The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 361: Chapter 310: Why not support Australasia?_2

What was ev more unbearable for the British Empire was that Germany had already announced that it was building Super Dreadnoughts.

Originally, this was the British Empire's trump card to dominate the Germans in terms of warship quality, but it had already be quietly followed by the Germans.

This also meant that half of the British Empire's warship construction plans had to be devoted to building Super Dreadnoughts; otherwise, wh the German Super Dreadnought fleet caught up, the navy would still not have a significant advantage.

But the problem was that the cost of the most advanced dreadnoughts was already a million pounds.

And the cost of the most advanced Super Dreadnoughts was ev higher, at a .4 million pounds.

No matter how you calculate it, the British Empire's finances would only become more burded, which made other governmt officials a bit worried.

After all, if the once-invincible British Empire wt bankrupt in the hands of this governmt, the public's spit alone would be ough to drown them.

After all, once the governmt runs out of money, the people's welfare policies will decrease. How would the people who are accustomed to reaping befits see it? Isn't it just a sure sign of governmt incompetce?

To address these concerns, the British Cabinet held an emergcy meeting to discuss currt shipbuilding plans and financial difficulties.

The currt Prime Minister of the British Empire, Asquith, also serves as the Minister of Finance, which shows the importance of finance to a country.

The Finance Departmt of Australasia is also one of the cabinet departmts controlled by Arthur.

"Mr. Churchill, I think it is necessary to reconsider the navy's construction plan. Ev if our financial income is almost twice that of Germany, it cannot withstand such a huge consumption!

You must know the state of our finances last year, and if we continue to build ships at this mad pace, I'm afraid it won't be long before our finances are overwhelmed and we have to borrow like crazy," Prime Minister Asquith, frowning, looked at a slightly confidt Navy Secretary Churchill and said during the Cabinet Meeting.

"Mr. Prime Minister, now is not the time for the British Empire to back down! The Germans are building warships at a crazy pace, and if we suspd our shipbuilding plans, it will mean handing over our position as the world's number one navy, won't it?" Navy Secretary Churchill, with an excited face, stood up and argued, ev in the face of Prime Minister Asquith.

"We know that the navy is facing tremdous pressure right now. Although Germany needs to pay atttion to the developmt of its army, we also need to focus on the security and welfare policies of our colonies. Don't we? Our military expditure has already exceeded a quarter of our total financial income, and this year it will ev exceed a third.

Although the British Empire is the most powerful country in the world, it can ultimately only assure its security in the British Isles.

This also means that if a country becomes the ruler of Europe, it will threat the British Empire's native land.

This is why Britain fought against France before and now confronts Germany.

For the British Empire, the currt Germany is a rival to be defeated. However, if defeating Germany allows France to rise, th defeating Germany would be meaningless.

The best way is to have Germany and France both suffer losses during the war so that neither can possibly threat Britain's status.

If currtly the most powerful country in Europe were France, Britain would probably join Germany's camp to fight against France.

In addition to the European situation, the British governmt is also concerned about a country that keeps a watchful eye on the European situation - the United States.

Although the United States had be previously looked down upon by major European countries, se as nothing but a nouveau riche occupying a good land area, it cannot be died that the developmt of the United States has gradually caught up with the European pace, and its economy and industry are now world-class.

What the United States lacks to become a top power is the military and technological foundation. If giv several more decades, it is likely to grow into a competitor ev more terrifying than Germany.

"The United States?" Churchill laughed dismissively and asked, "Why don't we try supporting Australasia? Since the support for the island nation has failed, we might as well find another country to help. Australasians share the same origins as us, and as long as the British descdants occupy the majority of Australasia, they can never be our emies. Isn't this the best candidate for support?

Although Australasia's population is small, they are mostly European immigrants, making them more eligible to become a developed country and a major power than the island nation."

There is a reason for the British Empire supporting the island nation.

The geographic location of the island nation is destined to face a war with the Far Eastern superpower, Russia, if it rises.

Moreover, the island nation is only separated from the United States by the Pacific Ocean. With the United States unable to extd its reach to Europe, its expansion could only be directed towards South America and the opposite side of the Pacific. The Philippines is a prime example.

Supporting the island nation is one of Britain's methods to counterbalance the United States and also to divert Russia's atttion, exhaust Russia's power in the Far East, and prevt Russia from plotting against British India.