Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 538: Stay the Course

On November 14, 1873, the Southwest African Railway was completed. This major artery, starting from Guinea in the west and extending south to Pretoria, marked the solidification of Austrian control in South Africa.

From exploration to completion, this strategic railway took over a decade to build, becoming Austria’s longest, most challenging, and costliest railway project to date.

Of course, only the main route was finished. It could take another twenty years to complete the various branch lines along the way. The main reason for the delay wasn’t construction difficulty or a lack of labor but rather the lack of funds from the colonial government.

With Africa’s relatively underdeveloped infrastructure, the colonial government’s limited tax revenue couldn’t support massive railway construction. The main line was built out of strategic necessity, and funded by the central government.

This railway, stretching 7,476 kilometers, cost a total of 74.286 million guilders. On average, each kilometer costs nearly 10,000 guilders, far exceeding construction costs back in Austria.

And this was with the use of free labor. To build the railway, the colonial government conscripted over a million laborers, maintaining a vast workforce of 200,000 people over several years.

Now that the main line was complete, the branch lines would be developed gradually. Railways with higher economic and strategic value would be prioritized, while lower-value routes would remain on the drawing board for the time being.

The Southwest African Railway set numerous records, such as the largest investment, the most labor used, the longest distance, and the most new technologies developed and implemented. If the labor had been converted into monetary value, another record would have been set: the most expensive long-distance railway.

While building such a railway might seem easy in the 21st century, during this era, it was undeniably a world record and a testament to Austria’s growing national strength.

Despite the significant importance of the Southwest African Railway, Franz did not attend the opening ceremony. His seasickness was an issue, and he feared that if he had bad luck and died en route, the celebration would turn into a tragedy.

To show proper respect, Crown Prince Frederick and Prime Minister Felix both attended the ceremony in person. Frankly, Franz was opposed to this.

Felix was already 73 years old, and although still in good health, the limited medical technology of the time meant that even a cold caught on the journey could prove fatal.

There was no stopping him, though. The old man, with his stubborn Germanic pride, insisted on personally visiting the African continent for an on-site inspection, and even Franz couldn’t prevent it.

This decision was tied to Franz’s proposed “African Integration Strategy.” Many in the Austrian government were skeptical, and in recent years, the government had repeatedly sent people for on-site inspections to reassure them.

No matter how well things were presented in reports, nothing compared to seeing the reality. Out of a sense of responsibility, Prime Minister Felix had always wanted to conduct an inspection personally, but it had been delayed due to other pressing matters.

However, Frederick’s participation was even more unexpected. Originally, it wasn’t his place, as he was only 17, and his role there would have been purely ceremonial, unable to make decisions on behalf of the emperor.

However, the Archdukes of the Habsburg monarchy were all occupied, and both of Frederick’s younger brothers were out of the country, and they couldn’t delay the railway’s opening.

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The only one relatively free was Maximilian, but after some thought, Franz decided that sending his son was more appropriate than relying on Maximilian.

Moreover, Maximilian was now the Emperor of Mexico and no longer an Austrian Archduke, so it would be disrespectful to use him in this way.

Though Frederick was young, with Felix present, any major decisions could be handled by him. In fact, after all the years of Franz’s teachings, Frederick’s abilities had improved significantly. He merely lacked practical experience.

Franz’s health was still good, and he had plenty of time to cultivate the next generation, so there was no rush to push things too quickly.

He himself had come up the same way, and even as a time traveler, he found it somewhat challenging. Without the support of loyal ministers, it wouldn’t have been so easy for him to seize power.

The reason there hadn’t been a change of prime ministers for so many years wasn’t just about political continuity. The bonds formed during the crisis were also a key factor.

Even those old ministers whose abilities were not that good were still highly respected by Franz. Besides friendship, there was also a great deal of necessity involved.

An emperor also needs to win people over. While it’s true that after the hunt, the hounds may no longer be needed, occasionally showing off their glory as a reminder to future generations is essential too.

Franz could proudly say he had never “cooked the hounds after the hunt.” He still needed the dogs to guard the house, especially in a world as competitive as this, where there was no room for complacency.

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In Paris, unlike Franz’s calm and composure, Napoleon III was a hero in his twilight years. Though he hadn’t been defeated in a Franco-Prussian War and died of depression, his body was still failing him.

The indulgences of his youth had left lasting damage, now becoming more apparent. Had it not been for the good fortune of having his heir, Eugène, all his hard work would have been for someone else’s benefit.

In Europe, illegitimate children couldn’t inherit the throne, and Napoleon III’s youthful indiscretions had left him battling various illnesses by his 40s, including kidney disease, bladder stones, chronic bladder problems, prostatitis, arthritis, gout, and obesity.

In the face of illness, no one is spared, regardless of their rank. Once a mighty figure, Napoleon III was now being brought down by disease, and he was trying hard to pass on his wisdom to his son.

This wasn’t some frivolous story where the son could grow up happily without worries. As the heir to the French Empire, if he didn’t have a bit of cunning, Louis XVI was a ready example of what could happen.

In this regard, Napoleon III had much to be proud of. From an exiled royal, he had fought his way back to power, and his life was nothing short of a legend.

In the original timeline, there was even one more who came close to completing that legacy—if not for foreign interference, which caused him to back down at the last moment instead of forcing a full restoration.

Napoleon III set aside the newspaper he had been reading and asked, testing his son, “What do you make of the turmoil in the Balkans?”

After some thought, Crown Prince Eugène responded, “The Greek coup and the Bulgarian uprising happening almost simultaneously seems too much of a coincidence.

