Holy Roman Empire

France is not yet ready for war, and Napoleon IV is not drifting away. I don't think that with France's current strength, it can challenge the world.

……

At the headquarters of the British Coal Association in London, a group of capital tycoons are having a fierce quarrel.

A potbellied old man said excitedly: "Gentlemen, the opportunity to make a fortune has come.

The French are proposing that as long as we cut the price of coal by one-fifth, regardless of the international coal export union, they will reduce the tariff on some goods.

This reduction and exemption is not for all enterprises, but only for industries that are members of our coal association. Cheers! "

Applause rang out, and many people were immersed in the joy of getting rich.It couldn't be more obvious what it means to be able to get goods into the French market at lower tariffs than their domestic counterparts.

Some people are proud and some are frustrated. Not everyone can benefit.

Small coal mine owners are the biggest victims. Their capital is limited and they are unable to enter multiple industries.On the contrary, selling high-priced coal can maximize profits.

With partial tariff relief, they have nothing to sell.On the contrary, the consortia have huge profits and can obtain greater benefits.

As the representative of small coal mine owners in the association, Mikhailovich immediately objected: "No! The French are Britain's greatest enemy, and any relaxation of the suppression of France is a crime against Britain.

Those idiots from the government foolishly ran to form an alliance with the French. Should we also compromise with the French for the sake of negligible interests? "

The old man said with a smile: "Mikhailovich, don't forget that we are capitalists, there is no reason for us not to make money from door-to-door delivery, and it is the government's business to suppress France.

Your worries are nothing more than damage to your own interests. In fact, you don't have to worry about it.Even if there is no other industry, everyone can cooperate!

I believe that those who are sitting here don't mind helping you and filling the vacancies in your industry.

If it is not possible, you can also choose to sell the coal mine.Don't worry, everyone will pay a good price.

In short, we will not let you suffer. "

Mikhailovich's complexion changed drastically, it was the poor figure who saw it.Before that, although the profits of the coal mines were good, the small mine owners were holding low-quality mines, and the consortiums still looked down upon them.

It's different now. If you control the coal mines, you control coal exports. With these shares, you can negotiate with the French, get preferential treatment in tariffs, and sell other industrial and commercial products.

Don't say that there is no shortage of markets for the British, this is impossible.In any industrial power, the market is not enough.

The British consortium has long been envious of the French market, but the French government knew it couldn't do it, so it played tariff barriers.

Now that a hole was finally torn open, everyone naturally had to find a way to rush in.

As for the subsequent impact of the drop in coal export prices, what does it matter to them?As long as you can make money, who cares what the future holds?

Chapter 113 The Combat Power of the Russian Bureaucracy

While the French were making small moves, the Russians also started a war in Central Asia.

Frankly speaking, March and April are not the best time to attack, but there is no way, the tsarist government wants to rush for time.

Austria has lost contact with the Afghan government, and the tsarist government is not much better. Although it has been in business for a longer time, it can't stop the Russian bureaucrats from being careless!

Not long after the war broke out, the two sides lost contact.From the point of view of the tsar's high-level officials, if they can't be contacted, there will definitely be no good news.

In order to gain the initiative in the war, the Russian military was forced to launch the war in advance.

Everything has two sides. At this time, the ice and snow melted, and the Russian army was under heavy logistical pressure, but the Central Asian Khanate was not much better.

Although the logistics pressure of the local operations is relatively small, the outbreak of war at this time has affected the spring plowing.

For agricultural countries, this is undoubtedly the most fatal.Although the Central Asian countries are not completely dependent on farming, and animal husbandry is also an important industry, they are still severely impacted.

There is no way, the Russian army came, young and strong were forced to join the army, the labor force engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry was greatly reduced, and the reduction of agricultural and animal husbandry production became inevitable.

It may not seem obvious in the short term, but it has actually affected the war potential of the three Khanates in Central Asia.In a sense, the Russians have already secured the victory in advance.

However, this is not in the consideration of Admiral Oginets. From the beginning to the end, he did not regard the Central Asian countries as opponents.

Launching an offensive is a quick decision, so that the front can be pushed to Afghanistan as soon as possible, and a decisive battle with the British will be fought.

Against this background, the long-term strategic advantages over Central Asian countries naturally appear meaningless.

"Generating power to urge the country, let them speed up, and if this continues for at most half a month, we will have to stop attacking."

With the outbreak of the war, the chaotic logistics management of the Russian army was gradually exposed.

As the supreme commander in Central Asia, Admiral Oginets needs logistical supplies and must go through domestic coordination.

