CHAPTER 363: CHAPTER 358: TWILIGHT BEFORE WAR

December 19, 1852.

The French Empire’s ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Vallette, accepted the terms proposed by Jerome Bonaparte. He resigned that day and returned to Paris on the French Mediterranean Fleet to report on his duties, then traveled by train to Calais and by ship to serve as the British Envoy.

In the period after Vallette’s departure and before Valerovsky’s arrival, all affairs of the embassy were handled by the acting military officer.

Upon receiving the news that Vallette had returned to Paris to report on his duties, Jerome Bonaparte once again summoned Valerovsky, and also called for the Minister of the Navy Deco, the Minister of War Kuzan Montebon, and the Chief of Staff Marshal Saint Arno.

Valerovsky, Deco, Kuzan Montebon, and Marshal Saint Arno each entered a guest room in the Tuileries Palace one after the other, quietly awaiting the arrival of Jerome Bonaparte.

After a while, Jerome Bonaparte pushed the door open and entered, with a stone-faced Edgar Ney behind him. Valerovsky and the others immediately rose to greet him.

Jerome Bonaparte invited the two to sit at a table covered with red wool cloth, while he sat on a chair at the central arched window ledge. To his left and right were the Minister of the Navy Deco and the Chief of Staff Marshal Saint Arno, with Valerovsky and Kuzan Montebon to their right, respectively.

Meanwhile, Edgar Ney, who serves as Jerome Bonaparte’s aide-de-camp and also as the Commander of the Mechanical Command, stood behind Jerome Bonaparte.

Once everyone was seated, Jerome Bonaparte got straight to the point: "The reason I have called you all here today is to inquire about your preparations for the war against the Russian Empire!"

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte pointed to the Minister of the Navy Deco: "Let’s start with your Navy Department!"

Being named, the Minister of the Navy Deco immediately reported to Jerome Bonaparte on the navy’s preparation status: "Our department has completed the construction of four ironclad steam gunboats, and one ironclad ship is also being rushed to completion! It is expected to be fully completed by mid-1853! By then, the Imperial Navy will completely crush the Russian naval forces in the Sevastopol region! Ensuring smooth maritime transportation lines!"

"Have the issues concerning vessel requisition and factory workers been properly resolved?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to ask Deco.

"I have already notified the owners of the major French transport fleets! Should France go to war, they will be the first to help transport supplies! The French Fleet only needs to provide them with escort services!" Deco said, raising two fingers: "We can guarantee supplies necessary for an expedition of about 200,000 people! The issue with navy factory workers has also been resolved!"

"Good! I see!" Jerome Bonaparte was very pleased with Deco’s response.

Afterward, Jerome Bonaparte turned his attention to Kuzan Montebon: "What about the Ministry of War! How is your re-equipment going?"

Kuzan Montebon also responded efficiently: "Your Majesty, the French Army has almost entirely completed the re-equipment with Minie Rifles. To prevent wear and tear on firearms due to war, nearly 200,000 more rifles have been stored in the military supply department’s warehouses, ready for emergencies!"

"Very well!" Jerome Bonaparte was equally satisfied with the Ministry of War’s actions, noting that the bureaucratic speed of civil officials—particularly the staff at the Staff College—had improved significantly: "What about the situation with the logistics?"

"Under the supervision of Major General Niel, the logistical battalions of the Eastern War Zone and Central War Zone have basically restored their recruitment functions! Currently, we are reorganizing the logistics of the Southern War Zone and Northern War Zone, expected to be completed by mid-1853!" Kuzan Montebon stated to Jerome Bonaparte word by word.

Jerome Bonaparte, generally satisfied with the Ministry of War, also nodded slightly.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte inquired about the situation with the General Staff.

As Jerome Bonaparte had anticipated, the army’s Staff Department was in an adjustment phase and would need some time.

Should war truly draw near, the General Staff would still be ready for a fight.

"Well, I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte calmly responded.

Finally, he turned his gaze to Valerovsky and said earnestly: "You should be aware of the weight on your shoulders now, right?"

Understanding the discussions of the ministers of both the naval and land forces, Valerovsky had a basic grasp of France’s military preparations for war: "We just need to drag the war between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire until after mid-1853, right?"

"Precisely!" Jerome Bonaparte tapped lightly on the red wool cloth to emphasize: "Delay for as long as possible, but don’t let the Ottoman Empire lean toward the Russian Empire. Once the Ottoman Empire fully aligns with the Russian Empire, all our interests in Ottoman Empire territories will be reduced to nothing! Understand?"