According to the intelligence we’ve gathered, just days before these events, Austrian police had wiped out a Balkan independence organization in Macedonia.

Taken individually, these events appear unrelated, but when viewed together, there’s a clear connection. My preliminary judgment is that someone is behind all this.

However, it seems the mastermind miscalculated and overestimated the strength of the Balkan independence groups, failing to spark a rebellion in Austria.”

Napoleon III nodded, then shook his head, “Your analysis is solid. Now, who do you think is responsible for this? Or, more precisely, who’s the prime suspect, and what’s their ultimate goal?”

Without any hesitation, Crown Prince Eugène made his judgment, “I suspect it’s the Ottoman Empire. Due to the agricultural crisis, both Russia and Austria have suffered heavy losses, and they need to divert the crisis externally.

The Ottoman Empire happens to be a common enemy for both nations. Their mutual enmity has lasted for centuries, and now that the Ottomans are in decline, they’ve become easy prey for both countries.

Recently, there have been rumors that the two nations are planning to join forces to seek revenge against the Ottoman Empire. Austria has been relatively quiet, but the Russians are already preparing for war.

There’s an 80% chance that this information is accurate. The Ottoman government, sensing the danger, has likely taken action to create trouble for them and buy time.

However, something still doesn’t quite add up. The Bulgarians harbor a deep hatred for the Ottoman Empire. If they were going to seek independence, they would likely look to us or the British for support, wouldn’t they?”

Napoleon III smiled slightly, “Exactly. On the surface, the Ottoman Empire seems like the biggest suspect, but in reality, they are the least likely.

If the Ottoman government had that kind of power, they wouldn’t have fallen to their current state. Simultaneously orchestrating a Greek coup, a Bulgarian uprising, and the activities of Balkan independence groups without leaving any trace is not easy.

Without long-term preparation, it would be impossible. There are only a few countries in the world capable of pulling off such an operation. We’re one of them, but it’s definitely not us.

That leaves Britain and Austria. They’re the true experts at this. Remember, son, if you ever encounter a revolt or revolution where nothing can be traced, chances are it’s the work of Britain or Austria. Just keep an eye on London and Vienna.”

As he spoke, Napoleon III revealed a deep sense of apprehension. If it were possible, he would have liked to eliminate his two greatest enemies, leaving behind a stable empire.

Unfortunately, these two enemies were too slippery and never gave Napoleon III the chance to strike. During his twenty years as emperor, more than half of that time, France was isolated from the rest of Europe.

The two leading this opposition were Britain and Austria. Napoleon III was certain that if he made even one wrong move, an anti-French war would break out.

In a one-on-one fight, France feared no opponent, but the enemy preferred to fight them in groups! This forced Napoleon III to be extremely cautious, constantly afraid of triggering another anti-French coalition.

For a military-loving emperor who never got the chance to experience the thrill of war, this was undoubtedly a regret.

Eugène, puzzled, asked, “Why Austria? They were victims in this Balkan crisis too. There’s no reason for them to be involved in this.”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Napoleon III coughed for a while, prompting Eugène to pat his back. He quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him.

After taking a sip and pausing for a moment, Napoleon III said, “Think carefully. What did Austria lose, and what did they gain?

When dealing with Franz in the future, you must be extra cautious, especially when it comes to matters of interest. When benefits seem too easily presented, weigh the pros and cons carefully before deciding. If you can’t figure it out, it’s best to just leave it alone.”

This was a lesson Napoleon III had learned through personal experience. Ever since France annexed the Kingdom of Sardinia, the nation had been led down the path of absorbing Italy.

At first, Napoleon III didn’t notice any issues, but as time went on, he began to see things more clearly.

The Italian region had many good qualities, but it lacked resources. Although it appeared fertile, its actual value didn’t even compare to the land west of the Rhine River.

A conspiracy had trapped France in an awkward position. Now, many of its resources had to be imported, especially coke used for steelmaking. Even the output from French African colonies couldn’t meet domestic demand, so France had to import from either Britain or Prussia.

Yet, there was no way to complain. In everyone’s eyes, the annexation of Italy was seen as a great victory for France. Now, letting go of it was no longer an option, so they had no choice but to tough it out and digest the region.

Until Italy was fully integrated, France needed to strategically contract. Their pace of overseas expansion had slowed, let alone making any moves on the European continent, where every action could trigger far-reaching consequences.

Seeing Eugène deep in thought, Napoleon III added, “It’s the same with the British. You must never let your guard down when dealing with them.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Britain, France, and Austria are allies right now. In reality, we all can’t wait to stab each other in the back.

Franz isn’t the type of man who seeks fame and reputation. The reason he hasn’t broken any agreements all these years isn’t because of his great reputation, but because the stakes haven’t been high enough to tempt him into breaking them.

As for the British, there’s no need to say more. You need to be even more cautious as their ally than as their enemy. The Near East War is a perfect example—if they hadn’t stabbed us in the back, we wouldn’t have lost.”

Even now, Napoleon III still harbored resentment over the defeat in the Near East War, blaming the British for their betrayal.

There was no other explanation—back then, the French military had made a wrong move and was sold out by the British and Sardinians. As for Sardinia, it had already paid the price, becoming part of France.

Seemingly defeated, Britain had emerged as the true winner after the war. Naturally, Napoleon III couldn’t swallow this betrayal.

…

(Author’s Note: Eugène’s full name is Napoleon Eugène Louis Jean Joseph Bonaparte, and he is not to be confused with Napoleon III’s first illegitimate son, also named Eugène.)