Chapter 487: The Panicked Cabinet
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London, England, as the capital of the most powerful country in the world, is undoubtedly a place of great attention. However, London is not as good as everyone thinks, and most of the neighborhoods are actually slums. Because of the development of industry, London, like many places in the United Kingdom, is full of factories. Most of the workers working in these factories are people who don't even have enough to eat. Britain is strong, but not everyone in the UK has enjoyed the benefits of a strong country. Most of the benefits have fallen into the hands of the so-called upper class people in Britain. Ordinary British people still live a poor life.
This time the British launched a war against Burma, and the British cabinet also used the guise of seeking benefits for all British, and they claimed that as long as they could take Burma, the benefits obtained from Burma would be invested in the construction of public utilities, so that all British people could enjoy the benefits. This made the British enthusiastic and very concerned about the war, hoping that the British * army would defeat the Chinese.
When the news came from the front line that the British army had taken Mandalay and destroyed Burma, and Burma would henceforth become a British protectorate, the whole of Britain was boiling, and they thought that the war was coming to an end. Britain has won the final victory. In many cities in Britain, parades broke out to celebrate the victory of the British* army. However, news came that the barbaric Chinese Empire refused to withdraw its troops from Burma and continued its war with the British. This made the whole of Britain excited. The embassy of the Chinese Empire in Britain was thrown a lot of stones and rotten eggs. If it weren't for the embassy's location in a safer neighborhood of London, there might have been more to come. Even so. The British also believed that the final victory belonged to the British Empire, and that the Chinese Empire was nothing more than a suddenly developed nouveau riche, how could it be compared with an old and powerful empire like Britain. A clown like the Chinese Empire will definitely lose in the end!
On April 8, 1845, the Governor of the Indian Colony, Henry Brown. Sir Harding sent a long telegram to the British Cabinet, in which the telegram reads. Henry. Sir Harding made no secret of his pessimism about the battlefields of Burma. Henry. Sir Harding hoped that the British government would send more troops to India in case Burma were to be lost. A dangerous situation that India will face. Also, Henry. Sir Harding also sent a letter to the Foreign Secretary, Henry Brown. Viscount Temple offered to return to England if he could. It's obvious. If you stay in India any longer. It will make him feel insecure.
British Foreign Secretary Henry. Viscount Temple finished reading Henry. After Sir Harding's telegram, the whole person fell into deep thought. Although, the decision to march into Burma was made by War Secretary Thomas Thomas. Sir Grosvenor. Then the cabinet meets to discuss the tongguò. He himself voted in favor. If the British army is defeated on the battlefield in Burma, it will undoubtedly be a huge blow to the current cabinet.
"Damn, how did it get like this? John. The Colburn guy. Isn't there a guarantee of victory? But now, no matter how you look at it, it's not very reliable! "Henry. Viscount Temple said. He knows. This time for John. The Russell Cabinet will be a huge test, and if it is not handled well, it will be ousted like their predecessors.
"Come on, prepare the car, I'm going to the Prime Minister's Office!" Henry. Viscount Temple said. It's tricky, but it has to be solved.
When Henry. When Viscount Temple arrived at the Prime Minister's Office, the Secretary of State, Thomas Thomp. Sir Grosvenor was already one step ahead. His face was ugly, and Prime Minister John Brown was the prime minister. Sir Russell's face was also gloomy as water. Henry. Viscount Temple knew, and it seemed that they already knew what was happening in Burma. It's no wonder that John. Admiral Colburn served as Secretary of War Thomas Brown. Sir Grosvenor's henchman, how could such a great event not be told to Thomas. Grosvenor's Truth.
"Your Excellency the Prime Minister, Your Excellency the Minister of War, good afternoon!" Henry. Viscount Temple greeted the two.
"Good afternoon! Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, is there anything important for you? "John. Sir Russell asked, frowning. Obviously, there was a problem with the situation in Burma, which had a great impact on him. If he doesn't handle it well, he'll have to get out of the prime minister's office.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, it is so, this is the Viceroy of India, Henry Brown. Please read the telegram from Sir Harding! "Henry. Viscount Temple handed the telegram to Prime Minister John. Sir Russell.
John. Russell took the telegram and read it, and soon, his face became even more ugly.
