What issues Nicholas I would discuss at the imperial meeting must be a must-do homework for the imperial ministers who are bent on flattering the emperor. Naturally, the wired telegraph project must be one of the must-answer questions.
So as soon as Nicholas I finished speaking, Duke Oldorf, who was in charge of the project, replied: "Your Majesty, the progress is going very smoothly. The first line to Kronstadt will be opened within the month!"
There were also a bunch of mixed voices rushing to answer:
"The line from St. Petersburg to Moscow is also under planning, and we will strive to complete it within a year!"
"The route to Kiev is also under discussion. I believe you will be able to get information about Kiev in less than two years!"
These enthusiastic voices made Nicholas I very satisfied. He liked to see his courtiers march forward bravely according to the route he planned, the faster the better.
The only thing that made him regretful was that no one told him in advance that the route to Moldavia and Wallachia was also available. Although he really wanted to know the situation of Archduke Constantine as soon as possible, but in that direction
Next is the focus of the empire, which is also a very important factor.
However, Nicholas I also knew not to be too impatient, because compared with Kiev and Moscow, the importance of Moldavia and Wallachia must be in the back. Besides, they are all connected to Kiev, so Moldavia
Asia and Wallachia are not far away either. If Grand Duke Constantine and Alexey are smart enough, they should know how to catch this ride.
Of course, Nicholas I was still a little worried about the precarious national financial problems at this time. Although he seemed to dismiss it when he criticized the Chancellor of Finance before, he actually knew very well that the country's financial problems in recent years still had problems.
The hole in the previous suppression of the Hungarian rebels had not been filled, and then Moldavia was in a mess and had to be stationed with a large army to suppress it. Then in the past few years, he built a few more palaces and conducted several military parades. All in all, it was a waste of money.
There are too many places, but the places where money comes from have not increased, leaving the national treasury unable to make ends meet.
Now we have to prepare for the use of troops against Turkey, and we have to build a cable telegraph project, especially since the latter is not at all in the previous planning. Once this project spreads too much, the money will be spent like water and it will be over.
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But Nicholas I couldn't say at the imperial council not to engage in wire telegraphy, because he had just suppressed the conservatives' troubles. Once he showed a little lack of attention or wanted to save money, those guys would think that
He lost interest in wire telegraphy, and then...
What happened next, Nicholas I knew very well that for these conservatives, as long as he, the tsar, was not active, they would become even more slack.
Nicholas I didn't want the wired telegraph project to have another setback just after it got off to a good start, so he could only temporarily suppress his desire to save money and didn't say much. He just said lightly: "That's very difficult."
Well, I hope to hear good news soon!"
For these imperial ministers, observing Nicholas I's emotional changes was the most basic homework. They could feel that Nicholas I's mood was not particularly high. It seemed that the progress of the cable telegraph project did not make him particularly happy.
?
This discovery made a group of old foxes murmur in their hearts, because they couldn't figure out why Nicholas I was in a low mood. Was it because his enthusiasm for the cable telegraph project gradually disappeared, or was he dissatisfied with the progress not being fast enough?
No matter which possibility it is, it is not a good thing for these old fritters. If it is the former, it means that their early investment will be wasted, and if it is the latter, it means that they have to increase their investment. But
Now that the treasury is out of money, it can’t afford such trouble!
It's not that these old foxes care about the country, but they know very well what Nicholas I will do once the treasury runs out of money. According to the general routine, they try to collect more taxes to fill the hole, but once they have to collect more taxes, they
Can people run away?
At that time, the wool came from the sheep. These old foxes were not interested in spending their own money to help Nicholas I build a cable telegraph, so they actually hoped that Nicholas I would do whatever was allowed by the treasury and never get involved.
!
It's just that they didn't dare to express these emotions openly, let alone test Nicholas I's true intentions at this moment. Otherwise, they would not be stupid if they made Nicholas I mistakenly think that they did not want to contribute to the cable telegraph project.
What’s up!
So the situation at the scene was a bit strange. Nicholas I was afraid that his ministers would not try their best, so he did not dare to speak clearly, and his good ministers were afraid of upsetting him and did not dare to speak clearly. The two groups were hiding
I understand that pretending to be confused is extremely funny.
But this has nothing to do with Count Uvarov, because he doesn't want to care about the cable telegraph at all. He can't go against Nicholas I's will. He can't summarize this project. The only thing he can do is not to participate. But today
Since the topic of wired telegraphy was mentioned, he could use it to attack Baryatinsky and his gang.
"Your Majesty, if the cable telegraph project is rolled out on a large scale, it may consume too much money. Now that the national treasury is tight, I think we still need to be cautious!"
As soon as Uvarov's voice came out, everyone's expressions changed. Nicholas I looked at him very displeased, while others either looked at him with horror, or waited with gloating.
Read the joke.
Yes, everyone, including Nicholas I, thought that Uvarov was going to try to end the cable telegraph project again.
It's just that Uvarov didn't actually mean this, or he really wanted to do it, but he knew it was impossible. The purpose of what he said was actually very simple, that is, the drunkard's intention was not to drink!
Sure enough, before Nicholas I and others could react, Uvarov said again: "I think if the wired telegraph project must be carried out, it might as well attract private capital first, for example, let the person in charge of each line bear the responsibility first.
Construction costs will be uniformly allocated after the national finances are relieved!"
Well, this suggestion made many people look very ugly, because if this suggestion is passed, it means that they need to spend their own money to buy the happiness of Nicholas I. This is completely contrary to their original intention
.
After all, their original plan was to use the country's money to make a profit for themselves and then make Nicholas I happy. This is almost a business with no capital and only a fool would not do it!
But if Uvarov's suggestion is passed, they will have to pay for it themselves. Although they can still make Nicholas I happy, is the price too high?