Chapter 263: Queen Mary's Pregnancy
The formation of the Entente Powers and the complete opposition against the Central Powers brought about the most significant changes in the European situation, especially among the smaller and medium-sized countries surrounding these two military alliances.
With the two sides' lineups now clear, these smaller nations faced a dilemma: whether to align with one of the factions or remain neutral.
This was not an easy decision. Each side had a dominant great power and was made up of three major nations. If war broke out, it would quickly become a massive conflict capable of affecting the entire European continent, and no European country could easily avoid its consequences.
Would remaining neutral truly prevent them from being caught up in such a monumental war?
Since September 1908, the arms race between the two major military groups had escalated, with Britain and Germany still being the primary players. After Germany surpassed Britain in terms of Dreadnought battleships, Britain immediately revised its shipbuilding plans, accelerating the construction of the three planned Berwick-class battleships. The shipyards responsible for these battleships were given strict orders to have them completed and undergo sea trials by the end of March 1909.
But it didn't stop there. The construction of the improved version of the Berwick-class, the St. Vincent-class battleships, was also expedited. According to the original construction schedule, the three St. Vincent-class battleships wouldn't be finished until May of the following year, with the remaining two not due for completion until March or April of the year after that.
However, with Germany's advancement, the British were understandably anxious and ordered that all three St. Vincent-class battleships must be completed by the end of 1909, with plans to have them integrated into the navy by mid to late 1910. This meant that from September this year until the end of next year, the British Empire would complete at least six Dreadnoughts, securing its position as the world's leading naval power.
Compared to Australasia's shipbuilding speed, the British Empire's pace was astonishing. However, this was just the tip of the iceberg of Britain's naval shipbuilding industry. In addition to the Dreadnoughts, Britain planned to overhaul its army's weaponry, replacing outdated equipment in the colonial forces.
This was no small expenditure, but for the wealthy British Empire, it was hardly a burden. Britain's military expenditures had always been the highest among the great powers, reaching a staggering £58.92 million last year.
Germany, in second place, spent £54.89 million, while Russia's military spending, though seemingly low, amounted to £53.28 million. France, Austria-Hungary, and Italy followed, with military budgets of £45.5 million, £21.13 million, and £18.57 million respectively.
These huge military budgets among the great powers reflected the peak of the arms race between the two military alliances, with countries' military spending rising sharply. But this was not the end—historically, after the outbreak of war, military expenditures would skyrocket several times over.
The peak year for military spending was in 1918, when Germany's military expenditure reached a terrifying 350 billion German marks, equivalent to £17.5 billion. This is why the war would bring immense suffering to the European nations.
If you consider this massive expenditure, it's clear that the war itself would be enough to cripple any nation. As a defeated nation, it was no surprise for the German public to face the reality of bread costing 500,000 marks. The prolonged war and sky-high military spending had already caused the currency to rapidly depreciate in many countries.
Along with the exploitation from other nations and the internal exploitation by capitalists, the seeds of hatred began to sprout among the German people.
Compared to the high military expenditures of the great powers, Australasia's military spending was pitifully small. In 1907, Australasia's entire military budget was just over £4 million. Even with the shipbuilding program launched this year, the total budget would not exceed £8 million.
This highlights the gap between Australasia and the European powers. Australasia's population and economy were still far behind those of the European nations, which limited its potential to become a great power.
As Christmas 1908 approached, a major holiday for Western countries, Australasia also enjoyed a nationwide three-day holiday. The preparations for Christmas at Sydney Palace were grand, with trees and flowers adorning the surrounding squares. Even the statues in front of the palace gleamed brightly under the sun.
Of course, Arthur didn't pay much attention to these preparations, as he had more important news to handle.
After two and a half years of hard work, Queen Mary's belly finally showed signs of activity.
On the eve of Christmas, Arthur received a report from the royal private hospital's doctors—Queen Mary might be pregnant!
