Chapter 397 It’s coming, it’s finally coming
The Grand Duke of St. Petersburg always felt that by joining forces, they could force George to give up his interests in Guandong.
This is true, they are all royal uncles. George alone will definitely not be able to fight against the entire royal family.
But George gave up the benefits, but St. Petersburg couldn't get them. This can't be blamed for George's cruelty.
St. Petersburg is negotiating with Japan regarding Koryo's privileges.
George was very curious, what does the Russian Empire's privileges in Korea have to do with St. Petersburg?
After the Gaishin coup, Concubine Min and Emperor Gaozong had no choice but to go to Yuriev Palace and seek the protection of Yuriev Palace. This gave them a series of privileges of the Russian Empire in Goryeo.
Jeju was leased by George in the name of farming.
The Korean army was trained by George with personal help.
The whole process of Korea's treaty treaty had nothing to do with St. Petersburg.
Even Busan became the military port of the Siberian Fleet through George's operation.
What happened to St. Petersburg?
You have obviously done nothing, but now you are using the privileges of the Amur Military Region in Korea to make deals with the Japanese. You are so embarrassed.
George did not want to be caught between Japan and the Russian Empire as cannon fodder.
This matter must not be hidden from Concubine Min and Gaozong, so at the New Year celebration dinner in 1903, Concubine Gaozong and Concubine Min once again became the most distinguished guests of Yuriev Palace.
Concubine Min is reasonable and cooperates unconditionally.
Goryeo itself has no decision-making power in this matter.
George is willing to inform in advance, which is full respect.
Gaozong was eager to give it a try. Why not expand his army by 200,000? It is not impossible to tighten his belt.
In 1900, Goryeo conducted its first census, with a total population of 16 million, and the vast majority of the population was under 40 years old.
Based on this alone, Emperor Gaozong and Concubine Min must be the most distinguished guests of Yuriev Palace.
How did Japan rise?
It was not the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, nor was it the Russo-Japanese War.
Japan’s real rise came after it obtained the human resources of Goryeo and the natural resources of Kanto.
The reason why Amur developed so fast was that Emperor Gaozong and Concubine Min also contributed the most.
"Don't worry, there will be a chance -"
George said what he could say, but didn't say a word of what he couldn't.
The cost of Koryo's military expansion is much lower than that of Amur. Amur can recruit 5 Koryo for the cost of recruiting 1 Cossack.
Of course, if George refers to the treatment of other military districts in Russia, the cost of recruiting Cossacks can be quickly reduced.
But in that case, the Cossacks' loyalty and combat effectiveness cannot be guaranteed.
Yankov was indeed expanding the army, but not through the Goryeo government, but in the name of the militia.
The troops are not recruited from big cities such as Seoul and Busan, but mainly from farmers in remote areas.
The most capable soldiers in the Russian Empire did not come from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but from the Western Siberian region near the Ural Mountains. The Cossacks there are truly fierce. As long as they have vodka, they dare to challenge a brown bear.
Amul’s New Year’s banquet also has a special guest, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Komura Jutaro from Japan.
Omura Jutaro once served as the minister to the Qing Dynasty, the United States, Russia and other countries. During his tenure as the minister to the Qing Dynasty, he was nicknamed the "rat minister" by ministers from various countries because of his thin stature.
The Japanese think highly of Xiaocun, but in George's case, Xiaocun's diplomatic methods are not only deception but also blackmail.
At Amur's New Year's banquet, Komura kept emphasizing that the ongoing negotiations between Japan and the Russian Empire were for the sake of peace in East Asia and had no other purpose.
“Yes, yes, you Japan loves peace the most——”
The big head mocked Xiaocun to the fullest.
“——It’s just that Japan won’t go to war without declaring it this time, right?”
"The Empire of Japan will never do shameless things. It was technical reasons that caused the declaration of war to not be submitted to your country in time."
Komura Jutaro was not ashamed at all.
The troop transport was attacked on July 25, and war was declared on August 1. It took five days to fight, and the technical reasons were resolved. The craftsmanship spirit is well-deserved.
Da Tou came to Vladivostok to watch the excitement.
The whole world knows that Japan and the Russian Empire are about to go to war, but there is no movement in Amur. This situation makes Datou feel familiar.
During the Xinchou War, Nie Shicheng was fighting to the death with the coalition forces, while Datou watched the fire from across the bank and stood still. The southeastern provinces even signed with other countries to confirm that they would never join the war.
Sure enough, every empire has national conditions here.
Not to mention Datou’s performance in the Xin Chou War.
I have never concealed my antipathy towards Japan.
So when Da Tou looks at George, he feels sympathy for him.
What if you want to fight for the empire again?
I just don’t need you!
George has watched "The Chrysanthemum and the Knife" and understands the Japanese better than Datou.
Why don’t you just do one thing in front of your face and another behind your back? George can do it too, but he just doesn’t care.
The New Year's banquet is a rare opportunity. The ministers from various countries stationed in Vladivostok are all there.
George worked hard to promote the "full heavy artillery battleship" of the Siberian Fleet.
The "full heavy artillery battleship" did not attract as much attention as George imagined.
This is normal. It took decades for aircraft carriers to replace battleships and become the dominant force on the sea. George did not expect that the "fully heavy artillery battleship" would immediately provoke an arms race as soon as it was launched.
