    Especially when hit in the brain or heart, the mortality rate is almost 100%.


    The advantage of a submachine gun is that its firing rate is much faster than that of a rifle. Although it''s less powerful, this more portable weapon is obviously more suited for intelligence personnel and Royal Guards.


    Since Browning''s researched submachine gun performs much better than the Cassadine Submachine Gun, it is without doubt that the recement of Browning''s researched submachine gun is inevitable.


    Concerning the naming of this submachine gun, Arthur fulfilled what he had promised Browning, allowing Browning to name his own developed weapon using his name.


    Adopting the three initials of Browning''s full name, this submachine gun born in 1914 was named JMB-1914 Submachine Gun by Arthur.


    Browning''s full name is John Moses Browning, naming the submachine gun series JMB not only directly highlights the designer of the submachine gun, but it is also amendation to Browning.


    After all, up until now, none of the various weapons developed by Browning have been officially named after him.


    Moreover, some of the weapons developed by Browning are still being produced by foreign arms manufacturers.


    For a small arms expert with not a little ambition, having a weapon named after oneself signifies leaving a mark in history.


    Of course, to truly leave a mark in history, the practical performance of the JMB-1914 Submachine Gun is also critical.


    But Browning is very confident about the performance of this submachine gun, even more so than the previous AS-1914 pistol, which shows Browning''s confidence in thebat capabilities of a submachine gun and in his own research capabilities.


    Like the pistol, the JMB-1914 Submachine Gun has undergone testing by the Royal Military Factory and the military, and the practical performance has been guaranteed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur quickly decided to change the new submachine guns in the military, including the police force, intelligence personnel, etc.


    As for the eliminated old weapons, they don''t have to be discarded, when World War I starts in the future, there will be countries thatck weapons.


    Even if countries like Britain, France, and Russia don''t need the outdated weapons phased out by Austrsia, there will be other countries joining the Allies that will need them.


    What''s more, when the war really breaks out, no one will despise the outdated weapons. At that time, having weapons would be good enough, as for picking and choosing, not many countries would have that privilege.

 Chapter 463: Chapter 369: The Allies War Preparations

    In early February 1914, Arthur took an airship to the Russian capital, Saint Petersburg, to attend the third conference of the Allies since their establishment.


    ording tomon sense, the third conference should have been heldst year. However, due to the illness of Prince Aleksei Smith, the meeting was postponed by Nichs II and eventually dragged on until several monthster.


    Fortunately, this does not affect anything; the rapid expansion of the Allies'' military preparation strengthens the close alliance of the four major powers.


    The attendees of this conference include the monarchs, presidents, and some senior government officials from the British Empire, France, the Tsardom of Russia, and Austrsia. The purpose of the conference is to discuss the tasks and goals of various countries in the future.


    This not only includes the expansion of naval and army military preparation but also includes the direction and tasks of various countries'' military forces in the event of war.


    In essence, the annual conference of the Allies is a meeting to discuss pre-war preparations, wartime ns, and post-war distribution of benefits. The target audience for this meeting is only one: the Allies'' greatest enemy, the Central Powers.


    On February 21, 1914, a secret internal meeting of the Allies was held in Saint Petersburg.


    Although the content of this conference was highly confidential, the conference itself was public. It not only serves as a demonstration of the power of the Allies to the Central Powers but also tells the world that the four great powers of the Allies are closely united and fearless of any enemy.


    Of course, in addition to external demonstrations, the presence of arge number of spies in major European countries is also a reason why a conference cannot be kept secret.


    What the Four Great Powers of the Allies can do is to keep the content of the meeting highly confidential while the meeting itself is public.


    The Allies take this conference very seriously but have all chosen routes away from German waters.


    No one knows if the Germans will attack the Allied ships participating in the conference in desperation. For their safety, it is best to stay away from the Germans for the time being.


    Arthur chose to travel by airship. After a long period of trial flights, it has been confirmed that the safety performance of the Austrsian airships is rtively reliable, and the probability of idents is extremely low.


    Of course, to ensure his safety, the airship ridden by Arthur was equipped with arge number of parachutes to guarantee greater chances of survival for the airship''s passengers in case of an ident.


    At the same time, more than ten armed airships escorted the airship that Arthur was riding. These airships also carried hundreds of royal guards responsible for protecting Arthur''s safety onnd and in the sky.


    If it were not for the fact that airnes could not be exposed yet, Arthur would have even considered calling in several fighter nes for his escort.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Arthur takes his safety very seriously. Reality is not like a TV show. Even if Arthur doesn''t care, the Austrsian government officials will never allow Arthur to travel without more than 100 royal guards.


    Arthur''s safety is also a symbol of stability for the country and the government of Austrsia.


    Arthur and Austrsia are currently in a glorious together, damaged together state. Naturally, the Austrsian government officials attach great importance to Arthur''s safety.


    Although they took a much faster airship, they didn''t arrive in Saint Petersburg until half a monthter, on February 18th.


    There are still three days before the conference at this time. Under Nichs II''s arrangement, Arthur and his entourage stayed in a royal manor and enjoyed the few leisure times.


    Almost at the same time, the French diplomatic team also arrived in Saint Petersburg.


    As for why the French arrived slightly earlier than the British, we must look at King George V of Britain, who came to Saint Petersburg with great fanfare.


    The Four Great Powers of the Allies take this conference seriously. Not only were King George V, King Arthur of Austrsia, Tsar Nichs II, and the French President in attendance, but also British Naval Minister Churchill, Foreign Secretary Edward, French Minister of Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Austrsian Minister of State Roger, Defense Minister Raul, and others.


    As for Russia, since the conference is held in Saint Petersburg, the entire Russian nation is on board, and whichever minister is needed, they will call.


    After the friendly exchanges between officials from the four countries, on February 21, 1914, the Allies conference officially began.


    Because Austrsia participates in the official conference of the Allies for the first time, at the beginning of the conference, the Four Great Powers emphasize the importance of the four-nation alliance and reaffirm the alliance between Britain, France, Russia, and Austrsia.


    What the Four Great Powers value most is the covenant with any country.


    The conference progressed quickly. On the first day, a rapid alliance was established between the four countries, reaffirming the military responsibilities that the Four Great Powers needed to bear.


    First, the British, who have always been somewhat detached, have taken on more military responsibilities. Any Allied member attacked by an enemy should enter a state of war with the enemy simultaneously as the Four Great Powers.


    This treaty directly eliminates the possibility of the British bing a troublemaker. The British must firmly stand behind the Allies, affirm, and effectively fulfill their alliance with the other three Great Powers. Only then can the Allies continue.

 Chapter 464: Chapter 369: The Allies War Preparations_2

    The specific treaty stiptes that if any of the four great powers is subjected to unprovoked aggression from another country, including but not limited to border provocations, sneak attacks, and crisis creation, the other three great powers must immediately stand behind the provoked country and, after consultations, take joint action to maintain world peace.


    Given the current strength of the Allies, this treaty is purely aimed at Germany and its allied nations behind.


    Apart from the allied nations, even the United States does not have the courage tounch an attack on any of the Allies'' nations.


    In addition to the requirement for military responsibility, the four great powers have also signed the "Naval Affairs Deration" to agree on the respective tasks of the navy among the four countries.


    This deration is only limited to wartime, with the United Kingdom assuming the defense of France''s Antic coastal region and France assuming the defense of the British colonized coastal areas in the Mediterranean Sea.


    Russian Nation joins the blockade against the German High Seas Fleet, and Austrsia sends at least four main battleships to help the British Empire patrol the Indian Ocean region.


    At the same time, if war breaks out, France''s Mediterranean Fleet will control the entire Mediterranean Sea together with Russia Nation''s ck Sea Fleet.


    Just in case, both the British fleet along the Antic coast and the Austrsian fleet patrolling the Indian Ocean region must take joint action after consultations to block the entire Mediterranean Sea, especially the Otranto Strait, to prevent the Italian Navy and the Austro-Hungarian Navy from joining forces.


    Austrsia''s leastmitment to naval obligations is actually due to the fact that its navy has only five main battleships so far.


    However, this also has an advantage ¨C even if the navy suffers considerable losses in the war, it is still eptable to Austrsia.


    Anyway, it''s only three dreadnoughts and two battlecruisers; even if they''re all sunk, Arthur will only be heartbroken.


    Not only the navy, but the obligations that each country should bear in the army have also been preliminarily divided.


    The United Kingdom and Russia Nation are responsible for jointly resolving the German High Seas Fleet, and the British must send troops to support France to help them hold the line.


    The Frenchman is responsible for the offensive power of Germany on the Westline, where many of Germany''s main force will be concentrated. In addition, the Mediterranean route is also the responsibility of the Frenchman, and the Russian ck Sea Fleet, as well as part of the Austrsian fleet, can provide assistance.


    Russian Nation''s main goal is to deal with enemy Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bulgaria, and Ottoman Empire. Of course, opening a battlefield in eastern Germany and forcing the Germans to fight on two fronts is also necessary.


    In view of the problem of insufficient weapons and equipment in the Russian Army but abundant troops, Britain-France-Australia Three Nations have promised to provide Russian Nation with low-priced weapons and equipment during the war.


    If Russia Nation''s Westline support is cut off, Austrsia will transport arge number of weapons and equipment to Russia Nation from the Far East.


    First, Austrsia is to dispatch at least 300,000bat troops to support France.


    Second, except for retaining a certain scale of defensive forces, all other naval forces of Austrsia will be mobilized to cooperate with the British, French, and Russian navies.


    Third, given Austrsia''s fairly good military industry, it will be responsible for providing Russia Nation with arge number of weapons and equipment, and the selling price cannot be too high.


    If Britain-France Two Nationsck weapons and equipment, they can also purchase from Austrsia.


    The preliminary division ofbat tasks is basically like this, determined by the four countries based on their geographical location.


    Actually, whether it''s divided or not, the situation after the war breaks out will be like this. Geographical location determines the war policy of each country. It''s not like Austrsia can fight a decisive battle against the German Navy, right?


    If you have to say who has the heaviest task in the preliminary division ofbat tasks, it might be the Frenchmen.


    ording to the division ofbat tasks, in the early stage of the war, the French have to resist the joint attacks of the two great powers, Germany and Italy, and their navy has to fight against Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Although the military strength of Italy is not that strong, France can''t beat Germany either!


    Good news is that in the army, the French have support from the United Kingdom and Austrsia.


    ording to the agreement between the two parties, the number of troops supported by the United Kingdom and Austrsia is expected to be around 600,000.


    In addition to France''s own soldiers, there will be no problem gathering 2-3 million men after the war breaks out.


    As for the navy, it seems difficult to blockade the Mediterranean Sea, but with the support of the British, Russian ck Sea Fleet, and Austrsian Fleet, the possibility ofpleting the task is still high.


    If the war develops ording to the battle n, it would also be good news for the Allies.


    After all, the Allies'' battle n has no ws except for consumption, and the Allies basically haverge families and businesses and are not afraid of that little consumption.


    As for the issue of interest distribution after the war, negotiations did not go smoothly. In the end, it was Arthur who proposed to distribute based on the losses and contributions of the Four Great Powers in the war that France and Russia agreed, and the British finally nodded.


    France and Russia''s agreement is actually very normal. The French have the heaviest tasks in thebat allocation, and their contribution during the war must not be small.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the Russians, they have no advantages other than many people. If it''s about losses, they are really not afraid of anyone.

 Chapter 465: Chapter 369: The Allies War Preparations_3

    If the death and injury of millions of peasants could lead to huge benefits for Russia after the war, the Russian government and its upper echelons would be wholeheartedly in favor of this strategy.


    As for the British Empire, once France and Russia both agreed, the British naturally could not keep dragging their feet.


    Moreover, the British were confident in their naval capabilities. Being able to defeat the German High Seas Fleet and deploying their army to achieve certain war results, Britain could also possibly be the country with the greatest input.


    Arthur, who proposed this method of benefit distribution, actually agreed with this form of distribution as well.


    In any case, as one of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, Austrsia''s share of the spoils would be at least the fourthrgest in the postwar world.


    Even if a great power like Italy changed sides during the war, their impact and postwar status would still be absolutely no match for Austrsia.


    What''s more, whether Russia could survive the war unscathed remained a question. If Russia were to copse during World War I, then Austrsia would have one lesspetitor after the war, and their share of the spoils would rise to third in the world.


    Arthur was already quite satisfied with the benefits of being the third in the world. At least in the short term, Austrsia did not have the strength topete with Britain and France, even after their World War I weakening.


    If they could use the post-war distribution of benefits to propel Austrsia into the top five or even top four great powers in the world, then Austrsia would truly have greater confidence in pursuing a higher status and more interests.


    Apart from anything else, after winning the war, Austrsia would immediately be the fifth great power in the world, following Britain, France, Russia, and the United States.


    From a historical perspective, the Allies, especially France, were ruthless in exploiting Germany after the war, which severely limited Germany''s military strength.


    If they could take this opportunity to absorb many of Germany''s factory equipment and talented experts, as well as some of Germany''s industrial strength and foundations, then Austrsia would have the foundation topete with the United States.


    Don''t underestimate the United States at present. Although its military strength is currently weak, it''s industrial and economic capacities are just about enough to be considered beautiful.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At leastpared to Austrsia, which has weaker industrial capabilities apart from heavy industry, the United States'' industrial capabilities are much stronger.


    Of course, if you were to talk purely about military strength, the United States is already no match for Austrsia at this point.


    If Austrsia were bordering the United States and using the military technology currently controlled by Austrsia, it wouldn''t be impossible to eliminate the United States.


    Of course, the current agreements on benefit distribution are merely a draft at this stage.


    When the war finally ends, not only will the distribution be based on each country''s actual efforts, but it will also depend on how much flesh can be cut from the bodies of the nations involved.


    However, after several days of negotiations, the Four Great Powers have reached some principle agreements.


    After the war is won, the British will receive all the spoils of the German Navy and thergest share of the colonies from the Allied countries.


    In order topensate the other three nations, France will be allowed to reim Alsace Lorraine, and willreceive somepensation from Germany and Italy''s territories.


    As for Russia, they have Austria Pnd, German-upied Pnd, and Britain officially gives up its alliance with the ind nation.


    Finally, Austrsia will be allowed to fully receive Germany''s colonies in the Pacific, and the Allies will turn a blind eye to Austrsia''s expansion in Southeast Asia.


    Of course, the Southeast Asian Region refers to the Dutch East Indies. As for the British Empire''s northern territories and the Southeast Asian Penins, as well as the highly important a Strait, these areas are still not yet within Austrsia''s reach.


    Of course, in order to express support for Austrsia, the Allies have agreed to Arthur''s request to receive some of Germany''s factories and talent after the war, following his mediation.


    The attitude of these German experts and talents towards Britain, France, and Russia after the war can be imagined, and these three countries are not interested in receiving them.


    These principle divisions also involve some of the more important core interests of each country.


    Although the British Empire gets thergest share of the German Navy''s spoils and thergest share of the colonies after the war, thepensation given to the other three nations is barely enough to satisfy the Three Great Powers.


    As for Austrsia, they are not interested in the African colonies. Therefore, permission to expand in the Dutch East Indies and the opportunity to receive German factories and talents are much more important than the African colonies.


    Apart from these core interests, matters such aspensation, property transfers, and the surrender of some important territories, as well as restrictions on other treaties involving the Allied countries, will depend on the specific circumstances after the war.


    The key is to determine the core interests. As long as each country''s dered core interests are respected, the Allies will continue to maintain their alliance, and not unravel due to internal interest divisions before the war has even begun.


    In addition to these, the Allies have also reached an agreement that does not have too much to do with Europe: the British, French, Russian, and Austrsian "Pacific Treaty".


    The treaty stiptes that Russia will have dominance in the northwestern part of the Pacific, while Austrsia will have dominance in the southwestern and southern parts of the Pacific.


    The Four Great Powers of the Allies respect the hegemony of Russia and Austrsia, while Britain and France enjoy a special status in the Pacific.


    In addition to respecting the rights of the two Allied countries in the Pacific region, the Pacific Treaty also stiptes that if a non-Allied nation expands its interests in the region, it will be considered a provocation against the Allies.


    The Allies as a whole should provide assistance to the provoked nation, and, when necessary, dispatch their armies for support.


    If the previous convention targeted the Central Powers, then this arrangement specifically targets the United States.


    Only the United States, a colonial power on the other side of the Pacific, could pose a threat to Russia and Austrsia''s dominance in the Pacific region.


    Although it is unlikely that Britain and France will wage a direct war against the United States after the war, this treaty serves as a sufficient deterrent to the United States.


    As long as the Allies do not break down, Arthur can rely on this Pacific Treaty to obtain more assistance from his other allies and acquire more strength to confront the United States.

 Chapter 466: Chapter Three Hundred Seventy: Geographic Survey Report

    Aside from the allocation of military and financial interests, this Entente Powers Conference brought an additional benefit to Austrsia, which was to acknowledge and confirm the productivity of grain supplies in Austrsia.


    ording to the agreement among the Four Great Powers of the Allies, after the outbreak of the war, two transport routes would be opened within the Allies, Sydney-divostok and Sydney-Marseille, with both routes being secured.


    Austrsia would transport arge amount of food, beef and mutton, livestock, weapons and equipment, ammunition and medical supplies, industrial products, and daily necessities to the Far East and Marseille. From there, these supplies would be transferred to the hands of the Three Great Powers of Britain, France, and Russia.


    The choice of these two transport routes was also meaningful. It goes without saying that aside from the Ind Nation and the United States, there is no other country that could pose a threat to this transport route from Austrsia to the Far East.


    These two countries would not likely dare to openly oppose the Allies, especially since the Ind Nation had previously been under the assistance of the British Empire, and the possibility of them directly joining the Allied Nations is not high.


    As for the United States, their withdrawal from the Argentine and Chilean war indicates that at least before the oue of the European War bes clear, the Americans will not directly enter the conflict.


    Marseille is the thirdrgest city in France and is located on the Mediterranean coast. It belongs to the southern part of France and is rtively far from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy, making it theoretically safer.


    If the ns of the Allies go smoothly, after the outbreak of the war, the Four Great Powers of the Allies could potentially control the entire Mediterranean.


    As long as German submarines cannot enter, the sea route from the Indian Ocean, through the Suez Canal, and into the Mediterranean is the safest, and undoubtedly much safer than the Antic Ocean.


    It is important to note that most of the foreign merchant ships sunk by Germany during World War I were in the Antic Ocean.


    Although transporting supplies to London would be more convenient, the threat of German submarines could cause Austrsia to pay a heavy price.


    Transporting to Marseille may be somewhat cumbersome, but the safety of subsequentnd and sea transport is much higher than that of transport to London.


    Therefore, the British, French, and Russian nations had no objections, and the agreement on the opening of transport routes was confirmed.


    This treaty has no drawbacks for all four nations. The three Great Powers of Europe could obtain food supplies from Austrsia during the war, and Austrsia would have a sufficient market for their supplies, allowing them to profit enough from the war.


    On February 27, 1914, the week-long Entente Powers Conference officially came to an end, with the Four Great Powers making a preliminary and clearer division of their respective responsibilities and interests.


    This conference greatly strengthened the ties between the Four Great Powers and improved their rtionships with each other.


    The four countries have made detailed divisions on matters before, during, and after the war, showing the current confidence and strength of the Allies.


    From the amiableughter of the heads of the four countries at the end of the conference, it can be seen that the Four Great Powers of the Allies have, up to this point, be staunch allies. At least until the end of the war, nothing can destroy the rtions between the Allied countries.


    After the conference, the French representative left first, as there were still arge number of affairs to be dealt with in France.


    As for the United Kingdom, King George V chose to stay in Saint Petersburg for a few more days. After all, since his reign, the power of the British monarch has been greatly reduced, and King George V has little involvement in political matters.


    As for Arthur, he decided to stay in Saint Petersburg for a few more days at the invitation of Nichs II


    If the week prior was more of a formal Four-Nation Conference, then the next few days were a more rxed and enjoyable time for the royal families of the three nations.


    By the end of February, the temperature in Saint Petersburg was frighteningly cold. However, for Arthur, who often resided in the warm andfortable environment of Australia, the cold was somewhat refreshing.


    While it was summer in Austrsia, the extreme north of Russia was covered in snow and ice.


    There were many fireces in Saint Petersburg, which created a clear temperature difference between the interior and exterior of the rooms.


    Fine food, wine, music, dance, and maids were part of the daily lives of Nichs II, King George V, and Arthur during these days.


    As for the currently powerful and stable European royal families, there was nothing they could not enjoy.


    Although monogamy is generally practiced in European countries, behind monogamy, for the European royal families and nobles, mistresses and maids aremon and indisputably normal.


    There was even a time when Europe had a fad ofparing the attraction of monarchs and nobles by the number of mistresses they had: the more mistresses, the more it demonstrated the nobility''s power.


    Arthur, Nichs II, and King George V are arguably among the people in the world with the highest positions, power, and authority at this time.


    Nichs II and Arthur wield substantial power, while King George V, although less powerful, is the monarch of the British Empire by birthright, which inherently enhances his reputation.


    At any banquet, the three of them would undoubtedly be the center of attention.


    Furthermore, with Nichs II having voluntarily extended his hospitality to King George V and Arthur, both of them found themselves frequently invited to dance by nobledies during the couple of banquets held over the following days.


    Among them, Arthur, with the highest monarch power, whose royal assets were not inferior to the British and Russian royal families, attracted even more attention.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that, if Arthur were willing, he could easily choose from most of thedies in Russia within just a few days.


    However, after all, this is in Russia, and Arthur has a marital rtionship with Russia, which is equivalent to Queen Mary''s maiden family, so Arthur is not so unrestrained.


    But inaction is also a mistake. For the current Europe, not having mistresses and maids is considered an alternative in the eyes of most European nobility.


    If Arthur rejects all advances, he even risks being suspected of his sexual orientation.


    In order not to tarnish his reputation, Arthur reluctantly chose two beautifuldies from the nobledies and maids these days and formed a dewy rtionship with them.


    Thedy in question is the wife of a small Russian nobleman, and such a dewy rtionship is an understanding among European nobility, so there''s nothing to say about it.


    As for the seemingly simple and elegant maid, Arthur took her for himself and had her serve as his personal maid for the past few days.


    Originally, Arthur, George V, and Nichs II were rted, and because of their shared experience carrying guns, the rtionship between the three has be closer.


    In addition to their equal status, theirter interactions would refer to their rtionship rather than their names.


    Unfortunately, happy days are always short-lived. After staying in Russia for a few days, Arthur and George V must return to their respective countries.


    In order to catch the conference of the Entente Powers, Arthur took the risk of travelling by airship, only to arrive in Saint Petersburg safely.


    However, for this return trip to Austrsia, Arthur decided not to take the airship again due to theck of urgency.


    After all, there are still certain risks for the current airships. Although the probability of idents is not high, maybe only one ident would ur in thousands of flights.


    But who can guarantee that an ident won''t happen to himself? As the monarch of a country, such risky behavior is naturally kept to a minimum.


    Arthur specifically borrowed a battlecruiser from George V to serve as a means of transportation back to Austrsia.


    If he had to wait for his own warships from Austrsia, it would waste at least half a month''s time.


    Anyway, there is now an alliance between Austrsia and the United Kingdom, and given the friendship built between Arthur and George V in the past few days, it was not a problem to borrow a battlecruiser.


    After all, once they arrive in Austrsia, the borrowed warship can return - all it would cost would be a bit more oil money.


    George V was very generous and agreed to Arthur''s request to borrow a battlecruiser for the return trip.


    The British Empire''s battlecruisers boast good speed, and the two battlecruisers that George V brought with him could already break through 26 knots.


    Such speed has far surpassed that of super battleships and is currently the fastest warship.


    To be able to ride such a battlecruiser back to Austrsia would generally take just over a month.


    After all, it departs from Russia, and the journey would take a more circuitous routepared to departing from London.


    After bidding farewell to Grand Duke and Duchess Sergei and the couple Nichs II, Arthur embarked on a British battlecruiser for his journey back to Austrsia.


    When he returned to Sydney, it was already April, and Arthur spent a total of one month and four days at sea before finally making his way back to Sydney in early April.


    Although this trip to Europe took nearly two months, it was undoubtedly worth it considering the achievements gained.


    The Conference of the Entente Powers, for Austrsia, not only consolidated its alliance with Britain, France, and Russia but also found a good dumping ground for Austrsia''s arms, equipment, food, and supplies.


    As for Britain and France, there is no need to borate, as these two old colonial empires neverck money; trading with them would not be a loss for Austrsia.


    Although Russia''s financial situation is not that good, after all, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse, and with support from Britain and France, the Russians would not be short of money.


    In the original history, the Russians were in a situation where they had money but could not buy any weapons or equipment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    For Austrsia, this is not a problem. As long as the three countries of Britain, France, and Russia have sufficient funds, no matter how many weapons and supplies they need, Austrsia can produce them.


    More than a month has passed since leaving, and many issues have umted in Austrsia, waiting for Arthur''s handling.


    The most pressing of these is the geological survey team that Arthur dispatched to the Mure River Basin two and a half months ago.


    After two and a half months of geological surveys, the team gained a preliminary understanding of the geographical environment of the region and wrote a report to Arthur.

 Chapter 467: Chapter 371: Environmental Protection Law of France

    As thergest river in Austrsia, and the biggest river in Oceania, the Mure River has yed a crucial role in the economic development of Austrsia.


    The Mure River and its tributary, the Darling River, have provided an abundance of industrial, agricultural, and domestic water for the central region of southeastern Australia. This provision has been key to the rise of New South Wales and Victoria State.


    ording to the preliminary report from the Geological Survey Team, thebined area of the Mure River and the Darling River Basin is estimated to be 1 million square kilometers, upying more than one-eighth of the total territory of Austrsia.


    In its original history, this now desertified area still possessed more than half of Australia''s arablend, over 75% of its irrigated farnd, nearly half of its cattle and livestock, and at least one-third of its dairy and meat production.


    The total agricultural output alone constituted more than 40% of Australia''s total agricultural output, making it a key pir of Australia''s economy inter generations.


    Simultaneously, the Mure River Basin has also provided abundant agricultural products, industrial raw materials, and freshwater for urban development outside the basin in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adide, and Brisbane. This is the economic hintend.


    These achievements were made after this basin had be desertified. At present, the majority of thisnd is still dominated by grasnds, where the desertification portion ounts for less than 0.5%.


    If this region can be salvaged, it will be an exaggeration of historic reality, transforming Austrsia into a cradle of agricultural and pastoral products.


    Of course, this does not mean that this area is perfect. The famous Great Artesian Basin of Austrsia partly oveps with the Mure River Basin.


    The reason why this basin is named the Great Artesian Basin is that the Great Watershed causes rtively arid conditions in the central and western regions of Australia and ack of precipitation.


    However, there is abundant rainfall on the eastern side of the Great Watershed. Arge amount of rainwater seeps underground along the Great Watershed, flowing from the eastern region of Australia to the western region.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In the Great Artesian Basin area of Australia, there are abundant underground water resources. A simple drilling process can allow arge amount of water to gush out. This is the origin of the name Great Artesian Basin.


    Since the Great Artesian Basin was proposed in 1886, almost 30 years have passed.


    With the inflow of arge number of immigrants to Austrsia, the exploitation of water resources in the Great Artesian Basin has be quite extensive.


    In the northern part of the Mure River basin, which oveps with the Great Artesian Basin, you can find more than ten drilling sites, gushing arge amount of water resources.


    These water resources provide a lot of water for Austrsia''s animal husbandry and industry. This is the reason for the rapid development of Austrsia''s industry and agriculture.


    However, the excessive extraction of water resources is not good. Overall, Austrsia is still water-deficient, especially in the central and western regions of Australia. As the poption increases, the water shortage problem is bing increasingly severe.


    Some boreholes used to supply water to the mining areas, after the depletion of mineral resources, these boreholes that are still gushing arge amount of water resources have been left unattended, causing a lot of waste of water resources.


    ording to the Geological Survey Team''s estimate, although the Great Artesian Basin and the Mure River Basin do notck water resources at present, if such waste continues, Austrsia will face a severe water crisis in no more than 30 years.


    It is also fortunate that the poption of Austrsia is currently less than 15 million, otherwise, the water crisis may have to be brought forward.


    Austrsia is a country with abundant resources, full of various mineral resources.


    This does not mean that Austrsia has no shorings. Because it was previously located in a remote geographical position, the poption has always been a major issue.


    Furthermore, because of the barrier of the Great Watershed, the western region of Australia is very short of water resources.


    Despite boasting over 7 million square kilometers of vastnd, the issue of water use is a hidden danger to national development. It could even potentially limit the country''s development in the future.


    Arthur has anticipated this. Over the past ten years, in the Australian region, arge number of reservoirs and water storage areas have been encouraged to be excavated to ensure that while providing sufficient living water for Australian residents, it can also be used for industrial and agricultural use.


    But these reservoirs still seem too fewpared to the total water usage of an entire country. If Austrsia wants topletely solve the water problem, at least for now, it is very important to conserve and cherish water resources.


    In fact, the water resources in New Guinea are very rich, and the rainfall is indeed not small. But at least for the next 40-50 years, these water resources cannot be transported to Australia and do not help Australia''s water resources problems.


    If Arthur remembers correctly, underwater pipeline technology should have been born 40 yearster. This also means that perhaps after World War II, Austrsia will have enough capability toplete its own North Water South Transfer project.


    No matter how it is said, the water resources in the Australian region have always been a problem. We must not allow anyone to waste water resources recklessly.


    Thinking of this, Arthur had someone call the Prime Minister of the Cab, Kent, and decided to make some advancements in environmental protection.


    Seizing the time before Prime Minister Kent arrived, Arthur continued to look at the report, examining the current issues in the Mure River Basin.


    In the past two months, the geological survey team had studied the desertification and gobi-formation in the Australian west and temporarily ced the me on the abundant wildlife in Austrsia.


    It is well known that there are not many carnivorous animals in Australia, with the pouch wolf and wild dogs being the tworger meat-eating species in the region.


    However, with the development of livestock farming by the Austrsians, conflicts between these wildlife species, particrly therger and more ferocious pouch wolf, and humans were inevitable.


    From the colonial period, Australia had a habit of hunting pouch wolves. The colonial government even publicly rewarded it - one pound for a in adult pouch wolf and ten pennies for a juvenile one.


    This resulted in tens of thousands of pouch wolves being ughtered during the colonial period. Although this policy did not continue after Arthur''s arrival in Australia, hunting pouch wolves had be a habit for many herders as it also protected their cattle and sheep.


    The increasing decline in the number of carnivorous animals in Australia led to the wild spread of arge number of animals, causing significant damage to Australian grasnds and promotingnd desertification.


    Wild rabbits, kangaroos, wild goats, camels, and boars, their numbers added up to billions or even tens of billions.


    The damage that such a vast number of wildlife could cause to Australiannd is self-evident.


    The geological survey team boldly predicted that if restrictions are not imposed on these wild animals, the desertification of the Mure River basin will worsen within 20 years, gradually turning this in of several million square kilometers into a desert.


    Arthur had heard of the rampant wildlife in Australia in hister years, but he did not expect it to be so severe over 100 years ago.


    In any case, the development of the country takes priority. Thus, since these animals have severely damaged Australiannd, it is necessary to enact strict regtions to control the number of wildlife.


    One of the main reasons for Australia''s rampant wildlife is actually the Australians''ck of attention to native carnivorous animals.


    If the number of pouch wolves was sufficient, the problem of Australian wildlife would not be so severe and would not have threatened the survival of the country.


    About ten minutester, Prime Minister Kent hurried in and knocked on the office door.


    The duration of about ten minutes is the travel distance between the Administrative Court and the Royal Pce, which implies that Prime Minister Kent hastened over soon after receiving Arthur''s order.


    After all, themunication between the Royal Pce and the Administrative Court involved wired telegrams and telephones, leaving virtually no dy inmunication.


    "Your Majesty!" Upon entering the office, Prime Minister Kent saluted Arthur respectfully.


    "Sit. Check out this report, Prime Minister Kent. It''s outrageous. Our current biological situation has seriously deteriorated to this extent that we must enact relevant regtions for control." Arthur pointed to the report, asking Prime Minister Kent to have a look.


    Seeing that Arthur was quite serious and solemn, Prime Minister Kent also paid careful attention, reading through the report scrupulously.


    At the beginning, the report listed the advantages of the Mure River basin as well as its favorable geography and resources.


    However, thetter part clearly stipted the terrible current ecological condition of the region and potential future issues.


    Prime Minister Kent was not surprised that Arthur investigated the Mure River Basin. The ins and basins in the center of Australia are undoubtedly more suitable for national developmentpared to the hills in Southeast Asia.


    Whether as a capital of the country or a superior agricultural, pastoral, and industrial producing area, it possesses unique geographical and resource advantages.


    After seeing the current problems in the Mure River Basin, Prime Minister Kent also wasn''t able to help but exim and unhesitatingly said to Arthur, "Your Majesty, it is indeed necessary to enact aw to protect the ecological environment of Australia and even the whole of Austrsia."


    Arthur nodded his head and immediately delegated the task to Prime Minister Kent, instructing, "I will entrust this task to you, Prime Minister Kent. My requirements are, first, that you must protect the wild meat-eating animals in Australia, especially the pouch wolf poption."


    "Secondly, drastically limit the number of native Australian animals. If necessary, introduce a reward policy to encourage Australians to hunt herbivorous wildlife. The pelts of these wild animals can be made into corresponding products, and the meat can be processed into canned food, serving as our food reserve and exporting to Europe in the future."


    "In this way, these wild animals also have decent economic value.


    Once hunting wild animals forms a certain industry chain, the government and the royal family will invest in the establishment of meat canning factories, thoroughly treating the herbivores as an industry chain which can solve our current serious environmental problem and also generate substantial revenue for the nation and the government."


    The value of animal fur is, of course, undeniable. The meat of wild animals, besides being made into various delicious foods, can be canned into various products for future export to Europe.


    This variety of meat will perfectly supplement the diet of the future European military. After all, always eating the same type of meat will get tiresome, won''t it?

 Chapter 468: Chapter 372: Plotting in the Darkness

    On April 17, 1914, the Austrsian Ecological Protection Law was officially enacted, symbolizing Arthur''s determination to protect the ecological environment of Austrsia.


    Arthur even personally traveled to major cities to give speeches, calling on all Austrsians to hunt arge number of wild animals like wild boars, wild rabbits, camels, kangaroos, etc., while protecting the Austrsian pouch wolves.


    Especially wild rabbits, their poption in Austrsia has exceeded hundreds of millions, not only is their number the highest among all wild animals, but their rate of reproduction is also extremely rapid.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    To limit the poption of wild rabbits in Austrsia, Arthur promised that the first three individuals who hunt a thousand wild rabbits will receive the "Master Hunter" honor directly recognized by the Austrsian Royal Family.


    For every hundred wild rabbits hunted, rewards in the form of funds and supplies differing from the government and the royal family will be awarded.


    In order to promote the enthusiasm of hunting wild rabbits among the Austrsians, Arthur has ordered Butler Kent to establish several canned food factories as soon as possible, focusing on the production of Austrsian wild animal meat canned food.


    The countless wild animals in Austrsia provide arge supply of meat for the factories producing canned wild meat.


    After hunting wild animals, the public can also gain ie from the canned food factories with the wild animals that they have hunted. This will not only create extra ie for the family, but also relieve the pressure of Austrsians through hunting.


    Regarding hunting, the Austrsian government hasid down strict rules. Not only is private hunting of pouch wolves strictly prohibited, but the act of killing pouch wolves will also be fined.


    If the public encounters pouch wolves damaging their property, such as cattle and sheep, they can use hunting rifles to chase them away, but they should avoid causing serious injuries to the pouch wolves.


    Of course, if faced with a situation where their lives are threatened, killing pouch wolves is not illegal and will not be punished.


    Except for this, no citizen may harm pouch wolves actively, and active hunting of pouch wolves is a serious illegal act, where offenders will face imprisonment and, depending on the severity of the event, arge fine and imprisonment or even the death penalty.


    For most Austrsians, although thisw seems rather strict, it basically does not affectmoners.


    After all, most people, apart from some with ulterior motives, hold high respect for the government''sws.


    As killing pouch wolves does not offer rewards but instead faces government punishment,moners naturally won''t do it.


    The enactment of the Ecological Protection Law received very positive responses in Austrsia.


    Especially as Arthur promised that starting from June, all major cities will start buying wild animals hunted by the public, providing an additional ie stream for those who enjoy hunting.


    While the value of Austrsian wild animals may not be very high, as Austrsians generally don''t have a habit of eating wild animals, and in addition, the number of easily-hunted wild animals are veryrge.


    But being able to enjoy their hobby while making extra ie is good news for most Austrsians.


    As for why it starts in June, it is due to the canned food factories urgently built by Butler Kent as per Arthur''s orders, which are expected to be up and running by June.


    The factory buildings located in the industrial area have all beenpleted, equipment will be purchased from Austrsia and even from all over the world.


    This resulted in the rapidpletion of the canned food factories, at most merely a little less than three months is needed.


    The Austrsian government fully exemplified the principle of ''The leader says a word, subordinates run their legs off''. Since the enactment of the Ecological Protection Law, they have continuously sent officials and members of parliament to various major cities and towns in Austrsia to call on the people to protect pouch wolves and actively hunt wild animals.


    For this, Arthur even specially allowed certain weapon markets to reopen, but they could only sell hunting rifles and exclusive hunting rifle bullets.


    While the Austrsian government was hard at work to protect the ecological environment, Europe was brewing momentous changes.


    As is well known, the inception of a war is often caused by idental events, this is a historical rule of war.


    When the European nations go to war, they mostly need an excuse to avoid causing upheaval domestically for action without reason.


    Since ancient times, the sparks that have ignited wars in Europe were vast and varied; some were for power, some for territory, some for wealth, and some for beautiful women.


    With the developments in Europe right now, both the Allied and Central Powers can confidently say that the war is inevitable and must ur.


    The arms race between the two military blocs has long been exhausted, if they don''t destroy the enemy via war, they themselves will be destroyed by the arms race.


    The Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Francis Joseph I, is already 84 years old this year.


    Many affairs of the Austro-Hungarian Empire had fallen into the hands of his nephew, Archduke Ferdinand.


    However, Archduke Ferdinand''s wife, Duchess Sophia, had previously been only ady-in-waiting to Ferdinand''s cousin. Ferdinand''s marriage, therefore, received opposition from Francis and was met with cold indifference by the nobility of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Despite Ferdinand''s insistence, he sessfully married the woman he loved, and Sophia was also made Duchesse of Hohenberg.


    Nevertheless, the children of Archduke Ferdinand would lose their right to the throne, which left Duchess Sophia unhappy and even unwilling to attend social events regrly held in Vienna.


    The previous two Balkan wars had resulted in Serbia, an enemy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Balkan region, gaining significant territorial expansion.


    To counter Serbia''s rise, a major legion exercise was due to take ce in upied Bosnia to demonstrate strength to Serbia and to stabilize the order of the Bosnia region.


    Because of Emperor Francis the First''s health issues, he especially ordered Archduke Ferdinand to go to Bosnia in his stead to inspect the uing military exercises.


    As the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ferdinand was indeed the most suitable candidate to go to Bosnia for inspection, except for Emperor Francis the First.


    To help his beloved wife rx, Archduke Ferdinand proposed to Duchess Sophia that they travel together, and she readily agreed.


    ording to their travel ns, they were set to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary immediately after their arrival in Bosnia.


    On such an important day, the good news was that they could escape the tedious ceremonies in Vienna where they often suffered humiliation and enjoy a life of their own.


    The travel arrangements of a nation''s heir apparent were naturally of great importance. The itinerary of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife''s inspection of Bosnia had been set byte April, so their actual departure for Bosnia had to wait until June.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian side did not announce a detailed itinerary, the approximate date of the legion exercise was already widely known in the Bosnia region.


    It is important to note that the majority of Bosnia''s poption were of the Serbian ethnic group and shared a border with Serbia.


    Due to the hostility between Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Serbian nationalist young military officers formed an organization called "Union or Death," known for its skull, crossed bones, bombs, daggers, and poison bottle emblem. The organization secretly trained elite killers to assassinate key military and political figures in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    As the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Ferdinand was a leading opponent of pro-Serbian ideals and was notorious for opposing Serbia in the Balkan region. Naturally, he was the primary assassination target of this organization.


    The higher-ups in the ck Hand organization were led by Colonel Dimitriyevich, the Director of Intelligence for the Serbian Army General Staff.


    Upon learning that Archduke Ferdinand would inspect the military exercises in Bosnia, they spected that the Austro-Hungarian Empire might attack Serbia.


    The only way to prevent this attack was to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand before Austro-Hungarian attacked, which would plunge Austria-Hungary into chaos.


    After all, the old Emperor was already 84 years old. If confronted with the death of a second heir, it would be impossible for this multi-ethnic nation not to explode into chaos.


    On May 3rd, 1914, inside a covert country cottage somewhere in Serbia.


    "Number 7, are there any new assignments from upstairs?" A man, who seemed to be just an ordinary railway worker, was leisurely lying inside the cottage, asking the government official who just walked into the room.


    "Number 412, you''re asking at the right time. ording to Number 6''s order, the Austro-Hungarian empire will hold a military exercise in Bosnia in June. The top believes that the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military exercise might be against us.


    Our only recourse right now is to assassinate the guy who''sing to inspect the exercise to prevent a possible attack by the Austro-Hungarian Empire." With augh, the man disguised as a government official stated the mission.


    "Do you have the detailed information of the target?" ck Hand member number 412 ¡ª railway worker Siganovich ¡ª asked with a curious look on his face.


    "To assassinate this guy, you do not need any information. He should be the person you are most familiar with, right?" Number 7 member, intelligence officer Don Kosicki, replied with a smile.


    "You''re saying the one who''sing to Bosnia is that guy Ferdinand?" Siganovich quickly stood up, somewhat excitedly.


    Archduke Ferdinand was the ck Hand''s primary assassination target. If the assassination of Ferdinand was sessful, the killer would receive a high payout and an exceptional promotion within the ck Hand.


    Therefore, every ck Hand assassin considers assassinating Ferdinand as their ultimate goal.


    "If it''s not a mistake, that guy''s special train should arrive in Bosnia in mid-June. You still have one month''s time, Number 412." Although Don Kosicki did not say much, hisck of disagreement also confirmed that the target of the assassination was Ferdinand this time.


    "Rest assured, Number 7, I and my brothers can''t wait. It''s time to make those Austrians aware of our power." Siganovich nodded grimly and left the covert cottage.

 Chapter 469: Chapter 373: Gunshots in Sarajevo

    The entire structure of the Mafia had core members with code names. The smaller the number in the code, the greater the power and higher the status they had within the Mafia.


    Underneath these core members with code names were arge number of peripheral members. Although they were considered members of the Mafia, they could not ess the absolute upper echelons of the organization.


    The way they served the Mafia was through orders passed down from core members withrger code numbers.


    This also meant that each core Mafia member with a code name would generally have several subordinates of varying numbers.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    These subordinates not only maintained their power but also provided better security for thepletion of assassination missions assigned to them from above.


    In early June 1914, Archduke Ferdinand''s special train departed from Vienna to Bosnia.


    As the journey began, there was a small hitch; the train car axle box overheated, which angered Archduke Ferdinand and caused him to criticize, "This is certainly a great start for this trip!"


    Moreover, it was already summer in the Northern Hemisphere at the time, and the weather was extremely hot along the way, causing some difort to Archduke Ferdinand''s body.


    However, the good news was that Archduke Ferdinand received a warm wee all the way, which could make up for some of the unfavorable situations encountered earlier.


    After sessfullypleting his official tasks, including inspecting the military, Archduke Ferdinand, in high spirits, headed to Sarajevo.


    Sarajevo is an ancient city in the Balkan Region, winding through canyons with a clear small river flowing through the city area. The bridge spanning the river connecting the north and south sides was also the center of Sarajevo''s downtown area.


    It is worth noting that the day Archduke Ferdinand''s special train arrived at the Sarajevo station was June 28, 1914, Sunday.


    On that day, it was the national day of mourning for the Serbs,memorating 500 years under Turkish rule. Serbian patriots viewed Archduke Ferdinand''s visit to Sarajevo on this day as an insult to Serbia. However, this day also happened to be the 14th wedding anniversary of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, so the couple was quite proud.


    Everything was just such a coincidence that this day was a sad day for one side and a good day to remember for the other.


    On the morning of June 28, Archduke Ferdinand sent a telegram to his three children saying that everything was going smoothly.


    Later in the afternoon, Archduke Ferdinand, wearing a military uniform and a helmet adorned with feather plumes, looked very imposing and powerful. On the other hand, Duchess Sophia wore a white long dress, a sun hat, and held a parasol, and her graceful demeanor made her still look charmingly attractive.


    The couple was preparing to attend the wee ceremony at City Hall,ughing and walking arm in arm out of their room.


    The weather that day was very clear, and all the shops and streets that Archduke Ferdinand passed along the way were decorated with colorful gs and flowers, looking quite magnificent and beautiful.


    The real reason for all this was that the Mayor of Sarajevo had prematurely disclosed Archduke Ferdinand''s itinerary, encouraging local residents to spontaneously disy the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s gs and flowers on the way to give the Archduke couple good vibes.


    Little did the mayor know that his novel and well-meaning attempt at ttery would send the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire straight into the abyss.


    As the couple''s itinerary was directly leaked, it was the best news a would-be assassin could receive.


    If it hadn''t been confirmed that the Mayor of Sarajevo had no contact with any Mafia forces, the Mafia would have thought he was one of their own moles.


    Although there were police and gendarmes stationed along the route to maintain order, the crowded scene of onlookers made the scene somewhat chaotic.


    At this point, Archduke Ferdinand''s motorcade had smoothly covered half the route. When it arrived at the bridge in the city center, a young man suddenly sprang out and threw a bomb at Archduke Ferdinand''s car.


    The driver, seeing the danger, hurriedly elerated, causing the bomb to fall on the canvas tent above the car and bounce to one side.


    Boom!


    With a huge explosion, the car behind Archduke Ferdinand''s became the unintended victim, suffering a direct frontal impact from the bomb. The car, out of control due to the loss of the driver, crashed straight into the bridge pier, with casualties inside the car unknown.


    The surrounding police and gendarmes were immediately in a frenzy, trying to catch the assassin and protect Archduke Ferdinand.


    At this moment, someone also took the opportunity to suggest temporarily canceling the day''s visit n, waiting until everything could be guaranteed safe again.


    However, Archduke Ferdinand at this time was quite calm, disdainfully mocking, "This guy must be crazy. Come on, gentlemen, proceed as nned."


    There was no choice, as Archduke Ferdinand was the highest-ranking person on the scene, and his word was final.


    Afterwards, the journey to City Hall went very smoothly, causing the security forces to breathe a sigh of relief.


    At the wee ceremony in City Hall, while the mayor was giving a weing speech, Archduke Ferdinand, impatient, interrupted the mayor''s words, saying, "Dammit, enough, enough! I have traveled far and wide to visit you, and you weed me with bombs!"


    Archduke Ferdinand''s outburst made the well-intentioned mayor tremble all over, and his speech became stammering and stuttering.


    Fortunately, Archduke Ferdinand did not intend to hold anyone responsible for the time being, allowing the wee ceremony to proceed smoothly.

 Chapter 470: Chapter 373: Gunshots in Sarajevo_2

    After the weing ceremony and before setting off for the next destination, Ferdinand turned his gaze to the nearby Governor Boticelli and asked meaningfully, "Sir Governor, do you think we can still visit the National Museum as originally nned?"


    The governor hastily replied, "Of course, Your Highness. I assure you, nothing like this despicable act will happen again."


    The governor even intended to guarantee it with his political career, but Ferdinand waved his hand, not wanting to hear any more nonsense from him.


    What the governor didn''t expect was that the next incidents would be not only despicable but also plunge the whole of Europe directly into chaos.


    Archduke Ferdinand''s next stop was the National Museum, but due to the assassination attempt, he temporarily changed the next destination to the hospital to visit those injured in the bomb explosion.


    However, Ferdinand''s change of itinerary was temporary. Perhaps the driver forgot, and still followed the mayor''s car in front, without modification.


    At this point, Governor Boticelli next to him reminded out loud, "We''ve taken the wrong way! We should go to the hospital!"


    At the governor''smand, the driver stopped to change direction, slowing down the entire convoy and lingering at the street corner.


    The motorcade seemed to be nning to change its route, which caused some panic among the hidden assassins.


    If the motorcade took a new route, this would mean their deployed assassination would fail.


    The assassins chosen by the Mafia were all extreme nationalists. After pondering for a moment, an assassin named Princip resolutely chose to carry out the assassination ahead of schedule.


    50 meters, 40 meters...20 meters, 10 meters.


    As a young man got closer and closer to the Archduke, the police standing by the roadside noticed something was wrong.


    "Protect His Highness!"


    The moment the police shouted, Princip came to the front of the motorcade. Without any hesitation, he used a Browning-developed M1910 pistol to shoot at Archduke Ferdinand several times.


    Perhaps because of nervousness, some of the shots were off-target, hitting Duchess Sophia Thomas beside Archduke Ferdinand.


    The shrill gunshots caused everyone on the scene to panic in an instant. The cries of the guards and the screams of the crowd made the voices of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife even weaker.


    Governor Boticelli''s gaze turned to the Archduke and his wife not far away and was instantly horrified and distressed.


    Archduke Ferdinand''s chest, neck, and Duchess Sophia''s abdomen were all spurting blood, which was dripping to the ground following the car door, forming small blood pools on the ground.


    "Sophia, Sophia, don''t die, live for our children," Archduke Ferdinand, who had been shot in the neck, gasped desperately.


    "Hurry to the hospital! Quickly take Archduke Ferdinand to the hospital!" Governor Boticelli finally reacted, hurriedly shouting at the stunned driver who didn''t know what to do.


    Although capturing the assassin was also important, for Governor Boticelli, nothing was more important than saving the lives of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife.


    It''s just a pity that the chest and neck were already fatal ces, and Archduke Ferdinand had encountered two of them, leaving one to imagine his fate.


    Duchess Sophia, who was in slightly better condition, also died on the way to the hospital due to excessive blood loss.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    By the time Archduke Ferdinand and his wife arrived at the hospital, they were already two lifeless bodies.


    Thankfully, the police''s deployment was sessful and did not allow the person who assassinated the Archduke to escape.


    After frantic arrests by the surrounding police, a total of seven assassins and their aplices were eventually captured, all of Serbian origin and members of a Young Bosnia Organization.


    Among them, the perpetrators of the assassination were one who had thrown a bomb before and Princip, who had shot and killed.


    After an overnight interrogation, Governor Boticelli finally confirmed that this was indeed an assassination targeting the Archduke.


    However, the main target of this assassination was Archduke Ferdinand, the secondary target was Governor Boticelli, and Sophia was actually the most innocent of all.


    No matter how panicked he was, such a serious matter could not go unreported to Vienna.


    Withplicated emotions, Governor Boticelli sent a telegram to Vienna detailing the process of the assassination and the background of the nners.


    At that time, Emperor Francis the First was out hunting at his country vi due to the hot summer. On the way to hunting, Francis the First learned of the news that Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were killed in an assassination.


    The elderly Emperor coldly announced, "A powerful force is trying to subvert the order, and we cannot stand idly by."


    No one knew the feelings of the old Emperor at this time, but from the old Emperor''s slightly trembling shoulders, it could be seen that the old man was experiencing one of the greatest sorrows of his life.


    For the old Emperor, the Habsburg family had a series of disasters. In just a few years, the old Emperor''s brother was killed, his sister-inw went mad, his only son died suddenly, the Empress was assassinated by Italians, and the Empress''s nephew was drowned.


    Now, the only heir to the throne, was assassinated during such an ordinary inspection. All close rtives were gone, leaving only the old Emperor, which was very sad.


    On his way back to Vienna, the old Emperor could not help butment in sorrow, "I see a dark future, and the people around me are dying one by one."


    A few dayster, in Vienna, the imperial conference.

 Chapter 471: Chapter 373: The Gunshots of Sarajevo_3

    The Old Emperor, seated on the high tform, wore a cold expression as he dered to the ministers below, "I want you to present a n to deal with the impact of this crisis both domestically and internationally. The Habsburg may be weakening, but it never fears death."


    Chief of Staff Conrad of the Austro-Hungarian Empire had always advocated for firmly suppressing the Serbs.


    It is worth mentioning that Archduke Ferdinand''s strong rmendation yed a key role in Conrad''s sessful appointment as the Chief of Staff.


    Conrad said loudly, "Your Majesty, for a long time, Serbia has been trying to annex our two provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and establish a unified South via Nation.


    The unification of the Yugovic ethnic group may be unstoppable, but the question is whether to sacrifice Serbia''s independence and trade it for unification under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, or to make the empire suffer significant losses and fall under Serbia''s control."


    "If it is thetter, it would mean the empire losing most of its coastline and the region of its Yugovic poption. This significant loss in terms of territory and dignity would reduce the empire to a minor country. It is better to resolve the conflict between us and Serbia as soon as possible.


    The assassination of the Crown Prince is shocking, but it also presents a rare opportunity for us to exterminate Greater Serbianism and destroy this damn country."


    Previously umitted to war, Austrian Chancellor and Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Berchtold also said, "Your Majesty, the time hase to resolve the Serbian issue."


    Prime Minister Ticha of Hungary, who held significant power within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was the most talented politician, handling affairs with a calm and steady approach.


    After a brief contemtion, he finally spoke: "The key to the European situation lies in the Balkans, and we must not act recklessly. If we can resort to diplomatic means, seek Germany''s support, and strive for Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey to resolve the ethnic disputes.


    Starting a war would be a fatal mistake, tying a noose around our own neck and making us bear the guilt of disrupting world peace in the eyes of the people."


    However, within thisrger context, the peace faction was ultimately in the minority.


    Chief of Staff Conrad countered, "We can no longer tolerate this provocation with an indifferent calm attitude. It is like a Christian who after being pped on one cheek, offers the other. This is not a duel with the damn Serbs or a punishment for the assassination, but a matter of honor for a major power, a great power.


    If we keep backing down and enduring, it will be perceived as ipetence and the enemy will be even more brazen, leading the empire to ruin. Is it not clear enough whether to let others strangle us to death or make a final struggle to avoid destruction? From now on, the military must be mobilized."


    Ticha refuted, "Mobilization means war. If we attack Serbia, Russia might not stand idly by. In this situation, Germany and Romania might not be able to help us either. If the war bes one between us, Russia, and Serbia, it would be extremely unfavorable to us."


    Upon hearing the need for military mobilization, Old Emperor Joseph the First could not help but sigh and said weakly, "Mobilization is temporarily impossible. Russia may attack, but Germany''s support is still uncertain."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 472: Chapter 374: The Contradictory Austro-Hungarian Empire

    Every country has both warmongers and peacemongers, but rtively speaking, there will be strengths and weaknesses, or someone who can make decisions.


    However, for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, one of the great powers, not only were the internal forces of warmongers and peacemongers evenly bnced, but Emperor Francis the First, the ultimate decision-maker, was actually very hesitant.


    Without a final decision-maker, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had not reached a unified decision internally, and they did not take military action in response to the assassination.


    After several hours of tense discussion, the Austro-Hungarian Empire eventually decided to still investigate the truth of the matter, negotiate with the Serbian Government, and then send someone to Berlin to seek the forgiveness and support of William II.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In a memorandum from Francis the First to William II, drafted by Berchtold, it is stated that after the terrible incident in Bosnia, it is impossible for the hostile situation between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbia to be amicably resolved. Unless the source of evil instigation in Belgrade is punished, all the peace policies of the European monarchies will be threatened.


    The old emperor was very furious, but he was not willing to make any decisions that would directly involve war, so he decided to go to a hot springs vi for recuperation.


    As for the attitude of other countries towards the Sarajevo assassination, the first response was unified sympathy and concern.


    Nearly all monarchies condemned the assassination. As the initiator of the European Royal Family Union Deration, the Austrsian Government expressed concern about this incident, stating that if it was national-level assassination of the European royal family, it would be an extremely terrifying event that threatens European royal power.


    Although Arthur had been prepared for the Sarajevo incident, he still couldn''t help but sigh when the event that almost signaled the outbreak of World War I actually happened.


    A super war involving more than half the Earth and the whole of Europe, dozens of participating countries, and tens of millions of troops is about to erupt.


    Britain and Russia also expressed concern about the incident, but Russia did not support the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s intentions.


    After all, Serbia and Russia were staunch allies, so supporting their enemy? They would have to wait for their next life!


    In Bosnia, the interrogation of the assassins was being conducted overnight. All officers, including Governor Boticelli, were anxiously waiting for the results of the interrogation with mixed feelings.


    On the one hand, they hoped for an early end to the interrogation so that they could redeem themselves and not be disgraced by Francis.


    On the other hand, they were afraid that the final interrogation results were rted to them. If they inadvertently contributed to a sessful assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, then they would be in real trouble.


    Especially the Mayor of Sarajevo, who had leaked Archduke Ferdinand''s itinerary before he left.


    Although the intention was not to facilitate the assassination, if such an unintentional move really elerated the assassination process, what would be the difference between it and being an aplice?


    As people waited with mixed emotions, after two days of interrogation and several days of investigation, the assassination incident finally had some clues.


    Although it is unknown what kind of interrogation methods the Austro-Hungarian Empire used, those methods could notst long on patriotic youths aged seventeen or eighteen.


    Soon, all assassins, including Princip, confessed their motives and the entire process behind them.


    July 3, 1914, Vienna.


    The cab meetings of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were held once a week. As the assassins had already confessed and the investigation had progressed, the cab meetings were held two days earlier this time.


    "Everyone, take a look, these are thetest testimonies of the assassins. It details how the culprits received training in Serbia, how they obtained weapons from an official-controlled force in Serbia, and with the help of a force called the Mafia, arrived and ambushed in Sarajevo. I can hardly imagine that this was a long-standing assassination plot.


    It''s terrifying, and without punishing the real culprit behind the scenes, where else would be safe?" Austro-Hungarian foreign minister Berthold said gravely during the cab meeting.


    Once opposed to war, the Austrian Chancellor had be a hawkish advocate, like Archduke Ferdinand, due to the assassination.


    For Berchtold, the Sarajevo assassination was a signal that the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s strength must be shown in response to this extremely despicable means against them.


    The best way to demonstrate strength is to wage a revenge war against Serbia, destroying the cursed country and its people.


    The words of the Austrian Prime Minister and the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister immediately gained the support of warmongers.


    "Berchtold is right. If we let the real criminals behind the scenes go unpunished, it would be a p in the face for the empire and everyone present. From the royal family to the government and officials, none should be humiliated by such foolish behavior.


    The best way to avoid such consequences is to wage war, wiping the cursed country off the mappletely." said Chief of Staff Conrad Wilson of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

 Chapter 473: Chapter 374: The Contradictory Austro-Hungarian Empire_2

    The two main war factions in the Austro-Hungarian Empire were Archduke Ferdinand and Chief of Staff Conrad, who was promoted by Archduke Ferdinand.


    After the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Conrad thought he was the only one in the war faction, but unexpectedly, the Foreign Minister, who previously did not advocate war, suddenly became a war proponent. This was good news for the war faction and all the officials behind them.


    Foreign Secretary Berchtold also served as the Austrian Chancellor, and like Prime Minister Ticha of Hungary, he held a very high position within the Austro-Hungarian Empire government.


    If there was someone who could suppress Prime Minister Ticha of Hungary, it would definitely be Berchtold, who served as the Austrian Prime Minister.


    "Chief of Staff Conrad is right. We should not let the mastermind behind the scenes go unpunished. We must impose sanctions to demonstrate the majesty of our empire."


    "Wipe this damn country off the map, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire will trample all enemies."


    Behind the war faction was the hawk faction, consisting of Secretary of Army yton, some nobles, and the military.


    Soldiers and nobles were enthusiastic aboutunching wars, as wars could bring them a lot of military merits, earn them titles of nobility, or advance them further in their ranks.


    Most of the peace faction members were politicians, especially in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where Austria and Hungary were divided. Their ideas were not in sync.


    Looking at the division of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s Cab Government, it is clear that there were problems. In addition to the Cab Government, there were also the Austrian Prime Minister and the Hungarian Prime Minister.


    Austria and Hungary had separate finances, and it was perfectly normal for such a country to have different ideas.


    The power of the peace faction was no weaker than that of the war faction. After the military spoke out, Ticha and the peace faction also refuted and warned Old Emperor Franz I about the terrible consequences ofunching a war.


    The main reason why the peace faction did not want to wage war at the moment was firstly, that Serbia had Russia Nation behind it, andunching a war meant starting a war with Russia Nation.


    Secondly, the ally behind the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, had not expressed its position. If they disregarded the Germans'' opinions andunched a war privately, the Germans might also abandon the alliance and leave the Austro-Hungarian Empire to face the war alone.


    Seeing that this meeting was about to have a bncing situation again, Foreign Secretary Berthold hurriedly said, "If I remember correctly, His Highness, the Crown Prince, once told me that during his visit to Germany, His Majesty William II promised to support our country on the Serbia issue.


    If our countryunches an attack on Serbia, Germany will definitely express its support and fulfill its alliancemitments."


    With Berchtold''s words, the situation at the meeting almost turned around.


    The originally bnced peace and war factions now saw the peace faction''s voicepletely disappear.


    "Berchtold, why didn''t you mention earlier about His Majesty William II''s promise to His Highness? Moreover, why didn''t His Highness mention it personally, but instead, you brought it up after His Highness was assassinated?" Hungarian Ticha Prime Minister questioned in order to reverse the disadvantage of the peace faction.


    Austria and Hungary were not that united, at least the wealthy Hungarians did not want tounch a senseless war just because Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated.


    If it was just a war between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbia, it would be fine, but this might escte into a full-scale war between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia Nation, which the Hungarians would definitely refuse.


    Facing Prime Minister Ticha''s questioning, Berchtold lightlyughed, nced at his old rival, and then looked to Old Emperor Franz I, exining, "His Highness once said that His Majesty the German Emperor''s verbal promise didn''t need to be widely publicized.


    Moreover, if it hadn''t been for the unexpected events, His Majesty the German Emperor''smitment should have been conveyed by His Highness himself."


    "Even if this is true, what if His Majesty the German Emperor changes his mind now? We can''t bet the fate of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on a verbal promise made by His Majesty the German Emperor years ago!" Prime Minister Ticha was still trying to make a final rebuttal to prevent the war.


    "Enough, since you are all at an impasse, why not directly ask the Germans for their opinion?" The old Emperor Franz I waved his hand, stopping the quarrel among his subordinates, and said.


    Seeing that the quarrel between Berchtold and Ticha could very likely escte into a conflict between Hungary and Austria, even the previously calm old Emperor Franz I had to hastily intervene.


    For a dualistic empire like Austria-Hungary, national unity is the most important.


    Because the Austrian government and the Hungarian government each have significant power, if this quarrel does not have a good oue, it may evolve into a conflict between the Kingdom of Hungary Government and the Austrian Empire Government.


    It should be noted that although the Austro-Hungarian Empire is headed by the Austrian Empire, the Hungarian Kingdom Government has independent finance and administration, and its power within the Austro-Hungarian Empire is still considerable.


    If the Hungarians feel wronged and stir up independence, the old emperor would really vomit blood.


    Maintaining this empire has consumed a lot of effort from Franz I. Any action that might undermine national unity and cohesion is uneptable to Franz I.


    Fortunately, the old emperor still has a high prestige in this country. As long as Franz I is there, the internal problems of the Austro-Hungarian Empire will never inte.


    Seeing that the old emperor had spoken, whether it was Austrian Chancellor Berchtold or Prime Minister Ticha of Hungary, they dared not continue to refute.


    Asking the Germans for their opinions is the best result for both of them. Berchtold can prove that his words are not false, Prime Minister Ticha can temporarily dy the progress of the war, and even the Germans may change their minds, extinguishing the hope ofunching this war.


    After terminating the quarrel, the old emperor looked at the somewhat unwilling Prime Minister Ticha of Hungary and ordered: "Prime Minister Ticha, regardless of whether the Germans fulfill their promise, no matter what measures the empire takes against Serbia, I hope that it is done with your consent and that of the Hungarian people.


    If you really do not want to see the urrence of war, then I promise you that I will not use this as an excuse tounch a war against Serbia."


    As the monarch of this dualist empire, the old Emperor Franz I has very sophisticated political skills in maintaining national unity and stability for decades.


    The old emperor knew very well that maintaining rule between Austria and Hungary was more important than annexing Serbia and proving that the empire had not declined.


    If this matter leads to a split between the Hungarian kingdom and the Austrian empire, even if the Austro-Hungarian Empire can annex Serbia, it will be divided into two or even three parts.


    Seeing the sincerity of the old emperor''s words, Prime Minister Ticha also knew that he had to make a decision.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Prime Minister Ticha and the Kingdom of Hungary have great power, if they oppose the Austrian Empire, the Hungarian kingdom alone cannot maintain its status among the Powers and may even directly be reduced to a second-rate or even third-rate country in Europe.


    Weak countries can never protect themselves. This is the first thing veteran politician Prime Minister Ticha understood after bing the prime minister of Hungary.


    Without too much hesitation, Prime Minister Ticha replied: "I understand, Your Majesty. Rest assured, no matter what, the Hungarian people will always be citizens of the Empire. If the Germans truly support us, then I assure you that the Hungarian government and people will support this war."


    Prime Minister Ticha is very smart. He knows that although this seems like the old emperor''s concession to Hungary, if Hungary really insists on opposing this war, it will not be of any benefit to Hungary itself.


    Unless the strength of the Kingdom of Hungary has far surpassed the Austrian Empire, the country will always be at the mercy of Austria.

 Chapter 474: Chapter 375: The Final 48-Hour Ultimatum

    After the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, not only was the Austro-Hungarian Empire inquiring about Germany''s attitude, but the Allies were also mutually confirming their ally''s attitude.


    For the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this was a suitable excuse for dering war and an opportunity to provoke a major conflict between the Allied and Central Powers.


    While preparations were underway within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the four Great Powers of the Allies had already begun making preparations for war.


    On July 4, 1914, six days after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.


    On this day, Arthur received inquiries from Nichs II and King George V, both of whom asked him whether he was prepared for war.


    Arthur''s response was that the Austrsian military was ready for battle at any time and could guarantee sufficient supplies at any time.


    After receiving Arthur''s rather firm reply, Nichs II finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    If the Austro-Hungarian Empire made the unwise decision to dere war on Serbia, Russia would inevitably have to enter into a state of war with the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    At this point, the attitude of the allies on both sides of Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire became very important. The support of any party''s allies could at least maintain a bnce in the war.


    However, there was also a less fortunate piece of news: if both the allies of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia supported this military action, a European war would inevitably break out.


    July 4 was also the day of the funeral of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife.


    As the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and a member of the Habsburg family, Archduke Ferdinand''s funeral was rather simple.


    Firstly, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was busy with investigations and war preparations, and secondly, monarchies like Britain, Russia, and Australia, due to their adversarial rtionships, did not have high-ranking state officials present.


    Emperor William II of Germany had intended to attend the funeral of his friend Ferdinand, but he reluctantly gave up because the Prime Minister of Germany reported that there were more than a dozen assassinsing from Belgrade to Vienna to assassinate him.


    William II was outraged by Serbia''s brazen assassination of members of the royal family and cursed: "Those assassins are damned murderers, bandits, and regicides!"


    Although there were no royals and high-ranking government officials present, Britain, France, Russia, and Australia still sent their ambassadors to the Austro-Hungarian Empire to attend Archduke Ferdinand''s funeral.


    Australia''s ambassador to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on Arthur''s orders, conveyed Arthur''s message to Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire: "No matter how the situation develops, Austrsia will ultimately punish all assassins severely."


    The unscrupulous assassination of royal family members is not good news for Arthur, who wants to continue to maintain a monarchy.


    Although the person assassinated was not him or his family, how could Austrsia be unharmed if monarchies like the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany are bing increasingly scarce?


    Arthur''s guarantee to Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was to try the assassins after the war. For one thing, this could keep the European Royal Family Union Deration, signed earlier, valid and not degrade it into a piece of waste paper.


    Secondly, it would force other countries to consider the consequences of such actions before plotting to assassinate European royalty.


    As for Britain, France, and Russia, Arthur had already reached an agreement with them: to try all those involved in the assassination, without threatening Serbia''s political rights.


    While the four great powers of the Allies maintained close contact, Germany also received an inquiry from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Germany initially expressed its attitude to the Austro-Hungarian Empire by warning the Austro-Hungarian Empire not to take rash actions through the German ambassador in Vienna.


    However, this was actually the German Chancellor''s view. The German Chancellor believed that war should be avoided, and concessions from Serbia should be sought by more peaceful means.


    Emperor William II, however, sneered at this view. After learning of the warning from the German ambassador in Vienna, he angrily criticized: "Now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, who told him to do this? It''s terrible, this issue has nothing to do with him, what should be done is Austria-Hungary''s business, he has no right to dictate.


    The matter with the Serbs must be settled as soon as possible, the sooner the better, that''s the simple truth."


    As if criticizing his own diplomat was not enough, William II turned to the Austro-Hungarian ambassador to Germany and said, "The German Empire awaits the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s major actions against Serbia. If your Excellency believes that military action is necessary against Serbia, it would be a pity to give up such a favorable opportunity.


    I know Russia''s position is hostile, and if war breaks out between Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany will fulfill its alliance obligations and join the war between Russia and Austria-Hungary."


    With that, William II nced around, looking meaningfully at the doves led by the Prime Minister and said, "The Austro-Hungarian Empire wants a once-and-for-all clean break with Serbia, either to clean up now or never. The Serbs must be wiped out, and now is the time!"


    It seemed that verbalmitments were not enough for William II. He wrote a letter to Joseph I, clearly stating, "Under any circumstances, the German Empire will stand firmly and faithfully by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, ording to its alliance obligations and traditional friendship."


    However, this letter was opposed by the domestic government, and under their insistence, William II had to delete the words "under any circumstances."


    The attitude of Germany and the German government was soon conveyed to Vienna, greatly encouraging the pro-war faction within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    With the support and instigation of Germany, the Austrian Chancellor and Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Berchtold''s attitude became very tough. In a cab meeting, he directly asked Chief of Staff Conrad, "General Conrad, is it time to use force to resolve the Serbian threat?"


    As one of the war advocates, Conrad''s answer was naturally beyond doubt: "There are two ways to solve the Serbian problem, one is through peace, and the other is through force. Given the current situation, we have no choice but to use force."


    The firm support for each other from both the Allies and Allied Nations quickly brought about the dark clouds of European war.


    On July 7, 1914, Russia urgently ced a batch of orders to Austrsia, which included 100,000 rifles, 500 artillery pieces, 50 million bullets, and other weapons and equipment, as well as medical supplies worth over 1 million pounds.


    Britain and France''s navies also began to move in advance, preparing for the possibility of a sudden outbreak of war.


    Starting from July 10, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military forces began to mobilize frequently, making the fog of war in Europe even more intense.


    On July 23, just as all the supplies from Austrsia were delivered to the port of divostok, the Austro-Hungarian Empire officially issued an ultimatum to the Serbian government, proposing ten harsh demands, including:


    Prohibit all hostile and contemptuous publications towards the Austro-Hungarian Empire within Serbia;


    Immediately dissolve the Serbian Mafia and all anti-Austro-Hungarian Empire underworld organizations;


    Under the supervision of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, curb arms smuggling within Serbia;


    Ban all anti-Austro-Hungarian Empire political propaganda in Serbia''s education, and dismiss all Serbian officials engaged in activities against the Austro-Hungarian Empire;


    Suppress subversive activities aimed at harming the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Serbia, and send supervision from Austro-Hungarian Empire to monitor implementation;


    Dispatch personnel from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to participate in the investigation of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and try all conspirators;


    Immediately arrest Serbian military intelligence officer Yale Tankowski, railway employee Mn Seganovich, and all other suspects;


    Punish Serbian border customs officials who assisted the criminals in crossing the border to Sarajevo;


    Respond to anti-Austro-Hungarian Empire remarks made by Serbian officials after the assassination;


    Implement all of the above immediately and notify the Austro-Hungarian Empire government as soon as possible, with a deadline of 48 hours for a response.


    It is worth mentioning that the time when the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued the final ultimatum to Serbia was at six in the evening.


    This time coincided precisely with French President Poincare and Prime Minister Viviani Smith''s end of their military visit to Russia and their return trip.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The reason for choosing this time was Berchtold''s strategy of not allowing Russia and France to reach an agreement on this event quickly.


    Considering the harshness of the final ultimatum from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, this ultimatum was no different from a deration of war.


    It should be noted that the implementation time of this ultimatum was only 48 hours, so Serbia did not even have time to considerplying with all terms.


    This also means that at the time of issuing this ultimatum, Berchtold was already prepared for a war between Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a war that could affect not only Russia and Germany but also the entire allied and Allied Nations.


    When Serbian Prime Minister Patrick received this ultimatum, his feelings were veryplicated.


    Compared to the rather extreme military and intelligence departments, the Serbian government is actually the more rational side.


    At least for this assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Prime Minister Patrick knew very well that the Serbian government was not involved in any way.


    The problem was that the Austro-Hungarian Empire demanded that the Serbian government arrest all the aplices involved in the assassination, including intelligence officer Tankowski and Seganovich.


    These two were high-ranking officials in the intelligence department, as well as core members of the Mafia controlled by the intelligence department.


    It would be impossible to arrest these two within 48 hours without the support of the military ¨C the Serbian government alone could not do it.


    It is absolutely impossible for the Serbian military and intelligence services, as one of the extremist factions, to help the government.


    This means that the ultimatum from the Austro-Hungarian Empire is impossible for the Serbian government, and it also means that there is no choice between Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire but to go to war.

 Chapter 475: Chapter 376: The Austro-Hungarian Empire Declares War

    Prime Minister Patrick of Serbia understood that the current situation was beyond his control. The path Serbia would ultimately take depended on the attitudes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia Nation.


    As a result, Patrick hurriedly forwarded the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Russia, asking for the stance of Tsar Nichs II and the Russian Government.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As a bulwark against the expansion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Balkan Region, Serbia was highly valued by the Russian Empire.


    Upon learning of the harsh 48-hour ultimatum from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Nichs II was very angry, using them ofpletely ignoring Russia''s special interests in Serbia and attempting to undermine Russia''s position.


    The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs angrily said, "Russia cannot absolutely allow the Austro-Hungarian Empire to defeat Serbia and be the most dominant country in the Balkan Region."


    Not only did Serbia rte to Russia''s interests in the Balkan Region, but also to the safety of the Russian ck Sea Fleet''s export.


    If the Balkan Region fell into the hands of the Allied Nations, Russia''s ck Sea Fleet would be trapped, and Russia would have only the Baltic Sea and the Far East as its exits.


    Although Nichs II had long supported Arthur''s proposal to try the masterminds behind the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand,


    at such a crucial moment, a joint royal deration was clearly not as important as Serbia.


    Soon, Nichs II summoned the Austro-Hungarian ambassador in Saint Petersburg to express Russia''s attitude.


    Nichs II dered firmly, "Russia does not agree with the two agreements in the final ultimatum that damage Serbia''s sovereignty, nor does it agree with the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s investigation of the Sarajevo assassination on Serbian territory."


    Even if an investigation were to take ce, it should be led by the Four Great Powers of the Allies ¨C Britain, France, Russia, and Australia ¨C organizing the necessary manpower for an investigation in Serbia.


    As for the other countries in the Allied Nations, even the victimized Austro-Hungarian Empire had no right to investigate on Serbiannd.


    Even if the Austro-Hungarian ambassador exined several times that they were only suppressing terrorist activities and riots that threatened European royal families, which would be beneficial for all European monarchies,


    how could the fiery temper of the Russians believe the Austro-Hungarians? The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs strongly stated, "If the Austro-Hungarian Empire persists with the 48-hour ultimatum, it will provoke war throughout Europe."


    Russia could never back down on Serbia issue. Besides, the Allies had a strong bond, and with the financial support of Britain and France and the material support of Austrsia, Nichs II believed he had the confidence to face any challenges from the outside world.


    However, the Austro-Hungarian Imperial Government did not care about the rtively tough attitude of Russia. Berchtold, who had control over the government''s discourse, believed that with the nk check issued by Emperor William II of Germany, the Russians would be wary of Germany and would not directly join the war.


    This would mean that the war between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbia would only escte into a small-scale local conflict.


    It was because of this idea that under Berchtold''s insistence, the Austro-Hungarian Empire did not withdraw the 48-hour ultimatum and constantly urged the Serbian Government to respond to it.


    On July 25, 1914, Serbian Prime Minister Patrick personally rushed to the Austro-Hungarian Embassy with the Serbian Government''s reply.


    The Serbian Government''s reply was filled with the wishful thinking for reconciliation. Patrick exined to the Austro-Hungarian ambassador, "Serbia is prepared to formally condemn all actions against the Austrian People and requests the Austro-Hungarian Empire not to vite Serbia''s sovereignty.


    If the Austro-Hungarian Empire is not satisfied with this oue, Serbia is willing to ept arbitration from The Hague Court."


    This reply exhausted the minds of the Serbian government officials. Not only was it revised repeatedly, but also it was handwritten by Prime Minister Patrick because the only typewriter was broken by the exhausted secretary.


    Moreover, the ministers of the Serbian Government believed that taking the reply to the Austrian Embassy would humiliate them, so they all refused to go.


    This humiliation forced Serbian Prime Minister Patrick to personally deliver the letter, which was a great humiliation, even though Serbia was a small country.


    Although the Serbian Government''s reply was full of sincerity, such concessions were obviously not enough to satisfy the appetite of the Austro-Hungarian Government and Berchtold.


    Moreover, even before the Serbian Government''s reply, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had already deployed its army to the Serbian border.


    For the Austro-Hungarian Empire, there were only two eptable conditions: either Serbia surrendered, or they fought Serbia into submission.


    On July 26, 1914, after the 48-hour ultimatum of the Austro-Hungarian Government expired, the whole of Europe fell into boundless silence.


    William II understood that his firm stance could not shake the Russians'' determination, and he wanted to resolve the conflict through negotiation.


    On the other hand, the British also joined the mediation effort, as the sudden outbreak of war was not good for either party.


    However, it was evident that William II''s long-standing firm stance on war had led Germany''s military and government officials to develop an irresistible war impulse.

 Chapter 476: Chapter 376: The Austro-Hungarian Empire Declares War_2

    At this point, it was already unrealistic for William II to suppress it.


    The British position was obviously not effective on the side of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Unless William II directly forced the Austro-Hungarian Empire to abandon action, the wheels of war would not stop for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    However, the problem was that William II could not suppress the warhawks at home at this time. If William II unterally let the Austro-Hungarian Empire stop its actions, the prestige that William II had cultivated for a long time woulde to nothing.


    A monarch with an unsteady position and constantly changing alliances might even offend both the warhawks and doves.


    The military mobilization of the Austro-Hungarian Empire became more and more frequent, and in response, Russia began to assemble its troops towards the border.


    Finally, after two quiet days, on July 28, 1914, exactly one month after Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, the Austro-Hungarian Empire dered war on Serbia.


    In order to get the unwilling old Emperor Joseph I to sign the deration of war, Berchtold, who had already seized government power, even told a despicable lie.


    "Moreover, some Serbian troops have already attacked a detachment of the Royal Imperial Forces in Temes-Kubin. If we do not take action now, the hintend of the Austro-Hungarian Empire will be threatened."


    It was this kind of lie that made Joseph I believe that Serbia had already provoked the war, so he decisively signed the deration of war, igniting the mes of war across Europe.


    "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"


    In the early hours of July 28, the royal guard knocked on the door of Nichs II''s pce and reported the news that Nichs II was not willing to hear: "Minister Sazonov reported that the Austro-Hungarian Empire has officially dered war on Serbia!"


    For any country, dering war is not dramatic, but a war notice issued from the highest level of a country to another country.


    Once the state of war is entered, unless one side suffers irreparable losses, the war cannot be ended.


    "Where is Sazonov?" A few minutester, Nichs II quickly walked out and asked.


    "Your Majesty, ording to the Serbian ambassador''s news, this afternoon, the Austro-Hungarian Empire officially issued a war notice to Serbia." The long-awaiting Minister of Foreign Affairs Sazonov immediately stood out and exined.


    Although he did not want to hear such news, the result had already been discussed within the Russian government.


    Nichs II ordered, "Notify Janusz Kotwicki and Suhomlinsky Moore to immediately begin national mobilization and mobilize more troops to the border."


    Janusz Kotwicki was the Chief of Staff of Russia, and Suhomlinsky Moore was the Russian Secretary of the Army.


    Notifying these two people meant notifying all the Russian troops.


    The good news was that although Russia did not start national mobilization before, in order to guard against a possible deration of war by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia had carried out partial mobilization in four military districts: Warsaw, Kiev, Odessa, and Moscow.


    The troops of these four military districts could be deployed to the border to protect Russia''s border areas.


    In fact, Germany received the news faster than Russia. Fortunately, before the Austro-Hungarian Empire decided to dere war, it had already informed the German government and William II, and obtained the support of the warhawks, including William II.


    On the German side, after learning that the Austro-Hungarian Empire had decided to dere war, they immediately and decisively issued a national mobilization order.


    July 29, 1914, was not a good day for Europe or even the entire world.


    On the previous day, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had officially issued a war deration to Serbia. Today, both Germany and Russia dered total national mobilization, and the war in Europe had begun.


    No one believed that the mobilization by Germany and Russia was merely a bluff. Total national mobilization represented arge-scale war, and the time hade for the Triple Alliance and the Allies to decide life and death.


    On July 30, 1914, Germany demanded that Russia immediately rescind its war mobilization order; otherwise, Germany would honor its alliance with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and join the war against Serbia.


    Naturally, Tsar Nichs II scoffed at the Germans'' demands.


    Germany and Russia almost simultaneously announced national mobilization orders, so on what grounds could Germany demand that Russia rescind its order while their own order remained in effect?


    At the suggestion of Nichs II, the Russian government posed the same demand to Germany in retaliation.


    As the two governments confronted each other, both Germany and Russia were already disseminating propaganda against each other domestically.


    On the morning of July 31, 1914, the third day of Germany''s total mobilization order was in effect.


    Emperor William II convened a meeting to determine whether Germany was prepared for a state of war.


    Clearly, the highly confident warmongers insisted that the German military had prepared everything.


    ording to the report of Secretary of Army Fakinham, if Germanypleted this military mobilization, it would have an army of 3.8 million, 6,000 guns, 45,000 machine guns, 132 aircraft, 130 military airships, 4,000 cars, and arge amount of military and living supplies.


    German Chief of General Staff Moltke said, "The Imperial Army is ready, and the sooner the war starts, the better. The General Staff has already made a war n. First, we will expand on the Westline, attack France through Belgium, defeat France in about six weeks, and then join forces with the Austro-Hungarian Empire to defeat Russia.


    I have drafted a secret ultimatum to Belgium, and the army is ready to march into Belgium at any time."


    At this time, William II still had some doubts. Although Germany held an advantageous position in the army, its navy was clearly inferior to that of the United Kingdom.


    However, Navy Secretary Tilpitz also provided an exnation, "Your Majesty, although the Royal British Navy has far more ships than our country, theirbat power still does not match our Imperial Navy. We can first blockade Britain''s sea transport with submarines, use cruisers to carry out guerri warfare at sea, and disperse the main force of the British fleet to consume their military.


    When the opportunity arises, we canunch a decisive battle, and there is no need to worry about the sizeable but scattered British navy."


    Only then did William II nod in relief, but he was still very concerned about the British attitude, and asked, "What has been the attitude of the British so far?"


    "Except for the previous mediation, the British have not expressed any stance so far.


    ording to information from Austrsia, during a royal meeting between Britain and Austrsia, King George V seemed to have mentioned that the uing war would be a four-country conflict between the German-Austrian forces and the French-Russian forces, and that Britain and Australia should try their best not to intervene in the war and maintain neutrality," replied Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerard Tankowski.


    Prime Minister Betman also said, "Your Majesty, I met with the British ambassador yesterday and suggested that if Britain remains neutral, after defeating France, our country will respect the territorial integrity of France. However, the British ambassador refused. The British said they would act in their own best interests, and I estimate there is a high probability they will support France."


    William II was not surprised and seemed to have expected such a situation, nodding rather calmly.


    "Your Majesty, we should remind the Austro-Hungarian Empire that after the war begins, they should focus their main forces on attacking Russia, not Serbia," said Moltke, trying to revive the meeting.


    William II nodded, "Send a telegram to Joseph on my behalf, requesting that the Austro-Hungarian Empire focuses its main forces on fighting Russia while refraining from attacking Serbia simultaneously. Such decisions will have great strategic significance. This point will be particrly important in the event of arge-scale war when arge part of our army is held back by France.


    In this vast war, Serbia will only y a secondary role, and only necessary defensive measures need to be taken against it."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What is the attitude of our ally Italy?" William II looked at Prime Minister Betman again and asked.


    Italy was one of the three major powers of the Triple Alliance, and although its army was not very strong, its navy was quite capable.


    If they could win the loyalty of Italy to fulfill the Triple Alliance, it would be a good thing for both Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

 Chapter 477: Chapter 377: Declaration of War! Declaration of War!

    "The Italians still im their loyalty to the Triple Alliance. However, the issue is that they also want to maintain their traditional friendship with Britain and France. The Triple Alliance takes on the obligation for defensive wars, but the Italians contend that the Austro-Hungarian Empire is currently carrying out an aggressive war without prior consultation with Italy.


    Even if the Russians intervene in this war, the Italians will not bear any obligations, and Italy will remain neutral in this war", replied Prime Minister Betman.


    Although the Italians'' argument seems reasonable,pared to Germany''s steadfast support for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is simple nonsense.


    The only reason Italy hasn''t fulfilled its alliance obligations is that it wants to y both sides of the fence between the allied nations and the Allies, and join this war in a likely victorious manner.


    William II shook his head disdainfully, saying,"The Bible says, a servant cannot serve two masters, let alone three. It''s entirely impossible. Italy is most likely to join Britain and France. I hope you all can clearly see this. Assume we never had this ally; without it, we would still be victorious in the war. I have firmly decided to wage war against Russia and France; nothing can stop us."


    On July 31, 1914, the German government announced that Germany was entering a state of war threat.


    In the afternoon, the German government issued a final ultimatum to Russia, demanding that the Russian government cancel its total mobilization within 12 hours, otherwise, Germany would enter a state of war with Russia.


    But the reply given by the Russian Foreign Minister Shazonov was, "Due to technical reasons, the total mobilization of Russia cannot be stopped."


    Naturally, the Germans did not believe such nonsense from the Russians. Almost on the day the ultimatum was issued to Russia, Germany approached the French government, asking whether France would remain neutral when Germany and Russia go to war, and demanded a reply from the French government within 18 hours.


    Moreover, if France agrees to remain strictly neutral, Germany has provocatively demanded France surrender the Toul and Verdun Fortress to Germany as a guarantee of neutrality.


    Of course, the French would never agree to such a demand. French Prime Minister Vivianne Green stated: France will act in ordance with its own interests.


    On the day of such a reply, the French government also issued a total mobilization order, which is equivalent to a strong statement to the German government.


    On August 1, 1914, without waiting any longer, the German government formally issued a war notice to Russia, and Germany and Russia officially entered a state of war.


    Just the next day, Germany issued a final ultimatum to the Belgian government, demanding that Belgium allow Germany to enter its territory and fight against the French army, which Belgium refused.


    On August 3rd, Germany dered war on France and Belgium sessively, and the mes of war officially spread to Western Europe.


    On August 4th, the vanguard of the German army had already reached the Belgian border and invaded Belgian territory.


    Also on this day, Britain, using Germany''s vition of Belgian neutrality as an excuse, dered war on Germany.


    Austrsia also dered war on Germany at this time, with the reason being to fulfil obligations with the three countries of Britain, France, and Russia.


    On August 6, the Austro-Hungarian Empire dered war on Russia, representing all nations (except for the fence-sitters) of both the Allied nations and the Allies, have all entered into a state of war against the enemy.


    After various countries began to mobilize, the number of soldiers participating in the war also peaked.


    3.82 million Germans, 2.3 million from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 5.34 million Russians, 3.78 million Frenchmen, 660,000 from the British Expeditionary Force, 380,000 Belgians, 380,000 Serbs, 320,000 from the Austrsia Expeditionary Force, totalling more than 20 millionbat troops, will soon gather in all of Europe, igniting one of the most brutal wars in human history, World War I.


    Just the day before Austrsia dered war, which was August 3, 1914, Arthur called an emergency meeting to discuss when Austrsia should dere war and what pretext should be used to dere war.


    Coincidentally, just shortly after the meeting was convened, news arrived that Germany had sessively dered war on France and Belgium.


    With the pretext for war, it was only natural for Austrsia to dere war.


    At the same time, Austrsia''s battle n in the war was also brought up again by Arthur.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ording to the n of the Defence Staff of the Department of National Defence, after Austrsia dispatched 300,000 colonial troops and a regr division, it could at least have five divisions of deployable troops.


    The main battle n for these five divisions is to go north and attack German New Guinea, German Samoa, German Caroline Inds, German Micronesia, German Mariana Inds, and German Pu.


    After seizing these areas, not only could Austrsia connect the regions of New Guinea, but it could also fill the existing gaps in the defensive chain.


    Without exaggeration, Austrsia will also be the only country in Oceania; being the dominant power on the continent isn''t just talk.


    Afterpletely unifying Oceania, Austrsia will have a unique geographical advantage, and as long as it can bridge the poption gap, the foundation for a future superpower will be roughly established.


    For Austrsia, its military tasks should be the least among the four great powers of the Allies.


    Because this war does not involve Austrsia''s homnd, so all Austrsia''s army needs to do is to cooperate with the British and French armies, and it will havepleted all tasks.


    As for the attack in the Oceania region, the Germans in these two coloniesbined do not have up to one division, and there is no sizable navy at all, and they cannot possibly be a match for Austrsia.


    Even in many of Germany''s Pacific colonies, only a handful of officials and agricultural personnel were dispatched to dere sovereignty, with the number of these individuals usually ranging from several dozen to a hundred.


    This also means that Austrsia might be the country thatpleted its expansion the quickest during World War I. Aside from New Guinea, which may take some time, the rest of the colonies simply require a visit for takeover.


    However, this Cab Meeting naturally discussed more than just this issue.


    Although Austrsia''s war mission looks simple, war is brutal and really engaging in it is not that easy.


    To better cope with such a massive super war involving six powers, everything within Austrsia including resource allocation and maintenance of domestic order must be arranged in advance.


    "How prepared are we in terms of supplies? What is the progress of public opinion, and how are we handling immigrant issues?" Arthur asked about the current progress of the government''s work.


    During wartime, supply and domestic stability were most important. Not only should they ensure all the residents'' living materials, but they must also ensure that no turmoil emerges within the country.


    "Your Majesty, preparations for public opinion have long beenpleted. ording to our survey, at present, the vast majority of Austrsians agree with the war. Those who disagree are mainly German immigrants," reported Foreign Secretary Darren.


    "Always keep an eye on the movements of these German-descendant immigrants. If possible, try topensate them as much as possible. Also, do your best to ensure German immigrants do not receive unjust treatment in the country. No matter what, all Austrsians are unified, we are a single ethnicity," Arthur agreed, instructing him.


    It is inevitable that Austrsia and Germany will go to war, something these German immigrants are unwilling to see. But as things stand, this war cannot be avoided.


    Therefore, all Arthur and the Austrsian Government can do, is to ensure, as much as possible, that no prejudice is cast on German-immigrant residents in the country.


    The ethnic makeup in Austrsia is primarilyposed of British and Russian immigrants while Germany and these two countries are bound to enter a state of war.


    As a result, German immigrants, who are already not in the majority, may be subjected tomon hostility from British and Russian immigrants.


    Arthur does not want to see such a thing happen, as it might potentially damage the unity of the Austrsian ethnic concept he had created.


    "I understand, your majesty. The Ministry of Civil Affairs will keep a close eye on these German immigrants to ensure that at all times, our people are treated fairly." Civil Affairs Minister, Philip, quickly acknowledged.


    "As of today, the Austrsian economy enters a state of war economy. No individual or power may export any supplies for any reason or excuse. The supplies of the residents will be centrally procured by the government and then sold to the Allied Nations." Arthur continued with his instructions.


    The war economy status would centralize Austrsia''s resources while also preventing their resources from falling into the hands of the Allies.


    After the war starts, the Allies will have a significant shortage of supplies and equipment. The government can buy supplies from the people and sell them off to the Allies at a higher price.


    "Your Majesty, should we introduce a mobilization to cope with the constant changes of the war?" asked Defense Minister Raul.


    At present, the size of Austrsia''s army is 200,000 guards, the regr force, and 300,000 colonial forces.


    From the current perspective, the gap between the number of Austrsia''s military and the other powers is toorge. However, the poption of Austrsia supports the military expansion to over a million.


    "There is no need for now," said Arthur. "Our military is already sufficient for fighting in Europe and we have plenty of forces left for our strategy in Oceania. At present, the number of our military seems adequate, we don''t currently need to impose a significant burden on the Finance."


    Austrsia''s war mission is not a big one, and Arthur does not wish to further mobilize, using his own blood to transfuse Britain and France.


    "Despite the uing war, I hope the lives of the people within Austrsia are as stable as possible. We can''t cause tremendous domestic loss and drastic declines in the people''s quality of life due to a war that has little to do with us." Arthur added.


    This war - Austrsia needs to participate in, and win. But that does not mean they need to go full out to help Britain and France reduce casualties.


    To achieve greater war results with the smallest casualties, that is what Austrsia currently needs to do.


    "During wartime, the royal family will donate the fund of the annual royal event to enhance the living standard of the Austrsians. All of you are responsible with me to make better preparation for this war that is likely to shatter all of Europe.


    We have to work together to win this damn war and bring back peace to the world as early as possible," concluded Arthur standing up and looking at everyone with righteous words.


    "I hereby dere, during the entire war, Austrsia will enter the state of a wartime cab. Temporarily suspend the election of the cab government, this cab government will remain until the end of the war. The elections in both the state parliament and the House of Representatives will not be affected and must be carried out as nned.


    From now on, prepare the government for war, and improve the handling of all matters," Arthur continued.


    "After the war is over, I will reward everyone personally for their contributions. Titles and wealth will be awarded to every hero in the war. Notify Britain, France, Russia. Austrsia will dere war on Germany tomorrow, fulfilling Austrsia''s obligations and participating in this war."


    Being able to remain on the cab seats and having a high chance of receiving great rewards after the war is good news for all cab members.


    As a result, all the cab officers are passionate, showing a determined and fearless attitude.

 Chapter 478: Chapter 378: Reactions of Different Countries and the Impact of War

    On August 6th, the war in Europe fully ignited, with the Allies and the Allied Nations dering war on each other, involving six of the world''s eight great powers in the conflict.


    While the outbreak of war caught many off guard, the neutrality of one country came as a surprise to many.


    As a member of the Allied Nations, the Italians expressed their intention to remain neutral to the outside world after the Austro-Hungarian Empire dered war on Russia Nation.


    This resulted in the already disadvantaged Allied Nations losing the considerable naval power of Italy, widening the gap between them and the Allies.


    Unless the German army can create a significant advantage onnd, the war will continue to be one-sided as it goes on.


    On August 5th, the second day after the war broke out, the Austrsia Ministry of Defense began urgently preparing personnel and weapons for the uing offensive, nning tounch an attack on German colonies in the Pacific Ocean as soon as possible.


    Participating in the attack were the First and Second Divisions, the two most elite divisions in the regr Austrsian Army.


    In addition to thend forces, the entire Austrsian navy would also support the attack.


    Although the Austrsian navy had the task of assisting British patrols in the Indian Ocean, it was still early in the war, and the British needed time to gather their forces, allowing the Austrsian navy to have some downtime to assist their domestic offensive.


    The destructive power of naval guns is immense, and since the German colonies have no sizable fleet to speak of, approaching their coastlines would pose the greatest threat to the enemy.


    As for the potentially even greater threats of airnes and tanks, Arthur has not yet revealed his intentions to expose them, at least for now.


    While the war in Europe continues to intensify, attacks have also begun in the European Theatre.


    Thanks to the well-developed railway and highwayworks in Europe, especially Western Europe, German and French forces reached the borders within a short time and sessfully engaged each other inbat.


    From Germany''s deration of war on France on August 3rd to now, it had only been a short period of four days, but already millions of German and French troops battled at the border, with blood flowing like a river and a horrific sight to behold.


    ording to rough estimates from the German and French forces, their respective casualties within these four days amounted to 27,000 and 35,000.


    Had it not been for the time required to transport various heavy weapons and the fact that many troops were urgently redeployed from other regions, arriving at the border not too long ago, the casualty numbers of both sides would likely double.


    Meanwhile, the Eastern Front was equally intense.


    Germany dered war on Russia Nation as early as August 1st, with fighting at the German-Russian bordersting nearly a week.


    As for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although it was thest to dere war on Russia Nation, it was the first to initiate the conflict. Over 500,000 troops from both sides had assembled at the border between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, fighting fiercely without a clear winner.


    Were it not for the fact that Francis the First received a letter from William II and reserved a majority of his forces for the war against Russia Nation, the number of soldiers in the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia could well have exceeded a million.


    However, Francis the First did not entirely follow William II''s advice. William II suggested that Francis the First adopt defensive measures against Serbia if necessary, but Austrian Prime Minister Berchtold believed that even a small portion of Austro-Hungarian forces would be enough to conquer Serbia.


    As a result, the fighting at the border between Austria-Hungary and Serbia was not only intense, but both sides had their share of victories and defeats, with Austria-Hungary struggling to break through this tough opponent.


    In addition to France, Germany, Russia Nation, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the countries that had already engaged in battles, Britain and Austrsia were also actively participating in the war beyond mere verbal derations. Strategic supplies were being transported to Europe frantically, and the British and Austrsian expeditionary forces were preparing intensively.


    The good news was that during the two recent Balkan Wars, the Russians had seized the opportunity to purchase advanced weaponry abroad and had equipped arge number of weapons.


    In addition, before the war broke out, thetest batch of weaponry, provided by Austrsia, had just arrived at the Port of divostok, ensuring that Russia Nation did notck weapons and equipment for the time being, and the progress of its army''s expansion was smooth.


    With a sufficient supply of weapons and equipment, the reputation of Russia Nation as the European Bulldozer could be fully realized.


    Compared to the other several European powers, Russia Nation had arger poption at its core, and thus, was not overly concerned about therge number of casualties.


    The current war was still mainly between the six great powers, with smaller European countries not yet joining the fight.


    Based on historical progress, many small European countries, including Italy, should have joined the war within a year.


    However, the current situation was different from the historical context, and Arthur could not guarantee whether the timing of these countries'' involvement in the war would change, or even if they might not participate at all.


    Since the end of July, the trend of warfare between the two camps has be a hot topic of news coverage around the world.


    When the war actually broke out, the entire world was shocked. News reports from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia all focused on this war.


    At this time, even if the President of the United States were involved in a scandal, it would not take away any attention from the war.


    After all, this is a war that concerns the global situation and the fate of all countries in the world.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Perhaps the only country that seems rtively rxed about the news is the United States, on the other side of the European Pacific.


    As one of the only two major powers not involved in the war, the United States is far away from the European battlefield, and as long as the US does not actively participate, this war will basically not affect the US.


    This has also led to a somewhat rxed attitude among Americans towards this European war. Many news outlets do not shy away from making a big fuss, setting up special expert sections, publishing various expert evaluations of the chances of victory for both sides of the war, and attracting the American public to buy their newspapers.


    It must be said that this move is indeed very effective. ording to sources with no confirmed origin, newspaper sales in the United States have almost doubled since the end of July.


    This war has not only attracted the attention of Americans, but has also drawn the attention of many countries in Asia, which has no direct rtionship with the war.


    If there is a country in Asia that is most concerned about this war, it should be the Ind Nation that recently lost its status as a major power.


    Although this war does not seem to have much to do with the Ind Nation, the only participating country with a rtionship to the Ind Nation, the United Kingdom, has abandoned its alliance with the Ind Nation in favor of further cooperation with Russia.


    But this does not prevent the Inders from paying attention to the war. The reason is none other than the fact that Germany has a colony in Asia, which is of no small importance to the Ind Nation. If the Ind Nation can obtain this colony, its influence and strength will grow considerably.


    As for why the Ind Nation has set its sights on Germany''s colony rather than Russia, there is no choice but to do so, as the only participating country with a rtionship to the Ind Nation, the United Kingdom, has abandoned its alliance with the Ind Nation in favor of further cooperation with Russia.


    Unless the Russians themselves are in disarray, the Ind Nation does not intend to take action against Russia in the current situation.


    However, there are other actions within the Ind Nation, as the situation in Russia is chaotic and the Inders are bound to make some small moves.


    At present, the situation of the European War is discussed at every government meeting in the Ind Nation.


    It is also because many countries are paying attention to this European war, leading many people to feel that if they do not talk about the war, they will not be able to keep up with the times.


    If someone still doesn''t know about the outbreak of this war, then without a doubt, this person will beughed at by everyone around him.


    This is actually determined by Europe''s position. As the most developed region in the world, Europe is not only the center of the world but also determines the global situation.


    Just the sum of the Gross Domestic Product of several major European powers ounts for more than half of the world''s GDP.


    If it weren''t for the exceptions of Austrsia and the United States, Europe would absolutely dominate most aspects of the world, and even if all other countries were added together, it would only ount for a small part.


    It is precisely because of Europe''s rtively important strategic position that the outbreak of this European war has caused substantial price increases for goods worldwide, including within Europe.


    ording to statistics from various European countries, countries affected by the war will see a price increase of about 15% for goods, and countries that will be affected by the war will see a price increase of more than 5%.


    Keep in mind that it''s been less than ten days since the war broke out. If this continues, the impact of the European war on countries around the world can be imagined.


    Apart from Europe, the United States and Austrsia have also been affected to some extent. Austrsia is not so bad because Arthur has already stockpiled a portion of industrial equipment in advance, and as for other mineral resources and materials, Austrsia can basically produce and sell itself.


    The trade between the United States and European countries is not small, which has also led to a price increase of 5% to 10% for some goods in the United States.


    If the governments of each country did not suppress the price increase, news of rising prices would continue in each country, and under the condition of people panicking and stockpiling goods, the speed of price increases would be even faster.


    The rise in prices does not have a great impact on Austrsia, as Arthur''s pre-emptive preparations have resulted in overcapacity in important areas such as food production and medical supplies.


    Even the rise in prices is good news for Austrsia, as even though trade with the Allies will be reduced in price due to the alliance rtionship, as prices rise higher and higher, Austrsia will be able to make more profit in trade with Britain, France, and Russia. These funds can be fully used for national development and war.


    Arthur''s Royal Financial Group can also make a fortune from this. It is worth noting that the current production capacity of military factories and medical groups is highly excessive.


    If it were not for Arthur''s annual expenditure ofrge amounts of funds to make up for the losses caused by extensive stockpiling, the military factories and newly established medical groups would have copsed long ago.


    Is not the reason why Arthur painstakingly stockpilesrge amounts of supplies to sell them to Britain, France, and Russia during times of war?


    Although it is somewhat immoral to take advantage of rising prices and sell at high prices to allies,pared to the historical situation where Britain, France, and especially Russia could not buy supplies even if they had the money, Austrsia''s ability to provide ample supplies of various materials is also good news for Britain, France, and Russia.

 Chapter 479: Chapter 379: Unexpected Battle Results

    On August 17, 1914, after nearly two weeks of preparation, Austrsia officiallyunched the Pacific Unification War.


    The Army''s First and Second Divisions, totaling 32,000 troops, and the Navy''s Austrsia, HMAS Australia, and New Zend dreadnoughts, as well as their respective fleets participated in this war.>n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Specifically, the n was for the First and Second Divisions to arrive first at Australian New Guinea and then move on to German New Guinea in the north after repairs were made.


    German New Guinea was Germany''srgest colony in the Pacific and had the strongest defense among all of its Pacific colonies.


    ording to the Royal Intelligence Bureau''s estimates, there were about 1,000 German guards in German New Guinea, and along with the German civilians there, a force of at least 2,000 could easily be armed.


    Arthur would not underestimate thebat power of the German army, even if it was just a colonial garrison, as carelessness could bring significant casualties to Austrsia.


    It was also due to Arthur''s attention that this war mobilized not only two divisions but also the main naval forces to escort and provide fire support when necessary.


    After all, besides thend on the New Guinea Penins, German New Guinea also had numerous inds and archipgos.


    upying these areas required the assistance of the navy, and it was impossible for the army to reach them on foot alone.


    On August 18th, all the troops sessfully arrived in the capital of Australian New Guinea, Moritzby Port.


    After more than ten years of development, this port city had grown into a small city with nearly 70,000 inhabitants.


    Though the poption may not seemrge, it was already among the best in terms of size within Austrsia''s colonies.


    At present, Moritzby Port practiced a strict racial segregation system, where local ck indigenous people were not allowed into the city under most circumstances.


    Indigenous people had designated living areas, which were generally assigned by the colonial government.


    Compared to more developed urban areas, some indigenous living quarters were dirty, chaotic, and substandard.


    Fortunately, these indigenous people primarily died in construction sites and building areas, and their bodies were cremated and buried after death, preventing the spread of epidemics and contagious diseases.


    After a brief refurbishment at Moritzby Port, the First and Second Divisions split into two groups. One group continued northward bynd into German New Guinea.


    The other group remained on transport ships heading for the capital of German New Guinea, HerbertsHera.


    For the conquering of a colony like German New Guinea, the primary focus was to capture the king first before the thieves.


    Once HerbertsHera was captured, at least 90% of the residents of German New Guinea would be under Austrsia''s control.


    By then, it would only be a matter of course to deploy troops to upy the whole of German New Guinea.


    So far, German New Guinea had approximately 110,000 inhabitants, where more than half were of German descent and the rest were European immigrants and those with mixed race backgrounds.


    Out of these 110,000 people, more than 80,000 lived in HerbertsHera, which demonstrated the importance of controlling the city.


    It was good news for Austrsia that the outbreak of the European War had severed all ties between Germany and its Pacific colonies.


    There were fleets of Allies scattered throughout the Antic, Mediterranean, and Indian Oceans. It was virtually impossible for German supply fleets to reach the Pacific.


    Even if a fleet managed to reach New Guinea, the journey would take at least one month.


    Based on the timeline, Austrsia would have at least half a month to fully upy German New Guinea.


    German New Guinea''s importance was not only tied to its poption of over 100,000 people and more than a million indigenous inhabitants but also to its vast territories and rich mineral resources.


    Most importantly, the New Guinea Penins - where German New Guinea was located - was the secondrgest ind in Oceania and could serve as a barrier for northern Austrsia.


    At the same time, this region could be used as a springboard for Austrsia to extend its influence in Southeast Asia, as it was adjacent to the Dutch East Indies.


    In terms of strategic significance, it was also quite simr to the Philippines. This posed a huge threat to the United States-controlled Philippines and presented a means for Austrsia to eliminate American influence in the Southeast Asian region.


    If the entire penins could be fully upied, Austrsia would be much closer to the Philippines.


    Furthermore, the US-controlled Philippines was unstable. A small spark could likely result in the United States losing the territory on the other side of the Pacific.


    On August 19th, the Second Division, aboard the transport fleet, sessfully arrived at the capital of German New Guinea, HerbertsHera.


    Almost all colonial capitals are located by the sea, as most colonies cannot be self-sufficient, especially small colonies like German New Guinea, which heavily rely on various supplies transported from Germany.


    To facilitate the transportation of these supplies, establishing colonial capitals at ports has be the preferred choice for these colonies.


    Of course, there is another important reason: colonizers first arrived at the coast of the colony.


    For the sake of convenience inmunication with their homnd, these colonizers often establish bases by the sea rather than ind areas farther from the coast.


    After all, European colonial exploration depends on solid ships and powerful cannons. Buildingnd by the sea not only facilitates immediate departure but also convenient trade with other regions.


    The arrival of the Austrsian Army immediately caught the attention of the Germans.


    German colonies were not like Portuguese and Dutch colonies, which not onlygged in coastal defense but also had patrol systems that had already copsed.


    However, what the Second Division Brigadier General Fritz Leiner did not expect was that the Germans were indifferent to thending of the Austrsian Army, and they did not even organize any effective counterattacks or defenses.


    It is worth noting that Germany is universally recognized as the world''s strongest army power. Although it is only a German colony, who can underestimate the strength of the German Army?


    Although puzzled by the German reaction, Fritz, the Brigadier General, proceeded cautiously, ordering the troops to slowly approach the city of HerbertsHera.


    As he got closer to the city, Fritz became even more puzzled. The Germans not only did not counterattack, but the city of HerbertsHera also had its gates wide open, seemingly invitingly.


    "General, I am Mayor Ulrich of HerbertsHera. This is our surrender document. Please review it." Just as Fritz continued to be puzzled, a politician in a suit and leather shoes walked out of the city, holding up a document and shouting loudly.


    "General?" The soldiers looked at Fritz, waiting for his decision.


    No one can guarantee whether the enemy is deceiving, so it is better to let the Delegation Brigadier General Fritz make the decision himself.


    Otherwise, if something unexpected happens due to the wrong judgment, ordinary soldiers cannot bear such a huge responsibility.


    After looking at the man for a while, Fritz finally said, "Bring it over, sir. If this is true, it is best. I do not want to see war, and I do not want to see unnecessary casualties on both sides."


    It is naturally the best oue to capture this city without bloodshed.


    Once this city is captured, it means upying the entire German New Guinea. This also means that more than half of the Austrsian Pacific Unification War ispleted. As for the small German colonies, even if they do not surrender, it is easy to capture them.


    The mayor of HerbertsHera was stopped by Fritz''s guards when he was still 50 meters away from Fritz.


    With no choice, the mayor of HerbertsHera handed the surrender document to a guard, who passed it on to Fritz.


    Looking at the surrender document in his hand, Fritz believed most of it.


    After all, Germans do not have too many cunning tricks, and they are not good at conspiracies.


    Moreover, resistance is indeed unnecessary for Germans. The upation of German New Guinea and all German colonies by Austrsia is inevitable.


    For one reason alone, these German colonies cannot possibly receive material assistance from the German maind, and relying solely on these colonies cannot meet the daily needs of the colonial poption.


    Even if Austrsia does not attack and only encircles, the Germans will eventually copse due tock of resources.


    If they surrender, perhaps they can receive corresponding prisoner treatment due to the prior good rtions between Austrsia and Germany, and safely get through this war.


    This is the best result for both Austrsia and Germany. Both parties can avoid unnecessary casualties and hatred, and Austrsia can achieve its strategic goals.


    "Your Excellency the General, as early as six months ago, the garrison of HerbertsHera, even most of the German New Guinea garrisons, had been recalled to the German maind. If you do not believe me, you may have your subordinates look around.


    In the entire HerbertsHera area, there is no armed force other than the police maintaining order." Seeing that Fritz still looked somewhat incredulous, the mayor of HerbertsHera continued to exin.


    Brigadier General Fritz did not ept the mayor''s proposal to have someone check; instead, he instructed the mayor to order all armed police officers to leave the city and hand over their weapons and equipment.


    Fritz''s reasoning was that since the order of HerbertsHera would be maintained by the Austrsian Army from now on, there would be no need for armed police carrying guns.


    With a bitter smile, the mayor of HerbertsHera shook his head and agreed to Fritz''s proposal.


    Soon, more than a hundred policemen in HerbertsHera city took their weapons out of the city and handed over their firearms to the designated location of the Austrsian Army.

 Chapter 480: Chapter 380: Taking Over the German Colony

    After Brigadier Fritz officially took over the City of HerbertsHera, he realized the truth of Mayor HerbertsHera''s words.


    At least within the scope of HerbertsHera, the number of German garrison troops was pitifully small, totaling less than twenty people.


    The reason these twenty remained in the area was to protect the HerbertsHera City Council.


    After all, this colony had a poption of millions of indigenous people who harbored great hatred towards European colonists.


    If a certain number of soldiers were not left to protect the city council, the indigenous people would discover that the German garrison had been reduced, and the HerbertsHera City Council and all German residents in the city would be in danger.


    The Germans'' transfer was swift, not only withdrawing most of the colonial garrison but also transporting some of the poption away.


    ording to the exnation given by the Mayor of HerbertsHera, the poption that was transported back to Germany in advance were mostly die-hard loyalists who did not want to join the rule of Austrsia.


    Most of the remaining German immigrants and European immigrants had their own property in German New Guinea.


    Their property was here, their families were here, and they had settled down here.


    For these people, it was not important who ruled this area; what was important was whether their property and safety could be protected.


    Following Arthur''s instructions, after taking control of HerbertsHera, Brigadier Fritz urgently posted notices outside to announce the implementation of temporary military control in HerbertsHera.


    However, the announcement also specifically mentioned that the Austrsian Government recognized the property of these people in the New Guinea area.


    If these people were willing to join Austrsian nationality, their personal safety and property security would also be protected by the Austrsia Army.


    For Austrsia, Germany''s early withdrawal of some immigrants from German New Guinea was tantamount to helping Austrsia screen immigrants.


    Those who left might not all be unwilling to join Australia, but most of those who remained should be willing to join Austrsia.


    With Austrsia so close, there was no resistance to incorporating German New Guinea into their rule.


    Therefore, for the citizens of HerbertsHera to ensure their lives and property security, throwing their support behind Austrsia, the strongest country in the region, was a good choice.


    It was also because most of those who stayed were willing to follow Austrsian rule that the militarization management of HerbertsHera proceeded smoothly.


    On the second day of Division Two''s arrival in HerbertsHera, August 20, 1914, the first batch of supplies shipped by Austrsia arrived at the port of HerbertsHera and were distributed to the citizens by Brigadier Fritz.


    The types of supplies in this batch were actually quite simple, mostly consisting of grain, weaponry ammunition, medical supplies, and clothing.


    Other than the weaponry ammunition being specifically supplied to the First Division and Second Division, all the remaining supplies were shared among the citizens of HerbertsHera.


    When each citizen of HerbertsHera lined up to receive these supplies, their faces could not help but show smiles.


    At least their lives were guaranteed, and they did not have to worry about losing their supplies as a result of the war cutting off their logistics.


    It was also because of the change in mood that the citizens of HerbertsHera became very weing to the Austrsia Army.


    Such an army that would not harm civilians would not provoke hostility from the people wherever they went.


    In fact, this was also due to the good rtions between Germany and Austrsia in the past, and the fact that there were a considerable number of German immigrants in Austrsia, that Arthur did not intend to make the rtionship with Germany too rigid.


    Even after the war, Austrsia would still need to acquire more people, equipment, and scientific research talent from Germany, which required the Germans to at least not be hostile to Austrsia so that Austrsia could better absorb these talents.


    On August 20th, Brigadier Fritz sessfully contacted Brigadier Silvio of the First Division, telling him about everything that had happened in HerbertsHera and the German advance withdrawal.


    Brigadier Silvio, puzzled about why no German garrison was seen in the New Guinea area, ordered some troops to move into the border of German New Guinea and Dutch East Indies, while the main force went to HerbertsHera to join Division Two.


    ording to the information provided by the Mayor of HerbertsHera, all of Germany''s Pacific colonies should be like German New Guinea, with some immigrants and the majority of the troops withdrawn early, leaving mostly those willing to join Austrsia.


    If this piece of information was true, the speed of Austrsia''s absorption of these colonies would be much faster, and unnecessary casualties could be avoided.


    Brigadier Silvio ordered the main force to quickly move to HerbertsHera, intending to assemble as soon as possible and move to other German Pacific Colonies, and smoothly take over the local government.


    On August 21, 1914, the First Division sessfully arrived in HerbertsHera, and the news of the military sessfully taking over German New Guinea was also transmitted back to Austrsia.


    For the Austrsian government, one of the most important goals in this war has been aplished, and the next step is to receive the remaining German Pacific Colonies, and then they can sit back and watch the European War y out.


    For the civilians of Austrsia, especially the German immigrants, there is not much conflict between Austrsia and Germany, which is good news.


    After all, casualties mean hatred, and if Germany and Austrsia be enemies, the fate of these German immigrants living in Austrsia can be imagined.


    At present, the peaceful takeover of colonies has advantages for both sides: Germany can gather more troops on the European battlefield without having to waste energy on the Pacific colonies.


    At the same time, Austrsia can achieve its strategic goals, making it a win-win situation for both sides in this war.


    On August 22, 1914, the Austrsia Army arrived in the capital of German Samoa, Apia. Just like in German New Guinea, they quickly took over Apia and implemented military rule.


    The actions of the First and Second Divisions were quick, and by August 26, 1914, they had sessfully taken over all of Germany''s Pacific Colonies in less than a week.


    At present, all the German colonies are under military control, and local residents are temporarily not allowed to go in and out freely. Living and other supplies are provided by the military.


    Most immigrants ept Austrsia''s military control. As for the immigrants who do not ept Austrsia''s rule, they are either forced to submit, or receive enough travel expenses from the military and then abandon all their properties and board the ship back to Germany.


    However, the problem is that since the European War is currently raging, the ships that Austrsia uses to repatriate these immigrants will only send them to Germany''s African Colonies.


    As for their lives in Africa, it is beyond the Austrsian government''s ability to guarantee.


    Luckily, after the previous round of screening by Germany, most of the remaining immigrants are more submissive.


    Almost no one chooses the second option of being repatriated because their life in the African colonies may not be as good as it is now, at least the current supplies are guaranteed.


    All of Germany''s Pacific colonies together have a poption of more than 300,000, which has truly pushed Austrsia''s poption to exceed 15 million.


    However, poption growth is still ongoing, so to find out the exact number of poption growth this year, one has to wait for the annual report meeting at the end of the year.


    After the sessfulpletion of Austrsia''s battle mission, Arthur''s focus sessfully returned to Europe.


    Compared to Austrsia''s skirmishes in the Pacific battlefield, the Allied Nations and the Axis Powers in the European battlefield are really putting up a fight.


    ording to the intelligence from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, byte August, the number of troops invested by the Axis Powers and Allies in Europe had exceeded 2 million, of which Russia had 610,000, Germany had 730,000, France had 550,000, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had 390,000, and Serbia had 150,000.


    At present, the number of people on the Westline and Eastern Front battlefields is about the same, both maintaining a size of just over 1 million.


    But this is only a short-term situation. With the progress of the military mobilization of European countries and the transfer of troops from other regions, the number of soldiers in the European battlefield will only increase, even with the expectation of breaking through 3 million in a short period of time.


    Speaking of the current war situation between the Axis Powers and the Allies, it is necessary to mention the most important country in the European War, Germany''s strategic choice.


    Decades before the outbreak of the war, Germany had already drawn up a war n for fighting France and Russia.


    During the period from 1871 to 1879, Germany''s military power dominated the whole of Europe. At that time, Marshal Moltke (Old Moltke), the then German Chief of Staff, believed that due to the convergence of France and Russia, Germany would have to face the crisis of fighting on two fronts, which would be a difficult and protracted war.


    But due to the development of railway transportation, Old Marshal Moltke keenly recognized that using railway lines could quickly mobilize most of the troops, first dealing with the enemy who was ready to attack at any time, and then dealing with the slow-mobilizing enemy.


    For Germany, the enemy that was always ready to attack was naturally France. The slow-mobilizing enemy was naturally the crumbling Tsardom of Russia.


    Because of France''s increasing military strength and the strong fortress on the German-French border, the Germans believed that among the two countries of France and Russia, France was the most dangerous enemy.


    Furthermore, Germany''s third Chief of Staff, General Sherwood, devised a more detailed n for fighting France and Russia.


    General Sherwood believed that Germany must avoid fighting France and Russia at the same time, because thebined strength of these two countries had already surpassed Germany.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Germany must throw its full strength onto the strongest, most powerful, and most dangerous enemy, and that enemy can only be France." This was the theory put forward by General Sherwood in the 1905 "Memorandum on the War against France" and was also the strategic crystallization of General Sherwood.

 Chapter 481: Chapter 381: Germanys Westward Expansion and Frances Eastward Expansion

    General Sherwood keenly realized that, whether from an economic perspective or the uncontrolled funds consumption required to maintain arge military, it is crucial to quickly resolve the future war with France and Russia.


    Sherwood pointed out that France must be regarded as a giant fortress, especially the Verdun Fort on the German-French border, which is nearly impregnable.


    The weak link in French defense is located at the northwest border of France and Belgium, which is the key point to strike at the heart of France.


    General Sherwood proposed the n to use Belgium as a gateway.


    ording to the famous Schlieffen n, General Sherwood focused on the Westline in Germany''s war against France and Russia, and estimated a full-scale attack on France with 78 divisions.


    For the Westline battlefield, the principle of a light left and heavy right was employed, deploying eight divisions on the left tounch the first attack and pin down the French Army''s main force.


    The right wing is the focus of the attack, requiring at least 70 divisions to be amassed, passing through neutral countries such as Luxembourg and Belgium, and directly piercing France''s heart.


    From west of Paris, they would swing to southwest Paris, carry out arge-scale encirclement movement, force the French Army eastward, and then encircle them with the German forces on both eastern and western fronts, annihting the French Army.


    The entire Westline war is expected to end within 6 to 8 weeks, and as long as victory against France is achieved, the remaining Russia will naturally have no power to resist.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    On the Eastern Front battlefield, General Sherwood proposed deploying only nine divisions to contain the Russian Army.


    With the Russian forces being weaker and the German army having the cooperation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s troops, they could hold out until the Westline gained aplete victory and then turn their attention to the east.


    Although the Schlieffen n chose the main direction of the attack correctly, made full use of strategic initiative and surprise, and sought decisive and swift action, it underestimated thebat effectiveness of the French Army. General Sherwood overestimated thebat effectiveness of the German Army and underestimated that of the French Army, making the n extremely risky.


    As the sessor to Sherwood, the current German Chief of Staff Moltke (Little Moltke) is the nephew of Marshal Old Mosley.


    Little Moltke was personally chosen by Emperor William II, and if the reason must be asked, the Moltke surname is the primary reason for William II''s choice of Little Moltke.


    After bing the German Chief of Staff, Little Moltke inherited Sherwood''s strategic thinking and made some minor modifications based on the specific situation.


    But overall, it was essentially the same n with different details. The Germans were very confident in their military strength, which was also due to the nationalism of the Germanic tribes.


    From August 7th after the war broke out, all railway transportation in Germany was managed by the military.


    Germany''s highly developed railwaywork can support up to 660 military columns in 24 hours, transporting 20 divisions.


    If the Germans wanted to, it would take only about ten days to transport all Westline troops to their designated positions.


    Because of Germany''s offensive n, Germany simultaneously dered war on France and Belgium, and as the deration of war was made, the troops arrived at the borders of these two countries.


    In order to capture the Liege Fortress in Belgium, after several days of assembly by the German army, four Big Bertha howitzers were sessfully transported to a few kilometers away from the Liege Fortress andunched an artillery attack on the solid fortress.


    The Big Bertha howitzer was designed at the request of the German General Staff, specifically for fortifications like Verdun and Liege.


    The 420mm caliber and about ten kilometers range made this giant cannon an unannounced secret weapon in Germany and the key to Germany''s confidence in oveing the Liege Fortress.


    The total weight of the Big Bertha howitzer is as high as 120 tons, requiring nearly 300 people to operate this cannon.


    Of course, the shells of such a big guy wouldn''t be small either, a Big Bertha howitzer shell weighed 820 kilograms and eachunch required at least 200 kilograms of gunpowder.


    And that''s not all, during eachunch, no one should be within 300 meters, or it could easily cause idental injuries.


    After all, the explosion of 200 kilograms of gunpowder isn''t small, and the shockwave that pushed the bomb to fire could injure or even kill people nearby.


    Unlike other cannons, almost all German cannons have a firing speed calcted in minutes.


    Some can fire several dozen shots per minute while others can fire several to more than ten shots per minute.


    However, the Big Bertha howitzer is different, the firing speed of such a giant is calcted in hours.


    If everything goes smoothly during theunch, its firing speed is about eight shells per hour, averaging one shell every 7.5 minutes.


    As for the power of such a huge guy, Emperor William II praised all the experts who developed this cannon after inspecting their test fire.


    However, Emperor William II also ordered the further improvement of this cannon; among other issues, the transportation of the 120-ton weight made it an extremely difficult task.


    The assembly of the Big Bertha howitzers took some time, but when all four cannons were fully assembled, it became a massive torment for the Belgian troops inside the Liege Fortress.


    The damage from the Big Bertha howitzers on the fortress was enormous. With four cannons firing for more than two hours, they shot at least 50 shells, destroying not only most of the Liege Fortress'' artillery positions, but also a crucial supply warehouse inside.


    Among them was an ammunition depot, which should have stored a considerable number of shells and bullets.


    After the shells exploded, there were several smaller explosions one after another, and it is unknown if any Belgians were identally hurt.


    In addition to using heavy artillery for bombing, the Germans also employed psychological tactics to convince the Liege Fortress defenders to surrender.


    The German army imed that the war between Germany and Belgium was pointless. Germany''s primary and sole objective was to target France. If the Belgian forces were willing to surrender, they could guarantee that Belgium would not be harmed by the war.


    However, themander of the Liege Fortress defenders was ruthless and tly refused the German surrender, replying, "Rather die together with the fortress."


    Nevertheless, even though the Belgians held the Liege Fortress for more than ten days, they were finally defeated by the German army on August 19th.


    There was no choice; weapons like the Big Bertha howitzers were too powerful, causing immense damage to the extremely durable Liege Fortress.


    After several days of constant bombardment from the four cannons, even the steel-like Liege Fortress had no choice but to bow to the German guns.


    But for France, this was good news. The Belgians had bought more than ten days for the French with their casualties.


    The Germans had originally nned to defeat France within 6 to 8 weeks, but they wasted more than ten days in Belgium, squandering a quarter of their nned time.


    It was during this more than ten days that the French army swiftly gathered and deployed all forces to the eastern border.


    Moreover, the French did not idle in these ten days, as they nned a counterattack against the Germans.


    The German army being held at Liege Fortress gave birth to a new idea within the French military, which was to directly invade German territory from Alsace and Lorraine.


    It is necessary to mention the importance of Alsace and Lorraine. This region once belonged to France but was ceded after the Franco-Prussian War.


    The German Empire was also established after the Franco-Prussian War, with the ceremony taking ce at the extremely important Versailles Pce, marking the coronation of the Emperor of the German Empire.


    For the French, this was an unforgettable deep-rooted hatred.


    Therefore, after the German army was held in Belgium, the French General Staff immediately formted a n for the rapid recovery of Alsace and Lorraine.


    After several discussions and deliberations, a n called the Recovery of Lost Territory was officiallyunched.


    ording to the French General Staff''s n, while the German army was held in Belgium, part of the French forces would directly attack Alsace and Lorraine, then bypass Cologne and encircle the German army from behind.


    In this way, the French and Belgian forces would encircle the German army.


    The German army would be like a turtle trapped in a jar, waiting to be captured.


    The French n to recover lost territory was the 17th n put forward by the French General Staff in recent times and was thus called n 17.


    At the same time as the German attack on the Liege Fortress, French Chief of Staff and wartime French Commander-in-Chief, General Flynn, alsounched the execution of n 17.


    The primary objective of n 17 was to recover Alsace and Lorraine, which had been taken by Germany, to boost the morale of the French army and increase public support for the war.


    In addition to this central n, n 17 also had an auxiliary attack direction - the left wing, where General Levi''s Third Army Group and General Langrezac''s Fifth Army Group, with a total of 887,000 men, would attack the German forces in Mays and the Ardennes Forest from Verdun in the north to Namur.


    General Carly''s Fourth Army Group, consisting of 190,000 men, was to serve as a reserve force for n 17, being ready to support all attacking forces.


    However, although n 17 mobilized 1.7 million French soldiers, only a few hundred thousand could actuallyunch an attack at the border.


    Arge number of troops were still in the rear of the border, either due to terrain issues or various other reasons, and would not participate in the war all at once.


    Under the various propaganda of the French army, French soldiers set foot on the soil of Alsace, filled with patriotism, saluting with their guns and pulling out the boundary markers set by the Germans and throwing them aside.


    Under the influence of this patriotic sentiment, the French armyunched a fierce attack on the German troops in Alsace and Lorraine, showing their undaunted courage.


    From the battlefield, one could see the brave French soldiers advancing under the call of theirmanders, never stopping even when theirrades-in-arms fell around them.

 Chapter 482: Chapter 382: The Battle of Muroz Offense and Defense

    Before the war began, French Army Commander-in-Chief Cynthia was quite confident in thebat capabilities of the French Army.


    ording to the No. 17 Offensive n, France would use nearly 1.6 million troops in this offensive.


    Although for various reasons, the actual number of troops involved might not even reach half, Cynthia still firmly believed that the core task ofpleting Operation 17, which was to recapture Alsace and Lorraine, would not be difficult.


    In order to supervise thepletion of the military tasks, Cynthia often traveled by car to the various battlefronts from Commander Francois Headquarter.


    It is worth mentioning that the reason Cynthia was able to shuttle freely between the different battlefronts without dy was due to her skilled personal driver, a three-time winner of the French Grand Prix.


    Automobiles had been around for more than a decade by this time, and European nations like France had started topete in car races.


    The winners not only received prizes such as cars but also gained the favor of those in power and were hired as personal drivers.


    After all, the current driver training system and traffic regtions were not as standardized, and a skilled driver could not only avoid various dangers encountered on the road but also react quickly when danger arose, so as not to be overwhelmed.


    A small part of the reason Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated was due to theck of skill of his driver.


    If the driver had started the car quickly when the assassin approached, Archduke Ferdinand might have had a chance of survival.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The reason that led to Archduke Ferdinand''s driver not to quickly start the car bizarrely was due to reversing.


    If a more skilled driver had been at the wheel, the probability of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife''s survival would have been somewhat higher.


    Thanks to the superb driving skills of her personal driver, it took Cynthia just over an hour to shuttle back and forth between the headquarters and the troop stations.


    Before the final battle began, Cynthia, in her special car, arrived at the First Army Group to learn about its status and to supervise the attack that was about to take ce.


    Themander of the First Army Group was Dibai, a general who did not particrly agree with this attack.


    The reason Cynthia frequently visited the First Army Group was to gain General Dibai''s support and to ensure that the crucial First Army Group did not falter.


    The day before Operation 17menced, deep in the night.


    Dibai, themander of the French First Army Group, was discussing battle ns with the French Commander General Flynn.


    Dibai was still uncertain about the attack and hesitantly asked Cynthia, "Your Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, are we sure there''s no problem with thisrge-scale offensive?"


    Cynthia looked at her subordinate seriously, patted Dibai on the shoulder, and pointed to his military uniform, saying, "General, please remember what you are wearing. We are the proud French soldiers. Our duty is to protect this beautifulnd beneath our feet and all its people. If we cannot recapture Alsace and Lorraine, how can we have the face to continue wearing these military uniforms?"


    At the end of the conversation, Cynthia added, "General, please remember one thing: only an attack is in line with the thoughts of a French soldier. To uphold war is to honor the soul of a soldier." Cynthia then nced at Dibai meaningfully, and got into her car and left.


    With the realization from the conversation with Cynthia, the First Army Group Commander Dibai, the second day, organized an Alsatian Detachment of 45,000 troops,posed of four infantry divisions, one cavalry division, five mountain battalions, and an artillery division from the Seventh Army, led by General Bono, to serve as the vanguard for this offensive.


    Dibai assigned the vanguard the task ofs striking from Bellevue, focusing their efforts on attacking Muroz, a German border stronghold 40 kilometers away.


    Speaking of Muroz, this is a significant border town of Germany and an essential strategic location in the region.


    Capturing this area would mean taking the southern railway junction of Alsace, which in the past could lead to Bellevue and south to Basel in Switzend.


    Kolmar lies to the north, while to the east, the railway bridge can be crossed, and the Rhine River can be traversed.


    This extremely important strategic location made Muroz the primary target of the French Army, and the small town was about to face the mes of war.


    An enhanced German battalion guarded this small town.


    To capture the town, once the operation began, General Bono of the Seventh Army ordered the vanguard division tounch a night raid on Artaxi before the German Army discovered them.


    This city stood 20 kilometers in front of Muroz and was a bridgehead for Muroz.


    After conquering Artaxi, Muroz would be like a defenseless beauty waiting for the French Army to visit.


    The entire vanguard was divided into three parts, encircling the entire Artaxi. Taking advantage of the night, the vanguard soldiers sessfully entered the city center of Artaxi before the German sentries noticed.


    When the French soldiers began firing, the German sentries finally reacted, but by that time, it was already toote.


    It goes without saying that the battle strength gap between the French soldiers who attacked at night and the German soldiers who hurriedly responded to the battle.


    Although a single German soldier had a higherbat capability than a French soldier, at that moment, the French Army was better prepared, and the hastily responding German soldiers were at a disadvantagepared to the French soldiers.

 Chapter 483: Chapter 382: The Battle of Muroz Offense and Defense_2

    It''s worth mentioning that it is unclear which side used the weapons, but the battlefield was littered with bays, gunstocks, sabers, wooden sticks, and other handheld weapons that soldiers could pick up. These weapons could inadvertently cause significant casualties.


    This battlested a full six hours. In the end, the German Army, after suffering numerous casualties, abandoned the city and fled eastward.


    Before dawn, General Bono led the troops to Muroz, attempting to capture it while the German garrison was still unprepared.


    Just like the previous attack on Artaxi, the upation of Muroz did not take much time.


    The French Army not only had advanced preparations but also outnumbered the German garrison multiple times.


    The Seventh Army suffered nearly 10,000 casualties but sessfully captured Muroz and held a military parade in the city thatsted two hours.


    As the French soldiers dressed in blue jackets and red trousers marched through the city, apanied by artillery units adorned with tricolor gs and flowers, the band yed the "Marseiise" and "March of the Sambre and Mars Rivers." French citizens and soldiers inside Muroz cheered and shed emotional tears.


    Finally, after decades, they set foot on French soil again. Although it was only a single city, this victory greatly strengthened the determination of the French people to reim their homnd and the French soldiers to win the war.


    On the second day after the French Army captured Muroz, themendation from French Army Commander-in-Chief Chafee sessfully arrived at the front.


    Chafee affectionately referred to General Bono and the Alsatian Detachment as the pioneers of revenge and the heroes of the entire France.


    When news of the French victory in Muroz reached France, the entire country was swept by cheers and excitement.


    However, the excited French deliberately overlooked that the French Army had already paid more than 10,000 casualties for this small town.


    In the war, the casualty ratio between the French and German armies reached 2:1, representing about 5,000 casualties for the Germans.


    The cheers of the French did notst long before the German reinforcements arrived.


    Within Germany, the Germans had not expected this attack but reacted quickly.


    The day after French Army Commander-in-Chief Chafee had just ordered the First and Second Army Groups to concentrate their forces and fully attack Germany, the German reinforcements arrived at the German-French border. After a day of fierce battle, they recaptured Muroz.


    This small town, for which the French Army had suffered more than 10,000 casualties, eventually returned to German rule.


    After this battle, the French casualties in Muroz alone reached nearly 30,000.


    Although the German casualties were also over 10,000, such a casualty ratio and the results achieved were clearly uneptable to France.


    At French Army Headquarters, Chafee, who had justmended the pioneering troops, felt as if he had been pped in the face. The previous victories had already been reported back to France. If word got out that Muroz had returned to German hands, the angry French might directly question the French Army.


    To avoid this situation, Chafee quickly issued an order for the First and Second Army Groups to continue attacking with full force, with the determination to recover Alsace and Lorraine unchanged.


    To counter the German reinforcements, Chafee mobilized four more divisions and reformed the Alsatian Detachment to rece the Seventh Army, which had sustained heavy casualties, for the siege mission in the Alsace Area.


    The new Alsatian Troops were led by the retired One-Armed General Bo.


    Although new intelligence confirmed that the deployment of the German Army was not as Chafee had expected, Chafee still did not believe that the main German attack direction was from Belgium to Paris.


    Cynthia still insisted on attacking the German army from the direction of Alsace, which would not only help reim Alsace and Lorraine and boost morale but also attract more German troops to this area, preventing the German army from transferring these forces to strengthen its right wing, which is the Belgian region.


    Starting from the early morning of August 15, nearly 600,000 troops from the first and second army groupsunched a general offensive against the German army in the Alsace region.


    The German General Staff had long anticipated France''s direction and route of attack, and had set up iron wire mesh, trenches, fortresses, and other defensive works on the route ahead of time.


    When the French Army saw the well-deployed German defensive positions, they were devastated.


    But with no other choice, they had toplete thebat mission assigned to them by their superiors.


    It wasn''t until the French forces, under theirmander''s order, charged en masse towards the opposing German forces, that these French soldiers, previously influenced by patriotic fervor, finally understood the cruelty of war and the suffering experienced by theirrades-in-arms.


    The German army facing them now was different, because after the previous sneak attack, the Germans were more prepared this time, with heavy machine guns, firearms, and various weapons emerging continuously.


    Although the first and second army groups of France had assembled nearly 600,000 troops, they were facing the German Sixth Army Groupmanded by Prince Rupert of Bavaria and the German Seventh Army Groupmanded by Herington.


    The German Sixth Army Group included five armies and three cavalry divisions, while the Seventh Army Groupmanded by Herington had three armies and one division.


    Together, these two army groups had a total of 350,000 troops and 1,200 artillery pieces and weremanded by Prince Rupert of the Sixth Army Group.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With unified management, the German army disyed extremely strong fighting capacity, and the French army recognized the true meaning of the world''s first army.


    On the first day of the battle between the two armies, the French army''s casualties reached more than 20,000, forcing the first army group''smander Dibai to order a temporary halt to the offensive.


    There was no other way, as at the current rate of consumption, his first army group would probably be wiped out in half a month.


    As for the German army, the task of Prince Rupert was to attract more French forces here, allowing the German main force to proceed smoothly in the right-wing area, which is the Belgian region.


    Seeing that the French army chose to extend the battle lines and engage in small-scalebat, Prince Rupert was even more eager.


    After ensuring that the French army would not withdraw, Prince Rupert chose to gradually retreat, luring the enemy to advance deeper andpletely attract the main force of the French army to this area.


    It was precisely because the German army gradually retreated that on August 18, the partially recovered first and second army groups upied Salzburg and Chateau-Salins, and then recaptured Muroz.


    Now, the lofty im Cynthia had made to the French people had finally been realized, and the French offensive became more and more sessful.


    In very high spirits, Cynthia praised the contributions of the Alsatian troops and the first and second army groups and allowed all wounded soldiers to return to the domestic area for treatment and reced them with new forces.


    But at the same time, Cynthia also realized her previous strategic mistake. Looking at the current progress of the war, the Germans indeed intended to attack France from the Belgian region.


    This is because the forces faced in the very important Alsace and Lorraine regions were not the main force of the German army.


    The fact that the German army was steadily losing showed that their numbers were notrge, whichpletely contradicted the reality that the total number of German troops exceeded that of the French army.


    However, even though she realized her mistake in strategic nning, Cynthia firmly believed that as long as the French army could sessfully break through the German army''s center from Alsace and Lorraine and reach the core of Germany.


    Even if the German army sessfully entered the northern French border from Belgium, the French forces could still encircle and annihte the real main force of the German army.

 Chapter 484: Chapter 383: Australasia Expeditionary Army

    Up to now, the strategic goals of both Germany and France have be very obvious.


    The German and French armies both advocate aggression, and under the influence of this military thinking, both countries adoptrge-scale offensive tactics.


    It''s just that the two countries have opposite directions: Germany moves west through Belgium, bypassing Paris, while France moves east through Lorraine, heading straight for the Rhine River.


    In order to achieve their respective strategic objectives, France and Germany, the old enemies, haveunched four battles in Alsace and Lorraine Region from August 20th, over a period of four days. These battles are known as the Loning Battle, the Aden Battle, the Charleroi Battle, and the Mons Battle.


    These four battles are collectively referred to as the border battles. Both parties have invested hundreds of thousands ofbat troops, and in just four days, there have been a total of 100,000 casualties.


    Although the number of deaths among them is only more than 10,000, the total number of seriously wounded and disabled is more than 40,000 for both France and Germany.


    This is because both sides used arge number of cannons and heavy machine guns in these border battles.


    The casualties caused by such heavy weapons were immense, especially the heavy machine guns, which caused at least severe injuries when they were fired upon.


    This also means that the railway lines of both France and Germany have to undertake the task of transporting arge number of wounded back to their respective countries while transporting troops to the borders.


    The good news is that the railway construction in Western Europe and Germany is quite advanced, so the transportation environment of both France and Germany can keep up with urgent transportation requirements.


    As millions of troops gather on the German-French border and begin their frenzied fighting, the disadvantage of French military uniforms bes apparent.


    The blue coat and red trousers of the French military uniforms may look very distinctive in peacetime, but on the battlefield of the German-French border, these brightly colored French uniforms are undoubtedly a death knell for French soldiers.


    The blue and red French uniforms are almost impossible to camouge in the border areas, making the French troops very conspicuous in the eyes of German soldiers.


    Conservatively speaking, the uniquely colored French uniforms have increased the death rate of French troops by at least 30%, and the injury rate by 40%.


    In theory, the well-equipped French and German troops should not have such a dramatic difference inbat power, and at least the casualty ratio should not reach 2 to 1.


    However, the reality is that under the eye-catching French uniform, the casualty ratio between French and German soldiers is basically around 2 to 1, and in severe cases even reaching 3 to 1.


    Of course, aside from the eye-catching French uniforms, the main reason is that the current war is dominated by French offensives and German defenses.


    There is also a small episode in the German-French border area.


    In a dense forest on the German-French border, a group of French soldiers is patrolling the woods.


    This area has not been invaded by German troops just yet, so the French soldiers'' patrol is quite casual, and in most cases, it''s just going through the motions.


    It''s because, in the western part of this area, the French troops have already advanced more than 20 kilometers.


    These French troops, who consider themselves to be in the rear, don''t think they will encounter German troops.


    Their patrol in the front was normal, but as this French patrol advanced deeper into the dense forest, they suddenly heard the sound of German tunesing from afar.


    Logically, upon hearing a differentnguage tune, especially in a war zone, French soldiers should at least be on alert and ready to fire on the enemy at any time.


    However, this group of French soldiers actually asked the other party''s password first, which alerted the German soldiers, who had not discovered the French troops yet.


    The German soldiers were not so reckless. After hearing the other party speak fluent French, they didn''t hesitate to use their machine guns to spray bullets.


    Only then did this group of French soldiers realize that they were dealing with their enemies and quicklyunched a counterattack.


    However, the German and French troops confronting each other faced different situations. The German troops were wearing gray uniforms, and it was not easy to discover them hidden in the dense forest.


    But the French troops were different, their uniforms were too conspicuous, and even the cover of the dense forest couldn''t conceal the personality of the French military uniforms.


    This also led to the fact that the hidden French troops were easily discovered by the German army and lost their initiative.


    As they were caught off guard, both sides used heavy machine guns and rifles to fire indiscriminately, and even threw hand grenades and other weapons like mad.


    Those who were too close, and had no way of hiding, rushed forward and engaged in hand-to-handbat with gunstocks and bays.


    However, the French troops, whether in shooting or hand-to-handbat skills, were generally inferior to the German troops.


    Moreover, French troopscked training in mountainous areas, so this patrol squad was quickly wiped out by the Germans in the forested hills.


    Although the subsequent French reinforcements arrived quickly, they also suffered heavy losses under the bombardment of German artillery, and had to withdraw from this mountainous area.


    Although the German intention to ambush was exposed, seizing this opportunity, the German troops also entered the French border.


    Taking advantage of the chaos in the French army, the German armyunched fierce attacks on border cities such as Nafshato, Welton, Montmedy, and Longview, trying to open a huge gap in the French border.


    The French troops, who had realized the situation, put up a tenacious resistance. Their charges were very neat, but of course, they also fell neatly under the gunshots.


    Arge number of French soldiers charged at the German army, turning into one corpse after another umting on the battlefield.


    Soon, heaps of corpses piled up near these towns, providing good cover for the attackers, while more bodies continued to umte.


    The tenacious French soon realized that their bravery alone could not withstand the power of the Germans'' artillery. Though the French Army was generally superior in numbers, they quickly failed when faced with the individualbat capabilities and superior equipment of the soldiers.


    Having lost many corpses and weapon ammunition, the French army hastily withdrew, leaving chaos in the border regions.


    At this stage in the war, General Langrezac had already realized that deploying the main force in the central region was not the right choice.


    Langrezac tried to advise Commander Cynthia to gather the French main force from the central region to the border between the northern and Belgian regions, in order to guard against the imminent threat of a German invasion from the south, threatening the Paris area.


    However, Cynthia could not agree with Langrezac''s opinion at this time. Unable to sway Cynthia''s decision, Langrezac made his own choice, and withdrew his elite forces, preparing to head north to meet the enemy at a moment''s notice.


    Fortunately, Cynthia''s order changed in a timely manner.


    On the second day following General Langrezac''s withdrawal, Cynthia issued an order for Langrezac''s Fifth Army Group to move swiftly to the northern border between France and Belgium.


    The Fifth Army Group had more than 400,000 soldiers, who under Langrezac''s guidance, marched 120 kilometers within three days to reach the border between France and Belgium.


    At this time, the German Second Army Group, led by General Pillov was near Charleroi and the River Sambre, closing in on the French border with a force of three armies, which eventually engaged in a fierce battle with Langrezac''s Fifth Army Group.


    It is worth noting that the French Fifth Army Group was equipped with the M1897 75mm cannon, also known as the "Frenchdy."


    On the other hand, the German Army was equipped with the GA1902 75mm field gun, which was jointly developed by Germany and Austrsia as an improvement on the "Frenchdy." It had increased firing speed and could reach 20 rounds per minute.


    This led to highly exaggerated artillery barrages between the two sides, with the fighting continuing day and night without any pause.


    Thanks to the fearless spirit of the French Army, General Langrezac managed to push back the German forces over ten kilometers at the beginning of the battle.


    The artillery exchanges between the two sides copsed buildings, burst pipelines, and destroyed fortifications around Charleroi and the border region.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Due to the fast firing speeds of both artillery entities, the rate of shell consumption for each side was also highly exaggerated.


    Under the heavy bombardment of both armies, the German and French forces each consumed at least 200,000 shells per day, putting tremendous pressure on both sides'' logistics.


    As the German assault intensified, and with the arrival of their reinforcements, Belgium was mostly upied, and the French border regions were struggling to hold on.


    As early as at the beginning of the war, the French had requested assistance from both Britain and Austrsia.


    Soon, the Expeditionary Force of Britain arrived near Monts, and alongside the French Fifth Army Group, jointly defended against the German forces in the north.


    On the side of Austrsia, Arthur firmly pledged to fulfill his promise and send at least 150,000bat troops to Europe within three months.


    In order to support their severely wounded ally France, Arthur decided to dispatch an expeditionary force to France as soon as possible.


    As a matter of fact, soon after upying Germany''s Pacific colony, the Austrsian army found themselves with little to do.


    Due to its remote location in Oceania, Austrsia had very little involvement in the conflict. Most of their enemies were weak countries such as Portugal and the Nethends.


    This World War I was the perfect opportunity for Austrsia to test its military strength.


    Not only would this exercise thebat abilities of the soldiers, but it would also train higher-levelmanders, facilitating simultaneous progress for officers and soldiers alike.


    A military force that has not experienced multiple wars cannot truly be called elite.


    Only by having both soldiers andmanders go through multiple wars and making progress together can the fearlessness andbat capability of the military be enhanced.


    Besides the 300,000-strong colonial force, the main force dispatched to Europe first was the rtively elite Division Four, as chosen by Arthur.


    Division Four was thetest addition to the conventional forces, which had now been trained for several years. It was time for this army to see some real action and prove its capabilities.


    As for the more elite divisions 123 and the Guard Division, their wartime missions in Europe were scheduled forter on.


    After all, Austrsia needed to maintain domestic defense, and with the colonial issue at hand, keeping an adequate number of fighting forces within the country was necessary.


    Especially since, after sending all 300,000 colonial troops to Europe, the Austrsian army would only have about ten thousand soldiers remaining.


    These forces had a heavy task ahead, one that required them to guard the entire Austrsian realm, including the colonies.

 Chapter 485: Chapter 384: Rapid Expansion of the Military Industry

    On August 24, 1914, the Austrsia Expeditionary Force, numbering more than 316,000 people, began to advance towards the European battlefield.


    To help the Austrsia Expeditionary Force reach Europe faster, Britain and France generously sponsored arge number of transport ships and promised to protect the expeditionary force''s transportation throughout the journey.


    Regardless, it would take Austrsia at least a month to reach the French borders, and during this month, the borders of France could only be defended by thebined British and French forces.


    After the border battles in France, France''s casualties exceeded 140,000, forcing Cynthia to acknowledge the failure of the border operations.


    Both France and Germany were fighting ording to their established war ns, but the progress of the two countries shows that France''s Operation 17 has already failed, while Germany''s n to invade through Belgium was sessful.


    Although the French army did not lose a significant number of troops, the defeat of the border wars allowed the German army to sweep through French territory like an unstoppable force, leaving devastation in its wake. Even the family tomb of French President Poincare in Nigarcool was dug up and used as a toilet.


    Regardless of whether it was deliberate on the part of the German army, the current situation facing France fully demonstrates the crisis it is in.


    After the failure of the border war, Cynthia was at headquarters thinking about the real reasons for the defeat and making decisions to save the situation.


    Although Cynthia was criticized by both the military and the administration, he didn''t panic.


    Noticing his superior officer frowning in thought, Cynthia''s assistant, Deputy Officer Captain Miller couldn''t help but mention: "Your Excellency, don''t you think there''s a problem with the military deployment?"


    Cynthia looked at his assistant surprised, without reprimanding him for the abrupt question. Instead, he asked with interest: "Captain Miller, what do you think the German army will do next?"


    As a deputy officer apanying the French Commander-in-Chief, Captain Miller''s career was far from ordinary.


    Originating from Saint Cyril Military Academy and distinguishing himself with multiple military honors, he was a highlypetent young officer.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Cynthia had him by his side as a deputy officer, partially to cultivate him.


    Upon hearing Cynthia''s question, Captain Miller considered his answer carefully before replying: "Your Excellency, I believe the Germans'' next goal must be to attack Paris. There are three routes to consider for the attack on Paris. The first is through Kemble, via Amiens, Luang axis, circumventing to Paris from the west side.


    The second, through Mobridge, Saint Contan, Suva Pine axis, directly attacking Paris. The third is along Charleroi, bending southwest from Mobridge, chasing our main force, then attacking Paris. Considering our current state of fighting while retreating, it is most likely the Germans will choose the third route."


    Cynthia nodded approvingly, looking at his deputy officer with relieved eyes, and continued to ask: "So, do you have any countermeasures?"


    "Despite our recent defeat, our main force still has the ability to fight. The northern army can retreat to the Marne River to defend it. Additionally, dispatch an elite army group to be stationed north of Paris. This will not only defend Paris but also find opportunities to ambush the German side," Miller continued.


    For the French army, retreating is fine, but constant retreat is not advisable. As the capital of France, if Paris falls too early, it will not only bring a huge blow to French people and the army, but it will also shock all the Allies.


    It should be noted that the battlefield in the Westline isrgely defended by the French army. If the French army loses itsbat power too early, the offensive and defensive efforts of the Allies would be greatly diminished.


    Cynthia''sughter grew, he nodded approvingly and said to Miller: "Captain, I think we should switch positions. You take the Commander in Chief, and I''ll be your deputy."


    While his words were tinged with a tone of jest, Cynthia wasn''t entirely joking.


    In fact, Miller''s proposition was essentially aligned with Cynthia''s thoughts, which showed that, to some extent, Miller was indeed fit to hold the position of Commander-in-Chief of France.


    The day after Austrsia dispatched its expeditionary force, which is on August 25, 1914, Cynthia officially changed the deployment and issued a new battle n.


    First, all French armies were forbidden from scattering, but incorporated armies were allowed to orderly retreat to Verdun, Ain River, won, Laon, Raphael, Saint Contan, and along the Somme River.


    It was unknown to Cynthia at the time that his order would trigger several of the most brutal battles during World War I.


    From Verdun to the Somme River, Cynthia was setting up military facilities and creating an offensive defense position.


    With France''s decision, the Westline battlefield was plunged into a protracted trench war. Both parties were not onlypeting in manpower but also in materials, finances, and transport capabilities.


    Since the beginning of the war, all military industries in Austrsia have been operating overtime.


    In the European battlefield, the consumption of weapons and ammunition is bing faster, and Britain-France-Russia are discussing arge weapons trade order with Austrsia.


    ording to the current circumstances, this weapons trade order consists of 400,000 rifles, 1,200 artillery pieces, 500 heavy machine guns, 100,000 hand grenades, 80 million rifle bullets, 10 million machine gun bullets, and 200,000 various artillery shells.

 Chapter 486: Chapter 384: Rapid Expansion of the Military Industry_2

    The enormous military purchases involved funds exceeding 10 million Australian dors, and the pure profit alone was at least 4 million Australian dors.


    The bulk of the weapons procurement orders belonged to the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire''s crazy expansion has led to many soldiers not yet receiving their weapons.


    In the current Russian army, there is a tradition of seizing weapons. Of course, not from theirrades-in-arms, but from the bodies that fall on the battlefield.


    As long as the weapon is taken quickly from the body, it belongs to the individual, whether from an enemy or arade-in-arms.


    This has led to a rather chaotic logistics situation in Russia, with Russian-made guns, British and French-supplied guns, Austrsian-made guns, and German-made guns all mixed together, creating an even more chaotic ''International arsenal''.


    This wide variety of weapons has ced a huge logistical burden on the Russian Empire, prompting the Russian government to resolutely rece the weapons of its elite troops.


    At least when the elite troops adopt uniformbat weapons, the logistics pressure caused by the inconsistency of weapons can be significantly reduced.


    The batch of weapons orders is almost a quarter of Austrsia''s inventory. Even if the Austrsian military factories worked overtime, the current rate of weapons and equipment consumption (including exports) still far exceeds the production rate.


    This made Arthur''s earlier decision to hoard weapons and equipment extremely wise, and inadvertently, the military factory became more obedient to Arthur''s orders.


    Up to now, the number of employees in the Royal Military Factory has reached 25,000. This number has increased by nearly 10,000pared to more than a year ago, showing the rapid expansion of the military factory.


    Even the civilian military factories in Austrsia are expanding at an astonishing speed. It is estimated that the employment in the military industry in Austrsia has already exceeded 30,000 people. The biggest change that the war has brought to Austrsia is the rapid expansion of the military industry.


    If the war continues, the employment of the military industry in Austrsia could even break through 50,000, moving towards a goal of 100,000 people.


    Although this is good for promoting employment in Austrsia, handling the overlyrge and bloated military industry would be a problem once the war is over.


    There was a long gap between World War I and World War II, and Austrsia, due to its unique geographical environment, was destined to have few battlefields.


    Unless Austrsia can stir up conflicts in many regions worldwide, artificially creating many wars, there will be no ce to sell the manufactured weapons and equipment.


    Hold on, Arthur suddenly felt this behavior was familiar, wasn''t this the behavior of the world police inter generations?


    Although the war has been going on for almost a month, the impact on Austrsia is not too significant.


    Looking at the current situation in Austrsia, the lives of the residents are still as usual, aside from the military factories constantly hiring, there seems to be no difference.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This is the benefit of Austrsia''s unique geographical location. Even if World War I involved six great powers, it was unlikely that the mes of war would reach Austrsia''s nativend.


    If it wasn''t for Austrsia sending expeditionary forces and transporting weapons, equipment, and resources to Europe multiple times, it would seem that the war had little to do with Austrsia.


    Of course, it is impossible to say that the war had no impact on Austrsia. At least in terms of immigration, especially since the second half of this year, the number of immigrants to Austrsia has visibly decreased.


    Previously, there were numerous tankers and transport ships traveling between Oceania and Europe every day, bringing thousands of immigrants to Austrsia.


    But since the second half of this year, the number of immigrants has been reduced by more than half, and if it were not for the Russian immigrants'' stubborn support, the immigration figures for this year would be halved.


    ording to the report from the immigration bureau of the Austrsian Ministry of People''s Livelihood, this year''s immigration has declined significantlypared tost year, and the final immigration figure may not exceed 700,000.


    The number of Russian immigrants ounts for more than half, probably around 500,000 to 550,000.


    If it were not for the steady supply of Russian immigrants, the immigration boom that Austrsia has been enduring for more than a decade would perhapse to an end, and the poption growth of Austrsia would also take a downturn.


    On August 27, 1914, after several days of preparation, the weapons and equipment destined for Britain, France, and Russia were sessfully shipped from Sydney Harbour and were sent in two separate routes to France and the Far East region of Russia.


    Meanwhile, the expeditionary force of Austrsia had already set sail a few days earlier, and they were expected to arrive in France byte September, then travel by train to the borders to cooperate with the British and French forces inbat.


    In addition to seeking support from the United Kingdom and Austrsia, France and Russia were also trying to enlist backing from other neutral countries.


    In fact, since the outbreak of the war, certain major neutral countries, such as Italy and Bulgaria, have been the targets of both the Allies and the Central Powers.


    Italy, needless to say, as one of the great powers, borders the Austro-Hungarian Empire and France, and also has a considerable naval strength in the Mediterranean region.


    If Italy could be persuaded to join the war, it would be good news for either side (only in terms of the navy).


    Both the Allies and the Central Powers have never ceased in their attempts to draw Italy to their side. Although Italy has already dered neutrality, the internal factions advocating intervention and neutrality in Italy have long been quarreling about which side to join.


    There have been frantic negotiations between the Allies and the Central Powers with Italy, and if everything goes as expected, Italy will likely bide its time before making a decision.


    Besides Italy, both the Allies and the Central Powers are also trying to court Bulgaria.


    Bulgaria is geographically important, as it is not only in the Balkan Penins, where World War I began but is also close to countries like Serbia, Romania, and Greece.


    If Bulgaria were to join the Central Powers, Serbia would be in a position of being attacked from both sides, which would not be good news for the Allies.


    With the support of the Central Powers, Bulgaria could pose a significant threat to Serbia and the Balkan region.


    On the other hand, if Bulgaria were to join the Allies, it would be a huge help to them. It would not only leave Serbia free to focus on fighting the Austro-Hungarian Empire alongside Russia, but it would also create a unified front in the Balkan region, negating the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s advantage there.


    However, unlike the fence-sitting Italy, winning Bulgaria over is much more challenging.


    Italy will join whichever side offers more benefits, and they are merely waiting to see which side gains a greater advantage.


    Bulgaria is different. In the Second Balkan War, the animosity between Bulgaria and Serbia deepened, which significantly reduced the likelihood of Bulgaria joining the Allies.


    Unless Britain and France can offer terms far better than those of the Central Powers and can satisfy the various factions and people within Bulgaria, the chances of Bulgaria joining the Allies are slim.


    In any event, Bulgaria''s geographical position is indeed crucial, and Britain and France are making every effort to win them over.


    In addition to trying to win over countries like Italy and Bulgaria, the four great powers within the Allies have also held numerous telegraph conferences.


    The four great powers are negotiating various deals to determine how many concessions they are willing to make to these neutral countries to persuade them to join the Allies and fight against the Central Powers together.


    If nothing unexpected urs, Italy is likely to join the Allies. It must be said that territorial disputes with the Austro-Hungarian Empire are the main reason preventing Italy from joining the Central Powers.

 Chapter 487: Chapter 385: The Frenchmen Who Got Duped

    At present, the most obvious decline in the European War is not Russia, as previously predicted by Arthur, but France, which has withstood the main force of the German army.


    After the failure of the border war, France fell into a passive state and could only rely on temporarily constructed defense lines.


    This has also led to the fact that although there are currently more than 1 million French soldiers mobilized, the bnce of the war could not be tilted in the slightest.


    The average daily number of French soldiers killed or wounded on the front line is over 11,000, with the peak even reaching 30,000 casualties in a single day.


    Of course, that day was the second day of trench warfare when the Germans had mobilized arge number of firearms and heavy weapons, and even many airships, causing such huge casualties to the French.


    At this time, the mood of General Flynn, themander-in-chief of the French Army, is not very pleasant.


    "Mr. President, when will the follow-up assistance from Britain and Austrsia arrive? If the trend continues like this, our soldiers will not be able to withstand the offensive of the Germans in another three months," asked a rather anxious French Commander General Flynn.


    By chance, when President Poincare came to the headquarters for inspection, Cynthia quickly asked his question, which also concerned the situation on the French front line.


    "Soon. ording to the British, the second batch of reinforcements will arrive next week, with about 6 divisions of soldiers. Next month, there will be another 15 to 20 divisions arriving on the battlefield," said President Poincare somewhat helplessly.


    Although the cooperation between Britain and France in the war is very close, the British army still has the right to independent action, and France can only urge the British army to speed up their actions.


    Hearing this, Cynthia nodded and said, somewhat surprised, "The British are surprisingly generous to send so many reinforcements at once?"


    If you count the five divisions the British have already sent, Britain will send more than 20bat units to France in two months, which is not in line with the usual British style.


    "If I''m not mistaken, these troops should be the colonial troops of the British. They won''t let their main divisions go. These colonial troops can only serve as cannon fodder at most. The real fight still depends on our soldiers," said President Poincare with some anger when it came to the British reinforcements.


    Of the more than 20 divisions and 300,000 reinforcements, apart from the two regr British divisions in the first five divisions that arrived, the rest were most likely colonial divisions of the British.


    If it were the British main force, it could share some of the troubles for the French. However, these colonial forces can only serve as cannon fodder at most. They might be useful in defense, but they are virtually useless in offensive battles.


    "As for the Austrsian army, they sent the Fourth Division and 15 colonial divisions, and they are expected to arrive by the end of next month."


    Regarding the Austrsian troops, President Poincare only briefly mentioned them.


    After all, the troops sent by Austrsia were just like those of Britain, consisting of a small number of regr troops and arge number of colonial troops.


    Moreover, the scale of the Austrsian army is limited. This should be thergest military support that Austrsia will provide in this war, and the follow-up will be at most one or two small divisions.


    Flynn nodded with a headache. At present, it seems that the two allies, Britain and Austrsia, are not very reliable.


    Austrsia is not too bad, as the 300,000 colonial troops have fulfilled their promise. After all, the scale of the Austrsian army is limited, and they also sent the navy to cooperate in the operation, which makes them a qualified ally.


    As for Britain, since the outbreak of the war, the Royal British Navy has only maintained order and patrolled, without making any significant contributions.


    As for the army, there is not much difference between the scale and structure of the troops sent by Britain and those of Austrsia. Considering the huge gap in the size of the two countries, the British are obviously less reliable.


    "What about Russia? Can they be asked tounch arge-scale war to ease the pressure we are facing on the Western Front?" Flynn continued to ask.


    Germany has adopted a two-front strategy, which means that one of the front lines is bound to have weak troops.


    From the current offensive against France, it is clear that France has borne at least 70% of the German main force. This means that the Germans'' Eastern Front is very weak, which is not only an opportunity for the Russians but also for the Allies.


    "You know the situation in Russia. So far, their total mobilization for the war has not beenpleted. ording to our intelligence, they only have about 700,000 troops on the front line, fighting back and forth with Germany''s 100,000 or so troops," said President Poincare with a more serious bitter smile, speaking somewhat helplessly about their other ally.


    Corruption within Russia is very serious, which has caused the old empire to be dull and slow.


    As France and Germany havepleted more than half of their total mobilization, Russia''s total mobilization is not even halfpleted. The troops deployed to the front line are not even half of those of France and Germany.


    Even if the Russians have the intention tounch arge-scale battle, they have to wait for Russia to gather enough troops and umte enough military equipment.


    And this time, it would take at least a month.


    This means that within one month, apart from the several divisions of the British, France would have little other assistance and had to rely on themselves to temporarily contend with Germany.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before the war, Cynthia, who was full of confidence in the war, felt a toothache at this moment.


    The three seemingly reliable allies did not perform well in the war.


    To gather more countries to join the Allies! This was Cynthia''s only thought at this moment.


    Not only that, but also urge Britain and Russia Nation to do their best to win this war.


    Austrsia could be left aside for the time being, after all, it had fulfilled its obligation, and its biggest role in the war was as a supply center.


    However, Britain and Russia Nation were different. In Cynthia''s eyes, they were also the main force in this war. If they did not fully respond to this war, the chances of the Allies winning would be greatly reduced.


    "Mr. President, please tell the British and Russians that this war is not just between France and Germany, but also between the Allies and the Allied Nations. If France fails, Britain and Russia Nation will have to face Germany''s full-scale attack.


    I hope to see more help from Britain as soon as possible, especially the main force of Britain." After a brief silence, Cynthia made her request to President Poincare.


    Poincare nodded, looking at Cynthia, whose eyes were red and very tired, saying, "Don''t worry, I will convey your words to Britain and Russia Nation, and do my best to ask for their support. If the British do not send their main forces soon, I will go to London to lobby personally."


