Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 956: Chapter 219: The Last Chip

“The war on the European Continent is coming to an end, and the Bonaparte Dynasty is finished!” Prime Minister Gladstone immediately arrived at this conclusion upon receiving the news of the outbreak of unrest in Paris.

Even if Napoleon IV were to quell the rebellion instantly, as long as any of the insurgents escaped, the French Empire would be doomed.

The strength of the bourgeoisie had taken a serious hit; to make a comeback, they must first remove the massive obstacle that is Napoleon IV.

Relying on the Revolutionary Party not only has a low chance of success but also involves great risk; the best method would be to let the Anti-French Alliance in for a complete reshuffle.

The power of the consortiums might not control the military, but influencing individual officers is still feasible, after all, money’s power should never be underestimated anywhere.

The French Army was already at an absolute disadvantage on the battlefield; with a few more turncoats, the frontlines would collapse in a matter of minutes.

Military defeat always comes at a price, and the common people would not be concerned with the causes and consequences. An incredibly harsh armistice would bury the Bonaparte Dynasty.

Show mercy? That was clearly out of the question. No one would give up the benefits within their grasp to keep the Bonaparte Dynasty on the throne.

In a sense, the current government of France was already a political quagmire; anyone who leapt into it would be buried by the post-war treaties.

Putting down the intelligence report in his hands, Prime Minister Gladstone sighed, “The thing I was most worried about has still happened. Starting now, our strategy of maintaining balance in Europe has officially gone bankrupt.

France is about to be defeated, and Austria has lost its counterbalance to dominance. For the Empire, we are facing an unprecedentedly grave situation.

Although Napoleon once ran rampant, we had the Anti-French Alliance to rely on; but now, we cannot find any allies to form an Anti-Austrian alliance.”

Despite being mentally prepared, when the day truly came, Gladstone still found it hard to let go.

Britannia could handle a militarily powerful enemy, but facing an enemy strong in military, politics, and diplomacy alike was beyond their limit.

To maintain the balance of power in Europe, during the middle and late stages of the Continental war, the London Government almost overtly supported France. Apart from not sending troops into battle, they did everything they could, and even things they shouldn’t have.

The carefully planned strategy of multination intervention hadn’t even been implemented when the color of the European Continent changed. Everywhere one looked, there were flags of the Anti-French Alliance.

Seeing this, how could there be any talk of intervention?

It’s not just international mediation that’s futile; even if Britannia went into battle bare-chested, it couldn’t change the fact of France’s defeat.

Foreign Minister George presented a document and spoke slowly, “For the failure of the balance of power policy on the Continent, our Foreign Office bears the primary responsibility. As the Foreign Minister, I cannot shirk the blame; this is my letter of resignation.”

No matter how justified the reasons, someone must take responsibility when international situations deteriorate. Others might find a way to dodge it, but George, as the Foreign Minister, would definitely be the first to be hit.

Rather than being ousted, it’s better to resign of his own accord. After all, the extent of responsibility a politician needs to bear only goes so far. As for who will eventually deal with the mess left, that has nothing to do with George.

Hearing the word “resignation,” Gladstone’s face changed. If it weren’t for the wrong timing, Gladstone himself would have liked to resign, leaving the mess to his successor.

But there was no way out; the situation did not allow him to retreat. Whether it was Parliament, the Queen, or political rivals, none would allow him to drop his responsibilities at this moment.

Taking the document without even looking at it, George’s resignation letter was turned into scraps in Gladstone’s hands.

“Sir, deserting at this time is hardly the right choice. The French failed because of their own doing; what does that have to do with us? Why should we be responsible for their defeat?

As for the European balance policy, aren’t we making efforts right now? Without the French, we still have the Russians, Spaniards; there’s always someone to counterbalance Austria.

Although they are allies now, such an alliance is only based on having a common enemy. Once the French fall, allies will turn into enemies.”

Without a doubt, Gladstone was preparing to feign ignorance. The matter of balance in Europe might seem severe but is really only of concern to the upper echelons; ordinary citizens pay little attention to these issues.

Regardless of being frequently berated in Parliament, Gladstone’s Cabinet held a significant reputation among the general public.

