novelSusiti Chapter 26 An Order That Cannot Be Refused
Chapter 26 An Order That Cannot Be Refused
“Of course,” Constantine’s tone became relaxed as he placed the document in front of Sir Harding with a measured touch. “To express our gratitude for the trust that the guarantor may place in us in the future, we have also prepared a small but substantial reward for our British friends.”
This scene is exactly the same as when Hardin promised "substantial aid" last time.
But this time, the balance of power has been reversed.
Sir Harding's gaze fell on the cover of the document.
A simple title line made his eyelids twitch.
A Outlook for the Modernization of the Royal Greek Navy over the Next Decade
He involuntarily held his breath.
He reached out, his movements even carrying a hint of solemnity, and opened the document that seemed thin but could be as heavy as Mount Tai.
The first page contains a preface that explains the necessity of possessing a strong navy to safeguard Greece's national sovereignty and maritime interests in the face of a complex future international situation.
Harding skipped over it and turned to the second page.
Then, his pupils suddenly contracted!
That was a massive and nerve-wracking list of ships to be built!
I. Main battleship sequence:
Pre-Byzantine class "Byzantine" ships: 2
Displacement: Approximately 12000 tons
Main guns: 4 x 12-inch (305 mm) guns
Speed: 18 knots
Armor: Krupp carburized armor
II. Cruiser Order:
Athena-class armored cruisers: 4 ships
Displacement: Approximately 8000 tons
Main gun: 8-inch main gun
Speed: 21 knots
Purpose: Fleet reconnaissance, commerce raiding operations
III. Destroyer Order:
"Siren" class destroyers: 12 ships
Displacement: Approximately 400 tons
Weapons: Torpedo tubes, rapid-fire cannons
Purpose: Anti-torpedo boat, fleet escort
……
Sir Harding's hands trembled slightly as he turned the pages of the documents.
He was not a naval expert, but as a diplomat of the British Empire, he was very knowledgeable about the naval strength of various countries!
What does this list mean?
This means that once the plan is completed, the Greek Navy will become the fourth largest naval force in the eastern Mediterranean, after the British, French, and Italian navies!
Two 10,000-ton-class pre-dreadnought battleships! Enough to create an absolute generational advantage over the Ottoman Navy and the Tsarist Russian Black Sea Fleet!
Four high-speed armored cruisers! They are like ghosts patrolling the Mediterranean, enough to make any nation's merchant fleet tremble with fear!
This is no longer a small fleet used for coastal defense.
This is a powerful fleet with the capability to conduct long-range operations (the entire Mediterranean), a fleet that adheres to the concept of "a fleet in existence", and capable of carrying out complex missions such as regional blockade and strategic deterrence!
This fleet will completely change the balance of power in the entire Eastern Mediterranean!
Sir Harding's breathing quickened, and his gaze continued to sweep downwards.
Then he saw that line of small print that would make any Englishman's blood boil.
Following each type of ship plan, the following was clearly marked in printed text:
Preferred construction and technical partners: Armstrong-Whitworth Shipbuilding, Vickers-Armstrong, John Brown Shipbuilding, etc.
Harding felt his heart clench tightly at those words!
This is no longer just a verbal promise!
These are clauses written in black and white in Greece's national naval development plan!
This is a mega arms deal worth at least seven to ten million pounds!
Seven million pounds! This figure makes the London Treasury's "charity" of five hundred thousand pounds seem utterly ridiculous!
Sir Harding's mind was racing.
He immediately thought of this document and the tremendous earthquake it would cause if it appeared in London!
Imagine how ecstatic the Admirals would be at the prospect of a pro-British regional maritime power rising in the Mediterranean! They would give their full support to the plan, because it would mean that the British Empire could counterbalance Russia and the Ottomans at a much lower cost!
And how much energy will those powerful shipbuilding oligarchs, those industrial giants with enormous influence in parliament, unleash when they see this huge order that has fallen from the sky? They will use all their political resources to lobby members of parliament and put pressure on the Treasury Department!
Armstrong's workers, Vickers' engineers... the livelihoods of thousands of families were tied to this order!
This strike was precise and powerful, hitting the British Empire's most vulnerable and irresistible industrial weakness!
Constantine quietly observed the ever-changing expression on Sir Harding's face.
He reached out and tapped the document lightly with the knuckle of his index finger, making a "tap-tap" sound, as if he were tapping on Hardin's nerves.
"Sir, this is a promise worth millions of pounds," Constantine said calmly, yet with an alluring tone. "I believe that when this 'vision' appears on the banks of the Thames, the workers of England will be very grateful for the friendship of the Greek people."
“Of course,” he said, turning to the British loan proposal, “if the gentlemen of London believe that the friendship of Greece is worth only half a million pounds and two taxes… then this naval prospect may just remain a prospect that… will forever remain on paper.”
"Or perhaps, it will be available in another language and appear on desktops in St. Petersburg or Paris."
Threat!
A blatant, yet irrefutable, threat!
Sir Harding's eyes changed completely.
He carefully and solemnly closed the "Modernization Prospects for the Royal Greek Navy in the Next Decade," as if he were holding not a document, but a bomb that could detonate the entire British political arena.
He stood up and bowed deeply to Constantine.
This action goes beyond ordinary diplomatic protocol.
"Your Highness," Harding's voice was hoarse with excitement, "I will immediately send this 'Outlook,' along with your magnificent industrial revival plan, to London using the highest-level communication channels!"
He raised his head and looked intently at Constantine.
"I assure you! This time, the gentlemen of London will see Greece, you, and... our 'friendship' in a completely new and unprecedented way!"
Harding carefully placed the document close to his body, his movements as swift as a thief who had stolen a priceless treasure, and hurriedly took his leave.
Constantine stood by the window, watching Hardin's carriage disappear into the distance.
He knew he had played his last, and most lethal, trump card.
Now, he doesn't need to do anything anymore.
Britain's military-industrial complex, those greedy capitalist giants, will do the rest for him.
They will devour the bureaucrats in the Ministry of Finance like sharks that have smelled blood, tearing them apart at any who dare to stand in their way of making money.
Finally, the pass, stamped with "British Empire Credit Guarantee," was presented to him.
In the square outside the palace, a flock of white doves were startled and flew up in circles into the sky.
A new round of the game has begun.
He has transformed from a passive player into someone who can actively bid.