After several days of negotiations, on February 28, 1913, the last day of the month, the Australasian government and the British delegation reached a certain consensus on British aid to Australasia.

Because of the strong willingness of both sides to cooperate, Australasia wanted more aid, coupled with plans to acquire more land and benefits in World War I, and accelerate the country's rise.

And the British Empire also needs a country like Australasia, which already has the strength of foreign powers in all aspects, and can provide the British Empire with various mineral resources and logistical resources such as grain, beef and mutton, medical supplies, etc.

Australasia's navy could also patrol the Indian Ocean and other areas in conjunction with the British navy to protect the British Empire's African and Indian colonies.

In this way, Great Britain, France, the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Indian Ocean, Oceania, the South Pacific, Chile, the Atlantic. Such a complete transport route can be formed.

The route covered almost all the colonies of the British Empire, Australasia, Chile and other important mineral resource providers, and also blocked Germany's access to foreign resources.

At the same time, if Australasia's navy could share the pressure on the British Empire's navy in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, the British Empire would be able to deploy more of its main fleet to the Atlantic and the European mainland to block Germany's shipping lines.

If such a plan can succeed, no matter how strong Germany is, it will be dragged down by the Allied countries with manpower tactics because of the lack of logistical sources.

In order to completely pull the country of Australasia into his chariot, Minister Gray received instructions from the British Cabinet and was very generous in this negotiation.

In the aid package that has been tentatively agreed upon, Minister Grey nodded and agreed to give Australasia about £30 million in funding.

Of course, the £30 million is paid over seven years, with £5 million per year for the first three years and £3.75 million per year for the second four years.

Although this financial aid may not seem like much, the good news is that it is completely free and Australasia does not need to pay it back.

In fact, the total amount of 30 million pounds alone seems to be quite a lot. Even compared with the most advanced super dreadnoughts at present, at least more than a dozen can be built.

Even if it is paid in seven years, the funds paid by the British government to Australasia every year will be able to build at least one super dreadnought and one dreadnought, which is for nothing, and Arthur has no reason not to.

In terms of financial assistance, both the British government and the Australasian government are very satisfied.

For the British government, although the financial assistance lasts for seven years, the maximum cost for the first three years is only 5 million pounds per year.

For the British Empire, whose annual revenue was close to £400 million, the £5 million expenditure was really nothing.

And for Australasia, whether it's $10 million in the first three years or $7.5 million in the next four years, it's not a small number.

After all, Australasia's total fiscal revenue last year was less than 100 million Australian dollars, and the amount of British aid allowed the Australasian government to have more financial reserves.

This money can bring many benefits to Australasia, both for the people and for the military.

Both sides were satisfied with the amount of financial assistance, so it was quickly finalized and became the first item in the treaty between Britain and Australasia.

Of course, financial aid can only be regarded as an appetizer compared to other aid.

Both sides know that the £30 million will not allow Australasia to have a higher level of military and industrial power, and can only be regarded as a small icing on the cake.

In order for Australasia to willingly join the future war in Europe, the British would have to pay more support, even more land area.

As the time entered March, the negotiations between the two sides were still in full swing.

The scope of the next step in the negotiations, which is also the focus of this negotiation, is the scope and extent of the British Empire's support for Australasia in terms of technology and personnel.

For a country, advanced technology, equipment and talents are an indispensable part of national development.

Advanced technology and equipment are the country's present, and abundant reserves and sufficient talents are the country's future.

Now that there is a big dog like the UK, Arthur will definitely not let go of the opportunity to knock the British on a good hand.

At present, Europe accounts for at least 80% of the world's top talents. One percent in the United States, one percent in the rest of the world.

Although the clouds of war have been raised with Europe, there has been a massive loss of European talent.

However, it is still undeniable that Europe is still the brightest pearl in the world, and still has the world's most developed science and technology, the largest industry, the most prosperous economy, and the most advanced system.

As the most powerful country in Europe and the most powerful country in the world, the British Empire's talent pool naturally goes without saying.

At least when it comes to navies, the British Empire has one of the richest talent pools in the world, and none of them.

Australasian naval technology has developed into a world-class country thanks to German and British aid.

But there is still a huge gap between this and the British Empire, and Arthur is also very coveted for the talent and technology of the British Empire.