"Understand!" Everyone present replied in unison.

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte ordered Deco to deploy the four completed ironclad gunboats to the Dardanelles Strait to intimidate the Ottoman Empire, thus making it hesitant to easily side with the Russian Empire.

He then instructed Valerovsky to unite the forces opposing the Russian Empire within the Ottoman Empire.

"The Russian Empire certainly won’t ignore our seizure of decision-making power over the Holy Land; they might dispatch troops or send envoys to the Ottoman Empire, forcing the Ottoman Empire to meet their demands. You can have the Ottoman Empire High Gate feign negotiation with the Russian Empire, waiting until the European Great Powers grow weary of the Russian Empire’s greedy actions, at which point the French Empire will naturally step in for justice!" Jerome Bonaparte emphasized to Valerovsky: "Remember, you must give the Ottoman Empire confidence! Otherwise, those spineless ones might surrender immediately!"

"Yes!" Valerovsky replied.

After the meeting ended, the Ministers of the Navy and Army, along with Valerovsky, left the Tuileries Palace.

On December 20th, the newly appointed French diplomatic envoy to the Ottoman Empire, Valerovsky, departed for Constantinople aboard a warship.

Following Valerovsky, besides a first-rate battleship, were four gunboats clad in "armor."

No one knew that these ironclad gunboats were the most critical factor in determining the outcome of the naval battle.

While France was "changing its general at the last moment," the British Cabinet Government was also abuzz with discussions regarding the judgment issued by the Ottoman Empire High Gate, in an attempt to understand the details of the verdict.

On December 15th, Prime Minister Lord Aberdeen of the Kingdom of Britain sent a telegram to the Ottoman Empire, requesting that Ambassador Stratford Canning return to Britain for debriefing. After Canning’s departure, only Colonel Hugh Ross remained as the chargé d’affaires at the British Embassy in the Ottoman Empire.

On December 18th and 19th, Colonel Hugh Ross, acting as chargé d’affaires, sent several telegrams to London, roughly outlining the cause and course of the Ottoman Empire’s judgment, as well as the news of Vallette, the instigator, leaving Constantinople.

This left the British Government, which wanted an excuse to protest Vallette’s impact on European peace, somewhat frustrated.

On December 20th, after enduring a five-day sea journey, Ambassador Stratford Canning finally arrived in London.

Ambassador Canning, returning to London aboard a warship, barely had time to enjoy London’s infamous smog before Lord Russell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived at Carlton Garden.

[PS: Due to Earl of Malmesbury’s unreliable conduct in diplomatic matters, Lord Aberdeen had no choice but to abandon him and appointed the opposition’s Russell as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Originally, Lord Aberdeen wanted to use Palmerston, but Prince Albert did not agree. Reluctantly, Aberdeen had to appoint Palmerston as Minister of Internal Affairs, handing the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs to Russell.]

Now, at No. 1 Carlton Garden, Canning took a deep breath and gently pushed open the door of the residence.

The residence was filled with civil servants, busily walking through the corridors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seemingly oblivious to Canning’s presence.

This is Britain, a nation made up of civil servants.

Although Britain’s civil service examination had only recently been perfected, its inherent "talent" enabled the entire country to quickly adapt to the system.

Millions of civil servants would support a vast colonial empire, their energy capable of rivaling that of the Prime Minister of a nation.

Of course, all of this was predicated on a sufficiently large civil service system.

After a while, a middle-aged man in a suit appeared in front of Canning. He was the Chief Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the highest-ranking official in the entire civil service system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and spoke in an impeccable London accent to Canning: "Ambassador Canning, please follow me!"

Canning followed the Executive Secretary to the entrance of the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ office, where the Executive Secretary gently rang the doorbell.

"Come in!" the voice of Minister Russell came from inside the office.

The Executive Secretary continued to wear a standard courteous smile as he said to Canning: "Please wait a moment!"

After a while, the door opened, and a slightly younger-looking secretary appeared in front of Canning. He was the dedicated secretary to Prime Minister Russell.

"Please come in!" The dedicated secretary made an inviting gesture.

Once Canning entered the room, the dedicated secretary left the office, closing the door behind him.

"Sit down!" Minister Russell, who was reading documents, invited Canning to sit without looking up.

Canning quickly walked to face Minister Russell, moved a chair, and sat down.

"You’ve had a hard time!" Minister Russell raised his head, put down the documents, and removed the reading glasses perched on his nose.

"It’s nothing!" Canning quickly replied.

"Regarding the Ottoman Empire, I have already learned something through the telegrams. I would like to hear your opinion!"