Master Yuan, start!

Of course, the premise of all this is that the Japanese government must be obedient.

Thinking of this, Yuan Xiangcheng turned his head and smiled at Xu Shichang and Tang Shaoyi: "Juren, Shaochuan, I heard that many people starved to death in Japan last winter. Is that true?"

"It is true." Tang Shaoyi nodded. He had heard about this from some overseas Chinese in Japan who had returned to China.

"Well, I think in order to prevent such a tragedy from happening again, we should send troops immediately to reaffirm the Sino-Japanese friendship and provide some financial and food support." Yuan Xiangcheng continued:

"If necessary, we can also encourage trading companies in North China, Northeast China and other places to explore the Japanese market."

"Money to support Japan? Isn't this..." Xu Shichang was puzzled. He was issuing bonds everywhere because of the war, so why did he lend money to the Japanese?

Moreover, there is not enough investment in the country, so why go to Japan to do business?

But he stopped talking as soon as the words came to his lips. Looking at Yuan Xiangcheng's smiling face, Xu Shichang completely understood what he meant.

Because all industries are in decline, the Japanese people today can be said to be extremely dissatisfied with the feudal politics.

The reason why they did not rise up in resistance was, on the one hand, because of the inertia of rule, and on the other hand, because the army stood on the side of the feudal lords.

If the Japanese economy gradually improves after the liberal civil rights faction comes to power, wouldn't that be a big gift to them?

Once they realize that China has their backing, they will naturally come closer and use this as a support to fight against the domestic feudal forces.

After all, without economic achievements and external support, what can Japan's liberal civil rights movement use to compete with the feudal lords?

When the Japanese people live a good life under the rule of the liberal democracy faction, it will not be so easy for the four feudal clans to come to power.

After all, it is easy to go from simple to extravagant, but it is difficult to go from extravagant to frugal!

There was a gleam in Yuan Xiangcheng's eyes. Although he wanted to unite the Japanese, who were also of the yellow race, he had never let down his guard against the Japanese government.

In his opinion, he could only feel a little relieved when Britain feared Japan externally and Japan started fighting among itself.

Of course, Yuan Shikai's ultimate goal was to transform Japan.

After all, if the dynasty lasts for eternity, can't there be a republic?

Chapter 468: All in place, just waiting...

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When the elders of the Satsuma and Choshu clans, led by Ito Hirobumi, sat in the restaurant, they watched the newly appointed Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu raise his wine cup and toast them with a smile.

In their minds, they still dream that the Okuma Cabinet is just a transitional government.

They would never have imagined that the liberal civil rights group, who now appeared cautious in front of them, would turn Japan upside down in the future.

At the same time, in Britain, the fanatical atmosphere soared into the sky, even dispersing the fog that had been floating over London all year round.

Time actually did not pass quickly, but in the eyes of diplomats from European countries, the British Empire could no longer sit still. They had to use thundering measures to maintain the face of their empire.

British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury formally spoke in the House of Commons, stating that the British government will do its utmost to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of South African expatriates and will never give up punishing the Boer Republic that has enacted discriminatory policies.

On July 7, one month after the initial failure of the British South African Expeditionary Force and the resignation of Commander Buller, the British Empire finally gathered eight corps from the mainland, Canada, and Australia, totaling 23 troops, and planned to land in batches at the port of Cape Town.

Buttery-smelling rifles were distributed to volunteers, boxes of bullets were opened, cannons were pushed into the ship's hold, and expensive Welsh anthracite filled the warship's coal bunker.

Jiu Fei Lu Qun

The young men said goodbye to their families, kissed their girlfriends, and took the initiative to join the army.

Inspired by national pride, these British soldiers waved goodbye to their relatives and friends on the dock.

Si "Glory to Britain."

SM "Back at Christmas."

Wu "For Her Majesty the Queen!"

"This is a glorious battle!"

4 Amid the farewell of the entire nation, warships loaded with British soldiers set off the day after the Prime Minister delivered his speech to Parliament.

Just as the British soldiers were sailing across the Atlantic, Kruger, the president of the Transvaal Republic, who received the news, also delivered a speech in the capital, Pretoria.

He claimed that the British accusations against the Boers were groundless and called on righteous people in Belgium, Germany, France, the United States, Russia, Ireland, Italy and Scandinavian countries to stand up and say no to the British Empire's aggressive behavior!

In addition, President Kruger also issued a warning to Britain, pointing out that although British reinforcements were about to arrive in Cape Town, hundreds of thousands of Boers had also taken up arms and were gathering in mines, farmlands, cities, and around stations.

Five hours later, the Orange Republic, also a Boer country, issued a statement, expressing its solidarity with the Transvaal Republic.

At the same time as issuing this statement, the President of the Orange Republic also sent a heartfelt telegram asking for help to German Emperor Wilhelm II.

However, "Big Mouth William", who always likes to comment on international affairs, made no statement this time. He only issued a statement that "he hopes the British government will treat the citizens of the Boer Republic reasonably" and did not mention the matter again.

A few years ago, Germany enthusiastically helped the two Boer republics build railways, but now, the Germans just ignore them?

Germany's attitude is really puzzling.

But with the war imminent, the Boers had no time to speculate. As long as the German Krupp Gun Factory could continue to sell them weapons and ammunition, that would be enough.

The right-wing French Prime Minister published an article in the newspaper expressing regret over the escalation of the situation in South Africa. He believed that although the Boer Republic was located in Africa, it was also a white country and should not be treated the same as people of color.

However, he also expressed his approval of the UK's actions to protect the interests of its citizens.

The British government did not respond to this telegram, which was neither condemnation nor support.

Although they had already learned from the Suez Canal Authority that several French troop ships had passed through here and headed for the Far East, the London government believed that South Africa's interests were of paramount importance compared to the gains and losses in Indochina.