This is no problem in peaceful times. The government can allocate strategic materials in a unified manner, which can effectively check and balance the military.

The war years seemed out of date. If the bureaucracy of the tsarist government was strong, then the problem would not be serious, and it would be delayed for a day or two at most.

For a big country, sacrificing a little efficiency is not unacceptable.

It is a pity that the bureaucracy of the tsarist government is constantly degrading.The reformists who promoted the country's progress in the era of Alexander II have now become decadent conservatives.

Alexander III was not a decisive leader, and the system of the Russian Empire was not perfect, so it was inevitable that there were some deficiencies in the bureaucracy.

The middle-aged military officer in charge of logistics replied: "Your Excellency, Commander, we have sent urging telegrams five times. Except for the first two replies, the latter ones have disappeared without a word.

If nothing else, our telegram will face the same ending this time.Perhaps none of these telegrams could reach the Minister of Logistics. "

The interception of front-line telegrams is impossible in other countries, but it is normal for the Russian Empire to happen.

The slow transportation of logistics materials does not necessarily mean that the Russian Empire has no transportation capacity. It is more likely that the transportation capacity that originally belonged to the military has been occupied by others.

The intensity of the war in Central Asia was not very great, and some materials were also stored on the front line, such as food and tents, all of which were ready-made.

What really needs to be transported from the country is mainly ammunition, medicine, and military supplies that are not suitable for long-term storage.

The demand for transport capacity is not very large, because of the muddy road, there may be delays, but it is still barely enough.

Before launching the offensive, the Russian military had already calculated it.If it was determined from the beginning that the logistics supply was insufficient, General Auchinets would not launch an attack so early no matter what.

After hearing the news, Admiral Auchinets' face was gloomy and terrifying.It's not that he hasn't fought a war, and it's not that he hasn't seen someone cheating, but this is the first time he has encountered such a cheating person.

Perhaps it has something to do with luck, Oginets did not catch up in the first Russian-Prussian war.

During the Second Russo-Prussian War, the troops he served moved forward along the Russian-Austrian border, and the logistics materials were purchased nearby, and no matter how the quartermaster cheated, it would be delayed by a day or two at most.

Not to mention the third Near East War, Austria was responsible for the supply of logistics materials, and it was enough to send someone to receive them, without worrying about it at all.

The good luck finally ran out, fighting in Central Asia, relying on domestic logistics supplies, Admiral Oginets finally learned how powerful the bureaucrats are.

"For such an important matter, why didn't you report it in advance?"

The domestic bureaucracy is powerful, and the bureaucracy on the front line is no different.The logistics department did not reply three times. It is drunk to think that such an important matter can be kept from him as a commander.

The middle-aged officer who was questioned replied anxiously: "We thought it was just that the logistics department was busy with business and forgot to reply for a while. I didn't expect..."

Before the middle-aged officer could continue to explain, Admiral Oginets lost his temper and threw the cup in front of him.

"You think that everything is up to you, why do you want me as a commander?

Do you think that since your staff is in the logistics department, I, the commander, can't control you?

Or, do you think the military laws of the Russian Empire are not strict and want to try it? "

A series of questions directly frightened the middle-aged officer, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.

Frankly speaking, they are the doormat caught between the logistics department and the frontline command.

It is established in the logistics department, and the promotion is in charge of the country. Naturally, it cannot offend the masters in the rear. The key is that they are also restrained by the frontline headquarters.

For middle- and lower-level officers, the logistics department is certainly a fat yamen with great power, but for the commander, Admiral Oginets, they are just a subordinate department of the general headquarters.

Admiral Oginets may not be able to decide their promotion, but he can decide their life and death.

The corruption of the Russian Empire is notorious, not to mention the management of logistics, it is definitely the hardest hit area of ​​corruption.

If no one pursues it, then nothing will happen.If someone really lifts the lid, they still have to be held accountable.

This is the battlefield. As long as Admiral Oginets has the evidence, he can execute any bureaucrat involved in the case at any time on the charge of corrupting military supplies.

"Your Excellency, I...I..."

Without waiting for the middle-aged officer to explain, Oginets waved his hand and said: "Okay, Kratsvali. I know you all have difficulties, and you can't be the masters of the country.

But remember, this is the battlefield, and anyone and everything must give way to war, I believe you know what I mean.

No matter what method you use, you must guarantee the supply of logistics materials for me. If anyone delays me, I will kill him.

You can bring this sentence to the old men in China.Once there is insufficient supply of supplies on the battlefield, or there is a problem with supplies, I will go back to His Majesty the Tsar for comment.

