Chapter 356 Road Protection Team
8.9 million rubles, considering the cost of a heavy cruiser, almost two can be built.
It doesn’t matter what Alexeev said, it must be approved by the St. Petersburg Admiralty.
Although the relationship between the Russian Empire and the United States is good, George does not think that the St. Petersburg Admiralty will agree.
But he has a contingency for everything.
This thing really happened.
The Americans promised to help the Russian Navy build a battleship at cost price within two years.
Alexei and Alexeyev are both satisfied that this battleship will be equipped for the Siberian Fleet.
With 8.9 million rubles given by the Americans, the Imperial Navy ordered two heavy cruisers from the Vladivostok Shipyard, one each for the Baltic Fleet and the Black Sea Fleet.
In this way, the Baltic Fleet and the Black Sea Fleet have one of the most advanced heavy cruisers in the world.
The Siberian Fleet replaced a battleship with a heavy cruiser.
Everyone is really happy.
George also had benefits. George Dewey was interested in Vladivostok's wireless telegraphy and electric drive technology, as well as new armor steel.
Everyone was obviously happy, but George couldn't be happy anyway. After returning to Yuriev Palace, he sat alone in the study for half an hour.
“What’s wrong?”
Anne was attentive and did not ignore George because of the child.
“Nothing—”
George never took his work home with him.
"Would you like a drink?"
Even if Anne doesn't marry George, she can still be George's good friend.
Then have a drink.
Anne has a good drinking capacity, and she doesn’t go crazy even after drinking too much. She lies with a red face and sleeps soundly in George’s arms.
George also fell into a deep sleep, having a dreamless night.
The next day George seemed to be fully charged and resurrected with full health.
The Spanish-American War came sooner than George imagined. On January 12, a small-scale riot broke out in Havana. Although the riot was quickly put down, the US consul in Cuba overreacted and advised the Navy Be prepared to go to Cuba to protect overseas Chinese at any time.
The U.S. Navy, which had long been impatient, upgraded again and sent the battleship "Maine" to Cuba.
The "Maine" is also strange. Construction started in 1886 and was not commissioned until 1895, which lasted a full 9 years.
Although the "Maine" bears the title of battleship, its displacement is only a pitiful 6,682 tons, not even as good as "Dingyuan" and "Zhenyuan".
On January 25, the "Maine" arrived in Havana. Just ten days later, the "Maine" exploded and sank, killing 266 sailors.
Almost at the same time that the "Maine" arrived in Havana, a Russian businessman named Yuri was arrested by the Dutch East Indies government in East Wanlu, Borneo, on the grounds of smuggling arms.
Yuri is a fruit vendor who makes a living selling fruit.
Borneo is currently not stable. There are more than twenty kingdoms established by local people and they are constantly fighting.
In 1888, the Lanfang Republic was defeated, but the local Chinese did not stop resisting, and sporadic resistance occurred from time to time.
To protect his own interests, Yuri hired a team of local bodyguards and equipped them with weapons.
These weapons became the reason for the East Indian colonial government to arrest Yuri.
After Peter, who was in Coconut City, learned the news, he immediately led his fleet to Kuching and asked the East Indian colonial government to release the people, apologize, and compensate for the losses.
The Governor of East India had no choice but to accept Peter's conditions.
But then the news from Kuching shocked the Governor of East India.
Yuri ran away.
Peter didn’t believe that the man had escaped. It was more like murder and silence.
"Governor Druai originally wanted to send the person over to you in person, but he didn't expect that person to disappear suddenly. Dongwanlu is looking for him. As long as there is news, he will be sent over immediately——"
Major Waterberg, the East India envoy, struggled to explain.
"I will wait for you for a month. If I still don't see anyone after a month, I will come back." Peter was not in a hurry, the Americans hadn't taken action yet.
Back in Coconut City, Peter began to prepare his army for war.
Drouet realized that the situation was not good and took the initiative to send a telegram to the country for help.
Queen Wilhelmina sent a message to St. Petersburg, hoping that St. Petersburg would restrain George and not cause trouble.
Nicholas was very angry. The East Indian colonial government had lost us Russian merchants, and we couldn’t even ask?
Besides, whether he ran away or not is another question.
What if he was killed?
Nicholas believed that George could handle this.
So Nicholas did not follow up.
George also had a headache, but not for the Dutch, but for the Russians doing business in the Qing Empire.
After the construction of the China-Eastern Railway started, Daosheng Bank and the Siberian Fleet formed a road protection team in Ice City.
The first task of the road protection team after its establishment was to drive away all the Qing people who originally lived in Ice City, and prepare to bulldoze Ice City and rebuild it according to the model of St. Petersburg.
The Qing people who dared to break into Guandong were definitely not obedient people. Those who were honest and arrogant could not survive the winter in the Ice City.
So conflicts are inevitable.
On January 11, the road protection team broke into the home of a Qing Empire resident, took the people out of the house, set fire to the house, and forced the Qing residents to leave.
That night, two sailors on the road protection team were beheaded.
The conflict then intensified, and on February 21, the road convoy was forced to evacuate from Ice City.
Popov, the captain of the road protection team, believed that Vladivostok was the supporter behind the Qing people, with the purpose of excluding dissidents and dominating the Far East.
Ukhtomsky and Alexeyev came to find George together with evidence.
“Yes, this shotgun is indeed produced by the Amur Arsenal.”
George admitted that his own gun would definitely be unmistakable.
Ukhtomski frowned, George admitted so simply, it was obviously not that simple.
Alexeyev was impatient.
"Duke, since you admitted it, you will be responsible for this!"
George crossed his legs and concentrated on pushing the tea leaves away with the lid of the cup without raising his eyelids.
"Son of Ivan, do you know who you are talking to?"
Yerokhin was very dissatisfied with Alexeyev's attitude.
"Yes, I know. In front of me is Grand Duke Yuriev of the Empire."
"Then be more respectful. Yes, this gun is indeed produced by our Amur Arsenal, but what about that? How about it? We have sold not only 100,000 but also 80,000 guns over the years. What do you want to say?”
Alexeyev was speechless.
Everyone in St. Petersburg knew that the Amur Arsenal sold guns to the Qing Empire.
Guess why the Tsar didn't ban it?
For the Russian Empire, the more chaotic the Qing Empire, the better, and it is best to rebel against thieves everywhere.
"George, I think we messed up. What should we do now?"
Ukhtomsky faced reality. The navy was indeed not as reliable as the Cossacks ashore. .
“Sorry, I don’t know either.”
George must have a way, but he just won’t say it.
It’s okay if you want George to help, but first disband the road protection team.
(End of this chapter)