    After receiving President Poincare''s firm support, Cynthia nodded with satisfaction and suggested to President Poincare, "Mr. President, I think we cannot pin all our hopes on the support provided by Britain and Russia Nation. In addition to our existing allies, we should also vigorously attract neutral countries such as Italy, Bulgaria, and many Balkan countries.


    The more countries joining the Allies, the greater our chances of winning. As for the distribution of benefits after the war, we can make some concessions to meet the demands of these small countries."


    Among the three major European powers of the Allies, Britain, France, and Russia Nation, each has its own followers, who have not yet joined the war and must be quickly embraced by the Allies.


    If the Allies do not embrace them, the Germans will sooner orter. If Germany had more allies, no one could be sure of the oue of the war.


    "I know what you''re saying, Your Excellency the Commander. Contact with Italy and other countries is already underway, though it may not be possible in a short time. I hope you can hold the Germans at bay on the current front lines, and the government will do its best to support the military in achieving victory in this war," said President Poincare, nodding to Cynthia.


    During the war, President Poincare was deeply aware that only when the French government and the French Army stood together firmly could there be hope of winning the war.


    As for Cynthia''s requests, President Poincare only had two words: satisfied!


    On the British side, there was indeed somexity.


    In fact, for the British, there was no n to respond with full force too early.


    The current war involves all powerful countries in Europe, and the more fiercely these countries fight, the better it is for the British Empire.


    As for the only post-war threat of the United States, there was also the unharmed Austrsia to deal with.


    For the British, such a situation was like sitting on the sidelines, and they could ept whatever the oue of the European War.


    Of course, Germany was the biggestpetitor, and its threat to the British was also the biggest. The British naturally wanted Germany to lose this war, but the sacrifices made by Britain depended on the mood of the British Government.


    Allies are there to be used. The British Empire has been practicing this principle for many years.


    At present, the French are fighting on the Westline battlefield, the Russians are fighting on the Eastern Front Battlefield, and all Britain has to do is send out its navy to cut off Germany''s supply line.


    In such a case, why should the British bother to exhaust themselves and risk heavy casualties for the French?


    In fact, in the original history, the British Empire yed a minor role most of the time during the war.


    If in the early stages of the war there had been millions of British troops fighting alongside France against Germany, the Germans would not have been sofortable.


    Even bolder imagination that this war would not havested for four years at all. Under the joint consumption of the British and French, the Germans would never have won this war of attrition.


    How much effort the British made would actually determine when Germany would copse. As long as the British ignored casualties, the Russians in history might not even have to rebel, and the war would be won directly.

 Chapter 488: Chapter 386: Frances Great Counterattack

    Due to the poor performance of the French Army, as of now, Martin Hughes has dismissed 2 army groupmanders, 10 generals, and 38 brigadier generals.


    Recing them are a group of mostly excellent new generals. Among them are some well-known names, such as Felix, Bemy, and Despreri.


    The first to be dismissed was Langrezac, themander of the French Fifth Army Group.


    The Fifth Army Group yed a crucial role, but itsmander Langrezac publicly defied Cynthia and had a poor rtionship with the French General Headquarters.


    Moreover, Langrezac did not trust the British Army, and the help of the British would be crucial in the uing war.


    Therefore, Cynthia decisively dismissed Langrezac and appointed Despreri as the newmander of the Fifth Army Group.


    It is worth mentioning that a small incident urred when Despreri took over as the overallmander of the Fifth Army Group.


    At that time, the 18th Armymander called the Fifth Army Group Headquarters, requesting to refuse the next day''s task due to the excessive fatigue of the soldiers.


    But Despreri''s answer was: "I have taken over as themander of the Fifth Army Group. As long as you are in the Fifth Army Group for one day, you must advance. Either advance or fall dead, there is nothing to discuss, it''s that simple."


    With that, Despreri hung up the phone, showing his decisive character.


    On September 3, 1914, the German Ninth Army led by Crook of the German First Army Group had crossed the Marne River.


    Crook believed that a single army could hardly function effectively, so he ordered the Third and Fourth Army to strike southeast regardless of the German High Command''s deployment to protect the right wing.


    Under Crook''s orders, the German soldiers of the First Army Group marched 40 kilometers in one day and copsed exhausted when they reached their destination.


    Under the influence of a fanatic desire to annihte the French Army, Crook had be irrational and exhausted his soldiers as a result.


    More importantly, due to the rapid march of the army, the First Army Group was actually far from its transport vehicles and heavy artillery units, leading to logistical supply problems.


    This situation was not unique to the German First Army Group. The German Second and Third Army Groups also faced simr problems, and even the troops of the Third Army Group led by Hausen Foster had not eaten cooked food for five consecutive days, all in pursuit of the defeated French forces.


    As for the slightly better-off Fourth and Fifth Army Groups, although they were also attacking, their current progress was minimal, still being blocked outside South Zinc and Verdun Fort.


    Attempting to annihte the French Army in one fell swoop had caused serious deployment issues for the German Army.


    In the Paris City Defense Command, Gary Aieni and his chief of staff had also received news of Crook''s German First Army Group advancing eastward towards the Marne River from Paris.


    From a clear map of the enemy and our own positions, it can be seen that Crook''s blind advance had exposed the right nk of the First Army Group in the direction of Paris.


    Gary Aieni, who had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and chief of staff yette Fischer shouted in unison: "They handed over their nks to us, they handed over their nks to us!"


    At this point, there was still some time before the major battle envisioned by French Commander Cynthia.


    Considering the battlefield situation and troop losses, Cynthia did not want to engage in an early battle.


    What Cynthia was waiting for was not only the aid of the British, but also the role that the Russian forces on the Eastern Front could y.


    However, battlefield opportunities are fleeting, and if not seized, it would be a great pity for generals like Gary Aieni.


    Although Gary Aieni was designated as Cynthia''s sessor, that is, the temporary Frenchmander in the event of an ident to Cynthia.


    As the current Frenchmander is still Cynthia, Gary Aieni cannot change any orders issued by Cynthia.


    But in order not to miss such a good opportunity, Gary Aieni made a bold decision to take action first and reportter, forcing Cynthia tounch this major battle.


    At 9 a.m. on September 4, 1914, Gary Aieni issued an order to Monadurai Parker, requesting that the Sixth Army Group be prepared for a counterattack in the afternoon immediately.


    Afterwards, Gary Aieni phoned the French General Headquarters to report that the Sixth Army Group had entered a counterattack position and was about to begin the counterattack, hoping that the army groups on the right nk would coordinate their actions.


    This was like pushing them onto the stage. After all, the Sixth Army Group was going to act, and if Cynthia did not support this battle, she would have to sit and watch the demise of the Sixth Army Group.


    As expected, Flynn would not allow the entire Sixth Army Group to be defeated, and after a round of tense phone conversations, he finally had no choice but topromise and ordered the right-wing army groups to fully cooperate with the Sixth Army Group inunching this major battle.


    He didn''t stop there, Flynn decided to expand the nned local operations of the Paris garrison into a full-scale counterattack on the left wing of the entire Allied front lines.


    This full-scale counterattack involved all French forces and the British Expeditionary Force. Therefore, the attitude of the British was also very important.


    At noon on September 5, in order to win the cooperation of the British forces, Flynn made a request to French Army Minister Millen, asking him to exert influence on the British government in the name of the French government, to ensure that British forces would cooperate with the French forces in the major battles, and preferably give Flynnmand over the British forces.


    In order to persuade the British forces to participate in the battle, in addition to asking the Minister of the Army, Flynn also decided to personally visit the headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force 200 kilometers away to get the agreement of Sir French, themander of the British Expeditionary Force.


    When Flynn met Sir French, he did not have the same politeness as before and spoke passionately and concisely: "The decisive moment hase, Sir French, my orders have been issued. No matter the circumstances, to save France, even if there is only onest battalion left, French forces must enter the battle.


    The lives of all French people, French territory, the future of Europe, all depend on this attack."


    "I do not believe that British forces would shirk their responsibilities at such a critical moment, and if you do not participate in the battle, history will make a harsh judgment," Flynn spoke fervently. "Marshal, France needs your support, and France requests your support!"


    Sir French also agreed with Flynn''s views, and after Flynn finished speaking, the British marshal even had tears in his eyes. Unable to express himself clearly in French, Sir French told his trantor, "Damn it, I can''t speak clearly. Please tell him that whatever the French can do, the British can do. Regarding this war, we are willing to give our all."


    Regardless of the British Government''s attitude towards muddling through, it was clear that Sir French would not spare any effort in this war.


    With the support of Sir French, Flynn breathed a sigh of relief and expressed his gratitude for the support of Britain and Sir French.


    As the French General Headquarters was busy preparing for the new offensive with lights on everywhere, at the German Chief of Staff''s office in Luxembourg, William II proudly praised, "Today is the 35th day of the war. We have surrounded Lans, and we are only 30 miles away from Paris."


    This remark sparked cheers from everyone in the Finance Department, who seemed to already see the scene of Germany standing in the Pce of Versailles after winning the war.


    However, Marshal Moltke could not be happy at this moment. But before the war, Moltke strictly followed the rule set by his uncle, Old Mosley, not to interfere with themand of frontline generals.


    But ording to the information obtained so far, the French had been gathering and mobilizing with premeditation, preparing tounch an attack on the right-wing of the German forces from the direction of Paris.


    At this moment, there was also news of 40,000 British soldiersnding in Belgium. Little Maurice Johnson made a prompt decision and ordered the First and Second Group armies to stay on the main front east of Paris.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The First Group Army was between the Waz and Marne Rivers and the Second Group Army was between the Marne and Seine Rivers, keeping a certain distance from Paris to eliminate the threat to the German nk.


    Brigadier General Crook did not think highly of Little Maurice Johnson''s somewhat conservative orders.


    Crook believed that with the smooth progress of the German army and their proximity to Paris, they should not stagnate and waste the opportunity to fight, while also giving the enemy more breathing time.


    Crook ordered his forces to continue pursuing the enemy to the Seine River and then turn towards Paris.


    This order put the First Group Army in a dangerous situation and gave the French army a new opportunity.


    Originally, ording to Little Maurice Johnson''s order, French aggression might not have found a suitable opportunity.


    But now that Crook had delivered the opportunity right to their doorstep, Flynn, who had long been prepared, would not waste such an opportunity.


    At the French General Headquarters, Flynn solemnly read the order for a full-scale counterattack and loudly spoke to the officers gathered at the headquarters: "Gentlemen, the previous defeats have ended. Let us fight at the Marne River for France, for every inch of our territory, and fight gloriously at the Marne River!"


    The Marne River flows from south to north, then east to west through the Paris Basin. Because it runs parallel to the Ena and Seine Rivers, and is located between the three rivers, the swift current serves as a natural barrier protecting Paris.


    In this long-nned full-scale counterattack, the French side deployed the Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Army Groups and the British Expeditionary Force, totaling 36 infantry divisions and 8 cavalry divisions.


    In contrast, the German First and Second Group armies, which were still unaware of their nk''s extreme danger, had only 18 infantry divisions and 5 cavalry divisions, about half the strength of the French forces.


    On the morning of September 6, the French forces officiallyunched a full-scale counterattack on the Marne River frontline.


    First was the French Sixth Army Group, whichunched a furious attack on the German Fourth Reserve Army stationed in the area to the west of the Ulk River. The fearless French forces quickly overwhelmed the outnumbered German Fourth Reserve Army, which then asked for reinforcements from the Commander of the First Group Army, Crook.


    Crook urgently dispatched the Second Army to assist, but it was no match for the numerically superior French Sixth Army Group.


    Left with no choice, Crook sent the Fourth Army, only then managing to regain the advantage on the battlefield and gradually achieve some victories.


    The sh between just the Sixth Army Group and the German First Group Army resulted in over 30,000 casualties in just two days.


    Among them, the number of deaths reached more than 10,000, illustrating the cruelty of the Marne River Battle.

 Chapter 489: Chapter 387: Bloody Battle of Marne River

    When the French Sixth Army Group couldn''t withstand and asked the French General Headquarters for help, there was a rtively serious logistical problem in France.


    The Ulk River Front was very important, and the French General Staff urgently assembled an elite division, taking trains to Paris, ready to support the Sixth Army Group.


    But the problem was that there were more than 60 kilometers between Paris and the front line, and it would take at least two days to reach the front by foot.


    But war waits for no one, and if the Sixth Army Group really had to wait for two days before they could see the reinforcements, the war would probably have already been lost by then.


    In order to urgently transport the division to the front, the French General Staff came up with a creative proposal to requisition all the taxicabs in Paris to transport the military.


    Actually, the French Army did have military trucks, but most of these trucks were mainly used for logistics transportation, such as transporting weapons, equipment, and resources.


    If they urgently requisitioned these trucks, it would take time to gather arge number of trucks, and it would affect the supply and logistics support of all the frontline troops.


    Requisitioning taxicabs in Paris was obviously a better choice. After all, they were vehicles and could be used to transport troops without a problem.


    Moreover, the use of Paris'' taxicabs would at most affect the traffic in Paris. In order to achieve victory in the war in France, it was natural for Parisian citizens to make some contributions.


    Thanks to the development of French industry and economy, Paris, the capital of France, had thousands of taxicabs.


    After the French General Headquarters issued the order to requisition all taxicabs, within just half an hour, more than 600 various types of taxi cars went to the designated location, and Gary Aieni, who saw this magnificent feat, couldn''t help but have tears in his eyes, eximing excitedly: "Look, what an extraordinary event this is!"


    The taxi drivers in Paris were very excited about being able to contribute to the defense of their country in such a way, and they chose to immediately let go of all passengers, proudly exining, "Sorry, sir, I''m going to war."


    As for the passengers, most of them would understand and say, "It''s okay, for France."


    In just one night, thousands of taxicabs made two round trips, transporting nearly 6,000 soldiers from an infantry division to the front line 60 kilometers away.


    This allowed the Sixth Army Group, led by Monadurai Parker, to receive reinforcements just as it was about to copse, temporarily stabilizing its position.


    Compared to Cynthia''s excessive attention to the battlefield, the attitude of Chief of Staff Maurice Young, the German General Staff, waspletely different.


    After assigning the tasks for various army groups, Maurice Young did not interfere and remained seated at the General Staff Headquarters.


    What was even more damning was that Maurice Young waspletely unaware of the frontline situation, especially the progress of the First Group Army and whether they properly executed the order.


    Although Maurice Young sent his intelligence director Colonel Hans as the plenipotentiary representative to the various army groups to understand the execution of the order,


    But the question is, without Maurice Young''s intervention, how can a mere colonelmand themanders of the army groups?


    Colonel Hans was indeed very capable, not only seeing the current problems of the First Group Army but also urging themander of the First Group Army, Crook, to carry out Maurice Young''s orders, bypassing the north bank of the Marne River and coordinating actions with the Second Army Group.


    However, Crook did not realize the seriousness of the situation, thinking that the possible French attack was just a supporting action aimed at covering the retreat of the troops and crossing the Seine River.


    By the time the First Group Army found Cynthia''s order from a prisoner of war, the Marne River Battle had already begun, and it was toote for Crook to regret it.


    It is worth mentioning that at the beginning of the war, the First Group Army was controlled by Pillov.


    But as the war entered an intense state, Pillov no longer controlled the First Group Army and let the First Group Army act autonomously.


    However, due to Maurice Young''sissez-faire attitude, what should have been brought back under the management of the German High Command, the First Group Army became a true autonomous operation, leading to Crook''s blind arrogance and the perilous situation of the First Group Army.


    In order to deal with the crisis he faced, Crook ordered the Third and Ninth Armies on the southern front to rush to the Wolk River to join the battle, leaving only two cavalry divisions to resist the British troops on the southern front.


    Crook''s blind decision directly exposed the right nk of the Second Group Army, originally at the rear of the First Group Army, to increased danger.


    Originally, these two armies were responsible for covering the right nk of the Second Group Army. After they withdrew, the right nk of the Army Group was directly exposed, and the distance between the First Group Army and the Second Group Army waspletely widened.


    Faced with the Germans'' foolish operations, the morale of the French Army increased, and the charge became even more fierce.


    The battlefield at the Ulk River, a tributary of the Marne River.


    "For France, attack!"


    A French officer carrying amanding knife pulled out his saber, pointed it at the enemy''s direction, and shouted for the soldiers to attack.


    Just a minute ago, the French artillery had just massively bombed the enemy''s position. As soon as the gunfire subsided, themander of the army could hardly wait to start the offensive.


    Unlike those faint-hearted officers, after shouting the charge, French officers bravely led their troops forward, followed by swarms of French soldiers.


    It is evident that the heroic actions of the officers also influenced all of their subordinates, and this scene yed out throughout the French Sixth Army Group, making the French Army''s charge exceptionally ferocious.


    Unfortunately, the airships in this area had already been shot down, and the airnes had left the battlefield due to running out of fuel.


    Otherwise, one would be able to see from a bird''s-eye view countless French soldiers surging towards the German positions like a tide.


    Although many dark spots stopped during the charge, more pushed forward.


    On the other side of the French Army was the waiting German First Group Army.


    The good news is that the German First Group Army is mostlyposed of elite soldiers, whosebat power far exceeds that of the French Army opposite them.


    However, the bad news is that after a long period of advancement, the soldiers of the First Group Army were already exhausted.


    Moreover, the distance between the First Group Army, the Second Group Army, and the German High Command kept increasing, resulting in insufficient logistics supply for some of the First Group Army.


    Fatigue andck of logistics put even a strong army like Germany in dire straits, greatly reducing theirbat effectiveness.


    Da-da-da! Pa-pa-pa!


    The seemingly orderly fire from both sides was, in fact, just arge ovep of gunshots.


    Some French soldiers ended their brief military careers without even getting a chance to fire a single shot.


    Yes, the casualties for France have already reached six figures since the start of the war.


    Combined with the implementation of domestic conscription, this has led to arge number of conscripts, or newly-trained recruits, on the French front line.


    However, there is no choice. No country, including Germany, can ensure that all of its millions of soldiers are elite veterans.


    To prevent the excessive number of recruits from reducing thebat effectiveness of the army, either more rigorous training must be added for new recruits, or some elite forces must be preserved.


    Of course, there is also a faster and more brutal method, which is to let these new recruits gain experience on the battlefield. After going through several life-and-death situations, they would be battle-hardened veterans.


    Both Germany and France are currently doing this. Conscripts can step onto the battlefield with their weapons and equipment after just a few weeks of training, enjoying their brief but long soldier life.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The French Army''s charges were repelled wave after wave, but they still could not stop the advance of the French Army.


    In just over an hour, the Sixth Army Group had advanced nearly 200 meters, and the German positions were now clearly visible.


    Of course, in order to achieve this, the Sixth Army Group had suffered the loss of an entire division, with casualties still rising.


    Although the German Army looked visibly exhausted, it was undeniable that the Maxim heavy machine gun was an irreceable weapon in offensive and defensive battles.


    Most of the French Army''s casualties were caused by Maxim machine guns, with only a small portion resulting from enemy artillery bombardment and rifles.


    On the German side, the weapon causing the most casualties to the German Army was artillery. This was not only because German soldiers were stationed in built-up positions, which were much safer in an offensive and defensive war.


    It was also because many French soldiers died before they could even fire their first shot, leaving the battlefield as soon as they arrived.


    The suppression fire from the Maxim heavy machine guns quickly caused the retreating French soldiers to falter.


    Even if the French soldiers were more fearless, in front of such powerful weapons, they could only sumb one after another.


    General Gary Aieni, furious at the sight of his troops falling wave after wave under the enemy''s machine guns, immediately ordered the nearby messenger, "Have all the artillery fire immediately at the enemy''s machine gun positions. Forget about the artillery for now; just take out the enemy''s machine gun positions first."


    At the beginning of the war, French artillery''s primary target was German artillery. However, the current situation showed that the damage caused by the German artillery was less than one-third of that caused by the German machine gun positions. It was clear which positions should be prioritized for destruction.


    Under the suppression of artillery fire, the German machine guns did not dare to show their heads easily. After all, France had equipped arge number of French Ladies known for their shooting speed. As long as the German machine gun positions showed themselves, they would face bombardment from at least ten artillery pieces.


    Even if the uracy of these shells was not great, some lucky positions were still hit by artillery fire due to their sheer number.


    After the German machine guns retreated, the pressure on the French army was significantly reduced.


    Seeing the decrease in German firepower, Frenchmanders'' eyes brightened and they shouted the orders with all their strength: "Charge!"

 Chapter 490: Chapter 388: We were defeated

    The Battle of the Marne ended with a victory for the British and French forces.


    Of course, this victory was rather tragic; to eliminate the German First and Second Army Groups, France suffered close to 220,000 casualties, while the British Expeditionary Force suffered over 40,000 casualties.


    On the German side, the First and Second Army Groups lost much of theirbat power, with almost 220,000 casualties.


    This was a battle in which the French and German forces had rtively close casualties since the start of the war, and it was the German army''s biggest loss.


    When William II heard the news about the defeat at the Marne River, he angrily questioned Little Maurice Johnson, "Why did you order the retreat from the Marne River?"


    Seeing that the German forces were already very close to Paris at this time, this retreat not only signified the failure of Germany''s intended westward attack and eastward defense strategy, but also meant that the chances of a German victory were greatly reduced.


    At this time, Little Maurice Johnson was speechless, pale-faced, and despondent. After hesitating for a long time, he said to William II, "Your Majesty, I''m afraid it''s not just a matter of retreating from the Marne River. I think we have already lost this war."


    The failure of the modified Schlieffen n also meant that Germany hadpletely failed at the strategic level.


    Germany, unable to defeat France within a short period of time and facing war on both the French and Russian fronts, simply could not be a match for the Allies.


    Moreover, France and Russia received support from Britain and Austrsia, which the Schlieffen n did not mention, meaning France and Russia were even stronger than Germany.


    The Schlieffen n was an excellent strategic n for fighting against France and Russia, but it did not take into ount the influence of other countries, such as Britain and Austrsia.


    In the previous Battle of the Marne, the British Expeditionary Force yed a crucial role, sharing a considerable part of the pressure faced by the French forces.


    What''s more, without the material support of Britain and Austrsia, the military mobilization of France and Russia could not have been so sessful and swift, and the pressure on Germany to fight on two fronts would have been somewhat relieved.


    But the impetuous William II could not ept the failure of the war. Just the second day after the Marne River, William II dismissed Little Maurice Johnson from his position as Chief of the General Staff on the pretext of illness, and appointed Minister of Defense Fakinham as the new Chief of the General Staff.


    On the day Fakinham took office, William II patted him on the shoulder and said a crucial sentence: "I will not ept the failure of this war, nor will Germany. Either fight to thest soldier or destroy the damned Allies and end this damned war."


    Unfortunately, after Germany''s defeat at the Battle of the Marne, they had already lost the initiative in the war.


    French forces relieved a significant portion of the pressure they faced and sessfully turned the western front into a protracted war of attrition.


    French forces built numerous trenches and defensive positions in the current frontline area, implying they would either step over the corpses or remain in front of their positions.


    Another bad news for Germany was that in addition to the western front, Russia organizedrge numbers of troops on the eastern front and attacked German positions.


    In the month before the war began, Russia had mostly focused on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire bore most of Russia''s military force for Germany, allowing Germany to have enough time and troops toplete the western front.


    But the Austro-Hungarian Empire could not withstand the entire Russian offensive, especially with Serbia assisting them on the side.


    Perhaps out of his own selfishness, under themand of Francis the First, the Austro-Hungarian Empire did not execute William II''s suggestions well, which were to take defensive measures against Serbia andunch a full-scale attack on the Russian border.


    This resulted in a significant portion of the Austro-Hungarian forces remaining on the Serbian border and being obstructed by the iron-like confidence of the Serbian people.


    After receiving material aid from Britain and Austrsia, Russia made significant progress in its military mobilization, organizing hundreds of thousands of troops tounch an offensive against the German border.


    Although the Russia-Germany border offensive was defeated, it still caused a significant impact and heavy casualties on the German eastern border.


    Although Russia''s casualties were even greater, what Russiacked the least were peasants who could readily take up arms to be soldiers.


    Of course, the severe problems Germany faces now had nothing to do with Little Maurice Johnson. All the mess was left to the new Chief of the General Staff, Fakinham, to solve.


    Fakinham''s first order after taking office was to send troops to attack Antwerp in Belgium to eliminate the threat to the German forces'' rear nk in French territory.


    Antwerp was an important port in Belgium, only about 80 kilometers away from the North Sea, and was considered a safety valve by Britain.


    In Antwerp at this time, there were 150,000 Belgian troops and 20,000 British troops.


    In order to capture the stronghold of Antwerp, Fakinham not only dispatched German troops withbat power, but also gathered arge number of university student reserves and volunteers within Germany.


    Reportedly, Fakinham gathered as many as 36,000 university student reserves alone to participate in the Siege of Antwerp.


    This exaggerated number also attests to Germany''s efforts and achievements in education.


    It is worth noting that the total number of university graduates in Austrsia each year is only about 4,000.


    Over the past decade or so, Austrsia''s education has developed to amodate nearly forty thousand university students.


    Germany deployed nearly forty thousand university students in a single battle; such audacity is something a country like Austrsia cannot even imagine.


    Of course, the oue of this audacity was also tragic. Of the 36,000 reserve university students, less than 6,000 survived after the Antwerp campaign, or just one-sixth of the total number.


    It is worth mentioning that among these surviving reserves, there is a well-known name - Adolf Hitler, the man whounched World War II.


    At this time, Hitler was just a sergeant, an ordinary soldier fighting for his country.


    At this point, he could not foresee his future glory, nor the disaster he would bring to the people of Europe.


    The German army captured Antwerp on October 10th, and a few days before the fall of Antwerp, the Austrsia Expeditionary Force arrived in France and traveled to the Franco-German border by French trains and transportation means, joining the battle of attrition.


    Because the Austrsia Ministry of Defense and its subordinate General Staff are far away from the European battlefield, at Arthur''smand, Brigadier General Scott Malone was promoted to temporary Commander-in-Chief of the Austrsia Expeditionary Force,manding up to 300,000 colonial troops.


    ording to Arthur''s n, every divisionmander sent to the European battlefield will be the temporarymander-in-chief of the expeditionary force.


    During the time they serve as temporarymanders-in-chief, it is not only a test of their leadership abilities but also represents trust in them.


    After all, it is a force of more than 300,000 troops, and allmand is in the hands of one person, showing the trust of the nation and the royal family in them.


    In fact, although these 300,000 troops were hired mercenaries, Arthur was not worried that there would be any unexpected incidents, such as the officer mercenaries bing independent.


    After all, the issue of material consumption for these 300,000 troops was problematic; although Britain was responsible for half of it, the other half fell on Austrsia itself.


    In addition to the good rtionship between Britain and Austrsia, if the Austrsian Expeditionary Force broke away from the government''s control, the first problem they would face is handling the food, drink, and waste issues for 300,000 people.


    As time moves into October 1914, the European battlefield has be much quieter. Therge-scale offensive and defensive operations involving millions of troops are over, and the war to follow is one of attrition and national potential.


    Among all the warring nations, the most rxed should be the British Empire and Austrsia.


    If a winner must be determined, Austrsia might be even more rxed than the British Empire.


    After all, the British Empire is still within the scope of Europe and is very close to France and Germany.


    If France is defeated and Germany annexes part of Western Europe, it is entirely possible that its influence will expand to the British sphere of influence, such as across the English Channel and the North Sea.


    This is uneptable to the British Empire; if Germany alone dominates the European continent, Britain''s hegemony will cease to exist.


    However, Austrsia has no such worries, as it is located far away in Oceania and does not need to worry about the influence of European nations.


    This also leads to Austrsia being the only country in the war that is not severely affected; even its economy achieves significant growth,rgely due to its massive exports to the Allies.


    The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kevin, once joked with Arthur in his report that if the current situation continues, Australia''s fiscal situation in 1914 will be even better, and fiscal revenue will continue to grow.


    More importantly, as the army and navy are cooperating with the Allies in operations, Britain has taken on nearly half of Austrsia''s military expenses.


    In this calction, while Austrsia''s fiscal revenue is increasing, fiscal expenditures, especially military spending, are actually reduced.


    This is still under the premise that European countries have a certain reserve of supplies and do not require arge number of foreign orders.


    As the war continues to develop and European nations needrge quantities of weapons, equipment, and resources, Austrsia''s finances have even more room for growth.


    It is only now that Arthur understands how good the Americans felt during World War I in his original history.


    This feeling of watching the tiger fight from the mountains while making a fortune is simply too wonderful. If Britain and France were not allies of Austrsia, and Austrsia still needed the support of Britain and France to resist the United States, Arthur may have even wanted to add fuel to the fire of the European war, bnce things out, and show off the British advantage.


    Bncing policy and stirring the pot: these are the policies and reputations of the British Empire that enjoy worldwide fame in this era.


    As a monarch who originated from the British Royal Family, Arthur believes that there is something to gain from such a policy, at least when applied to enemies it is no loss.


    At the end of October 1914, Arthur visited the Royal Shipyard for an inspection of the warship construction situation and delivered a speech, receiving cheers and apuse from everyone on site.


    Immediately afterward, Arthur visited several major military factories to inspect the current employment and production status.


    Production at the military factories is linked to the ie of the royal family and the Austrsian government, and Arthur takes it very seriously.


    After all, only by producing can money be earned. If only orders are signed, Russia will not foolishly pay the full amount upfront.

 Chapter 491: Chapter 389: 1915

    Time passed swiftly, and soon it was the second year after the war, that is, 1915.


    Although the Austrsian Army arrived on the battlefield in October ofst year, and although the British and French forces had achieved significant sess in the Marne River Battle, and although Germany had just suffered a crushing defeat, the Western Front was still a war of attrition. Even though Germany had shown signs of weakness, defeating them would still not be easy.


    War is a massive war of attrition in any era.


    Although the Austrsia Expeditionary Force had been in Europe for only two months so far, there had been more than 82,000 casualties among the colonial troops, over 3,000 of which were in the Fourth Division, which demonstrated the brutality of this war.


    Thanks to the exaggerated equipment of the Austrsian Army, the actual consumption of weapons and ammunition was even more exaggerated.


    However, half of the expeditionary force''s military expenditures were borne by Britain. Hence, the burden on Austrsia was not too great, at least not for now.


    ording to public and semi-public reports from various regions, nearly eight million troops were involved in the European War.


    The leading countries, France and Germany, had expanded their armies to over one million men.


    The total number ofnd forces and casualties in each participating European country are as follow:


    Germany has a total of 1.91 million men, with 114,000 killed and 227,000 wounded.


    France has 1.75 million men, with 198,000 killed and 352,000 wounded.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire has 1.29 million men, with 78,000 killed and 115,000 wounded.


    The Russian Empire has 1.938 million men, with 172,000 killed and 255,000 wounded.


    The British Empire has 872,000 men, with 58,000 killed and 112,000 wounded.


    Austrsia has 478,000 men, with 33,000 killed and 52,000 wounded.


    In just over four months in 1914 alone, more than 600,000 people were killed and nearly 1.1 million were wounded in the war.


    More exaggeratedly, these numbers only include casualties as reported by each country''s military and do not take into ount themon people affected by the war.


    If civilians were to be calcted, conservatively speaking, this casualty list would at least have to double.


    Moreover,pared to the uing year, the four months in 1914 were not excessively brutal.


    Although each country''s army has multiplied several times over, they can still conscript more troops to join the war. This also means more casualties and consumption.


    It can be predicted that in theing year, the war will only be more brutal because all countries have no more room to retreat. They must either win the war or be destroyed in it.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    No one will hope that the enemy will spare them after the defeat. The casualties of this war are already very severe, and under the cover of such hatred, the Allies and the Allied Nations have long been in a state where it is either you die or I die.


    On January 1, 1915, the annual report meeting of the Austrsian Cab Government was officially convened.


    The reason the conference was postponed by one day was due to the dy in the front line''s casualty statistics, which were not received until close to midnight from Europe.


    At the meeting, Arthur turned his gaze to Defense Secretary Raul and asked solemnly, "Minister Raul, tell us about the casualties of our expeditionary force at the moment!"


    Defense Minister Raul nodded and looked at everyone with a heavy face, saying, "Your Majesty, gentlemen, up to now, only 217,000 of our 316,000 expeditionary troops are viable forbat. The casualties of Division Four are also quite heavy, and only about 13,000 are currently capable of fighting."


    The various department ministers looked at Defense Secretary Raul after hearing such tragic casualty news.


    You must know that the total number of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force is only 316,000, and nearly one-third were lost in just two months.


    This means that in the new year, Austrsia will need to dispatch a certain number of colonial troops to maintain the scale of its expeditionary forces in Europe.


    Although most of the dead are natives and not so heartrending, it is not cheap to train a barely qualified soldier.


    Therefore, the best situation is that the losses of the native troops would be less severe so that Austrsia does not have to transport the natives frequently to the European battlefield.


    "France is asking when we can dispatch the second batch of expeditionary forces to Europe," Minister Raul said after ncing at Arthur''s reaction.


    It''s normal for the French to ask such questions. After all, ording to the agreement at the time, Austrsia must do its best to maintain more than 300,000bat troops in Europe, including at least one main force division.


    But if you don''t run a household, you don''t know how expensive firewood, rice, oil and salt can be. Arthur''s current idea is simply that theter the troops are dispatched, the better.


    "Reply to France, the training of our troops requires some time, and the journey to Europe is far. At least within three months, Austrsia will not have any reinforcements, only providing some material support," Arthur said after some thought.


    Although Austrsia does need to make some contributions in the war to exchange for benefits in the distribution after the war.


    However, shedding our own blood to support the French is not part of Arthur''s n.


    It may seem that the casualties of the colonial troops do not cause much damage to Austrsia, but in reality, the cost of training these native soldiers and their weapons and equipment, also pose a significant burden on Austrsia''s military budget.

 Chapter 492: Chapter 389: 1915_2

    After all, the British only provided half of the military expenses for these troops and would not provide weapons and equipment for these native soldiers when building a colonial army.


    Minister Raul nodded his head, indicating that he understood.


    After the small interlude from the Ministry of Defense, the annual report summary meeting for 1914 officially began.


    ording to the report from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, by the end of 1914, the total poption of Austrsia had sessfully exceeded 15 million, reaching 15.37 million.


    This was a significant milestone for Austrsia; after breaking past ten million three years prior, the poption of Austrsia had again reached a new number.


    Of course, the rise in poption also highlighted a piece of bad news¡ªthat since the outbreak of the European War, the number of immigrants to Austrsia had sharply decreased.


    In 1914, the poption of Austrsia grew by approximately 1.44 million people.


    While this seemed like a considerable number, the number of newborn babies reached 378,000. This meant that the number of immigrants for the entire year of 1914 was only 1.062 million, with Russian immigrants ounting for over 800,000, making up nearly 80% of the new immigrants to Austrsia.


    The number of immigrants had decreased by almost 300,000pared to the previous year, a significant portion of which were British and German immigrants.


    Even though Austrsia had a good rtionship with Britain, Britain would close the immigration channels during times of war, attempting to minimize the outflow of immigrants as much as possible.


    After all, most civilians didn''t like war. If there wasn''t a limit on immigration during special times, there would probably be a mass exodus of refugees before the war had even ended.


    This loss of national strength during times of war was something that none of the major European powers wanted to see.


    It wasn''t just Britain¡ªall participating European powers had enacted some form of restrictions on immigration, which had almost halved the number of immigrants leaving Europe in 1914.


    Fortunately for Austrsia, there was the Tsardom of Russia, a steadfast ally that could provide support for immigration at any time.


    After all, to attract more Russian immigrants, Austrsia had resorted to bribing everyone in Russia; Russia was giving the green light to immigration to Austrsia, even to the point of almost personally delivering immigrants to the borders of Austrsia.


    Even more importantly, due to the frequent transportation of supplies to Russia, the rtionship between Austrsia and Russia had also entered a long honeymoon period.


    With the marriage alliance between the two royal families, Russian immigrants indeed became the best source of neers during this period, disregarding revolutionary elements among them.


    Considering future potential crises in Russia, Arthur had already made some early arrangements.


    Firstly, by screening all Russian immigrants, he selected over a thousand immigrants who recognized and weremitted to Austrsia, and after some training, they were sent back to Russia''s homnd to carry out secret infiltration tasks.


    Their primary role was to infiltrate organisations of revolutionaries and Russian rebels to gather more information for Arthur.


    No matter how corrupt Russia was, the Russian monarchy still needed to be saved. Even if the ruler wasn''t the current Tsar, it would at least be a direct rtive of the Romanov family.


    This isn''t just because of the good rtionship between the royal families of Austrsia and Russia, but also because of Russia''s geographical position.


    As long as Russia exists¡ªor at least exists in the Far East¡ªit will be an ally of Austrsia that can help bear the pressure from the Ind Nation and the United States.


    However, Russia was currently in a somewhat chaotic state, and it was questionable whether those 1,000 or so trained Russian immigrants could make their way into the inner circles of those people.


    It is worth mentioning that some Russian criminals have already fled to Austrsia under the guise of immigration.


    But Arthur was prepared for this¡ªthe Austrsian customs were strict in their inspections of all iing immigrants.


    They not only prohibited them from carrying weapons but also did not allow too many immigrants from the same region to gather together.


    These immigrants from all over Russia would be dispersed to various regions in Austrsia, including New Zend and all colonies.


    Of course, they can choose not to ept the government''s allocation, but the consequence will be losing governmental welfare policies.


    Although such a mandate is somewhat coercive, for ordinary people who merely aspire to lead a content and prosperous life in Austrsia, it''s not entirely uneptable.


    After all, the current immigration policies of Austrsia are quite generous. As long as one passes the immigration examination, whichsts about six months to a year, they can easily acquire Austrsian citizenship, receive 4 to 8 acres ofnd (depending on location and fertility), and even get an opportunity to work in various major factories across Austrsia.


    Given the rising average ie of Austrsians, the sries offered by these factories have be quite substantial.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although the ie level still can''tpete with that of top-ranking powers like Britain, France, and Germany, the cost of living in Austrsia is rtively low, particrly for beef, mutton, and grains, which are much cheaper than in Europe, thus narrowing the standard of living gap between Europeans and Austrsians.


    ording to statistics, in terms of the consumption of beef, mutton, and grains, the average Austrsian even surpasses that of some regions in Europe, including some powerful nations.


    Moreover, Austrsia is strict in enforcing an eight-hour workday, with overtime being appropriatelypensated and paid for, and wage treatment is guaranteed.


    As a result, Austrsian factories have attracted arge number of citizens and immigrants, resulting in rapid development across all sectors in Austrsia.


    Although the addition of over a million immigrants each year might sound overwhelming, these people are distributed among various sectors such as agriculture and industry, which has prevented the unemployment rate in Austrsia from rising too much.


    ording to statistics from the Department of Civil Affairs, by the end of 1914, the average ie in Austrsia was 52.7 Australian Dors, still in a rtively stable growth state.


    The growth of the economy can be observed from the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).


    In 1914, Austrsia''s GDP reached a staggering 1.677 billion US dors, equivalent to 335 million Pounds or 670 million Australian Dors, representing a growth rate of about 6%.


    Although the growth rate had deceleratedpared to the previous year, it was already quitemendable given that war broke out in the second half of 1914.


    If Arthur is not mistaken, the economic growth of the European powers involved in the war, particrly France, Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Russia, must be negative.


    It''s worth noting that war puts an enormous drain on a country. These countries had to mobilize some civilian factories into military production, producing sophisticated military equipment and weapons if they had the technology, or simpler military uniforms and helmets if they didn''t.


    Although this greatly alleviated the military demands of the front line, it also had a massive impact on the civilian economy, slowing down its growth or even plunging it into decline.


    The UK was rtively better off, given that its maind was unaffected by the war. But as it''s positioned in Europe, the impact was inevitable, certainly far more substantial than in Austrsia.


    In terms of government fiscal revenue, Austrsia''s government fiscal revenue for 1914 was 107.2 million Australian Dors, exhibiting a growth of approximately 5.6% from the previous year.


    As Austrsia''s economy wasrgely unaffected and even managed to make a small profit due to arge number of supplies being exported to Europe.


    In terms of fiscal spending, since the UK bore half the cost of the expeditionary force, Austrsia''s military expenditure actually dropped to just over 38 million Australian Dors.


    The total fiscal expenditure of the Austrsian government was 98.71 million Australian Dors. The fiscal surplus increasedpared to the previous year, reaching about 8.5 million Australian Dors.


    While military spending had fallen considerably, the overall government fiscal expenditure had not decreased much.


    After all, in the midst of war, it cost even more to bring in immigrants from Russia. At the same time, making certain sacrifices was unavoidable to stabilize domestic production.


    However, these sacrifices were bound to be recouped from the Allies. As the war intensifies in the new year, the Allies will truly becking weapons, equipment, and supplies.


    At that time, Austrsia will be able to make a fortune. The trading of food and weaponry alone will fill the coffers of the royal family and the Austrsian government, not only paying off all government debts but also making a small profit.


    If it were not for the war between Argentina and Chile, that had slightly soured Austrsia''s rtionship with the United States. On


    Arthur would even consider borrowing arge sum of money from the United States, which at that point could be paid back in either Francs or Marks.

 Chapter 493: Chapter 390: British and French Joint Visit

    Although the war had only been raging for four months, it was a huge burden on the resources of all countries involved.


    Up to now, Austrsia had exported at least 5 million tons of grain, 500,000 rifles, hundreds of millions of bullets, and various weapons and equipment to Europe, along with strategic materials.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Including petroleum, coal, and iron ore, Austrsia had also sold a considerable number of mineral resources to the British Empire and France.


    These trade deals brought tremendous profits to Austrsia and drove the economy forward. That is why Austrsia is the only country involved in the war with rapid economic growth.


    Thanks to the rapid expansion of the military industry, Austrsia''s industries have also experienced substantial growth.


    Worth noting, Frenchmen have realized the danger their distinctive military uniforms pose to their army and are urgently nning to rece them with more inconspicuous-colored uniforms.


    Some factories in Austrsia have been tasked with manufacturing these new military uniforms and helmets.


    This opportunity has provided some civilian clothing factories in Austrsia with excellent development opportunities. For the time being, the market for military uniforms is much bigger than that for civilian clothes. Many supplies are destroyed or intercepted by enemies before reaching the soldiers'' hands.


    Of course, Russia has the lowest demand for military uniforms. If one asked why, the bullet holes and patches on the Russian recruits'' uniforms would reveal the answer.


    Russians are truly resourceful; even if a uniform has minor damage from a fallenrade, it may still be used if it''s not damaged beyond repair.


    So far, the European battlefield has not seen the use of taboo weapons such as poison gas. However, Arthur is aware that if the war continues like this, Germany will undoubtedly use them.


    To prepare for the possible use of poison gas by Germans and protect Austrsia''s army, Arthur ordered researches to work urgently on developing gas masks that could effectively block harmful gases.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, Arthur also had researchers develop reliable and convenient masks to protect against a potential flu outbreak several yearster.


    The influenza outbreak a few yearster is not a minor epidemic; without any preparedness, it could cause significant casualties and losses to the nation and people.


    Masks and disinfectants are in high demand. Arthur is feverishly preparing for the future flu pandemic, hoping to minimize casualties in Austrsia or even prevent them altogether.


    The good news is that the Spanish flu outbreak is still several years away, and Austrsia''s remote geographical location ensures that it won''t be the hardest-hit region.


    As long as adequate protection is put in ce at the national level, and ample supplies of masks and disinfectants are stockpiled, effectively handling the flu pandemic shouldn''t be an issue.


    Integrating and assimting all immigrants in the country and unifyingnguage and religion are two policies Arthur pays great attention to.


    With the joint efforts of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, and Archbishop Steed, arge number of non-British immigrants have been trained in English, allowing them to at leastmunicate in simple English.


    Keep in mind that most factories in Austrsia are owned by British descendants.


    This implies that knowing English is a prerequisite for finding work. Although it doesn''t guarantee a job, knowing English certainly determines whether one can survive in a factory.


    Imagine not understanding colleagues and superiors, relying only on hand gestures formunication; how could one work effectively in such a situation?


    As a result, German and Russian immigrants have a high level of enthusiasm for learning English.


    This has facilitated the smooth implementation ofnguage unification in Austrsia. Allnguage schools run by the government and church are generally filled to capacity.


    Aside from unifying thenguage, Archbishop Steed has also tried to unify the religion in Austrsia.


    However, religion andnguage are different; people can ept learning an additionalnguage to improve their lives, but they may not be willing to convert their faith.


    Converting believers without too much faith in religion is easier, whereas more devout believers may outright reject the church''s missionaries.


    Arthur is not overly concerned about Austrsia''s religious unification, as in this era, secr power far outweighs religious power.


    For a country like Austrsia, as long as the ultimate power is in Arthur''s hands, it doesn''t matter what religion the citizens follow.


    As long as the majority of the poption in Austrsia consists of British descendants and Protestants, the beliefs of the remaining minority of residents would be extremely free.


    Of course, some religions that oppose the government and royal rule, and run counter to the faith of the majority of British immigrants, are less likely to be taken over by the government.


    The question of how to make choices in this matter would be left to Archbishop Steed to resolve.


    Besides serving as the Archbishop of Austrsia, Steed was also the head of the Austrsian Protestant Association.


    Religious issues would be left to the religions themselves to solve. If Archbishop Steed had the ability to make the vast majority of Austrsians believe in Protestantism, Arthur would be supportive and weing.


    After a brief cab meeting, Arthur patiently waited for the arrival of the new year''s National Day.


    However, before the arrival of National Day, Arthur received visitors from Europe first.


    The visitors were Ambassador Henry Winston of Britain in Austrsia and French Ambassador to Austrsia, Torpin Crete.


    The two of them held significant positions in their respective countries, as they were responsible for liaising with allied countries and serving as bridges ofmunication between Austrsia and the Allies.


    Although Arthur had guessed the purpose of their visit, he still received them with a smile in the banquet hall.


    The purpose of the British and French visit was simple, and it was definitely rted to the current war in Europe. Britain and France were suffering heavy casualties every day on the European battlefield, while Austrsia''s troops totaled just over 300,000 and now only had over 200,000.


    Moreover, the majority of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force wasposed of indigenous peoples. In such a situation, the British and French naturally wanted Austrsia to send more reinforcements to relieve the pressure they faced.


    After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, Arthur went straight to the point and asked, "Gentlemen, I wonder what brings you here today?"


    Henry Winston and Torpin Crete looked at each other. Winston took the lead, answering respectfully, "Your Majesty, to be frank, the situation on the European battlefield is extremely tense.


    In order to defeat the Germans as soon as possible, we hope that your country can send at least 200,000 more reinforcements to help usunch arger offensive, reim the lost territories of France, and even directly invade Germany."


    Up to now, both France and Germany had their wins and losses, and both sides'' offensives had be deadlocked, turning into a protracted and brutal war of attrition.


    A war of attrition naturally required human lives to fill the gaps. The daily casualty figures on the Westline Battlefield revealed that the coalition forces of Britain, France, and Austrsia suffered nearly 20,000 casualties every day, more than 3,000 of whom died, and the rate of human loss was incredibly horrifying.


    At this time, whichever side possessed more personnel held more advantages in attrition.


    Britain and France, of course, didn''t need to be mentioned. France was the main target of Germany''s offensive, and their casualties had already been extremely heavy.


    Meanwhile, the British Empire had deployed more than 500,000 expeditionary troops to France, including 400,000 colonial troops and 100,000 regr troops.


    Only Austrsia had sent just over 300,000 troops, of which only one division was regr.


    Although the Fourth Division of Austrsia performed quite well in the war, itsbat strength was no less than that of a German division.


    Such a small force could not alter the Westline Battlefield. Austrsia would need to contribute at least another 200,000 troops to have some impact on the Westline Battlefield.


    "If I recall correctly, the alliance stipted that we would send 300,000 colonial troops and one regr division, right? Austrsia had already fulfilled its obligations two months after the outbreak of the war and had frequently transported supplies to all its allies. We have never shied away from our responsibilities," Arthur said with a smile as he looked at the two ambassadors.


    "Moreover, judging by the scale of our armed forces, we cannot organize another 200,000 troops in a short period of time. We might find a solution for the supplies you need, but when ites to troops, we are indeed somewhat powerless."


    Winston and Crete exchanged nces. Crete took the initiative to say, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, we havee with sincere intentions. President Sir is aware of the challenges your country faces. If your country is willing to support 200,000 troops within three months, we are willing to pay for half of the cost of establishing this army and bear half of their military expenses in Europe.


    In addition, we are willing to transfer the Kiergaran Archipgo to your country and provide a loan of 500 million francs without interest."


    The Kiergaran Archipgo is located in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, between France''s Madagascar colony and Austrsia.


    If Austrsia could acquire this colony, its sphere of influence would also extend to the Indian Ocean.


    After hearing the French offer, Arthur could not help but narrow his eyes as he gazed meaningfully at Ambassador Crete.


    It has to be said that the French conditions were indeed generous. Austrsia needed only to deploy 200,000 indigenous troops to receive an interest-free loan of 500 million francs and a colony that would expand its sphere of influence.


    Moreover, even half of the costs for the establishment and operation of the 200,000 troops would be borne by France. From a profit perspective, this transaction would be advantageous for Austrsia.

 Chapter 494: Chapter 391: Probing Each Other

    Although the deal is profitable for Austrsia, the French have ulterior motives behind it.


    Although the Kiergaran Archipgo is located in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, it is still in the Indian Ocean.


    If Austrsia gains this region, it will not only be closer to South Africa but also expand its influence in the Indian Ocean Region.


    For the British Empire, which regards the Indian Ocean and India as off-limits, the question is whether they can ept it.


    In other words, France''s actions are suspected of provoking a rift between Austrsia and the United Kingdom.


    As for why France provokes a rift between Austrsia and the United Kingdom, the reason is quite simple.


    The Four Great Powers of the Allies seem to be united, but they are only focused on dealing with Germany. For now, Germany has already shown signs of decline, making the division of post-war interests an important issue as well. At least, some advance nning is needed.


    For the French, the top priorities after the war are to retake the Alsace and Lorraine Region and to upy some of Germany''s territory. The ultimate goal is to be the dominant power not just in Europe, but also in the world.


    However, such actions will certainly not be allowed by the British. It''s worth noting that France is a neighbor just across the English Channel.


    In any case, the British will absolutely not allow the French to grow and be the new hegemony on the European Continent.


    It is also a sign that the rtionship between Britain and France is questionable after the war.


    If the French want to achieve their strategic goals, it bes crucial for them to win over allies within the Allies.


    Among the remaining two Allies members other than Britain and France, Russia has exposed too many shorings in the war and has suffered tremendous losses.


    Even if they win the war in the future, it will take some time to recover their economy and stability, instead of challenging Britain and France for gains.


    Based on this understanding, it is impossible to convince Russians unequivocally to support France in acquiring more territories after the war.


    The only other great power left in the Allies is Austrsia.


    Although Austrsia looks weak at the moment, it is still a colonial power and destined not to be consumed too much by this war.


    However, with the development of the Austrsian navy, after the war, Austrsia will definitely be a great power with a certain voice.


    Even if Austrsia does not support France, their attempt to drive a wedge between Austrsia and Britain and cause Austrsia not to firmly support Britain is the French n and intention.


    The Kiergaran Archipgo is closer to Africa and can serve as an excellent naval base, as well as a breakthrough point for Austrsia in the Indian Ocean.


    Arthur has ns for this as well because the region is very close to Madagascar and South Africa. If the Kiergaran Archipgo is acquired, it may even be possible to take over France''s Madagascar and smoothly transform Austrsia into a nation spanning three continents: Africa, Asia, and Oceania.


    Additionally, by upying morend and spheres of influence in the southern hemisphere, Austrsia can also im more territories in Antarctica.


    Although there is currently no technology and method to exploit Antarctica, iming arge area in advance still has benefits considering the abundant resources present there.


    Not to mention, from the Kiergaran Archipgo to the easternmost South Pacific Inds, Austrsia''s sphere of influence will cover more than half of Antarctica.


    As long as the guns of Austrsia are strong, more than half of Antarctica will belong to Austrsia.


    However, despite having ideas, Arthur''s way of dealing with things is not to agree directly.


    "Mr. Cret, I admit you are indeed right. But the barrennd of the Kiergaran is not of much use to us," Arthur shook his head, rejecting the proposal of the French Ambassador Cret.


    "Your Majesty, if your country is willing to continue providingbat troops, I can represent the government in agreeing that your country will take away more industrial equipment and technology from Germany after the war. We will not oppose your country''s poaching of talent from Germany," Seeing Arthur had refused, Cret hurriedly continued.


    There is already a preliminary draft on the distribution of post-war benefits within the Allies, with the proportion of each country being allocated already determined.


    In exchange for the continued support of Austrsia''s military reinforcements, the French are staking a lot in epting fewer industrial equipment and technologies.


    Regarding the issue of poaching German talent, both Britain and France are not really interested in that, including attracting most of Germany''s talent.


    Among other things, the war has been so fierce that Germany has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties among British and French troops and vice versa.


    The deep hatred between the countries does not need to be mentioned, but it is a profound hate.


    Some talents may have family members who have joined the army and were killed by the British and French forces.


    Under these circumstances, except for some particrly outstanding talents who can change industries, Britain and France dare not brazenly poach talent from Germany.


    Russians might have ideas, but Russia can''t even manage itself now, let alone absorb such German talents after the war, which would cause even greater chaos in their country.


    As a result, there''s no country within the Alliespeting with Austrsia for German talent, and most German talent will fall into Austrsian hands.


    Although Austrsia also participated in the war against Germany and suffered casualties on both sides.


    After all, Austrsia had a good rtionship with Germany in the first ce, and as long as they shift their mutual hatred to the indigenous peoples, they can perfectly absorb these German talents.


    Anyway, the majority of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force is indeed made up of native armies. Those natives who participated in the war have made contributions to Austrsia, and they might be repatriated to Southeast Asia and other regions.


    As for the remaining indigenous peoples in Austrsia, they can only serve as the scapegoats for those natives who participated in the war, bearing the hatred of the German descendants for the Austrsians.


    Arthur finally nodded his head, agreeing with Cret''s opinion.


    Arthur''s participation in the First World War was to gain more interests after the war, pushing Austrsia to the top of the great powers.


    The most attractive interest distribution after the war is naturally Germany''s numerous factories, equipment, and skilled workers, as well as arge number of talents.


    Germany has achieved outstanding results in the past decades, cultivating arge number of talents in education, medical care, scientific research, and other fields, even if there were hundreds of thousands or millions of them.


    Add to that Germany''s powerful industry, countless factories, and millions of workers.


    If a part of German industrial equipment, industrial technology, and skilled workers can be absorbed, the national foundation of Austrsia will advance a great step, and there is even hope of surpassing a country like Italy in the aftermath of the war.


    If before the First World War, Austrsia waspeting with Italy and the Ind Nation for the position of the rear great power, then after the First World War, Austrsia willpete with the United States, aiming to be in the top three among the great powers.


    Good news is that, due to Austrsia''s support for the Allies, the United States has not benefited much from the current war.


    When signing the covenant, Arthur specifically pointed out that Austrsia would be the main provider of materials to the Allies.


    Before Austrsia''s material scarcity, the Allies cannot import bulk materials from non-Allied countries, as this is the payback to their ally.


    This also resulted in almost all arms trade within the Allies being carried out among the Four Great Powers, and since the war began, the United States has not received any orders for armaments from Europe.


    Germans have no ns to buy weapons for the time being, since the war has notsted long and the domestic resources are barely adequate.


    Under such circumstances, Germans naturally trust their own factory-produced weapons more than buying them from the distant United States.


    Moreover, the Antic Ocean is already blockaded by the Allies. It is difficult for Germans to buy resources and weapons from overseas, and it''s better to count on their allies to contribute something.


    "Gentlemen, since you have made such concessions in terms of interests, Austrsia naturally will not dampen the enthusiasm of her allies. Rest assured, 200,000 reinforcements will arrive in Europe by April and join the battle against Germany.


    If you can guarantee that Austrsia can have priority in selecting German industrial equipment and technology after the war, then I can guarantee that at least 500,000 native troops will be sent to the European battlefield every year, and we will fight the enemy with all our national strength." Arthur smiled and looked at the two ambassadors.


    Winston and Cret exchanged nces but did not agree to Arthur''s request.


    However, Arthur felt that there was still a possibility of implementing it. The rtionship between Britain and France is currently showing that both sides are cautious about their defenses, and neither wants the other to reap Germany''s achievements after the war and thus stabilize their dominance.


    The French want to be the dominant power in Europe after the war, while the British want to stabilize their dominant position and naturally cannot agree to the excessive expansion of the French.


    This will also lead to eventual problems between Britain and France, although the current enemy is Germany, and Germany''s strength is far greater than the rift between Britain and France. Hence, their rtionship remains stable for now.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If Britain and France continue topete, Austrsia could indeed benefit as a fisherman.


    After all, neither party wants the other to gain too much benefit, so they might as well give all the benefits to Austrsia, with Britain and France retaining their current positions apart from some territories.


    If Arthur proposed such a request, the representatives of Britain and France would have been outraged.


    Arthur''s request is tantamount to allowing Austrsia to take advantage of the huge price paid by Britain and France for victory in the war.


    Although Britain is not willing to see France be the dominant power in Europe after the war, and threaten its own position.


    Britain presumably doesn''t want to see Austrsia rise quickly either, taking advantage of its superior geographical position to be a new major problem for the British Empire.


    For the British, France and Austrsia are their own allies. Since they are allies, they cannot be too strong.


    France regains its lost territories of Alsace and Lorraine and somepensation in colonies is enough. As for Austrsia, gaining some German colonies and industrial facilities and having the strength topete with the United States is enough.


    As for the biggest interests, of course, the British themselves should control them. If they cannot ensure their dominant position in the world remains unshaken after the war, there would be no need for the war for the British.

 Chapter 495: Chapter 392: Penicillin

    After discussing with ambassadors Winston and Cret, Arthur very generously decided to provide 200,000 reinforcements to France within three months, and in the following wars, transport at least 200,000bat troops to Europe each year to alleviate the pressure on the British and French forces.


    This also means that Austrsia will send at least millions of expeditionary troops in this war, and the contribution cannot be underestimated, at least as Arthur sees it.


    Aspensation for Austrsia''s great contribution, it will have priority in selecting some of Germany''s industrial equipment, technology, and scientific achievements.


    This is essential for making up for some of Austrsia''s industrial foundations; using Germany''s achievements from the past few decades can directly raise Austrsia''s foundation.


    To show his sincerity, after the two representatives left, Arthur called Defence Secretary Raul and ordered the Ministry of Defense to immediately start drafting new native soldiers. Within two months, they will train at least 200,000bat troops and send them to the European battlefield.


    Of course, going to the battlefield is also a way to train soldiers. So, for these native soldiers, there is no need for overly strict training. They just need to be proficient in using weapons and able to follow themander''s orders.


    The European battlefield needs cannon fodder, not elite soldiers. Even elite soldiers, facing a protracted war of attrition, cannot help but suffer huge casualties.


    In this case, sufficient cannon fodder bes increasingly important. The 200,000 native troops from Austrsia serve to rece the British and French forces in dying, using human lives to fill the gaps in the Allies'' fighting strength.


    This also means that, including these 200,000 native troops, all the native forces dispatched by Austrsia will face very serious casualties.


    However, Arthur is not distressed. For Austrsia, millions of native casualties mean nothing; on the contrary, they are beneficial to the development of the nation.


    Running out of natives in Austrsia is a good thing ¨C at least it can save the government''s energy and prevent them from wasting time in relocating these natives.


    Of course, the natives of Austrsia are not endless, and they will likely be wiped out in such a brutal war of attrition.


    But Arthur is not worried. Austrsia''s neighbor, the Dutch East Indies, has tens of millions of natives.


    If theyck natives, they can simply ask their neighbor. After all, the Dutch in the Dutch East Indies do not have the final say; thend belongs to Austrsians.


    This is probably the tragedy of small countries. Although the Dutch East Indies is the Nethends'' most important colony, it has been surrounded by a British colony in the past and is now too close to one of the powers, Austrsia, making it impossible to gain much autonomy.


    To put it bluntly, Austrsia even has the ability to upy the entire Dutch East Indies at any time. Based on the rtionship between Britain and Russia, the Dutch can only swallow their broken teeth and not dare fart.


    This is also the truth of society and the world since ancient times.


    The strong make the rules, and the weak must obey them.


    Unless you have the confidence to challenge the strong, as Germany does towards Britain, the world order will never be broken, and the weak will always remain weak.


    200,000 native troops are just a side note. For Arthur, no matter how many natives there are, they will eventually be cannon fodder.


    As long as Arthur is willing, relying on the Dutch East Indies'' poption, forming an army of millions of natives is not a problem.


    But the stability andbat capability of such an army are problems, and they are destined to be cannon fodder only.


    The good news is that the French battlefield currently only needs cannon fodder; this is convenient, Austrsia has more channels to contribute, and these natives have more ways to contribute to the world.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the cement of dead and injured natives, Arthur generously stated that the British and French can handle it themselves.


    Those who are not seriously injured can be sent back to the battlefield after healing, and the dead can be buried on the spot, with arge pit being enough for tens of thousands of people.


    Of course, since they made contributions to the Austrsian government, Arthur will fulfill his promise to the families of the deceased natives: he will give them freedom.


    All family members of the deceased natives will receive a sum of money sufficient for them to move to other regions, and under the escort of Austrsian official fleets, they will head to Southeast Asia or Africa.


    As for obtaining Austrsian citizenship, don''t even think about it. Although Asians are epted, Arthur has no intention of epting ck people.


    Of course, this is not racial discrimination but Arthur''s simple dislike of chocte.


    After all, the few East Asian immigrants in Austrsia are doing well ¨C isn''t this proof that Arthur treats every race equally?


    As for chocte, sorry, that is a specialty of African goris. Austrsia has no habit of eating monkey brains and does not wee goris.


    In addition to training native troops, the Royal financial group set up a medical group, where Arthur received very interesting news.


    Before World War I, he established the medical group responsible for all medical and pharmaceutical research, production, and talent cultivation.


    This newses from the medical group''s biological researchb, an area that Arthur invested heavily in.

 Chapter 496: Chapter 392: Penicillin_2

    The person in charge of the Biological Research Lab is Alexander Fleming, a Briton of Austrsian descent in his early 30s.


    Four years ago, Fleming was invited to Austrsia along with his mentor Wright and became an honorary professor of biology at the Austrsia National University, where he conducted research in biochemistry.


    Arthur had not forgotten this expert who discovered penicillin; after the establishment of the medical group, Arthur immediately appointed Fleming as the head of thergest biological researchb under his medical group, where he would work on immunopharmacological research.


    This research direction, like his mentor Wright, is also currently Fleming''s area of expertise.


    As penicillin holds significant meaning for humanity, Arthur had conducted some research on the history of its discovery.


    If Arthur remembers correctly, the discovery of penicillin involved many coincidences. Time, temperature, and cultivation environment were all crucial factors.


    However, Arthur also remembers the discovery process of lysozyme. After reminding Fleming, he asked him to research antibacterial and immunological methods to prevent wound infections, and to create a vine or medicine to reduce the current risk of infection.


    In order to expedite the development of penicillin, Arthur invested heavily.


    Since the discovery of penicillin was so coincidental, he increased the number of experiments to push for the discovery of penicillin by chance.


    For Fleming''s research, Arthur has invested over 4 million Australian dors in four years, employing hundreds of biologists, professors, and research workers, conducting arge number of experiments and research.


    Hard work pays off; on January 9, 1915, Arthur finally received news that Fleming had discovered penicillin.


    Research on penicillin had many twists and turns. Firstly, lysozymes had to be discovered. Fortunately, Arthur remembered the process of discovering lysozymes quite clearly. Thus, lysozymes were discovered more than three years ago.


    However, lysozymes were still far from penicillin. After more than three years of research and numerous experiments, penicillin was finally discovered.


    There must be several conditions in ce for discovering penicillin. First, unidentified penicillium spores must fall into a staphylocus culture medium.


    Second, the culture medium must be ced at room temperature rather than the optimum growth environment of 37 degrees Celsius for staphylocus.


    Third, the climate environment of Austrsia. It is worth noting that in early December, the weather in Austrsia is not hot, even quite cool, making it very suitable for the growth and maturation of penicillium and the production of penicillin.


    By mid tote December, the temperature had risen significantly, making it more conducive for staphylocus to grow rapidly. This led to the phenomenon of bacterial lysis, prompting Fleming to discover penicillin in the culture medium, which caused the lysis phenomenon.


    Upon Arthur''s arrival at the researchb of the medical group, Fleming was still immersed in his research.


    Fleming had a down-to-earth, silent, and unpretentious personality.


    Even afterpleting Arthur''s task and discovering penicillin, he showed no excessive joy and continued to immerse himself in his research.


    Arthur did not disturb Fleming''s research, but watched his operations with great interest from the side.


    After an unknown period of time, Fleming finished his operations and was about to remove his gloves and wash his hands when he noticed Arthur standing nearby. He quickly straightened up and was about to salute and greet him when Arthur stopped him.


    "It''s alright, Mr. Fleming, continue your research. Your contribution to the discovery of penicillin is indeed great. Once penicillin has beenpletely separated and purified, everyone in theb will have made a significant contribution. Mr.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fleming, please bear with me for a while; once penicillin can be mass-produced, I will personally celebrate with you and the other experts in theb!" Arthur waved his hand to stop Fleming''s salute and spoke with a smile.


    In the original history, it took more than ten years for penicillin to be discovered and put into use.


    This included Fleming not properly recognizing the role of penicillin and not conducting extensive research, as well as the difficulties of separating and purifying penicillin.


    Scientific research relies not only on ability but also on a little bit of luck.


    The discovery of penicillin was a coincidence, and its purification is actually the result of both hard work and coincidence.


    Separating and purifying penicillin requires several steps. First, iste the bacteria strains to increase penicillin production.


    Second, extract penicillin crystals, identify mold that provides more penicillin, and develop culture media for producing penicillium.


    Once the culture media is prepared,rge amounts of penicillium can be produced. Withrge amounts of penicillium, massive amounts of penicillin can be purified, allowing penicillin to be mass-produced.


    As for the application of penicillin, Fleming ns to start detailed research.


    At present, it is certain that penicillin has good antibacterial properties. However, for wound infections and various types of bacterial infections, arge number of experiments are needed to ensure that penicillin does not cause significant harm to the human body and can bemercially used as a drug.

 Chapter 497: Chapter 392: Penicillin_3

    Although Arthur knew that this was a drug that could greatly change humanity, he could not make a decision without sufficient convincing experimental results.


    After all, the current casualties in Austrsia were not significant, and the demand for mass production of penicillin was not so high.


    Since penicillin had already been discovered, purifying and mass-producing penicillin was not so difficult.


    Under the massive funding of the Royal Financial Group, it was not difficult to elerate the progress of penicillin mass production.


    And now, Arthur was already considering what rewards to give to Flemington.


    A Victoria Memorial Medal was certainly indispensable. This medal often represented an honorary knight''s title and a yearly subsidy of 5200 Australian dors.


    In addition to a reward of 500,000 Australian dors, a vi in the Sydney City Centre, and improvements in employment treatment, these were pretty much the rewards Arthur nned for Flemington.


    Do not underestimate this Victoria Memorial Medal. Since Arthur issued this medal, this was the first time a citizen was awarded this medal, which showed how difficult it was to get the Victoria Memorial Medal.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In fact, improving the specifications of the three medals and ensuring their gold content has always been Arthur''s n.


    Up to now, let alone the Victoria Memorial Medal, including the Royal Knight Medal and the Austrsian National Medal, the total number of people who received the medals could be counted on one hand.


    As for the title of honorary knight, so far only three people have received it.


    Besides the great first Prime Minister Evan, there were also Sir Silvio and Sir Fritz, themanders of the First and Second Divisions, who were rewarded when Arthur wanted to quickly establish a military industrial system in the Austrsian Army.


    This meant that Flemington was very likely to be the fourth knight in Austrsia and join the aristocracy system of Austrsia.


    Of course, the aristocracy system of Austrsia might expand after World War I.


    After all, the interests of the nobility and the monarch are the same. Only by having more aristocratic sses can the interests of Arthur and the royal family be protected.


    Especially these new nobles dubbed by Arthur himself, they must support Arthur''s rule to maintain their own rights.


    With Arthur''s support, their rights and status could be maintained in Austrsia.


    This was quite different from the traditional European aristocrats; the new aristocrats of Austrsia were just nobles with empty titles, with no actual territories and no military forces.


    Moreover, because they were new nobles, they had no foundation at all. Their only way to maintain their rights and status was to unite under Arthur''s rule and protect the monarchism of Austrsia.


    After all, if the monarchism of Austrsia were gone, these nobles bestowed by Arthur would naturally disappear.


    Nobles could never be separate from the monarch, who is the greatest noble and the representative of all nobles.


    In order to win over all the nobles, although the new nobles of Austrsia did not have any territories, they could receive a sum of funds from the royal family every year ording to their title level (honorary knights could receive three times the per capita annual ie of the year).


    If their noble rank was high enough, they could also obtain a not-sorge piece ofnd bestowed by Arthur to build their private estates and castles.


    This meant that Austrsia''s new nobility, as long as they were obedient and knew how to safeguard the interests of the royal family, could live well and at least be wealthy.


    Arthur also nned to establish a joint consortium among the nobles, with the royal financial group giving up a portion of its profits each year to some grand nobles,pletely winning over the aristocratic sses of Austrsia.


    Of course, this was still far away for Australia at the moment. After all, there were no grand nobles in Austrsia (except Arthur himself), and only three Honorary Knights, so there was no need to establish a nobles'' united consortium.

 Chapter 498: Chapter 393: The Eastern Front Incident Begins

    Therge-scale production of penicillin is an urgent research project, and it is conservatively estimated that it will take one to two years to achieve.


    Of course, if Fleming''s luck is not very good, the production time of penicillin may be dyed until after World War I.


    However, the discovery of penicillin is a good thing for both Arthur and Austrsia.


    Penicillin, a miraculous drug during wartime, can bring a lot of benefits to Arthur and Austrsia if controlled in advance.


    It can not only reduce casualties for Austrsia during the war but also be used to exchange for more benefits, such asnd, technology, talent, etc.


    Imagine that if during the intense moments of the European War, Austrsia suddenly brings out penicillin, a strategic medical supply, both the Allies and the Central Powers would scramble for it, as whoevercks it will be at a disadvantage.


    The real reason for the heavy losses and casualties so far is that some severely injured soldiers still have a risk of wound infection even after treatment.


    And in this age without antibiotics, wound infection is deadly and even more cruel than direct death in battle.


    Many soldiers did not die under the enemy''s guns but sumbed to wound infections andck of timely treatment.


    If enough penicillin is avable, either side can ensure that the wounded will receive adequate treatment and be reintegrated into the war.


    This not only saves the lives of thousands of soldiers and families, but also rescues countries that have fallen into decline due to arge number of injured soldiers.


    Arthur entrusted the task of purifying and mass-producing penicillin to Fleming and instructed Butler Kent to provide Fleming''sboratory with 3 million Australian dors in funds.


    Of these, 1.5 million Australian dors will be used for research, elerating the purification and mass production of penicillin.


    The remaining 1.5 million Australian dors serve as rewards for Fleming and all his assistants, as well as all research staff and workers in theboratory.


    Fleming will receive thergest share of 500,000 Australian dors, and all researchers will also receive an average reward of over 50,000 Australian dors.


    As for the most basic workers, their rewards ranged from hundreds to thousands of Australian dors, depending on their contributions.


    Arthur, who keeps his promises, vowed to transport reinforcements to Europe by April, and is now widely selecting soldiers among all natives even before National Day arrives.


    Of course, the selection of the natives could not be too perfunctory. Therefore, Arthur decided to train at least 400,000 native troops at once. After sending reinforcements, 200,000 would be left to continue training in Austrsia.


    For the selection of native soldiers, their physical condition must not be too poor, and they must be able to withstand a two-week basic training course.


    Yes, the basic training for native soldiers onlysts two weeks. One week is spent learning military discipline and understanding how to be an obedient soldier.


    The remaining week is spent practicing marksmanship so that every native soldier can proficiently use firearms, whether they can hit the target is another matter.


    Thanks to the short training period, the second round of Austrsia''s expeditionary force is expected toplete training by the end of January or early February and arrive in France before the end of March.


    To gather 400,000 rifles at once, Arthur has put in great efforts. Equipping all these native soldiers with new rifles is too extravagant, so Arthur deliberately phased out all the rifles currently in use by the Austrsian Army, handed them over to the native soldiers who had served for some time, and equipped the regr army with new rifles.


    Furthermore, to allow the native soldiers to adapt to theck of logistical support on the European battlefield, Arthur equipped the native troops with arge quantity of outdated firearms, even decades-old rifles, from Austrsia''s inventory.


    These troops will be sent to fight on the European battlefield after training, their logistical support will be provided by Britain and France, and Austrsia just needs to transport the supplies.


    Barely equipping these native troops in time, the day quickly arrived at January 10th, 1915, National Day of Austrsia.


    As one of the most important national holidays, the whole country is in a festive state during the seven days of Austrsia''s National Day.


    The war has not greatly affected Austrsia, but it still makes many people worry.


    To alleviate some people''s inner anxiety, Arthur decided to hold a military parade for the first time in many years.


    This parade is rtively brief, but all three branches of Austrsia''s armed forces are involved. The guards, regr army, dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts, as well as airships, all make an appearance, showcasing Austrsia''s impressive military strength to the outside world and the people.


    Of course, Austrsia''s real trump card, airnes and tanks, will not be publicly disyed during the parade.


    It will be necessary to wait until they are recognized by everyone in warfare before Austrsia will openly disy its weapons system.


    However, such arge-scale military parade does indeed alleviate many people''s doubts.


    Given Austrsia''s unique geographical location and the military power it has demonstrated, discussing hegemony is premature, but maintaining territorial stability is not a problem.


    Even if Austrsia''s navy bes stronger, dominating the Southern Hemisphere will not be an issue.


    With such military strength, protecting their country and people is naturally not a problem.


    Moreover, since their lives have not been too disrupted by the war, after the parade, it was evident that many Austrsians were no longer troubled by the conflict and could enjoy their lives in peace.


    During the National Day holiday, it was customary for the royal financial group to purchase many supplies and distribute them to the people for free.


    Meat, grain, milk, and medical supplies were given out inrge quantities, putting smiles on the faces of the Austrsian people.


    After the National Day holiday, while all the indigenous armies were still in training, severalrge-scale battles began on the European front, specifically in Eastern Europe.


    The biggest difference in this war from history is that Russia did notunch arge-scale offensive at the beginning. The main battles between Russia and the Allies were concentrated on the border with the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Previously, in order to divert German attention, France had paid a heavy price and organized an offensive for Russian forces in the East Prussian region.


    However, the scale of this offensive was small, and the Russian army was quickly repelled by the German army due to a mix of equipment and poor training, with heavy casualties on both sides.


    With all three of his allies at war, Tsar Nichs II was naturally dissatisfied with Russia''s poor performance.


    As a monarch who considered himself to have great vision, Nichs II believed that this war was an opportunity for Russia to expand and for the Russian Empire to regain its glory.


    However, it was uneptable to Nichs II that the Russian army, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, was blocked by fewer than 100,000 German soldiers in East Prussia, and several army groupmanders were subsequently dismissed.


    In order to save face, Russia decided to organize a regr,rge-scale offensive to restore the dignity of the European Steamroller and to reassert Russia''s strength.


    It should be noted that if Russia reveals too many shorings in this war, it will not be respected by Britain and France in the post-war distribution of interests, no matter how high its casualties are.


    Even if a country suffered terrible casualties in the war, it is doomed to fail to get its deserved rewards if it is not strong enough.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Russia''s army had more than one million soldiers before the outbreak of the war, the total number of Russian troops had not exceeded two million since the mobilization order was issued.


    Of course, one of the main reasons for this is Russia''s severe casualties. In fact, if the number of Russian casualties is taken into ount, the total number of Russian troops involved in the war is approaching 2.5 million.


    In order to avenge their previous humiliations, the Russian Commander-in-Chief, Archduke Nichs, organized an army of 800,000 soldiers at the order of Nichs II, nning tounch a new attack on the East Prussian region.


    Speaking of this Archduke who shares the same name as Nichs II, there are some unavoidable stories between the two.


    ording to Russian regtions, the Tsar, Nichs II, should be themander-in-chief of the Russian army during the war.


    However, due to hisck of military experience, themand was transferred to Archduke Nichs, with the support of numerous generals.


    Archduke Nichs''s full name is Niki Nichyevich Romanoff Nichs, and by lineage, he is Nichs II''s uncle.


    Although they are close in blood rtion and members of the royal family, they aremonly referred to as Tall Nichs and Short Nichs to differentiate between them, due to their simr names.


    Naturally, the shorter Nichs II was referred to as Short Nichs.


    This made Nichs II quite ufortable, even expressing dissatisfaction with his uncle.


    Of course, there was another significant reason.


    Archduke Nichs graduated from the Military Engineering Academy and the Imperial Military Academy, and served as an officer in the Russo-Turkish War, leading by example and enjoying a high level of prestige and position in the army.


    Such a powerful and prestigious figure with royal blood naturally aroused Nichs II''s suspicion.


    Before the outbreak of the war, Archduke Nichs was even excluded from the decision-making circle in the General Staff and held only the position of Commander of the Saint Petersburgh Military District.


    Although Archduke Nichs naturally became themander-in-chief of the Russian army, with the support of the officers, Nichs II weakened hismand in various ways, such as not allowing changes in General Staff personnel appointments and system, in order to ensure that his loyalists could keep an eye on the Archduke at all times.


    Although this limited Archduke Nichs''s power, it did give Nichs II peace of mind.


    However, the short-sighted Nichs II failed to see the harm of such actions, and even the impact it would have on the strategic deployment of the entire Russian army.

 Chapter 499: Chapter 394: Russias Crushing Defeat

    As one of thergest European nations in terms ofnd area, Russia has few neighbouring countries onnd within Europe, only Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Romania.


    The Central European region bordering Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire inserts itself into Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a somewhat peculiar shape.


    This peculiarly shaped region is Pnd, which was divided between Germany and Russia.


    Although gaining a part of Pnd allowed Russia to significantly expand its influence in Europe, it also faced a dilemma as this region could be pincered by Germany from the north and the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the south. It could threaten both East Prussia of Germany and Galicia of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it could also be threatened by these two nations.


    East Prussia can provide Germany with excellent war horses and dairy products. Galicia is also a rich region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, making these two regions extremely important to Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The grand counteroffensive organized by Archduke Nichs was divided into southern and northern attack directions.


    The specific n was to dispatch 500,000bat troops straight into East Prussia of Germany.


    A 300,000-strong reserve force was formed to defend against the Austro-Hungarian troops in Galicia, but it could also serve as a reinforcement for the troops attacking East Prussia, ready to join the battle in East Prussia at any time.


    If the offensive in East Prussia went smoothly, then the reserve force of 300,000 would join local defenders to form an army of about 500,000 soldiers, attack Galicia, and directly annex this rich region.


    Since Galicia was separated by the Carpathian Mountains from the target and Hungarian regions, and there were no obstacles with thend controlled by Russia, Russia saw the hope of directly annexing Galicia.


    On January 27, 1915, with the support of its allies, Russia''s army of 500,000unched an offensive against East Prussia.


    The German 8th Army Group stationed in East Prussia at the time wasmanded by Pritchard.


    Speaking about thismander-in-chief of the Army Group, Pritchard''s reputation wasn''t very good because his ascension tomander-in-chief of the 8th Army Group was due to his ability to entertain William II with risqu¨¦ anecdotes.


    Compared to the rather reckless first Army Groupmander Crook, Pritchard''s reputation was even worse, and his actual abilities were more deficient.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The total ratio of the German and Russian forces in East Prussia was about 1:2.5. Germany had nearly 200,000 defenders, a force that was actually not weak.


    However, when Pritchard learned that Russia was deploying two army groups tounch an offensive, he immediately lost his nerve.


    In the telegram Pritchard sent to Major Fagan, he mentioned that if the troops did not withdraw in time, it was very likely that they would be caught between two Russian army groups, leading to very severe consequences.


    After sending this telegram, Pritchard immediately ordered his troops to retreat, in a rather cowardly manner.


    By the time German Major Fagan received Pritchard''s telegram, the 8th Army Group had already retreated over ten kilometers away, as if they were prepared to give up East Prussia and retreat to the west bank of the Vist River.


    Pritchard''s cowardice and ipetence greatly upset Major Fagan, the new chief of staff who was eager to make a contribution.


    On January 29, the second day of Pritchard''s order to retreat, in his own headquarters, he received two thunderbolt-like orders. The first order relieved him of his duties as Commander-in-Chief of the 8th Army Group. The second order ordered him to retire immediately. His chief of staff of the Army Group was also dismissed.


    The sessors of the 8th Army Group, whose names would be widely known in future generations, were Rudolf and Hindenburg.


    These two earned a reputation in posterity. Hindenburg even ascended to the German presidency and nurtured Hitler as his sessor.


    But now, they are just talentedmanders of the German Empire and loyal subordinates of William II.


    On the train to East Prussia, Rudolf came up with his battle n very quickly and won Hindenburg''s approval.


    At this time, Hindenburg, 68 years old, had already been retired for three years, but was reinstated as the Commander-in-Chief of the 8th Army Group due to an order from Fagan.


    His partner was Rudolf, the new chief of staff of the 8th Army Group, who had repeatedly demonstrated his merit in wars on the western front and in Belgium.


    The cooperation between these two men could be said to be very pleasant. They had a stimting conversation on the train to East Prussia.


    Thanks to Germany''s developed railway trunk lines and transportation system, by the afternoon of January 30, 1915, Hindenburg and Rudolf arrived at the battlefield in East Prussia and entered the headquarters of the 8th Army Group.


    By this time, the Russian army had pursued for dozens of kilometers. Samsonov''s troops had been on a long march through the muddy ground for several days and werecking many weapons as well as supplies. If it weren''t for the ability to replenish some food from the German towns and farms along the way, perhaps Samsonov''s troops would first face a food crisis.


    In order to express support for Hindenburg and Rudolf, Fagan specially sent two armies to aid the eastern front. These two armies nearly arrived on the Eastern Front battlefield with the two men and assembled on the nks of the two Russian army groups.


    On January 31, 1915, Samsonov, who has already prated deep into East Prussia''s hintend, realized his peril. He sent a telegram to his superior, General Rylinski, themander of the offensive, for help.


    However, Rylinski''s response was: "Don''t y the coward, let your subordinates keep attacking."


    Higher rank overpowers. Regardless of whether the superior''s orders are right or wrong, as long as a higher authority does not question the order, a soldier can only execute it with loyalty and courage.


    Left with no choice, Samsonov could onlymand his troops to advance, while sending a telegram to his colleague Ronan Kempston, asking for aid.


    It should be noted that there was a considerable conflict between Samsonov and Kempston.


    Luckily, during the war between the Ind Nation and Russia, in order to counter the Ind Nation Army''s attack, Samsonov had once asked General Kempston for help.


    Kempston adamantly refused to send reinforcements, which not only led to Samsonov''s defensive failure but also resulted in animosity between the two generals.


    Ironically, a few dayster, the two bumped into each other at a train station. The two, who were already enemies, instantly red at each other, quickly starting a verbal and physical fight.


    Russians have a fiery temper, and Samsonov swiftly took down Kempston,ughing victoriously at this civil strife among the high-rankingmanders of the Russian army.


    Naturally, this behavior deepened the hatred between the two. The conflict between Samsonov and Kempston may not be deep-seated enmity, but it is indeed a hatred that will not easily dissipate.


    Facing the plea for help from his old rival, Kempston chuckled and had the plea for reinforcements tantly thrown aside.


    With his superiors and colleagues ignoring his plea for aid, the army group led by Samsonov not only faced the hardship ofcking clothing and food but was also surrounded by the German main forces while being extremely exhausted.


    On February 1st, Samsonov''s troops stopped advancing because the German main force was right in front of them.


    Unable to breach the Germans'' position andcking logistic support, Samsonov intended to order his troops to retreat, only to quickly discover that his retreating path was alsopletely blocked by German soldiers.


    Sansonov had no choice but onlymand his army to charge full-steam ahead, aiming to create a breakthrough, and withdraw as many as possible.


    But the Russian army''s weaponry and equipment were far inferior to Germany''s. With Samsonov''s troopscking logistic supplies, they were not capable of overpowering the German army in terms of firepower.


    Shortly after, the Russian artillery was suppressed by German forces. The Russian army, surrounded by German forces, tried to break out several times but suffered heavy losses, suppressed by the Germans'' artillery and machine guns.


    Samsonov once again sought help from Rylinski and Kempston. Rylinski, who only had two army groups, ordered his other subordinates, Kempston, to assist Samsonov.


    A superior''s order is imperative, but the enmity with Samsonov is equally real.


    Striking a bnce between the two, Kempston made a decision that led to heavy losses for the Russian army-- he postponed the order for two days before going to assist.


    What Kempston didn''t expect was that Samsonov''s troops couldn''t hold on for two days and were overwhelmed by the German artillery fire.


    On February 3, 1915, Samsonov''s troops, who had struggled for two days, suffered heavy casualties. After nearly 40,000 casualties, Samsonov, pale-faced,manded his troops to surrender to the Germans. He then walked into a dense forest, pointed a gun at his own head, and pulled the trigger.


    The initial count of Samsonov''s Second Army Group was 200,000 soldiers, out of which a whopping 150,000 were surrounded by the German Army.


    The remaining 50,000 soldiers were either injured from previous wars and transported to the rear, or were unimportant units that Samsonovmanded to defend the upied territories, also to protect the logistic supply line at the rear.


    It implied that the 150,000 soldiers who were surrounded were nearly the entire main force of the Second Army Group led by Samsonov.


    Thebat quality of the Russian army was evident. Having suffered more than 40,000 casualties, the Russian soldiers lost the will to fight.


    Even if Samsonov did not surrender actively, he would ultimately face mutiny from his soldiers and eventually be escorted to the Germans.


    As a result of this battle, the Russian Second Army Group had 40,000 casualties and 108,000 captives, while the German Army only lost 15,000 soldiers.


    By the time news of the near annihtion of the Second Army Group reached Rylinski on February 4th, the next day.


    Rylinski was greatly stunned and ordered Kempston to immediately move south to find Samsonov and the surviving strength of the Second Army Group.


    By that time, Kempston was already shaken by Samsonov''s quick defeat. When Rylinski''s orders arrived at the First Army Group''s headquarters, Kempston, who was the Commander in Chief of the 1st Army Group, had already secretly returned to Russia by car.


    Kempston''s desertion enraged Rylinski, who directly sent a telegram to Archduke Nichs, demanding that Kempston be relieved of his duties.


    The Grand Duke did as he was asked, and at the same time, Rylinski was also relieved of his duties.


    But this could not change the defeat the Russian troops in East Prussia were currently facing. Having deployed an entire 500,000bat army, the Russian army suffered heavy casualties, and the 8th Army Group led by Hindenburg and Rudolf suppressed them back to the border.

 Chapter 500 : 395: The Crisis Brought by Victory

    While the East Prussian Battle was underway, the Russia-Austria border was not idle. Urged by Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire assembled three army groups, totaling 48 infantry divisions and 11 cavalry divisions, preparing tounch an attack on Russia nation.


    On the Russian side, they had umted the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Army Groups, intending to take the whole of Galicia in one battle.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If the East Prussian Battle was a hastily fought war, Russia nation had no choice but to embark on under pressure from the British and the French.


    Then the encounter between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian forces along the border revealed the ambitions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia nation in this war.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire wanted to defeat Russia nation, march southwards, and be the only powerful nation in the Balkan region, taking over all Balkan states.


    Russia, on the other hand, naturally wanted to annex the fertilend of Galicia and, at the same time, diminish the influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Balkan region.


    The number of troops that Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire put into the border areas reached millions, close to two million, to be precise.


    This also made the number of soldiers on the Eastern Front no weaker than that on the Westline Battlefield. If we look at the scale of both sides'' soldiers, there might be even more on the Eastern Front.


    But in fact, this was only false prosperity. Everyone knew that the fighting capacity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russian armies was far inferior to that of France and Germany. If the German main force were on the Eastern Front, Russia nation would have no chance to fight back.


    On February 1st, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s First Army Group encountered the Russian Fourth Army Group in the Krasinik Region and immediately engaged in fierce battle.


    However, the Russian army''sbat capability was much inferior to that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After a fierce battle, the Russian army was sessfully repelled.


    But this battle was far from over. Soon, Russia nation organized the Third and Eighth Army Groups to attack Lvov and Galich.


    At the same time, the Fourth and Fifth Army Groups carried out a nking maneuver on the left nk of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army, cutting off its retreat route to Krakow and attempting to encircle the main force of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army.


    The real fight began on February 3rd. The Russian Third and Eighth Army Groups quickly shed with the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s Third Army Group, while the Fourth Army Group sessfully dyed the First Army Group of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, forcing it to call the Second Army Group from Serbia.


    Gunfire continued until the afternoon of February 7th. After suffering heavy casualties, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s Second and Third Army Groups were forced to retreat.


    The Russian army, taking advantage of the victory, captured Galich and Lvov.


    Thanks to Archduke Nichs'' personalmand, the Russian army disyed formidable fighting strength, winning every battle it fought and quickly capturing the entire Galicia region.


    This battle, whichsted for half a month, resulted in over 400,000 casualties for the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army, while the Russian casualties were less than 230,000.


    This oue was a significant blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Allies. After Russia upied Galicia, it posed a threat to Germany''s Cilicia and Austro-Hungarian Empire''s Hungary.


    Facing such a dangerous situation, the Austro-Hungarian Empire reluctantly sought help from Germany.


    Germany could not ignore the danger to their homnd and their ally, so they had to transfer troops from the Westline to strengthen the Eastern Front and temporarily halt the Russian offensive.


    Arthur, looking at the war reportsing from Europe, couldn''t help being amazed.


    That the Russian army could easily defeat the Austro-Hungarian army was something Arthur hadn''t quite expected.


    After all, the Russian system was too corrupt, and the eruption of such powerful fighting capacity by this ancient enemy nation was not easy.


    However, thinking about the weapons and equipment sent to Russia nation from Austrsia several times after the outbreak of the war, Arthur suddenly wasn''t surprised.


    One of the most important factors determining a soldier''sbat capability is the soldier''s weapons, equipment, and logistical support.


    Currently, arge number of frontline Russian forces have been equipped with military weapons produced in Austrsia, which has indirectly increased thebat capability of the Russian army.


    However, the victory on the Eastern Front was not a good thing for Russia, as Germany had already assembled arge number of troops to move towards the Eastern Front.


    Although Russia could show off its military prowess against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it had little resistance against the strongest army in the world, the German Army.


    More importantly, the internal situation in Russia was not very stable. If Germany reinforced the Eastern Front, leading to a crisis within Russia, Russia''s internal turmoil mighte earlier than its historical counterpart or even trigger a more significant crisis.


    Without Russia''s involvement, the strength of the Allies would decline quite a bit. Although the Britain-France-Australia three nations could join forces to defeat Germany, the price they would have to pay would undoubtedly be much higher.


    Remember, in World War I, Russia deployed over 10 million troops in history, with nearly 2 million casualties.


    These numbers were still because statistics were very backward in Russia nation, and the actual casualties would certainly be higher.


    This also meant that the other three countries in the Allies would have to fill the gap of more than 10 million troops. Unless Austrsia could organize millions of Indigenous Peoples'' army units, they would have to send conventional forces to promote the victory of the war.


    This also meant that maintaining stability within Russia and on the Eastern Front was crucial.

 Chapter 501 : 395: The Crisis Brought by Victory_2

    Russia can bear a considerable part of Germany''s military, and given the current war situation, Britain, France, and Australia cannot afford to see Russia withdraw from the war.


    With this in mind, Arthur felt that he could not sit idly by. Coincidentally, the Royal Military Factory''s new weapons and equipment had just beenpleted and it was time to send some to Russia to strengthen the fighting capacity of the Russian army.


    February 17, 1915, Russia, Saint Petersburg.


    Nichs II was furious for several days after the defeat in the East Prussian Battle, but his smile reappeared following the great sess in the Battle of Galicia.


    More importantly, Russia had directly upied the entire Galicia region. The direct expansion ofnd area is worth more celebration than the victory in the battle.


    Since the war began nearly half a year ago, Nichs II, who had been quietly umting power, finally had the opportunity to raise his eyebrows and give directions on the war situation map hanging on the wall.


    Nichs II''s appetite went beyond Galicia; if possible, Hungary and East Prussia were also within his ambit.


    Also, the Polish region previously divided between Russia and Germany should bepletely reimed.


    In this way, Russia would upy almost half of Eastern Europe, plus the indirectly controlled Balkan region, ounting for half of Europe''s territory under Russia''s control.


    The Russian military officials and officers, who seemed to be attentively listening to Nichs II, also had smiles on their faces.


    For an old-established country like Russia, the expansion of territory was worth celebrating, as was showing off their strength to the outside world.


    Since entering the 20th century, the decline of old-established powers like Russia has be a perennial topic of conversation.


    Particrly in facing an emerging country like the Ind Nation with obvious shorings, Russia''s decline was made evident by achieving only a tie.


    Moreover, the rise of Germany and the formation of the Allies, ranked Russia fourth in Europe, below Britain, Germany, and France.


    Following the outbreak of the war, Russia had not achieved any aplishments for several months, and even the rate of mobilization progress, soldier''s poor weapons and equipment, and the poor logistical transportation systems caused Europeans to call the Tsardom of Russia old, decayed, and degenerated.


    This was not good news for the Russians; an old person might die, an old machine might be abandoned, and an old country might be suppressed and annexed by a new country.


    The victory over the Austro-Hungarian Empire in this battle was a re-announcement of Russia''s position in the world to the outside world; at least Russia was still the European superpower,pletely dominating the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    While people might not fully embrace the Tsardom of Russia, at least they should sigh at the fact that a dead camel is stillrger than a horse; even a decayed top power is not something that a small, weak power can rival.


    Of course, what made the Tsarist Government happier was Russia''s enormous contribution to the battle; Germans even had to send more reinforcements, alleviating the pressure on the Westline battlefield.


    And the merit will be assessed in the distribution of interests after the war. The greater the merit the Tsarist Government gains now, the more interests it will obtain after the war.


    As for the hundreds of thousands of casualties since the outbreak of the war, who in the Tsardom of Russia with its poption of over 100 million would care?


    Is it Nichs II or the Tsarist Government? Is it the upper echelons of Russia or the capital aristocrats?


    Neither. No one will care about these casualties except for themon people of Russia. In the eyes of Russia''s upper echelons, these casualties are just a series of numbers, a series that is constantly changing and increasing.


    One can understand the situation by looking at the birth figures of Russia each year. The number of newborn babies alone reaches millions or even tens of millions per year.


    Several hundred thousand casualties are not worth mentioning for the Russian Empire, as it does not affect Russia''s annual poption growth rate at all.


    "Your Majesty, since the Germans have already sent arge number of reinforcements, why don''t we rest and turn the front line into aplete defensive state?


    In this way, we can both hold on to the Galicia region we have already upied and fulfill the French demand to hold back German forces, reducing casualties and consumption within our country." Archduke Nichs,mander of the Battle of Galicia, arrived early in the Saint Petersburgh Conference Room, presenting his point of view.


    As themander of the front line, Archduke Nichs has a clear awareness of the gap between the strength of the Russian army and the German Army.


    Although the German forces in East Prussia, along with reinforcements, will not exceed 500,000, these 500,000 troops are enough to hold back nearly 2 million Russian troops and even cause massive casualties to the Russian army.


    Anyway, Russia has relieved France''s crisis by mobilizing troops from the Westline, and Germany has also satisfied France''s demands, so there is no need to continue consuming each other with the German Army.


    Although the Russian army does notck soldiers, the consumption of weapons, bullet shells, etc. during the war is still a huge expenditure.


    From a military perspective, Archduke Nichs''s proposal is absolutely correct.


    Russia does not have the strength or the need to continue fighting with Germany. This is impossible unless there are no unstable factors within Russia.


    However, for Russian officials who are more concerned with political factors, Archduke Nichs''s proposal seems somewhat absurd.


    Since we have already won, why not take advantage and follow up the victory?


    Isn''t the East Prussian region of Germany, the Cilicia region, and the Hungarian region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire alluring?


    Why does Russia participate in the war? To expand thend, and also to increase political power and status, right?


    If we are satisfied after one victory, how can the governmentpete for more political status and power?


    Before Archduke Nichs could further exin, the current Prime Minister of Russia, Ivan Goremkin, immediately interrupted andughed in rebuttal: "Mr. Chief of Staff, nning can''t be considered solely from a military perspective.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    From a political point of view, we have no choice but to fight and win anotherrge-scale battle to stabilize our position among the Allies and gain more in future distribution of benefits."


    "If we hold our ground and turn to defense at once, we may save a lot of resources and manpower, but the prestige umted by the empire over a hundred years and our position in the world will be ruined at once!"


    "Mr. Prime Minister, prestige and status are built on strength. Even if we achieve a great victory as you said, to stabilize our prestige and status. After our army and soldiers have suffered heavy casualties, who can guarantee the distribution of interests and positions after the war? It is better to stop now and turn the front line into a defensive state.


    We only need to use an army group to hold back all German troops, so we canplete the mission given by our allies.


    When the timees for distribution of benefits in the future, we still have enough troops to guarantee our interests and positions. Isn''t it better than making futile sacrifices now?" Archduke Nichs responded with a sneer.


    There was another more tant factor that Archduke Nichs did not mention, which is the uprisings and unrest that frequently erupt within the Russian Empire.


    Public protests, workers'' strikes, revolutionary disturbances, naval rebellions. Just one of these would be enough to destabilize a country, let alone the fact that the Russian Empire has gathered aplete set for ying Mahjong.


    Archduke Nichs did not know if the government could bear such heavy casualties, but he knew that if they continued to wage meaningless wars and consume their own military forces and national strength, there would be no army to suppress them whenrge-scale rebellions and crises erupted in the country in the future.


    No matter how good the international status and territorial expansion are, they must be carried out on the premise of maintaining national stability and unity. It would be aughing stock for generations if the empire''s internal instability or fragmentation due to the war was exploited by some revolutionaries during an upheaval.

 Chapter 502: Chapter 396: Compromise

    "Even if we want tounch an attack, we need to consider the soldiers'' weapons and equipment, as well as the supply of ammunition and food for the logistics! The East Prussian Battle and the Battle of Galicia have already consumed more than half of our logistical reserves.


    If we want to n for war again, we must have sufficient supplies to have any hope," said Archduke Nichs, continuing to express his views while rebutting the Prime Minister''s proposal.


    There is a unique situation, unlike all other countries in Europe, that the Russian military currently supports a temporary suspension of the war, while the government supports expanding the scale of the war and continuing tounchrge-scale battles to achieve victory.


    This is quite the opposite of the situation in most European countries, whether it is the Central Powers such as Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Allied nations such as Britain and France, the military in their countries have a greater desire to participate in the war than the government does.


    Having anticipated Archduke Nichs''s rebuttal, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksei said, "Your Highness, please rest assured that logistics are the least of our concerns. Our offensive has already received support and confirmation from Britain and France, and Larasia willmit to continue providing us with more supplies and weapons and ammunition."


    "If Your Highness is not reassured, logistical aid from Britain and France will arrive soon, and the weapons and equipment from Larasia will reach divostok within a month," he added.


    Now, after all, it is still the beginning of the war, and the weapons and material reserves of all countries are still rtively sufficient, so Russia can also get enough weapons and equipment to wage war.


    Although the equipment situation of the Russian army is not very good, at least it is not like in history where several soldiers share a single rifle, and the rifle only falls into the hands of others after someone dies in battle.


    Having a rifle and several dozen rounds of ammunition per person is the general equipment standard for the current Russian army. As for what type of rifle it is and whether the ammunition can match, it depends on the conscience of the Russian logistics department.


    Fortunately, the weapons and ammunition supplied by Larasia are matched, and they ount for more than half of the Russian main force.


    At least thebat effectiveness of the Russian main force can be guaranteed, judging from the final results of the current battles, the war is still tilted towards Russia.


    The is has been going on for six months now, and there is a clear contrast between thebat strength of each country''s army.


    The most powerful is Germany, thebat strength of the German army is at a distinct level and is currently the ceiling of armybat power.


    Ranked second is France, thebat strength of the French Army is slightly inferior to Germany, but the fact that the French Army can hold against the offensive of the German main force is proof enough of their capabilities.


    The French Army at present is not like in World War II, it is also considered thest glory of France, the final dance of White France.


    Ranked third is the British forces. The British forces here do not refer to all British troops but the rtively small number of British elite main forces.


    Compared to the Russian and Austro-Hungarian troops, the equipment of the British elite main force is superior, and the logistics supply is also abundant.


    Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Thebat strength of the Russian army is rtively weakpared to Germany and France, but after all, it has a manpower that other countries cannot reach, and human wave tactics are stillpelling in this era without destructive weapons.


    As for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Galicia''s defeat has made thebat effectiveness of the Austro-Hungarian Empireg a few notches behind, making its forces the weakest among European warring powers.


    As for Larasia, it does not participate in this ranking because the main force sent is notrge.


    But no one would underestimate thebat effectiveness of the Larasian army - with equipment that isparable or even superior to that of the British main force, and the fact that the Fourth Division has fought on par or even slightly superior against a German division, proves that thebat effectiveness of Larasia''s main force is not weak.


    "Your Majesty, Britain and France have promised us that as long as we are willing tounch an offensive, they can bear all the costs of our offensive and cancel some of our loans. Moreover, they will do their best to persuade Larasia to provide us with all the weapons, equipment, and resources for the offensive.


    We only need to provide the soldiers and organize the offensive," said Minister Aleksei, looking at Nichs II with bright eyes as Archduke Nichs fell silent.


    The reason why Minister Aleksei is so eager tounch another offensive is that the British and French masters have secretly approached him, offering a bribe of 500,000 pounds to get him to strongly support the Russian government inunching a new round of offensives.


    As for Aleksei''s im that Britain and France will bear all the costs of the campaign, with Larasia responsible for all supplies and logistics conditions, there is about 30% truth in it.


    This is also the usual practice of Russian officials - deceive the higher-ups and cheat the lower ones.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Anyway, the Russian logistics department is unclear about how many material reserves the country currently has, and the quantities of materials that Britain, France, and Australia support Russia with are all ambiguous, without clear numbers.


    "Is it true that Britain and France havemitted to cover all costs of war and even waive a portion of the loans?" Nichs II asked with some apprehension.


    In Nichs II''s eyes, such a thing was no different from a pie falling from the sky.


    All expenses of war, consumption of weapons and supplies are all borne by the allies, while Russia only needs to contribute its abundant manpower, and even receive some loan relief. Isn''t this a windfall?


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Britain and France have also promised that if supplies cannot be transported through the North Sea or the Mediterranean Sea, they will temporarily let Austrsia be responsible for supplying, and transport them to the front lines viand routes from divostok," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Aleksei, calmly nodding.


    Although the British and French representatives did not promise that much, if Nichs II asked, they would certainly support Aleksei.


    After all, the goal of Britain and France is to get Russia tounch a campaign on the Eastern Front, so as to ease the pressure on the Western Front.


    As for what proportion of the costs they would bear, no one would care. It doesn''t matter since Nichs II doesn''t know.


    Hearing Aleksei''s guarantee, Nichs II finally nodded in satisfaction, and asked Archduke Nichs, "If Britain and France can provide us with weapons, equipment, and resources, do we have the ability tounch the following offensive?"


    Archduke Nichs was still trying to fight for this. After thinking about it, he said, "Your Majesty, I think it''s not suitable tounch another offensive right now. The German reinforcements have already arrived, and we must face more German troops. The better decision now is to shrink the scale of the war and reduce our losses and casualties to a rtively small number."


    "Enough, Nichs." Nichs II was somewhat dissatisfied and directly called Archduke Nichs by his name.


    "You hesitated after the difficulties you raised were resolved by Aleksei. Why? You''re not acting like an Archduke or Chief of General Staff! Don''t you realize? To address the contradictions faced by the empire at present, it is imperative to quickly resolve the war, lick our wounds, and seize the spoils of war we want."


    Nichs II said with dissatisfaction, "Because of this damned war, our international trade, export of resources, and so on have nearly all stopped. Britain and France cannot provide us with sufficient loans. If the war continues, our economy will copse, and so will our country! Yet at this moment, my dear Archduke, you still want to reduce the scale of the war and wage a war of attrition.


    It may bring fewer casualties to the people, but the country can''t hold on that long. Neither can I."


    Although Nichs II had various shorings, as the ruler of a vast empire, he was obviously not an idiot.


    As the supreme ruler of this country, Nichs II naturally knew the current situation of the empire.


    Although the lives of the Russian upper echelons seemed very prosperous and unaffected by the war.


    Themon people of Russia were having a hard time, affected by the war, and already finding it difficult to get enough food and clothing, let alone constantly facing mortal danger due tobat.


    In the first two months of 1915, more than ten strikes broke out in Russia''s major factories, which indicated that Russia''s internal crisis had be extremely serious, even to the point of endangering state stability.


    Any country could y a war of attrition in this war, but Russia alone could not. ording to Nichs II''s estimate, Russia could now hold out for just over a year in the war. If they could not win the war quickly and bring joy and arge number of spoils of war and rich profits to the Russian people, the Romanov dynasty might copse overnight.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. I will organize the troops for arge-scale campaign, striving to decide the situation in Eastern Europe with one decisive battle." Archduke Nichs, with no other choice, nodded and consented to Nichs II''s request.


    Having gone this far, even if Archduke Nichs did not want tounch the war, he had no choice but to carry out Nichs II''s order.


    Because this concerns not only the casualties of the people but also the survival of the royal family and the country.


    If Archduke Nichs defied Nichs II''s order, it would be regarded as betrayal in the eyes of others, shunned by the entire Russian aristocracy, and very likely have his position removed by an enraged Nichs II.


    Instead of letting someone else take the position of Chief of General Staff andunch a campaign, it is better to stay in this position and do everything possible to fight for fewer casualties for the Russian people and soldiers.


    "But Your Majesty, I also hope that during the entire campaign, the army could obtain all the material supplies promised by Minister Aleksei. This is not only rted to the sessful oue of the campaign, but also as you have said, the survival of the country and the royal family," Archduke Nichs finally requested.

 Chapter 503: Chapter 397: Rescue Russia Nation Plan

    February 27th, 1915, Saturday, Saint Petersburgh, Austrsia Royal Security Intelligence Agency Russian Division.


    "Are you all ready, gentlemen?" Monte Kornosov looked seriously at the people around him and asked.


    "The action team is ready and can execute orders at any time." A serious and cold-looking middle-aged man by his side replied first.


    "The intelligence team is also good to go, ready to initiate the n." A younger man followed with his response.


    "Tiger, remember to tell your men to strike fatally and leave no trace or leverage." Monte Kornosov looked at the middle-aged man called Tiger and solemnly ordered.


    "I understand, boss." Tiger nodded solemnly as well.


    "Hawk, keep in touch with Tiger, provide corresponding intelligence, and try to dy the Saint Petersburgh police as much as possible." Monte Kornosov instructed another man.


    "Alright, start the operation! His Majesty is waiting for your good news." After giving his orders, Monte Kornosov waved his hand, signaling the two to start the operation.


    Saint Petersburgh, an unknown house in the outskirts.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thump thump thump!


    A series of unhurried knocks on the door rang out. Gwengel Jelowski, puzzled, stood up and muttered irritably as he walked to the door, "Who the hell is it, disturbing my dreams in the middle of the night?"


    Creak~


    Upon opening the door, Gwengel Jelowski found that the knocker was a stranger. As he attempted to close the door, a strong arm grabbed the doorframe.


    "Is this Mr. Gwengel Jelowski?" The ck-clothed man outside the door asked politely.


    "Who are you?" Gwengel Jelowski asked as he eyed the drawer of his desk not far away, where his daytime-carry handgun was stored.


    "Please don''t try to struggle, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski." The man stopped asking questions, ordered his men to restrain Gwengel Jelowski, and entered the house himself.


    "You''re quite good at disguises, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski. Who would believe that this is the residence of thergest reactionary party leader in Russia without prior investigation?" The man sat on the only sofa in the house, removed his hat, and was revealed to be the previously seen Tiger.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m just an ordinary worker in a machinery factory." Despite being exposed, Gwengel Jelowski still tried to struggle and make excuses.


    "Stop ying dumb, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski. We wouldn''t havee to you without thorough investigation, would we? Let''s sit down and have a talk, my dear party leader." Tiger signaled his men to tie Gwengel Jelowski to a chair nearby, while the other men proceeded upstairs.


    "Please, leave my family out of this. They''re not involved in the party''s affairs." Seeing his family upstairs in danger, Gwengel Jelowski dropped all pretenses and pleaded.


    "Rest assured, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski. I believe you are a smart man. Under the premise of your absolute cooperation, we will not harm your family. But if we find even half a lie in your words, I guarantee you that I will send all of you to meet God." Tiger nodded in satisfaction at Gwengel Jelowski''spliance, not forgetting to threaten him.


    "Let''s hear your ns, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski. I heard that you''re organizing a massive strike near the Saint Petersburgh River to protest the war. Who''s the mastermind behind it, and do we have the pleasure of meeting him?" Tiger asked with a smile.


    Currently, the war has brought a tremendous impact on Russia. Due to the war, the living standards of Russianmoners have drastically deteriorated, and even having enough food and clothing is a problem.


    This has resulted in arge proportion of the Russian lower ss opposing the war, and various political parties have seized this opportunity to promote anti-war ideologies.


    Gwengel Jelowski''s opposition party has be thergest reactionary party in the Tsardom of Russia by taking advantage of this opportunity, boasting a membership of hundreds of thousands.


    If it weren''t for the Russian domestic crackdown on such political parties, Gwengel Jelowski''s opposition party''s membership would undoubtedly have exceeded a million.


    "About that..." Gwengel Jelowski fell silent for a while before finally speaking, "It was... Mr. Clyde Francisco Kami¨½ski in Switzend who nned it."


    Tiger nodded, not surprised by the answer.


    ording to the Royal Security Intelligence Agency''s investigation, Gwengel Jelowski is indeed the opposition party leader, but the person Soviet Russia''s opposition party, most of the Democratic Freedom Party, and most of the workers andmoners trust and admire is actually Clyde Francisco Kami¨½ski in Switzend.


    After nning a failed revolution during the Russo-Japanese War, Klin Francisco Kamanfski chose to flee to Switzend to escape arrest by the Russian Government, but he was always concerned about the situation within Russia.

 Chapter 504: Chapter 397: Saving Russia Plan_2

    After the outbreak of World War I, Klin Francisco Kamanfski immediately realized that it was an opportunity for all revolutionary sses in Russia and the best time to overthrow Russian feudalism and monarchism.


    As a result, arge number of worker strikes were nned and executed, further destabilizing the already crisis-stricken Russian government.


    "Which political parties and their main members participated in the general strike?" Tiger nodded, continuing to ask.


    "The Democratic Party, the Labour Party, the Menshevik Party, the National Party. All the well-known parties participated in the nning of this general strike." After betraying his own conscience, Gwengel Jelowski surprisingly found that answering questions was not so difficult anymore, even the answers almost slipped out.


    "Very good, I am satisfied with your answers, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski. Now it is time to decide how to deal with you, my dear party leader." After asking all the questions, Tiger looked at Gwengel Jelowski with a meaningful expression.


    "You can deal with me any way you want, but can you spare my family? My family is innocent, and they have not participated in any reactionary activities, they are still loyal to His Majesty the Tsar." Gwengel Jelowski is not afraid of death, but the safety of his family is what he fears.


    "We are not bad people, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski." Tiger said with a smile, "If you are willing to cooperate with us, then I assure you, both you and your family will be safe."


    Gwengel Jelowski sighed, knowing that he had reached the deciding point for the safety of himself and his family, and said: "You tell me, sir. As long as you can guarantee the safety of my family, I am willing to cooperate with you and the government''s actions."


    Until now, Gwengel Jelowski still believes that Tiger and his team are the Tsarist Government''s forces, aiming to eliminate the rebellion within Russia.


    As the party leader of thergest reactionary party in Russia, Gwengel Jelowski had anticipated his end but never expected the Russian Government to find his hidden residence.


    It should be noted that Gwengel Jelowski had bribed countless officials in Saint Petersburg of Russia. Who leaked the information?


    "Nothing happened tonight, but from now on you need to inform us in advance of all strikes and other demonstrations, understood?" Tiger said with a smile.


    Eliminating one Gwengel Jelowski would only bring forth another Gwengel Jelowski.


    He was like a puppet of Klin Francisco Kamanfski in Russia, which could be easily supported.


    Instead of doing so, it is better to infiltrate the upper echelons of the Russian reactionary party through Gwengel Jelowski, learn about all the actions nned by the Russian reactionary party, and inform Russia in advance to prepare.


    Hearing that he could be let off so easily, Gwengel Jelowski widened his eyes in disbelief.


    "That''s all we ask, Mr. Gwengel Jelowski. I hope you are smart enough not to challenge the capabilities of our intelligence department. If any demonstration is missed, then please exin it to God." Just before leaving, Tiger threatened again with a hint of ulterior motive.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The operation far exceeded these reasons. In addition to Gwengel Jelowski, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency visited most of the main members of the Russian reactionary party and offered their cordial and friendly condolences.


    For those who were more willing to cooperate, such as Gwengel Jelowski, they were released after a simple interrogation.


    As for those who were less cooperative, intelligence personnel had no choice but to send them to meet God and express their loyalty to Him.


    After a night of action, hundreds of intelligence personnel in Russia were dispatched and achieved quite impressive results.


    Those who were forced to cooperate with the Royal Security Intelligence Agency at the upper echelons of the opposition parties could also monitor each other.


    If there was any inconsistency in intelligence, it would prove that someone was lying, and that it was time for the intelligence department to take action again.


    In addition to taking action in Russia, after reporting to the upper echelons, Monte Kornosov also requested the Royal Security Intelligence Agency branch in France to cooperate and go to Switzend to express condolences to Klin Francisco Kamanfski, who was hiding behind all the demonstrations in Russia.


    On February 28, 1915, the newly-appointed Chief of St. Petersburg Police Department was surprised to find a document on his desk.


    The document clearly outlined a nnedrge-scale strike and protest in St. Petersburg and nearby cities in three days, as well as all the political parties involved in the protest.


    The document also listed several high-ranking members of the participating parties and detailed information about their families.


    The Chief of St. Petersburg Police Department did not dare to take any chances. Since thest workers'' protest in St. Petersburg, Nichs II had given a strict order not to let any worker strikes and protests happen in St. Petersburg again.


    This meant that if thisrge-scale workers'' strike were allowed to happen, the Chief of the Police Department would lose his position, and even arge number of officials might be implicated.


    In order to ensure that the security of St. Petersburg did not have any problems, the Chief of Police Department urgently sent the document to Nichs II''s hands.


    Nichs II was furious at such arge-scale workers'' strike and ordered all the police departments in St. Petersburg and nearby cities to make preparations in advance, severely punish the ringleaders, and try to appease the participants as much as possible.


    In order to minimize the number of people in futurerge-scale strikes as much as possible, Nichs II also ordered the distribution of a batch of free supplies to the workers in St. Petersburg and nearby cities, alleviating the dissatisfaction of the workers with practical benefits.


    Of course, these supplies were deducted from the war materials provided by Britain, France, and Australia. After all, they were all used to increase Russia''s fighting capacity. Since they were not their own, they were not worried about using them.


    As predicted in the document, on March 3, 1915, arge-scale workers'' strike broke out in St. Petersburg.


    ording to statistics, the number of striking workers reached 35,000 and even affected some small towns around St. Petersburg.


    If it had not been for the early anticipation of the police departments and Russia''s security system, thisrge-scale strike might have spread to many surrounding cities, with far greater impacts than it had now.


    After the Russian government urgently issued supplies to appease the workers, at least half of the workers stopped participating in the strike, and the rest just followed the crowd and left immediately after being advised by the police.


    The St. Petersburg Police Department effectively executed Nichs II''s orders, severely punishing the nners and trying to appease the participants as much as possible.


    On March 3 alone, the St. Petersburg Police Department arrested thousands of strike "nners" and shot more than a dozen people on the spot.


    Due to therge number of people involved, nearly two thousand people were imprisoned, and dozens of people were shot on the spot. Thisrge-scale strike on March 3 was also called "Red Wednesday" by the reactionary party.


    After the failure of the strike, some high-ranking members of the reactionary party, led by Gwengel Jelowski, began to advocate recuperation and wait for opportunities in secret.


    With the failure of this carefully nned strike by many parties, the proposal to hide and wait for opportunities was epted by most, and the overt crisis in Russia was temporarily resolved.


    Arthur in Austrsia, who received the results of the handling of the Russian strike, finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    At least before the end of World War I, he did not want to see Russia fall too quickly.


    Russia attracted arge number of German troops on the Eastern Front for the Britain-France-Australia alliance. Austrsia only needed to provide some weapons and equipment and strategic supplies and could watch the fight from the sidelines,ughing at the development of the European War.


    If Russia, a major military force, were lost, not only would Britain and France face even greater losses, but Austrsia would also be asked by Britain and France to send more mainbat units. This would not be a good thing for Austrsia.

 Chapter 505: Chapter 398: The Real European War

    Far away in Saint Petersburg, Nichs II was unaware that Arthur''s n had prolonged the lifespan of his dynasty, nor did he realize the turmoil within his empire was far more dangerous than he had imagined.


    But now, Arthur had a more important task at hand - the rotation of the Fourth Division fighting in Europe.


    Having been dispatched to Europe for more than four months, the Fourth Division had so far suffered 1,524 deaths and 5,323 injuries.


    Thebined casualties were nearly 6,800, having left the Fourth Division, originally consisting of 16,000 soldiers, with just over 10,000 left to fight.


    Continuing forward, the fighting capacity of the Fourth Division was in question, and the soldiers would inevitably develop war-weariness due to prolongedbat.


    After internal deliberations within the Ministry of Defense and Arthur''s own nning, it was decided that the Third Division and the Second Guard Division would be deployed to Europe for the uing battle.


    Although the primary duty of the Guards is to guard the capital and protect Arthur and the royal family, the Guards are the most powerful force in Arthur''s view of Austrsia. They are not only equipped with the most advanced and luxurious weapons in Austrsia but also trained to produce the best and most elite soldiers who can endure experiences beyond those of regr units.


    At present, the Guard Division is formed by selecting the best-trained soldiers from the existing regr forces, but this does not guarantee that the Guard Division''sbat capabilities, in reality, will surpass those of the regr divisions, especially ones like the Fourth Division which have already experienced true life-and-death situations.


    Therefore, sending both Guard Divisions to the battlefield in batches is one of Arthur''s nned ways to increase theirbat capabilities.


    Although the casualties incurred by the Guard Divisions will surely pain Arthur, it is insignificantpared to the improved fighting capacity of the army and its soldiers in the face of arge-scale war.


    Moreover, thebined forces of the Third Guard Division and the Third Regr Division total a massive 36,000 strong, which would help the Austrsian armyunch independent offensives on the Western Front. After all, the Austrsian forces have their ownmand and must utilize it effectively.


    Defeating German attacks and even recovering German-upied territories could serve as an excuse and bargaining chip for Austrsia to gain more benefits after the war.


    If a civil unrest breaks out in Russia after the war, the Allies would be left with only Britain, France, and Australia.


    With Britain and France suffering significant war damage, they would need the support of a nation like Austrsia, which has not been severely impacted by the war, to help them recover and have more time to regain strength.


    This would, in turn, elevate the importance of Austrsia after the war. Both Britain and France would need an ally like Austrsia to help stabilize their international status.


    After all, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire would undoubtedly be divided, with their remaining territories heavily restricted, and their positions and strength as great powers jeopardized.


    If Germany were to experience civil unrest, three of the most powerful nations would lose their great power status directly.


    This would cause Austrsia''s international status to rise sharply, even possibly bing the fourth great power after Britain, France, and the United States.


    Of course, if the Austrsian forces demonstrate formidable fighting capabilities in the war, and increase their naval size, there is still hope of surpassing the United States and bing the third-greatest power.


    At least from what is evident now, the military prowess of the United States is stillcking, with both their army and navalbat capacities rtively weak.


    Apanying the deployment of the Second Guard Division and the Third Regr Division to the European battlefield were as many as 200,000 Indigenous troops.


    Transporting this many forces proved to be a challenge, consuming many British and French ships. Over the next two months, these forces would gradually arrive in Europe and join the Austrsian Expeditionary Force inbating the Germans.


    At the same time, French-trained new recruits and the second batch of British Expeditionary Forces arrived in Europe. With ns for arge-scale campaign being organized by Russia on the Eastern Front, Britain, France, and Austrsia also nned arge-scale battle on the Western Front topletely drive the German army out of French territory.


    Both major battles on the Eastern and Western fronts would take over a month of preparation time, and possibly even two months before beingunched.


    After all, they were waiting for the arrival of the Austrsian forces on the Western Front and the arrival of supplies transported by Austrsia to the Eastern Front. In reality, they were waiting on Austrsia for both scenarios.


    Of course, it wasn''t all about waiting for Austrsia. For both the Western and Eastern fronts, therge-scale campaigns being nned would involve more than a million troops. Consequently, the preparations for supplies and weapons were proportionally extensive and lengthy.


    It is no exaggeration to say that supplying millions of troops would pose a severe challenge to logistics. Not to mention the constant consumption of weapons, ammunition, and shells during the war, which could potentially overwhelm an entire country''s logistics system.


    Britain and France also struggled ¨C Britain bore half of the costs of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force, which was no small sum. Coupled with the expenses of their own Expeditionary Force, a significant amount of pounds were being spent on the war, making the British eager to end the conflict.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for France, it goes without saying that parts of their territory were currently upied by Germany, and most of the fighting on the Western Front was taking ce on French borders and their own soil.


    Each day the war continued caused greater damage to the French economy and increased the French people''s longing for peace.


    On April 11, 1915, the Second Guard Division and the Third Regr Division sessfully arrived in France toplete the rotation with the Fourth Regr Division.


    Thomas Johnson, themander of the Second Guard Division, seeded General Scott and became the second Commander-in-Chief of the Austrsia Expeditionary Force.


    In order to express support for the troops, Arthur handed overmand of the Expeditionary Force to the Commander-in-Chief, and Austrsia was only responsible for the logistical supply of the Expeditionary Force.


    This also represents the great power of the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force, who can even decide the role of the Austrsian army in the war.


    Although the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. The role of the Commander-in-Chief of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force also offers the greatest merits in the war.


    Apart from anything else, after the victory of the war, formermanders of the expeditionary forces, as long as they did not make too many mistakes in the war, could be promoted one rank higher ording to convention.


    If they made no small contribution to the war, they could even enter the Ministry of Defense, or join the Guard Division, General Staff, and other important positions.


    If Austrsia were to establish a military-level army in the future,manders would be selected from those who had achieved these merits.


    Bathro Udrow, themander of the Third Division, was still a little regretful for not being able to be themander of the Expeditionary Force.


    Suddenly realizing that hispetitor was Martin Rus, themander of the Guard Division Two, Bathro Udrow felt a little relieved.


    Being able to be one of the few Guard Divisionmanders in Austrsia, Martin Rus''s abilities naturally need not be mentioned.


    ording to the promotion convention of the Austrsian army, the next Minister of Defense, apart from thepetition within the Ministry of Defense, themanders of the Guard Divisions are also strongpetitors.


    However, themander of a regr division, no matter how great their contribution, cannot directly be the Minister of Defense.


    Although the promotion from regr divisions to guard divisions to the Ministry of Defense is not rigid, no one can deny the existence of a certain gap between the Austrsian regr divisions and guard divisions.


    After arriving in France, the Guard Division Two and the Regr Division Three were quickly transported to the front lines and stationed in the ce where the Third Division had previously been stationed.


    The next day, French Commander General Cynthia and British Expeditionary Force Commander Sir French jointly visited, expressing their emphasis on the Austrsian Expeditionary Force.


    In theughter of Cynthia, French, and Martin, arge-scale battle involving more than 200 million people and four countries was nned, and the lives and deaths of these 200 million people were easily decided.


    What the three discussed could likely lead to tens of thousands more casualties on the Western Front. There was no choice, as victory in the war was more important than these tens of thousands of casualties at the moment.


    The specific attack n for the Western Front was divided into three directions: in the north, the united Belgian army would expel the German army from France and defend based on the solid fortresses of Belgium.


    In the middle, they would again attack the Alsace and Lorraine regions to pose as much threat as possible to Germany''s Ruhr District.


    If Alsace and Lorraine could be captured, not only would it greatly boost the morale of French troops, but it would also significantly reduce Germany''s supply of materials and pose a threat to its hintend.


    For the southern direction, the main n was to win over Italy, join forces with the Italian army for counterattacks, and threaten the western part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the southern part of Germany.


    With Russiaunchingrge-scale battles on the Eastern Front, Germany and Austria-Hungary would be overwhelmed and exhausted by fighting on two fronts.


    In order to make the battle sessful, the Allies have yed all their cards. All European countries, including Italy, which had not yet joined the war, were the objects of the Allies'' wooing.


    If the previous six months of the war were a war between the Allies and the Central Powers, then from now on, this war will be a major European war, involving not only Britain, France, Russia, Australia, Germany, and Austria, but also Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Belgium, Montenegro, and other countries in arge-scale mixed war.


    On April 17, 1915, Romania dered war on Germany and joined the Allies.


    On April 18, 1915, Greece dered war on Germany and joined the Allies.


    Montenegro followed suit and joined the Allies on April 18.


    After that, Italy, the hardest to persuade, dered war on Germany on April 21 and joined the Allies after agreeing upon acquiring some territories and numerous interests.


    Germany''s countermeasures quickly came, and as the Central Powers'' war was already at a disadvantage, there were few countries willing to join the Central Powers, with only Bulgaria and Turkey willing to join the Central Powers in the whole of Europe.


    From May 1915, the war between the Central Powers and the Allies had involved more than ten countries, with the Allies (Britain, France, Russia, Australia, Italy, Serbia, Greece, Romania, Montenegro, and Belgium) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria, Turkey, Bulgaria).

 Chapter 506 : 399: Victory on the Eastern Front, Attack on the Westline

    Although both the Allied Nations and the Allies had new allies joining, the Allied Nations only managed to pull Turkey and Bulgaria, which seemed somewhat istedpared to the Allies, who attracted one powerful country and several small and medium-sized countries.


    As the only major power newly joining the war and a former member of the Allied Nations, Italy''s defection during the war was somewhat despicable, but the Italians didn''t see it that way.


    The Italian government proudly dered that the country and its people had found a way to suffer less in the war and gain more benefits than before.


    But anyway, since Italy has joined the Allies, it is a member of the Allies and an ally of Austrsia.


    However,pared to countries like Austrsia that joined the Allies early, Italy''s position in the Allies is somewhat awkward and is not at the decision-making level of the Allies.


    Even the British and French propaganda still used the title of a year ago, which was the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    This also made the Italians determined to make a big move, change the existingyout of the Allies, and strive for more post-war benefits for themselves.


    With the help of countries like Italy, the Allies'' offensive on the East-West Line became even more massive.


    In the southern region of the Westline, 500,000 Italian troops will join the battle, eliminating the threat of the German Army and Austro-Hungarian Empire in the southern region.


    On the Eastern Front, countries like Romania, Montenegro, and Greece will attack Bulgaria while also sending some troops to support Serbia in resisting the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s attack.


    With the help of these Balkan countries, a considerable number of Austro-Hungarian Empire troops can be drawn for Serbia.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This will greatly reduce the number of Austro-Hungarian Empire troops facing the Russian Army on the Eastern Front Battlefield, allowing the Russian Army to safely deal with the Germans without worrying about their rear being attacked by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The Russiansunched the first attack. After learning that Russia was willing tounch arge-scale offensive, the British and French generously fulfilled their un-promised promises, supporting arge number of weapons and equipment and strategic supplies to Russia, and even waived part of Russia''s loan.


    In addition, the materials transported by Austrsia were also transported from divostok to the front. With enough weapons and equipment and strategic supplies, the Russian General Staff also had the confidence tounch arge-scale offensive and advance the Eastern Front Battlefield.


    On May 2, 1915, after all the supplies were gathered at the front, the Russian General Staff officially ordered the start of the nextrge-scale battle.


    First, Archduke Nichs transferred the Second Army Group from the Narev and Niemen rivers to Warsaw in the northwest, and moved the Fourth, Fifth, and Ninth Army Groups from the Vist River to the Sandomiria area in the southwest.


    After defeating the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Galicia Region, the Russians'' next goal was clear, which was to invade the southeastern part of Germany and recover the Polish Region upied by Germany.


    In order to deal with the threat from hundreds of thousands of Russian troops, Germany also formted corresponding battle ns, such as attacking Warsaw and Ivangorod from Krakow and Chichester and trying to defeat the northern wing of the Russian Army''s Southwestern Army, bypassing the Russian Army''s rear.


    Germany deployed a newly formed Ninth Army Group and the Austro-Hungarian First Army Group totaling more than 310,000 people to implement this n.


    On the Russian side, there are more than 500,000 troops, including the Southwestern Army and the garrison in the Warsaw area, which have a clear advantage in numbers.


    On May 3, 1915, the Russian Fourth and Ninth Army Groups sessfully encountered the Austro-Hungarian First Army Group and the German Ninth Army Group near the Vist and Sang rivers'' mouths.


    Seeing the enemy made them furious, and the four army groups immediately started arge-scale exchange of fire, with gunshots echoing throughout the day without any signs of stopping.


    Due to the geographical disadvantage, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and German troops attempted to forcibly cross the Vist and Sang rivers but were all repelled by the strong firepower of the Russian Army.


    To change their plight, the German Army decided to change its original n, dispatching the 17th and 20th armies and a mixed army to form a cluster, bypassing the Russian Fourth and Ninth Army Groups and forcibly taking Warsaw.


    From a geographical point of view, once Warsaw was upied, the Russian troops would be cut off from their rear.


    The next day, on May 4th, the newly reorganized Army Group sessfully arrived at Warsaw andunched an attack.


    Upon receiving the news on the Russian side, the Fourth and Fifth Army Groups began to forcibly cross the Vist River and retreat.


    On the other hand, the Russian Second Army Group reached the west of Warsaw, protecting the nk of the Warsaw garrison.


    From May 5th to May 7th, in these three days, the Russian Army and the German and Austro-Hungarian Empire forcesunched fierce attacks, with the deaths of both parties reaching tens of thousands every day, and the number of casualties starting at tens of thousands.


    On May 8th, the severely damaged German Army withdrew from the Warsaw area, and the Russian Army sessfully defended Warsaw.


    It''s not over yet. Under themand of Archduke Nichs, the Russian Army opened up a newnding field at Ivangorod, the second battlefield on the Eastern Front.


    This new battle line has caused the German Army''s offensive to weaken instantly. The German Army cannot possibly not guard their nk, making the front-line German Army start to be distracted, and they have to divide their forces to their nk.


    As the German offensive weakened, the Russian Army took over the offensive g and changed from defense to offense,unching a fierce attack on the German Army from Singh-Ogilvy, Warsaw, Ivangorod, and the Sandomiria area.

 Chapter 507 : 399: Victory on the Eastern Front, Attack on the Westline_2

    At this time, the German army was already exhausted, and the constant retreat had severed their connection with the Austro-Hungarian First Army Group.


    As the First Army Group of the Austro-Hungarian Empire tried to support the German army in the war, they identally entered the heavy encirclement of the Russian army, resulting in heavy losses and the entire Army Group being crushed.


    To quote Rudolf, "The order to retreat was given on the 11th, but this retreat waspletely involuntary. Our situation has be extremely critical, and it now seems that the Russian army is about to invade Poznan, Cilicia, and the Moravia region."


    In fact, Rudolf''s judgment was very urate. After achieving initial sess in the battle, the German army urgently attacked the west and southwest, with the goal of upying the Cilicia region and then entering the German hintend from there. It would then join the armies of the four Allied nations on the Western Front to end the war as soon as possible.


    The Russians had great ambitions. After winning the initial battle, there were ns within Russia to attack Berlin and end the war.


    If it were not for Archduke Nichs'' excuse to cooperate with the Western Front armies and not advance blindly, Nichs II could have ordered the army to attack Berlin with all its strength.


    Although the German army failed in several attacks on the Western and Eastern Fronts at this time, no one could guarantee that they could conquer Berlin, and the German army still had the strength for a final fight.


    The battle on the Eastern Front was named the Battle of Warsaw-Ivangorod because it took ce in the area around these two locations.


    This battle was of vital importance to the Eastern Front. Russia mobilized as many as 800,000 troops (including the Warsaw and other regional garrisons) to face more than 300,000 German-Austrian troops, achieving a resounding victory.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although casualties on the Russian side were close to 100,000, looking at the achievements of this battle, the loss of 100,000 was worth it.


    More importantly, after this battle, the German army suffered heavy defeats on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, shattering the myth of Germany''s invincibility, and giving many countries, including Russia, hope to directly defeat Germany. The experience also led some factions within Germany to lose confidence, and the enthusiasm of the German people for the war seemed to wane.


    Soon after the Russiansunched the battle, the battles on the Western Front also began one after another.


    The Austrsia Army was divided into two parts: the Guard Division Two and the regr Third Division operated independently. Britain and France again assembled two divisions to form a mixed forcemanded by Commander Martin, protecting the nk of the French Army Group.


    The huge indigenous army, with more than 400,000 soldiers, was then assembled on the front line as cannon fodder for the Allies'' offensive.


    Indeed, the indigenous army was used in this way, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force, Martin, had noints about such a n, as Britain and France had also deployed two main divisions.


    On May 7, 1915, with an order from the French General Headquarters, the Western Front campaign began in full swing.


    The first to move was the central front, where the Austrsia Expeditionary Force was also located. On the afternoon of May 7, nearly 850,000bat troops (400,000 main force and 450,000 indigenous troops) from two French Army Groups and the Austrsia Expeditionary Force advanced to the Alsace and Lorraine fronts, firing the second shot to recover the lost territory.


    Immediately after, on the following day, an army group from France and the British Expeditionary Force, with nearly 500,000 troops, as well as about 80,000 remaining Belgian troops, marched majestically from northern France, aiming to recover French border and Belgian fortress areas.


    The battle in the southern region was thest to begin. Here, France dispatched only one Army Group to provide cover for the Italian Army.


    The Italian army, on the other hand, deployed a full 500,000 troops,unching a fierce offensive against the Austro-Hungarian Empire and aiming to capture disputed areas between Austria-Hungary and Italy.


    The scale of the Western Front campaign was evenrger than that of the Eastern Front. Just on the side of the Allies, nearly two million troops participated in the battle.


    If the German army is included, as many as more than three million people were involved in desperate fighting on the Western Front alone.


    To cope with this offensive, Germany has taken out all its old resources, including various Krupp cannons, airships produced by Zeppelin Company, airnes without much actualbat performance, and even cars and trucks fitted with additional steel tes. Whatever is useful is sent to the battlefield, which is the current situation in Germany.


    In response to Germany''s airships, the Allies also took out their own airships that had been gathering dust for six months.


    When the war first broke out, all countries eagerly used airships, but soon discovered that their practical significance inbat was not significant. This is because the enemy also has airships, and when two airships meet, they generally both suffer losses.


    Unable to establish a technical lead over opponents in airships, this has led to British and French airships struggling to carry outbat missions when they encounter German airships.


    Current airships are too fragile and are basically doomed to crash when hit by enemy weapons. After dozens of airship operators were killed or injured, European nations generally chose to hide their airships, either leaving them in warehouses to gather dust, or using them for transportation in the rear, asionally conducting reconnaissance and gathering intelligence.


    It was because of this battle that airships were able to rejoin the war, and with the entire army mobilized.


    With the addition of airships from Britain, France, Austrsia, and Italy, their total number approaches 300, far ahead of Germany''s 100 airships.


    In addition to the rtively small number of outdated aircraft from various countries, flying objects of various sizes can now be seen regrly on the Western Front of World War I, showcasing the technological advances brought about by the war.


    It has to be admitted that war is the fastest time for technological development. ording to Arthur''s understanding, Britain and France have already improved their current airships, and new airships are about to be developed and put into production.


    In terms of aircraft, Britain and France have also re-emphasized the importance of this issue, and joint research on military aircraft is underway.


    Although Arthur doesn''t know Germany''s progress, given the ck technologies that Germany frequently brought out during World War I, Germany''s research on airships and aircraft will not be slow.


    Conservatively speaking, Austrsia''s aircraft should soon be able to join the battle. As various countries begin to pay attention to aircraft again, Austrsia will no longer need to hide its own aircraft.


    Even if Austrsia continues to hide, it will not be able to stop the development of aircraft by Britain, France, and Germany.


    Instead, it would be better to introduce aircraft in advance, gaining some advantages in the war.


    Then, sell arge number of clearly outdated aircraft to Britain and France for significant profits and provide more motivation for Austrsia''s aircraft research.


    In terms of aircraft research, whether Britain, France, and Germany can catch up with Austrsia''s aircraft research progress by overtaking in bends.


    At least in the next ten years, this situation will not ur. Arthur has alreadyid out airne-rted ns for years, even a decade. Austrsia has already attracted over one-third of the world''s top aviation power, airship, and aircraft manufacturing talents.


    Unless Britain and France can always cooperate closely, there may be hope for them to catch up with Austrsia''s aircraft development speed in a short period.


    However, in view of some conflicts between Britain and France in the distribution of interests, the rtionship between the two countries will not be so close after the war, and some conflicts will emerge.


    However, after World War I, Britain and France will be in a weak period, so there is almost no possibility ofrge-scale conflicts erupting.


    With Australia''s maintance, the Allies, would be able to keep their presence until World War II. As a member of the Allies, Austrsia could also take advantage of the benefits brought by the Allies to gain more international status and interests.


    Not to mention, after World War I, the United States'' international status may not be higher than Austrsia. On the one hand, Britain and France will be wary and defensive, and on the other hand, the United States is not a member of the Allies. Faced with the huge Allies organization, the single United States also appears weak.

 Chapter 508: Chapter 400: The Combat Capability of Australasias Military

    When the news of the Warsaw-Ivanograd battle reached the Western Front and Arthur, it immediately aroused greater enthusiasm among the Allies for the battle and high expectations for the uing battle on the Western Front.


    In the United Kingdom and France''s view, Russia could defeat part of Germany''s military and the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s main force in one fell swoop, so it shouldn''t be hard for the British, French, Australian, and Italian coalition to easily annihte the German main force.


    Because of such expectations, Cynthia proposed changing the battle n. After thepletion of each battle n by the northern, central, and southern army groups on the western line, all advantageous forces would be fully pushed eastward to break through Berlin before the Russians arrived.


    Perhaps, under the pincer attack of the Allies, Germany is indeed likely to be defeated in this war.


    At present, Germany faces a stronger Russian army than in history and arger British, French, and Australian coalition army.


    However, this isn''t good news for Arthur. If the European War ends too soon, Austrsia''s contribution in the war would not be significant, and Germany, which has not suffered too much loss, would not allow the Allies to ughter them.


    In this case, Arthur''s hopes of introducing equipment and technology from German factories and recruiting arge number of skilled workers would be in vain.


    Moreover, the British and French, who have not suffered severe losses, would quickly recover, and Austrsia''s status would no longer be as important.


    Because the British and French are now in good shape, they can easily deal with the United States, so after World War I, it would be the British and French who would dictate the world, and other countries would not have a chance to intervene.


    This is something Arthur cannot ept. Austrsia has been nning for this for a long time, and they certainly will not make a dowry for the British and French.


    Therefore, dying the progress of the war as much as possible and not letting it end too soon is an important task for now.


    The most effective method is to temporarily withhold supplies from the Allies. Especially for Russia, after such arge-scale battle, their supply of weapons, ammunition, and strategic materials must becking, and they rely heavily on the replenishment from Austrsia.


    If the supplies to Russia are temporarily slowed down, Russia will have to reduce the scale of the Eastern Front battles due to the scarcity of the supplies.


    Germany will also be able to take a breath on the Eastern Front and concentrate more attention on the Western Front, without facing the pressure of massive battles on both fronts.


    Of course, although the decision to temporarily withhold supplies to Russia has been made, the specific excuse for doing so is a matter of debate.


    After all, Russia is one of Austrsia''s best allies, and there is a marriage rtionship between them.


    Russian immigrants are the secondrgest group of immigrants in Austrsia and an important part of Austrsian poption.


    Therefore, a suitable excuse for temporarily withholding supplies is needed to avoid dissatisfaction from the Russian government and the people.


    As for the Western Front, even if Austrsia temporarily reduces supplies, it will not have much impact on the Western Front battles.


    Unlike Russia, which is currently in a terrible state domestically, the industrial capacity of Britain and France has already declined dramatically.


    With Russia''s poor organization and logistics system, relying solely on their own industrial production capacity, providing even half of the current front-line ammunition and supplies would be a challenge, let alone stockpiling materials forunchingrge-scale offensives.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The industrial and logistical systems of Britain and France are much better off inparison, and with a constant supply of materials from their colonies, even if Austrsia temporarily slows down the supply, it will not affect the British and French battle ns in the short term.


    However, if the supplies are reduced for a long time, it will definitely arouse the suspicion of Britain and France, which would be a loss for Austrsia.


    Therefore, reducing supplies to Russia is the best choice. It can slow down Russia''s pace on the Eastern Front and give the Germans a chance to catch their breath without drawing too much attention from their allies, achieving their strategic goals without them even realizing it.


    Although this is another betrayal of an ally,pared to achieving Austrsia''s own strategic goals, slightly betraying the Russians is also eptable.


    Anyway, the revolutionary party inside Russia has already been visited by the royal Security Intelligence Agency several times, ensuring that at least before the end of World War I, Russia can stabilize the domestic situation.


    This could also be seen as a trade-off, and after all, considering Russia''s abundant manpower and resilience, it is not uneptable to consume some human resources.


    As for the ongoing war on the Western Front, the most important topic of discussion is what tactics to adopt for the attack.


    Before this outbreak of the war, countries around the world generally adopted the tactics of nking and outnking. Many battles in this war also employed such tactics bymanders from various countries, achieving considerable sess.


    However, as more and more troops were invested in the war, the number of troops used in each battle also increased, with some battles involving hundreds of thousands or even millions of troops.


    For example, in this attack on the Western Front, each of the three army groups has at least 500,000 troops. For such arge number of troops to outnk the enemy is difficult to achieve, which is a test on the obedience of the army and the coordination and tacit understanding between all the armies.


    On the Eastern Front, the German and Russian forces have adopted a frontal breakthrough tactic.


    Thanks to the superiority of the Russian army, Russianmanders have be very confident in the frontal breakthrough tactics.

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    Although it would result in greater casualties than before, a frontal breakthrough often yields good resultspared to nking tactics. Absolute superiority in troops can give Russia Nation a greater advantage.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, on the Westline battlefield, a massive frontal breakthrough is not that easy. First, there are lots of airnes and airships in the sky. Choosing a frontal breakthrough could likely be detected by the enemy in advance, resulting in a tight defense setup.


    The two most practical and effective tactics are somewhat outdated, which makes the problem of which tactics to use on the Westline battlefield for the three front armies a major issue.


    After careful consideration, the Allies decided together that the three front armies should each decide their own task deployment, with each army group having enough freedom to choose the direction of breakthrough.


    Simply put, under the premise of the group carrying out tasks, the Allied forces on the Westline battlefield will be divided into army groups or even army units, breaking the whole into parts, to achieve breakthroughs or bypasses with smaller scale forces.


    For one, smaller scale units carrying out tasks can more effectively hide under the enemy''s airships.


    On the other hand, armies containing several hundred thousand troops from each side are not so easy tomand, especially since these armies include soldiers from the United Kingdom, France, Austrsia, and Italy, some of whom do not speak each other''snguage. Separate action is undeniably a better choice.


    The Austrsia Guard Division Two and Regr Third Division are responsible for covering the nks of the French Third Army Group, as is an infantry division of the Expeditionary Force of Britain under Commander Martin''smand. Also, there is a Cavalry Division from the French Third Army Group.


    This results in Commander Martin having nearly seventy thousand troops under hismand. His discretionary power in the war is quite substantial.


    The Central Front Army, where the Austrsia Expeditionary Force is located, is responsible for breaking through the Alsace Lorraine area, ideally seizing it, to increase France''s desire to fight against Germany.


    With the French Third and Fourth Army Group, the Austrsia Expeditionary Force, and a British infantry division, the Central Front Army has a total of 850,000 soldiers. It has thergest number of troops among the three great front armies, and also the heaviest mission.


    Because the Central Front Army is facing the German First and Second Group Army, and it is likely it will face support from the German Third Army Group.


    The German First and Second Group Army had lost over half of its troops in previous wars. After arge number of new recruits were added, their fighting ability was restored.


    Butpared to the previous forcesposed of veterans, these two group armies''bat effectiveness has undoubtedly been significantly reduced.


    The problematic one is the German Third Group Army. This army group,posed mainly of German veterans, possibly has the highestbat effectiveness among all German armies. They are also the biggest trouble for the Central Front Army.


    The German first, second, and third group armies,bined, have nearly 600,000 troops. However, the Third Group Army is located in the northwest of Alsace and Lorraine, and it is very likely it will face a plea for help from the German forces in Belgium.


    That means as long as the Northern Front army''s offensive is strong enough, the pressure that the Central Front Army is facing will decrease, and the difficulty of their mission will substantially lessen.


    On May 8th, the French Third and Fourth Army Group and Austrsia''s indigenous troops began advancing toward the Alsace and Lorraine areas.


    The mixed armymanded by Martin is advancing behind the two army groups, always guarding against the nks of the two army groups.


    In the early morning of May 9th, news came from the front that the third army group had encountered the German First Group Army, and both hadunched a fierce offensive.


    Themander of the Third Army Group asked Commander Martin to move to the left side of the Third Army Group to guard against the German Army''s nking maneuver.


    Commander Martin willinglyplied and assembled the joint forces to move to the left side of the Third Army Group and built simple defensive works nearby.


    At noon of the day, the Fourth Army Group and the German Second Group Army also met. The war between the Central Front Army and the German Army was in full swing.


    Although no enemy was detected for over half a day, Commander Martin did not dare to take anything lightly. He still ordered the army to carry out wartime patrol status, always alert and ready for a possible enemy.


    At noon on May 10th, 1915, with the distant sentries reporting anomalies, Commander Martin finally discovered the trace of the German Army.


    It was an elite German force, consisting of about thirty thousand men, equipped with fairly advanced weapons.


    However, given that this group is a rear unit, it''s clear that not many heavy weapons, such as machine guns andrge artillery, were taken along.


    To note, the transportation of machine guns and artillery would at least require horse carriages and trucks. Yet, this force consisted almost entirely of infantry, which indicates that there are not many heavy weapons.


    Once the number and the quantity of heavy weapons of the opponent were identified, Commander Martin instantly decided that the Austrsia Army would be responsible for the main attack, and the British and French armies would nk, making sure that not a single German soldier would escape.


    Soon, fierce firefights broke out on the left nk. The powerful firepower of the Austrsia Army inflicted heavy casualties on the German Army unexpectedly.


    The numerous heavy machine guns and firearms brought lots of casualties to the Germans even before they saw the Austrsia soldiers.


    But the German soldiers'' response was also rapid¡ªthey immediately sought cover andunched a counterattack. A small force was dispatched from the German army, apparently aiming to try and bypass the side of the Austrsia Army and implement the nk ruhui tactic.

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    However, Brigadier General Martin had anticipated the Germans'' reaction. The German nking forces and the British-French forces met, and both parties started exchanging fire reflexively. In terms of consideration, the British and French forces had the upper hand.


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    Hearing the gunfire from his own nk, the Germanmander felt a sense of foreboding and wanted to order a retreat.


    However, facing such intense firepower from the Austrsian Army head-on, it was impossible for the German Army to leave their rear exposed to the Austrsian forces, as it could lead to even more brutal ughter.


    It should be noted that the Guard Division Two not only had four infantry regiments and an artillery regiment but also had two cavalry corps. Such a lineup was luxurious.


    These two cavalry corps alone were enough to reap the rewards of a blind German retreat.


    By the time the fighting on the nks gradually subsided, it was already toote for the Germanmander to order a retreat. The nking troops had arrived at the rear of the German forces, and the German troops had been encircled.


    Bang!


    Apanied by a sharp gunshot, the Germanmandermitted suicide in a forest, and the German Army was annihted by the mixed forces, marking aplete victory in the nk defense battle.


    Brigadier General Martin ordered his men to count the casualties and damage to equipment while directing amunications soldier to report the results of this small-scale battle to the Third Army Group.


    As expected, the victory of the nk defense battle greatly delighted themander of the Third Army Group. It also meant that the Third Army Group''s nks would be very safe in the short term, and Germany would not have too many troops avable for a second nking maneuver.


    Of course, the mixed forces couldn''t move yet. Nobody could guarantee that the German Army wouldn''t receive reinforcements, but beforepletely annihting the German forces, the nks of the Third and Fourth Army Groups were crucial.


    The achievements of the mixed forces were also reported to the Post-Law State Headquarters and the British Expeditionary Force Headquarters, earning high praise from France and Britain.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Arthur was delighted when he learned of this military report. In a way, it also proved that the Austrsian Army''s firepower was in no way inferior to that of the German Army.


    The fact that the Guard Division and Division Three were able to gain the upper hand against the German Army in almost equal numbers showed that the fighting ability of the Austrsian Army was not weak.


    After ensuring the safety of the nks, the attack of the French Third and Fourth Army Groups became more intense.


    With nearly 450,000 men of the Austrsian Indigenous Army, the offensive of the Central Army was nothing short of fearless in the face of death.


    Within just two days, the front line had advanced more than ten kilometers, not far from the German-French border before the war began.


    Although it cost nearly 150,000 casualties, including more than half of the Austrsian Indigenous people, the number of deaths and injuries was still within an eptable range.


    As for the mixed forces, after over an hour of counting, the battle results were reported to the rear and Austrsia.


    The mixed forces had faced more than 30,000 German troops, and after suffering 10,000 casualties (over 2,000 Austrsians, over 4,000 British, and over 3,000 French), they had wiped out 12,000 German soldiers, captured 18,000, and nearly 1,000 were missing.


    Although more than 1,000 people had slipped away, the overall results obtained were quite satisfactory.


    The scale of this German force with more than 30,000 people was not small, making up one-twentieth of the garrison in the Alsace and Lorraine area, and mostly consisting of seasoned elite German soldiers (those with many old injuries).


    The offensive of the Central armies went smoothly, attracting the German Third Army Group to move south and significantly reducing the pressure on the northern armies.


    Contrary to pre-war expectations, the Central armies'' offensive was smoother, and it was assumed that the northern forces would ease the pressure for the Central forces instead.


    With the aid of their stronghold on the French border and parts of Belgium, the German forces blocked the northern forces within ten kilometers of the border.


    Despite the northern forces suffering numerous casualties, the front line could not advance a single step further.


    If the northern forces were evenly matched, the southern forces'' performance was somewhat disappointing.


    The French Army''sbat capability was just average, undertaking most of the battle tasks for the southern forces.


    Keep in mind that, out of the more than 600,000 fighting forces in the southern forces, 500,000 were from the Italian Army.


    The performance of the Italian Army in the battle was terrible. On the first day of the battle, the 500,000-strong Italian Army was blocked by barely more than 100,000 Austro-Hungarian forces on the border and could not advance a single step further.


    An Italian detachment attempting a nking maneuver was discovered and surrounded by Austro-Hungarian reinforcements and subsequently destroyed.


    It also made Italy the onlyughingstock of the battle, suffering nearly 50,000 casualties within three days of fighting, and its forces were still on Italian territory.


    If it weren''t for the severe defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the Eastern Front and the depletion of their forces,


    Arthur would have reason to suspect that the Austro-Hungarian Empire would take the opportunity to invade Italy, upy its core northern region, and force Italy to surrender.


    It should be noted that while Italy''s unification preceded Germany''s, it was also a country unified in the mid-19th century.


    Before Italy''s unification, the country consisted of tworge states and many regions. These two countries were the Kingdom of Sardinia in the north and the Two Sicily Kingdoms in the south.


    Due to differences in development between the two countries, Italy''s northern and southern regions had significant development disparities.

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    The northern part of Italy is the core industrial area, while the south is the less important agricultural area.


    This means that if the northern part of Italy is captured, based on the way Italy is currently handling things, there is a high possibility that they will surrender.


    Fortunately, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has lost most of its main force on the Eastern Front. Otherwise, Italy might be the slowest country to join the war and the quickest to surrender.


    Of course, the current situation in Italy is not much better. Before the start of the campaign, because of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s defeat on the Eastern Front, the Italians were still dreaming of seizing morend, even upying the whole of Albania.


    But now, as the Italians fight, they are surprised to find that, not to mention expanding abroad, their own borderlines are already in crisis.


    Of course, Italy is not the only one in a hurry at this time. Russia, Germany, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are all anxious.


    Now is a better opportunity for an offensive than before. Russia has received bad news from Austrsia, as their material reserves are running out, and they cannot transport more supplies to Russia for at least three months.


    Russia does not doubt this news, as Austrsia is Russia''s ally and has participated inbat against Germany.


    At the same time, Austrsia can obtain arge amount of funds for transporting supplies, so there is no need to fabricate reasons to suspend their transportation.


    This means that the supplies in Austrsia are indeed in crisis. Austrsia''s shortage of supplies also means that Russia no longer has enough resources tounch a new offensive, and can only watch the British, French, Australian, and Italian alliance fighting the German-Austrians on the Westline, seizing cities and territories, while they are powerless to help.


    Emperor Nichs II, who is in a hurry, directly questions Foreign Minister Alexei, because Alexei once publicly stated that Britain and France would bear all the costs of Russia''s offensive.


    But in the current situation, Britain and France have only borne 30% of Russia''s offensive costs.


    Thanks to the previous supply transports by Austrsia, there was no sign of a shortage of supplies in Russia.


    But now that Austrsia is also short of supplies, the terrible state of Russia''s domestic production has been exposed.


    Based on the current production speed of Russia''s military industry, they won''t be able to meet the military''s offensive demands. Even if the military on the frontlines switches from offensive to defensive, there may not be enough supplies and ammunition to meet the needs of the defense.


    This means that if the German Armyunches a counterattack on the Eastern Front, the Russian army may lose all the remaining regions due to a shortage of supplies and all previous efforts will be in vain.


    Foreign Minister Alexei is also falling apart at this time. He didn''t expect that Austrsia, which had been diligently transporting supplies to Russia, would face a supply crisis.


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    And Alexei''s previous overpromise to attract the government tounch a war has naturally be an excuse for Nichs II''s ountability.


    Helplessly, Alexei can only seek help from the British and French ambassadors. Britain and France are unwilling to see Russia suffer a defeat on the Eastern Front, so they have no choice but to promise to urgently transport a batch of supplies to Russia, making sure Russia can hold on for three months in a defensive state, waiting for supplies from Austrsia.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    With the promise of Britain and France to transport supplies, the anger of Nichs II is pacified, and Alexei temporarily retains his position.


    Arthur didn''t expect that his decision to restrict supplies to Russia would almost cost the Russian Foreign Minister his position.


    However, this might not necessarily be a bad thing. Some officials in the upper echelons of Russia are indeed utterly corrupt, and if this opportunity can be taken to clean up the Russian government, their lifespan might be extended for a few more years.


    Otherwise, Russia will ultimately fall like a decaying dead tree under the onught of a storm.

 Chapter 512: Chapter 401: Germanys Strategic Shift

    11th May 1915, Germany, Berlin City Pce, Imperial military conference.


    The meeting room in the Berlin City Pce had been brightly lit for two days. William II, along with several senior German officers and Chief of Staff Fakinham, had been holding a conference thatsted for two full days.


    The time of war was so urgent that the sole reason William II, the German Chief of Staff and numerous high-ranking officers were summoned here was that Germany was facing a difficult choice at the moment.


    No matter how proud and arrogant William II was, he too sadly had to admit that Germany had been defeated in the current conflict. Any decision could possibly lead to the obliteration of Germany''s painstaking efforts over decades.


    If the failure on the Westline battlefieldst year had dashed Germany''s hopes for a quick end to the war, the sessive defeats this year on the Eastern Front and the Westline had gradually led Germany to the abyss.


    The scales of victory were not just tipping but nearlypletely leaning in favour of the Allies. If Germany couldn''te up with a corresponding policy, the current situation couldn''t hold on any longer, and defeat in the war was almost inevitable.


    No one could deny the strength of the German military. In this conflict, the German forces'' firepower far exceeded that of Britain and France, and in the early stages, France was almost on the verge of copsing under their attack.


    However, sadly, France had repelled them with a splendid victory. The Westline battlefield, under the joint efforts of Britain, France, and Austrsia, had turned into a war of attrition.


    As the new year dawned, there were frequent reports of defeat on the Eastern Front. Russia had sessively defeated the Austro-Hungarian army and the East Prussian army of Germany, upying Galicia and Cilicia. Germany''s eastern hintend was under imminent threat.


    At this point, Germany''s only reliable ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, had lost most of its main forces, while Italy had joined the Allies.


    The remaining two allies, Turkey and Bulgaria, yed no key role in the war. Together, these two countries were under attack by the coalition of the Balkan nations. Needless to say, they couldn''t even provide support to Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, let alone ensuring their own safety.


    Given these circumstances, one can imagine the current plight of the Central Powers, especially Germany.


    Even if they can withstand the fierce attacks on the Westline battlefield, there is this major enemy, Russia, on the Eastern Front. The Austro-Hungarian Empire is currently severely injured, and Turkey and Bulgaria have been restrained by the Balkan League.


    At present, on both the Eastern Front and the Westline, the only force we can rely on is the German Army.


    Before the war, the Central Powers had been quite confident. It was not a problem for thebined forces of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire to protect the seanes in the Mediterranean. Quickly resolving France on the Westline, the war could end within six months.


    But, unexpectedly, Italy never intended to join the Central Powers. The Austrian navy was driven into disarray in the Mediterranean by France and Russia. They were far from being able to protect the Mediterranean''s shippingnes, even entering the Mediterranean was a question.


    This led to the near severance of the maritime transportation routes of the Central Powers and, coupled with the protracted war of attrition on the Westline battlefield, the Central Powers, initially at a disadvantage in terms of resources, was extremely frustrated.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Speaking to this point, William II harboured even deeper resentment towards Italy. As an inferior power, Italy''s military strength was simply disastrous.


    If it had not been for Germany''s appreciation of Italy''s somewhat decent naval force and the establishment of the Triple Alliance with Italy and Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy would never have been able to achieve such a status today.


    During the Italo-Turkish War, without the support of Austria-Hungary and Germany, Italy would never have been able to expand in the Balkans.


    If Italy had joined the Central Powers, the transportation routes in the Mediterranean would not have beenpletely cut off, and the material supplies of the Central Powers would not have been so scarce.


    The Italian army could also share the burden ofbat operations on the Eastern and Western fronts, and the Central Powers''bat situation in both the East and West would have been much better.


    Chief of Staff Fakinham, tell me about your n!" William II''s gaze turned to the sessor of Little Maurice Johnson, Major General Fakinham, the former Secretary of Army.


    The failure of the war had aged the previously arrogant William II considerably, and his speech was no longer as extreme and haughty as before.


    "Your Majesty, the current situation in the Eastern and Western fronts is very unfavorable for us. Whatever measures we take, we must break away from the situation of the Eastern and Western fronts." The Chief of Staff, Fakinham, replied with certainty.


    "We are finding it difficult to make breakthrough progress on the Westline. Even on the Eastern front, we need most of our troops to deal with Russia and the Balkan League. My suggestion is that we must ensure the survival of our current most important ally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Should they suffer another defeat, they are very likely to withdraw from this war, which would be extremely detrimental to us. Turkey and Bulgaria have little to offer in terms of wartime assistance; without the Austro-Hungarian Empire, our defeat is quite expected." The Chief of Staff, Fakinham, exined the current situation and then turned his gaze towards William II.


    William II nodded. Even though William II''s military aptitude wasn''t all that great, he understood matters a bit morepared to Nichs II, who waspletely clueless about military affairs.


    "So, Chief of Staff, what is your opinion?" William II was well-prepared, asking the question.


    "Your Majesty, even though we have suffered a defeat on the eastern front, that is mainly because most of the forces faced by the Russian army were from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As long as our main forces head to the eastern front, defeating the Russians, even fully driving them out of the war is not impossible.


    Once Russia withdraws from the war, our dilemma of fighting on two fronts would be resolved. A single western front won''t be beyond our capability," Fakinham, the Chief of Staff, slowly outlined the n he had been considering.


    William II nodded but was not prepared to fully change the war strategy right away, instead, he looked at other generals and high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Defence, asking for their opinions.


    The person in charge of the Eastern Front, Hindenburg and Rudolf naturally agreed with Fakinham''s view, whereas the opinions of Group Army Commanders on the Western Front varied, but were generally in favour of continuing the Western offensive.


    After all, if they moved their strategic focus to the Eastern Front, the logistical privileges of the group armies on the Western Front would be downgraded.


    Not only would they end up facing smaller campaigns, but their opportunities to achieve significant feats would also be less. Because the Eastern Front would be the main battlefield of the war, where the opportunity to gain fame and glory is most substantial.


    Seeing that William II was still undecided, Hindenburg threw out some critical intelligence: "Your Majesty, ording to our intelligence, the Russians have amassed arge amount of troops in Galicia, likely to seize the opportunity of our offensive in the west. They might initiate anotherrge-scale strategy.


    If the Russians break through the line and cross the Carpathian Mountains into Hungary, it would be a devastating blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Even if the Empire can withstand it, the Balkan League will take the opportunity to open a new front in the southern region of the Empire.


    Fighting on two fronts has already proved to be adverse for us; it will be impossible for us and the Austro-Hungarian Empire to sustain if a new front opens.


    On the contrary, if we achieve a victory on the eastern front, not only can it provide the Austro-Hungarian Empire with a breather, it can also demonstrate to the nations in the Balkans who the most powerful country in the world is, potentially drawing the Balkans League to our side, changing the current situation of the war."


    For Germany, the worst news at present is that Russia is preparing tounch another campaign on the Eastern Front.


    The Eastern Front has just suffered a defeat, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire is simply not capable of sustaining another significant loss.


    This actually represents a fact, no matter whether the German side is willing or not, the current strategy must be shifted to the Eastern Front unless Germany is willing to lose the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an ally.


    Senior military officers on the eastern and western fronts in Germany looked at each other and eventually had to ept the fact that Germany''s military strength was gradually shifting eastwards, with the primary offensive direction being the Eastern Front.


    "Alright, everyone. Let''s now discuss the concrete ns for the Eastern Front!" William II was somewhat satisfied with the reactions of the officers, at least there were no discontent or disputes arising from the shift of strategy.


    William II first set his eyes on Chief of Staff Fakinham. As the highest decision-maker of the German military, Fakinham''s opinion was crucial, especially since he was the first to suggest a strategic shift to the east.


    "Your Majesty, first and foremost, we need to entirely halt the advances on the Western Front. All forces on the Western Front need to immediately switch to a defensive mode. If necessary, we can surrender all captured territories, retaining only the Belgian Region, which will provide a base for our counter-offensives on the Western Front," Fakinham confidentlyid out his n without hesitating.


    "At the same time, we need to redeploy twenty to thirty divisions from the Western Front to the Eastern Front to help our allies retain the eastern border. If possible, I hope that the our nation can continue to organize at least 50 divisions to join the fight, which would be crucial for the Eastern Front."


    Hearing Fakinham Chief of Staff''s n, William II was somewhat skeptical and asked, "Are you sure about redeploying twenty to thirty divisions from the Western Front? Will the Western Front be alright?"


    "If the Western Front were in an active state of assault, perhaps there would be a problem. But as soon as we enter aprehensive defensive stage on the Western Front, it wouldn''t be a problem to redeploy twenty to thirty divisions.


    As long as we can keep up with the recruitment speed of new recruits in the country, we canpletely fill the shortfall of soldiers on the Western Front within half a year and also strengthen the defense on the Western Front," replied Chief of Staff Fakinham with slight reassurance.


    Despite some apprehension, thebat capability of Germany''s forces was good, and if they were only defending, barring the enemy from breaching the defense line on the Western Front should not be a problem. At least, that''s what Chief of Staff Fakinham believed.


    Only then did William II nod. If they just had to hold out for half a year, the German forces on the Western Front should be able to cope.


    Half a year would suffice for the government to train at least 50 divisions of new troops, which would render significant assistance to the Western Front and the Eastern Front six monthster.


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    More importantly, though the Allies on the Western Front are sizable, the 500,000 Italian forces were notoriously mediocre. Most of the Austrsian forces were alsorgely indigenous armies of only ordinary capability.


    Although the British and French forces numbered over 1 million, theirbat capabilities were somewhatckingpared to German forces; resisting their offenses should not be an issue.


    Following the heavy casualties suffered by both sides, waves of new soldiers have already been sent to the Western Front, which to a certain extent lowered both sides''bat capabilities.


