Chapter 133
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Take What You Can Get
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Primorsky Krai, or Primorye as it’s known in Russia, was a strategic region that Russia couldn't help but drool over.
It wasn't just about gaining a port with direct access to the sea.
Its very geography wrapped around the northeastern border of the Qing Dynasty, and to the southwest, it bordered Joseon via the Tumen River.
What could be the geopolitical value of a place that could serve as a bridgehead for Russia's maritime expansion while also keeping both its neighbors in check?
It's not for nothing that the prevailing theory, even in the original history, was that if Russia hadn't acquired Primorsky Krai during the Second Opium War, it would have seized it by force.
Most intellectuals had predicted that if the recent war between the Qing and the British Empire had dragged on just a little longer, Russia would have intervened.
I imagine there were more than a few voices in Russia lamenting that, had they known how weak the Qing were, they should have allied with Britain and attacked long ago.
But now, with Britain promising not to interfere even if they took that land, Nesselrode couldn't help but be tempted.
He would likely be willing to agree to almost any condition.
Of course, that was only if the condition was ‘reasonable.’
“Please, wait a moment. That place is a bit…”
“Is it too much to ask?”
“Of course, it is. Alaska is an immensely valuable territory! To ask for it is an excessive demand!”
Nesselrode’s face contorted into a frown, his composure slipping as he looked where my finger was pointing.
It was a natural reaction to a proposal so audacious it bordered on outright robbery.
“If Primorsky Krai were British territory, I might understand. A territorial exchange would be perfectly acceptable. But Primorsky Krai is unequivocally Qing territory. To ask for Alaska in exchange for simply turning a blind eye to its acquisition makes no sense.”
If Alaska fell into British hands, the British Empire could establish military bases there and openly target Russia.
The disparity in military power that could be mobilized in the Americas was so vast that it was a waste of time to even discuss, meaning Russia would inevitably feel a direct threat.
“But Minister, consider this. We are readily conceding Primorsky Krai because we anticipate it will one day become Russian territory anyway. The same applies to Alaska. I trust you are aware that Canada is continuously expanding westward. If we are not careful, a conflict between Russia and the British Empire could erupt over that region, and I’m sure you know how that would end.”
“...That may be so, but…”
As I said, if a conflict arose over Primorsky Krai, the ultimate victor would most likely be Russia.
But if a fight broke out over Alaska, 99 times out of 100, the British Empire would emerge victorious.
One might look at a map and think that since Russia and Alaska are close, sending reinforcements would be simple, but Russia's main forces are concentrated around Moscow.
Sending an army from Moscow to Alaska would be a journey as long as sending troops from the Korean peninsula to Baghdad.
The problem was that a route through the Arctic was out of the question, leaving only the land route.
If there were railways, it might be a different story, but given Russia's current economy and technology, a trans-Siberian railway was nothing but a pipe dream. There was no solution.
On the other hand, our population in Canada was growing at a frightening pace, so we wouldn't even need to send an army.
Even in the original history, Russia sold Alaska to the United States because it was land they would inevitably lose to Britain. Now, the United States lacked the capacity to absorb that land, while Canada was expanding by the minute.
A cool-headed calculation would make the answer obvious, wouldn't it?
No matter how you look at it, if they could trade Alaska for Primorsky Krai, it would be more beneficial for Russia.
Of course, asking for it for free was blatant robbery, so they were bound to resist, but negotiations always start with a high bid.
“I’m sure Russia finds it absurd that we’re making a show of generosity with land that isn't even ours. But naturally, since we are making a pact, we will not be careless. For instance, if France attempts to interfere in this matter, we will decisively stop them. And if the war escalates beyond what is necessary, we will take responsibility and mediate with the Qing. Of course, this mediation would be premised on the cession of Primorsky Krai to Russia.”
“Hoh…”
Nesselrode’s sour expression finally relaxed a bit.
