Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 403: New Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli
Mid April

When the King of Chu was returning on the armored fleet "Zhendong", it stopped at the Davao Naval Pier and inspected the Jinsha Industrial Zone which had been developed for more than 8 years.

As the earliest heavy industrial zone in the State of Chu, although Jinsha was surpassed by the later-coming Eight Wild Goose, it is still the second-ranked heavy industrial zone in the State of Chu and is extremely powerful.

Thousands of enterprises gathered in the Jinsha Heavy Industrial Zone, among which there were hundreds of mechanical processing supporting enterprises. This enabled the Chu State to independently produce a series of mechanical products including various types of steam engines and steam locomotives, carriages, steam ships and steam mining equipment. This was also the result of the key guidance of the Chu State's heavy industry development policy.

There are many factories opened by British and American businessmen, mainly staffed by white technicians, supplemented by assistants who are Chinese university graduates. There are also many white technicians working in the factories. This is one of the advantages of the rapid growth of Chu's heavy industrial enterprises.

According to the order of King Zheng Guohui of Chu

"We should bring in foreign countries, go global, conduct two-way exchanges and learning, introduce Western steam industry technology for our own use, and develop and strengthen our national industry."

Nanyang Heavy Industries' steel smelting capacity is unique and has developed to an annual steel production capacity of 30 tons. Combined with the production capacity of several private steel mills, the total steel production capacity of Chu has surpassed that of France.

Moreover, the Chu State's steel production capacity is mainly based on blast furnace steel, which is the most advanced steelmaking equipment in the world. The original small earthen workshops for steelmaking have been gradually eliminated.

In France, however, small workshops still produce more than one-third of the total steel production capacity using traditional methods.

In the Jinsha Industrial Zone
Countless large chimneys spewing black smoke stand in rows, and the usually strong sunlight here seems dimmer. Large patches of gray-black fly ash pollute the city's houses and the green belts along the roadsides, and even the shrubs grow droopy and lifeless.

There is a faint smell of dust in the air, which is one of the consequences of developing heavy industry.

Fortunately, the Jinsha Industrial Zone is located on the seaside, and the sea breeze blowing day and night can blow away a large amount of floating fly ash, scattering it on the sea surface and disappearing into thin air.

The strong sunlight in the tropics cannot be covered by the thick smog, and it still shines through from time to time, bringing light and heat to the city.

In addition, there are often unexpected rainstorms that wash the fly ash in the city's streets and alleys into black dirty water, which flows into the sea through the city's sewers, purifying the city again.

Especially during the rainy season, heavy rain falls every few days, completely washing away the fly ash caused by industrial pollution, making the entire city look brand new.

Because of such favorable conditions

Located in heavy industrial areas such as Tropical Sands and Bayan, it is not as shrouded in thick fog as London and Manchester in the UK, which even cause large-scale respiratory diseases. The Thames River has turned into black water and is seriously polluted.

On the slipway of Jinsha Shipyard, King Zheng Guohui of Chu saw the ironclad ship "Zhenyuan" under construction.

This is the main ironclad ship that has undergone subsequent improvements. The displacement has been further increased to 7245 tons, and the fuel boiler has also been further improved. The power is 8.2% higher than that of the "Zhendong" ironclad ship.

This is reflected in the speed, which has increased from 14 knots for the ironclad ship "Zhendong" to 15 knots for the ironclad ship "Zhenyuan", and the range has also increased.

Looking at the majestic figure of the five-story battleship, the densely packed thick rivet rods on the hull looked like a hedgehog, and there was no bulletproof steel armor belt yet.

The workers were hanging on scaffolding and working hard, and the sound of banging and hammering could be heard continuously. They were all working hard, and the scene was very busy.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu did not go near, but watched from a distance of more than 100 meters so as not to affect the workers' construction.

If he came forward, the workers would surely put down their work and come forward respectfully to greet him.

If we delay here or there, half a day will be gone.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu did not ask the shipyard to hold a grand welcome, but just stood at a distance and asked some relevant questions, some of which were very professional.

"Robert, does this new ship use the same power configuration?"

"Your Majesty, yes, we still use the two Hawthorne three-stage expansion steam engines, but we've switched to four new oil-fired boilers developed by the Manila Boiler Works. They have higher steam pressure and use less coal."

