Chapter 132
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Give and Take
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The ceremony for my investiture as the Duke of Kent-Dublin proceeded smoothly, without any particular incidents.
From the start, Victoria had intended to forgo a grand event, inviting only members of the royal family and key figures from Parliament to conclude the ceremony.
Of course, not a single voice was raised in objection to my being granted a dual dukedom.
Ireland, naturally, welcomed it with open arms, and even in England, the sentiment was that it was a matter of course, so there were no obstacles to speak of.
Parliament, in particular, showed no reaction, as they were already busy discussing what additional rewards to bestow upon me should I achieve great success in Canada.
To be precise, they had become yes-men, warily eyeing the Queen and shouting “Okay!” to whatever she proposed.
Considering they couldn't even utter a word of protest when she openly expressed her displeasure at a meeting before the investiture, one can only imagine how intimidated they must have been.
In the current situation, even if Victoria were to openly state that Parliament seemed incompetent, it would be difficult to call it political interference.
After all, it was Parliament that had essentially asked me to take on more work.
Had I been a prince or the King's uncle, like the Duke of Sussex, it wouldn't have been much of an issue. But I was the Prince Consort, newly married to the Queen.
What is the most important duty for a Queen and her Prince Consort at this stage?
It is, of course, to put forth their best efforts to ensure the next monarch is born as quickly as possible.
Yet, here I was, in the first year of our marriage, potentially wandering through the Canadian wilderness. It was no wonder the Queen’s mood was so foul.
The moment Victoria officially stated, “I am so worried about my husband going to Canada when we don’t even have a child yet,” the blame would inevitably fall squarely on Parliament.
The newspapers, always on the lookout for someone to tear apart, would never miss such an opportunity.
That was why no one could raise an objection, even when Victoria declared she would follow me to Canada.
Parliament, especially burdened by the mess they'd made themselves, was frantically arranging schedules, summoning ministers, the First Sea Lord, and army field marshals every day in an attempt to manage the situation.
“We must calculate every possible variable that could arise during Her Majesty the Queen’s journey to Canada and prepare countermeasures for them all.”
“Wouldn’t the biggest variable be the transatlantic crossing itself? Once she arrives in Canada, there should be no further issues. We can simply transfer her attendants and medical staff there.”
“What if Her Majesty’s health falters during the Atlantic crossing?”
“How long does it currently take to cross the Atlantic by steamship? Three weeks?”
“With the latest steamship, it’s possible to arrive in about a fortnight.”
Considering it used to take nearly six to eight weeks during the age of sail, the current schedule was not overwhelmingly difficult.
However, that was only true for those accustomed to sea voyages.
For a lady of such noble birth as Victoria, spending a full two weeks on a ship was not as easy as it sounded.
The farthest she had ever traveled by sea was from London to the south of Ireland. And now, a transatlantic crossing.
What if she suddenly fell ill in the middle of the Atlantic?
“Your Royal Highness, what was it like when you first traveled to Asia by ship?”
“As for me, I had traveled by ship from there even as a child, so while it was difficult, it was bearable. Still, the journey to Canada is nothing compared to going to Asia. It’s far less strenuous and quite manageable. However, since this will be Her Majesty’s first long voyage, we must prepare with the utmost care.”
“For now, shouldn’t we ensure a full medical team is on board and secure the largest possible space for Her Majesty so she doesn’t feel confined? And if we slightly modify the ship’s structure to allow for ample leisure activities, I believe she could comfortably spend two weeks at sea.”
“However, gentlemen, that is not what we truly need to be concerned about.”
Why were they discussing how to eliminate variables while pushing the most important matter to the side?
Gladstone, who had been diligently listing various possibilities with the First Sea Lord, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Are you suggesting there is something that must be considered with more priority than Her Majesty’s health?”
“It’s a matter directly related to her health. What should we do if a child is conceived between Her Majesty and myself while we are in Canada?”
“Ah…”
The mouths of Gladstone and all the other members present fell open in unison.
Their inner thoughts of ‘why didn't we think of that’ were so transparent it was almost comical.
Then again, with the person in question right in front of them, perhaps their minds hadn't ventured in that direction.
“Wait, if that were to truly happen, the stay in Canada would have to be extended…”
“Precisely. Therefore, you must always keep in mind that the duration could be longer.”
In this era, the medical understanding and guidelines regarding pregnancy were, of course, vastly different from those of the 21st century.
However, it was common knowledge that long-distance travel was not good for an expectant mother, and this was especially true for the Queen of this nation.
Upon hearing my words, Wellesley’s lips twitched as if a certain possibility had occurred to him, but when I showed no reaction, he closed his mouth.
The word I had mentioned before—war—must have flashed through his mind.
The Queen of the British Empire is staying in Canada, and a war breaks out nearby?
A situation that might even embroil Canada itself, and what if the Queen is pregnant?
Even I could imagine the kind of dizzying overreaction that would follow, which, for me, could become an even greater opportunity.
Even so, I couldn't keep such a momentous matter from my wife.
I told Victoria, who was insistent on following me to Canada, that a war might break out, but she dismissed my concerns with a single sentence.
“If a war really does happen, isn’t it better for you that I’m there?”
Even if war broke out, its effects were unlikely to reach where Victoria would be staying. And if there were any real possibility of that, the world’s most powerful Royal Navy Grand Fleet would lay waste to the entire region.