    The British forces, in particr, had initially very few troops and had to recruit soldiers temporarily when the war broke out.


    Thebat quality of these new recruitspared to Germany''s reserve soldiers was much lower, thus creating a significant disparity in thebat power of the respective forces.

 Chapter 513: Chapter 402: Allies Win Great Victory, Russians Beaten Up

    Starting from May 12th, Germany''s strategy officially shifted to the Eastern Front, and a part of the German forces on the Western Front stopped their advance, retreating to the rear to prepare to take trains to the Eastern Front battlefield.


    The sudden cessation of Germany''s military actions was particrly noticeable on the Western Front battlefield. But including Cynthia and everyone else, they all knew that there were no problems with the German forces and that Germany''s logistics supply was still rtively sufficient. The current abnormalities must have something strange behind them.


    Under the extremely cautious attitude of the upper echelons, the Allied forces on the Western Front did not rush forward recklessly. Instead, they firmly held their ground andunched an attack on the German forces ording to the original n.


    Soon, they were surprised to find that the German forces''bat style waspletely different from before. The German forces did not haverge-scale counterattacks, but instead relied on favorable terrain to defend against the Allies'' advances. Even the frequency of artillery bombardment had decreased.


    Although they did not know what was going on, the sudden silencing of the German forces was not a bad thing for the Western Front battlefield.


    If before, the Western Front battlefield was slightly advantageous for the Allies, now, the Western Front battlefield had be a desperate struggle for the German forces.


    On May 13th, the offensive on the Western Front was very sessful, and some areas even approached the original France-Germany border. Further ahead was German territory.


    The Germans'' defensive tactics like a shrinking turtle brought greater casualties to the Allies, but the advance of the Allies did not diminish in the slightest.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    On May 14th, when most of the frontlines had reached the border or even the German territory, the Allied forces finally felt the German forces'' tenacity.


    The entire Western Front was almostpletely blocked outside the border. Even if the Allied forces suffered tens of thousands of casualties every day, they still could not advance a single step.


    At the risk of heavy casualties, the German forces finally blocked the Allied forces outside their borders, and the safety of German territory and urban cities was temporarily secured.


    The sessful defense of the Western Front was good news for both William II and Fakinham. Only Germany knew how weak their forces currently were on the Western Front.


    Up to the present, the number of German Army soldiers has exceeded Russia''s, making thergest among the warring nations.


    Of course, this is not a good thing. Germany currently has 118 divisions, with abat force of nearly 2 million soldiers.


    This number has increased several timespared to ten years ago, and such a huge scale of the army is not a good thing for Germany''s economy.


    In in terms, if the frontlines were not so desperate, Germany would not want to maintain such arge army.


    Out of Germany''s 118 divisions, 65 are currently deployed on the Eastern Front, ounting for more than half of Germany''s total forces.


    At best, there are only 53 divisions on the Western Front. Half of them were recently recruited forces, and theirbat effectiveness was much weakerpared to elite forces.


    These 53 divisions, with less than 1 million soldiers, are facing more than 1 million French soldiers, 200,000 British soldiers, 480,000 from Austrsia, 500,000 Italians, 80,000 Belgians, totaling over 2.3 million soldiers.


    Even if a significant part of the Allied forces is of limitedbat strength, the gap in the number of soldiers is evident. They could overwhelm the German forces by sheer numbers alone.


    With less than 1 million German soldiers able to hold back the offensive of over 2.3 million Allied forces, it not only proves thebat strength of the German forces but also proves that thebat strength of the Allied forces is genuinely terrible.


    Indeed, if it weren''t for the face of their new ally, Arthur would like to criticize the Italian forces'' performance since the beginning of the war.


    Remember, the Italian forces are not facing the powerful German forces, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire, whosebat strength ranks in the middle and lower positions among the powerful nations.


    With a several-fold advantage in the number of soldiers, the Italian forces have fought several shockingly lost battles, greatly boosting the confidence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in defending their territory.


    If it wasn''t for the severe damage to Italy, Arthur would even suspect that there was an undercover agent sent by the allied forces, responsible for reviving the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an enemy.


    The advanced weaponry and equipment sent by the Italian forces could allow the Austro-Hungarian Empire to rearm ten more divisions to fight Italy.


    After stabilizing the Western Front battlefield, William II also turned his attention to the Eastern Front battlefield.


    In order to implement Fakinham''s strategy of quickly defeating Russia and forcing it out of the war, the German General Staff nned to organize arge-scale battle on the Eastern Front, aiming to annihte the entire Russian army''s main force in one fell swoop.


    Speaking of the Russian army, they finally felt the crisis of insufficient logistics at this time. Some frontline forces currently had a shortage of weapons and ammunition, and the ammunition transported from the rear to the frontlines could not match the weapons in soldiers'' hands.


    If it wasn''t for the Russian Chief of Staff dimir''s reform of the Russian army''s poor transportation and logistics system, the Russian army wouldn''t have to worry about their weaponry and ammunition attacks because the food crisis alone would be enough for the army to revolt.


    The nearly 2 million Russian troops on the border, just the consumption of food alone, is enough to give Russia''s logistics department a headache.


    What''s more, due to the war, food production in Russia had already decreased dramatically. Many peasants were conscripted to take up arms in defense of their country, consequently dying agricultural production.


    Since the start of the war, more than half a year has passed, and Russia''s food crisis has be very serious.


    Were it not for the previous supply of food from Austrsia, arge-scale famine might have broken out within Russia.


    Now, the only reason the Russian army is able to scrape together enough food is that they have withheld much of the food supply meant for the civilian poption, causing a noticeableck of food in some areas.


    It is hard to describe the dire situation Russia is currently facing, it''s like a dry, explosives-filled barrel that could explode at the slightest spark.


    On May 15, 1915, just as Nichs II was admiringly reading the Western Front battle reports, Archduke Nichs, the Russian Commander-in-Chief, brought shocking news that the German army hadunched arge-scale offensive on the Eastern Front and was already engaged in battle with the Russian army.


    To know that the German army had only suffered a defeat on the Eastern Front a few days ago, they should not have recovered so quickly and have the confidence tounch such arge-scale offensive against Russia, who had defeated them.


    ording to Archduke Nichs, Germany hadunched a huge offensive involving millions of troops, and their firepower was fierce, with the Russian army already retreating.


    Nichs II''s first reaction was that it was impossible, because there were more than 2 million Allied troops attacking on the Western Front. How could Germany possibly have millions of troops to attack Russia?


    However, the one reporting the news was Russian Commander-in-Chief Archduke Nichs, who did not have the courage or any reason to make such a joke to Nichs II.


    "Is the information urate? How far has the German army advanced?" Nichs II asked incredulously.


    "Your Majesty! Our troops generallyck ammunition supplies, and if there''s no follow-up supply, I''m afraid we won''t be able to hold on for long. Even if the soldiers want to fight for their country, they can''t fight armed German soldiers with guns without bullets!


    Can we first ask for help from Britain, France, and Australia to get enough ammunition supply?" Archduke Nichs did not answer Nichs II''s question but anxiously said instead.


    Poor logistics hindered the Russian army''sbat effectiveness, widening the gap between the fighting capabilities of the German and Russian armies.


    It took Archduke Nichs more than half a day to hurry to St. Petersburg, and he was unsure how far the German army had advanced and if the Russian army would still be able to hold their ground.


    "Where is the Foreign Minister? Tell that useless Aleksei to roll over to me!" After hearing Archduke Nichs''s proposal, Nichs II quickly ordered a guard standing by the doorway.


    About ten minutester, Minister Aleksei rushed in, the cold sweat on his forehead proving his panic.


    "Your Majesty!" Minister Aleksei had no idea why Nichs II had called him over and could only pay his respects first, standing respectfully to the side.


    "Minister Aleksei, the German army hasunched arge-scale offensive on our border, but our frontline soldiersck weapons, equipment, and ammunition supplies. Do you understand what I mean?" Nichs II nonchntly nodded and looked at Minister Aleksei, asking.


    "Yes, I understand, Your Majesty. I will do my best to secure more weapons and ammunition for the soldiers and deliver them to the front line as soon as possible." Minister Aleksei quickly nodded, certain that if he said anything contrary, his position and life would be at risk if not to mention his position.


    As the monarch of an authoritarian country, it would be quite simple for Nichs II to find an excuse to have him killed.


    Moreover, he had indeed betrayed the country, and what he had promised to Britain and France had yet to bepletely fulfilled.


    Only then did Nichs II nod and order, "I hope it will be as soon as possible. Our frontline troops can''t hold on for long. I give you half a month''s time; the frontline troops must see the supply from our allies. Otherwise, it''s time for a new Foreign Minister."


    Wherever Minister Aleksei dared to say anything else, he could only nod and agree. He left the room at the gesture of Nichs II.


    After Minister Aleksei left, Nichs II turned his gaze to Archduke Nichs and ordered, "Nichs, I hope you canmand the troops to resist the German forces until our allies'' aid arrives. I know it''s difficult, but for the empire, the royal family, and the people''s peace, it is something that must be done."


    Russia''s current situation was already quite chaotic, and if any news of a defeat or heavy loss of Russian forces surfaced, Nichs II couldn''t guarantee what could happen within the country.


    The previous victory in battle had just barely appeased the people''s dissatisfaction with the war. If news of defeat or heavy losses emerged, it is uncertain whether the people would be discontented, but the reactionaries and revolutionaries would undoubtedly take advantage of the situation to propagate anti-war theories and even directly criticize the government and tsarist autocracy.


    This also meant that the oue of the frontline battle not only concerned the stability of Russia''s domestic situation, but also the stability of the Tsarist government''s power and that of Nichs II.


    Even if Nichs II had no affection for Archduke Nichs at this time, he had no choice but to pin his hopes on him, expecting him to organize the army to resist the German offensive, at least until the allies'' reinforcements arrived. Only then would the Russian army have the strength to deal with the enemy''s attack and the potential crisis at home.

 Chapter 514: Chapter 403: Complete Annihilation of Russias Army Group

    However, the course of a war cannot be determined by a single person''s desire.


    After the German Army on the East Prussian Front received reinforcements from the Western Front, they once again had enough troops tounch a campaign, and were also equipped with arge number of firearms, machine guns, and sufficient ammunition from the Western Front.


    This raised the confidence of Hindenburg and Rudolf, who, upon intercepting a decrypted telegram from the Russian army revealing ack of logistical supplies, decided immediately to embark on arge-scale campaign before the Russian''s supplies could arrive to neutralize the current Russian forces.


    Telegrams have now be one of the main ways military forcesmunicate, but each country has its own channels, even various encryption methods to make their intelligence andmunication more covert, so that even if intercepted by the enemy, it cannot be deciphered immediately.


    The Germans did not expect the Russians tomunicate using decrypted telegrams. Iing in-text messages, intercepted directly by Germany, revealing Russia''sck of logistical supplies and ammunition, was now also well known to the Germans.


    One of the main reasons why Hindenburg and Rudolf were able to persuade Chief of Staff Fakinham to shift the strategy towards the Eastern Front was because of Russia''s decrypted telegram method.


    This was as if the Russians themselves had informed the Germans about their own intelligence. Under such premises, it would be a real problem if the Germans still lost the war.


    Upon hearing the news, Fakinhamughed and said, "We not only know about Russia''s defense and logistical situation, but also what their front-line troops are doing every month, every week, even every day, as if there is an eye of God watching everything."


    Having aplete understanding of Russia''s army arrangements and situations, Hindenburg and Rudolf decided to take the initiative, focusing on eliminating the Russian army currently stationed on the Eastern Front to alleviate some pressure off the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Hindenburg''s strategy was still based on main front containment and wings nking. Not just Hindenburg, the entire German Army on the Eastern Front essentially adopted this strategy. Firstly, the terrain on the Eastern Front is quite wide, facilitating troops to swing around behind.


    Secondly, such a strategy can minimize the casualties of the German army while maximizing the encirclement and annihtion of the Russian army, close the gap between the German and Russian armies in numbers.


    If a war of attrition were adopted on the main front, even if the German army is very strong, it would still be worn down by the Russian army which is several times bigger.


    The German Tenth Army was responsible for the encircling and outnking task. They were not only tasked to hold back the Russian Tenth Army but also tounch arge-scale nking movement from the right nk of the Russian Northwestern Army, hoping to encircle the entire Russian Northwestern Army.


    The Eighth Army would use part of their forces to contain the Russian army from the main front, distracting their attention. The main force would maneuver around to the left nk of the Russian Tenth Army, and together with the Tenth Army, they would aim for a left-right encirclement, hoping to annihte the entire Russian Tenth Army.


    As long as the Russian Tenth Army could be wiped out, this Eastern Front campaign would be considered a strong start. At the same time, it would greatly alleviate the pressure the Russian army is putting on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    After all, a Russian army group is made up of hundreds of thousands of men. Theplete annihtion of an army group is no small feat.


    To secure the defense of East Prussia, reinforcements would definitely be drawn from other regions, thus reducing the risk to the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s hintend.


    When the Germansunched arge-scale campaign at the border, themanding general of the Russian Tenth Army, Silvestre, carelessly assumed that the Germans were only feigning. Their objective, he thought, was to divert some forces for the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    It was only after receiving countless reports of casualties and consecutive defeats at the frontline that Silvestre realized that the Germans weren''t pretending to attack, they were genuinely taking the fight to them.


    Sluggish Silvestre immediately ordered a counterattack, trying to keep the German army at bay.


    But with the Russian army alreadycking in logistical supplies, coupled with sluggish orders from themander, many troops were decimated by the German charge before they even had the chance to counterattack.


    The only decently-equipped Siberian Third Army, having put up minimal resistance against the German Eighth Army, was forced to retreat hastily.


    On May 16, 1915, the German Tenth Army sessfully circled to the right nk of the Russian Tenth Army. However, they were halted by the Siberian 3rd Army and the 20th Army, failing toplete the encirclement from the left nk.


    The Commanding General of the Russian Tenth Army, Silvestre, seized this final chance and escaped from the German encirclement. The price, however, was the loss of his 200,000 men left trapped in the German encirclement. Those who had truly escaped from the Tenth Army numbered less than half.


    Like letting a part of the Russian army escape, themander of the German Tenth Army also knew that the most important task at hand was to annihte the encircled Russian soldiers.


    On May 17th, the German Eighth and Tenth Armiesunched a fierce attack on the predominately encircled Russian troops.


    After some resistance, these encircled troops eventually chose to drop their weapons and surrender.


    Not to say that the Russian army was fearful of death. In a state of inadequate weapons and ammunition, even elite troops cannot win a war that has already been encircled.


    In thete night of May 17th, the first battle in the East Prussian region finally ended.


    The German Eighth and Tenth Armies were dispatched and trapped most of Russia''s Tenth Army. After sustaining nearly 40,000 casualties, they inflicted 40,000 deaths on the Russian army, 50,000 injuries, and 170,000 captures (including those injured).


    The entire Russian Tenth Army, made up of 360,000 soldiers, had less than 150,000 who escaped. The heavy loss resulted in a significant gap in Russia''s defense in East Prussia.


    By the time this news reached Nichs II, two days had already passed. Under the orders of Archduke Nichs, the Russian Twelfth Army began to attack the overly advanced left and right nks of the German army, trying to inflict a portion of casualties on them.


    However, Hindenburg and Rudolf had already anticipated the counterattack of the Russians. They left behind only a small portion of their military, while the main force escorted over one hundred thousand prisoners back to East Prussia.


    The report of capturing one hundred and seventy thousand soldiers at once, this kind of war report reached Nichs II''s ears, causing him to angrily disband Silvester''s position.


    If it weren''t for Archduke Nichs still resisting the onught of the German Army, perhaps Archduke Nichs''s position as themander of the Russian army would be in jeopardy as well.


    After this blow, the strength of the Russian Northwestern Army is nearly halved. To prevent a German offensive in the East Prussian Region, furious Nichs II ordered the mobilization of two army groups to fill the gaps left by the losses of the Tenth Army.


    Well, if you strike down one of my army groups, I''ll just replenish it with two more. Even with little logistical support, I will wear you out, one life at a time.


    This was Nichs II''s thought, as Russia had an endless supply of manpower. In the absence of weapons and equipment, manpower was the best resource.


    At the same time as Russia was mobilizing soldiers, Hindenburg and Rudolf also implemented their next n, which was to capture Pushasnihi, a crucial military stronghold in the north of Warsaw.


    Knowing that the front-line Russian army wascking ammunition, there was nothing to say. Seizing the opportunity to upy Russian frontline strongholds and military fortresses was the best choice.


    By the time the new Russian army groups arrived, the Germans had already established a solid defense in Pushasnihi. Without ammunition and artillery shells, it was impossible for the Russians to shake such a solid fortress, and they could only give up.


    However, once Russia deployed more troops, the situation in the northwest did stabilize.


    Although when the German Army and the Russian Army came face to face, it was usually the Russian Army that suffered losses.


    This kind of consumption was eptablepared to previous campaigns. For Nichs II and Archduke Nichs, the stability of their positions in the East Prussian Region was most important.


    Of course, this did not mean that the Russian side had no other ns.


    The United Kingdom, France, Austrsia, and even Italy became targets of Russia''s urgent plea for support.


    Firearms, artillery, bullets, shells, food, medical supplies, and various strategic resources, the Russians weed all offers, looking like someone who hadn''t eaten for several days in front of arge feast.


    The British and French have promised to aid Russia with part of weapons and equipment. After all, Britain and France could not sit by and watch Russia be defeated by Germany. Russia was a big bulwark of the Allies on the Eastern Front, taking countless damage for Britain and France.


    This precious asset could not be allowed to be defeated by the Germans. However, thebined aid from Britain and France only amounted to a hundred thousand rifles, tens of millions of bullets and several hundred thousand shells.


    This level of support was just a drop in the oceanpared to Russia''s nearly two million frontline soldiers. Russia has then turned its eyes to its new allies, Italy, and Austrsia.


    The Italians naturally refused, not because they didn''t want to support Russia. It''s just that the Italian Army was a mess on the frontline, causing the Italian Logistics Department to lose hundreds of thousands of rifles, tens of millions of bullets, and arge amount of strategic resources unnecessarily.


    Almost all these supplies were seized by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which also emptied most of Italy''s reserves.


    By the time Russia''s request for help reached Austrsia, it was noon on May 20th.


    It''s not that Russia didn''t value Austrsia. Austrsia has been Russia''s main weapons supplier before the war broke out. A considerable portion of the Russian army''s weapons were manufactured in Austrsia.


    However, during the previous request, Austrsia had already stated that its domestic weapon supplies had reached the bottom. With less than a month having passed since then, Nichs II didn''t believe that Austrsia could manufacture many weapons.


    Arthur had anticipated Russia''s defeat on the front lines. After all, the Russian army''s operational capability is intrinsically weak. Theirbat abilities without ammunition or artillery shells are questionable.


    The unfortunate part is that the force they are facing is currently the most potent German Land Army in the world. In such aparison, it''s impossible for the Russian army not to suffer disastrous losses.


    ording to the Russian ambassador, Arthur keenly sensed that Germany might choose to shift its offensive to the east, just like in history, and hold the defensive line in the west.


    This is both good news and bad news for Arthur. After the German Western Front goes into full defense, the Allied forces'' progress on the Western Front will surely slow down, it could even enter a stalemate.


    This also fulfills Arthur''s strategic goal of dragging the war on for several more years to secure more benefits for Austrsia.


    However, at the same time, when Germany moves its offensive to the east, it bodes ill for Russia.


    Russia is barely holding on in this war, facing the full-scale offensive of the German main force, today''s Russia probably cannot hold on much longer.


    Simply put, if Austrsia does not support Russia, the war may be sessfully postponed, but the price to pay may be that Russia might be incapacitated, even initiating a revolution earlier than in history.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 515: Chapter 404: A Helpless Choice

    "Your Majesty, this is the request for aid telegram from Russia. Please take a look." Foreign Secretary Darren, handed a list of russian supplies requests to Arthur, frowning slightly as he spoke.


    In fact, Minister Taylor could usually agree to requests for supplies unterally, since they would not be given away for free. The Russian side would purchase at a slightly lower price than the market price, so it would be absolutely profitable for Austrsia.


    However, the problem was that the size of the supplies list was so huge that Minister Taylor dared not make a decision rashly, so he had to hand the list to Arthur and wait for hismand.


    When Arthur received the telegram and saw the enormous appetite of the Russians, he was surprised as well.


    One million rifles, 2,000 various caliber artillery pieces, 150,000 marching tents, 300 million bullets, 5 million various types of shells, medicines worth 45 million rubles, food worth 55 million rubles, 300,000 military helmets....


    Austrsia had already shipped supplies to Russia several times in the past. Although the stockpiling of supplies had started a few years ago, not much was left after being consumed at such a high frequency.


    The list of supplies currently requested by the Russians was more than half of Austrsia''s total domestic inventory, and even more than half of some supplies.


    Under such circumstances, Arthur naturally could not agree to all of the Russian demands.


    After all, transporting the supplies to Russia as requested on the list would drastically reduce Austrsia''s stockpile, and some supplies would bepletely exhausted.


    It is essential to understand that the clothes, food, and medicine requested in the list are not only needed by the military but could also be used by civilians.


    As the King of Austrsia, Arthur would naturally prioritize the needs of Austrsians before fulfilling ally obligations and shipping supplies to Russia.


    Not to mention, just one million rifles, 2,000 artillery pieces, and the corresponding ammunition and shells alone could arm at least two army groups, roughly a fighting force of about 1 million people.


    The Russians'' needs certainly could not be thatrge, and Russia had also sent requests for supplies to the British, French, and Italians, so their actual needs might not even amount to one-third of what they requested.


    After some consideration, Arthur decided to reduce the quantity of some items. If the Russians agreed, the supplies could be loaded and shipped immediately.


    If not, it would not matter to them. After all, if Arthur insisted that Austrsiacked supplies, could Russia send someone to verify?


    In fact, the Russian government never thought that Austrsia could transport the supplies as requested on the list.


    After cordial exchanges between the two governments, the amount of supplies to be purchased from Austrsia was finally determined: 300,000 rifles, 500 artillery pieces, 100 million bullets, 3 million shells, 200,000 military uniforms, 1 million tonnes of food, and 500 tonnes of medicine...


    The total value of these supplies already exceeded twenty million pounds, and at Arthur''s repeated request, the Russians adopted a payment method of 2 million poption plus fifteen million pounds.


    Using the 2 million poption to offset a 5 million pounds burden was not a loss for the Russian government, and for the Austrsian government, it was an even greater gain.


    One must know that the number of immigrants from other European countries has significantly decreased by now, and the only reliable source of immigrants is Russia.


    These 2 million Russians could speed up Austrsia''s poption advancement towards the 20 million mark.


    Perhaps Austrsia''s poption could surpass 20 million before the end of World War I, making up for the disadvantage in poption numbers.


    Of course, 20 million poption could only be considered as having the foundation of a strong country. To be a world power, or even a top power and world hegemon, the poption had to be at least in the hundreds of millions.


    In view of the urgent battle situation on the Russian frontlines, in order to deliver these supplies to the Russian front more quickly, Arthur and the Russian side agreed to use three methods to transport supplies to Russia.


    The first was to use airships directly, although an airship could carry at most 40 tonnes of supplies, but there were dozens of transport airships in Austrsia, capable of transporting up to 2,000 tonnes of cargo per trip.


    Moreover, airship transportation was arguably the fastest way. It would take only slightly more than half a month to go from Sydney directly to the Russian frontlines.


    In addition to airship transport, the other two methods were sea transport to divostok via the Siberian Railway or direct sea transport to Russia''s ck Sea coast, where supplies would reach the Russian frontlines bynd.


    Under ideal conditions, these supplies could all be sent to Russia in about a month and a half to two months.


    The Russian army only had to hold on for about half a month before the arrival of the first batch of supplies.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Referring to the current situation where the Russian army was most short of weaponry and ammunition, the first batch of supplies to arrive quickly by airship would be some rifles, arge number of bullets, and shells.


    With the support of these supplies, the Russian army would be able to hold on for longer until more materials arrived.


    Nichs II, upon receiving Arthur''s response, finally rxed his furrowed brows a little.


    Britain and France had also promised to support some supplies, and coupled with the supplies promised by Austrsia, the material crisis currently faced by Russia was finally solved.

 Chapter 516: Chapter 404: A Helpless Choice_2

    However, the attitude of European allies, especially Italy, in directly refusing Russia''s request for assistance, made Nichs II very dissatisfied. He evenined directly in a telegram to the British and French, saying that Italy was a weak and incapable fence-sitter, only considering its own interests.


    In order to save face for Italy, the British and French did not respond, but based on Italy''s performance in the war, Italy would not enter the core circle of the Allies after the war.


    Though the United Kingdom and France provided timely material assistance, Nichs II also understood that what Foreign Minister Alexei had previously said about Britain and France covering all the costs of the battle was a fabrication.


    Although this battle was a huge sess, relieving enormous pressure on the Western Front, and even directly leading to the shift of Germany''s strategy to the east.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, this was good news for Westline countries represented by Britain-France-Australia and Italy, but not for Russia, which was struggling on the Eastern Front.


    This battle consumed more than half of Russia''s ammunition reserves, directly leading to a shortage of weapons and ammunition for the Russian frontline forces.


    It just so happened that Germanyunched arge-scale attack at this time, directly leading to heavy casualties for the Russian Tenth Army Group.


    With such a huge responsibility, the Tsarist Government needed someone to take the me. Regardless of whether Minister Alexei had made any mistakes before, the public''s anger needed a bearer, and the government''s fault needed a scapegoat.


    Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin


    At the new Imperial Conference, in front of all Cab Ministers and military Upper Echelons, Nichs II officially announced the dismissal of Foreign Minister Alexei from his position and initiated an investigation into him.


    Minister Alexei''s forehead was covered in cold sweat, but no one dared to stop Nichs II''s orders.


    After ordering the Prime Minister to temporarily serve as Foreign Minister, Nichs II looked at Archduke Nichs, asking, "Can the military hold back the German offensive before the allies'' assistance arrives?"


    "No problem, Your Majesty," Archduke Nichs decisively answered. "The new Army Group has already reached the front line. As long as there are any soldiers on the front line, it is impossible for the Germans to step over the front line and enter our territory."


    Well, that statement sounds pretty normal. Before the Germans enter the country, the army will retreat, ensuring that there are no living people left on the front lines.


    As the Russians were desperately waiting for the material support from the allies, on the side of the Allied Nations, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were already nning their next offensive.


    Of course, the n was put together by the Germans. As for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, if it wasn''t absolutely necessary, they were no longer considering an attack.


    At the moment, the casualties of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were severe, with their losses even approaching those of the Russians and exceeding them.


    Among all the Powers, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was the only one that had not only lost arge part of its main army but also lost arge piece of territory.


    If Germany had not shifted its strategy in time, and now devastated a Russian Army Group, thus attracting a portion of the Russian forces for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the empire might have already been discussing how to surrender.


    This binary-state nation was destined not toe together in unity when a crisis loomed.


    In fact, after the upation of Galicia by Russia, the Hungarian Government had repeatedly requested assistance from the Vienna Government, asking them to deploy more troops along the Hungarian border and even directly drive the Russians out of Galicia to maintain stability in Hungary.


    But at this time, the Vienna Government had the will but not the strength. The failure of the Battle of Galicia had cost the Austro-Hungarian Empire hundreds of thousands of troops, with only a few main forces remaining to face the joint attack of Italy, the Balkan Nations, and Russia.


    If it hadn''t been for the fact that the Italian Army was just too weak, the Austro-Hungarian Empire might have already been discussing the terms of warpensation.


    May 21, 1915, Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire Conference.


    "Your Majesty, this is Germany''s counteroffensive n. The Germans have already transferred their main force to the Eastern Front, intending to quickly defeat the Russians and let them withdraw from the war to alleviate our pressure on the Eastern Front. However, this counteroffensive n requires our cooperation.


    Conservatively estimated, we need to deploy 500,000 troops." The Austro-Hungarian Chief of General Staff, Conrad, handed an action n to the old Emperor Francis and whispered.


    If it were at the beginning of the war, deploying 500,000 troops would not be a problem for the powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    But now it is in the middle of the war, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire has suffered a lot of casualties. The total number of troops is just over 1 million.


    Excluding the 100,000 garrison troops on the Austronesian border and the 300,000 troops on the borders of Bosnia and Serbia, the remaining Austro-Hungarian troops fighting Russia amount to just over 600,000. The German action n requires the deployment of 500,000 troops, which constitutes the vast majority of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s avable forces.


    Old Emperor Francis took the document without checking it hastily, rubbing his brows and asking, "How many troops have the Germans prepared? What is their tactical n? How do we need to cooperate?"


    At present, for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, deploying 500,000 troops is tantamount to ast-ditch effort. If this German-nned campaign fails and the Empire suffers more casualties, it is very likely that the Empire will be destroyed.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire can still recruit troops domestically, it would be impossible for these new recruits to formbat capabilities without six months of training.


    Furthermore, as the Austro-Hungarian Empire continues to suffer defeats in various wars, the Austrians are coping well, but the Hungarian people no longer support the war.


    Hungarians are already dissatisfied with the massive war funds they have paid, and if they are forced to contribute money and resources, the Austro-Hungarian Empire may disintegrate.


    "Your Majesty, the Germans have amassed more than 1 million troops on the Eastern Front border. In the next two months, at least 200,000 troops will arrive at the front. If we can deploy 500,000 troops, the total number of our allied forces will exceed 2 million, suppressing the Russian forces in terms of numbers.


    Germany will break through from the East Prussian region and the Cilicia region, and they hope that we will follow the Carpathian Mountains northward, directly encircle the Russian army in Pnd and Galicia, and annihte them all. Some of the Russian forces in these areas are the absolute main force of Russia.


    If they are eliminated, the war on the Eastern Front will be won," Major Conrad said confidently.


    From a numerical perspective, this battle n is viable. The Germans im that they have obtained information about the Russians''ck of supplies. If this is true, breaking through and encircling the Russian armies in Pnd and Galicia has hope.


    With 2 million German-Austrian coalition forces fighting against less than 200,000 Russian forces whock logistics supplies, victory can be nned with a foolproof strategy.


    Francis I did not rush to agree but frowned at the military''s frontline troop distribution map and fell into deep thought for a long time.


    But this seems like an excellent opportunity to defeat the Russians, but the problem is that if the Russian main forces escape and are not defeated, it would be a blow that the Austro-Hungarian Empire cannot afford.


    It''s like a high-stakes gamble; if you win, everyone is happy, but if you lose, it could lead to the destruction of the country and the family.


    After a long while, Francis I smiled bitterly and nodded his head, ultimately agreeing to the German n.


    This is thest chance for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to turn the tide and the most hopeful opportunity to win the war so far.


    As it stands, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has no other options. If it does not join Germany in severely damaging or even defeating Russia, it will not be able to withstand the joint offensive from Italy, Russia, and the Balkan nations for long, and failure is just a matter of time.


    Unless the Austro-Hungarian Empire can organize at least 1 million more troops, it will not be able to stabilize the current battlefield situation.


    But the problem is that training and organizing 1 million troops would take at least half a year, and under current circumstances, the Balkan nations and Russia will not give the Austro-Hungarian Empire half a year to develop.

 Chapter 517: Chapter 405: Distribution of Pension Funds

    At the same time as the Allies were nning a major counterattack on the Eastern Front, they were also nning to provide new support to Russia Nation on the Eastern Front.


    There were two routes for Britain and France to transport supplies to Russia Nation: one was from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea, but it would pass through the waters controlled by Germans.


    The second was from the Mediterranean Sea and reached the ck Sea after passing through Constantinople, which was controlled by Turkey.


    The good news was that with the participation of the Italian Descendants, the Allies had an absolute naval advantage on both routes, so the supply lines to Russia Nation were not cut off.


    Especially on the route from the Mediterranean Sea to the ck Sea, although Constantinople had strong seaside fortifications, Turkey was bound to lose all of its European territories under the joint attack of the Balkan nations.


    While Serbia and Russia Nation undertook the majority of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military force for the Balkan nations, the attention of Greece, Montenegro, and Romania was focused on attacking Bulgaria and Turkey.


    With ambitious Serbia, the Balkan nations had an absolute advantage in the Balkan Region, Bulgaria was struggling to defend its territory, and Turkey had almost lost all its European territories except for Constantinople.


    Of course, there was still a reason to fight against Bulgaria and, with most of Serbia''s military forces being constrained by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Turkey''s Constantinople was still fortified for the time being. This also served as a thorn in the side of the Allies.


    If the Allies wanted to transport supplies to Russia Nation as soon as possible, they had to remove the "nail" of Constantinople.


    After much deliberation, the Allies'' internal consultation resulted in the decision to open up a new front on the Balkan Penins, incorporating the Balkan nations and establishing a Balkan Front topletely eliminate Bulgaria and Ottoman Turkey, besieging Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Europe, while opening up trade routes with Russia Nation.


    Of course, since the new battlefield opponents were just Bulgaria and Turkey, and at most a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military, Britain and France did not n to send troops there.


    Aftermunicating with Austrsia, Commander Martin was responsible for the Balkan Front, leading the Guard Division Two, Third Division, Colonial Divisions One, Two, Three, and Four, with more than 100,000 troops to form the Balkan Expeditionary Force. They would join forces with Greece, Romania, Montenegro, and Serbia to attack Bulgaria and Ottoman Turkey and protect the Mediterranean Route.


    Following the defeat of Bulgaria and Turkey, the Balkan Expeditionary Force would join forces with Russia Nation, surrounding Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the east, west, and south.


    In doing so, the German-Austrian duo would be trapped like sitting ducks, not only having their foreign trade and transportation linespletely cut off, but also not receiving any external resources and supply support.


    Toplete the entire encirclement, the end of the war would be in sight. Even if the German-Austrians fought back fiercely, they would be exhausted after numerous rounds of attrition.


    Arthur knew that the Austrsia Army was to support the Balkan nations. In fact, he also supported such a n.


    At present, the Westline Battlefield has entered a stalemate, and Germans are desperately defending themselves. Even under the alliance of Britain-France-Australia-Italy Four Nations, there was no way to deal with Germans in the short term.


    The current Westline Battlefield has be a reaper, harvesting the lives of soldiers from both the Allies and Allied Nations time and time again while the battle lines of the two countries have not moved at all.


    Avoiding such futile consumption is best. After the main Austrsia forces go to the Balkans, they will target Bulgaria, known as the "Balkan Prussia," and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, which could still be considered a major power several decades ago.


    There is a significant gap inbat capabilities between these two countries and Germany, so it is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the fighting ability of the Austrsia Army abroad while gaining enough contributions in the war to obtain more benefits in the future.


    On May 25th, 1915.


    At the same time that the Austrsia Expeditionary Force arrived on the Balkan Penins and prepared tounch the first offensive, the first military promotion and pension ceremony for injured and fallen soldiers were held in Austrsia Domestic.


    Nobody knew how long the war wouldst, so Arthur decided that after each wave of the army''s withdrawal, a military promotion and pension ceremony would be held.


    Only by promptly delivering the pension to the families of fallen soldiers and providingpensation and rewards to all soldiers participating in the war could they do justice to the soldiers'' bravery on the battlefield and their contributions to the country.


    At about ten o''clock at noon, Sydney Pce Square was surrounded by a crowd, including more than 10,000 soldiers from Division Four.


    "Gentlemen,dies. On this special day, we stand together solemnly and sorrowfully tomemorate the more than 10,000 fallen soldiers in the war.


    No one knows how long the war willst, and no one knows how many more soldiers will be sacrificed. However, the belief in protecting the country drives these brave and fearless soldiers to charge at the enemy time after time. Their courage in the face of death brings peace and stability to our domestic life.


    All our soldiers are great, and they may be your fathers, husbands, sons, friends, or people you don''t even know.


    But for the country, the royal family, and all the people, they bravely and fearlessly gave their lives.


    I dere that all fallen soldiers'' families can receive ten times the national per capita annual ie as a one-timepensation, and their children will be funded by the royal family to provide free education until they reach maturity or graduate from high school.


    These fallen soldiers will be buried in the Sydney Heroes Cemetery, where they will be admired and remembered by the people of the nation.


    All injured soldiers can receive double their sry during their recovery period, and those permanently disabled will be given five times the national average annual ie aspensation. The treatment of all injured soldiers will be covered by the state and the royal family.


    Hearing Arthur''s pension policy, some soldiers in the audience couldn''t help but hold their heads high in pride.


    Austrsia''s current pension policy is one of the best in the world, and it is firmly implemented.


    It is worth noting that Austrsia has rtively fewer casualties among the major warring nations, which is the fundamental reason why Austrsia can firmly implement the pension policy.


    Take Russia as an example. At present, the number of deaths in Russia has reached hundreds of thousands, and the number of casualties has exceeded one million.


    With such arge number of casualties, even if each person werepensated with merely a hundred rubles, the total cost would be in the billions of rubles, or over 10 million pounds.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    And a hundred rubles ofpensation is just over ten pounds, which is undoubtedly a drop in the bucket for the families of the injured and deceased soldiers.


    This is actually one of the reasons why Russia copsed rtively quickly in the original history. Russia mobilized tens of millions of troops intobat, with casualties reaching millions.


    But among these millions of Russian casualties, pitifully few could receive a pension.


    Many Russian peasant families, after sacrificing an able-bodied adult, not only received nopensation but had to face even higher taxes.


    And that''s not all, many Russians also faced job losses, reduced ie, price increases caused by intion, shortages of supplies, and other factors. Public discontent inevitably led to rebellion.


    In addition to thepensation for the dead and injured soldiers mentioned above, all soldiers of the Fourth Division were awarded twice the nation''s annual ie in addition to their wages, in recognition of their contribution in the war.


    Soldiers, the royal family, and the government will never forget your contributions to the war, and neither will I.


    May Austrsia grow stronger under your protection, and may all Austrsians live without fear of war, hunger, poverty, and disease, and enjoy peace, health, and happiness in Austrsia."


    The cost of these pensions and rewards is not insignificant. Based on the scale of over 2,000 deaths and over 6,000 injuries in the Fourth Division, the cost for the Fourth Division alone has exceeded two million Australian dors, almost one-fiftieth of the current annual ie of the Austrsian government.


    Of course, Arthur would not miss such an excellent opportunity to win the hearts and minds of both the public and the military.


    All pensions and rewards for the soldiers were funded by the royal family and personally given to every soldier or soldier''s family member.


    This made each soldier even more loyal to the royal family, and the families of the deceased soldiers were grateful to the royal family, without anyints.


    ording to Austrsia''s pension policy, fallen soldiers can receive 10 times the average annual ie, or more than 500 Australian dors, aspensation.


    This amount is actually quite substantial and enough to buy a property in downtown Sydney, start a small-scale factory and be a small capitalist.


    Alternatively, buying arge amount ofnd in the suburbs to be a farm or ranch owner is another good option.


    Based on the pre-war value of 7.33 grams of gold per pound, more than 500 Australian dors is equivalent to nearly 3.66 kg of gold. Ifpared to the prices inter generations, this pension is equivalent to more than a million dors.


    Of course, if considering the difference in prices over about 100 years, this amount would likely need to be multiplied several or even more than ten times.


    Regardless, this pension is not a small amount and is sufficient for the families of fallen soldiers to lead a better life.


    In addition, the government will also cover the education of the deceased soldier''s children, further saving their families a considerable expense.


    In order to reassure all the soldiers, Arthur promised that they could go to the Royal Bank today to receive their pensions and rewards.


    As long as they could provide the soldiers'' personal and family information, they could choose between checks or cash as payment methods. Or they could continue to deposit in the Royal Bank and enjoy the highest interest rates on their savings.


    For Arthur, it''s best to have the pension and rewards delivered to the soldiers on the same day as they are promised.


    Making promises and not delivering would only arouse the resentment of the people. In any case, Arthur had already earned several times the 2 million Australian dor cost from military trade with Russia.

 Chapter 518: Chapter 406: Siege of Bulgaria

    After the constion segment, it was time for the military rank promotions and rewards for all soldiers.


    Starting with the Fourth Division''s Brigadier General Scott, who was sessfully promoted to Major General, bing one of the few high-ranking officers in Austrsia.


    The Chief of Staff for the Fourth Division was promoted to Brigadier General, and the instructor was promoted to Colonel. Soldiers who performed courageously in the war and earned merits were also rewarded.


    Just as the Fourth Division''s rewarded officers and soldiers were cheering and celebrating, the offensive on the Balkan Penins was officiallyunched.


    After arriving in the Balkan Penins, Commander Martin contacted Greece, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia, gained the support of these countries, and became the suprememander of the Balkan Front.


    Of course, these countries had no chance to refuse, as Commander Martin''s appointment was a joint decision of the four Allied powers. They would be wise toply with the instructions unless they could challenge all four powers.


    Under Commander Martin''s nning, arge-scale campaign on the Balkan Front was about to beunched.


    There were two enemies on the Balkan Front, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Turkish Empire.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although the Ottoman Turkish Empire was muchrger in size than Bulgaria, the Bulgarian army had slightly betterbat capabilities than the Ottoman Turkish Empire''s army when it came to military force.


    More importantly, the Bulgarian army''s numbers were smaller, and after the previous chaos, the number of Bulgarian troops had dropped below 200,000.


    But the entire Balkan Front had 150,000 Serbian troops, 200,000 Romanian troops, 100,000 Greek troops, 50,000 Montenegro troops, and 100,000 Austrsia troops.


    Such troop numbers formed an overwhelming advantage, and neither Bulgaria nor Ottoman Turkey had any means to resist.


    After discussions, Commander Martin decided to defeat Bulgaria first. For one, Bulgaria had fewer soldiers, andpared to the vast territory of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, Bulgaria was the easier problem to solve.


    Secondly, to deal with the Ottoman Turkish Empire, it was necessary to capture the stronghold of Constantinople.


    In order to prevent Bulgaria and Ottoman Turkey from attacking from both the north and south, it became necessary to defeat Bulgaria first.


    On May 27, 1915, following Commander Martin''s order, Romanian, Serbian, Greek, Montenegrin, and Austrsia Expeditionary Forcesunched aprehensive offensive against Bulgaria from the north, west, and south.


    The main attack area was on the western border of Bulgaria. There were 150,000 Serbian troops, 50,000 Montenegrin troops, and 100,000 Austrsia Expeditionary troops stationed there.


    Since Bulgaria''s capital, Sofia, was located near the western border, the border between Serbia and Bulgaria became the primary direction of the offensive.


    In order to end the battle as soon as possible, the Balkan Front assembled over 2,000 artillery pieces for a brutal bombing of Bulgaria''s border.


    In just one day, the entire Balkan Front consumed millions of artillery shells, all of which hit Bulgaria''s border, leaving the Bulgarian army greatly shocked.


    This was not a psychological shock, but a physical one.


    Heavy artillery bombing made Bulgarian army positions unstable, and some crude concrete positions even copsed directly, putting Bulgarian soldiers inside into eternal sleep.


    It was conservatively estimated that there were tens of thousands of Bulgarian soldiers killed either directly by artillery fire, by shockwaves, or buried alive due to copsed positions.


    Although the number of casualties did not exceed one-fifteenth of Bulgaria''s total, the constant bombing of one day greatly reduced the morale of the Bulgarian army.


    More severe was the fact that due to suchrge-scale bombing, the army''s logistics could not be sent to the front, and the wounded could not be transported to the rear. The cries of pain from the wounded could be heard everywhere in the positions.


    After a whole day of heavy bombing, the Bulgarian soldiers finally gained a brief respite.


    It was actually because the Balkan Front''s ammunition reserves were not enough. In one day, they had consumed millions of shells, leaving the not-so-distant Russian army envious but helpless.


    While the Bulgarian army was busy transporting the wounded to the rear, the charge of the Allied forces on the front line was officiallyunched.


    Leading the way were several divisions from the Austrsia colonies. It was not that the natives weren''t afraid of death, but they were faced with subsequent bullets from behind.


    The indigenous soldiers cried and screamed as they charged towards the enemy''s position, causing a considerable effect on the already chaotic Bulgarian soldiers in front.


    Because of thenguage barrier, the indigenous soldiers yelling and shouting while charging seemed like enraged howls to the Bulgarian soldiers, as if the Grim Reaper wasing for their lives.


    The sight of the vast army charging immediately rmed the Bulgarian soldiers who had just rxed and were preparing to rest. They were hustled out of their resting area by the shouts of their officers and formed lines in the trenches.


    As the frontline closest to the Bulgarian capital and taking into ount that the rtionship between Serbia and Bulgaria was the worst among the Balkan countries, the number of Bulgarian soldiers stationed at this border was also thergest, once amounting to 150,000 people.


    However, with the war consuming numbers, the total number of troops stationed at this border was now less than a hundred thousand, far behind the Allied forces.


    On the Bulgarian border, the Allied forcesunched a fierce attack. The Serbian and Montenegrin armies charged with extraordinary ferocity, because after the failure of Bulgaria, they would be able to gain arge amount ofnd and benefits, just like in the Second Balkan War.


    At this time, themander-in-chief of the Bulgarian border had lost all hope. He had just received news that it was not only the western border, but there were also attacks from Romania and Greece in the north and south.


    It was obvious that Bulgaria was the first target of the Balkan countries for the Allies.


    Under the fierce attacks of arge number of armies, the Bulgarian forces suffered nearly 40,000 casualties in just two days, a decrease of one-fifth of thebat troops.


    It should be mentioned that the reason Bulgaria joined the Allied forces was due to its poor rtionship with the other Balkan countries.


    For the other Balkan countries, in order to be able to carve up more interests after the war, they put nearly all their effort into the attack on Bulgaria, using the majority of their forces and mobilizing all kinds of resources within the country to transport to the frontlines.


    Faced with the deep hatred and enmity of the other Balkan countries, the Bulgarian government was in a predicament at this time.


    Judging by the current situation, Bulgaria''s defeat is a foregone conclusion. But the problem is that Bulgarians bear a strong grudge against the Balkan countries led by Serbia.


    Right after the First Balkan War, the Balkan countries, led by Serbia, joined forces against Bulgaria, leading to the breakout of the Second Balkan War, which resulted in Bulgaria losing arge portion of its newly upied territory and even some of its original territory.


    Filled with deep hatred, if the Bulgarian government dared to propose peace talks, angry Bulgarian citizens would likely stagerge-scale protests,


    and even go against the government and the royal family.


    By this time, Bulgaria''s Tsar Ferdinand, a proponent of war before its outbreak, had disappeared, attempting to shift the responsibility of the war entirely onto the government.


    Of course, Ferdinand''s current title is not that of a king, but rather, the self-proimed Tsar.


    Speaking of Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, his experience was somewhat simr to Arthur''s, both of whom came from the same German family, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, andpared to Bulgaria, Ferdinand was also a foreign monarch.


    In 1886, a coup broke out in Bulgaria, and the then ruling Alexander I, who had only been in power for seven years, was forced to abdicate and Ferdinand, who served as an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was elected as the new Crown Prince of Bulgaria.


    To prevent Russia from gaining control of Bulgaria, the road of election to monarchy in Bulgaria was extremely difficult.


    Bulgaria''s government searched all the way from Denmark to the Caucasus, even conceiving the idea of inviting the king of Romania to be Bulgaria''s crown prince, almost establishing a dual state system simr to the Austro-Hungarian Empire with Romania.


    Although Ferdinand eventually became Crown Prince of Bulgaria, the move was met with skepticism by many European royal families, including Arthur''s grandmother, Queen Victoria.


    This resulted in Ferdinand not gaining much power during the early period of his reign as Crown Prince, with the government''s power being controlled by the leader of the Liberal Party, Stefan Stammbolov.


    It wasn''t until after the assassination of Stefan Stammbolov that Ferdinand gradually gained control of Bulgaria''s political situation and obtained a considerable amount of power.


    But now, Ferdinand truly wished for Stefan Stammbolov to be resurrected, best to take control of Bulgaria''s political situation once more.


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    Bulgaria''s defeat in the war had be a foregone conclusion, and there must be someone of great influence to bear the responsibility of failure.


    Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria knew very well that as the main advocate and person who personally started the war, he was very likely to be held ountable after the war and may lose the throne of Bulgaria, just like his predecessor Alexander I.


    For Ferdinand, this was not good news. Although he would still be a member of the great Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family if he lost the throne of Bulgaria, his father was Prince Albert, the brother of King Fernando II of Portugal.


    However, the problem was thatpared to being a powerful ruler like the Tsar of Bulgaria, the huge gap in one''s ordinary royal family status would be enough to drive him to despair.


    For an individual who had held the highest level of power, the tremendous loss of status and authority was unbearable. The double emptiness in both body and mind could lead a normal person to break down and could erode any confidence they might have.

 Chapter 519: Chapter 407: Transaction

    Although the war was going very unfavorably for him, Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria did receive some good news ¡ª that among the Four Great Powers of the Allies, two of them belonged to the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Family, like himself.


    Although neither King George V of Britain nor King Arthur of Austrsia were closely rted to Ferdinand, they were still his kinsmen from the same family, so there should have been no need forplete extermination.


    With such expectations, Ferdinand began attempting to contact the Allies, discussing how to end the war with smaller losses.


    Yes, although arge number of Bulgarian troops were still fighting bravely on the front lines to defend their country, Ferdinand, who was in Sofia at that time, was already thinking about how to protect his own and the royal family''s interests and how to stabilize his position after the war.


    Ferdinand sessfully yed the spirit of "only theyman dies, not the royalties", as long as his power and position were notpromised after the war, anything could be abandoned.


    For this reason, when Ferdinand contacted the Allies, he deliberately did not inform the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, so that after agreeing with the Allies, the Prime Minister would bear the responsibility forunching and participating in the war.


    Although the military was more proactive and held greater responsibility before the war, Tsar Ferdinand still needed the military to maintain stability in Bulgaria and his position after the war, and so he could not afford to offend the military no matter what the situation.


    Ferdinand fully exerted the spirit of prioritizing the heavy when two powers benefited him and prioritizing the light when two powers harmed him. He had no hesitation in abandoning any advantage, and had even already decided on the range ofnd to cede after the defeat.


    If the Bulgarian troops on the front lines knew of Ferdinand''s actions, they might have to say, "Your Majesty, why are you surrendering when we are prepared to die fighting?"


    Of course, Ferdinand''s confidentiality work was very well done, at least the Bulgarian soldiers in the front line had not learned that Ferdinand was already nning to surrender.


    Piles of supplies were transported to the front lines, not only bearing the government''s ardent expectations for the war, but also the longing of the Bulgarian people for victory in the war.


    May 30, 1915, on the front line borders.


    Tsar Ferdinand initially contacted Britain and France because it was with Russia''s support that the Balkan Nations hadunched the Second Balkan War. As a result, Ferdinand never considered contacting Russia first.


    As for Austrsia, although it was one of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, along with Britain, France, and Russia, it was too small and too far from Europe to y a crucial role in the European situation.


    However, to Ferdinand''s surprise, the unified position of Britain and France was that Brigadier General Martin of Austrsia was the suprememander of the Balkan Front, and Austrsia had independentmand of its troops.


    This meant that unless Austrsia and Brigadier General Martin agreed, the war in the Balkan Region would continue, and the Balkan Nations would only agree to sit at the negotiating table with Bulgaria after obtaining satisfying benefits.


    This made Ferdinand nervous in an instant. If the Balkan Nations were allowed to divide Bulgaria, the losses suffered by Bulgaria in this war would be enormous, and the Bulgarian people would not ept such a war oue.


    Even if the Prime Minister was pushed to the forefront to take responsibility afterward, it might not hold up. The angry Bulgarian people might overthrow the government and even the royal family behind it.


    Subsequently, Ferdinand sent his trusted aides on an airship to quickly reach Austrsia, striving for an agreement and forgiveness from Austrsia and an end to the war in the Balkan Region.


    It was already mid-June when Arthur received the representatives sent by Ferdinand in Sydney Pce.


    Although the telegram was faster than the airship as a means ofmunication, Ferdinand did not dare to risk being discovered by the government and civilians, so it was undoubtedly safer to send trusted representatives tomunicate in private.


    "Your Majesty, please, in view of the rtionship between our Tsar and your family, let your army stop the attack on the Balkan Region. To show our sincerity, we are willing to surrender to Austrsia and ept a reasonably fair peace treaty," Ferdinand''s representative pleaded pitifully as soon as he saw Arthur.


    There was no doubt that it was impossible for Ferdinand''s aide to form a bond with Arthur. Not to mention that Arthur''s soul was not very familiar with the people of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family, even if they were familiar, private interests could not have influenced them when representing the interests of their respective countries.


    Just like Arthur''s Queen Mary, who came from the Russian monarchy, it was impossible for Arthur to save the Russian monarchy by using all of Austrsia''s resources for Mary''s sake.


    At most, for the sake of Austrsia''s interests, they would allow Tsarist Russia to exist longer, but only on the premise that Austrsia did not suffer any losses.


    Therefore, Ferdinand''s attempts to get closer were simplyughable in Arthur''s eyes. King George V and Kaiser William II were closer cousins, and they all went to war for their respective countries'' interests, right?


    "Mr. Kosnov, I am pleased that your country has found its way back, but the war in the Balkans cannot be decided by Austrsia alone. We must notify our allies Britain, France, and Russia, and inform the various Balkan nations to obtain the consent of all countries and forces involved.


    If your country is truly sincere, as long as we can obtain approval from all the aforementioned nations, we will dly allow the Balkans to enter a state of peace and end this war through peaceful negotiations." Arthur said with a smile.


    Hearing that Arthur was not impressed by the rtionship, Kosnov quickly continued, "Your Majesty, to demonstrate our sincerity, we are willing to offer 50 billion leva inpensation to your country and the Balkan nations, cede the West Sevres region, and guarantee no further contact with the Allied Nations.


    We hope that Your Majesty will consider the connection between the Bulgarian royal family and the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family, and bring peace back to the Bulgarian people." Find your next read at m_v l|e-NovelBinn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When Arthur saw that their real conditions had beenid out, he nodded and said, "Your country''spensation will still need to be discussed in future peace negotiation meetings. If you truly desire peace, then tell Ferdinand to order all Bulgarian troops to cease resistance, and the Allied forces will officially take over Bulgaria.


    Considering our joint signing of the European royal family deration, I will persuade other countries to allow Ferdinand to remain on his throne."


    Arthur knew very well that Ferdinand''s true purpose was not to promote peace talks for Bulgaria, but to ensure his position as king after the war.


    For Ferdinand, it was not important whether there was war or peace; what mattered was that his kingship was protected.


    If the war were won now, Ferdinand would be thinking about how to carve up thend of other countries to secure more benefits for himself.


    Hearing Arthur expose the purpose of his visit, Kosnov immediately nodded his head without any hesitation.


    Although Ferdinand was much older than Arthur, there was nothing wrong with Arthur, in his current position, addressing Ferdinand directly by his first name.


    On the contrary, Kosnov heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Ferdinand''s kingship was protected, the issue of Bulgaria ceding territory and payingpensation would be handled by the prime minister, and the public anger would be directed toward the government and the prime minister.


    Upon achieving his goal, Kosnov immediately went to the Bulgarian embassy in Austrsia and sent a ssified telegram to Ferdinand.


    The content of this confidential telegram was very simple, and ordinary people would not be able to decipher any secrets, but Ferdinand knew at a nce that Kosnov''s mission had been sessful.


    On June 11, 1915, the Bulgarian army had already been retreating, and they were not far from their capital, Sofia.


    Although Ferdinand had already decided to surrender to the Allies, it would absolutely not be him who would take the initiative to do so.


    After all, the people of Bulgaria were originally warlike, and most of them were belligerent.


    In World War I, Bulgaria had a poption of only over 4 million but mobilized more than 1 million troops, showing the fierceness and belligerence of the Bulgarian people.


    Today''s Bulgaria is not much different, with a simr poption of over 4 million, mobilizing more than 400,000 troops, averaging one in three Bulgarian men joining the army. This shows the extent of the Bulgarian people''s madness for war.


    At a time when frontline troops were still fighting fiercely, if Ferdinand were to publicly surrender, his prestige among themon people would undoubtedly be greatly diminished.


    Therefore, it is best to find someone, someone with enough weight in the government, to be the first to call for a surrender.


    Without a doubt, the Bulgarian prime minister is the most suitable choice. As the prime minister handpicked by Ferdinand, his loyalty to Ferdinand is still very high.


    In order to make the prime minister disregard his reputation and work for himself, Ferdinand has used various methods to eventually make the Bulgarian prime minister agree to take the me.


    On June 12, the Bulgarian prime minister delivered a public speech, stating that Bulgaria had reached a dead end and that it was better to take the initiative to surrender in order to protect their interests rather than be defeated by their enemies and have their country divided.


    This speech caused an uproar among the Bulgarian people, and even during the prime minister''s speech, many Bulgarian people tried to rush to the stage to beat up this shocking prime minister.


    Had it not been for the police and the military guarding the scene, the Bulgarian prime minister might not have even lived to see the judgment of justice, as he would have been beaten to death by the enraged Bulgarian people.


    Of course, the prime minister''s speech could not have been without impact on the Bulgarian people.


    A few Bulgarian people looked back and sadly realized, as the prime minister had said, that there seemed to be no hope of victory for Bulgaria.


    Meanwhile, at Ferdinand''s behest, the government began to control the withdrawal of the army one after another, and the Allied forces easily reached Sofia, surrounding the capital of Bulgaria.

 Chapter 520: Chapter 408: The Fall of Constantinople

    Bulgarians might be fearless and good at fighting, but this doesn''t mean they are simple-minded, muscle-bound fools.


    On the contrary, when the allied forces were only a few kilometres away from Sofia, the furious criticism and usations towards the Prime Minister from the Bulgarians began to turn into panic. Suddenly, the support for the Prime Minister started to increase.


    At this moment, Ferdinand became rather shrewd, he refrained from being involved in the current affairs of Bulgaria, acting indifferent, waiting for the situation in Bulgaria to develop.


    In fact, this indeed was the wisest decision he could make. For present-day Bulgaria, both the pro-war and pro-peace factions have their mistakes. Only by emerging from the current abyss in Bulgaria is it possible to save themselves and survive the war.


    With Ferdinand refrained from getting involved, the Bulgarian government seemed to be quite chaotic. The pressure the Bulgarian government faced caused by the imminent army invasions and the quarrelling between the pro-war and pro-peace factions resulted in Bulgaria missing thest opportunity to defend Sofia.


    On June 14, 1915, after a day of resistance, the Bulgarian army officially surrendered. The Allied forces officially upied Sofia, gaining control over the city.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Almost at the same time, the Bulgarian government also dered surrender and ordered the Bulgarian military nationwide to cease resistance.


    Without any resistance from the Bulgarian government and military, taking over all cities in Bulgaria became extremely smooth.


    The Bulgarian army was fully disarmed and dispersed to different locations for surveince, preventing any unforeseen incidents they might cause.


    When the news of Bulgaria''s official surrender was propagated to Europe and other parts of the world, the allied army in the Balkan front was celebrating in Sofia.


    For the Allied Nations, Bulgaria''s surrender boosted the morale of their entire alliance.


    As a nation that joined the war considerablyte in World War I, Bulgaria had publicly surrendered in just a few months, even without waiting for support from the Austro-Hunagrian Empire and Germany.


    This symbolised one thing: the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany are already overwhelmed with their problems, and the Allies'' victory is nigh.


    People always pay special attention to their first time experiences. Even though Bulgaria''s status among the parties of the Axis wasn''t that important, it was the first to surrender, so the news of Bulgaria''s surrender was widely reported by the media of the Allies and became the biggest news of June.


    After deploying nearly one hundred thousand troops from Serbia, Romania, Greece, and Montenegro to control Bulgaria, Brigadier General Martin, with a remaining force of over four hundred thousand, set off from southern Bulgaria on a direct route to Constantinople.


    The history of Constantinople traces back to a thousand years ago. Since the Eastern Roman Empire period, it has been one of the world''s strongest fortresses.


    Of course, at present, with the rapid development of artillery of various calibres, Constantinople doesn''t seem to be that impregnable anymore.


    To conquer this solid fortress, Brigadier General Martin pooled together 2000 cannons of at least 150mm calibre from the Balkan Nations, Russia, and even British and French, andunched arge-scale bombing on Constantinople.


    Of course, besidesunching an assault on Constantinople, Brigadier General Martin also decided to use a part of his forces tond on the Little Asia Penins controlled by the Ottoman Empire and cut off all logistic supplies to Constantinople from the rear.


    The golden age of the Ottoman Empire is traced back to hundreds of years ago, the empire used to be a powerful country stretching through the Europe, Asia, and Africa continents.


    Of course, now the Ottoman Empire can''t be even considered a power, and its strength among secondary powers is also not considered very strong.


    But currently, the Ottoman Empire still holds vast territories, including a small part of European territories including Constantinople and most of the Middle East.


    However, this is primarily because the petroleum in the Middle East was yet discovered, and also that petroleum isn''t as important as it was in theter period.


    The Ottoman Empire did not know that there is arge amount of wealth, sufficient to bury the whole empire, under theirnd.


    Without saying anything else, at least for the next 150 years, petroleum would definitely be one of the most important energy sources in the world, and all great nations are vying for this resource.


    Austrsia is not short of mineral resources, but the petroleum resources in Austrsia are not that abundant, even more, not worth mentioning whenpared to the total petroleum reserves in the Middle East.


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    ording to the data fromter generations, the petroleum reserves in the Middle East alone ount for nearly 70% of the total petroleum reserves in the world.


    This implies that, as long as one can control the Middle East, they can control the price of petroleum worldwide, and counterbnce all petroleum-exporting countries, including Russia, which also has abundant reserves of petroleum and natural gas.


    Therefore, previously upying part of the Middle East, at least owning part of the petroleum reserves, is currently the most important thing for Austrsia.


    Luckily at present, the onlypetitors in the Middle East are Britain and the Ottoman Empire, and the realpetitor is only Britain, so it shouldn''t be a problem to at least obtain a part of the region.


    In terms of upying more regions, it can only be possible after World War II when Britain truly declined.


    The reason why Brigadier General Martin decided tounch from the Little Asia Penins is also to implement Arthur''s strategy of upying a part of the Middle East.


    After all, if no ground forces arending, it would be nonsense to talk about upying any regions.


    From the current situation map of the Middle East, it can be seen that the regions of Kuwait, Oman, and Yemen are upied by Britain. The other regions are controlled by the Ottoman Empire or the local Indigenous peoples.

 Chapter 521: Chapter 408: The Fall of Constantinople_2

    The important oil-producing region of Sutton Arabia inter generations was still a barren desert with few traces of human activity at this time.


    This also meant that Larasia had a lot of room for choice, selectingnd with rich oil reserves and easy to control.


    On June 17th, the Allied forces sessfullynded on the Little Asia Penins and quicklyunched a fierce offensive.


    The nearest Bulgaria to the Ottoman Empire had already surrendered, and the Ottoman Empire had be the most miserable country among the allies, with no ally to support it.


    Of course, there are only three countries left in the Allies, and besides Germany still has somebat capability, both the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire are already in dire straits.


    More importantly, there were as many as one hundred thousand Ottoman troops stationed in Constantinople, guarding the capital of the empire.


    This has led the Ottoman Empire to be in a state of war on two fronts, the European battlefield and the Asian battlefield, making the already weak Ottoman Empire exhausted and struggling to cope.


    If you want to get into the details, the border between the Ottoman Empire and Russia in the Caucasus is asionally patrolled by Russian cavalry troops.


    Although they did notunch an attack, the Ottoman Empire did not dare to take the risk, and the border guards were on high alert, only to be met with thin air.


    In the southern region bordering the British colony, the Ottoman Empire also faced asional attacks from the British army.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although the attacking forces were all local indigenous people, their rtively advanced equipment and the fact that they were far from the Ottoman Empire''s homnd made logistics very troublesome, causing a lot of trouble for the Ottoman Empire.


    Between the Caucasus and the southern border, nearly 400,000 Ottoman troops were held up. Adding to the more than one hundred thousand troops trapped in Constantinople, nearly half of the Ottoman Empire''s total force of more than one million were held up, leaving only over 500,000 avable troops.


    To show support for thending campaign on the Little Asia Penins, at Commander Martin''s request, Britainunched a feint attack on the Ottoman Empire from Egypt, Yemen, and the Oman region, and the Russians in the Caucasus also mobilized some troops.


    Although it was a feint attack, the number of Suez Canal defenders and Egyptian indigenous troops was nearly 300,000, far more than the mere hundred thousand Ottoman defenders deployed in the region.


    In addition to support from Oman and the Caucasus, the Ottoman Empire was horrified to find itself engaged in five-front warfare, which was even worse than the situation faced by Germany.


    It should be known that in the First Balkan War, the Ottoman Empire failed to defeat even the Balkan League.


    Although the Italian army is a distraction, itsbat effectiveness is far behind that of the Austrsia Army.


    At present, the Ottoman Empire is not only facing the Balkan League and the Austrsia, but also a small contingent of Russian and British troops.


    Such a situation is daunting even for a fully victorious Ottoman Empire, let alone the current one, and it would have to be determined to fight to the death in order to have a chance of winning.


    As for the current Ottoman Empire, Arthur could imagine the final oue with his eyes closed. The Ottoman Empire could not even defeat Italy, let alone the nearly 500,000 troops now on the Balkan Front, and the help of Britain and Russia.


    In fact, Commander Martin originally only expected the Russians to hold the Ottomans in the Caucasus.


    But Russia and the Ottoman Empire had long-standing feuds, and after the Ottoman Empire showed weakness, the Russian army attacked even more fiercely, seemingly about to open up a new front in the Caucasus.


    It seemed that the siege of Constantinople was actually the slowest progress. Within just a few days, the Allies achieved a great victory in the Middle East, with the Ottoman army retreating in disarray, and the Allied forces advanced tens of kilometers in just a few days.


    At this time, the Ottoman Empire could no longer cope, but each of these regions was quite important to the Ottoman Empire, and giving up too easily could lead to even more severe consequences.


    As for the Arabian Penins, most of the region is desert and the poption is not toorge, so the Ottoman Empire has strategically withdrawn and dered its abandonment.


    But the Ottoman Empire does not dare to give up the further north Syria region. To put it bluntly, if the Ottoman Empire dares to give up, the British army could control Syria at any time and establish a British Syria colony.


    And in the Caucasus, the Russians'' desire to fight was already very strong. Even if the Ottoman army surrendered now, the Russians would probably continue to kill.


    The Iraq region is even more indispensable, with arge poption and material resources. Once abandoned, thend controlled by the Ottoman Empire would be limited to the Turkish part, and even the secondary power status would be lost.


    As for the Little Asia Penins, it is the most important region outside of Europe for the Ottoman Empire, which has deployed hundreds of thousands of troops here to defend it, but still cannot resist the Allied forces.


    At this time, the situation of the Ottoman Empire was even worse than that of Russia. Because various territories within the country had been upied, the Ottoman army not onlycked weapons and ammunition, but also clothing and food, let alone medical supplies.


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    In just a few days, the offensive of the Allied forces had caused more than one hundred thousand casualties to the Ottoman Empire, and the number of deaths had exceeded twenty thousand.


    It doesn''t seem like much, but that''s because the Allied forces haven''t mobilized arge number of heavy weapons yet. When heavy weapons are transported to the major battlefields, the number of Ottoman casualties will only rise in a straight line.

 Chapter 522: Chapter 408: The Fall of Constantinople_3

    The situation faced by the defenders of Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire could only be imagined given the nation''s internal difficulties.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Constantinople had stored arge amount of supplies and had a poption besides more than a hundred thousand defenders, the speed of resource consumption could be seen.


    At present, Constantinople is in dire need of food, weapons, ammunition, and medical supplies, with some people offering high sums for medicines but unable to find any.


    From June 17th to June 22nd, under Commander Martin''s orders, the Allied forcesunched a six-day bombing campaign against Constantinople, consuming a total of 2.2 million artillery shells and depleting the ammunition reserves of both the Balkan nations and the entire Balkan front.


    Of course, this prolonged bombardment yielded significant results. The once-stroud Constantinople began to show cracks, and the bombardment caused arge number of Ottoman civilian and military deaths.


    The real war would not be so merciful; it would not stop the attack because there were arge number of Ottoman civilians in Constantinople.


    Of course, the major Allied powers did not put much consideration into the casualties of these Ottoman civilians. Although they would not actively ughter them, they did not care about their lives or deaths either.


    It is worth mentioning that during this bombing, the Allies not only used arge number of airships but also deployed hundreds of airnes for the bombing.


    Although airnes had participated in several wars alongside airships, the battle of Constantinople marked the first time airnes were considered more important weapons than airships.


    Although the airne development of other Allied countries was slow, this did not mean they did not have any airnes.


    At this point, airnes have evolved into types such as reconnaissance aircraft, fighter aircraft, and bombers.


    Of course, the difference between the three is minimal now, and the ssifications are defined by the number and types of weapons the same airne carries.


    As the first country to possess militarized aircraft, Austrsia naturally deployed many airnes, although they were just the first-generation military airnes.


    Compared to other countries'' airnes, Austrsia''s first-generation military airnes still had a significant advantage in performance, which meant that Austrsia had a huge lead over other countries in terms of aviation.


    Under the bombing of arge number of bombs dropped from airnes, the Ottoman army soon could not hold out.


    To break through the fortress as soon as possible, Allied airnes also dropped arge number of leaflets on Constantinople, iming that the Allied forces would not harm Ottoman civilians after the surrender of the Ottoman Empire.


    This action was effective,rgely undermining the determination of the Ottoman civilians to defend Constantinople.


    On July 7th, 1915, after holding out for more than half a month, Constantinople finally fell. The Allies paid a price of 200,000 casualties and 3.5 million artillery shells to capture the renowned city.


    In addition to the significant news of the fall of Constantinople, the military aircraft of Austrsia also caught the interest of other countries.


    Compared to the slightlygging military aircraft of other countries, Austrsia''s military aircraft disyed a clear advantage in design and superior performance.


    Almost immediately on the second day of Austrsia''s military aircraft deployment, Britain and France sent telegrams inquiring whether Austrsia could sell them aircraft technology or at least a hundred airnes at the worst. Experience more content on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    The Russians were also interested in Austrsia''s airne technology, and Nichs II sent a private telegram to Arthur, wanting to purchase military aircraft technology.


    Arthur naturally weed this and agreed to sell the military aircraft technology, but Britain, France, and Russia could not transfer it to each other or sell the airne technology to other countries within five years.


    Desperate for Austrsia''s advanced aircraft, the Britain-France-Russia Three Nations didn''t even think before agreeing and stated they would send teams to negotiate prices with Austrsia.


    As for their purpose, Arthur knew without thinking. The war had consumed a great deal from all countries, and the Britain-France-Russia Three Nations'' real intention was to lower the selling price of technology and airnes.


    Arthur stated directly that Austrsia had paid a lot of costs in airne research and invested arge amount of research funds to develop the most powerful aircraft to this date.


    Considering the close ally rtionship with Britain, France, and Russia, he agreed to sell the aircraft to them, but could not make too many concessions on the price.


    Arthur offered a price of 20,000 pounds per airne and 20 million pounds for aplete set of military aircraft technology that included reconnaissance aircraft, fighter aircraft, and bombers.


    For Britain and France, 20 million pounds was not an uneptable figure. In contrast to their massive military spending, if they could use arge number of aircraft to speed up the war, 20 million pounds would be quite cost-effective.


    For Russia, it was unrealistic for them to purchase aircraft and research technology themselves. Russian science and technology did not support it, nor did Russia have time to wait for their domestic experts to study aircraft technology.


    Therefore, Britain, France, and Russia all agreed to purchase aircraft technology. After long negotiations, they finally agreed to buy a technology suite for 18.5 million pounds, allowing Austrsia to profit 55.5 million pounds.


    Of course, obtaining technology and building a production line would take time. Therefore, the Britain-France-Russia Three Nations also generously ced orders for 100 aircraft each from Austrsia.


    ording to a price of 20,000 pounds per aircraft, a total of 300 aircraft would yield 6 million pounds in revenue for Austrsia, with a cost of about 3 million pounds, leaving the profit and cost about the same.


    The total ie from selling aircraft and aircraft technology exceeded 60 million pounds. However, the cost of researching and manufacturing aircraft in Austrsia did not exceed 10 million pounds at most, even considering thetest and most advanced fourth-generation military aircraft.


    Using the technology of the outdated first-generation military aircraft to gain nearly 60 million pounds in ie, Arthur gave a faint smile and called it a blood profit.


    Although 60 million pounds was not muchpared to the military expenditure invested by European countries in the war, it was a huge ie for Austrsia.


    Even if it were used to build super-dreadnoughts, this 60 million pounds would be enough to build 20 of them, making the number of super-dreadnoughts in Austrsia the second highest in the world.


    Of course, Arthur was not that crazy. But in any case, this 60 million pounds was very beneficial for Austrsia''s future military expansion ns, summarized as: having money in one''s pocket, and being calm in one''s heart.

 Chapter 523: Chapter 409: Constatine Ziorski

    At the request of Britain, France, and Russia, Arthur sold the over 300 obsolete first-generation military aircraft from the Aeronautical Research Room''s inventory to them, and also sold them theplete technology of the first-generation military aircraft.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although he transferred the technology, there was no loss to Arthur. Given the current reserve of aerospace aerodynamics and aircraft manufacturing talents in Austrsia, it is basically impossible for any individual country to catch up with Austrsia''s progress in aircraft.


    A few years ago, Austrsia stored nearly one-third of the rted talents in the world, and now there are only more and more.


    Unless the remaining experts in Europe could unite, the advantage of Austrsia in aircraft could not be supplemented in a short time.


    Without the interference and participation of Australia, European countries want to develop military aircraft at the level of Austrsia''s fourth-generation aircraft, and it will at least take about ten years.


    Austrsia''s aircraft can be upgraded at least twice over these ten years. Along with the performance of the aircraft, which is better than the previous generation, the gap between Austrsia and other countries in aircraft will only grow.


    This is the benefit of talent reserves. Understanding this point, Arthur used the Victoria Award to buy top talents worldwide for his own use and for Austrsia.


    At present, the talent reserves of Austrsia is very abundant. The top talent reserves in some fields are in no way inferior to those in European powers.


    Rough statistics show that by 1915, Austrsia had already excavated at least thousands of physics and chemistry experts from Europe. Experts known internationally numbered at least hundreds, and there were countless well-known experts in the industry.


    Although the Austrsian Royal Physics and Chemistry Research Association uses at least 5 million Australian dors in research funds each year, the results of these experts'' research have made Austrsia make considerable progress in various aspects.


    This has also led to the Victoria Award still being held in Europe as usual, and the cruel European War has not affected the issuance of this academically recognized highest award.


    Of course, it is not yet time for the Victoria Award to be presented in the new year. But Arthur''s talent recruitment actions will never stop at any time.


    On July 1, 1915, Batty, the director of the Royal Security Intelligence Bureau, reported good news to Arthur, that is, there were a lot of talents in the new round of 200,000 Russian immigrants.


    Although Russia is not as good as Britain, France, and Germany in research, it does not mean that there is ack of talent in broad Russia.


    On the contrary, Russia has many talents, but quite a lot of them are not reused by the current Russian government.


    If there was no talent in Russia, the Soviet Union would not quickly be a superpower on par with the United States in the future.


    Investigating the 200,000 Russian immigrants took some time, butpared with the report after the investigation, the time spent was nothing.


    The imed talent among the new batch of Russian immigrants included talents in agriculture, industry, physics, chemistry, and even aerospace aerodynamics, airships, and aircraft manufacturing.


    The most noteworthy name is undoubtedly Constatine Ziorski, which is not too small in Russia.


    Arthur also has some understanding of his great names. Inter generations, Ziolkowski was known as the founder of modern cosmology and the father of spaceflight.


    Constatine Ziorski was born in 1857, and he is currently 58 years old.


    Ziolkowski was born in amon peasant family in the Ryazan province of Russia. Due to the bad living environment of the family, and because Ziolkowski had a severe cold when he was ten years old, leading to scarlet fever, he almostpletely lost his hearing. Therefore, he was not sent to Moscow for study by his parents until he was 16 years old.


    This has to mention the education of Europe at that time. Unlike the unified college entrance examination known to people inter generations, most of the education in the West at this time is based on examination. Universities conduct exams ording to their own admission conditions and enroll the best.


    Of course, Ziolkowski, who did not receive education until he was 16, naturally could not enter the university for study. In order to learn more knowledge, Ziolkowskipletely immersed himself in the library in three years, self-studied analysis geometry, advanced algebra and calculus, learned physics, chemistry, mechanics, and also loved fiction and magazines in astronomy.


    A 16-year-old boy who has not received education in self-study, higher algebra and calculus, can''t help but praise Ziolkowski''s intelligence.


    After returning from his studies, Ziolkowski passed the examination of rural middle school and became a mathematics teacher in a small city''s middle school.


    While educating people, Ziolkowski set up aboratory by himself, teaching and starting independent research.


    During this period, Ziolkowski published dozens of papers, his papers were not only frequently sent to physics and chemistry societies in St. Petersburg, but also praised by famous Russian scientists Mengetliev.


    In theter stages of his research, Ziolkowski shifted his interest to airships and proposed the idea of an all-metal rigid airship.


    This proposal greatly pleased the government of Saint Petersburgh, which appointed Ziolkowski as an airship expert.


    In fact, before the outbreak of World War I, Ziolkowski was already living afortable middle-ss life. As Russia''s airship expert, he earned about 1,200 rubles a year, which, although not much, was entirely sufficient.


    But the good times didn''tst. After the outbreak of World War I, airships constructed under Ziolkowski''s supervision were sent to the battlefield and were quickly destroyed by Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Although Russia also destroyed airships from Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the news of a significant investment in airships failing made Russia swiftly abandon the entire airship research department, leaving Ziolkowski unemployed and stripping him of his golden rice bowl.


    Even though Ziolkowski could have returned to his secondary school teaching role, the seeds of spaceflight had already been nted during his time as an airship expert, and there was no possibility of him stopping his research now.


    This was like being halfway through undressing only for the other party to announce the arrival of a rtive; Ziolkowski was agonizingly frustrated. Eventually, under the persuasion of his family, he chose to seek new research opportunities abroad.


    Austrsia became Ziolkowski''s first target. There was no other reason; One of Ziolkowski''s friends had joined a University in Australia. Invited by his friend, Ziolkowski decided to submit his resume to the universities in Austrsia, seeking an opportunity to be a university professor.


    Ziolkowski had published several papers on rocket theory and spaceflight in scientific reports. It is exactly these slightly famous papers that quickly caught the attention of Director Barty, who subsequently reported it to Arthur.


    There was no doubt that Arthur weed an expert in rocket theory and space travel.


    To add, the expert was immigrating with his family. In this case, Arthur was willing to wee experts with no special background, and who were devoted to scientific research.


    In early July, Arthur received Ziolkowski at the Sydney Pce and had a pleasant long talk with him on the theory of rockets.


    Ziolkowski, who would beuded by future generations as the founding father of modern space travel and aviation, undoubtedly possessed immense capabilities. Many of his ideas were extraordinarily innovative.


    It was these unique ideas thatid the solid foundation for future space travel and astronautics.


    Arthur was highly impressed with Ziolkowski''s ideas and capabilities, immediately promising him the position of Honorary Professor at the Sydney Royal Military Academy Air Force Institute, and a membership at the Austrsia Royal Physics and Chemistry Research Association.


    After all, Ziolkowski was already 58 years old. Arthur''s greatest hope was for him toy the foundations for Austrsia''s space travel and astronautics, and conduct some rocket research along the way.


    His position at the Research Association was designed to provide Ziolkowski with more research funding and ess to more advancedboratories.


    As for his position at the Sydney Royal Military Academy, Arthur also hoped that Ziolkowski could cultivate more talent for Austrsia, more realistically advancing Austrsia''s space travel and astronautics industries.


    This was a strategy for the future, even though producing rockets and realizing space travel in a short time was not likely.


    But at least a solid foundation could beid for the future, putting the country one step ahead of others in this regard.


    At this time, other countries were preupied with World War I, and even the most basic military aircraft was the pinnacle of their current aviation abilities.


    While other nations researched airnes, Austrsia researched rockets, giving them a clear advantage.


    Ziolkowski was very satisfied with Arthur''s arrangements. Hising to Austrsia was merely a search for a career opportunity, a chance to continue his theoretical research in rockets and space travel.


    Unexpectedly, upon arriving in Austrsia, he immediately received recognition from Arthur, not only sessfully stepping into the top tier Sydney Royal Military Academy but also joining the Austrsian Royal Physical and Chemical Research Association.


    Of course, the rewards Arthur offered to Ziolkowski were not limited to those. A property in Sydney and jobs for Ziolkowski''s family members were also resolved with a single word from Arthur.


    Arthur even promised that as long as Ziolkowski made impressive progress in theoretical research, the Aerospace Laboratory would be given to Ziolkowski for him to fully engage in aerospace research.


    The primary focus of the Aerospace Laboratory is currently the research and manufacture of aircraft. As aircraft be increasingly important, establishing a separate research and manufacturing facility for them bes necessary.


    The Aerospace Laboratory was the perfect ce to separate aeronautics and aircraft. While a new aircraft manufacturing factory could be established to take over the aircraft business, the Aerospace Laboratory could focus on aeronautical research.

 Chapter 524: Chapter 410: Landing in the Persian Gulf

    Arthur acted quickly. On July 10, 1915, the Aeronautical Research Room separated its aircraft and aviation business, transferring all industries rted to aircraft development and manufacturing to a new factory, the Royal Aircraft Manufacturing nt.


    Constatine Ziorski also sessfully became an expert in space travel and rocketry at the Aeronautical Research Institute, responsible for theoretical research in space travel and rocketry.


    Arthur even encouraged Ziorski to recruit well-known aviation experts from Russia and other regions toe to Austrsia, offering them higher positions and rewards.


    The development of space travel and rocketry in Austrsia will start at the forefront of the Aerospace Laboratory.


    However, whether it is space travel or rocketry, they are not scientific research projects with short-term results.


    Including nuclear weapons that Arthur had thought of early on, the research time for these things is measured in decades, and it would be enough for Arthur if there were any clues before World War II.


    At present, the most important task for Austrsia is to win this war and earn more interests in this war, preferably establishing Austrsia as the fourth power after Britain, France, and the United States, following World War I.


    As for surpassing Britain, France, and America, it is not very likely until most of Britain and France''s colonies are lost and the United States officially joins the war and is defeated by the Allied Nations.


    Putting aside Britain and France, the old colonial powers for the time being, the United States has a vast territory and arger poption, far surpassing Austrsia in industry and economy, and is not something Austrsia can easily surpass for the time being.


    The only way to quickly surpass the United States during World War I is for the American people to support Germany and join the Allied Nations.


    Under the joint efforts of the five great powers of Britain-France-Russia-Australia, even if the United States joins the Allied Nations in the future, it will by no means be a match for the Allied Nations.


    This is for sure, the only thing to me is that the American people''s military power is not strong enough, and their role in Germany is mostly in transportation resources.


    But Germany''s geographical location was severely restricted, and the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea leading to the Allied Nations had already been jointly blocked by the fleets of the Allied Nations.


    Refocusing on the war in Europe, on the Balkan front, after the fall of Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire''s defeat has be inevitable.


    Notably, arge area of hills and ins to the west of Constantinople is an essential grain-producing area for the Ottoman Empire.


    But this region was the fastest to fall in the war, which also led to insufficient food production in the Ottoman Empire, especially in the elerated exhaustion of the war.


    Moreover, thending of the Allied Forces on all sides of the Ottoman Empire''s border has led to a severe crisis within the Ottoman Empire.


    The military is short of weapons and ammunition, the peopleck food and clothing, and everyonecks medical supplies, causing the internal copse of the Ottoman Empire, waiting for the moment when the Allied Nations'' heavy punches copse its facade.


    Commander Martin, with Arthur''s prior orders, was not too keen on attacking the Little Asia Penins.


    After leaving a portion of the Balkan army to fight on the Little Asia Penins, Commander Martin led the Austrsia Expeditionary Force of less than 100,000 men southward along the Suez Canal, nning tond near the Persian Gulf and open a new battlefield.


    In the future, it is well known that the most abundant oil reserves in the world are in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf coast is the richest in oil reserves.


    Not to exaggerate, future Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Sutton Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and other countries along the Persian Gulf ount for more than half of the world''s oil reserves, with an annual output value of up to one-third of the world''s total oil production.


    Britain only upies Truce Nations (UAE) and Bahrain Protectorate, Kuwait, and Qatar in this region. Sutton, Iraq, and other areas are still under the rule of local indigenous people or the Ottoman Empire.


    More importantly, there are not many British troops in this region, and the British offensive is mainly concentrated in the Egypt area.


    That means that Austrsia has every opportunity to choose suitablend from this region for upation, as long as it gets permission from Britain, France, and Russia, and sovereignty over thend can be obtained after the war.


    In fact, the only difficulty is getting British approval. It''s too far from the Russians here, and given the good rtionship between Russia and Austrsia, the Russians are not likely to interfere.


    As for the French, they focused on defeating the Germans during the war, and weakening the Germans after the war. They have little interest in a seemingly irrelevant Middle Eastern colony.


    As for thest powerful nation of the Allies, Italy, their opinion is not important. Britain, France, and Russia believe so as well.


    It''s not surprising that the Four Great Powers of the Allies underestimated Italy. The Austro-Hungarian Empire deployed only 100,000 troops on the border with Italy. The 500,000 Italian units have not crossed the border so far, proving incapable of the Italian army.


    Looking at the entire structure of the Allied Nations, the current number of naval forces is sufficient, and what iscking are countries that canpete with Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire onnd.


    Clearly, Italy is not one of them. Even Britain and France initially thought of having Italy send troops to support the German-French border but dismissed the idea immediately after Italy''s repeated defeats.


    The Italian army was only adding to the chaos; this was the consensus reached by the British and Frenchmanders after exchanging nces.


    Although this couldn''t represent thebat power of some elite Italian forces, the overallbat power of the Italian army was indeed very poor, and among all the European great powers, it should be the worst.


    Although Britain might be able to prevent Austrsia from acquiring new colonies in the Middle East, the resistance should not be too strong.


    Indeed, oil had been discovered in the Middle East, with oil fields being found in the Iranian region of Muscat Suleiman, while no valuablerge-scale oil fields had been discovered in thend controlled by the Ottoman Empire and the United Kingdom.


    The discovery ofrge-scale oil fields would still have to wait until the 1930s, at the earliest, almost 20 years from now.


    In addition, thisnd was quite far from the Suez Canal and had a certain distance from India, which would not threaten Britain''s crucial Mediterranean, Suez Canal, Indian Ocean, and Indian routes.


    For the British, India and the Suez Canal were most important, and the importance of other regions was not that high.


    As long as there were some concessions in other areas of interest, such as the post-war distribution of German warships, the British would not likely hinder Austrsia''s expansion in the Middle East.


    Arthur''s tentative n for expansion along the Persian Gulf coast was to start in Iraq and the Saudi Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf while trying to secure Qatar.


    This region had arge amount of oil reserves and was close to the Persian Gulf, making it easier for oil transportation by sea.


    Whether it was the coastal areas of Iraq or the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, both had vast oil reserves and were currently under the control of local indigenous people or the Ottoman Empire, making them easy targets.


    Qatar, the only unique case, was imed by Britain, but it was only after World War I and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire that it fell into the hands of the British.


    The size of Qatar was rtively small, and it should be possible to exchange it from the British''s hands by giving up some interests.


    As for Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates already controlled by the British Empire, Arthur had no ns to disrupt rtions with Britain for the time being. The British Empire was not yet an entity that Austrsia could afford to offend.


    It was under Arthur''s orders that Brigadier General Martin led the Austrsia Expeditionary Force,nding along the Persian Gulf coast with clear objectives, moving northward from Saudi Arabia all the way to the Iraqi region.


    Currently, the Ottoman Empire was engulfed in wars everywhere, and Iraqi territory was one of the few grain-producing areas for the Ottoman Empire, making it extremely important to them.


    Once the Mesopotamian ins in Iraq were lost, the Ottoman Empire would face a more severe food crisis. If they didn''t surrender, famine would be enough to cause internal strife within the Ottoman Empire.


    Althoughunching the campaign would put the indigenous people of the Middle East at risk of war and even causerge-scale casualties due to the spread of the war,


    for Brigadier General Martin, the interests of the nation were paramount. Let alone sacrificing some Middle Eastern indigenous people; in the right moment, Martin was even willing to sacrifice himself.


    On July 15, 1915, the Austrsian Expeditionary Force officiallynded near Qatar.


    It''s worth mentioning that the Qatari and Saudi regions were connected at this time, with Qatar being a penins rather than an ind.


    As for why there was a river separating Qatar and Saudi Arabia inter generations, that would have to be asked of the Saudi government at that time.


    At this time, the Rashid Emirate controlled Qatar and parts of Saudi Arabia, an emirate established by the Rashid family, relying on the rule of the Ottoman Empire on the Arabian Penins.


    Simply put, the Rashid Emirate was a puppet of the Ottoman Empire.


    The fighting abilities of the Ottoman Empire''s forces were abysmal, let alone those of a native country like the Rashid Emirate.


    Tens of thousands of native soldiers confronted the Austrsian Expeditionary Force, and the battle quickly turned into a one-sided affair.


    Never had they seen the bold and impactfulbat style of the Austrsian army, with bullets and shells expended as though they were free. Not only did this cause heavy casualties among the Rashid native soldiers, but it also dealt a significant blow to their spirits.


    Their armies were like paper, unable to withstand the charge of the Austrsian forces.


    On July 17th, the Austrsian army had entered Saudi Arabia from the Qatari region and marched along the Persian Gulf coast toward the Mesopotamian ins.


    There was one piece of good news for the Rashid Emirate: most of the Persian Gulf coast was under the control of the Ottoman Empire, so their forces no longer had to face an enemy like the Austrsian Expeditionary Force. Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelBinn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, it wasn''t so great for the Ottoman Empire, as the Austrsian army was like a god of death, sweeping towards them.

 Chapter 525: Chapter 411: Ottoman Empire Seeks Peace

    The northern coast of the United Arab Emirates to the southern coast of Kuwait in the Sutton Persian Gulf Coast is still under the control of the Ottoman Empire.


    However,pared to the more northern Mesopotamian in, this area has a sparse poption and is not as strategically important.


    On this piece ofnd, over 100,000 square kilometers in size, the Ottoman Empire''s armed forces are pitifully weak, consisting mostly of poorly-trained new troops or militias.


    It is impossible to rely on these people to resist the invasion of Austrsia. In less than a week, the Austrsian Army had arrived at the Kuwait Emirate, a colony already upied by Britain.


    Receiving the news that the Austrsian Army was approaching, the British Commissioner in Kuwait and the Emir of Kuwait had prepared arge amount of supplies for the Austrsian Army to replenish.


    Although only a week had passed since thending in Qatar, it was impossible to replenish without adequate supplies.


    Following Brigadier General Kent''s orders, the expeditionary force resupplied in Kuwait City, giving even native soldiers a taste of fruits and fresh beef and mutton that they hadn''t had in a long time.


    Of course, more importantly, there was replenishment of weapons, equipment, and shells. Surviving equipment, including clothing, military boots, helmets, as well as much-needed medical supplies, were extensively replenished for the uing battle.


    ording to the agreement with the British side, half of these supplies were provided by Britain and half by Austrsia.


    On July 27, the Austrsian Expeditionary Force set off again to conquer the Mesopotamian in to the north, upying important grain-producingnds for the Ottoman Empire.


    The Mesopotamian in has an abundant poption and is also one of the fewrge grain-producing areas in the Ottoman Empire.


    This is the area of modern-day Iraq and is currently an important rear area of the Ottoman Empire.


    From the perspective of oil, Iraq also has abundant petroleum resources, and thend area of this region is huge, possessing the vast Mesopotamian in.


    But precisely because it is a in area with too many indigenous poptions, it is more difficult to rule than the Sutton Persian Gulf Coast.


    The best choice is to exchange for the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait through the British Empire''s interests.


    In this way, a colonial rule can be established along the Persian Gulf coast from the UAE to Kuwait, controlling more than half of the coastal Mediterranean oil and thus controlling world oil prices.


    Thebined poption of these territories is less than that of a single Iraqi region, although the small poption and slow economic development mean there won''t be much potential for development.


    The most critical aspect for Arthur in this region is oil. A smaller poption is actually an advantage; there will be fewer rebellions, and it is ideal to turn the area into a new Royal Territory and establish the Royal Oil Company.


    Although Kuwait and Qatar are still under British control, Arthur does not n to spit out the Sutton Persian Gulf Coast either.


    From the north of Qatar to the south of Kuwait, although most of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force has already left, under Arthur''s orders, Commander Martin left the Colonial Division One to guard and temporarily manage the order of the region.


    Although Colonial Division One is currently understaffed, with a total of only about 15,000 people, there is no problem in guarding the area, as the Persian Gulf is connected to the Indian Ocean and can receive supplies from Austrsia at any time.


    The potential enemy of Colonial Division One might be the Rashid Emirate, as the Ottoman Empire no longer has the strength tounch an offensive in this region.


    These natives are no match for the enemy and can be defended with just a few machine guns.


    Soon after the fall of Constantinople, thebined forces of Britain, France, and Russia arrived in this ancient city and maintained order in Constantinople along with a small number of Austrsian troops.


    Why were Britain, France, and Russia so quick in their actions? It is because Constantinople''s location is crucial, being a bottleneck for the Russian ck Sea to reach the Mediterranean.


    Because the strait between Constantinople and the opposite shore is rtively narrow, this has led to the city''s coastal defense guns being able to cover the entire strait at any time.


    Previously, it was precisely because the Ottoman Empire controlled this strait that the Russians could hardly receive material support from the Mediterranean.


    Now, with control of Constantinople, numerous British and French fleets poured into the ck Sea, providing Russia with extensive material and military support, giving it the courage to resist on the front lines.


    Of course, it is the reliance on British and French material support that makes it impossible for Russia to upy Constantinople alone, and Britain and France would never agree to it.


    Therefore, the best solution is for the Four Great Powers of the Allies to jointly control Constantinople. There is no room for retreat in this matter, and eventually, Constantinople will most likely be returned to the Ottoman Empire or handed over to a new country.


    After the fall of Constantinople, hundreds of thousands of Balkan soldiers who had besieged the city crossed to the other side and began attacking the Little Asia Penins.


    This increased the pressure on the Ottoman Empire once more, as the number of enemies from the Allies on various fronts now exceeded a million, which the current Ottoman Empire simply could not bear.


    On August 3, 1915, after the Austrsian Army had been rampant in the Mesopotamian in for several days, the Ottoman Empire could no longer bear it and contacted representatives from Britain, France, Russia, and Austrsia to begin peace negotiations.


    Given the current development of the war, maintaining the vast Ottoman Empire after the war would be difficult, let alone preserving its main territories. Retaining the Turkish region would already be considered a blessing.


    Negotiations with the Ottoman Empire are far slower than those with Bulgaria, as Bulgaria''s involvement in the war is not as extensive amongst the powerful nations. Russia, separated by Romania, finds it unrealistic to expect benefits from Bulgaria.


    However, the situation is different for the Ottoman Empire. The empire is adjacent to Russia and the United Kingdom, and Austrsia also has its interests.


    Although France has no significant interests nearby, it will naturally not be left out as Britain, Australia, and Russia divide their spoils.


    Moreover, the Allies have invested millions of troops in the Ottoman Empire. If they cannot take a hefty sum from the empire, wouldn''t this deal be considered a loss?


    On August 5, 1915, a temporary ceasefire was dered among nations in the Ottoman Empire, as peace talks with the empire approached.


    Of course, this is only a temporary ceasefire. If the Ottoman Empire cannot offer a satisfactory price to the Allies, the war is likely to intensify.


    On August 11th, unteral peace talks between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire were held in Constantinople.


    Constantinople, known as Istanbul by the Ottoman Empire, is its capital.


    However, long before Istanbul was besieged, the Ottoman Empire had already moved its capital to Ankara on the Little Asia Penins.


    As the Ottoman Empire''s representatives looked at the familiar city, the traces of war devastation forced bitter smiles on their faces. Facing the pressure from the Allies, they had no choice but to bow their heads repeatedly.


    The Allies unanimously agreed to the Ottoman Empire''s request for peace, but each country also had demands forpensation from the empire.


    First and foremost were the demands fornd. The Russians sought expansion in the Caucasus region, the British sought expansion in the Middle East, and Austrsia desired a colony along the Persian Gulf coast.


    Even the French, who had few demands, requested a portion ofnd across from French Somalia.


    The agreement of the Ottoman Empire is not important, as even if it disagreed, the Allied forces could still obtain thend they wanted.


    The problem is that the Allies must unite, and the countries cannot have conflicts over territorial ims, as a piece ofnd can only be divided among one country.


    The only country without conflict is Russia. No other neighboring countries, except for Iran''s Qajar dynasty, willpete with Russia for the Caucasus region.


    Issues arise concerning the territories imed by Britain, France, and Austrsia.


    The area the French want, located across from French Somalia, happens to border the British Aden Protectorate.


    This area is equivalent to the future territory of Yemen, with the western portion upied by the Ottoman Empire and the eastern portion being the British Aden Protectorate and some indigenous countries under British control.


    However, the French are not so eager for the region, and the British quickly use the offer of more military support to gain French approval, allowing Britain to monopolize the entire Yemen region.


    On top of that, the British also im sovereignty over the Kingdom of Ma Emir, further encircling the entire Arabian Penins with British-controlled territory and expanding the area of the British Empire.


    In the Persian Gulf, Austrsia wants the coastal area of Rashid Emirate and wishes to obtain the Mesopotamian outlet to the sea.


    The British expansion along the Persian Gulf is not extensive, mainly because the majority of thend in the region is already under British control, leaving little room for expansion.


    However, the British Empire is equally interested in the Mesopotamian in''s outlet to the sea.


    On a smaller scale, this area can control the future Ottoman Empire''s outlet to the Indian Ocean. On arger scale, the outlet will encroach on the entire Mesopotamian in, and could even be used to control the Ottoman Empire.


    After all, following the division of its territory, the Ottoman Empire''s sphere of influence would be limited to future Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan regions, significantly shrinking its reach.


    Compared to the Saudi Persian Gulf coast, Austrsia is not interested in the Iraqi Persian Gulf coast.


    However, by iming this region, Arthur can use it to trade with the British for other areas he wants, such as Qatar and Bahrain.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    From the map, the British Empire already controls the Truce Nations, which serve as the outlet to the Persian Gulf coast.


    In other words, the British Empire can fully control the Persian Gulf coast through the Truce Nations, reducing the importance of Qatar and Bahrain.


    After all, thebined area of Qatar and Bahrain is just over 10,000 square kilometers,cking mineral resources and possessing limited development value and potential.


    However, the outlet of the Mesopotamian in offers a more abundant poption and is an excellent grain-producing region. Inparison to Qatar and Bahrain, this area''s resources are much richer, and its development potential is undoubtedly greater.


    Only after the British also imed the Mesopotamian in''s outlet to the sea did Austrsia''s diplomats breathe a sigh of relief, preparing to begin private negotiations with the British representative.

 Chapter 526: Chapter 412: Land Exchange

    On the evening of August 11th, Austrsia''s Foreign Minister Daize Taylor, apanied by several subordinates, knocked on the door of the British Minister of Foreign Affairs Grey''s room and personally delivered a well-prepared gift.


    "It''s Minister Taylor! Pleasee in. I wonder what brings you here sote; I was just about to rest and get ready for tomorrow''s negotiations," Minister Grey said with a smile as he epted the gift and invited Minister Taylor and his subordinates to enter.


    "Minister Grey, to be honest, I havee here on a mission. Today''s negotiations have reached a stalemate, which is not good news for us. If possible, I hope that both sides can resolve the territorial disputes as soon as possible, bring peace to the Middle East region, and deploy more troops to the Eastern and Western battlefronts, ending this war," Minister Taylor said with a smile.


    "Of course, Minister Taylor. Austrsia and the United Kingdom share the same origin. We are unbreakable allies and kinsmen. However, as you know, the British military has suffered many casualties in the wars in the Middle East. It is not unreasonable for us to demand the Iraq region," Minister Grey nodded in agreement but did not yield in his words.


    "Certainly, Minister Grey. But as you know, in the war against the Ottoman Empire, the majority of the contribution was made by the Austrsia Army. This includes defeating Bulgaria, the attack and defense of Constantinople,nding on the Anatolian Penins and the Arabian Penins, and so on.


    It was our upation of the Ottoman Empire''s most important grain-producing area that led the empire to seek peace. Therefore, I think our request for the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia and the Iraq region is not a problem.


    If your country is willing, we canpensate and make up for it in other areas," Minister Taylor nodded without refuting the fact that the British Empire had made contributions, but also pointed out that Austrsia''s contributions far exceeded those of the British Empire.


    "I would also like to say the same thing, Minister Taylor. If your country is willing, the British Empire can use othernds to exchange for Iraq and recognize Austrsia''s upation of the Saudi coast of the Persian Gulf," said Minister Grey, smiling but with a firm tone.


    The Iraq region is located right at the center of the Middle East. To the west, there is British-upied Egypt, and to the east, there is British-upied Afghanistan and India. Your next journey awaits at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    If Britain could control Iraq, it would also control the majority of the Middle East region. Coupled with colonies in Yemen and Oman, British territory in the Middle East region would be connected, further consolidating its rule over India.


    Iraq''s position in the Middle East is somewhat special. The Mesopotamian in is one of the few grain-producing areas in the Middle East and has a rtivelyrge poption.


    The value of upying Iraq is much higher than that of Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, and the Saudi coastal region.


    Moreover, Iraq''s geographic location not only allows Britain to control the northwest Ottoman Empire but also helps defend against the Russian Empire in northern Iraq. It does no harm to the British Empire.


    With such vital geographic location and economic value, Minister Grey naturally will not let Iraq fall into Austrsia''s hands, even if it is an ally.


    However, Minister Grey''s offer is precisely what Minister Taylor wants. Despite Iraq''s higher economic value, the downside for Austrsia outweighs the benefit.


    Such a colony with arge indigenous poption is not only challenging to manage but also likely to provoke jealousy and covetousness from other powers.


    On the other hand, the small colonies of the Saudi Persian Gulf coast and some parts of the Arabian Penins, though still vast in size, have little poption, mostly desert, less development potential, lower economic value, and less likely to cause discontent from other powers.


    "In that case, Minister Grey, we do not want to break our good rtionship with the British Empire. If the British Empire is willing to cede Muscat and the Sultanate of Oman, and the Truce Nations, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, we are willing to give up our im to Iraq and support your exclusive upation of Iraq," Minister Taylor raised his demand and expanded it slightly.


    Negotiations between countries are no different from doing business. It ismon for the foreign affairs departments to haggle with each other.


    Therefore, Minister Taylor directly opened with a lion''s share, asking for more than half of Britain''s colonies on the Arabian Penins, waiting for the British to slowly bargain down to a range eptable to both Austrsia and the United Kingdom.


    "Oh, my God. Minister Taylor, your request is absolutely impossible. Using so many colonies in exchange for Iraq would cause a devastating blow to the British Empire''s control in the Arabian Penins," indeed, Minister Grey immediately feigned surprise and incredulously spoke to Minister Taylor.


    "If your country is willing, we can use Qatar and Bahrain to exchange for Iraq and support your upation of the Rashid coastal area," Minister Grey continued to speak.


    "Minister Grey, your proposal is also unrealistic. Just using tiny Bahrain and Qatar in exchange for the vast Mesopotamian in would cause significant losses to Austrsia," Minister Taylor countered Minister Grey in the same manner and proposed his terms, "Minister Grey, in addition to Bahrain and Qatar, we ask for Kuwait or the Truce Nations.


    We are willing to give up the entire Mesopotamian in and immediately hand it over to your country for management."


    It should be noted that the entire Saudi coast of the Persian Gulf was conquered by the Austrsia Army.


    This means that the British Empire would get the entire Mesopotamian in with just Bahrain and Qatar, apletely unequal exchange.


    Minister Taylor''s request is not particrly high, and neither Kuwait nor the Truce Nations have the area or development value of the Mesopotamian in.


    Moreover, the entire Mesopotamian in has already been upied by Austrsia, and the British only need to hand it over, upying this in without the use of a single soldier, which is a great advantage for the British.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Now it depends on whether the entire Mesopotamian in is more important to Minister Grey and the British government than Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait or the Truce Nationsbined.


    Upon hearing the conditions given by Minister Daize, Minister Grey did not rush to agree or refuse but looked at Minister Daize and thought carefully.


    Seeing that Minister Grey was already wavering, Minister Daize continued: "Minister Grey, Austrsia is a natural ally and a blood rtive of the British Empire. We are too far away from Europe and have no interest in European territory. If your country is willing, we can form a closer alliance and maintain the Ennd-Australia alliance until after the war.


    Austrsia is willing to support any action of the British Empire in Europe in exchange for Kuwait or the Truce Nations."


    Although the war brought the Four Great Powers of the Allies and Italy together, it does not mean that the Five Powers of the Allies are inseparable.


    First of all, Italy, which performed poorly in the war, is not at the core decision-making level of the Allies, and its status is naturally inferior to the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    After all, it is a country that betrayed its allies halfway and joined the Allies. Although other countries won''t say anything, they still morally reject such behavior.


    As for the Four Great Powers of the Allies, their rtionship is veryplex. The Allies can be divided into the Anglo-French Agreement, the Franco-Russian Alliance, the Anglo-Russian Agreement, the Anglo-Australian Treaty, and the Russia-Austrsia Agreement.


    France and Russia have a good rtionship, Russia has a good rtionship with France and Austrsia, Austrsia has a good rtionship with the UK and Russia, and the UK has a good rtionship with Austrsia and France.


    But it''s not over yet. Although the British and French have a good rtionship, the British are also guarding against the French and Russians.


    In this way, the only ally that Britain can trust and rely on after the war is Austrsia.


    Due to Australia''s unique geographical location, it is the only country that will not cause direct conflicts with Britain, France, and Russia.


    After the war, France and Russia will definitely expand massively in their nativend and colonies, and Britain is the most reluctant to see these two countries be more powerful.


    If France and Russia join forces, a standalone Britain will be powerless, and Austrsia''s support bes more important, as it can be used to divide the Franco-Russian Alliance.


    Hearing the hint in Minister Daize''s words, Minister Grey nodded andughed, "Of course, Minister Daize. Austrsia is the British Empire''s closest ally and the most valued partner of the entire British government. Our rtionship should be closer, andpared to our rtionship, a Kuwait is not that important."


    Yes, Minister Grey quickly made a decision to add Kuwait and use Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain to exchange for the entire Mesopotamian in.


    As for why not the Truce Nations (UAE), it can be seen from the map as well.


    Although Kuwait is also close to the Mesopotamian in, it has a smaller area ofnd and far fewer people than in the Iraq region.


    More importantly,pared to Kuwait, the Truce Nations are located at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, and the British Empire already controls the exit of the Persian Gulf.


    In such a situation, a small Kuwait is naturally not as important as the Truce Nations.


    Moreover, the British Empire''s rule over the Truce Nations has even begun nearly a hundred years ago.


    As for the Kuwait area, the British Empire only signed an agreement with the Kuwait Emirate more than a decade ago, turning Kuwait into a protectorate.


    Although losing Kuwait would make the coastal area of the Mesopotamian in narrower,


    as long as they can control the exit of the Persian Gulf, it is the same as controlling the entire Persian Gulf coast, and Kuwait will not be that important.

 Chapter 527: Chapter 413: The Great Encirclement Plan

    Minister Daize Taylor and Minister Grey quickly reached a verbal agreement, with the British Empire trading the regions of Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait for Austrsia''s upation of the Mesopotamian in.


    Moreover, the two Foreign Ministers happily agreed to visit each other''s countries in the near future, in order to reach a further advancement of the Anglo-Australian Treaty, which Minister Grey believed would firmly tie Austrsia to the British Empire''s war chariot.


    In fact, there was no harm in supporting the British Empire in the post-war allocation of interests for Austrsia, and even considerable benefits could be gained.


    Among the three major Allies, Austrsia had the best rtionship with the United Kingdom and Russia, and Arthur naturally could not risk offending the United Kingdom by supporting France''s expansion in the European Continent.


    After all, France and Austrsia were far apart, and the French could not possibly have any influence on Austrsia.


    As for the unclear situation in Russia Nation, let alone therge-scale overseas expansion, it would be good enough to stabilize the domestic situation with warpensation, and the help to Austrsia would not be too much.


    This also means that the only country that can help Austrsia after the war is the British Empire.


    At present, the British Empire''s consumption in the war is notrge, and it is not a problem to maintain its position as the world''s number one after the war.


    Having a good rtionship with the British Empire would also allow Austrsia to gain more in the post-war allocation of interests, and although it would offend France, who would care?


    After the war, the heavily consumed France urgently needed to recover through colonies, rather than conflict with Britain and Austrsia, who had not consumed too much.


    By the time France regained stability, Austrsia''s strength would no longer fear France, let alone the support of Britain.


    After Britain and Austrsia reached a consensus, the negotiations in Constantinople went smoothly.


    On August 12th, the Allied Nations and the Ottoman Empire reached an agreement on territorial concessions.


    The Ottoman Empire ceded tens of thousands of square kilometers ofnd in the Caucasus region to Russia Nation, the coastal area of the Rashid Emirate to Austrsia, the Mesopotamian in and Yemen region to the British Empire, and all European areas to the Balkan Nations, retaining only thend within ten kilometers of Constantinople.


    Yes, Constantinople eventually returned to the hands of the Ottoman Empire, at the cost of losing arge amount of territory.


    Although it seems that the Ottoman Empire still has the territories of future Turkey, Syria, Israel, etc., these areas are surrounded by Britain, Russia Country, and Austrsia, as well as the indigenous forces in the Arab region, and are not as calm as imagined.


    Moreover, the time when the Allied Nations handed over Constantinople was after the end of the war, which means that Constantinople would still be jointly managed by the Allied Nations before the surrender of Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Compared to therge amount ofnd ceded, the war reparations demanded by the Allies from the Ottoman Empire seemed pitiful.


    ording to the final agreement reached between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Empire is required to pay a total of 150 million pounds inpensation to the Allies within 15 years, with an additional 3 million pounds per year for overdue payments.


    As the main contributor to the Ottoman War, Austrsia would receive a quarter of the 150 million pounds inpensation, or 37.5 million pounds.


    The reason for the lowpensation of the Ottoman Empire is that the present-day Ottoman Empire has been divided more than half, and the remaining territories are also coveted by the Powers.


    Based on just Turkey and Syria, it would be very good for the Ottoman Empire to pay 150 million pounds in 15 years, after all, the size of the country could only allow the Ottoman Empire to pay that much.


    Stay tuned to m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    However, the Powers have made considerable expansions in the territory, and they do not care about thispensation that is insignificant to the war.


    Arthur felt the same way. Thend acquired by Austrsia could now connect from Qatar to Kuwait.


    Arge area ofnd has abundant underground resources of petroleum and natural gas, which are worth countless multiples of thepensation Austrsia received, so who would care about the smallpensation?


    Besides thend ceded and reparations for the war, the Ottoman government also signed various humiliating treaties, such as recognizing the British Empire and Italy''s pre-war upation of Ottoman territories, including Cyprus and Sozicanisos.


    At the same time, the Alliance army has the freedom to move in Ottoman territory, the Ottoman government is not allowed to interfere or hinder, and the Allied army can freely enter and leave the Ottoman territory before the end of the war.


    In areas such as Syria and Israel, the Allies have arge number of privileges. Although these territories were not ceded, the Ottoman Empire had lost its actual jurisdiction, and these areas were more like semi-colonies.


    In addition, arge number of mining rights, and even railway toll and jurisdiction, in the Ottoman Empire were sold and leased to the Allied Nations.


    With the signing of the Constantinople Agreement, the decline of the Ottoman Empire into an ordinary nation became inevitable, as its territory and poption were not enough to support it as a regional strong country.


    On the part of the Allies, the signing of the Constantinople Agreement boosted their morale, and the media of various countries scrambled to report on it.


    After the surrender of the Ottoman Empire, there were only Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire left in the Allied Nations for the protracted resistance. The people of the Allied Nations seemed to have seen the victorying.


    It is worth mentioning that due to the joining of Austrsia, the Allied Nations'' demand for imported resources was not so high.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Ind Nation and the United States have been unable to find a good opportunity to join the Allies. Many times, the United States has tried to sell military equipment to the Allied Nations, but was rejected on the grounds that the Allies do notck supplies.


    This has caused that besides some scarce materials from Austrsia, American trade in war with Europe was not much.


    Of course, with the development of the war, Britain, France, and Russia had borrowed a lot of money from the United States, which was the only thing the United States has participated in the European War.


    After the Constantinople Treaty was reached, the Allies'' attention once again turned back to the battlefield on the Eastern Front.


    At present, the German Army on the Western Front has entered a state of firm defense, and there is no good way to defeat Germany quickly.


    All hopes of the Allied Nations are concentrated on the Eastern Front. If the Eastern Front can defeat the Germans again, Germany, which is suffering a heavy blow, will no longer be the opponent of the Allies and there will be hope for a quick resolution to the war.


    Actually, not only is the Allied Nations paying attention to the battlefield on the Eastern Front, but the Axis Powers are also watching the Eastern Front more closely.


    As early as after Bulgaria''s defeat, Germany realized it was time for the final throw of the die. The defeat of the Ottoman Empire was inevitable. At the time when the Ottoman Empire was facing a siege, Germany alsounched an offensive on the Eastern Front.


    ording to the n, the German Army and the Austro-Hungarian Army carried out a strategic encirclement of the Russian Army on the Eastern Front.


    The encirclement n can be divided into two parts. The German Army in East Prussia advanced to the east and then went south around Pnd.


    The German-Austrian Alliance Army bypassed the south of the Carpathian Mountains and joined forces with the German Army in East Prussia to cut off the supply lines of the Russian Army in Pnd and Galicia.


    If the encirclement n was carried out smoothly, at least millions of Russian troops would be trapped in the encirclement and surrounded by thebined German and Austro-Hungarian forces.


    As long as most of these millions of Russian troops are wiped out, Germany and Austro-Hungary would have an overwhelming advantage on the Eastern Front battlefield.


    Even with Russia suffering heavy losses, it could deliver a heavy blow to Russia and force Russia to withdraw from this war.


    As long as Russia withdraws from the war, and with the pressure from the Eastern Front lifted, German and Austrian troops could move southward, forcing the fence-sitters in the Balkans to move toward the Axis Powers.


    With the addition of German-Austrian and Balkan forces, there is still a chance of victory against the British, French, Italian, and Australian forces in the war.


    Even if the Ottoman Empire could be persuaded to join the war again, Germany could receive supplies from the United States through the Persian Gulf, and the resource crisis would be resolved.


    Without the restraint of the Russian Army on the Eastern Front, the British, French, and Australian Alliance forces and the German-Austrian Alliance forces on the Western Front were only in a bnced state.


    Under single-front warfare, if the transportation route to the United States can be opened, Germany would not be afraid of the Allied Nations at all.


    With the belief of making a desperate effort, at the end of July 1915, the German Armyunched an all-out attack on the Russian Army.


    At this time, it was the summer of the Northern Hemisphere, which is a good opportunity to attack Russia. If they waited until the icy and snowy winter, even the most powerful army might be lost in Russia.


    Napoleon''s example more than 100 years ago was such a case, which made the German Army very nervous.


    If they could not end this battle before the arrival of winter, the Eastern Front battlefield would be difficult.


    The German-Austrian Alliance Armyunched a fierce attack on the Carpathian Mountains. The left wing of the Russian 8th Army Group was stationed here, and under the strong pressure of the German-Austrian Alliance Army, they had to retreat slowly to the rear.


    However, the Russians also responded very quickly. The temporarymander of the Southwest Front had dispatched newly-reorganized 9th Army Group from the right wing to reinforce the 8th Army Group urgently.


    But at this time, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were already making their final desperate effort, and in addition to the advantage of the number of soldiers, the Russian 8th and 9th Army Groups still could not stop the offensive of the German and Austrian Alliance forces and could only retreat slowly towards their second line.


    The Russians had no choice but to call in the 11th Army Group from the central region, barely blocking the charge of the Austro-Hungarian forces from the Carpathian Mountains.


    But the fighting power of the Russian Army and the German-Austrian Alliance forces were vastly different. The casualties of the Russian three Army Groups surged, with the peak daily number reaching over 30,000.


    Although the Russian Army sessfully prevented the German-Austrian Alliance forces from surrounding the Russian Army in Galicia, it suffered astounding casualties in doing so.


    ording to rough statistics from the Russian front line, the total casualties of the 8th, 9th, and 11th Army Groups exceeded 300,000, with at least 100,000 dead.


    This means that the total number of the three Army Groups, which was less than one million, has now suffered from nearly half the casualties, a heavy loss.

 Chapter 528: Chapter 414: Central Breakthrough

    With the failure of the attempted pincer movement, German Chief of Staff Fajinhan quickly proposed another n - concentrating forces in weak areas of the enemy and implementing a frontline breakthrough, a tactic that was named the Central Breakthrough.


    The pincer movement strategy was initiated by Hindenburg and Ludendorff. After the failure of therge encirclement n, Hindenburg and Ludendorff had to obey themand of Fajinhan, and the East Prussian army and the Austro-German army began to carry out the Central Breakthrough.


    After a series ofplexparisons and judgments, the German General Staff finally chose the upstream area of the Vist River in the Gorelitz District as the core area for the breakthrough.


    The Vist River originates from the Hungarian Region and flows north through Warsaw, dividing most of the East Prussian Region.


    The real reason for implementing the breakthrough tactic in this area is that the Russian army group in this area has beenrgely annihted. The newly transferred Russian troops are all new recruits, making the defense force in this area somewhat weak.


    More importantly, because of the previous battle in the Carpathian Mountains, one of the two new Russian Army Groups in this area had to be transferred out, greatly reducing the Russian military strength.


    Besides the advantage of a powerful military, the terrain in this area is also quite favorable for the German Army.


    Because it''s not a narrow terrain, advantages of the German Army''s troop strength can be brought into y. In addition, the Vist Valley in the north and Beskid Mountain in the south restrict Russian support, ensuring the nks'' safety of the group responsible for the attack, enabling the German Army to push forward without worrying about nk and rear attacks.


    The German highmand, including Chief of Staff Fajinhan, had great confidence in the Central Breakthrough n.


    Although the situation the Allies are currently facing is quite poor, the Germans still believe in thebat capabilities of their army, and Fajinhan still believes the heroic German Army can eliminate any threat at any time.


    ording to Fajinhan''s n, if the Central Breakthrough can bepleted sessfully, it willpletely eliminate Russia''s threat to Hungary, thus modifying the poor situation that the Austro-Hungarian Empire currently faces.


    In this case, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would only need to deploy small troops to hold the Western Italy, the Southern Balkan Nations, and the Eastern Russia.


    The remaining main forces could cooperate with Germany inbat, either annihting Russia, or taking advantage of the situation to annihte the Balkan nations. Both are good choices.


    The assault troops appointed by Fajinhan are the German 11th Army Group,manded by General Makenson.


    In order to facilitate a unifiedmand and prevent any idents happening once the battlemences, Fajinhan did not form a new main attacking force. Instead, he brought the baseline force, the 10th Army and 41st Guard Army that had been transferred, along with the 6th Army sent by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, all under the 11th Army Group,manded by General Makenson.


    The rest of the troops were responsible for covering and restraining the main attacking forces.


    The attacking area was upied by the Russian 3rd Army Group. This army group has seven cavalry divisions, but most of them are new recruits.


    Even whenparing only the German 11th Army Group and the Russian 3rd Army Group, the German army still has an advantage in terms of sufficient military strength.


    After various integrations, the 11th Group Army had over 360,000 German-Austrian soldiers, over 1,200 medium and small caliber firearms, over 300rge-caliber firearms and 100 howitzers.


    Although the Russian army also had 220,000 soldiers, most of them were new recruits. They were also at a disadvantage in terms of firearms, only having close to 700 medium and small caliber firearms, and single-digitrge-caliber firearms.


    Since the Russian 3rd Army Group is mainlyposed of cavalry divisions, they were not equipped withrge-caliber firearms, making the difference in the bteral military strength of Germany and Russia more apparent.


    The Germans also prepared a feint on the western front for the secrecy of the Central Breakthrough tactic, in order to attract the attention of the entire Allied Nations.


    In addition, by the end of July, the attention of quite a few Allies was on the Ottoman Empire. Even Russia had dispatched some troops in the Caucasus Region, which made the Germans believe that the perfect opportunity to start a new battle had arrived.


    It''s worth mentioning that in the feint on the Western Front, the Germans used poison gas inbat for the first time.


    This resulted in significant casualties among the British and French forces on the Western Front. The poison gas not only caused suffocation, poisoning, and death, but also caused temporary or permanent blindness and a loss ofbat capabilities.


    When the Germans used the poison gas, they were all equipped with advanced gas masks. On the side of the British and French forces, either twoyers of cloth simply covered their nose and mouth, or they wore moreplicated gas masks which made it easier for soldiers to suffocate.


    In terms of poison gas and gas masks, the research level of the Germans took the lead. Austrsia did not do much research on poison gas, but they did make some progress with the research on gas masks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The current gas mask technology of the Germansrgely utilized activated charcoal to adsorb and eliminate some toxins in the air.


    The gas masks of Austrsia also used this principle. They had a quite good effect on protecting against poison gas.


    Therefore, Britain and France made an urgent purchase of a batch of gas masks from Austrsia. Even Russia, which had not yet been hit by poison gas, was also buying gas masks urgently from Austrsia.


    At the same time, Britain and France were also conducting urgent research on the use of poison gas bombs in their own countries, preparing for a new round of retaliation against the German army.


    When the attentions of Britain, France, and Russia were all attracted by the poison gas used by Germany on the Western Front, on thest day of July, Germany implemented the Central Breakthrough n on the Eastern Front.

 Chapter 529: Chapter 414: Central Breakthrough_2

    In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the n, apart from a small number of Army Groupmanders and generals, the real central breakthrough n was kept secret even from some important brigade generals who did not know the true destination of their troops, and could only obey the temporary orders from their superiors.


    At the same time when the real main forceunched the attack, some Russian forces also conducted feigned attacks in the northern region, attracting the attention of the some of the Russian army.


    This sessfully paralyzed the Russians, who had no preparations for the impending German offensive.


    When Ivanov, themander-in-chief of the Southwest Army, discovered something was wrong and ordered the strengthening of defenses around the Vist River, it was already a bitte.


    On the banks of the Vist River during summer, the trees are verdant, the grass is lush, and the temperature is not scorching, making the scenery very beautiful.


    However, apanied by the roaring and fierce bombardment of over 1,000 German artillery pieces, the short-lived peace in the area disappeared once again as the war engulfed the entirend.


    The bright light caused by the explosion of shells illuminated the destroyed Russian positions and the panicked and fleeing Russian soldiers.


    The Russian artillery wanted to retaliate, but faced suppression from the German artillery. Faced with such a situation, the Russian artillery positions either remained silent during the war or were destroyed by the German artillery.


    Although by this time Russia had already received some aid, the actual amount allocated to each division of the frontline Russian army was not that much.


    On average, each German artillery piece could receive hundreds of shells per day, but the number of shells fired by each Russian artillery piece would not exceed ten per day.


    With a gap in their numbers in terms of artillery and a disadvantage in the number of shells, the Russian armycked the support of artillery, and under the attack of the German army, they had almost no room to fight back.


    In World War I, the most effective weapons for defense were heavy machine guns and artillery. But for the Russian army, machine gun bullets and artillery shells were the most easily consumed and precious things.


    The German bombardmentsted for several hours, with the Russian artillery responding only in the first half-hour.


    For the remaining hours, Russian defensive positions were subjected to the fierce bombardment of German artillery, with asional bursts of fire illuminating thend and highlighting the screams and pain of Russian soldiers.


    That was not the end of it. Following the bombardment thatsted for several hours, the next to appear were the German airnes.


    A year ago, these Russian recruits were illiterate farmers. They were shocked by the iron birds spewing death and fire above their heads, as if they were the pets of the Grim Reaper seeking lives, causing great harm to the morale of the Russian soldiers, who buried their heads in the trenches at the sight of German nes, fearing that death would take them away.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although several years had passed since the advent of airships, Russia also possessed its first batch of airnes.


    The problem was that both airships and airnes were too remote for ordinary Russian farmers.


    They had no chance to ride airships in the sky, let alone see Russian airnes that had not yet trained pilots. It was only natural for them to be in awe of these things capable of flying freely in the sky.


    Among the great powers, the capital city of Russia, Saint Petersburg, had the fewest global air routes of any capital.


    This was not only because Saint Petersburg was located in the icy and snowy region of Northern Europe, but also because it was too far from the mainstream trade routes of other countries.


    London and Paris were the most popr stops for global air routes in Europe, followed by Berlin, Rome, and Vienna.


    The German air force was notrge, with only just over 100 aircraft. These nes were simple in design, and their main means of attack was a machine gun mounted on the aircraft.


    However, although the nes did not cause heavy casualties to the Russian army, they did impose a heavy psychological burden on them.


    Many Russian soldiers even developed a fear of war, and if it were not for the Russianmander''s swift handling of a few deserters attempting to flee the battlefield, the Russian army might have copsed.


    On August 1st, the German-Austrian alliance officially began the breakthrough. Leading the charge was a German cavalry division, who, wielding sharp sabers, collected the gifts sent by the Russian soldiers just as they poked their heads out of their positions.


    Under the German Army''sbination attack, the Russian 3rd Army Group quickly copsed, and the militaryw and supervisory teams could no longer control them.


    The Russian army retreated in chaos, and some of the escaping Russian soldiers, in order to lighten their load, abandoned almost all of their equipment.


    When General Ivanov, themander of the Southwest Army, learned of the copse of the 3rd Army Group on August 2nd, the German army had already upied favorable terrain in the area.


    Ivanov acted quickly, ordering the Russian troops on both sides of the Gorelitz District to force the breakthrough German troops back to the west of the Vist River at all costs and hold the area.


    Under Ivanov''s orders, arge number of unprepared Russian troops rushed to the front line andunched suicidal cluster charges against the Germans.


    It should be noted that the German 11th Army Group was not only equipped with arge number of artillery, but also had hundreds of heavy machine guns, as well as taboo weapons such as poison gas.


    The Russian''s cluster charge, in in terms, was a group of people charging together. Under the dense fire of the German army''s machine guns and artillery bombardment, this was no different from sending the Russian troops to their deaths in an orderly manner.


    Within just two days, the breakthrough point of the German army in the Gorelitz District did not shrink but rather grewrger andrger.


    Even with the corpses of Russian soldiers lying all over the banks of the Vist River and the Beskid Mountains, nothing could stop the advance of the German army.


    The crimson Vist River proved the cruelty of this battle, and the river''s surroundings prevented residents from daring to eat fish for a long time.


    Speaking of the German poison gas bombs, there was a small twist in this charge battle that shocked many people.


    After thest use of poison gas bombs on the Western Front caused heavy losses to the British and French forces, the Germans quickly decided to use poison gas on the Eastern Front too, to make the Russians suffer.


    The poison gas used by the Germans at this time was choking chlorine gas, which was three times heavier than ordinary air.


    When the gas was released, the heavy gas cylinders had to be opened by a special team to measure the wind direction. The yellow-green smoke, entangled together, floated above the ground and rolled forward as it was gently blown by the wind.


    However, this poison gas release team clearly did not consider the sudden change in wind direction, which caused the rolling poison gas to suddenly be blown back to the German positions by the changed wind direction.


    After the poison gas entered the trenches along the ground, it soon spread throughout the German positions, causing many unprepared German soldiers to die painfully of asphyxiation.


    ording to secret German statistics, this poison gas ident led to the deaths of several hundred German soldiers, making it a major ident.


    In order not to affect morale and to prevent the army and the public from doubting the safety of such taboo weapons, the German General Staff chose to keep the matter strictly confidential.


    This real historical event was not revealed until many years after the end of World War I.


    Of course, this ident could not affect therge-scale use of poison gas by the German army.


    The day after the ident, the German army used poison gas again on the Eastern Front, causing great suffering for the Russian troops.


    Together with the dense firepower of the German army, the Russian troops that filled the gaps suffered more than 100,000 casualties within two days, leaving the Russian Southwest Front extremely precarious.


    It is worth mentioning that the Germans'' tant use of poison gas caused the price of gas masks to soar.


    Britain, France, and Russia began purchasing gas masks from Austrsia while also starting their own research and development of gas masks.


    The current market price of gas masks has doubled, but the purchase orders from Britain and France are still in high demand.

 Chapter 530: Chapter 415: Southwest Armys Defeat

    As the situation on the Russian southwestern front deteriorated and the Third Army Group copsed, the nks of the nearby Fourth and Eighth Army Groups faced serious threats.


    In order to ensure the safety of their nks, the Russian Fourth and Eighth Army Groups had to retreat at the speed of the Third Army Group.


    The Fourth and Eighth Army Groups were able to orderly retreat, but the Third Army Group, which was close to disintegrating, discarded their helmets and armor along the way in order to speed up the withdrawal, leaving behind inconvenient artillery, heavy machine guns, and some shells, ammunition, and supplies on the front lines and on the road of retreat.


    If it weren''t for the natural barriers of the rivers from the River San to the Dniester River, the German army might have advanced unimpeded and upied the entire Polish region.


    On August 7, the rested Russian army reorganized its defensive positions near the River San, in an attempt to fight a decisive battle with the German army.


    However, at this point, the Russian army was at an absolute disadvantage in terms of firepower. The Germans had captured arge number of Russian artillery and heavy weapons, giving them an overwhelming advantage in firepower against the Russian army.


    It was clear that the hastily constructed Russian defense line could not resist the German offensive.


    Under the fierce bombardment of the Germans, the Russian army suffered tens of thousands of casualties every day, while the Germans suffered minimal losses.


    If it weren''t for an order from Russian Southwest Army Commander Ivanov demanding that the Third, Fourth, and Eighth Army Groups hold the Germans at all costs, the copse of Pnd might just be a matter of time.


    Under the fierce bombardment from the Germans, the Russian soldiers had formed a tacit understanding with their enemies.


    Whenever the Germans bombarded, the Russian soldiers would huddle in their positions, taking the opportunity to rest or regain strength.


    When the German artillery fire ceased, the Russian soldiers would rush to the trenches, firing rifles and a few machine guns to counterattack the German army.


    Even when the German-Austrian forces approached close to the front lines, many Russian soldiers would jump out and engage in close-quartersbat with the German-Austrian forces, using their lives and bodies to halt their advance.


    Though the Germans held an advantage in firepower and weaponry, the numerical advantage of the Russian soldiers became apparent in bay fighting.


    Victory in cold weapon battles ultimately depends on numbers. Although the Russian army could not achieveplete victory in hand-to-handbat, they still used the lives and bodies of their soldiers to momentarily halt the German army at the River San defensive line.


    Of course, the Germans were not without countermeasures. As their assaulting forces were temporarily held back, the Germans transportedrge quantities of supplies and reinforcements to the front lines.


    This allowed the German artillery to fire at the Russians without restraint, covering the entire Russian position with their bombardment.


    Fortunately, there was also good news for Russia. On the fourth day of the Battle of the River San, the Constantinople Treaty was signed, and the Ottoman Empire formally withdrew from the war.


    This meant that the hundreds of thousands of Balkan Nations'' troops could be deployed to the Eastern Front, putting the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s southeastern border in great danger.


    On August 13, 1915, the armies of the Balkan Nations assembled on the border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire andunched a fierce offensive against their border.


    The Serbs were among the most ferocious attackers. Commander Martin led hundreds of thousands of Balkan troops from the borders of Montenegro, Serbia, and Romania,unching attacks on Sarajevo, the Danube River and the Carpathian Mountains, respectively.


    The force from Montenegro consisted of 80,000 Montenegrin troops, 50,000 Greek troops, 80,000 from Larasia, a total of 210,000 men.


    The Serbian direction included 250,000 Serbian troops, 100,000 Greek troops, a total of 350,000 men.


    The Romanian direction had only 200,000 Romanian troops, but there were also Russian forces in the northern Carpathian Mountains, allowing for coordinatedbat.


    With the participation of the Balkan Nations, the pressure on the Russian side was greatly reduced.


    However, what Russia did not expect was that the Austro-Hungarian Empire organized nearly 200,000 troops to defend its southern border and diverted an additional 150,000 from other regions, without pulling away any troops that were cooperating with the Germans.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire was obviously gambling that the German-Austrian alliance could obliterate the Russian main force and severely cripple Russia before the Balkan Nations broke through its borders.


    At that point, with millions of German-Austrian alliance forces marching south, the Balkan Nations'' troops would be no match for them.


    On August 17, 1915, the Russians did not wait for the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s withdrawal, but instead faced even more frenzied attacks by the German-Austrian alliance forces.


    By this time, the Russian forces had been holding their ground at the River San defensive line for ten days, suffering more than 100,000 casualties. The Fourth and Eighth Army Groups suffered heavy losses, and the Third Army Group''sbat power was reduced to less than a quarter of its original size.


    A fitting description for the current state of these three Russian army groups would be "at the end of their tether."


    On August 18, as the German-Austrian alliance forces pushed forward, the Russians had no choice but to abandon Przemysl.


    It''s worth noting that when the Russians initially captured Przemysl, they suffered a great number of casualties.


    Faced with such a strategic location, the Russian army, if not driven to dire straits, would never willingly give up such a territory.


    With the urgent retreat of the Russians, Hindenburg and Rudolf made a decisive decision tounch a pursuit and initiate arge-scale offensive on the whole line.


    By this time, the central breakthrough tactic had beenpletely sessful. The Germans deployed millions of German-Austrian troops, and the 11th Group Army''s breakthrough went straight through, striving to inflict a fatal blow on the Russian army.


    In fact, they did indeed achieve this. The Russian Southwestern Front Army had already been stretched to its limit, and the Russian army copsed quickly in the face of the full-scale offensive of the German army.


    By the end of August, the Russian Southwestern Front Army had beenpletely defeated, not only giving up the upied Galicia but also retreating to the rear of Pnd.


    The Gorelitz Campaign, whichsted nearly a month, ended with the all-around defeat of the Russian army.


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    The German-Austrian Alliance Army suffered less than 100,000 casualties, a significant portion of which were from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    In contrast, Russian casualties exceeded 500,000, with more than 300,000 Russian soldiers taken prisoner.


    Not only was the Third Army Group almostpletely annihted, but the Fourth and Eighth Army groups also each lost more than 100,000 men, with countless losses of equipment and supplies.


    Meanwhile, Russia''s previous achievements in fighting the Austro-Hungarian Empire evaporated after the loss of Galicia.


    After the Austro-Hungarian Empire reupied Galicia, it became difficult for Russians to recapture the region.


    More importantly, the German-Austrian Alliance Army now had ample time and opportunity to resist or even defeat the Balkan Allied Forces.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, Russia''s losses were far from limited to these.


    After this disastrous defeat, the morale of the Russian army plummeted, and the soldiers seemed to lose confidence in resisting the German-Austrian Alliance Army.


    Some Russian officers were so afraid of the enemy that they fled in panic when they saw the German troops.


    The spread of anti-war sentiment among ordinary soldiers grew, as they feared death and were tired of the war that yielded no results.


    In Russia''s political arena, this failure also caused a seismic shift. If the Russian government and Nichs II had been able to suppress domestic rebellion before, after this defeat, Nichs II seemed unable to control the domestic situation.


    Demonstrations erupted in Saint Petersburg and Moscow''s Red Square, with angry crowds not only demanding the abdication of Tsar Nichs II but also insisting that the misguided queen be sent to a convent and Rasputin, the court''s favorite, be hanged to restore peace to Russia''s government.


    As one of the old great powers, the Russian Empire, the people could not ept such significant losses in the war.


    If it were not for the fact that the war was rtively sessful in other regions, angry people might already be demanding the execution of Nichs II.


    It could be said that the entire Tsarist Russia was in a state of chaos at this moment. If it had not been for Arthur''s pre-emptive orchestration to control some revolutionary parties, Russia might already have erupted in a rebellion, and Nichs II''s overthrow would not be far away.


    In order to address the current severe crisis in the country, Nichs II decided to send Cossack cavalry to suppress the unrest in armed areas.


    Furthermore, if the unrest was too severe, Nichs II granted special authorization to the Cossack cavalrymander to attack the protesting crowds.


    Armed repression of demonstrations was thest resort and a decision made reluctantly by Nichs II.


    As casualties ur among the demonstrating crowds due to the use of force, it signifies that Nichs II and Tsarist autocracy have turned to the opposite side of the Russian people.


    If the suppression of the unrest fails, then the Russians might not demand a change of monarchy but rather demand the abolition of the entire monarchism.


    In addition to various domestic crises, the Russian''s situation on the frontline battlefield is also very dire.


    After the defeat in Gorelitz Campaign, Russia''s strategic situation is already extremely dangerous.


    The entire Southwest Front has only three undersized army groups left, and the total number of soldiers adds up to just over 500,000.


    Although the Northwest Army has eight army groups, they are being held by a portion of the German army, and their location is very unfavorable for the war.


    From the map, it can be seen that the whole Russian army on the Eastern Front has been semi-encircled by the German-Austrian Alliance Army on the north and south wings.


    If the German-Austrian Alliance Armyunched a frontal attack from both sides, all Russian troops on the frontline would be captured in one fell swoop.


    Of course, the German General Staff would not miss such a favorable opportunity, but the top-level decision-making on how to implement the n to encircle all Russian troops was not unified.


    There were two main factions with high influence in the German military at this time:  German Chief of General Staff Fajinhan, and Eastern Front Commanders Hindenburg and Rudolf who had just achieved a major victory on the battlefield.

 Chapter 531: Chapter 416: The Disagreement within the German Military

    Chief of Staff Fajinhan of Germany and his predecessor, Major Maurice Johnson, had drastically different ways of handling things.


    Major Maurice adhered to a non-interference attitude towards front-linemanders, only responsible for formting macro strategies, while the micro-level operations were left to themanders of the various Army Groups at the front line.


    However, Fajinhan was different. As the newly appointed Chief of Staff of Germany, Fajinhan not only fully participated in the formtion of macro strategies but also frequentlymanded and directed each of the Army Groups on the front line.


    Regarding the potential opportunity of encircling all Russian armies for aplete wipeout, Fajinhan proposed his perspective: He suggests the deployment of soldiers for a two-way attack, with the primary attack still led by Makenson, who had just achieved a massive victory. The direction of the attack would be the area between the Vivace River and the Bug River.


    The second course would involve moving the 12th Army Group in the direction of East Prussia towards the protruding root of Pnd aiming topletely slice off the protruding region of Pnd.


    However, Hindenburg, the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Front Army, had an entirely different perspective.


    Hindenburg believed thatunching an attack from the Neman River, passing through Kovno, and directly inserting into Minsk from the rear of Russia could not only seize arge chunk of Russian Territory, including Pnd, but could also eliminate more of the primary forces in the Russian Army and create a decisive victory on the Eastern Front.


    The n proposed by Fajinhan still involves waging war in the Polish region, while Hindenburg''s n has already infringed upon Russian Territory, extending nearly 200 km more than Russia''s borders.


    Indeed, circumventing their way to Minsk would be able to cut off the rear route of the Eastern Front Russian Army and yield more battle results.


    However, the problem is that such an in-depth n exercise would have to involve the deployment of more soldiers to ensure the security of the nk of the Army.


    A higher number of soldiers also implies a greater logistical backup, posing an issue for the logistical department in Germany.


    Bear in mind that, despite the highly developed transportation in the East Prussian Region, it doesn''t imply that the transportation in Pnd and within Russia is sufficiently developed.


    Compared to Germany''s developed railway and highwayworks, Russia''s traffic environment is more primitive. Not only is it more challenging to mobilize forces, persistently carrying out tasks is an unbearable burden.


    The more critical factor was that, as it was already almost September, winter in Russia was not far away. If they could not conclude the battle rapidly before the onset of winter, for the German soldiers, it would be an icy, snow-covered hell.


    By that time, in addition to the regr food and supplies, the logistical department in Germany would have to transport arge amount of cotton-padded clothing and winter items to prevent the German army from getting frostbites.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Considering several factors, the n proposed by Hindenburg was less feasible in practice. The logistical department in Germany could not guarantee that the deployed German army would receive adequate supplies of goods. It goes without saying that during the winter, it was difficult to ensure that every German soldier would be distributed cotton-padded clothing and winter items.


    Being the two most influential individuals within the German military at the time, neither Fajinhan nor Hindenburg could convince each other, resulting in the German army continually failing to decide on the final battle n against Russia.


    Given that the best opportunity to eliminate the Russian Army was on the brink of being missed, out of helplessness, Fajinhan had no choice but to persuade William II.


    Compared to the obstinate Hindenburg, William II wasparatively easy to convince.


    Fajinhan was straightforward with his assertion that Hindenburg was a brash and stubborn fellow who eagerly sought merit.


    ording to him, Hindenburg''s n was entirely unworkable. The vastness of Russian territory allows ample room for manoeuvre.


    Considering the current strength of the German-Austrian alliance army, it was absolutely impossible to effectively encircle all the Russian armies, let alone carry out deep innd warfare in Russia.


    Even if the German Army wouldn''t sumb to the countless marshes,kes, forests, and the atrocious road conditions in Russia, they were destined to be defeated by the approaching winter months.


    Fajinhan expressed that if William II did not wish to face the constraints like Napoleon did back in the day, then the battle n against Russia should be further deliberated. He proposes the adoption of a more conservative n, which also has a higher rate of sess.


    The words of Fajinhan indeed had an impact. Napoleon was a household name in Europe and his achievements far surpassed those of William II.


    However, the once unstoppable Napoleon was defeated by the expansive Russian territory and the harsh winter. The present German army stood no chance inparison.


    William II was soon persuaded by Fajinhan and he unreservedly supported Fajinhan''s n, instructing all the frontline troops to carry out the n proposed by Fajinhan.


    The good news was that the majority of the German army adhered to themand of William II and operated in ordance with the n proposed by Fajinhan.


    The bad news was that, with the exception of Hindenburg who outwardly followed Fajinhan''s n but still covertly instructed his subordinates to prepare in ordance with his own scheme.


    The fact that Hindenburg was overtly obedient but covertly disobedient towards themand given by William II also represented a sad reality; the imperial authority in Germany was gradually being hollowed out by the military power.


    While the German army was secretly strategizing for the next major offensive, the Russian army was already extremely pessimistic about the current war situation.


    After the previous defeat, an infuriated Nichs II dismissed Ivanov, the Commander of the Southwestern Front Army, and appointed Alekseyev as the newmander of the Southwest Army.


    At the same time, Nichs II repeatedly confronted Archduke Nichs, themander-in-chief of the Russian army. If it wasn''t for the fear that a change inmand would cause a faster copse in military morale, Nichs II would''ve dismissed the Commander-in-Chief position held by Archduke Nichs long ago.


    The Russian High Command believed that after the failure of the Gorelitz Campaign, the Russian army had suffered a heavy blow.


    Not only did they face serious casualties and losses, but they also lost arge number of supplies, leading to shortages of supplies and insufficient ammunition for the frontline troops.


    Combined with the damage to morale, thebat effectiveness of the frontline troops had already declined and they were not suited to directly confront the German-Austrian Alliance Army.


    Archduke Nichs also ordered that before these issues were resolved, any military action against the German-Austrian Alliance Army was prohibited, and a general retreat was implemented on all fronts unfavorable to the Russian army.


    If necessary, troops could withdraw from Warsaw and relocate to Brest, behind Warsaw.


    This was, in fact, equivalent to Russia unterally giving up most of thend in Pnd, shifting the strategy on the Eastern Front from full-scale offense to full-scale defense.


    Although such a decision would cause Russia to lose arge amount ofnd, it was the only correct decision that Russia could make at the present.


    To facilitate the consolidation of the Southwest Army and restore itsbat effectiveness, the newly appointed Commander of the Southwest Army, Alekseyev, requested the Northwest Army to hold its position for at least one month to cover the retreat of the Southwest Army in the Warsaw area, and reorganize its forces in the Brest region.


    The day after the Russian Southwestern Front Army began to retreat, Germanyunched arge-scale offensive.


    On September 3, 1915, the German 11th Army Group, the Bug River Army Group, and the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army Groupunched arge-scale campaign,unching a fierce attack on Thomashev and Krasinik.


    It is worth noting that, knowing that the Russian army did not have enough firearms, the German artillery was even very close to the Russian frontline, with the nearest distance being less than one kilometer. Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Such a close-distance direct assault is equivalent to firing a rifle at a distance of one meter, and the uracy rate would greatly increase.


    Of course, as the hit rate increases, the lethality of this close-range artillery also bes astonishinglyrge.


    Benefiting from the closer distance, German artillery could hit Russian trenches with precision, killingrge numbers of Russian soldiers in the trenches.


    The grim scene was touching, and even the German officers couldn''t help but pity these tragically killed Russian soldiers.


    Of course, as soldiers, they might only pity for a few seconds and then attack the Russian army with a more powerful attitude.


    The Russian army held out in these two areas for four days, at the cost of nearly 100,000 casualties, before their line copsed and they retreated in disarray.


    In mid-September, when German troops forcibly crossed the Bug River, Russia finally deployed nes purchased from Austrsia for the first time andunched a fierce bombing campaign against the German-Austrian forces crossing the river, continuously firing machine guns.


    This was the first time the Russian army had used airnes in war, as well as the first time in Russian history that they had coordinated air and ground operations, marking a noteworthy moment in Russian military history.


    Russia deployed more than a dozen nes, dropping over three tons of bombs over several days.


    After some urgent training from Austrsian experts, Russia had trained more than a dozen pilots, which enabled them to deploy nes inbat for the first time.


    Fortunately, the first deployment of the nes resulted in significant military sess, leading Nichs II to rejoice that his money had been well-spent on airnes.


    After the 11th Group Army''s attempt to forcibly cross the river failed, in East Prussia, the German 12th Group Army also began tounch an offensive from the downstream of the Narev River in Pushasnihi.


    In contrast to the Russian army that the 11th Group Army faced, the Russian soldiers faced by the German 12th Group Army were much weaker.


    When attacking Galicia, Russia had transferred some of its elite troops to the Southwestern Front, which had resulted in thebat capability of some Russian troops in the East Prussian region not being strong.


    Under the fierce artillery attack of the 12th Group Army, the Russian army could only retreat into the city and engage in urban warfare with the German army by utilizing the chaotic streets of the city.


    For a while, the German army, which hadn''t prepared much, suffered heavy casualties in the urban war.


    The Russian army fully capitalized on the guerri tactics of moving after each shot, causing chaos among the German troops who couldn''t even locate their enemy.


    Reinforcements from other regions managed to repulse the German troops, leading to the failure of the attempt by Galvarez, themander of the 12th Group Army, to forcibly cross the Narev River.


    However, Galvarez calmly thought of another good method, which was to cross the river in other areas by detouring.


    After some searching, Galvarez finally found a region where the Russian force was rtively weak, and forcibly crossed the Narev River from the region of Rochatni, and sessfully controlled the important ferry on the Narev River.

 Chapter 532: Chapter 417: The Eastern Front Offensive Ends

    While the German Chief of Staff Fakinhan''s n to attack the Polish salient from the north and south was gradually underway, the Commander of the German Eastern Front, Hindenburg, and his Chief of Staff Rudolph Anderson were secretly plotting their own ns.


    On September 11, 1915, the German Nieman River Group Army and the Russian Fifth Army Group engaged in fierce battle in the Riga region.


    Riga is located downstream of the Dous River and is the first barrier to East Prussia on its way to Saint Petersburg.


    If Riga were lost, the subsequent road to Saint Petersburg would be extremely smooth, and the safety of Saint Petersburg would be at risk.


    As the capital of the Russian Empire, the importance of Saint Petersburg is self-evident. In order to protect the safety of Saint Petersburg, Archduke Nichs ordered that Riga be defended at all costs and that German troops be blocked across the Dous River.


    Nichs II also issued an order demanding that the defenders of Riga not retreat a single step, dering that their fate was tied to the city''s: if the city fell, they would perish.


    The German Nieman River Army Group is a small-scale army group, with a strength of only around 120,000 people.


    The Russian Fifth Army Group also does not have full force, with only a slightly higher total number of soldiers than the Nieman River Army Group, but still less than 140,000 people.


    What''s worse, the gap in weapons and equipment between the Russian army and the German army is even more pronounced than the rtively insignificant gap in numbers.


    Out of the 140,000-strong Russian army, nearly 20,000 peopleck weapons and equipment, and even the most basic rifles are not readily avable.


    In contrast, Germans are uniformly equipped with standard-issue weapons and have ample artillery and logistics support.


    When such clearly mismatched armies fought, the oue was predictable.


    In the wars of this era, numbers were not so significant. Rather, more advanced weapons and equipment and more abundant logistical support were the key factors in determining victory and defeat.


    However, in these two aspects, the Russian armygged far behind the German army, which also determined that the result of this war would be a disastrous defeat for Russia.


    Under the fierce shelling of the Germans, the Russian army retreated step by step, sessively losing Shafri, Bonyevich, Mito, and Kovno fortress. Riga also dered its fall after being besieged by the Germans for more than half a month.


    From September, the Russians sent almost daily telegrams for help to London, Paris, and Sydney.


    From their initial demands, to theirter requests and even pleading, the Russians were clearly panicking. They urgently hoped that their allies wouldunch an offensive in the Western and Balkan regions, forcing some German troops to return for support.


    Arthur and the British and French had the same view: they could abandon Russia, but they couldn''t hurt Russia.


    In order to save this endangered ally, Britain and France promised to immediatelyunch arge-scale offensive on the Western Front. Arthur personally replied to Nichs II, stating that the Austrsian army would make every effort to attack the Balkan region.


    On September 11, 1915, while Hindenburg wasunching the Battle of Riga, Brigadier General Martin led an army of 200,000 andunched a fierce attack on Sarajevo, the strategically important city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Bosnia.


    This originally less famous small city became famous worldwide before the outbreak of war due to the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand, Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The Austro-Hungarian garrison in Sarajevo was notrge, with less than 30,000 people in total.


    In fact, looking at the entire southern border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, there were fewer than 400,000 garrison troops in all.


    Of these, more than 200,000 were on the Serbian border and over 100,000 were on the border with Romania, that is, the southern part of the Carpathian Mountains.


    Meanwhile, the Bosnian region near Montenegro had a garrison of just over 100,000 people.


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    After nearly a month ofbat, Brigadier General Martin had wiped out nearly 40,000 Austro-Hungarian troops, while his own casualties amounted to less than 20,000.


    Compared to Brigadier General Martin, the progress of Serbia and Romania was much slower. Their weapons and equipment were not as advanced as those of the Austrsian army, and thebat capability of the Austro-Hungarian troops should not be underestimated.


    In order to capture Sarajevo, Brigadier General Martin assembled hundreds of artillery guns and bombarded Sarajevo for more than ten hours.


    Subsequently, arge number of Greek and Montenegrin troopsunched a charge, closely followed by the Austrsian army.


    The reason for the Balkan army''s enthusiastic campaign was easy to understand. Brigadier General Martin personally promised that if the Balkan troops showed bravery in the battle, Austrsia would guarantee the interests of the Balkan nations.


    Which territories the Balkan nations could upyrgely depended on the attitudes of the major powers. Therefore, it was also a good thing for the Balkan nations to gain the support of Austrsia.


    Before Riga was captured, Sarajevo had already fallen, and Brigadier General Martin, with an army of fewer than 200,000 people, decided to go around the Bosnian region to the opposite bank of the Danube, join forces with Serbia, and surround the Austro-Hungarian troops on Serbian border.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire had about 200,000 troops stationed at the Serbian border, more than half of which were deployed in the Bosnia and Serbia border region.


    With more than half of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces near Montenegro already wiped out, there was hope that the forces led by Brigadier General Martin could bypass Bosnia and encircle the main force of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s southern border.


    On September 23, there were signs of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military retreat. At the same time, Serbia received notice from Brigadier General Martin,unching arge-scale offensive in the border region, dying the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s retreat.


    In the afternoon of September 24, after the Austrsian Army wiped out a small part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces, they finally arrived in the hintends of the Bosnia region, where further easty the border between Bosnia and Serbia.


    The retreating Austro-Hungarian Army soon encountered the Austrsian Army, and fierce fighting broke out between the two sides. However, the Austro-Hungarian Army clearly could not withstand the charge of the Greek and Montenegro armies, and their retreat was pushed back by the Austrsian forces.


    It should be noted that during the Indigenous, Greek, and Montenegro armies'' charge, the Austrsian Army quickly set up artillery positions behind them andunched a fierce bombardment on the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s artillery technology was world-ss, the prolonged war had depleted arge amount of its domestic material reserves. Additionally, arge number of elite troops had been transferred to support Germany''s operations, which led to insufficient weapons and equipment for the border guard and a disadvantage in mutual artillery fire.


    After failing to retreat, the fate of this Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army could be easily guessed. Being nked on both sides by the Austrsian and Serbian forces, and having missed the best chance to retreat, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army was trapped like a turtle in a jar with no way out.


    On September 25, almost simultaneously, both sidesunched a counterattack on the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces. Over 500,000 fearless forces charged towards the less than 200,000 Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces, and the sound of artillery and gunfire continuously echoed in the battleground.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire had no reinforcements at this time, and the other southern border forces were either tied down by Romania or had already been wiped out by the Austrsian Army.


    Meanwhile, the main force was far away in the Polish region, unable to rush back in a short period of time.


    Unless the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army of fewer than 200,000 troops could hold out for at least ten days, its demise was only a matter of time.


    On October 7, after holding out for over ten days, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces were finally wiped out and captured by the Balkan Front forces led by Brigadier General Martin.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces numbered over 198,000, with over 55,000 killed, more than 118,000 injured, and over 140,000 captured.


    Along with the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces previously wiped out by the Austrsian forces along the Montenegro border, nearly half of the Empire''s border forces of nearly 400,000 had been lost, leaving less than 100,000bat-ready troops.


    This news was a devastating blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As early as when the 200,000-strong force was being besieged, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had already redeployed 300,000 troops to support the southern border.


    However, the problem was that mobilizing the army was not simple, especially when the forces were deep within the Russian territory.


    Moreover, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s forces were also undertaking somebat tasks. If they suddenly withdrew troops, it would also be a blow to Germany''s operational ns.


    At this time, Germany''s offensive also faced significant trouble.


    Firstly, the Russian Fifth Army Group detected Hindenburg''s plot to encircle the entire Shafri region, and, despite the orders of Nichs II, evacuated the Shafri region, avoiding being surrounded by the Germans.


    Though this led to Germany upyingrge areas of Russian territory and captured the Shafri transportation hub.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, Germany''s n to encircle and annihte the Russian forces on arge scale was not sessful, and although Russia suffered heavy losses, it still had the strength to fight.


    At the same time, the German forces had advanced deep into the Russian hearnd, and like the Russian forces, were facing the pressure and difficulties caused by Russia''s poor infrastructure.


    With the supply line from Germany to thebat zone being extremely long, coupled with the inconvenient transportation in the Russian region, the German forces advancing deep into the Russian territory faced terrible logistical support.


    With insufficient supplies of ammunition and shells, the German offensive also lost momentum.


    After breaking through Riga, the German icebreaker even reached the Minsk region, but did not cross the Tineber River. Like a punctured balloon, it could no longer move forward.


    At this time, news of the copse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s southern border continued to arrive, and aftermunicating with Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire withdrew most of its troops, causing even fewer soldiers to be avable for the German-Austrian alliance tounch offensives, and the strategy of focusing on the Eastern Front was forced to be suspended.


    Currently, the German Army did not have enough troops or adequate transportation capacity to meet the logistical needs of the frontline forces.


    Moreover, the battles on the Eastern Front had been going on for an extended period, and the soldiers were extremely exhausted and urgently needed rest.


    Upon further consideration, the German General Staff decided to stop the offensive on the Eastern Front temporarily and shift its attention to the Western Front to defend against the rumoredrge-scale British and French offensive.


    Of course, the focus on the Western Front was temporary. Major Fagan assured William II that as soon as the Eastern Front''s transportation routes improved, the offensive on the Eastern Front would continue.</p

 Chapter 533: Chapter 418: Dismissal from Position

    The rumors the Germans heard were not unfounded; Britain and France were indeed nning arge-scale offensive on the Western Front to alleviate the pressure faced by Russia on the Eastern Front and seek a breakthrough in the West.


    The attack suffered by the Russians on the Eastern Front had already proved that the Germans had transferred a considerable portion of their forces from the Western Front.


    This also meant that there must be weak spots in Germany''s defenses on the Western Front. As long as the Allies could break through Germany''s tightly arranged positions in the West, Germany would be busy fighting on two fronts and fall into chaos without being attacked.


    The trench warfare on the Western Front had continued until now, with massive consumption on both sides.


    Although Germany''s strategic shift had indeed lessened the pressure on Britain and France, by now, the Allies had suffered millions of casualties, with the death toll already exceeding 400,000.


    Although hundreds of thousands of casualties were also inflicted on the German soldiers in the trenches, they stubbornly refused to let the British and French advance a single step, much like unkible cockroaches.


    Of course, although the front lines did not advance, Britain, France, and Germany all suffered heavy losses in terms of manpower, weapons, and resources.


    In addition to the massive casualties on both sides, millions of weapons, billions of bullets and tens of millions of shells have been consumed in the battle for the Western Front.


    After being cut off from most of its overseas supplies, Germany could not withstand such high consumption, which was also the reason for Germany''s urgent search for a solution to break the deadlock.


    On October 11, 1915, Hindenburg''s attempts failed one after another. The army he led faced swarms of mosquitoes and diseases, withrge numbers of soldiers and horses sick and dying. The fighting capacity of the troops plummeted rapidly.


    Due to the sickness of the cavalry, the army could only move distances of less than five kilometers a day, even in clear weather.


    Faced with a very poor logistical situation, Hindenburg had no choice but to order a halt to the offensive, allowing soldiers and horses to recuperate.


    Even worse, due to Hindenburg''s recklessness and not participating in the n formted by Fakinham, there were not enough troops for Fakinham''s n, and the offensive of the main German forces also failed to seed.


    Hindenburg and Ludendorff not only obstructed the n to encircle the Russian army in the Warsaw area, but their self-believed n to seed also failed.


    Although Germany was undoubtedly the sessful side in the entire campaign, they failed to eliminate the Russian army at the best possible time. The Central powers faced a three-front war, and the chances of victory were slim.


    If Germany could have pursued the victory and eliminated most of the Russian army, forcing Russia to withdraw from the war, perhaps they would still have the chance to win the war.


    However, regrettably, this is just a hypothetical situation. In reality, the German army faced a more severe situation than the Russian army, and it was very difficult to hold the upied areas in trench warfare.


    Starting from mid-October, Germany entered into full trench warfare defense on the Eastern Front and no longer had any ns tounch any offensive.


    Russia finally got a respite and a short time to catch their breath.


    The failure of the entire campaign caused a strong shock within Russia. Although the protests on St. Petersburg''s Red Square and the Moscow Red Square were brutally suppressed, riots more severe than demonstrations were happening throughout Tsardom of Russia, even in small andrge towns and viges. Continue reading on m_v--NovelBin


    On the surface, Russia seemed calm, but underground, it was boiling with unrest.


    Especially after Tsar Nichs II deployed the Cossack cavalry to forcibly suppress the riots, the people''s demands changed from calling for Nichs II''s abdication to overthrowing the Romanov dynasty and the monarchist system. Their dissatisfaction shifted from Nichs II to the whole monarchy and the tsarist system, as well as the tsar''s family.


    Although rtively peaceful protests and demonstrations were suppressed, underground activities to overthrow the state and the royal house increased substantially.


    ording to Director Bartie''s report to Arthur, the number of revolutionary and reactionary parties in Russia doubled overnight, and the number of people participating in these parties tripled.


    Even if Arthur had control over some of the political parties beforehand, it was impossible to suppress the current situation in Russia.


    In short, Tsar Nichs II hasmitted public outrage, and the entire country of Russia wants to overthrow the monarchy. This is something no external force can stop.


    More than a year has passed since the outbreak of the war. Although Russia''s performance among the great powers during this time was not the worst, it was undoubtedly ranked at the bottom.


    In principle, the once renowned European bulldozer, although decayed and no longer able topete with top powers like Britain, France, and Germany in industry and economy, was still, after all, a camelrger than a horse when it was slim. It should not have faced such heavy casualties.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, if one considers the corruption and ipetence of some seniormanders in Russia during the war, the terrible state of Russian roads, the extremeck of transportation vehicles, the cooperation between logistical officers and contractors, and the embezzlement of military funds, then Russia''s tragic defeat seems inevitable.


    ording to the statistics from both Germany and Russia, the number of shells consumed by Germany in the Gorelitz Campaign was more than 100 times that of Russia.


    This also means that after Germany fired more than 100 shells, Russia could only retaliate with one. It would be strange if such a war was not lost.


    Even more terrifying is that this number is reported by the Russian logistics department. Considering the level of corruption in Russia, the authenticity of this number is questionable, which means that the Russian soldiers might have even lower fire support than imagined.


    Of course, the most miserable are the ordinary Russian soldiers. About one-third of them had no guns, only wooden sticks with bays attached.


    Arthur felt that the casualties of the Russians who fought against the well-armed German army with such weapons and equipment were actually too low.


    It is worth mentioning that there were arge number of foreign journalists on the Eastern Front, including journalists from within the Allies.


    These reporters all had an honorable identity - war correspondents.


    When a British reporter interviewed an unknown Russian soldier on the front line, the soldier showed his only wooden stick with a bay attached and told the British reporter, "Sir, this is not war. This is ughter. We have nothing but our own chests."


    The course of the war was indeed like this, with Russian soldiers facing various problems and using their flesh and blood to resist the German offensive.


    The problem was that flesh and blood could not resist the firepower formed by heavy machine guns and artillery. Even though the Russian army suffered heavy casualties, the Germans still upied arge amount of territory and captured many important transportation hub cities.


    Of course, this does not mean that the entire Russian hierarchy was not at fault. The Russian High Commandcked a good strategic vision and seemed somewhat indecisive when formting strategy.


    While Germany constantly changed its battle n ording to the situation and chose different main attack and side attack directions, Russia made amon-sense mistake in formting its overall strategic n: the North and South Army Lines were evenly distributed with no main attack point.


    In the Gorelitz Campaign, the Russian High Command turned a blind eye to the Germans'' preparations for a new campaign and even urged the army to advance into the Hungarian in, leading to the disastrous defeat.


    After the German army broke through the defense lines, the Russian High Command rashly ordered the two-winged forces to join the battle, which led to one batch after another of Russian troops being hastily engaged without rear firepower support or a unifiedmand on the front line and ack of coordination.


    Under the intense bombing of the German artillery, the hastily engaged Russian troops were quickly annihted. The only result was to add a few more figures to Russia''s casualty numbers.


    If the Russian High Command had been more decisive and allowed the two-winged forces to retreat significantly to allow the Germans to be defeated by logistics in the vast Russian hintend beforeunching a prepared counterattack, they might have achieved a victory like Kutuzov did against Napoleon''s army over a hundred years ago.


    Even the Germans were worried about this possibility and feared suffering the same failure as Napoleon.


    But unexpectedly, the Russian High Commandpletely avoided what the Germans feared and gave them a chance to defeat Russia.


    Although this seems somewhat incredible, a closer study of Archduke Nichs''s resume could offer some exnation.


    Archduke Nichs appeared toe from a famous Russian military academy and had good prestige in the military.


    However, without actualbat experience, theoretical knowledge alone was not enough for Archduke Nichs.


    Combined with Tsar Nichs II''s guard and the terrible situation within Russia, it was not surprising that some absurd decisions were made.


    Keep in mind that although Nichs II had given up his position as Commander-in-Chief of Russia, the Tsarist government and Nichs II himself still had some interference and constraints on Archduke Nichs.


    And it should be noted that the court of Nichs II was also in chaos.


    Tsar Nichs II and his wife favored the semi-illiterate Rasputin from the countryside, only because he had used his so-called magic to stop the bleeding of Crown Prince Aleksei during a bout of hemophilia.


    Under the favor of the Tsar and his wife, Rasputin controlled or influenced the appointment of most high-ranking officials and the majority of national events, with power no less than that of Nichs II.


    This made most officials and military officers hate Rasputin, but they were helpless due to the favor of the Tsar and his wife.


    Even after the defeat in the Gorelitz Campaign, at Rasputin''s instigation, Nichs II announced the removal of Archduke Nichs'' title of Supreme Commander and appointed himself as the Commander-in-Chief and Supreme Commander of Russia.


    Although the indecisive Archduke Nichs was removed from his post, the Russian army now faced the even more ipetent Tsar Nichs II.


    Nichs II''s power was even greater than Archduke Nichs''s, and after the High Command''s previous rmendation of Archduke Nichs failed, the military had no excuse to rmend other candidates for the position of Commander-in-Chief.

 Chapter 534: Chapter 419: Colony Deployment

    October 1915, Austrsia.


    Arthur''s mood has been quite good recently as the military scored continuous victories on the frontline, and through negotiations, he managed to obtain the coastal areas from Kuwait to Qatar along the Persian Gulf.


