The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 139: Baiting the Fish

Said to maintain domestic stability and protect the interests of expatriates, but in reality, it is clear to all that the Island Nation’s expansion of its military is to strengthen its power projection in East Asia and safeguard its strategic interests in East Asia, even in the Far East.

This can be seen from the current scale of the Island Nation’s active military and the number of reservists. The Island Nation’s active military has reached nearly 300,000, with over 200,000 troops available for overseas operations.

This is not simply to defend the country’s territory. With 200,000 combat troops just by number, it has already surpassed the number of Russian troops in the Far East, let alone the nearly two million reservists the Island Nation has on hand.

The purpose of having such a large military is definitely not simple, especially since the Island Nation is also strengthening its military weapons and equipment as well as increasing the number of navy ships.

“All of Australia’s German weapons are personally taught by German experts, powered by the strong technology of German military factories. If it weren’t for the troubles of changing weapons and equipment arbitrarily and causing more serious logistical issues, perhaps Australia’s standard equipment would also be completely replaced with German equipment. You’re lucky that we have the export rights for all German weapons and equipment and are more than willing to sell German weapons to the Island Nation,” Arthur said with a laugh.

Selling armaments to gain market share in armaments is something that Australia badly needs right now. No matter what the Island Nation’s purpose is for wanting these weapons, it doesn’t affect Australia’s export of this batch of weapons and equipment.

“We are extremely grateful, Your Highness the Duke. We very much look forward to signing a weapons import and export treaty with your country and setting up a large number of weapons import plans for your country’s military factories,” Yukichiro Tamura said expectantly.

Arthur nodded and continued, “I heard that your country attaches great importance to the navy, and you have established a very powerful naval force in just a few decades. Such development speed is really enviable, Australia’s current naval power is also stuck at medium-sized warships, while large battleships are simply a future consideration.”

After hearing Arthur’s slightly envious words, a touch of pride and arrogance involuntarily crossed Yukichiro Tamura’s face.

The Island Nation is a place filled with many wonders. As an Asian indigenous nation with its doors forcibly opened by the United States, the fact it suddenly woke up and underwent several decades of reform and modernization, turning from a backward indigenous nation to a largely westernized quasi-industrial country, is something that cannot be achieved simply by imagination.

However perverse this nation’s actions, this rapid developmental miracle is undeniably impressive.

The Island Nation is the only nation in the 19th century to rapidly reform from a backward indigenous colony into an industrial nation and even a strong power.

In a certain eastern empire next door, there were also reforms, but they eventually failed.

This is the pride and joy of all Islanders, who have become one of the big powers through decades of change from their originally backward culture and technology, which greatly enhances the unity and morale of the Island Nation.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your compliment. I believe Australia will also definitely have many battleships in the future and develop an even stronger navy.” Even while being overly proud, Yukichiro Tamura didn’t forget to humbly respond to Arthur’s words.

“Mr. Yukichiro Tamura,” Arthur pretended to look around, then slightly profoundly looked at Yukichiro Tamura and asked, “I wonder if your country has plans to buy battleships?”

“Battleships?” Yukichiro Tamura’s heart leapt in surprise, looking at Arthur in shock, hastily asking, “What are you saying, Your Highness?”

“Hahaha, exactly as you thought, Mr. Yukichiro Tamura,” Arthur laughed and nodded, explaining, “Thanks to the aid of the German Empire, Australia has obtained the capacity to produce one of Germany’s most advanced battleships, the Brunswick-class battleship. After being taught by German experts for over a year, Australia’s shipyards have mastered the ability to manufacture this battleship independently, and with Germany’s permission, Australia also has the right to sell such warships.”

Upon hearing Arthur’s explanation, Yukichiro Tamura’s eyes glowed hot and his breathing became somewhat heavy.

There’s no helping it, the battleships of this era are too important to countries that value their navy and can even directly determine the combat power of the navy.

Whether or not they have battleships, and how many battleships they have, can be regarded as a criterion for measuring the real strength of a country’s navy.

The Island Nation has battleships, and plenty of them. But that doesn’t mean the Island Nation doesn’t want to have even more battleships.

Because of Britain’s deep involvement in the arms race, in order to maintain its lead in ship numbers compared to other countries, many British shipyards must serve their own country, naturally receiving fewer foreign contracts.

In addition to the long-standing checks and balances in the United Kingdom, they are not willing to make the navy of the Island Nation too powerful in the East Asian Region, which is the true reason for the limited number of battleships in the Island Nation.

Aside from the British Empire, none of the other powerful European nations even match up to the British Empire in shipbuilding capabilities. It goes without saying for the German Empire, in order to win over the Russian Empire, its relations with the Island Nation are currently not good.

Apart from the German Empire and the Tsardom of Russia, in the European Region, the only nations capable of exporting battleships to the Island Nation are France and Italy.

However, as a country with a direct conflict with the Tsardom of Russia in East Asia, France naturally cannot afford to offend the Russian Empire for the sake of the Island Nation.

What about Italy, although it is a powerful nation, its navy and army are not strong, and its position in Europe is also very awkward.

Moreover, the performance of battleships manufactured by Italy is far inferior to those of the British Empire and Germany. Naturally, it is also not within the Island Nation’s consideration.

Other than Europe, the only nation capable of exporting warships to the Island Nation is the United States. But the United States’ military industry doesn’t even match up to Italy’s, and the United States’ advantage at present is merely its advanced industry and flourishing economy, in other words, it’s just a rich fool.

The impression that the United States gives to European countries right now is a wealthy industrialist with a lot of money, who does not have much influence in military terms.

The Islanders are also unwilling to spend a large amount of money on battleships whose combat power is discounted compared to the battleships of other nations. This is what leads to the current situation where the Island Nation does not have many main battleships.

When Yukichiro Tamura heard from Arthur that Australia possesses the independent production technology of Germany’s main battleship, the Brunswick-class battleship, and can export it to the Island Nation, he was ecstatic.

He felt that he had already seen an opportunity for the scale of the Island Royal Navy to continue to expand, and with the financial support of Britain and the United States, this seemed to be an excellent opportunity.