Valette, the ambassador of the French Empire to the Ottoman Empire, accepted the terms of exchange proposed by Jerome Bonaparte. After leaving office that day, he took the French Mediterranean Fleet and returned to Paris to report on his duties. He then went to Calais by rail and took a ship to serve as the British Ambassador.
During the period when Valette left and Valewski did not arrive, all affairs in the embassy were handed over to the acting attaché of the embassy.
After receiving the news that Valette returned to Paris to report on his duties, Jérôme Bonaparte once again called Valewski over. At the same time, he also called the Minister of Navy Dicko, the Minister of War Cousin Montauban, and the Chief of the General Staff.
Saint-Arnaud also called over.
Valewski, Dicko, Couzin-Montauban, and Marshal Saint-Arnault entered a guest room in the Tuileries Palace one after another, quietly waiting for the arrival of Jérôme Bonaparte.
After a while, Jérôme Bonaparte pushed open the door and walked in. Behind him was an expressionless Edgar Ney, Valewski and others immediately stood up to greet him.
Jerome Bonaparte invited the two of them to sit at the table covered with red woolen cloth. Jerome Bonaparte sat on the chair on the central arched window sill. On his left and right sides were the Minister of the Navy.
Dicko and Chief of General Staff Saint-Arnaud. To the right of Dicko and Saint-Arnaud are Valewski and Couzin-Montauban respectively.
Edgar Ney, who was Jérôme Bonaparte's adjutant and commander of the Aircraft Maintenance Command, stood behind Jérôme Bonaparte.
After everyone was completely seated, Jérôme Bonaparte got straight to the point: "I'm calling you here today just to ask how you are preparing for the Russian Empire's war!"
Then, Jérôme Bonaparte pointed at Navy Minister Dicko and said: "Let's talk about the situation of your naval department first!"
After being named by Jérôme Bonaparte, Navy Minister Dicko immediately reported to Jérôme Bonaparte the war readiness status of the Navy Department: "Our department has completed the construction of four iron-clad steam gunboats, and one iron-clad ship is also working overtime.
The work is rushing! It is expected to be completely completed in mid-1853! By then, the Imperial Navy will completely crush the Russian naval power in the Sevastopol area! Ensure good maritime transportation lines!"
"Has the problem of requisitioning ships been properly resolved, and what about the problem of factory workers?" Jérôme Bonaparte continued to ask Dicko.
"I have already said hello to the bosses of France's major transport fleets! Once a war breaks out in France, they will help France transport supplies as soon as possible! The French fleet only needs to provide them with escorts!" As he said that, Dico raised his eyebrows.
He held up two fingers and said: "We can guarantee the supplies needed for the expedition of about 200,000 people! The problem of the Navy Yard workers has also been solved!"
"Okay! I understand!" Jérôme Bonaparte was very satisfied with Dicko's answer.
Then, Jérôme Bonaparte turned his attention to Couzin Montauban and said: "Where is the Ministry of War! How is your change of clothes going?"
Couzin Montauban also answered eloquently: "Your Majesty, the French army has basically completed all the replacement of Migne rifles. In order to prevent the wear and tear of firearms caused by war problems, the warehouse of the munitions department has stored nearly 20 more rifles.
Thousands of rifles for emergencies!"
"Very good!" Jérôme Bonaparte was also very satisfied with the actions of the Ministry of War. The speed of expelling civilian bureaucracies under the influence of military bureaucracies (most importantly the group of soldiers at the Staff College) was much faster than before.
One point: "How is the situation at the military depot?"
"Under the supervision of Major General Niel, the military depots in the eastern and central theaters have basically resumed their recruiting functions! The military depots in the southern and northern theaters are now being reorganized and are expected to be completed in the middle of 1853!" Kuzan.
Montauban said to Jerome Bonaparte word for word.
Jérôme Bonaparte, who was basically satisfied with the Ministry of War, also nodded slightly.
Then, Jérôme Bonaparte asked about the situation of the General Staff.
The result was just as Jérôme Bonaparte expected. The army staff was in the process of getting ready and needed to wait for some time.
If war is really approaching, the General Staff can still fight.
"Yes! I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte responded calmly.
Finally, he turned his attention to Walewski and said earnestly: "You should know how heavy the burden is on you!"
Valewski, who heard the testimony of the ministers of the navy and army, had a basic understanding of the military preparations for the French war: "We only need to delay the war between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire until after mid-1853, right?"
"That's right!" Jerome Bonaparte gently tapped the red woolen cloth and emphasized: "Delay as much time as possible, but don't let the Ottoman Empire fall to the Russian Empire. Once the Ottoman Empire completely falls to the Russian Empire,
Then all our interests in the Ottoman Empire territory will be reduced to zero! Do you understand?"
