September 8, 1828.
London, 10 Downing Street.
Today, the atmosphere in the Prime Minister's Conference Room is rare and relaxed. Because just an hour ago, the British House of Commons finally passed a 1.2 million-ton shipbuilding and 120 warship upgrade package called the "Naval Enhancement Act."
Yes, that is 1.2 million tons... The 10 million-ton shipbuilding plan worth 1 billion pounds is impossible to be approved by the British Parliament under any circumstances. Therefore, after careful study by the Duke of Wellington, Robert Peel, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Nelson and others, they reduced the 10 million-ton shipbuilding plan to a 1.2 million-ton shipbuilding plan. A total of 88% was cut off!
However, this does not mean that the Duke of Wellington and others have given up their crazy naval expansion plan. Instead, they have switched to a three-year plan of building 1.2 million tons of new ships and rebuilding 120 ships, replacing the original plan of building 1,000 ships in 10 to 15 years. Thousands of tons of plans. After three years, we can add new shipbuilding plans!
According to this three-year, 1.2 million-ton plan, the House of Commons of the British Parliament must allocate 5 million, 5 million, and 5 million respectively for the naval shipbuilding program in the three fiscal years of 1828, 1829, and 1830 (of which there are only a few months left in fiscal year 1828). 6 million, 6 million...that is a total of 17 million!
The reason why it costs so much is because in addition to the 1.2 million-ton new ship plan, the 120-ship transformation and upgrade plan is also quite expensive.
However, this large plan of 1.2 million tons and 120 ships is only a naval expansion plan floating on the water. Under the water, there is an undisclosed Indian Imperial Navy expansion plan.
The current Indian Empire has become a bit like a small British treasury... This country is nominally independent, and its financial budget naturally does not need to be reviewed by the British Parliament, or even announced. At the same time, the internal affairs, diplomacy, military, and finance of the Indian Empire were all controlled by the British royal family and the British government.
In other words, through the control of the Indian Empire, the royal family and the government have an unimaginable amount of resources that are unmonitored and even ignored.
Using this resource, the Royal Navy of the British Empire actually has a secret shipbuilding plan of 1.5 million tons in five years!
Of course, this secret is only for the British Parliament, and the Ming Dynasty's intelligence agencies are not blind. The members of the British House of Commons have no legal control over the Indian Empire, so naturally they can only close their eyes and pretend that the five-year, 1.5 million-ton shipbuilding plan no longer exists.
At the same time as these two shipbuilding plans, one explicit and one implicit, were passed. The Royal Navy has also finally finalized the capital ship plan they need in the next 3-5 years. There is a "hero ship" (the current hero ship is equivalent to the historical dreadnought ship, which is already a symbol) Victory class, a "former hero ship" Indomitable class, and a heavy artillery cruiser Courage class.
In addition, the Indian Empire will allocate a further 15 million pounds to build 50 Kelly III airships, 50 fast merchant ships that can be converted into airship carriers, and to train and equip a guided glide bomber force.
If all the above plans are completed smoothly... Earl Nelson estimated that the British Empire (Indian Empire) could maintain the initiative for at least two years after the start of future wars.
If the British Empire can make good use of these two years, on the one hand, it will establish a large-scale mine blockade in the Straits of Malacca, Sunda Strait, Lombok Strait and the waters north of Java Island; on the other hand, it will fully defend Australia and constantly harass the enemy's rear; Provoke a war between the Ming Dynasty, the Mexican coalition and the United States... Then the British Empire has a great chance of winning.
“As long as we can block the Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Sunda, the Strait of Lombok and the waters north of Java Island, and adopt a protracted war in Australia, then we will at least be invincible... If there is a conflict between the United States and Mexico If the war can drag the Ming Dynasty down again and let the Ming Dynasty fight a large-scale and long war in North America far away from their homeland, then the British Empire will be invincible!"
