Nanyang Storm 1864

On April 6, 1916, the House of Representatives of the Great Chu Empire voted to reject the bill submitted by the Prime Minister entitled "On Lifting the Financial Ban and Further Expanding Exports to Friendly European Countries such as Tsarist Russia," causing an uproar in the government and among the public.

For most business people
This is the bill they have been hoping for to be passed by parliament, which could significantly increase exports and be a major boost to domestic businesses and industries.

Who would complain about having too much money?
As for the financial and national credit risks that have accumulated as a result, 99% of industry professionals in the frenzied development phase ignore them, thinking only of making money first.

The rumors circulating about the Tsar's treasure have already captivated the capitalists.

Upon hearing that the parliamentary bill failed to pass, there was widespread lamentation throughout the country, and many people wrote articles criticizing the parliament's overly conservative stance.

The public's disappointment was so intense that it even reached the United States, across the Pacific Ocean.

The United States originally had no restrictions on trade with Russia. Now, seizing the opportunity, a large number of American financiers have flocked to the field of trade with Russia, providing a large amount of financial loans for the export of American products.

At the end of the second quarter of 1916
American capital lending to Tsarist Russia has already surpassed Britain to become the second largest, second only to the franc loans that were mired in debt, and the figures continue to rise sharply.

After all, Tsarist Russia had no money and was willing to provide various guarantees to borrow money from American capitalists, including for railways, ports, customs duties, and grain, in order to alleviate the urgent shortage of various supplies.

Russians have always been generous borrowers, willing to accept even the highest interest rates, because they have no intention of repaying the money.

Before the outbreak of the European war
France has lent more than 10 billion francs to Tsarist Russia, which is equivalent to twice the indemnity paid in the Franco-Prussian War. The highest loan interest rate reached 5% per annum. What does that mean?
But the Russians didn't care at all and kept borrowing money.

After the outbreak of the European war

The French themselves were also short of money. The Western Front was located in northeastern France, and the coal mines and steel mills in Alsace and Lorraine were supporting half of France.

Before the war, the chimneys were billowing smoke and the machines were roaring. But when the Germans came, they not only occupied the land, but also dismantled everything that could be dismantled and blew up everything that could be blown up before they left.

The Nuyel coal mine was flooded by the Somme River and turned into a giant fishpond. Ninety percent of the buildings in Arras were reduced to rubble. Of the original four hundred steel furnaces, only eleven remain, long since silent.

France was facing a tight budget and naturally did not have enough money to support Tsarist Russia. Fortunately, American capital came in and managed to keep the situation afloat.

1916 was destined to be a year to be remembered in history. It was a pivotal year in the confrontation between two major military blocs in Europe, with both sides launching large-scale campaigns in an attempt to wear down and defeat the other.

This year was called the year of the decisive battle.

On May 31, 1916, the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle in history, broke out between Britain and Germany in the North Sea, shocking the world.

Britain dispatched 151 ships, while the German High Seas Fleet deployed all of its main forces, consisting of 99 ships. The two sides engaged in fierce fighting in the waters surrounding Denmark.

In just two days, the clashes between Britain and Germany were intertwined with historical grievances and glories. The roar of cannons was incessant, turning this sea area into a world of blood and fire.

Ultimately, thanks to its overall size advantage, the British Navy successfully blockaded the German Navy in its ports, severely limiting its shipping capabilities.

This gradually weakened Germany's fighting capacity during the long-term, high-intensity confrontation, and the victory in the naval strategy paved the way for the Allied military bloc to gain an advantage in the subsequent land wars.

As early as February 21, 1916, in order to defeat France, Germany targeted Verdun, a key French military town, and threatened to use it as a "millstone to crush the French army," thus launching the unprecedented Battle of Verdun.

The two sides engaged in a protracted war of attrition, with each side experiencing victories and defeats, which lasted for a long time and became known as the "War of Verdun".

By the end of June, the Allied military alliance, led by Britain and France, launched the Somme campaign to break the stalemate from the flank and alleviate the pressure on the Verdun battlefield.

Starting on June 24, the British and French forces conducted a seven-day high-intensity artillery bombardment, consuming millions of shells.

In the early morning of July 1, 1916, under the cover of aerial bombardment and ground artillery fire, the Anglo-French allied forces launched a fierce attack on both banks of the Somme River.

The German fortifications throughout the Somme region were extremely strong, and the German defenders did not suffer significant casualties in the initial shelling, and their strength remained intact.

The British attacking forces were heavily equipped, their formations were dense, and their movements were slow, resulting in heavy casualties. On the first day alone, nearly 6 British troops died under the relentless fire of German heavy machine guns, suffering a devastating blow.

On the Eastern Front, millions of Russian troops fought bloody battles with German and Austro-Hungarian forces for months, creating a chaotic battlefield spanning hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.

