Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 413 Warship Bidding (Part 2)

After Xerxes finished his discussion, all the officers left the meeting, leaving only the shipyard workers to continue their exchange.

During the recess, Ali Kashan, the manager of the Sais shipyard, stopped Moravi:

"Are you crazy? This kind of warship will provoke the British to start a war immediately!"

Everyone knows the British Navy is the best in the world, and Iran can only try to protect itself. But Abbas Shipyard is doing the opposite. With such a large warship, why are you going to confront Britain head-on?

"Why must we always think that British warships are number one? Can't we surpass them? The thought of British warships appearing directly outside Muscat makes me think that the country should vigorously develop its navy so that we can drive them out."

In another room, Xerxes and the other officers discussed the final options.

"Everyone, please tell me, which shipyard should we place an order with?"

No one spoke until Navy Vice Minister Yassin spoke first.

"If we consider our needs, the Sais Shipyard can meet them. Of course, Darius Shipyard's products can also make up for our defense needs. But I really can't say anything about the finished products from Abbas Shipyard. Putting aside their performance, we have to take into account the high manufacturing cost."

Many officers agreed, expressing shock at the enormous cost of the warship and concern about the potential diplomatic crisis it might cause.

Rear Admiral Darius, the naval staff officer, sighed and said:

"The Abbas shipyard's proposal is indeed radical, but we must admit that its firepower is enough to deter the entire Persian Gulf."

Quartermaster Farhad immediately retorted: "But what about the cost? 450 million riyals! That's enough for us to build two rams from the Seys shipyard, or four shallow-draft gunboats from Darius! If this project is approved, we won't be able to purchase any new torpedo boats for the next two years."

However, some officers believed that this could deter the surrounding area. Although there was only one ship, its performance could surpass all other ships, and it was not impossible for it to be worth ten ships.

Xerxes stepped forward to take charge, saying, "Gentlemen, what we need is not defense, but to make the British think twice before coming again, wondering if their armor is thick enough!"

"But what if it provokes London..."

"They've already brought their warships to our doorstep!" Xerxes slammed his hand on the table, knocking over a teacup. "Are we going to wait until the British cannons are pointed at the Tehran Royal Palace before we regret not building bigger warships?"

He sighed and ordered the results to be announced: all three options would be adopted, but the specific quantities would need to be negotiated.

When the news reached the meeting, everyone was surprised. Was the Admiralty really going to adopt the plan for this maritime behemoth? Weren't they afraid of British retaliation?

"Hmph, if Britain wanted to retaliate, they would have come long ago. Do you think they'd just stand by and do nothing under British pressure?"

Moravi was telling the other two engineers about his ideals, but they thought the old man was crazy and should focus on reality instead of ideals.

Lieutenant General Xerxes had arrived at the Gulestan Palace with three blueprints, intending to consult the Shah. Fortunately, Grand Vizier Amir and Finance Minister Musharraf were also present; they hoped to secure some additional funding.

"Shah, please look, these are the design blueprints that our navy has taken a liking to." Xerxes opened the blueprints and introduced the performance of the warships depicted in the two sets of blueprints to Nasser al-Din. Shah stood beside him, listening attentively to his explanation.

“Very good, all three drawings are excellent.”

Shah praised the warship blueprints, and then Xerxes began to state his request: "Shah, our Admiralty is prepared to procure these warships, including one Shahrbaz-class battleship, two armored ships, and three shallow-draft heavy gunboats. With these, our naval strength can be greatly developed."

"What?!" Musharraf, who was standing nearby, understood. This was another attempt to contest the budget. "Shah, if this plan is followed, the Ministry of Finance will have to come up with another 770 million, which is not feasible given the current situation."

“Why not? We’re finally preparing to expand our navy; how can we do that without money?” Xerxes retorted.

"Lieutenant General Xerxes, do you know that the government still has 6000 million in debt to repay? This is all from the national bonds issued last year and a few days ago. We've been living a hard life for the past few years. It's already difficult enough to allocate 600 million to your Navy Department. Now you're adding more. Are you trying to make me live?"

Musharraf is a scoundrel; he's always been extremely cautious about military funding. But the navy suddenly wants to double its funding, which he won't allow.

"This is not only for the navy, but also to protect our country from harm by other nations. You know the British navy is near Muscat harbor, right? This is a blatant threat. Do you want to experience that again?"

Musharraf was a little angry and even prepared to teach the guy a lesson with his fists. But Amir stopped him.

“You look utterly foolish in front of the Shah.”

Amir began by saying to Nasser al-Din, "Shah, so far there are no problems with the other warships, but this Shahrbaz-class warship is unique not only in terms of funding but also in terms of technology."

Furthermore, we must consider the situation in Britain; they might react immediately and assemble their entire navy to head to Bandar Abbas. This…”

"We can use the highest level of secrecy for the Grand Vizier. And the shipyard people have also suggested that it can be built in Kuwait."

They had already considered this problem, and the entire staff of the Abbas shipyard suggested that it could be built in Kuwait port. The conditions there were also very suitable, which would minimize the probability of British discovery.

"Can the Ministry of Finance spare some funds?" Naserdin asked.

“Shah, there’s none left. But if the oil companies are willing to contribute a portion from the fund, or…”

Musharraf didn't continue, because he knew the royal family wouldn't foot the bill for an endless fiscal deficit. Although these would all be converted into national debt, this would only cause the hard-won separation of government and royal finances to merge again.

“If all else fails…” Naserdin thought for a moment, “It shouldn’t be difficult to get a loan of 770 million from a bank. If one bank doesn’t work, we can try multiple banks together.”

For such large military orders, besides the Ministry of Finance, the royal family, and investment funds, the role of banks must also be demonstrated. Iranian banks are state-run and can expand their business to neighboring countries. Having them provide loans can also alleviate the pressure on the Ministry of Finance.

"Yes, we will consult with the Navy Department to strive for the best possible outcome."

Naser al-Din signed off on the naval construction plan, which cost 1370 million rials and thus began the rise of the Iranian navy.

(End of this chapter)