"Understood!" Everyone present responded in unison.
Subsequently, Jérôme Bonaparte ordered Dicko to send the four completed armored gunboats to the D'Artagnan Strait to frighten the Ottoman Empire so that the Ottoman Empire would not easily surrender to the Russian Empire.
Then, Valewski was ordered to win over the forces opposed to the Russian Empire in the Ottoman Empire.
"The Russian Empire will definitely not ignore our seizure of decision-making power in the Holy Land. They may send troops or send envoys to the Ottoman Empire to force the Ottoman Empire to agree to their conditions. You can make the Ottoman Empire agree with the Russian Empire
If the hypocrisy and subterfuge continue, when the European powers become disgusted with the greedy actions of the Russian Empire, the French Empire will naturally seek justice!" Jérôme Bonaparte emphasized to Valewski: "Remember, you must give
Confidence in the Ottoman Empire! Otherwise, those weaklings might not surrender immediately!"
"Yes!" Walewski replied.
After the meeting, the Ministers of Navy and Army and Valewski left the Tuileries Palace.
On December 20, the new French diplomatic ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Valewski, took a warship to Constantinople.
In addition to the first-class battleships, Valewski was followed by four gunboats wearing "armor".
No one knows that these armored gunboats are the most important factor in determining the victory of the naval battle.
Just as France was "changing its leadership", the British cabinet government was also discussing the ruling issued by the Ottoman Empire's high officials in order to understand the details of the ruling.
The Prime Minister of the British Kingdom, Lord Aberdeen, sent a telegram to the Ottoman Empire on December 15, requesting Strathford Canning, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, to return to Britain to report on his duties. After Canning left, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
The only person left in the Imperial Embassy was Colonel Hugh Ross as Charge d'Affaires.
On December 18th and 19th, Charge d'Affaires Hugh Ross sent several telegrams to London. The telegrams roughly told the origin and process of the Ottoman Empire's ruling, as well as the news that Valette, the instigator, left Constantinople.
.
This made the British government, which wanted to find an opportunity to protest Valette's influence on European peace, a little depressed.
On December 20, Ambassador Strathford Canning finally arrived in London after five days of wandering at sea.
Ambassador Canning, who returned to London on a warship, had just stepped out of his clothes and had not had time to enjoy London's smog specialties when he was brought to Carlton Gardens by the Foreign Secretary, Lord Russell.
[ps: Due to the Earl of Malmesbury's unscrupulous behavior in diplomacy, Lord Aberdeen had to abandon him. He also used Russell, who was in opposition, as Foreign Secretary. Originally, Lord Aberdeen wanted to use Palmerston.
, but Prince Albert did not agree. Aberdeen had no choice but to choose Palmerston as Home Secretary, and the position of Foreign Secretary was handed over to Russell.]
Canning, who was now in front of No. 1 Carlton Gardens, took a deep breath and gently opened the door of the mansion.
The mansion was full of civil servants, and they were busy walking through the corridors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No one seemed to notice Canning.
This is Britain, a country of civil servants.
Although the current civil service examination has just been completed in Britain, its innate "talent" has enabled the whole of Britain to quickly adapt to the entire system.
Millions of civil servants would support a vast colonial empire, and their energy could rival that of a country's prime minister.
Of course, the premise of all this is that the civil service system is large enough.
After a while, a middle-aged man in a suit and leather tie appeared in front of Canning. He was the chief permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the person with the highest official position in the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs civil service system. He spoke with an authentic London accent.
Canning said: "Ambassador Canning, please come with me!"
Canning followed the permanent secretary to the door of the Foreign Secretary. The permanent secretary gently rang the doorbell hanging at the door.
"Please come in!" Minister Russell's voice came from the office.
The permanent secretary continued to wear a standard polite smile and said to Canning: "Please wait a moment!"
After a while, the door opened, and a slightly younger secretary appeared in front of Canning. He was Prime Minister Russell's full-time secretary.
"Come in!" the full-time secretary made an invitation gesture.
After Canning entered the room, the full-time secretary left the office and closed the door.
"Sit down!" Minister Russell, who was flipping through documents, invited Canning to sit down without raising his head.
Canning quickly came to the opposite side of Minister Russell, moved his chair and sat down.
"Thank you!" Minister Russell raised his head, put down the documents, and took off the reading glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Nothing!" Canning replied quickly.
"I already knew something about the Ottoman Empire through telegrams! I want to hear your opinion!"