    This yed a crucial role in Austrsia''s future petroleum reserves and economic development.


    If they could negotiate a truce with the United Kingdom in the future, Austrsia would control at least a quarter of the world''s petroleum reserves, and could even approach a third.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    By exerting influence over some countries and regions in the Middle East, it won''t be difficult to gain control over the international pricing of petroleum. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The importance of petroleum is self-exnatory¡ªit is by far the most important energy source, and will remain so for at least 150 years.


    Even though Europe is in an all-out war, thisrge-scale conflict has negligible effects on Austrsia, and its social order remains intact.


    Currently, all of Austrsia''s upied regions are under wartime control, and at least before the war ends, Arthur has no ns to integrate these areas.


    This is easy to understand. If these newly upied areas were in the war zone, the militarization of management would be natural, and there would be no opposition.


    But if they formally integrate these regions, they will be territories or colonies of Austrsia, and some undesirable ns can''t be implemented.


    First and foremost is German New Guinea. In the time since Austrsia''s army upied German New Guinea, they have driven out over 400,000 indigenous people from this area and purposely let some natives and residents who are against Austrsian rule escape to areas controlled by the Dutch.


    If you look at the current administrative map, you can clearly see that New Guinea Ind has been divided into two parts: the west belongs to the Dutch East Indies, and the east belongs to Austrsia.


    New Guinea is the secondrgest ind in the world, just after Greend, located in the frigid zones.


    Although Greend isrger, it has lower development potential due to its location within the Arctic Circle, and to this day, not many people live there.


    But New Guinea is different. Located in the tropics, with ample rainfall and tnd, it is suitable for development.


    The area of the entire New Guinea penins is as high as 786,000 square kilometers, higher than the total area of France plus the three Low Countries (maind only).


    More importantly, the entire New Guinea ind is rich in mineral resources including petroleum, natural gas, copper, gold, chromium, nickel, aluminum, etc., which hold huge potential value.


    This ind alone could amodate tens of millions of people and is a great grain production area.


    Compared to Australia, where water resources are not abundant, New Guinea has plentiful water resources. Arthur''s previously nned North Water South Transfer aimed to transfer water resources from New Guinea to Australia.


    Furthermore, the distance between New Guinea and Australia is closer than between New Zend and Australia, making it an easy-to-control and development-friendly piece ofnd.


    Arthur was unwilling to see such an excellent piece ofnd remain halfway in the hands of the Dutch, and it is believed that the Austrsians feel the same way.


    Therefore, Arthur felt it was necessary for Austrsia to take the trouble off the Dutch''s hands and find an excuse to take over West New Guinea, which is controlled by the Dutch, and unify the whole of New Guinea.


    This is also why those who resist Austrsian rule have slipped away from German New Guinea and fled to the areas controlled by the Dutch.


    When the timing is right, Arthur will angrily dere that the Dutch East Indies harbors plenty of forces resistant to Austrsian rule, and is plotting to overthrow Austrsia''s rule in New Guinea.


    Afterward, it will be time for the Austrsian army to perform. As all European countries are busy with war, this will be the best opportunity for Austrsia to expand, and no country will oppose it.


    Of course, the expulsion of the indigenous people is also one of Arthur''s goals. The indigenous poption in German New Guinea alone is over one million, which is not advantageous for future Austrsian rule.


    During the period when German New Guinea remains militarized, these natives are forcibly expelled.


    For those natives who are unwilling to leave German New Guinea, they get to stay on thisnd permanently.


    The forceful expulsion of these natives is noticeably different than their treatment of the families of local military forces.


    The families of the colonial military forces will be given dispersal fees and personally transported to their destination by cargo ships.


    For the forcefully expelled natives, the military often had one sentence: leave within a week, or face severe consequences.


    Over the long term, there have been those who chose to challenge the Austrsian army, but they were met with even more brutal massacres.


    Given the advanced equipment of the Austrsian army, these natives could do nothing but increase the body count of the Austrsian army.


    Behind the expulsion of 400,000 indigenous people, the military has already ughtered at least 200,000 natives, and is still hunting for all remaining natives.


    At least in the current Austrsia, Arthur does not wee these ck natives. Even if they make significant contributions to the country, they will receive only a bonus and be urged to leave soon after.


    Even though poption is a big issue in Austrsia, Arthur would never include these ck natives in his immigration ns.


    The newly acquirednd in the Middle East is also being militarized. Fortunately, except for Kuwait, the poption in other regions is not toorge.


    Of course, even including Kuwait, the poption of indigenous people in the Middle East regions upied by Austrsia is much less than that of German New Guinea.


    In particr, the total poption of the Persian Gulf coast of Sutton, Qatar, Bahrain and other regions in Saudi Arabia does not exceed 150,000. A small influx of immigrants would be enough to thoroughly control this region.


    The poption in Kuwait is rtivelyrger, but it is just over 100,000. Moreover, once Iraq is controlled by Britain, the connection between Kuwait and the Ottoman Empire will be cut off. It should be easy to control a small ce like Kuwait.


    As long as arge number of immigrants are sent to this region over the next few decades, with Austrsians upying the majority of the poption, thisnd will be a sacred and invible territory of Austrsia since ancient times.


    Of course, most Austrsians are not willing to immigrate to the Middle East before the oil in this region is developed.


    After all, thisnd has too many deserts and the temperature is too high forfortable living. Coupled with theck of water resources, it would be better to live in Austrsia''s nativend or other colonies.


    But when the oil resources of this area are developed, the value of this area will greatly increase.


    Oil workers and their families would be among the first immigrants to the Middle East.


    By utilizing the oil resources of the Middle East, it would also be possible to create some oases in the desert and attract more migrants.


    Of course, once the oil resources of thisnd are developed, there is bound to be at least one division of the army stationed in this area.


    Considering the area ofnd upied by Austrsia, at least two to three divisions are needed to adequately protect this region.


    In the future, when the naval strength expands, there may even be a Persian Gulf fleet, etc., to strengthen Austrsia''s rule in this region, while influencing other countries in the Middle East, thus achieving Arthur''s goal of controlling world oil prices.


    In addition to strategic nning for overseas territories, Austrsia is about to receive good news that two hope-ss battleships are ready to be put into service.


    The Hope Battleship and Dream Battleship officially started construction in January 1914, and it has been under construction for nearly two years now.


    As early as this year, these two battleships were almost built. But because Arthur preferred 15-inch main guns over the current 13.5-inch guns, it dyed the production by two months.


    The good news is that, through the cooperation between Britain and Austrsia, 15-inch main guns have indeed been developed and both have applied it on thetest warships.


    Exactly for this reason, the two super-battleships of Austrsia will be equipped with 15-inch main guns for the first time, bing legitimate super-battleships.


    In terms of firepower, these two battleships have made a great lead. They outperform a majority of the super-battleships from other countries globally, cing them at the top in terms ofbat effectiveness.


    The Hope Battleship and Dream Battleship went for a test run in the waters in March of this year and are expected to be put into service early next year, that is, two to three monthster.


    It will significantly boost the naval power of Austrsia and add some hope for the Allies to win.


    Since the outbreak of the war, the speed of warship building in European countries has not slowed down, except for Russia Country.


    Therefore, Arthur has also signed the next round of naval expansion n, which still includes two super dreadnoughts, respectively named Dawn Battleship and Daylight Battleship.


    These two super-battleships havemenced construction from October this year, expected to be built by the end of 1916, and to be in service by the end of 1917.


    In addition to the two main battleships, Arthur has also signed a contract worth 10 million Australian dors, which includes dozens of medium and small warships.


    Some medium and small warships will be built at Melbourne Shipyard and Ondo Shipyard. Given theirbined powerful capacities, there should be no problem toplete the construction within a year.


    Once the next round of naval expansion ispleted, the naval strength of Austrsia will be second only to Britain and Germany. It will be on par with France and the United States.


    Of course, this is just rtive to the current naval size of other countries. All European countries have their naval expansion ns, and the size of each country''s navy is uncertain in two years.


    If there is arge-scale naval battle on the European battlefield, it will also have a significant impact on the naval strength of each country.


    Unlikend wars, naval wars impact all aspects. A singlerge naval battle can often decide the oue.

 Chapter 535: Chapter 420: The Current Situation in Russia and Aerial Warfare

    Unlike theughter and cheers in Austrsia, the situation inside Russia could only be described as miserable.


    Miserable, very miserable, extremely miserable, unbearably miserable.


    Ever since Archduke Nichs was relieved of his position as Russian Commander-in-Chief, chaos ensued inside Russia: the military, the people, the government, and the royalty all in disarray.


    Never mind the vast capability gap between Archduke Nichs and Nichs II, Nichs II''sck of importance for the position of the Commander-in-Chief alone had doomed Russia to its current chaos.


    Compared to Archduke Nichs, who would have loved to stay in the General Staff headquarters every single day, Nichs II appeared much moreid-back, only spending one hour daily on military affairs.


    One hour to decide the life and death of millions of Russian soldiers on the front line, plus the input from the Empress and Rasputin, led to the Russian army being incapable of receiving unified nning from the General Staff, and now the front line forces were in a state of chaos.


    Without orders from the General Staff, the frontline forces had no idea what to do next.


    Wanting tounch an attack but receiving no orders from the General Staff, themanders of various army groups did not dare to make decisions on their own.


    However, contracting defenses and seeing logistical supplies from the rear dwindling, the original canned goods and grains from Austrsia had mostly been reced by coarse grains and rye.


    Weapons and equipment had be diverse: the standard rifles sold by Austrsia to Russia had been reced by various old hunting rifles in logistical departments and then transported to the frontline forces.


    In just one week since Nichs II took over as Russia''s Commander-in-Chief, the level of decay in Russia''s logistics department had escted.


    More importantly, during that week, Russia had already experienced three aircraft crash incidents.


    And the root cause of those three crashes was that all three aircraft were missing some parts during takeoff.


    Yes, it''s just that outrageous. Russia''s few advanced weapons had already been dismantled by logistical officers colluding with other forces, with some parts removed and secretly sold.


    Even the fewer than 20 regrly used aircraft faced this fate, let alone those stored in warehouses awaiting new pilots.


    The frontline armymanders had sent multiple telegrams to the General Staff inquiring why the weapons they received were mostly Russian-made, or even old hunting rifles, rather than new equipment from Austrsia.


    Unfortunately, the single hour Nichs II spent on military affairs wasn''t enough for him to see themanders'' questions.


    These inquiring telegrams were mainly handled by Rasputin, who naturally destroyed them after receiving bribes from some capitalists and logistical officers.


    Even more outrageous, some logistical officers sold Russian weapons and equipment to Germany at a low price.


    If it weren''t for the Russian army''s inability tounch an attack due to theck of weapons and equipment, they would have discovered through their captures that a small number of East German forces were equipped with weapons from Austrsia, which were intended as support for Russia.


    After the problems with Russian aircraft, German aircraft began to take off inrge numbers, seeking and bombing Russian troops hidden in their positions.


    When Russian aircraft had no issues, the quality of German aircraft could not match that of Russian aircraft, and there was a noticeable gap inbat capabilities.


    Two German aircraft could barely hold their own against a single Russian aircraft and could not achieve ultimate victory.


    But now, when Russian pilots go into battle, they face life-threatening danger; they could die at the hands of enemy pilots, or, more likely, at the hands of their own country''s logistical officers and capitalists.


    This has led to a unique phenomenon in the Russian Air Force: before carrying out missions, pilots conduct extremely detailed inspections of their own aircraft, almost to the point ofpletely disassembling them andparing each part individually.


    By the end of October 1915, on the Russian front line.


    "Colonel Sergei, when will our logistical supplies arrive?" General Alexseyev of the Southwest Army urgently asked.


    The Russian Southwestern Front Army had been waiting for supplies from the rear for three days, and hundreds of thousands of troops were in desperate need of logistics.


    If supplies did not arrive within three days, some army groups would starve, and it would even affect the entire Southwestern Front Army.


    "The logistics department replied that the supplies should arrive before the start of next month. Heavy rain near Minsk has hindered the arrival of the logistics forces," Colonel Sergei quickly replied.


    "Damn it. Tell the logistics department that if supplies don''t arrive in three days, they will have to face the soldiers'' anger. If they send more of that ck bread and coarse grain, I''ll personally go to Saint Petersburg and inquire.


    The soldiers haven''t seen Austrsian canned goods for over ten days; they need to eat meat to replenish their strength." The exnation still couldn''t quell Alekseyev''s anger.


    During the time when Archduke Nichs served as Commander-in-Chief, there were also various logistical problems in Russia, but at least the soldiers'' food received basic protection.


    Not to mention, they often had meat. Whether it was Russian beef and mutton or Austrsian canned goods, they could all provide a good boost to the soldiers'' strength.


    Ever since Nichs II took over as Commander-in-Chief, logistics support for the Southwestern Front Army had be scarcer, evolving from initial shortages of weapons and ammunition to nowcking even food.


    The hard-earned food supplies were ck bread and coarse grains, some of which were too tough to bite.


    Ravenous Russian soldiers had started catching rats in the trenches, which was not a good sign, despite the abundance of rats there.


    "Yes!" Colonel Sergei had just nodded in response when a piercing rm suddenly sounded.


    Woo ~ woo ~


    General Alexseyev''s face immediately changed, and he quickly ordered: "Damn it, German nes areing. Order the soldiers to move quickly to the air-raid shelter."


    Before he could finish his sentence, Alexseyev went straight to the air-raid shelter. During this recent period, the Russian army had gained experience in dealing with German airnes. Upon hearing the air-raid warning, they didn''t hesitate and went straight to the shelters.


    Being one of Russia''s few high-ranking officers, Alekseyev naturally cherished his life and hurried to the sturdy air-raid shelter near the General Staff.


    This was a solid air-raid shelter set up for the headquarters and the General Staff, which was much sturdier than the ordinary shelters above the trenches.


    Army Group Headquarters often built such air-raid shelters to shelter theirmander-in-chief and staff officers.


    Soon, the German aircraft dropped bombs one after another, exploding in Russian trenches and nearby positions.


    Hearing the nearby explosions and tremors, Alekseyev ordered: "Contact the aviation units, dispatch fighter aircraft to bring down these damned Germans. Don''t spare machine gun bullets, use all firepower, let these damned Germans know our power."


    Theoretically, rifles and machine guns are capable of hitting airnes now. The Russian army had already managed to bring down German nes with rifles and machine guns before, which was why Alekseyev decided to counterattack against German nes.


    As the previous main target of the Germans, Russia''s ten or so aircraft were all deployed in areas close to the Southwestern Army Group, which allowed Alekseyev to mobilize these nes urgently.


    It took more than half an hour for the Russian nes to arrive in a hurry. By this time, the German nes had basically finished bombing Russian positions, but faced with the pursuit of Russian nes, they had no choice but to confront them head-on due to the performance gap in airnes.


    There were about 20 German nes, and just 15 Russian nes.


    Although outnumbered, thete-arriving Russian nes quickly gained the advantage in aerialbat. In one-on-one or two-on-one situations, Russian nes could basically take the upper hand and even find opportunities to deal heavy blows to German nes.


    In this era without radar, airbat entirely relied on the naked eye for observation. Various weapons alsocked tracking capabilities, relying solely on the aircraft''s performance and the pilot''s skill.


    After all, airnes were new weapons, and neither Germany nor Russia had delved deeply into their research. German pilots were more capable and better trained than Russian pilots, who were hurriedly trained, while German pilots had been training for a long time.


    However, the gap in the pilots'' skills was not that significant and could bepensated by the disparity between the two sides'' nes.


    Although Russia only had the first-generation Austrsian military aircraft, their actual performance had already surpassed that of the nes in the middle of World War I in history.


    Due to the influence of the Austrsian airships in this world, the development of airnes by various countries was slower than in history.


    As a result, a noticeable gap emerged between German and Russian nes, which was enough to have a significant impact on airbat.


    After all, Arthur had attracted more than one-third of the world''s aerospace power talents in order to develop airnes.


    In terms of aircraft research, Arthur could confidently say that no country had yet surpassed Austrsia, or even came close to being on par with it.


    Looking at the current technical level of German nes, given another 1 to 2 years, they might be able to match or even surpass the first-generation military aircraft in performance.


    However, this war would not give the Germans that much time. At least in World War I, the first-generation military aircraft owned by Britain, France, and Russia would still have no difficulty maintaining an advantage over German nes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At present, aerialbat was rtively simple, mainly relying on the machine guns mounted on the nes for strafing. Pilots didn''t have to performplicated maneuvers either.


    This air battlested for more than half an hour before hastily ending. The Germans lost half their nes, while the remaining nes quickly fled, with two more being shot down by pursuing Russian nes.


    On the Russian side, they lost three nes to the Germans, and more than five were damaged.


    After some simple repairs, these damaged nes could be put back into the war, provided there were enough spare parts.


    Although Russia possessed the technology of first-generation military aircraft and the ability to repair them, it was still difficult for them toplete the repairs on their own, given their current situation.


    Even if they purchased parts from Austrsia, those parts would not necessarily be used on these nes.

 Chapter 536: Chapter 421: Factional Struggles and Military Procurement

    "I need to return to Saint Petersburg to report on my work, so please prepare a special ne for me, and make sure the pilot checks everything thoroughly before takeoff," instructed Alekseyev, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Southwestern Front Army.


    At present, the situation facing the Southwestern Front Army is quite critical. Alekseyev believes that they cannot sit idly by and wait for doom. At the very least, he needs to make sure the Russian upper echelons understand that even if the Southwestern Front Army fails, it definitely won''t be his fault.


    Given the current state of logistical support and equipment for the Southwestern Front Army, even if Napoleon was still alive, he would be powerless against the Germans'' offensive.


    Alekseyev knows that once he briefs Nichs II on the actual situation at the front, he might be a thorn in the side of the capitalists, and even earn the hatred of the entire Russian logistical departments.


    Nevertheless, he has no choice. If the current plight of the Southwestern Front Army is not made public, Alekseyev will probably be the army''s scapegoat when it is defeated in the future, bearing the failures of the Russian logistics, the upper echelons, and the decadent system on his own.


    One dayter, in Saint Petersburg, Russia.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Your Majesty, this is a report on the current logistical situation of our Southwestern Front Army, and ns to strengthen their fighting capacity." Alekseyev nervously hands a document to Nichs II, his gaze fixed and determined.


    Regardless of whether this n will be adopted by Nichs II, it will make enemies with the entire corrupt Russian system.


    The logistical officers, capitalists, and all those who profit from war will regard Alekseyev as an eyesore, a thorn in their flesh.


    Nichs II takes the document, but just reading the first page causes clouds to gather on his face, which ultimately turn into a dark storm cloud.


    ording to the information, since Archduke Nichs resigned, the logistical situation of the Russian Southwestern Front Army has spiraled into an appalling state.


    This makes Nichs II think Alekseyev somewhat implicates him since the new Commander-in-Chief after Archduke Nichs was himself.


    "Is everything in this document true?" asked Nichs II with a gloomy face.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. The entire Southwest Army, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers, hardly has enough weapons and equipment. Even having enough to eat is a problem. Especially recently, the soldiers have grown tired of the dry and hard ck bread and those nutritious coarse grains.


    They urgently need a substantial meat meal to regain their strength and fight the Germans better," Alekseyev immediately replied.


    "ording to the approved logistics supplies for the Southwestern Front Army, isn''t there supposed to be meat twice a week? There''s not even once?" Nichs II asked with some confusion.


    Although Nichs II is not well-versed in military matters, he still understands the simple logic of treating soldiers well from time to time.


    He can''t guarantee more, but securing meat twice a week filled Nichs II with confidence, even signing the logistics purchase orders himself.


    But now, frontline reports state that they haven''t had meat for a long time, and even ordinary grains are missing, only ck bread and coarse grains remain. This leaves Nichs II puzzled and worried, and also somewhat angry.


    "There''s nothing, Your Majesty. Weck both weapons and ammunition, as well as food and medical supplies. If this continues, the Southwestern Front Army will only copse faster, and hungry soldiers won''t be able to withstand those damn Germans," Alekseyev shook his head and responded.


    "Damn it, I''ll handle this, Alekseyev. In three days, the logistical supplies you need will be delivered to the respective armies," Nichs II nodded seemingly calmly, but the clenched fist proved that his mood was far from pleasant.


    "Yes." At this moment, Nichs II was furious, and Alekseyev dared not raise any more questions, lest he drew the emperor''s wrath upon himself.


    After receiving Alekseyev''s response, Nichs II turned his gaze back to the document and continued reading.


    "The n to improve thebat power of the Southwestern Front Army is to purchase more weapons, equipment, and aircraft from Austrsia?" Nichs II asked after some time.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Considering all factors, Austrsian weapons and equipment are on par with those of Germany. Their ownbat power is far ahead of the German aircraft. If we have more aircraft on the frontlines, we can make up for our disadvantages to some extent.


    This is not my idea, but the final conclusion reached afterprehensive research and analysis by the Southwest Army Staff," Alekseyev replied calmly, not budging.


    It''s true, the situation on the Russian front is exactly like this.


    Armies equipped with Austrsian weapons and equipment are, at the very least, not inferior to the German Army in terms of weapons, equipment, and firepower.


    However, the armies equipped with Russian-made weapons and equipmentg considerably behind the German Army in weapons, equipment, and firepower.


    As for aircraft, Russia does indeed have domestically produced nes. But these nes are mostly produced by small workshops, and their safety performance is not guaranteed.


    In fact, two years ago, some Russian private workshops contacted the military, hoping to sell their aircraft to them.


    At that time, not many countries were researching aircraft, and Russia originally thought they could lead the way. However, Russian nes simply couldn''t withstand practical tests. They tested it three times - two ended in crashing and even the third one was extremely dangerous.

 Chapter 537: Chapter 421: Factional Struggles and Military Procurement_2

    This made the Russian military urgently halt the experiments with airnes, and the development of Russian airnes did not receive strong support from the country.


    This also led to the fact that although Russia currently has some domestically produced airnes, as long as they are Russian-made, no one dared to board such nes other than the test pilots of the workshops that produce them.


    Moreover, given the advanced performance of the airnes exported by Austrsia, the strategy of purchasing arge number of Austrsian airnes has no problem and is the only thing that the Russian Air Force can do at present.


    In the end, Nichs II nodded his head, agreeing to Alekseyev''s request to purchase the equipment.


    Purchasing more weapons and equipment from Austrsia is not necessarily a bad thing for Russia, and since military spending must be spent anyway, it might as well be spent directly on weaponry.


    Furthermore, Alekseyev''s proposal on logistics problems had already left Nichs II dissatisfied with the capitalists and logistics departments. Suppressing the arrogance of the capitalists had be a necessary task for Nichs II as well.


    Although the current situation in Russia is indeed chaotic, this does not mean that Nichs II believes he will ultimately lose power.


    In Nichs II''s eyes, beating off the capitalists and logistical officers is just something done in passing.


    Even if the front line situation improves, Russia''s chaos would be resolved again, and he could sleep soundly.


    But is this really the case? It is doubtful.


    Even though the Tsarist government seems to be united as one, there are actually many internal struggles. Within Russian political thought, there exist two opposing ideological factions, the Unified vic Faction and the Western Faction.


    These two factions almost cover the vast majority of Russian officials, and they also influence the highest decision-makers, that is, Nichs II.


    The Western faction is easiest to understand first.


    Russia remains a powerful empire, but it must be acknowledged that Western and Central European countries, which have already undergone the Industrial Revolution and the Electrification Revolution, the second Industrial Revolution, are bing increasingly powerful, and Russia, situated in Eastern Europe and the far north, is gradually showing signs of fatigue.


    Some of Russia''s intelligentsia believe that in many aspects, Russia has alreadygged behind the developed Western European societies.


    Russia needs to unite and learn moreprehensively from the West to close the gap with Western European countries and quickly integrate into developed Western European societies.


    Comprehensive learning includes not only learning Western technology, techniques, and ideas, but also learning Western systems.


    The Western Faction regarded Russia''s Peter the Great as a hero because his learning from the West and reforms greatly increased Russia''s power, defeated Sweden in the struggle for dominance, and became the northern hegemon of the Baltic Sea and one of the most powerful countries in Europe.


    From Peter the Great to the reign of Alexander I, the Western Faction became the mainstream thought of the Russian ruling group, and Russia''s national strength was indeed greatly enhanced during this period.


    However, the Unified vic Faction also had a significant influence in Russia. This faction believed that Russia inherited the title and position as the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church from the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, which also represented Russia''s right and obligation to govern and save the world.


    It should be noted that Russia inherited the Eastern Roman Empire, which imed to be the legitimate sessor of the Roman Empire.


    This gave some Russians the ambition and belief to restore the Roman Empire''s former territories and unify the entire vic people, which also became the mainstream thought of this faction.


    Russia intervened in the Balkans precisely to unify the South vic people in this region, and to incorporate the entire South vic region and its people into Russian rule.


    The Unified v faction believed that the homogeneity of Russian society brought moral and social stability to the Russian people, which was beyondparison with the materialistic, money-based Western capitalist society.


    Therefore, the Unified v faction considered Peter the Great to be the sinner of the Russian nation because it was the learning and reform from the West that led to the loss of Russian societal homogeneity.


    During the anti-French war era, the Tsardom of Russia''s victory over Napoleon led to an unprecedented rise in national confidence, and the Unified v faction reced the Western faction, bing the mainstream ideology.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, this good fortune did notst long, as Russia then faced the failure of the Crimean War, and Alexander II gradually realized the gap between Russia and Western European countries, gradually reemploying the Western faction.


    But Alexander II chose the more moderate ideas among the Western faction, resulting in the political and economic reforms he led not being thorough, and not changing the real situation within Russia.


    Even the v faction gradually gained a dominant position, with the Western faction being excluded from the ruling ss, only joining forces with capitalists, and ironically promoting the rise of some revolutionary parties.


    The merits and demerits of the Unified v faction and the Western faction can be seen from Russian history.


    During the period of heavy reliance on the Western faction, the strength of Russia did indeed achieve considerable improvement. However, Russia cannot abandon expansion ambitions, and the v faction upies a certain position, even a dominant position at any time.


    Moreover, due to the rejection of the reforms, the reforms in Russian history have not been thorough, and Russia''s system still has a rtivelyrge gap with the West.


    Although Nichs II also had the idea of using the Western faction for reform, the current chaotic situation in Russia no longer allowed for reforms.


    If the vested interest groups that originally supported the government are pushed to the opposite side, the copse of the government can be imagined.


    Luckily, Nichs II was very generous when it came to procuring military equipment for the troops, including several dreadnoughts from the previous naval expansion, which Nichs II nodded in agreement without any thought.


    "I agree with the proposal to purchase aircraft, and I will coordinate with the Finance and Foreign Affairs departments to assist in your aircraft procurement n," said Nichs II, nodding his head, very generously.


    Although the new aircraft procurement n would cost tens of millions of rubles, it was undoubtedly worthwhile to enhance thebat effectiveness of frontlinebat units and use war victories to secure domestic stability.


    "As for the pilots'' allocation for the fighter aircraft, domestic training is part of it, and I will ask the Foreign Affairs Department to negotiate with Austrsia to dispatch a group of students for emergency training in Austrsia.


    General Alekseyev, I hope you can stabilize the situation of the Southwest Army and the logistics and new weapons you requested will arrive soon," said Nichs II, looking at General Alekseyev, half-requesting and half-demanding.


    "Yes, Your Majesty, please rest assured. The Southwest Army will not disappoint you. We will do our best to resist the German offensive," Alekseyev quickly nodded excitedly, answering in a high tone.


    For the cleanup of logistics and procurement of equipment, these two major matters, Alekseyev thought it would be perfect if only one of them could be resolved.


    But he did not expect Nichs II to directly approve both, far exceeding Alekseyev''s expectations.


    Of course, this was good news for the Russian Southwestern Front Army, as the soldiers would have sufficient food and weapons and equipment to better resist the Germans.


    Perhaps this was also good news for the Northwest Army. After all, after Nichs II held the logistics department ountable, the withholding of food and supplies should not be so rampant.


    If both the Northwestern and Southwestern Front Armies could receive a batch of aircraft support and have enough pilots, it would not be impossible to regain lost ground from Germany as long as the superiority in the sky is achieved.


    After all, bombings from the sky are far more dangerous than those onnd. Aircraft can urately select targets for bomb dropping, but shells can only be aimed and bombarded from a long distance, which enormously tests the precision of artillerymen.

 Chapter 538: Chapter 422: Nicholas IIs Big Spending

    The inter-faction fighting happening within Russia didn''t concern Arthur, but Russia''s temporary abandonment of domestically-produced weapons in favor of imported ones, specifically those produced by Austrsia, was definitely positive news for both Arthur and Austrsia.


    Firstly, Russia''s decision to exclusively choose Austrsian weapons could result in closer ties between Russia and Austrsia.


    In addition, the marriage alliance between the royal families of the two countries would make the Russia-Austrsia alliance even more stable. Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e|-NovelBin


    Although the second batch of Russian airne orders wasn''t voluminous, it still amounted to around 200 units. Including training expenses for sending flight students to Austrsia, the total trade value exceeded 50 million rubles.


    Even when converted to Australian dors, the order was almost 11 million Australian dors, potentially bringing Arthur and the royal family an ie of around 6 million Australian dors.


    Keep in mind, this order could just be the beginning. In the original history, the countries involved in World War I manufactured over a hundred thousand airnes in total, an impressivelyrge number.


    Despite the fact that the progress of airne technology has significantly changed in this world, manufacturing tens of thousands of airnes doesn''t pose a problem.


    Even for a country like Russia, the demand for airnes could reach up to hundreds or thousands. To secure an aerial advantage over Germany, Russia would actually need to equip at least a thousand airnes.


    ording to Arthur''s intelligence, Germany was heavilymitted to the research of airne technology.


    The country was not only mass-producing airnes, but had also invested considerably in trying to develop airnes that could match the performance of first-generation military aircraft.


    If Germany seeded in doing so, the Allies'' advantage over Germany''s airnes would be negated, and the oue of airne warfare would be determined merely by numbers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Once Germany started mass-producing airnes, even if Britain, France, and Russia were reluctant, they would still have to maintain or exceed Germany''s numbers for bnce.


    The only supplier of airnes currently was Austrsia, as Britain and France were urgently researching first-generation military aircraft technology and could only start production around 1916.


    Of course, it''s worth noting that apart from the participating countries, the United States also possessed airne technology and indeed had evolved military aircraft.


    However, the performance of the American aircraft was still far behind that of the German aircraft, not to mention the aircraft from Austrsia.


    When the prices were roughly the same, Britain, France, and Russia would naturally know which type of aircraft to choose.


    It''s worth mentioning that in the military trade with the Russians, Austrsia had consistently demanded that payments be made in resources or gold.


    Although the war had onlysted for over a year, it was visibly evident that the Russian ruble was gradually depreciating and making payment in rubles was equivalent to taking advantage of Austrsia.


    Anyway, the trade route from the Mediterranean to the ck Sea had already been opened. The Russians could gather mineral resources or gold domestically, and Austrsia could load up the shipment from the ck Sea harbor.


    Of course, under ordinary circumstances, the use of gold reserves for payment is typically thest resort that no country would wish to use lightly.


    In this era of the gold standard, a country''s gold reserves determined the issuance level and the value of its currency, and were also an important tool to guarantee the stability of its currency.


    Almost all the currencies were pegged to gold. Before the war, one pound was equivalent to 7.33 grams of gold, one Australian dor was equivalent to 3.66 grams of gold, and one ruble was worth 0.81 grams of gold.


    However, not speaking of the pound for now, it was true that the ruble was depreciating. Before the war, one pound had been worth approximately nine rubles. Now, one pound could be exchanged for more than ten rubles, and the purchasing power of the ruble within Russia was significantly reduced.


    Due to some Russian citizens'' dissatisfaction with the government and the country, there were many workers requesting that gold and grain supplies be used to issue their wages.


    They feared that the rubles they received would eventually be worthless paper. If the country disintegrated, those rubles would only serve as toilet paper.


    Of course, Austrsia had considered this aspect. While Austrsia was not worried about the Russians defaulting on their debt, even if the Russian Empire copsed, the newly established government would have to acknowledge the debt that they owed to Austrsia.


    However, it was better to avoid troubles when they could, because minerals, resources, and gold would never depreciate.


    Previously, when purchasing airne technology, the Russians used a considerable amount of mineral resources, along with a small amount of gold and Australian dors.


    Because of Austrsia''s unique poption trade with Russia, and the frequent trade between the two countries, Russia still had some reserves of Australian dors.


    This reserve had almost beenpletely used for the purchase of airne technology, thus saving Russia a considerable amount of mineral resources and gold.


    However, with Russia facing continuous defeats on the frontline, Russians had also begun to use gold for payments, as gold was easier to gather than mineral resources.


    After paying for the airnes with mineral resources and gold, Austrsia quickly transported 200 aircraft to Russia and generously presented over 1.5 million rubles worth of aircraft parts.


    If all goes well, Russian pilot training could bepleted by the beginning of next year. The current training of pilots is rtively straightforward, as thebat style of aircraft is singr and there are noplex control systems involved. All that is needed is proficient flying skills and the ability to use weapons.


    Roughly, it takes no more than a month to train a qualified pilot, but to refine an elite pilot, it needs continuousbat practice and transformation through various air battles.


    Inside Russia, Nichs II''s secret purge of some capitalists and logistical officers had begun.


    Thanks to the opening of the route from the ck Sea to the Mediterranean, the Russian government and military''s tolerance of domestic capitalists was not high.


    Even if domestic capitalists couldn''t provide supplies for the military, the Russian government could still buy from Britain, France, and Austrsia.


    Without the collusion of those logistic officers and capitalists, importing goods from abroad would be cheaper and of higher quality.


    Especially after confiscating the properties of several logistical officers and seizing illicit funds worth tens of millions of rubles, Nichs II was free of any worries.


    At worst, he could use the properties of the capitalists and logistic officers to buy more supplies and food. As long as the military was satisfied with the supply, they would support Nichs II''s rule and suppress any domestic uprisings.


    On the contrary, if those capitalists and logistical officers continue to exploit the frontline troops, they would be the ones who would run away the fastest when the military mutinies.


    They can run, but Nichs II cannot. The majority of his wealth is in Russia and his positiones from the Russian monarchy and throne.


    If Russia was gone, Nichs II would lose power and status, and he might even be in danger of losing his life.


    In fact, Nichs II''s purge of logistic departments and capitalists was timely. If it had been a few dayster, not just the Southwest Army, but also the risk of the Northwest Army heading to Saint Petersburg to question him, would have increased.


    During such a time of war, the power and status of the military will surge. Once the entire military hasints against Nichs II and the government, no one can salvage Russia''s situation.


    Nichs II''s timely purification of logistics departments and capitalists won the favor of the frontline military.


    After the frontline troops tasted the long-missed rabbit and beef canned food, their recent dissatisfaction was quelled, but they started to despise those logistical officers and capitalists who were purged by Nichs II.


    Nichs II, as the Tsar who controls the whole of Russia, has some political ability despite hisck of military abilities.


    Having learned of the logistics situation on the front line, Nichs II quickly realized that the current poor logistics situation needs a scapegoat.


    Otherwise, the newly appointedmander-in-chief of the Russian Army, that is, himself, would be hated by the frontline troops.


    The deterioration of logistics on the forefront has urred since his tenure, which obviously raises eyebrows. But Nichs II had never shortchanged the logistical budget of the front line troops.


    After cleansing part of the logistical officers and capitalists, Nichs II started a massive propaganda among the troops and the public, pushing the responsibility for the defeat of war onto those officers and capitalists, iming they were the ones who withheld logistics supplies from the front line and therefore should be med for the loss.


    Although some people don''t believe this, there is at least a scapegoat on the surface. The voices calling to overthrow Nichs II and the entire Tsarist regime have not been as strong as before.


    Nichs II knew that the subsequent performance of the frontline troops is pivotal. If they can achieve good results after the purification of the logistics department, perhaps some of the public''s dissatisfaction could be diminished.


    If the frontline troops continue to retreat, does it prove that those capitalists and logistical officers are merely scapegoats?


    Because of these considerations, Nichs II was not stingy about military expenditures, he even brushed off opposition in the government to increase next year''s estimated military expenditure by ten percent.


    Naturally, not only next year. After cleansing the logistics officers and capitalists, Nichs II obtained arge sum of money and used all of it to purchase military equipment.


    Nichs II ced arge military order with Britain, France, and Austrsia. Just Austrsia''s share of the order included 500,000 rifles, 1.5 million military uniforms, 1 million gas masks, 500 million rifle bullets, 2500 heavy machine guns, 50 million machine gun bullets, 1500 cannons of various calibers, 2.5 million shells of various calibers...


    Even Arthur had to be surprised by Nichs II''s magnanimity. Just the equipment from Austrsia''s order alone would make Russia''s frontline equipment no inferior to the German army.


    With the added advantage of aircraft, as long as the Russian military doesn''t make assertive moves, losses on the Eastern Front like the Gorelitz Campaign are unlikely to happen again.


    Even conservatively, if Russia''smanders adopt trench warfare tactics against the Germans, causing the Germans to be exhausted in fighting wars on both fronts, they could find the opportunity to encircle the German army and possibly win a big victory.

 Chapter 539: Chapter 423: The Ambition of Verdun

    Although Nichs II''srge orders made Russia stand out among the Allies, it was clear that the focus of the war was no longer on the Eastern Front but on the long-quiet Western Front battlefield.


    After the failure of the German-Austrian Alliance Army''s n to annihte the Russian Army''s main force, the main force of the Austro-Hungarian Empire had to head south to resist the severe pressure that the Balkan army brought to the empire.


    Meanwhile, Germany''s attention had also been temporarily redirected to the Western Front because Britain and France, in order to alleviate the pressure on the Russian Army in the East, decided tounch a newrge-scale offensive to find a chance to break through the German defense line.


    Currently, the European War had entered a long phase of attrition, and the situation had gradually be clearer.


    The Allies had a clear advantage now. It was not so much that the Allied armies had defeated the armies of the Central Powers, but rather, the more developed economies and richer resources of the Allies had defeated the Central Powers.


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    All countries had suffered huge losses in the war. To support the war, Germany had implemented supervision of farms, collected ie taxes and implemented a rationing system in some areas.


    Britain and France had done the same, gathering more resources and food for the frontlines, militarizing their national economies, and serving the war to the best of their abilities.


    In this period, a new term was also born ¨C Industrial Mobilization.


    In the one year and two months since the outbreak of the war, the armaments industries of all countries had expanded rapidly, and all factories had entered the bottomless pit of war. Clothing factories had switched to producing military uniforms, and various types of machinery and equipment factories had switched to producing weapons and equipment, such as bullets and shells.


    Arge number of women also entered factories to produce helmets, uniforms, and various types of bullets for the soldiers on the frontlines.


    Some women stuffed written notes into the helmets and clothing tofort the injured or weary souls of frontline soldiers.


    However, one had to admit that this was indeed very effective. Encouragement from women in the rear had indeed ignited an extraordinary fighting spirit in some frontline soldiers.


    The expansion of each country''s military industry was quite exaggerated, especially in Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    By October, Germany''s production of rifles and shells had increased more than half, and the production of machine guns and cannons had nearly tripled.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Even with the attention now given to airnes by countries around the world, Germany was already able to produce thousands of them annually.


    Although the growth of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s weapons production was not as exaggerated, the annual production of all types of weapons had also increased by more than half.


    Overall, the growth of the Allies'' military industry was not as exaggerated. After all, apart from Russia, Britain-France-Austrsia were all major exporters of military products, and their weapons and equipment had already been selling well in many countries and regions before the war.


    For the Allies, the expansion of the military scale was even more exaggerated than the military industry.


    At the beginning of the war, which was in early August 1914, Russia had thergest number of soldiers among the Allies, but the total number of soldiers was less than 2 million.


    But now, Russia had invested over 4 million troops, France more than 3 million, Britain 1.2 million, Austrsia 550,000, Italy 600,000, Belgium 350,000, Romania 250,000, Serbia 350,000, Greece 150,000, and Montenegro 80,000.


    The total number of soldiers that the Allies had invested in this war had already exceeded 10 million, with over 1,000,000 deaths and 3,000,000 injured (cumtive).


    On the side of the Central Powers, Germany had invested 3.5 million troops, the Austro-Hungarian Empire 2 million, Bulgaria 300,000, and the Ottoman Turkish Empire 550,000, totaling over 6 million troops.


    Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire were also about to withdraw from the war, and amongst the more than 5 million German and Austro-Hungarian troopsbined, nearly 1 million were dead and more than 1.5 million injured.


    Of course, a considerable part of this was attributable to the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s performance. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had been defeated by Russia in a single battle, with hundreds of thousands of casualties at the time, leaving the Austro-Hungarian Empire almost unable to recover.


    The war had already resulted in more than 2 million deaths and nearly 5 million injuries among the warring nations, with incalcble economic losses.


    That is why, whether the Central Powers or the Allies, neither could afford to back down at the moment.


    They could not bear the consequences of a war failure, not only due to the anger of the people but also due to the extortion from the enemy after the war.


    This has led countries to face the war with even greater frenzy. Germany had nned to continue increasing conscription and enlist at least 1 million more troops in the new year forbat on the Eastern and Western Fronts.


    At present, Germany had nearly 2 millionbat-ready troops, but there were just over 1 million on the Western Front.


    Adhering to the principle that a better defense is an offense, the Germans decided tounch a surprise attack on the strategic hub of the French before therge-scale campaign by the British and French forces. Perhaps, under the unpreparedness of the British and French forces, unexpected results could be achieved.


    When it came to the impending German raid, it was necessary to mention Fakinham''s insistence on shifting the focus of the offensive back to the Western Front.


    Fakinham believed that the vast territory of Russia, the cold climate, and inconvenient transportation made it impossible to defeat Russia in a short time. An attack on Saint Petersburg would not yield decisive results, and it was very easy to follow in the footsteps of Napoleon and face another Waterloo in the rush to advance.


    On the other hand, the French Western Front had a shallower depth, and the British and French forces were directly threatening Germany''s hintend, which posed the biggest threat to Germany at present.

 Chapter 540: Chapter 423: The Ambition of Verdun_2

    It should be noted that Germany had just over one million troops on the Western Front, while the British and French forces had almost three millionbat troops. Although a considerable part were colonial troops, the overwhelming numerical advantage of the British and French forces over the German Army cannot be denied.


    In Fakinham''s letter to William II, he specifically mentioned that the Russian Army is now disoriented after its defeat, and the newly appointed Russian Army Commander-in-Chief Nichs II is incapable, and unable tounch an attack in a short time.


    Seizing this opportunity, 500,000 main forces should be transferred to the Westline and some reservist forces should be recruited domestically to make up a total of 2 million troops to engage in a decisive battle with the British and French forces.


    As long as France can be defeated and the British and French forces are forced to surrender, Russia will lose financial and military equipment support from the West and can only submit to Germany.


    Due to William II''s concerns about repeating Napoleon''s mistakes, and the increasingly cold climate in Russia, with wintering soon in the Northern Hemisphere,


    As well as therge-scale battleunched by the British and French forces on the Westline, William II agreed to Fakinham''s proposal, mobilizing at least 500,000 main forces to the Westline to engage in a decisive battle with the British and French forces.


    If they can gather 2 million troops, the 2 million against the 3 million, William II believes that the advantage lies with Germany.


    After defeating Britain and France, even with the support of Austrsia, Russia would definitely not be a match for Germany.


    But if the stalemate with Russia continues, Britain and France, with their stronger industrial capabilities and abundant colonial resources, canpletely pass through the Mediterranean to the ck Sea route, like a nanny, frantically replenishing Russia''s blood.


    Although Germany has caused a lot of economic loss to Britain and France by attacking their supply ships between their homnd and colonies with submarines,


    Britain and France have such powerful businesses and industries that they could not be matched by Germany, which only had one barren colony.


    Fakinham strongly advocated attacking France because he believed that the root of the Allies was Britain and France, and the key to confronting Germany was France.


    As long as they can defeat France onnd, it is equivalent to defeating at least one-third of the Allied Nations.


    At the same time, they could use the resources of France to replenish Germany, and after turning to defeat Russia, Great Britain, Irnd, and the Isle of Man could only surrender.


    As for Austrsia, which is far away from Europe, Fakinham does not think it is worth considering.


    After all, Austrsia does not have too many interests in Europe and does not have to fight Germany to the death. With sufficient advantage and the good rtionship between William II and Arthur, it is entirely possible to persuade Austrsia to withdraw from the war.


    In this way, a Germany that has resolved the French-Russian issue only needs to engage in a fierce naval battle with the Royal Fleet to aplish the n of annihting the entire Allied Nations.


    As for Italy, Fakinham did not mention it in the n, and William II had no intention of inquiring.


    Looking at Italy''sbat performance, without the help of other Allied countries, Italy cannot exert any pressure on Germany in terms of army and navy. It only takes 100,000 German troops, along with a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire forces, to easily destroy this country fromnd.


    After William II nodded, under Fakinham''s order, the German General Staff quickly formted a n for the new offensive and focused the main direction of the new offensive on the Westline.


    ording to Fakinham''s request, the German Army does not necessarily have to carry out a massive breakthrough and encircle the enemy''s main forces to achieve results.


    They only need to upy a special region deemed sacred by the French, forcing the French to deploy every soldier of their army in order to protect this region.


    In this way, Germany could cause French blood to flow in this region and effectively kill French soldiers.


    Thus, there were not many suitable ces ording to Fakinham''s intention, and the most suitable were only two.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After aprehensive consideration, Fakinham chose Verdun between Bellevue and Verdun because he felt that Verdun was more important to the French, which made them willing to shed theirst drop of blood.


    Actually, Verdun is just a small town in the northeast of France by the Mars River, with a poption of just over 10,000.


    However, in terms of military, Verdun is one of France''s most famous fortresses, appearing multiple times in French history, and is connected to many significant events in France.


    In terms of geographical location, Verdun is the gateway to Paris and the hub of the French defense line, with a strategically critical terrain.


    The Verdun fort is the support point of the French Eastern Front and is located in the protruding part of the Allied defense line.


    With Verdun in existence, it poses a significant side threat to the Western Front armies deep into France and Belgian territory.


    However, if Verdun were to fall, the German army could quickly reach several strategic points in France via the railway, opening the pathway to Paris.


    It is important to note that Verdun is only 200 kilometers from the Paris area and is referred to as the key to Paris and the gateway to eastern France.


    In the eyes of the French, the Verdun fortress is a sacred and insurmountable ce, symbolizing the strength and courage of the French people.


    If Verdun were to fall, the enormous impact on the French Eastern Front aside, the heavy blow to French civilian morale alone would be enough to lower the optimism level of the French poption regarding the war.


    After the fall of Verdun, the entirety of Paris would be in peril. Historically in France, the day the enemy breaches Paris is often the moment the French government surrenders.


    Therefore, Fakinham believes that breaking through Verdun would be tantamount to capturing Paris, and capturing Paris means conquering more than half of France.


    Although the French government built a new defense system in the Verdun region after the outbreak of the war,bining fortress construction projects with field fortresses


    But only a little over a year has passed, and some fortification works have not yet beenpleted. This is what Fakinham sees as the hope of breaking through the Verdun fortress.


    Of course, that being said, the Verdun fortress is by no means easy to break. The basic defense work system has been formed, and Verdun is undoubtedly one of France''s most robust fortresses and is the hardest to break.


    There are four defense positions in the Verdun fortress area, three of which have been built since 1914.


    If viewed from the air, the depth of these four fortresses is nearly 50 kilometers, withrge and small formal bunkers scattered around the fortress area. Most of them protrude north into the Weir Valley and the ins.


    Almost all defense positions are cleverly arranged in the rolling hills and forests full of deep trenches and high ground, which has also increased the difficulty of breaking the fortress.


    Existing fortress works, new field defense works, and rear supply bases are closely connected, making the Verdun fortress system virtually wless and forming a strong, deep-staggeredyout that would make any opponent fearful.


    The French army has deployed thousands of machine guns and artillery positions of various sizes in Verdun Fortress, greatly enhancing the firepower of the fortress.


    It is no exaggeration to say that this is a tough bone to chew for the Germans.


    However, Fakinham chose Verdun for precisely this reason.


    It is because Verdun is so difficult to break, that the French will be even more willing to pay any price to defend the fortress.


    Fakinham believes that to save Verdun, the French must invest all their strength, and this is precisely Fakinham''s goal.


    At the mobilization meeting within the German army, Fakinham even ambitiously dered to make Verdun the millstone for crushing the French army, bleeding the French to theirst drop of blood.


    As for Fakinham''s specific n to attack Verdun, it is straightforward: use overwhelming firepower to destroy French defensive works and then break through from the east bank of the Mars River. They aim to capture the fortress before the French even have time to react.


    The reactive French army is bound to reinforce heavily; Germany only needs tounch an attack on Verdun to effectively attack all French forces.

 Chapter 541: Chapter 424: Bombarding Verdun

    The German General Staff devised a detailed n for the siege of Falden, which was finally decided to beunched in November 1915, code-named Execution Ground.


    upying Verdun was a formidable task, but it could bring unparalleled honor to themand leader.


    As a result, many German generals were eager to takemand of the Execution Ground n.


    However, Fakinham eventually chose Prince William of Germany as themander of the main attack on Verdun, perhaps as a tribute to the royal family, or perhaps to get William II to approve the n as soon as possible. In any case, Crown Prince William indeed became themander of the Verdun offensive.


    A prestigious work on the history of World War I called "August Barrage" satirically describes this German Crown Prince:


    The Crown Prince, in his 30s, has a fox-like face, no chest, and is as thin as a willow, unlike his mother''s five robust brothers born every other year.


    This prince gives the impression of being frail and mediocre, nothing like his father.


    However, his pretentious manner is exactly like William II''s, always keen on making a startling impression.


    Although William II intended to train him as amander, Crown Prince William''s training was far from enough. Despite serving as a colonel of the Skull Light Cavalry and working for a year in the German General Staff, he had never held the position of brigadier general or general and became the Commander-in-Chief of the German 5th Army Group directly.


    Former Major Sherwin has always been dismissive of the disdain Crown Prince William has for self-confidence, believing that appointing young and inexperiencedmanders is unfortunate, thinking that suchmanders will be eager to pursue personal honors, and showing great enthusiasm, but not interested in executing strategic ns.


    Although Crown Prince William became the mainmander for the Verdun attack, Fakinham did not hand over the original memorandum for submitting to the German Emperor to the Crown Prince or his chief of staff, General Schmidt.


    Fakinham''s order to Crown Prince William was, "Attack in the direction of Verdun, seize the Mozi area."


    The Crown Prince mistakenly took this order as a signal from the General Staff to upy Verdun, but this was not what Fakinham had hoped for, which was to besiege Verdun and bleed France dry.


    In order to achieve the purpose of besieging Verdun, Fakinham transferred the strength of three armies to Crown Prince William''smand.


    This also caused the Crown Prince''s 5th Army Group to expand to six armies, allposed of Germany''s most elite troops.


    After the Execution Ground operation was officially confirmed, the German army and the General Staff entered a tense preparation period.


    Fakinham kept inquiring about the readiness of the 5th Army Group, then transferredrge numbers of artillery from the Russian front and the Krupp Factory to the front of the Verdun Fortress.


    The previous capture of the Belgian fortress made Fakinham very confident that the German army could easily seize the ground positions with artillery fire. The infantry attacking on the narrow front was merely taking and consolidating their positions.


    In order to destroy France''s strongest defenses and crush the French resistance, the Germans gathered 1,200 artillery pieces and 200 mortars, including the most powerful 304mm naval guns and 420mm siege cannons at present.


    Especially the 420mm siege cannon, which was designed specifically for assaulting and capturing territory. The sound of the cannon could be heard tens of kilometers away, and any solid bunkers and defensive works would be sted to pieces by it.


    In addition to these siege artillery pieces, the German army was also equipped with grenadeunchers, small-caliber high-speed guns, poison gas, and methrowers.


    Logically speaking, it was impossible for the German''srge-scale attack in the Verdun region to escape the Allies'' notice.


    Although there is no satellite technology for surveince at present, various countries reciprocally dispatch numerous spies and intelligence personnel who are not to be underestimated.


    Indeed, as soon as the Germans began preparations, French intelligence agencies had already learned of Germany''s impending attack.


    Russia also reported from the Eastern Front that Germany had mobilized part of its main force to the Westline, warning Britain and France to be on guard.


    However, the French Commander General Flynn did not attach importance to this. Flynn firmly believed that the Battle of the Somme, nned by the British and French forces, was more important than Germany''s attack. Moreover, Flynn did not think that the German attack would be directed at Verdun, as Verdun had been a quiet area since the outbreak of the war.


    However, on the advice of his subordinates, Flynn still dispatched a small number of troops to the Verdun region, increasing the strength of the garrison in the Verdun area.


    November 27, 1915, Verdun, early morning.


    It was a cold day, and the heavy fog enveloped the earth like a veil due to the high humidity in the air.


    If there was a thermometer, it would show that today''s temperature had reached below zero, even the few green nts on the ground were covered with ayer of frost.


    In a French trench, a new recruit named Gregory rubbed his hands together, exhaled a breath of hot air, and followed the elderly soldiers in groups of three or two to crawl out of the underground shelter, breathing the cold but very fresh air.


    Including Gregory, the French army stationed in the Verdun Fort area had been there for several months, and they were too familiar with the surrounding defenses and constructions since they had built many of them with their own hands.


    During this time, some bold French soldiers would shout at the German soldiers in the trenches not far away, and sometimes they would get a response from equally bored German soldiers, without any trace of war''s cruelty.


    But today, after Gregory''s squad leader shouted at the opposite position twice, he didn''t get any response.


    "Damn it! These damned pigs, all they do is sleep," the squad leader grumbled in an attempt to ease the awkward atmosphere.


    Not only that, but the German soldiers that usually responded no longer responded, making the French soldiers, including Gregory, feel a bit unusual.


    Looking at the time, it was already past eight o''clock. Gregory''s squad leader instructed, "Everyone, go eat breakfast first, and then continue building those damned defensive positions."


    The logistics of the French frontline troops were ample, so the units defending the Verdun Fort were able to eat steaming hot food every day, including asional coffee, milk, and fruit.


    Of course, as the weather got colder, the logistics department would also provide some inferior alcohol to help the frontline troops alleviate fatigue and keep warm.


    That''s right, inferior alcohol. Because this kind of liquor was of poor quality, it had a spicy taste that could even burn the throat and chest, making it a great heating tool.


    Thanks to today''s cold weather, every French soldier was given a mouthful of inferior alcohol to help them keep warm without getting drunk.


    When they heard it was time to eat, Gregory''s squad quickly forgot that the Germans weren''t talking, as eating in these dull trenches was more important than worrying about the Germans on the other side.


    But soon, the French army noticed something was off. The nearby German army remained silent, even though it should have been their breakfast time.


    Boom!


    Following a bombing sound, the quiet Verdun line suddenly shook violently, with mes reaching for the sky.


    The German army no longer hid, and the artillery positions set up both at the front and in-depth opened fire with all calibers of firearms,unching arge-scale bombardment on the French positions.


    The deafening sts shook the earth, countless shells cutting through the air with terrifying screams, and a torrent of explosions and wailing erupted in the French trenches.


    As luck would have it, some shells exploded in the back of the logistics units, injuring many French soldiers who were lining up for meals, and the hot soup for breakfast for the French soldiers also became a direct cause of injury.


    Mingling with the steam from breakfast, the smoke from the shell explosions, and the fog from the cold weather, a suffocating cloud covered the entire French position.


    Dazzling red lights and deafening explosions emerged from the smoke, with continuous explosions shaking the surroundingnd, causing some of the unfinished or not yet built defensive structures to copse directly and bury even more French soldiers.


    "The Germans are attacking! Get to the trenches for cover!"manded the French officers, shouting with all their strength.


    The trenches weren''t convenient for preparing various types of food, so the logistics unit responsible for cooking was located several hundred meters behind the trenches.


    Although there were some defensive structures here, they couldn''t amodate this many French soldiers, nor were they as strong as the frontline trench defenses.


    Under themand of their ownmanders, countless French soldiers bent down and ran into the trenches, searching for the sturdiest hiding ces.


    Inside the trenches, some French soldiers who hadn''t even woken up yet had already been torn to shreds by the German bombardment, losing their lives.


    At this time, Gregory''s situation was not good either. Although he hid in the trench in time, the aftermath of the explosion caused him to have a nosebleed and see stars while the loud ringing in his ears left him temporarily deaf.


    "Gregory, open your mouth to relieve the shockwave!" Gregory''s squad leader yelled.


    Seeing no response from Gregory, he knew that Gregory might have temporarily lost his hearing and quickly gestured for him to open his mouth.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    These seasoned French soldiers had learned from experience that opening their mouths during a German bombardment could effectively alleviate some of the shockwaves, at least so they wouldn''t be stunned by them and lose their hearing.


    Of course, this method would only effectively prevent shockwaves from distant explosions and provide no help in defending against the st of a shell.


    Anyone facing a bombing could only hope for one thing: either not being hit at all or being killed outright.


    The worst-case scenario was getting hit in the leg or limbs, which would not only cause great pain but also the possibility of severe trauma leading to infection and even the loss of life.

 Chapter 542: Chapter 425: The Australia-Netherlands War

    Arthur received news of the Battle of Verdun a dayter, on the 28th of November.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Arthur could not have been unaware of what the Battle of Verdun signified. It was one of the deadliest battles in the history of World War I, with casualties as high as 700,000 on both French and German sides, second only to the Battle of the Somme that Britain and France had nned to initiate.


    Yes, although Verdun was besieged, neither the United Kingdom nor French Commander General Flynn had abandoned the n tounch the Battle of the Somme.


    The Battle of the Somme would be thergest counterattack on the Westline and could even determine the course of the war there.


    The Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Verdun were two of the most vicious battles of World War I. Thebined casualties from both battles exceeded 2 million and could directly determine the oue of the war on the Westline, and even the course of the entire World War I.


    Because of the crucial situation of the Battle of Verdun, Arthur had the Royal Security Intelligence Agency closely monitor the course of the battle and inform him of any changes immediately.


    Of course, for Austrsia, the German Empire instigating the Battle of Verdun was also good news. After all, if Britain and France were busy dealing with German aggression, Austrsia would have a better chance for expansion and their importance in the war would heighten.


    The only direction left for Austrsia to expand towards now was the Dutch East Indies in the North.


    Hond, inparison to Austrsia, were true pushovers that Arthur could manipte at will.


    Europe was currently upied with the battle of Verdun and nning the Battle of the Somme, their attention towards non-European affairs has greatly diminished.


    Even if Hond was an ally of Britain and France, they would never risk offending Austrsia for Hond''s sake, not to mention that Hond was a neutral country, and they had a decent rtionship with William II''s German Empire.


    Hond, as a secondary power, still held arge-scale colony like the Dutch East Indies, so Arthur felt it was necessary to relieve Hond''s pressure and allow them to focus on their nativend.


    On the 29th of November, 1915, the third day of the Battle of Verdun, the Austrsian Ministry of Defense urgently passed a proposal, which Arthur named operation "Mop-Up".


    As the name implies, this was an action tobat the Anti-Austrsian forces in German New Guinea. The operation stretched to areas where Anti-Austrsian forces may have fled, such as the Dutch-controlled New Guinea, Swesi, and Kalimantan.


    The participants in the "Mop-Up" operation included the First and Second Divisions and two Colonial Divisions, totaling 72,000 troops.


    After about a week of long preparations, in early December 1915, Austrsia officially announced its n to carry out a severe crackdown on Anti-Austrsian forces who had fled from German New Guinea to various ces.


    It also demanded the cooperation of the entire Dutch East Indies, as the Austrsian Government suspected that the Dutch East Indies were harboring Anti-Austrsian forces and conspiring to subvert Austrsia''s rule in New Guinea.


    The evidence provided by the Austrsian government was very substantial, including not only the escape routes of some Anti-Austrsian forces but also their activities in Dutch-controlled territories.


    No matter how the Dutch East Indies Government defended itself, there were indeed numerous Anti-Austrsian forces within the Dutch East Indies territory, and these forces had obtained a significant amount of weapons and equipment from the Dutch East Indies.


    The Dutch Government wanted to negotiate, but the conditions put forth by Austrsia were that they either surrender all Anti-Austrsian forces and cede West New Guinea, Swesi, Brule Ind, Ceram Ind, Misuo Ind, and Oby Ind. Otherwise, the fury of Austrsia would not be appeased.


    However, the Dutch could naturally not agree to such severe conditions. This was almost equivalent to dividing the Dutch East Indies in half, limiting Dutch rule to only four major inds that are Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, and Swesi Ind.


    Even the most unresponsive Dutch Government understood by this time that Austrsia''s target was not the Anti-Austrsian forces, but thend of New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.


    This was something that the present Dutchmen could not agree to. The Dutch East Indies was one of the fewrge colonies the Dutch held and was the guarantee for the Nethends to maintain its status as a secondary power in Europe.


    If they lost the Dutch East Indies, the Nethends'' position would be even lower than Belgium''s, failing to measure up to even a third-tier European power, let alone the Dutch people''s hope for united bordends.


    Even if the Dutch Government could ept Austrsia''s demands, the Dutch people would undoubtedly not agree.


    If the Dutch Government surrendered without a fight, the angry Dutch people could overthrow the government and change its face.


    Therefore, despite their unwillingness, the Dutch Government had to refuse the demands of the Austrsian government on principled grounds, angrily criticizing Austrsia''s demands as shameful extortion.


    Unfortunately, the struggle between countries at this time was like this, where thew of survival was survival of the fittest. The strong would possess power and position, and the weak would be targeted by the strong for division.


    Even if Hond appealed to Britain, France, Germany, and even Russia for help, no country was willing to help them.


    Germany, needless to say, was already at war with Austrsia. The Germans did not have the ability to break through the naval blockade of Britain and France to wage war with Australia and Austrsia.


    Regardless of whether Germany has the capability to do so, even if Germany does have a sufficient fleet and power, it would not antagonize Austrsia over the neighboring Nethends.


    There''s no need to mention Britain, France, and Russia, as they are among the Four Great Powers of the Allies with Austrsia, and naturally have a much better rtionship with Austrsia than the Nethends, which is outside the Allies.


    Although the Nethends is a European nation, it provides no assistance in war, even its rtionship with Germany is better.


    In such a situation, Britain, France, and Russia would naturally not offend Austrsia for the sake of the Nethends, they would even support Austrsia''s expansion in exchange for more support from Austrsia to Europe.


    There are two more Powers in Europe, but they are even less likely to help the Nethends against Austrsia.


    As for the other Power outside Europe, the United States, although the US has the power to confront Austrsia individually, Austrsia is a member of the Allies, and the Four Great Powers of the Allies have mutual assistance agreements. The United States will not go to war with the Allies just for the sake of the Nethends.


    Therefore, after the Dutch made strenuous efforts to seek help, they found that there was no country willing to help them, not even the slightest aid.


    Arthur didn''t care about all this; on December 7, 1915, the attack of Austrsia officially began.


    Before the war, Austrsia had already expelled the Dutch ambassador and dered a state of war with the Nethends.


    The entire mopping-up n was divided into two paths. The west route included the First Division and a Colonial Division, totaling 36,000 troops, crossing the royal territory to the west and directlynding on Java Ind, the core of the Dutch East Indies.


    The east route was from the New Guinea area controlled by Austrsia, heading west, upying the entire New Guinea Ind, and then taking over the inds of the Banda Sea and the Suvsi Sea one after another.


    The entire Dutch East Indies has as many as over 40 million indigenous people, making it extremely difficult to govern. Therefore, Arthur''s initial goal was not topletely annex thisnd, but to find important strategic areas to annex, and other areas could be indirectly controlled.


    Especially the core of the Dutch East Indies, Java Ind. This area of Java Ind is the most populous region in the Dutch East Indies, a status quo that persisted toter generations.


    Even inter generations, there were only about 200 million people in Indonesia as a whole, but a small ind of Java carried around 150 million, which is no less exaggerated.


    ording to the current poption ratio, Java Ind is home to at least 20 million indigenous people. The poption isrger than the total poption of Austrsia, but the total area is less than 140,000 square kilometers, with a poption density far exceeding Austrsia.


    It is very difficult to manage such an area, let alone the fact that it has arge number of ethnic groups, various types of religions, and differentnguages and cultures, making assimtion very difficult.


    The Dutch have controlled thisnd for hundreds of years and still cannot assimte these indigenous people.


    Although there are issues of poption scale, the difficulty of assimting the indigenous people in the Dutch East Indies is far from ordinary.


    In addition to the nearly 20 million indigenous people on Java Ind, the other three major inds in the Dutch East Indies, Sumatra Ind has nearly 8 million people, Swesi Ind 5 million people, and Kalimantan Ind 2 million people, making it one of the most diversity-rich areas of indigenous distribution.


    Compared to the whole of New Guinea, which has less than 4 million indigenous people in its 786,000 square kilometers, the distribution of indigenous people in these areas is too widespread, and the base number of indigenous people is toorge to be suitable for rule.


    Of course, in addition to administrative control, control over these areas can also be achieved economically.


    At present, these indigenous people are not useless, at least during wartime, they are qualified cannon fodder.


    And both World War I and World War II required a lot of cannon fodder to fill in, the indigenous people of the Dutch East Indies are very suitable.


    The war of Austrsia implemented the guidelines set by Arthur, preferring to spend more funds than causing more casualties.


    First of all, the fleet bombed Java Ind and Dutch New Guinea, which are controlled by the Nethends. They bombed the coastal defenses and cities of these areas, and then it was the turn of the army tounch anding operation.


    While carrying out thending on Java Ind, Austrsia also deployed hundreds of airnes to continue bombing Java Ind and Batavia, causing the Dutch army to be exhausted from dodging bombs, giving them no chance tounch an attack on thending Austrsia army.


    While the fleet and aircraft were taking turns to bomb, led by the Colonial Division, the army quickly sessfullynded on Java Ind andunched an attack on several major cities on Java Ind.


    Thergest city on Java Ind is Batavia, whichter became Jakarta. This is the capital of the Dutch East Indies and the location of the entire Dutch East Indies colonial government.


    The primary goal of the western army is to quickly upy Batavia, control the Dutch East Indies colonial government, and achieve the goal of capturing the king first in order to win a quick battle.

 Chapter 543: Chapter 426: A Huge Disparity in Strength

    At the time, Alexander William Frederick Edinburgh, the Count of Edinburgh, served as the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch East Indies.


    Although it seemed that he had a firm grip on both military and political matters, only Governor Alexander himself knew that his days were actually not that easy.


    Even though the Dutch enjoyed a superior status in the Dutch East Indies, this meant that Governor Alexander had nearly 40 million ves to oppress under his rule.


    The Dutch barely had to concern themselves with the lives of the colonial natives; they could arbitrarily seize the property and wives of the Indigenous people, trample on their dignity, and deprive them of their lives.


    However, thend was not as peaceful as it seemed on the surface. The protection of Britain and France didn''t seem to be very effective, and Austrsia was eying the territory with great interest.


    Moreover, there were more than 40 million indigenous people within the Dutch East Indies, consisting of hundreds of ethnic groups. The rtionship between these ethnic groups was veryplex, and the rtionship among the indigenous forces formed by these ethnic groups was also veryplicated.


    The Dutch East India Colonial Government''s orders were not so effective in some of the indigenous countries, and the areas that the Dutch East Indies could truly control were only the majority of Java Ind, Sumatra Ind, Kalimantan Ind, and parts of Swesi Ind.


    There were more than ten thousand inds in the entire Dutch East Indies, but apart from somerger inds, the other inds were not under the control of the Dutch East Indies.


    Although this may seem strange, as the Dutch were a more developed and powerful European nationpared to the local indigenous people.


    Moreover, the Dutch had ruled thisnd for hundreds of years; logically speaking, even if they hadn''tpletely assimted these poptions, they should have controlled most areas and achieved proper management by now.


    However, in reality, if one were topare the Nethends itself with the Dutch East Indies, the biggest problem for the Dutch would be apparent ¨C the phenomenon of a snake swallowing an elephant.


    There are only more than 6 million people in the Nethends to date, but the poption of the Dutch East Indies has reached more than 40 million, nearly seven times the total poption of the Nethends.


    Trying to assimte more than 40 million indigenous people with a poption of merely over 6 million is an impossible idea.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Even now, there are still arge number of Sultanates in the Dutch East Indies, which have considerable autonomy, and some even outright dismiss the rule of the Dutch East Indies.


    To govern thisnd with a poption of over 40 million, the Dutch had about 100,000bat troops in the Dutch East Indies, including more than 30,000 regr troops and 100,000 native troops.


    But obviously, such an army is far from enough to properly govern a poption of 40 million.


    Moreover, the naval scale of the Colonial Government of the Dutch East Indies is very small, even smaller than thebined naval size of the six Australian colonies before.


    In such a situation, the Dutch East Indies Government could not properly control more than ten thousand inds within its territory. Rebellions were frequent in the Dutch East Indies, causing headaches for the Dutch, who were powerless to do anything about it.


    ording to the information from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, there are as many as 17 indigenous Sultanates within the Dutch East Indies, each with a poption of over a million, while the smallest Sultanate still has several hundred thousand indigenous people.


    Particrly on Swesi Ind, there were as many as five indigenous forces. These indigenous countries controlled more than half of Swesi Ind, greatly weakening the Dutch rule on the ind.


    This also resulted in the fact that, although the Dutch controlled the property of tens of millions of indigenous people, they could not make good use of them.


    If the Nethends were a country with tens of millions of people, or if the Nethends were closer to the Dutch East Indies, the Dutch could have made better use of the Dutch East Indies.


    Of course, even so, the Nethends still manages to obtain substantial benefits from the Dutch East Indies every year, including rubber, grain, and other economic products.


    The reason why the Nethends could be slightly stronger than Belgium is precisely because it controlled the Dutch East Indies, which generated nearly ten million pounds of ie for the Dutch Government every year.


    After the Austrsian Government announced the crackdown, Governor Alexander had been closely nning the defense of the Dutch East Indies and temporarily strengthened the defense of Batavia as a whole.


    As the core area of the Dutch East Indies, Java Ind has a Dutch division and more than 60,000 indigenous troops with a total defense force of about 80,000 people.


    If considering the number of soldiers alone, the defense force of Batavia is more than twice that of the Austrsian army, having an absolute advantage in terms of number.


    However, war is not just about the number of troops; it''s also about military equipment, firearms, and nes. In these areas, the Dutch defendersg far behind the Austrsian army. What''s more, the Austrsian homnd can continue to send supplies, while the Dutch homnd is thousands of miles away, with the quickest transportation time taking more than a month.


    There is another point: the scale of the Dutch military force is far behind that of Austrsia. After Austrsia officially dered war, Arthur sent a telegram to King George V, requesting the establishment of a defensive line in the Suez Canal area to block the Dutch transport fleet from heading south.


    This also led to the situation where if the Dutch fleet wanted to support the Dutch East Indies, they had to circle the entire African continent, greatly increasing the time required for support.


    Under such premise, it was impossible for the Dutch fleet to reach the Dutch East Indies without taking two months.


    Two monthster, the war in the Dutch East Indies would have long been over, and the Dutch woulde just in time to sign a contract.


    At this moment, the face of Governor Alexander in Batavia was not very good.


    Governor Alexander looked at the diplomat Raynor, who had just returned from Austrsia, and asked, "Ambassador Raynor, how many troops can Austrsia send at most?"


    As the former Dutch ambassador to Austrsia, Ambassador Raynor''s understanding of Austrsia was certainly higher than that of Governor Alexander and others, which was why Governor Alexander asked Ambassador Raynor.


    "Not easy to predict, Sir Governor. But since the war, Austrsia has recruited at least 700,000 indigenous troops. There are only about 500,000 in Europe at present. This means that if Austrsia is willing, they can dispatch at least 200,000 indigenous troops at any time." Ambassador Raynor shook his head, sighed slightly, and spoke to Governor Alexander.


    Ambassador Raynor''s term began in 1908, and it has been almost seven years.


    In these seven years, he has witnessed the development of Austrsia, and naturally, he is well aware that the current Austrsia is not something that can be resisted by a small Nethends.


    Looking at Austrsia, from a weak colony over a decade ago evolved into one of the main powers now, a major member of the Allies, and the hegemon of Oceania, Ambassador Raynor could not help but feel envious and jealous.


    Austrsia''s rise has been smooth, with the support from Germany, Britain and Russia in session. Before the European War, their biggest enemy was the Nethends, and it was a war provoked by Austrsia itself.


    Then look at the Nethends, situated in Europe, to rise they must have the consent of Britain, France and Germany.


    But clearly, none of these three countries want another powerful country or even a secondary powerful country in the Low Countries. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The Low Countries can threaten the English Channel and the British coast, the northeast of France, the west of Germany and the Ruhr District. Any movement here will attract the attention of the three major powers and is an area where theypete for influence.


    It is no exaggeration to say that any choice of the three could offend one of the powerful countries of Britain, France and Germany.


    For the Nethends, this is a fatal blow. Sandwiched in the encirclement of these three major powers, there is no hope for the expansion of the Dutch homnd, and their colonies are currently coveted by Austrsia, with no chance of turning the tables.


    Look at Belgium, who ims to be a neutral country, but Germany attacked them at will. Thinking of this, Ambassador Raynor couldn''t help but sigh again, envious of Austrsia''s rise and advantageous geographical location.


    "Damn it, immediately send a telegram to our homnd requesting at least 100,000 troops for support.


    Otherwise, it will be impossible for the Dutch East Indies to withstand the invasion of the Austrsian Army." Governor Alexander didn''t pay attention to Ambassador Raynor''s sighs; his attention waspletely attracted by the fact that Austrsia had at least 200,000 colonial troops avable forbat.


    Although they were just colonial armies, the indigenous people were armed with firearms, which could cause fatal injuries when hit.


    Moreover, Austrsia also had arge number of cannons and aircraft, and Batavia could still be bombarded by fleets on the sea, which was a deadly blow to the defenders.


    It should be noted that the ship guns generally have a caliber of more than 300mm, which can cause huge damage to any defensive fortifications.


    Furthermore, the bombings from ground troops and the sky, every day of dy would cause heavy casualties to the Dutch Army.


    "Yes!" Governor Alexander''s subordinates didn''t dare to hesitate and quickly attempted to send a telegram to the Nethends for help.


    In fact, the Dutch government at this time was also very bitter. They had already received a clear reply from the British that they would not allow any fleet flying the Dutch g to pass through the Suez Canal.


    This also means that the journey to the Dutch East Indies has increased by more than half. Even if the Nethends sends aid immediately, it will take at least two months to arrive.


    However, the Dutch government did not reveal the fact that they could not pass through the Suez Canal to the Dutch East Indies, expressing the government''s orders to defend Batavia and the entire Java Ind at all costs.


    The Dutch government also hypocritically imed that arge amount of supplies had been hurriedly transported and could reach Batavia in less than a month at the fastest.


    However, the navigation situation of the Suez Canal and whether the Dutch transport fleet would be besieged by the Austrsian fleet in the Indian Ocean were not mentioned by the Dutch government.

 Chapter 544: Chapter 427: The Great Bombing

    Governor Alexander and Ambassador Raynor quickly realized how Europeans waged war and how cruel European wars were.


    Before the Austrsian Army attacked Batavia, the Austrsian navy and air force carried out a bombardment of Batavia and nearby areas for several hours, forcing the Dutch Army to cower in defensive positions with no one daring to retaliate.


    When the enemy''s bombardment subsided, Governor Alexander and the Dutch Army were amazed to find that the Austrsian Army was already close to Batavia, having sessfullynded during the bombing and moved closer to Batavia.


    Just as Governor Alexander nned to order his troops tounch an attack and repel the Austrsians, the enemy quickly taught Governor Alexander a lesson.


    Compared to the firepower of the navy and air force, the number of guns equipped by the Austrsian ground forces was no weaker. They could even carry out more concentrated bombings on the Batavian defenders using arge number of rapid-firing guns.


    To deal with such circumstances, the First Division carried thousands of artillery, including hundreds ofrge caliber guns and numerous medium and small caliber guns.


    The previous bombardments by the navy and air force had already caused significant damage to Batavia''s defenses, and the army''s concentrated medium and small caliber guns had be the death knell for the Dutch forces.


    Even the sturdy Liege Fortress could not resist the German bombardment for long, let alone the already insufficient defense of Batavia.


    Although Batavia had a poption of millions, making it thergest city in the Dutch East Indies.


    Most of its inhabitants were indigenous, with only a few hundred thousand genuine Dutch immigrants and mixed-bloods, ounting for less than one-tenth of the total poption.


    The Austrsian Army quickly approached Batavia, and of course, the indigenous army took the lead.


    It was the Austrsian Army''s probing of the Dutch forces to test the firepower configuration of the Dutch defenders and to look for the weaker areas in Batavia''s defenses.


    Under cover of massive firepower, 20,000 indigenous peopleunched an attack on Batavia''s defensive lines.


    Batavia had two defense lines outside the city, the first with more than 30,000 indigenous defenders and the second with over 10,000 Dutch troops and over 10,000 indigenous defenders.


    In order to construct these two lines of defense, Governor Alexander had mobilized almost all avable troops near Batavia, which also meant that the Dutch East Indies had no means of resistance in the Batavia area other than these two defense lines.


    In the previous two rounds of bombing, both indigenous armies and regr Dutch forces suffered heavy losses.


    Particrly, aircraft capable of precise bomb dropping inflicted massive casualties on the Dutch side, whose defenses were not very strong to begin with.


    Soon, the 20,000 colonial troops collided with Batavia''s first line of defense. Although the Dutch forces had a numerical advantage, it was clear that the firearms of the Dutch indigenous forces were no match for the Austrsian colonial troops, let alone the substantial firepower support of thetter.


    Some indigenous defenders were immediately covered by rear-fire as soon as they exposed themselves, while others huddled in their positions without daring to show their heads, fearing bombardments from the Austrsians.


    This could be understood as the Dutch had not been involved inrge-scale wars for a long time, and thebat effectiveness of the Dutch East Indies army was questionable, let alone the colonial armiesposed of indigenous people.


    These colonial forces still had somebat capabilities facing unarmed indigenous people, but it was uncertain how muchbat effectiveness they could show when faced with better-equipped Austrsian colonial forces.


    It should be noted that although both colonial forces wereposed of indigenous people, the treatment of these indigenous people by the two sides was quite different.


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    On the Austrsian side, Arthur had publicly promised that after the war, all participating indigenous soldiers and their families would be treated leniently and provided with adequate traveling expenses.


    This meant they would no longer serve as freebor for Austrsia, and they could regain their freedom in other regions.


    However, it was different for the Dutch colonial troops. Although the Nethends was a weaker country, the Dutch attitude towards the indigenous poption still tended to be cruel.


    Even ruling the region for hundreds of years and giving birth to arge number of mixed-bloods between the Dutch and indigenous people did not impede the Dutch from being indifferent and discriminatory towards these indigenous peoples.


    Even if these indigenous troops fought desperately for the Dutch, they could only receive a paltry reward at most and regaining freedom was impossible.


    The best oue for the Dutch colonial forces was to be a regr indigenous person after their service ended, enduring Dutch exploitation but barely maintaining their livelihood.


    Comparing the two, it''s clear who would try harder. At least the discipline of the Austrsian colonial forces was well maintained, and with themand of Austrsian officers, they could disy a certain level ofbat effectiveness.


    However, after facing the bombardment from Austrsia, some of the native soldiers of the Dutch colonial forces appeared to be nervous and some even dared not show their faces.


    As a result, only a small portion of the 30,000-strong Dutch colonial force were actually engaging the Austrsian army under the cover of artillery fire, not even 10,000 men.


    Of the remaining 20,000 men, some dared not expose themselves at all while some asionally fired randomly as they popped up. How could they possibly ensure their uracy in such circumstances?


    Soon, the Austrsian colonial forces charged the Dutch positions, and hand-to-handbat began with the Dutch colonial troops.


    Native hand-to-handbat, to put it mildly, could be painful to watch. Some natives even resorted to dirty tricks like gouging eyes and low blows,pletely forgetting that the bays on their rifles would be more lethal.


    However, this was not bad news for Austrsia, as the indigenous physical fitness of the Austrsians was inherently slightly superior.


    This is not a baseless im. Although there were no significant differences between the indigenous people of Austrsia and the Dutch, the disparities between the two colonial forces were substantial.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Arthur was always generous to the military, even ensuring that the indigenous colonial soldiers could obtain daily meat and fruit rations, allowing them to replenish their strength and enhance their physique.


    After all, Australia and New Zend were well-known pastoral regions in Austrsia, and it was not a big deal to provide meat to the native soldiers since beef and mutton were abundant.


    This led to significant physical improvements among the native soldiers after proper training, making them appear even more robust than their Dutch counterparts.


    As for the Dutch side, although the native soldiers were treated better than ordinary natives, they still couldn''t afford to eat meat and fruit every day.


    Arge part of the Dutch East Indies'' ie was transferred back to the Nethends, and there wasn''t much funding avable for the colony''s government to improve the lives of the native soldiers.


    Moreover, the two forces already had different motivations for participating in the war, which gave the 20,000-strong Austrsian native soldiers a considerable advantage over the 20,000-strong Dutch native soldiers. In fact, the first line of defense of Batavia was already in peril.


    "Damn it, get the Third Colony Division up there and hold the first line of defense as best they can," said Governor Alexander as he hurriedly ordered the remaining Third Colony Division to block the advancing Austrsian army from his rearmand position.


    "Order the troops to retreat and request a second round of bombardment from the air force," said Brigadier Silvio,manding the Austrsian First Division. He ordered the colonial forces to halt their advance and continued to use artillery and aircraft to break the stalemate.


    Brigadier Silvio didn''t n to take Batavia''s first line of defense immediately. For him, minimizing casualties while maximizing the oue was undoubtedly more worthwhile.


    Although the casualties were among the natives, the Western Army had limited troops to begin with, so any savings were still necessary.


    Following the orders of bothmanders, the Dutch dispatched the Third Colony Division for support, and Austrsia withdrew its colonial forces, restoring a temporary peace to the first line of defense.


    "Governor, have we repelled the enemy?" asked Ambassador Raynor, with excitement in the Dutch rearmand.


    If they could sessfully repel the attack from Austrsia, even if it was just a small-scale battle, it would be a merit for all those present.


    Faced with such easily attainable reward, even Ambassador Raynor, a former envoy, was somewhat swayed.


    "I''m afraid not, Ambassador Raynor. The enemy only deployed colonial forces, and their casualties are not heavy so far. Their retreat might be preparing for arger attack. Order the frontline troops to rest and be vignt for possible enemy bombardments and surprise attacks," answered Governor Alexander cautiously with a shake of his head.


    Not long after the messenger conveyed Governor Alexander''s order, the roar of artillery resumed from the rear of the Austrsian forces.


    Over a thousand artillery pieces resumed the heavy bombardment of Batavia''s defensive positions,sting for over an hour. Governor Alexander and Ambassador Raynor hid in the defensive works, not daring to show their faces.


    When the bombing and vibrations outside the air-raid shelter stopped, Governor Alexander thought the enemy might have run out of shells, especially since such bombardment had been going on for most of the day and countless shells had been consumed.


    However, Governor Alexander''s relief was short-lived. A few minutes after the bombardment stopped, he stepped out of the defensive works behind a soldier and heard the humming of aircraft engines in the sky.


    There was no mistaking the sound, as Governor Alexander knew it all too well. The flying devices, known as airnes, had already inflicted heavy casualties on the Dutch forces.

 Chapter 545: Chapter 428: Perish, Facing Danger, Disintegration

    "Damn it, watch out for the enemy attack!" Governor Alexander shouted as he ran towards the not-so-distant defensive works without looking back.


    These flying creatures were no joke; the bombs they dropped were deadly and their power was no less than that of small and medium caliber firearms. Being in the air, they could hit enemies that ground firearms couldn''t.


    Boom!


    Perhaps Governor Alexander''s will to survive moved God; anyway, a bomb exploded next to Governor Alexander, taking him and the East Indies natives'' beloved Governor to meet God.


    Your next read is at mvl


    "Governor Sir!"


    The guards and messengers around Governor Alexander were in chaos, but their pace towards the defensive works was even faster.


    Being hit by a bomb at close range, Governor Alexander had no hope of surviving, let alone piecing together aplete body.


    In such a situation, his guards and soldiers wouldn''t sacrifice their own lives for a pile of broken flesh, as their own safety had be more important than anything else.


    Of course, the fastest to react was Ambassador Reno of Foreign Affairs. After Governor Alexander shouted about the enemy attack, Ambassador Reno swiftly followed, running towards the defensive works about ten meters behind Governor Alexander.


    When the bomb exploded a few meters in front of Governor Alexander, Ambassador Reno was nearly 20 meters away and not too badly affected, except for a temporary hearing impairment.


    This did not hinder Ambassador Reno''s pace towards the defensive works; like a starving wolf who hasn''t eaten for days, he quickly rushed to where food was avable.


    Huff~ Huff!


    After finally getting into the defensive works, Ambassador Reno and some soldiers breathed a sigh of relief and began to gasp for air.


    Escaping from the hands of death was not a pleasant feeling, as their rapidly beating hearts told them that they were only a breath away from death.


    If they were just a few seconds slower or faster and caught up with Governor Alexander in front, they could have gone to meet God with him.


    The people in the defensive works looked at each other, and only then did they realize a serious problem: who wouldmand the army of more than 100,000?


    Not only was Governor Alexander the Colonial Governor of the Dutch East Indies, but he also served as the Colonial Commander-in-chief.


    With the dual status, Governor Alexander had extraordinary power, and no one in the Dutch East Indies challenged his authority.


    Under Governor Alexander, the colonial military consisted of one Dutch division and six colonial divisions.


    Although the Dutch division was higher in rank than the colonial divisions, the gap in power between the divisionmanders was not significant, and they all reported directly to Governor Alexander.


    The problem at hand was that Governor Alexander had no deputy and the Vice Governor was purely a political figure, not proficient in military affairs.


    The choice of a temporary militarymander became an issue, and it was difficult to find a suitable sessor within the military who could convince everyone and had the appropriate status and qualifications.


    At this point, the guards and soldiers turned their gaze to Ambassador Reno.


    Ambassador Reno, former Dutch Ambassador to Australia, was fully qualified to act as temporary Colonial Commander-in-chief.


    More importantly, his resume included studying at the Nethends Military Academy and serving in both the Dutch homnd and Dutch East Indies colonial armies, although the total length of his service was less than two years.


    Taking everything into ount, Ambassador Reno''s status and position were quite suitable, and he had enough prestige in the military to temporarilymand the army.


    Of course, whether Ambassador Reno could be the temporary Colonial Commander-in-chief of the Dutch East Indies would still depend on the opinion of the Dutch government.


    At the request of Ambassador Reno, severalmunications soldiers sent telegrams to the Nethends, exining the death of Governor Alexander in the bombing by Austrsian airnes and requesting that the Dutch government appoint a new Commander-in-chief for the colonial army, or a temporary Commander to lead the troops.


    It is expected that the Dutch government will receive this telegram on the second day, and the reply from the Dutch government will likely arrive in two or three days.


    Due to the urgency of the war, the General Staff of the Colonial Army nominated Ambassador Reno to act as temporary Commander-in-chief, to take charge of the Dutch East Indies colony before receiving further instructions from the Dutch Government and tomand the army in battle.


    Ambassador Reno''s firstmand as temporary Commander-in-chief was to order all three colonial divisions, totaling over 50,000 troops on the front line, to defend at all costs and not allow the Austrsian Army to advance one step.


    In the eyes of Ambassador Reno, these native soldiers were expendable. Their sacrifice in exchange for the stability of the first line of defense was a good deal for both the Nethends and the Dutch East Indies.


    Ambassador Reno''s secondmand was for the colonial government to temporarily recruit at least 100,000 natives to join the defense of Batavia.


    Although the number of troops in Austrsia didn''t seem toorge, the firepower and equipment of the Dutch army at present were no match for the Austrsian Army. The army needed more soldiers, even if they were just cannon fodder, they could still y their part.


    This air raidsted only half an hour, but it caused considerable casualties to the Dutch army.


    The previousrge-scale bombing suddenly stopped, which made the Dutch army think that Austrsia had run out of shells, so many Dutch soldiers left their defensive works and entered the trenches.


    The circling bombers and fighters in the sky caused severe casualties to the Dutch army. Just this round of aerial bombing alone resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Dutch soldiers and injuries to thousands.


    After the air raid, the Austrsian army approached the first line of defense again andunched a formal attack.


    Brigadier Silvio was confident that the Dutch soldiers, who had endured a long period of bombing, were physically and mentally exhausted at this point, and needed some time to recover.


    During this time, it was the best opportunity to attack. The dead Dutchmen and the moaning wounded would cause a heavy blow to the morale of all Dutch forces.


    In such circumstances, even the Dutch regr army would be psychologically affected, let alone these hastily trained indigenous troops.


    Even if these Dutch indigenous armies do not disintegrate and lose their fighting capacity due to this, their morale would be greatly damaged, and there is always the possibility of desertion at any time.


    In this situation, if the Dutch are defeated in their war, it is likely that the indigenous forces would be the first to copse.


    As long as there were no indigenous forces, the Dutch army would no longer have a numerical advantage, and the annihtion would be only a matter of time.


    Sure enough, when Austrsiaunched a new round of offensive, it could be clearly sensed that the resistance of the indigenous armies had diminished.


    These indigenous people were already afraid of death, and they were not willing to give their lives for the Dutch willingly.


    After a brief resistance against the Austrsian forces, some indigenous armies threw away their equipment and scattered towards the nks of the battlefield.


    Although most of them were killed by the Dutch supervising team or annihted by the Austrsian army, a considerable number of indigenous people sessfully fled the battlefield and set a good example for the remaining indigenous soldiers.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Don''t sacrifice yourselves for these Dutchmen anymore, they''re almost finished! Let''s return to our tribes, we just want to live our lives."


    No one knew who shouted, but the Dutch indigenous army suddenly started to riot.


    What''s more serious was that all three divisions of the first defense line were indigenous armies, and there were very few Dutch soldiers andmanders. At this point, they were already unable to control the indigenous soldiers.


    The rear Dutch army consisted only of one Dutch division and a small number of reserve forces. Under the premise that Ambassador Raynor and the General Staff had not yet emerged from the defensive works, they could not control the increasingly worsening situation at the front line.


    Just like that, these Dutch indigenous soldiers followed suit and eventually turned into arge-scale copse.


    A supervising team of only a thousand people simply could not control the collective copse of tens of thousands of people, so themander of the supervising team could only report the situation to the rear General Staff while trying to stabilize the front line situation.


    But by now, the indigenous forces were beyond the control of the small supervising team. Unless the rear Dutch army could quickly respond and use firepower to suppress the indigenous army, forcing them to return to their positions.


    Otherwise, if they dy any longer, no army could stop the copse of these indigenous forces.


    The supervising team''s message reached the General Staff, who then ryed the message back to the supervising team. This process took about ten minutes.


    Ten minutes were enough to do a lot of things, such as causing tens of thousands of troops to copsepletely, with many already running out of the battlefield.


    Learning that the front-line indigenous army had already copsed, Ambassador Raynor''s heart was crumbling at this moment.


    Although bing the new temporary colonialmander seemed like good news, the problem was that with the copse of the indigenous forces, the war seemed to be lost.


    Bing a temporarymander only to face the failure of the war, Ambassador Raynor only now understood in hindsight that he had been forced to be the scapegoat.


    After all, with Governor Alexander dead, it seemed that the only person who could take the me for the front-line battlefield at this time was him, who had just be the new temporary colonialmander.r/>


    Understanding everything, Ambassador Raynor vented his frustration in the General Staff and eventually had to ept his current miserable fate. He issued his own stubborn orders to let the Dutch division hold onto the second defense line, trying to dy the Austrsian offensive as long as possible.


    As for the three colonial divisions on the front line and the evenrger first defense line, Ambassador Raynor had no expectations by now.r-c


    Without the resistance of the indigenous forces, temporarily dispatching the Dutch division to the first defense line would only expose them to the encirclement and pincer attack of the Austrsian army without the protection of the defense line.-urlencodedsure>


    It would be better to let the remaining Dutch division and some reserve forces hold onto the second defense line. The remaining forces added up to 20,000 men, and as long as they could resist for a few days, the rear could organize more indigenous forces from Batavia to defend the entire Batavia with their lives.


    Anyway, Batavia had as many as millions of indigenous people, and even if 10,000 people were killed or injured every day, these millions of indigenous people would be enough for the Austrsians to ughter for more than a year.


    Ambassador Raynor simply did not believe that the Austrsians would dare to ughter so many indigenous people to conquer the entire Batavia.

 Chapter 546: Chapter 429: Collapse, Negotiations

    On December 10th, 1915, it was the second day of the attack on Batavia.


    Although the native copse led to the rapid loss of the first line of defense in Batavia, these numerous natives also dyed the Austrsian army''s attack on the second line of defense in Batavia.


    At present, the ratio of the Dutch army to the Austrsian army has be 1:2, with the Dutch not only losing their numerical advantage in an instant, but now being significantly outnumbered.


    Currently, the second defense line is only manned by a single Dutch division and a few reserve forces, thebined number of which will not exceed 20,000 people.


    Meanwhile, Austrsia has a fully-staffed First Division and a Colonial Division with rtively few casualties, meaning that Austrsia still has over 32,000bat soldiers.


    Although the Dutch army is somewhat more elite than the native army, it is very limited inparison to the First Division, which has undergone extensive training and has ess to more luxurious equipment.


    Despite having an absolute advantage in terms of numbers, Brigadier Silvio maintained the principle of firepower being supreme, using numerous aircraft and firearms to suppress the enemy, andunching an attack only after a massive bombardment.


    The Dutch army was left at their wits'' end by the Austrsian strategy of continuous bombardment and attack, yet there was nothing they could do about it.


    Once troops appeared on the battlefield, enemy nes circling in the sky and numerous artillery would unleash their firepower, dealing fatal blows to the soldiers on the battlefield.


    However, if soldiers remained hidden in their positions for too long, enemy attack forces would approach quickly, making the position vulnerable at any moment.


    These Dutch soldiers weren''t the best of the Nethends, making it almost impossible to expect them to hold the line to the death.


    If it wasn''t for Ambassador Raynor''s ''high-pressure'' policy in the rear, keeping a strict watch over all Dutch soldiers, some would probably be thinking of surrendering by now.


    Of course, no matter how strict the policy, it cannot prevent the Dutch from being ultimately defeated.


    Having experienced more than half a day of intense bombardment and offensive-defensive battles, the Dutch army on the second defense line had suffered over 50% casualties and was forced to raise the white g of surrender.


    On the evening of December 10th, the Austrsian forces sessfully upied two defense positions, detained all the Dutch soldiers, and confiscated their weapons and military equipment.


    The following day, under the watchful eyes of many natives, the Austrsian army officially entered Batavia and took military control of the entire Dutch East India Colony Government.


    But that was not the end; Batavia was not the only city on Java Ind. Brigadier Silvio nned to briefly regroup in Batavia and then send his main forces to take control of the entire Java Ind.


    It is impossible for an army of over 30,000 men to control the entire Java Ind, so instead, Austrsia aimed to gain control of several key cities and native tribes on the ind.


    Upon upying parts of the Dutch East Indies, Austrsia would also face the same problem as the Dutch: dealing with the numerous sultanates and native forces on thisnd.


    Due to the weak status of the Dutch, they could not effectively control these native nations. This has allowed over ten native forces to fester in the Dutch East Indies, bing a hidden concern for the Dutch governance of this colony.


    Firstly, the existence of these native forces means that many natives could flee to these sultanates.


    Furthermore, the negative sentiment against colonizers from the native poptions would not disappear as long as these native forces exist.


    Not only do these native forces serve as a pir of hope for the natives, but they could also provide arms and equipment support to some of them, in an effort to subvert and overthrow colonial rule.


    In summary, at least within Austrsian territory, these native sultanates posed a significant threat.


    Even if they could temporarily submit to Austrsian rule through the use of military force, these native nations of different origins would never truly align with the Austrsian government.


    Therefore, the invasion forces attacking the Dutch East Indies had a secret mission ¨C to eliminate, as much as possible, the upper echelons of these native sultanates, allowing Austrsia to easily control them and incorporate them into their future colonies.


    At present, there are two sultanates on Java Ind, both of which are tributary states of the Dutch East Indies: the Sultanate of Sulu and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. While originally unified under the Ma Sultanate, this nation was gradually fragmented under colonial rule, forming two rtively weak native nations dependent on Dutch East Indien rule.


    Though these two sultanates only upy about one-twentieth of Java Ind, thebined poption of the Sultanate of Sulu and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta has long exceeded one million.


    That is the characteristic of Java Ind: any small piece ofnd has a shockinglyrge poption.


    If we consider Java''s post-era poption of more than 140 million, the area governed by these two sultanates could amodate at least five million people.


    It is hard to imagine that thisnd of just over 100,000 square kilometers can amodate nearly 150 million people.


    And the entire Australian region can amodate a poption of only about two hundred million.


    Even if all thend in Austrsia isbined, within a reasonable range, the maximum number of people it can amodate will not exceed three hundred million.


    A sufficient poption is a prerequisite for bing a strong country and a manifestation of a country''s strength and development.


    Resource exploitation, industrial development, economic growth, domestic construction, and even aspects of people''s lives such as medical care and education, all require arge poption and talent.


    Only with a poption can there be talent, and only with talent can a country develop and be stronger.


    This also determines a truth: a country with a sufficient poption does not necessarily have to be strong, but a strong country must have a sufficient poption.


    If a regional power''s poption limit is more than ten million, then a regional hegemon''s poption should be at least more than thirty million.


    To maintain a position among the powers for decades or even hundreds of years in the future, a poption of over fifty million, or even hundreds of millions, is a basic condition.


    If the indigenous peoples of the Dutch East Indies can be assimted, Austrsia will definitely develop stronger in a short period, and evenpete with the United States for the top three in the world when Britain and France are greatly damaged by the war.


    Unfortunately, the poption of the Dutch East Indies is basically difficult to assimte indigenous peoples. These indigenous peoples have beliefs that arepletely opposite to those of the Austrsians, and with differences in skin color and culture, they cannot be assimted in a short time.


    Only with a country with a poption of hundreds of millions and decades of hard work can these indigenous peoples bepletely assimted.


    But the question is, if the poption is already in the hundreds of millions, why assimte these indigenous peoples?


    Compared to the Western Front''s attack on Java Ind, the Eastern Front''s attack on New Guinea was actually more sessful.


    A significant part of the more than 100,000 troops in the Dutch East Indies were deployed on Java Ind. Many others were deployed on Sumatra Ind, Kalimantan Ind, and Swesi Ind.


    This also led to the fact that although New Guinea Ind is not small in size, there are not many Dutch troops, even the indigenous armies, adding up to only about one colonial division.


    Facing the Austrsian Second Division and a colonial division with aprehensive inferiority in numbers, soldierbat power, and equipment, the fate of this Dutch colonial division can be imagined.


    Although the number of guns and nes in the Eastern Front was far behind the Western Front, the Dutch colonial divisions had even fewer guns and even uneven rifle quality.


    After two consecutive days of strong attacks by the Austrsian Army, the Dutch colonial division soon could no longer support it and officially surrendered to Austrsia.


    On December 12, 1915, the Austrsian Army begannding on Swesi Ind, Kalimantan Ind, and Sumatra Ind.


    If there is a map of the Dutch East India Colony, it can actually be found that the most important area in this colony is theserge inds.


    The area of therge and small archipgos and ind chains distributed around these inds is not asrge as any of the four major inds.


    At present, the Austrsian Army has already controlled Java Ind and New Guinea Ind, and it can be said that it has controlled more than half of the Dutch East India Colony.


    The Dutch government is believed to be unable to sit still soon after they receive the news, after all, if the Austrsian Army continues its offensive, the Nethends will lose more than just half of the Dutch East Indies.


    On December 15, 1915, after a colonial division on Swesi Ind was annihted by the Austrsian Army, the government finally received a request for peace talks from the Nethends.


    So far, the Austrsian Army has initially controlled Java Ind and New Guinea Ind, and carried outndings on Swesi Ind and Sumatra Ind.


    If the Dutch telegram arrives a few dayster, I am afraid that the entire Swesi Ind and Sumatra Ind will be controlled by Austrsia, and there will be only more than half of Kalimantan Ind left in the Dutch East Indies.


    As for the Dutch request for peace talks, the Austrsian government naturally agrees.


    After all, more than half of the Dutch colonial army has been wiped out by Austrsia, and the Nethends has no ability to resist in the Dutch East Indies.


    In such a situation, even if peace talks are held, Austrsia will still have the final say. As long as there is no intervention from the powers, the Nethends can only be a fish on the chopping board for Austrsia to ughter.


    After discussions between the two governments, it was finally decided to formallyunch peace talks on the issue of the Dutch East Indies after the new year arrives.


    And before the peace talks arrive, the current situation in the Dutch East Indies will be militarized management ording to the areas upied by both sides.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 547: Chapter 430: End of the Year

    The situation of the war in the Dutch East Indies temporarily entered a peaceful state, which was also good news for Arthur.


    Since the outbreak of the war, Arthur''s focus has been mainly on the war, and his free time has been greatly reduced, leaving him no time to apany William and Anna.


    As time slowly entered the second half of December, Arthur, together with Queen Mary, William, and Anna, decorated the pce for the uing Christmas holiday.


    In the pce of Austrsia, there was hardly any sense of the turmoil and panic brought about by the war in the outside world. All that was present was the warmth and harmony among the royal family members.


    Unfortunately, snow is notmon in Sydney. Otherwise, with snow on the ground, the scenery in Sydney and even Austrsia would be even more beautiful.


    Unconsciously, the territorial scale of Austrsia has be quite exaggerated. Without exaggeration, Austrsia has already be a transcontinental country withrge territories in both Asia and Oceania.


    The westernmost part of the territory is in the Middle East Region, and the easternmost part is in the eastern Pacific Ocean; the distance between the two is more than half the circumference of the Earth.


    Although the span from north to south isn''t as exaggerated, the northernmost part of Austrsia lies between the North Temperate Zone and the Tropics, and the southernmost part extends from the South Temperate Zone to the Antarctic Circle. The distance between the southernmost and northernmost points is quite far apart.


    In Austrsia, you can see various climates from the North Temperate Zone, the Tropics, the South Temperate Zone, and the Antarctic Circle, experiencing scorching heat, freezing cold, and warmfort ¨C the climate and environment are diverse.


    Being solely a tourism resource, Austrsia will be an inte-famous country inter generations, attracting the most tourists among other countries.


    After some states and cities started to build tourism resources, the number of visitors in Austrsia has been continuously rising.


    If it were not for the impact of this war, the beautiful environment and the numerous inds suitable for tourism would attract even more tourists and immigrants to Austrsia.


    Fortunately, after this war, there should be a peace period of up to 20 years. During this time, not only will Austrsia develop rapidly, but the tourism and economy of Austrsia will also undergo rapid development.


    Although the war went smoothly in the first half of the year, since entering the second half of 1915, it has be a war of attrition for both parties.


    Up to now, the total number of soldiers involved in the war has already exceeded 10 million and is even approaching 20 million.


    ording to preliminary statistics, over 2 million people have died in this war, and the number of injured has reached as high as more than 7 million, with casualties ounting for nearly half.


    Although the number of injured is cumtive, and some soldiers may participate in the war after their injuries have healed, it cannot deny the fact that the war is a serious burden on European nations.


    Besides consuming various resources and funds, the war also depleted the most important manpower for the country.


    The bad news is that this is just the beginning. The Battle of Verdun, although itsted only a short time, is already the deadliest among all current battles.


    Next, the British and French willunch the Battle of the Somme. Without any idents, this will be yet another bloody battle, perhaps the bloodiest of all.


    In short, both parties have reached an impasse, either defeating the enemy at a heavy cost or being defeated by the enemy at a heavy cost.


    The quick victory nned by the Germans has be impossible, and the oue of the war depends on which side copses first and which nation falls apart first.


    However, Britain and France have a significant advantage in a war of attrition due to their numerous colonies.


    If the Germans can''t find a way to break the stalemate, Germany''s defeat will not only be a matter of time but also face the powerful exploitation of Britain and France after the war.


    Unconsciously, Arthur has been in the Australian Region for 15 years.


    Time has changed Austrsia, and it has also changed Arthur. If Arthur was merely a benevolent monarch when he first arrived in Australia, now he has be a qualified monarch who knows the greater good and can handle any situation with confidence.


    A qualified monarch should have an iron heart and prioritizes the interests of the majority of the people in his country.


    If it were Arthur who had just arrived in Australia, he might have felt sorry for therge number of casualties that Austrsia faced in the war.


    Although most are indigenous armies, the casualties of Austrsia''s regr troops have now reached tens of thousands.


    However, for the present Arthur, if the casualties of tens or even more than a hundred thousand people will make Austrsia stronger after the war, and even establish its superpower status, then it is all worth it.


    Improve the pension policy of Austrsia, treat the families of all the soldiers who participated in the war well, aspensation for all the injured and even deceased soldiers, as well as their families.


    Some people must shed blood for their country, and what Arthur can do is to try his best not to let those soldiers who shed blood for the country suffer from inhumane treatment after the war, or even have their own interests vited.


    Time passed quickly, and before Arthur knew it, William and Anna had already turned five years old.


    Five years ago, he was just a child in swaddling clothes, crying to be fed. Now, he is already able to follow behind Arthur and help him set up the Christmas scene.


    Meanwhile, Queen Mary stood to the side with a gentle smile on her face, assisted by her attendants and watched over by Arthur''s mother, Princess Louise.


    "Mary, remember not to stand for too long," Arthur reminded her from time to time.


    Queen Mary was pregnant once again, and had been for seven or eight months. Her belly was now so round and high that one could even feel the baby''s movements.


    The royal family was about to wee another new member, which was good news for Arthur.


    At present, the members of the Austrsian royal family were rather few: Arthur, Princess Louise, Queen Mary, William, and Anna.


    Together, these five controlled the entire royal financial group, with a total fortune of over 700 million Australian dors and an average wealth of more than 100 million Australian dors per person, showcasing the luxury and wealth of the Austrsian royal family.


    As long as there were no inheritance issues, having more children would be beneficial for Arthur and the royal family.


    After all, each of Arthur''s children would inherit a significant amount of wealth and noble titles, ensuring that they would neverck status or fortune in Austrsia, and there would be no concerns regarding raising children.


    Having more members in the royal family would also help solidify their position. If there were only five members in the Austrsian royal family, an ident could potentially jeopardize their rule.


    Take, for example, the current British royal family. They have many direct heirs, and hundreds of others among their various coteral branches and distant rtives, waiting in line for the British throne.


    Although an inted royal family can incur big expenses, the British royal family does not have to worry about session issues, as there are hundreds of sessors waiting in line.


    Even Arthur has the right to inherit the British throne. However, his highest position in the line of session was actually during the reign of Edward VII.


    Not counting Edward VII and his children, Arthur would have been the first in line for the throne at the time.


    Of course, the chances of the British king and all his children dying were extremely low, and Arthur didn''t have many aspirations for the British throne. After all, since Edward VII''s death, the British throne no longer seemed so dazzling, with intricate rtionships limiting the power of the British king.


    Only a monarch who had been on the throne for a very long time, like Queen Victoria, and had a lofty status in the hearts of the people, could gain significant power.


    Otherwise, the power of the British monarch would only weaken from one generation to the next, eventually diminishing their influence over the government.


    Of course, a monarch who has been in power for a long time, like Queen Victoria, ensures that their sessor will not be too young. For example, Edward VII ascended the throne at the age of 60, and this resulted in his death just nine yearster.


    Although Edward VII inherited quite well the power and status of Queen Victoria, the rapid session of British monarchs during that time eventually led to the loss of power for his sessor, the current King George V.


    Inter generations, Queen Elizabeth reigned longer than Queen Victoria and had a good status in Britain, even helping to stabilize the British Isles.


    However, the issue was that her sessor, Prince Charles, was already 74 years old when he ascended the throne, and 75 years old when he was crowned.


    Such a monarch''s reign is bound not tost long, and if the British government were to experience frequent turnovers, the next British monarch''s power would undoubtedly weaken even more.


    Of course, it seems like the power of the British monarchs inter times was not much, and their decline would not be substantial.


    Though not as strong as the British Empire, the good news for Austrsia is that its political environment is rtively unified, with all political parties managed by the Royal Parliament and rtionships between them not being tooplex.


    Due to the short period since its establishment, Arthur was able to effectively control most of the government''s power and had no threatening opposition.


    Furthermore, the various policies of the royal family and the government that Arthur had promoted over time ensured that the Austrsian royal family held a prominent status in the hearts of the people of Austrsia.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that Arthur''s position in the hearts of the Austrsian people even surpasses that of Queen Victoria among the British people.


    After all, Arthur is the first king of Austrsia, the monarch that led the Australian and New Zend regions towards independence and unification.


    As the founder of the country and ruler for over ten years, as long as Arthur doesn''t impact the vital interests of the people, his prestige will never waver.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 548: Chapter 431: Various Changes and Tense Battles

    On December 25, 1915, after spending a happy Christmas with his family, Arthur began to travel around several military factories and shipyards, inspecting and consoling the current state of these military factories.


    Compared to Europe, the impact of war on Austrsia was negligible, and even Austrsia''s various developments were still in a rtively stable growth range.


    Since it was the end of the year, Arthur also received Austrsia''s development data for 1915.


    The first thing the Austrsian Government announced to the public was the current casualties of the soldiers.


    Up until now, a total of more than 600,000bat forces had been sent to Europe by Austrsia, with a death toll of up to 135,000 and injuries reaching 223,000.


    The number of soldiers still in Europe is just over 300,000, and nearly a hundred thousand indigenous people havepleted their military enlistment obligations and have been sent, along with their families, to other regions.


    In the New Year, that is, in 1916, Austrsia is expected to send 500,000bat forces to Europe, including 484,000 native soldiers and 16,000 regr soldiers.


    Dispatching native soldiers is not a problem for the Austrsian Government and Arthur, as they can y some role in Europe''s war of attrition and can be considered a win-win situation.


    After the war, native soldiers who survived indeed received the treatment promised by Arthur, which led them not to reject enlistment, as it could at least guarantee their families'' freedom to live in other regions.


    The war has been going on for more than a year, also consuming most of the weapons, equipment, and ammunition that Arthur had stockpiled before the war.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At present, Austrsia''s various military factories are working overtime to produce, but still cannot meet the needs of the European battlefield for weapons and equipment.


    It can be expected that with the development of time and the continuation of the war, the European battlefield will be more and more short of weapons, equipment, and ammunition, and the expansion of various military factories will only be faster and faster.


    Especially in the Russian region, there are at least millions of rifles, billions of bullets, thousands of artillery, and millions of artillery shells in short supply.


    Austrsia alone has already exported at least 2 million rifles, showing the huge consumption of this war.


    Of course, the war still had a certain impact on Austrsia. If we had to say one of the biggest impacts, it must be the number of immigrants in Austrsia.


    Up until now, the total poption of Austrsia is approximately 16,454,900, an increase of about 1,084,000pared to the previous year.


    Although poption growth is still at the million-level, in the additional 1.08 million poption, the number of newborn babies in the country has reached 457,000.


    Subtracting the number of newborn babies, the number of immigrants in Austrsia this year is only about 643,000, just over half ofst year''s immigration.


    This highlights a more serious problem: European immigration has decreased dramatically as a result of the war in Europe.


    Even previously reliable Russian immigrants, due to the domestic turmoil in Russia, have seen a significant reduction in numbers and are currently only able to maintain an annual scale of around 400,000 to 500,000 immigrants, with a further risk of decline.


    Immigrants from other countries are even scarcer; the total number of immigrants from most European countriesbined is only about a hundred thousand, showing just how severe the impact of this war on Europe is.


    It is not even an exaggeration to say that countries such as Britain, France, and Germany that are severely affected by the war have now effectively shut down their immigration channels.


    For themon people of these countries, escaping the country during times of war is not an easy matter.


    If the number of immigrants from Russia continues to decline, Austrsia''s annual poption growth could fall below 1 million, breaking the recent record low for poption growth.


    Of course, this is also a force of circumstance. The short period of peace after the war is expected to be a boom time for immigration.


    Ultimately, another major reason for the decline in Russian immigration is the Austrsian Immigration Department''s strict scrutiny of Russian immigrants.


    At present, there are a frightening number of revolutionaries among Russian immigrants, and these people who could potentially destabilize the country must undergo scrutiny and can only truly obtain Austrsian nationality after a long period of assessment.


    As for per capita ie, Austrsia''s current per capita ie has increased to 53.1 Australian dors, and that too without any significant devaluation of the Australian dor.


    In 1915, when the currencies of European countries were generally depreciating and residents'' per capita ies were generally declining, Austrsia''s performance was rare.


    Of course, it''s not just per capita ie that is growing steadily.


    Up to now, Austrsia''s GDP for the year has reached 1.812 billion US dors, equivalent to 362.4 million British pounds and 724.8 million Australian dors, with a growth rate that is 2% higher thanst year, at around 8%.


    However, this is due to the excess expansion of the military industry and the massive export of grain and other resources by European countries.


    Austrsia has made huge profits in this way, using these funds for domestic development and construction, which has led to rapid economic growth in the country.


    Simrly, Austrsia''s rtively strong economic growth against the backdrop of negative economic growth in European countries is definitely exceptional.


    This is also reflected in fiscal revenue.


    In 1915, the total fiscal revenue of the Austrsian Government was about 124.5 million Australian dors, an increase of nearly 16% from the previous year.

 Chapter 549: Chapter 431: Various Changes and Tense Battles_2

    After all, arge amount of materials and resources were exported, making a substantial increase in fiscal revenue quite reasonable.


    It should be noted that even Arthur''s royal financial group paid over 20 million Australian dors in taxes to the government in 1915.


    And the ie of the royal financial group is even more exaggerated, with a total ie of approximately 107.5 million Australian dors in 1915, not much different from fiscal revenue and the government.


    Read exclusive content at mvl


    Of course, taxes are rtively heavy forrge factories and enterprises in Austrsia.


    However, formon people and those with middle and low ies, the government''s taxation is rtively low, which is also why Austrsians are very approving of the government.


    Arthur does not care about this either. After all, he can freely mobilize both the royal financial group''s funds and the government finance, and in reality, it is just a matter of transferring from the left hand to the right hand.


    If Arthur is willing, the government can even exempt the royal financial group from tax. But there is not much need for this, and the special status of the royal financial group may cause some controversy.


    Imagine that when people receive such news, even the monarch and the royal family are not willing to pay taxes to the government, how could people be willing to pay taxes to the government wholeheartedly?


    At that time, tax evasion, tax leakage, and tax theft would pile up, causing trouble for the government and social stability.


    Under the premise of the government''s high fiscal revenue, the growth of fiscal expenditure is actually not small either.


    In 1915, the total fiscal expenditure of the government was about 112 million Australian dors, with a fiscal surplus of as much as 12.5 million Australian dors.


    This year''s fiscal expenditure increased by nearly 15 million Australian dorspared tost year, mainly because a new round of warship construction n has beenunched, along with various military expansions and the consumption of waging war.


    If half of the military spending were not borne by the British, the fiscal expenditure might have increased further, and might even face a fiscal deficit.


    Apart from the military industry, the growth rate of other industries in Austrsia is also not slow.


    Currently, the most popr industrial products in Austrsia, aside from weaponry ammunition in the military industry, include steel helmets, activated carbon gas masks, custom military uniforms, cotton-padded clothes, military boots, and mouse traps.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Yes, mouse traps are also one of the most urgently needed supplies in the European frontline army. This is because the war in Europe has entered a war of attrition, with trench warfare as its main form.


    Both parties dug trenches, and inside them, arge number of rats and other animals, including fleas that troubled and irritated many soldiers.


    It is precisely for this reason that mouse traps and flea medicines have be one of the most scarce supplies on the frontline battlefield, even more important than weapons and ammunition.


    Austrsia, seizing this opportunity, researched rat poison capable of killing most rats and specially produced flea medicine, acquiring a share of the market.


    Almost every batch of rat poison and flea medicine arriving at the frontline would be immediately divided among thebat troops.


    In nonbat periods, what soldiers most want to do is to take a good bath and then deal with the fleas on their bodies.


    Although most rats and fleas are not fatal, the fleas jumping around and biting on one''s body can cause unbearable itching.


    Rats are even more terrifying, as they may chew off ears while people are sleeping if there is no protection and a sufficient number of rats. Such cases ur from time to time.


    As a result, some soldiers in the trenches used iron wire mesh to encircle themselves for protection from rats.


    Anyway, the existence of these rats and fleas not only causes great trouble for frontline soldiers but also tires them physically and mentally, making them reluctant to fight.


    It is precisely because of this that rat poison, flea medicine, and other items have be so popr and are loved by frontline soldiers.


    Arthur, looking at the report on the entire year of 1915 in his hands, is in a good mood.


    But at this moment, the warring countries far away in Europe do not have such a beautiful mood.


    The Battle of Verdun has been going on for more than a month now, and both the German and French armies have suffered heavy casualties, but neither side dares to issue a retreat order.


    Actually, in the early stages of the Battle of Verdun, German progress was rtively smooth.


    It took German troops only a few days to sessfullyplete the first step of the German General Staff''s n, which was to upy the surrounding areas of Verdun and capture the first line of defense on the periphery.


    Through heavy artillery bombardment, while the French were disoriented by the shelling and hadn''t reacted yet, the Germans quickly pushed their front lines forward by two kilometers.


    Although the Germans had achieved local victories, at this point, the French General Staff still did not fully understand Germany''s real intention, and thus could not develop their nextbat n based on this.


    This resulted in French Commander General Flynn maintaining the average defensive strength in all directions at Verdun, so as to effectively resist the German main force''s attack in any direction.


    Some French soldiers in the Verdun fortress area were indigenous people recruited from the colonies. They had not experienced the cold weather in Northern France, and their morale was already low, so thebat effectiveness of some indigenous armies was extremely fragile.


    Some indigenous soldiers even turned and ran away, but were immediately killed by the French supervisory team behind them.


    No matter who was running away, during such a crucial moment of the Battle of Verdun, they had to decisively kill all runners without hesitation.

 Chapter 550: Chapter 431: Various Changes and Tense Battles_3

    Otherwise, these native soldiers would learn from them, and in the future more soldiers would flee in panic, even directly affecting the fighting desire of the main French forces.


    With the German Army''s step-by-step strong offensive, they captured the main turret on the east bank of the Verdun fortress, as well as several hignds nearby.


    French Central Army Commander Langley had to order the Second Army to retreat to the Mars Hignds, and the Waverly Valley where the Second Army had been stationed was upied by the advancing German Army.


    It was not until then that Cynthia realized that the Germans'' main target was Verdun and decided to take emergency measures immediately.


    In order to stabilize the morale of the Verdun Fortress, Cynthia sent French General Staff Kastel Ford personally to supervise the battle at the Verdun Fortress and sent new reinforcements to the fortress.


    First Army, Thirteenth Army, Twenty-first Army, and several artillery divisions were assembled by Cynthia to the Verdun Battlefield, barely stabilizing the situation in Verdun.


    It is worth mentioning that during Verdun''s critical moment, Cynthia appointed Second Army Group Commander General Henry Philip Baudouin to serve as themander of the Verdun War Zone.


    Speaking of Bemy''s renowned name, it is well known in the history of World War I inter generations.


    But now, Bemy is a powerful Army Groupmander who has just been appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Verdun War Zone. Find adventures on mvl


    Upon receiving the appointment, Bemy immediately went to the Verdun Fort Command.


    Now nearly 60 years old, General Bemy graduated from the famous Saint-Cyr Military Academy in France in his early years, but he had never fought a war before this one, only serving as a military instructor and regimentmander.


    However, due to several sessfulmands in the war, Bemy was appreciated by Cynthia and General Staff Kastel Ford, and in two years, he rose from regimentmander to brigadier, brigadier general, general, and now themander of the Army Group.


    After arriving in Verdun, General Bemy realized that he must urgently address two imminent issues: one is to stop the unorganized copse of the French army, and the other is to send reinforcements and supplies to the front lines as soon as possible, restoring thebat effectiveness and morale of the front-line troops.


    First of all, Bemy issued a death order, forcing all troops not to retreat past the designated red line.


    In Bemy''s original words: "Rather sacrifice the lives of all soldiers, but never lose any inch of Frenchnd!"


    Because the first and second lines of defense had all been lost, the outermost forts had be the support points for the forward positions.


    Therefore, Bemy decisively ordered that the outer forts would be the unified resistance positions for the French army, and all defenders must hold their positions with all avable means, resisting the German offensive.


    Each fort was only allowed to evacuate whenpletely surrounded by the German army and unable to fight.


    Of course, Bemy was not just amanding officer who only oppresses but takes no action. Following this, Bemy divided the entire Verdun garrison into four clusters, readjusted the defense of the Verdun region, and sent some reinforcements to the clusters thatcked troops.


    Under Bemy''s operation, the French army barely held its position, but it was only temporary.


    If the urgent need for reserves and ammunition supplies in the Verdun war zone cannot be resolved, this situation is only temporary, and the Germans may regain the upper hand at any time.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Verdun is located in a dead-end, its protruding part divided by the Mars River, with a standard-gauge railway and a narrow-gauge railway often cut off by German artillery fire.


    Since the start of the war, the railway and highways leading to the Verdun region have been severely damaged by German artillery fire.


    The railway from Obervey to Verdun is the main railway line leading from the French hintend to this area, but it waspletely within the range of the advancing German army''s heavy artillery at the time, and the road from Verdun city to Saint-Mi¨¦yel was cut off by the Germans who had invaded France two years earlier.


    General Bemy discovered that the only transportation line that could be used at the time was a second-ss highway, 7 meters wide and about 65 kilometers from Verdun to the southwest of Baldock City.


    Since this highway was 20 kilometers from the front line and the range of most German artillery was limited at the time, General Bemy believed that the rapid widening and reinforcement of this highway was feasible.


    He immediately ordered that the 65-kilometer long highway in the war zone be divided into six sections, concentrated manpower to repair the highway, quickly widened and reinforced, and traffic was restored.


    In order to urgently mobilize supplies, General Bemy requisitioned nearly 4,000 cars, organizing all the cars into 200 groups, each with 20 cars.


    At that time, as many as 9,000 French soldiers and officers were performing transportation tasks and on guard duty along this lifeline.


    Using cars to carry out such arge-scale logistics transport task was unprecedented in the history of previous wars. This should mostly be attributed to General Bemy''s innovation in logistics work.


    This highway waster honored by the French as the Sacred Road, and during the entire Battle of Verdun, about 500,000 troops and 170,000 domestic animals were transported to the front line along this Sacred Road, making an indelible contribution to France''s victory.


    Due to Bemy''s timely adjustment and effective measures for logistics, the resistance capacity of the French frontline forces was significantly strengthened.


    A series of supplies and equipment transported on the Sacred Road, like the reviving fruit in the game, quickly restored thebat effectiveness of French soldiers on the Verdun front line.


    Furthermore, due to the emphasis that the French General Staff ced on Verdun, within just half a month, the number of troops in the Verdun area doubled, greatly reducing the pressure on the French garrison in Verdun.


    At the same time, the German army sent only about one-tenth of their forces to this area, which also gave the French garrison a numerical advantage in troops,ying a good foundation for the French to hold this fortress.


    On December 20, the French armyunched an offensive against the outer forts, attempting to retake the outer forts in the Verdun area.


    After a period of adjustment, the French army had recovered some of itsbat power and had high morale.


    After an intense battle, the French army gained the upper hand and recaptured the Dumont Fort in one fell swoop.


    When the French g was raised again at this turret, many French soldiers cheered sincerely, "Victory to France! Long live France!"


    After retaking Dumont Fort, Bemy immediately strengthened the original defenders of the fort to prevent it from falling back into the hands of the Germans.

 Chapter 551: Chapter 432: Unexpected Mishaps

    Before the Battle of Verdun, the Germans were confident that their army and artillery were unbeatable. However, as the Battle of Verdun progressed, the Germans discovered that their artillery were not entirely invincible.


    During this nearly half a month of fighting, the Germans first attempted tounch fierce attacks at the center of the French Army''s defense line. When this attack proved fruitless, they turned their focus to attacking both nks.


    However, besides incurring heavy casualties, the Germans didn''t achieve any significant results.


    Especially after Bemy adjusted his strategy, the Germans experienced unprecedented pressure in the Verdun Region. Their n to rely on the advantages of their artillery and troop numbers failedpletely.


    The main reason that this kind of tactics had achieved victory on the Eastern Front was that the Russian army''s equipment was too poor, and their logistics far toocking.


    However, the French logistics were on par with those of the Germans, and with the help of fortresses and modern equipment, the French Army was not significantly inferior to the Germans in terms of equipment.


    After stabilizing their defense line, the French General Staff sent arge number of troops, ammunition, and weapons and equipment to the frontlines.


    This allowed the French Army to have sufficient strength tounch counterattacks, reiming their lost positions and forts from the beginning of the battle.


    With the recent victories in small-scale battles, the morale of the French Army gradually soared, and most of their frontline troops regained theirbat ability.


    As both parties engaged in a stalemate, time quietly moved into 1916.


    On January 3, 1916, French Commander-in-Chief Cynthia issued new orders to all defensive forces in the Verdun area, including encouragement for all soldiers.


    Cynthia stated that over the past month, the German army had fiercely attacked the Verdun Fort, in an attempt to prate deep into France.


    They achieved some sesses on the Eastern Front with their elite troops and intense artillery fire.


    The fact that the French army in the Verdun Region could stop the Germans from making progress and even defeat their morale demonstrated the strength of the French Army.


    Proudly, Cynthia pledged to ensure all military supplies and reserves arrived promptly, and prepare all logistical support for the frontline soldiers.


    If the enemy still wants to attack, the French Army will use unyielding courage and sincerity to defend their nation''s lifeline, praised by all French People, as they stand as a solid barrier preventing the German Army from entering Verdun.


    Starting from January 3, 1916, the Battle of Verdun officially entered its second phase.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The German headquarters decided to shift their focus in attack from the east bank of Mars River to the west bank, aiming to seize the important defensive positions of the French Army on the west bank and prevent the French Army from utilizing the terrain for artillery support on the east bank.


    For the new campaign, the German General Staff transferred a small number of elite troops from other areas, and replenished the personnel of the various armies participating in the first phase of the attack.


    In fact, the real goal of the Germans'' initial attack on Verdun was not to capture the fortress.


    Your adventure continues at mvl


    Fakinham, as the leader of the German military''s upper echelons, had a true objective of making the French bleed out, exhausting their vital forces in the Verdun Region.


    However, the problem was that this n was no longer feasible. The French might have a day when they bleed out, but the Germans would certainly suffer massive bloodshed as well.


    Although knowing the Battle of Verdun had reached a deadlock, Fakinham still decided to let the German forces in the Verdun area continue their attacks, driven by Germany''s prestige.


    It was from this moment on that the Battle of Verdun turned from a nned campaign into a meaningless war of attrition.


    Both France and Germany continued to pour troops into this region, engaging in round after round of seesaw battles that consumed human and material resources, with little actual movement of the frontlines.


    Starting from January 10th, many German soldiers started to feel discontented about this valueless sacrifice.


    Although everyone was willing to dedicate their lives for patriotism, it seemed unnecessary if the sacrifice was made in a war that was not needed in the first ce.


    nes from both France and Germany circled above the Verdun battlefield, where countless dead bodies could be seen everywhere.


    These piles of corpses were French, German, and colonial natives.


    Some positions had been shattered by artillery fire, but the French stubbornly held on, singing bloody war songs in those battered positions.


    Such heart-wrenching scenes weremon on the battlefield; both French and German soldiers had suffered heavy casualties. Their willingness to die for their country wasmendable.


    Dense artillery fire exploded in a chaotdscape of dead trees, creating craters of various sizes.


    Some severely injured and blinded soldiers crawled into caves or shelters to survive, initially thinking these shelters could provide safety. However, the snow melted by the heat waves from the artillery explosions became death''s messengers.


    The blood and water flowed into the huge craters and caves, drowning the powerless wounded whoy on the ground.


    These scenes were undeniable brutal, but in the infamous Battle of Verdun in history, they were the harsh reality.


    Human and horse corpses littered the ces where the shells passed. Fortunately, it was January, and the cold of the Verdun region prevented the bodies from giving off a putrid smell.

 Chapter 552: Chapter 432: Unexpected Mishaps_2

    If it were summer, the smell of rotting bodies alone would be enough to cause some soldiers to mentally break down.


    More exaggeratedly, some German soldiers, who had been living in such terrible conditions for a long time, were not only covered in mud with deeply sunken eyes but also appeared extremely old and weak,pletely unrecognizable.


    Nevertheless, the German military upper echelons still naively dreamed of exhausting the French military''s living forces through the Battle of Verdun to prevent the imminentrge-scale offensive by the British and French forces.


    Instead of waiting for the British and French forces tounch an offensive in an unknown region, they took the initiative tounch an attack, leading the British and French forces to the Verdun region for a decisive battle in an attempt to wipe out the main force of the British and French forces. This was the n of the German upper echelons.


    In fact, the German''s massive attack in the Verdun region did serve as a reminder to the British Empire.


    The British government keenly sensed that they had to invest more power in the European continent as soon as possible and spare no effort to support the French Army to avoid France experiencing arge-scale Russian-style defeat.


    For Russia, with its vast strategic depth, a few failures don''t matter for such a populous country.


    However, for France, if the Battle of Verdun failed, not only would Paris be at risk of falling, but it would also affect thebat capability of the French Army in the entire French region.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that if Verdun fell, Paris would be in danger. If Paris were in danger, so would France.


    With the strong support of Britain, the French and German armies engaged in fierce battles in the Verdun area, with neither side able to take the initiative, resulting in a stalemate in the Battle of Verdun.


    In February 1916, more than two months had passed since the Battle of Verdun began.


    The German and French armies had been confronting each other in this region for nearly 70 days, during which they engaged in numerous battles, with heavy casualties on both sides.


    In the hilly forest areas of less than 20 square kilometers on the east and west banks of the Mars River, both offensive and defensive sides went through numerous fierce battles.


    The German troops,cking a necessary rest period, were already exhausted. The French soldiers took advantage of the German''s fatigue andunched attacks in some areas, further burdening the German soldiers.


    Due to heavy casualties, inadequate supply of food and shells, the increasingly disciplined and brave German soldiers gradually lost faith in themand.


    Since the beginning of the Battle of Verdun, the Germanmand had never considered the heavy casualties. Driven by the eagerness for victory,manders had not faced the number of casualties seriously. This was actually counterproductive to the Germans'' initial n, which was to "make the French bleed."


    In terms of human resources, the Allied Group could notpete with the Allied Nations Group.


    As a result, the Battle of Verdun not only failed to achieve the goal of causing the French to bleed but also seemed to drain Germany''s own blood.


    Faced with the extremely heavy casualties, Fakinham had to modify the originalbat n under the pressure of William II in order to avoid more casualties.


    The tactic previously adopted by the German army, with densely grouped assaults using heavy troops, was finally modified. The French General Staff demanded that officers at all levels pay attention to scientificmand during the war and that the attacking armies must implement timely and effective artillery support. Find exclusive stories on mvl


    In order to prevent the French machine guns and firearms in the fortress from causing huge casualties to the attacking German forces, the German army also adjusted its infantry tactical movements.


    The German General Staff required the German forces responsible for the attack to adopt more decentralized intervals and progressive assaults instead of the previous clustered charges.


    Learning from past lessons, the German High Command no longer overemphasized the power of artillery attacks and began to emphasize that machine guns were effective weapons when approaching the enemy, and their role was difficult to be reced by firearms.


    Inter battles, the Germans paid more attention to the role of machine guns in terms of firepower, especially in terms of firepower suppression when close to the enemy.


    In terms of troop deployment, the German forces also changed the tradition of having elite troops act as vanguards, opting instead to have weaker units initiate the assault and then have elite units expand the results.


    Indeed, the German forces made many efforts in terms of tactics and technology in order to change the serious setback on the battlefield and reverse the passive situation.


    To destroy the French defense line, German engineers even dug tunnels under the French positions, then buried arge amount of explosives there, resulting in an enormous crater that was as deep as a 10-story building on the French position.


    However, the subsequent battles proved once again that, due to theck of necessary protection for the attacking troops, these so-called new tactics could not produce significant effects against a solid defensive position system with strong firepower support and a certain depth.


    Would the German army stop the attack due to excessive losses? This was the most pressing question for the Allies, especially the French people.


    The prolonged and fierce fighting in Verdun had be a heavy psychological burden on the French people.


    On one hand, the whole nation was proud of the French army''s tenacious defense and defeat of the German''s frenzied attack, but on the other, they were also uneasy about the heavy casualties.


    The fact was that the Germans had not given up on attacking the Verdun fortress.


    However, the Germans initially thought that the Battle of Verdun would achieve their intent quickly, and therefore only invested the main attacking forces of six armies.


    As the battle progressed, however, the Germans had no choice but to send more reinforcements into the Battle of Verdun.


    This behavior was precisely what was most taboo in war, as sending reinforcements gradually was far less effective than investing more troops all at once. This made it extremely easy for the enemy to target the troops sent in smaller, multiple waves, as this could never maintain a numerical advantage against the enemy.


    Using the words of a Parisian newspaper''s evaluation of the situation in Verdun at the end of February: "No matter what the reasoning, it can now be proven that the German army has entered a defensive period. From now on, the German army is powerless to stop the development of the Allies."


    Of course, this contained some exaggeration, but the current situation of the German army in Verdun was indeed not good, and the Germans could no longer maintain an advantage in Verdun.


    On March 1st, General Robert George Neville took over as themander-in-chief of the Verdun War Zone, recing General Bemy, who was then appointed as themander of the Western Central Army Group.


    The reason for the recement of themander-in-chief in the Verdun War Zone at such a critical moment was because Cynthia had be quite dissatisfied with General Bemy''s strategy in Verdun.


    In fact, the newmander-in-chief of the Verdun War Zone, General Neville, also had a good reputation.


    General Neville was a knowledgeable and eloquent artillery expert who had served as the artillerymander in the Verdun War Zone before taking up his current post.


    He came from a military family, attended the Somier Cavalry School to study cavalrymand, then switched to artillery, and achieved excellent results.


    General Neville''s career path was quite exaggerated: at the beginning of the war, Neville was just an ordinary Lieutenant Colonel.


    However, he was soon promoted to the Brigadier of the 5th Brigade and, subsequently, appointed as the Commander of the 6th Division.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    His exceptional talents in artillery were put to good use during the Battle of the Marne River, leading to his promotion to the rank of General and appointment as the Commander of the Third Army Group.


    Worth mentioning is that General Neville also invented a high-explosive shell capable of destroying airborne balloons, airships, and even airnes during this war.


    This shell, once invented, dealt a fatal blow to German air reconnaissance and significantly weakened the strength of the German Air Force. General Neville''s talent in artillery was evident.


    At this point, the preparations for the British and French offensive in the northwest of France at the Somme River were nearingpletion.


    The initial purpose ofunching this campaign was to inflict heavy blows to the German army and even attack Germany, but the main objective now was to ease the pressure on the Verdun front and force Germany to withdraw troops from the Russian front.


    In order to weaken the scale of the British and French offensives in the Somme region, the Germans stepped up their attacks in Verdun.


    Because of the fierce German assaults in Verdun, the British and French forces decided to intensify their offensive in the Somme region to divert German attention and force the Germans to divide their forces or even withdraw from Russia.


    Both sides implemented their operational ns for their strategic goals, but it was evident that the current situation was proving to be more unfavorable for the Germans.


    Under the orders of the German High Command and the British and French Joint Command, the German army decided tounch arge-scale offensive in the Verdun region, while the British and French forces decided to elerate their campaign preparations in the Somme region,unching an offensive that would shock the Germans and force them to withdraw from Verdun and Russia.

 Chapter 553: Chapter 433: Sydney Negotiations

    As France and Germany resumed intense fighting in the Verdun region, peace talks between the Nethends and Austrsia officially began in the distantnds of America.


    Since December 15 ofst year, the Nethends and Austrsia had entered a temporary period of peace.


    Both parties carried out military management in their respective upied regions, and the peace talks were scheduled for February 3, more than a monthter.


    This is easy to understand since, although the Nethends is also a monarchical country, the power of the Dutch monarch was greatly reduced decades ago. The current Dutch Queen, Wilhelmina, has little power, and the government is controlled by political parties.


    The Dutch government needed not only time to reach a unified consensus but also time to travel to Austrsia in person for the peace talks.


    The talks took ce in Sydney, with Austrsia''s goal being to secure a favorable oue on home turf.


    On February 3, 1916, in Sydney, Austrsia, peace talks between the Nethends and Austrsia officiallymenced. Participants included the Dutch Foreign Minister Victor, Ambassador to Austrsia Raynor, and a series of government officials.


    Austrsia also sent its Foreign Secretary Darren, Defense Secretary Raul, and a luxurious lineup of officials.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At this point, the entire Dutch East Indies had been upied by Austrsia, so how to divide thend became this negotiation''s main issue.


    Foreign Secretary Darren first put forward Austrsia''s demands: using the Swesi Sea, Wangjiaxi Strait, and Bali Sea as demarcation lines, the Dutch East Indies would be divided into two regions¡ªnorth and south.


    The western regions of Sumatra Ind, Java Ind, and Kalimantan Ind would be managed by the Dutch East Indies, while the eastern regions of New Guinea Ind, Swesi Ind, and their affiliated archipgos to be ruled by Austrsia.


    In addition, Austrsia also demanded Bali Ind, the Connorian Inds, and all inds between Sumatra and Kalimantan. Your next chapter is on mvl


    These inds would bring Austrsia closer to the Strait of a and serve as a wedge into the Dutch East Indies, using the Java Sea between Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Java Inds to control the entire Dutch East Indies.


    Looking at the map, these three inds are triangrly distributed, with the Java Sea and many other inds positioned in the middle.


    If Austrsia could control the entire Java Sea through these inds, it would effectively control the traffic between the three inds of the Dutch East Indies.


    In fact, it was the cautious decision of the Austrsian government to retain the three core territories¡ªSumatra, Kalimantan, and Java¡ªfor the Dutch East Indies. These inds, with abined poption of nearly 30 million indigenous people, would bring some sce to the Dutch government amidst their unfortunate circumstances.


    Meanwhile, the reduced scope of Dutch East Indies territory would enable the Dutch to better control these three inds and create greater value for the Nethends.


    Austrsia would be able to expand its influence further through the newly acquired territories, gaining control over the whole of New Guinea and Swesi Inds.


    Including the affiliated inds, most of thends were suitable for habitation, had abundant water resources, and held strategic importance.


    Moreover, the total indigenous poption of the upiednds was only around ten million, making their utilization or expulsion not too troublesome.


    In addition to territorial demands, Austrsia also demanded at least ¡ê100 million inpensation and a treaty for the Dutch East Indies to open its ports for Austrsian use.


    Although not intending to annex all of these territories at once, it was necessary for Austrsia to expand its sphere of influence to the Southeast Asian region and the a Strait to consolidate control of the Dutch East Indies.


    The importance of the a Strait needs no boration. It''s a crucial link for East Asia and South Asia, and even Europe''s route to East Asia.


    In theter generations, when transporting oil resources from the Persian Gulf to East Asia, the a Strait is usually the chosen route.


    Therefore, the a Strait is known as the East Asia Oil Valve and the lifeline of East Asia''s maritime trade.


    This strait is the shortest passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean and an essential route for East Asia to travel to Europe.


    However, Britain, who also attached great importance to the a Strait, had specially established the Strait Colony to manage these ports and neighboring colonies.


    To obtain the Strait Colony, one must wait for a moment of extreme crisis in the British Empire.


    The current situation indicates that the opportunity to seize the Strait Colony is not now but should be awaited a few decadester, during World War II.


    However, it was still necessary to make preparations in advance while also expanding Austrsia''s sphere of influence and blocking the ind nation''s resource channels.


    It''s important to note that the ind nation was a country severelycking resources. Despite having arge poption exceeding some powerful nations, the country had limited territory, which consisted of numerous inds, resulting in scarce mineral resources.


    Whether it was various types of mineral resources or the increasingly important petroleum, most of the ind nation''s needs were met through imports, even from East Asia or overseas regions.


    If Austrsia could control the a Strait, it would be able to cut off the ind nation''s resource trade with Europe or other regions when the time came to have a falling out with the ind nation.

 Chapter 554 - 433: Sydney Negotiations_2

    All waters from Southeast Asia to Antarctica would be controlled by Austrsia, leaving the Ind people with only the more distant Pacific Ocean tomunicate with the outside world.


    As a result, both the travel time required for shipping routes would substantially increase, and the cost of imported goods would also rise considerably.


    Austrsia could easily achieve Arthur¡¯s n to curb the enemy¡¯s development.


    Although the Dutch understood that their power in the Dutch East Indies had faded, it did not prevent them from bargaining fiercely during the negotiations, attempting to retain the inds of Swesi and Java Sea.


    However, the ambitions of Austrsia could not be stopped by a small country like the Nethends; the Dutch Army couldn¡¯t stop Austrsia on the battlefield and had even less hope during the talks.


    The negotiations stalled for three or four days, but Austrsia¡¯s position was very firm; all requested territories must be obtained, and thepensation could be reduced from ¡ê100 million to ¡ê70 million.


    Seeing that there was no room for recovery on the territory issue, the two prominent Dutch representatives painfully agreed to Austrsia¡¯s demands after exchanging nces.


    There was no choice; agreeing to the demands was already the best oue for the Nethends at this point.


    If they agreed to the demands, the Nethends could at least keep Sumatra Ind, Kalimantan Ind, and Java Ind, retaining more than half of the Dutch East Indies with the presence of Java Ind.


    But if they didn¡¯t agree to Austrsia¡¯s demands, not only would the other territories remain under Austrsia¡¯s control, but over half of these three significant inds were currently upied by Austrsians as well.


    It was a choice between losing everything and losing half, and even the most foolish Dutchman would know how to decide.


    Of course, nominally, the Nethends retained control of the inds of Swesi, Kalimantan, and Java, but the Java Sea between these three inds was about to fall under Austrsian control.


    This meant that the Dutch rule on these three inds would depend on the goodwill of the Austrsians.


    If Austrsia agreed, the Dutch would be the masters of this set of colonies. If Austrsia disagreed, the Dutch East Indies colonies would fall without a fight, with just the separate blockade of the three inds.


    After reaching an agreement on the issue of territory, both parties spent another half a month wrangling over the price and specific peace treaty details.


    Finally, on February 25th, 1916, Austrsia and the Nethends officially signed a peace treaty to end the war.


    As the treaty was signed in Sydney, both the Nethends and Austrsia publicly dered it as the "Sydney Treaty."


    The Sydney Treaty stipted that the Dutch Government and Dutch East Indies colonies would cede all inds except Swesi, Kalimantan, and Java to Austrsia, and Austrsia would have the right to use all ports in the Dutch East Indies.


    The Dutch East India Colonial Government must not engage in any anti-Austrsian rule propaganda or any actions that jeopardize Austrsian rule in its jurisdiction.


    Austrsia has preferential purchasing rights to all Dutch East Indies resources, and the Dutch cannot hinder Austrsian exports of goods within the Dutch East Indies.


    As for funds, the Nethends would pay a total of ¡ê56.25 million inpensation to Austrsia, which would be paid off over fifteen years, with an annual payment of ¡ê3.75 million.


    If there is a dy, the daily interest rate would be 1% of the dyedpensation.


    This means that even if thepensation is dyed by just one year, the daily interest would be as high as ¡ê37,500, and even seemingly small amounts would umte into a substantial figure.


    An annual payment of ¡ê3.75 million inpensation may not seem like much, but it¡¯s equivalent to a Super Dreadnought. Even if used only for naval expansion, it would be enough to transform the Austrsian navy into a top-three world-ss navy within these 15 years.


    Moreover, thepensation was also not excessive for the current Nethends. Just the over thirty million indigenous people on those three inds alone could generate several million pounds in revenue for the Dutch government each year, based on extremely conservative estimates.


    If these indigenous peoples were exploited to the fullest, they could be more valuable.


    Not to mention, the Dutch government¡¯s annual revenue from the Dutch East Indies far exceeded thispensation. Even after paying thepensation, they still had arge amount of funds to build up their domestic infrastructure.


    Following the signing of the Sydney Treaty, all the uses were quickly implemented.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As a result of negotiations between the Dutch and Austrsian governments, the Austrsian Army would officially withdraw from Sumatra Ind, Kalimantan Ind, and Java Ind starting March 1st, handing over these three major inds to the rule of the Dutch East India Colonial Government.


    Upon disclosure of this contract, cheers erupted throughout the Austrsia Domestic.


    With Arthur¡¯s strong cultivation, Austrsians held a great sense of national pride and identity. The territorial expansion of the country was good news for all Austrsians.


    Moreover, with over ¡ê50 million inpensation, Austrsians were proud to believe that Arthur would wisely use these funds to build an even stronger Austrsia and provide better security for all Austrsians¡¯ lives.


    Starting from March 1916, several celebrations were held within the Austrsia Scope tomemorate the signing of the Sydney Treaty.


    Austrsia could be described as an ocean of cheers, but the situation in Europe, thousands of miles away, was far from this.


    The battles in the Verdun Region became tense again by the end of the month.


    The Germans intended to seize the French, reducing the number of British and French troopsunching campaigns in the Somme Region, by continuing withrge-scale attacks in Verdun.


    The British and French, however, also decided tounchrge-scale battles in Verdun to slow down the Germans, hold on to this important fortress, and strengthen the French¡¯s resolve to fight against Germany.


    Although the starting points of the British, French, and Germans were different, their goal was the same: to gain an advantage in Verdun, and ideally, defeat or repel the enemy.


    Under such circumstances, Germanyunched violent attacks on the west bank of the Mars River, trying to capture key strongholds there and make a breakthrough in this battle.


    Of course, it was not just on the west bank that the attack took ce. The German Army alsounched attacks on the east bank, with Dumont Town and Fuggs Town being the main targets of the east bank attack.


    After entering March, the German Army quickly organized assault troops tounch attacks on the east and west banks.


    The French Army also resisted desperately, trying to hold off the German offensive.


    Because the French General Staff reinforced both the troops and firepower of the defensive areas, the defenses in various sectors of Verdun remained quite solid for a short time, and counterattacks by French soldiers could be seen in many areas, retaking numerous positions upied by the Germans.


    The French and German armies engaged in a long seesaw battle in the Verdun Region, and any position became a target for both sides to fight for with their lives.


    ording to the records of both armies, there were asions when positions were contested more than ten times a day, with the gs on the positions changed more than ten times and countless soldiers were sacrificed on them.


    There were even instances when soldiers from one side captured a position, just finished nting their gs and were about to deploy defenses, only to be repulsed and the position fall back into enemy hands.


    Such seesaw battles were staged at various fortifications and positions in the Verdun Region, and it took hundreds or thousands of soldiers to sacrifice to capture or hold a position.


    Fighting for some hignds and gun emcements, the French Army even suffered as many as 20,000 casualties in a single day.


    Butpared to the overall number of casualties in the war so far, 20,000 wasn¡¯t much; however, if calcted on the basis of 20,000 casualties per day, the annual number of casualties would reach more than 7.5 million, which shows how exaggerated this figure was. Experience new tales on §Þ??

 Chapter 555 - 434: Poison Gas Warfare

    Since mid-March, the fierce battles on the west bank of the Mars River reached their peak. In thest two days of intense fighting, the German Army deployed five divisions of troops on the west bank of the Mars River.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ignoring the fierce artillery and machine gun fire from the French defenders, the Germanmander ordered the troops tounch a strong attack on both the east and west sides of the Mort-Orme Hignd, resulting in heavy losses for the German Army.


    After a few days of rest, the German Army suddenlyunched an unusually fierce artillery attack on the defensive positions on the northeast and northwest slopes of Mort-Orme Hignd. Under the cover of artillery, an elite German force began tounch an attack on the northeast slope.


    This force, with the support of regr troops that had been relocated to the northwest of the hignd a few days earlier,unched a fierce attack on the hignd¡¯s neck area.


    Due to the sharp offensive of this elite German force, the battle for the hignd soon achieved results. After several rounds of defense, the French defenders on the hignd eventually had no choice but to retreat to the summit, leaving only a few machine gun squads for defense.


    Clearly, the remaining machine gun squads would not be able to withstand the German offensive. The elite German troops quickly took control of the mid-slope defensive positions and joined the attack on the summit.


    In addition, the German Army divided their forces to not only consolidate the captured defensive positions but also split into two groups tounch an attack on the rear of Mort-Orme Hignd while attacking the defensive positions on the summit.


    The Germans intended to encircle the French defenders and annihte the French Army.


    But the French Army was not foolish; once their rear was surrounded, they had no room for retreat. Your next journey awaits at §Þ??


    Thus, the defenders brought out all their machine guns and artillery, dering their unyielding spirit with dense and persistent firepower.


    Although the Germans¡¯ attack went smoothly, they also suffered heavy casualties.


    Since the French Army was positioned at the summit, they had a rtively good defensive terrain and were often able to achieve better casualty ratios in battle.


    Tounch a strong attack on the French Army at the summit, the German Army had to gather artillery at the middle slopes, surrounding the area from all sides, and initiate artillery strikes on the upper positions.


    There was bad news for both France and Germany: by the second half of March, temperatures in the Verdun region had gradually warmed up.


    As a result, the ice and snow in many ces had melted, making thend around the Verdun Fort muddy and increasing logistical difficulties.


    Along with the melting of ice and snow, the problem of handling therge number of corpses on the battlefield was also a thorny issue.


    Previously, because the temperature was colder, the corpses of people and livestock could be dragged around for half a month before being dealt with.


    But now it was not possible; if the corpses were not cleaned up within a week, the stench and bacteria they emitted would be enough to cause both armies to copse.


    In response, France and Germany reached an unwritten agreement. After each round of offensive and defensive battles, medical soldiers from both sides would deal with the corpses on the battlefield. During this time, France and Germany would enter a temporary ceasefire.


    It was because of such unwritten regtions that arge number of corpses on the Verdun battlefield were resolved, without causing the spread of infections and gues.


    Under the fierce shelling and attacks of the French Army, the defenders on the hignd began to move southward, and the European troops upied the fortresses and artillery positions at the top.


    Although they seeded in upying the positions at the summit, the Germans also suffered heavy casualties.


    A battalion of Buffet troops braved the machine guns and artillery of the French Army, and in the end, almost the entire battalion perished with less than ten survivors.


    One French officer, who retreated during the battle, described the gruesome scene in his diary: "The battles of Carrick and Kaoru were fierce, but I didn¡¯t expect the frontline fights at Verdun to be even more intense. It is hard to believe that the battle would be so fierce if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes.


    It seems that previous military books and famous generals¡¯ instructions are useless. In this fortress battle, even as both sides are showered with artillery fire, the armies still press forward, fearless.


    The fighting will of both armies is terrifying; they remain relentlessly determined under the fierce artillery fire.


    On March 20, all of our trenches were destroyed by artillery fire. The Germans¡¯ covering artillery fire filled the first line of defense and spread over the rear of the line, with a dispersion area of over 2000 meters. Germanrge-caliber artillery often extended its firing range to destroy our artillery positions andmunication trenches between positions.


    At 8 o¡¯clock in the evening, we took cars to the rear of the second and third lines. While riding the cars, several bullets hit the car body, and some people were injured. We saw our troops in high spirits and fearless. The Germans were the first tounch artillery fire, but our own artillery was more concentrated.


    The deafening sound of the artillery fire became louder as we approached the front line. We could even feel the trembling of the earth, and our hearts were pounding in our chests.


    All the scattered fields andmunication trenches on the battlefield were almostpletely destroyed by artillery fire, leaving soldiers nowhere to hide. The surface of thend was constantly changing due to the artillery fire. We moved forward, sometimes lying down and sometimes leaping up quickly. The only cover for our bodies was the shell holes.


    Most of the defensive troops hid in the shell holes to protect themselves, while the soldiers unable to find a hiding ce rushed to the remaining parts of the trenches.


    As the German Army¡¯s dense artillery fire extended, many of our soldiers, who had hidden away, quickly crawled out of the shell holes and hastily entered their positions. The attacking German Army was organized intopact units, with 5000 to 6000 men in each, and advanced in two infantry leaps.


    At this time, only our machine guns and quick-firing guns could be effective, as 75 caliber firearms were no longer convenient for shooting. Fortunately, field guns on the nk were able to suppress the German attacking troops, and the advancing Germans suffered heavy casualties under machine gun, quick gun, and artillery fire.


    Evidently, the German attack did not consider the cost of lives to be paid.


    As time went on, the German frontlines were getting closer and closer to the French Army¡¯s positions. If either side wanted to continue attacking the enemy with artillery, they would have to consider the possibility of identally striking their own forces.


    In order to ensure a sessful offensive in the Verdun region, Germany had to mobilize troops from the Russia Nation and the Balkan Region.


    Even pulling troops from various fronts in Northern France was barely enough to maintain a local advantage in the Verdun region.


    As a result, the Paris News Agency, France, released a special report to the French people, announcing that four out of the seven divisions deployed by Germany in the new Verdun campaign were brought from other parts of the Westline Battlefield.


    Although the German Army had suffered heavy casualties recently, their bravery and discipline were not to be underestimated.


    Despite the casualties, the remaining German soldiers would still risk their lives to attack. They firmly believed that passing through dangerous zones quickly would allow them the opportunity to infiltrate trenches and render the French Army¡¯s heavy artillery useless.


    This led to the German attacking forces constantly charging towards the French defense positions, like waves of ake.


    Even if soldiers in front fell, the troops following behind would not hesitate to step over theirrades¡¯ bodies and continue advancing.


    Due to the French Army¡¯s powerful artillerybined with the concentration of arge number of guns in the Verdun region, the German formations were often scattered.


    However, this still could not prevent the German soldiers from charging. After the French artillery attack, the German forces quickly reorganized andunched an assault on the French positions.


    Although the German soldiers who were able to enter the French positions were significantly fewer due to heavy losses, the Germans employed a bombing strategy. Once an assault team entered the French lines, bomb squads would immediately follow up and throw arge number of bombs into the trenches, giving the French defenders no choice but to defend.


    This bombing tactic was temporary, and French soldiers did not have time to enter the defensive works. Under this attack, the French Army suffered heavy casualties for a time, and their defense positions were captured by the German forces.


    By the night of March 23, the Mort-Orme Hignd had fallen almost entirely into the hands of the German Army, with only Hignd 304 and a few nearby artillery turrets fighting until dawn.


    Although the current situation for the defenders was extremely dangerous, the French Army was prepared and even wrote final wishes under the organization of themander, ready to live and die with the positions.


    As dawn approached, the French soldiers who had been fighting all night could finally rest for a while. They snuggled up to one another and took a nap in their positions.


    On a spring morning, a slight chill lingered in the breeze, with the air filled with the smell of gunpowder the soldiers were already ustomed to, apanied by the scent of burnt mud and blood.


    Suddenly, a strange yellow-green fog slowly drifted towards the hignd along the ground. Most of the French soldiers had fallen asleep and did not notice this oddly colored fog.


    When the fog reached the positions, the French defenders noticed an unusual smell. Some felt a burning pain in their eyes, nose, and throat, and the pain intensified when they opened their eyes.


    Many soldiers began to scream in agony, tearing open their clothes and clutching their throats, rolling and stumbling frantically.


    However, such struggles only made them more ufortable, as frequent, intense breathing caused them to inhale more poison gas, eventually suffocating and even dying.


    A monthter, Germanyunched another poison gas attack on the Verdun region, which had a significant impact on the exhausted French Army.


    During the entire Verdun campaign, the Germansunched more than ten poison gas attacks, but due to wind direction, only three or four were truly effective.


    Clearly, this poison gas attack was one of them, and the damage inflicted by it was the best among the recent poison gas releases.


    In less than half an hour, the French soldiers defending the positions and turrets hadpletely lost their ability to resist.


    A few soldiers who were not severely affected by the poison gas struggled to jump out of the trenches and madly run towards the rear.

 Chapter 556: Chapter 435: Desperate Struggle

    After achieving decent results in the poison gas attack, the German army immediately exerted its full strength andunched its final assault on the remaining Hignd 304 and artillery defense positions.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All attacking German soldiers were equipped with effective gas masks to avoid unnecessary casualties from the poison gas on their own side.


    In fact, French soldiers were also equipped with gas masks, but most of the exhausted French soldiers did not react at all, being already engulfed by the poison gas.


    A small part of the French soldiers who had reacted hurriedly put on their gas masks, but they could no longer have an impact on the remaining situation.


    In the end, the German army sessfully upied all areas of Mort-Orme Hignd, including Hignd 304, all areas of this defensive position were upied by Germany.


    In this extremely tense tug-of-war battle, the entire hilly terrain was severely destroyed, swathes of woods were ttened or burned down, just like fields with cut wheat ears.


    All artificial obstacles were riddled with bullet holes, even those piled up with threeyers of sandbags were no exception.


    Nearly all the roads nearby were plowed, and all crossroads were washed by the horrifying blood rain. You could still smell a strong smell of gunpowder and blood walking through them.


    The entire Mort-Orme Hignd was full of vehicles, cannons, and various debris, as well as the bodies of soldiers, seriously obstructing traffic in this area.


    However, the army rested in this area for several days before barely clearing the roads andunching an attack on the Mimos region.


    But here, the French army had rebuilt a strong defense line, which would be a difficult battle of attack and defense.


    By the end of March, Germany''s total reserve force for the Western Front also rushed to the frontlines. To cover the assault operations of the elite frontline troops, the Germans mobilized thergest artillery group of the Western Front to bombard French positions fiercely.


    The intensity of the artillery bombardment forced the German artillery units to replenish their shells after every hour of bombardment.


    A French officer who participated in the battleter described the attack situation to the media: "The German assault team was like a machine gun, with each soldier being like a fired bullet. This machine gun kept shooting continuously, they were just like relentless cockroaches."


    Germany''s firepower inflicted significant casualties on the defending troops, but as soon as the German bombardment stopped, the French army would stick their heads out and begin their tenacious resistance.


    The Mimos area had been fought over several times by Germany and France, and the German army''s attempt to seize the entire Mimos region had never been sessful.


    In April 1916, a British force arrived on the west bank of the Mars River, reinforcing the French 10th Army, which had been defending there for a long time.


    A Paris correspondent for the Timesmented on the development of the situation on the Verdun battlefield: "If it weren''t for the brave French resistance, it would have been impossible to hold on to the Verdun fort; the sacrifice of the French army in thest week was greater than any other time... why else would the French 10th Army be reced by British forces?


    Of course, from this, it is not difficult to see that the unity of the Allies on the Western Front is gradually increasing. Meanwhile, Germany''s losses in the Verdun region are also growing day by day."


    Four months had passed since the outbreak of the Battle of Verdun, and the losses suffered by the main warring parties, Germany and France, could be summed up in one word - terrible.


    So far, Germany has deployed nearly 40 divisions with about 1 million soldiers in the Verdun region.


    The French were not far behind, deploying close to 35 divisions, with a total of 800,000 soldiers.


    With nearly 2 million troops from both sides, the total number of casualties had already exceeded 700,000.


    Among them, Germany suffered the most casualties. As the aggressor in the Battle of Verdun, even having mobilized arge number of firearms, the German army could not reduce its casualties.


    By early April, Germany had suffered more than 400,000 casualties in the Battle of Verdun, with over 150,000 deaths.


    French casualties were also as high as 350,000, with nearly 120,000 deaths.


    Historically, the Battle of Verdunsted for almost ten months, and the total number of casualties was only about 1 million.


    But now, in just over four months, the casualties of both France and Germany had reached as high as 750,000, with nearly 300,000 deaths, which was not much weaker than the historical Battle of Verdun.


    It should be noted that the current Battle of Verdun is still ongoing, with both French and German forces engaged in fiercebat and British reinforcements being sent to join the battle.


    Without a doubt, the new Battle of Verdun might be even more brutal than the historical one.


    If the situation continues to develop like this, the Battle of Verdun may turn into a monumental battle with over a million deaths. By then, it will be unclear who will be left with their blood drained.


    It was precisely because the German casualties were even more exaggerated than the French that the German attempt to drain the French blood byunching a battle in the Verdun region hadpletely failed.


    At present, it seems that the Germans may die of anemia before the French run out of blood.


    Such massive casualties made the German upper echelons very dissatisfied, and William II was also dissatisfied with the ns of the German Chief of Staff Fakinhan.


    When the German strategy shifted again, there were two different opinions among the German military top brass.


    One opinion was that continuing to attack the Eastern Front was a better choice. Compared with the elite French Army, the Russian Army was a soft target.


    As long as they could hold out on the Western Front, the German Army on the Eastern Front could invade Russian territory without any scruples, forcing Russia to withdraw from the war and easing the pressure of fighting on two fronts.


    At that time, the Chief of the General Staff, Major Fagan, firmly believed that the pressure of fighting on two fronts could only be thoroughly eased by defeating France first.


    As a result, the German army turned to defense on the Eastern Front andunched a new offensive on the Western Front, provoking what now seems to be an even more tragic Battle of Verdun for the German casualties.


    ording to information from the German Intelligence Agency, the battle preparations of the British and French forces at the River Somme are nearingpletion, and they couldunch arge-scale battle simr to Verdun at any time.


    This is a huge blow to Germany, as the German offensive in Verdun not only failed to prevent the French from nning a battle at the River Somme but also tied up many of the German elite troops in the Verdun region.


    In order to quickly break away from the Verdun region and guard against a possible Somme Campaign by the British and French forces, William II personally gave orders to the front line and the General Staff, demanding that the Verdun forces achieve a decisive victory by April 15th.


    This order is impossible to achieve based on the current situation, as the German offensive in the Verdun region hassted for more than four months and has not yet gained an absolute advantage, let alone in the half a month.


    But helplessly, this is the order from William II, and the German army must obey.


    Your next chapter awaits on §Þ??


    Under the orders of William II, the exhausted German army regrouped andunched a new fierce attack on the French positions on the Fergus Line to Suvierl Battery.


    Due to the urgent orders from William II, the German generals began to act recklessly and without consideration of gain or loss, like mad gamblers, throwing in all their chips.


    For these German generals, their best choice at the moment was to seize the positions ahead regardless of casualties.


    As long as they could capture the positions, even if the casualties wererge, the merits of taking the positions would not be diminished and could not conceal their achievements.


    However, if they fail toplete the orders issued by William II, even if they do their best to minimize the casualties of the German army, they will definitely be held ountable by William II.


    The new round of fightingsted for several days, and the German army employed every means ¨C machine guns, artillery, poison gas, methrowers, airships, and airnes ¨C any weapon that could cause damage to the enemy was used by the German army.


    Using the impression of a British news representative who arrived in the Verdun region to describe the current state of the region: "The battery was destroyed by shells and it looked like hell. Major Ronald and his subordinates defended themselves desperately in this hellish fortress. Trenches that had just been formed near the battery were quickly destroyed by artillery fire."


    Due to the protracted fighting, frequent heavy bombardments, and various weapons, the French army was severely short of water.


    Logistics was difficult to deliver supplies. Food was manageable, but water resources had be extremely scarce on the battlefield.


    The high temperature caused by the artillery explosions and the high-temperature methrowers used by the German army made the French army''s agitation due to the intense fighting even more severe.


    The excessive bleeding of the wounded further exacerbated the shortage of drinking water, coupled with the cries of the wounded, the French forces'' restlessness became even more severe. In such a situation, it is difficult for anyone to calm down and look for a solution.


    Since the batteries and defensive positions have be besieged inds, French soldiers have to risk being shot at and bombarded by shells in order to avoid being discovered by the German army while searching for water sources and logistics.


    There were about 400 French soldiers holding out inside the Fergus Battery, and their daily minimum drinking water consumption was about 150 liters.


    Under the long-term offensive of the German army, drinking water became a more vital supply than bullet shells, medical supplies, and food resources.


    Even with the suppression of the high-level batterymanders, many soldiers would still fight with theirrades over the distribution of water resources, even turning against each other.


    Although the situation of the garrison outside the battery was slightly better, they had difficulty transporting resources between each other and the battery.


    Even with firepower support, it was very difficult to transport water resources into the battery, even at the cost of huge casualties.

 Chapter 557: Chapter 436: The Great Naval Battle

    Under the circumstances of the water blockade, the fate of the officers and soldiers who held out in the Fergus Battery could be imagined.


    Before his death, Major Ronald, themander of the battery, left these words for his soldiers: "Comrades, our blood is running out. Life is given to each of us by God, it is the hateful war that has robbed us of our only life, and in order to eliminate this war, we have failed in our life, long live peace!"


    Although the Fergus Battery was eventually upied by the Germans, the unwavering will of Major Ronald and the French soldiers defending the battery touched not only the British media who came to report thetest news but also the French soldiers and people who learned about it.


    After the fall of Fergus Battery, the German army faced unprecedented resistance in its subsequent attacks, unable to advance the front line any further and even at risk of losing the areas it had upied.