At Arthur's behest, the Australasian government, on its part, discussed the second negotiation and decided to set the scope of assistance as high as possible.

In terms of science and technology, talent, industrial equipment, etc., the more such assistance, the better. The more aid Australasia receives, the more it will be able to improve its current strength and future potential.

Because of Arthur's support, government officials really dared to speak up. Any cabinet department not only put forward a large number of technology and equipment needs, but also hopes that the UK can support hundreds of talents.

Combined, the British government needs to provide thousands of talents every year, and even the British government cannot afford such a huge consumption.

No matter how rich the British were, Minister Gray would not dare to agree to such a high request for aid.

If you look at the requirements put forward by the Australasians, I am afraid that the strength of Australasia after the aid will be at least in the top five of the powers.

This clearly conflicts with the current aims of the British.

What the British needed was a strong man who could provide logistical assistance to them in the event of a future war in Europe, and who could help them protect Australasia in the rear.

At most, this is the purpose of jointly guarding against the expansion of the United States on the other side of the Atlantic after the end of the war in the future.

If we look at the current aid requirements, I am afraid that Australasia after the aid will have the ability to compete with the United States on its own.

Although a stronger Australasia would be able to contain the United States perfectly, the British feared that it would be beyond their control if Australasia continued to expand northward.

After another ten days of wrangling, on March 11, 1913, the second article of the treaty between the two sides was finalized.

The treaty stipulated that Britain would provide Australasia with a large number of industrial machinery and equipment, mainstream and modern science and technology, and excellent reserve talents in all aspects for a total of seven years from 1913 to the end of 1919.

Assistance is provided in accordance with the needs of Australasia in terms of industrial machinery and equipment and technology.

These industrial equipment and technologies will be purchased in Australasia at a price slightly below the market price, and will be transferred to Australasia by the United Kingdom.

In other words, after obtaining British technology, Australasia can skip the long period of mastering science and technology, and directly let British experts teach these scientific and technological knowledge for itself.

This will greatly increase the speed at which Australasia can control British technology, so that Australasia's scientific and technological level can quickly catch up with the British.

Although it costs money to buy industrial equipment and technology, it is the last thing that the Australasian government, which has a fiscal surplus every year.

If nothing else, it's perfectly fine for the government to spend $20 million a year on British industrial equipment and technology.

That $20 million may not seem like much, but in this day and age, purchasing power is already quite good.

What's more, Minister Gray personally promised that the industrial equipment and technology sold to Australasia would be sold to allies at the best price below the market price.

Yes, after these two conditions were basically met, Australasia and the British Empire had actually become de facto allies.

In addition to military matters that have not yet been discussed, cooperation in diplomacy and economics has become a well-deserved ally.

As for the second item, in terms of talent assistance, after many "bargains", Minister Gray reluctantly nodded and agreed to the Australasian side's request for at least 300 talents per year for a total of seven years.

The 300 talents will cover a wide range of industries and fields, and the specific needs of those who are needed will be tailored to the specific needs of Australasia.

Even in Arthur's plan, including educational, medical and other talents, will be within the range of these 300 people.

In short, what talent is lacking in Australasia is like what the British Empire demands.

In addition to these two matters of assistance, Arthur made an additional request to Minister Gray for an annual friendly exchange between the shipyards of Australasia and the British Empire.

In addition, the three major shipyards in Australasia will send some trainees to the shipyards of the British Empire to study, and some shipyards in the British Empire will also send some experts to Australasia for guidance.

The British Empire's excellent shipbuilding industry, Arthur could not have scavenged this wool. With a combination of sending cadets and inviting experts, Arthur was not convinced that the shipyards in Australasia could not learn more.

The British were so advanced in warships that Arthur was eager to send shipyard cadets to British shipyards every year.

At present, Australasia has dreadnought and super dreadnought technology, and the help of the British is definitely not small.

After the two main aid of the Entente were basically negotiated, the focus of the negotiations also came to another major point in addition to the aid, that is, military cooperation between Australasia and the British Empire.

As the saying goes, there are gains and losses, and there are losses and gains. The British Empire's aid to Australasia was definitely not for no purpose.

This kind of assistance is different from previous sponsored aid. The scale of the aid signed by this treaty is enough to take Australasia one step further.