On the other hand, the Boers, as descendants of the Dutch, Belgians and Germans, could only place their hopes on the two Low Countries of the Netherlands and Belgium after losing official help from Germany.

These two small countries, which had little presence in the world situation in the past, were tough for once.

The outgoing Prime Minister of Belgium, Esmenger, a German born in the Rhineland, issued a call for volunteers and held one mobilization meeting after another in the capital Brussels.

Every time he gave a speech, he could recruit hundreds of volunteers from various European countries to go to South Africa.

The Dutch, using their merchant instincts, purchased clothing and medical supplies all over Europe, intending to support the Boers.

Shortly after the British warships set off, huge ships loaded with the "conscience of Europe" set off from the coast of the Netherlands and Belgium, almost at the same time as the British warships, heading for South Africa.

The Atlantic Ocean once again ushered in a climax of "population transportation", but unlike the triangular trade, this time, the ships were loaded with only white people.

The decks, cabins, and corridor walls were covered with slogans written in various languages ​​by European volunteers.

Some of them were supporters of socialism, some were against Britain, and some were simply against the war.

Therefore, unlike the slogans of British soldiers that were full of imperialist ideas, these slogans were full of idealism and romanticism.

"Humans of the world, oppose war! Search Qt:"

"Cannons will not bring peace!"

"British people, wake up and destroy imperialism!"

Frenzy, anxiety and uneasiness permeated the Atlantic Ocean. Even sailors who did not care about politics and only knew how to drink and gamble every day could feel the depression and dullness before the war from the ships of various countries that were constantly heading south.

On the European continent, more citizens of various countries who did not go to the battlefield were praying for the Boers and sending them blessings.

The fanatical atmosphere spread out in all directions like the most violent hurricane in the Atlantic.

The war in South Africa has entered the next, more intense stage. Perhaps before long, the blood of the Gauls, Germans, Anglo-Saxons and Afrikaners will be spilled all over the South African plateau.

At this moment, the Far East, which had been temporarily stable, gradually became restless.

China, Siam, Japan, France, Germany, the United States and Spain are engaged in the final diplomatic competition.

Conspiracies, secret calculations, exchanges of interests, everything is waiting for the start of the second phase of the South African war.

Now, the halftime break in the northern and southern hemispheres is about to end, and the participants are all in place.

As soon as the British army of more than 100,000 landed in Cape Town, another unfinished war would immediately break out on the other side of the earth.

Chapter 469: Natuna (Part )

The junction of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The gentle sea breeze blew away the haze of the night. Several warships were sailing on the water, and the decks of each ship were crowded with hundreds of French sailors.

They looked at the half-rising red sun in the east, straightened their somewhat messy beards, and began to pray devoutly.

Joseph Joffre stood in the bridge of the battleship Hoche and did not disturb the actions of the soldiers on the deck.

For a fleet that has already sailed over 5000 nautical miles, both its mental and physical strength have been squeezed to the extreme. No one needs to blame it for relaxing for a moment at this time.

However, the soldiers could relax, but Xiafei did not dare to relax.

他知

Jiao Liu?8+730?

This is the southern waters of the Dutch East Indies colony, 600 nautical miles away from the Indochina Governorate in Cochinchina. It sounds like a short distance, but if you sail at full speed, it will only take 2-3 days.

But the problem is that the fleet can no longer run at full speed. Starting from Europe, sailing through tropical waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean, the bottom of each warship is covered with active marine parasites.

Moreover, the flagship Osh was not leading a battle fleet, but a transport fleet with half of the ships being troop transports.

In order to carry as many troops as possible, these ships made great compromises in speed, and on average lagged behind combat warships by about 3 knots.

Coupled with the floating objects on the bottom of the ships, the fleet's progress was seriously delayed, causing the average speed of the French support fleet departing from the Mediterranean to drop from 15 knots to 12 knots.

This was not the most serious thing. What was more serious was that before setting off, Joffre had already learned that the French Indochina Navy and the Chinese Beiyang Fleet had come into contact.

Although there was no real fighting, the Beiyang Fleet only harassed the enemy from a long distance and then withdrew from the battle by virtue of its speed advantage, but the feeling of humiliation was real.

France's disadvantages on land have gradually been reflected in the ocean.

The Beiyang Fleet, which was originally weaker, actually dared to provoke the French Far East Fleet.

Joffre knew very well that the current French Far East Fleet still had an advantage in East Asia.

Before the war, the French Far East Fleet currently had four armored cruisers of about 4 tons, namely "Jean Bart", "Pascal", "Descartes" and "Sfax", and two armored cruisers of 4500 tons, namely "Tago" and "D'Antecastle".

There is also the 6000-ton ironclad ship "Baya" that once assisted General Courbet to annihilate the Qing Dynasty's Southern Navy.

And after the occupation of Taiwan, a 1-ton French battleship, the "Formidable", was dispatched from the Mediterranean Fleet. It was a representative work of the French waist gun room battleship in the late 9000s.

If we also count some gunboats such as "Bengal", "Skylark" and "Lion".

The total tonnage of the French Far East Fleet reached nearly 6 tons.

Not to mention, the Paris government has now sent him to provide support with the battleship "Oche" from the Mediterranean Fleet.

Therefore, even when he heard that the Chinese had purchased several cruisers from the Royal Navy's Hong Kong Squadron from the British after the Battle of Whale Sea, Joffre was not worried at all.

Because if everything goes well, when the 10,000-ton battleship "Osh" under his feet arrives in Indochina, the situation on the sea will be completely reversed.

Joffre knew that none of the British cruisers in the Far East had the firepower to penetrate the Osh's exaggerated 350mm side armor and 450mm gun mount armor.