I believe that His Majesty the Great Tsar will be able to see clearly and find out those in the government who colluded with the British and deliberately delayed the progress of the war. "

Killing doesn't solve the problem, and Kratsvali wasn't the one who created it.

Oginets was not an idealist, and he did not want to eliminate the moths in the tsarist government, as long as these people did not make trouble for themselves.

There are too many bureaucrats like Kratsvali in the Russian Empire. If one is killed, there will be another one.

It is even possible that because of the murder, the logistics department will arouse the same hatred and intentionally cause trouble for him.

This kind of thing is not without precedent. Admiral Oginets didn't want to try it. After beating it again, he decisively chose to accept it as soon as it was good.

As for getting back the right to deploy logistics materials, the military itself is responsible for coordinating the supply of materials, so don't even think about it.

He is also in charge of the army and food, unless the tsar personally leads the army, otherwise he will be worried about letting anyone go to the country.

The most basic checks and balances of power are common all over the world.To break the rules is to break the taboo.Admiral Oginets is politically minded, so naturally he would not jump into the pit.

In the eyes of Kratsvali, Admiral Oginets' "beating" was a crit more terrifying than a demon.

Once the charge of "collaborating with the British" is confirmed, the logistics department counts as one, and they must collectively receive a lunch box.

Not only is he unlucky, but even the family behind him is also doomed.

Regardless of whether the nobles are nobles or not, since the reform of Alexander II, the Russian Empire has no tradition of not killing nobles.

Corruption and bribery in ordinary times, it doesn't matter if you make a small mistake, anyway, everyone is the same, the law does not blame the public.

But colluding with the British is treason.When did the tsarist government soften its hands when dealing with traitors?

Seeing Oginets' eyes cast over, Kratsvali hurriedly assured: "Your Excellency, Commander, please rest assured. I will definitely urge the country to deliver the supplies as soon as possible."

……

Minister Argent, who was on duty at the logistics headquarters of the Russian Army in St. Petersburg, was bored reading newspapers to pass the time.

Suddenly a middle-aged man rushed in with a telegram.

Argent dissatisfied: "What's going on, Passel?"

Passel smiled bitterly and said, "Your Excellency, there is no need to hurry now, or something serious will happen if you slow down.

This is a telegram from the front, and that fellow Oginets is warning us that if the logistics don't arrive in time, he's going to accuse us of colluding with the British to His Majesty the Tsar. "

Argent's face changed drastically, and he cursed angrily: "It's unreasonable, how can the logistics department be threatened by him.

Passel, you are making too much fuss.Since Auchinets is going to sue, let him do it.

How could His Majesty the Tsar believe such a preposterous charge?Order the transportation team to find an excuse and deliberately delay the time, let me see what he can do! "

Being threatened is second, and Argent is more afraid of someone copying him.If Oginets' threat is accepted, future Russian generals will follow suit. Wouldn't the logistics department be at the mercy of others?

Passel shook his head: "Your Excellency, I'm afraid this won't work. Oginets dared to threaten us because he had some evidence in his hands.

According to the Kratsvali telegram, it has been exposed that we have borrowed the army to transport supplies to the capitalists.

If Oginets lifted the lid and insisted that we colluded with the British and deliberately delayed the delivery of strategic materials, strict investigations would definitely be carried out in the country.

What will happen then is hard to say. "

After hearing this explanation, Argent instantly realized the seriousness of the problem.

Once proven, the logistics department will deliberately delay the delivery of strategic materials.Whether they colluded with the British does not need evidence, but the tsar has the final say.

Considering the importance of this war, Argent had reason to believe that Alexander III would deter domestic bureaucrats with their heads.

Something similar happened in the Russo-Prussian War.The high-level logistics department at that time was pulled out by Alexander II and shot.

The past is the teacher of the future. After learning from the past, the bureaucrats in the logistics department already know what not to do.

After reacting, Argent said decisively: "Then what's the point, start organizing the transportation immediately, and deliver the materials to the front line as soon as possible, and don't leave a case for Oginets to sue."

In a word, as long as the logistics supplies arrive at the front line on time.So the issue of borrowing the army to buy goods for the capitalists is a trivial matter that is not worth mentioning.

Even if someone exposes it, the logistics department will be able to cope with it, and it will not attract the attention of the tsarist government at all.

On the contrary, the consequences will be serious.

Parcel wondered: "Your Excellency, it's not that we don't want to hurry up, the problem is that the military column has already been loaned out.

If you repent now, there will be many people to offend.You must know that those capitalists are not without roots, and there are too many big figures involved behind them. "