"Oh...tell me about it."

"Using our new oil-fired boilers, the ironclad will consume approximately 10 tons of coal per day when cruising at a speed of less than 15.6 knots. This is a 20% reduction compared to the original 12 tons per day. Based on the ship's 500-ton coal bunker, this will last for a month."

"That's pretty good data! We'll reward the Manila Boiler Works handsomely. These same high-efficiency oil-fired boilers can be used in steam locomotives and mining machinery plants, bringing many benefits."

"Your Majesty, all the relevant personnel have been generously rewarded, and the factory has received more orders, including orders for cargo ships from countries like Britain and France. Business is even better."

"Hahaha... This is a mutually reinforcing result. As long as your factory can produce advanced equipment, you won't have to worry about not making money."

"Your Majesty, what you have said is a profound and wise saying. I am grateful for your guidance."

"Robert, you've learned the same trick."

"Your Majesty, I dare not."

"Alright, these two ironclads will be stationed in the Governorate of Hawaii. The Pacific Fleet's home port will be Pearl Harbor on Oahu. Has the Royal Navy discussed who will lead the Pacific Fleet?"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to go."

"Oh...your wife and children are in Manila. I think she gave birth to a big fat boy last year. Can you bear to be away from her?"

"A true man has great ambitions. I already have seven children. There's no point in having more. This is enough. While I'm still in good health, I want to keep trying."

"Well, your ambition is commendable. I will consider it."

"Your Majesty, I bow to you and declare my sincere gratitude. I will defend the dignity of the Royal Navy and maintain peace in this area until my death."

"good very good."

King Zheng Guohui of Chu nodded with satisfaction, expressing his approval of Lieutenant General Robert's statement.

Often these foreign generals were more loyal because they had no one to rely on in the State of Chu and could only cling tightly to the royal family in order to enjoy wealth and nobility and dignity and ensure the inheritance of their family.

Vice Admiral Robert was awarded the title of earl, which was hereditary and he was one of the great nobles of the State of Chu. It was a noble title that was earned through the bloodshed of his glorious achievements in dozens of naval battles.

From the initial fight against the Spaniards, to the later Anglo-French War, and then to the naval battle with the Dutch, Lieutenant General Robert fought in wind and rain for ten years and was the foreign general awarded the highest military rank.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu had great trust in him, and it was very appropriate for Lieutenant General Robert to serve as the commander-in-chief of the Pacific Ironclad Fleet under preparation.

Vice Admiral Robert is fluent in Chinese and English, and can speak some Spanish and French. He has no problem with language communication and will not make misjudgments in many situations involving negotiations with the US Navy.

It is even more impossible to defect with the ironclad fleet. There are nearly 2,000 officers and soldiers in the ironclad fleet, 99% of whom are Chinese, and most of them are young officers who graduated from the Royal Manila Naval Academy and have received years of education in royal loyalty.

No matter how great the prestige of Vice Admiral Robert is, it is impossible for him to drag these Royal Navy officers and soldiers to defect together. That is simply a fantasy.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu and his entourage walked around and talked, and did not board the ironclad ship "Zhenyuan" under construction. Instead, they inspected it and then left in a hurry.

Noon the next day
The armored fleet "Zhendong" weighed anchor and set sail, arriving safely at the port of Manila on the evening of the third day, ending the 3-day southern patrol and returning to the Chu Palace.

The reason why King Zheng Guohui of Chu hurried back was that the British cabinet, led by Sir Gladstone, who had been in power for six years and had always had a relatively friendly attitude towards Chu, was changing. This would have a great impact on Chu's diplomacy and the next colonial expansion policy.

From 1868 to 1874, during the reign of British Prime Minister Sir Gladstone, the "Invisible Empire" policy was vigorously implemented.

During this period, Britain annexed Egypt to strengthen its control over the Suez Canal. The sensitive British realized the vital role of the Suez Canal in the Eurasian shipping route.

It immediately changed its original plan of supporting the construction of the railway and instead made a strong infiltration into the Suez Canal Authority and tried to obtain more shares to strengthen its voice.

