Chapter 497： Accident (1/2)
The news that the British offered to negotiate was passed back to Vienna, and Franz approved it as soon as possible. Although the loss on the battlefield is not great, it hurts money!
Since Cape Town cannot be conquered, continuing to fight it is a waste of time. Looking at the information from the front, Franz was helpless.
The pride of the British Empire in this era is completely beyond ordinary people's imagination. Millions of pounds were said to be thrown in, and they were thrown in. At first glance, they are all dense fortifications. How can the battle be fought?
The original Raiders of Cape Town, under the British tyrant tactics, did not play its due role.
Don't look at the British falling into the downwind. In fact, they still brazenly showed off their strength to the world. The funds plunged before and after the war in Britain during the South African War will probably cost hundreds of millions.
With regard to this financial resources, no country in the world can afford it except Britain. If he moved, Franz would flinch early, and he would be so short of money.
Even if it prevails on the battlefield, the price paid by the Vienna government is not small. Now that the war has progressed, more than 40 Aegis have been smashed into it.
Without being able to conquer Cape Town, Franz summed up the reasons, not because the soldiers were ineffective, nor was the commander in the frontline incompetent, mainly because they had no money and no pride.
Otherwise, thousands of heavy artillery pieces were transported at all costs, and 1.8 million tons of artillery shells were fired, and no more fortifications were blown up.
Oh, this seems to have to be built first. Otherwise, the logistics on the battlefield cannot be guaranteed.
Taking a preliminary estimate of these expenses, it is estimated that there are two or three hundred million Aegis, which is almost enough.
This is not something that the Vienna government can afford, otherwise railway construction in Africa would not be so slow. If the railway extended to Transvaal early, the British would not dare to provoke war.
The British-English war was not without its benefits. The reality once again taught the world: war is a swallow of golden beasts. Do n’t fight without money.
South Africa ’s gold has not yet been mined on a large scale, and it is widely believed that there is no winner in this war. Austria won the British with a Boer vest, but failed to capture the Cape of Good Hope, and the strategic goal was not achieved.
Economically, South Africa, which has not been developed, is worth more than 50 million aegis. The British bought Cape Town that year because of Cape of Good Hope, South Africa without this strategically important place.
Compared to Austria, which has a small loss, the British are losing blood. The war was launched on the initiative of the colony of the Boer Republic.
The British spent a lot of war funds and suffered tens of thousands of casualties. Not only did they fail to achieve their goals, they were also pushed back to Cape Town by the enemy.
Negotiations also need to pay a price. It is easy to start a war and difficult to end it. Besides, whether to recover the lost land is a headache.
Even if this colony is worthless, the strategic security of the Cape of Good Hope must be considered? If there is a conflict, the enemy will come to the city, that day will not pass?
Even if it is not open, the daily life supplies are in the hands of others, and the price will rise once every three minutes, and no one can stand it.
Therefore, other places can be avoided. The water, coal, and farms outside the city must be purchased in these cities, and the British must take it back.
The promise of empty mouth and white teeth is obviously impossible. Wearing a vest in the Boer Republic does not mean that the enemy outside the city is the Boer Republic. To get all of this at the negotiating table, you have to pay the price.
Franz didn't care what the results were. Anyway, there is no way to lose, if the British are not in a hurry, it is good to be so deadlocked.
The supply of living supplies in Austria allows the Boer Republic to provide most of it, and the problem of food for frontline troops can be solved nearby.
The British in the city were tragedy. Even fresh water was shipped from Madagascar or bought by the Portuguese. Not to mention other living materials, all have to be transported from the outside.
Do not look at the convenience of shipping, but also consider where it is. The Cape of Good Hope is not a good place. It has always been a high-incidence area for shipwrecks. After a month or two, the monsoon is coming to kill the world.
There are two ways before the British. Either stock up enough winter supplies now, or end the war before winter comes.
The plan will never change quickly, and at the same time as the ”Imbu Negotiations” began, a sudden plague broke out.
It first appeared in the Indian colonial army. The British did not pay attention to it.
During the fighting, the plague was also brought into the cannon fodder units of the Bur Republic. In this battlefield where every day is dead, it is also normal for a few people to fall ill, not to mention the unfocused artillery unit.
Poor sanitation in military camps has accelerated the spread of the epidemic. Soon a large number of soldiers fell ill, the plague did not recognize people, and white soldiers were not immune.
The British were first discovered. As the defender of the city, the density of the British army was much greater because the lack of water in the city worsened the deterioration of sanitary conditions.
These conditions brought convenience to the spread of the plague. A large number of British soldiers fell ill and attracted the attention of military doctor Horez. The plague was discovered only after a check.
Dare not to neglect, Horez immediately reported the news of the outbreak. It was reported to Governor Delphi step by step, and it was already May 18, 1871.