shadow of britain

Chapter 147 Wellington's Strategic Advance
Prime Minister's Residence, 10 Downing Street, Westminster, London.

The Duke of Wellington was leaning on the crimson velvet seat, holding a French newspaper in his left hand, and a secret letter delivered from Paris by the Rothschild postal service in his right hand.

After reading these two things, he couldn't help but lowered his head and rubbed his temples, and then said to Sir Peel who was sitting opposite him: "Oh! Anyway, Louis-Philippe just killed him and refused to admit that he kidnapped people and went to Paris. The French government?"

Sir Peel smiled and shook his head: "Your Excellency, you can't say that. Louis-Philippe just didn't admit it on the surface. Didn't he apologize to you in private in a secret letter?"

The Duke of Wellington folded the two letters impatiently and put them in his jacket pocket: "What's the use of apologizing in private? After all, isn't it a shameless plan to let us take the risk of public opinion? I don't understand him." After all, he has just climbed to the throne of France, if he surrenders to Great Britain just after taking the throne, then he is probably the king of France. "

Seeing his angry face, Sir Peel suddenly had an idea. He leaned forward slightly and made a plan: "However... if Louis-Philippe wants to take advantage of this matter, then the Brussels uprising last month led to Belgium's almost de facto independence. things..."

The Duke of Wellington heard about this place, and understood Sir Peel's meaning.

After the Napoleonic Wars ended that year, in order to establish a strong buffer state in northern France in order to maintain the balance of power on the continent, the United Kingdom proposed at the Vienna Conference in 1815 to merge the two regions of the Netherlands and Belgium to form a new Kingdom of the Netherlands.

However, although Belgium and the Netherlands form the same country in name, there are large differences in culture, religion and economic structure between the two regions.

For example, the Netherlands is predominantly Protestant, while Belgium is Catholic.The Dutch speak Flemish, while the Belgians speak Flemish to a small extent and French to the majority.

But this is not the most terrible thing. The most terrible thing is that the Dutch, nicknamed "Sea Coachman", mainly make a living from commerce and fishing, while Belgium is an area with a strong industrial and agricultural foundation.

Therefore, the Netherlands, which relies on commercial trade to make a fortune, will of course adopt a low-tariff free trade national policy that is biased towards mercantilism. Of course, this also violates their desire to implement trade protection policies.

King William I of the Netherlands was also full of doubts about the Belgians who had newly joined the kingdom. In order to ensure the dominant status of the Dutch in the kingdom, he had formulated discriminatory policies against the Belgian region over the years.

For example, only those who can speak the Flemish language can apply for the recruitment examination of government departments. The senior government and military generals can only be taken by Dutch. Belgian newspapers need to accept news censorship, but the debt owed by the Netherlands in the Napoleonic Wars is not Belgians need to share.

The Belgians have swallowed their anger for more than ten years. They have long been dissatisfied with the rule of the Netherlands. The July Revolution in France this year is like a shot in the arm, instantly igniting every Belgian's enthusiasm for independence.

So not long after the July Revolution broke out, the Belgians launched an uprising in Brussels.In order to show his image as a people's revolutionist to the domestic people, King Louis Philippe of France immediately expressed his solidarity with Belgium.

However, for Britain, it is absolutely intolerable to watch independent Belgium fall to France.But it is really unrealistic to want Belgium and the Netherlands to reconcile quietly.Therefore, during this period of time, the cabinet has been discussing whether it is necessary to send troops to intervene in the Belgian War of Independence.

It is true that King Louis-Philippe of France cannot bow his head to Britain at this time, but the result of saving face is that he has to take out some lining in exchange.For example, on the Belgian issue, the United Kingdom promised not to continue to intervene.

The Duke of Wellington bit his quill and nodded slightly: "If it is considered from a practical point of view, this is indeed a very good deal. If it was put in the moment before the passage of the "Catholic Emancipation Act", I would never even think about it." I accepted this transaction application from Louis Philippe. But now..."

The Duke of Wellington shook his head with a wry smile and said: "We may need a little more useless face-saving issues than he does. So I said before that I hate partisan politics, although my words may make everyone unhappy, But I still have to say that the factionalism has greatly damaged the interests of the country. I clearly saved the country from civil war, but they treat me as a sinner.

I really don't know who prevented Napoleon from marching into England. If I had known that they were so ignorant, I might as well have died in Waterloo, so that they all have to believe in Catholicism and speak French.