In the conference room, the war plan mentioned by the Duke of Wellington was worked out by him and Nelson. It is of course more reliable... The only problem seems to be how to bring the United States and Mexico together. Pushed into a fire pit?
Texas(This chapter is not finished yet!)
Chapter 206 Okay, you big-browed Ming Dynasty will also invade!
Although it is a trigger, the United States may also give up its efforts to march into Texas and even western North America because the Ming Dynasty is too powerful.
In this way, Mexico became a buffer country between Ming Dynasty and the United States.
Maybe the war will not break out between Ming Dynasty and the United States...
When the Duke of Wellington was about to discuss with his cabinet members how to cheat the United States, Cabinet Secretary Huck suddenly pushed open the door of the conference room. He was still holding a telegram he had just received in his hand.
Huck said: "Mr. Prime Minister, there is a suspected revolution in the Kingdom of Hawaii!"
"What?" Duke Wellington was stunned. "Where did the revolution happen?"
"Kingdom of Hawaii!" Huck said, "The telegram from Honolulu said that the republicans of the Kingdom of Hawaii recently launched an uprising in Honolulu, the capital, to overthrow the feudal dynasty... and it was successful!"
"What? How could this happen in the Kingdom of Hawaii?"
The Duke of Wellington couldn't believe his ears.
It’s enough that progressive things like the Republican Revolution happened in France and Rakshasa...Does a country like Hawaii deserve a Republican Revolution?
"Huck, is there something wrong?" Duke Wellington asked, "Is it really Hawaii, a country where the king can't even wear clothes? Those primitive people are now going to be a republic?"
"Well, that's right." Huck said and handed the telegram to the Duke of Wellington. "Duke, you can see for yourself. According to the report of our embassy in Hawaii... the revolution has been successful, Kami Kami. Under the protection of the Royal Guards, the King and Queen Mother of the Ha Dynasty escaped from the palace and boarded the Ming Dynasty warship that was visiting there..."
"Wait a minute." Duke Wellington immediately knew something was wrong, "Boarding a Ming warship?"
"Yes."
"Let's see..." Duke Wellington took the telegram and read it carefully, then snorted coldly, "There is no doubt that this is not a republican revolution at all, but a brazen invasion of the Kingdom of Hawaii by the Ming Empire.
This is a serious damage to the international order! And it threatens the security of all American countries, including the United States of America! "
"Prime Minister," Viscount Lord Palmerston, the Lord Admiralty Minister, felt a little strange, "How do you know that the Republican Revolution in Hawaii was actually an invasion by the Ming Empire?"
The Duke of Wellington glanced at him and said, "Viscount, actually I'm not sure. But, so what? If there must be a bad person in this matter, it is undoubtedly Daming. Because we did not plan this. A revolution...I'm sure of that."
The Duke of Wellington added: "For a long time, the Ming Empire has maintained a good image of non-aggression and non-expansion. If Americans think so, maybe China and the United States can really coexist in North America. "
Robert Peel added: "Viscount, we now very much need Ming to play the role of an invader... This will make it difficult for Ming to mediate the conflict between Mexico and the United States.
The United States will also be very nervous about the large number of Japanese immigrants arriving in Texas. "
Prime Minister Wellington nodded, "Robert is right...and those Americans will not believe that there will be any revolution in the Kingdom of Hawaii! They are not that stupid.
They will definitely be wary of the Ming Empire now. As long as we offer the right conditions, the United States will be our friend. "
"Prime Minister," said Robert Peel, "please allow me to leave immediately for the United States to meet President Adams Jr."
"Okay!" Duke Wellington said, "However, it is not enough to visit the current President of the United States, Adams Jr.... You must also go to Virginia to meet former President Monroe!
The leader of his Virginia dynasty was still a heavyweight. Moreover, he has always been very disgusted with the behavior of certain external forces that always try to intervene and control the Americas! "
Chapter 206 Okay, you big-browed Ming Dynasty will also invade!