Should negotiations become necessary later, Victoria’s mere presence would exert immense pressure.
We could issue a veiled threat: the Queen, currently pregnant with the heir, is in residence, so expect no concessions.
When Her Majesty the Queen’s will was so clear, what objection could I possibly raise?
I could only watch with a contented smile as Parliament finalized the itinerary for Victoria’s Canadian tour.
***
“I recently heard that you may be going to Canada. My sincerest congratulations.”
“I’m not sure if it’s an occasion for congratulations, but thank you nonetheless.”
“It is indeed. Though you have stepped down from your ministerial post, this is proof that there is no one who can replace Your Royal Highness, isn’t it?”
Before leaving for Canada, it was imperative to resolve all pending matters in the home country.
Fortunately, the issue with Russia, which I had wanted to conclude decisively, no longer required any unnecessary effort on my part, as Nesselrode himself had come to see me.
For a man of his stature, the Russian Foreign Minister, to visit twice in such a short period was unprecedented, but it only showed how urgent their situation was.
“By the way, I was under the impression that Your Royal Highness had stepped down as Foreign Secretary. Why then did the Prime Minister suggest I speak with you?”
“The cabinet is currently searching for a new minister. And it was decided that for the sake of a smooth transition, I should be the one to conclude the matters I was previously handling. So, I am reluctantly managing a few important agendas.”
“Ah, I see. Your Royal Highness must be going through a great deal.”
The matter concerning Russia was something the British Empire had reached a social consensus on to prioritize above all else.
On this, at least, the Tory and Whig parties were in near-unanimous agreement, so there were no objections to me handling it.
Besides, it was only a temporary role until my successor was appointed.
“However, for you, the minister, to come in person without going through the ambassador, it must be a matter of considerable importance… Shall we get to the point?”
“Yes. I imagine Your Royal Highness has little time to spare, so I hope we can conclude our discussions as quickly as possible. In truth, despite your words, I trust you already know what we desire.”
“You’re referring to the conversation we had before the wedding.”
At this point in time, there weren't many issues grave enough to bring the Russian minister here.
The fact that the exact topic wasn't disclosed beforehand meant it required strict security to keep it from the ears of others.
A topic that satisfied both conditions could only be…
“Is Russia finally planning to make a serious move into the Maritime Province?”
“Yes. I mentioned before that we should arrange a proper meeting to discuss it, didn't I? I’ve come in haste because I believe we must reach a firm conclusion now. Once Your Royal Highness leaves for Canada, you will truly step away from practical duties, which would leave us no choice but to start negotiations from scratch with a new official.”
The British Empire made a habit of challenging Russia's territorial expansion at every turn, so even if a piece of land was tantalizingly ripe for the taking, they couldn't just seize it.
Planting a flag on unclaimed land was one thing, but if the land had a clear owner, Britain could always intervene under the pretext of aiding them.
However, since I hadn't shown any noticeable opposition to Russia taking the Maritime Province in our previous conversation, they must have judged there was room for dialogue.
That’s undoubtedly why they wanted to settle this matter as quickly as possible, before my successor was appointed.
Although it would be something akin to a secret pact, whether a secret pact or a formal treaty, as long as our interests aligned, there would be no problem.
I, too, felt the need to come to an agreement with Russia sooner rather than later to complete the picture I had in mind.
The conflict between the British Empire and Russia, the Great Game, was bound to intensify with the passage of time.
Its peak was the Crimean War, and by then, they would never agree to my demands.
But at this moment, while relations between the British Empire and Russia were by no means good, they weren't yet at the point of tearing each other apart.
In other words, if our interests aligned, a suitable compromise and a give-and-take were possible.
“You won’t be stopping at a simple advance, so the ultimate goal is to completely occupy the Maritime Province, correct?”
“Yes. Contrary to the concerns of many European nations, Russia’s occupation of the Maritime Province is unlikely to pose a substantial threat to them. Even if we were to build up our navy, to return to Europe from there, we would have to travel nearly halfway around the globe.”
“That is certainly true. However, the Maritime Province is not ownerless land; it is clearly the territory of the Qing Dynasty. To occupy it, you would have to go to war with the Qing. Do you have a pretext for that?”
“A pretext can always be created. The problem is that your country or France might seize the opportunity to intervene.”
From the Qing Dynasty's perspective, although they had fought a war with Britain, if Russia were to wage war with the intent of seizing territory, they would have no choice but to take the hand Britain extended.
And Britain, in most situations, would never enter such a fray alone.
They would make full use of the beautiful European tradition of ganging up on the successful, and form an allied force.
For the other allied nations, helping the Qing to beat down Russia would be a win-win: they could weaken Russia and use it as an excuse to sign treaties with the Qing.
Russia knew this better than anyone, which was why they couldn't easily make a move on the Maritime Province.
“In other words, you wish for us not to intervene. I trust you are not suggesting we simply stand by without any conditions.”
“Does that mean you are willing to remain neutral if the conditions are right?”
“Of course.”
Frankly speaking, the Maritime Province was land we couldn't take for ourselves and that they were bound to seize eventually.
It wasn't costing me anything, so wouldn't it be foolish not to use it as a valuable bargaining chip?
Russia gaining a stable port would be a threat?
The benefits I could gain from this were a million times greater, so I didn't care.
I spread out a large map and pointed to a region I had been eyeing for some time.
“You may push down to the Maritime Province. In return, you will cede this area to us.”