Chu and Mei received a flood of large orders, and together with the northern China, Fusang, Guangnan Kingdom, Siam Kingdom and South American countries, they all entered a golden period of rapid development during this time.

Every day, hundreds of factories sprang up in the Great Chu Empire, with workshops operating day and night. New steel plants were put into operation one after another, and shipyards expanded rapidly.

The European battlefield devoured far too many resources, and the strong demand drove the market to take off. The State of Chu was undoubtedly a big winner. In 1916, the year of the decisive battle, hundreds of millions of people across Europe were caught up in the war, and the demand for supplies was simply astronomical.

This not only satiated the states of Chu and Mei, but also passively dragged other countries in the world into an era of economic prosperity, including the Republic of China government in the north.

The only military development in the Great Chu Empire was the allocation of the remaining seven Kunlunshan-class battleships, equipped with 343mm main guns, to the Red Sea Fleet, the West African Fleet, and the newly established Mediterranean Fleet overseas.

The newly established Mediterranean Fleet received two Kunlunshan-class battleships of the third phase of improvement. These were the latest models among the 13 Kunlunshan-class battleships equipped with 343mm main guns, and they were commissioned into the Royal Navy of the Great Chu in the early 20th century.

If you do the math, they've been in service for less than ten years and have already become second-line warships.

The main force of the Royal Navy's home fleet of the Great Chu Empire has been gradually replaced by Duke-class battleships equipped with 381mm guns. Two of them are now in service, three have been launched and are being fitted with camouflage, and three more 43,000-ton behemoths are under construction and are expected to be launched and fitted with camouflage next year.

Following the principle of "building and improving simultaneously," each Duke-class warship was different, exhibiting minor improvements, which was a characteristic of the development of the main equipment of the Royal Navy of the Great Chu Empire.

The new Mediterranean Fleet home port is located in Haifa, a newly built port on the Mediterranean coast, within the territory of the new Kingdom of Jordan.

In this kingdom, the Great Chu Empire stationed 70% of the Peninsula Allied Forces' troops, spared no expense in building the port of Haifa, as well as a series of facilities such as naval bases, naval warehouses, and naval shipyards, and even established a new Mediterranean Fleet.

As its name suggests, its mission area encompassed the entire Mediterranean, which was precisely where the major European powers were concentrated.

Due to the special circumstances at the time, the major powers that held hegemony in the Mediterranean, such as Britain and France, only paid attention to the actions of the State of Chu, without taking any further action.

This does not represent approval, but rather that they simply do not have the time or resources to deal with the Chu Kingdom's Mediterranean fleet.

At a different time and place, the British would have been jumping for joy long ago, joining forces with the French and other European powers to squeeze out the Chu Kingdom's Mediterranean fleet no matter what.

On the side of the couch, how can you allow others to sleep soundly.

Although the Mediterranean Sea is vast, it cannot accommodate another great power, especially one from the Far East.

The Chu state's hasty establishment of a Mediterranean fleet greatly offended the British.

On June 1916, 7

As the western and eastern fronts of the European theater entered daylight, British Lieutenant General Hart led a powerful fleet through Spain to the Aegean Sea off Greece, and continued south to the North African coast, blocking the entrance to the port of Haifa.

It's a blatant declaration of power: this is my territory.

It's like a mafia boss leading a bunch of henchmen to block the door and tell the new residents of Haifa Port: "This is my property, and you have to follow my rules."

Currently, the two countries are close friendly nations. The "Taishan" battleship, stationed at Haifa Port of the Great Chu Empire, led its fleet to welcome the magnificent fleet of warships led by Vice Admiral Heder, and escorted them to Haifa Port for berthing and repairs in accordance with naval etiquette.

The fact that the British Royal Navy didn't even give prior notice highlights their arrogant, rude, and provocative attitude.

The Great Chu Empire voiced some complaints through diplomatic channels, and the matter was dropped.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu made another note in his notebook about the British: "Don't be fooled by how happy the British are now; their good days won't last much longer."

Germany is a world nightmare that the British and French powers can hardly escape. It has only just begun, and there is still a long way to go. The Great Chu Empire does not need to rush to the front to confront it head-on.

He won't do anything that doesn't benefit him.

Let's force the Mediterranean fleet in first. Once we've established a foothold and put down roots, it won't be easy for the British to squeeze us out. After all, the Great Chu Empire is no pushover.

Looking through the ledgers, it becomes clear that the British owe the Great Chu Empire a considerable amount of money, with various debts now approaching 10 billion silver dollars. The Great Chu Empire has also tightened its control over shipments.

If you want the goods, you have to pay in cash.

In the first two quarters of 1916 alone, the total amount of gold sent from British colonies to the Great Chu Empire reached 272 tons, and silver over 1390 tons. There were also staggering quantities of cotton, jute, and various mineral products. Assets in many British port cities were acquired by Chinese capital, including London.

Britain paid a heavy price to maintain its offensive posture on the European front. (End of Chapter)