Chapter 63: Negotiations with the Head of Office Room
Translator: 549690339 |
On the 18th of December, 1900, it was Arthur and the rest’s second day in the German Empire.
After the lavish banquet the day before, William II had arranged accommodations for Arthur and his party at the Berlin City Palace, complete with luxurious guest rooms and servants.
It was due to these arrangements that, after a night and a morning of rest, Arthur finally regained his energy and began planning the negotiations with
Germany.
The support plan to be discussed with Germany differed from that with Britain; Arthur and William II had already agreed on the general outline of the plan with the German Empire.
All that was left was for the diplomatic mission and the German officials to define the details of the support as well as the manner of cooperation between Australia and Germany, and then negotiations could come to a successful conclusion.
Lunch was delivered by a royal guard and was skillfully prepared by the chef of the German royal family. It was a variety of snacks and main dishes encompassing both German and British flavors.
After a simple lunch, Arthur endeavored to find William II, hoping to advance
the date of their discussions.
Fortunately, the Berlin City Palace was not only the home of the German Royal Family but also the core working place of William II.
In William IPs office, Arthur successfully met with him and Prime Minister Bernhard von Bilo, a trusted advisor of William II.
Bernhard is a renowned German politician and the current Prime Minister of the German Empire and Prussia.
Perhaps his most famous statement, revealing a new foreign expansion policy for Germany, is “Let other nations carve up the continent and the seas, our German era of contentment under the blue sky has passed; we too demand our share of land under the sun.”
Two months prior, after Prince Hohenlohe stepped down, Bernhard took on the position of Prime Minister, becoming the second Prime Minister of Germania at the turn of the 20th century.
“Your Majesty, Prime Minister Bernhard, good afternoon,” Arthur said in greeting.
Before journeying to Germany, Arthur and the officials of the visiting group had done their homework, thus they were well aware of important German officials and the fast-rising new Prime Minister.
“Ha-ha-ha, had a good rest, Arthur? I had intended to find you in the afternoon, but it seems you beat me to it,” William II responded with a laugh meeting Arthur’s salute.
“Good afternoon, Duke,” Prime Minister Bernhard echoed in response.
“I am well-rested, Your Majesty. I believe we can start preparing for the negotiations, hopefully concluding our agreement before Christmas,” Arthur explained with a smile.
Year-end and the new year are significantly important periods for any country, and Australia is no exception.
The official establishment of the Australian Principality was the day when Arthur exchanged territories, which was January 10th, 1900.
Although Arthur could not return to commemorate the day of establishment, preparations were already made for some small-scale celebration activities and gift distribution during this day to enhance the Australian People’s sense of identity with their country.
A crucial event pertains to the annual meeting of the government. Even though the government has not been formed for a year, it is still necessary to have an annual meeting and review.
Arthur has to attend not only the Cabinet Meeting but the government’s annual report as well.
This implies that the delegation’s time was limited; they had to complete the negotiations with Germany before Christmas, celebrate a simple Christmas in Germany, and then embark on the journey back to Australia.
“I was just discussing this matter with Prime Minister Bernhard, Arthur. It’s a good time for you to come, let’s sit down and discuss it,” William II said with an understanding smile.
The German Empire shares a similarity with Australia, as both monarchs retain considerable power.
Especially under the circumstance of Prime Minister Bernhard’s presence, the three’s decision thoroughly represented Germany and Australia.
The trio moved into the conference room adjacent to the office, taking their respective seats.
“Arthur, we foresee a bright future in our relationship with Australia. Germania sincerely wishes to aid Australia’s development,” William II initiated the conversation once they were seated.
“Australia also values our relationship with Germania, Your Majesty,” Arthur responded.
“In that case, I believe we can discuss the substantial part of the aid agreement, and as to the detailed requirements and areas where you might need aid in the future, these matters can be left to the officers to discuss,” William II suggested, nodding and smiling at Arthur.
“With pleasure, Your Majesty,” Arthur laughed lightly as he nodded in agreement to William Il’s suggestion.
If left to the officials to discuss, the negotiations may be extended due to various details.
For William II and Arthur, since they fundamentally tended towards cooperation, spending additional time on negotiations was unnecessary.
As William II and Arthur were essentially capable of deciding the affairs of the German Empire and the Australian Principality, it would be better to directly establish the treaty and delegate the specific matters to the officials.
“Firstly, it’s about the pre-agreed 500 million Mark sponsorship and the 1 billion Mark loan with a low-interest rate. I have already ordered this matter to Germany’s major banks, and the funds can likely be gathered by the new year, before handing them over to you,” William II said with a smile.
The 500 million Mark sponsorship was funded by the German government, and the 1 billion Mark loan was to be raised by Germany’s major banks.
This method would lessen the financial burden of the German government, while also creating revenue for Germany’s major banks. Thus, William II could achieve the result he wanted without any loss.
“No problem, Your Majesty,” Arthur nodded.
The amount of funding had been agreed upon prior to this, gathering funds required time, and Arthur naturally held no objections.
“Next is the issue of resource and industrial equipment aid. I understand that your mineral resources will suffice for your industrial development, so you should not need to import any mineral resources. When it comes to equipment, we’ll have to wait for our industry experts to arrive in Australia to understand the detail, so it’s not within the scope of our current discussion,” William II continued.
Seeing Arthur continue to nod, William II said, “Then it’s about the dispatch of industrial experts. I’ve selected over a hundred experts from various German factories and the military industry sector. They’ll station in Australia for at least five years, providing as much help as they can during that period.” “However, all expenses for these experts need to be covered by Australia. Arthur, do you have a problem with that?” William II enquired with a smile.
“Not at all, Your Majesty. It’s appropriate to cover the expenses of these experts, including their travel and various fees. Australia is more than willing to take on these expenses,” Arthur shook his head as he responded.
The industrial experts dispatched by William II are undoubtedly more capable than those attracted by Australia from Germany on its own.
Investing a small amount of funds to attract talent is effective, even if it’s only for five years in duration. For Arthur and Australia, it’s completely worthwhile..