    The French army, seemingly unafraid of death, fiercely attacked the upied strongholds, including Fergus Battery.


    In just three days, France suffered as many as 40,000 casualties, but in return, it regained arge number of fortresses and batteries, including Fergus Battery, and advanced the front line several kilometers.


    By April 15th, 1916, the German army had not only failed to aplish the order issued by William II but also suffered heavy casualties and lost many previously upied positions.


    Clearly, there is already disagreement within the German military aboutunching the Battle of Verdun. Many officers and soldiers, both high-ranking and low-ranking in the German army, were dissatisfied with the orders of German Chief of General Staff Fajinhan.


    It was Fajinhan''s stubborn insistence onunching the Battle of Verdun that led to hundreds of thousands of casualties for the Germans, with little to show for it in the Verdun region.


    As the British and French forces were about tounch a new battle in the Somme region, arge number of German troops were trapped in the Verdun region, unable to mobilize, making the German Westline precarious.


    Finally, around April 16th, a major upheaval urred in the German highmand.


    German Chief of General Staff Fajinhan, who pushed for the Battle of Verdun despite opposition, was impeached by high-ranking German military figures, including Hindenburg and Rudolf, and was ultimately dismissed from his position as Chief of General Staff on April 20th.


    Taking Fajinhan''s ce as the new Chief of General Staff was Hindenburg, of Junker nobility origin and former Commander of the German Eastern Front.


    It didn''t stop there; on the second day after Fajinhan''s dismissal, high-ranking government officials such as the German Chancellor, Finance Minister, Logistics Minister, and Minister of the Interior resigned before William II. Many military officials transformed into important government officers.


    This was not good news for Germany. Arge-scale political struggle erupted between the government and the military, with the military winning out in the end.


    Although William II remained neutral in this conflict, the military had no intention of respecting him.


    As early as six months ago, Hindenburg had openly defied the ns of William II and Chief of General Staff Fajinhan, leading to an iplete victory for Germany on the Eastern Front.


    At present, with the Junker nobility led by Hindenburg, even William II was unable to suppress this immense military organization.


    It was evident that William II had missed the opportunity to suppress the Junker nobility. He had been overshadowed by the military government led by Hindenburg, bing a rubber-stamp emperor in name only.


    Speaking of Germany''s Junker nobility, it must be acknowledged that arge part of the German army''s strength is due to the Junker nobility.


    The Junker nobility of Germany originally referred to the nobles who did not have a chivalrous title. Now it generally refers to Germanndlords and aristocratic sses.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    These people have controlled the military and political affairs of Germany (Prussia) for hundreds of years and are precisely the ones responsible for the creation of the powerful German army.


    However, everything has two sides. The overly powerful Junker nobility poses a significant threat to the German government and the monarchy.


    William II initially thought that promoting Junker-born Hindenburg to Chief of General Staff would satisfy the Junker nobility, but Hindenburg, after bing Chief of General Staff, immediately united the entire Junker noble ss, toppled the German government, and overshadowed William II.


    The military''s ascendancy has had a massive impact on the change in German policy. The German army has be more aggressive and war-like.


    It is worth mentioning that the long-hesitant German High Seas Fleet is now gearing up to confront the British in a decisive battle.


    However, it was inevitable for Germany to deploy its navy. After suffering setbacks on both the Eastern and Western fronts, Germany plunged into a severe supply crisis.


    With the blockade of shipping and logistics supply lines, Germany has no other option but to use its navy to break the blockade.


    It couldn''t allow the fleet painstakingly built up over time to hide in the harbor for the entire duration of the war. Otherwise, there would be no point in building a navy at all.


    Read new chapters at §Þ??


    If the previous German government and William II were somewhat indecisive, then the newly-transitioned German military government was very determined in the war.


    The Junker nobility needed newnds, and the military needed more merits. The two powerful forces joined together, causing the German government to have a firm attitude towards the war. At least under the current situation, Germany did not agree to end the war.


    Under the dual pressure of the military government and the Junker nobility, the German High Command had to change its original intention and shift the current strategic focus to the sea.


    First, a decisive naval battle could have the opportunity to break through Britain''s blockade of Germany and allow the German fleet to go out to sea.


    Second, if they could gain an advantage or even victory in the naval battle, Germany would open its trade routes to the outside world and even block France and Britain in return.


    In this way, the current passive situation could be reversed, and even turned into an active effort to wear down Britain and France.


    Considering these two important factors, the German high-level officials decided to look for opportunities at sea after careful research and engage in a decisive battle with the British fleet.


    The Germans acted quickly. On May 17th, 1916, the Royal Navy Home Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet encountered each other in the Antic and immediatelyunched a historicallyrge-scale naval battle.


    When the news of the great Antic naval battle reached Austrsia, it was several hourster.


    But Arthur couldn''t get any war achievements without the time. However, it cannot be denied that Arthur was shocked by the courage of the Germans.


    Naval decisive battles are not like those of the army, which can be fought and then retreat in an orderly manner. Naval decisive battles are most often a matter of life and death, and very few warships can escape.


    Moreover, once the naval battle fails, the German High Seas Fleet will no longer have any opportunities to make aeback. It is not an exaggeration to say that after the naval battle fails, the German High Seas Fleet will no longer have any influence or help on the war.


    This also means that Germany has decided to go all out. Either hit the Royal Navy hard and change the current decline from the sea, or be hit hard by the Royal Navy and the whole country will suffer a miserable defeat.


    However, the possibility of the German High Seas Fleet defeating the Royal Navy is low. The navy is different from the army, and the chance of winning with fewer numbers is small.


    Unless there is an overwhelming advantage in warship performance, there is not such a huge gap between the German and British naval warshipbat capabilities.


    So far, the British Empire Royal Navy Home Fleet has 37 battleships, including 29 dreadnoughts and 8 super dreadnoughts.


    The German High Seas Fleet has a total of 24 battleships, including 17 dreadnoughts and 7 super dreadnoughts.


    There is a significant numerical gap in main battleships between the High Seas Fleet and the Royal Navy Home Fleet. This numerical gap is impossible for small and medium-sized warships to make up, and it is a fatal w for the High Seas Fleetpared to the Royal Navy Home Fleet.


    At this point, the positioning of the British and German navies was even more intense, and under the stimtion of Austrsia, the British built even more dreadnoughts.


    In addition, Austrsia undertook a significant portion of the defense of the Indian Ocean, allowing the British to transfer some of their fleets in the Indian Ocean to the Antic, join the Home Fleet, and increase their advantage over the High Seas Fleet.


    What''s even more deadly is that the difference in numbers of main battleships may not be so great when taken on their own.


    However, if the total number of warships in both fleets is calcted, the German High Seas Fleet has only over 400 warships of all sizes, while the Royal Navy Home Fleet has more than 700 warships of all sizes, and the total tonnage of warships is much higher than that of the German High Seas Fleet.


    This makes the likelihood of the High Seas Fleet defeating the Royal Navy Home Fleet minimal, as there are significant gaps in the numbers ofrge, medium, and small warships that cannot be made up by tactics alone.


    There are only two choices for General Rheinhardt, themander of the High Seas Fleet: either fight to the death against the Royal Fleet''s main battleships or remain inactive in the Harbor.


    Neither of these choices is good. Choosing the first one would at best rece the same number of British main warships, but the High Seas Fleet would definitely suffer heavy losses.


    In this case, although the casualties of the High Seas Fleet could be avoided, it would vite the orders of the military government and the Supreme Command, and Rheinhardt would have to face ountability from all three parties.


    Since receiving the order from the home country to carry out the great naval battle, General Rheinhardt''s mood has never been better.


    As themander-in-chief of the only fleet in Germany, General Rheinhardt was well aware of the gap between the German Navy and the British Navy.


    Bear in mind that the British fleet facing the German High Seas Fleet is the Royal Navy, even just a small Home Fleet is enough to give General Rheinhardt a headache.


    The British Empire has fleets in various oceans, and if the total number werebined, it would be a massive fleet that no two German Empires could match.


    Now the enemy of the German High Seas Fleet is the Royal Navy, and even just a small Home Fleet is enough to make General Rheinhardt miserable.

 Chapter 558: Chapter 437: Mutual Bait and Encounter

    The two options caused General Rheinhardt much unease. After a prolonged period of thinking, he finally chose the first approach, striving to annihte the Royal Navy Home Fleet''s main forces as much as possible.


    If it were a head-on confrontation, the High Sea Fleet had little chance of winning. Therefore, Rheinhardt devised a strategy by using a minor part of the High Seaf Fleet to lure out part of the Royal Navy. Much like a matryoshka doll, he nned to take down the Royal Navy''s Home Fleet one by one.


    Once the timing was right, the entire High Seas Fleet could sortie and engage the Royal Navy in a do-or-die battle. By then, a significant portion of the Royal Navy''s key forces would have been sunk, thus enhancing the chances of victory for the High Seas Fleet.


    It is undeniable that the wheels of history were gradually turning, impacting everyone in this era.


    Despite World War I unfolding differentlypared to history, with most Allied nations having already withdrawn from the war, only Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire remained firm in their efforts.


    Still, General Rheinhardt chose the same strategy as in history, utilizing tactics to wipe out the Royal Navy whenever possible.


    The bait was a squadron of battlecruisers led by General Helhau, consisting of four battlecruisers, eight cruisers, and four submarines.


    However, ostensibly, this fleet consisted only of four battlecruisers and eight cruisers, with the four submarines hidden beneath the sea, ready to provide support to the fleet or inflict fatal blows on the enemy''s warships at any time.


    Theposition of this battlecruiser squadron was a product of careful deliberation¨C too many forces might attract the enemy''s main strength, too few wouldn''t achieve the desired effect.


    On the afternoon of May 17, 1916, this battlecruiser squadron departed from the harbor in pomp and circumstance,pletely unlike the traditionally low-profile German Navy.


    In stark contrast to this high-profile fleet, the main forces of the High Seas Fleet began their voyage three hourster while maintaining strict wireless silence. Communication between warships was carried out solely through g signals.


    Inside Williamsport, soldiers at the harbor continued using the call sign of the High Seas Fleet''s gship, the Friedrich der Gro?e, to create the illusion that the main fleet, including the gship, was still stationed within the harbor.


    Despite the favorable weather, General Rheinhardt appeared worried, the concern etched on his face.


    "Your Excellency, would those cunning Britons really fall for this?" Rheinhardt''s key assistant, the High Seas Fleet Chief of Staff, asked with a worried expression.


    "Perhaps only heaven knows. As you know, if wee across a British reconnaissance aircraft, we may end up being the Britons'' prey." Rheinhardt sighed, somewhat helplessly addressing his Chief of Staff.


    Currently, German aircraft can''t achieve the same flight distance as British aircraft. Furthermore, German aircraftg far behind in terms of performance, leading to the Germanscking initiative in the skies.


    Once British reconnaissance aircraft spotted the High Seas Fleet''s main force, Rheinhardt would find himself facing a pincer attack from the Royal Fleet''s main forces.


    If it dide down to that, Rheinhardt would have no choice but to resign himself to probable death, striving to exchange blows with as many Royal Fleet battleships as possible.


    Upon hearing Rheinhardt''s reply, the High Seas Fleet Chief of Staff felt his anxiety intensifying.


    "Alright, we might have to leave our fate to the heavens. Let''s hope God blesses us and blesses Germania." The Chief of Staff sighed, uttering a prayer towards the sky.


    Despite advancements in science and technology, many people have turned to atheism or have less fervent faith in God.


    However, centuries of worshiping God have imbued Europeans with a habit. When all else fails, they pray for God''s blessings, despite his prayers never being answered.


    At least through prayer, they could find a sliver of sce, at least it could help them deceive themselves.


    Rheinhardt''s strategy was a gamble, betting the entire High Seas Fleet. If they won, Germany would have a chance. If they failed, Germany would sink deeper into dire straits, making it even less likely to turn the tide of the war.


    During Rheinhardt and his Chief of Staff''s prayers, British reconnaissance aircraft, as expected, spotted the German battlecruiser fleet in the lead.


    Encountering a German fleet in the Antic was a rare urrence because the German fleet typically did not venture from their harbors.


    The sighting of a German fleet ced an emphasis on the British reconnaissance personnel. After counting the number of German ships, they decided to return immediately and report their findings to headquarters.


    Hidden numerous miles away, the main force of the German fleet was not detected by British aircraft, which was good news for the Germans.


    The bad news was that General Jericho, themander of the British Antic Fleet, treated this intelligence seriously. He decided to set a trap to lure in the German battlecruiser fleet and thoroughly annihte them.


    At half past eight in the evening, General Jericho personally led a massive main fleet of 24 battleships, two super dreadnoughts, three battlecruisers, 17 cruisers, 44 destroyers, and numerous small warships out of Scapa Bay.


    Elsewhere, a decoy fleet of two battleships, two battlecruisers, and seven cruisers also departed from another harbor, heading towards the location reported by the Air Force where enemy forces were sighted.


    A German submarine located outside a British harbor reported the departure of the British fleet to headquarters, while the British Air Force was monitoring the movements of the German battlecruiser squad.


    This resulted in a peculiar situation. Both parties believed that their own baiting tactics had been sessful, unaware that the other''s entire fleet had also mobilized.


    This wasn''t the anticipated minor engagement drawn from baiting that bothmanders had expected; rather, it was a major naval battle involving nearly all of the main forces of both navies.


    The first encounter was with the bait from both sides, two small-scale fleets.


    In order to bait the German fleet, the British specially deployed only two battleships and two battlecruisers as their main warships.


    Meanwhile, the German fleet had four battlecruisers as their main warships, with an additional cruiser as well.


    A British officer boldly concluded that the Germans would not miss such an evenly matched opportunity.


    After the fleets serving as both sides'' bait had met, a most ridiculous scene in this naval battle unfolded.


    Upon their respectivemanders'' orders, the two fleets hastily engaged in a small-scale naval battle and pretended to retreat due to being overwhelmed.


    Upon witnessing this, bothmanders were taken aback. To prevent their prey from escaping, they had no choice but to pursue and provoke again.


    The two decoy fleets maintained a stalemate for nearly half an hour without inflicting significant damage to each other.


    After all, both were decoy fleets. Their main purpose was to lure the enemy to pursue them in order to carry out a n to encircle the enemy.


    If too much firepower was used, causing significant damage to the enemy, the baiting n would naturally fail.


    This stalemate between the decoy fleetssted a very long time, to the point where they eventually began to expose each other''s weaknesses.


    However, the enemy stubbornly refused to take the bait. Although they showed no intention of withdrawing, they stubbornly refused to move forward.


    At first, themanding officers of both sides didn''t mind, assuming the other side was merely exercising caution. However, when their own forces began to show more and more weaknesses, to the point of being on the verge of allowing themselves to be destroyed, the enemy made no move to pursue, which was somewhat surprising.


    Themanders of both sides couldn''t help but have a horrifying thought: could the other side also be a decoy?


    With this thought in mind, themanders of the two fleets became more and more irritated with the enemy, and even the enemy''s strange actions had very usible exnations.


    Of course, having such a thought, the first reaction of themanders on both sides was to report immediately to the main force of the navy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If the enemy was indeed a decoy, it would also mean that the enemy''s main force must be nearby.


    In the face of a potentialrge-scale naval battle that could break out at any moment, even the British Empire, which held a substantial advantage, had to exercise caution.


    Although bothmanders reported their suspicions to their main fleets immediately, the bad news was that the stand-off between the two baiting fleets hadsted too long - long enough for the main fleets to move into a position to nk the enemy.


    By the time the High Seas Fleet and the Royal Navy''s main force received this news, they were almost face-to-face.


    If these were cars onnd, turning around might have been quick. Unfortunately, these were warships on the sea, and what''s more, they were a fleetposed of many enormous ships.


    Turning such arge fleet in its entirety would simply be impossible without sufficient time.


    About twenty minutester, the Royal Fleet and the High Seas Fleet could see each other''s ship outlines. This made the Royal Fleet''s Commander Jericho and the High Seas Fleet''s Commander Reinhardt feel a shudder.


    The very oue General Reinhardt least wished to see was happening: the main forces of the High Seas Fleet and the Royal Navy were confronting each other, and a direct confrontation that General Reinhardt did not wish to witness was about to take ce.


    "Deploy the formation, immediately attack!"


    This was themand given by themanders of both sides without hesitation.


    In just a few minutes, the enemy would be within the range of our fleet. But this also means, we would be within the range of the enemy.


    In navalbat, whoever can react the fastest, whoever can seize the initiative, might gain a certain advantage in the naval battle.


    General Reinhardt also understood that he now had no room for retreat. However, there was a piece of good news: the High Seas Fleet Had deployed over ten submarines this time, and these submarines seemed to have gone unnoticed by the British fleet.


    If these submarines couldunch a surprise attack during the most ferocious part of the naval battle, they might y a crucial role.


    Thus, General Rheinhardt did not order the submarines to take action. Instead, he allowed them to lurk underwater, waiting for the best chance to attack.

 Chapter 559: Chapter 438: Battle of the Somme River

    On the afternoon of May 20, 1916, in Sydney, Austrsia.


    Director Batty of the Royal Security Intelligence handed Arthur a top-secret file and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, this is thetest result of the British-German naval battle. Please take a look."


    Director Batty did not exin the oue of the Anglo-German naval battle, as no one could understand the full picture before Arthur opened such a top-secret file.


    Arthur took the file and began to read through it.


    The file from Director Batty was the actual oue of the investigation by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, which was significantly different from the publicly announced results by both Britain and Germany.


    If the investigation by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency is correct, it seems that both sides have exaggerated their achievements.


    Indeed, governments usually only report good news to the public to maintain domestic stability and order.


    Both the defeated and the victorious side will try to exaggerate their achievements as much as possible to maintain domestic stability and prevent panic among the people.


    Before this, the British Empire proudly imed that in the naval battle three days ago, the Royal Navy had sunk a total of six major German warships, including four dreadnoughts and two super dreadnoughts.


    In addition, they also imed to have sunk four German pre-dreadnought battleships, three battlecruisers, eleven light cruisers, ten destroyers, and two submarines (a total tonnage of over 400,000 tons).


    They also stated to have damaged more than eight German dreadnoughts, two battlecruisers, and several other medium and small warships.


    If such results were true, the German High Seas Fleet would be severely weakened, incapable of resistance for a long time.


    On the other hand, Germany also imed to have sunk seven major British warships, including five dreadnoughts and two super dreadnoughts, as well as four pre-dreadnought battleships, three battlecruisers, eleven light cruisers, seven destroyers, and about ten torpedo boats, with a total tonnage of nearly 500,000 tons.


    In addition, they imed to have seriously damaged twelve British dreadnoughts and several battlecruisers.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ording to the German wartime report, they managed to grievously hurt the Royal Navy. If this report were urate, Germany would have had a significant advantage in the naval battle.


    Is that really the case? ording to the investigation by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency, although the naval battle indeed saw the Germans gaining an advantage, the overall naval superiority still remained with the British after the battle.


    As per the Royal Navy''s report, the Germans managed to sink three pre-dreadnought battleships, one dreadnought, two battlecruisers, six destroyers, four light cruisers, two torpedo boats, and two submarines.


    The High Seas Fleet, on the other hand, had one battlecruiser, two pre-dreadnought battleships, one dreadnought, four light cruisers, three destroyers, and five torpedo boats, as well as two submarines sunk.


    Considering pre-dreadnought battleships, the British had six major warships sunk, and the Germans had four major warships sunk.


    However, since a significant portion of these ships were pre-dreadnought battleships, these naval battle results were eptable for both parties, as neither side suffered crippling losses.


    Although some dreadnoughts were lost, both sides'' super dreadnoughts remained unscathed, which could be considered fortunate in the misfortune.


    Despite small losses in terms of warships, the casualties among both parties'' navy soldiers were not insignificant.


    The participating Royal Navy soldiers totaled 66,000, with more than 8,700 casualties, ounting for one-seventh of the total strength.


    The Germans did notg far behind, with a total of 51,000 naval soldiers and over 7,600 casualties, surpassing a seventh of their total forces.


    Compared to rtively easily trained army soldiers, the casualties of navy and air force personnel were the most distressing.


    An excellent navy soldier, in particr, requires one to two years of training on a warship to operate various instruments while also gaining battle experience before they can be an effective fighting force.


    Both sides rushed into the naval battle and, due to the threat of enemy warships and submarines, a considerable number of soldiers who fell into the water did not receive rescue, which contributed to the heavy casualties.


    It''s important to note that when a warship sinks, it creates a powerful whirlpool on the sea surface.


    If a fallen navy soldier cannot swim out of the whirlpool quickly, they will be sucked into the whirlpool and forever buried at the bottom of the sea.


    If it weren''t for the tacit agreement between the two sides to send rescue ships after the naval battle, each party''s soldier casualties would have likely increased by at least another thousand.


    Although World War I saw the use of various taboo weapons, there were still some bottom lines between the nations at times.


    Whether on the France-Germany frontline or the German-Russian frontline, many soldiers could be seen celebrating Christmas together with the enemy.


    Each side also had a certain tacit understanding, at least not to attack medical personnel, making it easier for themselves and the other party to collect the bodies of their fallenrades.


    For Arthur, such a naval battle oue was entirely eptable. The Germans achieved a victory in terms of battle results, which could stabilize German morale in the short term and allow them to continue investing in the war.


    On the other hand, the British achieved strategic victory despite losing the battle. Although both sides sufferedparable losses, the British Empire''s naval advantage over Germany became even more apparent.

 Chapter 560: Chapter 438: Battle of the Somme_2

    The strategy that both allows Germany to continue the war and keeps Britain maintaining the naval advantage over Germany, cutting off Germany''s logistical supply lines, is already considered a perfect victory.


    As the monarch of Austrsia, Arthur is concerned about when the war will end and what Austrsia can gain.


    Regarding the casualties of the British in the naval war, it''s not important to Arthur, and he believes the British Empire can fully endure.


    Anyway, every participating country''s casualties are not less than hundreds of thousands, and even Austrsia''s casualties have already reached hundreds of thousands.


    Regardless of whether this naval battle can change Germany''s current disadvantage, the German government''s propaganda has clearly restored some morale within the country and the military, and the anti-war wave is not as intense.


    The German government and the army also have enough time to organize defenses in the Somme Region to cope with therge-scale campaign to beunched by the British and French forces soon.


    After this naval battle, the Verdun Region, the entire Westline, the Eastern Front, and even the whole of Europe, fell into a brief peace.


    However, this calm before the storm is the most terrifying. Both the Allied Nations and the Allies know what the calm means after the storm - an even bigger storm will arrive.


    At the end of May, German new recruits, totaling 500,000, went to the Somme Region, the Verdun Region, and the Eastern Front in batches, which also meant that Germany had spared no effort for the victory of the war.


    As for France, the government transported arge amount of supplies to the Verdun Region andmended the garrison in the Verdun Region.


    On June 11, 1916, after just half a month of silence, the British and French forcesunched arge-scale assault on the German Army on the south bank of the River Somme, and the battle of the Somme officially began.


    To organize the Battle of the Somme, the British and French forces spent as long as six months transporting weapons and equipment and mobilizing soldiers.


    Without exaggeration, the Battle of the Somme is the Allies'' most important strategic n in 1916, far more important than the Balkan Front that was established in 1915.


    On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the British and French forces demonstrated the power of British logistics.


    From days 1 to 6, the British and French forces fired more than 1.5 million shells at the German Army, averaging over 200,000 shells per day.


    Under the cover of such a massive barrage of shells, the British and French forces in the Somme Regionunched an unprecedented counter-offensive.


    Why is it unprecedented? Because this is the most important offensive on the Western Front so far and the all-out counterattack by the British and French forces since the start of the war.


    The participants in the Battle of the Somme included a British Army Group and a British Separate Army, as well as twelve reserve divisions and six French armies.


    In recent days, continuous heavy rain in the Somme Region has turned the trenches built by the Germans into a muddy quagmire.


    The soldiers'' military boots were covered with ayer of heavy mud, making it difficult to walk and prone to slipping.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, not only the German soldiers but also the British and French forces faced the same problem of slipping on such a battlefield.


    This has made the hastily attacking British and French forces appear more like live targets to the German soldiers, walking achievements.


    As the British and French forces ce great importance on the Battle of the Somme, on the first day alone, more than one hundred thousand British and French troops were thrown into battle, charging the German positions again and again.


    However, the well-prepared Germans repelled the British and French forces time and time again.


    This may be the most unlucky day for the British forces. On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, they suffered casualties of over 60,000, a loss far greater than any previous battle and even unmatched by the famous Normandyndings during World War II.


    Three consecutive days of attacks did not yield significant progress, as the Germans'' tenacious artillery and machine-gun positions not only caused heavy casualties to the British and French forces but also prevented their continued advance.


    In order to counter the German machine-gun positions, the British decided to deploy their long-prepared secret weapons, including one named "Water Cab."


    This weapon, called a tank (tank), was nned as early as 1915, and under the urging of Navy Secretary Churchill, a prototype was sessfully tested at the end of 1915.


    The tanks developed by the British were quite different from what people inter generations imagined, as they were overall diamond-shaped and looked like huge tadpoles with a round body and long tail.


    This long tail was the tank''s steering wheel, allowing the vehicle to maintain bnce when turning.


    British tanks were divided into male and female types, with female tanks equipped with only five machine guns, while male tanks were equipped with two 57mm-caliber guns and four machine guns.


    After half a year of modtion and experimentation by the British, the weight of this tank was maintained at around 27 to 28 tons, with a top speed of about six kilometers per hour, a maximum range of 15 kilometers, and eight crew members.


    During this half-year, the British produced more than 40 tanks, which were hastily brought to the battlefield of the Somme by a short-sighted approach.


    A total of 43 tanks set off from the assembly area, looking quite magnificent and mighty. However, just a few minutester, more than ten tanks broke down halfway.


    In addition to those stuck in the mud and those with sudden vehicle part failures, only 15 tanks eventually approached the German frontlines.

 Chapter 561: Chapter 438: Battle of the Somme_3

    Although the current performance of British tanks is quite touching, in this era, tanks are lethal weapons that can effectively resist German rifles and machine guns.


    While it is true that firearms can cause damage to tanks, German artillery cannot urately target these tanks, especially since they are now close to the German front lines, where there are many German soldiers.


    On the way forward for these tanks, countless trenches and iron wire mesh that could block the British and French forces were easily crushed, and the German troops had no power to resist at all.


    Under the cover of more than ten tanks, more than five divisions of British soldiersunched an attack on Germany.


    In just five hours, these tanks pushed the front line forward by more than five kilometers, something the British and French forces had not achieved in the previous days.


    However, the British excitement soon came to a halt because they found, to their tearful dismay, that only less than five of the 15 tanks could move by the second day, and the other tanks either had damaged parts or had some unknown reason for not starting.


    Five tanks could no longer y a crucial role in the battle, and the number of British soldiers they could cover was limited, not to mention that there was no guarantee that these tanks would not break down again.


    This is why the British advance was halted and the advantage that tanks had brought to the British disappeared instantly.


    In the British rear, when Winston Churchill heard that more than 40 tanks had only pushed the front line by five kilometers, he said in disappointment, "I''m shocked that Haig (River Somme Battle British Commander) exposed this big secret to the enemy on such a small scale!"


    The British government''s secret weapon, the tank, had only pushed the front line forward by five kilometers. What was even worse was that not only the Allies knew about the existence of tanks, but Germany also learned about the existence of such weapons.


    Given Germany''s technology, it should not be difficult to replicate a tank like this. Although the performance of tanks is not currently well guaranteed, during critical offensive and defensive battles, a sufficient number of tanks can indeed pose a deadly threat to the enemy.


    No matter how much criticism Churchill and the British government had against Haig, the fact that the British had missed the opportunity could not be changed.


    After the public exposure of tanks as secret weapons, the British had no other options but to use a sufficient number of human lives in the Battle of the Somme.


    Following this, the Battle of the Somme had virtually be another Battle of Verdun, a diatorial arena for British and German soldiers.


    What was even worse was that, for most of the Battle of Verdun, the French Army was in a defensive posture, which helped ensure that its casualty rate was slightly lower than that of the German Army.


    However, the Battle of the Somme was an offensive warunched by the British and French forces, a counterattack against Germany.


    This made the British and French forces the attackers, while the true defenders were the Germans.


    With a sufficient number of machine guns and firearms, the Germans were able to take considerable advantage in the Battle of the Somme, causing massive casualties to the British and French forces.


    The Battle of the Sommested for over a month, and aside from inflicting over 200,000 casualties on the British and French forces, they only gained a narrow strip ofnd several kilometers wide and more than 20 kilometers long.


    The French government''s much-touted Somme counterattack not only failed to achieve results, but also plunged the French government into an obvious quagmire, following the Battle of Verdun.


    General Neville, who performed well in the Battle of Verdun, took over as the new Commander-in-Chief of the French Army after the stubbornness of Cynthia in the early stages of the Battle of Verdun and his penchant for intervening in politics but not wanting to be ordered by the government were taken advantage of by French politicians to bestow on him the rank of Marshal but at the cost of returning to civilian life.


    As a side note, General Hague, who was criticized by the British for prematurely revealing tanks, not only retained his position asmander of the British Expeditionary Force but was also awarded the rank of Field Marshal and continued to control the British Expeditionary Force.


    On the German side, the German military paid great attention to the Battles of Verdun and the Somme, even calling them the only chance for Germany to win.


    Knowing that Germany was at a disadvantage in terms of manpower and material resources, Ludendorff rushed to the front line of the Somme as soon as the war broke out and, based on his own understanding of the situation, devised a new war theory for the frontline soldiers, namely "The Way of Conducting Defensive Warfare".


    The German Army no longer sentrge-scale infantry to rush to the front lines but instead deployed part of the machine gunners at the forward positions.


    As long as the enemy''s attack went deeper and deeper, the fortresses and trenches that greeted them would be tighter and tighter.


    At the same time, the German Army ced arge number of infantry in ces that could not be reached by enemy artillery, waiting for opportunities tounch local or forward counterattacks.


    Although in the Battle of the Somme, Germany was in a defensive posture and this military theory was not much needed.


    But in history, this new military theory has greatly helped Germany''ster offensive, effectively slowing down the speed of Germany''s defeat.


    Although Rudolf''s shortsightedness in strategy led to Germany''s ultimate failure, his brilliant tactics dyed Germany''s failure progress.


    Inparison, Rudolf''s contribution to Germany was greater than his faults and he was still indispensable in World War I.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The outbreak of the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme sessively was not good news for Britain, France and Germany on the Western Front.


    These two battles in history caused heavy casualties to Britain, France, and Germany, and in this time and space, it would only be more severe.


    However, for Austrsia and Arthur, this might not necessarily be bad news.


    First of all, the war of attrition consumes manpower and material resources, and Austrsia is heavily dependent on the export of materials to Europe.


    In other words, because of these two wars of attrition, Austrsia would make more profits and indirectly raise Austrsia''s position among the Allies.


    As for the consumption of Britain and France in these two wars of attrition, Arthur could onlyugh and say that the two allies could take it on themselves without any problem.


    Actually, The Allies seemed to be united as one, but they also had considerable disputes internally.


    It has been nearly two years since the outbreak of the war, and various struggles within the Allies have never stopped.


    First there were Britain, Australia, and Russia tricking France, Britain, and Russia tricking the French, Britain, and Australia tricking France and Russia, and now Russia and Australia tricking Britain and France; it can only be said that it was an endless cycle of vengeance from which no one could escape.


    Actually, this is also normal, as Britain, France, and Russia are all old powers, with deeply-rooted domestic forces and interest groups, and it is impossible for them to sacrifice their own interests to save their allies.


    Take the territorial demands of Britain, France, and Russia for example, the French want to annexrge areas of Germany, which the British do not allow; Russia wants the region of Iran, which the British do not allow.


    Previously, France also opposed Britain gaining Syria, Palestine, and Iraq, but eventually, it was divided by Britain and Austrsia together.


    In addition, the rtionship of the great powers in the Constantinople area is also veryplex. If they want to control Constantinople in order to get a stable exit to the ck Sea, both Britain and France do not allow it.


    But on the other hand, in order to prevent Russia from withdrawing from the war in the middle, the British made a vague promise to Russia, promising that after the war, under the agreement of Russia, the fate of the two straits of Constantinople would be settled.


    Actually, if one looks closely at the internal contradictions of the Allies, a considerable part of it is the contradictions between Britain and other countries.


    The contradictions between France and Russia, Australia, and all other countries are not that big. It is precisely because of this that the British are eager to win over Austrsia, form a stable alliance after the war, and ensure that France and Russia will not ally against Britain.


    The British are also afraid of the alliance of France and Russia. If the war is victorious, France and Russia will be the two strongest countries on the European Continent.


    The agitating nature of the British does not allow France and Russia to grow bigger, so they can only seek the support of faraway Austrsia to maintain their continental bnce policy.

 Chapter 562: Chapter 439: Passenger Airplane and Aircraft Carrier

    Arthur held steadfast to the principle that the European war was the best time for Austrsia''s development. Even as the battles of Verdun and the River Somme raged in Europe, Austrsia''s growth did not miss a beat.


    Most notably, the third phase of the Leonora Industrial Base had been fullypleted and put into production, which was an enormous relief for Austrsia.


    The entire Leonora Industrial Base, after three phases of construction, covered tens of thousands of acres. It could amodate over 500 super factories, nearly 2,000 medium and small factories, and hundreds ofrge warehouses.


    This one industrial base alone would create at least 550,000 jobs for the nation, and spur the development of Austrsia''s industry, mining, economy, and overall standard of living.


    Supported by the Austrsian government, the factories in the Leonora Industrial Base were nearly at full capacity, with almost 3,000 businesses of differing sizes moving in.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that Leonora Industrial Base was Austrsia''s Ruhr District, the current hub and heart of the country''s industry.


    ording to the Austrsian government''s estimates, the total productivity of the Leonora Industrial Base in 1916 would ount for more than one-third of Austrsia''s industry, an amount far surpassing that of all industriesbined in non-Australian regions.


    Thanks to thepletion of the third phase of the Leonora Industrial Base, Austrsia''s total steel output had nearly reached 7 million tons, showing rapid growth over thest two years.


    In addition to industrial growth, Austrsia''s total cultivatednd area had already reached 34.45 million acres, with a per capita cultivatednd area of 2.09 acres, consistently maintaining above two acres.


    Of the 34.45 million acres of totalnd area, Austrsia''s nativend (Australia plus New Zend) held 31.13 million acres, whereas the colonies and territories held 3.32 million acres.


    Austrsia''s annual grain output had reached over 16 million tons, with annual grain exports reaching a staggering 10 million tons.


    This was not a small number. With the war escting, the per capita allocation of grain in European countries had dramatically decreased.


    If rationed, 10 million tons of grain was enough to feed 50 million people for a year. Even during the previous peacetime, it would have been sufficient to feed at least 40 million people for a year.


    Austrsia exported grain to both Western and Eastern Europe, serving as a significant provider of grain, meat, and cattle for Britain, France, and Russia.


    Since the start of the war, Austrsia had exported over two million cattle and sheep to Europe annually. Combined with canned food made from wild rabbit, camel, and kangaroo meat, Austrsia''s total annual exported meat products to Europe reached millions of tons.


    Without exaggeration, Austrsia was Europe''s crucial provider of grain and meat, supplying essential supplies to millions of troops.


    Arthur was very satisfied with the growth of Austrsia''s agriculture. If the newly acquired colonies were also developed, Austrsia''s annual production would increase even more.


    Forget the current poption of over 16 million; even if the poption doubled, there would be ample food supply.


    In addition to the development of industry and agriculture, what Arthur was most satisfied with was the transportation infrastructure of Austrsia.


    Following the construction of industrial railways and the Northern Railway, more than half of the East Coast Railway''s construction was alsopleted.


    The West Australian State''s Western Railway and the railway in Australia''s eastern region which connects Queennd State, New South Wales State, the Capital Territory, and Victoria State were allpleted.


    What remains is the railway line from Darwin to Augustaport in South Australia State, anticipated to bepleted by the end of 1917.


    For Austrsia, the most critical railways in the western industrial area and the developed eastern area have been constructed. Austrsia''s total railway mileage had exceeded 30,000 kilometers.


    Aside from thepletion of the Central Railway, there''s another significant achievement for Austrsia: the speed of the trains.


    Thanks to the painstaking research of engine expert Disel, thetest train model adopted by the Austrsian Transportation Department utilizes a dual-mode of steam and internalbustion engines, stabilizing the speed above 62 miles (100 kilometers) and even exceeding 70 miles (115 kilometers) during downhill sections.


    After numerous tests, it was confirmed that this type of lotive had impressive stability, leading torge-scale procurement by the Transportation Department, utilizing these trains for rail transport.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The breakthrough in train speed was a crucial achievement for Austrsia. Austrsia was a country with a vast territory, especially the main territory of Australia.


    Whether measured from north to south or from east to west, the Australian region spans thousands of kilometers.


    This meant that traveling from the furthest west to the furthest east in Australia would take at least a week with the previous train speeds.


    With the new lotives, in theory, the journey from the westernmost to the easternmost point of Australia could now be made in just two days.


    This could significantly facilitatemunication between the different states of Australia. It also benefited the government in the transportation of supplies within the Australian region.


    As Austrsia''s total railway mileage reached the world''s top six, Austrsia''s transportation capacity was world-ss, capable of adequately coping with any unexpected incidents in any region.

 Chapter 563: Chapter 439: Passenger Airplane and Aircraft Carrier_2

    In the next construction n of the Transportation Department, in addition to the thoroughpletion of the central railway construction, arge number of railways will be built in the newly upied areas, including New Guinea Ind, Swesi Ind, and along the coast of the Persian Gulf, to strengthen the rule in these areas.


    At the same time, within Austrsia, along the Mure River, and in New Zend, further railway construction will be carried out to ensure that the military can quickly reach every inch of the territory.


    Of course, various major military factories in Austrsia have not been idle. The independent Royal Aircraft Manufacturing Factory can produce more than 500 aircraft per year, and the Agricultural Machinery Factory has also built more than 500 T-14 tanks.


    Both the fourth-generation military aircraft and the T-14 tanks are the ultimate hidden cards of Austrsia.


    They represent the most advanced military technology in Austrsia and are crucial for ensuring the country''s interests.


    Arthur temporarily does not n to reveal the T-14 tank, as this tank technology is at least ten years ahead of British tanks.


    At most, when the third-generation tanks are about to be born, they will disclose the first-generation tank technology to obtain adequate funds.


    This approach is used by many countries both now and in the future. Theoretically, no country will expose itstest technology unless it is absolutely necessary.


    The so-called hole card you think is just my conventional weapon, and my conventional weapon is your hole card.


    Anyway, it is essential to ensure that military technology is sufficiently ahead of most or even all countries to carry out ns without fear.


    There is also good news for Arthur that, in addition to military aircraft, research on civilian aircraft, i.e., passenger aircraft, has also made significant progress.


    It has been six years since the sess of the previous generation of passenger aircraft, SF-1, nicknamed "Big Belly No. 1" by researchers.


    Through the joint efforts of Engine Research Lab, the former Aviation Laboratory, and several other factories, Big Belly No. 2, officially designated as SF-2 Passenger Aircraft, was sessfully developed and had undergone preliminary testing.


    When Arthur received this news, he immediately went to the current Royal Aircraft Construction Factory for inspection.


    Compared to the less stable airships, aircraft are undoubtedly a better choice for travel. They not only save more time than airships, but they are also safer.


    The maximum load capacity of the SF-2 Passenger Aircraft is 3.7 tons, and in addition to carrying up to 12 passengers, including the pilot, it can also transport over 500 kg of luggage.


    After the engine upgrade, the average flight speed of the SF-2 has reached 190 kilometers per hour, and the maximum flight speed can even break through 215 kilometers.


    This speed is almost twice the speed of improved trains and more than three times the speed of unimproved trains.


    In addition, the fuel tank has been upgraded, and the SF-2 with arger fuel tank has a maximum range of over 1,700 kilometers, greatly facilitating daily travel.


    Taking a train from the westernmost to the easternmost part of Australia requires at least two to three days of travel.


    But if you switch to flying, you can arrive in just over one day at the fastest.


    By installing a few more fuel tanks, the maximum travel distance can be extended to over 2,000 kilometers, saving time for refueling during the trip.


    Of course, like airships, airnes are currently only a means of transportation for the wealthy.


    Because each aircraft has only 12 seats, excluding one pilot, the maximum number of passengers that can be carried is only 11 people.


    This results in the current passenger aircraft primarily serving governments and high-level officials, and it is almost impossible for middle and lower-ss poptions to poprize it in a short period.


    Even inter generations, many people still could not afford to fly, let alone over 100 years ago.


    ording to the Aircraft Factory''s estimate, the cost of such an SF-2 Passenger Aircraft for one trip is at least 2,000 pounds.


    This means that even if the cost is shared, each of the 11 passengers would have to bear almost 200 pounds, or 400 Australian dors.


    This is 7 to 8 times the per capita annual ie of Austrsians, and people with low to middle ies cannot afford to spend nearly ten years'' worth of wages for a single airne experience.


    Although it seems that the cost of airnes is lower than that of airships, in reality, it is the opposite.


    At present, the ticket price for airships to travel around the world has dropped to about 600 pounds, but if you use airnes to travel around the world, the cost is at least 50,000 pounds, with an average of over 4,700 pounds per seat.


    Looking at the whole world, those who can spend nearly 5,000 pounds to travel around the world are definitely the highest echelons in their respective countries.


    It might not be until after World War II that airnes can achieve true poprization amongmon people.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This does not prevent Arthur from nning to build airports throughout Austrsia, both for his own convenience to inspect various ces in Austrsia and to facilitate domestic and international exchanges.


    For Arthur, both the royal family''s private ne and his own are essential. In fact, Arthur already ns to build a private royal airport near Sydney Pce to facilitate the daily travel of the royal family.


    The most obvious point is that the distance between Sydney and Lington is just over 2,200 kilometers, and with the instation of two auxiliary fuel tanks, the SF-2 Passenger Aircraft can reach it in one trip, achieving a 12-hour mutual connection between the Australian Region and the New Zend Region.

 Chapter 564: Chapter 439: Passenger Airplane and Aircraft Carrier_3

    As the two most important and core regions of Austrsia, the distance of over two thousand kilometers makesmunication between the two areas slow.


    After the development of the second generation of passenger aircraft technology, it is helpful to themunication between the upper echelons of the two regions, making the connection between the Australian region and the New Zend region closer.


    If in the future, there could be a faster and more convenient third-generation passenger aircraft, it might take New Zenders only ten hours to travel to Australia.


    However, before that,munication between the two regions can only be done through ships or airships due to ocean crossings.


    But international global voyages do not have many stops in New Zend, so most of the routes between Sydney and Wellington are Austrsian.


    On the one hand, there are fewer airship flights, and, on the other hand, the prices are higher than global voyages.


    It takes at least two days, even three to four days, for a ship to travel between the two ces.


    It also creates a sense of distance between the Australian region and the New Zend region, and there is a significant gap between the development of the two areas.


    Of course, until the second generation of passenger aircraft has been proven effective, Arthur will not take a ride.


    During this period of at least one year, the Royal Aircraft Manufacturing Factory will construct a tailored aircraft for Arthur and the royal family, and arge number of flights will be used to test the reliability of the aircraft to ensure the safety of the royal family members while traveling.


    In addition to the Royal Aircraft Manufacturing Factory''s passenger aircraft, the Sydney Royal Shipyard has also received significant news.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It has been six years since Arthur proposed the concept of an aircraft carrier, and after numerous experiments and studies, the Sydney Royal Shipyard has achieved some results.


    In fact, although no true aircraft carriers exist in the world at present, as early as four years ago, the British sessfullypleted the first flight of carrier-based aircraft.


    In 1912, British pilot Charles Samson made a great attempt by taking off from the anchored "African" battleship in his Short S.27 bine, with the "runway" being a temporary deck.


    Four monthster, during the naval review in Weymouth, United Kingdom, Samson flew the bine again, taking off from the bow deck of the "Hibernia" battleship, which was traveling at a speed of 15 knots.


    This achievement shocked all the officers present and prompted countries around the world to begin focusing on the research and development of an aviation tform on water, essentially starting the study of aircraft carriers.


    Following this example, the Sydney Royal Shipyard has proposed two mature aircraft carrier designs.


    The first type of aircraft carrier design refers to the British example where battleships are transformed into aircraft carriers, using the front deck for upwind takeoffs.


    The advantage of this design is that it retains the power of the battleship, and after all aircraft have taken off, the aircraft carrier can immediately be a battleship and join the battle.


    But the bad news is, since it''s a battleship-based aircraft carrier, the length of the deck is limited and required upwind speeds to allow aircraft to take off.


    On the other hand, the short deck can''t amodate many carrier-based aircraft, and the aircraft carriers'' power depends on the quantity and performance of carrier-based aircraft, limiting thebat power of this type of aircraft carrier.


    The third issue is also about the deck length: due to the shortness of the deck,nding aircraft pose a big challenge.


    British and French researchers have done some study on this type of aircraft carrier, but they have not managed to solve the problems of aircraft taking off andnding. The short deck can lead to a certain failure rate during takeoffs andndings, or even cause aircraft to uncontrobly slide into the sea.


    The second type of aircraft carrier designpletely abandons the previous battleship design.


    The second design mainly consists of a long deck, armor protection, anti-aircraft weapons, a power system, and a carrier area.


    It has arger volume than the battleship butcks firepower. Such an aircraft carrier relies entirely on the power of carrier-based aircraft and has no means to attack enemies other than its inherent anti-aircraft firepower.


    But the good news is that this design can amodate more carrier-based aircraft, and with a long enough deck, the aircraft can take off in any situation with ease.


    There is also an interception device at the rear of the deck to ensure that the aircraft are intercepted on the deck afternding and don''t slide into the sea.


    With an independent carrier area, or hangar, this type of aircraft carrier can carry more than 20 carrier-based aircraft. From an aircraft carrier''s perspective, the second design is far superior inbat power to the first one.


    Both types of aircraft carrier designs have their advantages and disadvantages. The first design is more conservative, striking a bnce between aircraft carriers and battleships, and thetter also serves as a battleship.


    The second design is more extreme and a true aircraft carrier, with itsbat power being entirely determined by the 20 carrier-based aircraft.


    The Sydney Royal Shipyard submitted both types of aircraft carrier designs to Arthur, who was responsible for determining the direction of Austrsia''s aircraft carriers.


    If Arthur was not a time traveler, he might have chosen the first option, considering that even if the aircraft carrier is useless, it can still function as a battleship.


    However, Arthur knew that battleships would eventually be reced by aircraft carriers. The reconnaissance range and firepower coverage of battleships could never bepared with aircraft carriers, no matter how powerful their firepower and armor are.


    Aircraft carriers could deploy arge number of carrier-based aircraft from tens of kilometers away to directly destroy battleships.


    Unless battleships possess exceptional anti-aircraft capabilities, they have no suitable means to counter such aerial threats.


    Without much hesitation, Arthur immediately confirmed the second aircraft carrier design, named it the Giant-ss aircraft carrier, and entrusted the Sydney Royal Shipyard to build it.

 Chapter 565: Chapter 440: Chaotic Order

    If Arthur remembers correctly, the United Kingdom''s first real aircraft carrier was built around 1917 to 1918, in theter stages of history''s World War I.


    At that time, British aircraft carriers were still converted from cruisers, with the front main guns being reced by a downward-tilted wooden runway.


    Such a design had too many ws, which is why during World War II, aircraft carriers gradually became the top choice for various countries'' warships.


    However, the second design of the aircraft carrier developed by the Sydney Royal Shipyard effectively addressed the ws of carriers converted from cruisers or battleships.


    With Arthur''s approval, Austrsia began construction of not only two new Hope-ss super dreadnoughts but also two Giant-ss aircraft carriers.


    The Giant-ss aircraft carrier was an entirely new warship design and not a carrier converted from battleships and cruisers like those made by the British.


    ording to the preliminary design of the Giant-ss aircraft carrier, the standard discement of this new warship would be around 11,500 tons, and the full load discement would exceed 13,000 tons, significantly lower than the current discement of battleships.


    It is worth noting that mainstream super dreadnoughts had full load discements approaching or even exceeding 20,000 tons.


    This made the Giant-ss aircraft carrier smallerpared to the Hope-ss battleships, and it evencked the numerous main guns of previous warships.


    The Sydney Royal Shipyard designed a full-pass flight deck for the Giant-ss aircraft carrier, allowing aircraft to take off andnd more efficiently.


    At the same time, this aircraft carrier had a closed bow, enabling better resistance to wind and waves and strengthening the strength of the full-pass deck.


    As a result, the length and width of the Giant-ss aircraft carrier were 180 meters and 21.5 meters, respectively, with a draft of 5.7 meters, able to carry up to 20 airnes.


    Since it abandoned all main guns and was only equipped with a few anti-aircraft weapons, the Giant-ss aircraft carrier lost considerable weightpared to the super dreadnoughts while utilizing the same power system, resulting in an increased speed.


    The Giant-ss aircraft carrier was expected to reach a speed of 25.5 knots, making it rtively fast amongrge warships.


    Of course, despite the decision to build two Giant-ss aircraft carriers, Arthur and the Austrsian Government had no intention of revealing the news about the aircraft carriers until other countries unveiled their carriers.


    Arthur would not do such a foolish thing as to strengthen other countries, as Austrsia had already achieved significant progress in aviation.


    It should be noted that thebat capability of an aircraft carrier mainly depends on the number and performance of its carrier-based aircraft. the aircraft in Austrsia was the most advanced in the world, far surpassing the research progress of other countries.


    It also meant that even if the research progress of Austrsia''s aircraft carriers was the same as that of other countries, the actualbat capability would far exceed that of other countries.


    With the official start of the construction of the aircraft carriers, Arthur began a three-month inspection tour of the various states and regions of Austrsia.


    This inspection tour aimed to check whether the states and colonies had been affected by the war and the current standard of living of the people.


    Another purpose was to urge the state governments to improve their strategic material, medical supplies, and other reserves. If Arthur remembers correctly, the infamous Spanish Flu would arrive in just a few years.


    Arthur had particrly vivid memories of this pandemic because of its dramatic resurgence and the exaggerated number of infections and deaths it caused.


    Arthur still remembered clearly that the Spanish Flu resulted in a tragic oue of at least 500 million infections and at least 20 million deaths.


    At that time, the total world poption was only around 1.7 billion, which means that one in three people got infected with the Spanish Flu, and one in 100 people died from it.


    What was even more terrifying was that the death toll of the Spanish Flu was not certain but certainly higher than the number reported and counted by various countries.


    If Arthur remembers correctly, the Spanish Flu spread just as World War I ended, and soldiers from various countries returned home.


    Due to the long and exhausting war, each country was spreading the good news of victory in the war, without disclosing any news about the Spanish Flu that could cause panic among the people.


    Spain, as the first country to honestly report the outbreak of the flu, naturally became the scapegoat for other countries, which led to the disease being named the Spanish Influenza, the infamous Spanish Flu.


    However, in reality, the earliest recorded cases of the Spanish Flu urred in military camps in Kansas, United States, followed by cases in France and Britain.


    Spain simply became the scapegoat, as otherwise, the disease would have been known as the American Flu or the European Flu.


    The most horrific aspect of the Spanish Flu was its death toll of over 20 million.


    Even World War I, whichsted several years, resulted in a historic death toll of only over 10 million people.


    When such a devastating disease caused more casualties than a global world war, it truly demonstrated how terrifying this influenza pandemic was.


    Arthur could not guaranteeplete protection against this disease. All he could do was urge the government to prepare enough medical supplies in advance and be ready to close the borders during an outbreak, trying to weather this catastrophe as much as possible.


    As for the life and death of other countries, it was beyond Arthur''s control for now.


    As Arthur''s nationwide inspection was in full swing, the war in Europe became increasingly tense and fierce once again.


    As time slowly reached October 1916, Germany, Britain, and France engaged in fierce battles once again in Verdun and the Somme region. Casualties continued to rise, even increasing by leaps and bounds daily.


    But Russia, which had already entered its cold season, was perhaps the most miserable of all.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although it was only October, most of the Russian Empire''s territory had already be cold. The northern cities of Saint Petersburg and Moscow had turned into ice and snow kingdoms, covering these ancient cities in ayer of white.


    Ordinarily, the Russians would have been ustomed to this cold. But now, due to the consumption of war, the lower ssescked coal, food, and daily necessities, making life extremely difficult.


    It was not that the Russianscked money. Their sries had actually increasedpared to pre-war levels, and per capita ie had even increased by several percentage points.


    The problem was that the increase in the cost of goods in Russia far outpaced the increase in their sries.


    Due to the scarcity of supplies, the vast majority of goods transported from Britain, France, and Austrsia were sent to the front lines.


    Some items that were not in short supply on the front lines saw their prices skyrocket at home¡ªcapitalists hoarded them, and it was impossible to buy them without spending a fortune.


    Even the coal resources, which were desperately needed by the Russian people for heating, had increased more than fivefold in just two years.


    Ordinary Russians faced a difficult choice: either buy coal for heating or buy food to fill their stomachs.


    They could only choose one, as their sries could only afford one of these options.


    Out of desperation, many Russians huddled together for warmth, relying on each other to resist theing winter.


    Even entire families chipped in to buy coal and dozens of people crowded into small rooms of about ten square meters. The red light from the stove illuminated everyone''s faces, but it could not hide the worries etched on them.


    Not to mention heating¡ªseveral families even shared one stove for cooking, all to save on the extravagant cost of coal.


    After all, this was only October. Who knew how many people would freeze to death in Russia when the real winter came in January and February?


    Perhaps those who would freeze to death were these very Russians with worried faces.


    What''s worse, the prices of all kinds of daily necessities, industrial products, food, medical supplies, and even salt and condiments were all rising.


    Food prices had more than tripled, and industrial products had increased fivefold. Even the purchase of ordinary daily necessities required a Russian to spend a month''s sry.


    There were many reasons behind Russia''s current situation: intion, rebellions and strikes in various factories, the massive consumption on the front lines, and profiteering by capitalists during national crises, among others.


    Any one of these issues would give a country a headache, but Russia had experienced them all.


    If this had happened in another European country, public protests would have drawn government attention, opposition parties would have taken the opportunity to attack the government, and the media would have followed suit in reporting.


    But in the autocratic Russian Empire, no one cared about the fate of these ordinary people. After all, Russia had a poption of over one hundred million.


    In other European countries, the loss of millions of people might cause heartache. But in Russia, a poption loss of less than ten million wouldn''t cause any distress to the upper echelons.


    However, Russia''s situation didn''t end there. In St. Petersburg, themon people fared better as it was the capital of the empire, and the government wouldn''t allow the situation to be too embarrassing.


    But in remote rural areas and cities, the surge in prices was extremely exaggerated. Rumor had it, for every 10% increase in wages, food prices doubled.


    If it could be said that some Russians were hungry before the war, now only a small number of them didn''t go hungry.


    If one overlooked the powerful facade of the Russian Empire and looked only with the eyes of a bystander, one would be amazed to discover that the living environment in these remote rural areas and cities was no different from that of a colony of powerful nations, and the government''s exploitation of the people was even more severe.


    When a country cannot guarantee even the most basic needs of its people, it''s time for that country to be overthrown.


    In the dark corners of seemingly peaceful Russia, a stormy upheaval was being plotted.

 Chapter 566: Chapter 441: Protests

    Montoffsky was a senior engineer at a certain machinery factory in Saint Petersburg, earning twice the sry of ordinary factory workers and enjoying various subsidies and vacations. Before the war, he was undoubtedly part of the middle-upper ss.


    But the good times were only before the war. After the outbreak of the war, the prices in Russia rose at an astonishing rate, and Montoffsky''s proud sry could barely maintain the livelihood of himself and his family.


    Keep in mind, this was only possible because Montoffsky''s wife also worked at the machinery factory.


    If there was only one ie in the family, Montoffsky''s living standard would probably fall further down another level.


    On a not-so-sunny morning, Montoffsky arrived early at the factory and went to his workstation.


    As a senior engineer of the machinery factory, Montoffsky''s status was a bit higher than that of ordinary workers, but only slightly higher.


    His status would only be higher in situations when factory machinery had problems or when new equipment was being installed. In other situations, there was not much difference between him and ordinary workers.


    Lasticens were still required to continuallywork overtime, still had to work on the production line, and were subject to wage deductions for a variety of reasons, even major ones.


    However, Montoffsky needed to make a living. He could not give up a job that paid several times the average sry.


    Just after arriving at his workstation, factory management issued a notice: the factory would need to work two more hours tonight.


    Overtime in this era was different fromter generations. There was no overtimepensation, and overtime itself was unpaid.


    But there was no choice. No one dared to refuse the overtime proposed by factory management unless they wanted to lose their job.


    What''s even worse is that these capitalists who run factories had some power and connections in local governments.


    If they seriously offended their bosses, they would not only be unable to find work in the entire region, but they would also be targeted by capitalists. The consequences could range from their families breaking apart to their entire family dying without a ce to be buried, bing another lost soul in Russia''s chaos.


    In this cannibalistic era, money and power were the most important things. With money came power, and with power came money.


    Whether they were capitalists or high-ranking aristocrats, they wielded unparalleled power in Russia. Ordinary people were likembs waiting to be ughtered. Aside from enduring the exploitation of the government and capitalists, they faced constant danger to their lives.


    Chapter Read:


    Particrly when capitalists colluded with local officials during wartime, they could easily frame anyone for deliberately sabotaging the production of wartime supplies.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    For ordinary people, this charge was a death sentence, and their fate depended on the mood of the capitalists.


    Montoffsky let out a quiet sigh, but he was still helpless in the face of the factory management''s demands.


    Ironically, Russia officially implemented an eight-hour work system, which was far different from the actual working hours at Montoffsky''s factory.


    Montoffsky''s normal working time was about 12 to 14 hours, and the total working hours were at least 14 hours, including overtime.


    This was nearly double the Russian working time regtions.


    This meant that, afterpleting their standard eight-hour work shift, most Russian workers had to "voluntarily" work unpaid overtime for at least six additional hours.


    Actually, this was not unheard of. Most European countries participating in the war had high intensity overtime, with an average working time of more than eleven hours.


    But the problem was that overtime in European countries at least provided some symbolic overtime pay, rather than Russia''s forced unpaid overtime.


    Even if they distributed some supplies or food, it would be enough to pacify the restless workers. Unfortunately, Russian capitalists either couldn''t see the workers'' predicaments or simply didn''t care if they did.


    "Hey! Montoffsky, are you going to participate in the race the day after tomorrow?" The middle-aged man next to Montoffsky cautiously asked after the factory management had walked away.


    "Running? What is that?" Montoffsky looked puzzled. What kind of time is it now, and who still has the mood to run?


    "It''s a big strike organized by the Workers'''' Alliance. This is highly confidential information, buddy, don''t reveal it to anyone," the middle-aged man once again cautiously looked around and whispered.


    Althoughrge-scale strikes and demonstrations weremon in Russia, it didn''t mean they were legal.


    As the Tsarist government had previously cracked down on several demonstrations, now participants, especially organizers, would face the death penalty.


    Even ordinary workers who participated in such demonstrations risked imprisonment. If discovered by factory management, they could lose not only their jobs but also endanger their lives and the lives of their families.


    "Workers'' Alliance? Is that a new political party?" Montoffsky asked curiously.


    Although Russia was an autocratic country under Tsar Nichs II, there were no shortage of political parties within the nation, with a diverse range of ideologies.


    Of course, a considerable number of these parties were illegal, and their members would be targeted by the government.


    "It''s actually the Bolshevik Party, as you know." The man exined with a smile.


    Even though Arthur had already ordered the Royal Security Intelligence Agency to clear some of the political parties in Russia, it was impossible topletely eradicate these revolutionaries.


    These parties assumed that the Tsarist government was cracking down on them, so they chose to go underground and use new party names to conduct their activities.


    The Bolshevik Party, along with other workers'' parties, still held some influence among Russian factory workers.


    Not only Montoffsky but also arge number of Russian workers were secretly recruited for the uingrge-scale protest, which had even spread to other regions outside Saint Petersburg.


    Meanwhile, amidst the undercurrents stirring within Saint Petersburg, Nichs II was also plotting his own schemes.


    Since he became Commander-in-Chief of Russia, the military''s offensive had not achieved any noteworthy results, and both the frontlines and the domestic situation in Russia were deteriorating.


    The military and the people all pointed their fingers at Nichs II, as he was the highest leader of the army and the rightful scapegoat.


    While Nichs II''s military prowess was not impressive, his political abilities were definitely that of a qualified monarch.


    In order to minimize his own responsibility, finding someone to me was necessary.


    On October 19, 1916, Nichs II convened a military meeting in Saint Petersburg, ostensibly to discuss Russia''s offensive ns for the following year.


    The meeting attracted many high-ranking Russian military officials, including the Commanders-in-Chief of the Southwest and Northwest Armies.


    As the top levels of the Russian military imagined, the discussions about next year''s battle ns never took ce. Instead, at the very beginning of the conference, Nichs II loudly questioned the two frontline Commanders-in-Chief for the Russian army''sck of significant achievements thus far.


    The twomanders broke out in cold sweat, realizing that Nichs II was looking to ce the me on them.


    Before they could offer any defense, Nichs II turned his gaze to the other military higher-ups and asked meaningfully: "Gentlemen, are you willing to stand up for the fallen soldiers, your brothers, subordinates, andrades-in-arms, and investigate the real reason behind the failure of the war?"


    "Yes!"


    The response from the military higher-ups was fast, albeit somewhat disjointed.


    This was the time for the military higher-ups to choose sides. Nichs II''s intentions were clear: he wanted the two frontlinemanders to take the me for the failures of the war, thus shifting responsibility onto his predecessor Archduke Nichs and the two frontlinemanders.


    The others had two options: either be Nichs II''s aplices, helping him to pin the guilt on the two frontlinemanders, or unite the military against Nichs II''s scapegoating but likely face dismissal.


    They quickly decided between preserving their own positions and the lives of their colleagues.


    Soon enough, various borate reasons were thought up by the military higher-ups, not only cing the me for theck of military progress on the two frontlinemanders but also implicating the already-cleared logistics department in the withholding of supplies and collusion with domestic and foreign capitalists.


    The following day, the announcement by the Russian government made it clear that Nichs II and the government had shifted the majority of me for the war''s failures onto the frontlinemanders and the logistics department.


    Due to the government''s announcement using the logistics department of colluding with domestic and foreign capitalists, numerous Russian factories were investigated. The owners of these factories were well-known Russian capitalists and the masterminds behind the collusion with the logistics department.


    However, this caused suffering for the factory workers. As the factories were being investigated, they were temporarily out of work.


    Greedy capitalists would not pay the workers'' sries when they couldn''t work, resulting in about ten thousand workers being temporarily deprived of their ie.


    Although the government''s announcement stated that the investigation of these factories and capitalists would only take a short time and the factories would reopen soon, the temporary loss of ie still caused panic among many Russian workers. They knew that each day without work meant their wives and children would go hungry.


    At this critical moment, the Workers'' Alliance took the opportunity to announce a rule that all workers participating in the protests would receive free grain.


    This was a great relief to those workers and, in a very short time, managed to attract even more participants to therge-scale protest that was about to erupt.


    Enticed by the prospect of free grain, many workers eagerly signed up, and the estimated number of participants in the protest quickly exceeded one hundred thousand.

 Chapter 567: Chapter 442: Earthquake in Russia Nation

    As the Russian Government began to crack down on capitalists to a certain extent, factories in Saint Petersburg and its surrounding cities were inevitably affected.


    ording to iplete statistics from the Russian Government, this purge affected hundreds of Russian capitalists, and the number of affected factories reached as high as several hundred.


    This also led to at least tens of thousands of Russian workers being affected, as their bosses behind the scenes were arrested, who would pay their wages and allow them to continue working?


    For the Russian workers who were already struggling to get enough to eat, whoever caused them to lose their jobs was their enemy.


    Those capitalists who were purged or affected were also trying to find ways to solve the predicament they encountered.


    Chapter Read:


    For these people, the weapon they could use was the dissatisfied workers due to the shutdown of the factories.


    This brings us to the Russian Duma, the national assembly established after the 1905 revolution.


    Simr to the British House of Commons, the power of the National Duma was not very substantial, and Tsar Nichs II still had the power to appoint cab ministers, with the government not ountable to the National Duma.


    However, no one can deny that united workers'' unions can indeed have a significant impact on the government.


    Didn''t Nichs II, sumbing to the pressure of workers'' protests, establish the National Duma to appease worker''s anger?


    As long as they could make proper use of these factory workers, forcing the government and Nichs II to give up the crackdown on capitalists, the big capitalists of Saint Petersburg could escape this crisis.


    Because of the pressure from the Russian government, European capitalists and political parties actually had amon goal, which was to promote workers'' protests to achieve their own purpose.


    Adhering to the principle that the enemy of the enemy is an ally, in just a few days, the big capitalists of Saint Petersburg united with the workers'' factions, intending to instigate arge-scale protest to put pressure on the Russian Government and Tsar Nichs II.


    Ironically, the original purpose of many workers'' factions when they were first established was to fight against the factory owners and capitalists who exploited the working ss.


    Two seemingly opposing forces joined together, although they went against their respective interests, but it cannot be denied that this is an extremelyrge interest group.


    Beginning on October 22, 1916, a massive protest erupted on the streets of Saint Petersburg, with workers holding banners saying "Give us back our jobs" and "We just want to survive" to start a grand protest.


    At the same time, a small part of unaffected workers also went on strike, with hundreds of thousands of Saint Petersburg workers gathered together to convey their wishes to the government and the Tsar.


    On the afternoon of October 22, news of the Saint Petersburg strike reached the ears of Tsar Nichs II.


    At this time, Nichs II was dealing with military affairs in his pce, treasuring the hard-won one hour dedicated to handling military matters. Beside him sat his empress and Rasputin, who quickly dealt with military affairs under their advice.


    Upon hearing the news of the massive protest in Saint Petersburg from the Prime Minister, Nichs II couldn''t help but frown.


    "Your Majesty, those damned workers are incited by the capitalists and the behind-the-scenes reactionaries. We must not tolerate this protest, or else those capitalists and reactionaries will be more demanding.


    I have calcted that the empire will win this war soon, and any clown will not shake the empire at all." Before Nichs II could give any opinions, Rasputin sitting next to him immediately spoke.


    As aplete chatan, Rasputin was very obsessed with the feeling of power.


    Relying on the trust of Nichs II and his wife, Rasputin handled most of Russia''s political and military affairs, and even suggested scapegoating front-linemanders and capitalists.


    For Rasputin, maintaining the stability of Nichs II''s position was very important. After all, as long as Nichs II and his wife were alive, he could use them to control the entire Russian power.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the impact his decisions would have on Russia, Rasputin neither cared nor was fully aware.


    Expecting an illiterate chatan to understand the principles of governance and military strategy is even more impossible than relying on Nichs II''s military prowess.


    Empress Alexandra also nodded in agreement, fully supporting Rasputin''s decision to use force to suppress the protests.


    Nichs II had used force to suppress protests before, so naturally, he had no objections.


    With Nichs II''s nod, the Saint Petersburg garrison began to take action, surroundingrge crowds of protesters and starting to forcibly disperse them.


    To prevent capitalists and reactionaries from escaping Saint Petersburg, at Nichs II''smand, the entire city went into martialw, with no one allowed to enter or exit without the Tsar''s order.


    To prevent corruption in the Saint Petersburg garrison and police, Nichs II decided to bring in front-line troops and forcibly ordered all police to stay in the police station, not to act without orders.


    It is important to know that the situation of the Saint Petersburg garrison was much worse than that of the front-line troops, but it could not guarantee that there were no people bought by the reactionaries and capitalists among them.

 Chapter 568: Chapter 442: Earthquake in Russia Nation_2

    There''s no need to say more about the police, who, like the workers, were suffering from the high prices in Saint Petersburg, and their discontent with the government was only natural.


    After Saint Petersburg was put under martialw, arge number of protesters were immediately scared away.


    Keep in mind that martialw would not be imposed in Saint Petersburg without particrly important and urgent reasons.


    As the capital of the empire, each time Saint Petersburg was under martialw, it also meant that there would be bloodshed in the city.


    The workers only wanted to fight for their rights, not to sacrifice their lives for those capitalists.


    After Nichs II''s fury, arge number of protesters were scared away.


    After most of the blindly following workers were scared away, what remained werergely workers bought off by capitalists or drawn in by political parties.


    There were not many of these workers, totaling less than ten thousand people, and they were scattered throughout the streets of Saint Petersburg.


    Some of them wanted to withdraw, but they soon found it was toote. Arge number of military forces had already surrounded the streets of Saint Petersburg, and they were faced with cold gun barrels.


    "Sir, this must be a misunderst..." A party member leading the group tried to plead and exin, but was interrupted by an oing bullet.


    Bang!


    The body fell onto the street, and the sound of the collision was not loud, but it heavily struck the hearts of all the participants in the protests.


    These protesters, organized by capitalists and political parties, were mostly workers who were discontented due to losing their jobs.


    These people had no weapons, only their fervent passion for their livelihoods.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After the military took the initiative to open fire, the remaining protesters quickly calmed down. They hurriedly put down their banners and looked at the military with fear, waiting for their fate.


    "Take them all away!"


    Seeing that no one resisted, the leadingmander nodded in satisfaction and ordered the soldiers to arrest all the protesters.


    It was not just the protesters who were arrested, but also newspapers that had criticized the Tsarist government, factories and individuals who had been involved in the protests, were also on the arrest list.


    From the military''srge-scale operations in Saint Petersburg for several days, it could be inferred that at least tens of thousands of people were arrested during this suppression.


    On October 25, 1916, the Russian Government beganrge-scale executions of arrested prisoners.


    The Tsarist government dealt with these people very brutally, either providing more useful leads for the government, or being executed directly.


    Few people were unafraid of death, leading to an ever-expanding list of arrests and even involving arge number of people outside Saint Petersburg.


    For a time, the entire city of Saint Petersburg was in a panic. People did not even dare to step out of their homes, as patrolling military forces could arrest them at any moment.


    Although this improved the security environment in Saint Petersburg, Russians soon faced a grave issue ¨C the food crisis.


    Nichs II had no intention of providing relief to themon people, even though the food crisis in Saint Petersburg was getting worse.


    To Nichs II, he had already shown leniency by not dealing with the protesting workers, and any active relief for themon people would have to wait for his next life.


    Nichs II had no intention of winning over the hearts of the people. After all, with a poption of 160 million, giving each person one Ruble would cost at least 160 million Rubles, which was not a small expense.


    Nichs II thought it was unlikely that anyone would spend their own money to save the people, let alone these Russians, who would not hurt a hair over the deaths of millions of grey livestock.


    With Saint Petersburg under martialw, although prices did not rise in the short term, the problem was that most people had lost their jobs.


    Previously, people had money but could not afford the prices; now, they had no money and could not afford them even more. They could only watch helplessly as the sacked food in warehouses was shipped to the pce or divided among high officials and nobles.


    But no one dared to covet the food supply teams, as they not only had arge number of soldiers guarding them, but the city was also filled with patrolling units. This was not something unarmed factory workers could afford to covet.


    However, this presented an opportunity for various political parties. After many capitalists were ousted, factory workers were adrift like rootless duckweed. They had no ability to resist the government, but they were indeed facing a life-threatening crisis.


    Now, just a small amount of grain could quickly rally these workers to their respective political parties, strengthening their power.


    Nichs II might not value these workers. However, for the reactionary political parties being heavily hunted by the government, the massive support of these workers is vital to survival, and further helps achieve their purpose.


    Regarding Russia''s political parties, most of them had ns to overthrow the government. This is not surprising, for such a decaying autocratic empire, there had long been dissatisfied people ready to y the dragon and seize a life-ending opportunity.


    Indeed, looking at all countries in the world, as long as there is a human society, there will always be ss differences and vested interests.


    The upper echelons want to squeeze the lower sses as much as possible, draining their full value for their own benefit.


    After being squeezed for a long time, the lower sses will eventually produce dragon-ying warriors, and these warriors often sessfully overthrow the ruling power.


    However, the issue is that whether it is a tribe or a country, it cannot exist without practical leaders.

 Chapter 569: Chapter 442: Earthquake in Russia Nation_3

    Power always clouds the human mind, and when desire triumphs over reason, a dragon-ying warrior can turn into a malevolent dragon.


    This cycle ys out in every country and at every point in time. As long as humans exist, it is a topic that can never be avoided.


    Starting from the end of October, political parties led by the Workers'' Alliance began to distribute a portion of grain to those workers who could not afford food. The requirement was that these workers had to sign a deration against the Russian Government.


    Under normal circumstances, even if enduring hunger, most workers would not sign such a deration.


    If caught by the government, the signatories would bring about a catastrophe not only for themselves but also for their whole family and loved ones.


    But now, things are different. If there is no more food aid, these workers and their families will starve to death.


    It''s a choice between starving to death now or possibly being discovered by the government in the future, and most intelligent people know what to choose.


    Under the instigation of these political parties, tens of thousands of workers signed the deration against the government, and they had no choice but to stand with these parties.


    As time moved into early November 1916, Nichs II sessfullypleted hisrge-scale purge, and Saint Petersburg regained its previous order.


    The seizure of a massive amount of capitalist wealth provided Nichs II and the Tsarist Government withrge amounts of funds and supplies. Nichs II generously distributed a small portion of the supplies to the people of Saint Petersburg.


    If carried out immediately after the purge, this act might have won some public sentiment. But unfortunately, it''s toote now. Apart from the workers who signed the deration against the government and were coerced by the parties, it was impossible to return to their previous calm lives.


    A crisis even more chaotic than the previousrge demonstrations is about to erupt, and Nichs II, who is currentlycent, has no idea.


    The failure of the previous demonstrations made the reactionary forces clearly aware that mere moderate demonstrations would not change government policy.


    Faced with dissatisfaction over Nichs II''s recent purge, after careful consideration, the Bolshevik Party and other political parties decided tounch an armed uprising to forcefully overthrow this savage and brutal government.


    On November 7, 1916, thousands of workers forcibly upied the armory in Saint Petersburg, seizing arge amount of guns and ammunition from the armory.


    Because the purge had just ended, Nichs II and the Russian upper echelons were very satisfied with the results of the purge, and they had long rxed their vignce over the order in Saint Petersburg.


    This led to only a few dozen soldiers guarding the armory in Saint Petersburg, and there was no patrol system in ce.


    After the armory was upied, arge number of weapons were distributed to the workers. At the same time, a small portion of the Saint Petersburg garrison who was sympathetic to the Workers'' Party also defected to the side of the rebellious workers and joined the armed uprising.


    Thebination of soldiers and workers totalled tens of thousands, they marched mightily toward the Winter Pce and various government departments, attracting arge crowd of spectators.


    With the Tsarist Governmentpletely unprepared, the rebel forces quickly upied the Winter Pce and various government departments, arresting numerous high-ranking Russian officials and generals.


    Lucky for Nichs II, he was residing in his Travel Manor outside Saint Petersburg at that time and not in the Winter Pce, else he would have been arrested.


    But the rebel forces that upied the Winter Pce and the government departments effectively controlled the vast majority of Saint Petersburg.


    The capture of the capital was a severe blow to both Nichs II and Russia. If not handled properly, such rebellions could break out anywhere in Russia.


    Nichs II urgently called back the troops that had just withdrawn from Saint Petersburg on the one hand, and asked Britain, France, and Austrsia for help on the other hand.


    When Arthur received the news of the rebellion in Russia, it was already November 8th.


    The news of internal conflict in Russia was not good news for the Allies, it almost certainly meant that Russia was going to withdraw from the war.


    No matter who eventually gained power from the civil unrest, those in power in Russia would have no strength left to continue the war.


    If Russia was no longer a distraction, the Germans, now fighting a single front, would be no weaker than the British and French forces, and they might even have the ability to help the already precarious Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    In order to ensure as much stability as possible inside Russia, as well as to weaken the power of the future Soviet Union, Arthur made a quick decision, ordering the intelligence personnel in Russia to save the family of Nichs II if possible, or at least rescue the direct heir to the throne such as Crown Prince Alexei, to ensure the continued existence of the Russian monarchy.


    The Russian Empire ruled by the Romanov Dynasty was an ally of Austrsia, but the rebel-controlled Russian government had no rtionship with Austrsia.


    Nations formed by these political parties could easily influence the Russian people in Austrsia and would also cause the Allies and Austrsia to lose a major ally.


    ording to the trend of Russia''s history after the rebellion, Russia and the United States together destroyed the colonial system that Britain and France had maintained for over a hundred years, dethroning these two top Powers.


    For arge country like Austrsia, with a considerable amount of colonies and territories, the copse of the colonial system was not good news.


    Therefore, weakening the power of this country that has yet to be established has be necessary.


    On November 9, 1916, a huge tide of rebellion besieged the manor where Nichs II resided.


    This manor was guarded by thousands of soldiers, enough to ensure the safety of Nichs II under normal circumstances.


    But now, facing tens of thousands of besieging people, all Nichs II could hope for was support from his allies and reinforcement from front-line troops.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The thing that worried Nichs II the most happened. There was a military mutiny inside the manor, and although not sessful, it reduced thebat effectiveness of the guards greatly.


    After two days of continuous besiege, the manor was finally conquered by the rebels, and Nichs II and his royal family members were arrested by the rebels with pale faces.


    Although the rebellion in Russia was sessfully carried out, the current situation in Russia was not as smooth as it appeared on the surface.


    The rebel forces in Russia were actually still split into two factions. The more powerful faction was the Workers Alliance formed by the Bolsheviks and other workers'' parties.


    This faction advocates the establishment of apletely democratic republic and the removal of the monarchy that has existed in Russia for thousands of years.


    As for the other faction, it was dominated by bigndlords and capitalists in Russia. The capitalists had been weakened before, so this faction was weaker than the workers'' ss.


    But the bourgeoisie feared the working ss even more than they feared the previous Tsarist government because the workers and the bourgeoisie are naturally oppositional. The bourgeoisie represents exploitation, while the workers started the rebellion in order to resist exploitation.


    Out of fear of being punished by the working ss in the future, the bourgeoisie opposed the abolition of the monarchy and advocated the establishment of a constitutional monarchy to transfer power to the parliament, where all political parties wouldpete fairly.


    The proposal of the bourgeoisie was soon opposed by the working ss. Most of the bourgeoisie were grand nobles and capitalists, and although their power was weak, they had much more capital than the working ss.


    If they onlypete in parliament, as long as the bourgeoisie is willing to ssh money, the working ss would never be able topete with the bourgeoisie.


    This was tantamount to giving power to the bourgeoisie. It not only vited the original intention of the working ss to start the rebellion but also contrary to the desire of some workers'' alliance parties to gain power.

 Chapter 570: Chapter 443: The Confrontation of Two Powers

    The news of the sessful uprising in Saint Petersburg quickly spread throughout Russia, and it incited more cities to carry outrge-scale strikes and protest marches.


    In these cities withrge-scale strikes and demonstrations, it is evident that the demonstrators are divided into two factions: the working sses and capitalism.


    Following Saint Petersburg is Moscow, and then the surrounding major cities and important developments. Moscow''s Red Square, the Kremlin Pce, and the Moscow Arsenal were upied by uprising troops within just a few days, and the rebellion had spread throughout the European region of Russia.


    Before World War I, Russia was an enormous country. The westernmost part was Pnd, which had been divided with Germany, while the easternmost part reached the Asian border and separated from the United States by the Bering Strait.


    Thus, Russia was a thoroughly transcontinental country, upying not onlyrge areas of Eastern Europe but also vastnd in North Asia.


    Although Russia''s territory is vast, the essence of Russia is still Eastern Europe.


    This revolution affected the area from St. Petersburg to Moscow and almost half of Western Russia''s area, except for the frontline region. One can also understand this as directly affecting more than half of Russia.


    The two most important cities in Russia are Saint Petersburg, the current capital, and Moscow, the former capital.


    These two cities, along with the essence of Russia in Eastern Europe, have now been upied by the uprising troops.


    During the incitement of the uprising, the Workers'' Alliance and capitalism vigorously encouraged surrounding cities to carry outrge-scale strikes and protests and took the opportunity to add their people to these cities, intending to control them.


    Under the premise of obvious interest differences between the capitalist group and the workers'' group, whoever can grasp more power and control of future government depends on the number of cities controlled by all parties.


    On November 15, 1916, the uprising troops instigated the Baltic Sea fleet. A significant part of Russia''s military strength was in the hands of the uprising forces.


    Moreover, the frontline soldiers also weed the uprising. They even quickly established a Soldiers'' Committee to supervise the army''s officers.


    Arge number of Russianmon people also weed this revolution. They needed to overthrow the Tsarist system to bring political liberation and thend ofndlords to bring economic liberation.


    When all Russianmon people couldn''t get enough to eat, as long as the rebels could provide them with grain, they would support these uprising troops unconditionally.


    On November 16, the Soviet regime was officially established and amodated the vast majority of workers'' parties, including the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks.


    On the day the Soviet regime announced its establishment, the bourgeoisie found the captured Nichs II and asked him to sign an appointment letter.


    In this appointment letter, the Duke of Georgian Yevgenyevich Lvov of the Constitutional Democratic Party was appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers, and Niki Nichyevich was appointed as the Supreme Commander-in-chief of Russia.


    With the appointment letter in hand, the bourgeoisie immediately dered the establishment of the State Duma Temporary Committee andpeted with the Workers'' Party for power in the Soviet regime.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Soviet regime has the support of arge number of workers, while the State Duma Temporary Committee is supported by the old nobility, including Nichs II.


    For a moment, Russia became even more chaotic after the victory of the revolution, with two powers coexisting but having opposing administrative ideologies.


    Nichs II did not sign the historical abdication deration because the old aristocracy and the royalist faction still had a strong power, and the Soviet system and the bourgeois regime had not yet determined the primary and secondary positions.


    Compared to the State Duma Temporary Committee, which is entirelyposed of the bourgeoisie, the Soviet regime is more dispersed, including most of the workers'' parties, among which thergest are the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.


    These two parties also have certain conflicts, both seeking the leadership position in the Soviet regime.


    The Mensheviks, unlike the Bolsheviks who staunchly established a republican regime, promoted a capittionist line, sought to limit the scope of the revolution, and believed that the legitimate owner after overthrowing the Tsarist system could only be the bourgeoisie.


    With the help of the Mensheviks, the State Animation Temporary Committee quickly reced the Soviet regime and gradually seized more power in post-revolution Russia.


    On November 20, 1916, the first bourgeois interim government of Russia was established. It was a constitutional monarchy interim government, Nichs II retained the position of Tsar, but lost all administrative and military powers.


    Grand Landlord Duke Georgy Lvov became the first prime minister of the interim government and minister of the interior, and other positions were also divided among the major bourgeois political parties.


    However, at the same time, the powers of the Soviet regime have not been entirely lost. Although many revolutionary areas, including Saint Petersburg, have been controlled by the interim government, Moscow and the surrounding areas are still under Soviet control.


    However, the Soviet regime still nominally follows the rule of the interim government, but the interim government has no real power in the Moscow region.


    Russia''s revolution had drawn worldwide attention, particrly from the Allied group led by Germany.


    For Germany, the Russian revolution was a great piece of good news. Russians were caught in internal disorder and certainly didn''t have enough power to continue the war.

 Chapter 571: Chapter 443: Conflict of Two Powers_2

    Not only was it Germany''s chance to relieve itself from fighting in multiple lines, but it was also a great opportunity tounch arge-scale counterattack against the British and French forces on the Western Front.


    As for Britain and France, they currently did not have enough power to interfere with the revolution in Russia. Moreover, the current Russian revolution has not affected the monarchy, but merely established a constitutional monarchy simr to Britain, which was not uneptable.


    If Russians, like the French Revolution in history, were to overthrow the monarchy and execute Nichs II, they would certainly be held ountable by Britain, France and other monarchical countries after the war.


    The European royal family could allow European monarchs to lose their power, but they would not sit idly by and let European monarchs be executed by revolutionaries.


    No one can guarantee that their own country would not experience a revolution. If the arbitrary execution of monarchs was tolerated, it might one day happen in other European monarchies.


    Always closely observing the situation in Russia and knowing that the Provisional Government had already gained most of the rights, Arthur heaved a sigh of relief.


    At least the situation in Russia hasn''t copsed to the point ofpleteck of control. Although the Provisional Government is bourgeois, it still adheres to the constitutional monarchy, and the conflict with monarchism is not severe.


    If the power was seized by the Soviet regime, the concept conveyed by such a republic to neighboring countries would be terrifying and could have a huge impact on monarchies.


    After the establishment of the Provisional Government, both the Allies and the Allied Powers immediately initiated bargaining with the new government in Russia.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Allies wanted Russia to continue the war, even if it was just a small part of the German Army''s force on the Eastern Front.


    The Allied Nations wanted Russia to withdraw from the war, which would free up their hands to deal with the British and French forces on the Western Front.


    The good news was that the establishment of the Russian Provisional Government was rather moderate, and its foundation was based on Nichs II''s appointment letter.


    Additionally, the Bolshevik and Soviet regime, which truly wanted to overthrow the monarchy, had retreated to Moscow. The Provisional Government and the areas near Saint Petersburg were under the control of the royalist faction.


    Although Nichs II had been stripped of a great deal of power at the moment, he still had a certain status.


    On November 25, 1916, Britain, France, Russia and Australia held an Entente Powers Conference in St. Petersburg. They discussed the French-Russian Allies'' nextbat n and tried to persuade Russia to stay in the war.


    For this, Britain and France spared no effort. They agreed to low-consumption loans of up to 5 billion rubles to the new Russian government, and promised to deliver ample food and winter supplies to Russia, helping the Russian government to get through the difficulties.


    At the Entente Powers Conference, Britain, France and Australia repeatedly reaffirmed the rtions between the Four Great Powers of the Allies, and verbally promised that they would not reduce a bit of Russia''s contributions and post-war interests.


    Russia, at present, is still an integral part of the Allies and one of the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    It was clear that the terms offered by the Allies were satisfactory to the Russian government. The low-interest loans of up to 5 billion rubles, as well as arge amount of food and emergency supplies, were enough to help the new Russian government win the hearts of the people while surviving the crisis.


    The distribution of interests after the war, promised by the Allies, was enough to earn these bourgeoisie andrgendlords enough interests after the war.


    After two days of conference, the new Russian government and the Allies reached an agreement. Russia wouldn''t withdraw from the war for the time being, but also wouldn''t initiate arge-scale battle actively.


    Russia would take defensive measures on the front line to attract more German soldiers for Britain and France as much as possible.


    Meanwhile, the loans promised by Britain and France should be disbursed on time, and all kinds of aid supplies should not be less.


    Arge part of the reason why people revolted was a hatred for this war. To satisfy the people, the new Russian government decided to distribute some emergency supplies to all themon people in Saint Petersburg and nearby areas for free.


    These supplies included 250 kg of grain and 100 kg of coal per household, warm clothing for each person, and some medicines.


    Clearly, the distribution of such supplies was satisfactory to a significant part of Russian public and also got the new Russian government epted by the people.


    This was actually a scheme of the Provisional Government. After all, there were two governments in Russia at present. The public''s attitude towards the two governments would certainly be different.


    It also meant that after the Provisional Government distributed supplies for free, the Soviet regime must issue the same policy immediately to satisfy the civilians who supported it.


    After all, everyone supports the revolution in order to live a better life. If their own survival issue couldn''t be resolved, more people would definitely change sides.


    But the problem is that there''s a huge difference in assets between the Provisional Government and the Soviet regime.


    The Provisional Government was made up of medium and small capitalists,rgendowners, old nobles, and other former middle and high-level personnel who held a great amount ofnd and resources in Russia.


    On the other hand, while the Soviet regime also controlled the wealthy Moscow region, all the major parties that made up the Soviet regime wereposed of ordinary workers and the capital they held was not substantial.


    Furthermore, the Russian Provisional Government had strong support from the Allies, while the Soviet regime was hostile to all European monarchies.


    In such a situation, there''s no way that the Soviet regime couldpete with the Provisional Government in terms of welfare policies.

 Chapter 572: Chapter 443: Conflict of Two Powers_3

    Thesemon people were easily influenced by these small welfare policies and food distribution measures. If the Soviet regime had no proper response, the provisional government''s advantages would grow bigger and bigger.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this time, Germany obviously couldn''t offer the same generous conditions as the Allies. Germans were severely depleted by the war and naturally couldn''t afford to use huge amounts of funds and resources to support Russia.


    This indirectly strengthened the Russians'' confidence in continuing the war since there is financial and material support from Britain and France, while Russia can just maintain a defensive posture on the front line.


    Since the Soviet regime couldn''t offer the same welfare benefits as the provisional government, the public''s sentiment has visibly shifted in favor of the provisional government.


    In order not to lose support from the working ss andmon people, the Soviet regime could only criticize the provisional government''s reluctance to withdraw from the war.


    Because most Russians had received tangible benefits, their desire to withdraw from the war wasn''t as strong.


    Actually, the public didn''t oppose the war itself, but the Tsarist regime''s disregard for the lives of the Russian civilians for the sake of the war.


    If Nichs II could provide supplies to the workers andmon people earlier and effectively control Russian prices, perhaps the great revolution would not have happened.


    Unable to offer actual material benefits, the Soviet regime had to find other ways, like implementing the eight-hour work system, which the working ss cared about.


    Of course, it wasn''t exactly an implementation since Tsarist Russia already had an eight-hour work system as well.


    But the eight-hour work system in Tsarist Russia was more of a formality. Before the war, the average work time for Russian workers had already exceeded ten hours, and after the war broke out, it widely surpassed twelve hours.


    The Soviet regime announced the protection of the eight-hour work system and strictly implemented it in the Moscow region, eliminating all demands for unpaid overtime.


    If more than eight hours were required, double overtime pay for the additional work hours was needed, and the total work hours shouldn''t exceed ten hours per day or sixty hours per week.


    This system did win the favor of many workers, after all, work hours and wages were the top concerns for workers collectively.


    Besides the eight-hour work system, the Soviet regime also established a food distribution system, centralizing the distribution of food, livestock, and various supplies in the Moscow region, ensuring that allmon people could get a fair share of resources.


    The war had a tremendous impact on Russia.


    One significant reason for the bourgeoisie''s provisional government to eventually gain power was that arge number of rural poptions and working-ss people were conscripted into the military and sent to the frontlines.


    Those who remained in Saint Petersburg and Moscow were mainly factory owners, nobility, and the upper-middle ss, who smoothly gained power in the revolutionary government.


    Due to the massive conscription of rural poption and workers, Russian agricultural production was severely affected.


    ording to the previous Russian government''s statistics, Russia''s cultivatednd area had decreased by at least 10 million acres, livestock numbers had dropped from 18 million to about 13 million, and total grain ie had decreased by about a quarter.


    The establishment of the centralized distribution system by the Soviet regime was also ast resort. If the Moscow region''s resources were not centrally distributed, arge number ofmon people wouldn''t be able to ess supplies and wouldn''t firmly support the Soviet regime.

 Chapter 573: Chapter 444: Cultural Propaganda

    Although Russia has agreed to continue the war, its diplomatic rtions areplex.


    On one hand, Russia, after receiving massive aid from Britain and France, did not withdraw its frontline troops.


    On the other hand, Germany and Russia are maintaining some contact, and there seems to be the possibility of a peace treaty between Germany and Russia.


    Now that the war has reached this point, both the Allies and the Central Powers are exhausted.


    Almost 20 million soldiers have been involved in the war on both sides, and the casualty numbers have soared after the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme.


    ording to the current situation revealed by various countries, the total casualty figures in World War I have reached nearly 12 million, with over 5 million confirmed deaths.


    This casualty figure is exaggerated. Europe''s great powers had not even deployed 5 millionbined soldiers before the war began, which now represents a quarter of the total fighting force.


    What this implies is that Europe''s pre-war elite troops have been basically depleted, and most of the armies participating in the war are now hastily conscripted after the outbreak of the conflict.


    Russia was the first country to experience civil unrest due to the war, but it will not be thest.


    At present, the war has had a significant impact on Europe, with the extension of working hours, the reduction of material distribution, and the conscription of many adult men, making a growing number of Europeans increasingly disgusted with this war.


    As early as six months ago, Germany put forward aprehensive peace proposal. But Germany is currently the country with the most upied territories and the most gains, so Britain and France would naturally not ept ending the war on these terms.


    Therefore, the hope for peace talks ended, and the ongoing Russian unrest has given the Germans another chance to engage in frequent contact with the Russians.


    In fact, diplomatic activities during the war are not limited to these. Outside of Europe, the ind nations of Asia and the United States on the other side of the Antic are closely following this war.


    Historically, the United States haspeted with the ind nations during World War I for control of the Pacific and Far East, causing intense conflicts between them.


    However, now all of these territories have been essentially taken over by Austrsia, and there are no longer any conflicts between the United States and the ind nations.


    Even the US-Japanese Alliance Treaty, signed a few years ago, seemed to be aimed at jointly confronting Austrsia and upying the Far East and the Pacific Inds.


    Regrettably, the rtionship between Austrsia and the major powers of the Allied Nations has remained very close, and the small US-Japanese Alliance can hardly oppose the Allied Nations as a whole, both during and after the war.


    Unlike the intrigues with the ind nations over the German colonies in East Asia, the Americans clearly have greater ambitions.


    When World War I first broke out, President Wilson of the United States dered America''s strict neutrality. But this was not to keep the United States out of the war or away from international affairs.


    ording to President Wilson''s own words, this was to preserve sufficient strength during the early stages of the war, and assume the role of arbitrator in deciding the oue of the war during thetter stages.


    Obviously, rather than participating actively in the war, the Americans would prefer to preserve their strength, join the winning side with minimal casualties, and ultimately emerge victorious in this war.


    In fact, the United States and Austrsia are the only two major powers rtively unaffected by the war.


    While other European countries are facing waves of strikes, anti-war movements, and revolutions, the economies of the United States and Austrsia continue to thrive.


    Compared to the US economy, the growth of the Austrsian economy is even faster.


    Although there is still a certain gap between the overall size of their economy and that of the United States, it has made a considerable profit from extensive trade with the Allied Countries, obtainingrge amounts of resources, gold, minerals, and technology.


    In the trade with the Russians alone, Austrsia has already gained gold worth up to 20 million pounds.


    Although it only appears to be 20 million pounds, it equates to a gold reserve weighing over 146 tons, ording to the previous exchange rate between the pound and gold.


    Bear in mind, this is pure gold, not gold contained within gold mines. Gold reserves are essential to a country''s currency system, whether it''s the present gold standard or the future mary system.


    This not only represents the value of the currency, but also guarantees the currency''s credibility.


    Indeed, therge influx of gold from Europe has prevented the Australian Dor from experiencing significant depreciation, and its value remains resilient.


    Precisely because of the stable currency, the lives of Austrsians are much better off than those of Europeans, and the country''s current living conditions remain stable.


    When Europe is experiencing waves of strikes, protests, and revolutions, everything within Austrsia remains calm, and the people''s support for the government and the royal family remains high.


    Of course, even though the current situation is stable, increasing the people''s support for the government is not a bad idea.


    Austrsia never ceased to promote war propaganda and enhance national cohesion. While European countries widely produced cultural works calling for support for the war, various literary works and films were widely broadcast within Austrsia.


    With a rtively stable domestic life, watching movies becamemon for Austrsians.


    Although they were only simple ck-and-white sound films, they were already considered rare leisure time for the people of Austrsia in this era.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Whether it was free movies yed on National Day and holidays or ticketed movies during normal times, they attracted arge audience.


    Among all categories of films, Austrsians prefer patriotic propaganda films the most.


    These were carefully selected scripts by Arthur,bined with the production of major film studios and integrating propaganda techniques fromter generations, naturally attracting the inexperienced people of Austrsia.


    As long as they identified with their country, a patriotic sentiment would naturally arise under the influence of propaganda and indoctrination.


    It was precisely because of this patriotic sentiment that the support for the war among Austrsians soared unprecedentedly high. Strikes and anti-war protestsmon in Europe werepletely absent in Austrsia.


    After all, Europe''s protest marches were due to their lives being troubled by the war.


    They not only faced longer overtime hours, but the government also restricted the supply of materials, and arge number of civilians were forced to go to the battlefield.


    Various factors made the Europeanmoners extremely dissatisfied with the war. Even in the British Empire, dozens of strikes and protests broke out this year, with a total of more than 300,000 workers and civilians participating.


    Austrsians did not suffer from such circumstances. Even before the outbreak of the war, they were encouraged to stockpile a year''s supply of food.


    The Austrsian government opened up grain reserves twice for each household, allowing most Austrsian families to stockpile nearly a thousand catties of grain.


    Moreover, the strategic grain reserves of the Austrsian government exceeded 6 million tons, enough for all Austrsians to live for more than a year and a half without any food production.


    With the highly developed animal husbandry in Austrsia, there was no food crisis for Austrsians, and the daily food and calorie intake before and after the war did not decline, and even increased in terms of meat consumption.


    It was precisely because of the abundant food production and excellent animal husbandry in Austrsia that it was the only warring country that did not implement a system of material rationing.


    Although food prices did rise after the war broke out, they remained at a reasonable figure, a number sufficient for all Austrsians to afford food, under the control of the royal financial group.


    Moreover, the Royal Relief Committee had not stopped working during the war, still providing free food and medical supplies to low-ie and no-ie individuals.


    Austrsians can proudly dere that they are undoubtedly the best of all participating countries.


    Of course, despite living well, Arthur had no intention of unting their good life, and their external image remained simple.


    In order to better familiarize the public with the royal family and increase their goodwill towards the royal family, the Royal Film Production Studio made a movie about the Austrsian royal family, which included Arthur''s entire day of work and the royal family''s clothing, food, housing, and transportation.


    In this film, simr to a promotional video, the food of Arthur and the royal family was very simple. Breakfast consisted of a slice of bread and a ss of milk, with a vegetable soup.


    Lunch was a steak, mashed potatoes, and a grilled sausage, apanied by a ss of red wine from the winery.


    Dinner was even simpler with a Spanish-style fried rice, a light stir-fried vegetable dish, and some fruits.


    While their life was slightly better than that of themon people, it was still on a simr level.


    If the people of Austrsia wanted to live more luxuriously, they could have the same diet as Arthur.


    That was also what Arthur wanted to portray: the simplicity and frugality of the royal family. When people saw that their food was not much different from that of the royal family, even if the war affected them, their dissatisfaction would dissipate.


    However, themon people obviously did not know that the chefs in the pce were different from those outside, and the food they made also had essential differences.


    For example, the steak that Arthur ate was selected from the best meat and cooked precisely to the second, with seasonings from all over the world and exquisite craftsmanship. Inter generations, it would be a luxury item.


    Of course, frugality and simplicity were not the only things on disy. After the outbreak of the war, royal family members did not travel ostentatiously, did not visit any Australian streets and shops, and did not purchase any luxury items.


    In the eyes of the people, the royal family''s clothing, food, housing, and transportation became simple, which made the people love the royal family even more. After all, it was rare for nobles to share hardships with the people, let alone Arthur, who gave out massive funds every year to help the poor.


    Although they did not buy a lot of clothing and luxury items openly, in private, the royal family''s personal tailors and jewelers made bespoke clothes and jewelry for all royal family members every year.


    For all the members of the European royal families, bespoke items were the best. The cost of any bespoke gown of Arthur exceeded 10,000 Australian dors, not to mention the actual price after considering the time cost andbor cost.

 Chapter 574: Chapter 445: Preparing for the Attack

    Amidst war and diplomacy, 1916 quickly passed.


    Looking back at the whole of 1916, the situation in Europe was chaotic. The sessiveunch of the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme in 1916 turned the year blood-red.


    These two battles alone caused more than 5 million casualties for the British, French, and German armies, with over 2 million deaths, making them two unquestionably gigantic battles.


    For the overwhelming majority of participating countries, this war brought mainly losses. The loss of human resources, economy, supplies, and territory led the war to be perceived negatively in the eyes of most Europeanmon people.


    If there were sufficiently advanced polling agencies to conduct polls among the civilians of all European warring nations, the support rate of European citizens for this war would undoubtedly be less than one-third.


    After the dismissal of the former French Commander-in-Chief, Cynthia, the new French Commander-in-Chief was General Neville.


    Unlike the conservative and stubborn Cynthia, Neville had a terrifying impulse and passion hidden within his heart.


    France''s carefully nned Battle of the Somme failed to achieve the excellent results they had imagined, leading the newly-appointed Commander-in-Chief Neville to develop different ns.


    Throughout 1916, France and Germany were engaged in a horrifying war of attrition, which Neville disliked greatly.


    After Neville took over as the French Commander-in-Chief, the French citizens generally hoped that he would bring about glorious victories to end the war.


    It was precisely because of the people''s expectations for Neville that, as the time entered 1917, Neville decided to n a new campaign and named it the Spring Offensive.


    The main core of the Spring Offensive was essentially an erged replica of Neville''s victorious experience in the Verdun area.


    Neville selected a bulge formed by the German army from east to west on the banks of the Ena River. The north was the British army, and the south was the French army.


    Neville nned for the British tounch a fierce attack first, just like the Battle of Verdun at the time, to lure the Germans out, then he wanted the French to attack the German nks, tearing open a gap in the German trench system, thus achieving a victory decisive enough to end the war.


    Of course, in order to expand the results and even promote the arrival of peace, Neville also requested the Italian and Balkan Allied forces on the southern front to urgently attack the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    At present, except for Russia, the weakest of the great powers should probably be the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Up until now, the casualties of the Austro-Hungarian Empire have exceeded 3 million, with the death toll exceeding 1.2 million.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Currently, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has less than 1.2 millionbat troops remaining, which must be scattered between the southwestern and southern borders. Under the onught of the Italian and Balkan Allied forces, the borders have be extremely fragile.


    If it were not for the German army sending an army group to help the Austro-Hungarian Empire defend the borders, perhaps the Austro-Hungarian Empire would now be discussing where to set up a temporary capital.


    This does not mean that the current situation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire has improved. The logistics of the frontline troops, the rescue of arge number of wounded soldiers, the shortage of supplies, and the rise of the strike wave all made the Austro-Hungarian Empire feel headaches.


    The neighboring revolution made the Austro-Hungarian Empire sweat profusely, as the possibility of unrest in the Austro-Hungarian Empire was even higher than that of Russia.


    As a multi-ethnic nation, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s various nationalities had always had gaps in status and wealth.


    The long-term war left the empire exhausted, and the death of Francis the First at the end ofst year made it even more difficult for the empire to move forward.


    The sessor to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor was Carl I, the nephew of Francis the First. Following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, Carl was appointed as the Crown Prince of the Empire and the sessor of the Old Emperor.


    But it was clear that Carl I did not possess the abilities of the old emperor, and within a month after ascending the throne, he had not received strong support from the imperial government and the Hungarian government.


    If it weren''t for the lingering influence of the old emperor, the Austro-Hungarian Empire might have erupted in a massive anti-war protest like Russia in an instant.


    After receiving the request from France, Italy agreed first and epted, even agreeing tounch arge-scale offensive on the border with the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Since the outbreak of the war, Italy has achieved the least amount of results. If it were not for Italy''s navy making a significant contribution to the blockade of the Mediterranean and the Antic Ocean, Italy''s presence in this war would be close to zero.


    So far, Italy''s progress on the front line with the Austro-Hungarian Empire has been slow, and after the Austro-Hungarian Empire reinforced its troops, a stalemate emerged.


    If it were not for the Balkan front sharing at least 800,000bat troops of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy would probably now be considering what kind of peace terms to offer.


    It was not meant to belittle Italy, but the fighting capabilities of the Italian army were disappointing, and the results of several battles were even more surprising.


    If it had been any other normal great power, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would probably have surrendered by now.


    Not only did Italy not put too much pressure on the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it also provided the Austro-Hungarian Empire with a batch of weapons and equipment, while also training new recruits.


    The telegram from the French requesting joint operations naturally also reached Thomas, the thenmander-in-chief of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force and Brigadier General of the First Guard Division.


    With Thomas reporting this telegram to the domestic front, after careful consideration by Arthur and the Ministry of Defense, they decided to cooperate with the French in this battle, striving to end the war as much as possible.


    Although Arthur remembers that the Spring Offensive in history did not achieve much, and the French even suffered heavy casualties.


    However, Austrsia''s task in this battle was to contain the Austro-Hungarian Empire and hold back the German Army in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, without directly confronting the main German forces.


    In this way, whether this battle was sessful or not, it would be eptable for Austrsia.


    Anyway, the Austrsian Expeditionary Force''s campaigns in the Balkan Region were continuous, and they were already containing the forces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    In fact, ending the war now would not be uneptable to Austrsia, as they had already gained a lot of benefits from the Allies and secured their ce among the top five powers.


    In terms ofnd, what they had taken is already within their grasp; all that remains is to absorb arge number of German talents and poption after the war and fully enhance the potential of the country.


    No matter what, Austrsia would get a good share of benefits after the war. Whether it was the British attempting to win over Austrsia or the strength that Austrsia had already developed, both could guarantee enough benefit for Austrsia.


    Looking at Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which suffered the most in this war, especially the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they might lose their powerful status.


    Italy''s strength has also been seen clearly by other countries, and even if Italy can maintain its powerful status after the war, it will be the weakest of them.


    A country that can bepletely held back by a small part of the depleted Austro-Hungarian forces cannot be med for being despised by other countries.


    For Arthur, most of his objectives in this war have already been achieved, and European nations have been severely weakened.


    Given the current results, they were already in line with Arthur''s expectations for this war, and there was no need to continue the depletion of forces.


    If Arthur remembers correctly, the United States in history would interfere in the war this year and join in on the action for a share of the spoils.


    The British and French would naturally not reject the American involvement, as the Americans could provide arge number of troops to reduce the casualties of the British and French forces.


    Therge amount of supplies from the United States could also ease the domestic pressure in Britain and France, allowing them to have enough patience to wear down Germany.


    But this would not be a good thing for Austrsia. The United States'' involvement would inevitably require a share, and it would not be a small one.


    ording to Arthur''s strategic n, post-war Austrsia is aiming to dominate the Pacific Ocean.


    This also means that Austrsia would inevitably conflict with the United States on the other side of the Pacific, and even with the ind nation to the north.


    The stronger the allies, the better; the weaker the enemies, the better. Arthur does not want to see the United States take arge share in the war, so the best result is to end the war before the United States enters.


    Keep in mind that the true rise of the United States began with World War I. The United States absorbed arge number of European talents in the two world wars, which led to a major explosion of American technology in a short period of time and led the United States to the position of world domination.


    Considering the national conditions of Austrsia and the United States, if both sides are determined to fight for talent, Austrsia may not necessarily win against the United States.


    After all, the United States was a real superpower, with the economy and industry ranked first in the world, and enjoyed a unique advantage in terms of financial strength.


    Comparing the level of development of the United States alone, there is no doubt that it has more advantages than Austrsia. If the two sides spend a lot of money to attract talent, Austrsia will not be a match for the United States.


    If the United States were to absorb European talent, the gap between Austrsia and the United States would widen, andpeting with the United States would be like throwing an egg at a rock.


    Only by weakening the United States as much as possible can Austrsia hope to defeat the United States in the Pacific struggle for dominance.


    The United States gained a lot from the war in history, and more importantly, strengthened the federal government''s influence on the local area and increased its military strength.


    Before the war, the United States could only be called an economic powerhouse and industrial powerhouse, with a terrible military strength, and its army ranked rock bottom among the powers.


    After the war, the United States made significant progress in both the army and navy. The scale and strength of its army were even higher than those of the middle-level powers.


    This also means that the United States used World War I to transition from an economic powerhouse to a military powerhouse, and sessfully broke free from the control of European capital over the American domestic economy.


    Before World War I, the United States was a debtor country; after the war, it became a creditor country. Through assistance, loans, and various economic means to Europe, itpleted the infiltration of the European continent.

 Chapter 575: Chapter 446: Guo Qiang is in Scientific Research

    For Arthur and Austrsia, preventing the United States from participating in this World War was tantamount toprehensively limiting the development of the United States.


    During World War I, the United States did not achieve muchnd expansion, and the size of U.S. territory is nowherepared to the scale of British and French colonies.


    Nheless, it''s undeniable that the United Statesid the foundation to be a world superpower during World War I, which is far more important than those colonies.


    Even if the British and French colonies were vast, the U.S and the Soviet Union at that time undermined the colonial systems of these two nations, held in ce for hundreds of years, with the exporting of their democratic thoughts.


    Without participating in the war, the United States would not invest heavily in the military and would not achieve a top world power status, let alone attaining a role equivalent to Britain and France.


    Bear in mind, before World War I, the United States'' status in Europe was not high. The stereotypic impressions towards the Americans by the British were the nouveau riche and vulgar rich, and their technological and military prowess were considerably weaker than that of European nations, making theirprehensive strength to be only the fifth power behind Britain, Germany, France, and Russia.


    If they abstained from the war, the United States'' economy would still be controlled by European nations, and the U.S. military capability would remain wiredraw, not even on par with Austrsia.


    Even if the United States changed their strategic n topete with Austrsia in the Pacific region, their military strength would not rise rapidly within a short period because of the restrictions from the U.S. government and Congress. Without the cause of arge-scale war, it would be challenging for the U.S.


    government to substantially increase military investments that Congress would approve.


    Of course, the frontline warfare was then delegated to Brigadier General Thomas, the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force, who would not need to worry frequently.


    The so-called phrase, "Don''t use anyone you doubt, and don''t doubt anyone you use." Trusting the officers on the frontline sufficiently is also an emperor''s technique.


    Of course, this is on the premise that Arthur has controlled the domestic situation. As for William II, internal factions are powerful, and the military controlled by the Junker nobility, it is rather normal for him to be marginalized.


    The joint operational campaigns were left to Brigadier Thomas to handle, while Arthur''s role is to stabilize the domestic situation and promote Austrsia''s development in all aspects.


    With the sessful passing of the National Day in 1917, the people of Austrsia have resumed their everyday lives.


    Arthur, leading a group of officials, began inspecting and traveling around Sydney.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    January is the summer season in Austrsia and it''s not scorching. The highest temperature would only reach slightly above 30 degrees, which is a good time for travel.


    The destination of Arthur and his entourage is the Austrsia National University, one of the first state universities established under Arthur''s administration.


    Students of universities throughout Austrsia have always been known to the outside world as hardworking and diligent.


    Arthur spares no effort in cultivating university students, with plentiful supplies and ess to cuisines from all over the world, enabling these students to rx by using more food while working hard on their studies.


    The regr length of study in Austrsia is four years, where the actual studying time is about two years and approximately another two years for internships.


    Austrsia''s factories and enterprises provide a suitable internship environment for these university students, which further promotes the cultivation of these students'' practical abilities.


    Arthur''s education concept for cultivating university students has always been that practical ability supersedes theoretical knowledge and creative thinking outweighs rote memorization.


    Because of this, not only do these university students need to learn various knowledge in schools, but they also need to intern in various factories and enterprises.


    Once these university students are recognized by the internshippanies and factories, they will graduate smoothly and be outstanding university graduates.


    Because of this unique cultivation method, it can basically ensure that every university graduate of Austrsia has certain abilities and is definitely not a wastrel.


    This is why every new ss of university students in Austrsia is sought after by factories and enterprises, and it''smon for a fresh graduate to be a high-level staff member in small and medium-sized enterprises.


    Don''t underestimate the current university students. So far in Austrsia, the number of university students has not exceeded 500,000, making up only about 2.7% of the total poption.


    Although there are many universities in Austrsia now, and the number of university graduates annually is nearly 15,000.


    But in a short time, the value of a university degree will not decrease, and Austrsia needs more university students to develop the country.


    It is worth mentioning that Australian university students have two to three patriotic education courses each week, with dedicated individuals teaching the ideas of loyalty to the king, patriotism, and serving the country.


    This kind of ideological education course can ensure the university students nurtured by Austrsia work for themselves, not making a dowry for other countries.


    Of course, mere ideological education was not Arthur''s ultimate means of uniting this group of university student talents.


    Improving the welfare of all university students and even all researchers, was Arthur''s main way of attracting scientific research personnel and talents at home and abroad.


    As the saying goes, a schr would die for his heartfelt convictions. Only by showing these university students and talents sufficient respect and appreciation could their loyalty be won over.


    The policy of enhancing the treatment of research personnel will be continuously implemented by Arthur. Funds,nd, titles, medals, etc., can all serve as rewards for these research talents, first ensuring that the research talents trained in Austrsia remain loyal to the country, and on top of that, attracting more international experts to join Austrsia.


    It''s also due to Austrsia''s unique education approach that Austrsian university students are among the most involved in the world.


    Heavy coursework, numerous internships and many research projects keep these university students upied with a never-ending stream of work, with a load of tasks to tackle even during holidays.


    However, upon finding out that Arthur was about to inspect their school, many university students still managed to find some spare time and had already secured their spots on the school square well in advance.


    Ever since Arthur became the Duke of Australia, he has always been in the habit of inspecting schools, factories, and major corporations.


    But after all, considering the size and scale of Austrsia, it has been two years since Arthurst visited the Austrsia National University. Many new students were greatly looking forward to seeing Arthur in person, to witness the king who they and their family members admire.


    The affection the university students have for Arthur is not merely because of the improved benefits Arthur grants them, but also because of the improved treatment Arthur provides to all of their family members and friends.


    While Arthur can guarantee that not all Austrsians belong to high-ie groups, he can ensure that no one in Austrsia will go hungry.


    The substantial investments made by the royal financial group each year are meant to aid all low-ie individuals in Austrsia and to reduce national cmivities.


    Out of more than 3,000 university students in four grades at the National University, without exaggerating, at least one-fifth of their families have received assistance from Arthur.


    Austrsia''s educational environment has greatly improved. Bankrolling a university student is no longer reserved to the high-ie groups; low-ie individuals can also afford to do so now.


    Austrsia''s education subsidy policy starts from primary school, providing educational assistance to students who perform well academically and in handling matters, as well as tuition waivers to a certain extent for students from low-ie families.


    Tuition waiver can reduce up to half of the tuition fee, this is why the average education level and literacy rate of Austrsia''s poption continues to increase significantly year by year.


    When Arthur first arrived in Australia, Australia''s literacy rate and education level were very low, with an average education level of only primary school.


    After nearly 17 years of development, Australia''s current literacy rate has soared above 85%, and the average education level has reached middle school.


    After some preparation, under the watchful eyes of numerous university students, Arthur and his entourage slowly arrived and soon ascended the high tform in the square.


    "Hello, young folks!" Arthur began with a smile, addressing the crowd below the tform.


    "Long live your Majesty!"


    "Good afternoon, your Majesty!"


    University students below the tform answered in chorus.


    "Today''s weather isn''t the best for gathering, but the zing sun is also a test of you all. Tell me, can such heat ovee you, make you give up?" Arthur looked at the zing sun overhead, its temperature already intensely hot, and began his speech.


    "No!" everyone yelled together with all their might.


    "Very good, I see your determination. I certainly believe that your determination will not be shaken by any physical factors, whether it''s scorching sun or freezing wind. You are among the best university students in Austrsia, the hope for Austrsia''s rise, and the expectation of all Austrsians." Arthur continued:


    "Perhaps you are not yet aware of your mission. I want to tell you that your destiny is to make this country stronger and stronger, to allow your family, friends and all your unknownpatriots to live in a peaceful, stable, and powerful country."


    "From the first day you entered university, your instructors have told you that knowledge changes destiny. That''s indeed the case. Austrsia was once a weak country. It was because of the hard work of arge number of Austrsians that our great country could develop into a power, possessing the strength to protect all its citizens."


    "I hope you, the new group of university students, can continue to carry out your mission, and strive for the great country, for the grand rise of Austrsia."


    "As the saying goes, if the youth are wise, the country is wise; if the youth are strong, the country is strong. Now, the burden of national development will fall on your shoulders, and allpatriots are watching you. Young folks, tell me, are you ready yet? Are you ready to face the great mission bestowed upon you by this era?"

 Chapter 576: Chapter 447: Advance Arrangement

    The war continues to this day, and it is clear to those with keen eyes that the war ising to an end. However, the problem is, it is not quite certain how the war will end.


    If one carefully studies the history of the countries involved in World War I, it can be found that the war is a civil conflict within the European royal families and, more importantly, within the German nobility.


    Why is that?


    Firstly, all the powerful nations participating in the war, except for the Republic of France and Italy, have royal families originating from the Germania region.


    It goes without saying that the British Royal Family and the Austrsian Royal Family are members of the German Saxon-Coburg-Gotha family.


    The Romanov Dynasty of Russiaes from the Germania region, and the Habsburg Dynasty of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is also from the Germania region, but it was pushed out by the then Kingdom of Prussia and eventually became the Austrian Empire.


    Besides the royal families of various countries, there is a considerable number of German nobles in the United Kingdom, and a considerable number of British nobles in Germany.


    Theplicated marriage ties between the royal families of various countries have formed an inseparable bloodlinework.


    Therefore, this war can also be regarded as a struggle between European monarchs, which not only significantly weakened the strength of the European royal families but also led to the loss of substantial territories by many European nobles.


    Even the British Empire, which appeared to have a stable royal status, would have been at risk of bing a republic if it were not for the strong royalist factions.


    Therefore, the sooner this World War ends, the less the infighting between the European royal families.


    A more robust monarchy has no drawbacks for Arthur and could even ensure the stability of his throne.


    It is precisely because of this that ending the war as soon as possible has be Arthur''s expectation.


    However, before ending the war, Austrsia also has many issues to resolve.


    First and foremost is the rapid development of Austrsia''s military industry and manufacturing during the war.


    Before the outbreak of the war, Austrsia''s military industry workforce numbered only slightly over 20,000, and this was due to the fact that the war was about to erupt, and the military industry had already undergone significant expansion.


    Now, the number of people employed in the military industry is at least 100,000, and the industrial output has expanded fivefoldpared to 1913 and three timespared to 1914, an exaggeration of the expansion speed.


    The issue of amodating these workers in the military industry after the war is a problem since it is evident that Austrsia does not need such a massive military industry after the war. It must reduce at least to one-fifth of its current scale, or it will face an excess of military industry production capacity.


    Besides the military industry, the expansion of Austrsia''s manufacturing is also an issue. The European War has created arge number of manufacturing orders for Austrsia, enabling many of its private workshops to earn sufficient funds and leading to the production capacity of Austrsia''s manufacturing far exceeding the needs of its native poption.


    A more exaggerated figure is that Austrsia exports nearly 2 million military uniforms to Europe every year, but the needs of the Austrsia Army are only slightly less than 500,000.


    It should be noted that this is the demand for military uniforms after arge-scale expansion of the army. If it were before the war, the number of military uniforms produced by Austrsia each year would be enough for the army''s needs for ten years.


    The most urgent task at present is to gradually reduce the production figures of the military and manufacturing industries and reduce them to a reasonable range to avoid these enterprises facing a bankruptcy crisis.


    Some factories purchased production lines at the cost of selling their assets in order to obtainrger orders.


    If production is reduced too easily, it is easy for factories that have sold assets to purchase production lines to face a debt crisis.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, if production is not reduced from now on, these factories will still face a financial crisis due to excess production capacity after the war.


    After careful consideration, under Arthur''s instruction, the Austrsian Government decided to reduce production ahead of schedule for the entire industry, encouraging factories to retrofit production lines and reduce the production of military products and daily necessities.


    However, there is nock of good news. After the war with the Nethends, Austrsia has almost entirely controlled the entire Dutch East Indies.


    This region has a poption of tens of millions and will be one of the dumping grounds for Austrsia''s products, consuming part of Austrsia''s industrial finished products.


    In addition to the domestic poption growth brought about by the consumption of materials, the number and scale of factories that need to cut production will be eptable.


    For factories that need to cut production, the government will provide certain subsidies to ensure that the vast majority of factories will not go bankrupt because of the reduction in production.


    It also counts as saving Austrsia''s hard-won industry, as the money can be obtained from thepensation of the Allied countries.


    Upon closer inspection, thend Austrsia has gained from this war basically meets the needs of bing a superpower.


    After obtaining the Middle East''snd, Austrsia no longer has any shorings in terms of mineral resources and can be an extremely developed country based solely on mining resources.


    In terms of nativend, the defensive ind chain in northern Austrsia has been fully improved, ensuring protection against attacks from the ind nations in the north and the United States in the east.


    With an outstanding army and a powerful navy, Austrsia can proudly im that before the invention of nuclear bombs and missiles, there was no risk of their nativend being breached.


    As soon as this war is over, the keynote of Austrsia will return to domestic development, governing the vast desert within Austrsia, and developing newly acquired colonies.


    If Australia can attract arge number of talents from Germany and obtain arge number of industrial equipment, and digest these territories, it can be said that Austrsia already has the strength of a top-level power, on par with the British, French and American powers.


    Government officials, in order to better govern these regions, are busy every day with meetings and research.


    Just recently, Arthur vaguely proposed the idea of ??moving the capital at a cab meeting, and the selection of the new capital site and research on public opinion have also vexed the government.


    However, as the highest decision-maker in the government, Arthur naturally would not personally take care of these matters.


    For Arthur, he only needs to control the macro tone of things, while micro-controls are left to the Cab Ministers and their subordinates.


    If a country''s development requires a king to race to death in detailed control of every aspect, then the country''s development is not longsting, and it may only flourish for one generation.


    For Arthur, he has another important task, which is to educate his three children.


    Yes, Queen Mary gave birth to Arthur''s second son more than a year ago, named Peter by Arthur.


    Peter is only one year old now and does not need any education. Arthur''s eldest son William and daughter Anna Miller are both over seven years old and it is time for proper education.


    In order to more practically hone William''s administrative skills, Arthur decided to hand over the development of the Middle East region to William.


    Although William is only seven years old, having undergone fairly strict elite aristocratic education, he appears to be a little adult.


    Of course, if that was the only reason, Arthur would not have handed over the management of such a vast coastal territory along the Persian Gulf to William.


    Another crucial reason is that Arthur does not intend to aggressively exploit the oil along the coast of the Persian Gulf before acquiring more territories there.


    This also means that the development of the coastal territories along the Persian Gulf is not intense, and with Arthur-appointed officials assisting, handing it over to William for management can be reassuring.


    Not that he wants William to experience some setbacks, but given that the poption along the Persian Gulf coast is notrge, it is just right to see what the elite aristocratic education William has experienced in these years has taught him.


    Anyway, the garrison troops along the Persian Gulf coast are not under William''s control, and little William''s mischief will not affect Austrsia''s rule in the region.


    As for the life and death of the indigenous people in the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf, Arthur does not care, and neither do other countries.


    When Arthur initially decided to hand over the management of the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf to William, he could clearly see the excitement in the young boy''s eyes.


    Obviously, the lure of managing a vast territory alone is immense for a boy.


    Arthur also asked Little William what he would do first when he took over the territory, and the surprising answer turned out to be military management and envement of the natives.


    Such an answer is undoubtedly hawkish in thought, but Arthur thinks there is nothing wrong.


    Due to the influence of this world war, hawkish pro-war ideas are increasing in every country.


    Dove-ism domination is a post-war matter. After all, before the end of the war, arge number of ordinary people were influenced by various government intrigues; they only knew about serving the country without realizing the death threats brought by their service.


    When the war was over, people were shocked to discover that more than half of their friends and family had died in the war, and the damage of the war was truly reflected in everyone''s life.


    For Arthur, it''s not bad for William to have hawkish ideas, but it also depends on who is targeted.


    There is no need to care about the life and death of the indigenous people. Moreover, if there are too many local natives in Austrsia''s territory, they are easily deceived by future countries like the United States, which may lead to independence within Austrsia''s territory.


    Instead of this, it is better to solve these natives in advance, until the upied colonies andnds be the legal territory of the Austrsians to reside permanently.


    In the future, there is a clear example: after World War II, the East Prussiannd of Konigsberg was upied by the Russians.


    Konigsberg was once the capital of Prussia, but it was upied by the Russians after the German surrender in World War II.


    In order to better defend thisnd, theyunched arge-scale relocation n, expelling all Germans from thend to West Germany and resettling arge number of Russians there.


    As a result, thisnd that once belonged to the Germans became a territory mostly inhabited by Russians, and thus became a rightful territory of the Russians.

 Chapter 577: Chapter 448: The Sorrow of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

    Neville''s so-called spring offensive has already reached a massive scale on the surface. The outstanding French army alone is hundreds of thousands strong, including the British Expeditionary Force, the Balkan Allied Forces, and the Italian Army, bringing the total number of troops dispatched by the Allies to over 3 million.


    It''s worth noting that this is not long after the battles of Verdun and the River Somme have just ended, and Britain, France, and Germany have already suffered heavy casualties. Being able to deploy such a scale of troops for a new round of battles is already the result of the entire Allied Nations'' efforts.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    One could say that, except for Russia, which is in a defensive posture, Britain, France, Austrsia, and Italy have dispatched considerable-scale armies to participate in this battle.


    For this reason, all countries attach great importance to the uing battle and even regard it as an opportunity to resolve the war.


    At present, all countries are urgently transporting supplies and ammunition to the frontlines, waiting for a full-fledged attack in a few months.


    Due to the importance attached to this battle, the efficiency of transportation resources provided by various countries is quite high. Even the Austrsia is fervently using transport ships and airships to transport supplies to the Balkan region.


    Currently, the Austrsia Expeditionary Force has stockpiled two million shells, which will be a powerful tool for destroying the defenses of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany.


    For the Allied Nations, the situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire is not very good.


    The recent passing of Old Emperor Franz I has led the government, which had been firmly supporting the war, to gradually split into two factions - one that firmly supports the continuation of the war, and another that believes that the Austro-Hungarian Empire needs more time and that peace is far more important than war.


    Carl I obviously does not have the prestige of the old emperor, but as the Austrian Emperor, King of Hungary, and King of Bohemia, Carl I does not have much say in the imperial government and the Hungarian Kingdom Government.


    Moreover, because Carl I has always been characterized by his love for peace and his advocacy for it, many members of the pro-war faction dislike him, making his presence in the government even weaker.


    If it were not for the old emperor''ssting prestige in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, there might have been disputes between Monarchism and Republic, rather than between pro-war and pro-peace factions.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire has not been directly impacted by the war between Britain, France, and Germanyst year, the attacksunched by Italy and the Balkan Allied Forces on its southern borders are very real.


    Although thebat effectiveness of the Italian army is not strong, their equipment is not weak. Coupled with the strong equipment andbat power of the Austrsia Army, which leads the Balkan Allied Forces, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has been struggling to cope and has quickly lost arge amount of territory, including Sarajevo.


    Fortunately, the main direction of the Balkan Front Alliance Army''s attack is the Bosnia region. Otherwise, the Hungarian Kingdom Government, fearing the risk of Hungary being invaded, might urge the imperial government to speed up peace talks.


    No one can guarantee that the enemy''s army won''t engage inrge-scale looting in their territory. If there is a real risk of the Hungarian region being invaded, the Hungarian Kingdom Government will definitely surrender quickly.


    Although the Balkan Front Alliance Army has chosen to focus their main attack on the Bosnia region, sparing the Hungarian region from the immediate threat of invasion.


    However, the problem is that the Bosnia region and Trieste are the only sea outlets of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If the Bosnia region falls, it would mean that all the sea-ports of the Austro-Hungarian Empire will soon be lost.


    If there are no seaports, the navy will either face capture or a desperate battle with the enemy.


    Once the Austro-Hungarian Empire loses its sea ess, the Italian army and the Balkan Front Alliance Army will converge in one ce.


    This is a fatal blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and not only is the Hungarian region at risk, but even the Austrian region is likely to fall.


    With the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s continuous failures on the southern front, the drawbacks of the suppression policies it had previously implemented in the South via region have graduallye to light.


    Arge number of Bosnians of Serbian descent have picked up their long guns and joined the ranks of those fighting against the Austro-Hungarian Empire under Serbia''s call, quickly strengthening the power of the Balkan Front.


    Even in areas that have not yet been visited by the Balkan Allied Forces, there have been numerous rebellions by South vs against the tyranny of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Especially after the death of Old Emperor Franz I, these people did not have a high opinion of the new Emperor Carl I.


    The only choice for the Austro-Hungarian Empire now is to seek help from its powerful ally, the German Empire.


    It is worth mentioning that, shortly after his ession, Carl I dismissed Austro-Hungarian Chief of General Staff Conrad from his post.


    In fact, Conrad''s various campaign decisions since the outbreak of the war have been very excellent, but his indomitable and self-reliant attitude was not weed by Carl I.


    This notoriousst monarch of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, without hesitation, haspletely shattered his empire''sst hope of salvation.


    Chief of General Staff Conrad''s capabilities were, in fact, very good. Throughout history, he has repeatedly thwarted Italian attacks, allowing the Austro-Hungarian Empire to prolong its existence.


    Some historians and military experts even consider him an outstanding strategic genius, limited only by the weak military power of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Of course, these discussions have now be meaningless. Conrad, the Chief of General Staff, was demoted to themander of the Trentino Front and was far removed from the highest level of the Austro-Hungarian military.

 Chapter 578: Chapter 448: The Sorrow of the Austro-Hungarian Empire_2

    In the pce in Vienna, Carl I was anxiously reading the war report in his hand. The report pointed out that the Italians and the Balkan Allied Forces were constantly mobilizing, and it was expected that arge-scale battle would break out in a short period of time, requesting the General Staff to be prepared in advance.


    If it were just an attack by the Italians, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would bepletely able to withstand it.


    If the attack involved the Balkan Allied Forces, especially the Austrsia Army, at least a sufficient number of German troops would be needed to defend against their attack.


    The problem was that the German reinforcements sent to the Austro-Hungarian Empire only had one army group, as two armies had been withdrawn during the previous Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme.


    Now, this army group had only three armies left, with a total of about 150,000 people.


    There are currently 800,000bat troops on the Balkan Front, plus more than 500,000 Italian troops, totaling 1.3 millionbat troops.


    At present, the total number of troops in the Austro-Hungarian Empire is only about 1.5 million, which has been restrained by Russia and Romania with 400,000 and 200,000 respectively, plus the force defending in other regions, the actual number of troops that can be mobilized does not exceed 800,000.


    Even with the addition of the German army group, the total number of troops that the Austro-Hungarian Empire can mobilize will not exceed one million, and there are still a shortage of corresponding weapons and equipment and supplies.


    "Your Excellency, the Chief of Staff, do you have any good solutions to the predicament we are about to face?" Carl I looked at Austro-Hungarian Empire''s new Chief of Staff, Wadstedden, expecting this recently-promoted general to have good suggestions.


    "Your Majesty, we can only gather at most 800,000 troops. It is difficult for us to defend against the onught of Italy and the Balkan Front based on our own strength.


    In addition, the troops on the front lineck supplies and frequently suffer defeats, leading to the copse of military morale, making it difficult to achieve better results in defensive battles," said Wadstedden, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s Chief of Staff.


    It is well known that the Austro-Hungarian Empire is a nationposed of many ethnic groups, and none of their poptions are predominant.


    This has also led to a variety of ethnicities forming the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military, including Germans, Hungarians, Bohemians, Italian descendants, and South vians.


    A small portion of the elite troops is mainlyposed of Germans, and theirbat capabilities are top-notch.


    However, a significant portion of the troops isposed of a chaotic mix of ethnicities, andmunication between them is an issue. The military orders from themanders cannot be effectivelymunicated within the troops.


    With the sessive failures of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is hard to ensure the loyalty of soldiers from these other ethnic groups to the royal family and the Empire.


    This is especially true for Bosnians and Italians, who would clearly be more loyal to Serbia and Italy than to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which invaded their territories.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire has a total mobilized force of 800,000, the number of truly trustworthy troops is absolutely no more than 500,000.


    If the Bosnian troops engaged in directbat with the Balkan front, it would be impossible to stop the Bosnians from surrendering.


    Therefore, the first thing for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to do is to avoid direct confrontations between their minority-led troops and the enemy.


    "Your Majesty, I suggest a certain scale of defense adjustment with the German Southern Forces. If at least 15 to 20 divisions can be reced with German troops, the problem I face will be somewhat alleviated," Wadstedden suggested.


    Having the Germans fight the Balkan front and Italian forces is more reliable than having the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s own forces take on the challenge.


    Firstly, the chaos within the multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian Empire''s military is already a severe problem; secondly, thebat capability of Austro-Hungarian soldiers is far inferior to that of Germans.


    However, for this reason, Carl I had some concerns: "Chief of Staff Lord, will the Germans agree to our request? You should know that there is a significant gap in thebat capabilities between our troops and the German troops, and this arrangement is not beneficial to the Germans."


    "They will, Your Majesty," Wadstedden said firmly, "If the Germans don''t want to see us withdraw from the war due to defeat, they must ept our request. We are not just fighting for ourselves, but for the entire Allies."


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire is currently Germany''s only ally and the only member of the Allies besides Germany.


    If the Austro-Hungarian Empire withdraws from the war, it will not be as simple as Germany fighting alone.


    Firstly, there is a five-fold disparity in the number of powerful nations between the Allies, with only one,pared to the five great powers among the Allies.


    Secondly, if the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a powerful nation, cannot withstand the onught from the Allies, which other countries would help Germany?


    As long as the Austro-Hungarian Empire surrenders, in the eyes of other countries, Germany''s surrender is only a matter of time.


    As a steadfast ally of Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has long bound its interests with Germany.


    The surrender of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would have a severe impact on Germany both domestically and internationally, something the Germans absolutely do not want to see and would not sit idly by.


    Upon hearing Wadstedden''s words, Carl I nodded his head in reassurance and then earnestly asked, "Your Excellency, the Chief of Staff, please tell me truthfully, how great are our chances of winning this war?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 579: Chapter 448: The Sorrow of the Austro-Hungarian Empire_3

    "Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you. Currently, there''s less than a 30% chance of victory for the Allies, and even that is only possible if Britain and France make a significant strategic error.


    Additionally, if the United States could lend us strong support, find a way to persuade Russia to withdraw from the war, and talk either Italy or Austrsia into defecting, we might stand a chance of winning this war." After careful consideration, Wade Stedden replied with a bitter smile.


    The supply chain of Allied Nations was cut off by the Allies, which essentially equated to the Allies holding the lifeblood of the Allied Nations. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Unless the Allied Nations can end the war in a short span of time, any hope for ultimate victory in this war is bleak.


    Carl I, unsurprised, nodded approvingly, then asked, "What about if it''s just us? I mean, excluding the Germans, what are the chances of us achieving a partial victory and ending the war?"


    "Your Majesty, without German assistance, our chances of victory will not exceed 10%. While we could manage if it was only Italians, we''re facing an assault from the Austrsia Army, those damned Balkan Allied Forces, and the Russian army who is restraining us.


    It''s impossible for us to defeat them with our own strength, and achieving peace on our own under the premise of victory is not feasible." Wade Stedden continued.


    "So, is it almost inevitable that we lose this war?" Carl I exhaled with a sense of relief and inadvertently remarked: "Continuing the fight means defeat, with the risk of bing a German vassal after the war. You know we''re nowpletely dependent on the Germans, and we can do nothing without them. So, is there a need to continue this war? Even if we eventually win, the fruits will not be ours."


    Upon hearing Carl I''s rebellious remarks, Wade Stedden''s face shifted, and he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, refrain from making suchments lightly. They could easily be exploited by the damned bureaucrats in the government and even lead to impeachment."


    If it were Old Emperor Franz I, he wouldn''t worry about governmental impeachment, even if he publicly insulted the government.


    After all, the Old Emperor had sufficient prestige within the Empire, making his status unassable.


    But Carl I was different. Having reigned for just over two months, Carl I has no confidants in the government, and Wade Stedden, his loyal supporter, was just recently appointed Chief of Staff.


    Without military loyalty and government approval, repeating anti-war and anti-government remarks could seriously damage Carl I''s prestige and possibly result in him being side-lined by the government.


    As Wade Stedden, promoted by Carl I, clearly, he did not want to see his promoter lose power.


    "Rest assured, Chief of Staff, I''m just speaking hypothetically. If possible, who wouldn''t want to see the Empire triumphant?" Carl I jovially pped Wade Stedden''s shoulder, putting a hold on the forbidden topic.


    Though Carl I was a pacifist, he wasn''t foolish enough to be extreme.


    While the Allies'' attack put the Austro-Hungarian Empire at risk, it also presented an opportunity.


    If we could use the Germans to win this war and stabilize the southern region''s borders, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would have the confidence to negotiate with the Allies to pursue peace with minimal losses.


    For the current Austro-Hungarian Empire, exiting the war with minor losses is definitely more beneficial than continuing the war.


    If this war isn''t ended soon, Carl I even believes that the domestic popce will sooner orter overthrow both the government and himself, their recently-appointed emperor.

 Chapter 580: Chapter 449: Emergencies from All Sides

    On February 21, 1917, the Balkan Front Alliance Army took the lead inunching an attack on the southern border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    The 150,000-strong Australiasco Expeditionary Force led abined force of 200,000 Romanian troops, 250,000 Serbian troops, 150,000 Greek troops, and 50,000 Montenegrin troops, totaling 800,000 troops in two separate lines,unching attacks on the Croatian region and the Transylvania region.


    Among them, the Western Front had a total of 450,000 personnel, consisting of 150,000 Austrsian troops, 250,000 Serbian troops, and 50,000 Montenegrin troops.


    The Eastern Front had a total of 350,000 personnel, consisting of 200,000 Romanian troops and 150,000 Greek troops.


    The purpose of the Eastern Front was to hold down a portion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s troops while threatening the Kingdom of Hungary area.


    The main task of the Western Front was to push northwest directly, upying Croatia and the Dalmatian region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and then to join forces with the Italian Army at genfurt.


    As long as the areas of Slovenia, Istria, Croatia, and Dalmatia arepletely upied, the Austro-Hungarian Empire will be apletelyndlocked country, and its copse will not be far off.


    In order to ensure the sess of the offensive, Austrsia has specially transferred hundreds of bombers domestically. Additionally, arge number of airships are transporting supplies and reconnaissance in the skies.


    To counteract the formidable firepower of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austrsia has amassed nearly 2,000 firearms this time, with the intention to cause heavy damage to the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    With the formalunch of the campaign, hundreds of thousands of Balkan Front troopsunched fierce attacks on the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s front line.


    Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire put up a desperate resistance, the front lines continued to advance smoothly, with both the Eastern and Western Fronts achieving good results.


    The Eastern Front has approached the key city of Sibiu in Transylvania. If Sibiu can be captured, the t Hungarian in will be like fish on a chopping board, waiting to be ughtered by the Balkan Front Alliance Army.


    The Western Front advanced along the coast of Dalmatia, preparing to move north to encircle the Croatian stronghold of Zagreb.


    Along the way, they faced some resistance from the Austro-Hungarian Empire forces, but these troops had little room to resist in front of the well-supplied Austrsian Army troops.


    After experiencing two rounds of bombing, these Austro-Hungarian forces became submissive. Some forces, whose morale was already unstable due to the war, surrendered after experiencing the bombardment reminiscent of heavenly wrath.


    On March 1, the rapidly advancing Austrsian forces arrived at the River Sava. To the northy Zagreb, the stronghold of Croatia.


    Upon reaching this point, the troops finally felt a different intensity of resistancepared to before. Moreover, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had constructed dense defense lines in this area, apparently intending to block the Austrsian forces here.


    General Thomas, who had already fully engaged with the Austro-Hungarian forces, was well aware of the true fighting power of the Austro-Hungarian army.


    As such, General Thomas did not regard the defense lines established by the Austro-Hungarian Empire as a threat and continued employing massive bombingbined with concentrated breakthrough tactics.


    But soon, General Thomas discovered that something was amiss. The Austro-Hungarian forces in front of them clearly possessed formidable fighting strength.


    Based on the enemy''s response and resistance, it was either elite troops of the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the German Army Group stationed in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Regardless, the opposing force was a powerful elite force with powerful firepower andbat capabilities.


    Although the initial probing attack failed, General Thomas did not be disheartened but rather looked forward to the challenge.


    In theory, once the elite troops of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in front of them were taken down, the Empire would have few cards left to y.


    What General Thomas did not yet know was that this was not an Austro-Hungarian force but a German force, consisting of 15 German divisions and one German Army Group that had rotated in and out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Originally, the German Army Group had lost about two army''s worth of troops due to two battles, but the supplemental 15 German divisions restored the group to full strength.


    Both Germans and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were confident that this fully replenished, even slightly overpowered, army group could easily block the Austrsian soldiers outside of their defensive lines.


    After understanding thebat power of the elite forces in front of him, General Thomas did not take it lightly and changed the original attack n to arge-scale bombing raid, while sending a contingent to outnk and cut off the enemy''s supply lines to the defensive positions.


    At this point, the more than two million shells prepared by Austrsia in advance became useful. Under the continuous bombardment of over 2,000 guns, these shell reserves supported the bombing campaign for more than ten days.


    In addition to the aerial bombardment from airships and bombers, nearly three million shells were consumed by the Austrsian forces on these defensive lines.


    It was clear that suchrge-scale bombardment had achieved certain results. Even the powerful Germans would fear the damage caused by such a massive barrage of shells.


    The Germans are human too, and it is normal for them to have fears. After all, they had previously subjected other countries to extensive bombardments and suppression by firepower, and this was the first time they had experienced the power of such bombardments.


    Such arge number of shells were hitting a rtively small area of the defensive position, not only shaving off several meters from the top of the mountain where the position was located, but also causing arge number of casualties among the German military on the position.


    By March 14th, about ten dayster, the once lush green hill was left with only scorched cknd, as well as red streams mixed with blood and various fragments.


    Under the cover of tractors modified into the first generation of tanks, the Balkan Allied Forcesunched arge-scale offensive.


    These tanks were not like those of the British, and because their main body was a tractor, their performance was somewhat guaranteed.


    Although their speed was not fast, the probability of them breaking down was much lower than that of the British tanks.


    Austrsia deployed nearly 200 tanks, with fewer than 20 breaking down, ounting for less than one-tenth of the total.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After experiencing more than ten days of bombardment, the Germans already had a shaky mentality.


    Now confronted with a big machine that could withstand bullet sweeps, their mentality suddenly copsed.


    Apart from the Austrsia Army''s attempt to attack on the first day, these Germans hadn''t seen much of the Austrsia Army''s troops.


    Yet the enemy''s shells caused considerable casualties to their troops, and some German soldiers didn''t know how to counter-attack in a situation where they couldn''t see the enemy but were being chased by them.


    Now that the enemy was finally nning to attack, they were confronted with arge number of steel-covered machines.


    Theserge steel-made machines offered good resistance to bullets, and the probability of shells urately hitting them was also very low, which left the German military without any good options for the time being.


    As the enemy''s army approached, the Germanmander had no choice but to issue the order to retreat.


    On March 17, 1917, the Western Front Army officially besieged Zagreb, which also meant that the offensive of the Balkan Front Army had achieved more than half of its progress.


    Perhaps because the Austrsia Army was about to defeat the Austro-Hungarian Empire on its own, Italy could not sit idle and immediatelyunched its own campaign.


    The Italians nned to deploy at least 500,000bat troops, first attacking the Trento and Innsbruck regions from the north, then turning east to attack Riast in Istria, and finally meeting with the Austrsia Army in genfurt.


    Italian forces even harbored other ambitions; if possible, they wanted to upy the entire Slovenian region, controlling their border line south of Zagreb, and even upy the entire Dalmatian region.


    If these strategic objectives were achieved, the Adriatic Sea would be an Italian ind sea, greatly expanding Italy''s interests in the Balkan Penins.


    On March 19, Italy urgentlyunched its campaign and quickly surrounded the Trento region.


    There were only two divisions of Austro-Hungarian Empire garrisons in this area, and they were ultimately defeated and retreated after a full-scale attack by the Italians.


    Rome''s newspapers even regarded this campaign as the rion call for Italy''s rise, and the retreat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s garrison was seen as a defeat of the Allied nations.


    Many Italian media outlets heavily praised their government and military, as if Italy had already won and upied a lot ofnd.


    After the Balkan Allied Forces and Italyunched their offensives consecutively, Neville decided to look for an opportunity tounch a spring offensive to defeat the entire Allied Group.


    On March 25th, the spring offensive wasunched, and the European continent once again entered the tide of war.


    As soon as the spring offensive wasunched, it immediately reced the Balkan and Italian fronts as the line with the most casualties among soldiers every day.


    This was also quite normal, as the British and French, and the Germans in the spring offensive had deployed more than 3 million troops, far more than the total number of soldiers deployed in the Balkan and Italian frontsbined.


    As time entered April, Zagreb could not withstand the attack of Austrsia after holding out for more than ten days.


    This also meant that almost the entire Croatian region had fallen into the hands of Austrsia, with the Hungarian in in imminent danger and the coastal regions of the Austro-Hungarian Empire equally at risk.


    On one hand, there was the frantic offensive on the Balkan Front, and on the other hand, the frenzied depletion of Italian troops. Even with the support of the Germans, the Austro-Hungarian Empire seemed unable to hold on for a while.


    On April 7, 1917, the Italian Army officially besieged Innsbruck, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s n to secure a chance for peace through a beautiful defensive battle became a wishful thinking.

 Chapter 581: Chapter 450: Bold Plan

    As the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s border defensepletely failed, the doves led by Emperor Carl I seemed somewhat panicked.


    Especially the Hungarian faction, who could not wait to reach an agreement with the Allies immediately to ensure that the Hungarian region would not be upied and destroyed.


    In the face of their own interests, the interests of the empire seemed somewhat narrow. In particr, given the existing contradictions between the Hungarian and Austrian regions, it has be almost impossible to unite them at the expense of each other.


    Prior to the war, the two regions had disagreements, and even during the war, the conflicts between the Austrian and Hungarian regions were not insignificant.


    From the geography alone, Hungary, because of its Hungarian Great in, is an excellent grain-producing area and an important grain-producing area in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    While mountainous Austria naturally cannotpete with the Hungarian region in terms of grain output. So for a long time, arge part of the grain produced in Hungary has been transported to Austria to ease the empire''s grain shortage.


    From the outbreak of war to the present, grain prices in Hungary have soared, Hungarian capitalists hoardedrge amounts of grain, and even refused to sell it to the government.


    Due to the rapid devaluation of the crown, Hungarian capitalists became reluctant to exchange grain for the Austro-Hungarian crown, choosing instead the more robust pound or gold.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire did not have enough pounds to trade at this time, and it was even more impossible to hand over the valuable gold reserves to the Kingdom of Hungary to exchange for grain.


    As a result, the Hungarian Kingdom Government shamelessly imed that it alsocked food, and in turn demanded that the imperial government allocate funds to the Hungarian government to purchase enough grain from the public to alleviate the Hungarian food crisis.


    Such statements are almostughable, as the empire''srgest grain producer is now iming a shortage of grain. Isn''t this equivalent to a shortage in water at sea and ack of rocks onnd?


    The anti-hoarding act, specifically drafted by the imperial government before the war, cannot be implemented by the Kingdom of Hungary because it has its ownws.


    Especially after the death of Francis the First, Emperor Carl I, in an economic position, simply could not obtain the loyalty of the Hungarian Kingdom''s government.


    Simply put, the Austro-Hungarian crown is not popr in Hungary, making the entire Europeugh at the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Even within the country, its currency is not circted, causing the Austro-Hungarian crown to devalue even more rapidly.


    For the people, the fact that the Hungarian Kingdom Government is unwilling to recognize the value of the crown means that it is simply not trusted by the government, right?


    What is even worse is that thergendowners and capitalists in Hungary have jointly dered that it is precisely because the imperial government has been buying arge amount of grain in Hungary that has led to the current shortage of grain and crisis of soaring grain prices.


    Although the credibility of theserge capitalists'' ims is not high, somemon people still believe them.


    For a time, the imperial government''s support in Hungary plummeted, and the Kingdom of Hungary showed a tendency to split from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    On April 21, 1917, Prince Sextus of Parma, representing Austro-Hungarian Emperor Carl I, sought an audience with the French government and conveyed Carl I''s desire for peace.


    Sextus stated that Carl I was willing to cede the Dalmatian region, the Bosnia region, and Trento on behalf of the Austro-Hungarian government in exchange for peace.


    For Carl I, although such a move would cause the Austro-Hungarian Empire to lose a lot of territory, at least the stability of Austria, Hungary, Galicia, and the Czech region would be guaranteed, and the basic foundation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would remain, allowing it to maintain its status as a great power.


    However, it is obvious that the conditions offered by the Austro-Hungarian Empire cannot win the agreement of France, let alone the entire Allies.


    It should be noted that all the conditions offered by the Austro-Hungarian Empire are under the control of the Allies. This means that as long as the Allies are willing, they can forcibly upy thesends at any time without the need for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to cede them.


    Sextus''s request was even rejected by the French government without being passed on to the Allies Conference.


    Although the surrender of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would benefit the Allies in winning the war, the defeat of the Central Powers is inevitable. Therefore, both France and the Allies want to gain more benefits.


    By the time the news of France''s refusal to negotiate reached Carl I, before he could get angry and panicked, an even worse piece of bad news arrived.


    After several days of attack, the Balkan Allied Forces had approached the Slovenian region, the Italian Army had upied Innsbruck, and was advancing towards genfurt and the Graz area.


    It is clear that despite the help of a super-organized German army group, the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s front line is still in jeopardy.


    Long-termbat has demoralized the soldiers, and the issues between the various nations and ethnicities within the Austro-Hungarian Empire have be increasingly intense.


    For the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is impossible topletely resist the invasion of Italy and the Balkan Allied Forces.


    The Allies'' forces have spread from the southwestern border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the southeastern border and even the eastern border, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire simply does not have enough troops to defend these areas.


    Moreover, although Russia has notunched any campaigns since the internal turmoil, no one dares to guarantee that the Russians will not add insult to injury in such a critical moment.


    There is already hatred between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia, and if the Russians added fuel to the fire, it is very likely to trigger the copse of the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire''s defensive line.


    In the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s army of over one million, nearly 400,000 were deployed on the border between Galicia and Russia, which is the real reason why the Austro-Hungarian Empire could only mobilize less than 800,000 troops.


    Even though the southern front was precarious, the Austro-Hungarian military still had no intention of mobilizing troops from the Russian border.


    The imperial government knew clearly that the Italians and the Balkans wanted to carve off flesh from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but the Russians truly wanted to eliminate the Austro-Hungarian Empire and annex Galicia and the Hungarian regions.


    If the Russians couldpletely defeat the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they could control the entire Balkan Penins, exert influence on Constantinople, extend their reach into the Mediterranean Sea, and even the Middle East region.


    In doing so, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would fall into an irrecoverable abyss, and it would be impossible for it to rise again amidst the encirclement of several powerful nations.


    Even the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be divided among the great powers, as had been the case with the previously Kingdom of the Nethends.


    For a country, the saddest thing is to be surrounded by several more powerful countries.


    Not only will its own path of development be cut off, but even its own territory will be divided by others.


    Under the advice of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s Chief of General Staff Wade Stedden, Carl I signed an order to adopt full defense in the Slovenian region, gathering the German Army Group and the Austro-Hungarian elite in southern Austria to try to resolve the Italian army first.


    In the eyes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although the Italian army had more than 500,000 troops, much more than the two-pronged Balkan army, the Italians''bat effectiveness was far behind the Balkan Allied Forces led by the Austrsia Army, which gave hope to the Austro-Hungarian military for a quick resolution of Italy.


    As long as they could quickly resolve the Italians and then concentrate on defending the Slovenian region, the situation would be much better than it is now, even if it was impossible topletely change the situation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    This was thest resort for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and if it still could not change the dilemma faced by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it could only pray for the Germans to seed in their spring offensive.


    As time entered May, the Austrsian Army was already very close to genfurt. But unexpectedly, thebat effectiveness of the Austro-Hungarian troops they faced along the way was not as good as before, causing Austrsia''s offensive to meet little resistance.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although the progress of the front line slowed down a lot due to the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s full resistance, as well as various cities and fortresses, the advance was still quite smooth.


    Just as General Thomas was puzzled, the battle report from the Italian side resolved his doubts.


    Since theunch of the campaign, the Italian army had demonstratedbat effectiveness that did not match the impressions of other countries.


    In fact, this was because the Austro-Hungarian forces faced by the Italian army wereposed of new recruits or multinational armies.


    Thebat effectiveness of that army was much weakerpared to the elite army faced by the Balkan Allied Forces, which was the reason for the rapid progress of the Italian offensive.


    But as time entered May, the Italian army was immediately attacked by the German Army Group and the Austro-Hungarian elite troops.


    As soon as they encountered the elite troops of the allied nations, the Italian army immediately showed their truebat power, being beaten by the allied forces to the point of abandoning their armor and weapons, and even giving back the hard-earned capture of Innsbruck.


    Seeing that Trento was at risk of being captured, Italy immediately became anxious, requesting the Austro-Hungarian side to speed up their attack and asking whether Austrsia could send reinforcements to aid Italy.


    As for the Italian request, General Thomas naturally refused. The Austrsian army had always been small, and he had no intention of sending troops to be cannon fodder for the Italians.


    Moreover, the territory conquered on behalf of Italy would not bring any benefits to Austrsia, and it would only increase casualties. This kind of matter was what Arthur had repeatedly warned General Thomas to avoid before leaving.


    After all, the Austrsian Expeditionary Force had independentmand authority, and no country, including Britain and France, could forcibly divert it.


    Although Hungary''s transfer of elite troops to the front with Italy made General Thomas''s original n to join forces with Italy in capturing genfurt fall through.


    But for General Thomas, this could also be considered as a good thing. With the Italians hindering the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s elite, the Austrsian Army could confidently attack the Austro-Hungarian Empire, only needing to scout thend west of genfurt to avoid encirclement by the Austro-Hungarian elite troops.


    In this way, not only would Italy have to bear the attack of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s elite, but the credit for conquering the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s territory would also fall into the hands of the Australian Army.


    General Thomas naturally would not let go of such a good thing that would allow others to be injured while reaping the benefits.


    Throwing the Italian yer''s telegram into the trash bin, General Thomas immediately ordered the army to surround genfurt from the north and strive to capture this important town in the Austrian region as soon as possible.


    There was also a heavily fortified town called Graz to the northeast of genfurt, which was not far from the two cities and was an important stronghold in the southern region of Austria.


    Once the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost both cities, the road to Vienna would be wide open, with the Austrian Empire''s capital thrown wide open, waiting for the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Balkan Allied Forces.


    It must be said that this was a risky move for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If they could defeat the Italians within a short period and sessfully return to defend genfurt and Graz, this would be a perfect strategic n.


    If they were held up by the Italians for a while, resulting in genfurt and Graz being captured, this would be a disastrous blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

 Chapter 582: Chapter 451: The United States Participation in War and Its Impact

    As Italy and the Balkan Allied Forces made surprisingly rapid advances on the borders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the United States on the other side of the ocean was indeed a bit panicked.


    The reason why Americans did not participate in this war did not mean they did not want to share the benefits.


    It''s just that the Americans wanted to y a more important role in this war. They wanted to wait until the Allies and the Central Powers were exhausted, and then join the war as mediators.


    However, unexpectedly, the Central Powers had already shown signs of fatigue in the face of the Allies'' offensive, and even now only two Great Powers remained struggling to survive in the Central Powers.


    If Italy and Austrsia really teamed up to defeat the Austro-Hungarian Empire, leaving only the struggling German Empire, it was also destined not tost long.


    The current development of the situation and the Americans'' expectations could be said to be two extremes. The Americans were surprised to find that the Allies seemed to be able to win the war without them.


    This made the Americans a bit anxious. If they sat idly by and watched the Allies defeat the Central Powers and divide the benefits, there would be no chance for the Americans to rise if they did not participate.


    In order to share the benefits of this war, the Americans couldn''t sit still anymore and began negotiations with the United Kingdom to request participation in the war.


    Because of Austrsia''s involvement in the world, the Americans have had little influence on this war so far.


    Even the arms trade, which brought huge profits to the United States in history, did not involve the Americans in this world.


    Austrsia has almost taken on all the arms trade of Russia and the Balkan nations, coupled with assistance from Britain and France, the Allies'' demand for arms imports is not so high, and they would naturally not rush to send money to the Americans.


    Since the Americans did not gain a huge benefit from the war, their status had not been reversed in Europe.


    At present, the United States is still a debtor country, and arge part of its capital and economy is still controlled by European nations.


    Seeing that the current situation had already exceeded their expectations, President Wilson of America quickly decided to join the war as soon as possible to fight for more benefits for the United States.


    At least by reducing Europe''s control over the U.S. economy, the United States could develop better.


    However, the current situation is that the Allies do not need the United States very much. If the United States wants to force its way in for a share of the spoils, it depends on whether Britain and France agree.


    President Wilson of America tried to persuade Congress tounch a total mobilization while contacting Britain and France to request to join the war as part of the Allies.


    Although the United States could simply dere war on Germany, fighting Germany alone and joining the Allies to fight Germany together would result in different post-war benefit distributions.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    First of all, Germany''s overseas territories have been basically divided by the Allies, and the United States alone could not possibly get Germany''s overseas territories.


    Although Germany still has a vast nativend, do the Americans dare to send troops to capture Germany''s nativend without Britain and France''s permission?


    Not to mention whether the Americans have the guts to do so, the current American army is no match for the German Army. The Americans want to attack Germany on their own, which is like trying to stop a car with their bare arms.


    Regarding the US''s proposal to join the Allies, Britain and France heldpletely opposite attitudes.


    The British did not want the Americans to join in and share the spoils because the war had been going smoothly so far, and the position of the five Great Powers of the Allies had been very stable, with no need for anyplications.


    Although relying solely on the power of the Allies would inevitably lead to more casualties, the current casualties were not uneptable for Britain and France, and the entire Allies.


    After all, so far in the war, the two countries with the most casualties in the Allies are France and Russia.


    Although the British casualties were also high, only a few hundred thousand were in the regr army, and most of the casualties were colonial troops.


    It was precisely because the French had higher casualties, with more than 5 million in the regr army alone and more than 1 million dead.


    Of course, France hoped that a power like the United States could join the Allies, bear some pressure and share some casualties.


    The difference in opinions between Britain and France gave the Americans a chance to join the Allies. Next, the Americans targeted Russia and tried to win over the most severely wounded member of the Allies.


    Russians also supported the United States to join the Allies because the United States not only promised to provide Russia with some interest-free loans but also promised to provide aid to Russia for two years.


    For the Russian government, which is currently suffering from domestic turmoil, a shortage of supplies and funds, this is like a timely help.


    As a result, the Americans quickly gained Russia''s support and agreed to let the United States join the Allies in fighting Germany.


    There are only two more Powerful Allied Nations left: Austrsia and Italy. Arthur''s position is very clear, which is the same as the British, he does not agree to let the United States join the Allies in fighting against Germany.


    Though the joining of the United States would share some burdens of supply for Austrsia, it would also split arge part of the post-war benefit distribution, which is not a good thing for Austrsia.


    What''s more, the United States is a directpetitor to Austrsia after the war and is the country most likely topete with Austrsia for European talents.


    For such potentialpetitors, it is natural to weaken them whenever possible, let alone give them opportunities to develop.


    Italy''s opinion is very much in line with its position in World War I, unwilling to offend Britain and Austrsia and wanting the United States to join in to get arge amount of funds and supplies.

 Chapter 583: Chapter 451: The United States Participation in War and Its Impact_2

    This time, the United States'' desire to join the Allies has to some extent exacerbated the divisions within the Allies.


    Great Britain and France already have arge rift in the distribution of strategic interests, and after experiencing internal turmoil, Russia''s attitude is more focused on funds and supplies, rather than feelings with other countries.


    In other words, whoever can provide Russia with more supplies and funding will also get Russia''s support.


    While this does help the national interest, it is not good news for Britain and Austrsia.


    Britain and Russia have many conflicts, and if France and the United States get closer, they might also approach French-American rtions.


    As a result, the Allies would be Britain and Austrsia confronting France, America, and Russia, plus an Italy acting like a fence-sitter. The distribution of post-war benefits is bound to be tumultuous.


    At the end of May 1917, the American government met with the Allies again and promised conditions that almost all major countries could not refuse.


    First, the United States is willing to provide each of Britain, France, Russia, Australia, and Italy a 2 billion US dor interest-free loan, and to provide at least 1 millionbat troops and a main fleet to join the war.


    2 billion US dors, if converted based on pre-war rates, is equivalent to 4 billion British pounds, definitely not a small number.


    Keep in mind that before the war, the military expenditure of Britain and Francebined was only over 600 million US dors per year. This funding could provide the pre-war military expenses of Britain and France for at least three years.


    However, since the outbreak of the war, the military expenditure of various countries has soared exponentially. In 1915, Britain''s military expenditure reached over 100 billion US dors, andst year''s military expenditure was as high as over 500 billion US dors.


    Compared to the exaggerated military expenditure of Britain and France, the 2 billion US dor interest-free loan seems less significant.


    However, for economically less developed countries like Italy and Austrsia, the 2 billion US dor interest-free loan is still quite useful.


    Keep in mind, Italy''s military expenditurest year was only just over 1 billion US dors. The interest-free loan is enough to sustain the Italians for another two years.


    Compared to other countries, the greatest beneficiary should be Austrsia. In 1916, the total military expenditure of Austrsia was only 120 million Australian dors, almost equivalent to 300 million US dors.


    This is the military expenditure of Austrsia when it had nearly 1 millionbat troops, and its entire navy was fully operational.


    The reason for the low military expenditure is that, in the treaty with the British, the British had to bear half of Austrsia''s European battlefield costs, which amounted to 60 million Australian dors of expenditure.


    This also means that the 2 billion US dor interest-free loan provided by the Americans could almost sustain Austrsia in the war for seven years.


    With this interest-free loan, France and Russia supported the Americans joining the Allies even more.


    Even Italy was persuaded by the Americans, who eventually agreed, by a 3-to-2 advantage, that the Americans would join the Allies in the war against Germany.


    However, Britain and Austrsia also have countermeasures.


    First, regarding the distribution of the German overseas territories currently upied by the Allies, the Americans are not to participate in the distribution of these areas ording to the existing divisions.


    The Americans can obtain the benefit distribution of the Germannd they upy, but it must also be based on a premise that the distribution of benefits ording to the contributions of the Allies during the war, as agreed by the countries before.


    Since the Americans joined the war rtivelyte, even if they got a share, their contribution to the war would certainly not be too significant.


    As a result, even if the Americans join the war, their share of the benefits would be at most at the level of Italy, and it would pose no threat to the benefits distribution of the original Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    On June 1, 1917, having obtained the consent of the Allies, the Americans eagerly dered war on Germany and immediately dispatched a transport fleet, sending a division of the army and the headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe.


    The number of American troops is the lowest among the major powers. Even if President Wilson had persuaded Congress to mobilize the nation in advance, it would take at least one more month for it to take effect.


    This also means that, at least before August, there would be few American troops on the European battlefield, and the impact of the American army on the war would be minimal.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This is actually an opportunity for Austrsia.


    Upon learning that the Americans had joined the Allies to fight against Germany, themander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, General Thomas, immediately issued an order to the formidable Expeditionary Force via telegram, demanding an immediate attack on genfurt, to surround Vienna with the Italian army, and to force the Austro-Hungarian Empire out of the war.


    As long as the Americans make no contribution to defeating the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they will have no excuse or qualification to share the benefits of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    In this way, the Allied nations would be left with only Germany resisting fiercely, and the Americans would have to deploy troops and fight the Germans with real swords and guns in order to obtain more benefits distribution.


    Keep in mind that the interest-free loans provided by the Americans to the Five Great Powers of the Allies alone amounted to 100 billion US dors, and adding the American war expenses, the total expenditure of the United States in this war would be at least 200 billion US dors.


    If only Germany''s post-war benefits distribution is taken into ount, it would be somewhat difficult for the Americans to obtain more than 200 billion US dors inpensation.


    After all, the distribution of German benefits includes the Five Great Powers of the Allies and the United States, with six countries sharing Germany''s benefits, resulting in very little benefit distribution to each country.

 Chapter 582 - 451: The United States’ Participation in War and Its Impact

    As Italy and the Balkan Allied Forces made surprisingly rapid advances on the borders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the United States on the other side of the ocean was indeed a bit panicked.


    The reason why Americans did not participate in this war did not mean they did not want to share the benefits.


    It''s just that the Americans wanted to y a more important role in this war. They wanted to wait until the Allies and the Central Powers were exhausted, and then join the war as mediators.


    However, unexpectedly, the Central Powers had already shown signs of fatigue in the face of the Allies'' offensive, and even now only two Great Powers remained struggling to survive in the Central Powers.


    If Italy and Austrsia really teamed up to defeat the Austro-Hungarian Empire, leaving only the struggling German Empire, it was also destined not tost long.


    The current development of the situation and the Americans'' expectations could be said to be two extremes. The Americans were surprised to find that the Allies seemed to be able to win the war without them.


    This made the Americans a bit anxious. If they sat idly by and watched the Allies defeat the Central Powers and divide the benefits, there would be no chance for the Americans to rise if they did not participate.


    In order to share the benefits of this war, the Americans couldn''t sit still anymore and began negotiations with the United Kingdom to request participation in the war.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Because of Austrsia''s involvement in the world, the Americans have had little influence on this war so far.


    Even the arms trade, which brought huge profits to the United States in history, did not involve the Americans in this world.


