"This old bastard, he keeps saying the same thing every time, and he does it perfunctorily every time, damn old eunuch!"
Needless to say, Grand Duke Constantine lost again in this struggle. His plan to comprehensively develop a new navy was once again completely rejected by Menshikov. In the end, only one 2,000-ton ship was left in the ambitious construction plan.
The so-called Royal Cruiser class survived.
What is a Royal Cruiser?
In fact, it was a poorly armed steam yacht. Its main purpose was not to fight wars, but to serve as a ship for Nicholas I to review the navy and travel abroad. To put it bluntly, it was just a high-end royal toy.
Grand Duke Constantine fought hard for such a flashy thing, and only after receiving the support of his father Nicholas I did Menshikov agree to fund it. As for other construction plans for battleships and large cruisers, they were all stillborn.
, even preliminary research is not allowed. Menshikov’s reason is that this requires consultation with foreign shipbuilding companies, which costs a lot of money, and the Navy does not have that much money.
Does the Navy really have no money?
It must be false, but most of the shipbuilding funds have been allocated to old sailing battleships. A large battleship with three decks and a hundred 18-pound and 20-pound cannons is Menshikov's favorite. As for steam ships
, to hell with it!
"What's the use of those old antiques!" Grand Duke Constantine was still venting his anger, "Does he think it's still 1804!"
In a sense, veterans like Menshikov are still stuck in 1804. The war model they are familiar with and understand is still so retro and traditional. They know nothing about new technologies and new tactics.
"Unfortunately, we lack convincing evidence!"
After venting his anger, Grand Duke Constantine was very discouraged. Russia did not even have an entry-level level in steam engine technology. When Britain, France and even Prussia were starting to build railways, Russia was sleeping. Can you believe it?
By 1847, the vast country of Russia had only one pitiful railway line with a total length of 37 kilometers!
And this is not so much a railway as it is a big toy of the Tsar. Because this railway only serves the Tsar and the royal family, its main purpose is to carry the Tsar and his family from St. Petersburg to Tsarskoye Selo and Gatchina for vacation.
Most of this railway is idle. Nicholas I had no love for trains as a means of transportation and could not see its potential huge military and economic value.
This is true even for railways, let alone ships. The dignitaries of Nicholas I were not interested in any new gadgets and only wanted to maintain the glorious tradition of Russia. Even if this so-called tradition was completely outdated and backward, as long as there was no
People used new weapons to beat them all over their heads, and they refused to accept the reality that they were already far behind.
"We must strengthen publicity to let more people see the great value of steam engines!"
Grand Duke Constantine said this. But it is easier said than done. It is precisely because of Russia's backwardness in the first industrial revolution that the Russian academic world is very closed. Not many people understand steam engines and boilers, and then there is nothing
International influence. However, the Russian elites are old-fashioned and proud, and they cannot listen to the teachings of foreign authorities, thinking that they are all tricks of foreigners to cheat money.
At this moment, Grand Duke Constantine hoped that some Russians could help him, otherwise the millions of rubles he had invested before would be in vain.
Yes, there is a reason why Grand Duke Constantine was so vigorously campaigning for steam ships. Three years ago, he invested in a new steel plant and a boiler and steam engine factory to produce the steel and boiler turbines needed to build steam ships.
equipment.
Last year, the two factories were completed and put into operation, but sales have been very few in the past year. The rolled rails can barely make some gruel on the Tsarskoe Selo Railway, while the boiler equipment and steam engines are basically ignored.
Millions of wealth are about to be wasted. Do you think Grand Duke Constantine can avoid getting angry? Previously, he was planning to use the power in his hands to find a way in the navy budget. As long as he can build three or four new steamships,
His steel factory, boiler factory and steam engine factory can at least continue to sustain themselves, if not make huge profits.
But now it's completely messed up by the bastard Menshikov. How many iron plates can a royal yacht sell? How many boilers and steam engines can it sell? This amount is too small!
"Why don't you go to His Majesty to find a solution?" Nikolai Milyutin suggested.
Grand Duke Constantine replied dejectedly: "It's useless, that royal yacht was approved by my father, otherwise Menshikov would not even agree to this."
"Then can we do some work with the big private shipping merchants and the big mining aristocrats?"
Grand Duke Constantine sighed again: "I have tried it. Those old profiteers and old fritters are all very cunning. I will only consider ordering if I agree to their harsh conditions. I can't accept this kind of blackmail!"
It can only be said that Russia's backwardness is all-round. Merchants and nobles are rejecting new ships and machines that are expensive and require higher maintenance. Anyway, they have a lot of serfs who have to work hard to eat, so the cost is low
, why need any expensive machines?
Those few who are interested in Grand Duke Constantine's suggestions are not here for the machine, but hope that the powerful Grand Duke Constantine will open a way for them. Either they ask to promote a few disciples, or they directly ask someone
Official position is tantamount to a disguised transaction of power and money.
It was not that Grand Duke Constantine was absolutely incorruptible, but the other party's asking price was too high, far beyond his psychological expectations, which made him feel that it was not cost-effective. So the matter ended in a stalemate.
Nikolai Milyutin suggested again: "Can we find a way to export it? Sweden, Denmark and Prussia have a lot of demand for steel, right?"
Grand Duke Constantine was on the verge of tears: "They said the quality of my factory's products was average, the price was too expensive and our country's tariffs were too high..."
Nikolai Milyutin sighed in his heart. In fact, he liked and was optimistic about Grand Duke Constantine, but sometimes the Grand Duke lacked foresight and was too impulsive. At that time, he felt that the steel plant and the boiler and steam engine factory had a future.
, and immediately went big without any care.
As a result, the quality and output of the products in the factory are very average, the production cycle is extremely long, and the scrap rate is extremely high. Naturally, the cost is high and the price is high. It is normal for them to be unable to compete with similar foreign products.
This made Milyutin scratch his head a little. He didn't know what to do. Should he advise Grand Duke Constantine to sell the factory and stop losses as soon as possible?
Just when Nikolai Milyutin and Grand Duke Constantine were relatively speechless, Dmitry Milyutin rushed in excitedly. He raised the newspaper in his hand and said happily: "Your Excellency, Grand Duke, look, quickly.