As far as existing colonies were concerned, the "invisible empire" policy promoted by Lord Gladstone included two interrelated elements.

The first content is "self-defense", which encourages colonies to assume defense responsibilities and promotes the "self-growth" of colonies.

The second content is about domestic affairs. The colonists should be allowed to manage their own affairs and not rely on the motherland for everything. How could Britain have the time to do that?
Under the guidance of this policy, Britain showed indifference to Australian affairs. It did not take any measures to stop the continuous influx of Chinese immigrants into Australia, nor did it strengthen its military power in the Australian region. Instead, it adopted a laissez-faire attitude.

Britain had too many colonies and they were too extensive. Both of these aspects were aimed at reducing Britain's financial burden and getting rid of heavy military and administrative expenses.

The British Empire had vast colonies and numerous territories of varying sizes. It had to ensure the security and stability of its colonies from Africa to the Middle East, from the Pacific to North America, and it had to be constantly vigilant against threats from other European countries. Therefore, it was under tremendous military pressure.

This was during the historical process of Britain's transition from a large sailing fleet to an ironclad fleet. The Royal Navy's shipbuilding expenses continued to remain high, with more than a dozen ironclad ships started construction every year, which was very expensive.

At this historic moment

The 99 main sailing battleships accumulated by Britain over the past years have all become outdated antiques. The forest of sails parked at the Cape Town anchorage has now become a heavy burden for Britain.

In addition, in recent years, Britain's colonial defense spending has reached an average of 400 million pounds per year, which has caused strong dissatisfaction from all walks of life, and more and more British people are skeptical about the defense issues of the colonies.

In response to this situation, British Prime Minister Sir Gladstone came up with the idea of ​​having the colonies bear part of the defense expenses and the policy of "self-defense".

This undoubtedly saved the British treasury a lot of money and made Britain's military control over the colonies a mere paper exercise. It was the happiest period for the Chu State.

Especially the happy immigrants to Australia. After several years of hard work, Chinese immigrants have reached a dominant position in society in all states of the Australian mainland, including Victoria in the south.

Many Chinese have entered state parliaments and city councils, and four heavyweight Chinese leaders have served as governors, namely New South Wales, Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland. These are also the four states where Chinese have an absolute advantage.

If the new British Prime Minister changes his course, these happy days for immigration will be over.

Considering the importance of relations with Britain, if Britain strongly objects, Chu will have to abandon its policy of orderly immigration to Australia and instead consolidate and safeguard the interests of local Chinese immigrants.

The newly appointed British Prime Minister Sir Benjamin Disraeli came from the Conservative Party. He was incompatible with the former Liberal Prime Minister Sir Gladstone. He had a tougher and more conservative stance and was by no means an easy person to deal with.

According to news from London
When discussing the situation in Southeast Asia at an upper-class gathering, the new British Prime Minister Sir Benjamin Disraeli once emphasized the State of Chu.

He said: "This is a cunning and opportunistic wolf, with both strength and ambition."

This is from one side

This reflects Sir Benjamin Disraeli's attitude towards the State of Chu. He was suspicious and critical, and maintained a stubborn prejudice in his heart. He did not like the State of Chu to extend its hand to Australia.

In the next few years, the State of Chu will have to deal with this guy.

After hurriedly returning

King Zheng Guohui of Chu found all the relevant information he could about Sir Benjamin Disraeli, including his background, his words in his youth and when he entered politics, the policies he advocated, etc.

After watching
King Zheng Guohui of Chu sat in the imperial study for a long time in silence, smoking a cigar and thinking. He knew that he was in big trouble.

From a certain perspective

Sir Benjamin Disraeli and King Zheng Guohui of Chu were of the same type. They were adventurous and good at taking risks, keen on colonial expansion, and disdained the inferior indigenous peoples, seeing them as stepping stones. They were similar in all aspects.

Such an aggressive conservative politician is definitely not easy to get along with.

Sir Benjamin Disraeli was born into an Italian-Jewish family and served twice as Prime Minister.

During his term as Prime Minister, he was a fanatical advocate of colonial imperialism and moralism in Britain. During his tenure as Prime Minister, he used tough measures and vigorously promoted policies of foreign aggression and colonial expansion.