    Austrsia has almost taken on all the arms trade of Russia and the Balkan nations, coupled with assistance from Britain and France, the Allies'' demand for arms imports is not so high, and they would naturally not rush to send money to the Americans.


    Since the Americans did not gain a huge benefit from the war, their status had not been reversed in Europe.


    At present, the United States is still a debtor country, and arge part of its capital and economy is still controlled by European nations.


    Seeing that the current situation had already exceeded their expectations, President Wilson of America quickly decided to join the war as soon as possible to fight for more benefits for the United States.


    At least by reducing Europe''s control over the U.S. economy, the United States could develop better.


    However, the current situation is that the Allies do not need the United States very much. If the United States wants to force its way in for a share of the spoils, it depends on whether Britain and France agree.


    President Wilson of America tried to persuade Congress tounch a total mobilization while contacting Britain and France to request to join the war as part of the Allies.


    Although the United States could simply dere war on Germany, fighting Germany alone and joining the Allies to fight Germany together would result in different post-war benefit distributions.


    First of all, Germany''s overseas territories have been basically divided by the Allies, and the United States alone could not possibly get Germany''s overseas territories.


    Although Germany still has a vast nativend, do the Americans dare to send troops to capture Germany''s nativend without Britain and France''s permission?


    Not to mention whether the Americans have the guts to do so, the current American army is no match for the German Army. The Americans want to attack Germany on their own, which is like trying to stop a car with their bare arms.


    Regarding the US''s proposal to join the Allies, Britain and France heldpletely opposite attitudes.


    The British did not want the Americans to join in and share the spoils because the war had been going smoothly so far, and the position of the five Great Powers of the Allies had been very stable, with no need for anyplications.


    Although relying solely on the power of the Allies would inevitably lead to more casualties, the current casualties were not uneptable for Britain and France, and the entire Allies.


    After all, so far in the war, the two countries with the most casualties in the Allies are France and Russia.


    Although the British casualties were also high, only a few hundred thousand were in the regr army, and most of the casualties were colonial troops.


    It was precisely because the French had higher casualties, with more than 5 million in the regr army alone and more than 1 million dead.


    Of course, France hoped that a power like the United States could join the Allies, bear some pressure and share some casualties.


    The difference in opinions between Britain and France gave the Americans a chance to join the Allies. Next, the Americans targeted Russia and tried to win over the most severely wounded member of the Allies.


    Russians also supported the United States to join the Allies because the United States not only promised to provide Russia with some interest-free loans but also promised to provide aid to Russia for two years.


    For the Russian government, which is currently suffering from domestic turmoil, a shortage of supplies and funds, this is like a timely help.


    As a result, the Americans quickly gained Russia''s support and agreed to let the United States join the Allies in fighting Germany.


    There are only two more Powerful Allied Nations left: Austrsia and Italy. Arthur''s position is very clear, which is the same as the British, he does not agree to let the United States join the Allies in fighting against Germany.


    Though the joining of the United States would share some burdens of supply for Austrsia, it would also split arge part of the post-war benefit distribution, which is not a good thing for Austrsia.


    What''s more, the United States is a directpetitor to Austrsia after the war and is the country most likely topete with Austrsia for European talents.


    For such potentialpetitors, it is natural to weaken them whenever possible, let alone give them opportunities to develop.


    Italy''s opinion is very much in line with its position in World War I, unwilling to offend Britain and Austrsia and wanting the United States to join in to get arge amount of funds and supplies.

 Chapter 583 - 451: The United States’ Participation in War and Its Impact_2

    This time, the United States'' desire to join the Allies has to some extent exacerbated the divisions within the Allies.


    Great Britain and France already have arge rift in the distribution of strategic interests, and after experiencing internal turmoil, Russia''s attitude is more focused on funds and supplies, rather than feelings with other countries.


    In other words, whoever can provide Russia with more supplies and funding will also get Russia''s support.


    While this does help the national interest, it is not good news for Britain and Austrsia.


    Britain and Russia have many conflicts, and if France and the United States get closer, they might also approach French-American rtions.


    As a result, the Allies would be Britain and Austrsia confronting France, America, and Russia, plus an Italy acting like a fence-sitter. The distribution of post-war benefits is bound to be tumultuous.


    At the end of May 1917, the American government met with the Allies again and promised conditions that almost all major countries could not refuse.


    First, the United States is willing to provide each of Britain, France, Russia, Australia, and Italy a 2 billion US dor interest-free loan, and to provide at least 1 millionbat troops and a main fleet to join the war.


    2 billion US dors, if converted based on pre-war rates, is equivalent to 4 billion British pounds, definitely not a small number.


    Keep in mind that before the war, the military expenditure of Britain and Francebined was only over 600 million US dors per year. This funding could provide the pre-war military expenses of Britain and France for at least three years.


    However, since the outbreak of the war, the military expenditure of various countries has soared exponentially. In 1915, Britain''s military expenditure reached over 100 billion US dors, andst year''s military expenditure was as high as over 500 billion US dors.


    Compared to the exaggerated military expenditure of Britain and France, the 2 billion US dor interest-free loan seems less significant.


    However, for economically less developed countries like Italy and Austrsia, the 2 billion US dor interest-free loan is still quite useful.


    Keep in mind, Italy''s military expenditurest year was only just over 1 billion US dors. The interest-free loan is enough to sustain the Italians for another two years.


    Compared to other countries, the greatest beneficiary should be Austrsia. In 1916, the total military expenditure of Austrsia was only 120 million Australian dors, almost equivalent to 300 million US dors.


    This is the military expenditure of Austrsia when it had nearly 1 millionbat troops, and its entire navy was fully operational.


    The reason for the low military expenditure is that, in the treaty with the British, the British had to bear half of Austrsia''s European battlefield costs, which amounted to 60 million Australian dors of expenditure.


    This also means that the 2 billion US dor interest-free loan provided by the Americans could almost sustain Austrsia in the war for seven years.


    With this interest-free loan, France and Russia supported the Americans joining the Allies even more.


    Even Italy was persuaded by the Americans, who eventually agreed, by a 3-to-2 advantage, that the Americans would join the Allies in the war against Germany.


    However, Britain and Austrsia also have countermeasures.


    First, regarding the distribution of the German overseas territories currently upied by the Allies, the Americans are not to participate in the distribution of these areas ording to the existing divisions.


    The Americans can obtain the benefit distribution of the Germannd they upy, but it must also be based on a premise that the distribution of benefits ording to the contributions of the Allies during the war, as agreed by the countries before.


    Since the Americans joined the war rtivelyte, even if they got a share, their contribution to the war would certainly not be too significant.


    As a result, even if the Americans join the war, their share of the benefits would be at most at the level of Italy, and it would pose no threat to the benefits distribution of the original Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    On June 1, 1917, having obtained the consent of the Allies, the Americans eagerly dered war on Germany and immediately dispatched a transport fleet, sending a division of the army and the headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe.


    The number of American troops is the lowest among the major powers. Even if President Wilson had persuaded Congress to mobilize the nation in advance, it would take at least one more month for it to take effect.


    This also means that, at least before August, there would be few American troops on the European battlefield, and the impact of the American army on the war would be minimal.


    This is actually an opportunity for Austrsia.


    Upon learning that the Americans had joined the Allies to fight against Germany, themander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, General Thomas, immediately issued an order to the formidable Expeditionary Force via telegram, demanding an immediate attack on genfurt, to surround Vienna with the Italian army, and to force the Austro-Hungarian Empire out of the war.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As long as the Americans make no contribution to defeating the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they will have no excuse or qualification to share the benefits of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    In this way, the Allied nations would be left with only Germany resisting fiercely, and the Americans would have to deploy troops and fight the Germans with real swords and guns in order to obtain more benefits distribution.


    Keep in mind that the interest-free loans provided by the Americans to the Five Great Powers of the Allies alone amounted to 100 billion US dors, and adding the American war expenses, the total expenditure of the United States in this war would be at least 200 billion US dors.


    If only Germany''s post-war benefits distribution is taken into ount, it would be somewhat difficult for the Americans to obtain more than 200 billion US dors inpensation.


    After all, the distribution of German benefits includes the Five Great Powers of the Allies and the United States, with six countries sharing Germany''s benefits, resulting in very little benefit distribution to each country.

 Chapter 584: Chapter 451: The United States Participation in War and Its Impact_3

    In fact, apart from the United States, there was another country that also wanted to join the Allies in dering war on Germany, and that was the Ind Nation.


    However, the Ind Nation was different from the United States. It had neither an advanced economic system like the United States nor a navy strong enough to be taken seriously by Britain and France.


    Moreover, the Ind Nation had a severe shortage of mineral resources, which joining the Allies would require assistance from Britain and France.


    Therefore, Britain and France directly refused the request of the Ind Nation to join the Allies, and the Ind Nation''s plot to seize Germany''s colonies in East Asia during the war was also thwarted.


    If the Ind Nation did not join the Allies, it would have to dere war on Germany alone. However, the interests of the Allied forces involved all German overseas territories, and if the Ind Nation openly upied Germany''s East Asian colonies, it would be harming the interests of the Allies.


    If the Ind Nation dared to do so, even if the United States was its ally, it would not be able to save the Ind Nation.


    Although Britain and France had suffered heavy losses after the war, they could still easily deal with an Ind Nation.


    It is important to note thatst year, the Ind Nation''s military spending was only 2.2 billion US dors, and it could not even reach the military expenditure of Larasia, so how could the Ind Nation have the courage to challenge the status of Britain and France?


    Considering the current strength demonstrated by Larasia, if there was a war between Larasia and the Ind Nation, the Ind Nation may not have the upper hand.


    Although Larasia''s army is at a disadvantage in terms of its number, if Larasia''s navypletely blockades the Ind Nation and the Air Force continues to bomb major urban cities in the Ind Nation, it would soon face a shortage of supplies.


    For an ind country like the Ind Nation, which is extremely short of material resources, it will never have a chance to rise if its naval force is not strong.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Once blockaded, the predicament faced by the Ind Nation would be even more severe than that of Germany. Theck of various materials would be enough to cause the country''s internal copse.


    The biggest change the United States'' participation in the war brought to Europe was the change in public opinion among European countries.


    Since June 1st when the United States dered war on Germany, newspapers in various European countries generally predicted Germany''s failure, and many media outlets directly dered that Germany''s demise would happen within a short period and the people of the Allied countries could soon celebrate victory.


    After the United States joined the Allies, the number of strong countries in the Allies reached six, while there were only two in the Allied Nations.


    Even in terms of paper data, the Allies still maintain a huge advantage over the Allied Nations. This advantage not only lies in poption, economy, and industry, but also in thend area, mineral resources, and various material reserves of the Allies.


    Justparing the consumption of manpower and resources, the Allied Nations absolutely couldn''tpete with the Allies.


    Even within the Allied Nations, some media in Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire began to question their government''s performance in the war.


    The Germans were unwilling to believe that the powerful German Empire was at a disadvantage in this war and might lose the war.


    Fortunately, Germany is currently under the control of a military government and will not be shaken by the doubts of some newspapers.


    One of the advantages of a military government is that the rear government fully understands the front-linemanders. The German government and the Junker nobility are still firmly pro-war and have not been affected.


    However, Germany may have avoided the crisis, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not so lucky.


    There were multiple forces within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Carl I had just ascended the throne without much prestige, making the media in the empire highly outspoken.


    At first, the newspapers questioned the government''s decisions in the war, and eventually began to question the government and Carl I.


    Under the influence of these newspapers, the people also began to have some trust issues with the government.


    Strikes and protests erupted in factories and streets all over the Austro-Hungarian Empire, demanding the government to stop the war and return to the pre-war order.

 Chapter 584 - 451: The United States’ Participation in War and Its Impact_3

    In fact, apart from the United States, there was another country that also wanted to join the Allies in dering war on Germany, and that was the Ind Nation.


    However, the Ind Nation was different from the United States. It had neither an advanced economic system like the United States nor a navy strong enough to be taken seriously by Britain and France.


    Moreover, the Ind Nation had a severe shortage of mineral resources, which joining the Allies would require assistance from Britain and France.


    Therefore, Britain and France directly refused the request of the Ind Nation to join the Allies, and the Ind Nation''s plot to seize Germany''s colonies in East Asia during the war was also thwarted.


    If the Ind Nation did not join the Allies, it would have to dere war on Germany alone. However, the interests of the Allied forces involved all German overseas territories, and if the Ind Nation openly upied Germany''s East Asian colonies, it would be harming the interests of the Allies.


    If the Ind Nation dared to do so, even if the United States was its ally, it would not be able to save the Ind Nation.


    Although Britain and France had suffered heavy losses after the war, they could still easily deal with an Ind Nation.


    It is important to note thatst year, the Ind Nation''s military spending was only 2.2 billion US dors, and it could not even reach the military expenditure of Larasia, so how could the Ind Nation have the courage to challenge the status of Britain and France?


    Considering the current strength demonstrated by Larasia, if there was a war between Larasia and the Ind Nation, the Ind Nation may not have the upper hand.


    Although Larasia''s army is at a disadvantage in terms of its number, if Larasia''s navypletely blockades the Ind Nation and the Air Force continues to bomb major urban cities in the Ind Nation, it would soon face a shortage of supplies.


    For an ind country like the Ind Nation, which is extremely short of material resources, it will never have a chance to rise if its naval force is not strong.


    Once blockaded, the predicament faced by the Ind Nation would be even more severe than that of Germany. Theck of various materials would be enough to cause the country''s internal copse.


    The biggest change the United States'' participation in the war brought to Europe was the change in public opinion among European countries.


    Since June 1st when the United States dered war on Germany, newspapers in various European countries generally predicted Germany''s failure, and many media outlets directly dered that Germany''s demise would happen within a short period and the people of the Allied countries could soon celebrate victory.


    After the United States joined the Allies, the number of strong countries in the Allies reached six, while there were only two in the Allied Nations.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Even in terms of paper data, the Allies still maintain a huge advantage over the Allied Nations. This advantage not only lies in poption, economy, and industry, but also in thend area, mineral resources, and various material reserves of the Allies.


    Justparing the consumption of manpower and resources, the Allied Nations absolutely couldn''tpete with the Allies.


    Even within the Allied Nations, some media in Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire began to question their government''s performance in the war.


    The Germans were unwilling to believe that the powerful German Empire was at a disadvantage in this war and might lose the war.


    Fortunately, Germany is currently under the control of a military government and will not be shaken by the doubts of some newspapers.


    One of the advantages of a military government is that the rear government fully understands the front-linemanders. The German government and the Junker nobility are still firmly pro-war and have not been affected.


    However, Germany may have avoided the crisis, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not so lucky.


    There were multiple forces within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Carl I had just ascended the throne without much prestige, making the media in the empire highly outspoken.


    At first, the newspapers questioned the government''s decisions in the war, and eventually began to question the government and Carl I.


    Under the influence of these newspapers, the people also began to have some trust issues with the government.


    Strikes and protests erupted in factories and streets all over the Austro-Hungarian Empire, demanding the government to stop the war and return to the pre-war order.

 Chapter 585: Chapter Four Hundred and Fifty-Two: Negotiations Once Again

    Not only did the United States'' entry into the war bring down the Allied Nations, but so did the subsequent Battle of Moxinis.


    This was one of the ns of the Neville offensive, with the British Expeditionary Force as the main force to break through the German defense lines in the direction of nders.


    The direction of the British Expeditionary Force''s attack was Ypres in nders, and at the southernmost end of Ypres was a piece of high ground surrounding Ypres, near which was a small town named Moxinis.


    Moxinis Town was an outstanding frontline position of the German Army, and as long as the town could be captured, it would secure a highly advantageous terrain for the Allies'' next spring offensive.


    The Germans deployed more than 30,000 troops of two infantry divisions in this area, with no doubts about the solidity of their defenses.


    What no one in the Allied Nations expected was that the British Expeditionary Force, along with a small part of the Austrsia Army, took Moxinis Town in just a few hours, taking the Germans by surprise with the speed of the attack.


    The man in charge of the battle was British General Plumer, who, due to his thoughtful and cautious reliability, had a significant reputation in the entire British Expeditionary Force.


    Starting in 1916, General Plumer had arranged for soldiers toyndmines in front of the German trenches, and now they had finallye in handy.


    With full use of firearms, tanks, and airnes, General Plumer not only quickly took Moxinis Town but also repelled several German counterattacks in a row.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After sessfully upying Moxinis, the British and French forces immediately decided tounch the Battle of Ypres in order to capture the entire Belgian region.


    Of course, since the main force of the French Army was still engaged in the spring offensive, the participants in the Battle of Ypres were still the British Expeditionary Force.


    On June 17, 1917, the Battle of Ypres was officiallyunched. The British Expeditionary Force dispatched the Fifth Army Group and the Second Army Group, with the assistance of the French First Army Group, tounch a full-scale attack on the German forces in the Ypres area.


    The British mobilized a massive 3,000 guns for a continuous bombardment of the Ypres area for ten days, and on June 27, after ten days, theyunched a general offensive along an 18-kilometer front line.


    The enemy faced by the British Expeditionary Force was the German Fourth Army Group,manded by General Host Von Arnim.


    Although the ten-day bombardment seemed to be of arge scale and intimidating, it also gave the German forces within the frontline enough time to prepare.


    Most of the British forces were intercepted by the German Army on their way to the attack, and the British forces in the main attack direction gained little.


    Under the fierce resistance of the Germans, the battle turned into a war of attrition, with more than 70,000 total casualties in just three days.


    Moreover, due to the heavy rain, the battlefield had be a blood-red swamp, which indirectly dyed the speed of the British Expeditionary Force''s attack.


    In order not to let the army be held up in the Ypres area, British Expeditionary Force Commander Hagg made a decisive decision and handed overmand of the Battle of Ypres to Commander Prumo of the Second Army Group, who had previously won the Battle of Moxinis.


    After Prumo took over the frontline troops, he abandoned Hagg''s previous n of a decisive breakthrough and decided to take a different approach, narrowing the scale of the attack, no longer pursuing aplete breakthrough of the German defense line, but gradually eroding the enemy''s vitality by attacking small targets one by one.


    This also turned the so-called war of attritionunched by British Expeditionary Force Commander Hagg to reverse the situation into a genuine war of attrition, and Hagg had no choice but to let Prumo act ording to his n.


    From mid-June to mid-July, the British Expeditionary Force fought a protracted war with the German Army in the southeastern battlefield.


    Using his talent and knowledge, Prumounched numerous small-scale attacks, eroding most of the positions the Germans had upied in the previous two years and sessfully pushing the British front line eight kilometers into the Ypres area.


    However, both the British Expeditionary Force and the German Army suffered heavy casualties. The British had as many as 300,000 casualties in just over a month, while the Germans suffered no less, with up to 260,000 casualties.


    The British had achieved considerable gains in the Belgian region, but the main battlefield of the French-led spring offensive had not made much progress.


    Although the French had invested arge number of forces in the campaign, they faced the full resistance of the main German forces, and even the French could not push the front line forward by a single inch.


    Although the situation of the Germans had already entered a state of desperate resistance, no one could deny that the German counterattacks were terrifying.


    Even though the French suffered nearly 20,000 casualties on the frontline every day, the Germans did not retreat one step.


    This resulted in the spring offensive, which was heavily relied upon by French Commander-in-Chief Neville, making great gains on the nks but no progress on the main front.


    Such a disparity in results has left some Frenchmen, who had high hopes for General Neville, feeling restless.


    The French had expected that Neville''s appointment would enable the French Army to avenge their previous humiliations and even directly promote the victory of the war.


    However, the French Army still had no results despite the massive casualties, and the soldiers'' blood had been shed in vain.


    France has always had a tradition of revolution, and there have already been many factory strikes and street protests, with the strong intention of overthrowing the government if they do not receive an exnation for this situation.

 Chapter 586: Chapter 452: Negotiations Again_2

    For these restless French civilians, the French government found itself without adequate solutions. After all, these were people bold enough to overthrow the government.


    If the French government could not offer a satisfactory exnation, the French public would not hesitate to hang their officials frommpposts.


    Powerless, the French government could only urge its military to achieve quicker victories while pleading with the American People to join the war as soon as possible.


    Contrary to the turmoil within France, tranquility still reigned in Austrsia Domestic.


    The peoplecked the foresight to consider the long-term interests of the country. They could only see that with the United States'' involvement, the copse of the Allied Nations was only a matter of time.


    Therefore, the people of Austrsia were already looking forward to life after the war, hoping for a share of the spoils from the defeated Allied Nations, and eagerly waiting for their rise to the ranks of the Powerful Nations.


    It was precisely the impending threat of the United States joining the war that led the Austrsia Army to elerate its attack on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    With the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s primary military forces preupied and focused on opposing the Italian Descendants, the Austrsia Expeditionary Forceunched a full-fledged attack on the genfurt and Graz Area. After continuous bombing for half a month, they sessfully captured genfurt in Early July.


    The fall of genfurt sent shockwaves through Austria-Hungary. The capital, Vienna, was only a little over 200 kilometers to the north of genfurt, and there were no significant military strongholds to defend it, except for Graz.


    This meant that, without a viable countermeasure, the fall of Vienna was simply a matter of time.


    Even though the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s main military force was stationed in Innsbruck and the Trento Region, they could rush back to aid genfurt at any moment.


    But, in their current circumstances where they had not yet defeated the main Italian Army, if they recklessly rushed back to genfurt, they might risk being encircled by the Austrsia Army and the Italian Army.


    This would only worsen the situation for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Without any means of resistance, they would be subjected to the coup de grace of the Allies.


    Austro-Hungary also had to contend with bad news from the Transylvania Region, which was also in a dire situation.


    Not only was the Transylvania Region under attack from Romania, but the northern region of Galicia was also under the watchful eyes of the Russians.


    As Austro-Hungary found itself in a predicament, the Russians couldn''t hold any longer. They sent an Army Group to invade Galicia, trying to salvage their pride from a previously contracted defeat in the Galicia Region.


    This led to Austro-Hungary facing an onught from three directions, all of which were led by one of the Powers.


    Even during Austro-Hungary''s golden era, they might have struggled to withstand the joint pressure from three Powerful Nations. Much less so now when they had recently undergone a change in Monarch and had been defeated heavily in battles.


    The news of the Russiansunching their attack greatly shocked the Hungarian Kingdom Government, turning it into a firm proponent of peace.


    The Hungarian Kingdom Government even dered that if the Imperial Government didn''t wish to make peace with the Allies, then they would independently sign a treaty with Allies.


    Under the rule of the Old Emperor, Francis I, such words would have been deemed treasonous, and the Hungarian Kingdom Government would not have had the nerve to utter them.


    But now, the situation had changed. If Galicia was lost, the Hungarian Region would be next on Russia''s list.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This led to a coalition between numerous farm owners and capitalists in the Hungarian Kingdom Government, all to protect their own personal interests. To them, the Imperial Government ounted to nothing.


    The crux was that the main military force of the Imperial Government was currently engaged on the Italian front, with various parts of the Empire attacked by the Allies, and the prestige of the Imperial Government had suffered significantly and could not suppress the likes of powerful nations like Hungary.


    Therefore, if not handled correctly, not even Hungarian independence would be beyond the realms of possibility.


    The public deration from the Hungarian Government only pushed the Austro-Hungarian Empire into further disarray and strengthened the peacekeeping resolve of the Emperor, Carl I.


    There was no choice. If the support for the war continued, Hungary separating from the Imperial Government was all but certain. By then, the low prestige Carl I could even be made the scapegoat by the Imperial Government and med for their military defeats.


    The words of the Hungarian Kingdom Government not only spread within the Austro-Hungarian Empire but also reached the ears of the Allies.


    For the Allies, this was a perfect chance to force Austro-Hungary out of the war. Of course, even if Austro-Hungary insisted on not leaving the war, they believed that Hungary would be more willing to cooperate with the Allies.


    As long as Austro-Hungary didn''t want to see Hungary be independent, they would have no choice but to agree to the demands of the Allies.


    Otherwise, with the support of the Allies, the power of the Hungarian Government might even surpass that of Austro-Hungary.


    For both Russia and Italy, which had significant interests in the Balkan Region, they would love to see Austro-Hungary descend into chaos or even balkanize into smaller states.


    Just as those who wanted to see the empire divided, there were also those who wanted to see it remain unified.


    Britain, having conflicting interests with Russia, naturally didn''t want to see Russia control the entirety of the Balkan Penins.


    If Austria-Hungary continued to exist, it would still be a threat to Russia on the Balkan Penins, thereby preventing Russian expansion there.

 Chapter 587: Chapter 452: Negotiations Again_3

    However, no matter how one looks at it, this is a severe crisis for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If not handled properly, this multi-national and multi-regional country may well disintegrate.


    Almost at the same time, the Foreign Affairs Departments of the Allies all had a unified goal ¨C to establish contact with the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Hungarian Kingdom Government.


    Germany, too, was urgently contacting its ally, as they did not want to see their only ally withdraw from the battlefield, which would mean that Germany would have no chance of victory.


    If the Austro-Hungarian Empire remained in the war, at least it could hold back more than a million Allied troops for Germany.


    But if the Austro-Hungarian Empire withdrew from the war, Germany would face a siege by all the Allies. The current total number of Allied troops is more than 10 million, and with the United States joining the war, this number is still growing.


    The Germans could never match such a force, even in a war of attrition, the Germans would be bled dry.


    On July 17, 1917, the Austro-Hungarian Empire held another round of talks with the Allies.


    Unlike the previous talks, this time the Allies held the initiative, and the Austro-Hungarian officials had a gloomy look on their faces because this meeting was destined to be a negotiation about the distribution of interests.


    Perhaps because the spring offensive had not made any progress, the French wanted to speed up the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s withdrawal from the war in order to concentrate all their efforts on attacking Germany to relieve their own pressure and reduce their own casualties.


    Therefore, at the beginning of the negotiations, France and Russia were putting pressure on the Austro-Hungarian Empire, giving the impression that if the Austro-Hungarian Empire did not agree to negotiate, they would support Hungary''s independence.


    Unfortunately, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had no choice but to ept that the Hungarian Kingdom Government was at odds with the Austro-Hungarian government, and that the Hungarian Kingdom Government truly wanted independence.


    It was as if the Allies already knew everything about the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and they could even see the most intimate details, leaving the Austro-Hungarian Empire at their mercy.


    Of course, being willing to negotiate is only the beginning; the Allies care more about the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s territory and various significant interests.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire could not simply let the Allies carve up theirnd, and a haggling match like those at the market began.


    Although at a disadvantage, the Austro-Hungarian diplomats did not back down, arguing forcefully about any interests rted to their country and demonstrating the determination of diplomats.


    However, this did not stop the Austro-Hungarian Empire from withdrawing from the war, nor did it prevent their territory and interests from being divided among the Allied Powers.


    The United States should be the least willing to see the Austro-Hungarian Empire withdraw from the war at this point, as this would mean that the United States would have virtually no share of the spoils, given that they had not made any contribution to the war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    But ironically, it is France and Russia who are most eager to see the Austro-Hungarian Empire withdraw from the war, and they are the two Powers that supported the United States joining the Allies.


    At the first day of negotiations, all countries made outrageous requests; for example, Russia demanded Galicia and Slovakia, Italy demanded the Austrian areas from Innsbruck to Rijeka, Serbia demanded the Bosnian region, Britain demanded the Dalmatian region, and Romania demanded the Transylvanian region, among others.


    As a result, the only territories left to the Austro-Hungarian Empire were Austria, Czech Republic and the Hungarian region, with Austria being further divided in half.


    Naturally, the Austro-Hungarian Empire could not ept such demands, and neither did Britain want to see Russia gain such arge swath of territory.


    As for the demands of Serbia and Romania, they may be satisfied eventually, but certainly not now.


    Demands from small countries like these are usually metst, or even directly ignored.


    Only when the major Powers all give their approval and do not oppose their interests can these countries realize their demands.


    Otherwise, their desires will not be taken seriously by anyone, unless they be powerful enough to be taken seriously by the major Powers.


    But clearly, even the United States is not taken seriously by the major Powers of the Allies, let alone the Balkan nations, which have already tasted the flesh of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire.


    Austrsia has no interest in the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Arthur is very eager for itsrge factories, skilled workers, and technology.


    As the country with the most credit for attacking the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is good news that Austrsia does not participate in the division of territory, and other countries are willing to let Austrsia take the lead in selecting factories, technicians, and workers from within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Although the power of the Austro-Hungarian Empire before the war was only a middle-tier country, its industrial level was far superior to lower-tier countries like Italy, and various industrial sectors thrived.


    The industry of the Czech Republic and Austrian areas ranked among the best in Europe.


    In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, there were ample mineral resources and coal, which was very suitable for industrial development.


    Historically, after World War I, Czechoslovakia was born and was coveted by Germany because of its strong industry.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s industrial strength could be absorbed, not only could the industrial level of Austrsia be greatly enhanced, but it would also help close the gap with the traditional industrial Powers.


    After all, the way countries absorbed German industry after World War I was through relocation and looting.

 Chapter 588: Chapter 452: The Second Negotiation_4

    Many pieces of machinery from German factories throughout history were dismantled and sent to Allied nations. Those that could not be transported were directly destroyed to prevent post-war Germany from rapidly rising due to this industrial equipment.


    An early exit from the war was also what the Austro-Hungarian Empire desired. In addition to alleviating the increasingly severe independence crisis in the Hungarian region, preserving current military power was also something the Austro-Hungarian Empire hoped for.


    Currently, the Austro-Hungarian Empire still has more than a millionbat forces, which is the guarantee of their independence and unity after the war.


    With these more than one million soldiers, even if the Hungarian Kingdom Government enthusiastically agitates, they would not dare to openly initiate an independence rebellion.


    At any time, the military power of a country is always the top priority. A country can be taken seriously by others because of its military power, but it will never be taken seriously because of its previous prestige.


    If the Austro-Hungarian Empire loses most of its military power in the war, even if this negotiation maintains most of its territory, it will be gradually devoured and divided by other countries in the future.


    Since the 19th century, the internationalmunity has always respected strength, with the strong establishing rules and the weak being divided by rules.


    Even for seemingly intimate allies like Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would still be inevitably devoured, or even annexed, by Germany if its strength was too weak.


    The interests of the countries are above everything else, and the rtionship between countries is determined by strength.


    During the negotiations, the war in the Austro-Hungarian Empire did not cease, which is also a reason for the Empire''s anxiety.


    Despite requesting the Allies to temporarily stop the war in the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the grounds that negotiations had begun, the Allies consistently refused.


    The Allies were not foolish. As it was because of the ongoing war that they were able to seize the initiative, they have no intention of stopping it without obtaining an offer that satisfies them.


    To expedite the negotiations, the Allies have also held internal meetings and adjusted each country''s demands.


    Firstly, Russia had set its appetite too high, as Galicia and Slovakia could not be annexed by Russia at the same time.


    These two regions not only represent arge area ofnd and poption, but they are also rich in mineral resources, and their industries are highly developed.


    Losing Galicia and Slovakia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire will no longer have the power to confront Russia, which is a situation the British Empire does not want to see.


    After some quarreling, Russia has changed its goal to Galicia and the part of the Polish region upied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, including Krakow.


    This was eptable to the British, as the Austro-Hungarian Empire still retained industrial areas such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria. Although the loss was heavy, it was not without strength for World War I.


    The entire Transylvania region demanded by Romania would naturally not be allowed by the Powers.


    In the end, Romania changed its request to 20 kilometers west of the border. Thisnd was just a small protruding corner of the Transylvania region.


    For Serbia, the demand for Bosnia was epted by the Allies, but the Croatian region remained under Austro-Hungarian rule.


    As for Italy, the Innsbruck to Trento region and Istria, which the Italians demanded, were reduced to the Trento region and Istria area.


    In addition, the Dalmatian Region would be jointly governed by Britain and France, and the Austro-Hungarian navy would be divided among the Allies.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Aside from these territorial demands, the Austro-Hungarian Empire needed to pay 15 billion pounds to the Allies as warpensation.


    Of this, 8 billion pounds were for war expenses, 3.5 billion pounds for soldier pensions, 2.5 billion pounds for damage caused by the war, and 1 billion pounds for withdrawalpensation.


    This 15 billion pounds would be paid off over 50 years, with 200 million pounds being paid in the first year and settled immediately.


    The remaining 14.8 billion pounds would be divided into 50 years, with 296 million pounds being repaid for each year. Payments needed to continue until 1968 to be cleared.

 Chapter 589 - 453: Austro-Hungarian Empire Surrenders, Full-scale Counterattack

    In the treaty between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Allies, the Austro-Hungarian Empire repeatedly mentioned a use that no Allied country should support Hungarian independence forces.


    The Hungarian independence forces not only include the already well-known Independent Party in Hungary but also include capitalists andndowners who try to promote Hungarian independence.


    If you have a map, you can clearly find out that the Austro-Hungarian Empire is mostly surrounded by mountains, and only the Hungarian region is one of the few ins in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    This also leads to the Hungarian region being mostly based on a small agricultural economy, including a considerable number of farm owners and small capitalists.


    Thepletely different economic models of the Hungarian region and Austria are also destined to cause conflicts between Hungary and Austria.


    But for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the empire cannot lose such an important granary as Hungary.


    After fully considering it, the Austro-Hungarian government finally decided to lose more territories, but never lose the sovereignty over Hungary.


    Of course, there is good news for Carl I, his emperor¡¯s throne is temporarily preserved.


    In order for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to better control Hungary, the monarchical position of Carl I must not be lost temporarily.


    After all, in addition to being the emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Carl I also holds the titles of King of Bohemia and King of Hungary.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It is thebination of Austrian Emperor, King of Bohemia, and King of Hungary that forms the dual-state structure of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Once the monarchy is overthrown, the states that are united because they are both Habsburg territories will lose their reasons for uniting with each other.


    It must be admitted that the Habsburg family, as one of the greatest European royal families, still has a very rich background.


    Even at the beginning of the 20th century, the Habsburg family still held the titles of the Austrian Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Kingdom of Bohemia, making it one of the most brilliant and glorious families in European royal history.


    This treaty is about to be reached, and Carl I and the Hungarian Kingdom government should rx.


    Carl I can keep his throne, and the Hungarian Kingdom government can deal with its own crisis, which can be described as a win-win situation.


    As for the losses of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it can only be borne by the imperial government. But for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, ending the war earlier may be the best choice, at least to avoid the further depletion of its own war potential and the loss of human and financial resources to the Hungarian Kingdom government caused by the war.


    When hearing that the Russian government is resending troops to join the war, the Hungarian Kingdom Government officials were frightened.


    If it can bepletely determined by the treaty, at least it can allow the Hungarian Kingdom government to have a period of development opportunities to deal with the problem of ethnic minorities in their territories.


    On July 21, 1917, as the peace talks progressed smoothly, it was finally announced to suspend the war in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and decide to assemble most of the troops on the German border, trying to decide a life-and-death battle with Germany in a short time.


    The news of the Austro-Hungarian Empire¡¯s surrender shocked European citizens, and at the same time, it also meant that Germany¡¯s demise became only a matter of time.


    Even many European newspapers have been moring that they even think that the Allied forces will be able to end the war before this year¡¯s Christmas, allowing all European citizens to wee a peaceful Christmas again.


    On July 24, more than 100,000 Austrsian troops returned to the Western European battlefield by transport ships, which also means that the Austrsian Army will face the German Army again.


    More than 500,000 troops from the Balkan Allied Forces were also withdrawn, and together with the 500,000 Italian troops, the total number of Allied forces on the Western European battlefield was close to 10 million.


    This is almost the bottom line of the Allies. In this year and a half since 1916, the casualties of the Allies, especially Britain and France, have reached more than 4 million, with nearly 2 million deaths, which is a truly heavy loss.


    The Germans were also not in good shape, and the total number of casualties in this year and a half was as high as 3.5 million, with almost 1.6 million deaths.


    The total number of casualties caused by the three localized wars of the Battle of Verdun, the Battle of the Somme, and the Spring Offensive has exceeded 8 million, and the total number of deaths has exceeded 3.5 million. This is the most tragic period of time since the outbreak of the war.


    During the entire wartime, more than 20 million soldiers were invested in the European theater, the total number of casualties exceeded 15 million, and the number of deaths was as high as 6 million.


    Even just the deceased poption isparable to some medium and small-scale countries in Europe. The cumtive casualties are close to the poption of Austrsia, which is enough to see the cruelty of this war.


    In addition to the consumption of manpower, the consumption of funds and supplies of European countries has not decreased at all.


    In the year before the outbreak of the war, in 1913, the European countries¡¯ military spending generally put at about ¡ê100 million, and some countries did not even exceed ¡ê100 million.


    But now, even Italy and Austrsia, with the least military spending, are hovering around ¡ê100 million.


    And for countries with the most serious consumption like Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, annual war spending has reached billions of pounds, which can be said to be crazy in squeezing the potential of the country and damaging its economic development.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that ending the war early has be the hope of all countries.

 Chapter 590 - 453: Austro-Hungarian Empire Surrenders, Full-scale Counterattack_2

    But the problem is, Germany currently is not in a position to end the war early, unless it does so in the attitude of a defeated party.


    You see, the current German government is controlled by the military, and those soldiers and the Junker nobility could never ept defeat.


    The Germans¡¯ delusional hope to end the war with a phased victory will never be epted by the Allies. This means that the Allies must fight Germany to a conclusive result, until either party is left with no room to fight back.


    In early August 1917, three American divisions were transported to the Western Front, pushing the total number of Allied forces there past 10 million for the first time.


    On August 6, an order from the temporary headquarters of the Allied forces sent millions of troops spread across the frontlines in Belgium and France into a full-scale attack on the German defenses.


    The counter-attack of the Allies was earth-shaking. The sound of gunfire never ceased along the border. The tremors from exploding shells were like earthquakes, shrouding the entire border in a veil of white fog, making it impossible to see the enemy¡¯s troop deployment from above.


    The battlefield was divided at Verdun: the Belgian region north of Verdun became the Northern War Zone; the Verdun region itself became the Central Battle Zone; and south of Verdun became the Southern Battle Zone.


    The Northern War Zone had 1.5 million troops from Britain¡¯s Expeditionary Force and 500,000 troops from the Austrsia Expeditionary Force as its main force.


    The Central Battle Zone was bolstered by 500,000 troops from Britain¡¯s Expeditionary Force, 2.5 million troops from the French Army, and 100,000 American soldiers.


    The Southern Battle Zone consisted of 500,000 Italian Army, 800,000 French Army, and 550,000 Balkan Army.


    In addition, both Britain and France each had over 1 million Colonial troops, deployed behind the front line forces, responsible for transportation and serving as reserve forces.


    Although the total size of the army seemed terrifying, in reality, the elite forces numbered less than 3 million; the majority were Colonial troops and armies with lessbat power.


    On the German side, the number of troops was just half that of the Allies, totaling less than 5 million soldiers at full strength.


    More importantly, a significant portion of these 5 million were rookie soldiers, whose actualbat effectiveness was also in question.


    Plus, at least a million German troops were tied down by the Russians. Since the Austro-Hungarian Empire got suddenly attacked by Russia, Germany had to strengthen its defenses along the Russian border to prevent Russia from catching them off guard again.


    At this point, both sides had a must-win mentality. If either side lost this decisive battle, defeat wouldn¡¯t be far away. It¡¯s even usible that the enemy could push all the way to the capital city.


    While the Allies didn¡¯t have these concerns, European news outlets had already set high expectations. Numerous British and French media outlets had assured the public that the war would end within 1917, so that the people could enjoy a peaceful Christmas.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for public opinion, people didn¡¯t care howplex and vtile the front-line warfare might be. If bad news came from the front line, no one would be able to bear public outrage.


    It is worth noting that in order to promote this decisive battle, the British had altered their conscription system from voluntary enlistment topulsory conscription, swiftly assembling over 2 millionbat forces.


    Although less than half, or 1 million, of these soldiers were true Britons, mandatory conscription did indeed award the British with arger military.


    If any unfavorable news came from the front lines at this time, people would most likely resist the newly revised conscription system, which could adversely affect Britain¡¯s soldier source.


    Under this kind of pressure, Allied politicians didn¡¯t care about the actual situation on the front lines. Their sole purpose was to fulfill public wishes and end the war within the year.


    While this would result in more casualties,pared with ultimate victory, some losses can be totally epted.


    Especially given that both Britain and France had arge number of Colonial Troops on the home front, these troops were served as Cannon Fodder.


    In this counter-attack, the headquarters of the Allies took a strategypletely opposite to before, opting for concentrated assaults rather than previous roundabout nks.


    Indeed, it makes sense. Along the borders of Belgium, France, and Germany, there were over 14 million troops from the Allied nations.


    Although these armies were scattered in various directions, for the most part they filled up the frontline, leaving very few ces that could be prated without being quickly discovered by enemy forces from other directions.


    Given these conditions, it would be more advantageous to leverage the sheer numerical superiority of their forces, directlyunching a mass charge against the enemy¡¯s main point of defense, thereby disrupting their defensive lines.


    Although such a tactic would lead to more casualties, right now what the Allies¡¯ forces do notck is numbers, but time which they can ill afford to squander.


    Between August 6th and August 10th, over the span of five days, the number of casualties suffered by the Allies per day soared to 78,000, 44,000, 31,000, 51,000, and 37,000, respectively, with daily death counts equally appalling at 22,000, 13,000, 6,000, 17,000, and 9,000.


    The five-day period ounted for a total of 221,000 casualties and 67,000 deaths, each day seeing more than 13,000 soldiers killed and 31,000 injured. These casualty figures far exceeded those of previous wars and most periods of the two great battles ofst year.


    Of course, amidst these colossal losses, the Allies made hearty gains.


    Firstly, the damage inflicted onto the Germans, though far less than the Allies, tallied to nearly 100,000 total casualties over five days, including almost 30,000 deaths.


    Although the casualty ratio between the two sides is close to 2:1, it should be noted that the forces deployed by the Allies were mostly colonial armies, and so this casualty ratio indeed favours the Allies.


    The reason the Allies could achieve such casualties with the use of indigenous troops is due to the immense number of guns amassed on the three main battlefronts, with the total number of guns already exceeding ten thousand.


    The Western Front alone consumed millions of shells daily, far more than the total number of shells produced by the five nations of Britain, France, Australia, Italy, and Americabined.


    Thankfully, with the proficiency of supply from the United States, the Western Frontcked no munitions in the short term.


    Since the mobilization of the American military was always slow, their current total army size was just over 200,000, with less than 100,000 actually possessingbat ability.


    Under these circumstances, the Americans would surely be looking to contribute to the war effort in other ways, bare in mind that they were the onesrgely suffering financial and manpower losses, ensuring that their role in the war was not insignificant and that they secured important interests after the war.


    In mid-August, the treaty between Austro-Hungarian and the Allies was officially signed. The first nation to have provoked World War I had, after over two years of war, finally chosen to surrender and withdraw from the conflict.


    ording to the iplete statistics from the Austro-Hungarian government, the war had inflicted casualties of over 3 million and more than 800,000 deaths on the empire, causing economic losses exceeding 20 billion pounds and leading the empire to demise.


    Although the treaty had been signed, the resultant 15 billion pound reparations was, naturally, a headache for the entire imperial government.


    Until the reparations were abolished or fully paid, Austro-Hungarian would not dare to raise its head in the face of other countries.


    The 15 billion pounds was enough to support the United Kingdom¡¯s war effort for a year, or finance Austrsia¡¯s war for a hundred years.


    Adding to that the ceding of territory and the numerous unequal terms, along with imminent factory closures and a host of other conditions, whether the Austro-Hungarian Empire could maintain its status as a major power was called into question.


    At the very least, nations not directly affected by the war, like ind nations, were coveting the status of major powers. This includes traditional European countries like Spain and Serbia, who had reaped substantial benefits from this war.


    Especially Serbia, who already had a poor rtionship with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and had annexed Bosnia, a territory previously upied by Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    Remember, the Sarajevo incident took ce in Bosnia, and it directly led to the outbreak of World War I.


    Now that the territory was back in Serbia¡¯s hands, it¡¯s hard to believe that Austro-Hungarian Empire would let it go, and likewise, it¡¯s hard to believe that Serbia, which had substantially expanded its territory, would be satisfied with being merely a regional power.


    Upon the independence of Hungary, the trauma of civil war, the high reparations, and the covetousness of neighbouring countries (Italy, Russia, Serbia); these were the immediate problems Austro-Hungarian Empire had to solve after the war.


    Furthermore, having abandoned Germany to make peace on its own, Austro-Hungarian Empire would inevitably be abandoned by the Germans, which would be a significant diplomatic challenge for Austro-Hungarian Empire, who had long adhered to an alliance with Germany.


    For the post-war Austro-Hungarian Empire, whether to remain a neutral country or to seek new, reliable allies is a question worthy of consideration.

 Chapter 591: Chapter 454: Russia Nation Makes a Comeback

    The formal surrender of the Austro-Hungarian Empire has all the Allies more excited, and all the countries participating in the division of the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s territory have be more proactive, turning their eyes to Germany''s territory.


    Especially Russia, which has experienced previous internal turmoil and mentioned several times that it is only responsible for defensive warfare, is currently mobilizing frequently on the Eastern Front, showing a trend ofunchingrge-scale battles.


    It should be noted that with the assistance of Britain and France for Russia, and the interest-free loans provided by the United States to Russia, Russia has finally restored some order.


    Thend ceded by the Austro-Hungarian Empire has also caused some Russians to no longer oppose the war. After all, the government can now guarantee its own supply of supplies, and the new constitutional government has also given people hope.


    At this time, Russia''s political situation is actually somewhat special. The real power is held by the Russian grand nobility and the big bourgeoisie, but there are also a considerable number of royalist factions, as well as the Workers'' Alliance, which is dominated by workers'' interests.


    The Provisional Government and the Tsar reached an agreement, which also led to the exclusion of the Workers'' Alliance-controlled Moscow and its surroundings by the entire Russia. The Workers'' Alliance, led by the Bolshevik Party, has not yet been able to affect more regions in Russia.


    In the treaty between Russia and Austria-Hungary, there is a provision that prohibits the Austro-Hungarian government from allowing the true high-level Bolshevik party led by dimir Eriksen Ulyanov to enter Russia through Austria-Hungary.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    dimir Eriksen Ulyanov also has another famous name, but it cannot be mentioned casually.


    Without the leadership of the core figures, and the premise that the Royal Security Intelligence Agency has already cleared most of the parties of the Workers'' Alliance in advance, the current Workers'' Alliance does not pose much of a threat to Russian politics.


    After all, Russia still has the support of the Allies, and the Workers'' Alliance is jealous of all countries.


    Nichs II, who was very high-profile and autocratic before, has also be low-key after Russia experienced internal turmoil.


    Although the military talents of Nichs II are indeed not high, his political abilities are not low.


    Nichs II clearly understands that the current way to guarantee his power and the status of the Romanov family is to live a simple life, to the greatest extent diluting the royal family''s presence in the public eye.


    Of course, Nichs II did not do anything. During these days living in the Winter Pce, Nichs II has released food to the residents of St. Petersburg and nearby Russians several times to ease the bad impression of the Tsar.


    At the moment, there is a subtle bnce between Nichs II and the Provisional Government. Since the Provisional Government is more vignt against the Workers'' Alliance, Nichs II''s throne is still preserved.


    For this reason, there are still arge number of royalists in the Russian army and government. The existence of these royalists is also the hope for Nichs II to regain power.


    Of course, Nichs II''s regaining power still faces many problems, such as the distrust of the people and the vignce of the Provisional Government, etc.


    However, no matter what, Nichs II''s current situation is much better than his historical oue. If handled well, bing a constitutional monarch like the King of Ennd with a stable position is not a problem.


    After the Alliesunched aprehensive counterattack on the Western Front, Russia also faced a problem, that is, whether to participate in this full-line counterattack.


    After a long period of contemtion, the Russian Provisional Government finally decided to participate in this attack.


    There''s no other option, Russians have already tasted the sweetness while dividing the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, a small Galicia and Austrian Pnd simply cannot satisfy the appetite of the Russians, and they are also unwilling to let go of the East Prussian region and German-upied Pnd.


    More importantly, a small Austro-Hungarian Empire needs 15 billion pounds inpensation, of which the proportion that Russians can divide is about 2.5 billion pounds.


    The Germans will only pay more, and the Russians will also receive arger share of war reparations to consolidate their domestic situation.


    On August 17, 1917, the Russian army, which had been reorganized for more than half a year,unched an attack on the Eastern Front, trying to recapture all areas upied by Germany.


    Germany, through previous wars, has upied a lot ofnd in Russia. The government dreams of recovering thesends, which also has a good stabilizing effect on the domestic situation in Russia.


    If the Provisional Government can recover thesends and even end this war, the rule of the Provisional Government will be more stable, and whether Nichs II will attempt a coup, or the Workers'' Alliance wants to move to the Provisional Government, depends on the actual beneficiaries of the Russian people.


    There are still many areas controlled by the Germans, including Riga and Minsk, which are still under German control.


    However, the vast majority of the territory in the Ukrainian region has been recaptured, after all, after the surrender of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Germans did not have enough troops to upy these areas.


    There are currently thousands of kilometers of borderlines between Russia and Germany, but the German defense forces are only about 1 million.


    It is impossible to rely on this 1 million army to hold the entire border line, so the Germans had strategically retreated earlier, focusing on defending major cities such as Riga, Minsk, Warsaw and Brest in the Polish region, etc.


    If there was a German defense map, it could be seen that the Germans focused on defending the major urban cities in the upied areas, with Pnd being the most important to them.


    The reason why there are no German cities is actually quite simple; the Russians must first reim their lostnds before their military can reach German territory.


    The reminiscence of the Russian army made the European media even more excited. They firmly believed that the Germans could not hold out for long under a two-sided encirclement.


    After all, if looking only at the gap in military strength, the total number of Allied forces in Europe was close to 15 million, while the total German forces was only 5 million, a three-fold gap.


    Indeed, although the Germans were prepared for the possibility of a Russian offensive, the pressure on the Western Front was so great that arge number of heavy weapons were transferred to the Western Front.


    Furthermore, the Germans did not take the Russian military''sbat capabilities seriously, and even believed that the Russian army was still as it was a year ago, with the majority of the armycking proper weapons, let alone heavy machine guns and artillery.


    However, the equipment of the Russian army had changed significantly since a year ago. A $2 billion loan from the United States gave the Russians the confidence to continue the war.


    Although a significant portion of the $2 billion was spent on civilian livelihoods and national development, over $500 million was also invested in the war, particrly in the procurement of military equipment.


    Moreover, the previous aircraft orders signed by Nichs II and Arthur were still being fulfilled, and the purchase of more weapons and equipment from Austrsia allowed the 2 million-strong Russian army to have sufficient equipment, catching the careless Germans off guard.


    By the middle of August 1917, the Russians already had as many as 200 military aircraft, more than 150 of which were bombers.


    Russian pilots'' training had also beenpleted, and these 200 military aircraft were ready to take off and engage in any war at any time.


    At the beginning of the war, the Russians deployed all their military aircraft andpletely upied the skies of the Eastern Front.


    German nes and airships were no match for Russian aircraft, especially airships, which were like sitting ducks to Russian nes.


    Since the outbreak of the war, the importance of airships had declined significantly. If not for their ability to transport more supplies and people, airships would have been phased out by various countries already.


    It should be noted that there are airships from various countries in the skies, and there ispetition and conflict between them.


    When facing more advanced weapons like airnes, airships had virtually no resistance.


    Aircraft can easily destroy airships, but airships have difficulty hitting smaller aircraft, especially when they are more flexible.


    Clearly, the loss of vast territories by the Russians earlier had actuallye to their aid now.


    The Germans simply did not have enough troops to defend such a huge, narrow territory, and their deployment on the Eastern Front was consequently dispersed.


    Although the Germans had anticipated the Russian offensive, their military strength wascking; furthermore, the weaker newer recruits had reduced thebat capabilities of their armies on the Eastern Front.


    Since the start of the war, German casualties had been mounting. Even considering deaths alone, Germany had already exceeded 2.5 million.


    It should be noted that before the war, the entire German army did not even number one million, which meant that arge number of new soldiers had been conscripted onto the battlefield and died in various offensives and defenses.


    Germany''s poption was limited and had no colonial advantages like Britain and France, so they could only consume their own native poption.


    Under these circumstances, Germany had recruited several million more troops and was still able to maintain an army of over 5 million fighting units, which demonstrated the German people''s identification with their country and their belligerence.


    However, the remaining 5 million fighting units also represented Germany''s final fallback. Germany''s blood was running dry, and they couldn''t possibly send all the women and the weak and old onto the battlefield in the end, right?


    Therefore, having new recruits for Germany at this time was rtively good news. Once the elderly, the weak, and women had to be sent onto the battlefield, the country would be crippled.


    However, it is clear that 1 million German recruits could not withstand the Russian offensive, especially when the 1 million soldiers were scattered along the lengthy frontlines.


    The resurgent Russian army was in high spirits. After besieging Riga for half a month, they sessfully recaptured Riga and drove the German forces back south of the Daugava River.


    The capture of Riga also opened a gap in the German defense line. The Russian army could now either advance directly southward through Lithuania to attack East Prussia or move south first, then east to encircle Minsk and annihte the German defense forces there.


    Either choice would be very effective blows to the German army, which meant that the Russian army had takenplete control of the Eastern Front battlefield.

 Chapter 592: Chapter 455: Darkening Skies and Earth

    From the moment Russia joined the counterattack, almost everyone reached a consensus that the Germans were destined for failure.


    In fact, practically every nation besides Germany felt this way, and even many German civilians believed their country was nearing its downfall.


    However, the only ones not agreeing with this sentiment were the German government or, more precisely, the Junker nobility and Hindenburg, who controlled the German government.


    Under Hindenburg''s nning, a massivest-ditch counteroffensive was about to beunched, deciding whether Germany would win or lose. At least that was what Hindenburg believed.


    In order to win this war, the Germans went to extreme lengths. Almost all civilian factories gave way to military factories, and the government called on the people to work in the defense industry to produce supplies for the frontline army.


    As a result, the production speed of German military factories expanded several times over, with monthly bullet production skyrocketing from tens of millions to nearly two hundred million.


    Although this approach met the consumption needs of the frontlines, it also caused a problem for Germany: the domestic economy had been destroyed by the war, and Germany''s development had been disrupted by the conflict.


    Even if they reached an unconditional peace now, it would take Germany at least ten years to return to their pre-war situation and economy.


    This predicament pushed the German military government to be even more desperate. They became more convinced that Germany couldn''t afford to lose and pinned their hopes on a decisive battle, hoping to salvage Germany with a miraculous victory.


    The worst news for Germany was that on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, the Allies maintained an absolute numerical advantage over the Germans.


    The German army had fully experienced the power of human wave tactics. Despite casualty ratios as high as 1:3 or even 1:6 in some areas, the Allies were still content.


    After all, the Germans were currently consuming the colonial poptions of Britain and France, as well as the virtually inexhaustible poption of Russia.


    However, the Germans were consuming their own native poption, and every German death weakened the country further.


    In the first month of the full-scale counteroffensive, August 1917, the casualties of both Germany and the Allies reached a new record: over 2 million people were killed or wounded in a single month, with more than 80,000 casualties per day (the actual duration of the fighting was only 25 days, beginning on August 6).


    Although German casualties made up only over 500,000 of those 2 million, the German government was undoubtedly beginning to fear such massive losses.


    In just one month, Germany had lost a tenth of its troops. How long could the remaining four million-plus soldiers hold out?


    Another bad piece of news for the German government was that more than 500,000bat troops from over thirty divisions had been sent to support the Austro-Hungarian Empire and were now trapped in dangerous conditions following the Austro-Hungarian Empire''s surrender.


    Fortunately, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had not directly joined the Allies; otherwise, the fate of these 500,000 troops would have been even more uncertain.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Bear in mind that these German troops were located within the Italian-controlled territory, with Austrian territory controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire lying further to the north.


    Getting these German troops back to Germany by crossing through both Italian and Austro-Hungarian territory was no simple task.


    The Allies were clearly aware of the existence of these German forces too. The Italian army frequently harassed them, with limited support from a small number of Balkan and American troops. These German forces were stuck within Italian territory and were unable to return to Germany.


    If the German government couldn''t provide any reinforcements to help this army, it was highly likely that these German troops would be encircled and annihted.


    But the German government had no other choice: nearly all German forces were deployed on the Eastern and Western Fronts, and Hindenburg and the German General Staff had less than 300,000 reserve forces under theirmand.


    300,000 troops to save 500,000 was an almost ludicrous idea.


    If 300,000 soldiers were enough to rescue the German Army Group, they would have returned to Germany long ago.


    Not only was their army facing trouble, but the German navy was also bunkered down in harbors, afraid to venture out due to therge Allied fleets patrolling the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.


    The submarine tactics that Germany used to rely on had essentially been abandoned since the United States joined the war and the Allies gained enough warships to protect merchant ships.


    Though there were still asional attacks on one or two merchant ships by German submarines, these attacks barely scratched the surface for the Allies, only serving to intensify their hatred towards Germany and indirectly increase thepensation funds that Germany would have to pay after they lost the war.


    Moreover, every now and then, several Allied bombers would bomb German cities or drop leaflets encouraging soldiers to surrender.


    German frontlines, cities, and factories were all targeted by these bombers and aircraft.


    Random bombings not only disrupted the order of these cities, but the leaflets distributed from airnes also disturbed the thoughts of the German people.


    Even those who had supported the war unconditionally before were now questioning it and began to doubt the decisions of the government and military during the conflict.

 Chapter 593: Chapter 455: Darkening Skies and Earth_2

    Because Hindenburg was the Chief of General Staff at that time, he had to deal with quite a bit of pressure.


    Fortunately, there were two previous Chiefs of General Staff, Little Maurice and Fakinham, who also shared a significant amount of the pressure.


    However, since Hindenburg was still active in German politics, he was the one who bore the brunt of the pressure.


    Due to the harassment from the Allied aircraft and the frequent setbacks on the frontlines, the prestige of the military government led by Hindenburg had declined greatly.


    Even some non-Junker nobility members in the military higher-ups began to protest, arguing that the current predicament faced by Germany was due to the blindmand of the General Staff.


    These people demanded that Hindenburg return power to Emperor William II of Germany, so as not to let Germany go further down the wrong path.


    In fact,pared to the more extreme Junker nobility and military government, the German government under William II''s rule was somewhat more rational.


    More importantly, William II was not a staunch advocate of war. The interest group represented by William II was more like a faction of bnce. Although they hoped for victory in the war, they were also able to ept defeat.


    After all, for William II, his throne was the most important thing. People like Hindenburg, who had directly undermined William II and the government, were the biggest threats to the German monarchy and government.


    Although there had been some voices from the military and the people, Hindenburg would never pay attention to their doubts.


    What a joke, Hindenburg had barely managed to usurp William II''s power, gaining actual control of the military government.


    There was no way he would give up his power willingly just because of some people''s opinions within the country.


    After all, William II had grievances about being sidelined, and as the mastermind behind it all, Hindenburg was definitely one of the people William II resented.


    If Hindenburg dared to return power to William II, he should be prepared to be brought to ount by William!


    Although the Germans seemed to be in crisis, the Allies also consumed a great deal of resources.


    After merely half a month of the war, the Russians once again sought assistance from Austrsia, requesting to purchase more weapons and equipment.


    If it were in the past, Arthur would find ways to stall the Russians, creating greater profits for himself.


    But now, Arthur agreed to the Russians'' demands without hesitation. There was no way around it, even if Austrsia didn''t sell weapons to Russia, there was the United States eagerly eyeing the arms trade of various countries.


    If Austrsia rejected this order, the Americans would definitely intervene and take over the deal.


    It was better for Austrsia to earn this money itself rather than let the Americans make a profit from it.


    Furthermore, a stronger Russia was good for Arthur, as it would at least allow the Russian monarchy tost a little longer.


    Arthur knew very well that the greatest threat to Russian monarchism was the Workers'' Alliance that controlled Moscow.


    What the Russian Provisional Government actually wanted was a constitutional monarchy, which was something Arthur could ept.


    After all, a constitutional monarchy was still a monarchy, a highly prestigious monarch could still wield a certain amount of power, such as Queen Victoria in the past.


    Even a constitutional monarchy had the hope of transforming back into an absolute monarchy, as long as there was a prestigious and popr monarch who could make it happen.


    But if it were transformed into the republic that the Workers'' Alliance desired, it would be virtually impossible to restore the monarchy.


    Not everyone is willing to have a king rise above them for no reason, a king who would take a share of the government''s wealth and even have the nerve tomand them.


    On September 1, 1917, the long-nned counterattack by Hindenburg finally arrived.


    A million German troops on the Southern Front broke through the defenses of the Allies, mainly the defenses of the Italian Army, and even approached the Marne River line.


    Keep in mind, Paris is located downstream of the Marne River, only about 100 kilometers from the German front line.


    The German counterattack caused some panic among the Allies ¨C if Paris were to fall, it would be no joke and would be an unparalleled blow to the Allies.


    After all, of the 10 million Allied troops on the Western Front, a considerable part was contributed by the French.


    If the Germans were to seed in a surprise attack, forcing the French to surrender, then it would be questionable whether the remaining Allied forces could withstand the German offensive.


    In order to support the French, and appease the French government and public, the British urgently announced the deployment of an additional 500,000 troops to the Western Front.


    Under pressure from the Allied countries, Italy also increased its forces by 200,000 to block the German offensive.


    At this point, the nearly 2 million reserve forces that had been reserved earlier became useful.


    Following the order from the Allies General Headquarters, reserve forces stationed along the Marne River and in the rear of Verdun began to mobilize frequently, intent on driving the Germans back to their original frontlines.


    The final oue was good ¨C millions of Allied troops sessfully blocked the German offensive and pushed the German Army back over 20 kilometers near the Marne River, just 70 kilometers from Paris.


    This avoided another outbreak of the Battle of Paris, giving the entire Allied Nations, especially France, a sigh of relief.


    At the same time, it made all the Allies realize that relying on the Italian Army as the main offensive force was untrustworthy and would even burden other fronts.


    The Allies General Headquarters swiftly decided to transfer 300,000 troops from the Northern Front to the Southern Front, recing the 300,000 Italian troops.


    Relying on the well-developed transportationwork in Belgium and France, the transfer of up to 600,000 troops could bepleted within two weeks.


    In order to maintain frontline stability during the troop rotation, the Allies General Headquarters decided to increase offensives on other fronts during the rotation period, while sending out arge number of reconnaissance nes to determine German movements.


    Of course, during the rotation period, up to 500,000 reserve forces were on standby to fill any gaps created by the rotation.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At the same time, the Allies General Headquarters also asked the Russians to step up their offensive on the Eastern Front, so the Germans didn''t have any thoughts forunching a surprise attack like before.


    Under the counterattack of millions of reserve forces, the Germans were driven back to the front line after spending more than half a month.


    Meanwhile, the Austrsia Army and the Italian Armypleted their troop rotation within this half a month, with the Austrsia Army now being the main offensive force on the Southern Front.


    This was a daunting task for the Austrsia Army. On the Northern Front, they could follow the British and y a supporting role.


    But on the Southern Front, mixed in with the French Army, Italian Army, Balkan Allied Forces, and American army, as well as the justpleted troop rotation of the Austrsia Army, it could be considered a multinational camp without any issues.


    As the main offensive force on the Southern Front, the Austrsia Army faced the greatest German counterattack.


    This also meant that the Austrsia Army could not avoid casualties, and the number of deaths and injuries would inevitably be higher than before.


    However, as long as Germany could be defeated, all sacrifices would be worth it.


    At present, almost all participating countries are longing for peace, and Arthur is also looking forward to the post-war distribution of interests in Austrsia.


    Sacrificing one Germany to bring happiness to all the countries in the Allies and strengthen Austrsia, why not do it?

 Chapter 594: Chapter 456: Suicide Squad

    Although the Germans were clearly unable to bear the high cost of the war, the Allied General Headquarters also discovered a huge problem.


    Although the 10 million-strong army on the Westline battlefield is enormous, creating a two-to-one numerical gap and advantage against the German army.


    However, the consumption of these 10 million troops is a severe problem. Even with constant transports on the railways in Belgium and France, many troops still face a dilemma of material shortage.


    Apart from the deficiency in transportation capacity, the logistics supply for these 10 million troops is almost entirely dependent on Britain, France, and the United States, with Italy supplying little and surplus materials from Austrsia given all to Russia.


    Due to the issue of distance from America, the real responsibility for supporting the logistics of the 10 million strong army fell only to Britain and France.


    Although the British and French have the most colonies in the world, taking on the logistic supply for tens of millions of troops is undeniably tough for them.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Especially considering the enormous navy that the British sustain, such consumption has started to slightly overburden the British Empire.


    If it weren''t for the Americans joining in, taking up part of the material supply and continuously replenishing the Allies, it might be the Allies who would fail to endure on the Westline battlefield first.


    Up to now, the 10 million troops organized by the Allies on the Western Front are historical, and also thergest number of soldiers in a single war in human history.


    If it weren''t for the gathering of the forces of the six great powers, especially the economically developed Britain, France, and America providing supplies for this army, it would be impossible to sustain such a massive army.


    The war is now a test of each country''s patience, to see who will be the first to fail in this war.


    After the raid on the Southern Front was thwarted, the Germans didn''t show any signs of discouragement. Instead, under the nning of Chief of Staff Hindenburg, they decided tounch a new offensive in September 1917.


    Having just raided the Southern Front, the German General Staff expected the enemy to be prepared. And the fortress of Verdun on the Central Front is a sky-dwelling, an impossible task for the German army to conquer in a short time.


    Therefore, after consideration, the German General Staff decided to ce the raid in the Northern Front, which is mainly the Belgian region held by the British.


    The offensive from Rodney to Fu James was named Operation Joffre, targeting the British positions between Ypres and Labasi.


    Starting from September 9, 1917, the German Armyunched an overwhelming assault in this area.


    Millions of German troops showed a fighting spirit willing to risk death. They quickly gained an advantage, forcing the British to retreat.


    Expeditionary Force Commander Hagg of Britain saw the situation and hurriedly ordered the ready-for-action British tanks and nes to counter the German''s attack.


    Then, the most brutal scene of the war urred.


    Because the German firearms and machine guns could not deal with these British tanks, the German army took an unexpected action.


    German soldiers carrying explosives rushed out of their positions, bravely charging towards the Allied tanks.


    Although many German soldiers were intercepted, a few Germans still sessfully rushed towards the tanks and died together in the smoke and fire.


    The crazy action of the German soldiers shocked the Allied General Headquarters, which even made themanders of each country amazed and even forget to issue orders to the army.


    They have seen armies with a strong will to fight, but such a disregard for death, even directly using life to exchange for tanks, still shocked these generals.


    Thus, tens of British tanks that were deployed, with more than half of them immobilized, were destroyed by German''s attack, fully losing their function on the spot.


    The British dared not gamble. If the German soldiers were still using this suicidal tactic to exchange for British tanks, it would definitely be a loss for Britain.


    After all, the British have prepared for a long time and only produced these few dozen tanks. Even if hundreds of German soldiers can blow up a tank sessfully, it would still be a loss for the British.


    After all, the number of German soldiers is several millions, but there are only a few dozen British tanks. Each one is a treasured possession of the British military.


    The main reason that British tanks were so easily destroyed by the Germans is that the advancing speed of British tanks was very slow, even slower than the speed of an adult running at full speed on the battlefield.


    Under these circumstances, when unprepared, the German soldiers could easily rush to the vicinity of the tanks and deliver a fatal blow to the British tanks with the explosives in their hands.


    At this time, the tanks still had very thin iron skins, and the power of a packet of explosives was enough to destroy a tank, or at least to make the tankpletely lose itsbat power.


    The Expeditionary Force Commander of Britain, Hagg''s face was not good at this time. He made a decision right away, ordering the messenger to deliver a decree to all troops: all troops were ordered not to retreat a step, even if they had to fight to thest man, they must hold their frontline positions.


    To prevent any idents, Hagg immediately ordered the Supervising Team to go straight to the front line. Anyone found retreating, whether British or Indigenous Peoples, would be killed on the spot.


    Meanwhile, the over 300,000 reserve forces in the rear were mobilized by Hagg, ready to support the front line at any time.


    Without exaggeration, the German army is currently the most powerful military force in the world. The only force stronger than the German army would be the German army that is fearless of death.


    After Hagg decided against using tanks to hold the position, the German army surged towards the British position like a tide, akin to invincible cockroaches. If one falls, more surge forward.


    Even as the barrels of the British machine guns turned red-hot, they still couldn''t stop the advancing Germans.


    Amid such an exaggerated German offensive, the British position was quickly forced to retreat over ten kilometers. It seemed as if a sneak attack like the one on the southern front was about to be staged again.


    In order to save face before the world, unlike Italy, Hagg frequently patrolled the front lines of each army group, and issued a stern warning that anyone who retreated a step would face dismissal and investigation!


    In addition, Hagg mobilized all the reserve forces to directly join the front line in areas with weaker defenses.


    With the aid of air forces, they managed to hold their positions with great difficulty.


    By the end of September 1917, the German offensive finally ended, and the British Expeditionary Force could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Although the German offensivested only 20 days, it exerted immense pressure on the British Expeditionary Force, almost causing its entire copse.


    In these 20 days, the British Expeditionary Force suffered up to 600,000 casualties, with even the death toll surpassing 200,000.


    The Germans also suffered terribly, incurring at least 400,000 casualties and 100,000 deaths.


    Although the German casualties were smaller, the British held their positions and did not let the Germans achieve their purposes of the sneak attack.


    After the offensive, the Germans retreated back to their own positions, as if the previous sneak attack had never happened.


    However, the Allies are not easy to bully either. Such a surprise attack is not something that the Germans can start and end whenever they want.


    In order to teach the Germans a lesson, after deliberations at the Allies'' General Headquarters, it was decided tounch the second Marne River battle along the Marne River line. The objective was topletely drive the German army out of southern France and permanently alleviate the danger to Paris.


    The participants of the second Marne River battle included the Austrsia Expeditionary Force, the Italian Army, the Balkan Allied Forces, the American Expeditionary Force, and part of the French Army.


    The total number of these forces amounted to 1.5 million, while the German military force was estimated at about 1 million.


    To ensure numerical superiority, after the battle started, Italy had to support the frontline with 200,000bat forces, and a French Army group was always ready formand. This meant that they had almost 500,000 reserve forces.


    This attacking force could be described as luxurious, as Austrsia, being the main attacker, has themand authority of the battle.


    Under General Thomas''s orders, the second Marne River battle employed abination of tanks, aircraft, and infantry. The Germans thoroughly experienced the most sophisticated offensive tactics so far.


    The battle deployed over 200 tanks in total, of which more than 100 belonged to Austrsia, and the rest were from France and Italy.


    This made people marvel at how much war had advanced technology. In fact, as early as two years ago, European countries were all researching weapons simr to tanks.


    But only Britain and France truly seeded in their research. Italy only rushed to imitate once they saw the British tanks. As a result, their tanks not only fell far behind the British ones in terms of performance and data but also had a higher failure rate.


    The failure rate of British tanks was as high as 60%, but Italian tanks were even more staggering, with failure rates reaching almost 90%.


    In this battle, Italy deployed eight tanks in total and seven broke down on the way. Only one sessfully reached the frontline.


    But not long after it enteredbat, this Italian tank was faced with mechanical failure. The turret got jammed and effectively lostbat capabilities.


    The high failure rate of tanks in World War I was inevitable, even Austrsian tanks were no exception.


    On the Allies'' side, as many as 200 tanks were deployed, but less than 80 were finally put into battle, demonstrating a breakdown rate of up to 60%.


    Nheless, tanks were still the major weapons on the battlefield. Having a certain number of tanks at one''s disposal could inflict massive damage on the enemy.


    Almost 80 tanks left the German army at a loss for how to react. Such mobile targets were hard for the artillery to hit, and machine guns could hardly cause any damage.


    The Germans thought to use the same tactics as the death squads had done before, but the Allies were well-prepared. They set up a strong firepower with machine guns and artillery and kept several hundred nes circling in the sky, determined to prevent any German soldiers from getting close to the tanks.


    What''s more, the tanks at the forefront were from Australia. The faster-moving, better-armored Austrsian tanks neutralized the Germans'' strategy of sacrificing one soldier for each explosive package.

 Chapter 595 Chapter 457 The Cannon Fire Finally Disperses

    October 11, 1917, this day was significant for both the Allies and the entire war.


    Under the full-scale attack of the Allied forces, the Second Marne River Battle made good progress.


    In just ten days, the German military was pushed back more than 50 kilometers, not onlypletely resolving the predicament of Paris but even showing great momentum to counterattack into Germany.


    Although the German army''s defense did not cease, it could no longer stop the advance of the Allied forces.


    At this stage, the German army''s morale was already low, worn out, and exhausted. It seemed that most of the soldiers were already weary and did not see a favorable oue in this doomed war.


    The sess of the Second Marne River Battle also gave an opportunity to the Allied Command.


    While maintaining an offensive on the northern front line, the French Army assembled arge number of troops stockpiled in Verdun and advanced directly towards Alsace and Lorraine in cooperation with the southern front line.


    For the French, being able to recapture the Alsace and Lorraine Regions as quickly as possible was undoubtedly one of the best rewards in this war.


    October 27, 1917, after a half-month of fighting, the Allied forces broke through South Zinc, pushing the German military back to the pre-war France-Germany border.


    However, restoring the pre-war order was clearly not the objective of the French army. Without any respite, the spirited French troops shouted slogans of reiming Alsace and Lorraine and directly charged towards those regions.


    The German army''s fighting spirit was revived since its homnd was right behind it. However, it was now apparent that the German forces could no longer resist the advancing Allies. Even if the Germans fought fearlessly, the French were even more enthusiastic about fighting.


    At the end of October, as the first French soldier stepped into the Alsace area, the region, which had been without French gs for decades, was once again adorned with them.


    Recaptured along with Alsace was the Lorraine Region, which Prussia had annexed in 1871 and had since been a thorn in the side of all French people.


    It should be remembered that it was in this same year that the German Empire was established with France under Prussian rule. This humiliation was lodged deep in the hearts of all French people and was at the core of the Franco-German conflict.


    Now able to reim this territory, the prospect was even more exciting for most French people than the victory in the war itself.


    General Thomas was very tactful, not only giving the French army the opportunity to be the first to enter Alsace and Lorraine but also proposing that the French should directly govern these regions.


    With the consent of all the Allied countries, the management of this territory was given to the French people, and no one could dispute France''s sovereignty over thend.


    The upation of Alsace and Lorraine not only thrilled the French people and French media but also excited the media and citizens of all the Allied countries.


    This was the first time since the outbreak of the war that the Allied Westline Battlefield forces had prated into German territory and truly upied the first plot of Germannd, a significant event in the entire conflict.


    On the same day that the French army officially entered Alsace and Lorraine, the media of all the Allied countries unanimously used one headline: "Victory ising!"


    The fall of Alsace and Lorraine overwhelmed the Germans, but they now had no troops to mobilize.


    Both the Belgian region and the Eastern Front were facing fierce attacks from the Allied forces.


    Even gathering one division could put these two frontlines in danger. However, if reinforcements were not sent to South Germany, Bavaria might be the next to fall.


    The political structure of the German Empire was rather special, as it was formed from the former Kingdom of Prussia, in conjunction with the various states in the German region.


    Emperor William II was not only Emperor of the German region but also the King of the central Kingdom of Prussia.


    Aside from Prussia, the German Empire also had important states such as Bavaria, Hesse, Baden, and Hanover.


    These states not only had autonomy but also their own armies. However, during times of war, they had to submit to the centralization of the imperial government, which was a restriction on these states.


    Bavaria had its own king, and it was uncertain whether Bavaria would demand independence in the face of a crisis as Hungary had done in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.


    However, the more turmoil there was in Germany, the better it was for the Allies. The greater the chaos in Germany, the less manpower and resources the Allies would spend in defeating the country.


    After fully upying Alsace and Lorraine, the Allied forces split into two directions. Part of the forces went north to Frankfurt and the Rhine River bank, upying important German locations such as Frankfurt and the Ruhr District and joining the British forces in the Belgian region to encircle the German frontlines.


    The other part continued eastward to upy the entire southern region of Germany.


    The German states of Bavaria, Fortenberg, Hesse, Baden, and North Germany did not have such close ties.


    It should be noted that the German Empire was established because the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austro-Hungarian Empire and excluded Austria, which was also located in the German area.


    Prior to the establishment of the German Empire, the southern German states of Bavaria and others had closer rtions with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and were opposed to the Kingdom of Prussia''s North Germany Alliance.


    On November 11, 1917, after the Allied forces captured Owenfort, they advanced to Stuttgart.


    The army responsible for the northward advance headed north to Mannheim, surrounding the surrounding areas of Mannheim, Mainz, and Frankfurt.


    Although the German army fought desperately, the Allies'' forces were unstoppable. Even if the daily casualties of the German army exceeded tens of thousands, it still could not stop the Allies'' advance.


    On November 27, Stuttgart was breached, and the Allied forces moved east to Munich and Nuremberg.


    Within a few days, Mannheim also fell, leaving only the German forces in Mainz and Frankfurt to hold out.


    The news of the Allies'' unstoppable advance within Germany also incited the British, who intensified their offensive in the Belgian region and recovered the Liege Fortress during this time, pushing towards Germany''s Aachen.


    The predicament faced by Germany at this time made the German General Staff''s scalp numb and made Hindenburg feel helpless.


    More importantly, the fall of the territory had already left Germany facing a supply crisis. Many areas had seen worker uprisings, protesting the government''s drastic cuts in supplies to the people.


    Although such small-scale worker uprisings were quickly quelled by the government, a pessimistic atmosphere had already begun to spread among the people.


    The German people began to criticize the military government''s rule, angrily stating that it was because of the militarized government that Germany faced such a predicament.


    Worth mentioning is that the attacks from various media and people within Germany directly targeted the military government and Hindenburg. The specific targets were so apparent that it was hard not to suspect some maniption behind the scenes.


    Actually, hidden in the Berlin Pce, Emperor William II was the most likely mastermind behind these attacks. However, Hindenburg had no intention of dealing with William II at this time.


    Read exclusive adventures at empire


    On December 1, 1917, under the orders of Hindenburg and Rudolf, the German General Staff requested the High Seas Fleet to forcefully engage in battle, hoping to obtain more favorable terms for Germany''s future negotiations.


    However, the General Staff''s demands undoubtedly sent the High Seas Fleet''s soldiers to their deaths. With the addition of the Americans, the difference in numbers between the German Navy and Allied navies had be huge, and the High Seas Fleet could no longer be the Allies'' naval match.


    Under the leadership of some middle-level naval officers of the High Seas Fleet, the unwilling seamen rebelled, directly upying the harbor and publicly telegraphing the German government, demanding that Hindenburg return power to William II.


    The rebellion and disobedience of the navy caused Hindenburg to lose face, and it also made more German people dissatisfied with the rule of the military government.


    As the Allied forces rampaged across Germany, plundering cities and territories, the Kingdom of Bavaria''s government finally could not withstand any more. King Ludwig III of Bavaria sent several messengers to meet with the Allies, and their intent to unterally end the war had be quite apparent.


    On December 7, Munich fell under the besiegement of the Allied forces, and Ludwig III publicly dered Bavaria''s unconditional surrender.


    The surrender of Bavaria marked the beginning of the German states'' surrender, and Hesse, Baden, Fortenberg, and other states all dered their surrender in early December.


    This resulted in the entire south Germany region falling under the control of the Allies, causing chaos among the north German states.


    At this point, Hindenburg could no longer be concerned about the front line and hastily ordered the withdrawal of the troops to the north German region, concentrating all efforts on defending the most critical areas of Germany.


    On December 9, with Frankfurt''s copse, the Allied forces began to advance towards the Ruhr District.


    The British forces also officially broke through Aachen, joining forces with the French army, aiming directly at the entire Westphalia region.


    Before the Allied forces even approached the Ruhr area, workers and the military in the area had already rebelled.


    Arge number of workers shouted slogans such as "bread not war," causing some German soldiers to defect and directly upy most of the factories in the Ruhr area.


    At the same time, rebellions broke out across Germany, and the people had nothing to eat, so naturally, they no longer cared about the government.


    On December 11, Allied forcesnded in Hanover, and Hanover immediately dered its surrender.


    At this time, Hindenburg sat pale-faced in the General Staff''s office and knew that Germany''s situation was hopeless. With bitterness, he gave the order to his messenger, announcing a ceasefire on the front line.


    On the same night, William II, under the protection of his guards, quietly fled to the neighboring Nethends for refuge.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After Germany''s defeat in the war, Hindenburg''s military government will inevitably face retribution from the Allies, and William II does not believe the Allies would easily let him go.


    Instead of enduring this, it would be better to go to the Nethends as soon as possible and wait for Germany''s situation to develop.


    The next day, on December 12, 1917, the news of Germany''s ceasefire spread throughout the Allied nations and the world, and all the Allied people gathered together to celebrate and rejoice.


    It was only then that the people of Europe realized that the slogan of ending the war before Christmas, previously publicized by the Allied media, was not a deception. There was still half a month left before Christmas.


    Arthur, upon hearing the news of Germany''s ceasefire in Austrsia, couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    The war, which hadsted for three years, had finallye to an end and had finally allowed the people of Europe and even the entire world to rx.


    However, the end of the war did not mean rxation; the uing negotiations between the Allies and Germany were of the utmost importance and concerned the interests of all nations.

 Chapter 596 Chapter 458 Train and Talk

    Although Germany had announced aplete cease-fire, this did not mean the war hadpletely ended.


    Before the German representatives officially signed the peace treaty, Germany was still at war with the Allies.


    If the theme during the war was how to defeat Germany, then the theme now after the temporary cease-fire was discussing how to divide Germany.


    Although every country''s goal was to obtain sufficient profit while teaching Germany a profound lesson. Explore more at empire


    However, the attitudes of different countries towards handling Germany varied. For example, the French wanted to weaken Germany as much as possible, annex morend, and evenpletely eliminate the possibility of Germanypeting with France again.


    But the British would never agree to this. Weakening the Germans could be done, but it had to be within a reasonable scope.


    Otherwise, a France that stood up again through exploiting Germany would be Britain''s biggest rival in Europe. At that time, with no rivals on the European continent, the British would have to personallypete with France.


    This was uneptable to the British as it contradicted their consistent policy of continental bnce and would greatly endanger Britain''s status on the European continent.


    Therefore, it was predictable that the uing negotiations would be apetition within the Allies.


    Germany, which had already lost its defenses everywhere, would have no power to resist, but the disputes between the countries within the Allies would make this negotiation more exciting.


    On December 15, 1917, three days after the official ceasefire, representatives from all the Allies gathered to discuss the specifics of the agreement with the German representatives.


    Interestingly, the first to sign the unconditional surrender agreement was onboard a train, one of its carriages was once the personal carriage of the French Emperor, Napoleon.


    Since Germany was established almost on the heads of the French then, this was something the French held grudges about until now, and they decided to avenge it during the signing of this agreement.


    Lorem ipsum dolor sit ametcalled 2419D carriage was treasured by France directly after the signing of the cease-fire agreement in Germany and was ced in a museum.


    The French used this method to repay the shame of decades ago, but this also intensified the contradiction and hatred between Germany and France.


    When the news of Germany''s formal signing of the unconditional surrender agreement spread all over the world, it also formally represented the end of this world war thatsted for three years and four months.


    On the same day, Austrsia''s Prime Minister Kent was excited to see Arthur, and he couldn''t help but say, "Your Majesty, Germany has officially surrendered unconditionally!"


    Arthur finally breathed a sigh of relief and ordered the maid to open a bottle of red wine to celebrate with Prime Minister Kent.


    Such a scene was happening around the world at the same time. Most of the Allies plunged into a frenzy and celebration.


    Having been suppressed by long-time warfare, these people were desperate to release their emotions. Whether shouting, yelling, getting drunk, going out on the street with their loved ones, or celebrating with strangers, they were all good ways to vent their feelings.


    When Arthur breathed a sigh of relief, he couldn''t help but feel a bit heavy inside.


    Under the influence of Arthur and Austrsia, this world war, which historicallysted for more than four years, ended hastily in just three years and four months. The consumption of Britain and France, especially the British, was not as severe as in history.


    Although the Americans also participated in the war, they did not contribute much to the war, and they even participated in it for only six months in total.


    Even before the end of the war, America''s expeditionary forces in Europe had not exceeded 200,000 people, which meant that America would not benefit much from it.


    This led to the war not being as horrific as in history¡ªthe total number of troops mobilized by the Allies was less than 30 million, with more than 14 million casualties and more than 5 million deaths.


    The alliance''s total mobilized troops were more than 15 million, with 9.4 million casualties and 4.1 million deaths.


    The situation in the Allies countries is much better than the alliance, and even losses in France and Russia were not as severe as in history.


    Even Russia can currently maintain a constitutional monarchy, and the capitalist government has even suppressed the Workers'' Alliance, which ispletely different from the situation in history.


    Even Arthur is doubtful if the historical country would still appear, and if Russia could grow into a world-ss power?


    The different changes in these situations will make the uing World War II unpredictable, and Germany might not necessarily wage it as they did historically.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire did not dpose after the war as it did historically, and it could still retain the main regions of Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia. There would be no problem being a lesser power.


    In short, the world after the war appears somewhat chaotic, and the differences from history are somewhat significant.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Against this background, Arthur''s once-cherished future experience has be somewhat chicken ribs. He can only vigorously promote the development of Austrsia and ensure that Austrsia could use its own strength to protect its territorial integrity and people at any time.


    While celebrating victory, Arthur did not forget to have the government actively fight for Austrsia''s interests.


    All of Germany''s Pacific colonies were a done deal and were not something any country could take away from Austrsia.

 Chapter 597 Chapter 458 Train and Talk_2

    Besides, Arthur had also instructed to vigorously attract German technical talents, skilled workers and research and military industrial enterprises, including some important industrial enterprises.


    After the war, Germany was bound to go through a long period of chaos. In history, there had been the famous 500,000 Mark Bread Incident, which proved that the situation of the Germans after the war was not good.


    Under such circumstances, if a part of outstanding German talents could be attracted to immigrate to Austrsia, it would be much more useful than fighting for some reparations.


    If Arthur remembered correctly, it seemed that Germany''s debt from World War I was not fully repaid until the 21st century.


    Instead of fighting for the proportion of reparations, it is better to obtain some practical benefits, such as the equipment, talents, and skilled workers of German military factories and chemical factories, as well as some industrial enterprises, including the talents of the German education system and so on.


    The policy of Austrsia attracting talents adhered to the principle that if they couldn''t get them, they would never let other countries get them either. It was not uneptable for German talents who were unwilling to go to Austrsia.


    However, these people would be closely monitored by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency. If there was any intention to go to other countries, especially the United States, these talents would be assassinated by the Royal Security Intelligence Agency.


    At present, the representative of Austrsia in the peace talks was Ambassador Carl Pul to France. Prime Minister Kent, who was responsible for the real peace talks and the struggle for benefits, was also on his way.


    It was the French President''s decision to participate in the peace talks in person to vent their anger, so there was no choice but to send the Prime Minister [to represent them].


    On the other hand, Britain was not to be outdone, sending Prime Minister Asquith as their representative.


    Under such circumstances, if other countries sent representatives with lower positions, it would inevitably seem disrespectful to the leaders of Britain and France.


    Afterprehensive consideration, Austrsia decided to send Prime Minister Kent as the final representative.


    Although it would take Prime Minister Kent a month to go to Europe, the meeting on the distribution of benefits was bound tost for a long time, as the division of Germany was a big project.


    Of course, Prime Minister Kent was not the only one going to Europe. Since this distribution of benefits involved various aspects of the country, almost all departments would send personnel, including ministers and deputy ministers.


    Before going to Europe, the ministers of various departments also needed to have a n for the interests they wanted, so it would be more convenient to ask for their needs after arriving in Europe.


    When Arthur saw the list of war losses and ims submitted by the ministers of the various departments, he understood why Germany would bear a debt of 2260 billion marks after World War I. (It was reduced in 1921 because it was too much)


    The cost of war for each country was indeed not small, but everyone wanted to use war reparations to recover all costs at once, and even make some profits.


    For example, Austrsia''s actual expenditure in this war did not exceed 300 million pounds in total.


    However, the list of ims given by the Finance Department was worth as much as 1.7 billion pounds. Coupled with the technology, factories, technical personnel, etc., that Germany needed to transfer, the total value of ims reached more than 2 billion pounds.


    Arthur couldn''t help but gasp. He didn''t expect the Finance Department to be so good at talking nonsense.


    However, since they were seeking more benefits for the government, Arthur didn''t say much and agreed to this list of ims.


    If they could fight for so much, it would be best; if not, there would be no loss for Austrsia.


    It is estimated that other countries have a bigger appetite than Austrsia, after all, it is not so easy to make up for more than 2000 billion marks in reparations.


    In addition to asking for reparations, Arthur also issued another order to the Ministry of Finance, which was to use the opportunity of this reparations to transfer Austrsia''s external debt as much as possible.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Although Austrsia''s finances were very healthy, they had borrowed a lot of foreign debt from countries such as Britain, France, Germany, and the United States over the past ten years or so.


    Naturally, there was no need to say more about Germany, as the reparations could be used to offset the external debt. It would be best if the remaining debt to Britain, France, and America could be offset by Germany''s reparations, so that the Germans could help them repay their debts and alleviate their pressure.


    Chancellor of the Exchequer Kevin Taylor was initially unwilling to listen to Arthur''s request, as all of Austrsia''s foreign debts, at the earliest, would not begin to be repaid until around 1925.


    Moreover, except for the United States, the debts owed to other countries were not much, owing about 10 million pounds to Britain and 15 million pounds to France.


    The bulk of the government''s foreign debt was actually owed to the royal family and the United States. The government owed the royal family 110 million pounds and owed the United States 2.2 billion dors, which is equivalent to about 440 million pounds.


    Although the government''s foreign debt was as high as nearly 580 million pounds, the government''s avable funds had exceeded 750 million pounds, so there was no need to worry about the pressure of foreign debt.


    Moreover, there was no need to rush to repay the debt to the United States, as it was an interest-free loan that had only been owed for about half a year.


    However, Arthur''s question made Chancellor Kevin Taylor change his mind instantly.


    Arthur looked at Kevin, who was obviously reluctant to give up the German reparations, and asked with a hint of meaning: "Chancellor Kevin, are you really sure that the Germans can repay all their reparations?"


    If it was just the 2 billion pounds Austrsia wanted, Germany would not be incapable of repaying it.

 Chapter 598 Chapter 458 Train and Talk_3

    But there are as many as ten countries demanding reparations, the total amount of which is astronomical in nature.


    Even if the countries showed leniency towards Germany with certain reductions, the amount would not be lower than the countries'' actual losses.


    Germany, as developed as it was, did not have the ability to repay the six great powers and many Balkan states for their expenses in the war, let alone considering Germany''s current domestic situation not being particrly favorable.


    Germany will definitely repay thepensation, but the exact amount they can repay is uncertain.


    For Austrsia, using the not necessarily fully collectiblepensation to repay its foreign debt, which it has already obtained, is absolutely not a loss.


    Especially if the Germanpensation can be used to repay the United States'' debt, it would be equivalent to Austrsia getting 2 billion US dors for free.


    Prime Minister Kent, who received the mission from Arthur, hurried to Europe by warship after a few days of preparation.


    This time, Prime Minister Kent took a battle cruiser, which was much faster than a typical battleship and, since it was not wartime, there was no need to worry about enemy ship harassment.


    If he had taken a super dreadnought, the journey to Europe might have taken a month. However, by taking a battle cruiser, he could arrive in Europe in about 25 days.


    Arthur ordered the royal financial group to freely distribute supplies to the people, allowing them to better spend their Christmas this year in celebration of the victory of this war.


    Some canned and meat products originally intended for transport to Europe were generously distributed to the public, as the war had ended.


    Meanwhile, preparations were underway for the rewards and graces for thebat soldiers, as well as for all those who contributed to the war in the country.


    After Christmas, when all Austrsian troops returned to the country, Arthur would hold a grand celebration ceremony, honoring those who had contributed to the cause.


    This war is a good time to rapidly expand the aristocratic ss of Austrsia.


    Assuming no unforeseen circumstances, after the enfeoffment ceremony, Austrsia will have a batch of new nobles to strengthen the aristocracy of the entire country.


    In addition, Arthur will not be stingy with the three major medals and various other rewards, and the royal financial group has prepared as much as twenty million Australian dors to reward these soldiers. Additionally, a sum of money will be paid to the families of all deceased soldiers as a pension.


    Since aircraft and tanks have already made their appearances in the war, the designers who have researched aircraft and tank designs will also receive their deserved rewards during the enfeoffment ceremony.


    Arthur values ??soldiers and scientific researchers the most, so they are the ones most likely to be awarded hereditary titles.


    The aristocratic ranks in Austrsia and the United Kingdom have some differences, but overall they are basically simr.


    The lowest rank of the nobility is the honorary title of Sir, followed by the Baron at the bottom of the true nobility, then Viscount, Earl, Duke, and finally the King at the top.


    In Britain, the Marquess''s position is actually very awkward. Initially, it referred to the Earls near Wales, but eventually evolved into a rank above Earl and below Duke.


    However, the number of Marquesses in Britain is small, making them the least visible among the British five-tier aristocratic ranks.


    Austrsia''s aristocratic ranks directly incorporate Marquesses into Earls. After all, Austrsian nobles are all modern nobles, that is, they only have titles without territories.


    These modern nobles obtain their benefits by joining the Nobleman United Consortium, which is controlled by the royal court and pays dividends to all nobles annually.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although there are no territories of their own, the nobles would receive some castles and manor houses to ensure that the modern nobility in Austrsia can enjoy a luxurious life.


    By creating the Nobility United Consortium, these nobles can better tie themselves to the royal court, binding their interests more closely with those of the royal family.


    The status of these modern nobleses entirely from the king and the royal family, and their ie sourcese from the Nobleman United Consortium controlled by the royal family.


    In this way, the modern nobility of Austrsia cannot betray the royal family, let alone betray Arthur.


    Due to historical reasons, Austrsia has too few nobles.


    In order to consolidate his own position and that of the royal family, Arthur will have to ennoble at least a few hundred more in this enfeoffment and continue to increase their numbers by several hundred more during the next few decades to secure the power and status of the next generation of rulers, or even those longer term, of the Austrsian royal family.


    Through the recent days of the Ministry of Defense''s statistics on casualties among the soldiers, Arthur finally obtained the total number and specific list of Austrsian casualties in the war.


    Almost all of the regr Austrsian soldiers went to the battlefield through the army''s rotation system, effectively training their fighting capabilities and exposing them to realbat.


    Of course, casualties were unavoidable, especially given that each division had to hold out for at least six months.


    Austrsia''s two guard divisions and four regr divisions had more than 100,000 main forces. The total number of casualties exceeded 25,000, and the number of deaths exceeded 8,000, which could still be considered eptable.


    What ounted for therger casualties were the indigenous armies numbering more than 100,000. In the front and back, Austrsia transported more than 80 colonial divisions to Europe, close to 1.6 million indigenous troops.


    The number of casualties among these indigenous troops reached as high as 900,000, and the number of deaths exceeded 400,000, making Austrsia one of the countries with the heaviest casualties. The total number of casualties even exceeded that of Italy.

 Chapter 599 - 459: The Upcoming Rise of the New Nobility and Military Merit Granting Land

    Before the representatives of various countries arrived in London for the peace talks, they methodically counted their own casualties and war consumption.


    Compared to the somewhat chaotic Russia, the other European countries were the fastest to tally the figures.


    The Allies mobilized a total of 29.14 million troops, with 14.21 million casualties and 5.11 million deaths. A total of 15.15 million civilian casualties and 4.11 million civilian deaths were recorded.


    The Central Powers mobilized a total of 15.32 million troops, with 9.4 million casualties and more than 4.1 million deaths. There were 9.75 million civilian casualties, including 2.32 million deaths.


    Although there must be some discrepancy between the figures reported by each country and the actual numbers, given the severity of World War I, the differences are likely not significant.


    The data also shows that the military suffered the most casualties, but the impact on civilians was also significant.


    Moreover, most countries didn¡¯t record the number of citizens who died from starvation, as such a thing would not look good for the governments.


    After all, who would care about nonbat civilian deaths during wartime after victory has been achieved?


    Based on the casualty statistics from various countries, France was the most severely affected during World War I, with over 1.2 million soldiers killed and more than 4 million injured. It could be said that there were hardly any uninjured French soldiers left.


    French civilian casualties were estimated between 600,000 and 700,000, asrge areas of French territory were upied during the war and German soldiers¡¯ attitude towards French civilians was not friendly.


    Russia was the nation with the second-highest casualties, with over 1.8 million soldiers killed and more than 5 million injured. Civilian casualties were estimated to be between 2 and 3 million.


    It is worth mentioning that more than one million Russian soldiers were captured, but these were not included in the casualty figures. Russia¡¯s statistics were rather chaotic, with numerous casualties among soldiers and civilians not ounted for, which is why France emerged as the country with the heaviest losses.


    ording to the real data, Russia¡¯s casualties far exceeded those of France, and even the number of people who starved to death was well over a million.


    Germany and Austro-Hungarian Empire were the nations that suffered the next-most casualties, with each losing more than 5 million people.


    In Germany, over 2.2 million soldiers were killed and 4.5 million were injured. German civilian casualties were smallerpared to France and Russia, as the war only reached the German maind in the final months.


    German civilian casualties amounted to around 150,000, with over 100,000 of these injured or killed on the Eastern Front.


    The Austro-Hungarian Empire did not suffer much fewer casualties than Germany. After all, the empire was severely beaten in the early stages of the war, with several army groups defeated and wiped out.


    More than 1.35 million Austro-Hungarian soldiers died, and 4 million were injured. Nearly all soldiers were wounded. Civilian casualties in the Austro-Hungarian Empire ranged between 800,000 and 1 million, making it the second-highest civilian casualty nation after Russia.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Next were the British Empire, with approximately over 1 million soldier deaths and around 1.9 million injuries. Civilian casualties were minimal since the war did not reach the British maind.


    Austrsia ranked sixth in casualties, followed by Italy in seventh ce, with over 300,000 soldier deaths and more than 600,000 injured, trailing Austrsia by 20,000.


    Besides the five Great Powers of the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Australia, and Italy, the casualties of the remaining Allied nations including the United States were not very high.


    Balkan states¡¯ average casualties were around 100,000, and Belgium¡¯s casualties also exceeded 100,000.


    Other than these, the casualties of other countries did not exceed 100,000, which also meant that they would not receive many benefits.


    The casualty list was preliminarilypiled by each country, originally intended for external verification, butter used at the negotiating table for peace talks to secure more benefits.


    However, in reality, there were many on the casualty list that each government did not emphasize, such as the native armies of Austrsia, which would not benefit from the pension policy of Austrsia.


    Nevertheless, Arthur would fulfill his promise to send these soldiers and their families to other regions and provide them with a certain amount of resettlement costs.


    The resettlement fee ranged from about 50 to 200 Austrsian dors, which was enough for them to settle and establish a stable life in their new homes.


    Those who were truly able to enjoy thepensation policy were the 0.8 million soldiers who died in regr Austrsian forces and the 1.7 million injured soldiers, who would also receive correspondingpensation and rewards.


    From the casualty figures of the regr Austrsian army, it could be seen that the native soldiers bore the brunt of the war¡¯s misery for Austrsia.


    In addition to Austrsia, the situation of the British Empire was simr. More than half of the casualties were native soldiers, and the actual number of casualties of the British main force was less than one-third of the total.


    Based on Austrsia¡¯spensation system, the total casualty figure of 25,000 would require a government and royal expenditure of nearly 7 million Austrsian dors inpensation.


    Of this amount, the government and the royal family each contributed half, about 3.5 million Austrsian dors. The expenditure is not significant for their finances, and both can easily afford it.


    Although most soldiers have not yet returned home safely, Arthur ordered the government and the royal financial group to urgently prepare this pension fund and distribute it to all soldiers as soon as possible.


    In addition, the Ministry of Defense also provided certain subsidies to all soldiers who participated in the war. The average subsidy per person was about 50 to 60 Austrsian dors, an expenditure amounting to five to six million Austrsian dors.


    Of course, the rewards from the government and the royal family are far more than that. Soldiers who have made meritorious contributions will also receive more rewards such asnd, titles, medals, etc. This can be regarded as the Austrsian version of military meritnd grants.


    After all, the nativend of Austrsia and its major colonies possess vast amounts of undevelopednd. These vacantnds are wasted if not utilized, so it was decided to give them to meritorious soldiers for development.


    These people will also serve as the military merit beneficiary ss under the nobility, simr to the knights of medieval Europe, indirectly safeguarding the royal family and noble sses.


    To allow soldiers to choose more freely, the pensions and rewards given to the soldiers can also be flexibly exchanged.


    For example, the rewardednd can be exchanged for funds equivalent to thend, and the funds can be exchanged fornd of equal value.


    And military merits are cumtive because this time the rewards are cleared. As long as the cumtive military merits reach a certain level, a noble title will be granted.


    ording to the military meritnd grant program set forth by the government and the Ministry of Defense, each soldier can receive about 3 acres ofnd, which is just over 1.2 hectares.


    This is just a reward for participating soldiers. After achieving various military merits, thend area rewarded will increase significantly.


    When the umtednd reaches approximately 150 to 200 hectares, one can be awarded the title of Sir. For 1000 to 1500 hectares, one would be granted a Baron title. 8000 to 10,000 hectares can reach the title of Viscount, 30,000 to 50,000 hectares for the Earl title and 100,000 hectares for the Duke.


    A duke is basically the highest aristocratic level that an ordinary soldier with cumtive military merits can achieve. In theory, higher levels such as being a prince, can only be obtained by the royal family.


    In fact, 100,000 hectares is not a small area at all, equivalent to 1,000 square kilometers, simr to a smaller county area.


    Moreover, thend acquired through military merits is permanent. A nobleman who bes a duke through military merits can entirely rely on hisnd to be a millionaire.


    Although honorary nobles like Sirs cannot be hereditary, thend is permanent. This is Arthur¡¯s reward for all those who have contributed to the country and the royal family.


    Since this is a reward, military meritnd grants have great flexibility. The government and the royal family generally choose arge area to be collectively enfeoffed, ensuring that soldiers¡¯nds are connected to each other, avoiding the awkward situation of scattered patches ofnd.


    Theoretically, those who receivend rewards can apply to the government every 15 years for a change ofnd, pooling their property together.


    Of course, one can only exchange fornd of the same price and area, avoiding some people exploiting the government¡¯s loophole.


    In order to better cultivate the new nobility of Austrsia, after the enfeoffment of the soldiers, Arthur will establish noble schools to provide proper education for the descendants of the new nobility, turning them into pirs of the country and the royal family, rather than pleasure-seeking wastes.


    Noble schools can also unite the descendants of the new nobility, forming aplexwork of rtionships among nobles, with all new aristocrats attached to the royal rule, bing a powerful ss that obeys the royal family.


    In order to enhance the rights and status of the new nobility, Arthur specifically stipted that, except for treason and crimes that harm the interests of the royal family, any other crime can only apply to the noble person, not the noble title itself.


    In other words, except for these two crimes, all other crimes can only be punished for the nobility who hasmitted the crime, and cannot directly cancel their title.


    This also means that as long as the national and royal interest is not harmed, even if a new nobleman vites thew, his title can still be inherited by his descendants, rather than being cancelled due to criminal charges.


    However, if a crime of treason or harming the royal family¡¯s interests has beenmitted, Arthur will not hesitate to revoke the new noble¡¯s title, as the interests of the country and the royal family are always paramount.


    Under normal circumstances, these new nobles would not be foolish enough to vite the interests of the royal family. After all, all their rights and statuse from the royal family, so who would be willing to destroy their foundation?


    Moreover, as the King of Austrsia, it is quite simple for Arthur to dispose of the new nobility he has granted.


    After all, the crimes of treason and harming the interests of the royal family are just a title that can be attached to any noble at any time, as long as Arthur is willing.


    This can also be regarded as a means employed by Arthur to control new nobles. After all, there can be all sorts of people in a big forest, and there must always be a final card to deal with the fools.

 Chapter 600 - 460: Diplomatic Means and Checks and Balances

    ording to the Ministry of Defense¡¯s statistics on soldiers¡¯ merits, the uing enfeoffment ceremony will give the country at least ten more real nobles.


    Even more honorary titles like "Sir" will be granted, at least a hundred, significantly expanding Austrsia¡¯s aristocratic ss.


    In addition to granting noble titles for military merit, there are also grants for political achievements, scientific research contributions, and others.


    Arthur values the soldiers¡¯ military aplishments, but he also values the contributions of government officials,mon people, and scientists.


    All former government officials and scientists, and even allmon people in Austrsia, will be rewarded and honored with medals and noble titles based on their contributions to the nation.


    Along with these government officials and scientists, Austrsia will add hundreds of nobles at once,pletely consolidating their aristocratic ss¡¯s power and ensuring its existence.


    In a monarchical country, upward mobility channels for all sses are crucial. Ensuring lower sses have an opportunity to rise is essential for maintaining order in any country.


    Austrsia¡¯s channels for upward mobility are simple: anyone can, based on their contributions to the country and the royal family, receivend, funds, medals, and even noble titles.


    In this way, Austrsia may seem like a feudal state, but in reality, it offers a fairer treatment to its people than many supposedly "free and democratic" countries, reflecting true justice and equality.


    Although the aristocracy is thergest ruling ss in Austrsia, any ss can be nobility, representing hope for all to rise in status.


    For example, in Austrsia, even farmers and herdsmen can receive substantial rewards and even noble titles for their contributions, such as developing innovative agricultural and pastoral techniques.


    As long as all sses and citizens in Austrsia have the hope of bing nobility, they will not despise the aristocracy but instead work towards making contributions to the country and the royal family and eventually achieve noble status.


    Resentment against the nobility and those in power arises when all avenues for upward mobility are monopolized by those at the top.


    When people can no longer change their status despite their efforts, unrest among the lower sses is inevitable.


    Thus, Arthur has specifically dered that every Austrsian citizen is eligible for noble status provided they make relevant contributions.


    The aristocratic ss is open to all Austrsians, with rewards and recognition for their contributions to the nation.


    This is Arthur¡¯s promise to all Austrsians. As long as themoners¡¯ path to upward mobility is not monopolized, the aristocratic system will remain stable in Austrsia.


    This is simr to working at apany. A new employee, when given the opportunity to reach thepany¡¯s top ranks or even be a shareholder, will remain hopeful.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, if no amount of effort can change their status, employees will naturally lose loyalty to thepany and may seek other opportunities or even try to bring thepany down.


    Post-war statistics and enfeoffment rewards are currently the most critical matters in Austrsia.


    After quickly summarizing domestic affairs, Prime Minister Kent traveled with the delegation aboard a battlecruiser to London to attend negotiations to divide the Allies¡¯ interests.


    The actual negotiations venue is in Paris, France¡¯s capital. But before the Paris Peace Conference, there is a smaller meeting in London involving Britain, France, Russia, and Australia ¨C the original four great powers of the Allies.


    Although there are six great powers among the Allies, the true leaders are still these four.


    Italy, having switched sides midway through the war and contributed little, has limited influence in the negotiations.


    While the United States has sufficient strength, it entered the warte and had early suspicions of remaining neutral before joining the cause.


    The American people¡¯s greatest contribution to the war was providing loans to Allied countries, but their military casualties and aplishments were minimal.


    Such contributions from the United States are not enough to enter the core decision-making circle of the Allies, even though their overall power has surpassed Russia and Austrsia.


    Among the four great powers of the Allies, the status of each country has also changed significantly.


    France and Russia suffered the greatest casualties, and they are the only two among the four who sharend borders with Germany.


    These two countries have a significant interest in German territory, so they have naturally formed an alliance.


    Both Britain and Austrsia sustained rtively few casualties and are either too far from Germany or separated by a strait.


    Neither Britain nor Austrsia has significant interest in German territory, and they both hope that Germany is not divided too much.


    This has caused the Allies to split into two factions, one led by France and Russia, and the other by Britain and Australia.


    Regardless, the true leaders of the Allies are these four great powers. The pre-meeting in London aims to demonstrate theirbined strength and unity to other countries.

 Chapter 601 - 460: Diplomacy and Checks and Balances_2

    Arthur was quite interested in making an appearance at the famous Paris Peace Conference in history.


    However, upon reflection, he decided it was better to not. After all, no monarch of any country would personally attend such negotiations, and engaging in idle talk with the officials would be pointless.


    Even if Arthur didn¡¯t say a word, just sitting there would be ufortable. With his presence, officials would not feel at ease fighting for benefits, and Arthur would also be bound by etiquette, making it torturous for himself to sit there.


    Instead of joining in the chaos, he thought it wiser to settle domestic affairs at home. After all, the status of a country isn¡¯t determined by the size of its aristocratic ss but by the strength of its national and military power, which is decided with an iron fist.


    As the saying goes, territory is measured by cannons, and coastlines are guarded by ship guns.


    Only with strong military power can a country win the respect of others.


    As one of the four great powers of the Allies, Austrsia was still highly regarded by many countries.


    In particr, as the Austrsia Army previously defended the Balkan front line, many countries, including Serbia, sought Austrsia¡¯s support in diplomacy.


    This kind of diplomatic movement is quitemon internationally since the interests of smaller countriesrgely depend on the decisions of stronger nations.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    To put it somewhat cruelly, if the Four Great Powers of the Allies reached a consensus, even if they swallowed all the benefits, other countries wouldn¡¯t dare say much.


    Perhaps Americans would raise some voices, but until the U.S. military power is fully armed, Europeans don¡¯t take American actions too seriously.


    A powerful nation will inevitably have many smaller nations attached to it. The powerful can offer more protection to these smaller countries, which in turn be the markets for the powerful, expanding their influence even further.


    This can be seen as aplementary rtionship, and in an era of survival of the fittest, it represents the best possible oue for smaller nations.


    After a peaceful Christmas, the Paris Peace Conference was about to convene.


    On January 16, 1918, the four great powers met in London, United Kingdom, and reached a consensus on the dominance of the Allies, as well as a tacit understanding on the distribution of their respective interests.


    Although there were still disputes in certain areas of interest distribution, at least they had reached a general consensus.


    The meeting of the Four Great Powers rmed Americans, who were concerned they would be excluded from the distribution of benefits. In response, Americans urgently allied with Italy and turned to extensive media resources tounch a public opinion offensive.


    Under American leadership, many American and European media outlets began questioning the intentions of the Four Great Powers and using them of conspiring to exclude all victorious nations and monopolize the interests of the defeated Allies.


    However, such diplomatic tactics were mere itching for the Four Great Powers. Thebined efforts of each country¡¯s Propaganda and Intelligence Departments quickly quelled European public opinion.


    Of course, each country¡¯s Foreign Affairs Department provided a unified exnation, stating that this was just a routine meeting between the Four Great Powers. As for why the United States and Italy were not included in the meeting, perhaps they should have joined the Allies sooner.


    Arthur postponed the annual report and victory parade in anticipation of the end of the Paris Peace Conference, which would officially be held after the conference ended, including the enfeoffment ceremony and rewards.


    On January 27, 1918, the Paris Peace Conference was officially held in Paris, France, with participants from all countries, both Allies and the previously associated nations.


    Former alliance countries, including the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, participated in the conference. The treaty signed by the Allies and all former alliance countries would be merged and collectively known as the Paris Agreement.


    On the night of January 26th, Prime Minister Kent received a meeting request from President Wilson of America.


    Although he had no fondness for Americans, he could not rudely refuse a meeting request from the president of a powerful nation.


    In the room prepared for the representatives of all countries at the conference, Prime Minister Kent met the charming President of the United States.


    Upon their introduction, both men disyed the traditional demeanor of politicians, appearing like long-lost friends having a friendly chat.


    Having talked for a few minutes, President Wilson, brimming with enthusiasm, said, "Prime Minister Kent, I think Austrsia and the United States are incredibly simr, both beingte-developing emerging countries with impressive industries, economies, and militaries. Good heavens, given ourmon origins as British colonies, we must be brother countries!"


    Prime Minister Kent scoffed at President Wilson¡¯s remarks. The United States had violently gained independence from Britain, while Austrsia had peacefully formed; there were fundamental differences in their respective ways of founding.


    Besides, Australia had a predominantly white poption and closer ties to European bloodlines, while America¡¯s racial makeup was rather chaotic.


    The numerous American choctes alone made Prime Minister Kent dislike the United States, let alone considering it a brother country.


    However, the necessary diplomatic etiquette had to be observed, so Prime Minister Kent responded with a smile, "Perhaps so, Mr. President."


    "It¡¯s not a ¡¯perhaps,¡¯ it¡¯s a matter of course, Prime Minister. We are extremely simr brother countries with the strength and status we need. Sir, don¡¯t you think we should establish a new world order based on our own strength? Emerging countries need to increase their own voice.


    We shouldmunicate with the old powers like Britain and France to resolve conflicts and maintain world peace." President Wilson said confidently, shaking his head.

 Chapter 602 - 460: Diplomatic Means and Checks and Balances_3

    Prime Minister Kent nodded internally, but showed no reaction on the surface, waiting for President Wilson¡¯s next statement.


    Regardless of how big the Americans¡¯ appetite is, even if Austrsia and the United States join forces to establish a new order, they will not be able to withstand the united force of Britain and France.


    To put it bluntly, Austrsia is stillgging behind in terms of poption and economy, and the United States is still far behind in military aspects, not even close to the likes of Britain and France which are globally leading powers.


    Furthermore, it would be crazy for Austrsia to let go of Britain, a powerful ally, and seek to work with the Americans, who also have their own ws.


    Newly emerging countries like Austrsia will inevitably have their own contradictions. Even if Austrsia and the United States can develop, they will eventually have conflicts due to the Pacific Ocean.


    The rtionship between Austrsia and the United States is far less stablepared to that with the British, and the benefits that Austrsia gains from the United States are also far less attractive than those from Britain.


    As Prime Minister Kent expected, President Wilson¡¯s following words were all about establishing a new order, and how Britain and France aregging behind while Austrsia and the United States are advanced and powerful.


    Prime Minister Kent scoffed at President Wilson¡¯s speech. The United States might have certain advantages over Britain and France, but they are still far from being as powerful as them.


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    The current world order can only be established based on the Four Great Powers: Britain, France, Russia, and Austrsia. Other countries do not have the strength to change the status of these powers.


    After a casual chat, Prime Minister Kent sent off President Wilson, ending the pointless meeting.


    Nevertheless, Prime Minister Kent was still deeply pondering President Wilson¡¯s true intentions for visiting.


    There is still a huge gap in strength between the United States and Britain and France, and the Americans should be able to see that.


    In theory, the United States would not be foolish enough to challenge the status of Britain and France at this point, something even an Austronesian alliance would not be able to aplish.


    If that¡¯s the case, it proves that the motives of the Americans are not what they seem. It seems that they intend to establish a new world order by uniting with emerging countries like Austrsia.


    In reality, they might be trying to rally some allies, seeking more diplomatic support, and avoiding being excluded from the core of the new world order.


    Looking at it this way, there is even less need for Austrsia to cooperate with the United States. Austrsia is already one of the core members of the new world order, although the weakest among the Four Great Powers, but its status is far superior to countries like Italy and the United States (within the Allies).


    If the United States were to join the core of the Allies, Austrsia¡¯s status would inevitably decline even further.


    Wouldn¡¯t that be like lifting a rock only to drop it on one¡¯s own foot? Prime Minister Kent cursed inwardly, seeing the Americans as trying to trick Austrsia into stabbing itself in the back, and his impression of them dropped dramatically.


    With this in mind, Prime Minister Kent immediately called British Prime Minister Asquith, subtly mentioning President Wilson¡¯s words and adding, "Some people are getting restless."


    He believed the British would take action. Even if they had not thought about excluding the United States from the core of the Allies before, they would definitely change their minds after hearing Prime Minister Kent¡¯s words.


    After all, nobody likes restless countries, especially potential adversaries and challengers to their national interests.


    The United States must be attempting to approach more countries than just Austrsia, but they could have never imagined that Prime Minister Kent would immediately contact British Prime Minister Asquith as soon as President Wilson had left, exposing their real n.


    And how could the Brits, who had considered supporting Austrsia against the United States before the war and were well-versed in ying the bncing game, miss such an opportunity?

 Chapter 603 - 461: Development in War and Russian Visitors

    In early February 1918, the total cost of the government war and the domestic situation were fully ounted for, and the final result was reported to Arthur¡¯s desk.


    Compared to thest time the poption was counted, the poption of Austrsia had grown to 18.678 million, now approaching the 20 million mark.


    Now that the war is over, the immigration policies of various countries have gradually resumed, and there is a possibility of weing more immigrants in the new year, thereby breaking through the 20 million poption mark.


    In 1917, Austrsia¡¯s gross domestic product reached 2.24 billion dors, equivalent to 448 million pounds, 896 million Australian dors, with a growth rate of around 7%.


    From this data, it can be seen that the impact of the war on Austrsia¡¯s development was minimal.


    Even the war has promoted the development of various industries in Austrsia, including military industry, clothing industry, and various light industries, all of which have benefited from this war.


    In 1917, the Austrsian government¡¯s total fiscal revenue was 166.1 million Australian dors, with growth rates of 17% and 15% in the past two years, both very impressive.


    In 1917, the United States joined the war, which did steal away some of Austrsia¡¯s market and led to a slight decrease in the growth rate of Austrsia¡¯s fiscal revenue, but the war ended when the impact was not significant.


    In contrast, the government¡¯s total fiscal expenditure in the same year was as high as 145.5 million Australian dors, nearly half higher than before the war.


    In 1917, the government¡¯s total fiscal surplus was as high as 20.6 million Australian dors, which is equivalent to six super dreadnoughts, and the fiscal situation was still very good.


    Simrly, the ie of the royal family¡¯s financial group is also very exaggerated. It is no exaggeration to say that the expansion speed of the royal family financial group during the war period is no weaker than the growth rate of government fiscal revenue.


    If the pre-war royal financial group was famous for various heavy industries, then at this time the royal financial group also had many light industries, such as the Royal Clothing Manufacturing Factory, Royal Military Boot Manufacturing Factory, Royal Canned Food Production Factory, etc.


    ording to the statistics of the royal financial group, during the more than three years of the war, Austrsia exported more than 5 million tons of canned products to Europe.


    Considering the adult weight of a wild rabbit ranges from 80 to 100 catties. These canned products are equivalent to about 120 million wild rabbits, which shows the number of wild animals killed in Austrsia in recent years.


    There is no alternative to this. Austrsia¡¯s ecosystem is much more vulnerable than European countries. After all, Australia is apletely independent continent, and its ecological environment is different from Europe and Asia.


    In recent years, Austrsia has implemented strict environmental protectionws and animal and nt protectionws, providing stringent protection for Austrsia¡¯s carnivorous animals, prohibiting arbitrary hunting.


    In addition, the government encourages the public to hunt wild animals such as kangaroos, wild rabbits, wild boars, and wild camels, which can be sold to canneries or used for self-consumption.


    About once a month, the government and the royal family organize arge-scale hunting activity, and those who excel in hunting achievements receive certain rewards.


    Apart from the official hunting activities organized by the government and the royal family, Austrsia also has many hunting clubs and associations, responsible for hunting wild animals and selling them to canneries for profit.


    Don¡¯t underestimate the ie of these hunting clubs and associations. If they are proficient in hunting skills, their ie can even exceed that of farmers and herdsmen.


    Of course, hunting in the wild also has certain risks, especially in the more dangerous natural environment of Austrsia.


    But as it is called high-risk, high-return, every year there are still many people willing to participate in these hunting activities, to rx, earn extra ie, and show off in front of their family, friends, or even others.


    In addition, the government has also enacted stringentws on alien species to prevent as much as possible the damage caused by alien species to the Austrsian environment.


    Animals such as wild rabbits and camels are all alien species. The extreme breeding of wild rabbits has causedrge areas ofnd to be eaten away and even desertified.


    Environmental protection is one thing that Arthur can do for the future monarchs, and it is also an important way to protect Austrsia¡¯snd environment.


    Whatever the case, environmental protection and wildlife hunting will continue, and ecological management of Austrsia is also an urgent matter.


    On February 5th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suddenly reported that Russian Grand Duke Paul had arrived, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already hosted him.


    Arthur nodded, and immediately decided to meet Grand Duke Paul right away.


    Anyway, the Austrsian royal family and the Russian monarchy are both rted by marriage and natural allies.


    Under any circumstances, it is necessary to meet Grand Duke Paul. Besides, Russia¡¯s monarchy has not yet been overthrown, both nobility etiquette and Queen Mary require Arthur to receive this Russian guest.


    In fact, Arthur had long understood Grand Duke Paul¡¯s intentions. Although Russian monarchism was preserved, Nichs II¡¯s power was severely restrictedpared to before the civil unrest, and he had little power, barely able to stay in the Winter Pce and remain out of sight.


    This status quo was very dissatisfying for the ambitious Nichs II, who had been waiting for an opportunity to regain power.


    At present, the war had ended, and the anti-war sentiment among the Russian people naturally subsided. As the Russian army returned to their homnd, Nichs II also regained control of a few Royalist forces, sparking hope for a return to power.


    But relying solely on Nichs II and the Royalist forces is not enough, as besides the Provisional Government, Nichs II had an even more significant threat: the Workers¡¯ Alliance.


    Because of this, Nichs II wanted to find more allies, such as several countries among the Allies.


    Also, considering Arthur¡¯s previous suggestion of a European Royal Family Union Deration, Nichs II first thought of Austrsia and sent Grand Duke Paul, who had the closest rtionship with Austrsia, as his representative.


    Grand Duke Paul was the brother of Duke Sergei and the youngest son of thete Tsar Alexander II.


    Based on bloodline, Grand Duke Paul was Queen Mary¡¯s maternal uncle and, apart from Duke Sergei, the person with the closest blood rtionship to Queen Mary.


    Of course, there was also Queen Mary¡¯s younger brother. However, young people ultimatelyck persuasive power; therefore, Nichs II decided to send Grand Duke Paul as their representative.


    As for Arthur¡¯s father-inw, Duke Sergei, who was also Queen Mary¡¯s adoptive father, he had already passed away in a bomb attack and entered heaven.


    Arthur had only met Grand Duke Paul a few times, and they were not very familiar with each other.


    But after receiving Nichs II¡¯s instructions, Grand Duke Paul yed the emotional card upon meeting Arthur, inquiring several times about Queen Mary¡¯s condition, and expressing Nichs II¡¯s concern for Arthur, Queen Mary, and princes and princesses like William and Anna.


    "Your Majesty, Russia needs your help, and the Romanov family needs your help!" After some small talk, Grand Duke Paul finally got to the point and revealed his true intentions for visiting Austrsia.


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    "Where does thise from, Grand Duke Paul? As far as I know, although the rebellion has had some impact on the rule of the Romanov family, the position of your royal family is still stable and does not seem to need Austrsia¡¯s help," Arthur raised his eyebrows, feigning surprise, and asked.


    "Your Majesty, as you know, Russia made a huge contribution to the Allies in this war. But some damned rebels, while the army was deployed on the front lines,unched a rebellion and captured the government departments and the Winter Pce. Although His Majesty temporarily sumbed to these rebels, he longs to restore the rule of the Romanov family. For the Russian people, monarchism is the light.


    Only under the leadership of the great Nichs II and the rule of the Romanov family can Russia regain its brilliance," Grand Duke Paul knew that Arthur and Austrsia were no longer the way they were before and were nations that even pre-war Russia would need to pay attention to.


    Nothing else can be said, but with the status of being one of the Four Powers of the Allies, it is enough to make any country in the world value their position.


    Although their strength stillgged behind Britain, France, and Russia, they were on an equal footing in terms of status and could sit together at a negotiating table to divide the spoils of the defeated powers, rather than waiting for a meeting notification like Italy.


    Arthur nodded, expressing understanding.


    In fact, it was indeed the case, as the millions-strong Russian army was deployed on the frontlines, which allowed the rebels to quickly break through St. Petersburg and the Winter Pce.


    However, in reality, Nichs II had made many blunders, as without a few foolish acts, there wouldn¡¯t have been so many workers andmon people joining the rebellion before.


    Seeing Arthur nod, Grand Duke Paul¡¯s heart was joyous, and he promptly said, "Your Majesty, for the sake of the Russian-Australian alliance, for the sake of the marriage between the two royal families, and for the sake of the European Royal Family Union Deration, please support His Majesty Nichs II in regaining power, abolishing the Provisional Government, and eliminating the Moscow government established by the Workers¡¯ Alliance.


    Only then can the great and glorious, historically long-standing monarchism shine all over Russia."


    "Grand Duke Paul, just say what kind of support you need," Arthur asked directly.


    At least for Russia at present, monarchism does not seem to be very promising. If the monarchy and Nichs II brought hope to the people, there would not have been such a scale of rebellion throughout Russia.


    However, regardless of the situation, with the kinship rtionship between the two countries and Arthur¡¯s proposal of the European Royal Family Union Deration, and considering Austrsia¡¯s interests, maintaining a monarchist Russia is still necessary.


    A monarchist Russia is an ally of Austrsia, but a republican Russia is uncontroble.


    Looking at it this way, the choice bes clear. However, the support will be limited to the provision of weapons, equipment, and funds, and the scope of the support should be within Arthur¡¯s eptable range.


    After all, Arthur is not doing charity, and he has no ns to spend arge amount of money and development time for the Romanov family and Nichs II¡¯s dowry.


    If Nichs II can also bring in Britain and Italy, Arthur wouldn¡¯t mind giving them more aid.


    But if only Austrsia is helping Russia, then it can only be a friendly help, and the amount of assistance will depend on Arthur¡¯s mood.

 Chapter 604 - 462: Chaotic Conference and Astonishing Proposal

    "Russia needs Austrsia¡¯s support. We hope to acquire the entire Polish region, East Prussia, and Cilicia.


    At the same time, Russia has made significant contributions in this war, and we need at least 12 billion pounds inpensation from Germany to alleviate the domestic impact of the war." Without any hesitation, Grand Duke Paul expressed his originally intended conditions upon hearing Arthur¡¯s inquiry.


    A wave of feeling disturbed Arthur¡¯s originally calm mood, as he didn¡¯t expect the Russians to have such an insatiable appetite.


    Pnd, East Prussia, and Cilicia, along with Galicia and Austrian Pnd annexed by Russia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, are territories covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers and located in the core regions of the Allied Powers.


    If these areas were obtained under the leadership of Nichs II, his prestige within Russia would undoubtedly increase significantly.


    It is natural that a monarch who expands territory for his country will cause people to forget his shorings naturally.


    If Russia can get 12 billion pounds inpensation, it will recover quickly and recreate the glory of being the European bulldozer once again.


    However, considering the current situation in Russia, it is basically unlikely that Britain and France would agree to the Russian¡¯s request.


    Russia at its peak is something every nation should be wary of, but the country is now rife with internal strife, making it seem like a fierce yet internally chaotic paper tiger.


    "Austrsia will not object to Russia¡¯s request, but whether other countries will support it requires your own efforts to secure," said Arthur after a moment of silence.


    Post-war Europe is muddled, and if Austrsia supports Russia¡¯s partitioning of Germany, it will inevitably displease some German civilians, running counter to Austrsia¡¯s strategy of attracting German immigrants and technology.


    Moreover, Austrsia¡¯s support alone is not enough; Britain and France¡¯s attitudes are also crucial.


    Grand Duke Paul was somewhat disappointed to hear that Austrsia was not willing to support Russia in the peace talks, but it was not too unexpected.


    After all, the benefits to be divided among Germany and the Allies are limited. If one country takes more, it means that other countries will take less.


    After calming his disappointment, Grand Duke Paul brought up his second purpose of the visit, "Your Majesty, is it possible for us to secretly purchase a batch of weapons and equipment from your country? Although the war has been victorious, Russia¡¯s order still needs the military to maintain.


    If possible, we hope to defer payment for these arms, as the government simply cannot afford it at the moment."


    Arthur was not surprised by the Russian¡¯s proposal to purchase weapons and equipment. After all, Russia¡¯s chaotic order needs to be resolved, and all parties are looking for ways to buy more weapons and equipment.


    "Of course, there is no problem, Grand Duke Paul. If it¡¯s eptable to your country, we can even exchange this batch of weapons and equipment for the previous poption payment method. Within three months, we can provide 600,000 rifles, 2,000 machine guns, 1,100 various firearms, and hundreds of millions of bullets and 5 million artillery shells to your country.


    We hope to sign a further poption immigration agreement with your country, possibly expanding the annual immigration to around 2 million." Naturally, Arthur would not refuse the Russians¡¯ request to purchase weapons.


    As Arthur could not determine when the war would end, Austrsia¡¯s military factories had been in production until Germany announced an unconditional cessation of hostilities.


    Russia buying weapons is a perfect opportunity for Austrsia to clear out the weapons inventory, considering that the nextrge-scale war might not ur for another 20 to 30 years and the weapons may already be obsolete by then, so it is better to sell them earlier.


    Compared to Russia¡¯s currency and mineral resources, what Arthur valued more were the endless poption resources of Russia.


    Strictly-selected Russian immigrants are the best source of immigration after British immigrants, as they are more adaptable to rural life and autocracy and easier to manage.


    It is not easy for immigrants from a republic to ept a monarchy in Austrsia.


    Even if they ept it on the surface, they will not easily adapt to having a king above them in their hearts.


    Compared to Russian immigrants, immigrants from republics undoubtedly have a higher rate of rebellion and pose a more significant threat to the country¡¯s rule.


    Therefore, for Arthur, the best immigrants are British immigrants, followed by Russian immigrants.


    Next are immigrants from European monarchies, followed by European immigrants, Asian immigrants, etc.


    As for African immigrants, they are notpletely excluded but are sent back the moment they arrive. If they refuse to leave, they will be sent to the colonies and disappear without trace in a short time using various methods.


    Austrsia¡¯s immigration policy does not exclude immigrants of any ethnicity, but the Austrsian government, from top to bottom, is taciturn; Austrsia does not wee negroes.


    Upon hearing Arthur¡¯s proposal to exchange some advanced weapons for Russia¡¯s poption, Grand Duke Paul¡¯s heart blossomed with joy, and he quickly assured, "Of course there is no problem, Your Majesty. We are willing to help your country screen the candidates in advance, ensuring that there will be no reactionary forces among the immigrantsing to Austrsia.


    If possible, we would like to have even more weapons, as this will be a long-term cooperation."


    What Russia is not short of is poption, and managing thisrge poption is a rather cumbersome task.


    Before the outbreak of the war, Russia had a total poption of about 172 million, making it the country with thergest native poption among the powerful nations.


    The war has not affected the growth of the Russian poption at all. By the beginning of 1918, Germany¡¯s poption has reached nearly 181 million and continues to grow at a rate of 3 million per year.


    Such growth rate is due to the impact of the war; otherwise, the poption growth would only be more exaggerated.


    This is also the reason why Russia is not worried about its poption. Even if 2 to 3 million people emigrate from Russia each year, its poption would not decrease.


    Having a poption of up to 180 million already ensures that Russia has the capital to be a superpower. For the current Russian government, an increased poption is also more of a burden.


    After all, the more the poption, the more resources are consumed. The reason why Russian workers and peopleunched an armed uprising previously was because domestic resources were insufficient, and arge number of people were affected by hunger and war.


    Arthur was eager to sell all the weapons from World War I, and Grand Duke Paul was eager to obtain more weapons and equipment for Russia.


    The two sides hit it off immediately, and a five-stage purchase treaty was signed.


    ording to the treaty, Austrsia will provide arge number of weapons and equipment to Russia every year in exchange for an annual immigration quota of about 2 million people from Russia.


    Russia will pre-screen these immigrants to ensure that spies and members of the revolutionary party do not infiltrate.


    The transportation and resettlement work of the immigrants will be fully borne by Austrsia. After ensuring that the poption of immigrants has no problems, Russia will not provide any after-sales services.


    The deal could be described as mutually beneficial, as Austrsia could solve its poption problem while Russia could obtain the weapons and equipment it needs.


    Although Arthur did not agree to the diplomatic support at the Peace Conference, resolving the issue of weapons and equipment still made Grand Duke Paul breathe a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, Austrsia did not make excessive demands, which made Grand Duke Paul feel very grateful to Arthur.


    Initially, Grand Duke Paul thought that he would have to spend some time negotiating and even explore the possibility of contacting Queen Mary to see if emotional cards could be yed.


    Unexpectedly, Arthur was quite generous in terms of weapons and equipment. Russia could exchange arge number of useless poptions for weapons and equipment to strengthen its military power.


    Although the atmosphere in Austrsia was harmonious and beautiful, the ongoing Paris Peace Conference was chaotic, with various factions at y.


    In order to fight for more benefits for their countries, representatives and diplomats from various countries used various tactics, alliances, and intrigues, resulting inplex rtionships between countries.


    Prime Minister Bento met with representatives of many Allied Powers, including the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the President of France, the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Russia (assets party), and the Prime Minister of Italy, during his few days in Paris. He also met with representatives from countries such as Romania, Serbia, Italy, and Montenegro.


    Even Belgium, which seemed to have nothing to do with Austrsia, sought a meeting with Prime Minister Kent. They chatted for several hours.


    These talks appeared harmonious, but in reality, they did notpromise their respective interests. Some countries even quarreled over the smallest benefits during the negotiations, and the harmonious atmosphere of the negotiations dissipated, as if they were enemies.


    During these few days, the rooms of the Four Great Powers of the Allies were the most popr among all. Everyone knew that the real masters of this conference were the representatives of the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    Although the Americans seemed powerful, they were not taken seriously by the major European countries due to their weak military capabilities.


    As for Italy, it goes without saying that the performance of the Italian army was far inferior to the Balkan Allied Forces. Their status as a power was solely due to their navy and a somewhatrge-scale industry.


    Klemenss Cameron, the Prime Minister of France, chaired the Paris Peace Conference as the host.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Klemenss immediately put forward quite strict requirements for the Germans, limiting a total of 15 items, including:


    Disbanding all German military forces, confiscating all heavy weapons from the German troops, dismantling all military instations and military factories within Germany, making Pnd and Bavaria independent, France regaining Alsace and Lorraine, and establishing an independent republic in the left bank of the Rhine River, Germany paying France a total of 15 billion pounds in reparations, arresting all war criminals who waged war and holding trials by an international joint court organized by the Allies...


    This demanding request would almost bisect Germany¡¯s strength, and Germany would lose important regions including Pnd and Bavaria.


    If the French demands are truly epted, Germany wouldn¡¯t be able to retain its status as a power even within 20 years.


    If they want to restore Germany¡¯s strength before the war, it¡¯s impossible without at least 50 years of time as a starting point.


    This is a catastrophic blow to Germany and the German government. The French proposal also set the entire negotiation venue abuzz.

 Chapter 605 - 463: Small Meeting, Big Power

    It was Prime Minister Raul George who first stood up to oppose the French proposal. Originally, Prime Minister George¡¯s idea was to maintain a position of neutrality, as the British Empire was currently the strongest country in the world, and any distribution of interests would inevitably depend on the British Empire¡¯s attitude.


    However, unexpectedly, the French came in strong right off the bat. This was not about making Germany pay for the war, but rather trampling on Germany to re-establish French domination in Europe, making France the most powerful country in the world once again.


    Germany, with its entire military force disbanded and its military industry dismissed, was bound not to be a match for the French.


    This also meant that on the French maind, especially in Western and Central Europe, the French would have no rival.


    Under the influence of the French, countries like Belgium, the Nethends, and even Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire would inevitably change their diplomatic stance.


    If these countries leaned toward France, the British Empire¡¯s painstakingly crafted European bnce-of-power policy would be rendered null and void.


    At that time, France would be unstoppable on the European continent, seemingly calling for another anti-French alliance to curb French arrogance.


    "Mister Klemenss Cameron, your country¡¯s terms are too harsh for Germany and do not conform to our spirit of pacifism. Completely disbanding the German military would only plunge the country further into chaos, which is not in our best interests. In addition, ceding too much German territory will only fuel German hatred toward us.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    I hope this negotiation will end the war, rather than lead to the next one." Raul George stood up, exining his views.


    Teaching the Germans a lesson was necessary, but it must be done judiciously. For the British Empire, a Germany with a certain amount of strength is needed to contain French expansion.


    After all, both Germany and France posed threats to the British Empire, and the rtionship between Britain and France was not very good before World War I.


    As two established powers, Britain and France still held tremendous prestige in Europe. Although Britain was rtively stronger and supported by more countries, the conference was held in Paris, which is French territory.


    The quarrel between Britain and France turned the first few days of the negotiation into a chaotic marketce. The progress of the talks had almoste to a standstill, with neither side able to put forward a good proposal to resolve the current conflict.


    It was Prime Minister Kent who finally suggested apromise: reducing the number of participants in the conference, and having the conflict between Britain and France resolved by the Four Great Powers of the Allies; or even having the negotiation directly led by the Four Great Powers themselves.


    Countries such as the Balkan Nations and Belgium, had the right to wait for notification, but not the right to participate directly in the negotiation to fight for their interests.


    As for the United States and Italy, neither of these countries share borders with Germany and have no territorial ims.


    The German reparations would eventually be distributed among all the victorious nations; they only needed to leave a share for them, without worrying too much about their opinions.


    It was on the proposal of Prime Minister Kent that the Chairman of the Peace Congress, Klemenss Cameron, announced a reduction in the number of participants in the negotiations.


    Ten people would be chosen from the Four Great Powers of Britain-France-Russia-Australia, with three, three, two, and two representatives respectively, to determine the current conflict of interests between Britain and France and the progress of the entire negotiation.


    This announcement caused a huge uproar, but the excluded countries were powerless to do anything about it.


    Only Italy and the United States were truly qualified to resist, but this did not mean they possessed the strength to do so.


    As for the Balkan Nations, Belgium, and other countries, these smaller nations were more sensible and could only try their best to visit the representatives of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, each clinging to their respective thighs.


    After the reduction in numbers, the progress of the negotiations did go smoothly. Although there were still conflicts of interest between Britain and France, both sides were well aware that negotiations were inevitable.


    German reparations were unavoidable, and after a preliminary estimate of each country¡¯s casualties and losses,bined with Germany¡¯s actual domestic situation, the Four Great Powers unanimously agreed on a figure of 20 billion pounds for German reparations, with the Allied Powers sharing all of Germany¡¯s military-industrial enterprises and important factory equipment.


    Austrsia was also allowed priority ess to some of the factory equipment and technical personnel, and all countries agreed that Austrsia would be allowed to emigrate to Germany.


    The shares of the 20 billion in reparations were also preliminarily negotiated among the Four Great Powers. As the true leading countries of the Allies, the Four Great Powers received the highest percentage, at 85% of the 20 billion, or 1.7 billion pounds.


    Among them, the distribution of the ¡ê17 billionpensation by Britain, France, Russia, and Australia was in a ratio of 3:3:3:1, which is roughly ¡ê51 billion, ¡ê51 billion, ¡ê51 billion, and ¡ê17 billion, respectively.


    Although Russia and France did suffer the most casualties, Britain currently has the strongest strength, so splitting thepensation equally among the three countries is the only eptable oue for all parties.


    Although Austrsia is one of the four great powers, its contribution to the cause was minimal, and its national strength is the lowest, so it is only natural that it gets the lowest 10% of thepensation.


    Although it only looks like one-third of thepensation received by Britain, France, and Russia, it is more than thepensation received by all other countries except the four great powers, and only slightly less than their total sum, which is worthy of Austrsia¡¯s status as one of the four great powers.


    After all, Austrsia has a small national scale, and in theory, the ¡ê1.7 billionpensation can do a lot, such as allowing the country¡¯s strength to rise substantially.


    If thepensation received by other allied countries is also considered, Austrsia¡¯s totalpensation will exceed ¡ê2 billion, which can be described as a sudden wealth.


    As for the remaining 15% of thepensation, or about ¡ê3 billion, it is left to be allocated to the United States, Italy, and all other victorious countries.


    This allows them to shift contradictions from the four great powers of the Allies onto otherpetitors, after all, ¡ê3 billion is not a small number. Being one-tenth of that is enough to make those small countries suddenly rich.


    As for the most controversial issue of territorial cessions in Germany between Britain and France, the four great powers have reached a certain consensus.


    Germany must cede part of its territory aspensation, and Alsace and Lorraine, which the French have long coveted, are inevitable.


    In addition, a small part of the border between Germany and Belgium will be ceded to Belgium aspensation for Belgium being innocently involved in the war.


    Instead of demanding for the creation of a republic on the west bank of the Rhine, the French now demand for the creation of a republic on part of the territory in the northern Alsace-Lorraine region, under the trusteeship of France.


    Although the Rhine¡¯s west bank is not at risk of being ceded, the French are demanding to set up a military restricted area there and prohibit any German troops from entering, with the Allied troops stationed in the area.


    On the Eastern Front of Germany, the Russians¡¯ appetite for annexing East Prussia, German-upied Pnd, and Silesia will certainly not be satisfied by Britain and France.


    Originally, the French were not against Russia¡¯s demands, but since their own demands werergely rejected by the British, the French were also unwilling to see Russia annex suchrge territories for nothing.


    In the end, the Russianspromised during the negotiations among the four great powers, abandoning their territorial ims on East Prussia and Silesia, and turning to annex the entire Polish region.


    At this point in history, the famous Polish Corridor should be called the Russian-upied Polish Corridor. In addition to ceding Pnd, Gdansk, a major city in the East Prussian region, will be jointly managed by the four great powers of the Allies, as a free city nominally belonging to Germany but with Allied forces stationed there.


    Because the Austro-Hungarian Empire has not yet disintegrated and is one of the defeated countries, the Silesian region is not given to the yet unborn Czechoslovakia but remains under German rule.


    However, this is not good news for Germany, as the Allies will make up for it elsewhere.


    First, the German Army and Navy will be disbanded, with only small warships of 300 tons or less remaining.


    All German warships are taken over by Britain and France, with the main warships being allocated to them in a 6:4 ratio.


    The German Army is allowed to maintain only 150,000 troops and is not allowed to equip any weapons other than rifles.


    Machine guns and firearms are illegal in Germany, and neither the German government nor civilians are allowed to produce them privately. Vitors will face severe punishment.


    The ¡ê20 billion warpensation will be distributed over 80 years, with ¡ê1 billion to be repaid each year for the first 10 years and handed over to the Allies for distribution.

 Chapter 606 - 464: The Versailles Contract

    The terms of Germany¡¯s partition by the Four Great Powers of the Allies were soon announced, causing a great stir throughout Europe and even the entire world.


    Firstly, the United States and Italy expressed their dissatisfaction with this approach and criticized the Four Great Powers of the Allies for disregarding the interests of other victorious nations, which contradicted and harmed the intention of forming the Allies.


    However, the opposition from these two countries was but a minor irritation to the Four Great Powers. Neither Italy nor the United States had the power to overthrow the rule of the Four Great Powers at this time.


    Britain and France merely needed to mobilize Austro-Hungarian troops along the border, and immediately, the Italians were silenced, no longer voicing any opposition to the Four Great Powers.


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    Although the United States was not afraid of threats from Britain and France, it likewise had no recourse against their high prestige in Europe.


    It is no exaggeration to say that if Britain and France stand firm in excluding America from the victorious nations, America can only resort to verbal condemnation.


    Condemnation in words is the most feeble and ineffective; frankly speaking, it is nothing more than a powerlessment of the weak.


    Naturally, if one has the power to act, they would not choose to condemn, as it is simply a way to save face.


    Admittedly, although they had no means to resist militarily, this didn¡¯t mean that Americans were unopposed on the diplomatic front.


    In order to counteract the bloc of the Four Great Powers, American President Wilson put forth his theory on forming the League of Nations and proposed the establishment of an international league that could mediate international disputes and preserve world peace.


    Such an international league would be beneficial to small and medium-sized nations, as they currently have no means to resist the Powers.


    However, if the League of Nations doesn¡¯t have the backing of a powerful country and is merely a game between small and medium-sized nations, it would be mere empty talk without any binding effect on the powerful nations.


    To promote the establishment of the League of Nations, American President Wilson first approached the Italian Prime Minister, proposing that the United States and Italy jointly establish an international league to maintain the new world order.


    Although the Italians were tempted, they also understood that the world order was not determined by the United States but by Britain and France.


    As expected, after President Wilson proposed the establishment of the League of Nations, the Four Great Powers of the Allies quickly put forward counter-measures, publicly dering at the Paris Peace Conference their intention to expand the Allies and establish a World Alliance.


    The counter-measures of the Four Great Powers were wholly targeted at the League of Nations because apart from the names, the World Alliance and the League of Nations have the same functions, organization, and even objectives; the only difference was who proposed it.


    Compared to the United States, the Four Great Powers of the Allies were clearly much more wee in Europe. With Britain and France as its foundation, it represented that the Four Great Powers were the traditional Powers of Europe.


    With the addition of Russia and Austrsia, and having just defeated Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Four Great Powers of the Allies became the most powerful group in Europe and even the world, unshakeable even by abination of the United States and Italy.


    On March 7th, 1918, a treaty restricting Germany was officiallypleted. This treaty contained 19 major uses and 344 minor uses, implementing various restrictions on Germany.


    The German Foreign Minister, nke Dove, led the German delegation in signing this treaty at the Pce of Versailles with the representatives of the Allies. Because it was signed in the Pce of Versailles, this treaty was also known as the Treaty of Versailles or the Paris Peace Treaty.


    Of course, the signing of the treaty was not smooth sailing. Once the specific contents of the treaty were known within Germany, widespread protests calling on the government to reject the treaty immediately erupted.


    The German government also rejected the treaty, but they were unable to resist the resolute attitude of the Allies.


    Indeed, the French representative, Klemenss Cameron, openly dered, "The Germans can either fully ept or fully reject this treaty. If there is no response within five days, or if they choose to fully reject it, the Allies will dere the end of the armistice and enforce all the uses of the treaty by force. "


    This was a tant threat; if the Germans did not agree to the severe terms of the treaty, then let war determine who should listen to whom.


    Faced with enormous pressure from France and the Allies, the German government was at its wits¡¯ end.


    Due to William II seeking refuge in the Nethends, the decisionsy with Hindenburg and the military government.


    However, the prestige of the military government had greatly declined in Germany, with the various states of South Germany being effectively independent.


    Agreeing or disagreeing, neither was a good option for the current German government.


    On thest day of the five-day deadline given by French representative Klemenss Cameron, the German government finally notified the conference of their willingness to sign the treaty.


    But the German government had their own demands; they did not ept that the German government and people should bear the guilt of the war and opposedbeling Germany as the sole culprit of this colossal war.


    After all, it was not Germany who dered war first, Germany merely fulfilled its obligations to its allies. So how did it bear the brunt of the me for this war?


    But making the Germans the culprit of this war was also one of the French¡¯s objectives.


    Only by holding the Germans responsible for this war, could France justify its oppression of Germany.


    Therefore, Klemenss Cameron declined Germany¡¯s request and stated that the Allies would not ept any concessions or modifications to the treaty.


    If the Germans failed to sign the treaty within two days, the Allied forces would once againunch an attack on Germany.


    No matter how strong the Germans were before the war, at this moment, the axiom that a defeated general can¡¯t be brave was well understood by the Germans themselves.


    Under pressure from both domestic and international fronts, ultimately, the German government announced an unconditional eptance of all the contents of the treaty and signed it the next day.


    Though the course of history differed significantly from the original, the Germans still had to cede nearly one-eighth of their territory and lost one-tenth of their poption.


    The Pnd, which was supposed to be independent in original history, was wholly annexed by the Russian Nation. After all, at this time, the Russian Nation was still under the control of the bourgeoisie government under the constitutional monarchy, which was considered as its own among European nations.


    If the Workers¡¯ Alliance came to power, the Allies¡¯ stance would be far different. Firstly, neither Britain nor Austrsia would support the Russian Nation, and the continuation of the French-Russian alliance would also be in question.


    Faced with many nations¡¯ caution, it would be an aplishment for the Russian Nation to hold onto its territory, let alone annexing such a vast Pnd.


    The entire Polish Corridor originally designated to Pnd was annexed by the Russian Nation. Hence although East Prussia was not taken away, it became an exve of Germany.


    Worth mentioning is that, the restrictions imposed on Germany in the treaty revealed the result of the power struggle among the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    The Allies imposed numerous restrictions on Germany¡¯s military power, changed its conscription system, and restricted the total number of the German army to no more than 150,000, with the service period of German soldiers not exceeding two years.


    The Allies also significantly limited the scale and quantity of the German navy, only allowing Germany to have at most six cruisers and smaller warships, but not exceeding fifteen.


    Advanced offensive weapons such as airnes and submarines, as well as tanks, firearms and machine guns were all prohibited to possess and produce by the German Army.


    The area west of the Rhine River was designated as a demilitarized zone, where no German troops were allowed. Military facilities within 50 kilometers east of the Rhine River had to bepletely dismantled.


    Mainly all of Germany¡¯s military facilities were to be dismantled, but there are exceptions in some areas, such as those bordering Russia.


    Nominally, these regions were all defenses against the Workers¡¯ Alliance in the Moscow Region, but in reality, they were also wary of the Russian government.


    After all, after the Russian Nation swallowed Pnd, a single Germany or the Austro-Hungarian Empire could no longer hold back the expansion of the Russian Nation.


    If Germany¡¯s military power was not held onto at all, East Prussia would be annexed by the Russian Nation sooner orter, and the Rhine region in the Westside would also be invaded by the Frenchmen sooner orter.


    After facing defeat, there was a significant problem for Germany. It was not only a loss of a considerable amount of territory and poption but also the loss of advanced industry and all overseas markets.


    ording to one use of the Treaty of Versailles, victors would not face any prohibitions or restrictions on exporting from Germany or importing goods into Germany. Foreign warships and merchant ships could freely enter and exit the Kiel Canal and all canals within German territory. All expenses of the Allied troops stationed in Germany were to be paid by the German government.


    This would mean that the domestic German market would soon be a dumping ground for industrial products of the Allies, which was not good news for the growth of German industry.


    Not being able to restrict foreign industrial products meant that Germany had lost its ability to raise tariffs.


    Without restrictions of tariffs, coupled with the victors¡¯ plundering of German industry, it was impossible for German industry to recover in the short term.


    This also implies that Germany was about to embrace a longsting period of darkness, as the exploitation of Germany by the Allies would not stop voluntarily.


    From theplete Treaty of Versailles, it bes clear that this was not a treaty seeking peace but a ruthless plundering treaty that stripped the defeated nation of everything.


    After the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the British Prime Minister, Raul George, showed no signs of happiness. Instead, he worriedly said to Klemenss Cameron, "You can take away all of the German colonies, reduce his army down to the strength of a mere police force, and diminish his navy to a fifth-rate power, but it will all be meaningless in the end.


    If Germany deems this treaty unfair, then it will find a way to retaliate against the victors."


    Such progressive words were unfortunately underestimated by Klemenss Cameron, thinking the British Empire should fear a defeated Germany. After all, where in the world would a victor fear the vanquished?

 Chapter 607 - 465: Compensation to Repay the Loan, Britain and Australia Renew the Alliance

    Although the Treaty of Versailles was sessfully signed, the diplomatic actions of Austrsia were just beginning.


    Austrsia could get as much as 1.7 billion pounds inpensation from Germany alone, but no one was clear about how much of thispensation would ultimately be received.


    Currently, the government already has 2 billion US dors in loans from the United States, so Arthur was not overly concerned about the 1.7 billion pounds inpensation which he was not sure when it would be received.


    It would be better to put thispensation to use sooner rather thanter, even if it meant taking a little loss in return for more useful things.


    The first stop of Austrsia¡¯s diplomacy was negotiating with President Wilson of the United States.


    The 2 billion US dors in aid given to the Five Great Powers of the Allies by the United States was received in thest six months of the war, and even countries like Britain and France that had consumed a lot did not have time to use the 2 billion dors in loans, let alone Austrsia.


    In such circumstances, returning the loans untouched would undoubtedly greatly reduce the government¡¯s financial pressure.


    Both Austrsia and the United States had no intention of immediately repaying or clearing this loan.


    The United States needed to control part of the Allies¡¯ economy through loans and attract emerging countries like Austrsia.


    Austrsia, on the other hand, needed this loan to develop the country, as it was more than four times the annual ie of Austrsia.


    For Arthur, it would be great news if the German reparations could be used to repay American debt in advance.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In this situation, the negotiation between Prime Minister Kent and President Wilson of the United States proceeded as scheduled.


    Prime Minister Kent got straight to the point, and after seeing President Wilson, immediately proposed Arthur¡¯s request, which was to repay the 2.2 billion US dors of interest-free loans from the United States with 500 million pounds of German reparations.


    If the Americans agreed, 500 million pounds of the 1.7 billion pounds in German reparations would be transferred to the United States, but the debts between the United States and Austrsia would also be offset.


    At the current exchange rate, the 2.2 billion dors were roughly equivalent to 440 million pounds, so it didn¡¯t seem too bad for the Americans to use 500 million in German reparations to clear the debt.


    After all, this was originally an interest-free loan, and by using the German reparations to repay it, the Americans would make an extra 60 million pounds in interest, creating arge sum of ie.


    However, the Americans were clearly not easy to deceive, and after hearing Prime Minister Kent¡¯s request, President Wilson shook his head repeatedly andughed, saying, "Prime Minister Kent, you are shifting the risk of the reparations to the United States.


    I admit that the 500 million in reparations is tempting to us, but who can guarantee that the German government has the financial resources to repay these loans? The German government¡¯s debt totals 20 billion pounds, which cannot be repaid in 80 years."


    For the sake of joining World War I, the United States had prepared a 2 billion dor, or 4 billion pound, interest-free loan for each of the Five Great Powers of the Allies.


    This capital amounted to 20 billion pounds, causing some strain even on the unscathed American economy, even affecting the development of some industries and the economy.


    President Wilson did not believe that Germany, severely affected by the war, could pay 20 billion pounds in reparations after the war, even if it took 80 years.


    Upon closer inspection, it was uncertain whether even half of Austrsia¡¯s 500 million pounds in reparations could eventually be recovered, so why would the Americans be willing to exchange their 2 billion US dors with it?


    "Your concerns arepletely unfounded, President Wilson. As you know, the French will certainly not give up their reparations, and neither will the British. With the guarantee of the British and French, the Germans will have to repay thispensation.


    How about this, on behalf of His Majesty Arthur and the government, I assure you that the German reparations will be prioritized for you, ensuring that you receive thepensation as agreed," said Butler Kent with a smile.


    Although the Americans were displeased with the attitudes of the British, French and the Four Great Powers of the Allies in dominating the peace talks, the proud Americans had to admit that thebined strength of Britain and France at this time was the strongest, and the Germans had no choice but to pay the reparations.


    "That being said, Prime Minister Kent, the United States still has to bear high risks. If your country is willing to exchange with 650 million pounds ofpensation, I am willing to promote this negotiation," said President Wilson after some consideration. His view was to increase the amount.


    With the British and French as guarantees, the disgruntled Germans would still have to repay at least 80% of thepensation.


    President Wilson estimated that if the 650 million pounds in reparations could be used to repay the debt, the United States would at least get more than 500 million pounds in final reparations, which would be a truly risk-free deal.


    "That¡¯s too much, Mr. Wilson. Using 650 million pounds of reparations to repay a debt of 440 million pounds is absurd. We can ept a maximum of 550 million pounds in exchange for the reparations, and that¡¯s His Majesty Arthur¡¯s bottom line," Prime Minister Kent pretended to be shocked and shook his head, firmly refusing.


    In the negotiations of monarchial countries, the powerful monarch is the best excuse. President Wilson did not doubt Prime Minister Kent¡¯s words since Arthur¡¯s reputation and power in Austrsia were rare among monarchies.

 Chapter 608 - 465: Compensation to Repay the Loan, Britain and Australia Renew the Alliance_2

    Subsequently, President Wilson and Prime Minister Kent had a lengthy negotiation, finally settling on a figure: Austrsia would use the 615 million pounds of Germany¡¯s war reparations to repay all debts owed to the United States.


    Prime Minister Kent also specifically mentioned that following the formal exchange, Austrsia would not be responsible for any post-war work.


    How muchpensation the United States would ultimately receive depended on how much Germany would pay.


    However, with the backing of Britain and France, and the scale of 615 million pounds, President Wilson was confident that the United States would not lose out and was thus very willing to sign the treaty.


    After negotiating with the United States, Prime Minister Kent met with British Prime Minister Raul George, discussing the issue of renewed cooperation between Britain and Australia after the war.


    The renewed cooperation between Britain and Australia, or the Anglo-Australian Re-alliance Treaty, was an agreement between Britain and Austrsia to deal with the rise of the United States during the pre-war and war periods.


    The previous Anglo-Australian Treaty mainly targeted Germany, and its uses broadly involved aid to Europe and the Indian Ocean Region.


    Now, Prime Ministers Kent and Raul George were discussing a new treaty mainly targeting the Pacific region and the United States, to share some of Britain¡¯s burden.


    Austrsia¡¯s aircraft and tanks had exhibited excellentbat performance during the war, and their design and technological superiority had even surpassed that of British and French nes and tanks.


    Raul George was very interested in Austrsia¡¯s aviation and tank technology, and even mentioned specifically in the new treaty that Britain and Austrsia should strengthen the exchange of military technology.


    Prime Minister Kent had no objections to strengthening the exchange of military technology since obsolete military technologies of Austrsia would require thergesse of Britain to purchase.


    At least for the time being, Austrsia still needed allies like Britain to better focus on its development.


    One of the stiptions that Prime Minister Kent paid particr attention to was a new immigration treaty between Britain and Austrsia.


    As a result of the war, the number of British immigrants to Austrsia had been decreasing, even falling below 50,000 in the whole year of 1917.


    This was not good news for Austrsia, whose main ethnic group were still people of British descent, and their poption proportion ounted for less than 60%.


    Russian immigrants were also eptable to Austrsia, but would require Englishnguage training for a period, which would increase the cost of immigration.


    Raul George readily agreed to Prime Minister Kent¡¯s immigration request, but stated that due to the war¡¯s impact, the British Government could not guarantee that there would be enough people moving to Austrsia every year.


    In other words, the immigration channel for the British had been opened to Austrsia, but the number of immigrants actually attracted would depend on the efforts of the Austrsian Government.


    The British were interested in Austrsia¡¯s tank and aircraft technology, and likewise, Austrsia coveted Britain¡¯s naval shipbuilding technology.


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    Prime Minister Kent proposed strengthening the exchange of naval shipbuilding technology, especially the construction of main battleships, such as the aircraft carriers that had taken shape in various countries.


    Cooperation in naval shipbuilding with the British would be of great benefit to Austrsia, as the British were the first to build dreadnought, super dreadnought, and even aircraft carrier ships.


    Particrly in this era, American military power had not yet significantly risen, and British shipbuilding technology still remained the unrivaled number one in the world, and would be so for at least the next two or three decades.


    Overall, Prime Ministers Raul George and Kent were both very satisfied with the new alliance treaty, which met the needs of both parties, and their faces were filled with satisfied smiles.


    Before signing the treaty, Prime Minister Kent also put forward his own final demand, which was the exchange of colonies in the Middle East with the British Empire.


    The scope of the exchange was along the Persian Gulf coast. Currently, the British Empire controlled Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, while Austrsia controlled the Sutton Persian Gulf coast, Qatar, and Bahrain.


    Although Kuwait seemed more suitable for development and had arger poption at present, Arthur was more aware that the UAE, now the Truce Nations, possessed more abundant petroleum resources.


    Compared to Kuwait, which was close to Iraq and had limited resources to offer, the Truce Nations with their vast territory and more petroleum resources were what Arthur really wanted.


    If Kuwait was used to exchange for the UAE, Britain would gain control of the entire Mesopotamian in, expanding the development potential of the Iraqi region.


    Austrsia would also achieve Arthur¡¯s goal of upying more oil-rich regions along the Persian Gulf, securing more petroleum reserves for Austrsia.


    It is no exaggeration to say that the Middle East ounts for more than 60% of the world¡¯s petroleum, with the Persian Gulf coast ounting for more than 60% of the Middle East¡¯s petroleum.


    After hearing Prime Minister Kent¡¯s request, Raul George did not immediately agree or refuse. Instead, he raised his doubts: "Kuwait has more in areas and arger poption, why do you want to exchange it for the Truce Nations?"


    The Truce Nations had no other advantagepared to Kuwait, except for their proximity to the Hormuz Strait, which would help control the Persian Gulf more effectively.


    However, the issue was that Prime Minister Raul did not believe that Austrsia¡¯s goal was to control the Persian Gulf, as the countries and forces along the Persian Gulf coast were only Britain, Austrsia, and Iran.


    To put it inly, there were only two powerful nations, Britain and Austrsia, who were also allies. Austrsia would not be foolish enough to forcefully control the Persian Gulf coast in broad daylight.


    As a result, Austrsia¡¯s request to change colonies became somewhat intriguing. Prime Minister Raul did not dare to make a decision without knowing Austrsia¡¯s real purpose.


    Of course, such an important matter as changing colonies was not something that Prime Minister Raul George could decide on his own.


    At the very least, it must be approved by the British government and both Houses of Parliament, and on the surface, it must also be approved by King George V of Britain.


    "Although the Kuwait colony has greater development potential, at present, Austrsia does not have the energy to develop this region. As you know, Prime Minister George, His Majesty Arthur is considering relocating the capital, and the construction and development of the new capital are far more important than the development of the colonies.


    Precisely for this reason, we want a more stable colony with fewer people, and the Truce Nations would be very suitable." Prime Minister Kent calmly exined.


    "At the same time, to demonstrate our sincerity as allies, we are also willing to let your country control the entire Mesopotamian in and dominate the situation in the Middle East. Rest assured, our goal has never been the Hormuz Strait. Your country can still retain some inds in the Hormuz Strait, and the entire Persian Gulf belongs to Austrsia and the British Empire."


    Upon hearing Prime Minister Kent¡¯s exnation, Prime Minister Raul George nodded and said, "This is indeed beneficial to both of our countries. As you know, it is not up to me alone to decide. Rest assured, I will do my best to obtain His Majesty¡¯s consent to promote the exchange of colonies."


    As a qualified politician, Raul George still gave face to King George V when dealing with foreign affairs.


    Although most people knew that George V had little power in Britain, Raul George still said that he would strive for George V¡¯s consent, rather than that of the government and parliament.


    "Of course, Prime Minister George. Regardless of whether the exchange of colonies is sessful or not, it will not affect the good rtions between Austrsia and Britain. We are evesting allies." Prime Minister Kent nodded, as a matter of course, and said with a smile.


    The two prime ministers of the kingdoms raised their wine sses amidstughter, gently touched them, and drank them all in one gulp.


    For politicians of this level, the fate of colonies spanning hundreds of thousands of square kilometers and with poptions of hundreds of thousands can be determined with just a word or two.

 Chapter 609 - 466: The World Alliance and the Enfeoffment Ceremony

    The news of the British-Australian Re-alliance Treaty quickly spread throughout Paris, causing many European countries to take notice.


    After the Four Great Powers of the Allies became thergest force in the world, the fact that the United Kingdom formed a new alliance only with Austrsia seemed quite significant.


    Before the European media could cover this extensively, another piece of news immediately topped European newspapers.


    In April 1918, after friendly consultations between multiple countries, all countries that signed the Treaty of Versailles joined the newly-established World Alliance.


    Many European media outlets even regarded the establishment of the World Alliance as the signal to end the war, because from then on, there would be no more wars in the world, and all conflicts would be mediated by the World Alliance.


    Unsurprisingly, the Four Great Powers of the Allies became permanent members of the World Alliance, with a right named one-vote veto power.


    Many Allied countries, including Italy, were ordinary member states, with only the most basic voting rights.


    To amodate the feelings of countries like Italy, the World Alliance also had a special position apart from the permanent members, called the elected member state.


    As the name suggests, the World Alliance would hold elections among the non-permanent members, and the state with the highest number of votes would be the elected member state for a term of two years, responsible for assisting the four permanent members in handling World Alliance affairs.


    Although they didn¡¯t have the most powerful one-vote veto right, the elected member state still held a significantly higher power and status than ordinary member states.


    Of course, this was only possible with the recognition of the permanent member states. The permanent members with one-vote veto power could effectively veto the elected member state.


    This also meant that the so-called World Alliance was still under the control of the Four Great Powers of the Allies, which was the most satisfactory oue for Britain, France, Russia, and Australia.


    As a result, although the headquarters of the World Alliance was located in Geneva, Switzend, the famous location where the Geneva Convention was signed, the overall world situation did not change due to the control of the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    And the United States, which first proposed a system simr to the World Alliance, did not join the World Alliance because the United States Congress did not recognize the Treaty of Versailles.


    This caused the only country that had apetitive chance with the Four Great Powers of the Allies to lose itspetitive rights within the World Alliance, leaving no room for resistance from other small and medium-sized countries within the Alliance.


    After all, if they joined the World Alliance, the British and French might show more fairness on the surface.


    However, if they were not members of the World Alliance, even if they were invaded by any of the Great Powers, they could only ept their fate.


