Chapter 659： No time to care (1/2)

In London, the British government has been busy since the news of the outbreak of the Russian-Prussian War.

Prime Minister Benjamin: ”What, you want to expand?”

Secretary of the Army, Fox, solemnly reminded: ”My Excellency, we have not expanded our army for many years. Except during the war, the army establishment has not increased for almost fifty years.”

Benjamin answered embarrassedly: ”Sorry, I was wrong. Tell me why, why did you want to expand?”

The presence of the British Army is too low, and it is usually the navy that requires expansion. Suddenly received an application for expansion of the army, Prime Minister Benjamin used habitually.

Fox is used to this situation. This is the status of the British Army, which rarely gets the attention of the government except when it is needed.

”The Russian-Russian war breaks out and the situation in Europe is about to be shuffled. We need a strong army to respond to emergencies.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Garfield Bromley Anxiron objected: ”No, the situation in Europe is still under our control. As long as the balance between France and Austria is not broken, there will be no problems.

Moreover, even if the continental balance is broken, I don't think that expanding the army can change anything. ”

Although harsh, this is true. Austria's standing army is more than 600,000, and the French standing army is close to 500,000.

In the two countries that are at war, both Russia and Russia have mobilized millions of troops, and the combined forces of the two on the battlefield alone exceed 1.2 million.

How much is the British standing army?

13.6 million!

Of course, this is not the full arm of the British Empire. In the vast colonies, the British also had five to six hundred thousand colonial troops, as well as several civilian armed groups.

However, the combat effectiveness of the colonial army was notoriously low. When considering European issues, everyone habitually ignores these forces.

Fox's face suddenly gloomed, which was a naked provocation. In recent wars, the Army's performance has not been very good, let him speak with confidence.

Regardless of the Army's combat effectiveness, as the Secretary of the Army, Fox must maintain the dignity of the Army and immediately asked: ”Sir, are you doubting the Army's combat effectiveness?”

Doubt that the Army's combat effectiveness is okay, but speak out so openly, it will not work. Compared with the Royal Navy, the British Army is a younger brother, but there is another big group behind this brother.

For a word, offending such a large group is obviously not the wise man.

Realizing the misstatement, Garfield remedied immediately: ”No, I never doubted the meaning of the Army's combat effectiveness.

I mean there are too few armies, there is no way to compare with European countries. Even if our army is even more powerful, it will be hard to fight with both hands.

As an island nation, it has been decided that the focus of Britain must be at sea. In this context, our ability to invest in the Army is very limited. ”

After listening to this explanation, Fox looked a little slower: ”It is because of the gap that we have to catch up and narrow the gap with Fao.

The size of our army is completely out of proportion to Britain's international standing. Don't say to frighten Faul, even a third-rate country dares to despise us. ”

After reading the document, Prime Minister Benjamin picked up a pen and circled a number to stop the quarrel between them: ”Sir Fox, your expansion plan is beyond reality.

History has proven that Britain does not have the power to compete in continental Europe, so maintaining the balance is the best option.

To achieve this goal, diplomacy is at the core, and the Army does not need to take Fao as an imaginary enemy. This is beyond our capabilities. ”

In the face of this situation, Fox was unmoved. This is not the first time that the expansion has been rejected. Similar things happen almost every year.

The military does not want to expand, especially the army raised by the queen mother. Regardless of whether it can be passed or not, it should be tried every year.

I do not expect to be able to achieve all the goals, as long as we can increase the formation of a regiment, it will be a great victory.

”Prime Minister, even if the European situation is not taken into consideration, the colonies can't ignore it? In recent years, the colonies have been under increasing pressure.

Especially in the Indian colonies, we are still preparing to use troops in Afghanistan and Persia.

If the army is not expanded, the colonial army alone may not complete the government's plan. ”

With a frown on Benjamin's face, Austria's expansion into the Persian Gulf region, they also felt the pressure.

In order to curb Austria's expansion, the London government formulated a Persian strategy, ready to occupy the Persian region before Austria finished digesting the Arabian Peninsula.

As for the Afghan strategy, it is an issue left over from history. As a world hegemon, John Bull is also face-saving. In the past few years, the invasion of Afghanistan failed. Naturally, he must find his way back.

With the outbreak of the Prussian-Russian war, the energy of the Tsarist government was constrained in Europe, which is a good opportunity for action. If you wait for the Russians to come over and try to seize it, it will not be so simple now.