Struggle in Russia - Vol 3 Chapter 746
Count Uvarov was stunned, for this reason he did not expect at all. After all, normal people don’t think like that, do they?
Well, you want to say that Count Rostovtsev is not normal, but he does make sense. The British navy is indeed the only one in the world, and it can completely beat the navy of any country in the world, and even the second and third plus one in the world may not be their opponents.
But the British Army is another matter. It is definitely not the most powerful, and it may not even be ranked in the top two in Europe. If they send a large number of soldiers to the Far East to find trouble, it will only reduce the help to Turkey.
In this way, the pressure on the Russian army on the front line of Wallachia will definitely be much less. From this point of view, the words of Count Rostovtsev are quite reasonable.
But, Count Uvarov will definitely not admit it! He immediately retorted: “Having said that, but once the British army fully invades the Far East of our country, who can guarantee that they will be driven away? In this way, the vast territory of the Far East cannot be preserved!”
Is there such a possibility? It is true, but Count Rostovtsev thought it was impossible. He smiled and replied easily: “Count, you probably forgot what the Far East is like. It is normal for it to be deserted and uninhabited for thousands of miles. More important The only thing is that it is not suitable for farming, except for forests and furs that produce nothing at all.”
“What’s the point of the British occupying that place at a huge cost? Moreover, the environment is bad and the transportation is inconvenient, so it is not suitable for a large-scale garrison at all. And if only a small number of troops are stationed, how can they occupy such a vast land?”
Count Uvarov was speechless again. Although he had never been to the Far East, he knew what the environment was like there. If you think about it, if the conditions are good, the scenery is beautiful, the people are outstanding, the prisoners can be sent to that place. Obviously, only poor places are suitable for punishing criminals!
What’s more, the ghost place in the Far East is praised for its poor mountains and bad waters. It’s not a place for people to stay. The British will only covet those ghost places unless they are crazy.
But you ask Count Uvarov to admit that Count Rostovtsev is more reasonable, that is absolutely unacceptable, not to mention that this matter also involves vital economic interests, and you can’t find a way to get some money for Nicholas I, this The tsar will definitely increase the war tax, and this is not to pay them.
Although that ghost place in Alaska can’t sell for much money, it’s still a piece of meat anyway, which can relieve some pressure. Anyway, it’s better than asking them to pay for it right away!
Count Uvarov rolled his eyes and argued: “This is just your guess. The reality is that the British army has already invaded the Far East of our country. If they don’t plan to occupy it, why bother?”
This question is very good, but it is still difficult for Count Rostovtsev. He replied to Count Uvarov in one sentence: “The British also shelled the Kronstadt fortress. According to your statement, Is this why they are going to occupy it?”
The words of Count Rostovtsev are a bit sophistry, but the truth is still tenable. What he wants to say is very simple: the British did something true, but it does not mean it is what you think it is. .
The Royal Navy shelled Kronstadt and blocked the Gulf of Finland. Does this mean that they are ready to land in St. Petersburg?
Obviously not, the British army is obviously pretending to be a posturing or blatantly exerting pressure. The same small group of British troops landed in the Far East, does that mean that Britain wants to occupy Russian territory in the Far East?
Obviously this is not possible. In a sense, this is also a posturing and a disguised pressure.
Faced with this kind of pressure, it is of course possible to send troops to expel the British, but it will come at a heavy economic price. Or, like Count Uvarov and his team, they can simply sell this place they can’t care about.
How to say, these two methods are too extreme, it can be said to be a reaction transition. Count Rostovtsev thought it was completely okay to ignore the British. Don’t they like to land in the Far East? Then let them do whatever they want.
Anyway, there was nothing but wild animals and plants in that ghost place, and Count Rostovtsev still didn’t believe that they would persist as savages for a long time.
This truth is like a window paper that can be broken with a stab. A shrewd person like Nicholas I immediately reacted. He really overreacted to this news. Or he was misled by some courtiers.
how to say?
In his heart, he didn’t really care much about the situation in the Far East. Suddenly, someone told him that he could sell it for money to ease the financial pressure. He was naturally overwhelmed by the heavy economic pressure.
Anyway, it’s a barren land, so if you sell it, just sell it!
What’s more, the British have begun to send troops. If they don’t sell, they may be cheaper for the British. It is better to stop the loss in time.
But Count Rostovtsev clarified the truth in a few sentences. The British invasion is not a non-existent, at least it is thunder and rain, and it does not pose a threat at all. Since this is the urgency of selling Alaska Not so strong anymore.
Of course, Nicholas I did not say not to sell. If the price is right, he can still consider it, but from the news he received, the American bid is really unsatisfactory, so what is enough for a little money?
Count Uvarov quickly realized his mistake, and knew that according to the original plan, it would definitely be a problem, but his brain is fast! One plan failed and another plan was created, and he immediately said:
“Even if you’re right, financial stress is an unavoidable issue. Financial stress is now…to an unimaginable level. Only by finding ways to open source can we continue to fight, and selling Alaska will relieve our stress, unless You have a way to make money!”
Count Rostovtsev laughed, because Count Uvarov’s words were too shameless. He had been talking about the British invasion before, but in the end it wasn’t for money.
He replied slowly: “Of course I can’t make money, but I doubt that selling Alaska can relieve our financial pressure as you said!”
Without waiting for Count Uvarov to interrupt, he directly asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer: “How big is our current deficit? Who else can tell me how much Alaska can sell. Is this money really enough to relieve our imminent huge pressure?”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer stammered, because these two questions are really hard to answer…