    With the establishment of the World Alliance, representatives of various countries returned from Paris. ording to the World Alliance agreement, all member states must hold a meeting in Geneva every three months, and they must attend unless there are exceptional circumstances.


    This led Prime Minister Kent to immediately decide to send a diplomatic team to be permanently stationed in Geneva in order to participate in the meetings held there at any time.


    After all, the distance between Austrsia and Geneva was not short, and a round trip would take at least more than two months.


    If they were to travel from Austrsia to Geneva, they might only participate in the meeting or be on their way there.


    During the Paris Peace Conference, preparations for the ennobling ceremony and victory parade were also being made simultaneously in Austrsia.


    To celebrate the victory of the war, the government and the royal family would also hold numerous events and distribute free supplies to achieve the effect of nationwide celebration.


    Once Prime Minister Kent¡¯s diplomatic team returned to Austrsia, it would be time for the ennobling ceremony and activities to officially take ce.


    Perhaps this would be thest event held in Sydney as the capital, and with the victory of the war, it was also decided to advance the relocation n as soon as possible and develop the Mure River Basin earlier to benefit Austrsia¡¯s development.


    At present, the environment of the Mure River Basin was much betterpared to a hundred yearster, making it thest opportunity to develop the region.


    If dyed any further, the difficulty of developing the area would only increase, and the consumption of government resources,bor, and supplies would be more severe.


    In May 1918, as Prime Minister Kent¡¯s diplomatic team was about to arrive in Sydney, the ennobling ceremony was in the final stages of tense preparation.


    On May 15th, Prime Minister Kent arrived in Sydney and immediately reported the results of the war to Arthur in person.


    Just three dayster, on May 18th, 1918, the ennoblement ceremony for the Austrsian nobility and the war victory celebration officially began.


    "To all my citizens, I am happy to stand here and celebrate the victory of this war with you.


    All of you have made tremendous contributions to this war. After more than three years of hard work, we have finally achieved this great victory.


    And you, my beloved citizens, are the greatest heroes of this victory, and Austrsia is proud of you!"


    After expressing his emotions about the victory of the war and the sacrifices made during the war, the ceremony reached its climax ¨C the ennobling of all those who made significant contributions.


    Unlike the traditional old nobility ennobling ceremonies, which wereplicated and luxurious, the ennobling ceremony for new Austrsian nobility was simple and public.


    Arthur¡¯s purpose was to let everyone witness the enfeoffment of new nobility, not only to inspire confidence in the new nobility, but also to make those watching be fervent.


    As for whether the overly simple enfeoffment ceremony would cause dissatisfaction among the ennobled, Arthurughed and said it was an overthinking.


    The majority of those ennobled weremoners or the middle ss, and bing the new nobility was already a cause for overwhelming joy, let alone being enfeoffed by Arthur himself in front of tens of thousands ofmoners.


    As for those old nobles who value tradition and ceremony, well, except for Arthur, there don¡¯t seem to be any in Austrsia.


    "In recognition of your significant contribution to the nation and the royal family, I hereby dere, the granting of the title of Sir to Ludwig Korr, Hunter, Andrew... You will be the glorious knights of Austrsia, guarding this nation with your new identity.


    Your courage and honor will serve as an example to all, and you will be the heroes of our nation." The title of Sir, as the lowest and non-heritable noble title, also has the lowest threshold among all noble titles.


    ording to statistics, the number of people granted the title of Sir was nearly two hundred, which shows how exaggerated the scale of this enfeoffment ceremony was.


    Of course, this was due to Arthur¡¯s urgency in expanding the scale of the Austrsian nobility. If it weren¡¯t for the small scale of the Austrsian nobility, Arthur wouldn¡¯t have exaggeratedly enfeoffed over 200 knights at once.


    "I will fight for Your Majesty and the royal family, for the nation, and for the people. May God witness my vow, I am willing to dedicate my life to Your Majesty and the royal family, forging the glory of knighthood with the sword and blood!"


    All those who were enfeoffed took the initiative to step forward, knelt on one knee in front of Arthur, and recited their oaths in a fairly neat manner.


    The title of Sir is unique to Austrsia and represents the new Austrsian nobility.


    Therefore, the special oath for the title of Sir, which was adapted by Archbishop Steed from the medieval knight¡¯s oath, is also in line with the factors of the Austrsian title of Sir.


    Arthur¡¯s gift to these new nobles was a specially made short sword, with one side engraved with the name of each noble knight, as well as the time when they were granted the title of Sir.


    The other side was engraved with the words loyalty, courage, passion, fearlessness, and justice, which were Arthur¡¯s expectations of these new nobles.


    After the title of Sir, the higher-ranking title of Baron was next.


    Although, in theory, the title of Baron is only the lowest rank of the true hereditary nobility in Austrsia, there were not many people who received the title of Baron this time, totaling only about ten people.


    Director Theodore, who was responsible for the development of airnes, and Disel, the head of the engine factory, were also granted the title of Baron, which is the highest title currently avable for researchers.


    Of course, many scientists and researchers who have made contributions to Austrsia, such as Benson and Ludwig, were also awarded the title of Sir.


    Nearly 200 people were ennobled as knights, and more than 30 of them were researchers, showing Arthur¡¯s emphasis on research work.


    In fact, this has indeed won the gratitude and enthusiasm of many researchers. After all, being able to obtain a noble title for one¡¯s research is something that many people can¡¯t even dream of.


    In addition to these researchers, several division leaders, Arthur¡¯s three Prime Ministers since bing the monarch, and the six colonial governors during the Australian colonial period, were all granted the title of Baron.


    The several division leaders had also sessively served as themander-in-chief of the Austrsian Expeditionary Force, and their performance during their tenure was rtively good, providing hope for military promotion.


    As for the three Prime Ministers, it goes without saying that they have made indelible contributions to Austrsia¡¯s development over the past decade or more, and it is only natural that they would be rewarded with a noble title.


    As for the remaining few colonial-era governors, granting them titles is also a way of appeasing them. After all, the fact that they could give up the opportunity to return to the British Empire and stay in Austrsia could be considered a show of trust in Arthur.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Moreover, to this day, these six governors (including Prime Minister Evan) have not caused any trouble for Arthur and have carried out Arthur¡¯s orders very seriously, whether openly or behind the scenes.


    Awarding these people with the title of Baron also gives hope to those with a seniority background that as long as they remain loyal to the royal family and the nation, dedicating their lives to hard work, Arthur and the royal family will never forget their efforts.


    Aside from the titles of Sir and Baron, there were no higher-ranking titles, such as Earl, granted at this time. After all, Austrsia¡¯s performance in World War I was not impressive, and no one had achieved enough merit to warrant the rank of Earl.


    Of course, there is another important reason - the title of Earl is almost at the top for non-noblemoners.


    In theory, amoner could also be promoted to the rank of Duke, but this level of difficulty is extremely high and is nearly impossible without Arthur¡¯s appreciation.


    Unless one can bring Austrsia arge amount of unexpected territory or save the country from the crisis of annihtion, but these two requirements are currently unrealistic.


    The only direction Austrsia can currently expand is the Arabian Desert in the Middle East and the remaining Dutch East Indies.


    It is not difficult to upy these two regions, but it isborious and not in line with Arthur¡¯s current development n.


    Moreover, Austrsia¡¯s rule is very stable and there is no crisis of annihtion.


    At present, it seems that one can only make considerable contributions to the field of technology or wait for World War II in the future.


    Before that, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to be a Duke through meritorious service.

 Chapter 610 - 467: Increasing Income

    After the enfeoffment ceremony, Arthur publicly announced the establishment of the Nobleman United Consortium, which would be managed by the royal financial group and open for investment only to the new nobility.


    As long as one became a nobleman of Austrsia, they would receive a basic share of the Nobleman United Consortium.


    Generally speaking, a Sir would have a basic share, which could guarantee an annual dividend of at least 500 Australian dors.


    For a Baron, the basic shares would yield an annual dividend of 1500 Australian dors, a Viscount 5000 Australian dors, an Earl 12,000 Australian dors, and a Duke 50,000 Australian dors.


    If the profits of the Nobleman United Consortium were insufficient to cover annual dividends, the royal financial group would sponsor them, ensuring that each noble would receive their own dividends.


    It can be seen from this provision that the Nobleman United Consortium was actually an institution for Arthur to distribute money to all the new nobles, uniting the interests of all the new nobles.


    After all, the new nobles of Austrsia had no territories, so there would naturally not be small andrge states like those of the European nobility.


    Therefore, the Nobleman United Consortium could also be considered as a benefit for all the new nobles of Austrsia, enabling them to receiverge dividends each year as long as they were nobles.


    In order to ensure that the Nobleman United Consortium had enough profitability, Arthur represented the royal financial group in injecting 5 million Australian dors into the Consortium, helping it to make better investments and construction.


    At the same time, the Nobleman United Consortium would establish an exclusive Nobles¡¯ United Bank, dedicated to the service of these new nobles. Nobles would have lower loan interest rates and higher loan limits at the Nobles¡¯ United Bank.


    In this way, the treatment of the new nobles instantly surpassed that of most other sses; after all, doing nothing and solely relying on dividends obtained from the Joint Consortium would be enough for even a Sir to live a rich life.


    However, the majority of the people did not envy or resent this, as Arthur had personally promised that, regardless of ss, anyone who made outstanding contributions to the royal family and the government could potentially be granted a noble title.


    This included umting military merit, engaging in scientific research, and even contributing to various aspects of Austrsian society. As long as there were significant contributions to the country and the royal family, bing a new noble was no longer a fantasy.


    In addition to broadening the channels for ordinary people to be promoted to nobility, Arthur¡¯s n also ced great emphasis on the improvement of the existing living standards of the general poption.


    It is more practical to implement real policies than to simply paint big pies, which is Arthur¡¯s theory across all his policies.


    After announcing the Nobleman United Consortium policy, Arthur then dered that various subsidies would be issued to promote the increase of public ie, encourage factories to raise workers¡¯ wage levels, and implement a new round of subsidy policies for low-ie groups.


    At present, the per capita annual ie of Austrsia has reached 55.21 Australian dors. In contrast to the general decline in per capita ie in European countries, the continuous increase of per capita ie in Austrsia is rare.


    However,pared to the war-unaffected United States, the per capita ie level of Austrsia is rtively low, and its attractiveness to immigrants is much lower than that of the United States.


    As the monarch of Austrsia, Arthur was happy to see the growth of national government ie but also happy to see the growth of people¡¯s ie.


    For one thing, the increase in people¡¯s ie could affect the growth of industry, economy, and tax revenue, which in another way would feed back to the government.


    A huge amount of funds flowing into society would elerate the economic growth of Austrsia, boost GDP, tax revenue, and growth in all industries, even tourism; for Arthur, there were only benefits and no harm in this.


    Perhaps some funds would be lost because of this, but the resulting improvement in various industries in Austrsia and the people¡¯s love for the government could not be reced by any amount of capital.


    As expected, upon hearing Arthur¡¯s announcement of raising people¡¯s ie, almost all the people burst into earth-shattering cheers.


    Previously, the cheers of the people at the enfeoffment ceremony were for the government and Arthur, and for the new nobles.


    But now, the people were cheering for their own happiness, for being part of such a great country and having such a great monarch.


    Throughout history, there have been countless wise and talented monarchs, but not many who truly cared for the people¡¯s interests and were devoted to them.


    Perhaps those monarchs could all be called benevolent and great, but only those who had experienced it would know the kind of love they had for such monarchs.


    It was no exaggeration to say that in Austrsia, anyone who publicly ndered Arthur would not leave Austrsia alive.


    After the enfeoffment ceremony, there were awards for all the meritorious soldiers. Although most of the soldiers did not umte enough merit to be granted a title, there were still many among them who made great achievements and deserved to be personally rewarded by Arthur.


    Apart from nearly 200 knights and 19 barons, Austrsia also gave birth to more than 400 medal recipients in recognition of the great contributions of the Austrsian soldiers in the war.


    ording to the Ministry of Agriculture, thend enfeoffed this time amounted to a total of 400,000 acres, which was a staggering 1,600 square kilometers.


    Fortunately, Austrsia had a vast territory and a small poption, so there was enoughnd to distribute. The 400,000 acres ofnd were insignificantpared to the totalnd area of Austrsia, not even worth mentioning as a drop in the ocean.


    In addition to subsidies for factories, Arthur also decided to provide subsidies and tax reduction to Austrsians engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry to ensure that the majority of people could benefit from ie growth.


    Since thest time Arthur reduced taxes for the people, the taxes of the Austrsians have be very low. Especially for themoners, only those with annual ies exceeding 20% more than the average annual ie will be subject to personal ie tax.


    Even various misceneous taxes are minimal for low-ie people, and instead, there are various tuition and medical fee reductions, which are also ways to ensure that the living standards of Austrsians will not decline significantly under any circumstances.


    At the end of various ceremonies, there was a military parade celebration, which had not been held in Austrsia for a long time.


    Because this military parade was to celebrate the victory of the war, Austrsia mobilized its entire army, navy, and air forces, with tanks, aircraft, artillery, and various warships, demonstrating the strength of the Austrsian army both domestically and internationally.


    It is worth mentioning that not all of the native soldiers who fought for Austrsia were expelled from the territory of Austrsia.


    Before Austrsia took over Southeastern colonies, there were many indigenous countries and forces in the Dutch East Indies, which also had considerable power. Some of these powerful indigenous nations hadpletely independent military, administrative, and diplomatic powers.


    After upying thend, Austrsia swallowed up the vast majority of indigenous tribes but reserved a very small number of indigenous powers.


    In Swesi Ind, there were originally five indigenous forces - Wando Tribe, Manda Tribe, Sultanate of Ruhunu, Gowasu Sultanate, and Toraja Tribe. After being integrated by the Austrsian government, only the southern Sultanate of Brunei and Gowasu Sultanate were left to manage the entire indigenous poption of Swesi.


    Some of the yellow native people were arranged in these two Sultanate countries. They would be residents here, ready for Austrsian conscription at any time.


    In simple terms, these indigenous poptions are the source of indigenous army strength in Austrsia and serve as cannon fodder for the Austrsian army during wartime.


    About 2 million indigenous people were relocated to these two Sultanate countries, and together with the original indigenous poption of Swesi, the indigenous poption controlled by the two Sultanates exceeded 5 million.


    This also represents that, if Arthur is willing, these indigenous poptions can be millions of indigenous armies at any time, fighting for the Austrsian Army.


    In return for these natives, Arthur promised to leave them enoughnd and not expel them any further.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, these two Sultanate countries where the indigenous reside must unconditionally obey the orders of the Austrsian government.


    Moreover, these indigenous poptions are not recognized by Austrsia, but they will enjoy some benefits, ensuring their loyalty when fighting for Austrsia.


    For these more than 5 million yellow natives, Arthur made his promise. As long as they make sufficient contributions, they can be recognized by the Austrsian government and be an honorable Austrsian citizen.


    Although the conditions for obtaining citizenship are strict, the chances of these yellow natives bing citizens are much higherpared to the ck natives of New Guinea Ind.


    Arthur expelled millions of ck natives in New Guinea Ind, showing Arthur¡¯s attitude towards these ck natives. No matter how great their contributions, Arthur does not recognize them as Austrsian citizens.


    Apart from these ck natives, it is not a problem to say that Austrsia is a diverse immigrant country.


    Although the main ethnic group in Austrsia is Europeans, Austrsia also wees immigrants from Asia.


    Currently, in Austrsia¡¯s poption of 18.67 million, more than 400,000 are of yellow ethnicity, most of whom are immigrants from East Asia.


    In fact, since the Qing government began studying the Austrsian system, there has been a steady stream of East Asian immigrantsing to Austrsia and settling permanently on thisnd.


    Austrsia¡¯s universities have also be targets for many East Asian students. Currently, Austrsia wees dozens of East Asian students every year, more than half of whom choose to stay in Austrsia after graduation.


    Apparently,pared to many East Asian countries, Austrsia is an excellent choice for studying abroad.


    Firstly, the various systems in Austrsia are highly simr to Europe, and its technology is also considered first-ss in Europe.


    Furthermore, the distance between Austrsia and East Asia is much closerpared to the distance between Europe and East Asia, which also saves a considerable amount of study expenses.


    Under the influence of various factors, many East Asian students choose to study in Austrsia and then serve their home countries after returning.


    Arthur wees these people, as they can enhance the international reputation of Austrsian universities and the international influence of Austrsia.


    After returning to their countries from studying in Austrsia, these people naturally have deeper feelings towards Austrsia than towards other countries.


    This is the advantage of Austrsia, and it can easily win over many Asian countries.


    Such study-abroad policies have been used inter generations by many countries to cultivate arge number of foreign forces that are friendly to them.

 Chapter 611 - 468: Proposal to Move the Capital

    Arge-scale military parade can obviously increase the public¡¯s recognition of their country and even their fanaticism for it.


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    With the various advanced weapons of the Austrsian armed forces all on disy, the public erupted in cheers again, apanied by the roaring tanks and airnes.


    Both the enfeoffment ceremony and the grand parade of Austrsia received attention from domestic and international media.


    The enfeoffment ceremony was manageable, as it was merely a matter for the royal family, and Arthur could confer dukes and earls at any time if he wished.


    However, the grand parade was different. This time, Austrsia deployed its advanced weapons and equipment (first-generation airnes and tanks), and their quantities of airnes and tanks had already taken the lead worldwide, reaching 500 and 200 respectively.


    It can be seen from the fact that during the signing of the alliance, British Prime Minister Raul George did not forget to exchange military technology, the European powers were very interested in some of Austrsia¡¯s military technology. They were even more curious about how far the technology of airnes and tanks had been developed in the hands of Austrsia.


    Unfortunately, Austrsia still maintains a high level of confidentiality for this military technology, and currently, the only things exposed are the airnes sold to Britain and France and the tanks deployed in the battlefield.


    Although concealing one¡¯s skills is a basic means of keeping secrets for all countries, the airnes and tanks had been deployed in a real battlefield before, so Britain and France could not guarantee whether Austrsia had really given their all or were still hiding something.


    The best way to solve this problem was to send intelligence personnel to keep an eye on the movements of various weapons in Austrsia constantly.


    Among the foreign media that came to Austrsia this time, many were disguising as foreign intelligence personnel.


    But what disappointed them was that no new weapons participated in this grand parade, and neither Arthur nor the Austrsian Government revealed any information about the new weapons.


    This means that either the Austrsian government is very good at hiding its skills, or the government genuinely has no new types of weapons, and the exposed airnes and tanks are already their strongest designs.


    Regardless, the various ceremonies and military parades of Austrsia have attracted the attention of many European citizens in recent days, enhancing international visibility.


    However, after a few days, the European powers, represented by Britain and France, also started their own military parades. Compared to the parade in Austrsia, the British and French parades were evenrger and more luxurious, attracting more attention.


    As a result, the focus of global news quickly shifted to other countries¡¯ post-war celebrations, and the news heat surrounding Austrsia was no longer so high.


    But this was enough, as such arge-scale war warranted that almost all victorious countries would hold their own celebratory ceremonies.


    Especially for European countries with significant casualties, their celebrations had to be grand, in order to cover up the pessimistic emotions of the people due to the high casualties of war, and to help them forget the suffering the country experienced during the war.


    Especially since the war led to a reduction of supplies for the people, causing hunger and famine issues, these problems had to be masked with major news stories.


    After all, famine was essentially the government¡¯s fault; the Russian government, in particr, was already nning a century-scale grand parade to wash away the suffering Russia experienced during the war.


    After the parade ceremony, Austrsia finally finished the post-war arrangements and was about to enter a new development phase.


    The uing tasks are even more difficult for the Austrsian Government. They have to face relocation, government change, handling of upied territories, continue to steer the development of the country, and produce a satisfactory report card before the end of the year.


    With the war over, it is time for the wartime cab¡¯s status to end as well. This means that those still in the cab are about to face a new round of cab elections. Whether they can stay in the cab is uncertain and depends on their performance during their tenure and the support they receive from the public and various political parties.


    This war was an ident that allowed them to gain several additional years of tenure. But this does not mean that each of them can stay securely in their positions. After all, it is a tradition for each cab minister to serve a maximum of three terms in a row, which is not easily broken.


    At the new round of cab meetings, Arthur threw the issues of relocation and the division of new territories to the cab government, requesting that they be dealt with as soon as possible and produce a charter on the same day, if possible.


    Relocation was decided during the early stages of the war but was postponed until after the war due to its outbreak.


    There are multiple reasons for relocating Austrsia. In addition to Sydney being too bloated, its geographical location is not conducive to its development as a super urban city.


    More importantly, relocating to the Mure River Basin is essential for Austrsia¡¯s development n.


    If there is a topographic map of Austrsia, it could be seen that the southeastern part, which Austrsia is currently proud of, is actually a mountainous region named the Great Watershed.


    Only the southeastern coastal area is suitable for development, but this area is too narrow and yet holds over half of the Australian region¡¯s poption.


    This is extremely unbnced for Austrsia¡¯s development. As for the western region, it is a desert area andpletely unsuitable for development.

 Chapter 612 - 468: Proposal to Move the Capital_2

    However, the prestigious Great Basin and Mure River in, which are among the few in and basin areas in Austrsia, should theoretically be suitable for agriculture, animal husbandry, and economic development.


    However, due tond desertification or even desertification, parts of the central in in the Australian region have been desertified and urgently need to be treated.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The best way to govern this area is to move the capital to the Mure River Basin, using the government¡¯s decades or even centuries to improve this region.


    If the Mure River Basin is well managed, it alone can be a delta capable of amodating hundreds of millions of people, and it will also be the future agricultural and pastoral center of Austrsia.


    The exploration work for relocating the capital waspleted a few years ago, and it is expected that the new capital will be located at the intersection of the Mure River and the Darling River, in the central area of the Mure River Delta.


    The advantages of choosing this location are, firstly, that it is backed by two rivers, which is more suitable for the development of the city. Secondly, it has rtively developed shipping along the Mure River.


    Moreover, there are vast ins in all directions here, making it an excellent choice for developing agriculture, pastoralism, urban construction or industrial development.


    As thergest river in the Australian region, the development potential of the Mure River Basin is naturally beyond doubt, ranking at the top in the Australian region.


    The Cab Government needs to solve the problems of how to relocate the capital, when to relocate it, and the naming of the new capital.


    Moving a country¡¯s capital is not easy, as the capital, as the most basic administrative center of a country, must amodate most of the national government institutions.


    For Austrsia, the new capital will also need to amodate the royal pce, courts, and more, requiring a lengthy construction period.


    Another issue is that the poption in the Mure River Basin is notrge currently. If the capital is to be relocated, would it be necessary to move part of the poption from Sydney and Melbourne?


    As the tworgest cities in Austrsia, both Sydney and Melbourne have poptions exceeding 2 million.


    It is quite a spectacle for a nation with a poption less than 20 million to have two cities with a poption of 2 million, and it is also one of the issues currently facing Austrsia.


    If the capital remains in Sydney, Sydney will definitely have thergest immigration attraction among all cities in Austrsia.


    At least 40% of immigrants are absorbed by Sydney each year, which is not conducive to the development of Austrsia or to the development of the Leonora Industrial Base in West Australia.


    The defining feature of industrial bases is their need for an ample poption, abundant mineral resources, and developed trafficworks.


    Austrsia is notcking in thetter two, but the poption of the Industrial Area has always been an issue, which the government has only partially solved by strongly supporting immigration to the West Australian State.


    In addition to the relocation dilemma, the Cab Government also needs to consider the division of the newly upied territories.


    During the entire war, Austrsia gained German New Guinea, German Samoa, West New Guinea, Swesi Ind, Java Sea Inds, as well as coastal regions along the Sutton Persian Gulf, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait in the Middle East (not yet officially exchanged).


    Thesends are still vast and need to be divided, either by forming new administrative regions or by incorporating them into existing colonies.


    The Middle East problem is easy to solve since it had been decided long ago that the upiednds in the Middle East would be unified into the Persian Gulf Coastal Territory, which would also be Austrsia¡¯s future oil extraction field.


    Mostly, this area serves as a military management area, as it has the world¡¯s richest oil resources and requires arge number of troops to guard and protect it.


    Arthur even ns to establish a naval base in the Middle East, establish a Persian Gulf Fleet, and set up the Austrsia National Defense Army¡¯s Persian Gulf Regional Command.


    The Persian Gulf Territory will serve as the most special administrative region of Austrsia, under military management for an extended period of time and ountable only to Arthur and the government.


    In addition, the government needs to discuss the division of newly acquired territories in the Southeast Asian Region.


    Although most of thesendse from the Dutch East Indies, if aplete colony is formed, it may seem somewhat toorge.


    After a small-scale discussion by the Cab Government and the final decision of Arthur, it was decided to merge the entire New Guinea region and form aplete Australian New Guinea Colony.


    New Guinea Ind has great development potential, is the secondrgest ind in the world, has rich mineral resources, and has the much-needed water resources in the Australian Region.


    To address the still unclear water issue in Australia, Arthur even had a draft n in mind for the North Water South Transfer, waiting for the technology to be executed in the future tounch a major project to divert water from New Guinea to Australia.


    As thergest ind in Austrsia outside of the Native Land, New Guinea¡¯s value is undoubtedly the highest outside the Australian and New Zend Regions.


    The value of aplete New Guinea Colony is not weaker than any state in Austrsia, and the Governor of Australian New Guinea must be Arthur¡¯s trusted confidant.


    In addition, German Samoa in the Pacific Region will be incorporated into the Australian West Pacific Territory. It would be somewhat unjustifiable to establish Samoa as a separate new colony, so it would be better to incorporate it directly into the West Pacific Territory as part of Austrsia¡¯s ind defense chain, making management more convenient.


    The many Java Sea Inds will be incorporated into the Royal Territory, and Swesi Ind will be established as a separate Swesi Ind Colony, joining the Austrsia Colonies.


    Under such division, whether or not the exchange of Persian Gulf coastal colonies will proceed will not affect the existing Austrsian colonial system and will not require redivisionter.


    After truly annexing thesends, Austrsia¡¯s supremacy in the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean is unstoppable, and even Britain, France and the United States cannot stop Austrsia¡¯s hegemony in these areas.


    With the external series of defense ind chains, Arthur believes that even if Austrsia and the United States fall into war, there is no need to worry about the invasion of Native Land.


    However, when facing a country like the United States with a developed industry and economy, Austrsia does not have a good strategy for victory.


    Only if Austrsia can take the lead in researching missiles and nuclear weapons can they use the pressure of nuclear weapons to make the United States surrender.


    However, research on nuclear weapons is not so easy, and at least the current progress is very slow, requiring a lot of time to advance.


    Anyway, in the face of some stronger countries, Austrsia can now be considered confident.


    When the scale of the navy catches up, Arthur can confidently dere that he will not fear the provocation of any country.


    Regarding the issue of moving the capital, Arthur had previously asked the public for their opinions.


    Most people supported moving the capital, but many Sydney residents were unwilling to see it happen, as there are some differences between residents of the capital city and non-capital cities.


    But these people obviously cannot stop the advancement of the national trend, and moreover, they are not firmly opposed, just a little reluctant and worried, worried that after the capital moves to other ces, therge number of preferential policies currently enjoyed by Sydney as the capital will be reduced.


    For such concerns, Arthur also provided guarantees. Arthur said that whether it is the capital or any city, all Austrsians will enjoy equally all the welfare benefits policies issued by the government.


    As long as they are on thend of Austrsia, the welfare policies for the public will never change, and will not vary due to the region.


    Arthur also specifically pointed out that even if the capital eventually moves to another ce, Sydney will still be one of the most important cities in Austrsia, thus alleviating some of the concerns of Sydney residents.

 Chapter 613 - 469: Influenza Arrives

    Before the relocation n of Austrsia could be officially executed, the sudden news from Director Batty of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency changed Arthur¡¯s expression instantly, and an emergency cab meeting was ordered, with all cab members to be present.


    The Royal Security Intelligence Agency had acquired arge amount of wartime intelligence for Austrsia during the war, and its current scale had grown tremendously.


    Thanks to Austrsia¡¯s status as a colonial country, intelligence personnel of the Royal Security Intelligence Agency could be Germans, British, Russians or East Asians.


    It could be said that the personnel of the Security Bureau could disguise themselves as civilians from most countries, which was conducive to intelligence exploration in Europe and the Americas.


    The intelligence that changed Arthur¡¯s expression came from the United States and some European countries.


    Although the war had ended early, Arthur knew that a crisis more dangerous than war was about toe.


    ording to Director Batty¡¯s report, as early as March or April this year, a rapidly spreading influenza had urred in the military camps of Kansas State in the United States.


    The symptoms of this flu were only headaches, high fever, muscle soreness and loss of appetite, without any danger, so it was not taken seriously by the United States.


    It was not until more than a monthter, due to the convening of the Paris Peace Conference, that the flu that had spread in the United States was brought to Europe and began to spread in France, and along with the Paris Peace Conference, it spread to the United Kingdom, Spain, and other countries.


    Director Batty sensed something was wrong because it was extremely simr to the flu that Arthur had instructed to spread from the United States and Europe first.


    Without any hesitation, Director Batty requested an audience with Arthur and reported on thetest situation of the flu in Europe and the United States.


    Although the flu has frequently urred in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Italy, it has not yet been fatal, and has not been taken seriously by any country.


    Everyone thought it was just amon cold, and most people just took somemon cold medicine and left it alone.


    Of course, there were many civilians and low-ie people in the areas where the flu was spreading, and these people cared even less, after all, they did not have enough money to buy medicines.


    If Arthur remembered correctly, the famous Spanish Flu in history actually started spreading in the United States, and the first spread did not pose a significant threat.


    It was not until the second spread that the Spanish Flu demonstrated its dangers, killing at least 25 million people, more than the World War I deaths.


    Upon learning that the flu may have broken out, Arthur had no hesitation or doubt, immediately convened a cab meeting and issued an order for Austrsia to enter a wartime state.


    Arthur demanded that most coastal ports be closed, with only a few ports remaining open for externalmunication.


    The ports that remained open needed to be isted, and nomunication with the non-opening areas was allowed in the short term.


    Meanwhile, Arthur requested the government to prepare an order requiring all Austrsians to self-monitor and, once symptoms of flu such as headache, high fever, muscle soreness, and loss of appetite were detected, to report to the government-established istion points immediately and minimize contact with others as much as possible.


    In addition, almost all external channels, including airship flights, were closed.


    Only Arthur knew how exaggerated this flu was, and if it was not taken seriously, at any time the poption of Austrsia could be sharply reduced by more than one-fifth.


    Under Arthur¡¯s orders, the government quickly issued an announcement, and Austrsia instantly entered a closed state.


    Maintaining a few open ports not only received immigrants but also ensured the supply of overseas colonies.


    After all, there were a considerable number of people in the major colonies, and they could not be starved to death because of this flu.


    At the same time, under the supervision of the Austrsian government, state and urban governments began setting up isted zones away from the cities and encouraged residents with symptoms to go for quarantine. The government would provide free amodation and supplies for them.


    For a time, Austrsia was in motion due to the government¡¯s orders, but it also quickly caused great panic among the people.


    This kind of temporary state without any deration and strict control was the scariest, and no one knew exactly what had happened to the government, or why it had suddenly entered a wartime state after the victory of the war.


    On May 27, 1918, the second day that Austrsia entered military control, the Austrsian Royal Science Academy contacted domestic and foreign media and broke sensational news that a highly fatal flu is spreading worldwide and that most parts of Europe have be infected.


    In order to show respect for allies and the importance of the World Alliance, while breaking the news, the Austrsian government contacted the four great powers of the Allies and all member countries of the World Alliance, urging their governments to take it seriously, as this flu was enough to destroy a country.


    Frankly speaking, after hearing the warning from Austrsia, most countries including Britain and France had only one thought - the people of Austrsia had gone mad.


    If there were such a deadly flu in Europe, they and these countries would not have been unaware of it and could not have been discovered first by Austrsia.


    Despite the stern rhetoric of the Austrsian government¡¯s warning, not many countries paid attention to the flu exposed by Austrsia.


    Some countries did take the issue seriously, but after consulting with their domestic medical institutions or researchbs and learning that there was indeed a flu outbreak, they learned that it was not deadly and thus, they dismissed Austrsia¡¯s warning.


    Some countries even publicly opposed Austrsia¡¯s warning, using it of undermining world peace and stability with its baseless ims and harming the interests of the countries where the flu had spread.


    This is considered a serious disruption to world order, damaging the interests of the countries affected by the flu outbreak exposed by Austrsia.


    As the saying goes, seeing is believing, and even if there is such a flu outbreak, most countries wouldn¡¯t dare to issue the relevant orders.


    Especially aplete lockdown like Austrsia, which would severely harm the interests of all major sses within the country and could even lead to the overthrow of the government.


    Other countries are unlikely to take action just because of Austrsia¡¯s words unless the epidemic is already quite severe; otherwise, such a major decision would not be made by the government.


    As European countries question Austrsia¡¯s exposure and condemn it for undermining world order, Arthur has already ordered the government to distribute supplies and disinfectants to all people for free.


    Masks, along with gas masks, have been mass-produced, and Austrsia currently has arge stockpile of masks specifically prepared for this flu outbreak.


    Arge number of gas masks have also been prepared for frontline port and hospital workers, providing better protection against the flu virus.


    The exposure by the Austrsia Science Academy has caused considerable shock both domestically and internationally, with most people in the country trusting the Academy.


    After all, the Austrsian government has never done anything absurd up to this point, and the public clearly prefers to trust the government rather than condemn it.


    Although the closure of ports is detrimental to people¡¯s livelihoods, most people have no objection, and many of them even believe they have symptoms and voluntarily go to the istion points established by the government.


    The istion points are quite simple, some are independent buildings that have been temporarily requisitioned as urban istion points.


    Some, due to their remote location, use arge number of tents as istion points, but each person can have their own tent.


    Supplies for the isted people are delivered on time every day, and their eating, drinking, and living are all taken care of by the government.


    Although the exposure from the Royal Science Academy may probability be exaggerated, many people are still very concerned and afraid of being infected with a highly fatal disease.


    In response to this, Arthur stepped forward to stabilize Austrsia¡¯s order, introducing wartime and control measures in the country topletely cut off the spread of the virus from abroad.


    In order to prevent the spread of influenza that has already urred in Austrsia, Arthur encouraged all those with symptoms to go to istion points to avoid transmission to family, friends, and others.


    Of course, the government promised to provide sufficient supplies to everyone, ensuring that people would not be troubled by hunger in any situation.


    People who went to the istion points would also receive priority in the provision of living supplies.


    Once a true case of transmission is found, the royal family and the government would bear all medical expenses, ensuring that people would not have to struggle with the severe flu.


    The day after Arthur stood up to reassure the people, state and city governments began distributing masks, disinfectants, and some supplies to the people to ensure their lives would not be affected.


    Although the external channels have been closed, the cirction within major cities has not been affected. However, Arthur requires people to wear masks in public ces to reduce the probability of transmitting the virus to others and bing infected.


    Arthur¡¯s high poprity and esteem yed a role in this as well. With Arthur¡¯s call, a vast majority of people willingly wore masks when entering public ces, even if they were dissatisfied with the government¡¯s policy.


    Those who did not wear masks were condemned by the majority and had to hurriedly return home to wear masks before going out again.


    While there were some who refused to wear masks, they were quickly reported and invited to the local police station for tea and meals for several days.


    At the same time, Arthur also required all government personnel and workers to wear masks during work and in public ces.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If wearing a mask is unsuitable for a particr job, the entire enterprise and factory would be quarantined, with the government delivering materials to the factories.


    This system is somewhat based on the experience ofter generations but is definitely effective in defending against such a severe flu outbreak.


    Austrsia¡¯s vastnd and sparse poption, coupled with the strict quarantine measures, may not guarantee that there will be no flu cases, but it can be confidently believed that the impact would not be too severe.


    As for the economic losses caused by these quarantine policies and blockade policies, there is no alternative, as a little economic loss is much better than tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of casualties.


    Under Arthur¡¯s call, all sses in Austrsia have also taken action, presenting a stark contrast to theughter and joy outside the country, as if they were in two different worlds.

 Chapter 614 - 470: The Role of the Army

    At the start of the tense and quarantine actions in Austrsia due to the wartime state, regions outside of Austrsia remained unaffected.


    For European countries, the most important issue at present is the transition of the post-war economy.


    During the war, material shortages led nearly all participating countries to implement material distribution and a material rationing system.


    Even in a resource-rich country like Britain, the amount of materials each person could buy was limited.


    While this limited the rise in prices and ensured that more people could purchase materials, it indeed affected the economic development.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The war is over now, and for countries like Britain, the most important thing is to remove material restrictions and distributions, and to restore the pre-war free market.


    The British,pared to the French, were at a disadvantage in the distribution of post-war benefits. Even Belgium gained a small part of the territory, but due to the waters separating Britain from the European continent, territorial expansion was impossible for the maind.


    Therefore, the British turned their attention more to the colonies and German warships.


    Since thest naval battle, the German fleet had hardly been deployed, and the main force was still retained.


    ording to agreements with other Allies, Britain could obtain around six main battleships and more than 20 new mediums and small battleships, almost taking away most of the main force of the German High Seas Fleet.


    This would strengthen the power of the Royal Navy and maintain the naval advantage of the British Empire as another form ofpensation.


    The British Empire even prepared a wee ceremony for these German warships, waiting to formally receive these German warships and strengthen the Royal Navy¡¯s strength in a short time.


    Almost all victorious nations reaped rewards after the war, and even countries like Belgium were preparing various celebrations to divert the public¡¯s attention.


    The flu news from Austrsia paused the festive atmosphere for one or two days, but soon the atmosphere resumed due to the exnations given by governments of various countries.


    European countries generally reported festive news and staged a golden age scene.


    The various news reports from Austrsia seemed a bit out of ce, not only frequently using words such as crisis, necessity, and immediate, but also seemed to restore the atmosphere to wartime.


    Thanks to Arthur¡¯s poprity among the people, within just three days, hundreds of symptomatic Austrsians volunteered for quarantine, and various supplies were urgently mobilized and distributed to the public.


    Arthur specifically emphasized that in addition to guaranteeing people¡¯s daily life supplies, it is essential to ensure the supply of important materials such as masks and disinfectants during the flu period.


    At the same time, for all material sales points, the principle of not raising prices and even reducing prices if possible must be upheld. The government can provide subsidies to them, with only one requirement, that no shop or sales point may raise prices, and must even reduce prices appropriately to ensure that every Austrsian can afford supplies at any time.


    The "no price increase" principle was specifically instructed by Arthur and required the government to implement it. If achieved, it would be credited, if not, it would be a fault.


    Under Arthur¡¯s tough attitude, although the order in the Austrsia was somewhat tense, the prices of various supplies remained the same as before the wartime state.


    For voluntary quarantined Austrsians, the government must maintain an encouraging attitude, guarantee the supply of all materials to these people, and try to meet their demands as much as possible.


    For special cases within this group of individuals, such as students, they should also try their best to ensure the study needs of these people to make sure their education is not dyed for too long.


    No one could guarantee how long this epidemic wouldst, and if it dragged on for one or two years, they could not go without studying for such a long time in quarantine, right?


    In any case, Arthur took the current flu very seriously and issued more stringent requirements to the government than during wartime.


    Wars could not threaten the Austrsian maind, but this flu could. Arthur¡¯s emphasis on loving the people would be fully demonstrated during this flu.


    Although Arthur had made advance preparations, some problems still arose ording to the government reports.


    At the new round of emergency cab meetings, Arthur frowned, looking at the Minister of Civil Affairs Philip with some dissatisfaction and asked, "Minister Philip, why are there still some areas not receiving enough supplies? I remember that the national material reserves are still abundant andpletely sufficient for the consumption of the entire poption for more than two years."


    It was not long after the end of the war, which was also good news for Austrsia.


    The government still had sufficient material reserves to implement this quarantine and wartime state while ensuring that the people had enough supplies.


    "Your Majesty, we have enough materials, but we are short of manpower and cannot deliver the materials to everyone¡¯s hands in a short period of time." Minister of Civil Affairs Philip stood up and hurriedly exined.


    It could only be said that the people of Austrsia were too obedient. After Arthur suggested that everyone stay home for five days of quarantine and only go out normally after ensuring that no symptoms appeared, more than 60% of Austrsians chose to stay home for quarantine.


    As the majority of the poption stayed home, although sufficient materials were sent to various stores and sales points, people did not go out to make purchases and naturally did not obtain the supplies.

 Chapter 615 - 470: The Role of the Army_2

    Furthermore, the government¡¯s free distribution of masks and disinfectant also requires manpower for door-to-door delivery, ensuring that everyone can get sufficient supplies.


    As such, the government is faced with a serious problem: ack of manpower.


    Austrsia is a vast country, which indirectly increases the time andbor costs of transporting supplies.


    Arthur thought hard for a while, finally deciding to employ the military to transport supplies for the public.


    Arthur¡¯s move is quite bold. The military serving themon people, especially those in the middle and lower ie brackets, is a rare sight in current history.


    What¡¯s more, Austrsia is a monarchy, making such a situation even rarer - unprecedented, in fact.


    Looking at European nations, which one isn¡¯t relentlessly exploiting the lower-ss citizens? Even France, which loudly champions freedom and human rights, can require its people to make sacrifices for the government when necessary.


    But there¡¯s no choice. The current situation is urgent, only the military has enough manpower, and they are fully capable of following the government¡¯s and Arthur¡¯s orders.


    Hearing that Arthur had decided to use the military to distribute supplies to the people, the Minister of Livelihood, Philip, couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief, but he was still shocked by Arthur¡¯s daring decision.


    Regardless, Arthur¡¯s decision was not something he could stop, so he could only carry out Arthur¡¯s orders go on.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At the end of May 1918, following Arthur¡¯s order, tens of thousands of Austrsia Army moved into action, beginning to distribute supplies to the people and to maintain order at istion points and harbors.


    With the inclusion of these fresh forces, it is almost guaranteed that most Austrsians can get enough supplies, the vast majority of Austrsians can obtain basic living supplies, and the istion between cities can also be maintained.


    It must be said, the implementation of istion between cities has indeed effectively prevented the spread of influenza.


    Furthermore, under the appeal of Arthur, many people who have started showing symptoms have voluntarily self-quarantined at home or gone to istion points, which has also slowed down the spread of influenza in Austrsia.


    The City of Sydney, a special istion point set up by the City Council.


    "Mum, why did we have to move here?" a little boy looking out the window at the bustling crowd on the street, then at the sparse room only temporarily filled with clothes and grain, and not even being able to find a cup to drink water from, looked somewhat aggrieved at his mother who was cooking.


    "Jon, haven¡¯t I exined? We moved here so that more people won¡¯t have to move here." The little boy¡¯s mother walked over, patted her son¡¯s head, and exined with a smile.


    "But why? If we didn¡¯te here, would more people have to move here?" The boy named Jon asked, still somewhat confused.


    "Jon, we have a cold now, we will infect other people if we go out. Haven¡¯t you always beenining about how ufortable it is? I trust you wouldn¡¯t want others to experience this difort, right?" Hearing Jon¡¯s doubts, Jon¡¯s father who was cleaning up put down what he was doing, held little Jonathon in his arms, gave him a small wooden toy they had brought along, and exined.


    To prevent the little one from being scared, he didn¡¯t exin that this was not amon cold, but the influenza that the Royal Science Academy said was very serious and deadly.


    "Then of course, Dad. Can we go out when we are better? Then I want to go to Sydney Pce Square, I heard there¡¯s a statue of His Majesty there, and we can even see His Majesty!" Hearing that going outside would spread the cold to others, Jon instantly dismissed the idea of going out, but at the same time he became more curious and excited about life after recovering.


    "Of course, little Jonathon. Once our cold is better, I¡¯ll take you there so that you can see His Majesty and the Hero¡¯s monument for yourself." Jon¡¯s Dad quickly nodded, and said seriously.


    Education in Austrsia is very sessful. The people in Austrsia adore Arthur and the Heroes, and aspire to be scientists or soldiers, as this can elerate their entry into nobility.


    As for being movie stars, there are a few. The entertainment industry in Austrsia is growing quickly, and the film industry has also seen significant growth.


    But this entertainment industry does not hold a high status in Austrsia, where the most popr are often the patriotic movies produced by the state.


    Although Arthur¡¯s prestige in Austrsia is somewhat too high, it has even formed a cult of personality in the hearts of many people.


    But this is much better than the pessimistic situation where society indulges in entertainment to death and the upper echelons ignore the plight of the lower sses.


    Jon¡¯s family¡¯s conversation didn¡¯tst long when, much to their surprise and bewilderment, their door was knocked on soon after.


    When they entered this istion point, the Sydney City Council specifically instructed that they were not allowed to go out without permission and were prohibited frommunicating with other people at nearby istion points.


    This was to ensure that people inside the istion point would not spread the flu to each other, reducing the risk of infection for some who were originally not infected.


    Jon¡¯s family situation was still good enough, being in Capital Sydney, there was basically no shortage of supplies.


    Although life in the istion point could notpare to the normal times, they were at least able to have full meals, but with enough free time and nothing to do, they all felt bored.


    When they opened the door, Jon¡¯s family was immediately taken aback.


    The people standing at the door were neither officers from the City Council nor the police who previously delivered supplies, but a group of soldiers in military uniform, yet not equipped with any weapons.


    These soldiers all wore masks, and the two leading them were disinfecting the outside of the room with spray bottles of disinfectant.


    "Who are you?" Jon¡¯s Dad asked curiously.


    "We are soldiers from the First Division of the Army, charged with maintaining the quarantine area, carrying out disinfection and delivering supplies. Here are your supplies, sir, please check, and if there are no issues, we¡¯re going to leave." The soldier exined their identity, then ordered his subordinates to move all the supplies to the door and asked, "Do you require help moving this inside?


    It might be a little troublesome for you to move it all by yourself."


    Jon¡¯s family had never seen soldiers so kind before, let alone soldiers who so thoughtfully offered to bring the supplies into the room.


    "Um, thanks for your trouble."


    In less than a few minutes, the group of soldiers had moved all the supplies into the room and handed Jon¡¯s family a list of the supplies.


    Because they didn¡¯t know how long they needed to be quarantined for, there were quite a lot of supplies given, including ten masks per person, two bottles of disinfectant per household, 100 catties of grain per person, 5 catties of beef and mutton per person, arge barrel of milk, and some flour, etc.


    These supplies were enough for Jon¡¯s family to live at the istion point for a while, with sufficient grain, beef, mutton, and milk.


    Worth mentioning is that, in addition to these essentials, the supplies also thoughtfully included textbooks and stationery for Little Jon, as well as some printed books, and so on.


    These books could be used for reading in their free time, which could give Jon¡¯s family some enjoyment during their long idle time.


    After Jon¡¯s family finished checking all the supplies, the leading soldier reminded them," If you have severe symptoms, please seek help from the soldiers on duty nearby, they will take you to receive treatment. Be reassured, all supplies and treatments are free, this is the preferential treatment His Majesty the King has given to all citizens."


    "If you finish the books, you can apply for recements. But remember, unless you have the government¡¯s permission, please do not leave this room. This is the only requirement from the government to you."


    After the instructions wereplete, the soldiers disinfected the outside of the room again, then neatly returned the way they came, leaving Jon¡¯s family dumbstruck, as if they still couldn¡¯t recover from their surprise.

 Chapter 616 - 471: Money and Conscience

    "So, were those people really from the National Defense Army just now?" Jon¡¯s dad took a long time to recover and only when Little Jon reminded him to return to the room did he ask in disbelief.


    "There should be no problem, Jon. We went to the grand parade before, and I even saw one of them in the parade lineup." Although Jon¡¯s mother also seemed a bit stunned, she quickly regainedposure and exined to Jon¡¯s dad.


    After all, there is no benefit in impersonating soldiers, let alone these soldiers who appear to be distributing supplies to the quarantined people. No one would do this without the support of the government.


    "My God, this is incredible. Little Jon, remember, never leave this room. The soldiers fighting on the front lines are transporting supplies for us. How can we not obey the government¡¯smand?" Jon¡¯s dad finally regained hisposure and issued the strictest requirement to Little Jon and his wife.


    Like Jon¡¯s family, simr scenes urred at many istion points. Not only in Sydney but this time nearly all the four regr divisions were mobilized, and even the two guard divisions were helping with the transport of supplies.


    In every istion point in all states and cities, the soldiers¡¯ figures could be seen almost everywhere.


    At first, people were surprised at the soldiers¡¯ appearance and were even more surprised that the soldiers were transporting supplies for free without asking for anything in return.


    But soon, people gradually began to adapt. After all, before the shortage of supplies, the soldiers had sent another round of supplies, which made the rtionship between the quarantined people and the soldiers more familiar.


    Unlike the stern and distant military image people had in mind, the Austrsia Army was very friendly in tone when talking to the people while transporting supplies, and they tried their best to consider the people¡¯s needs.


    For those with mobility difficulties or thoseckingbor force at home, the soldiers would deliver the supplies to their homes for free and even help with some minor tasks within their capacity.


    This both surprised and delighted the Austrsians. With a mix ofplex emotions, it eventually turned into cries of "Long live Your Majesty!" and "Long live Austrsia!"


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the early stages of the influenza, Arthur fulfilled his promise made in various asions that the military would protect the interests of the royal family and the people, as well as his promise during the coronation ceremony to always value the lives and property safety of the people.


    If a more urate support rating agency existed at this time, it would find that public support for Arthur surged during this period.


    Of course, this does not mean that the people did not support Arthur before. If a specific description is needed, the people¡¯s love for Arthur before was passionate, while now it borders on fanaticism.


    With the involvement of the military in the transportation of supplies, the shortage of transport personnel in various ces was finally addressed.


    However, due to Austrsia¡¯s wartime state and quarantine system, arge number of immigrants and tourists were forcibly quarantined at the ports, leading to a series of diplomatic disputes and problems.


    On June 7, 1918, Foreign Secretary Daize, with a worried face, asked to see Arthur and startedining as soon as they met, "Your Majesty, we have quarantined more than 100,000 immigrants and tourists at our major ports. Some people are already dissatisfied with our quarantine system, and many European countries are even making inquiries."


    These 100,000 immigrants and tourists came from various regions worldwide, including Russians, the British, Frenchmen, Italian descendants, and American People, among others.


    Most of them were immigrants, but a considerable number were also foreign tourists. After all, Austrsia has a beautiful natural environment and many inds suitable for living and tourism.


    Austrsia upied almost allnd in Oceania (excluding U.S. territories such as Hawaii) and has many inds and archipgos in the South Pacific Ocean, which are also excellent tourist attractions.


    Seeing the post-war economic recovery of various countries and the explosive growth of tourism in Austrsia in a year, the quarantine system issued by Arthur might significantly reduce the number of tourists, immigrants, and even trigger protests and conflicts from other countries.


    "Communicate with all foreign tourists, let them choose to stay in Austrsia or return to their country. If they want to leave, the government will provide them with the fare. As for all tourists who choose to stay in Austrsia, tell them to please wait quietly for a month. This is for their own good." Arthur did not hesitate and immediately proposed a solution.


    People do not yet know the severity of the flu and naturally do not appreciate the quarantine system set up by Austrsia.


    Arthur did not indulge them either; those who were unwilling to ept the quarantine system could leave, which would save some expenses for Arthur to produce more masks for distribution to the Austrsians.


    With Arthur¡¯s order, more than 70% of tourists chose to leave, but nearly 30% of tourists continued to stay in Austrsia.


    After all, observing Austrsia¡¯srge-scale national quarantine, some people started to believe the flu information released by Austrsia.


    Austrsia¡¯s policy of free medical treatment for both immigrant and domestic citizens made these people envious, and if there were a flu outbreak, immediately joining Austrsia seemed like a good fallback.

 Chapter 617 - 471: Money and Conscience 2

    Since the Austrsian Government announced nationwide quarantine, the number of immigrants heading from Europe to Austrsia has almost halved.


    Although the appeal of immigration to Austrsia indeed is high, most immigrants are reluctant to ept the quarantine system of Austrsia, let alone under the premise where nothing has happened yet.


    Arthur doesn¡¯t care about this at all. Once the influenza outbreak urs, these people will realise how cherished the quarantine system is.


    Furthermore, Austrsia¡¯s free treatment and supplies for its citizens would certainly attract more immigrants.


    The influenza first broke out in the Kansas Army Camp in the United States, which is also a means for Arthur to sanction the United States.


    As long as they wait until the influenza is serious and then propagate, the appeal of immigration to the United States will certainly plummet.


    In this way, the influence on the appeal of immigration willst at least 3-5 years. Within this period, the attractiveness of immigration to the United States would decrease substantially and Austrsia would be the direct beneficiary.


    Austrsia, Australian Timor, inside Emperor¡¯s Power City.


    Inside a department store that should have been inconspicuous, it is quite crowded at this moment.


    People are wearing masks, and in this seemingly not a big store, they are picking up the supplies they need.


    Outside the store, a conspicuous signboard clearly wrote: During the influenza period, all goods will not be increased in price. Seniors aged over 70 will get 30% off.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When the camera is turned back to the inside of the shop, we can see that most of the people in the shop are stooped; most of them are old people over 70 years old.


    Under normal circumstances, the store manager¡¯s face might not be very good. After all, everyone is over 70 years old, indicating that everyone enjoys a 30% discount.


    Although it is in Dili¡ªthergest city in Timor, the poption of Timor is not toorge. Also, it is separated from Austrsia by the sea, which implicitly adds to the freight.


    If the goods were to be sold at their original prices, the manager would still make a slight profit. However, if it was sold at a 30% discount, not to mention the profits, he might even make a loss from the cost itself.


    Ever since the war broke out, Austrsia has ced a strict control on the prices of goods. Coupled with the rich produce of Austrsia, residents¡¯ ie level increased slightly, but the prices did not grow too much.


    Normally, if they were running at a loss, the boss¡¯ mood would probably not be too good. Yet, the boss of the store, while watching people select supplies, still had a smile on the corner of his lips while helping seniors who can¡¯t move by bringing their purchases to the door.


    Even though the boss knows that it¡¯s the young people who are waiting outside, he doesn¡¯t seem to care at all, as if the money that is lost from discounts is not his own.


    "Nick, is there still a need to continue with the discounts? Almost all the elderly in Dili areing out one by one, and our losses have already exceeded 2000 Australian dors." Standing next to Nick, a middle-aged woman who was apparently very close to him asked worriedly.


    "Of course there¡¯s a need to continue, Alice. We¡¯re all Austrsians. Isn¡¯t it meaningful to help each other during this challenging time? Besides, His Majesty is making a much bigger sacrifice than we are, even mobilizing all the military forces.


    If we¡¯re not willing to even make this small contribution, then what right do we have to call ourselves His Majesty¡¯s citizens?" Nick, the shop owner, shook his head and reassured his wife, "We can always make more moneyter. But if we lose our loyalty and patriotism to His Majesty, then life would be meaningless."


    Having said that, without any hesitation, Nick ced another two apples in the old person¡¯s basket nearby, saying with a smile, "Go ahead, no charge."


    "Oh, you! You always seem to have a point." The woman named Alice shook her head and quickly put two loaves of bread into another elderly person¡¯s basket.


    "Ah, I hope this damn flu will pass quickly and not harm us, otherwise, how worried Your Majesty must be!" After finishing his work, Nick suddenly let out a sigh, gazing towards the distant government building.


    "Nick! Nick!"


    A sudden shout snapped Nick out of his reverie. Looking into the distance, his good friend Henry, a major farm and ranch owner in Timor, was approaching.


    "Henry! What brings you here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be taking care of your cattle, sheep, and farm?" Nick asked, looking surprised.


    Henry is one of the main farm and ranch owners in Timor, a well-known wealthy man with more than 2000 head of cattle and sheep, and hundreds of hectares of farnd.


    Even though he¡¯s wealthy, because he has so many animals and so muchnd to take care of, Henry rarely has time for leisure. After all, his business requires his constant attention.


    "What¡¯s that you¡¯re saying, Nick? Can¡¯t I take a stroll down the street if I want?" Henry asked with a smile.


    "You can, but I doubt any sane person would be out on the streets during such a severe flu outbreak!" Nick looked at his friend disbelief, half-mocking.


    "Alright, quit joking around. There¡¯s a major crisis in Austrsia right now, and as an Austrsian myself, I can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing. I¡¯ve brought 200 head of cattle and sheep, along with over a thousand tons of grain. All of it is for sale here, priced at half the market value. But it¡¯s only to be sold to low-ie individuals and the elderly, at limited quantities per person.


    The money you make can be used to stock up your store; you¡¯ve been holding on for quite a few days, it¡¯s not easy." Henry pped Nick¡¯s shoulder and smiled, revealing his real purpose foring.


    "You...?" Nick was taken aback by Henry¡¯s words, at a loss for what to say. He was deeply moved.


    "Alright, if you, Nick, can do something for His Majesty and the people of Austrsia, why can¡¯t I? Remember, it can only be sold to the elderly and people with low ie, with limited quantities per person. Don¡¯t you go lining your own pockets. This is for the low-ie people affected by the flu." Henry wrapped his arm around Nick¡¯s shoulder, looked at his friend, andughed.


    "Damn, that¡¯s not me," Nick quickly rified. The tears that had been welling in his eyes vanished in an instant.


    "Alright, alright, I¡¯ve got to go take care of some stuff. Keep up the good work, brother, I¡¯m proud of you." Henry pped Nick on the shoulder, and had his staff deliver the prepared beef, mutton, and grain to Nick¡¯s warehouse.


    Fortunately, Dili doesn¡¯t have arge poption, andnd isn¡¯t too expensive. Nick¡¯s warehouse is not far from the department store and is spacious enough to hold all the supplies.


    Even though there were more than 200 head of cattle and sheep in total, it was wintertime in Austrsia so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to store them for a few days.


    Once people found out about the half-price beef, mutton, and grain, they wouldn¡¯t remain in the warehouse for long given the poption of Dili.


    Watching his friend¡¯s retreating figure, Nick stood dumbfounded at the entrance of his store for a while. Then, filled with admiration, he finally said, "I¡¯m proud of you too, my brother."


    As for the new batch of beef, mutton, and grain avable in his store, Nick made no attempt to conceal the information or the prices.


    But of course, it was necessary to limit the amount each person could buy. After all, collectively, 200 head of cattle and sheep amount to around 100,000 jin (50,000 kg), which divided among the poption of Dili would only be a little over a jin (500g) per person.


    If only low-ie individuals and the elderly were allowed to buy, the number of potential customers would be smaller, but it would still exceed ten thousand.


    To ensure everyone could purchase enough beef and mutton, Nick decreed that each person could only buy up to two jin at a time and could only purchase once a day.


    Fortunately, Dili isn¡¯t very big, and Nick was quite familiar with the financial situation of most people. He had a rough idea of who the really low-ie individuals were and only allowed them to purchase the half-price beef and mutton.

 Chapter 618 - 472: Seeing the Truth in Crisis

    In a corner where Nick and the shopping crowd didn¡¯t pay attention, two customers who looked like ordinary old people were sketching and doodling. From time to time, they picked up some vegetables to choose from, seemingly just ordinary customers.


    But their asional exchanges and frequent nodding made them feel more than just ordinary customers.


    As time slowly came to mid-June, European countries also began to notice something wrong.


    Although there were norge-scale deaths due to influenza at home and abroad, the number of confirmed cold cases was increasing at a crazy rate.


    The first case in France in April, which only increased to hundreds throughout April. However, from the end of May and June, hundreds of soldiers and civilians experienced these symptoms every day, not only apanied by low fever and sore throat but also with extremely intense headaches and loss of appetite.


    Although these symptoms seem to be just an ordinary cold, the problem is that ordinary colds do not have such severe contagiousness.


    By mid-June, all major cities in France have seen such illness, and no European country has been spared. Only then did people begin to believe in the influenza information published by Austrsia.


    It was also from this time that Arthur issued several regtions to supplement the current domestic preventive measures.


    First, all public ces in the country must be disinfected daily. The number of disinfections. Depending on the daily capacity of public ces, at least two daytime disinfections are required.


    Secondly, cities arepletely closed off from each other. Except for the convoys of supplies and other special matters, no idle people are allowed to pass.


    Moreover, factories, enterprises, and schools must be closed. Symptoms must be sent to the istion point immediately. Concealment, non-reporting, and underreporting are not allowed.


    For public entertainment venues such as cinemas, they are temporarily closed, and Arthur also requires that all Austrsians do not go out without emergencies, not only for themselves but also for others.


    This is the first time the Austrsian government has dealt with a global scale influenza since its establishment. Due to ack of experience, it naturally follows how strict it is.


    Although more stringent preventive measures have caused significant damage to people¡¯s lives and even the national economy.


    But this is also inevitable, much better than high casualties.


    People¡¯s lives are far more important than national property, as Arthur emphasized in the Cab meeting many times.


    To set an example, the entire Sydney Pce is also in a closed state. Besides transporting supplies, the Royal Pce does not allow anyone to enter or exit, naturally including Arthur.


    Even the weekly cab meetings that were originally held once a week were temporarily canceled by Arthur. It is only necessary to report thetest news of the flu to Arthur in paper form every fortnight.


    The government has Prime Minister Kent in control, and Arthur is still very confident. The most important thing at the moment is the domestic flu prevention and control, and other things can be put on hold.


    Arthur attaches great importance to the safety of the royal family members. Every ce in the pce must go through at least three disinfections every day.


    All the people in the pce, including maids and servants, even eat separately, and must be inspected every day. Once symptoms ur, they will be forced to take leave and be transferred to the istion point.


    It can be said without exaggeration that the level of importance attached to this flu in the pce is much higher than outside the pce.


    Especially when Margaret and Patricia have both offered their prices, there are only Princess Louise, Arthur, Queen Mary, and the three little guys left in the pce.


    Arthur does not allow any loss in the pce, which is also the reason why the pce¡¯s disinfection is so frequent.


    Although the disinfectant in the pce often smells pungent, it is better than getting infected with this flu.


    It is because of such crazy policies inside and outside Austrsia that the Austrsian government has almost be a joke abroad.


    If it were not for Arthur¡¯s prestige in Austrsia being too high, perhaps there would be different voices among the people.


    If there is a department and institution that is busiest in recent times, it should be the biological institute affiliated to the Royal Science Academy of Austrsia.


    Here, they gather top biologists in Austrsia, including world-renowned biology experts.


    Their currentmon important task is to try to develop the treatment drugs for this flu, but without specific drugs, they must develop drugs that can suppress symptoms.


    However, the progress of drug development is still very slow at the moment. On the one hand, there are not many people in Austrsia with symptoms, and on the other hand, they are still mild symptoms. There is no such high fatality situation as Arthur said, so research on high-density virus drugs naturally has no way to start.


    In July 1918, Europeans hadn¡¯t been happy for a few months before many people discovered something was wrong.


    Since June, people around them have been catching colds rapidly. Although most people¡¯s symptoms are not serious, no cold has spread so fast so far, even a day¡¯s time can make everyone in a small town catch a cold.


    Especially in the United States, where the illness first appeared, the flu had already ravaged most areas, and the American Government finally realized the severity of this flu epidemic.


    However, the fatality has not yet be apparent, which makes the progress of the Congress in approving the budget for the development of drugs extremely slow, and can even be described as turtle-like.


    At the end of July and the beginning of August, a British ship that had just left Sierra Leone in West Africa also experienced an outbreak of the flu.


    Before the ship arrived in the United Kingdom, more than half of the crew members had been infected, and nearly 10% of the crew members had already died.


    Not coincidentally, almost at the same time, many other ships experienced simr situations, and the fatality rate of the flu was initially demonstrated.


    But somehow, the British ships with fatalities did not report the situation to the domestic authorities, allowing the ships to dock smoothly in British harbors, and arge number of crew members returned to their families.


    In early August, the flu spread for the second time in Britain. By the end of August, the flu returned to the United States and spread among the dock workers in Boston.


    Almost at the same time, the second round of flu also broke out in Brest, France. The second round of flu spread rapidly between Britain, France, and the United States, and quickly spread to more regions in Europe and the United States, and even the whole world.


    This round is called the second round of flu because the symptoms of this round of flu are almost the same as those of the first round, but the death rate is surprisingly high.


    What¡¯s even worse, the death rate of the second round of flu is concentrated almost among young people aged 20 to 35, which is also the age group most affected by the World War.


    Many countries have already suffered huge casualties among their young poption in the war, and now they are facing the danger of the flu, causing widespread anguish.


    What¡¯s even more unprepared is that the symptoms of the second round of flu appear very quickly. Many people seem normal in the morning, start to show symptoms at noon, start vomiting blood and turning pale in the afternoon, and die at night.


    Only then did Europeans begin to restrict people from going to public ces and even started to quarantine like Austrsia.


    But it was already toote. ording to iplete statistics from various governments, by the end of August, this round of flu had already infected millions of people in Europe and the United States, and it couldn¡¯t be stopped.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    No one knows whether the people around them will have the flu, and Europeans panic and don¡¯t even dare to go out.


    Even more deadly is that some countriesck supplies due to not having prepared in advance.


    Even countries that do notck suppliesck enough manpower to distribute supplies to their citizens.


    At present, no one dares to go out. Finding people willing to distribute supplies to the public is entirely impossible.


    In the first week of September alone, more than 300,000 Europeans died, and the number of infected people is incalcble.


    European newspapers no longer have their previous smiles, and even the headlines of European newspapers and media say only one eye-catching word, "The flu is here!"


    Many Europeans now recall Austrsia¡¯s preventive policies in advance, and even the Austrsian Government promised to treat people for free.


    In contrast, their own countries have not only any preventive policies but also cannot guarantee even the most basic supply.


    For a time, many people wanted to go to Austrsia. However, unfortunately, Austrsia has already announced that it will not ept immigrants and tourists at this time, and the reason is for the stability of Austrsia itself.


    Although this move would cause Austrsia to lose millions of immigrants, it has also gained more support for Arthur.


    Immigration is important, but gaining true Austrsians¡¯ support is even more important. The essential Austrsians are the foundation of Arthur¡¯s rule, which must never be overlooked or abandoned.


    Of course, Arthur did not forget to brush up Austrsia¡¯s reputation internationally. Starting in September, Arthur publicly announced the donation of millions of masks and 500,000 tons of grain to Europe and the United States.


    Although the total amount and value of these supplies are not high, in European and American countries even themselves can¡¯t take care of it, it is the first time for Austrsia, and it can gain the favor of the European public.


    Of course, Arthur would not forget the supplies distributed to the domestic public. After all, donations to foreign countries must be made under the premise that there is enough domestic supply.


    If there is insufficient domestic supply and still want to show off, Arthur will inevitably be questioned by the domestic public.


    Since the outbreak of the flu, all supplies for istion and the cost of medical treatment for symptomatic people have been borne by the royal family and the government, which is the biggest difference between Austrsia and European and American countries.


    Because this not only reflects Arthur¡¯s love for the people, it also shows the gap between Austrsia and other countries.


    After this flu outbreak, Arthur could proudly announce that Austrsia would be one of the most popr immigration areas within a few years.

 Chapter 619 - 473: Accountability and Blame Shifting

    If before June, the governments of European countries were confident, since August began, they can be described as ants on a hot pan, and even using "panic-stricken" to describe them would not be an exaggeration.


    The high number of deaths kept the priests of the Church extremely busy. European funerals almost all require priests to preside, perform baptism for the deceased, and wash away their sins.


    The problem, however, was that the number of deaths in each country soared linearly, while the number of priests remained basically unchanged. Even many priests were within the scope of the influenza infection, after all, they needed toe into contact with corpses, naturally putting them at high risk.


    Fortunately, Europe does not have the tradition of flying white sails; otherwise, it would be a sea of white at this moment.


    In many areas, funerals even became a collective activity, with a single priest often having to preside over several funerals at once, allowing the deceased to meet God as a group.


    It was an unavoidable situation ¨C if they didn¡¯t let the deceased meet God as a group, the priest would probably have to meet God himself.


    Thankfully, Arthur had some scruples and didn¡¯t hoard supplies in advance for sale, like in the previous war.


    Without saying anything else, the coffin merchants earned bucket loads of money this time. Coffins literally became one of the most urgently needed items in Europe overnight, with prices doubling or even tripling.


    If Arthur were really heartless, he could have hoarded coffins in advance for resale, making at least millions of Australian dors in revenue.


    However, doing so would indeed hurt his reputation, and for Arthur, who was already wealthy, it was unnecessary.


    Making money from national disasters and deaths is taboo for Arthur, as those who profit from such things really have no conscience.


    When European countries began implementing various systems to curb the spread of influenza, they realized that copying from others was not easy.


    It is very difficult topletely iste a country; the attitudes of the people, the guarantee of supplies, and the implementation of various levels of government all need to be controlled by the government.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Even if the European countriespletely closed their ports at this moment and stopped trading with foreign countries, it was already toote.


    A virus is not something that can be blocked just by saying so. Even though Austrsia introduced preventive measures two months in advance, there were still thousands of cases of influenza and more than 10 deaths.


    The situation in European countries is even more miserable, with the number of deaths in the United Kingdom alone breaking 300,000. After spreading from Britain to India, the number of deaths in India bes an unknown figure.


    It is important to note that the health conditions in Europe are first-ss in the world. In colonies like India, the hygiene conditions are very poor.


    It is no exaggeration to say that the number of deaths in India is at least 20 times the number of deaths in the United Kingdom, and there is no upper limit.


    Even the Dutch East Indies, so far away from India, began to spread influenza, which led to the tragic record of an entire small vige with hundreds of people infected and all of them dead.


    Since August, the streets of Europe have be deste, and the phrase "hundred-mile-empty-street" is not an exaggeration.


    If you listen carefully, you can hear the wailing in the air of the urban city, with countless people losing their families. Funerals can be seen everywhere in the city, with up to 20 funerals being held in a single vige in one day, setting a record in France.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that Europe is a hell because people feel that their current lives are even more miserable than hell.


    But there is a key issue: in the far away Oceania, there is a country whose situation ispletely different from Europe¡¯s and is essentially unaffected by the crisis to a severe extent.


    As the saying goes, there is no harm withoutparison. People originally had a good impression of the government¡¯s free distribution of supplies during the influenza period, but with Austrsia as aparison, most Europeans feel that their own government is doing nothing and that it is the government¡¯s negligence that led to the current serious crisis.


    At this point, the Frenchmen returned to their tradition and began to take to the streets inrge numbers to protest. However, some of them wore masks, while others remained the same as before the influenza outbreak.


    One cannot help but admire that when Europeans protested against the government, they were really fearless. In such a severe influenza situation, some people did not wear masks.


    The people¡¯s protests caused the French government a lot of headaches. If they implemented strict istion measures like Austrsia, the people would protest that the government had deprived them of their freedom.


    But if they implemented loose measures instead, the French people would protest that the government had no action, making it an arduous choice.


    In order to quell the people¡¯s anger, the French government could only change its tactics, announcing an investment of 4 billion francs to save the influenza crisis, with 2.5 billion francs being used to purchase supplies for the people and 1.5 billion francs for drug research.


    With this, the people¡¯s anger began to subside somewhat. At least the government came up with real money, which can be considered as doing something.


    Seeing that the number of protesters on the street decreased slightly, the French government breathed a sigh of relief and urgentlymunicated with other countries to try to purchase some supplies.


    As one of the countries with thergest casualties in World War I, France¡¯s consumption of materials was also huge.


    Even in the middle andte period, France relied on support from the United Kingdom to help the French government hold on.


    After the victory of the war, the French naturally could not get support from the United Kingdom and could only rely on the colonies to transport supplies back to the country.


    But the problem is, with the current severity of the influenza outbreak, dare the French allow ships from the colonies to dock?


    It is important to note that, ording to British tracking, the second wave of the epidemic started with merchant ships traveling from West Africa to British ports. This means that the epidemic in Africa is far more severe than in Europe, it¡¯s just that the various colonies and indigenous countries do not have the same statistical capacity.

 Chapter 620 - 473: Accountability and Blame Shifting_2

    Take the United Kingdom and India, for example. The total number of deaths due to the flu in the United Kingdom has already exceeded 400,000, and the total number of deaths in India is also close to 500,000.


    But who dares to believe that these numbers are real? In India alone, the death toll should be increased by at least ten times, considering their own well-known statistical abilities.


    As for the British colonial government¡¯s statistics on Indian casualties, apart from some mixed-race Indians being counted, the vast majority of real Indians¡¯ casualties are not cared about by the British.


    Not to mention that India has the secondrgest poption in the world, which is an inexhaustible treasure in and of itself.


    Regarding the European nations, there is currently little progress in drug research. Even though the British government has invested over ¡ê100 million to develop drugs, the problem is that there are hundreds of flu viruses simply in Europe alone, which are also increasing constantly.


    It is conservatively estimated that there are at least hundreds of different flu viruses worldwide, it¡¯s not possible to have a drug for every type, is it?


    Not to mention whether it is possible to develop different drugs for each type of flu, the cost of developing over 300 kinds of drugs alone is enough to give any country a headache.


    As for the possibility of countries sharing the progress of drug research, it maye true in thousands of years, but definitely not now.


    Thepetition between countries is terrifying, far more than the severity of this flu pandemic.


    Without any exaggeration, any country that develops a drug will certainly not disclose it, but instead use it as a trump card to exchange for several or even dozens of times the benefits from other countries.


    As the research institutions of various countries began to dere the difficulty of drug research, the European nations also plunged into pessimism regarding this flu pandemic.


    Arthur sensed that the atmosphere was ripe, so he had his intelligence personnel release the origins and initial outbreak location of the flu to the European media, emphasizing that the American government knowingly hid information about the flu outbreak, resulting in this global disaster.


    Businessmen are all profit-driven, and the media and newspapers are no exception.


    After utilizing a small amount of funds, hundreds of European media outlets released the news naming the main culprit of the flu pandemic, and directly pointed the finger at the United States, iming, "If it weren¡¯t for the carelessness and cover-up of the American government, the world would not be facing such a severe crisis."


    This report not only emphasized the responsibility of the United States but also openly demanded ountability from them.


    As these newspapers were purchased or read by many Europeans, the United States instantly became the target of public criticism, and even numerous European countries began to protest, demanding that the U.S. carry out humanitarianpensation and shoulder the losses of various countries in this flu pandemic.


    The United States would not care if it were only one country, but if there are several or even about ten countries, even the powerful United States would have to step out and exin.


    Unfortunately, the European media and countries did not ept the U.S.¡¯ exnation. The reports provided ample evidence proving that the flu started at the Kansas army camp in the U.S.


    Numerous media outlets even spected and openly condemned the United States for researching biological weapons, iming that a leakage ident resulted in this worldwide influenza pandemic.


    It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s true or not; nowadays, the United States is like mud in its pants, and there¡¯s simply no way to exin the situation.


    Several small and medium-sized European countries are already moring for the World Alliance to convene a meeting, collectively sanction the United States, and demand that the U.S. providepensation to all countries in the World Alliance.


    Although the intelligence departments of the United Kingdom and France are aware of who instigated these media reports initially, they also need someone to take the me to relieve pressure from their citizens during this flu pandemic.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The fact that the British and French governments did not take the early influenza seriously could only be covered up by a bigger piece of news, and the Americans fit the bill just right.


    Since part of the European countries and citizens have already believed that the Americans are the culprits behind this flu pandemic, Britain and France don¡¯t mind further fueling the issue and making sure the Americans are entirely med for it.


    Whether the Americans are innocent or not, they have to be the ones to take the me right now.


    In just a few days, the research institutions of the United Kingdom and France also published reports, although without directly mentioning the Americans as the main culprit for the flu. However, they implied that the second wave of flu viruses is extremely simr to the first wave, with most of the first-wave viral strains originating from the United States.


    This has firmly established the guilt of the Americans, and the Europeans are united in their anger, staging protests demanding that the World Alliance sanction the United States.


    The protest groups in Britain and France have shifted from criticizing the government¡¯s inaction to criticizing the United States, even demanding to dere war if the United States does not providepensation.


    It¡¯s hard to say how much the Europeans¡¯ goodwill towards the United States has diminished, but at least for the next two or three years, the United States is not likely to be the most popr migration region for Europeans.


    Even many Americans, influenced by the European media reports, began to stage protests against their government¡¯s concealment in the early stages of the flu pandemic.


    Keep in mind that the death toll in the United States during the flu pandemic is not low either, with the current number of deaths exceeding 300,000, which is five times the number of American deaths in World War I.</p

 Chapter 621 - 473: Assigning Responsibility and Shifting Blame_3

    The number of casualties from this influenza outbreak is higher than any war, causing many Americans to be extremely dissatisfied with the government, with numerous newspapers even calling for Wilson to step down!


    Although Arthur tried to get rid of suspicions about him by not promoting any of Austrsia¡¯s preventive measures.


    But the contrast is stark, and many Europeans have seen Austrsia¡¯s efforts during this flu epidemic, especially the action of the Austrsia Army personally participating in the transportation of supplies and delivering them to doorsteps, which has made many European citizens envious.


    If there were a survey asking European citizens which country they would like to travel to or emigrate to, Austrsia would undoubtedly be ranked first, with nopetition.


    Speaking of travel, it is impossible not to mention those dissatisfied with Austrsia¡¯s quarantine system, who chose to return to their own countries during the early stages of the flu outbreak.


    Most of these people are Europeans, and they have sessfully returned to their countries.


    If you were to ask these people how they feel now, their expressions of regret would show just how much they regret their decision.


    On the other hand, the small number of tourists who chose to stay in Austrsia are extremely relieved at this time.


    After learning of the situation in Europe, they did not hesitate to join the Austrsian citizenship and enjoy the free influenza treatment provided by Austrsia during the outbreak.


    Their quarantine supplies were free, and all their food, clothing, housing and transportation expenses were borne by the Austrsian Government, with the treatment also being free of charge.


    Thanks to Austrsia¡¯s preventive measures, few of the remaining tourists contracted the infection. Although there were a few deaths, given that most people were safe and sound, staying was definitely the best choice.


    These people no longer dare toin about Austrsia¡¯s quarantine policy and praise Austrsia¡¯s system in any setting.


    This situation has also been revealed by them to their rtives in Europe and quickly became known to European newspapers and more European people.


    After learning that not only are all supplies in Austrsia provided free of charge, but even the influenza treatment is free, arge number of Europeans have only one thought: how great it would be to be an Austrsian!


    Although the flu outbreak prevents them from emigrating to Austrsia in the short term, many people have already firmly decided to emigrate to Austrsia, with Austrsia¡¯s immigration appeal skyrocketing overnight.


    Some more extreme individuals have even prepared to immediately purchase tickets to travel to Austrsia.


    Although Austrsia has already closed its borders, the colonies are not entirely closed off, and there are still some individual harbors open that can receive a limited number of immigrants.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, these immigrants will bepletely quarantined in the colonies until the end of the flu epidemic, when they can choose the region they really want to go to.


    But regardless, these immigrants will also enjoy free supplies, which is tempting to many Europeans.


    It is not easy to buy tickets during the flu season, especially those that cross half the Earth, as they inevitably need to stop at other harbors, making it easy to catch the flu and increase the risk of infection.


    It is precisely this reason that has stopped arge number of Europeans from emigrating to Austrsia. Otherwise, with just free supplies and free treatment, Austrsia would be able to attract millions or even millions of European immigrants in a short period of time.

 Chapter 622 - 474: Establishing the Guilt

    This flu pandemic has brought not only death to people worldwide but also incalcble economic losses.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    From the confirmed outbreak of the flu in March to now, just over six months, at least tens of millions of people have been infected and millions have died, akin to experiencing another world war.


    Moreover, this flu pandemic has been a fatal blow to the world economy. Due to the flu, people are afraid to go out, and many factories have gone bankrupt because they cannot sell their goods.


    The copse of small and medium-sized enterprises has led to a continuous decline in production, resulting in skyrocketing prices of goods, and people can no longer afford living essentials.


    This has caused the original bnced economic system to copse instantaneously, and the economies of various countries have experienced severe depressions worse than war. The number of people who havemitted suicide due to bankruptcy is countless, even surpassing the number of people who have died from the flu in a short period.


    ording to a report by a US media, the highest number of suicides in a single day in the United States has exceeded 2,000, surpassing the 1,900 people who died from the flu on that day.


    The US government urgently supplies relief to the people, but the supplies have been quickly snatched away by middle and high-ie individuals, leaving low-ie individuals with little to nothing and at risk of getting infected by going out to buy goods.


    The US government has tried to use the military to distribute supplies to the people, but the problem is that no one is willing to transport supplies at the risk of their lives.


    Americans have grown ustomed to freedom and are mostly thinking for themselves during this time. Out of more than a hundred thousand US soldiers, fewer than ten thousand are willing to undertake transportation work for supplies.


    Due to ack of supplies, various states in the United States have experienced zero-cost buying sprees. Led by low-ie ck individuals, people have engaged in mass looting at shopping malls and department stores, stealing arge amount of goods.


    Although the US government has urgently deployed police to disperse these looters, the situation has been too chaotic and progress has not been made.


    Furthermore, an unnamed white police officer identally discharged his gun in panic, killing a leader of the ck looters, leading to an even more severe conflict between white and ck people in the United States.


    Although the conflict was ultimately suppressed by the US government, about a thousand ck people were executed by gunshots, sparking widespread anger among ck people.


    It can be spected that the US government will face even more serious conflicts between white and ck people even if the flu pandemic is ovee.


    ck people have forgotten that just decades ago they were lowly ntation ves, and now their poption is immense. They want to fight for more rights in the United States.


    October 1, 1918, the White House, United States.


    President Wilson¡¯s face is pale as he listens carefully to the reports from his subordinates.


    Up until now, at least 3 million people in the United States have been infected with the flu, and more than 700,000 have died, ten times the number of deaths in World War I.


    Currently, there are some protest groups and opposition parties in the United States calling for the impeachment of President Wilson, iming that the pandemic has spread worldwide due to his negligence.


    "Ronnie, is there any good solution now?" President Wilson, looking weary, turned to his friend and confidant and asked.


    "At present, it¡¯s too difficult to contain the flu, President sir. The only way to avoid being impeached might be to shift the responsibility for this flu pandemic to other countries." Ronnie shook his head, his face full of regret.


    There are at least 3 million people infected with the flu in the United States, and there is no precise list of these 3 million people.


    How can the flu be contained? They cannot imitate the example set by Austrsia and enforce nationwide quarantines.


    Not to mention whether this would be effective or not, if President Wilson were to issue such an order, there would undoubtedly be evenrger protests by the public, opposing him for restraining their freedom.


    "Damn it!" President Wilson cursed, having lost the confidence he exhibited in the Paris Peace Conference. Rubbing his eyes gently, President Wilson asked, "Who can we pin this on? Everybody knows that the epidemic started in the United States. I¡¯m afraid no one would believe what we say."


    "Mr. President, haven¡¯t you forgotten that several months before the second wave of flu, Austrsia had already announced the flu to the world? We certainly admire the importance they attach to the flu, but when the flu had just broken out and had no fatal effect, the Austrsians knew the true lethality of the flu. This inevitably raises doubts." Ronnie said with an implied meaning.


    "Hmm?" President Wilson was initially taken aback, but soon understood Ronnie¡¯s intentions and without hesitation ordered: "This matter is handed over to you, Ronnie. I hope to see relevant reports as soon as possible to alleviate the pressure faced by the government."


    Ronnie nodded, showing no hesitation. As a subordinate to President Wilson, his rtionship with the President was reciprocal in both honor and disgrace.


    If President Wilson were to be impeached and removed from office, the power he currently has would vanish in an instant.


    Therefore, maintaining the position of President Wilson was themon goal of all Wilson¡¯s associates.


    Ronnie acted swiftly, and starting October 4th, some US media began reporting news about the flu, iming Austrsia was the culprit behind the flu because they were the only country that had prepared for the flu in advance. This was also indicative that Austrsia could be the mastermind behind the pandemic.

 Chapter 623 - 474: Establishing the Charge_2

    Some news agencies have exaggerated even further by dering that Austrsia had secretly been researching biological weapons and that the influenza was one of Austrsia¡¯s creations.


    Austrsia was providing free flu treatment because they allegedly possessed an antidote for this engineered bio-weapon, which was intended to prevent the death of Austrsians due to the virus.


    President Wilson allocated a substantial sum of money for this and within just two days, hundreds of American media outlets were publishing these reports.


    Domestic protest rallies in the United States instantly changed direction, shifting from expressing dissatisfaction with the government and President Wilson, to demanding an investigation into the truth and appropriate punishment for Austrsia.


    Seeing the sessful deflection, President Wilson was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. At least for the short term, his position was secure. As long as domestic supplies and medical situations were ensured, he would not have to worry about impeachment from the opposition.


    At this time, Europe and Austrsia also learned about the reports and situations from the United States.


    Arthur was well-prepared for this, as it was impossible for anyone to assume responsibility for letting the flu run rampant. Not only would this cost anyone their current position and reputation, it could even make them the sinners of all humanity, remembered by all with an extremely negative reputation.


    Arthur had been withholding news reports, but now was the time to y his trump card, a fatal blow for the Americans and President Wilson.


    On October 8th, 1918, a majority of the media in Austrsia and Europe simultaneously published a report that included a photo of the American military cordoning off a chemical factory in Kansas State due to a leakage.


    The fatal detail was that this incident in the photo had urred just three months prior. It was right after the leak in this chemical factory that the flu outbreak urred in the Kansas State military camp and subsequently spread across the world.


    The report only introduced the location and the time of the photo, with a prominent headline addressing the United States: "Wilson, please give an exnation!"


    Now things were looking horrible for the Americans. This photo was solid evidence, and at a time when photographic technology was not advanced, there was no such thing as a photoshopped image.


    This implied that the photo was 100% authentic, suggesting that the influenza virus was likely to have leaked from an American chemical factory.


    Suddenly, the European people and nations depressed by the flu found a ce to vent their frustrations. Europe saw an unprecedented massive outbreak of protests, all under the unified banner: "Sanction the USA!"


    A flu outbreak happening after a chemical factory leak, it was clear as day that this factory couldn¡¯t escape responsibility.


    When this report reached American shores, the U.S. government didn¡¯t have time to suppress it because the World Alliance, led by the Allies, was already condemning the United States.


    The public condemnation from the World Alliance undoubtedly confirmed the guilt of the Americans. News reports might sometimes be misleading, but surely the World Alliance,posed of dozens of nations, wasn¡¯t targeting the United States alone?


    Sure enough, after the World Alliance voiced its position, what the European public demanded in the protests changed from sanctioning America to dering war on the USA. Their demand for U.S.pensation had also morphed into a call for eliminating the United States, the root of the cmity.


    American scientists promptly stood up to refute the rumors, stating that the substances researched in the Kansas chemical factory had no rtion to the flu, and America bore no responsibility in this viral outbreak.


    But Europeans, blinded by their rage, were in no condition to believe the exnations provided by these American scientists.


    A flu outbreak urring shortly after a chemical factory leak, with the first to show symptoms being the soldiers who cordoned off the factory, how could there be no connection? Who would believe such a statement?


    This statement from the scientists failed to convince not only the European public, but even the American people themselves.


    The American public only now realized that the previous reports were false, and the responsibility for the flu was truly on their side.


    Suddenly,rge numbers of American people also took to the streets, starting to denounce their own government and President Wilson.


    Under the alliance of Britain and France, public opinion dealt the United States the final, fatal blow.


    The British researchb responsible for studying medicines publicly presented a set of data to the European media, indicating that the earliest strain of influenza was different from any virus found in nature, suggesting that it could be an artificially cultivated new virus.


    Not only that, the French researchb also released a set of data saying that the natural virus strains couldn¡¯t possibly have such frequent variations. The current strain of influenza, having thousands of variations, couldrgely be the result of artificial cultivation.


    Although the usations did not directly point at the United States, it is without a doubt that the Kansas Chemical Factory in the United States was the prime suspect.


    The statements from these two researchbs directly confirmed the suspicion that the United States was researching biological weapons in chemical factories, causing the United States to be despised by most Europeanmoners.


    You should know, the current death toll in European countries due to influenza isn¡¯t small and the economic loss can only be described as immeasurable.


    Based on the death toll reported by various countries, Russia has the most deaths in this influenza outbreak, with the number of infections impossible to estimate, but the death toll is at least 800,000+.


    This was inevitable, considering thatpared to the medical conditions in Western Europe and Central European countries, Russia is rtively underdeveloped among European countries.


    Furthermore, Russia has arge number of low-ie farmers who are helpless against influenza and don¡¯t have enough funds for treatment.


    Following Russia, the country with the second highest death toll is France, with at least over 3 million infections, and deaths surpassing 400,000.


    The figures for Britain are quite simr to those of France, with over 3 million infected as well, and the death toll around 400,000 (domestically).


    Next, the death tolls are respectively 370,000 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 350,000 in Germany, 320,000 in Italy, 200,000 in Spain, 100,000 in Serbia, 80,000 in Romania, 50,000 in Belgium, 50,000 in Portugal, 50,000 in the Nethends...


    All European countries have deaths due to influenza, and even neutral countries like Switzend and the Nethends have lost tens of thousands of people due to the impact of influenza.


    Without exaggeration, the impact of this influenza outbreak on Europe¡¯s poption is enormous. Unlike the previous wartime, the impact of influenza on every country is fair. No country can escape it.


    This is even before counting the death toll in African and Asian colonies. It¡¯s definitely a horrifying number.


    However, the colonial deaths won¡¯t matter to each country and would definitely not be reported. After all, the colonial death tolls start from the millions, which would not only increase the public¡¯s panic about influenza, it would also intensify the government¡¯s responsibility for the influenza outbreak.


    After all, the casualty figures from tens of thousands to hundreds of millions are really not the same, and the responsibilities are quite different.


    The loss to the Americans this time is certainly immense, and those who despise America are definitely more than just European nations, even including arge number of native countries in Asia.


    While Arthur isn¡¯t clear about the death toll in Asian countries, Dutch East Indies was also suffering.


    When the influenza spread to the Dutch East Indies, the situation there became messy. Even Arthur is not clear about the exact death toll in Dutch East Indies, but a conservative estimate would be at least 5 million people.


    Such huge casualties in various European countries as well as countries around the world, it is impossible not to pin the me on a suitable figure.


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    It¡¯s not to mention the huge responsibility the United States does indeed bear at the moment. Even if the United States has no responsibility at all, as long as the United States is tainted, European countries will absolutely give them a push


    Take this retaliation against the Americans as an example: Arthur only showed the photographs, the rest was lead by the British and French.


    In this case, the sess was overwhelming and the flu was officially named the Great American Influenza and all responsibilities were shifted onto the Americans by the European countries. The World Alliance is now discussing how to sanction the United States.

 Chapter 624 - 475: Target of Many Arrows

    Supporting a country in such a grand manner is something that few nations are willing to do, unless there is an ulterior motive involved.


    But if it means taking advantage of a situation to belittle a nation, and be able to absolve oneself of any responsibility, the vast majority of nations would choose to do so.


    The current state of the flu epidemic and the United States is such an example. Those undermining the Americans are not limited to Arthur and Austrsia, but also the Allies represented by Britain and France, as well as the entire World Alliance and all European nations.


    There is no choice, as everyone needs a scapegoat, especially since the performance of almost all European nations during the flu epidemic has been underwhelming.


    If one were to describe the current state of Americans, if not for the ongoing flu epidemic, perhaps the European Union Army would have already mobilized.


    It is no longer a matter of whether the Americans are willing or not; the United States, already found guilty, has no other option but to resort to forceful resistance besides payingpensation.


    But the question is, can the Americans truly withstand the collective forces of the World Alliance? Not even the previously vast Allied Nations could hold up against the current alliance of the first, second, fourth, fifth, and sixth powers.


    Of course, while they are temporarily unable to set foot on American territory, the World Alliance still has means to sanction the Americans.


    Firstly, all member countries of the World Alliance have jointly proposed the freezing of all American overseas assets, to be used aspensation for various countries.


    It should be noted that almost all powerful Allied nations owe debts to the United States. If the overseas assets of the Americans are truly frozen, there would be no need to repay these loans.


    Countries like Austrsia, which have already signed agreements for debt repayment andpensation, can simply void these agreements and cancel their debts to the United States.


    In one sentence, the United States has suffered a tremendous loss, with hundreds of billions of dors in foreign debts written off and arge number of American overseas assets at stake ¨C this is not a small figure.


    What¡¯s even more cruel is that the responsibility for the flu epidemic, which has led to the deaths of millions of Europeans, remains a heavy burden on the American government.


    If this matter is not handled properly, the United States could either be held in contempt by all countries or even be the enemy of all humankind ¨C a single crime against humanity could be enough to have the American government dissolved.


    If Britain and France were to truly ckmail the United States, the sheer number of deaths ¨C tens of millions of people in the colonies alone ¨C would be enough to bankrupt the American government.


    Naturally, the American government does not dare to bear such a huge responsibility, let alone ten American governmentsbined.


    However, no matter how much the American government denies it, European countries are adamant that the real responsibility lies with the United States, making it impossible for the Americans to escape me.


    Domestic conditions in the United States are also not ideal, not to mention the casualties caused by the flu epidemic. ording to the statistics of some American media, the average life expectancy in the United States has decreased by 12 years since mid-October, aspared to the beginning of the year.


    The growth in average lifespan due to industrial and technological advancements has also plummeted back to its original state.


    Faced with pressure from domestic and foreign media, the general public, and even nations, the American government can only remain cowering in the White House like a timid turtle.


    After all, the flu epidemic is still raging, European countries dare not risking to the United States, and the opposition party is not foolish enough to impeach Wilson at such a time, leaving one of their own to bear the brunt.


    This also means that although President Wilson¡¯s current position is precarious, it remains rtively stable as long as the flu epidemic continues.


    Everyone knows that being President of the United States during a flu epidemic is not a desirable position, and it is very likely that President Wilson will bear the brunt of the me.


    What nobody expected was that, starting in August, the flu epidemic which had taken a heavy toll would gradually fade away as winter approached.


    Although it has not disappearedpletely, the situation has indeed improved significantly, and the number of infected and deceased individuals in each country has dropped drastically.


    By the end of November, the number of existing infections in Europe had dropped to below 3 million, with the number of infections in old-power nations, led by Britain and France, falling below 500,000. It seemed as though the flu epidemic was about to pass.


    Although governments have not yet dared to let down their guard, they have already contacted each other, eagerly waiting for the chance to make the Americans take the me and demand somepensation in return.


    On December 17, 1918, the World Alliance General Assembly convened in Geneva, with representatives from nearly all member countries attending, highlighting the importance of the meeting for each country.


    As soon as the meeting began, Britain and France pointed their finger directly at the United States. The British representative even openly dered that the World Alliance should sanction the chief culprit behind the world¡¯s suffering, calling on all member countries to unite against amon, evil enemy.


    Upon Britain and France¡¯s call to action, Russia and Italy also nodded in agreement, expressing their support for the British and French initiative.


    Although Austrsia remained low-profile, it also supported the actions of Britain and France and consequently set the tone for the meeting.


    With Britain, France, Russia, Australia, and Italy all in support of sanctioning the United States, any dissenting voices from other countries would hardly impact the World Alliance¡¯s resolution.


    Moreover, almost all countries were waiting to sanction the United States and obtainpensation to appease their domestic people, so no country would oppose under such circumstances.


    The reason for all five Great Powers to agree on sanctioning the United States is simple - they all owe the United States 20 billion US dors in foreign debt.


    This amounts to a whopping 400 million pounds of foreign debt, which can be abolished simply by sanctioning the United States. Anyone would support the British and French with this in mind.


    With the support of the five Great Powers, the focus of the conferencepletely shifted. Countries were already adding new charges against the United States, and using chemical factories for virus research was the least of them. Other charges included deliberately releasing the virus and endangering humanity.


    It seemed they wanted to destroy the United States and seize all its assets aspensation for themselves.


    The British representative even publicly dered that this influenza was a means for the United States to eliminate all countries in the world.


    As for evidence, the fact that the flu mainly targets 20 to 30-year-olds is the strongest one.


    Logically, young adults have better physical fitness and should not be the group with the most deaths in a flu outbreak.


    However, the statistics from various countries have overturned this view, with over 70% of the deaths being among 20 to 40-year-olds, and predominantly those aged 20 to 30.


    Naturally, the significance of young adults to a country need not be borated upon. These people are not only excellent sources of soldiers but more importantly, outstanding workers andbor forces, vital to a country¡¯s industrial and economic development.


    The British even prepared more physical and human evidence. Arge number of European university biology experts brought their research findings to the conference and exined them to the attendees:


    An expert from Oxford University stated that the main culprit for the high death toll among young adults was a new strain of virus they named K1.


    There is nothing simr to this strain in nature, and it is even different from most of the previously prevalent flu viruses.


    There is every reason to suspect that K1 is a man-made virus specifically aimed at endangering the young adult poption worldwide.


    What¡¯s even worse is that there was no trace of the K1 virus in the flu outbreak that started in the United States in March. Yet, since the second wave of flu hit Europe in August, K1 has frequently emerged, killing millions of European young adults.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Why did the K1 virus not appear at the beginning of the initial flu outbreak in the United States, yet became prevalent in the European outbreak? This biology expert made a bold guess that the K1 virus was deliberately released by the United States and was merely inadvertently introduced into the United States.


    Of course, there is a more audacious conjecture. In order to deflect suspicion, the Americans pinned the me on Austrsia, deliberately reintroducing the K1 virus back into the United States and disguising it as a victim.


    Such research findings piqued the interest of all European countries. After reading each other¡¯s research, everyone was convinced that the K1 virus was most likely released by the United States on purpose, as the biology expert had exined.


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    Subsequently, a renowned biology professor from the University of Paris presented a sample of the virus, iming that it was a replica of the K1 virus produced by the University of Paris¡¯ biologyboratory based on numerous experiments and almost identical to the K1 virus currently spreading worldwide, which further confirmed that the K1 virus was man-made and deliberately propagated.


    No one doubted what the biologist said about the replication of the K1 virus since everyone had no intentions of experiencing the power of the virus themselves.


    Moreover, the conference only needed a legitimate excuse to impose sanctions and dere war on the United States, and whether what these experts said was true or not was of little concern to the various representatives.


    However, as long as all the national representatives present believe it, these data and research findings be authoritative and genuine.


    The authenticity isn¡¯t as important as whether people believe it or are willing to believe it.


    The conference allowed all countries to unanimously agree that the virus was manufactured and spread by the United States, thuspletely substantiating the US government¡¯s guilt.


    In the end, the permanent and elected representatives of the World Alliance announced in unison that the United States was the prime culprit in this flu outbreak and dered that they wouldbine the strength of all World Alliance member countries to jointly sanction the United States.


    The biggest impact of this conference was to make most Europeans and a vast majority of countries believe that the United States was at fault for the virus.


    Many Europeans firmly believed this, thinking that one country might deceive people, but dozens of countries could hardly gang up to lie to the citizens.


    Although the World Alliance passed the resolution to sanction the United States, most countries were clearly not prepared for a war against the United States.


    After all, the United States is a powerful country and separated from most World Alliance members by at least one ocean.


    To sanction the United States, a strong navy and at least 500,000 ground troops need to be assembled.


    However, the European War had only ended a few months ago, and coupled with the flu outbreak, countries dared not hastilyunch another major war.

 Chapter 625 - 476: The Dream of a Great Nation Shattered

    Although there would not be an immediate deployment of the military and a war with the United States, the World Alliance would never give up the corresponding sanctions and demands forpensation.


    First, all of the United States¡¯ overseas assets and foreign debts were abolished, and the hundreds of billions of dors owed by the Five Great Powers to the United States were written off.


    Secondly, as the flu virus released by the United States led to the deaths of at least hundreds of millions of people worldwide, the World Alliance ruled that the United States mustpensate the world for 200 billion US dors and apologize to all countries and humanity.


    Because of the damage caused to the economies of various countries by the flu pandemic, Americans must also pay an additional 10 billion US dors inpensation for the economic losses of these countries.


    If the above requirements are not met, all nations of the World Alliance will unite to impose sanctions on the United States, abolish all agreements with the United States, and prohibit any import-export agreements with the United States.


    If the United States refuses toply, the World Alliance may resort to force, assembling a coalition army of millions of people topel the United States to ept the above demands.


    When this list ofpensation ims was ced on President Wilson¡¯s desk, his face was ashen, but he was helpless.


    This was not a demand from a single country, but a unified demand from five powers and nearly 20 countries, something that the United States could not possibly resist.


    Not to mention the United States now, even the United States a hundred yearster would have difficulty resisting, unless they directly provoked a nuclear war.


    Even more deadly, the World Alliance made the entire process of the conference public, leading most Americans to believe that the flu was caused by a leak from a chemical nt. Discover hidden content at empire


    It didn¡¯t take long for the World Alliance¡¯s im to reach the White House, and already arge number of families of Americans who had died from the flu began suing the Kansas State chemical nt, and even directly suing the government forpensation.


    This was not good news for the United States. This kind ofpensation was not like war reparations, which could be easily dismissed.


    Everyone believed that the responsibilityy with the chemical nt and the American government, so the appetite of those imingpensation was huge, with the minimum amount being tens of thousands of dors.


    If thepensation was indeed calcted at $10,000 per person, the number of deaths in the United States had already exceeded one million, which would amount to more than 100 billion US dors inpensation.


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    This 100 billion US dors,bined with the 30 billion US dors imed by the World Alliance, meant that 40 billion US dors inpensation would be enough to bankrupt the US government and put an end to its dream of establishing a new order.


    It was clear that the ims from the public and the World Alliance could not be dyed, especially thetter.


    After all, the public might just sue, but the World Alliance would actually send troops.


    If it really came to war and the United States made an enemy of the entire world, it wouldn¡¯t just be President Wilson¡¯s throne at stake, the fate of the US government would also not be good.


    "Fuck! The financial groups caused this trouble, and they must be held responsible for this!" The President shouted angrily, smashing everything on his desk.


    The mere 30 billion US dors inpensation demanded by the World Alliance alone was enough to cause an American headache.


    It should be known that the gross domestic product of Austrsia has not reached 3 billion US dors. This means that the United States has topensate at least ten times the economy of Austrsia to satisfy the appetite of the World Alliance.


    In terms of the US economy, the total fiscal revenue of the United States in 1917 was an estimated 900 million US dors, a figure far less than its historical total fiscal revenue.


    This year, due to the impact of the flu, the growth of fiscal revenue would not be too high. The result was that the 30 billion US dorspensation would require the United States to repay in at least 30 years, without ounting for the US government¡¯s financial expenditures.


    The United States had already spent a lot of money borrowing from various countries to join the war. Now this loan has been abolished, and the United States has to bear at least 30 billion US dors in debt, undoubtedly plunging its economy into the abyss.


    President Wilson had initially nned to have the financial groups share some of the financial pressure, but the Kansas financial groups, when faced with Wilson¡¯s demands, yed dumb, directly denying the responsibility of the chemical nt, and refusing to bear part of thepensation.


    The financial groups were not stupid. After all, the 30 billion US dorspensation, even if they only took responsibility for one-tenth of it, would be enough to cripple them.


    At this time, money was still very valuable, and even 2 billion US dors was a huge sum for Austrsia, let alone just a financial group from one state of the United States.


    After giving the final ultimatum to the financial groups in Kansas, President Wilson turned his attention back to Ronnie, asking, "What did the World Alliance say?"


    "Not a single cent less than 30 billion US dors, they seem very firm in their stance." Ronnie sighed and said, "They demanded 5 billion US dors to be paid within two years, and the remaining 25 billion US dors could be paid off over 25 years."


    President Wilson rubbed his brow, took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and looked as if he had aged ten years.


    "Our expected fiscal revenue this year is just under 1.2 billion US dors. Paying 5 billion US dors within two years, huh, they sure are thoughtful," President Wilson said mockingly.


    ording to the World Alliance¡¯s demands, the United States could not make any moves for the next 30 years.


    The United States had initially borrowed part of the debt for the war and received littlepensation from Germany, barely enough to make a small profit after paying off the debts.


    Now, however, property belonging to Americans had been universally frozen by various countries, and all foreign debts had been abolished.


    This led to a direct loss of tens of billions of dors for the United States, and even the war reparations from Germany to the United States were abolished.


    That means the United States was at a total loss in this war, with a deficit of at least 50 billion US dors.


    What¡¯s worse, with the 30 billion US dors inpensation, the United States had no funds to expand its military preparations for the next 30 years.


    If the United States really takes on these reparations, it will be a cash machine for European nations, providing one billion dors annually to the World Alliance to help other countries develop.


    As long as they agree to the demands of the World Alliance, President Wilson will instantly be a criminal in the United States, not to mention other consequences.


    This wouldpletely block the development of the United States for the next 30 years, and make the already divided United States even more chaotic.


    It should be noted that although the United States has arge enough poption, it is indeed a country of immigrants.


    The original United States was made up of British colonies, and with the expansion of the territory and therge influx of immigrants, the ethnicposition of the United States became very mixed.


    In addition, there were significant conflicts between white and ck Americans. Whites generally looked down on cks, but after the cks were liberated, the US government had to acknowledge them as American citizens.


    This led to not only conflicts between various ethnic groups but also significant conflicts between whites and cks.


    With such chaos, it would be impossible for the United States to resist the World Alliance¡¯s offensive if it refused to agree to thepensation demands of the World Alliance.


    This is the biggest dilemma President Wilson is currently facing. If he agrees to thepensation, he will be a criminal in the United States. If he refuses, he will be a criminal in the world.


    In stark contrast to the worried faces of the US government, representatives of all member states of the World Alliance were smiling at this time.


    Being able to me all the responsibility of the flu on the United States is definitely good news. Moreover, getting a hugepensation from the United States is even better news.


    Thispensation can be used to alleviate the crisis caused by the flu, whether it is given to the people or used for domestic construction.


    If it is used for domestic construction projects and then given to the public in the form of work-for-relief, well, both sides can profit, making it a great deal overall.


    Each country would get at least several hundred million US dors from the 30 billion in loans, truly establishing a situation in which the powerful nations eat meat while the small and medium-sized countries follow with soup.


    Not to mention, this joint sanction against the United States has brought the countries of the World Alliance closer together.


    At least they havemon interests for the time being, and some countries with previous conflicts are now more pleasing to the eye when looking at each other.


    Through the maniption of several powerful nations, the situation where all countries should be at fault in the flu has been directly changed to a situation where only the United States is at fault, and other countries are victims.


    Even if the US government refuses to admit its crimes against humanity and endangering all countries, such stereotypes have been imprinted in the minds of other countries.


    Not to mention, in the absence of arger crisis, the United States has already lost its initiative in foreign rtions.


    Whenever the United States takes action, all countries will recall the Great American Flu, as well as the crime of the United States releasing the virus to harm all humanity.


    In this way, countries coveted by the United States will only unite, and might even turn around and attack the United States.


    Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for the United States to rise to world hegemony, with the difficulty not less than the US fighting the whole world alone.


    Of course, the United States still has opportunities to clear its name. For example, in the future when World War II breaks out, if the United States single-handedly resists Germany¡¯s attack and supports all countries, it may change the reputation of the United States.


    But expecting the United States to bear the brunt of Germany¡¯s attack, well, going to bed early might make thate true.


    The two countries most satisfied with the current situation should be the United Kingdom and Austrsia.


    Prime Minister Raul George and Arthur have achieved their own goals, which is to weaken the threat of the United States.


    Although the current United States may be able to maintain its status as a great power, it would face the challenge of the World Alliance if it wanted to rise to a higher level.


    In this way, the possible conflicts between the UK and the US and between Australia and the US have been transformed into conflicts between the United States and the entire World Alliance.


    There is no need for the UK and Austrsia to take action, the alliance of all the small and medium-sized countries in the World Alliance is enough to give the United States a hard time.


    All the small and medium-sized countries provide the army, and the five great powers provide only a part of the navy; breaking through the United States seems to be not a problem.


    After all, among these small and medium-sized countries, there are brave and battle-skilled countries like the Balkan States, whose army has been proven to be stronger than the untested American army in the war.

 Chapter 627 Chapter Four Hundred and Seventy-Eight 1919

    With the help of the United Kingdom and Austrsia, William II managed to retain his throne as the King of Prussia, and was even eligible to run for the position of Emperor of Germany.


    However, in order to retain his throne, William II had to make many sacrifices.


    Firstly, the power of the German states greatly increased. Upon France''s strong request, the newly formed German Empire would operate under a federal system where each of the states had significant power, includingplete economic and military rights.


    Apart from administrative and diplomatic decisions being determined by the imperial government, these smaller states were essentially independent nations with their own governments, parliaments, and militaries.


    In the more powerful South German region was the Kingdom of Bavaria, led by Ludwig III, who also had the right to run for the position of Emperor of Germany.


    Significantly, the Emperor of Germany''s powers were weakened. They were not only subject to oversight from the rulers of all the other states, who could impeach them, but also had restrictions imposed by the government, greatly diminishing their power.


    More importantly, the German monarchy was no longer hereditary and adopted an electoral system. The rulers of every state, along with the nominees for Emperor of Germany, were eligible to run for the position, with the one receiving the most votes bing the Emperor.


    This effectively separated the states and the German Emperor permanently. After all, since all dukes and kings of the states could be the Emperor, who would willingly submit to the Emperor''s rule?


    Combined with checks and bnces from the military government, it was foreseeable that the future political scene in Germany would not be stable and might even be more chaotic than Russia.


    By merely granting great financial and military power to the states, it was destined that Germany would not be very powerful in a short period.


    It is essential to know that the number of Germany''s military was strictly limited to 150,000, within which the number of each state''s military was also included.


    It could be said that the Imperial German government had topete with all state governments over the allocation of those 150,000 troops, which was a significant point of contention.


    After all, during wartime, Germany''s total military added up to several million people, with the contributing armies from the states reaching well over a million.


    To reduce those numbers to 150,000, both the German government and the armies of the states would have to significantly decrease. As to the specific proportion of reductions, it might depend on the prestige of the new Emperor of Germany.


    With each country independently taking action, the end of 1918 quickly approached, and 1919 was finally upon them.


    What most countries probably cared about was their financial situations in 1918.


    The economy, which was just seeing a glimmer of hope after the war ended mid-year, was quickly extinguished by the arrival of influenza.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that in 1918, the economy of most countries regressed, in some ces to a greater extent than during the war period.


    Although the impact of the influenza on Austrsia was not as severe, it still had an impact on the economy. If not for the preventative measures taken in advance and the production ofrge quantities of masks and disinfectant, Austrsia''s economy might also have been forced to step back with Europe.


    It''s worth mentioning that, despite the impact of the influenza, the number of immigrants to Austrsia still exceeded a million. In fact, when the influenza subsided slightly, the number of immigrants surged.


    This could be seen as a benefit that the influenza brought to Austrsia. After the Americans became important targets globally, it seemed that the United States had lost its position as the most popr choice for immigration, resulting in a considerable decrease in the number of immigrants.


    Benefiting the most from this was naturally Austrsia which stood as the only country that couldpete with the United States for immigrants.


    In 1918, Austrsia received a total of 1.3 million immigrants. This number came about even after Austrsia was closed for half a year due to the outbreak of the disease.


    In addition, the country''s birth rate reached 442,000, bringing Austrsia''s total poption above 2 million for the first time, to 2,020,300 people.


    When the poption officially exceeded 2 million, it took Austrsia to a new level. Once this wave of influenza truly ended and Austrsia''s poption began to grow massively, it would be Austrsia''s time to reap the rewards of development.


    In terms of industry, by the beginning of 1919, Austrsia''s steel production reached 3 million and 4.55 million tons respectively, bringing total steel production above 7.5 million tons, making it by no means an exaggeration to call it an industrial powerhouse.


    After the war ended, the previously vast military industry was dismantled, with arge number of military industry employees transitioning into civil industry jobs, easing the crisis caused by the earlier massive expansion of the military industry.


    However, a new issue emerged. After absorbing the skilled workers, the Leonora Industrial Base was already saturated.


    If Austrsia''s industry wanted to see further development, in addition to expanding the current Leonora Industrial Base, the only other option might be to construct a new industrial base.


    It is undeniable that the existing Leonora Industrial Base had be the core of Austrsia''s industry, employing up to 550,000 workers, 1,200rge factories, 5,000 small and medium-sized factories, and several hundredrge warehouses.


    However, the current scale and number of industrial bases may still not be enough for the massive influx of immigrants expected in Austrsia.


    In order to meet the work needs of the new immigrants, it was necessary to create more jobs.


    After research, Arthur decided to kick off the fourth phase construction n of Leonora Industrial Base, turning it into a super industrial area that could amodate millions of workers. This would be the industrial core of Austrsia in the future.


    Apart from this, new types of industrial bases would also be established in ces like New Zend, New South Wales and Victoria State.


    Although the scale was lesspared to Leonora Industrial Base, these were also super industrial areas designed to amodate at least tens or hundreds of thousands of workers in order to further meet the industrial development needs of Austrsia.


    Apart from industrial development, Arthur''s next n was to restore the per capita cultivatednd area to more than two acres.


    At present, the total cultivatednd area of Austrsia reached 38.77 million acres, with a per capita cultivatednd area of about 1.92 acres.


    This was merely the tip of the iceberg for the vastnd of Austrsia. Once the development of the Mure River Basin Delta began, Austrsia would not only have one more urban cluster, but also a superior area for agricultural and industrial development.


    In order to achieve a per capita cultivatednd area of more than two acres, the total cultivatednd area would have to be expanded to more than 40 million acres.


    This meant that the next task of the Agriculture Ministry of the Austrsian Government was to open up morend, rewarding new immigrants on the one hand and selling it at low prices to Austrsian farmers on the other hand to expand the scale of Austrsian agriculture.


    In the previous war, the food exports of Austrsia earned the government high profits.


    There was no overstatement in saying how important it was for a country to have enough food supplies. It was a significant reason why Russia had to face internal rebellion, due to food shortages during and after the war.


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    Germany''s defeat was alsorgely due to theck of food supplies among the Allies.


    Especially, after the surrender of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany lost this important food export country, and the domestic food crisis worsened.


    In 1918, Austrsia''s annual grain production was approximately 18 million tons, and the domestic poption''s grain consumption was only about 5 million tons.


    Out of the remaining 13 million tons of grain, over 8 million tons were exported to Europe and other regions. The remaining 5 million tons were used as part of the strategic food reserves to rece the stale grain in storage.


    These reced old grains were exported to the major colonies of the powers.


    In terms of food production, Austrsia''s grain output was sufficient, enough to support the domestic poption for around three years.


    Combined with Austrsia''s advanced animal husbandry techniques, this was why Austrsia could guarantee domestic food supplies during the war and influenza periods.


    The reason Arthur promised to provide supplies free of charge during the influenza period was due to Austrsia''s enormous grain and meat production each year.


    Although the cost of providing these supplies during the influenza period exceeded tens of millions of Australian dors, and including the cost of treatment for everyone, the expenses of the Royal Family and the Government were at least as high as around 20 million Australian dors.


    While this expense appeared sizeable, Arthur was able to earn it from trade with other countries.


    Besides, the reparations controlled by Austrsia from the defeated nations were far more significant each year. There was naturally nothing to worry about concerning government finances.


    Moreover, such a minor expense could increase the domestic public''s goodwill towards Arthur, even without the defeated countries'' reparations, Arthur was absolutely willing to subsidize it from the royal family''s own funds.


    Free treatment was also a tactic Austrsia utilized to attract immigrants during the influenza period.


    Immigrants infected with influenza in their home countries not only faced the current state of soaring prices but also had to bear the costs of treating influenza.


    But if they just paid for a boat ticket to Austrsia, all supplies during their quarantine period were free, and as long as they were willing to acquire Austrsian citizenship, they were eligible for free influenza treatment.


    Of course, the condition was not to change citizenship again within five years, which was not a cost for Europeans who wanted to immigrate abroad in the first ce.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Just needing to immigrate to receive free influenza treatment was highly attractive for the majority of European citizens.


    Especially in dense Russian regions, while some of the previous Russian immigrants were forcefully transported to Austrsia by the government, a considerable number of Russians were now willing to actively immigrate to Austrsia. After all, there marked a fundamental difference between living as a beast of burden in Russia and as a human in Austrsia.


    While Austrsia had unavoidable shorings, the attitude of the Austrsian royal family and the government towards the people was well-known.


    Living in a country like Austrsia was a luxury for the people of this era, and even a fantasy for the people of many countries inter generations.

 Chapter 626 - 477: The Ownership of the King’s Power

    While European countries were still steeped in chaos, the n for Austrsia to relocate its capital officiallymenced.


    The new capital is to be located where the Mure River and Darling River intersect, west of Sydney, north of Melbourne, right at the heart of the Mure River Basin.


    The initial construction n for the new capital includes the new royal pce, government buildings, courthouses, churches, parliamentary buildings, schools, and hospitals, as well as residences for the first batch of inhabitants of the new capital.


    This is no minor project. ording to the government¡¯s construction n, Arthur wouldn¡¯t be able to move into the new capital until at least five yearster, and it could potentially even take ten years.


    Thanks to rapid development of the royal financial group these past ten or so years, Arthur was not frugal with the construction of the new royal pce. With an estimated investment of 150 Million Australiasian Dors, a grander, more luxurious, and extravagant pce will be built in line with Arthur¡¯s vision.


    With a growing poption in Austrsia, the design of the new pce will incorporate a multitude of world culture traits, aiming to build a true Pce of Nations.


    The pce construction will be open for bids from constructionpanies worldwide, pooling global resources to create a true pce.


    The projected budget of 150 Million Austrsian Dors should be plenty, as this equates to 375 Million US dors, 1.875 Billion Francs, or 1 Billion Taels of Silver.


    This is most likely thest time that Austrsia will relocate its capital. As a ce for him and his family to reside in the future, Arthur is quite generous with the budget.


    In reality, Austrsia¡¯s fiscal condition is quite solid. The government has specifically invested 500 Million US dors in the construction of the new capital and the development of the Mure River Basin.


    It¡¯s not to say that the Austrsian government is merely being extravagant for the sake of building a capital. The relocation goes hand in hand with ns to develop the entire Mure River Basin, which is a strategic n even more crucial than the new capital.


    In order to attract a poption to the new capital, the Austrsian government has issued a decree, attracting people from areas surrounding Sydney and Melbourne. Those willing to settle in the new capital will be rewarded by the government with a house, five acres ofnd, and apensation of 200 Austrsian dors.


    People are somewhatcking in other parts of Austrsia, with the exception of Sydney and Melbourne, whose poptions have both exceeded 2 million.


    Being able to attract a portion of the poption from these two cities to the new capital not only reduces the difficulty of developing the Mure River Basin, but also does not negatively impact the development of other areas in Austrsia.


    After all, if people are relocated from other areas, it could easily inhibit their development, especially in ces like Western Australia where the poption is quite sparse.


    Arthur¡¯s call to action is still quite potent. From the official announcement of the new capital¡¯s construction n up until the end of 1918, over a hundred thousand Austrsians have signed up, willing to permanently settle in the new capital.


    The relocation of these people willmence in the new year. A hundred thousand people is a decent number for a brand-new capital. Furthermore, the existence of the new capital will also attract a number of immigrants. A rapid growth of poption to a scale of about 200 to 300 thousand is definitely achievable.


    By the time the new capital¡¯s construction is officiallypleted, Melbourne, Sydney, and the new capital will form a triangr citywork in the southeastern part of Australia. This will be the core of Austrsia, capable of amodating more than a hundred million people.


    Simrly, taking advantage of the temporary retreat of the flu, the World Alliance began to discuss the disposition of Germany¡¯s royal family.


    Naturally, as the Emperor of Germany, William II bears an unshirkable responsibility for the war and thus should bear criminal responsibility for initiating the war.


    However, the situation in Germany has clearly shown that near the end of the war the control of the German government had been taken over by the military government led by Hindenburg, and William II had lost real power.


    Also, theplicated rtionships between the European royal families led to a standstill in the final decision on how to deal with the German royal family.


    This has led to aplicated situation in Germany at the moment. William II has fled to the Nethends, the major nations in southern Germany disregard the government¡¯s management and the threat of decentralization looms once again.


    The British certainly do not want to see the Germans be divided, at the mercy of France, so they proposed to keep William II¡¯s Kingship in Prussia and allow the major nations of Germany to elect a new emperor.


    British intentions are actually quite simple. Prussia is after all thergest nation in North Germany or even the entire Germany. Gaining support from other nations shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    For William II, who managed to retain the Kingship in Prussia, bing the Emperor of Germany once more through election doesn¡¯t seem to be a difficult task.


    With someone of prestige like William II in control of Germany, a united Germany can resist the threat of France.


    In stark contrast to the British attitude, the French naturally do not want to see Germany having a ruler with rtive prestige.


    Having the current military government continue ruling Germany is what France wants to see, as the failure of the war has led to a lot of criticism towards the German military government. Many German generals and officers are frustrated with the military government. This is a crack within the Germans, a guarantee for France to keep Germany under their foot permanently.


    Regarding the opinions of the other powers, the Russians did not care much about this issue, because there¡¯s conflict within the Russian government. This is an issue that Nichs II, the Russian government, and even the Workers¡¯ Alliance took very seriously.


    How Russia ends up operating as a nationrgely depends on thepetition among these three forces within Russia.


    As for Italy and Austrsia, who are left, they¡¯re both real monarchal countries and have jointly signed the European Royal Family Union Deration.


    Naturally, Arthur could not support Germany bing a republic, and Italy did not intend to vite the European Royal Family Union Deration either.


    It would be impossible for just one Frenchman to prevent the restoration of the monarchy in Germany. Therefore, the French proposed other demands, such as requiring that the appointment of the new German Emperor be ratified by a vote in the World Alliance and that the power of the German government could be guaranteed, in order to avoid the emergence of an authoritarian state, among other things.


    In simpler terms, the French, realizing they could not prevent William II from retaining his position as the King of Prussia, decided to limit Germany in a new way¡ªthat is, to increase the rights of the German federal states and bnce the rights between the sovereign and the monarchy in Germany.


    As a result, the powers of the local German states, the central government, and the monarchy were all bnced against each other. It would be almost impossible for Germany to return to the unified state it was in before the war.


    The current military government, which betrayed William II during thetter stages of the war, and the southern German states that sought independence, have made it nearly impossible for Germany¡¯s three major forces to reconcile in the future. In game terms, this would be a clear national cohesion penalty of -80%.


    Meanwhile, Emperor William II of Germany, who was being aided by Queen Wilhelmina of the Nethends, was not feeling particrly great.


    To put it bluntly, William II¡¯s fate was entirely in the hands of the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    Whether he would continue as the Emperor of Germany, or be stripped of his throne, was entirely up to the Four Great Powers of the Allies.


    On the one hand, William II was hoping that the Four Great Powers of the Allies would abide by the European Royal Family Union Deration and preserve his emperorship and kingship.


    On the other hand, he felt that his early escape to the Nethends was shameful, and he wanted to return to his throne in a more honorable way rather than epting the Allies¡¯ charity.


    This would be a typical disy of a traditional nobleman¡¯s concern for reputation. For nobles like William II, their dignity and face sometimes mattered more than actual power - especially in the case of William II, who was naturally more extreme and concerned about reputation due to innate reasons.


    With the European Royal Family Union Deration signed earlier, it was nearly impossible for William II to be deposed, at most he would rule over a smaller Prussia after it was broken up.


    The European Royal Family Union Deration not only involved the rights and status of all European royal families, but it was also a manifestation of the interests of the European royal families united.


    If someone openly betrayed this deration, it would be equivalent to betraying all the European royal families, the impact of which was self-evident.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that all the countries that initiated this war in Europe, Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bulgaria, etc.,pletely maintained their monarchies.


    Even though other countries also made contributions, Arthur, who was the key proponent of the European Royal Family Union Deration, undoubtedly gained the most prestige.


    The European Royal Family Union Deration seeded in uniting the interests of European royal families, and Arthur, who promoted this deration, naturally became one of the representatives of European royal families.


    It is worth mentioning that all the monarchs of the member nations are Arthur¡¯s contemporaries.


    King George V of Britain is Arthur¡¯s cousin, Emperor William II of Germany is Arthur¡¯s cousin, and Nichs II is Arthur¡¯s cousin-brother.


    Including King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy, these monarchs have already lost most of their powers, and the only one left with actual power among the member nations is Arthur.


    This also gives Arthur a not inconsequential position among European royal families. Coming from the British royal family, belonging to the German family, and having ties by marriage with the Russian monarchy, Arthur has made connections with the royal families of all the member nations.


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    Although Austrsia is not the strongest country, Arthur¡¯s position in the European royal family is no less than that of a monarch like King George V.


    What¡¯s more, as a substantial portion of King George V¡¯s power was taken away by the Cab during the war, he also lost some of his prestige in the European royal family.


    After all, how could a monarch that relies on ancestral legacy, whose power was stripped away by the government, gain the genuine respect of other royal families?


    Moreover, King George V, like in history, sumbed to pressure from the public towards the end of the war, and publicly announced that his family¡¯s surname would be changed to Windsor.


    Bear in mind that King George V demanded all members of the British royal family change their surnames to Windsor, with the exception of princesses who were or were to be married.


    While Arthur fell within this scope, he would surely never ept King George V¡¯s surname.


    Not to mention, the act of choosing a castle name as a new surname, Arthur only felt it cheapened his image.


    After King George V announced the change of surname, Arthur publicly dered that he did not recognize King George V¡¯s name change, and that the royal family of Austrsia would continue to proudly belong to the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family.


    Arthur¡¯s actions won him the affection of many German families, and his prestige and status in European royal circles also increased dramatically.


    After all, the name and dignity of the family are the most important things to European royal families. Changing the long-held family name is seen as lowering their standards in the eyes of the European royal families.

 Chapter 628 - 479: Aircraft Carrier Completed

    The new year¡¯s National Day had no activities, even the usual g-raising event was forbidden from being watched by anyone.


    It¡¯s not that the g-raising event had any secrets, but the flu still posed a risk, and for the safety of the people, public gatherings were better kept to a minimum.


    With the arrival of the new year, there were quite a few good news for Austrsia.


    The first being thepensation from defeated countries and the United States, Austrsia was able to receive approximately 120 million Australian dors inpensation, ounting for arge portion ofst year¡¯s total fiscal revenue, it can be described as a sudden wealth.


    It¡¯s worth noting that in 1918, Austrsia¡¯s total fiscal revenue was only 172.9 million Australian dors, an increase of only 4%pared to the previous year, far smaller than the previous growth rate of 15% to 17%.


    But this was inevitable, as the flu had a severe impact on all countries worldwide. For Austrsia to maintain the growth of fiscal revenue was already a blessing in disguise.


    If thepensation from the defeated countries and the United States, amounting to 120 million Australian dors, is included, Austrsia¡¯s total revenuest year was close to 300 million Australian dors. The financial budget was quite abundant and was the reason why Austrsia was confident in developing the entire in of the Mure River Basin.


    Behind the growth of fiscal revenuest year, Austrsia¡¯s government¡¯s total fiscal expenditure was also rmingly high.


    Due to the nationwide free supply of materials and free flu treatment, Austrsia¡¯s total fiscal expenditure skyrocketedst year, almost surpassing the total fiscal revenue.


    The total expenditure of 170.4 million Australian dors was enough to prove themitment of the Austrsian government in dealing with the flu. This expenditure figure increased by nearly 25 million Australian dorspared tost year, and it was self-evident where the money was spent.


    It¡¯s predictable that this year¡¯s total fiscal expenditure will not be lower. After all, the construction of the new capital officially begins this year, which is a massive project requiring an investment of at least hundreds of millions of Australian dors.


    On January 17th, 1919, Arthur, apanied by many royal guards, quietly visited Sydney Royal Shipyard to inspect the sea trials of the Giant-ss aircraft carrier, which had been under construction for two and a half years and was developed and produced independently by Austrsia.


    The construction time of the Giant-ss aircraft carrier began in the second half of 1916, and the first batch was nned to be divided into two ships, the Giant Aircraft Carrier and the Sky Aircraft Carrier, both of which werepleted in mid-1918.


    At present, it¡¯s the most critical test period for these two aircraft carriers. If they can sessfully pass this marine navigation test period, it is estimated that in mid tote 1919, both of these aircraft carriers can be put into service in session.


    This is great news for Austrsia, as the addition of two aircraft carriers can greatly enhance the navy¡¯sbat capabilities, allowing the size and actualbat capability of Austrsia¡¯s navy to squeeze into the world¡¯s top five.


    Also, due to the importance of these two aircraft carriers, Arthur decided to personally inspect the sea trials of the aircraft carriers and check the actualbat capabilities of the aircraft carriers designed and developed by Austrsia.


    Aircraft carriers with real significance were currently researched only by the United Kingdom. But if the warships and battlecruisers that were temporarily converted during the war were all counted, then aircraft carriers appeared several years ago.


    Thebat capabilities of aircraft carriers vary greatly, and the fake aircraft carriers are ultimately temporary substitutes during the war. The development of the navy still needs the real aircraft carriers.


    Australia and the United Kingdom still maintained close ties after the war. The Competitive God Aircraft Carrier researched by the British was also familiar to Arthur.


    The Competitive God Aircraft Carrier was nned in 1916, and the construction started in April 1917. The progress is not much slower than that of Austrsia.


    One could not help but admire the excellent talent of the British in shipbuilding, as the Competitive God Aircraft Carrier they researched was not much different from the Giant Aircraft Carrier of Austrsia.


    Of course, what determines the realbat capabilities and functions of an aircraft carrier is the aircraft it carries.


    In order to match the advanced Giant Aircraft Carrier, Austrsia equipped it with as many as 24 fourth-generation military aircraft to maximize thebat power of the Giant-ss aircraft carrier.


    Among them were 6 reconnaissance aircraft, 8 fighter aircraft, and 10 bombers, which fully ensured the reconnaissance, airbat, and bombing tasks of the aircraft carrier.


    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that the Giant-ss aircraft carriers, equipped with 24 of the most advanced military aircraft in the world today, havebat capabilities and uses far beyond the current most powerful super dreadnoughts.


    If a super dreadnought and a Giant-ss aircraft carrier were to duel one-on-one, the winner could only be the Giant-ss aircraft carrier, and the super dreadnought would have no chance of winning.


    The reason for this dramatic difference inbat results is that the effective attack range of a super dreadnought and an aircraft carrier is too far apart.


    Because of the presence of airnes, Giant-ss aircraft carriers can carry out reconnaissance,bat, and even bombing tasks from hundreds of kilometers away.


    But the maximum attack range of a super dreadnought is also the maximum range of its main guns. Currently, shipborne main guns have a range of a few dozen kilometers at most, and the uracy of suchrge-caliber main guns cannot be guaranteed. The difference in range between the two sides is worlds apart.


    One could say that aircraft carriers are the nemesis of giant battleships. With the real aircraft carriers of the future, Austrsia can close the gap with other countries that haverge warships and even overtake them in the field of naval warfare with the help of aircraft carriers.


    Anyone with slight knowledge of fleetposition inter generations would know that the most powerful fleet is the aircraft carrier fleet.


    Generally consisting of an aircraft carrier, several destroyers, and even more small warships, the majestic battleships of World War I and II have gradually lost their usefulness with the advent of aircraft carriers.


    After all, the cost of a super dreadnought is as high as about 2 million pounds, but the total cost of a giant-ss aircraft carrier plus 24 aircraft is only about 1.5 million pounds.


    With 1.5 million pounds spent on building an aircraft carrier, it is able to suppress a super dreadnought that costs more than 2 million pounds. This deal is quite cost-effective.


    When countries around the world spend a great price to manufacture more super dreadnoughts, they face the aircraft carriers built by Austrsia and the United Kingdom, and they would know the meaning of regret.


    Now there is no naval restraint treaty; the victorious countries naturally build warships as they please.


    Take the United Kingdom as an example. In 1918, even with the influence of influenza, the United Kingdom still started construction of two aircraft carriers, two super dreadnoughts, and two battlecruisers.


    If it were not that the construction of these six main battleships would continue until 1920, Arthur would think that the naval arms race was still going on.


    In order to keep the aircraft carriers of Austrsia as secret as possible, Arthur¡¯s trip to the Sydney Royal Shipyard was very secretive and low-key, and there were no people at the Royal Shipyard to greet him.


    The nearby seas being tested were also fully sealed off. After all, Australia¡¯s oceans were underplete control of Austrsia, so it would be a simple matter to close them off.


    No country would be foolish enough to provoke Austrsia¡¯s status in Oceania, even Britain and France could not shake Austrsia¡¯s rule in Oceania.


    Aboard the Hope super battleship, Arthur held a telescope, watching the performance of the two aircraft carriers patiently.


    Because the stability of the two aircraft carriers being tested could not be fully guaranteed, Arthur wisely chose to watch the performance of the two aircraft carriers from the Hope super dreadnought.


    The main tests for the two aircraft carriers were the rapid take-off andnding of three different types of aircraft, precise detection and attack of the farthest target, and quick turning in a short period.


    As arge warship with a full-load discement of more than 13,000 tons, the giant-ss aircraft carrier is rtively smallpared to the super dreadnought.


    With almost equal power, the maximum speed of the giant-ss aircraft carrier could reach 25.5 knots, exceeding some battlecruisers known for their speed, which shows just how fast the aircraft carrier is.


    Of course, the important reason for the giant-ss aircraft carrier to run so fast is that the military-grade aircraft carrier almost abandoned allrge firepower.


    Besides some rapid-firing guns and machine guns for air defense, there are only a few hidden torpedounchers underwater, together forming the source of all firepower for the giant-ss aircraft carrier.


    As for therge-caliber guns found on conventional warships, they cannot be seen on the giant-ss aircraft carriers.


    But this can be well understood, as the aircraft carrier¡¯s reconnaissance and firepower mainly rely on aircraft. The aircraft carrier rarely engages in closebat with enemy warships and basically does not have that ability.


    The hardest part of building an aircraft carrier is the long take-off distance required by the currently underperforming aircraft.


    Because of insufficient power, British and French-made aircraft generally need more than a kilometer of take-off distance.


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    It often takes a long time for the aircraft to taxi before it has enough power to take off. However, due to the design and purpose of aircraft carriers, they cannot be designed too long.


    Take Austrsia¡¯s giant-ss aircraft carrier as an example. Its length and width are 180 meters and 21.5 meters, respectively, which is obviously far from the taxi distance required by the aircraft.


    To enable the aircraft to take off within such a short distance, some technologies to assist the aircraft¡¯s flying are needed.


    Naturally, the full-pass deck does not need much exnation, allowing aircraft to have a longer taxi andnding distance, thereby increasing the stability of the aircraft during take-off andnding.


    It is important to know that, apart from human factors, the most dangerous stages of an aircraft¡¯s entire flight are take-off andnding.


    Especially duringnding, when the entire aircraft carrier is only sorge, even a small error duringnding could cause the aircraft to crash into the sea or even smash onto the deck.


    The giant-ss aircraft carrier is specially designed with arresting devices to help interceptnding aircraft going too fast and prevent them from sliding into the sea.


    After all, a state-of-the-art military aircraft costs tens of thousands of Australian dors. Losing one for no reason would indeed be heartbreaking.


    Apart from devices to assist take-off andnding, the giant-ss aircraft carrier has also specially provided thicker armor for the aircraft parking area and the carrier¡¯smand tower to ensure the protective performance of the aircraft carrier.


    Since the aircraft carrier¡¯s own firepower is not strong, if it does not have a reliable protective capability, it could easily be attacked by submarines lurking underwater.

 Chapter 629 - 480: Land Exchange and Royal Oil Company

    Arthur was in a great mood because both giant-ss aircraft carrier tests were very sessful, and Austrsia could be said to be the first country to truly master aircraft carriers.


    Of course, the progress of the British would not be too slow, and Arthur¡¯s investment in the navy would definitely not decrease, let alone be blinded by the current achievements.


    After encouraging and rewarding the personnel involved in the tests, Arthur returned to the royal pce in a good mood, preparing to convene a cab meeting to determine the tasks for the new year of the Austrsian government.


    Frankly speaking, the tasks of Austrsia in 1919 were not few. In addition to the basic tasks of national construction, the relocation n of the new capital and the fourth phase of the Leonora Industrial Base¡¯s construction were all major projects requiringrge funds and great efforts.


    At the cab meeting, Arthur specifically instructed the importance of the quality of the projects, requiring the government to strictly control the quality of all projects and have every cab member held responsible in case of any problem.


    In addition to these constructions, the elections for the new Cab Government will also be held in 1919.


    This made Austrsia¡¯s political arena quite busy after in 1919, as every change of cab government keeps many politicians busy striving for the highest stage of power in their dreams.


    In February 1919, Arthur received more good news - the British Government basically agreed to the exchange of Kuwait and the Truce Nations, allowing Austrsia to obtain the broad Persian Gulf coastline from Sutton Persian Gulf to the United Arab Emirates.


    After thend exchange ispleted, it will also be time to officially exploit the oil resources of the Persian Gulf coast.


    Once news of therge-scale oil exploitation on the Persian Gulf coast spreads, the British will not give up their interests, and the Persian Gulf coast is destined to be controlled by Britain and Austrsia.


    Knowing that with the advent of airnes and tanks, as well as the increasing poprity of cars in the world, oil prices have experienced earth-shaking changespared to over a decade ago.


    Gasoline and diesel made from petroleum are the primary fuels for engines, and various petroleum products also pervade every aspect of the world.


    Another advantage of jointly controlling the Persian Gulf coast with the British is that by leveraging the influence of Britain and Austrsia, they canpletely control international oil prices.


    The Persian Gulf coast has nearly 60% of the world¡¯s oil reserves, and its influence on world oil prices is irreceable.


    With this, it is uncertain whether various ethnic groups and nations in the Middle East can achieve independence as easily as they did in history.


    After all, oil is the most important energy source in the world within the next 100 years, bar none.


    The Middle East region, which has vast oil reserves, is also destined to be a goodie bag for various countries topete for, and will forever be part of the world¡¯s geopolitical disputes.


    Even if these countries can achieve independence, they will still be subject to the influence of more powerful nations or even directly controlled by them.


    After all, everyone knows the principle of an innocent man bearing the guilt for possessing a valuable treasure, and in this world of the survival of the fittest, weak countries with resources are inevitably coveted.


    After thend exchange, the Middle Eastern Colony is still called the Austrsian Persian Gulf Territory, and directly controlled by the Austrsian royal family.


    To smoothly exploit the oil on the Persian Gulf coast, Arthur decided to invest 5 million Australian dors,bined with 5.5 million Australian dors from the government and oil equipment, to establish the Royal Oil Company of Austrsia. The royal family and the government held shares of 40% and 60%, respectively.


    All the big and small oilpanies originally owned by Austrsia were merged into the Royal Oil Company, which would be a symbol of Austrsia¡¯s petroleum industry and a definite world top 500pany from the start.


    Even relying solely on oil from the Persian Gulf coast, the potential of the Royal Oil Company was even expected to reach the world¡¯s top 50.


    The news of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates swapping did not make big headlines in Britain and Austrsia.


    After all, both regions are located in the Middle East, with smallnd areas and not so high development potential, causing little attention in both countries.


    Even the rification news from the Americans was more heated than these two news items, although not many people believed in the Americans¡¯ rification.


    For the Wilson administration, it is essential to try to divert the responsibility of the American government from the pandemic and separate it from the country.


    As long as the United States remains tied to the pandemic, there is no possibility for the country to expand actively, and its diplomacy will face more restrictions.


    It¡¯s not to say that if President Wilson continues to put forward his theory of establishing a new order, he will be sneered at by European nations as wishful thinking.


    Under the actions of the American government, various news about the pandemic began to circte, with a great effort to shift the me from the pandemic to the corporations and idents.


    However, the credibility of US government which has experienced various events is not too high. The idental theory and corporate threat theory promoted by US government seem to be only believed by some ignorant Americans.


    To argue is one thing, but the Americans are still very active in payingpensation. After all, they know that postwar Europe is indeed short of money.


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    No matter how much responsibility the Americans bear for the pandemic, the Europeans are determined to ckmail the United States.

 Chapter 630 - 480: Land Exchange and Royal Petroleum Company_2

    The Americans could only bear such a huge loss alone, after all, public opinion throughout the world was currently tilted towards Europe, and no one believed the American¡¯s exnation.


    However, the Americans¡¯ response measures are not limited to using media for exnation. ording to data investigated by the British intelligence agency, the Americans were frantically building warships of various sizes to expand their naval strength.


    After all, with America¡¯s unique geographical advantage, they could defend both the Pacific and Antic, and American territory would hardly be threatened.


    Countries like Canada and Mexico are located to the north and south of America, but whether it¡¯s Mexico or Canada, neither poses a significant threat to America at this time, and naturally wouldn¡¯t be taken seriously by the American government.


    Because of the Americans¡¯ secretive expansion of their warship fleet, the British have be more cautious of them.


    Among all the world¡¯s Powers, the only ones that can truly influence the British Empire¡¯s ruling position are France in Europe and the United States in the Americas.


    The French are rtively easy to constrain, after all, Germany¡¯s strength hasn¡¯t been substantially weakened, and a confrontation with France is manageable.


    But the Americans are different. The geographical environment of the United States means that its nativend will hardly be threatened.


    Especially after the rise of the American navy, America no longer needs to worry about threats from Canada, making it the biggestpetitor to the British Empire¡¯s maintenance of world hegemony.


    The French need time to recuperate after the war, but the Americans barely need that.


    The Americans weren¡¯t affected by the war, they took advantage of the arms trade during theirte participation in the war and made a small fortune.


    This is why the British are wary of America and even decided to join France in ming America for the influenza epidemic in Austrsia.


    Unlike European nations like Germany and France, the United States has almost no natural enemies on its nativend, so they can only be constrained through cooperation with Austrsia.


    In order to limit America¡¯s rampant expansion of its navy, the British proposed a limitation on each country¡¯s naval size at a World Alliance meeting, but the response actually wasn¡¯t that strong.


    First of all, the French didn¡¯t quite agree with limiting the navy size of each country, because after the French receivedpensation from Germany, they indeed had thoughts ofpeting against the British.


    At least currently, France has reimed its position as Europe¡¯s hegemon, and on the European Continent, France is the most powerful country.


    Other countries, even if they don¡¯t have directpetition with Britain, are also unwilling to ce an unnecessary constraint on their naval development.


    Apart from the lukewarm reaction of various countries, there is another important reason that the United States is not part of the World Alliance.


    As long as the United States does not sign the treaty, it canpletely stay outside the treaty and expand its naval size wildly.


    Therefore, the British gave up the n to sign a naval limitation treaty, at least for the short term.


    Unless all the Powers and countries capable of building battleships sign a naval limitation treaty together, it would be unfair to the countries signing the treaty.


    Arthur took a wait-and-see attitude towards the British proposal, after all, Austrsia did not need to expand its navy significantly in the short term, and he was happy to see other countries build arge number of super dreadnoughts, they will be a step slower in the construction of aircraft carriers.


    Of course, Arthur was very envious of the speed of building warships in industrial powers like Britain, France, and America.


    But even with sufficient funds, Austrsia could notpete with industrial powers like Britain, France, America, and Germany in the arms race.


    To improve Austrsia¡¯s naval construction capacity, building new shipyards and expanding existing ones was also the next task that should be undertaken.


    Currently, the warship shipyards of Austrsia are primarily the Sydney Shipyard, Melbourne Shipyard, and Oand Shipyard.


    These three major shipyards are responsible for almost all the construction of Austrsia¡¯s warships, among which the Sydney Royal Shipyard is thergest, capable of constructing a wider range of warship types. Explore more at empire


    Although the Melbourne Shipyard and the Oand Shipyard can construct warships of up to tens of thousands of tons, it is still somewhat challenging to build super dreadnoughts that are close to 20,000 tons.


    Expanding these three major shipyards is essential to improve the speed and level of warship construction in Austrsia.


    During a Cab meeting, Arthur formally proposed the expansion of the shipyards. After deliberation by the Cab Government, it was decided to invest 10 million Australian dors to assist the expansion of the three major shipyards.


    Among these, three docks at the Sydney Royal Shipyard will be expanded. The existing three docks can build warships of up to 25,000 tons, but the size of future warships will continue to increase, and 25,000 tons clearly isn¡¯t enough.


    To catch up with naval powers like Britain, France, and America, the three docks of the Sydney Royal Shipyard need to be expanded to at least 35,000 tons, or ideally, up to 40,000 tons to enhance Austrsia¡¯s ability to build superrge warships.


    At the same time, the Melbourne Shipyard and the Oand Shipyard also need expansion, ensuring that these two major shipyards too have the capacity to build warships over 25,000 tons.


    Once the expansion of these three major shipyards isplete, Austrsia can simultaneously start constructing at least five super battleships or five aircraft carriers. Only then will the construction speed be able to catch up with industrial powers like Britain, France, and America.


    The expansion of the three major shipyards is expected to take two to three years toplete and will generally not affect the current warship construction.


    These expansion timing is enough for Arthur, and it won¡¯t affect the future naval expansion n of Austrsia.


    Apart from the expansion of the shipyards, railway construction, and highway construction in Austrsia¡¯s nativend and colonies also hold priority in the new annual n of the Transportation Department.


    Not to mention, new territories require aplete deployment of railways and highways, to effectively enhance Austrsia¡¯s control over these regions.


    Priority for railway construction includes territories such as the Persian Gulf, New Guinea Ind, Swesi Ind, among others, and further improvement of railway deployment is also required in the Australia and New Zend regions.


    Aside from this, highway construction is also crucial. Railway construction inevitably can¡¯t be poprized to every vige, especially in the colonies.


    Thence, highway construction has be even more important, considering the high prevalence of various agricultural machinery and cars in Austrsia.


    The construction of round-ind railways and highways in New Guinea, and highways in the Persian Gulf territory for oil exploration and transport, will be the Transportation Department¡¯s most important tasks in theing year.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Along with countries¡¯ research on airnes, the poprization of passenger airnes is on the verge of realization.


    Austrsia already possesses passenger nes, but whether to put them intomercial use or not is yet to be determined.


    Aircraft can currently amodate up to about 12 people, or 10 passengers if not counting the two pilots.


    Although nes are faster than airships, they also cost more to operate.


    Austrsia¡¯s passenger nes are mainly used privately at the moment. Arthur has ridden in them twice when inspecting, and other times they¡¯re asionally used by important government officials.


    However, it must be said that the stability of aircraft is indeed higher than that of airships. ording to tests run by the Austrsian Royal Aviation Company, airships have about a three in ten thousand chance of having an ident while airnes have approximately a one in thirty thousand chance, a stark ninefold difference.


    Though three in ten thousand and one in thirty thousand seem like low odds,pared toter generations where the likelihood of an aviation ident is less than one in a million, it can be seen that the aircraft and airships of this era are quite dangerous.


    This is why Arthur tries to avoid choosing airnes and airships as means of travel. If there¡¯s an emergency, he will arrange for a domestic ne, rather than taking an airship.


    After all, the likelihood of one in thirty thousand is still very low- low enough that no idents have urred on any of Austrsia¡¯smercial flights to date.

 Chapter 631 - 481: Turmoil in Russia Nation Again

    February 1919, while the influenza epidemic still mildly ravaged the world, the situation in Russia finally exploded, one step ahead of Germany, like a barrel of explosives.


    Naturally, there is no need to borate on the disputes among the three major powers in Russia, and the direct cause of the explosion of this barrel of explosives was the military equipment that Nichs II had exchanged from Austrsia.


    The Russian capitalist government is the real power holder in Russia, the Worker¡¯s Alliance controlled the Moscow region as the local authorities, and Tsar Nichs II represented the noble forces.


    These three major forces have all controlled a considerable part of the military, and in wartime, the assets in the government-controlled military even reach more than 7 million people.


    Of course, the INFLUENZA statistics for the number of soldiers in the Tsarist government are also quite exaggerated. ording to the actual count of the assets government, there are only more than 5 million Russian troops at the front, but this is definitely not a small number.


    After the truce, the Russian government had reduced the military troops of more than 5 million people drastically.


    Frankly speaking, the Russian government could not support such arge number of military forces, even with thepensation from Germany.


    After a considerable reduction, the military forces controlled by the Russian government had only a headcount of more than 1 million, which could also be considered a resumption of the size of the pre-war Tsarist military.


    However, this has also led to a problem, that is, the Russian government has not properly resettled the soldiers who have beenid off for this part.


    War had caused immense devastation to Russia and had inflicted immense damage to Russia¡¯s economy.


    As a result, the Russian government does not have enough jobs for these demobilized soldiers; demobilized soldiers had to return to their old war-field and be farmers again.


    Moreover, a considerable part of these demobilized soldiers lives in Eastern Europe. Their homes have suffered a great deal of destruction, but they have no correspondingpensation.


    The Russian government only pays a small pension for the disabled and deceased, and the amount of this pension is not even as high as that of soldier sries.


    That¡¯s not the point, the important thing is that a considerable proportion of the soldiers who had participated in World War I for the Russian government had not received sufficient sries and were disbanded by the government.


    This has resulted in arge number of Russian soldiers being dissatisfied with such treatment and even a lot of soldiers taking to the streets to explode protests, demanding the government provide them with sufficient sries andpensations.


    The contradiction between the government and the soldiers had given Nichs II and the Workers¡¯ Alliance an opportunity.


    The two major forces began to crazily absorb these dissatisfied soldiers and waited for the weakest moment in the Russian capitalist government to deliver a decisive blow. Stay connected with empire


    Soon, the opportunity awaited by Nichs II and the Worker¡¯s Alliance arrived.


    With the outbreak of the influenza epidemic, the Russian government was obviously unprepared and hundreds of thousands of deaths urred within a few months.


    However, this is not the most serious issue, as the influenza epidemic had caused arge number of supplies to fail to be transported to the urban areas.


    Workers and civilians in the cities were gued by severe famine and turmoil because of theck of supplies.


    The famine and chaos also further affected the urban order, making it harder for supplies from other regions to enter the cities.


    Under the influence of this, the order of Russia was on the verge of copse.


    Although the official Russian statistics show that the number of deaths due to influenza is less than 1 million, the number of starved people has long exceeded 1 million.


    Even though the Russian government had imported arge amount of grain from Britain, France, and Austrsia, it had failed to provide enough manpower to transport it to major cities, cing it in the hands of the starving people.


    Unable to obtain food and emergency supplies, the people became even angrier with the government, and more people began to take to the streets to protest, further exacerbating the outbreak of influenza.


    Although Nichs II and the Workers¡¯ Alliance had keenly sensed the arrival of the opportunity, it is clear that they dared notunch any action during the outbreak of influenza.


    No matter the sess or failure of the action, the influenza epidemic would have caused massive casualties to the people, which could even bring their actions to naught directly.


    After all, the reason why the Russian people were dissatisfied with the capitalist government was that the capitalist government had not guaranteed the rights of soldiers and civilians and was neglectful, causing arge number of casualties to the people.


    If Nichs II and the Workers¡¯ Alliance could not prevent this, they would be no different from the capitalist government, and naturally, they would not win the support of the people.


    The two major forces were waiting for a more appropriate opportunity, one when the influenza epidemic was not so severe.


    By 1919, the influenza outbreak had indeed eased. Although it cannot be said that the second wave of influenza is entirely over, the number of infections in Europe has dropped to less than 1 million, and the number of infections in Russia has not added up to more than 500,000.


    Moreover, the majority of the infections at this time were mild symptoms, indicating that the influenza now was not as deadly.


    After careful consideration, Nichs II decided to take action first and regain power from the capitalist government before annihting the Workers¡¯ Alliance in the Moscow region and rebuilding Russia into the great Tsarist Russia.


    Before the action, Nichs II contacted several generals loyal to royalty and controlled hundreds of thousands of Russian troops through these generals.


    These forces would be the guarantee for Nichs II to regain power, and after regaining power, he nned to rely on the weapons and equipment from Austrsia to quickly expand his army to over 1 million and maintain an absolute suppression of the capitalist government and the Workers¡¯ Alliance.


    Nichs II¡¯s fantasy was attractive since the capitalist government was no longer popr among the people. He believed that with a wave of his arm, he could win the loyalty of many Russian people.


    With hundreds of thousands of Russian troops and arge number of weapons and equipment, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to seize power from the capitalist government and sessfully eliminate the Workers¡¯ Alliance.


    On February 15, 1919, a Russian army made a surprise attack on Saint Petersburg and quickly took control of the government headquarters and the Winter Pce.


    The people of Saint Petersburg, seeing a repeat of the same events from two years ago, panicked and returned to their homes, locking their doors and windows in silence.


    The Russian capitalist government naturally kept this method of seizing power in mind, always guarding against simr attempts to take their power.


    However, the problem was that the government¡¯s attitude towards pensions cooled the soldiers¡¯ morale, and the inevitable impact of the influenza epidemic on some soldiers¡¯ families led to a significant decrease in the loyalty of the army stationed outside Saint Petersburg to the capitalist government.


    Additionally, this attacking army caught the capitalist government off guard, and they quickly took control of the government and the Winter Pce. Nichs II regained power.


    The news of Nichs II¡¯s actions soon reached Moscow. The Workers¡¯ Alliance quickly made a decision to expand its territory to Ukraine and the Caucasus, creating a situation of northern and southern divisions with Saint Petersburg.


    This was also an inevitable choice, as Saint Petersburg, the political center of Russia, was now under the control of Nichs II. The difficulty of the Workers¡¯ Alliance seizing Saint Petersburg was no less than upying the whole of Russia at this moment.


    Compared to the heavily guarded Pnd and Saint Petersburg in the north, the southern regions of Ukraine and the Caucasus were more suitable for the Workers¡¯ Alliance to grasp.


    On February 17th, the Workers¡¯ Allianceunched its action. The Bolshevik Party publicly criticized the government for withholding soldiers¡¯ sries and pensions and used the government of inaction during the influenza outbreak.


    To avoid seeming rebellious, the Workers¡¯ Alliance officially dered that it would break away from the rule of the Russian Provisional Government, establish Soviet Russia, and set Moscow as its capital.


    The Workers¡¯ Alliance announced to all of Russia that it would establish a genuinely fair and just country, bring democratic thoughts to all Russian people, and protect Russians from oppression by all sses.


    In addition to its propaganda, the new Soviet state touted the actions of the Workers¡¯ Alliance during the flu outbreak.


    It must be praised that the Workers¡¯ Alliance¡¯s control over the Moscow region was quite good.


    This led to the establishment of a reasonably efficient supply distribution system shortly after the outbreak of influenza.


    Although it couldn¡¯t prevent a significant number of Moscow residents from being infected with the flu, the centralized distribution system ensured that almost all residents in the Moscow region had enough food, avoiding a severe famine in the area.


    Although this couldn¡¯tpare to the fully adequate and free food supply in Austrsia, it was still quite excellentpared to the chaos of the Russian government¡¯s management during the flu outbreak.


    The achievements of the Workers¡¯ Alliance externally were also widely publicized, bing a benchmark for the absolute fairness and justice of the new Soviet Russia.


    After all, during the flu outbreak, the distribution of supplies among all factions and higher-ups in the Workers¡¯ Alliance was the same, with no distinction between government higher-ups and the ordinary people.


    Compared to the luxurious banquets of the Russian government¡¯s higher-ups during the flu outbreak, the Workers¡¯ Alliance had indeed achieved fairness and justice.


    Although there were still cases of favoritism and exceptions, it generally provided enough food for the people.


    Thanks to these rtive achievements, the Workers¡¯ Alliance was quite popr in the Moscow area.


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    Although the Ukrainian region was not so weing to the Workers¡¯ Alliance,pared to therger army of the Workers¡¯ Alliance, the strength of Ukraine didn¡¯t allow them to resist for too long.


    By the time European nations and Arthur received the news, the Workers¡¯ Alliance and Nichs II had sessfullypleted the north-south divide, and Russia had changed from a tripartite bnce of power to a bipr confrontation.


    As for the Tsarist Russia¡¯s sphere of control, it included the entire Polish region and the Baltic coast, as well as the areas of Eastern Europe north of the Volga River.


    The Soviet Russia controlled by the Workers¡¯ Alliance epassed the southern part of Eastern Europe, including most of Ukraine, south of the Volga River.


    Although the Workers¡¯ Alliance¡¯s influence hadn¡¯t reached the west bank of the Dniester River, it was an inevitable development.


    The Siberian territories outside Eastern Europe were temporarily unaffected by the impact of the bipr division.


    After all, the Russian regions outside Eastern Europe were too deste to have a decisive effect on the Russian civil war.


    Nichs II and the Workers¡¯ Alliance were both keen topete against each other. Whoever could control the whole of Eastern Europe would also represent the initiative to rule all of Russia.


    Nichs II, who had experienced a significant setback, also realized the importance of winning the hearts of the people.


    As the Workers¡¯ Alliance extensively wooed the civilian ss, Nichs II announced that he would paypensation to all soldiers who had contributed to World War I. This move immediately won the favor of many soldiers, who openly hailed "Long live Nichs II!" in the army.

 Chapter 632 - 482: Railway Tender and University Expansion

    The news of the Russian civil war immediately made headlines in European and American nations. A war is always big news at any time, especially a civil war in a powerful nation, which not only attracts media coverage from all over, but also draws attention from major countries.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that Russia¡¯s civil war is closely rted to the interests of many countries. Firstly, Russia and Austrsia have very close connections; the millions of immigrants that Russia sends to Austrsia each year ensure that Arthur cannot sit idly by and ignore the civil war in Russia.


    If the Workers¡¯ Alliance wins the civil war, even if they wish to continue the immigration treaty, Arthur would definitely not dare to ept it.


    Joking aside, the brainwashed Russian popce would absolutely spread the revolution in Austrsia, which is something they definitely do not want to see, and something that Arthur must prevent and safeguard against.


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    Secondly, a Republican Russia does not align with Austrsia¡¯s interests. During the reign of Nichs II, it could be guaranteed that Russia was a close ally of Austrsia.


    But if Russia¡¯s power is held by the Workers¡¯ Alliance, the new Russia would only be an adversary of Austrsia.


    In addition, Britain, which has disputes with Russia in certain regions, is closely watching Russia¡¯s developments.


    France, which has an alliance with Russia, also values the Russian civil war, as do Russia¡¯s two allies, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So, the number of powerful nations closely watching Russia¡¯s situation is as high as five.


    Theoretically speaking, the majority of nations, including Britain and Austrsia, still support Tsarist Russia under the rule of Nichs II.


    Unlike the previous Capitalist Government, Soviet Russia established by the Workers¡¯ Alliance is apletely new political entity, which would cause huge shocks to traditional countries.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In history, after the establishment of Soviet Russia, European countries formed an allied army intending to eliminate this newborn country.


    But now the situation has changed, although the British Empire seriously contemtes tackling this regime decisively.


    Not long after the outbreak of the Russian civil war, the British representative emphasized in a World Alliance weekly meeting that the World Alliance should uphold the responsibility of protecting world status and peace, which implicitly means they hope the World Alliance would form an allied army and jointly send troops to Russia.


    However,pared to history, the situation is now much better. The strength of the Workers¡¯ Alliance is evidently weaker than Tsarist Russia under Nichs II¡¯s control, instead of, like in history, the Capitalist Government and Nichs II being utterlycking in resistance.


    Though each country is deeply concerned about the Russian civil war, the world stricken by influenza is hard-pressed to gather millions of troops to attack newly formed Soviet Russia.


    The major representatives must consider their own national interests, so they wouldn¡¯t agree to send troops based merely on the British representative¡¯s word.


    The British representative is helpless because it is impossible to send troops to Russia relying solely on Britain¡¯s strength.


    The British representative can only change the request for troops to a request for aid, to assist Tsarist Russia under the rule of Nichs II, to free the Russian people from the mire of the civil war.


    Tsarist Russia under Nichs II¡¯s control is referred to by the British representative as Russia¡¯s true government, while the newly established Soviet Russia in Moscow is referred to by the British representative as the wicked rebel regime.


    Although all countries are reluctant to send troops to Russia, providing some aid to Russia is not a problem.


    Especially countries like Romania and Serbia, which are close to Russia and always clung to Russia¡¯s legs, have sessively agreed to provide aid to Tsarist Russia to help them confront the evil Soviet Russia regime.


    These countries have good reasons to feel panicked. If Nichs II loses in the Russian civil war, those facing the trouble of the Russian revolution could be Russia¡¯s neighboring countries.


    Even defeated nations like Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire cannot escape, especially the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The contradictions between the Imperial Government and the Hungarian Kingdom Government have be very apparent, and any idents could lead to the copse of this ancient empire.


    The good news is that there is currently still a significant power disparity in the Russian civil war. Although arge area in the southeast has been upied by the Workers¡¯ Alliance, the armed strength of the Workers¡¯ Alliance has not surpassed 500,000 to date.


    In contrast, on the Tsarist Russia side in the north, they have sessfully received the previous Russian army, plus the weapons and equipment prepared by Nichs II, causing the number of troops to quickly exceed 500,000, even moving towards one million.


    Even without the help of other countries, Tsarist Russia could still fight against Soviet Russia for a period of time.


    After all, Britain¡¯s attitude is clearly in support of Tsarist Russia, which also means that thepensation paid by Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Russia would essentially go to Tsarist Russia.


    The stark imbnce in the financial ratios between the newborn Soviet Russia regime and the Tsarist regime controlled by Nichs II is the biggest factor restricting the power of the Workers¡¯ Alliance.


    In any era, purchasing supplies and enhancing strength requires massive funds. The newly established Soviet Russia is impoverished andcks resources, coupled with most countries not having favorable impressions of this new regime. Under Britain¡¯s lead, they directly refuse to trade with Soviet Russia.


    In fact, Nichs II¡¯s SOS was soon delivered to the World Alliance and various European countries, and naturally, Austrsia would not be an exception.


    To win this civil war and bring the rule of the Romanov family back to all Russian territories, Nichs II ced down a hefty order to Austrsia for over 1.5 million rifles, 500 million bullets, 2000 machine guns and 1500 artillery pieces.

 Chapter 633 - 482: Railway Tender and University Expansion_2

    Meanwhile, Nichs II was also very interested in the tanks and aircraft from Austrsia and included them in his military orders.


    In order to distribute supplies to the domestic poption, Nichs II has already spent a considerable portion of Germany¡¯spensation, and the Russian government¡¯s financial situation is not very good.


    For this reason, Nichs II directly took out the gold that had been stored in the Tsar¡¯s family for a long time, using genuine gold to trade with Austrsia.


    In addition to weapons and equipment, Nichs II also ordered arge amount of grain and medical supplies from European countries for distribution to the domestic poption.


    After previous setbacks, Nichs II hade to understand the importance of winning people¡¯s hearts.


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    Although he did notpletely change, he still knew that gaining the support of the people on the surface was important.


    Even if it means distributing some supplies to the people for free, the cost won¡¯t be too much. But such actions can greatly win the goodwill of the people, which is very important for stabilizing his rule.


    In the face of such a powerful enemy as Soviet Russia, Nichs II could be said to be doing everything possible.


    Arthur firmly agreed to Nichs II¡¯s request to purchase weapons and equipment, after all, a Russia ruled by Tsar would also be in line with Austrsia¡¯s interests.


    However, Arthur¡¯s attention is not entirely focused on Russia. After all, the development of Austrsia in the new year is also important.


    The first thing to be done is the construction of railways in the Persian Gulf Territories.


    Austrsian constructionpanies are clearly unable to meet the domestic construction needs, so foreign constructionpanies need to be tendered in order to sessfullymence the construction of railways in the Persian Gulf Territories.


    From the map, it can be seen that Austrsia¡¯s Persian Gulf Territory is a long strip along the coast of the Persian Gulf.


    Although only a north-to-south coastal railway is required, the distance of this railway is not short, and it has even exceeded 1,000 kilometers ording to the transportation department¡¯s estimates.


    The need for this railway construction, in addition to satisfying the transportation requirements of the Persian Gulf Territory from south to north, is also to mobilize the military in the Persian Gulf Territory more quickly.


    After all, this is a piece ofnd far from Austrsia¡¯s nativend, and it is hard to guarantee that it will remain peaceful. The guarantee of transportation capacity is very important.


    The construction of this thousand-kilometer railway is estimated to cost 25 million Australian dors, with a construction period of about 3 to 5 years.


    The main reason for this is the extensive deserts and heat in the region; otherwise, the investment cost and duration could be reduced.


    Finally, the British railwaypany secured this section of the railway. After all, besides Germany, Arthur trusts Britain the most in terms of industrial capabilities.


    Moreover, Britain is currently Austrsia¡¯s most important ally, so there is nothing wrong with giving the British a chance.


    It is believed that there will be no problem with the quality of the British work, as project quality is clearly written in the contract, and the British Government will not sit idly by and watch their credit copse.


    The second externallymissioned railway is the New Guinea Ind¡¯s circr railway. In fact, nearly half of the New Guinea Ind¡¯s circr railway has already beenpleted, that is, in the area previously controlled by Austrsia. Enjoy more content from empire


    The areas controlled by Germany and the Nethends are the ones to be built this time, a super-long railway with a total length of nearly 4,000 kilometers.


    Yes, just the circr railway of New Guinea Ind is nearly 4,000 kilometers long.


    Although this may seem incredible, if one considers that New Guinea Ind is the world¡¯s secondrgest ind, it seems somewhat inevitable.


    This ind has a wealth of water resources and mineral supplies, making it the most important area in Arthur¡¯s n, besides the Australian and New Zend regions.


    This ind is an important source of water for Austrsia and is the core area of Arthur¡¯s n for the North Water South Transfer.