Well, Robert, I don't think it's going to work out like this, Huskisson's dead, and things aren't going well with the Whig moderates.With Parliament just two weeks away, the Whigs will certainly take the opportunity to bring a motion of no confidence in the Cabinet.

From a soldier's point of view, if we know that this battle will undoubtedly be defeated, it is better for us to act first and let me take all the responsibility.In this way, perhaps you can continue to unite the party and voters so that the Tories will not lose too many seats in the next general election. "

When Sir Peel heard this, he was taken aback for a moment, and then he said in shock: "Your Excellency, what are you talking about? You are the leader of the party, and the cabinet and the backbench members of the party must be with you ah!"

The Duke of Wellington picked up the goblet on the table, looked at the sloshing wine and said, "There is no need, Robert. Back then, His Majesty the King ordered me to form a cabinet in order to allow me to stabilize the chaotic situation in the cabinet, and Solve the Ottoman and Greek problems.

But from a personal point of view, I have neither the talent for speeches nor the publicity, so there should be no one who hates this job as much as I do, and no one knows nothing about party affairs like me.

I am an upright man, and I am also an upright soldier. I can't play those conspiracies and tricks. I always like to be honest with others.But this set is obviously not feasible under the current situation.

I am still opposed to parliamentary reform, and I will not change my view because of nostalgia for these positions. I always believe that the so-called reform is nothing more than a revolution with due legal procedures.

They want a whole revolution in England, I don't agree.But if I just don't give in, it may not only be a revolution, they may even produce a Robespierre.It would do no one any good if that happened.

Therefore, according to the principle of battlefield command, in a disadvantageous situation, it is necessary to choose to gather troops, retreat and defend, and wait for the right time to prepare for a comeback.Since the Whigs like this height so much, I'll let it go.

But I really didn't expect that I didn't lose in the hands of Napoleon, but in the back of my own people. "

Having said that, the Duke of Wellington suddenly stopped talking, staring at Sir Peel with his eagle-like eyes, and spoke.

"Robert, from now on, I will leave the affairs of the party to you."

When Sir Peel heard this, he felt a little complicated for a moment, he half-opened his mouth and hesitated to speak.

After a long silence, Sir Peel could only sigh: "I see, so you intend to..."

Wellington raised his hand slightly: "You don't have to worry about the rest of the matter. Next time in Congress, I have to vent the anger I have suppressed for several years on their heads. After Congress, all public opinion against the Tories The pressure will be on me. And after that, you and the remaining Tories will be able to breathe."

When the Duke of Wellington said this, he couldn't help standing up and tugging at his collar: "I want them to understand that not everyone is interested in that little political interest. They really think I don't know their little thoughts. Why? Propose reforms yourself so that the newly enfranchised voters will vote for them. What do they think of British politics and national affairs? Naive, Naive!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the office was suddenly pushed open, and the private secretary of the Duke of Wellington stood outside the door, leaning forward slightly.

"Your Excellency, someone below wants to see you."

The Duke of Wellington took up his glass and drank the sherry wine. He casually said a witty remark: "Oh? It's a familiar plot. Waterloo more than ten years ago was also at a time of crisis. Could it be my old friend Bruce? Did Marshal Cher finally think of me? Thank God. But he had better not think of me, he has been dead for more than ten years, and I don’t want to bury him in the ground so soon and talk about the old friendship.”

The private secretary replied with a smile: "It's not Marshal Blücher, but Sir Peel's subordinate, Scotland Yard's new Superintendent Arthur Hastings."

"Oh." The Duke of Wellington paused slightly, and then said to Peel: "Robert, it seems that I am looking for you. Sorry, I have nothing to call you here, and I have delayed the normal work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. What happened.

Although I admire that capable young man, every time he appears in front of us, he brings bad news, but fortunately, every time he can handle it properly, turning decay into magic. "

Sir Peel got up quickly and said, "You tell Arthur, I'll go down right away."

"No, no, no." The private secretary hurriedly waved his hand with the document between them: "Superintendent Arthur named him by name and said that he is here to see His Excellency the Duke this time. It seems that something big happened in Hyde Park."

"Looking for me? Hyde Park?" The Duke of Wellington frowned his white eyebrows: "Could it be that someone is inciting the people to smash the windows of my house?"

(End of this chapter)