industrial lord

Chapter 776 Pressure at Sea

In the reception room of the Admiralty office building in Cologne, the damp autumn breeze seeped into the room through the half-open blinds, mingling with the aroma of tea and stimulant tea.

A huge world map hangs on the wall of this reception room. Unexplored areas are hidden in gray, while dark blue shipping lanes meander like veins across the light blue sea, connecting important ports and trade nodes.

Frederick sat in the main seat in front of the map, picked up his teacup and took a sip.

He came here to stay as soon as he got off the train, declining all meetings. Maria, on the other hand, revealed the topics they had discussed on the train through salons and tea parties among the ladies of the wealthy.

Today, Lilu and Baron Adigen have returned, and the main figures of the Rhine Alliance Navy have gathered. Frederick then convened this meeting, which was attended by only four people.

As the saying goes, the fewer people in a meeting, the bigger the matter; everyone was extremely serious and focused.

To Frederick's left was Alfred, the official in charge of the Admiralty's daily operations. Known for his meticulousness, he was carefully separating an intelligence document and handing it to the other three men.

His voice was steady, but the seriousness between his brows was hard to hide: "Sir, gentlemen, the intelligence department has repeatedly confirmed the information."

“The scale of this so-called ‘friendly visit fleet’ from England far exceeds what can be explained by a typical courtesy visit.”

He took a deep breath and read the key data listed in the document with a worried expression: "The core of its fleet is an 'Oak-class' first-class battleship with three sturdy gun decks and equipped with more than one hundred powerful magic storm cannons."

"Accompanying it were three Constellation-class second-tier battleships, each equipped with seventy-four heavy long-barreled storm guns by standard. They were fiercely armed and had impressive speed, making them the undisputed backbone of the fleet's strike force."

"In addition, there are five Foxhound-class fast frigates responsible for perimeter patrols, surveillance and reconnaissance, and five Unicorn-class large logistics supply ships, fully loaded with enough supplies to support long-term maritime operations."

He paused, looked up and surveyed the solemn or thoughtful faces of the people present, and emphasized his tone, each word seeming to carry the weight of lead, as he said, "Most importantly, without exception, all the ships in this fleet are paddle steamers powered by the latest steam power. The huge waterwheels are located at the stern and are heavily protected by armor, allowing them to maintain considerable maneuverability even in headwinds or shallow waters."

"Its Storm Cannon, in terms of range, accuracy and rate of fire, far surpasses traditional magic crystal cannons of the same type. Its effective range has exceeded 500 meters, which is enough to form a continuous and dense fire coverage from a safe distance."

“This is no tourist group,” Alfred’s voice was firm. “This is a heavily armed mobile strike fleet, purely designed to show off its power and exert deterrence!”

Now Adigen is in charge of the fleet, or rather, the Rhine Alliance's long-disliked naval fleet is his family's private army, which was later sponsored by Frederick.

His face was etched with deep lines by the harsh sea winds of the past years, and his voice had become rough.

Adikken said in a deep voice, "The intelligence from the intelligence department is almost identical to the intelligence I obtained at sea."

"Moreover, this swaggering fleet is by no means the entirety of the Anglo Navy's resources, and may not even be half of its main force."

"According to our extensive intelligence and comprehensive estimates, the total tonnage, firepower projection capability, and overall combat readiness of its active main warships are several times greater than the naval forces that our Rhine Alliance can mobilize."

"They have long established an unshakeable and absolute advantage in the vast North Sea. Now... the appearance of this fleet here and its circumnavigation is not just for sightseeing; it is an undisguised display of power to the world!"

His words weighed heavily on everyone in the room, making the already stagnant air almost suffocating. Lilu, who had been listening quietly, now frowned, her calloused fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of her teacup.

She now represents the interests of the Duchy of Wessen’s vast and vital commercial fleet and possesses an almost instinctive keen intuition for subtle shifts in the maritime situation.

“This means,” her cool voice broke the heavy silence, “that the Anglomens have effectively and completely disrupted the original trade balance and power equilibrium in the North Sea region.”

"At this moment, all shipping routes in this sea area are effectively controlled by the Kingdom of Anglo."

"They can blockade a port or even a sea area whenever they need to."

“What’s even more serious is that,” she turned slightly, her gaze falling on Frederick in the main seat, a barely perceptible hint of fear flashing in the depths of her beautiful eyes, “their actions are not merely a display of military might; their swords are aimed directly at our core shipping route to the southern continent!”

"Our sources of raw materials, sales of industrial products, spices, rare mineral transport routes, and even the secret source of gold largely depend on this maritime lifeline."

"If the Angloss cuts off our sea routes, or forces us to pay exorbitant tolls and escort fees, or purchase huge sums of trade licenses, our financial lifeline will be devastated."

“They might even seize our trading posts and steal our business.”

She leaned forward slightly, her tone becoming resolute, carrying the unquestionable aura of a business leader, and said, "Your Excellency, the business network in the Southern Continent is one of the key lifelines for maintaining the efficient operation of our duchy and supporting the entire alliance's financial and industrial system. We must not lose it!"

"No matter the cost, we must act immediately and do everything in our power to minimize the impact of this crisis on this lifeline!"

Frederick nodded slowly.

“Lilu is right.” His voice was steady and profound. “As the development of resources in the southern continent deepens and the weather in the north gets colder, the strategic importance of sea lanes has become apparent.”

"I often say that the economic base determines the superstructure."

"It is not hard to see from this that the ocean is not only a trade route that carries wealth, but also a lifeline for our future survival and development."

He slowly stood up from his seat and paced back and forth in the open space, his steps slightly heavy and hurried.

Lilu and the others looked at him and waited.

In Frederick's mind, a theory was quietly taking shape, and his thoughts surged like a tide.

There is something that, after a long period of deep thought and waiting, now seems to be ready to be released.

(End of this chapter)