The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1662 Undercurrents Beneath the Unstoppable Trend

However, not everyone agrees with war; it's just that given the prevailing trend, they don't want to be the first to stick their necks out.

The Liberal Party and anti-war figures remain dismissive of the result.

“Hey! Brandon, this is a ridiculous meeting. George Hamilton Gordon is a complete idiot, and it's because of him that we've been dragged into this war by a bunch of warmongers.”

Richard Cobden echoed this sentiment.

“That’s right, they sold out our British workers and farmers just for a bunch of shepherds.”

John Brandon and Richard Cobden both belonged to the Manchester School; they were both staunch advocates of free trade, as well as pacifism and non-interventionism.

"This is just the beginning. Who knows what else they'll do in their quest for victory?"

Richard Cobden wholeheartedly agreed with John Brandon's words, and he echoed this sentiment.

"They persuaded Parliament with fear, and then they used it to persuade the people. They would incite hatred in the newspapers and then elevate 'national interest' to a supreme position."

If anyone dares to say a word against them, they will be labeled a "British traitor."

How pathetic.

John Brandon nodded as well.

"What a crazy bunch of guys. I wish they knew what they were doing."

"They certainly know what they're doing, which is why they dragged us onto the ship. We can only pray now that Britain wins the war, otherwise those who are calling for war will immediately look for scapegoats."

"That's right. I've heard that American politics is the only true democracy."

Richard Cobden immediately shook his head.

“My cousin went to the United States, and he said the situation there was also terrible. A whole bunch of political parties are always opposing for the sake of opposing, and many Americans have a Black supremacist complex.”

It's absolutely disgusting.

The House of Lords.

"Without the help of the French, could we really defeat the Holy League on our own with just those Ottomans?"

"Who knows, at least we British can remain undefeated?"

"I doubt it. The Royal Navy has suffered quite a few defeats in recent years. And how do we end the war?"

Even if we defeat the Holy Alliance at sea, are we truly capable of ending this war?

At this moment, a young man interjected.

"Perhaps if we blockade the sea routes, they will surrender at the mere sight of us? After we defeat the Holy Alliance, we can acquire the Austrian Empire's overseas colonies and also receive reparations."

Then we will once again prove to the world that the British Empire is invincible!

“Young people, don’t be so naive!” an older councilor said thoughtfully. “Those honors are not for you yet, but those heavy burdens will fall on your shoulders sooner or later.”

Besides, many more people had begun figuring out how to transfer their assets out of Britain; they had no intention of sharing the burden with Britain in this time of crisis. The clamor of the parliamentary debate had barely subsided when John Russell showed no joy as a victor, but rather a furrowed brow and a deep weariness.

In fact, John Russell was well aware that it would be difficult for Britain and the Ottoman Empire alone to contend with the Holy Alliance.

As for the military's so-called strategy of attacking colonies to sustain the war effort, he didn't really believe it. After all, he had been prime minister and knew the consequences of those actions.

Each colony of the Austrian Empire retained a considerable number of troops, as well as defensive fortifications such as fortresses and strongholds.

What's most infuriating is that these were built relatively inland, rather than on the coast, which made things difficult for the British Navy, so they often had to return empty-handed.

John Russell had heard countless stories like these.

In fact, Franz was well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the two countries, so he abandoned coastal defense and focused on land warfare from the very beginning of the colonial defense.

That said, even if Franz wanted to build a coastal defense in the colonies, it wouldn't be very realistic. Not to mention the astronomical amount of investment required, just completing the defense transformation of the coastline would take at least a decade.

The core areas of the Austrian Empire's colonies were often inland and along rivers. Although the British could send small boats into the waterways, once they entered the inland areas, the initiative shifted to the Austrians.

At that time, whether it's an ambush, a diversionary tactic, or blocking the river, it will all be up to the Austrian Empire.

John Russell leaned back in his chair. He couldn't know the Austrian Empire's attitude at the moment, but from their attitude toward digging the Suez Canal, he could conclude that the Austrians must have planned this all along. So he had to prepare for the worst, which was to confront the entire Holy Alliance.

Britain has never been at the forefront of wars, so it needs allies. These allies must be powerful enough, otherwise they are completely useless.

Therefore, John Russell's attention naturally fell on France, Prussia, and Spain, as these were the only three countries that could still exert some influence on the situation.

In fact, John Russell had also considered Greece, but on the one hand, the relationship between Britain and Greece was too bad, and on the other hand, King Otto I of Greece was a close ally of Austria.

Although Greece hated Russia, it feared the Holy Alliance even more. To make it turn against them, it would require not only sincerity but also sufficient power.

Otherwise, the Greeks would never have risked their lives for Britain, no matter how high the price. After all, you have to be alive to spend the money.

Besides the issue of allies, John Russell had another headache: the royal family didn't seem to support the war either.

Of course, the royal family won't make a direct statement; they'll simply add qualifying words to their regular speeches. As a seasoned politician, John Russell naturally knows what the royal family means.

This situation was rare after the Glorious Revolution. At that time, although the British royal family did not have the power to directly overturn parliamentary resolutions, it had many ways to influence the outcome of events.

“Our royal family comes from the German region, and they are Germans too. Germans cannot be trusted.”

John Russell's secretary whispered, but to John Russell it sounded like a thunderclap, and he immediately stood up and shouted angrily.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

He slapped his secretary across the face and said in a very stern tone.

"Don't say such things again. If I hear it again, I promise I'll send you to the gallows."

"Yes, yes," the secretary replied softly, covering his face, knowing that his words were somewhat inappropriate.

John Russell's forehead was covered in cold sweat. It would not be a good thing if the monarchy were overthrown at this moment; an internal strife would be inevitable.

And who knows if the Holy Alliance might turn around and interfere with Britain? After all, the war against France was started by the French executing their king, which terrified the kings on the European continent, leading them to launch attacks on France.