“The government is incompetent, watching idly as the French are defeated, leading to the breakdown of the European balance” was the accusation the opposition had pinned on them. Within Parliament, it might just pass, but in public, it would be a joke.

The centuries-old enmity between Britain and France wasn’t mere talk; it truly reflected in the lives of the people. In the eyes of the British public “watching France be defeated” was not a crime; the government could even promote it as an achievement if it were shameless enough.

As for whether defeating France would threaten Britannia’s supremacy? Wait a minute, isn’t the Anti-French Alliance responsible for defeating France?

Russia, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Montenegro… Almost all of the countries in Europe joined forces to besiege France. How can it all be blamed on Austria?

In terms of public perception, it’s not something that can be changed overnight. To make the common British people realize the threat of Austria is simply impossible in a short span of time.

What Prime Minister Gladstone must do now is to exploit the public’s misconception by usurping the government’s achievements in using the Anti-French Alliance to eliminate France and to mask the fact that the balance of power in Europe has been disrupted.

Hearing Gladstone’s explanation, George said with some difficulty, “Prime Minister, isn’t it improper to do so? If we don’t contain Austria now…”

Before George could finish his sentence, Finance Minister George Childs forcefully interrupted, “Ah, God! Our Sir George still thinks we have the ability to contain Austria. The world must be mad!”

Even though George Childs’s expression was somewhat exaggerated, his words still resonated with everyone.

Britannia is not a foolhardy nation. Although it has risen to prominence over the last few centuries, the tradition of resilience has not been lost.

If Austria acted alone, Britannia could still pull together the European countries and use the international community’s pressure to force Austria to back down.

As it stands now, with all European countries being part of the Anti-French Alliance, even if Austria does not demand harsh punishment for France, the other nations involved in the war such as Spain, Belgium, and Switzerland will also call for the annihilation of France.

At this point, any intervention from Britannia would not only place it in opposition to Austria but also against all the European countries involved in the war.

Any discerning person knows that if France were to rise from the ashes and seek revenge, the neighbors around it, not Austria, would be the first to suffer.

If it’s unachievable, then simply don’t pursue it. The Anti-French Alliance was formed because of the common enemy in France. Without this enemy, the Alliance loses its purpose.

Even if Austria strives to maintain this Alliance, it would only be effective in the short term. Over time, due to various conflicts, countries will inevitably go their separate ways.

In this aspect, Britannia is a professional. Even if there are no conflicts between the countries, they can create them.

As for the issue of European balance, they can just find a way to rebuild it once the Anti-French Alliance collapses.

As for whether it could be successful, that was a concern for future administrations, not something for them to worry about.

“We can temporarily give up on matters concerning the European Continent, but we must get our hands on the French Navy’s ships.

For a long time to come, Austria will be dominant on the European Continent, and to ensure Britannia’s security, the Royal Navy must maintain an overwhelming advantage.

The Austrian Navy is rapidly approaching seven-tenths of our own fleet. If they also acquired ships from the French, the balance of power could very well invert.”

Sir Astley Cooper Key, the Minister of the Navy, stirred everyone’s emotions with his statement.

The balance in Europe can be disrupted without costing Britannia’s life; however, if the Royal Navy’s superiority is lost, it could indeed be fatal.

“The Foreign Office has already been making efforts. However, Napoleon IV is treating the French Navy as the biggest bargaining chip, attempting to exploit this fleet to his advantage.

Previously, in exchange for material aid, the French threatened us. They boasted that if support for them stopped, they would give the Navy intact to Austria in exchange for a generous post-war settlement.

According to intelligence from the embassy, there have indeed been negotiations between France and Austria concerning the Navy. Since the war in Europe is still ongoing, our preliminary assessment is that they have not reached an agreement.”

George’s explanation did not reassure everyone; instead, it increased their anxiety. 1+1 does not necessarily equal 2. The navies of France and Austria are separate entities, and their integration is certainly not 100 percent.

This “1+1” is less than 2, but it’s still a number above 1. Facing an enemy with a large number of capital ships, can the Royal Navy truly handle it?

No one had an answer to this question. They all knew that Britannia couldn’t afford to gamble; even a draw would be unacceptable.

After a moment of thought, Gladstone said coldly, “At all costs, we must acquire the ships in the hands of the French.”