Chapter 211 What Matters is the Currency

“That’s a good note, but will the opposition party object, knowing that in Mr. Churchill’s eyes, the Labour Party are all potential Soviet spies.” With a smile, Alexander Cadogan flirted with the relationship between the Conservative and Labor parties.

“That’s a problem for the ruling party, I’m sure the Prime Minister and the Chancellor can cope with that. Don’t need us to worry about it, let’s start with our job, go to Australia and New Zealand and deal with the issue of the two countries becoming sovereign.” Edward Bridges rounded back up and said, “Apart from the established things, the main thing is to solidify the influence of the pound.”

“In fact, not only Australia and New Zealand, the recent cabinet meeting, the prime minister is most concerned about the issue of the British pound, let’s talk about the issue of British India, if British India to the end of the British Empire had to temporarily leave, but also to ensure that the British pound in the foreign trade settlement of India’s currency status.”

Alexander Cadogan nodded, from the face of Edward Bridges, he understood that this matter is not trivial, “But now the dollar is pegged to gold, the confrontation is very difficult.”

“Yes, that’s right. One can only hope that the colonies at large will still have a legacy of inertia and recognize the pound. Now that the enemy is strong and we are weak, all it does is delay. If all the problems at home brought about by the war are solved. Let’s see how much of it we can leave behind, in the world’s point of view, even if it’s only ten percent, it’s still a huge profit, isn’t it?”

Edward Bridges mentioned about the independence of British India, the latest bottom line of the Cabinet, which is that if India becomes independent, foreign trade must be settled in sterling.

The sterling areas that are currently strictly pegged to the pound are in the Commonwealth self-governing dominions and territories other than Canada.

Ireland, Iceland, Maldives, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, Sierra Leone, and other countries, self-governing territories, and regions use the pound sterling as their base currency, and the exchange rate of each country’s currency is based on the pound sterling, which is freely convertible, and trade, and credit are all settled in pounds sterling.

Canada is really out of options, it’s just too close to the U.S. and the U.S. has surpassed the U.K. in absolute strength, trying to reintegrate Canada into the sterling area is pretty much the same as declaring war on the U.S.

Although the war has weakened Britain’s economic strength, at the present time, about forty percent of international trade is still settled in pounds sterling, and London is still an important global financial center, only no longer the only center.

At the Braxton Conference, the United States had the upper hand in the war between Britain and the United States over currency, and the conference was controlled by the U.S. Under the domination of the U.S. government, all of the countries at the conference chose the U.S. option except Britain. Britain was forced to give up its plan, but also fought for the right to continue to use the pound in the sterling area.

At present, the United States is in a strong position, the United Kingdom can do is to maintain the current situation as far as possible, can be delayed one day to one day. Hold up the British Empire has been shaky tiger frame.

Even so, to maintain the value of the pound is also difficult, during the war Britain has been devalued once. The pound had gone from roughly one to four to the dollar to a little over one to two, and it might depreciate again if it could not be shaken out of its difficulties soon.

“You suggest that the Foreign Secretary visit the Soviet Union, but you cannot go along and you maintain your trip to Australia and New Zealand. As soon as you can persuade the Foreign Secretary to visit the Soviet Union, I’ll persuade the Prime Minister to organize the trip so that you can go to Australia and New Zealand without the Foreign Secretary interfering.”

Edward Bridges set a split square in front of Alexander Cadogan.

“That’s all well and good, it’s better to avoid the Minister going along,” nodded Alexander Cadogan, “but will the Minister see it?”

Edward Bridges changed his face and said with a serious face sheet, “Alexander, we must recognize that the world has never been fair, it is ruled by the powerful, so surely a visit to the USSR takes precedence over a trip to the two Autonomous Dominions, doesn’t it? It’s a grand stage, a great opportunity to establish the Foreign Minister’s influence.”

“So the matter of the two autonomous territories doesn’t bother the Foreign Minister personally.” Alexander Cadogan had a look of understanding, “The minister still does more important things, like the Soviet Union.”

Uh huh! Edward Bridges nodded with a knowing expression, still satisfied with the epiphany of the Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If Alan Wilson were here, he would have proposed that quantitative easing be opened in British India and that the Indian folk be raided for gold and used to stabilize the value of the pound.

Even if he is not in London, the same in helping his own country, many powerful monarchs of the soil state how much wealth, even if it is not possible as Ali Khan, with hundreds of millions to calculate, there are hundreds of millions of property, is also normal.

And as far as Alan Wilson knows, none of these earth states are in the stage of population explosion, after all, it is not close to the two sides of the Ganges River that are crowded with people, which shows that there is potential.