Under these conditions, Russia could secure Primorsky Krai without any unforeseen variables.
If Britain prevented French intervention, no one else in Europe would dare challenge Russia's move.
And if Britain mediated in Russia's favor, the Qing would have no choice but to accept.
“But to hand over Alaska, even so…”
“Then let’s do this. Instead of simply handing over Alaska, we will purchase it at a fair price. That way, Russia will have acquired Primorsky Krai at virtually no cost, wouldn’t you agree?”
“A sale… I suppose the price would be important.”
In the original history, Russia sold Alaska to the United States for a mere 7.2 million gold dollars.
Even considering the prices of the time, it was a considerable bargain, but Canada and the United States had often acquired territory for such cheap prices.
Working backward, 7.2 million dollars at the time was a little over 1.4 million pounds. Factoring in twenty years of inflation… let’s see.
“How does 1.2 million pounds sound? I think that’s appropriate.”
“No, that’s far too little…”
To be honest, even I thought it was a bit of a lowball.
7.2 million dollars back then would be worth about 3 trillion won today, but converting it to pounds, which were incredibly strong at the time, brought the price down to about 230 billion won. What a drop.
But what can you do? This is an era where the British Empire reigns supreme, and the pound’s value is absolute.
“It is not a low price. With 1.2 million pounds, you could build the Liverpool-Manchester railway six more times. To be able to sell land you cannot even defend for such a price—wouldn’t that be a tremendous gain?”
“Still, 1.2 million pounds is too little.”
“Then how about 1.3 million pounds?”
“Let’s make it 1.5 million pounds.”
“1.35 million pounds. Let’s compromise there. In return, we will discreetly pass on intelligence we’ve gathered that could aid in your occupation of Primorsky Krai. Wouldn’t that be worth more than 150,000 pounds?”
Nesselrode fell silent for a moment, stroking his chin.
I could practically hear the gears turning furiously in his head. What a cheerful sound.
“By intelligence, what exactly do you mean?”
“Valuable combat data. We’ve compiled quite a bit of it from our war with the Qing. It will be of great help.”
“That is indeed a tempting offer. 1.35 million pounds for Alaska… frankly, it’s a pittance, but if we can secure Primorsky Krai without issue…”
“It’s not just that. Once Alaska is in our hands, we will have eliminated a definite seed of future conflict. Honestly, how long must our two nations continue to wear down our strength with these pointless war of nerves? Isn't it time we aimed for a more productive relationship?”
“That is true. I agree.”
Of course, no matter how much I spouted this rhetoric, as long as Russia didn't abandon its ambitions, the Crimean War was inevitable unless relations between Russia and the Ottomans improved.
When that time came, Britain and France would have no choice but to join the fray, but that was more than a decade away. Not my problem.
When the time came, I wouldn't hesitate to smash their heads in, but for now, laughing and exchanging pleasantries as if we could be friends—isn't that what politics is all about?
And though I didn't say it out loud, Russia's occupation of Primorsky Krai meant that Joseon would fall within Russia's sphere of influence.
And was it only Joseon?
Japan, too, would feel the threat of a Russian advance and be pressured to do something.
Especially since I had subtly hinted to both nations that Russia might be coming down to Primorsky Krai, they would be on high alert the moment it actually happened.
In the long run, Russia's advance into Primorsky Krai would provide the British Empire with a good pretext to firmly plant its stake in Northeast Asia.
And if I could gobble up Alaska in the process, it would be a perfect case of killing two birds with one stone.
“When we can resolve matters so peacefully through negotiation, what reason is there to fight? From the Napoleonic Wars in the distant past to the recent Eastern Crisis in Egypt, we have been comrades in arms, shedding blood on the same side. I hope that we can continue to reach agreements that satisfy us both.”
“I would like that as well, but Your Highness has stepped down from your position, have you not? It is a shame that today will be the last time we meet in this capacity.”