This was great news for Arthur, the royal family, and the entire Australasia government and nation. A monarch's heir was crucial to proving the continuity of the dynasty. With Arthur's immense power, officials feared that if the monarchy faltered, the hard work of the nation's years would be wasted.
Arthur took the potential birth of his first son or daughter very seriously. From the moment he received the news, he stayed by Queen Mary's side and called upon all of Australasia's renowned doctors to oversee her care in the royal private hospital.
Under Arthur's efforts, the royal private hospital had already become the most advanced hospital in Australasia, with the finest medical talent. However, Arthur wanted to be extra cautious, and he even started planning to hire experts from major European hospitals, as there was no shortage of funds.
Arthur did not order any concealment of the news. The spreading of this information would boost confidence in the government's work. The people wouldn't have to worry about their contributions to the nation being forgotten after Arthur's reign.
On Christmas Day, Arthur received congratulations from various European countries. Russia and Germany were the quickest to send their well-wishes, as Queen Mary was born into the Russian royal family, and Kaiser Wilhelm II was a cousin to Arthur. Germany and Australasia had strong diplomatic relations.
The congratulations didn't stop at Russia and Germany. The United Kingdom, along with many other European great powers and small nations, also sent their greetings to Australasia. This included nations controlled by the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and other small European monarchies.
After all, it was still a time of monarchy, and given the intricate relationships between the European royal families, Arthur could indeed have ties with most of the European monarchies.
Arthur had high expectations for his potential first son or daughter. Strict traditional aristocratic education and deeper training were inevitable for them.
As a son or daughter of a king, Queen Mary's unborn child would likely only enjoy two to three years of peace before entering a rigorous education program.
Australasia had a good development environment and timing, and Arthur was confident in its potential to become a top-tier power. However, succession to the throne had to be carefully considered. For the development of the country and the continuation of the royal family, it was essential to train a capable heir.
Even if the child was not the heir, Arthur's descendants would represent the royal family's dignity and prestige, and they could not afford to be weak.
Arthur spent a warm Christmas Day with his family, and the officials were considerate enough not to disturb him.
However, starting the day after Christmas, messages of congratulations flooded in. If Arthur hadn't delegated the responses to Kent, his butler, he would have been overwhelmed with greetings all day.
Ever since hearing the news, Kent had been in a constantly smiling mood. The news of Arthur's potential heir was the best news for Kent. It was even more exciting than when Arthur had become the King of Australasia.
Queen Mary was now completely in the royal family's care, with Princess Louise always by her side and more than a dozen maids at her service to ensure she didn't face any exhaustion.
To celebrate, Arthur instructed the Royal Relief Committee to provide at least two pounds of mutton and ten pounds of grain to adult citizens with an annual income under 20 Australian dollars on Christmas Day. For minors, they were given one pound of mutton and one liter of milk.
At present, there were very few people in Australasia with an annual income under 20 Australian dollars. Even with a population of over seven million, there were fewer than 80,000 people who earned under 20 dollars annually. Many of them were elderly and unable to work.
Including the country's minor citizens, the total cost of this charity would not exceed 500,000 Australian dollars, which was a negligible amount for someone like Arthur, whose annual income exceeded 40 million Australian dollars.
Arthur's generosity earned him widespread support from the people of Australasia. Even those who didn't directly benefit from the charity felt a sense of gratitude.
Without Arthur, they knew they wouldn't have the life they had now. In the face of such a compassionate and people-loving monarch, how could they do anything but remain grateful and loyal?
Arthur's popularity among the public was no joke. If anyone dared to speak ill of him on the streets of Australasia, they would surely be met with anger from all around. If the words were serious enough, the person might not even leave Australasia alive.
Should there be any radicals, they were all like turtles hiding their heads in their shells.
Arthur's reputation in Australasia was solid, and if anyone had the misfortune to cross him, the public wouldn't hesitate to send them to God, letting God forgive them.
After Christmas, the atmosphere in Australasia became noticeably more joyful, and the efficiency of the government improved significantly. The entire nation, united and without worries, was dedicating its efforts to the rise of Australasia.
(End of Chapter)
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