No matter how powerful a battleship is, it must be verified in naval battles to prove its worth.
But for a professional like Dewey, he definitely knew the meaning of a "full heavy artillery battleship".
The construction of two "full heavy artillery battleships" of the Siberian Fleet has begun, and one of them is close to being launched. The two battleships built for the Pacific Fleet have successfully passed two sea trials and are being outfitted with armament systems. They will be handed over to the Pacific Fleet in three months at the earliest.
So the time left for Japan is really running out.
The Pacific Fleet now has 7 battleships.
With the addition of the two Vladivostok ships, the number of battleships will form a strong suppression of the Sixty-Sixth Fleet.
Therefore, if Japan wants to seize the opportunity, it must hurry up before these two battleships are handed over to the Pacific Fleet.
"All-heavy artillery battleships are cool, but is it too risky to build four at once?"
Dewey also had questions about "all-heavy artillery battleships."
Navies all over the world follow the Royal Navy to cross the river. They build whatever the Royal Navy builds.
Only the Siberian fleet took the wrong approach and built four ships right off the bat.
Dewey didn't know whether George was really confident or had the old habit of the Russian Grand Duke.
"You disappoint me so much that you would ask such a question."
George hit Dewey until his face turned red.
"This thing is of no use in the war. I use it for fishing."
George imitated Xiao Cun's speaking skills.
"If you don't tell me, don't tell me! Why are you teasing me-"
Dewey was furious.
Warships worth tens of millions of rubles were built just for fishing. You are really rich.
“Only four ships are not enough to protect the safety of the Amur waterway.”
George was serious.
Dewey frowned.
What George meant by safe passage was the passage between Vladivostok and East India.
The Pacific Fleet now has 7 battleships and will soon have 9.
Plus four "full heavy artillery battleships" of the Siberian Fleet.
So how many ships should be built in the Asian fleet to safeguard U.S. interests in Asia?
That's what George is for.
Volume!
Roll them all up!
After the New Year, the news from St. Petersburg became increasingly grim.
On January 8, Nicholas ordered the Governor of Kantung, Alexeyev, to declare that Kantung had entered a state of war.
On January 13, Japan issued an ultimatum to the Russian Empire. If the Russian Empire did not meet Japan's demands, Japan would take effective measures.
When the news came out, the whole world was shocked.
This——
This is a damn thing. Japan really dares to issue an ultimatum to the Russian Empire. It’s using too much force!
Kandong Prefecture responded the fastest, closing the Fengtian iron ore and coal mines as soon as possible, and stopped exporting high-quality coal and iron ore to Japan.
But it was already too late. The high-quality coal accumulated by Japan during this period was enough to use the Japanese combined fleet for a year and a half.
As for iron ore——
It doesn’t matter whether it stops or not. Yawata Iron Works has not solved the technical problem. Even if it continues to export iron ore, Japan will not be able to smelt iron.
The Anglo-Japanese alliance came into play at this time.
Fengtian Iron Mine and Coal Mine are joint ventures between Britain and Japan. The United Kingdom nominally accounts for the majority, and the company is also registered in London.
So with relations between Japan and the Russian Empire deteriorating, why were British businesses closed?
Alexeyev finally let the Japanese know what barbarism is.
“If the macaque king does not kneel down and apologize to Dalini, the Kwantung Military Region will punish the macaques in its own way!”
Whether Alexeyev’s words are in line with diplomatic etiquette is not yet clear. explain.
Nicola should be very happy after reading it.
Alexeyev not only closed down the iron ore and coal mines, but also sent troops to forcibly take over the iron ore and coal mines, expelled the British managers to Niucun (Yingkou, a British treaty port), and deported the Japanese managers and The workers were all detained.
This is not closed.
It’s obviously a robbery.
On February 3, Ito Hirobumi's negotiations failed and he returned to Japan from St. Petersburg.
On the 4th, Emperor Meiji held an imperial meeting. Ito Hirobumi, Japanese Prime Minister Katsura Taro, Foreign Minister Komura Jutaro, Marine Minister Yamamotobei, Land Minister Oyama Iwa and others unanimously confirmed that the negotiations with the Russian Empire had broken down. , unable to safeguard Japan's interests through peaceful means.
On the 6th, Japan recalled its minister to St. Petersburg and severed diplomatic relations with the Russian Empire.
George does not pay attention to Japan's actions.
Starting last winter, sporadic strikes began to break out in major industrial centers in the Caucasus. By around New Year, nearly 200,000 people had participated in the strike.
On the 6th, the Yenisey River Bridge on the Trans-Siberian Railway suddenly collapsed. This situation attracted George's attention.
After George took over the Trans-Siberian Railway, he gradually replaced the wooden bridges with stronger iron bridges to ensure the traffic capacity of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
The Yenisei River Bridge is a key project. It took nearly 10,000 workers for a full year and a half. It was just completed last year and used more than 40,000 tons of steel.
The Yenisei River Bridge has an expected lifespan of 50 years. Although the snow this year is relatively heavy, it will certainly not be crushed by the heavy snow.
Since it was not crushed by snow, it can only be caused by man-made destruction.
(End of this chapter)