"Your Excellency, is the situation in Burma really rotten to that extent?" John. Sir Russell asked angrily. Prior to that, Secretary of State Thomas Murphy. Sir Grosvenor simply told him that the British army was not going well in Burma and was defeated by the Chinese at the Battle of Rangoon. However, overall, the British army still has hundreds of thousands of troops in Burma, and it still has the upper hand. However, the Viceroy of India, Henry . In a telegram from Sir Harding, he claimed that he had lost faith in the Burma battlefield.
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, in the battle of Rangoon, we only lost more than 50,000 men. We are in Burma, and there are hundreds of thousands of troops! "Secretary of War Thomas. Sir Grosvenor said stiffly.
"Your Excellency, Minister of War, you must not have bothered the Prime Minister, those more than 50,000 people are British! The British and the indigenous Indians, is that comparable? Even if you use a hundred or even a thousand indigenous Indians, don't think about exchanging them for an Englishman! "Foreign Secretary Henry. Temple himself took the opportunity to say. He and Secretary of War Thomas Thomas. Sir Grosvenor, usually not very dealing. Now it's a chance to get into the ground. Of course, the timing is not too good.
"Come on, put Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles . Lord Wood, Lord of the Admiralty, William. Sir Parker is here! "Prime Minister John . Sir Russell commanded. The current situation is somewhat urgent, and this has a direct bearing on whether or not the current cabinet can continue to govern, and he must fully listen to everyone's opinions. Originally, John. Sir Russell agreed to start the Second Anglo-Burmese War in order to destroy Burma and at the same time to increase his prestige, so that he might be able to remain in power for the next term. But in the end, I didn't expect that although the British army did destroy Burma, it provoked the Chinese Empire, and now the protagonists of the battlefield have become the British Empire and the Chinese Empire. Unfortunately, the British Empire seems to be on the losing side. Such a result made John. Sir Russell was going mad.
Soon, five of the most important members of the British cabinet gathered in the presence of Prime Minister John Brown. Inside Russell's office. It's just that everyone's faces are not very good-looking. The war situation in Burma is not only related to the future of the British Empire, but also deeply related to their vital interests. Once the British army is defeated, the angry populace will surely tear them to shreds. The chancellor of the exchequer, Charles, who was already relatively bold. Sir Wood's face was a little pale.
"Let's talk about the specific situation, what should we do now? Let's not forget that the last cabinet had to step down because it was defeated by the Chinese. I can guarantee that if we were defeated, we would definitely end up like this! "John. Sir Russell said.
"Your Excellency, the war is still going on, and the Chinese Empire has only a slight upper hand. It is still unclear how the next battle will develop. Perhaps, we should believe that John. General Colborne, I'm sure he'll turn the tables around! "Admiral William. Sir Parker said. In this war, because the navy avoided the war, the navy was not less blamed. Sir Parker was also under great pressure. However, until there is absolute certainty, the Lord of the Admiralty, William. Sir Parker did not dare to rashly send the main naval force to the Far East, and the last fiasco is still vivid!
"Yes, Your Excellency Prime Minister, the shape of the battlefield is ever-changing, and there may be good news soon." Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles. Sir Wood said. Of course, he also hopes that there will be good news, so that he does not have to step down.
"Your Excellency, Minister of War, do you think we can still defeat the Chinese? I want to be able to hear a true answer, not a false one! "John. Sir Russell said.
"Your Excellency, I do not deny that now the Chinese do have a certain upper hand. But it's not like we're out of the picture. Although the combat effectiveness of the British and Indian troops was low, they were good cannon fodder. We can send a steady stream of troops from India to Burma to fight the Chinese. In that case, we may have a chance. I believe that John. Admiral Colburn as an outstanding general, he seized the opportunity. "Secretary of War Thomas. Sir Grosvenor said.
John. Sir Russell nodded, acknowledging Thomas. This statement of Sir Grosvenor.
"Your Excellency, then, I would like you to urge John. Admiral Colborn, this war is very important to us, and if it fails, the British Empire will pay a heavy price. As long as he can achieve the final victory, he can put forward any request, and we will find a way to solve it! "John. Sir Russell said. Now there is no other way but to believe in John. Admiral Colburn is here. (To be continued......)