“Indeed, it is. Nevertheless, our British Empire is a peace-lov… *cough!* a peace-loving nation, so I am certain my successor will be someone who shares your views, Minister.”
With the agreement reached, it was time for a session of mutual back-patting, a festival of flattery.
Even as I said it, the nonsense felt absurd, but seeing the other side go on about ‘Russia, a nation of peace that loves peace,’ any pangs of conscience I might have felt quickly vanished.
So this is why engaging in politics and diplomacy makes one grow ever more shameless.
In any case, with this, I had successfully laid claim to Alaska, one of the American continent's treasure troves of resources.
The problem was that voices might be raised questioning whether it was right to pay 1.35 million pounds, even at a bargain price, and turn a blind eye to Russia's occupation of Primorsky Krai.
It would be best to deal with that before any such nonsense could start.
***
“What? You agreed to turn a blind eye to Russia taking this area in exchange for purchasing Alaska?”
As expected, when I laid out the map and explained, Wellesley shot me a look that screamed he thought I had finally lost my mind.
“It was a worthwhile deal. With this, the entire northern part of North America has fallen into the grasp of our British Empire.”
“That may be, but the question is whether it was worth paying a hefty sum of 1.35 million pounds and tolerating Russia’s expansion to the sea.”
“Geopolitically, Russia’s acquisition of Primorsky Krai is an inevitability that was bound to happen sooner or later.”
If we nurtured the Qing and Joseon well, we might be able to stop it, but I couldn't find a reason to do so, so that was out of the question.
“Hmm… After all this time trying to check Russia and prevent them from acquiring a warm-water port, won’t this provoke a huge backlash?”
“We must not be shortsighted; we must look to the greater future. Russia's acquisition of Primorsky Krai will, in fact, become a medium through which our British Empire can easily project its influence onto the Qing and other Northeast Asian nations. If the opposition party voices dissent, please persuade them with that argument.”
“That may be so, but what about the payment for Alaska? I think people would rather see another railway built on the mainland than buy that frozen shithole.”
The fact that Alaska was a treasure trove of resources was somewhat known even in the mid-19th century.
Even Russia knew that Alaska held many resources.
But they didn't know the exact extent, and naturally, Britain at this time had no way of knowing either.
When one thinks of Alaska's resources, oil usually comes to mind, but that wasn't particularly important right now.
In the 21st century, oil was as good as gold, but now, no matter how much oil gushed out, how many people would truly understand its value?
Of course, even without oil, Alaska's value was impossible to measure in monetary terms.
It held vast reserves of iron ore, currently considered the most important resource, and its coal deposits were the largest in the world.
On top of that, gold—the best bait to lure immigrants—was set to pour out of the ground.
By the early 21st century, nearly 1,000 tons of gold had been mined in Alaska. Wouldn't that be more than enough to spark a gold rush?
But of course, there was no need to reveal this fact just yet.
Even if I did, if someone asked how I knew, I wouldn't have a good excuse.
“The 1.35 million pounds will be raised from the private sector.”
“What? What kind of fool would throw their own money at buying that frozen wasteland?”
“I’m sure we can find some. We’ll solicit investors with the condition that if resources are discovered there, a portion of the mining rights will be guaranteed to them. If it really comes to it, I’ll just take all the blame myself.”
“Hmm… No matter how I think about it, this seems like a bit of a gamble. Who would be foolish enough to throw money away on land like that?”
Sorry, but there's at least one foolish person I know for sure.
Right here.
As Wellesley said, it would be a disaster if someone else got their hands on that ‘wasteland,’ so I was going to buy it all myself.
As soon as the public offering was announced, I would have James bid the full purchase price.
I could now easily afford 1.35 million pounds on my own. Money is meant to be used at times like this.
For the mere price of building the Liverpool-Manchester railway six times over, I could acquire a massive share of the mining rights to the resources buried in Alaska.
A wasteland like this? I absolutely can't resist.