bookandnovel Chapter 112 Queen Candidates (Second Update, Please Subscribe!)
Chapter 112 Queen Candidates (Second Update, Please Subscribe!)
Mikhail's trip to Gaul this time can be said to have been a complete success, and all his goals have basically been achieved.
Not only did he obtain a huge loan from Gaul, but it would even be a huge loan equivalent to whoring for nothing. At the same time, it also successfully obtained two overseas military bases. This will make the biggest shortcoming disappear when the Tsarist Russian Empire goes to war with the Eastern Empire in the future.
Next, whether it is the army or the navy, the Orientals have absolutely no possibility of victory. What awaits them will be a fiasco. The road to the rise of the Eastern Empire will be cut off because of this. It is even more delusional if they want to become one of the great powers.
Mikhail stayed in Paris for five full days.
After the two parties signed the loan agreement and the agreement on the military base in the concession, Mikhail left Paris, accompanied by Charles Floquet, the second commander of the Gaul Kingdom, and took a special train to Marseilles, where he would board a ship across the Mediterranean, back to the Russian Empire.
In the Mediterranean Sea, on the warship Mikhail was on, Mikhail and the Minister of the Navy, General Alexander, were discussing the next development of the navy.
"We have successfully leased two overseas military bases from the Gauls. Then, the Navy must build these two military bases as soon as possible, not only to build the pier
It is also necessary to build coastal defense fortresses, as well as ship repair factories and other supporting facilities. This will be related to the empire's future wars, and it cannot be sloppy. "Mikhail looked serious.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I promise to complete the task!" General Alexander replied.
"Your Majesty, although the Gauls have reduced their naval investment over the years, their naval strength is still very strong. The number of battleships alone is much more than ours, second only to the sun never sets." General Alexander There was a hint of envy in his eyes.
Mikhail nodded, the emaciated camel was bigger than the horse.
No matter how the Gauls are, for a long time in the past, they have been powerful countries on the European continent that can compete with the empire on which the sun never sets in terms of navy. It's just that, in recent years, the development speed of Gaul's navy is far behind that of the Empire on which the sun never sets. Coupled with a detour, the gap between the two sides was further widened.
After the navy entered the era of giant ships and cannons, the Gauls once thought that instead of investing huge sums of money in building battleships, it is better to build lightning strike ships to deal with enemy battleships through lightning strikes.
But it turns out that this simply doesn't work.
By the time the Gauls woke up, it was too late.
Coupled with the rise of the Germanic Empire, they had to focus on land. This makes the gap between them and the Royal Navy of the Empire on which the sun never sets widens.
"Our 'Mosk-class' heavy cruiser is almost built, isn't it?" Mikhail asked.
"Your Majesty, the construction progress of the first heavy cruiser 'Mosk' has reached 80%. It is expected that it will be able to enter service in the second half of this year." General Alexander replied.
"Very well, how is the preparation of our 'Mikhail I-class' battleship completed?" Mikhail then asked.
"All preparations are almost done, the shipyard has been upgraded, and the engineers have overcome technical difficulties. In addition, we have imported more than 100 large boilers and triple-expansion reciprocating steam engines to the Germanic Empire. According to His Majesty's request, the boilers we ordered this time are not coal-fired boilers, but oil-fired boilers. This will greatly improve the power of our warships." General Alexander replied.
At present, the boilers used by warships in various countries are all coal-fired boilers.
But compared to coal-fired boilers, oil-fired boilers will be able to provide greater power. Therefore, Mikhail hopes to start from the "Mikhail I class" battleship [the naval warships of the Tsarist Russian Empire all use oil-fired boilers.
Anyway, the Tsarist Russian Empire was rich in oil. The oil produced every year by the Baku Oilfield alone would not be used up by the Tsarist Empire, and it would be exported in large quantities to foreign countries.
"We still need to make breakthroughs in technology and strive to be able to produce large-scale oil-fired boilers and triple-expansion reciprocating steam engines by ourselves! Otherwise, this will make us subject to the Germans." Mikhail said.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We have already organized people to imitate it, and we have already achieved certain results. In the next few years, we will definitely be able to achieve success!" General Alexander said.
"Your Majesty, your trip to Lebanon has captured the hearts of thousands of young girls! Among them, is there none that moved your heart?" asked the Foreign Minister Isivorski.
Mikhail is already twenty-one years old this year. As the Tsar of the Empire, his successor has always been concerned by the whole country and even the whole of Europe.
You know, although the relationship between European countries is not harmonious. Even, wars broke out from time to time. However, marriages between royal families of various countries are very frequent.
In other words, it's all family. War is nothing more than a civil war between families.
Mikhail shook his head: "`" Those girls in Gaul are not suitable.
"Your Majesty, what kind of woman are you looking for?" Isivorski asked.
General Sukhomlinov and General Alexander were also attracted by this topic.
Mikhail thought for a while, and then said: "Actually, I have already considered this issue. Moreover, I already have a candidate in my mind. I just don't know if the other party agrees."
This time, Izvorski and the others became even more curious.
You know, Mikhail is the Tsar of the Tsarist Russian Empire! And the Tsarist Russian Empire is one of the most powerful countries in this world (Qian Qian Zhao). Is there any woman who can refuse to be the Empress of Tsarist Russia?
"The daughter of Prince Rudolf, the last crown prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Mary, is a very suitable candidate!" said Mikhail.
"Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mary?" Izvorski and the others were all surprised, as if they didn't expect Mikhail to make such a choice.
You know, although the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mary is the daughter of Crown Prince Rudolf, Crown Prince Rudolf has committed suicide. Moreover, he shot and killed his mistress first, and then committed suicide.
Although Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria was the grandfather of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mary, the current Crown Prince is Archduke Ferdinand!
Besides, the Tsarist Russian Empire just fought a war with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and they fought all over the place. Will the Austro-Hungarian Empire agree to this marriage?