This also means that Australasia must pay a certain amount of return in terms of military cooperation to satisfy the British.

As the saying goes, sincerity for sincerity, if such an agreement is to be fulfilled by both parties, in addition to reciprocal conditions, the motivation of both parties to fulfill the agreement is also very important.

From March 12 onwards, negotiations between the British Empire and Australasia became "bargaining" between Minister Grey and Prime Minister Kent and the Cabinet.

The first condition put forward by Minister Gray was that Australasia send at least three capital warships to help Britain maintain the situation in the Indian Ocean after the outbreak of war in Europe.

The Indian Ocean coast includes the Indian region, which was important to the British Empire, as well as the African colonies of the British Empire, as well as important strategic areas such as the Strait of Malacca.

Therefore, patrolling the area has also become very important, at least in times of war, and there must be enough warships to protect the area.

If Australasia's navy could join the patrol system in the Indian Ocean, it would allow the British navy to save a few capital warships and devote them to a possible naval battle in Europe.

This would also further expand the superiority of the Royal Fleet and the High Seas Fleet, and reduce the possibility of fleets from the Allies coming together.

For Minister Gray's first request, Prime Minister Kent immediately agreed without even thinking about it.

Sending three capital warships to help the British patrol the Indian Ocean after the outbreak of war in Europe was not harsh and perfectly acceptable to Australasia.

Minister Gray's second request was that Australasia send at least 200,000 troops into the war if war broke out in Europe, and that at least a quarter of the army should be regular.

In return for the military efforts of the Australasian people, Minister Gray also promised to take charge of the logistics of the Australasian army in Europe, and to bear half of the military expenses of the Australasian army in Europe.

In fact, it's not just Australasia. The British Empire also made such conditions for its other two allies, France and Russia.

In the event of a war in Europe, the British Empire would bear a portion of the military costs of France and Russia to ease the financial pressure on both countries.

Russia's financial pressures, in particular, were due to the already volatile domestic situation and the relative backwardness of industry and economy, which required more support from the British Empire.

Moreover, Russia already owed France a large amount of loans, and its financial situation was already very dangerous.

At present, it still maintains the largest army in Europe, and if the British Empire does not give some financial support, I am afraid that before the war begins, Russia will fall into high debt and even risk bankruptcy because of its huge military spending.

Minister Gray asked for this, and the Prime Minister of Kent could not make a decision on his own.

After consulting Arthur, Prime Minister Kent agreed, but also made some changes to Minister Gray's request.

On the issue of sending troops, Australasia could send at least 250,000 combat troops to Europe after the outbreak of war in Europe.

Although there has been an increase in the number of troops, the Minister of Kent has also imposed restrictions on the time when regular troops can be dispatched.

That is, the Australasian Ministry of Defense will send a total of more than 50,000 main troops to Europe throughout the war.

However, the requirement is that the ultimate command of all combat units sent by Australasia is in the hands of the Australasian Ministry of Defence, and Britain, France and Russia can request the cooperation of the Australasian army, but cannot force orders.

Arthur's idea was also simple. Although he is confident in the combat capability of the army units, the combat capability of the army that has not experienced a major war is not the peak after all.

If the main army of Australasia can participate in this great war in rotation by virtue of this European war, it will not only satisfy the British, but also exercise the combat ability of the regular army of Australasia.

But exercise is exercise, Arthur has no intention of letting his army become cannon fodder for Britain, France and Russia, and working for Britain, France and Russia.

Whether it is a non-main force or a main force that goes to Europe to fight in rotation, its ultimate command must be in Australasia's own hands.

It is one of the few main forces, but it is the foundation of the Australasian Army. Although Arthur planned to send them to Europe, he was prepared for many casualties.

But Arthur could not accept the mass casualties, and if Britain, France, and Russia were to command the Australasian army, it was very likely that after the outbreak of World War I, these troops would be sent to a brutal meat grinder battlefield like Verdun.

You know, World War I was the result of several major battles like Verdun, each of which involved millions of troops and millions of casualties.

Even if Australasia could send 250,000 combat troops, it would only be exhausted in such a large-scale battle, and it was Arthur and Australasia who suffered in the end.

Therefore, Arthur preferred to send an additional 50,000 combat troops to keep the command of the army firmly in Australasia's own hands.

Ask for a commuter pass!

(End of chapter)