What made King Zheng of Chu feel bad was that
The new British Prime Minister Sir Disraeli was most concerned about and interested in the so-called Eastern Question, which included the Balkan issue, the Iranian issue, the Afghan issue, the Chu-Holland colonial dispute, and the Australian issue.

Almost everything that the State of Chu dislikes, this new British Prime Minister likes to do?
It's really weird to say, maybe it's because the good days in the past few years were too many, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom turned out to be this guy, it gives me a headache just thinking about it.

The key is

This man is about to take charge of the most powerful British Empire in the world, which is what King Zheng Guohui of Chu fears the most.

After studying for a while, King Zheng Guohui of Chu discovered that the new British Prime Minister Sir Benjamin Disraeli did not say much about the State of Chu, and only said a few words throughout the article.

obviously

Perhaps in the eyes of the British Prime Minister, Chu was a newly emerging regional power after all, and its importance was far less than other Eastern issues.

The Eastern Question on which Sir Benjamin Disraeli expressed himself most was the internal problems of the Ottoman Empire.

Following this clue, King Zheng Guohui of Chu continued his research with great interest.

In the mid-1870s, the Balkan peoples enslaved by the Ottoman Empire launched a massive uprising, especially the Bulgarian national independence movement, and the situation in the Middle East became tense again.

Because Britain had huge economic interests in the Ottoman Empire, it tried its best to support the Ottoman Sultan. This very mercenary stance was consistent with Britain's attitude in the northern court.

They all wanted to maintain their corrupt and huge regime to protect Britain's huge interests, so Britain strongly opposed the national uprisings and riots in the Balkans and advocated taking tough measures to suppress them.

The Russian Empire, on the contrary, tried to use the Slavic liberation struggle to destroy the rule of the Ottoman Empire, shake its foundations, and thus weaken the influence of its rival Britain in the Middle East.

Neither side gave in, and the conflicts and struggles in the Middle East became increasingly fierce, which led to the intensification of the Russian-Turkish dispute and there was a dangerous sign of war breaking out again.

Oh, wait, when did the 10th Russo-Turkish War break out?
King Zheng Guohui of Chu's heart skipped a beat and he frowned as he thought carefully.

In his impression
It seems that the 10th Russo-Turkish War took place in these years, was it 1876 or 1877?
After thinking for a while

King Zheng Guohui of Chu was inclined to the latter. If that were the case, Britain would no longer have the energy to take care of the disputes in the South Seas.

This does not have to wait until the war breaks out, but rather when the dispute becomes increasingly intense in the early stages of the war, it will attract the British government's high attention and lead to the government investing more energy in it.

This may be a good opportunity for the State of Chu to break the deadlock.

Regarding this major strategic issue, King Zheng Guohui of Chu must think carefully and repeatedly, and try to achieve the greatest results at the lowest cost and with the slightest movement.

1876 years, 1877 years, 1878 years...

After considering it for a while, King Zheng Guohui of Chu's eyes became brighter and brighter, and he gradually formed a policy direction in his mind...

End of August 1874
In accordance with the will of the new cabinet government in London, several old ships were separated from the Third Battle Fleet of the Royal Navy in Calcutta, British India, to form the Australian Squadron, with its bases in Melbourne and Sydney.

This is the second squadron formed in the South Pacific and Australia since the British Far East Squadron, and is temporarily under the jurisdiction of the Straits Governor's Office.

The establishment of the Australian Squadron foreshadowed a major change in foreign policy by the new British government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, but it was only a harbinger.

The invisible empire policy pursued by the previous British Prime Minister, Sir Gladstone, has been completely overturned.

Inspired by the establishment of the Australian Squadron, the Royal Victorian Goldfield Owners Association, which had been dormant for several years, revived itself and on July 7th, urged the Victorian government to introduce a policy banning new Chinese immigrants.

In contrast to this
New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, which are dominated by Chinese forces, have successively introduced relevant immigration policies to encourage and welcome Chinese immigrants and prohibit the entry of white immigrants from countries other than British colonies, including the United States, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and other countries.

Those most affected were naturally the largest number of American gold prospectors.

As a result, the situation in Australia has become more subtle again.

(End of this chapter)