Chapter 1223 Punishment (Part 2)

Chapter 1223 Punishment (Part 2)

Duke Uvarov's words "total embargo" shocked everyone.

A total embargo is a very extreme measure, usually a double-edged sword that hurts the enemy by a thousand and hurts oneself by eight hundred.

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The continental blockade policy that Napoleon used against Britain is the best example. Napoleon hoped to "control the sea with land", but the result was the opposite of what he wanted. Not only did he fail to conquer the ocean, but he also destroyed his own empire.

If Russia imposed a trade embargo on Britain at this time, no one would doubt that Russia would follow in the footsteps of Napoleon's empire.

As soon as Duke Uvarov finished speaking, someone jumped out to oppose it.

"Are you crazy? Duke, who should we sell our wood to if not to the British? Do you want our wood to rot at home?"

"Yes! If a comprehensive embargo is implemented, our fur business will also be affected. Britain is the largest customer of our fur business!"

"We also need to import machinery from Britain. If there is no British steam engine, the workers will not be willing to start work."

In fact, Russia could also produce steam engines at that time. After all, the principle was not very complicated, but its quality control was not very good, and some unexpected problems often occurred.

The most important thing was that the production cost could not be reduced. Even if it was purchased from Britain and sent to St. Petersburg, it was still cheaper than the steam engines produced by Russia itself.

As for the workers' unwillingness to start work, it was completely nonsense. Although the British factories were inhumane, the Russian factories were actually not much worse.

"If Britain doesn't do business with us, we will be the only ones who lose. They can import goods from other countries and sell them to other countries."

"Yes! The British have many colonies, and we only have Siberia! Doing this is completely a dead end!"

The public sentiment in the court was surging, but Duke Uvarov remained calm. Nicholas I couldn't help but wonder how the former would deal with it.

"You are right, my lords. If it were in the past, then our country's embargo on Britain would be tantamount to seeking death.

But now it is different. Britain is in an economic crisis at this time, and the import volume has obviously decreased. On the contrary, it is still dumping their inventory to our country.

Now many of the goods sold to us by the British are long-squeezed inventory, or even obsolete products. Recently, there have been more and more accidents caused by steam engines, and you should have noticed it."

"So what? We can take this opportunity to buy more now, and save money."

Count Stotre's words aroused a voice of echo.

Historically, when it comes to Russian nobles, it seems that people can only think of stingy landlords like Old Goriot, but in fact, most of the early factories in Russia were opened by nobles.

First, the nobles are rich. Second, the status and power of the nobles can also protect the factories and reduce troubles. After all, Russian officials are notoriously greedy.

Another counterintuitive fact is that the Russian royal family was actually the first force in Russia to promote industrialization reforms.

Both Peter I and Catherine II were supporters of industrialization, and their attitudes towards foreign things were completely opposite to those of Kang Mazi and Gan Xiaosi.

Duke Uvarov was very disdainful of Count Stotre's words.

"This era is changing with each passing day, and some of us are still complacent about buying industrial waste that has been eliminated by other countries. It's really sad!

In the past, the Austrian steam engine was also shabby, but now it is almost the same as the British one. my country should take this opportunity to study our own steam engine instead of letting other countries plunder our wool!

Similarly, our flax, wool, and cotton should not be sold abroad. We should set up factories to produce clothes, cotton cloth, and hemp ropes, and keep the profits in our country!"

In fact, there was a very strange phenomenon in Russia at that time, that is, primary products such as flax and fur were sold abroad, and then clothes, hemp ropes, cloth and other goods were bought back from abroad.

Independent research and development, this one is very much in line with the Tsar's wishes. In fact, he had wanted to do this for a long time, but there were many people who opposed it every time, and it ended up in vain.

"Good!" The Tsar immediately made a decision. He couldn't wait to see the day when Russia could be self-sufficient without having to seek help from other countries.

The scene where the embargo caused the nobles to rob Britain like beggars and hooligans left him with an indelible shadow.

Uvarov's words also aroused the national pride of some Russian officials. In fact, no one does not want their country to be strong and prosperous. If possible, Russians are willing to support domestic products.

But those pro-British factions and compradors who are highly tied to Britain are livid. They all think that Duke Uvarov and the Tsar are crazy.

Russia cannot lose Britain. If it loses Britain, it will be like a banker losing the sun. Russia can only become a second-rate country.

At this time, the pro-Austrian faction in the Russian court became restless.

"Your Majesty, the quality of goods in the Austrian Empire is actually not inferior to that of Britain. The former is our ally. The British are not irreplaceable."

"That's right! We can increase trade with the German Confederation to make up for the loss."

"Recently, the demand for timber in the German region is strong. It has become our second largest timber exporter."

Due to the demand for shared colonies and exiled Jews in Germany, as well as the development of tourism, the shipbuilding industry in the German region has been greatly stimulated.

In recent years, the economy in Germany has been improving, and people's demand for large furniture has been increasing. The development of commodity trade, especially the development of the grain and beer industries, has also driven the barrel making industry.

At that time, there was no plastic, and the price of iron was too expensive, and it was not suitable for storing some goods, so the main container at that time was wooden barrels.

Its consumption of wood once exceeded that of the shipbuilding industry, and another major consumable industry was the papermaking industry. Especially after Austria began compulsory education, the entire German region followed suit, and the result was that the prices of paper, lead, and ink all rose.

"Yes! At this time, Austria is our largest exporter and the second largest importer, and the German Confederation will definitely fill the gap in Britain!"

Nicholas I's brows also relaxed, and all problems seemed to have been solved.

At this time, Duke Uvarov changed the subject again.

"Britain is in the midst of a great famine, and the focus of the embargo is on food rather than other things. As long as we seize this lifeline, we will not be afraid that the British will not surrender."

"Your Excellency, you are wrong. If the British do not import food from us, they can import it from other countries. How can we blockade them?"

"No, I have a data showing that the proportion of food imported by Britain from my country has been rising since 1848, and now accounts for 55% of imported food.

The second is the United States 25%, and the rest is imported from distant colonies.

If we suddenly impose an embargo on Britain, bulk goods such as food are no different from other goods. At that time, they will be in a mess and suffer heavy losses.

The ideal situation is that the uprising in Ireland will become as difficult to deal with as the rebellions in Poland and Hungary."