In the final stage of communication in Hyderabad, Alan Wilson took out the last important issue, said the British India Viceroyalty is considering the issue of disarmament, and the operation of the middle of the picking clearly.

If the states could sacrifice some of their landed interests, they could absorb some of the soldiers who had gone through the war and become part of the strength of the states.

Of course things were risky, and he also made it clear that these soldiers might be pro-Congress, but it was up to the maharajahs to end up on that side? Let these soldiers who have left the army find a sense of belonging.

Whether it was a belief that all were family or something about blood being thicker than water, ultimately it didn’t work as well as benefits. For the sake of profit, whether it’s religion or blood, you can lean back.

Unlike the transfer of property, push grace order, this absorption of ex-soldiers communication, is the major Turkish state representatives of the most no comments on the proposal, if the first two proposals still let them have doubts, the emergence of this proposal, so that many representatives of the Turkish state to understand, before the eyes of this British India Commissioner Assistant, really is their own people.

The number of Indian soldiers who fought in World War II was close to three million, a force extremely susceptible to the Congress Party. Allen Wilson’s discharge program was designed to make these destabilizing factors disappear in a hurry.

Today in Hyderabad, Allen Wilson, on the other hand, put forward in front of Ali Khan and Salaman Khan and others, hoping that these soldiers with war experience would be accepted.

As long as these Turkish states agreed to resettle some of the soldiers, giving leeway and treatment arrangements. It would be able to greatly enhance the strength of the Tupang, and if the worst of the future came to pass, the Tupang would then have to be able to get these soldiers on their side, and there would be a possibility of making Nehru throw in the towel.

“Of course, I never want the worst possible outcome to occur, but I personally have some misgivings about the Congress Party. That’s why I offer three suggestions for this bad future; transferring property to equalize the risk, dividing up the children and grandchildren so that the Congress Party can’t find an excuse, and the final one of accepting the ex-soldiers so that these combat-experienced soldiers will be the backbone of the Turkish state’s ability to protect itself.”

“In fact, what does the matter of British India have to do with me? I can completely not show up, wait until the revolt can not be quelled, and directly leave British India, but as a person who has worked here for many years, I understand that Tupang is a friend of the British Empire, before I give as much help as possible, and once I return to New Delhi, I will follow up on this matter.”

“Alan, we, the monarchs, have been consistent in our attitude towards the British Empire and have always treated the Tupang commissioners sent over with great respect.” Salaman Khan first opened his mouth and hinted, “I know that in this matter, you are also taking a great risk, after all, it is about the destination of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, I will not let the gentleman who works for our benefit for nothing.”

“That is natural!” Ali Khan, who was seated on the ground, spoke, “This matter is complicated and exhausting. So Allen will definitely be very tired, we have a fruit in Hyderabad that is very refreshing to eat, I will pick some to send over at that time.”

Seeing that Alan Wilson was unimpressed, Ali Khan added, “The golden-colored fruit, one look at it can arouse the appetite. I dare say that no one will not like it.”

Golden! Allen Wilson understood at once, and righteously stated, “This is also for the well-being of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, can’t let the soldiers who participated in the war bleed and shed tears well. I myself do not have any credit, to say that it is credit, the generosity of the great sovereigns of the various native states, is really worthy of the gratitude of these soldiers.”

“The soldiers’ gratitude also needs someone to guide it. In this, Alan can still help us a lot.” Salaman Khan paused as he said this and said, “But I personally would be even more grateful if I could consider the religious issue.”

“It’s all on a voluntary basis, and it would be logical for Hindu soldiers to travel to the Maharaja’s native state in India.” Alan Wilson’s reply completely reassured Salaman Khan.

This trip to Hyderabad had at last achieved a stage, and he would have liked to continue to consolidate the results with Vivienne here, but he received a telegram from Sir Barron stating that Lord Pethick-Lawrence, the Secretary of State for India, could sign a memorandum of understanding with the monarchs of the Tuktuks right now to make clear, on behalf of the British Government, the protection of the legitimate property of these Maharajahs.

“This is too hasty, is it not?” Alan Wilson meditation, do not know what has appeared, do not know Sir Barron, an Indian original schedule, directly to the Minister of Indian Affairs disgusted directly want to return home.

“What’s wrong?” Vivienne stopped the knife and fork in her hand and inquired with inquisitiveness, “Is it the Viceroy’s side that is pressing?”

“The telegram said that the Cabinet Minister is returning home, but I don’t seem to remember it being so soon!” Alan Wilson said with a questioning look on his face, “I want to finalize the matter of the Anglo-Indian Actors’ Association before the Minister returns home.”

Vivienne’s ears perked up and she licked her lips seductively, “I’ll thank you for your hard work.”