    It is no exaggeration to say that this ind can bring new hope to the Australian region and is even more important than New Zend in terms of importance.


    This ind will also be the first to be directly controlled among Austrsia¡¯s colonies and territories. Once it has enough immigration and scale, it will be a new directly controlled state of Austrsia.


    Of course, if it is a single state, the area would be toorge. The best oue is to divide it into 2 to 3 states, joining Austrsia¡¯s ruling map.


    Speaking of which, I can¡¯t help but mention the huge administrative division of the Australian region.


    It is no exaggeration to say that thend area of Australia alone exceeds that of most countries in the world.


    However, the whole of Australia was only divided into West Australia, South Australia, Queennd, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Capital Territory - seven administrative areas.


    This kind of administrative division is somewhat unreasonable, with thergest West Australia even upying more than one-third of the Australian region, and the smaller Capital Territory and Tasmania only a small fraction of West Australia.


    For such a vastnd, Arthur¡¯s ideal administrative division is to divide it into at least ten administrative areas.


    Among them, the southeastern areas of New South Wales, Victoria, and the Capital Territory must be divided into at least five administrative areas, as this is where the majority of Australia¡¯s poption lives, even amodating more than half of the poption of Austrsia.

 Chapter 634 - 482: Railway Tender and University Expansion_3

    The New Guinea Circum-Ind railway, a railway line of over 4000 kilometers, excluding the part that had been constructed in Australian and German New Guinea, needs to have at least another 2000 kilometers built.


    For the construction of this segment, Arthur¡¯s preference was that it be undertaken by domestic private railwaypanies in Austrsia.


    Even when Australia was still a colony, there were quite a few private railwaypanies in Australia, albeit on a rtively smaller scale.


    After more than a decade of development, a number of medium-sized railwaypanies have emerged, but none are capable of taking on this railway project alone.


    Ultimately, the 2000-kilometer railway was divided amongst over ten railwaypanies, with eachpany constructing no more than 200 kilometers of railway tracks.


    Although there are manypanies involved in the construction, Austrsia¡¯s Transportation Department has clear specifications for New Guinea¡¯s Circum-Ind railway, so there¡¯s no need to worry about inconsistencies in the standards used by the different railwaypanies.


    This support for domestic private railwaypanies helps these small-scale private enterprises grow, given that the railway they buildplies with the specifications and quality requirements.


    Compared to other foreign countries, the prospects for the development of private enterprises in Austrsia are generally better.


    Due to various reasons, Austrsia was neither affected by World War I nor the influenza outbreak, making its economic development rtively stable.


    During the influenza outbreak, at least tens of thousands of small- and medium-sized enterprises went bankrupt in the United States, a shocking figure.


    Although many small and medium-sized enterprises in Austrsia also went bankrupt, the government quickly took measures to ensure that the number of bankruptpanies remained in the triple digits.


    In the end, it was thanks to Arthur¡¯s prior precautions that the epidemic did not affect the major cities in Austrsia, as it was mostly contained at the ports.


    Even inrge cities like Sydney and Melbourne, despite more than half a year having passed since the discovery of the flu, the total number of people infected did not exceed 1000.


    Apart from these two regions where new railways need to be built, other regions do not requirerge-scale railway construction, and it can be handled by a railwaypany under the royal financial group.


    The royal financial group has grown into a tremendous entity, and saying that it is rich enough to rival the wealth of a nation is by no means an exaggeration.


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    However, there is one positive aspect: the revenue the royal financial group contributes to the government each year even surpasses that of populous states like Victoria State and New South Wales State.


    The royal financial group is very strict about tax payments, and even some taxes that could be avoided are fully paid under Arthur¡¯s orders.


    In fact, this is equivalent to robbing Peter to pay Paul. Therge amount of tax the royal financial group pays to the government is basically used for the country¡¯s development.


    The strength of the royal financial group is a good thing for Arthur just as a strong Austrsia is an even better thing for him.


    Furthermore, a considerable part of the royal financial group¡¯s businesses are co-run with the government, including newly establishedpanies like the Royal Oil Company, which is the result of joint funding by the royal financial group and the government.


    This arrangement provides the government with increased tax revenue and ie, so government officials have noints about the massive royal financial group.


    Public sentiment towards the royal financial group is primarily supportive. After all, the employee benefits and welfare of all thepanies under the royal financial group are the best in Australia. Not only do they strictly adhere to the eight-hour work system and pay double wages on holidays, they also distribute gifts and supplies for free during festivities.


    In addition, each year, Arthur channels a substantial portion of the royal financial group¡¯s ie to the Royal Relief Committee to provide for all low-ie individuals, orphans, and the elderly in Austrsia.


    Most of the nursing homes and orphanages in Austrsia were established and funded by the Royal Relief Committee, and they take in orphans and elderly residents free of charge.


    Although life in these orphanages and nursing homes may not be luxurious, they provide enough to ensure individuals are well-fed and clothed.


    As a result of therge sums of money that Arthur spends on the public every year, the people have noints about the royal financial group, which is making a fortune every day.


    After all, a significant portion of the ie from the royal financial group is directly returned to the people, which is considerably better than the greed of capitalists.


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    In fact, it makes sense. Austrsia¡¯s pension, free supply distribution, orphanages, nursing homes, education subsidies and schrships, medical subsidies and reductions, and policies supporting low-ie individuals are all made possible due to the contributions from the royal financial group.


    By virtue of the enormous funds that the royal financial group gives back to the public each year, amounting to tens of millions of Australian dors, the public¡¯s opinion of the financial group is invariably high.


    Besides domesticrge-scale construction, Arthur also ns to further upgrade domestic education and healthcare.


    Firstly, Austrsia¡¯s education system. After more than a decade of development, education in Austrsia has been rtively sessful.


    The average educational level has been raised to junior high school and above, and the number of university students is no longer as pitiful as it was at the founding of the nation.


    The aspects of education that need further strengthening are the number of universities and technical schools in Austrsia.


    As the poption grows, it is necessary to increase the number of universities. Especially since Austrsia¡¯s administrative regions were redefined, each new administrative region must have a university, as a basic guarantee.


    Aside from increasing the number of universities, raising their international standing is also necessary.


    The best current solution is to increase resources for universities, hire more professors and experts from Europe, and construct more advancedboratories.


    Major investments in education cannot be avoided, as after all, education is the foundation of a strong country.

 Chapter 635 - 483: Revising Labor Law

    The railway bidding went very smoothly, and with the fourth phase of the Leonora Industrial Base about to start, Austrsia is about to wee hundreds of thousands of new jobs.


    Fortunately, there is no shortage of candidates for these new jobs. The absence of another outbreak of the flu so far has allowed the world economy, which has been dormant for more than half a year, to finally recover.


    Firstly, there are immigrants from all over the world. After the reputation of the United States in Europe has beenpletely smeared, Austrsia has be the first choice for European immigrants.


    If the most popr areas for immigration before the flu were America, Austrsia, Canada, and other areas, now they are Austrsia, Canada, South Africa, South America, etc.


    As a direct beneficiary, the number of immigrants in Austrsia has visibly increased a lot.


    Although the flu is still an issue, more than 300,000 immigrants have arrived in Austrsia in the two months since the beginning of the year. The growth in immigration is quite dramatic.


    But that¡¯s not the end. The government estimates that the number of immigrants this year will be more than 2 million, and how to deal with such arge number of immigrants is a problem.


    The 2 million immigrants are by no means a small number and equal to one-tenth of the current total poption of Austrsia. It is also approaching the poption of Capital Sydney and the secondrgest Urban City, Melbourne.


    On one hand, creating more jobs is beneficial for immigrants to adapt to life in Austrsia more quickly after they arrive and not worry about the troubles of their lives.


    On the other hand, it is to improve the treatment of immigrants as much as possible, so that they feel more attached to Austrsia and even actively support the country.


    In Austrsia, the way to solve problems is simple. Even just Arthur¡¯s idea has arge number of people working to implement it.


    Starting in March, members of the House of Representatives proposed a bill to revise the Labor Law to protect the rights of Austrsian citizens and immigrants.


    ording to the existingborws in Austrsia, the interests of the people of Austrsia are quite well protected.


    Regarding the work system, Austrsia generally adopts an eight-hour work system. The maximum daily working hours are no more than 11 hours, and the maximum weekly working hours are no more than 60. There must be one day off per week.


    In addition, all overtime work for more than eight hours and all holidays are paid at double the normal wage. It can¡¯t be deducted and must be delivered in full.


    These systems seem excellent, but the word "immigrant" is not mentioned.


    As an immigrant country, Austrsia still needs to incorporate these numerous immigrants.


    Of course, the immigrants here refer to those who decide to settle in Austrsia but have not yet obtained citizenship during the nationality examination period.


    Although Austrsiacks poption, not just anyone is wanted. For all immigrants each year, they must first undergo a background check to ensure that there are no revolutionary insurgents or threats to Austrsia¡¯s national security.


    In addition, there is an assessment period of at least six months, during which no illegal activities are allowed. Otherwise, the qualifications for obtaining Austrsian nationality will be lost.


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    This nationality examination system has prevented at least tens of thousands of unqualified immigrants from entering Austrsia, effectively reducing crime rates and social harm.


    After all, Austrsian citizens can enjoy various welfare policies issued by the state and the royal family. These people are far less likely to engage in criminal activities than immigrants.


    Regarding the proposal for a newborw, these new immigrants must be added, and the existingborw must be amended ordingly.


    First of all, it is about specifying the minimum wage. Previously, when Australia formtedborws, there was no specific minimum wage regtion because the ie gap between emerging industries and farmers and herdsmen was toorge.


    But now, as Austrsia¡¯s development gradually gets on the right track, it is necessary to have a clear minimum wage regtion.


    The per capita annual ie in Austrsia averages over 50 Australian dors, while the minimum wage line is set at around 40 Australian dors.


    This means that all jobs in Austrsia have a minimum annual wage of no less than 40 Australian dors, and the minimum monthly sry must not be lower than 3.3 AUD.


    Although the minimum wage is lower than the per capita ie level in Austrsia, there is no other option.


    After all, not all working people are the same. For some workers with disabilities or other problems, we can¡¯t ask employers to pay them the same wages as normal people.


    The minimum wage guarantees ie for these people, ensuring that their ie won¡¯t fall too far below the national average, allowing them to have enough capital to live in this country.


    ording to Austrsia¡¯s per capita ie, 40 Australian dors are a threshold for Austrsians¡¯ ie.


    Changes to the Austrsianborw also include changes to subsidies for low-ie people.


    Only families with a per capita ie of less than 40 Australian dors receive material assistance from the Royal Relief Committee.


    And for ies below 40 Australian dors, there is a threshold for every 5 Australian dor reduction in per capita ie, where the proportion and amount of subsidies received will be higher.


    The lowest threshold is for families with a per capita ie of less than 20 Australian dors, which are defined as extremely poor families, enjoying all tax exemptions and high subsidies and support policies.


    By ranking low-ie individuals, more materials can be allocated to poorer individuals instead of splitting the same resources evenly among people with different ies.


    After all, life in Austrsia has improved so much since over a decade ago, and families with a per capita ie above 40 Australian dors are already considered well-off.


    Converted into other countries¡¯ currencies, it is clear that a per capita annual ie of 40 Australian dors is equivalent to 20 pounds, 100 dors, 400 marks, 180 rubles, 200 yen, and 140 taels of silver. In Austrsia, with its rtively low cost of living, it is not an issue for a family to afford food, clothing, and even have some surplus.


    In addition to determining the minimum wage, the Labor Law also clearly stiptes the disputes between thebor force and assets.


    Capital is prohibited from arbitrarily withholding wages from thebor force for any reason, and will face severe sanctions from the Labor Law if they do.


    If it is confirmed that they have maliciously withheld or deducted wages, the capital side faces a penalty of at least 500 Australian dors and at most confiscation of all property.


    Such severe penalties effectively reduce the behavior of capitalists intentionally withholding wages.


    With the development of Austrsia, private capital has grown significantly.


    This regtion is aimed at curbing these capitalists, as they are unlikely to behave like Arthur, obediently paying taxes to the government and providing workers with full or even more generous wages and rewards.


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    Of course, to prevent some workers from causing trouble maliciously, the Labor Law also limits the workers¡¯ side.


    If it is confirmed that a worker has maliciously caused trouble, they also face a fine of at least 20 Australian dors and up to 500 Australian dors, and potential imprisonment depending on the severity of the case.


    Focusing on the people but not indulging them is also the main theme of the revised Labor Law.


    Although ordinary people are a disadvantaged group, it is also important to prevent those without character from exploiting their status for improper gains.


    Of course, although the term "probationary immigrants" is included in the Labor Law, there are still significant differences in the treatment of immigrants and citizens.


    Firstly, all Austrsianpanies must not arbitrarilyy off employees. If apany needs to reduce its staff, it must give more than one month¡¯s notice and provide at least an extra month¡¯s sry after theyoff to ensure that thoseid off have enough time to find work and have a certain ie to support themselves during unemployment.


    This policy can only be enjoyed by Austrsian people, and immigrants do not have ess to it before they officially acquire Austrsian citizenship.


    Meanwhile, in order to encourage all immigrants to proficiently master the officialnguage of Austrsia, English, the Labor Law stiptes that immigrants who can speak English can obtain the same minimum wage guarantee as those who can¡¯t, but those who cannot can only get 70% of the minimum wage set out in the Labor Law.


    Simply put, for immigrants who speak English, their minimum wage when joining work is also 40 Australian dors.


    But if they do not speak English, their minimum wage will drop to 28 Australian dors, which is a significant decrease.


    As long as this provision is officially implemented, immigrants will actively learn English, even if they do not wish to, in order to increase their ie.


    Moreover, it is easy for European immigrants to learn English. The more proficient they are in thenguage, the higher their status in Austrsia.


    One loophole in the Labor Law is that foreign immigrants who do not speak English are likely to take jobs away from domestic residents.


    After all, immigrants who do not speak English only need to provide 70% of the minimum wage, whereas citizens and English-speaking immigrants need to provide the full minimum wage, a difference of 12 Australian dors per person every year.


    If arge number of non-English speaking immigrants are employed, this equates to a cost-saving of 1,200 Australian dors per year for every 100 people, which is substantial for small and medium-sized enterprises.


    To prevent this loophole from emerging and protect the rights of domestic citizens and English-speaking immigrants, the Labor Law has imposed new restrictions.


    Austrsianpanies are not allowed to employ more than one-third of their staff as foreign immigrants.


    Austrsian citizens must make up the majority of allpany employees; this also prevents some capitalists and business owners from exploiting the loopholes in the Labor Law by employingrge numbers of non-English speaking foreign immigrants.


    Foreign immigrants who wish to obtain higher ies must join the Austrsian citizenship and receive all the rights and protections provided by the Labor Law for citizens.

 Chapter 636 - 484: Movie Premiere

    "Henry! Could you hurry up? The movie¡¯s about to start, and at this pace, will we even manage to get seats?" In a suburban house in Sydney, a young boy anxiously yelled towards the room.


    "I got it, Keely!" A response came from inside, and not long after, another youth rushed out.


    "Gogogo!"


    The two exchanged nces without any hesitation and hurried towards the ce with the most taxis nearby.


    As the capital of Austrsia, Sydney¡¯s taxi industry had developed rapidly.


    Among the more than 2 million people in Sydney, there were at least a thousand taxis and more than 5,000 private vehicles.


    The boys were lucky; it didn¡¯t take long for an empty taxi to arrive. They quickly waved it down and hopped in.


    "Is it the Royal Square you¡¯re headed to?" Before the boys could even speak, the taxi driver asked with a face that seemed to have anticipated it.


    "Yes, please hurry, sir. We¡¯d like to grab a good seat." Henry nodded and requested.


    "Don¡¯t worry, my driving skills are well-known among all Sydney taxis. I guarantee you¡¯ll get a great seat." The taxi driver didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately drove towards the Royal Square.


    The distance to the Royal Square is about 20 kilometers, and would typically take an hour to reach.


    However, today was somewhat strange. More than half an hour had psed, yet they had covered less than half of the journey. The driver, who had confidently boasted earlier, was slightly embarrassed.


    Fortunately, there was no rating system for taxis at the time. Otherwise, the two impatient boys might have given the taxi driver a bad review.


    After spending an hour and a half, the taxi finally stopped near the Royal Square. The two boys paid the fare and rushed to the movie screening inside the square.


    No wonder they were so anxious. The Royal Square was filled with young people like them, hurriedly heading to the movie, hoping to secure their preferred seats.


    Today was March 17, 1919, which theoretically, shouldn¡¯t have been a special day.


    But for Austrsia as a whole, it was somewhat special.


    As early as the beginning of the year, the three major film studios jointly announced that the film "Heroes" produced by them would be yed for free at all major movie screenings across the country.


    From March 17 onwards, the two-month-long event would have at least two screenings every week.


    Today was the premiere of the film. Not only were the young people looking forward to it, but the Austrsian media was also eagerly awaiting the news.


    As it turns out, Austrsia¡¯s cultural promotion was highly praised.


    Arthur valued the movie industry greatly as it was not only a field that could earn considerable revenue, but also allowed for cultural exports through movies and their rted products.


    Setting aside the exporting aspect for a moment, these movies served as political propaganda, subtly instilling loyalty and patriotism in the viewers.


    In this era with underdeveloped entertainment facilities, movies were a novelty that could capture the attention of both the elderly and children.


    Movies promoting loyalty and patriotism were screened for free, which was one of Arthur¡¯s propaganda strategies.


    Imagine a young boy growing up with these movies that promoted loyalty to the country and the royal family; his loyalty would far exceed that of ordinary people.


    While written words can have limited influence on a person, movies with their visual impact can be far more powerful.


    The young boys influenced by these movies could influence their families, expanding the reach of cultural propaganda.


    After some preparations, the movie "Heroes" officially began.


    From its title, it was clear that this was a story glorifying heroes who made sacrifices for their country.


    The movie opened with the Austrsian ennoblement ceremony, a scene that was responsible for creating nearly 200 sirs and more than a dozen barons from the nobility ss.


    The movie was quite long,sting over two hours but with each of the three stories taking up less than forty minutes.


    Each story focused on soldiers, researchers, and ordinary people, recounting how they contributed to their country on the battlefield, in theboratory, and in everyday life.


    The stories were passionate, made possible only after extensive efforts from Austrsian literary experts, professors, and some fiction writers ¨C all inspired by real-life events.


    At the end of each story, the real-life protagonist would appear to recount the course of the events, promoting authenticity and instilling hope in the viewers that they too could make valuable contributions to their country, earn noble titles, and be admired by the public.


    Without a doubt, the three types of people in the story are all national heroes, characters worthy of being on the National Heroes Monument.


    The brave and passionate battlefields are the scenes that young people look forward to, and the results of earning military merits and receiving numerous rewards are the future that these young people dream of.


    It can be seen from the faces of the moviegoers that the strategy of subtly influencing the public through movies is very sessful.


    Many media had conducted interviews with Austrsian students and young people before, asking them who they wanted to be and the industries they wanted to work in in the future.


    Most of the results showed that they wanted to be soldiers or scientific researchers, with only a small number of people wanting to be big bosses or engaged in other work.


    Such results were definitely more satisfactory to Arthur. Soldiers maintain the stability of the country and ensure national independence and sovereignty.


    Scientific researchers are an important guarantee for the development of various aspects of a country and y a role in ensuring national strength.


    Having students wanting to be soldiers or scientists is much better than having them be useless actors.


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    Arthur¡¯s support for scientists is not just on the surface.


    ording to a survey by the Victoria Newspaper, in 1918, the average ie of scientific researchers in Austrsia was four times the per capita annual ie, and the average ie of famous scientists was more than 15 times the per capita annual ie.


    Such a situation is healthy for a country. Only when scientific researchers have a sufficient ie to support themselves and their living can they devote enough energy to their research work.


    It¡¯s not just the scientific research industry, but all walks of life in Austrsia are like this.


    Arthur has repeatedly stressed at Cab Meetings that deeds are more important than empty talk, and only deeds can make the country strong.


    Even if he has a lot of money, Arthur¡¯s thoughts are always about subsidizing agriculture, subsidizing scientific research, and other practical industries, ensuring their ie and living standards.


    Worth mentioning is that, under Arthur¡¯smand, there were strict limits on housing prices in major cities in Austrsia.


    Thergest real estatepany in Austrsia is the Royal Financial Group, so it is quite simple for Arthur to control housing prices across Austrsia.


    Take the Sydney area as an example, the cost of building a residential building in the suburbs of Sydney is about 8,000 to 12,000 Australian dors, and the cost per room averages 200 to 300 Australian dors.


    The public sale price of a house is about 220 to 330 Australian dors, and domestic residents can also enjoy certain discounts.


    There are two ways for people to choose a house: one is full payment, and the minimum is 210 Australian dors for the ownership of a house.


    The other is to choose a loan from the Royal Bank. As long as you have a job in Austrsia, you can qualify for a loan, and the interest is very low.


    A 210 Australian-dor house, if choosing to pay by loan, can be paid in fifteen or twenty years, with house prices of 220 and 225 Australian dors respectively.


    As you can see, housing loans in Austrsia are low, as the government has to ensure that people have adequate housing.


    In addition to buying houses, Austrsian citizens and immigrants have another option, which is to rent cheap apartment housing.


    Generally, in suburban areas or near factories, there will be cheap apartment housing constructed by the government-led constructionpanies avable for rent to citizens or immigrants.


    Such apartment housing will not cost more than 120 Australian dors, and the cost of renting per year will not exceed 10 Australian dors, emphasizing affordability.


    Of course,pared to ordinary residential buildings, such houses have more drawbacks.


    Aside from being cost-effective, these houses have almost all drawbacks. Firstly, the size is rtively smaller, such low-cost rental housing is basically two-room or one-room, and the number of people who can live there is naturally much less.


    Secondly, the sound instion and thermal instion of the house are not very good, it can be barely called habitable, but it is not a ce for long-term living.


    However, there is another advantage to low-rent housing: some factories and enterprises provide it for free as rewards to their outstanding employees.


    After all, the cost of renting such low-rent housing is at most around 10 Australian dors a year. Giving them to outstanding employees as rewards not only costs little but also gains the goodwill of the employees.


    Some enterprises under the Royal Financial Group, including the Royal Machinery Factory, allocate a batch of low-rent housing every year to reward outstanding employees, allowing them to live there free of charge for a year.


    Whether it is low-rent housing or residential buildings, both are supplied with water and electricity. This is the biggest change in Austrsia¡¯s development over the past ten years or so, with electricity basically avable throughout the urban area.


    Of course, the term "urban area" refers to the urban districts, and some suburban low-rent buildings stillck electricity or do not have a stable supply of power.


    Nevertheless, being able to provide electricity to the entire important urban area is undoubtedly an important achievement for the Austrsian government during this era.

 Chapter 637 - 485: Food Safety Act

    Before World War I, virtually every industry in Austrsia was in a state of unchecked growth.


    As the country was indeedgging behind in various aspects of its development, the government did not impose too many restrictions, but only safeguarded the basic rights of workers.


    However, the downside of unchecked growth is significant, as illustrated by the food industry, where food safety is a perennial issue in any era. If food safety is not properly regted and controlled, hidden dangers are always a ticking time bomb.


    Of course, this does not mean that other countries are free from food safety issues. Even the well-established powers such as Britain and France and the emerging superpower United States, all have various food problems.


    Any industry that involves capitalists is bound to be corrupted. Capitalists are profit-driven, their main focus is to generate profits, and other impacts are often overlooked.


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    Do not underestimate the food problems at present, which are much more severe than those ofter generations. Due to ineffective supervision, no one knows what has been added to their food and what the consequences and impacts are.


    Particrly for some small-scale food workshops, neither the raw materials nor the hygiene can be guaranteed, and there is no standard for even the simplest shelf life.


    When arge amount of Austrsian food was previously exported to Europe, most of the poor-quality and defective products ended up there.


    However, now that the war has ceased, and Europe¡¯s demand for supplies has significantly decreased, these inferior products have gradually found their way back onto the market and onto people¡¯s dining tables.


    During the severe influenza outbreakst year, a high-profile food safety incident urred in Austrsia.


    In a batch of canned rabbit meat purchased by the government, something resembling rat heads was found, and it was not an isted case.


    As reported by major newspapers, excessive mercury, additives and other substances were detected in canned goods, causing the canned food market to plummet by more than half.


    Fortunately, the canned products in question did note from the Royal Canned Food Production Factory but were from a small-scale civil workshop.


    After the incident rmed Arthur, the Public Security Department immediately dispatched the police to seal the workshop. It was discovered that the working conditions of the workshop were extremely rudimentary, with rats crawling all over the ce near the raw materials. It was only natural for rat heads to appear in the cans.


    What infuriated Arthur was that, at the outset of the food safety scandal, the small workshop had publicly exined that it was not a rat in the can, but a piece of rabbit meat that resembled a rat head.


    However, from the scene of the sealed workshop, rat heads were a minor issuepared to therge amount of substandard additives found in the workshop. Although these could make the canned products taste delicious, they could also inflict immense physical harm on consumers.


    Because of the influenza outbreak at the time, the case was briefly put on hold, and only recently was the workshop owner fined 100,000 Australian dors and sentenced to life imprisonment.


    Considering the owner¡¯s assets, he definitely could not afford to pay the 100,000 Australian dors fine.


    Therefore, by imposing such a fine, Arthur was making an example to those reckless capitalists in the food industry, warning them of the consequences of their actions.


    After all, 100,000 Australian dors is not a small fortune, even in the established powers of Britain and France, having assets of 100,000 Australian dors would ssify one as a major capitalist.


    The day after the verdict was pronounced, the Austrsian Government promulgated the Food Safety Act, officially regting the food industry and ordering all food businesses in Austrsia to rectify their operations within a time limit, with hefty fines or imprisonment for those who fail toply by the deadline.


    The enactment of the Food Safety Act was celebrated by the people. After all, the food safety incident had rmed the public and caused them to lose faith in the canned foods that used to flood the market.


    The Food Safety Act finally revitalized the long-stagnant canned food industry, and the Royal Canned Food Production Factory regained its previous sales volume after enduring several months of hardship.


    Rectifying capitalists cannot be done in a short period of time. For them, the first step is to observe the government¡¯s attitude towards implementing the Food Safety Act.


    If the government is determined to control food safety, they will allow their workshops and factories to make the necessary changes.


    However, if this legition is just empty words, then everyone will go back to business as usual, and rat head incidents are bound to resurface.


    The Royal Canned Food Production Factory must have been the fastest to take action. Or it could be said that it was not a matter of reform for them, but rather a matter of inspecting all of their factories¡¯ production lines to ensure that food safety issues would not ur within the Royal Canned Food Production Factory.


    After all, the Royal Canned Food Production Factory bears the royal name and cannot afford to have any problems.


    Everyone knows that Arthur is the real owner behind the Royal Canned Food Production Factory, so if a food safety issue urs at the factory, Arthur¡¯s reputation would be the first to be implicated.


    Fortunately, since the beginning, the Royal Canned Food Production Factory has strictly followed Arthur¡¯s orders and kept a close watch on food safety.


    Of course, some additives cannot bepletely eliminated, but overall, they stillply with the national food safety regtions.


    Including other various royal food factories, the production of all kinds of productsplies with the national regtions. After all, it is also rted to Arthur¡¯s own reputation.


    The annual sales volume of all food factories owned by the Royal Financial Group exceeds tens of millions of Australian dors.


    This also means that if the food industry is rectified, the Royal Financial Group will definitely be the most impacted.


    However, in in terms, the impact of this legition on the Royal Financial Group is actually not significant. As long as the food produced by the Royal Financial Group meets the national standards, the promulgation of this legition will not impact the Royal Financial Group.


    Food safety is definitely a major issue, as it affects not only the physical health of the public but also the healthy development of the country.


    With Arthur¡¯s emphasis, arge number of media in Austrsia began to report on the importance of food safety.


    Previous food safety cases, including cheese, sausages, canned food, and additives added to bread, were all reported. Even the names of some of the more serious food safety workshops were added.


    Arthur gave these workshops a rectification period of half a month. If there was no improvement within half a month, their only fate would be the judgment of the court.


    Half a month passed quickly, and in Austrsia, the government quickly organized arge-scale food safety inspection toprehensively check the food problems in Austrsia.


    The inspection team first visited the food factories of the Royal Financial Group. In Arthur¡¯s words, the royal businesses must set an example for the country.


    Unsurprisingly, the results of the investigation were soon announced. The inspection team conducted investigations on more than tenrge-scale food factories of the Royal Financial Group. None of the hundreds of production lines had any food safety issues, and as reported in the newspapers, the production lines were as clean as new, as if cleaned daily.


    The results of the investigation and the news reports assured Arthur and led to a small increase in sales for the royal food factories in a short period of time.


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    Now it can be confirmed that the Food Safety Act did not impact the Royal Financial Group, and Arthur sessfully set an example for the country¡¯s capitalists.


    However, aside from the Royal Financial Group¡¯s food factories, other food factories inevitably faced some problems.


    A ughterhouse in the suburbs of Sydney was found to sell water-injected meat and spoiled beef and mutton. It was immediately sealed off, and the owner was arrested.


    Some canned food factories also detected safety problems again. Although most of the factories underwent rectification, some still went their own way.


    Arthur naturally did not show any mercy to these individuals and food factories. Without exception, those who had rectified but still had problems were fined and ordered to suspend operations for rectification.


    And those who did not rectify at all faced not only hefty fines but also long prison sentences for the owners.


    During the government¡¯s inspection, many capitalists wanted to use their connections to avoid the inspection or reduce the punishment.


    However, Arthur took this inspection very seriously, not only ordering Prime Minister Kent to pay attention at all times but also frequently inquiring about the progress of the inspection.


    As a result, no one dared to plead for these capitalists. After all, politicians are not fools, and they won¡¯t easily create trouble for themselves.


    In the first month of the inspection, the Austrsian government dealt with dozens of workshops and food factories, and the collective fines for these workshops and food factories even exceeded 1 million Australian dors.


    It didn¡¯t end there; the second month saw an even higher number of penalties. Not only were hundreds of small workshops and factories dealt with, but these businesses were also fined more than 2 million Australian dors.


    The impact of thisrge-scale inspection on Austrsia¡¯s food industry can be observed from the reports of the first two months.


    It has be a habit for people of Austrsia to focus on the daily newspapers, as each day¡¯s paper will publish the names of a fewpanies that have been sealed off. Every time they see such news, the people of Austrsia can¡¯t help but admire the greatness of the government and Arthur.


    Food safety is certainly an issue faced by every country, and the fact that they have ced so much emphasis on food safety and conductedrge-scale inspections nationwide is unique to Austrsia.


    It can be predicted that after this inspection, Austrsia¡¯s food industry will shrink by at least one-third.


    After all, the food industry is the easiest to enter, and the number of sealed small workshops and their staffbined is equivalent to just one family.


    Although the impact on the food industry is significant, there is still good news. In the future, people of Austrsia can buy various food products without any worries, not having to worry about food safety issues and being able to enjoy any food with peace of mind.

 Chapter 638 - 486: Saint Arthur Castle

    The storm over the Food Safety Act was still ongoing, and as a result, Arthur had established the Food Safety Administration to supervise and manage the safety of food and catering.


    Regarding food safety, Arthur weed and encouraged Austrsians to actively report enterprises suspected of viting the Food Safety Act. Once verified, they could receive rewards of up to 1,000 Australian dors.


    Although Arthur encouraged everyone to actively report, it could not be ruled out that some might make malicious reports. For malicious reporting, especially repeated malicious reporting, the government would impose fines depending on the situation.


    Generally speaking, ordinary people would not maliciously report food enterprises in session, as doing so without reason would put themselves at risk.


    While the nationwide food safety inspection campaign was still underway, Arthur took a special train, preparing to head to the location of the new capital, the Mure River Basin.


    Apanying Arthur were Minister of Transportation Lauren, Minister of Finance Kevin Taylor, and a few members of the Guards.


    Long before the construction of the new capital began, a campaign to consult public opinions was held nationwide.


    After all, it was an entirely new capital built on a barrennd, and it should have a brand new name too.


    Arthur gave the naming rights to the entire Austrsian poption, soliciting opinions through major newspapers and allowing voters to select the most popr name for the new capital.


    Eventually, Saint Arthur Castle emerged and was confirmed by Arthur as the official name of the new capital.


    Major newspapers received over 5 million name suggestion letters, and selected 100 more reliable names for the public to vote. Stay updated via empire


    Saint Arthur Castle received a high support rate of 49.3%, with over 3 million people voting for it.


    Arthur¡¯s English name trantes to Arthur as well. Simrly, the legendary and historic monarch King Arthur of the United Kingdom also shares this name.


    Saint Arthur Castle (Saint Arthur) not onlymemorates Arthur¡¯s great contribution to Austrsia but also remembers the famous figure in Celtic mythology.


    Whether King Arthur¡¯s story is real or not remains uncertain, but the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table allows all British people to be proud and is often remembered with nostalgia.


    Adding a "Saint" prefix in front of Arthur¡¯s name may be controversial, but no one disputes doing so for King Arthur¡¯s name.


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    Anyway, Arthur hails from the British Royal Family, and iming Austrsia to inherit the cultural heritage and legends of the British Empire has no ws.


    Saint Arthur Castle is located at the confluence of the Mure River and Darling River, and the current permanent poption has exceeded 1,000 people.


    After a day of hurrying, Arthur finally arrived in the new city before dark.


    It is Arthur¡¯s first visit to this region. Before this area was designated as the new capital¡¯s location, it was not even connected by railway.


    Even in future Australia, this area was never developed. The vast in gradually became deserted, wasting hundreds of thousands of square kilometers ofnd.


    The situation now is much better than that a hundred yearster, as entering the Mure River ins, one can see a lush in area.


    Since it has been designated as the new capital¡¯s location, a railway connecting Adide to Melbourne has been built in this area.


    Beside the railway is a brand new highway prepared for the new capital, which has fournes in each direction and is 12.5 meters wide.


    From the administrative map of Austrsia, it is clear the capital¡¯s location is at the intersection of New South Wales State and Victoria State, while the entire Mure River Basin is also within the boundary of these two states.


    Just like the previous Capital Territory, this area is destined to be separated and a new administrative district will be established, further dividing the southeastern region.


    As a country with nearly the samend area as the United States, Austrsia has only about ten administrative divisions, while Native Land (Australia and New Zend) only has nine.


    Although it seems that single states cover an area asrge as millions of square kilometers, suchrge-scale administrative divisions are not advantageous but rather deficiencies in the country¡¯s administration.


    Especially for the southeastern region of New South Wales and Victoria State, thebined size of these two states exceeds the total size of all other states in the Australian region.


    If it were not for thend near Sydney being separately divided into the Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria State would even be twice asrge as the other states.


    As time progresses,rge urban cities have be the mainstream internationally. Still, it doesn¡¯t mean that the division of Victoria and New South Wales, which upy a considerable portion of the country¡¯s poption and scale, is healthy.


    Moreover, being on the severe side, these two states can influence the entire country at any time and easily create political imbnce.


    Returning to Saint Arthur Castle, upon arriving at the nned urban area, Arthur did not rush to inspect the progress of the capital¡¯s construction but instead followed the Mure River and Darling River to observe the flow rates of these two rivers.


    These two rivers are undoubtedly the two most important rivers in Austrsia, with a river basin area of 1.64 million square kilometers, most of which are t ins.


    If these two river basins could be fully developed, it would be a tremendous boost to Austrsia¡¯s agriculture, animal husbandry, and development.

 Chapter 639 - 486: Saint Arthur Castle_2

    Australia willpletely widen the gap withter generations in the region, having a solid foundation to be a strong country just in the Australian region alone.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that Australia, which has developed the Darling River and Mure River basin areas, already has the guarantee to amodate up to 100 million or even 200 million people.


    With the addition ofnds such as New Zend and New Guinea, it is not a problem for Austrsia to healthily amodate over 300 million people.


    Keep in mind, this is healthy amodation. If resources are not taken into ount, more than 500 million people can be amodated without a problem, but the quantity of resources per capita will be significantly reduced.


    However, it has to be said that it will take a century of umtion and development for an immigrant country like Austrsia to have a poption in the hundreds of millions.


    With 2 million immigrants and 500,000 newborn babies per year, it will take more than 30 years for the poption of Austrsia to reach 100 million.


    This number does not even ount for the number of deaths; the number of immigrants has to be maintained at more than 2 million.


    Under ideal circumstances, if the poption can be raised to 50 million before World War II, it would satisfy Arthur¡¯s appetite.


    After all, 50 million is considered to be the threshold for a superpower or strong country. Only with a poption of more than 50 million can millions of troops be mobilized to be one of the protagonists in major wars like World War I and II.


    Note that the army here is a real local army, meaning a national defense armyposed entirely of citizens.


    If it is to rely on Indigenous armies to make up the numbers, the current Austrsian army can easily mobilize millions of troops, but their actualbat effectiveness would be worth pondering.


    It must be understood that with the advancement of time and technology, human power¡¯s influence on wars has been diminishing.


    Especially for Indigenous armiesposed of Indigenous people, their influence on war is actually decreasing.


    In World War I, British and Austrsian troops were generallyposed of Indigenous armies. In particr, Austrsia had its national defense force of just over 100,000, but more than 1 million troops were deployed on the European battlefield during World War I.


    One of the main reasons for this is that the weapons of World War I were not so advanced. The reliability of airnes and tanks was not high, and the real weapons of mass destruction were machine guns and cannon.


    These simple heavy weapons could be stacked with human lives, and in many cases, reckless charges could achieve miraculous results.


    But the performance of airnes and tanks in World War II increased substantially, and the casualties of ordinary people also increased dramatically.


    Most of the time, ordinary Indigenous soldiers were the real cannon fodder, and they could only y a dying role in the war.


    At this time, war was not just a strategy of human power and supplies, but also apetition for technology.


    Especially after World War II, when several powerful countries had mastered nuclear weapons, human power became less popr.


    After all, if a real war broke out, a single atomic bomb could kill hundreds of thousands of people. The millions of troops that World War I boasted about would not be worth much in the face of an atomic bomb.


    Especially when the poption of Austrsia exceeds 20 million, they can form an army of over 1 million based solely on their local poption.


    At this time, the role of Indigenous people would not be as significant, and arge number of Indigenous people would insteadpete for jobs with Austrsians, causing a bacsh.


    Therefore, the next goal of Austrsia is to research and develop arge number of military technologies, particrly in tanks and airnes, to maintain their leading position.


    Compared to the Mure River, the amount of water in the Darling River depends too much on the season. The water supply of the Darling River is quite abundant during the rainy season, but during the dry season, the water supply will decrease by more than half, limiting the development of agriculture to a certain extent.


    However, the current amount of water in the Darling River is still entirely sufficient, and there is not a high demand for water until the region is fully developed.


    Looking at the detailed geographical maps drawn by the survey team, the basin centered around the new capital is almost covered by the Mure River and the Darling River. As long as it is well managed, there will be no shortage of water resources.


    This is an inspiring piece of good news, as the development of industry and agriculture, and even urban development, require arge amount of water resources, and most parts of Austrsia suffer from a water shortage.


    In Austrsia, there is a peculiar phenomenon: whether or not an area is suitable for urban development is not determined by the resources and development potential of the area, but by the water resources it possesses.


    The two most populous cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are located on the coast and in the southeastern part of the Australian region, east and south of the Great Watershed, with abundant rainfall and no shortage of water resources.


    And the rtively developed southeastern region also has extensive water resources.


    South Australia State and West Australian State are unable to develop because of their vast deserts and extremely arid climate, which leads to a severeck of water resources.


    The construction of Leonora Industrial Base in West Australian State has nearly consumed all the water resources of the state, causing headaches for both the state and national governments.


    Arthur¡¯s ambitious North Water South Transfer project cannot bepleted in a short time, not to mention that submarine pipeline technology has not been broken through yet.


    Overall, the areas currently suitable for extensive development in Austrsia are the basins of the Mure and Darling Rivers.


    By fully developing this 1.6 million square kilometers ofnd, Austrsia¡¯s agriculture, animal husbandry, and industry will advance further, and the country¡¯s development potential will increase substantially.


    Arthur was very satisfied with the first day¡¯s itinerary, and the attendants set up camp on the spot, temporarily building a camping ground for him and the soldiers to stay.


    The inspection of the new capital will take several days, so the soldiers are well-prepared.


    After a taste of steak and a can of fruit, Arthur hurried to sleep, ending a busy day.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The fruit canned Arthur enjoyed was specially made by the Royal Food Canning Factory for the royal family, ensuring that there is enough fruit to eat during long journeys.


    This kind of can does not have any additives, pursuing the original taste of the food, which is very healthy and asionally enjoyed by Arthur.


    Of course, this kind of can without additives has a short shelf life, with ordinary fruit cans not exceeding 15 days at most, and even being consumed within 7 days at the shortest.


    Besides these cans specially supplied to the royal family, there are also some high-end cans on the market, which also have no additives, or only a few additives.


    The price of these cans is much higher than that of ordinary cans, with health being the main selling point.


    It is worth mentioning that this kind of expensive canned food is provided free of charge to the nobility, but with limited quantities.


    This is also considered an additional benefit for the nobility, who can also choose to purchase it themselves; in any case, no Austrsian noble is short of money.


    Arthur¡¯s campsite is near the Mure River basin, and even the sound of rushing water can be heard nearby.


    With the apaniment of fresh air and the sound of water, Arthur fell asleep quickly, with only the chirping of insects and the asional night breeze in his ears.


    Although Arthur was asleep, the soldiers guarding him did not dare to blink. Australia¡¯s wilderness environment is rather poor, and althoughrge carnivorous animals arecking, various poisonous insects and snakes are still prevalent.


    Although insect and snake repellents are carried by the convoy, no one can guarantee that idents won¡¯t happen.


    The best way is to guard Arthur at all times, ensuring that poisonous insects and snakes do not suddenly enter the tent, as this is no joking matter.


    There are several professional doctors with the team, and no one can assure if there are any special poisonous insects. No one dares to let their guard down when ites to Arthur¡¯s safety.


    Fortunately, there are many Guards soldiers, with 20 people in a group, protecting the area around Arthur¡¯s tent, rotating every hour, and the night passes quickly.

 Chapter 640 - 487: The New Government Building and Royal Palace

    How hard is it to build a capital city from scratch? Arthur didn¡¯t have a definite answer before. After witnessing the construction process of Saint Arthur Castle, he had a preliminary and clear answer.


    Not to mention the capital city of a country, even building a simple city from scratch requires careful site selection, nning, and design before construction can begin.


    Even after construction begins, the city¡¯s basic infrastructure such as drainage must first be designed before building the city¡¯s skyscrapers.


    The construction of Saint Arthur Castle will take at least five years, and the relocation of the capital may not happen until seven or eight or even ten yearster.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, Saint Arthur Castle must possess adequate administrative facilities to serve as a country¡¯s capital.


    Currently, the construction projects have only just begun one month ago. Most of them don¡¯t even have a preliminary shape yet.


    The first thing Arthur visited was the construction of the new Administrative Court.


    More precisely, this is arge building that integrates the Administrative Court, the House of Representatives, and the National Court.


    If you look at the design drawing, this building looks a bit like the Chinese character "six," but the square in the middle is more like a rectangle.


    The Administrative Court, the House of Representatives, and the National Court, three different institutions, are deployed at three points of the "six."


    The rectangr building in the middle is the venue forrge meeting rooms, reception rooms, and open areas.


    This building, in the shape of "six"bined with other auxiliary building areas and garden area,prises the new national government headquarters.


    Compared to the Administrative Court in the suburbs of Sydney, this new government building is several timesrger and more grand and splendid.


    Of course, this is only the effect of the design drawing. The actual effect can be seen only after the entire building ispleted, but it must be a huge building and one of the future national symbols.


    The government¡¯s budget for this national government building is as high as 12 million Australian dors, which shows its importance.


    However, the national government will move with Arthur. This means that Saint Arthur Castle will not be the capital of Austrsia until thepletion of the construction of the new royal pce.


    Apart from the grand national government building, the second ce Arthur visited was the location of his royal pce.


    Simr to theyout in Sydney, the site selection of the royal pce and the national government building is not far apart. The national building is closer to the urban nning area, while the pce is closer to a nearby hill.


    The new pce is muchrger than Sydney Pce. The budget is about four times higher than the 5 million Pounds budget for Sydney Pce.


    The new pce is expected to cover an area of up to 1.18 million square meters, which is more than twice the size of Sydney Pce.


    The nned building area is about 250,000 square meters, the road area is 50,000 square meters, the hill upies 200,000 square meters, the artificialke and stream cover an area of 150,000 square meters, and a huge royal garden upies an astonishing 250,000 square meters.


    Additionally, there is a massive royal square covering up to 280,000 square meters, which can amodate up to 600,000 people.


    Just from the area of this square, one can see the most significant change in the new pce.


    The Sydney Pce Square can only amodate about a hundred thousand people, which significantly limits the number of people involved in national day activities and other important holidays.


    Remember, the total poption of Sydney has already exceeded 2 million and is on track to reach 3 million.


    This means that during important holidays, over 2 million people in Sydney are fighting for about a hundred thousand spots, not to mention thepetition from people in other cities.


    Moreover, the sheer number of people has caused severe congestion on the roads near Sydney Pce. Some people from outside Sydneye to Sydney but cannot find a spot. They can only gather on the nearby roads, causing serious traffic jams.


    While more public participation in national activities is good, if it leads to severe traffic congestion and even idents, it would be a case of the cure being worse than the disease.


    The new square can amodate 600,000 people, which is quite sufficient for Austrsia at present.


    After all, if the square were anyrger, it would be hard to ensure that all citizens couldfortably participate in activities.


    Imagine the front row and thest row being several kilometers apart. Are they there to participate in the activity or to exercise their eyesight?


    The building area, which has been expanded by more than two times, allows the new pce to have over 800 rooms, more than 30 small andrge meeting rooms, and provides over 30 private dining rooms and 15 medium torge public dining rooms for royal family members.


    There are also as many as 70 offices, 5 reception halls, up to 40 watchtowers, and hundreds of royal guard rest points. The sheer number of rooms could cause one to get lost.


    The private rooms for royal family members even exceed a thousand square meters, and there¡¯s even a super suite close to 3,000 square meters for selection.


    Each room not only has its private reception room, office, wine cab, and bathroom, but also a cloakroom over 200 square meters to amodate the abundant wardrobes of royal family members.


    Like the previous Sydney Pce, the new pce has arge royal hospital located within, a vast and fully equipped church, cemeteries prepared for royal family members, severalrge private theaters for royal family members to watch their favorite movies.


    The back hill is specifically for training, not only for horse-riding but also for practicing marksmanship at a special shooting range.


    Unlike the former Sydney Pce, the new royal residence not only has a huge artificialke but also relies on the Mure River to create a waterwork that runs through the entire pce, allowing for the future construction of various bodies of water in the Pce of Nations area.


    Since it¡¯s connected to the Mure River, the water here will be fresh and clean, eliminating the concern of any odd smell.


    Of course, the security of the water source connected to the outside world is a major concern, so the new Royal Pce will have even more manpower for protection.


    The new pce will have a security staff of up to 3,000 people who will work round the clock to ensure the safety of the pce.


    At the same time, the First Guard Division and the Second Guard Division will be deployed near the new pce, providing the best security for the pce and Arthur.


    In addition to a staff of 3,000 security personnel and two guard divisions, Arthur also has a royal guard force of thousands of people, protecting all members of the royal family closely.


    A considerable portion of these people are orphans who previously benefited from Arthur¡¯s relief efforts and the rest are chosen from the Austrsian Army, ensuring absolute loyalty.


    With these three forces for defense, the security of the future new pce will be beyond doubt. No external threat needs to be worried about.


    The National Heroes Monument in the Sydney Pce Square will also be proportionally reproduced in the Square of the new Pce.


    The new monument will be bigger, and the names of more heroes can be inscribed on it.


    ording to the chief designer of the pce, once the pce is fully built in the future, the National Heroes Monument can be seen from the hills of the pce. It will be even more conspicuous when viewed from the square.


    Queen Mary also reviewed the design of the new pce. In fact, the size of the royal garden in the new pce was increased per her strong request.


    A royal garden spanning 2.5 million square meters is absurdlyrge¡ªit¡¯s equivalent to 25 hectares, or 375 acres ofnd.


    Looking down from a high ce, the future Royal Garden will be like a sea of flowers, incredibly beautiful, definitely a ce that will attract women.


    Owing to the water source from the Mure River, the royal garden will have aplete irrigation system. It only needs manual operation to irrigate the entire flower sea.


    Of course, the upkeep of the flower sea still requires human management.


    For this, the new pce ns to employ at least 500 maids and a thousand other servants to manage the entire pce, clean rooms and carry out other tasks.


    Although it seems exaggerated and extravagant to have such arge number of servants, and it does hint at the decay of the feudal system.


    But if you truly understand the treatment of these servants, you¡¯ll realize that their condition is actually not badpared to ordinary citizens, and is perhaps even much better.


    Firstly, the minimum yearly sry of a servant in Austrsia is at least 60 Australian dors, and with various welfare policies considered, this amount can even exceed 70 Australian dors.


    This sry level is equivalent to that of soldiers and far exceeds the current average ie in Austrsia.


    Secondly, although servants serve people, they also enjoy various delicious foods with Arthur. Their food, clothing, housing, and transportation are basically all in the pce, which takes care of their livelihood.


    Although Arthur also needs these servants to provide service, he always treats the servants kindly.


    After all, these servants who can often approach the royal family members could easily do things that are detrimental to them.


    Moreover, it¡¯s not that easy to be a servant or maid of the pce.


    The pce¡¯s requirements for recruiting servants are even strict than those for soldiers. First of all, you must have lived in Austrsia for at least 20 years¡ªthat¡¯s a hard rule.


    Secondly, no one in your three generations of rtives hasmitted any illegal activities or died due to government penalties.


    Besides that, the Security Intelligence Bureau will conduct a very strict review of these servant candidates. In addition to checking their backgrounds and previous behaviors, they also evaluate whether they have any diseases, if they have a decent appearance, if they are efficient at work, whether they love the country, have a positive attitude, are cheerful, and so on.


    The servants and maids who meet all the conditions will be handed over to Butler Kent and, after two months of training, will be assigned to various positions in the pce.


    The previous Sydney Pce employed approximately 500 servants and about 200 maids.


    Because of this, these two jobs are very popr in Austrsia. Each time recruitment information is released, there¡¯s basically a rush of people desperate for a chance.


    But it¡¯s clear that both these jobs require strict qualifications and demand a long-termmitment.


    Generally speaking, the longer someone works at the pce, the more loyal they tend to be, making them even more trustworthy.


    Except under special circumstances like the construction of a new pce, the pce usually doesn¡¯t do massive open recruitment.

 Chapter 641 - 488: Splitting the Royal Financial Group

    In the construction of the new royal pce, Arthur had considered building an underground air-raid shelter, or more precisely, an underground safety base, but it seemed unnecessary at the moment.


    Firstly, the ind chains surrounding Austrsia had already determined that foreign aircraft were basically unable to enter the maind of Austrsia.


    If the nativend of Austrsia was truly threatened, it would be facing a world-wide war, or even a full-scale nuclear war.


    Not to mention how far away that time might be from now, even if a supposedly safe underground air-raid base was built now, it might not necessarily withstand the attacks of the weapons at that time.


    Especially in the case of air-raid shelters specifically designed to protect against nuclear weapons, as technology advances, various radiation-proof materials will also be gradually invented.


    It would be better to wait until radiation-proof materials are matured in the future before building a well-developed underground base, rather than adding some unnecessary pressure to the construction of the pce now.


    After inspecting Saint Arthur Castle for a few days, Arthur finally put down his guard and decided to return to the pce.


    There were several important matters to be dealt with next, leaving Arthur with little free time and no mood for sightseeing.


    Arthur had returned to Sydney by the end of March, and as soon as he set foot in the pce, Butler Kent sought an audience.


    "Butler Kent, what happened?" Arthur inquired with a bit of curiosity.


    As the steward of the entire royal pce and the actual controller of the Royal Financial Group, Butler Kent¡¯s workload was no less than Arthur¡¯s.


    Moreover, the development of the Royal Financial Group into a huge enterprise that rivals nations today would not have been possible without Butler Kent¡¯s hard work and dedication.


    "Your Majesty, as the Royal Financial Group has developed to its current state, I believe it¡¯s time for it to be split up," said Butler Kent solemnly and seriously.


    "Split up? Why so suddenly?" Arthur asked curiously, taken aback.


    "Your Majesty, the Royal Financial Group owns more than a thousand factories andpanies, with over a million employees. It¡¯s not easy to have such arge scale, but the Royal Financial Group should not be this big. As your public property, its scale should be reduced to at least one-third of its current size to make it more eptable to others," exined Butler Kent.


    The development of the Royal Financial Group covered Austrsia¡¯s mining, steel, petroleum, automobile, aviation, military, shipbuilding, agriculture, pastoral, light industry, and food sectors, which were all closely rted to the lives of Austrsians.


    Although it looked formidable, the implications behind it were also terrifying.


    The Royal Financial Group almost controlled every aspect of the nation. Perhaps there would be no problems during Arthur¡¯s reign, but problems would inevitably arise in the future.


    After all, not every monarch would have as high a reputation as Arthur, nor would every prime minister be as loyal as Prime Minister Kent.


    "Do you have any ns, Butler Kent?" Arthur nodded, approving Butler Kent¡¯s n to split the Royal Financial Group.


    "Your Majesty, at a macro level, we need to split the Royal Financial Group into 3 or 4rgescale financial groups. The Royal Financial Group would only retain the military, shipbuilding, and banking sectors, while the rest would be split into the new financial groups, and it should appear as though they have nothing to do with the royal family," Butler Kent proposed after some hesitation.


    Military, shipbuilding, and banking were undoubtedly some of the most important industries for the Royal Financial Group. The military factories and shipyards, which possessed Austrsia¡¯s most advanced military technologies, could not be given up by the Royal Financial Group.


    In addition, the Royal Bank was currently thergest bank in Austrsia, with more users than the few scattered civilian banks and the National Bank established by the government not long ago.


    Having the military, shipbuilding, and Royal Bank, the Royal Financial Group would already be considered one of the giants in Austrsia. As for the public assets of the Royal Financial Group, this was more than sufficient.


    As for the remaining misceneous factories and enterprises in various industries, they could be split into three to fourrge and small financial groups. All Arthur needed to do was secretly control them and introduce a public figurehead, who wouldpletely separate them from the Royal Financial Group.


    However, these industries would still belong to Arthur, but they would not look as if the royal family¡¯s wealth was so exaggerated, making it less likely for others to be envious.


    Another important reason for splitting the Royal Financial Group was that the current size of the group made it too unwieldy to manage.


    As the actual manager of the Royal Financial Group, Butler Kent knew this all too well. Handling both pce and financial group affairs left him exhausted.


    Taking advantage of the opportunity to request the split of the Royal Financial Group, Butler Kent also wanted to resign from his position in charge of the financial group, and concentrate on being the Royal Pce steward, serving Arthur and his family for the remaining years of his life.


    Arthur contemted for a while, and eventually agreed to Butler Kent¡¯s proposal.


    On April 1, 1919, the splitting of the Royal Financial Group officially began.


    All enterprises other than military, shipbuilding, and banking changed their names and abolished the word "royal".


    This also symbolized that these enterprises were no longer publicly affiliated with the Royal Financial Group, and they would either have their own public figurehead or join other financial groups.


    A few dayster, severalrge financial groups in Austrsia were established one after another.


    The steel industry formed the Heavy Industries Group independently, the agriculture-pastoral industry formed the United Group, and all petroleumpanies merged into the Royal Oil Company, which was renamed the Austrsian National Petroleum Company.


    As for the various enterprises and factories invested in or established by the royal financial group, all the names were changed and the royal or royal titles were canceled.


    The unified exnation given by the royal financial group was that due to funding issues, some assets had to be divided.


    Add to that the propaganda department¡¯s total control of the news, and no bad news leaked out.


    Even among the public, stories were circting that the royal financial group had to cut back due to spending too much money on helping the poor each year, unknowingly earning Arthur a great deal of prestige.


    The royal financial group, which originally seemed like a massive entity, was now separate from the royal family and turned into the Heavy Industries Group, United Group, and various otherrge enterprises.


    Well-known names like the Benz Car Factory and Diesel Engine Research Room retained their original titles.


    After all, Benz and Diesel had quite a reputation in Austrsia, and most people believed the owners of these two enterprises were Benz and Diesel themselves.


    People heard in the news that the royal financial group only had military industry and banking left, and some even asked to reduce the welfare of citizens to ease the financial burden of the royal family.


    Arthur tly refused, as any wise person would know the truth. Using such an excuse to reduce welfare benefits would eventually be uncovered.


    Furthermore, Austrsia¡¯s current welfare benefits are an important guarantee to attract immigrants. Although at least 2 million immigrants can be obtained from Russia every year, relying solely on Russian immigrants would result in an unhealthy nationalposition.


    As an immigrant country, Austrsia wees immigrants from Europe and other regions, but it also needs to have a clear understanding of its own ethnicposition.


    British descendants serving as the main ethnic group of Austrsia are an unchangeable foundation and a guarantee of stability for the country.


    Currently, among Austrsia¡¯s poption of over 20 million, there are just over 10 million British descendants, barely breaking the 50% ratio.


    Meanwhile, after several years of catching up, the proportion of Russian descendants has approached 40%, amounting to about 8 million people.


    This signifies that without imposing any restrictions on immigration, the proportion of Russian descendants would soon surpass that of British descendants, which might not be a good thing for Austrsia¡¯s stability.


    Only by importing arge number of British descendants can the bnce of ethnic ratios and national stability be maintained.


    Not long after the division of the royal financial group, Arthur, dressed in his finest clothing, attended the opening ceremony of the Nobleman United Consortium Bank, or the Nobility United Bank.


    The new nobles are definitely rising stars in the Austrsian political arena, receiving attention from everyone in Austrsia.


    The Nobility United Bank¡¯s total investment is 3 million Australian dors, making it the firstrgest investment in the Nobleman United Consortium and the thirdrgest bank investment in Austrsia.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, with the pressure from the royal financial group, the opening of the Nobility United Bank did not cause much of a stir.


    After all, just one Royal Bank has more than 8 million users, and no other bank could hope to catch up aside from the government-established National Bank.


    The National Bank is the state treasurer, the bank that issues sries to all officials and some workers, with a total of more than 5 million users.


    Except for these tworge-scale banks, before the establishment of the Nobility United Bank, thergest-scale bank was established by European capitalists with just under 1 million users.


    All 100 of Austrsia¡¯s new nobles were also present at the opening ceremony of the United Bank.


    They all wore smiles, as the gains and losses of the United Bank were rted to their dividend amounts. The greater the scale of the United Bank, the greater their interests would be.


    Currently, the United Bank has only established its headquarters and branches in Sydney and Melbourne, as it¡¯s not that easy for a bank to expand.


    After all, the United Bank is not an official force like the Royal or government. To have more users, it¡¯s inevitable that they need topete with other small and medium-sized banks.


    As the tworgest cities in Austrsia, Sydney and Melbourne offer the best opportunities for development.


    Only when the United Bank can maintain a foothold in Sydney and Melbourne will it have the capital to expand from these cities and open branches in the capitals of each state.


    Before that, they should first consolidate their foundation, operate honestly for a few years, and gradually umte a group of old customers.

 Chapter 642 - 489: Rewarding the Hero

    Mid-April, Austrsia, Australian Timor, Emperor¡¯s Power City.


    This is a very inconspicuous department store. After the flu gradually disappeared, the flow of customers in the department store became much more scarce.


    The sign hanging outside the store is different from other shops, but it doesn¡¯t seem to bring any business to the store.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Footsteps came from a distance, and the boss looked up when he heard the sound. He saw the police in the Emperor¡¯s Power City jogging forward and shouted at the boss, "Nick! Nick! Someone is looking for you,e out quickly!"


    "What¡¯s the matter? Mr. Policemen." As required by Austrsianw, cooperation is required when facing police interrogation. This also made Nick quickly leave the store, asking with a puzzled expression.


    "Nick." The policeman blurted out and then realized that something was wrong. He hurriedly changed his tone and said, "Mr. Nick, someone is looking for you."


    Before Nick could continue asking, the person behind him quickly caught up. Dressed in a royal guard outfit, he approached Nick and asked seriously yet gently, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Nick Frank?"


    "Yes, you are?" Nick was slightly stunned and nodded mechanically.


    "I am here on behalf of His Majesty the King to announce that due to your selfless dedication during the flu epidemic, you have made a significant contribution to tens of thousands of people in Emperor¡¯s Power City. His Majesty has decided to award you the National Medal.


    Please attend the award ceremony on the specified date." The guard took out an invitation letter with the time and location of the award ceremony clearly recorded, and Nick Frank¡¯s exclusive name printed on the back.


    Nick was stunned again and mechanically took the invitation from the guard. He lowered his head and looked at it quietly for a while, seemingly forgetting to look up.


    "Is this from His Majesty?" After about a few minutes, Nick finally reacted and asked incredulously.


    "Of course, sir. This invitation is extended to all those who have been honored, and it alles from the royal pce. No one is allowed to imitate it. You can attend the award ceremony with your family on time. Thank you for your contribution to the country and the royal family during the flu epidemic!" After notifying Nick, the guard left in formation.


    It¡¯s not that they didn¡¯t want to chat more, but there were indeed many people who contributed to the country during the flu epidemic. Before the award ceremony, all the invitations had to be issued to these people.


    Reward achievements and punish offences; this is Arthur¡¯s firm governance strategy. The flu epidemic was definitely one of the most difficult times in Austrsia, and they even had to impose a nationwide quarantine, blocking all cities from the outside world.


    Store owners like Nick, who were selfless during the flu, emerged one after another. They not only implemented Arthur¡¯s policy of prohibiting price increases during the flu epidemic but also spontaneously reduced prices for the elderly, showing their selfless care and kindness towards their fellow citizens.


    After investigating that these people did not deliberately show off, Arthur decided to grant them rewards, either by awarding medals or granting titles. In short, those who made contributions should not be discouraged.


    This can confirm what Arthur said at the time, thatmon people can also be nobles through their contributions to the country.


    Whether being awarded a medal or granted a title, it is an iparable honor for an ordinarymoner.


    Even the easiest-to-obtain national medal can be reported by major newspapers and be the hero discussed by the people, respected by all neighbors and friends.


    On April 30, 1919, the Austrsian award ceremony officially began.


    Less than a year after thest award ceremony, Austrsia weed the second award ceremony.


    But the spectators had no dissatisfaction or disgust, and were instead looking forward to the uing award ceremony.


    It is not so much an award ceremony, but more urately a reward ceremony for all those who have made merit.


    There were very few people who received a title, only a handful. The number of people who received medals was also not high, totaling to about ten or so.


    But in addition to these, there were hundreds of people who also made contributions during the flu. Their contributions may not berge enough to deserve titles or medals, but they had also made a significant contribution to the country and are rightly rewarded.


    They will naturally participate in this reward ceremony and receive verbal encouragement and financial rewards from Arthur.


    At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, the reward ceremony was officially held at the crowded Sydney Pce Square.


    Arthur slowly approached, first scanned all the people, and then slowly said, "My fellow citizens, I am very d to be able to gather with you at such a moment to reward these heroes who made contributions during the flu epidemic."


    "The flu is a terrible disaster that affects all mankind, its impact on the world is enormous. Most people are struggling to survive in such adversity, but there are always some who stand up."


    "Today, we will reward those heroes who, regardless of their own dangers and interests, have made contributions to all Austrsians during the flu epidemic."


    "No matter where wee from, we all have a unified identity, and that is the glorious people of Austrsia. These heroes who have made sacrifices and dedications for their fellow citizens should also receive the rewards they deserve and the honor that belongs to them."


    "I dere the crowning ceremony officially begins. Please wee these heroes to the stage with apuse!"


    Amidst warm apuse, a few people walked proudly on stage with smiles on their faces, standing upright in the admiration and envy of the audience.


    "I dere the Victoria Memorial Medal to be awarded to Henry... and two others, as well as the title of Knighthood. I expect them to contribute more to the nation and the royal family in their new identity, and to fulfil their responsibilities as nobles," said Arthur with a smile.


    "Award the Austrsian National Medal to Nick and others for their great contributions to the country during the influenza pandemic. You are role models for all people of Austrsia and our pride for your family, children, and friends."


    "At the same time, I¡¯m alsomending those who contributed during the pandemic and awarding them with funds, as it is because of these heroes that our country has safely navigated through this illness."


    Following Arthur¡¯s deration, the audience on stage sessively received their swords, medals, or rewards.


    Even the least rewarded person could receive more than 50 Austrsian dors, and everyone was happy with their cheques.


    This was quite normal, as only those with sufficient contributions would have been invited to the stage in front of so many people.


    For those with lesser contributions, the state or city government wouldmend them, and while their rewards would naturally be smaller, they were certainly better than nothing.


    "Although influenza is now less severe, it still cannot be confirmed whether the pandemic has ended. Citizens, whether there will be a new wave of the flu or not, I hope you can stand up like these heroes during critical times and guard our great nation together."


    "Austrsia is a great nation, which is why it is great because of the brave people like you. Let us use our greatest faith to build our country together and witness the rise of Austrsia to the pinnacle of the world."


    In the end, Arthur encouraged allmoners while also hinting at the possible spection that the pandemic might not be over yet.


    Speaking of the flu, it was indeed unusual.


    Starting with the first reported case in March 1918, the spread of the virus was swift.


    The severely lethal virus began in August and ravaged the world for a long four months.


    Just when the people of the world were panicking, the pandemic threatening the world seemed to vanish overnight.


    Although not as exaggerated, the pandemic¡¯s fatality rate had gradually decreased, and the number of people infected with the flu had dramatically diminished.


    Byte April this year, flu diagnoses across Europe, the United States, and the Austrsian region were scarce, while only regions like Africa and India still exhibited the flu¡¯s devastation.


    It was normal, considering the underdeveloped medical facilities in Africa and Indiabined with the fact that most areas were colonies. The colonizing nations would not spend a great deal to provide medicine for the indigenous poptions.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The people of these colonies naturally would not have enough funds to seek treatment. Under such circumstances, it would be impossible for the flu to disappear quickly in these areas.


    The sudden emergence and disappearance of the pandemic made the conclusion that the flu was artificially manipted more believable to the public.


    The American government had also resigned itself to not refuting the conclusion that the flu was artificially controlled, trying as much as possible to shift the me to the chemical factory in Kansas, or more precisely, the consortium behind that factory.


    This was an unavoidable situation, as ming an entire nation¡¯s government for the pandemic would directly plunge the country into the abyss.


    If only a few consortia were held ountable, there would be room for reversal. Even if the US government could not escape regtory responsibility, at least their reputation would not be as bad, and other countries would not be as hostile.


    Although the flu had disappeared, Arthur still believed that the flu would break out again either this year or next.


    Although the third wave of influenza would not be as severe as the second, the fatality rate would still not be low, so precautions must be taken.


    That¡¯s why Arthur publicly stated that the flu pandemic had not ended yet. As long as the flu was notpletely dered over, major quarantine stations in Austrsia must be retained as a preparation for the possible outbreak of the third wave of flu in the future.


    It would be good news if there was no third wave of the flu, but precautions had to be taken if there was.


    Arthur¡¯s great prestige in Austrsia would have a significant impact on the public, urging them to guard against the possible third wave of the flu in public.


    At least when facing the possible resurgence of the flu, people would not be caught off guard, and keeping some disinfectant and masks handy would not be a mistake.

 Chapter 648 Chapter Four Hundred and Ninety-Four: Many Children, Many Blessings

    The passage of time is swift, especially for a busy person. Between running back and forth to Arthur''s Royal Council and periodically meeting with various colonial governors, June quickly passed.


    As Austrsia was about to wee a new election for the Cab Government, Arthur received good news: Queen Mary was pregnant for the third time.


    The first two pregnancies brought Arthur two sons, Prince William and Prince Peter, and Princess Anna Miller. This time, Arthur would ept the child regardless of gender, as having many children was a blessing, and the prosperity of the royal family included a continuous lineage.


    Austrsia had no restrictions on childbirth, and the government even encouraged the people to actively give birth. It wasmon for a family to have three or four children.


    As a result, Austrsia''s birth rate exceeded 500,000 new residents per year, demonstrating a strong desire for childbirth.


    To promote more births, Arthur issued a series of government policies encouraging childbirth.


    For families with more than two children, each additional child would receive an 8 Austrsian Dor subsidy per year, and all children in the family would qualify for tuition fee reductions.


    The Austrsian Government also awarded "Honourable Mother" certificates to families with more than five children. Although the certificate didn''t provide any tangible benefits, it was still appealing to Austrsians as it was issued by the national government and included Arthur''smendations for such heroic mothers.


    ording to the government statistics, over 8000 women had received the title of "Honourable Mother," which guaranteed Austrsia''s high birth rate.


    It''s simple to increase the birth rate: if people live well and happily, they will have enough mood and time to give birth.


    If people cannot afford food, clothing, or financial pressure from debts, then even if children are born, they will bear more suffering.


    Understanding this, Arthur issued orders to the government to reduce the burden on families with many infants and young children, including education and medical care.


    Austrsia even offered the highest reward for childbirth: if a pregnant woman gave birth to more than ten children (including twins), her children would receive free education from primary school to high school, with all tuition and fees waived.


    Don''t underestimate these educational expenses; if a family had ten children who graduated from high school, the cost per child would be at least 200 Australian dors.


    The cost of education for ten children would be at least 2000 Australian dors, even with the government''s reduced fees.


    If these tuition fees were waived entirely, it would undoubtedly alleviate a significant burden onrge families.


    Although currently less than 1000 families in Austrsia were eligible for this benefit, people maintained a weing attitude towards childbirth, and an increase in poption was inevitable.


    Arthur''s efforts to improve the birth rate went far beyond these policies. In the streets of Austrsia, it was easy to find propaganda promoting childbirth.


    Even many movies promoted the concept of having more children to receive more blessings, affecting the Austrsian people in various ways.


    It''s worth mentioning that although the Austrsian government didn''t prohibit abortion, Austrsian Protestantism condemned it, considering abortion disrespectful of new life.


    Austrsian Protestantism was thergest religion in Austrsia and had a significant influence on the people.


    Because of this doctrine, abortion rates in Austrsia were limited to a small range, and many hospitals didn''t offer abortion services.


    To Austrsia, the growth of the native poption was more exciting than the growth of immigrants.


    To maintain the poption of the main ethnic group¡ªBritish descendants¡ªAustrsia tried to attract immigrants from Britain, but it still couldn''t match the speed of Russian immigrants.


    Increasing the birth rate of the main ethnic group to increase their poption was another viable solution.


    Even looking ahead, it''s not impossible that those currently being born could be adults around 1937, to partake in the tail end of World War II.


    The more people in Austrsia, the greater potential andbat power they could disy during World War II.


    It would be difficult to be a superpower before reaching a poption of 50 million.


    Even a perfect industrial system and chain would require enough poption to support it.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that an industrial powerhouse must also have a matching market. Without a market, a single economic crisis could quickly shift a nation from prosperity to decline, and eventually lead to its extinction.


    After Queen Mary became pregnant again, there was no doubt that Arthur was in a very good mood.


    Even amidst his busy schedule, Arthur asionally checked on the learning progress of Prince William and Prince Peter, and brought new gifts for Anna along the way.


    As Arthur''s eldest son, Prince William was now ten years old. Arthur had high hopes for Prince William, and he indeed did not disappoint Arthur''s expectations.


    Arthur, in hister life, also experienced the hardships of exam-driven education, where he was not only forced to learn misceneous knowledge that was of no use in daily life, but also had one''s fate determined by the score of such knowledge.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It was indeed very difficult, butpared to the elite aristocratic education that Prince William was receiving, Arthur felt thatter education was somewhat rxed.


    However, this was just an individual case, as the overall environment in Austrsia was not that strict.


    Princes William and Peter''s strict education was simply because they were princes of Austrsia, and future important members and rulers of the country.


    So far, Arthur has not confirmed a real Crown Prince, as the education of both princes has not yet beenpleted, so it is not possible to test how much of the knowledge they have learned has been grasped in practice.


    But this is only temporary. After theye of age, they will face a huge test to assess their abilities and decide whether they will be ordinary nobles or rulers of the country.


    For this reason, the two princes and one princess have not been granted any titles so far, and their true titles will be given after theye of age, but they will at least be dukes of the country.


    After all, the noble titles of Austrsia are all nominal, and nobles have no control over the territory, so Arthur has no burden in granting them.


    This is also the advantage of the princes and princesses in their blood rtionship¡ªthey are destined to be born dukes, and the lowest title they can receive is a duke.


    If in the future Austrsia reaches the level of an empire, the highest title of the country might even be a prince.


    But for now, it was just a kingdom. The title of duke was destined to be the highest noble title that could be granted by the kingdom at present, and the difficulty for ordinary people to obtain the title of duke was almost insurmountable. Even Arthur has not considered granting a duke title to someone ofmon birth during his lifetime.


    This is actually because Europeans value bloodlines. In a country like Austrsia, where there is a clear system of granting noble titles for military merit, the chances of ordinary people bing nobles are still high.


    However, for ordinary European countries, bloodlines are still very important. Although ordinary people also have the chance to be nobles, it is virtually impossible to enter the middle and upper levels of the nobility in a short time.


    It is only in Austrsia, which originallycks an aristocratic ss and whose nobility is basicallyposed ofmoners, that there is no discrimination based on bloodlines.


    To ensure birth rates, it is essential to ensure the ie of the people.


    Birth rates are quite easy to control; it all depends on whether the nation''s leaders are willing or inclined to control them.


    Although this is a rtively dark time, the birth rates of various countries during this period are still very high, generally maintaining between 3% and 4%. The growth of the world''s poption is still very rapid.


    However, when looking at some areas in Europe, especially Western and Northern Europe, the decline in birth rates can actually be seen.


    Why would birth rates decline? It''s not necessarily because people''s desire to have children has decreased.


    But there''s no way around it¡ªwith the development of capitalism, the exploitation of workers andmoners by capitalists has be increasingly severe.


    Moreover, during this period, the protection of human rights is still quite fragile. Many pregnant women have to continue working despite theirrge bellies, or else face the risk of losing their livelihood.


    Don''t expect too much from these capitalists. For them, whether a pregnant woman has a miscarriage is not important, but if there are not enough workers, the factory''s profits will decrease.


    Losing a job is fatal for a family. The savings of civilians in this era are not much, as the factories of the major powers were exploitingbor camps just a few decades ago. It was good enough to scrape by, let alone allowing workers to umte enough ie.


    Of course, there is a very important point¡ªsome factories are causing great harm to people.


    Especially in the early stages of industrial development, there were no health standards. The working environment of those factories could have caused immeasurable damage to the workers.


    Some harmful substances have caused a portion of the poption to lose their ability to reproduce, which also affects the birth rate.


    This is a frightening manifestation of capitalism, where capitalists'' endless exploitation ofmoners is carried out, while capitalists control the government, leaving the people with nowhere to turn for justice.


    When a nation''s civilian ss sees a sharp decline in birth rates due to various forms of exploitation, it''s not the people''s fault¡ªit''s the fault of the capitalists and the governments that support them behind the scenes, like the gradually developing European countries.

 Chapter 649 - 495: Military Research Investment

    In the research of military technology after World War I, one of the essential technologies is radar.


    Although the initial purpose of the British development of radar was to find German nes in the sky, it is undeniable that radar has be one of the most important parts of military weapons with the development of technology.


    Arthur attaches great importance to the research of radar technology. A few years ago, he asked Te to establish a radar researchb and allocated 2 million Australian dors for Te to research at will.


    The research of radar is not achieved overnight. As early as 1842, the Austrian physicist Doppler proposed the Doppler radar using the Doppler effect.


    After that, in 1864, British physicist Maxwell deduced the form that could calcte the characteristics of electromaic waves.


    So far, various countries have made certain progress in radar research. Radio waves, electric mirrors, vacuum triodes, and other research are all milestones in human radar research, representing the progress of scientific research in the military field of various countries.


    If Arthur remembers correctly, the first practical radar should have been born before World War II, in 1935, to be precise.


    There are still 16 years before the birth of the first practical radar. Te has enough time to research the radar and even overtake Robert Watson Watt, the inventor of the first practical radar, in a curve.


    After all, 2 million Australian dors in research funds is definitely not a small amount. If used sparingly, it should even be enough for Te to research until the birth of the radar.


    The reason for spending such arge price on radar research is that radar is crucial for the improvement of military technology in the future. This is not only about the most basic nes and tanks but also more advanced rockets and missiles.


    Just like radar, Austrsia¡¯s missile research has also beenunched. It is led by the former Russian expert and now the Chief-in-charge of Austrsian Rocket Research, Ziolkowski.


    Rocket research can not only help Austrsia take a big step in aerospace but also militarize it, making Austrsia the first country to have missiles.


    Missiles are undoubtedly one of the most important weapons ofter generations. Their lethality, effective killing distance, and deterrence are definitely among the highest in all conventional weapons.


    Ifbined with a nuclear warhead and intercontinental missiles that can cover the world, it will be the biggest trump card in Austrsia¡¯s hands and a sharp sword for sanctioning morally corrupt countries.


    Of course, in addition to these long-term research trump card weapons, Arthur has never stopped researching conventional weapons, and his efforts in research are also significant.


    The first is the tank, which only appeared in thete stage of World War I and still needs a lot of research.


    The reliability of tanks during World War I was generally low, even for tanks carefully researched by Austrsia.


    British tanks had a breakdown rate of over 80%, and with some idents, the number of tanks avable forbat was less than 10%.


    Although Austrsia¡¯s tanks were slightly better, the breakdown rate was still as high as 60%, and the number of tanks avable forbat was basically less than 30% (data from the first-generation tanks).


    Such data is obviously unfeasible. Although the second-generation tank, the T-14, did not actually participate in the battle, the breakdown rate in the simted battlefield was still over 30%.


    The T-14A heavy tank had an even higher breakdown rate of 40%, after all, it had a massive body and solid armor.


    Although the breakdown rate has been significantly reducedpared to the first-generation tank, the 3 to 4 percent breakdown rate is still in the unqualified state. It must be reduced to less than 20 percent or even less than 10 percent to meet the war needs before and after World War II.


    Therefore, the main direction of research for the third-generation tank, which Arthur is very concerned about, is the breakdown rate, also known as the failure rate.


    In World War I, the practical function of the first-generation tank was still significant, causing arge number of casualties to the enemy while keeping its own war casualties low.


    The German army had no way to deal with the first-generation tanks, and the only thing that could defeat them was the breakdown rate.


    Compared to the first-generation tanks, which had considerable improvement, the second-generation tanks were destined to be more powerful in the war.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It is not an exaggeration to say that the firepower of the second-generation tank is not weaker than that of the tank during World War II, but the reliability still has significant defects.


    Next, the main research direction of the third-generation tank, in addition to reducing the breakdown rate as much as possible and improving stability, is to strengthen the tank¡¯s protection. After all, the weaponry of World War II has be much more robust. Germany even developed missiles, and the number of weapons that could sanction tanks is on the rise.


    With the emergence of various anti-tank firearms, the tank¡¯s defense capabilities must also be stronger.


    This is not only protection for the soldiers driving the tanks but also protection for the victory of a battle.


    After the tank was exposed, there was no need to use the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory to hide it.


    With a wave of his hand, Arthur directly separated the tank business from the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory and independently established a tank manufacturing factory, affiliated to the Royal Military Factory, responsible for the research and development and manufacturing of tanks.


    Since the tank manufacturing factory fully inherits the tank business of the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory, the production speed of the tank manufacturing factory is still rapid, capable of producing at least 200 tanks per year, an average of two tanks every three days.

 Chapter 650 - 495: Military Research Investment_2

    After the establishment of a dedicated tank factory, the speed of tank construction can further increase. After all, the Royal Agricultural Machinery Factory was previously responsible for the manufacturing of both tanks and agricultural machinery, especially tractors.


    In addition, due to the necessity of secrecy with tank manufacturing, the speed of production was considerably restricted.


    The new tank factory is expected to increase the speed of tank construction, producing about 500 tanks annually within five years, and about 1500 tanks annually within ten years. This would essentially fulfill the needs of the Austrsia Army.


    Given Austrsia¡¯s current conditions, the importance of the navy surpasses that of the army, and the scale of the army is significantly limited by poption size.


    If Arthur¡¯s predictions are correct, during the World War II period, many countries produced tanks at incredible speed.


    Germany, famed for its industry, under various restrictions, reached its highest tank production speed of over 700 tanks per month.


    Meanwhile, Russia, with its significant industrial progress, broke through a monthly production of 2000 tanks at its peak, indicating the esteem each country held for tanks and their heavy investment of resources in military affairs during wartime.


    However, for present-day Austrsia, the quality of tanks is of more crucial interest than the speed of their production.


    After all, there¡¯s a limit to the total size of the army; they can¡¯t each have a tank. The scale of Austrsia¡¯s tank fleet is destined not to berge. As an ind country, the ocean is what Austrsia should value the most, and it is also the real defense line of the homnd.


    No matter how strong other countries¡¯ armies are, as long as their navy can¡¯t overpower Austrsia, they still won¡¯t pose a threat to Austrsia¡¯s homnd.


    Through aprehensive chain of ind defenses, Austrsia canpletely rely on a small navy to defeat arge number of enemies.


    This also signifies that, other than long-range weapons like intercontinental missiles, it is difficult for Austrsia¡¯s homnd to be threatened, even by the now powerful British Empire.


    As for missiles and rockets, Austrsia is already heavily invested in research, and in the field of rocket science, they may not necessarily fall behind other countries.


    After all, over one-third of the aerospace power experts that Arthur has won over aren¡¯t trifling. As long as Arthur supports them strongly, if other countries want to overtake them, they must invest more time and resources than Austrsia. However, which country can win over more aerospace talentspared to the one-third gathered by Arthur?


    Especially when Austrsia has already taken almost half of the talent avable.


    Arthur¡¯s expectations for the speed of Austrsia¡¯s tank production are generally based on the new tank factory¡¯s goal of reaching 500 tanks in five years and 1500 tanks in ten years.


    In ten years, it will only be 1929. The tank factory would still have about ten years to increase the speed of tank production and use tanks as a weapon in the arms trade, selling them inrge quantities to warring parties and making an enormous profit for itself.


    Besides tanks, airne research also upies a high priority in Arthur¡¯s ns.


    Like tanks, World War I era aircraft were just the beginning and had many design ws, such as the twin-wing design, which greatly impaired speed.


    Austrsian aircraft are not so bad, having already undergone four generations of iterations. The current fourth-generation military aircraft¡¯s performance is roughly equivalent to or even slightly exceeds that of World War II era aircraft.


    That doesn¡¯t imply that fourth-generation military aircraft havepletely surpassed World War II era aircraft. At least in some technological aspects, these remain significantly wed. Additionally, because of technological backwardness, theyck some of the new technology possessed by World War II aircraft.


    When even Austsia¡¯s most advanced fourth-generation military aircraft are like this, there¡¯s no need to mention aircraft from other countries.


    The context of World War I in this world varies greatly from its historical counterpart: at the very least, the number of aircraft that various nations deployed in World War I was not so dramatic, barely exceeding 10,000.


    However, in reality, even though there seem to be as many as 10,000 aircraft, fewer than 1,000 yed a decisive role in the aerial battlefield, and most of them were from Austrsia.


    All participating countries in World War I, including the United Kingdom, had significant deficiencies in their manufactured aircraft¡¯s performance. This, to a certain extent, constrained thebat capabilities of the nes.


    After all, the global focus was initially on airships. It wasn¡¯t until they discovered during the war that nes could easily destroy airships that they hurriedly began researching nes, but by then, it was toote.


    While the war itself has ended, ording to Arthur¡¯s intelligence, Europe¡¯s study on aircraft has not ceased but has even gathered more momentum.


    It was still tolerable for defeated countries such as Germany, as the Allies were severely strict on them by prohibiting any research on new weapons which included aircraft and tanks that appeared in World War I.


    Even for airships which were already confirmed to be less effective than airnes, the Allies posed numerous restrictions on Germany.


    The Zeppelin Airship, once reputed in Germany before World War I, was directly dismantled by Britain and France, with two production lines taken away. This led to uncertainty as to whether it could reach its peak as it did in history.


    The British and French restrictions on Germany¡¯s tank research were also exaggerated, thoroughly clearing all of Germany¡¯s tank research facilities and explicitly prohibiting any research on tanks.


    Meanwhile, Germany was also banned from researching and producing any type of artillery, heavy machine guns, etc. The 150,000 troops that Germany retained were only allowed to be equipped with rifles and handguns, with even the bullet allocation for each soldier strictly limited.


    Under such circumstances, it would be extremely difficult for Germany to conduct military technology research before the restrictions are lifted.


    On Arthur¡¯s proposition, submachine guns were added to the list of weapons Germany was prohibited from researching, preventing Germany from shifting its research to submachine guns as historically done when their machine gun research failed.


    Not only Germany, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, and Kingdom of Bulgaria were also strictly prohibited from researching and manufacturingrge-caliber weapons.


    This means that those who could really conduct intensive research on tanks and airnes were the victors, apart from Austrsia, the ones with maximum investment are only Britain, France, and America.


    Although the status of airne research in Britain, France, and America is not clear, it is certain that they should be able to surpass the technology of the first-generation military aircraft of Austrsia soon.


    After all, the difficulty of constructing first-generation military aircraft isn¡¯t particrly high, based on the existing technology and research capabilities of Britain and France, it wouldn¡¯t be problematic for them to develop the technology in a short period of time.


    Though Americans are inferior to Britain and France in terms of military technology, they should be able to break through the technology of the first-generation military aircraft as long as they attach importance to it.


    Due to the influence of the influenza, the benefits that Americans should have gained were all abolished, causing America to get practically nothing out of the defeated countries. Comparatively, America was significantly less prosperous than it was atte World War One in history, especially in terms of talent reserves and research capabilities.


    More importantly, after taking the me for the influenza, the Americans were in considerable debt.


    Arge proportion of profits from the war were already taken by Austrsia, plus the burden of debt, America could be described as apletely defeated party. Not only did they lose money in participating in the war, but they also ended up having to paypensation.


    This also represents a tremendous change in the status of America. In history, America¡¯s status improved substantially inte World War I, at least their voice could no longer be ignored.


    However, even though America¡¯s industrial strength hasn¡¯t been weakened, and overall power is second only to Britain and France among the world powers, their status in the world is just like their actual strength.


    Generally speaking, the World Alliance represented most countries in the world.


    The four countries with the most authority in this alliance were naturally Britain, France, Russia, and Austrsia among the Four Great Powers.


    America¡¯s international influence, with its notorious reputation, might not even be higher than Austrsia¡¯s, perhaps it can only be ranked ahead of Italy.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for a civil war that made Russia¡¯s situation extremely tense, with both Tsarist Russia and Soviet Russia weakening Russia¡¯s overall strength and status in the world, America¡¯s status might only be a little higher than Italy¡¯s.


    The technological level of the fourth-generation military aircraft is equivalent to the aircraft of the World War II period, which means that if Austrsia¡¯s aircraft research halts, Britain and France should still be able to catch up during the World War II period.


    However, there are still more than ten years until World War II, this gives Austrsia an opportunity to research for the fifth and possibly even the sixth-generation military aircraft.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 651 - 496: Philippines

    Upon examining the map of Austrsia, it bes clear that the Philippines are like a nail hammered into the Southeast Asian region, making it a forward outpost for the United States on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean, threatening East Asia and Australia.


    Arthur is keenly aware of the principle that one mountain cannot contain two tigers and naturally wouldn¡¯t allow the United States to have an outpost in the Southeast Asian region to counterbnce Austrsia.


    Putting it lightly, the Philippines is a transit station and supply point for U.S. warships, and a springboard on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean for the United States.


    If stated more gravely, once the United States possesses more powerful airnes, they could even fly from the Philippines, threatening Australia¡¯s colonies and nativends.


    If in the future, every country had mastery of missiles, the United States would only need to deploy mid-range missiles in the Philippine region to easily threaten Austrsia, which is something Arthur doesn¡¯t want to see.


    The good news is that the American control over the Philippines is not so stable at present. Even before the Spanish-American War, Filipinos had established the first Republic of the Philippines, but it was forcibly annexed by the United States due to the war, and the Republic subsequently disintegrated.


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    However, this does not mean that the dream of Filipino independence will be crushed. On August 29, 1916, the United States Congress passed the Philippine Autonomy Act, turning the Philippines into a vassal state with the right to self-government.


    The Philippines also held elections during this period, established the Philippine Senate, and gradually gained some power.


    As the reputation of the Americans deteriorated due to the influenza, the then American government even prepared for war, which led to a further decline of American control in the Philippines, and the Philippine Senate saw hope for independence.


    In February this year, a Philippine delegation went to the United States for lobbying to gain American approval for Philippine independence but was rejected by the United States Congress.


    Although peaceful means to achieve independence have been rejected, it doesn¡¯t mean that the Filipinos would ept their fate.


    In fact, ording to intelligence personnel who had already been ced in the Philippines, the Philippine Senate had even prepared for independence, butunching a war against the powerful United States made the Philippine government hesitate and dared not provoke a confrontation for the sake of independence.


    Given the current situation, this should be the best opportunity to provoke Philippine independence. If British and French power support can be obtained, Philippine independence is inevitable, and the Americans can do nothing to stop it.


    After the independence, the Philippines is closest to Austrsia, and it is rtively easy for Austrsia to fully infiltrate this country.


    Although Arthur didn¡¯t have much regard for the Filipinos, if they were cultivated as a backup market and vassal state to resist risks, it would still be eptable.


    If a war breaks out with the ind nation in the future, Filipinos could serve as cannon fodder on the frontline to fight against the inders, exchanging lives in a mutually destructive manner which would be fair to both parties.


    Under Arthur¡¯s orders, arge number of intelligence personnel from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency went to the Philippines, preparing to give the Americans some trouble.


    Philippines, Man, a luxurious vi.


    This is a recently built luxury vi, mainly inhabited by dignitaries from the upper echelons of the Philippines and is the center of this autonomous nation and the gathering area for members of the Senate.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    At 9 o¡¯clock in the evening, when all ordinary people had finished dinner and were preparing for rest, a knock on the door of a vi suddenly echoed, sounding very heavy in the silent night.


    Without any hesitation, Manuel Quison got up to open the door.


    If he guessed correctly, the other members of the Senate were just about to arrive. After the United States tantly refused the Philippines¡¯ request for independence, the Philippine Senate held arge-scale meeting almost every once in a while, and private gatherings among the members of different factions became even more frequent.


    "Who are you?" Manuel Quison was about to greet them but realized that he didn¡¯t know the people outside the door. They were all dressed in ck, and it looked like they were up to no good.


    Without any greeting, the visitors pulled out the handgun and gently pressed it against Manuel¡¯s forehead, whispering, "Let¡¯s talk inside."


    Bang!


    As the door closed, Manuel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This meant that no one would discover his predicament in the silent night unless he risked his life to scream loudly, but the muzzles of the enemies¡¯ guns were not to be trifled with either.


    Perhaps there was a slim chance of hope, but at this moment, Manuel would rather not have that glimmer of hope because that hope was his wife and daughter on the second floor.


    Watching Manuel¡¯s worried gaze asionally darting to the second floor, the intelligence personnel were almost amused by his charade.


    With a signal, several intelligence personnel rushed upstairs with guns, obviously having some knowledge of Manuel¡¯s family situation.


    "No, you can¡¯t do this." Seeing the two intelligence personnel running upstairs with guns, Manuel¡¯s face turned pale at this point, regretting that he had inadvertently revealed his weakness.


    "Are you Mr. Manuel Quison?" The intelligence personnel carefully scrutinized Manuel¡¯s appearance, and after confirming there were no problems, they asked.


    "I am. If you were sent by the Americans, please let go of my wife and daughter. I am willing to pay any price," Manuel nodded with a pale face, having lost any hope of surviving.

 Chapter 652 - 496: Philippines_2

    "You misunderstand, Mr. Manuel. We are not sent by the Americans, and we absolutely will not harm you and your family." Watching his subordinates bring Manuel¡¯s family downstairs, the leading intelligence agent nodded in satisfaction, released the handgun pressed against Manuel¡¯s forehead, and exined as if nothing had happened.


    "Is this a joke?" Manuel¡¯s forehead was still icy cold, a drop of cold sweat sliding down the corner of his eyes. ncing at his wife and daughter, still with guns pressed to their foreheads, Manuel felt the Americans were mocking and provoking him and his imminent death.


    "If you promise not to make a sound, we¡¯d be happy to sit down and have a nice chat." The intelligence agent looked at Manuel and his family, waiting for their awkward nods before gesturing for his subordinates to remove their weapons.


    "Now that¡¯s better, Mr. Manuel." The lead intelligence agent extended his hand with a smile, seeing that Manuel had no intention of shaking it and continued unfazed; "Allow me to introduce myself. I am from the Royal Security Intelligence Agency¡¯s Foreign Intelligence Division in Austrsia. You can call me Sam, or whatever name you choose."


    "Austrsia? Royal Security Intelligence Agency? Foreign Intelligence Division? I don¡¯t understand, why would youe looking for me?" Manuel inquired in a mutter.


    Logically, the Philippines and Austrsia don¡¯t have anything to do with each other. The Philippines is still under American control and was previously a Spanish colony, with no rtion to Austrsia.


    "ording to our intelligence, you seem to want to lobby the Washington government to agree to Philippine independence, but it seems your lobbying has failed." The self-proimed Sam did not answer Manuel¡¯s question but spoke on his own ord.


    It was not unusual for the news of the Philippines delegation visiting the United States to reach Austrsia¡¯s intelligence department, as it was not entirely confidential.


    However, it seemed that the dispute between the Philippines and the United States had nothing to do with Austrsia, right?


    Or had Austrsia decided to extend its reach to the Philippines? Weren¡¯t they afraid of American retaliation?


    In an instant, Manuel thought of many questions. But then he suddenly realized that Austrsia had long been considered a superpower and had established a very good rtionship with the British Empire, thus theoretically not fearing the United States.


    In summary, this might be a dispute between two superpowers, and Manuel had already decided to stop resisting and prioritize the lives of himself and his family.


    "Yes, the Americans do not agree with Philippine independence. Although we have initially gained President Wilson¡¯s support, the United States Congress is also very firm." Manuel, who had already given up, decided not to hold back, answering whatever the other party asked.


    Seeing Manuel¡¯s cooperation, the intelligence agent nodded in satisfaction and continued, "ording to our understanding, you seem to have made all kinds of preparations for independence. If only force can gain independence, are you willing to fight against the United States?"


    "The people of the Philippines, up and down, want independence, and it is clear that relying solely on the Philippines¡¯ power is absolutely impossible topete with the United States. If the US Congress does not relent, the Senate will never agree to a forceful independence n." Manuel shook his head with a bitter smile, exining.


    In this era, weak countries have no choice in their own fate. Even the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which still retains its status as a superpower after the war, had no choice in the face of Hungary¡¯s independence.


    Not to mention the Philippines, which faces strong pressure from the United States. The likelihood of the Philippine Senate initiating armed independence is almost zero.


    "Your concerns are unnecessary in my opinion, Mr. Speaker." Sam smiled slightly, finally opening the real conversation, "If you need it, Austrsia can provide assistance. Of course, not only Austrsia, but we can also seek support from the United Kingdom and France to help you gain independence."


    Given the current situation in the United States, having support from Austrsia would be enough to give the American government a headache.


    If aided further by the British and French, even if the Americans are unwilling, Philippine independence is a done deal.


    Manuel was tempted by Sam¡¯s proposal but quickly forced himself to calm down, tentatively asking, "Mr. Sam, your countries¡¯ assistance would not be withoutpensation, right? What can the Philippines offer in exchange for your support and that from the British and French for Philippine independence?"


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    "Hahaha!" Sam did not answer in a hurry, butughed, patting Manuel¡¯s shoulder with apparent deep meaning, "I believe the Speaker is an intelligent man, knowing that in this world thew of the jungle prevails. Without our help, even if the Philippines gains independence, it is destined to be controlled by the United States or other countries.


    Our request is simple; we hope to form a permanent alliance with the Philippines, conducting close exchanges in military and economic matters."


    "If the post-independence Philippine government is willing, we can also send experts to help your country better establish a government, improve the judiciary and administrative system, and strengthen your military power, preventing American retaliation."

 Chapter 653 - 496: Philippines_3

    It seemed that Sam did not make any demands, but instead was willing to offer a series of assistance to the independent Philippine government.


    However, if one were to look at Sam¡¯s words from another perspective, Manuel felt that Austrsia¡¯s appetite was even greater than the United States¡¯.


    The military and economic interactions were the most important.


    The newly-established Philippines was in a state of disarray, highly vulnerable to influence from other nations.


    The formation of a military force could not be achieved in a short period, and with the help from Austrsians, it also meant that the Philippine military would be heavily influenced by Austrsia.


    The same was true for the economy. The Philippines¡¯ economy was destined to be weak after independence, requiring assistance from other countries.


    If Austrsia¡¯s economic pration into the Philippines was too deep, the Philippines would not be able to break free from it.


    With both the military and economy controlled by Austrsia, even an independent Philippine government wouldn¡¯t be much different from now, and they¡¯d still have to obey Austrsia¡¯s demands.


    As for Sam¡¯sst statement, helping the Philippines establish a judiciary and administrative system meant gainingplete control over the country.


    It goes without saying that the judiciary and the administrative system are the foundation of a country¡¯s government and determine whether a government has autonomy.


    A Philippines subjected to military, economic, judiciary, and political control is far from an independent nation. The answer is obvious - they cannot, and it is even worse than the current situation. At least the current Philippines possess administrative autonomy, albeit at the expense of servitude to the Americans.


    "Mr. Sam, are you not joking? A Philippines subjected to control in military, economy, judiciary, and politics is not what we want as an independent nation. The Senate would never agree," Manuel said incredulously, looking at Sam. He had underestimated the appetite and bottom line of the Austrsians.


    "No, Mr. Speaker, I believe the Senate will support it," Sam shook his head and said with a smile, "As far as I know, as the Speaker, you have a high reputation in the Philippines. As long as you can ovee opposition and with our support, there will be no problem convincing the Senate."


    "I believe the Speaker is a smart man, and we only work with smart people. The independent Philippines needs apetent ruler, and I think the Speaker, with his prestige in the Philippines, is very suitable for the position.


    I hope we can maintain a long-term cooperation, and I don¡¯t want to lose you as a newly-acquired friend," Sam said, looking at Manuel meaningfully, a mixture of coercion and coaxing in his tone.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Manuel, full name Manuel Louis Quison, was one of the most famous figures in the Philippines at the time.


    Born in 1878, Manuel became the Speaker of the Philippine Senate at the age of 41, enjoying high prestige and support in the Philippines.


    Looking closely at Manuel¡¯s background, he was born amoner and enjoyed a distinguished career.


    After graduating from Saint Thomas University as a lecturer and studyingw, he joined Emilio¡¯s revolutionary force against Spain.


    With his fearlessness andbat gantry, Manuel gained great support from Filipino people and was handed over to the United States after the Philippine revolutionary forces refused to acknowledge the American sovereignty over the Philippines following the Spanish-American War. Manuel was imprisoned for six months.


    After that, Manuel passed the bar exam and gradually entered politics.


    Manuel¡¯s revolutionary poprity carried him to the governor¡¯s position at only 28 years old, strengthening his prestige in the Philippine political scene.


    The Jones Act, drafted and implemented by Manuel several years prior, made him a national hero, quickly securing his position in the Senate and bing the Speaker of the Senate.


    This impressive career trajectory made Manuel the pride of the Philippines, and he eventually became the first president of the Republic of the Philippines in the annals of history.


    However, historically, it was destined for Manuel¡¯s fate to change in this era, and the fate of the Philippines was to undergo significant transformation.


    As one of the most highly educated people in the Philippines and having been in politics for many years, Manuel was well aware of Sam¡¯s coaxing and threats and the current situation he and his family were in.


    With no power to resist Sam¡¯s threats, Manuel conceded, "I hope to ensure the safety of my family first, and I will cooperate with you as much as possible."


    "Hahaha, as I thought, I knew the Speaker would be a smart man. Rest assured, as long as you cooperate with our actions, your family will be very safe, and our intelligence personnel will protect them closely," Samughed again, patting Manuel on the shoulder, reassuring him.


    In fact, although with the intention to protect, Sam¡¯s words also carried a hint of surveince. After all, if Manuel intended to hide his family in the vast Philippines, the Royal Security Intelligence Agency might not be able to locate them in a short period.


    Instead of doing so, it was better to monitor them closely and permanently, protecting Manuel¡¯s family members incidentally.


    Understanding that he had no choice, Manuel helplessly nodded his head and asked, "So what should I do?"

 Chapter 654 - 497: Cooperation

    As of 1919, the poption of the Philippines had already exceeded 10 million, to be exact, it had reached just over 10.53 million.


    If it weren¡¯t for the data fromter generations, Arthur would not believe that this country would increase its poption by 11 times in just a hundred years, and even achieve a poption of 114 million in 2023, ranking 13th in the world and one of the most popted countries in Southeast Asia, second only to the future Indonesia, which is now the Dutch East Indies region.


    A region that can amodate hundreds of millions of people is also a thorn in America¡¯s side in Austrsia, and it must be removed.


    If the Philippines is managed well, it will be a dumping ground for Austrsian products and a source of cheapbor in the future.


    At the same time, the Philippines can also serve as the first line of defense against ind nations, easing the double pressure Austrsia may face from ind nations and the United States.


    After controlling the Philippines, the US bases on the Pacific coast can bepletely removed, and the US¡¯s long-desired Pan-Pacific policy will be doomed to fail.


    In the long run, regions like the present Dutch East Indies and the Philippines can serve as vassal states of Austrsia in the future, undertaking some low-end industries and heavily polluting industries for Austrsia.


    With abined poption of over 300 million in the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines inter generations, they can form an expendable army of over 30 million at any cost, or provide tens of millions of cheapbor, which is much better than using the lives of Austrsians to fill the gap.


    Manuel is a smart man. When he learned that he had no choice, he readily agreed to all the terms offered by Sam.


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    After all, Sam¡¯s demands were based on the future establishment of the Philippine government. Sam would not bear any loss and even had the hope of bing the first president or prime minister of the new Philippine government under the support of Austrsia.


    There is good news: since the Philippines has gone through hundreds of years of colonial rule, the local powers are not strong. The strongest are the revolutionary forces that emerged in response to Spanish tyranny.


    As one of the founding members of the rebellion at the time, Manuel has a high prestige among the people and holds considerable sway over a significant part of the revolutionary forces.


    This also means that if Manuel can persuade some of the revolutionary forces, plus his own prestige in the Senate and among the public, it will be easy to pass anyw.


    However, it is impossible to expect the Philippines to directly initiate an independence war and sessfully defeat the Americans for independence.


    Even with the help of Austrsia, the Philippines, with only tens of millions of people, will definitely not be a match for the Americans.


    However, Arthur¡¯s experience fromter generations gives him a better solution. Instead of directly instigating an independence war, cultivating arge number of anti-American forces in the Philippines, allowing them to prate into Filipino society, and destroying various American facilities in the Philippines, would increase the cost of American control in the Philippines.


    In this way, the Americans have only two choices. In addition to increasing investment and deploying troops in the Philippines, the only option is to be forced to give up the Philippines.


    After all, when the cost of ruling a region is much higher than the ie it brings, continuing to upy the region may not be a wise choice.


    The reason why intelligence personnel approached Manuel was precisely because of his prestige and support among the Filipino poption.


    It is no exaggeration to say that if Manuel were to rally in the civilmunity of the Philippines, he could easily form an armed force and even trigger a wave of resistance against the United States in the Philippines.


    It should be noted that the US rule in the Philippines is by no means peaceful. The Philippines has experienced various rebellions since the Spanish colonial period and naturally will not obediently submit to American rule.


    Since the United States passed the Philippine Act in 1902, ending military control over the Philippines, the country has been under the control of the civilian government led by the Americans.


    Being led by the Americans is no joke. Although it appears to be a Philippine government, it is practically controlled by the Americans. Filipinos have to go through American approval to pass anyw.


    This situation has deepened the contradictions between the Filipino people and the Americans, especially since the policies implemented by the Americans hardly take into ount the opinions of the Filipino people, which greatly intensifies anti-American sentiments in the Philippines.


    Manuel expanded the opportunities for Filipinos to participate in politics through the Jones Act. Although they did not gain the upper hand, the Filipino political arena did indeed have more local voices, which is why Manuel has great prestige in Filipino politics.


    It can be said that without Manuel, the Filipino political arena would still be dominated by the Americans, and Filipino officials would have no say in the face of the Americans.


    Although the Jones Act has eased the contradictions between the Filipino people and the Americans, as long as the Americans dominate the Filipino government for even one day, these contradictions will never be resolved.


    Therefore, Sam gave Manuel the first task: to secretly form armed forces, break them up into very small teams, and sabotage the US rule in the Philippines.


    Aplete Philippine armed force is definitely no match for the Americans. Disintegrating into small teams of varying numbers and breaking them up into individual parts will actually y a more important role.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 655 - Four Hundred Ninety-Seven: Cooperation_2

    Deploying arge-scale army for small-scale rebel forces is not cost-effective, but these small-scale rebel forces can cause great trouble to the Americans ruling the Philippines.


    Whether it is disrupting the lives of Americans in the Philippines or destroying various facilities constructed by the United States in the Philippines, it can make Americans exhausted and hard to defend.


    More importantly, breaking the armed forces into groups can also reduce the danger to Manuel.


    After all, in today¡¯s Philippines, it is not easy to openly resist the United States.


    The Americans have stationed their army in the Philippines, and even a dog driven into desperation can jump over a wall, let alone the Americans who are no better than dogs?


    In addition to secretly forming anti-American armed forces, Sam also reached various agreements with Manuel, including a portion of weapon resources and diplomatic support for Manuel.


    Sam promises to provide weaponry to Manuel, which includes a batch of rifles confiscated in European battlefields and some weapons phased out from the Larasian Indigenous army.


    In total, there are over 100,000 rifles, 50 machine guns, 100 assorted and chaotic firearms, one emergency airship, and matching ammunition, shells, and so on.


    These weapons and equipment are not enough for any battlefield, but if they are only used to harass the Americans and are limited to the Philippine region, they are actually sufficient.


    At least it can allow Manuel to form a private armed force of more than 100,000 people, a number far beyond the size of the American garrison in the Philippines.


    In fact, after the end of the military government in the Philippines, the United States withdrew most of its troops stationed in the Philippines.


    The total number of U.S. troops in the Philippines will not exceed 2,000, and the actual number of army personnel will definitely not exceed 1,200, apart from some naval officers and soldiers.


    This batch of weapons and equipment is enough for Manuel to entangle with the American army for a long time. But before the Americans mobilize the main forces, it could even allow Manuel to gain an advantage in the Philippines.


    In addition to this batch of weapons and equipment, ording to the agreement between Sam and Manuel, Manuel will form a team of over 500 students who will study in Larasia.


    Among the 500 students are 200 political science students who are destined to be the main officials of the future Philippine Government and heavily influenced by Larasia.


    Next, there are more than 200 students who will study at military academies. They will undergo three years of military education in Larasian military schools and eventually return to the Philippines to train the regr army for the new Philippine nation.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, the training of the Philippine army by then will inevitably involve Larasia.


    Under the influence of Larasia, these people will inherently lean towards Larasia when considering issues.


    This is actually amon study-abroad strategy inter generations. By attracting students from less advanced countries and subtly influencing them, they are nurtured into talents friendly towards their own countries.


    These high-quality talents with study-abroad experience, after returning to underdeveloped regions and countries, will be valued due to their personal experience, and gradually move to the upper echelons of the country.


    Through long-term umtion and influence, one can even control a nation by attracting arge number of students and turning the entire country¡¯s government into a pro-government.


    Such study-abroad policies are horrifying, but they are also inevitable in the rise of underdeveloped countries.


    If a country wants to move from backwardness to prosperity, it has to learn advanced knowledge from outside, and the best way is to study abroad.


    It is impossible for people abroad not to be influenced by other countries. Especially for Filipinos who have felt such a huge gap between themselves and others, it is natural for them to blindly worship more advanced countries.


    Including students from other industries, these 500 students will spend 3 to 4 years studying in Austrsia before returning to the Philippines to build a new government.


    By that time, the Philippines¡¯ independence will have basically taken shape, and it will be time to need more talents to build a new government and eliminate the United States¡¯ influence on the country.


    With these students, Austrsia can also better control the Philippine government. In fact, there is no need to follow the United States¡¯ example and strictly control the Philippine government.


    Just by using these students and winning over some Philippine officials, even if the Philippines bes independent, they will still be under the control of Austrsia.


    Moreover, even an independent Philippines will have industries that are in dire need of revival.


    Without Austrsia¡¯s support, the Philippines will struggle to survive in such an international environment.


    Even if there is no Austrsia, there would be the United Kingdom, France, or even the resurgence of the United States.


    In this era, it is almost impossible for a small country with a vastnd to remain self-sufficient.


    Even the seemingly developed Belgium, though dered a neutral country, was invaded by Germany, wasn¡¯t it?


    In this era, a country can only bepletely independent from the world if it has strong military power or if it is a very poor country that doesn¡¯t attract powerful nations.


    Regrettably, although the Philippine area is not asrge as that of big colonies, it has nearly 300,000 square kilometers of vastnd, and it has a poption of tens of millions, with a decent geographic location.


    With some management, it will be a perfect marketce for goods. Coupled with the various mineral resources it contains, the revenue it generates would be enormous.


    Even though the Philippines is not as rich in mineral resources as Austrsia, it is by no means barren.


    On the contrary, the Philippines has significant reserves of nickel, cobalt, gold, and copper, all of which rank in the top ten in the world inter generations.


    Furthermore, the Philippines has a certain amount of petroleum reserves, and the value of mining can undoubtedly bring significant profits to the country that controls the Philippines.


    Under such circumstances, the Philippines, unless it bes strong itself, will inevitably attract the envy of powerful countries and other nations.


    It has been proven by the previous Spanish, the present American, and the future Austrsia that the weak can only be the prey for the strong.


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    If only relying on civil officials like Manuel to develop the Philippines¡¯ anti-American armed forces, regardless of the progress, such hastily formed armed forces will be deemed unreliable.


    In order to make the Philippines more troublesome to the United States, Austrsia will also assist Manuel in forming armed forces, including dispatching professional instructors to conduct military training and teach them some simple tactics.


    Austrsia¡¯s mostmonly usedrge-scale firepower suppression has no fortune for the Philippines to enjoy, after all, this requires a tremendous test of a country¡¯s logistical prowess and the speed of military industry production.


    Before World War I, Austrsia stockpiled a vast amount of shells and only used them for a few firepower suppressions. Each time, the number of shells consumed reached millions, with an average daily consumption of over 200,000, showing the tremendous logistical test ofrge-scale firepower suppression.


    Considering the current situation of the Philippines, let alone usingrge-scale firepower suppression, it¡¯s already quite impressive that the fragmented anti-American armed forces can mobilize artillery.


    Even in general circumstances, most heavy weapons will be sealed off and only used after the Philippines forms a real military in the future.


    After all, the purpose of the current arms is to harass the American troops and bases in the Philippines, not topletely defeat the Americans.

 Chapter 656 - Four Hundred Ninety-Eight: A New Election

    The value of the Philippines to Arthur and Austrsia is undoubtedly very high, but if the Philippines is unified andpletely cohesive, the value it brings to Austrsia would be greatly reduced.


    This is not only reflected in the Philippines, but also in various aspects of life.


    Apletely united Philippines can easily, as it is now, erupt various anti-Austrsian uprisings in the future.


    When a country ispletely stable and free of internal strife, its focus would be on external affairs.


    Therefore, it is a better way to plunge the Philippines into internal chaos in order to manage it more properly.


    The immense prestige of Manuel in the Philippines¡¯ political and civilian spheres can certainly speed up the anti-American progress and even effectively undermine the United States¡¯ rule in the Philippines.


    However, this would also bring up a problem -the Philippines, which bes independent from the United States, would form a whole centered around Manuel, and the sessful independence would make Manuel¡¯s prestige even stronger.


    Austrsia may be able to temporarily amodate the Philippines under its rule with force, but such rule will eventually run into problems, as the Philippines is bound to develop and have aplete army, navy, and government, and ambition forplete independence will be born.


    To prevent this situation from happening, Manuel needs to find several domesticpetitors in the Philippines, cultivate a few people of simr status to Manuel, and disperse the future Philippine government into severalrge and small forcespeting with each other.


    Competition among several forces makes it easier for Austrsia to operate externally.


    In thepetition, the weaker party always needs to rely on Austrsia¡¯s support to maintain its power.


    As a result, the Philippine government would not be able to unite and face outward, and it would be even less likely to wage an independent war.


    Once Austrsiapletely controls the Philippines¡¯ economy and military, it will be impossible for the Philippine forces to turn the tables.


    More importantly, finding temporary allies for Manuel could also strengthen the current anti-American forces in the Philippines.


    After all, if only Manuel stands up and openly resists the United States, it would not only look isted but also be more easily targeted by the American government.


    For the American government, as long as they deal with Manuel, they can deal with the majority of the anti-American forces in the Philippines.


    This is something that Austrsia does not want to see, as without Manuel, the real leader, the remaining anti-American forces in the Philippines would be insignificant and pose no threat to the US rule in the Philippines.


    Whether it is for the consideration of consolidating future rule in the Philippines or strengthening the current anti-American forces in the Philippines, more Philippine power figures should be found to both share the spotlight with Manuel and set the stage for the establishment of the future Philippine government.


    It is precisely because of such a decision that, in addition to finding Manuel, intelligence personnel have found many middle and high-ranking Philippine officials, who are almost the top echelon of the Philippine native forces.


    After all, under the control of the United States, it is not easy for native Filipinos to be middle and high-ranking officials of the Philippine government, and those like Manuel who be Senate Speaker are extremely rare.


    These native Filipinos may not have a significant impact on the United States, but their influence on the Philippine people is still considerable, and some are even from local powerful families.


    The process of the Philippines resisting the United States is also the process of Austrsia testing these people.


    The closer they can connect with Austrsia, the more say they will have in the future Philippine government.


    As for those who want to use Austrsia¡¯s power to achieve the independence of the Philippines wholeheartedly, they are now a knife in the hands of Austrsia and are destined to be discarded into the scrapheap in the future.


    While intelligence work is underway, another important task has arrived in Austrsia.


    After eight years, Austrsia finally weed another cab election. The outbreak of the war in 1914 forced the current cab government to continue until 1917, and then the American influenza in 1918 led to the new round of cab elections only starting now. Compared to thest cab election, it has been exactly eight years or two terms.


    It is worth mentioning that wartime cabs are not included in the members¡¯ term count. This means that many cab members can be re-elected and continue to vie for the cab throne.


    Like the current Prime Minister Kent, who has been in office the longest in Austrsia, he still only counts as one term and can continue to seek re-election.


    Cab members like Mark, the Minister of Agriculture, who have only been re-elected twice, can still seek a third term.


    However, joy for some means sorrow for others. Since Willie became the Minister of Health in 1903, he has sessfully held the position for sixteen years through three consecutive terms.


    He is considered one of Arthur¡¯s veterans, having been Arthur¡¯s right-hand man since the era of the Australian Principality.


    Willie¡¯s contribution to bringing Austrsia¡¯s medical care up to par with Europe¡¯s is undisputed. However, there is no other choice, as the constitution stiptes that each cab member may serve a maximum of three terms. Thus, Willie has to leave the center of Austrsian politics.


    Regardless, Arthur will never forget these outstanding contributors to Austrsia. It is almost inevitable that Willie will leave the cab upon bing a knight, and by the time a new round of elections concludes, it will be time for him to receive a higher honor.


    It is only appropriate to reward this minister, who has dedicated sixteen years to the country, with the title of Baron.


    Before Willie, the first and second Prime Ministers of Australia, Evan, as well as the first and second Civil Affairs Ministers and the third Prime Minister, Walter, and the first and second Defense Ministers and State Ministers, and current Prime Minister, Kent, were all awarded the title of Baron to reward their hard work and contributions to the country.


    Those governors from the colonial era, and the first two cab officials of Austrsia, have also basically been conferred the titles of Baron and knight.


    Although these people are not ministers that followed Arthur directly from Britain to Austrsia, they respect Arthur¡¯s rule and have no ulterior motives, so rewarding them is only right.


    This has also resulted in a peculiar phenomenon¡ªcab members who serve more than two terms receive at least the title of knight as a reward for their contributions.


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    As such, this further stimtes the determination of cab members to serve consecutive terms. Not only does continuity represent staying at the center of national power in the cab, but it also means taking one¡¯s status a step further.


    This holds great appeal for cab members like Minister of Civil Affairs Philip and Secretary of Public Security Robert, who have served only one term.


    Even if it is just the title of knight, it still represents the aristocratic ss of Austrsia. Nobility andmoners are, after all, different even in today¡¯s world.


    Even if it is just an honorary title, it still determines that there is a gap in status between them and ordinary people.


    With the passage of time, the atmosphere of elections in Austrsia gradually intensifies.


    Although the election is only taking ce in the House of Representatives, the entire Austrsia is closely following the election situation.


    This is perfectly normal since the new cab will decide who, besides Arthur, will hold the highest positions in the Austrsian Government in the next four years.


    Since the previous election took ce eight years ago, the various political parties and non-aligned individuals have experienced many changes, and no one dares to predict the oue of the uing election.


    As such, the uncertainty of the election adds some topicality and heat to it, after all, who would be interested in an election with predetermined candidates?


    Prior to this election, Arthur hadmunicated with some of the cab officials.


    First among them is one of Arthur¡¯s confidants, the current Prime Minister, Kent. Kent, the eldest son of the Kent family, is one of Arthur¡¯s absolute confidants who came to Austrsia with him.


    From the beginning, Prime Minister Kent served as Australia¡¯s Defense Minister. When the position of State Minister, or Deputy Prime Minister, was established, Kent was promoted to this new role, making Arthur¡¯s intentions to cultivate a trusted aide quite clear.


    Ultimately, in the 1911 cab election, Prime Minister Kent defeated numerous strong opponents and became the new Prime Minister of Austrsia, embarking on an eight-year term.


    Overall, Arthur is quite satisfied with Prime Minister Kent. He carries out Arthur¡¯s orders thoroughly and without hesitation. Also, he never asks too many questions.


    This allows Arthur to entrust most of the country¡¯s affairs to Prime Minister Kent, leaving him to focus on macro controls and major decisions affecting the country.


    It is obvious that Prime Minister Kent is quitepetent, as Austrsia has developed well over the past eight years, currently achieving the status of the fifth world power, following Britain, France, America, and Russia, surpassing Italy in all aspects except poption.


    Even the future strength of Russia, after experiencing this civil war, remains uncertain, and it is doubtful whether they can maintain their position as the fourth superpower.


    Considering the current situation, Soviet Russia possesses an advantage. However, Britain and Austrsia are unwilling to see Soviet Russia win the war, and this conflict is, therefore, a struggle between Tsarist Russia and Soviet Russia, fueled by British support. Experience more on empire


    Such a civil war is unlikely to end swiftly. With assistance from Britain and Austrsia, Tsarist Russia can still withstand a few more years of struggle.


    Even if Soviet Russia achieves aplete suppression, Britain mayunch an intervention war, as they did in history, to eliminate the country that threatens the British colonial system.

 Chapter 657 - 499: The First Four-Year Plan

    As the monarch of Austrsia, Arthur was quite concerned about this cab election.


    Although some positions were predetermined by Arthur, most of them were still uncertain. After all, Arthur didn¡¯t intend to fully control the cab government, and the opinions of the parties and the public were still essential.


    ording to past practice, the general public has no right to run for the positions of Royal Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, and Minister of Finance.


    Candidates could only be one of the nine people rmended by Arthur, with an average of three people per position, participating in the election within the small scope of the House of Representatives.


    Apart from that, Arthur actually has the power to determine the Minister of State, or the Deputy Prime Minister.


    However, Arthur wouldn¡¯t usually make demands for positions other than those three, as apetitive government with fresh blood is what Arthur wants.


    Although Arthur could rule the country for decades with any government, doing so would bring no good to national politics and would severely limit the inflow of fresh blood into the political arena.


    This is why Arthur initially stipted that the Prime Minister could only serve for two consecutive terms, and cab ministers could only serve for three consecutive terms.


    Only by restricting the term of each position can the position be kept from being monopolized by any individual, allowing more fresh blood to flow into the political arena.


    Compared to the elections of the House of Representatives that need to canvass public votes, cab elections are much faster.


    The cab election is only an internal election within the Senate with only 198 members, so the counting of votes doesn¡¯t take very long.


    This led to the cab election starting on July 1, 1919, andsting until July 3rd.


    July 4th was the day when the results were officially announced and the fifth cab of Austrsia took office.


    This cab election is quite important, as in Arthur¡¯s n, the years following the end of the war are pivotal years for Austrsia, as well as the focus of peaceful development.


    Especially since the United States has been severely affected by the flu, its national reputation has already been tarnished, making Austrsia the most popr choice for immigrants, providing greater assistance in attracting immigrants from Europe, especially British immigrants.


    On July 4, 1919, the fifth cab of Austrsia was officially announced.


    Prime Minister Kent was re-elected as expected, bing the Prime Minister of the fifth cab government of Austrsia and continuing to set new records for the consecutive terms of prime ministers.


    Unless the following prime ministers encounter the same opportunities as Prime Minister Kent, who extended the cab due to major reasons or formed a wartime cab and halted elections, they will not be able to catch up with the term length of Prime Minister Kent during their two terms as prime minister.


    ording to their positions, the list of candidates for the fifth cab government of Austrsia is as follows:


    Chief Minister (Prime Minister): Kent Crawford Rowan


    Minister of State (Deputy Prime Minister): Roger Joseph Albert


    Archbishop of Austrsia: Steed Marlborough


    Chief Justice of Austrsia: Karen Carney


    Speaker of the House of Representatives: Grant Wilson


    Royal Affairs Minister: Hunter Monse Lauren


    Defense Minister: Raul Prange


    Minister of Finance: Kevin Nobel


    Industry Secretary: Joey Melo


    Minister of Agriculture: Robert Swift


    Minister of Livelihood: Philip Chapman


    Minister of Transportation: Martin Bo Spicher


    Secretary of Public Security: Robert Hillyer


    Minister of Health: Ryan Reed


    Read exclusive content at empire


    Minister of Education: Stefan Cross


    Minister of Foreign Affairs: Darren Watson


    Although there are many familiar names in the new cab government, there are also many new members.


    For Arthur, there is good news: the government framework under Prime Minister Kent and Deputy Prime Minister Roger has not changed, and the new cab government should be able to quickly adapt to the previous government affairs, which is very favorable for the development of Austrsia in the future.


    People like the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Finance, who Arthur trusts more, as well as Hunter, the brother of Prime Minister Kent and the Royal Affairs Minister, continue to stay in their positions and serve Arthur.


    There are also some people who, like the very important Ministry of Industry, lost in the election. Industrial Minister Paul ended his term with regret.


    The Chief Justice, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Industry Secretary, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Health, and Minister of Agriculture are all new appointments, injecting fresh blood into the Austrsian political arena and the cab government.


    As for their abilities, it is temporarily uncertain and can only be confirmed after their work in the future.


    However, being elected to enter the House of Representatives by the people and then being elected as a member of the cab government by the House of Representatives shows that their abilities are at least up to standard.


    Otherwise, the intelligence bureau would have submitted their information to Arthur¡¯s desk early and would not have allowed ipetent people to enter the electoral ranks.


    Although they became members of the new cab government on the day the list was announced, their official inauguration was on the second day, July 5.


    After all, a very important step for the members of the Austrsian Cab before taking office is to swear allegiance to Arthur in front of the Royal Square, in front of many Austrsian people.


    With a mix of celebration and nervousness among the cab members, the swearing-in ceremony proceeded smoothly, marking the official birth of the new Austrsian cab government.


    From July 4th to 5th, the new cab government will not have too much work. These cab members need some time to adapt, and the feelings of some new officials must also be considered.


    At the same time, these two days are also their days of celebration. Diplomatic envoys stationed in Austrsia from various countries, as well as major parties, and the families of these officials have some celebrations after the election, which are unavoidable.


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    After all, this is the highest level of the Austrsian government, and it also means that they have entered the decision-making circles of the country and can have a certain impact on the country.


    Arthur is also willing to give the new cab government two days to familiarize themselves with their new work.


    At the same time, let them make full preparations to wee this work, which concerns the entire country and 20 million people of Austrsia.


    On July 7, 1919, the first cab meeting of the new cab government officially convened at Sydney Pce.


    As it concerns the development of the country in the next few years, Arthur¡¯s expression was very solemn. He looked at the cab members sitting with great dignity and said, "Everyone, first of all, congrattions. Regardless of whether you are old faces or new members, you will all be the most important part of Austrsia and will determine the fate of this country in the next few years."


    "This is a very great power, but it also means huge responsibilities and obligations. I believe that you have had some understanding of your respective jobs in the past few days. I hope you can devote yourselves to your work as soon as possible, regard the development of the country as the most important thing, and dedicate everything to it."


    "Alright, Prime Minister Kent, let¡¯s start with you. Tell me about your ns for your work and the issues to be addressed next." Arthur looked at Prime Minister Kent and said.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Prime Minister Kent bowed with great respect, walked to the front with great confidence, bowed to Arthur first, and then said:


    "Your Majesty, my lords. In the past few years, our country has achieved very good results. Our industrial level is ranked fifth in the world, and our economic level is ranked eighth, with a good growth momentum."


    "However, at the same time, some problems have not beenpletely resolved. In view of the current world situation, I believe that the government¡¯s next main goal should focus on immigration, industry, military, technology, and education. At the same time, speed up the localization process of the colonies and firmly control our existing colonies." Prime Minister Kent said.


    "Therefore, I have set up a four-year n for the government¡¯s work in the next few years, following the five-year n proposed by Your Majesty.


    First, while the United States has a tarnished international reputation, we should vigorously absorb immigrants from Europe. At the same time, reduce the proportion of Russian immigrants as much as possible to ensure that our main ethnic group ounts for more than 60% of the qualified line."


    "Last year, the number of Russian immigrants and non-Russian immigrants was 447,000 and 321,000, respectively, with a slightly higher proportion of Russian immigrants. ording to the immigration data for the first half of this year, we hope that the number of non-Russian immigrants this year will reach 472,000, and the number of Russian immigrants should remain around 440,000.


    In this way, our immigrant poption will be about 900,000, plus the domestic newborn poption, the poption growth will be between 1.4 million and 1.5 million, which already meets our preliminary requirements for poption growth."


    "The most important part of the four-year n is poption growth, and Western European immigrants should be more than Russian immigrants within four years, and poption growth should be above 1.4 million. After four years, the poption of the country can reach the expected 26 million and further solve the problem of sparse poption.


    Secondly, our steel production output and iron production outputst year were 3.012 million tons and 4.557 million tons, respectively. Our industrial level is only second to Britain, France, Russia, and the United States, ranking fifth in the world.


    With the construction of the fourth phase of the Leonora Industrial Base and the construction of new industrial bases in all states, the growth of industry in the next four years will also be in a good range, and it is hopeful to reach the expectations of annual steel production output of more than 4 million tons and annual iron production output of more than 6 million tons in four years.


    In this way, our total steel production will exceed 10 million tons, consolidate our position as the world¡¯s top five industrial powerhouse, and seize the opportunity to surpass Russia.


    Our weapon exports and domestic production and construction all require a lot of steel, so there is no need to worry about any problems with the growth of steel production output.


    While increasing industry, we should vigorously support small and medium-sized enterprises, support the chemical industry and civil industry, and all kinds of industries, including tax exemption policies, to improve ourprehensive industrial strength."

 Chapter 658 - 500: The Great Military Expansion (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

    "Besides our existing heavy and light industries, we should also strengthen our cooperation with the British and introduce a batch of new chemical and military industries from the United Kingdom." Prime Minister Kent continued:


    "The British Empire¡¯s leading position in the navy is an absolute advantage. Relying on our good rtionship with the British Empire, this advantage can be transformed into our advantage.


    At present, we have mastered aircraft carrier technology, but it cannot be determined whether this technology canpletely rece the existing battleships.


    Research on battleships by the British Empire is still ongoing. We can more easily acquire the world¡¯s most advanced battleship technology and maintain our leading position in battleship technology before aircraft carrierspletely rece battleships.


    In addition to this, we should continue to increase investment in our already advantageous aircraft and tank technology to maintain our lead.


    Both weapons have proven to have tremendous impact on the battlefield. They are the guarantee of our absolute advantage in the future wars."


    Prime Minister Kent said with determination.


    Investment in military technology is essential in both peacetime and wartime, even as the top priority of national fiscal budgets.


    Although Austrsia is not that kind of extreme country that advocates military force, it attaches great importance to the investment in military research. Every year, the military budget ounts for about 20-30% of total fiscal expenditure, and itsprehensive military power ranks among the top five in the world.


    It seems difficult to find a country that can lead Austrsiaprehensively in its army and navy forces, except for Britain and France.


    Germany¡¯s post-war restrictions have been too severe, and it is impossible for the country to rise again without a long recovery period.


    As for Russia, its current internal turmoil has also damaged its strength. Neither Tsarist Russia nor Soviet Russia can necessarily defeat Austrsia on its own.


    Besides, perhaps the only ones that pose a threat to Austrsia are the Ind Nation and the United States.


    After all, the Ind Nation has a poption of more than 50 million, which can form millions of armies, and it is troublesome for Austrsia.


    However, the good news is that the Ind Nation¡¯s navy has been greatly restricted. As an ind-type country, the Ind Nation is unlikely to pose a threat to Austrsia solely through its army advantage.


    As for the United States, its military power did not expand significantly during World War I, and its army has been reduced to about 100,000 after the war.


    Moreover, thebat effectiveness of American troops is definitely at the bottom of the world powers. American soldiers have neither the outstanding military qualities of the Germans nor the fearless spirit of the Inders with their disregard for death. Their weapons and equipment are also inferior to the British and French forces.


    They joined World War Ite, and their performance in the final battles was not very good.


    The size of the United States Navy is also decent, but there is a certain difference in the naval guns installed on the main warships of the United Statespared to those of Britain.


    Now, the United States is definitely among the top three in the world in industry and economy, even pressing Britain and France, and iming to be the world¡¯s first industrial and economic superpower.


    However, in terms ofprehensive strength, the American military power is obviouslygging, and the current threat to Austrsia is not that high.


    However, thest influenza crisis made Americans realize the threat from Britain and France, especially the threat from the World Alliance ruled by the British.


    It also stimted the Americans to build battleships at a rapid pace, as fast as putting dumplings in water, which isparable to a new naval arms race.


    In order to cope with the threat from the United States and improve Austrsia¡¯s ownbat power, it is necessary to expand the army and navy in a new round.


    Under the watchful eyes of the cab ministers, Prime Minister Kent took out a pre-prepared expansion n and handed it to Arthur.


    Austrsia¡¯s regr army is currently very small, far less than the exaggerated one million expeditionary forces during World War I.


    The main force of Austrsia, that is, the armyposed entirely of Austrsians, consists of only two guard divisions and four regr divisions totaling 104,000 regr troops, and 12,000 guard troops stationed in the colonies, with a total of 116,000 troops.


    Because all the indigenous troops were disbanded, Austrsia lost nearly 100,000 troopspared to before.


    However, this is inevitable. After all,pared to the armiesposed entirely of native soldiers, the regr armyposed of Austrsians will be the main force in future wars.


    the shortest period of poption shortage in Austrsia has passed, and 20 million people can arm millions of forces at any time.


    Moreover, Austrsia¡¯s poption will at least maintain a growth rate of one million per year, which means that the current 100,000-strong regr army is no longer sufficient for this country.


    The battlefields of World War I had already proven that the number of participants in such a world war was absolutely in the tens of millions. What could an army of 100,000 do? It would only be enough for two days of consumption in arge battle.


    In Prime Minister Kent¡¯s expansion n, the existing four regr divisions are to be fully upgraded, expanded to 12 infantry divisions, 4 artillery divisions, 2 cavalry divisions, and 1 tank division, totaling 19 divisions, with abat force of over 250,000 people.


    Even though the weapons on battlefields have gone through earth-shaking changes, infantry is still the mainstream of war and one of the most critical armies among various forces.


    In addition to the most numerous infantry divisions, the expansion of the 4 artillery divisions would also make the firepower of the Austrsian Army more powerful.


    Currently, Austrsia is researching tracked guns, applying tank chassis technology to guns to improve their transport capabilities.


    If this technology can be realized and stably applied, the importance and role of artillery divisions on the battlefield will be greatly enhanced.


    The reason why two cavalry divisions are still formed despite the presence of tanks is that the current tanks have unreliable performance with a high rate of breakdown.


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    Secondly, the existing tanks cannot adapt to all battlefield environments; some deserts, hills, and mountains, or even areas with uneven roads, are where cavalry divisions can y a more significant role.


    At least until the stability of tanks is fully guaranteed, the role of cavalry divisions is still useful.


    As for thest fully-formed tank division, it is a tribute to the respect for the new tank technology developed in Austrsia.


    Although the stability of tanks cannot be fully guaranteed, after all, they have been tested on the battlefield and can y a significant role in the war, and equipping them inrge quantities is still necessary.


    As tank technology advances, countries will also pay more attention to tank construction. Although it appears to be a gamble for Austrsia to equip tanks on arge scale in advance, Arthur knows it¡¯s not a loss.


    Mechanization of the army is a necessity brought about by science and the development of the times, and it can greatly enhance thebat power of the army.


    When tank technology matures in the future, corresponding tracked guns, armored cars, etc., will also emerge, enriching Austrsia¡¯s weapon system and improving the mobility of the Austrsian army.


    Although he is Arthur¡¯s absolute confidant and can greatly influence Arthur¡¯s decisions, Prime Minister Kent is still very discerning and doesn¡¯t mention the Guards controlled by Arthur in the army expansion n; he only refers to the regr army under the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense.


    This expansion n will directly push the number of Austrsia¡¯s regr army to over 250,000 people; when added to the current 40,000 Guards and over 10,000 reserve troops, the total number of Austrsia¡¯s army will cross 300,000, reaching the conventional level of a medium power.


    Note that before the outbreak of World War I, the standing armies of European countries weren¡¯t many, with only Russia exceeding 1 million people.


    Famous for its armybativeness, the German Empire had not even reached 500,000 soldiers in its army around 1910.


    However, as countries¡¯ military technology develops, increasing the number of troops is an inevitable trend.


    With the progress of high-lethality weapons such as machine guns and firearms, the casualty figures of a single battle are far beyond what these countries could have imagined.


    This also means that the destruction of war on countries is already extremely severe; it¡¯s almost impossible for any country to stay intact during a war.


    Arthur was quite satisfied with the expansion n submitted by Prime Minister Kent.


    However, in order to give the government its own thoughts, it¡¯s crucial to provide cab members with the opportunity to express their opinions.


    Signaling the guard to hand over the expansion n to all cab members for cirction, Arthur instructed: "You all take a look; if you have any different suggestions or opinions on this expansion n, you can propose them."


    After everyone had finished reading the expansion n, Arthur first looked at Defense Minister Raul and asked: "Minister Raul, is it difficult to expand the regr army to 250,000 people? How serious is the impact on our existing army¡¯sbat effectiveness?"


    Currently, the regr army only has four divisions and 64,000 people; expanding to 250,000 people is equivalent to increasing it fourfold.


    Such a massive expansion would inevitably affect the existing army¡¯sbat effectiveness. Even if the military academy of Austrsia and the previous wars reserved enough reserve officers for the new army, arge number of old soldiers would have to be transferred to the new army, ensuring that the new army had certainbat effectiveness.


    "Your Majesty, in the previous wars, we rotated all the troops to ensure that all of them participated in the war. Based on our current reserve of reserve officers, the expansion to a regr army of 250,000 will not have too much serious impact on the existing army¡¯sbat effectiveness," Minister Raul replied.


    "However, thebat effectiveness of the new army is always a problem; if they don¡¯t experience the tempering of real warfare, relying solely on training can hardly guarantee that they have excellentbat effectiveness," Minister Raul continued.

 Chapter 663 - 504: Russian Capital Floods In

    The allocation of Austrsia¡¯s military expenditure is determined by the Ministry of Defence in cab meetings and then distributed among the three armed services.


    Without the financial decision-making power, it is difficult for the General Staff to seek opportunities using military power.


    This structure is more stable, ensuring that the military power of Austrsia is bnced between the two institutions, posing no threat to Arthur¡¯s monarchical authority.


    The first request from Arthur for the reorganized Ministry of Defense is to increase naval investment and create smaller fleets to protect the maritime security of Austrsia.


    The naval fleets and maritime patrol teams do not conflict; after all, most naval vessels range from hundreds to thousands of tons, while most patrol boats weigh only dozens to hundreds of tons.


    The army¡¯s budget is fixed after expansion, there is little expenditure without war, and the training costs be the major expense.


    The air force and the army¡¯s needs are simr; the uing changes in aircraft technology andrge-scale aircraft procurement seem uneconomical.


    Under these conditions, arge-scale construction of the navy is the most cost-effective. Austrsia¡¯s currentck of naval restrictions is the best opportunity to build a navy.


    As the four-year development n sets the tone in the cab meetings, Austrsia¡¯s development and construction have officially begun.


    The announcement of Austrsia¡¯s first four-year n immediately attracted the attention of domestic and international media and the public.


    This is normal since there are not many countries in the world that are so aggressively developing.


    Britain and France are nursing their wounds, the United States¡¯ reputation is tarnished, and they dare not be bold. Russians are busy with civil war, and Italians are caught in the intoxicating victory of the war.


    Germany, which is eager to develop, will not voice its opinions due to pressure from the Allies.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Consequently, Austrsia¡¯s development bes uniquely significant. Thisrge-scale four-year development n, the international bidding for various projects, and the invitation for foreign investment for the Leonora Industrial Base have attracted attention from many international financial groups and capitalists.


    Among the international financial groups, Russian capital deserves attention.


    Indeed, it is Russia, which is half-destroyed by war and industrial decline.


    The Russian government may be impoverished, but it has nothing to do with Russian capital. This is the current state of Russian capital.


    Centuries of umtion under the Tsars in Russia have enabled numerous grand nobility and capitalists to have substantial capital.


    Russia¡¯s civil war has resulted in the loss of arge number of industries for these capitalists, forcing them to look for opportunities abroad as Russia is not peaceful enough for industrial development.


    Among many countries, the high-profile development of Austrsia attracts the attention of Russian capital.


    What attracts them is the presence of millions of Russians in Austrsia. As the bourgeois who exploited these people for centuries, Russian capitalists know the advantages of these Russians: hardworking, willing to bear greater exploitation.


    Of course, besides this, Austrsia¡¯s excellent environment also attracts these capitalists¡¯ attention.


    Compared to the tarnished reputation of the United States, Austrsia seems to have greater development potential. Furthermore, thest war proved that arge-scale conflict did not affect Austrsia¡¯s nativend. Isn¡¯t such a country capable of ensuring peace ideal for Russian capital?


    After Austrsia opened for public tenders, arge amount of Russian capital poured in; they crave a stable investment environment in Austrsia rather than the horror of Russia, where any war would destroy their hard-earned aplishments.


    Capitalists are changeable. On one hand, they collude with the government and officials in their homes to oppress the poor andmoners, exercising exploitation to the utmost degree.


    On the other hand, when they go abroad, they crave a ce with integrity and clean governance.


    This can be exined easily: only capitalists who collude with the government and officials are the most powerful, while a single capitalist pales inparison to a country¡¯s government machine.


    Under these circumstances, these foreign capitalists prefer regions with fair political environment, which can protect their interests justly and not collude with their local counterparts to devour them.


    Austrsia meets their requirements: firstly, a considerable number of Russians live in Austrsia, making them feel like family.


    Secondly, the political environment in Austrsia achieves fairness since it is an immigrant country without any exclusion of foreign ethnicities and capital.


    Moreover, the marital ties between the Austrsian Royal Family and the Russian Monarchy have attracted many former Tsarist nobles.


    After all, if they are in Austrsia, their noble status could be protected, and the royal family recognizes the status of Russian nobility even though they have already fled and lost their power and status in Russia.


    If they were to go to a republic like the United States, while their capital would still hold significant power, their noble identity would dissipate.


    For these and other reasons, the influx of Russian capital into Austrsia was rapid after the announcement of its four-year development n.


    These capitals generally choose to establish or acquire industries. The industries they enter range from heavy industry, chemical industry, light industry to food industry.


    Among them, Russian capital chose not a few light industries and food industries.


    This is actually easy to understand, since these Russian capitals still possess some power and connections within Russia Nation.


    In Austrsia, they can set up factories, produce a lot of light industrial products and food, and then sell them at high prices inside Russia Nation, would they not make a huge ie?


    Although this would generate a lot of tax revenue for the Austrsian Government, these capitalists can also make profits, with little risk of loss.


    Keep in mind, the impact of this civil war on the domestic environment in Russia Nation is enormous. This impact is not only on industry and economy, but also on agriculture and animal husbandry.


    Russian food production has decreased by almost halfpared to before the civil war, threatening the food demand of the Russian people.


    Because under the request of the British Empire, all World Alliance members have signed a treaty prohibiting trade with Soviet Russia.


    As a result, Soviet Russia was able to establish aprehensive centralized distribution system of supplies to ensure that the vast majority of people have some food to eat.


    Although they may not bepletely full, they can avoid the situation of starvation as much as possible, which is a silver lining in the misfortune.


    On the other hand, Tsarist Russia naturally does not fall in the trade restrictions proposed by Britain. Tsarist Russia has treaty on food trade with many European countries and Austrsia. Just by exporting food alone, these Russian capitalists can make arge sum of money.


    Arthur weed the influx of these Russian capitals because they could promote the rapid development of Austrsian industry and various sectors.


    Although these people might not be on the same side as the Austrsian Government, their industries are established in Austrsia and will be subject to the control of its government.


    Especially under the influence of the Russian civil war, these Russian capitalists have no one to protect them.


    If they behave well, Arthur would be willing to treat them as native enterprises.


    Otherwise, if these Russian capitalists are disobedient, they would learn how powerful the royal financial group is, which could rapidly acquire and dissolve the businesses established by these Russian capitalists in a short period, and let their investments go down the drain.


    It is believed that these capitalists are wise, as no one would want to miss out on money, and no one would want to give up their hard-earned investments to others.


    Please note that these capitalists have invested in all tangible industries in Austrsia.


    Whether it¡¯s heavy industry, light industry, chemical industry or food industry, it has a significant stimulus effect on Austrsia¡¯s economy.


    It can be predicted that, with the participation of these Russian capitals, the economic growth this year should not be small in scale.


    Moreover, this year is only the beginning. In the next few years, these Russian capitals will y a crucial role in the economic growth of Australia.


    With the participation of these Russian capitals, the Prime Minister¡¯s pledge in the Four-Year n of an annual 9% growth rate in the economy could not only be achieved but also exceeded.


    To show the importance of these Russian capitals, Arthur also personally received a Russian aristocrat.


    This is a count from Russia Nation, not part of the core decision-making of Tsarist Russia, but still has a considerable influence on capital.


    Arthur¡¯s reception greatly boosted the confidence of Russian capital, as everyone knows that in Austrsia, Arthur¡¯s opinion is still very crucial.


    Although Arthur personally received some Russian capital, it does not mean that officials can recklessly contact these capitalists.


    After all, Arthur sees these capitalists very clearly. No matter which country they are from, most of them are not good people.


    That¡¯s why Austrsia has never had any provisions to favor capitalists, and some industries even have heavy tax burdens to limit the size and number of capitalists.


    For Australians, bing a nobleman is a better choice than bing a capitalist.


    After all, the nobility is the ss strongly favored by the government, they not only enjoy some tax relief but also can be a role model for the whole country to learn from, as advocated by Arthur.


    After all,pared to capitalists, these less powerful noblemen are more likely to unite closely around Arthur to strengthen Austrsian monarchism and to ensure their positions.


    All their privileges and statuse from Arthur, which also means that they must remain loyal to him. As long as Arthur exists, their power and status will exist.


    Such a situation would certainly not only ur during Arthur¡¯s reign. Even future Austrsian monarchs would still hold the destiny of these new nobles.


    New nobles are the best weapon for every Austrsian monarch. These new nobles can work in any direction for the monarch, including military, economic, and political matters.


    The aristocratic schools founded by Arthur are designed to cultivate the offspring of these new nobles, ensuring that the nobles¡¯ descendants are not useless and better serve Arthur and the future monarchs of Austrsia.

 Chapter 664 - 505: The Impact of Capital

    The power of capital is strong, and its influence on Austrsia is far from insignificant.


    In just one month since the announcement of the Four-Year n, foreign investment in Austrsia has increased more than threefold, with the most recent month¡¯s foreign investment amounting to over 27.35 million Australian dors.


    Although the speed of Russian capital investment is not likely to be this high every month, there is no doubt that these investments can greatly stimte the economic growth of Austrsia, and the Austrsian economy and industry will experience explosive growth in a short period.


    These Russian capitalists are undoubtedly lucky stars for Austrsia. With their help, the Four-Year n for Austrsia is not just empty talk, but has a very high, even 100% probability of being realized.


    While this is certainly a good thing, it may also bring some foreseeable problems.


    First of all, Austrsianborws must be implemented in the factories invested by these Russians.


    The eight-hour work system, overtime double pay, and other regtions must be implemented, and the welfare treatment of the factory workers must be guaranteed.


    This is no small challenge for these Russian capitalists, who have never had to deal withborws or human rights in Russia.


    In the past, the Tsarist Russian government allowed these capitalists to exploit themon people, and even the Tsarist government itself exploited themon people.


    But now things are different; in Austrsia, they must follow the rules of the Austrsian Government.


    The Austrsian Government takes human rights and workers¡¯ welfare very seriously, and these will be the first to be protected.


    Since the beginning of the industrial age, the power of workers has been strong. As long as the interests of workers are protected, the interests of the working ss and themon people are also protected.


    Most workers aremon people; this is the result of the era. Protecting workers¡¯ interests also protects the ie of part of themon people.


    With ie, people can support their families, and naturally, they will not think about rebellion and revolution.


    Capitalists can enter the Austrsian market in two ways, either by directly establishing newpanies and factories or by acquiring existing enterprises.


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    No matter the method, it will have a positive effect on the Austrsian economy.


    After all, when capitalists acquire existing enterprises, the original business owners are unlikely to sell at a low price, but rather will take the opportunity to sell at a high price.


    Overall, the current development environment in Austrsia is quite good, with no war impact, and rtivelyprehensive prevention measures against influenza, so few enterprises go bankrupt, and most are profitable.


    If a portion of local enterprises is acquired or forms a joint venture, it will enable more Austrsian business owners to have sufficient funds to invest in other industries, or raise their living standards; in any case, money will be spent, creating a good cycle and promotion in society.


    For a country, the best situation is to have an uninterrupted flow of money.


    Some more extreme countries will promote people¡¯s desire for consumption. Part of people¡¯s consumption is returned to the government in the form of taxes, and part goes to the hands of others, starting the entire cycle once again.


    In this way, money goes through multiple circtions, providing an unparalleled boost to the economy.


    But if people choose to hoard their money and not let it circte, the promotion of economic cirction will fail, and economic growth will slow down.


    Promoting consumer desire among the people is a big challenge for every government, but most countries take a more moderate approach, such as providing subsidies and discounts on some products to reduce spending and promote consumption.


    This is eptable to the people, as overall, they do not lose out and can buy more cost-effective goods than before.


    What is least desirable is taking various measures to force people to consume. Pressuring people¡¯s living needs to promote the cirction of money in society.


    In this situation, people do not want to buy things, but are forced to buy them.


    Although this is beneficial to the country, it greatly increases the burden on the people and is not good news for themon people.


    Arthur would naturally not do this, as the royal financial group could easily stimte market consumption through various actions without resorting to such unfair and reputation-damaging decisions.


    The government is very strict with these Russian-capital-controlled or -created enterprises, not only requiring strict supervision of their implementation of the eight-hour work system in Austrsia but also supervising their establishment of perfect systems to protect workers.


    Only when all these regtions are met can these factories and enterprises open smoothly and start operating in Austrsia.


    It is worth noting that the government has almost no preferential policies or subsidies for these new enterprises, but in certain important industries and fields for the country, there are still some tax reduction policies.


    Generally, it is a one- to two-year tax reduction, not to favor these Russian capital-established enterprises, but to encourage Russian capital to take root in the industries and fields that Austrsia and Arthur want.


    Austrsia¡¯s main shorings are its chemical industry, light industry, some textile factories, and constructionpanies.


    Next, Austrsia will have many more major constructions, and having enough constructionpanies is necessary.


    More importantly, most of the time, these Russian-capital enterprises are muchrger than the local enterprises in Austrsia.


    Although the lives of Australians are getting better day by day, this growth is slowly umting, and only a small number of people be wealthy through national construction and development.


    This also results in the majority of Austrsian enterprises being small and medium-sized enterprises with assets not exceeding five thousand Australian dors, and fewer than 10% beingrge enterprises with assets exceeding 10,000 Australian dors.


    Although it doesn¡¯t seem like much, 10,000 Australian dors is not a small figure at any time.


    ording to the exchange rate, 10,000 Australian dors is equivalent to 5,000 pounds or the value of 36650 grams of gold.


    Even if looking at the gold price inter generations, 10,000 Australian dors would be equivalent to more than 15 million in assets, which only a few can own.


    Now that these Russian capitals have flooded in, the number of enterprises worth 10,000 Australian dors and their owners should increase several times over in Austrsia.


    The value of the Australian dor is not low; even in British society, families with assets of 10,000 Australian dors are definitely in the minority.


    This is also the downside brought by the development of capital. The wealth of an area is often controlled by fewer people, and the lives of ordinary people do not actually improve much.


    Arthur¡¯s wish is to use his abilities to improve the lives of the Austrsians as much as possible.


    If this four-year n is sessful, the next four-year n would be the mainstream n of the Austrsian government in the future.


    After all, the term of office for each Cab Government is only four years, andpared to the original five-year n proposed by Arthur, the four-year n is more in line with the actual situation in Austrsia.


    Although inevitably, things aplished in four years would be less than in five years, Austrsia¡¯s policies are always carried out under Arthur¡¯s supervision and control, so the overall direction will never deviate.


    Frankly, the influx of these capitals has also allowed Arthur to breathe a sigh of relief.


    With the addition of these Russian capitals, some weaker areas of development in Austrsia should be able to catch up in a short amount of time, or at least make up for the previous gaps.


    Only aprehensively developed country is healthy, and its development potential will be revealed.


    Although Austrsia has caught up in some respects, the total development time is only 19 years, which is still far behind those long-established countries.


    Making up for this kind of disparity in historical depth cannot be fully understood by numbers alone; conservatively speaking, it will take at least ten years to bridge these gaps.


    If we consider the impact of World War II, it might not be until after the war that Austrsia bes a truly powerful country in every aspect.


    Although enjoying the benefits of capital brought to the country, it is necessary to prevent the downsides capital brings as well.


    In World War I, capital yed a crucial role in promoting the war. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that some European countries and the United States were influenced by capital.


    Capital swelled to such an extent that it could even provoke wars between countries. From the moment capital began to reveal its fangs, even a country¡¯s policies could be influenced by it.


    Not to mention World War I, even the future World War II would have the influence of capital. It may seem that Hitler started World War II, but was there really no influence from capital behind it? Absolutely not.


    Even without Hitler, there would be others like him, influenced by capital, leading Germany to the battlefield; this is impossible to change by individuals alone.


    The power of capital is thoroughly demonstrated in the United States inter generations. Behind every action taken by the United States, capital is present.


    This is why Arthur is cautious about capitalists. These people would do anything once they have power, and Arthur¡¯s wariness of the bourgeois ss is on par with Soviet Russia.


    However, at present in Austrsia, Arthur himself is thergest capital, controlling most of the economy.


    For such a monarchical country, especially when Arthur holds both economic and military power, there¡¯s no need to worry about the influence of capital on the government.


    After all, the wealth of the royal financial group is no joke; if a capital wants to influence the government, it must first see if it can withstand the offensive of the royal financial group.


    Although the current royal financial group only has military industry and banking, the Royal Bank alone can cut off a significant portion of capital¡¯s economic sources.


    Keep in mind that the Australian dor is issued jointly by the Royal Bank and the National Bank, and Arthur can control the issuance of the Australian dor at any time.


    With control over the currency¡¯s roots, no matter how big the capital, Arthur can manipte it at will.

 Chapter 665 - 506: Six Major Military Districts

    After the cab meeting, all departments of Austrsia began to get busy, preparing for the tasks mentioned in the Four-Year n for each department, and umting their own political achievements.


    The development of Austrsia over the past decade or so has been quite smooth, with sessful national construction projects and numerous political aplishments for each cab government.


    However, this also means that the requirements for each cab government are bing more stringent.


    With the previous and current development being so smooth, any mistakes made by ministers would be ringly contrasted against the political aplishments of previous governments. Even if the mistake itself is not serious, it would be magnified many times in thisparison.


    This is simr to the famous saying, "Put down the butcher knife and be a Buddha on the spot."


    A good person whomits a bad deed may be magnified many times due to the contrast against their previous behavior, and the good person bes a bad person.


    If a bad person does a good deed, it will also be magnified due to the contrast against their previous behavior, and the bad person bes a good person.


    In the case that no previous Austrsian government has made any mistakes, the first one that does will face unprecedented criticism.


    However, with the current Austrsian government under Arthur¡¯s control, it is difficult for problems to arise.


    After all, the general direction of government development has been determined, and even if the government¡¯s thinking deviates, it can only make minor adjustments based on the general direction. This does not significantly impact the development n and is unlikely to have much effect.


    Returning to the work of the Austrsian government, what Arthur attaches most importance to is the adjustment of the defense zones by the Ministry of Defense.


    After the reorganization of the Ministry of Defense, it will bnce the power with the General Staff under it. Whether this bnce is conducive to national development remains to be seen in time.


    However, the good news is that there is still room for trial and error in the current Austrsia, with Arthur¡¯s control and the fact that the war is still far away, allowing the exploration of a system suitable for Austrsia.


    While the Ministry of Defense is responsible for expanding the military, the General Staff is not idle either, initiating discussions on the division of defense zones for the Austrsia Army.


    The scope of Austrsia is simply too vast and is destined to be divided into several military districts for stationing.


    Previously, Austrsia¡¯s defense was divided between the nativend and the colonies, with the main force of their army mostly in the nativend and the colonial army and garrisons stationed in the colonies.


    Now, the General Staff has decided to adopt a more advanced military district approach. Each military district will have its own headquarters and General Staff, and deploy air,nd, and sea forces to ensure thebat effectiveness of a single military district.


    The first to be confirmed is, of course, the nativend military district.


    The nativend military district only includes Australia and has 1-5 infantry divisions, 1 cavalry division, 1 artillery division, and 1 tank division, totaling 135,000 personnel.


    In addition to the nativend military district, there are numerous overseas military districts, which are:


    New Zend Military District: 6-7 Infantry divisions, totaling 32,000 personnel.


    Pacific Military District: Includes two Pacific territories, the Solomon Inds, Fiji, and New Caledonia, with the 8th Infantry Division, totaling 16,000 personnel.


    New Guinea Military District: Includes the entire New Guinea Colony, with the 9th Infantry Division and 2nd Cavalry Division, totaling 31,000 personnel.


    Northern Military District: Includes Swesi Ind, the Royal Territory, and Dili, with the 10th Infantry Division, totaling 16,000 personnel.


    Persian Gulf Military District: Includes the entire Persian Gulf Territory, with the 11th and 12th Infantry divisions, 3rd Cavalry Division, and 2nd Artillery Division, totaling 55,000 personnel.


    In this way, the whole of Austrsia is divided into six military districts, each with its own headquarters and General Staff, and equipped with air,nd, and sea forces.


    Of course, it is not possible for every military district to have arge naval presence. In fact, only the nativend military district, the Pacific Military District, and the Persian Gulf Military District have naval forces, while the others have only small-scale patrol teams, with a limited number of ships and tonnage around a thousand tons.


    As for the air force, each military district must have air force deployment, and the number of aircraft in each military district is not small.


    Although Arthur does not have arge-scale n to equip aircraft, the existing number of aircraft in Austrsia has exceeded 1,500, and Arthur has naturally equipped them all in the military districts.


    Of course, some aircraft are not conveniently exposed, and they are all equipped in the nativend military district.


    About 500 remaining first and second-generation military aircraft are stationed in each military district, providing a certain level of air defense and airbat capabilities.


    The purposes of the six military districts are different, but some implications can be seen from the allocation of the army, navy, and air force troops.


    Firstly, the Pacific Military District, where arge number of navy forces are stationed. There is an abundance of Pacific inds here, and with the need to guard against the United States in the eastern Pacific, having a substantial number of navy forces is essential.


    Naturally, there is no need to say more about the Persian Gulf Military District. It is the most crucial petroleum-producing region in Austrsia with incalcble economic value, and Austrsia cannot afford to lose this area.


    Thest region with a considerable naval presence is the Native Land Military District.


    The Native Land Military District is responsible for the defense of the core areas of Austrsia and also protects the country¡¯s coastline.


    For any country, homnd defense is of the highest importance, and it is inevitable that the homnd military district will have thergest number of army, navy, and air force troops.


    The Pacific Military District is responsible for the Pacific Ocean, the Persian Gulf Military District for the Indian Ocean, and the Native Land Military District for the surrounding territorial waters. The three military districts can coborate to secure Austrsia¡¯s maritime interests.


    Dividing the vast army into different military districts also facilitates the management of each district.


    As expected, once each military district is deployed, themanders of the districts are likely to hold the rank of Lieutenant General to ensure they havemand authority over all divisions.


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    Of course, the rank of the Chief of Staff in the military district will be slightly lower, likely Brigadier General.


    In order to distinguish themselves from the military districtmanders, the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Staff should have their ranks raised to the General rank.


    This is one of the benefits thate with the military expansion for many officers. As the number of senior officer positions increases, promotions for some people are inevitable.


    As the two highest-ranking military figures in Austrsia (second only to Arthur¡¯s nominal Marshal of the Armed Forces), the ranks of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Staff are naturally to be raised ordingly.


    Regarding Arthur¡¯s Marshal of the Armed Forces rank, during special times, it is more than just a title.


    As the Commander-in-Chief of Austrsian Armed Forces and the object of loyalty for the military, Arthur has the right to control the overallmand of the military in special moments, and at any time, major ns from both the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff must be approved by Arthur.


    This is the power restraint that Arthur, as a monarch, imposes on the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff.


    Although Arthur generally does not interfere with the military¡¯s operation, holding this supreme sword of power ensures that situations like Germany¡¯s military supnting the monarch would not happen.


    William II¡¯s loss of power was mainly attributed to the fact that Germany¡¯s Junker nobility was toorge and had a long history.


    Even without breaking out, the Junker nobility controlled every aspect of Germany and had long be a significant force in the country.


    Austrsia naturally does not have such a problem. But in the future, many people will be part of the nobility due to their military achievements, and these new nobles will also be firmly in Arthur¡¯s hands.


    Without Arthur, the new nobility of Austrsia could not be recognized by other countries, and hence, the new nobility would have no power.


    This ispletely different from Europe¡¯s traditional nobility and is a bnce for Austrsia to avoid the growth and strength of the nobility.


    Without Arthur¡¯s support, these new nobles could not grow into a significant ss.


    If they want to obtain continuous power, they must rely on Arthur¡¯s rule.


    This is also beneficial for Arthur, as having more people¡¯s support will make his royal authority more stable.


    With the development of airnes, it can be noticed that airnes have be widespread in Austrsia.


    Of course, the widespread use here refers to not in the civilian sector, but in the military and government sectors.


    Especially in the military districts where aircraft are bing popr, frequent establishment of airports between military districts has be inevitable.


    This is also a good thing for Austrsia, as airnes can indeed speed up themunication between the military forces, and the safety of airnes has also been guaranteed to date. At least the ident rate has been reduced substantially, and idents are almost unlikely to happen.

 Chapter 666 - 507: Planning Agriculture

    As the saying goes, having enough food in hand makes people feel at ease, and while the other construction projects in Austrsia were important, the fundamental development of agriculture and animal husbandry cannot be neglected.


    As a current food exporting country and a livestock superpower, the agriculture and animal husbandry of Austrsia have been developing rtively well.


    However, with the growing poption, it is inevitable and necessary for agriculture and animal husbandry to grow as well.


    Last year, the cultivatednd area of Austrsia reached 38.77 million acres, with a food production of 18 million tons, making the agriculture here quite advanced.


    Even if the food production does not increase further, the 18 million tons of food production is enough for more than three years for the 20 million Austrsians.


    However, food is always in high demand worldwide, and there never seems to be enough at any time.


    Although it may seem like Austrsia has enough food, looking at the world, which countries canpletely satisfy their domestic demand for food?


    It is worth noting that even in the 21st century, a hundred years from now, there will still be urrences of food crises leading to famine. A considerable number of countries will be affected by poverty and hunger, let alone now. It¡¯s not easy for powerful nations to prevent food crises, let alone poor countries in Asia and Africa.


    Even in Russia, which is currently fighting a civil war, it¡¯s not a question of whether its citizens can eat enough, but rather if there is anything to eat at all. And who would care about these people¡¯s feelings?


    Food is always one of the most important strategic materials, and there is no doubt about this.


    Not to mention the huge profits brought by food exports to Arthur and the government and the private sector, even the simple fact that the nation has food and people are at ease should be reason enough for Arthur to continue to increase Austrsia¡¯s food production.


    With Arthur¡¯s support, Agriculture Minister Robert has drawn up a Grain Development Four Year n in line with the Four-Year n, aiming to raise Austrsia¡¯s cultivatednd area and food production to 42 million acres and 20 million tons in the next four years.


    It is expected that the annual expansion of cultivatednd will reach 807,500 acres. Given that the localization of the colonies is already under full steam, and the most vital development mode for all major colonies is agricultural development,


    Therefore, increasing the cultivatednd area by nearly 810,000 acres per year is not difficult and is entirely eptable for the current Austrsia.


    In mid-August 1919, Arthur went to Australian Timor to inspect the indigenization of Australian Timor and, by the way, to visit the agricultural development there.


    After all, Australian Timor is a model of colonial indigenization in Arthur¡¯s mind, and he is very concerned about it.


    Austrsia¡¯s colonial localization policy was officiallyunched this year, so the new cab government sees it as a political achievement.


    As a pilot and temte, the Australian Timor has seen a significant investment by the government.


    East Timor Ind has a total area of 30,777 square kilometers, which is actually not small.


    In terms of resources, East Timor has woods: rosewood, green dragon wood, teak, eucalyptus, teak and bamboo; mines: gold minesand, copper mines, manganese mines, iron mines, gypsum mines, salt mines and oil fields; agricultural products: corn, rice, sweet potatoes, coconuts, coffee, rubber, sugarcane and tea; livestock: pigs, sheep, cows, horses and bees; and marine products like sea cucumbers, hawksbill turtles and pearls, making this area quite developed in terms of resources.


    However, there is a problem: among all these products, the valuable petroleum is not currentlycking in Austrsia, and if it needs to be developed, it will first go to the oil fields in the Middle East.


    As for the remainder of the products, they exist but are notpetitive, andpared to the rtively developed resources of the nativend of Austrsia, there is not much advantage.


    To be indigenous, there must be considerable development potential and corresponding resource scale.


    Compared to other resources that are difficult to develop, the cultivation of food is definitely more cost-effective.


    There are quite a few suitable crops for cultivation in East Timor, such as corn, rice, sweet potatoes, coconuts, coffee, sugarcane, and tea, which can all be viable choices for agricultural development.


    These products can also give rise to other industries, whether they are used as food or manufactured products, and even crop straw made into animal feed is valuable for a livestock superpower like Austrsia.


    Arthur focused on visiting coffee ntations andrge farms in East Timor.


    In Western habits, the importance of coffee is very high, far exceeding that of tea, which was imported from Asia.


    Even in Arthur¡¯s royal pce, although various beverages are avable, the most consumed besides red wine is coffee.


    Although Arthur is perfectly capable of promoting tea personally, Austrsia is not a major tea-producing country, so would not it be like giving away a dowry to other countries for no reason?


    It should be noted that the Western understanding of tea is not the orthodox green tea, but rather Indian ck tea.


    If there were a tea-drinking fever in Europe, there would be a good chance that ck tea rather than green tea would be the focus.


    This is like giving a dowry to India. Although the rtionship between Arthur and the British royal family has been restored, he is not about to give away his people¡¯s interests to the British Empire willingly.


    Currently, East Timor¡¯s food production is as high as 77,000 tons, enough to feed 150,000 people.


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    And the current poption of East Timor has barely exceeded 120,000, so grain self-sufficiency on the ind is now no problem.


    However, this is based on the premise that the poption of East Timor does not suddenly surge.


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