Chapter 966 – Icelandic Fisherman

Alan Wilson had a lot of things to do, such as inquiring about Britain’s gold reserves from the Ministry of Finance and investigating the size and years of service of the Royal Navy, all in order to better assess what level the current British national power was at and better formulate foreign policy.

There is no need to ask for data that is visible at a glance, such as the size and population of the remaining colonies.

Of course that didn’t mean that it wasn’t important, for any country, the size of the country and its population were important.

It was only earlier that he had punched the South Korean ambassador hard, judged by the size of the country and its population, and only then had he said to a couple of following diplomats things that he would have been polite about if it had been China and India.

Not to mention that he never found the Koreans to be culturally commendable, and even if Korea really was a cultural powerhouse, it was not worth mentioning in the eyes of Britain, which was the one that dry-humped France, the center of European culture, and achieved the prestige of the Sunset.

Did Britain’s position as the first colonial empire rely on Britain being more cultured? Still not relying on the colonial area and population, who cares about culture that kind of thing that has no judgment standard at all.

“Three thousand five hundred tons of gold, counting the reserves placed in London by other countries, four thousand two hundred tons. The entire Royal Navy has two and a half million tons of warships.” After getting the desired data, Alan Wilson was very relieved, it was definitely too much stronger than the same period of history in his mind.

The Royal Navy was close to twice the size and tonnage of the current Soviet Red Navy, not to mention still quite powerful compared to the US Navy.

In the thirteenth post-war year, after constant renewal, the tonnage of the US Navy had dropped to nine and a quarter million tons, or less than five times the size of the Royal Navy.

For Britain, this is already very difficult, because the Royal Navy has a large number of old warships to be decommissioned, can maintain the tonnage does not fall off, already shows that in a steady renewal, tonnage still want to grow is completely want too much.

Britain sold so many aircraft carriers, the Royal Navy can still be maintained in the original size, Field Marshal Mountbatten has done everything he can do.

The United States, on the other hand, had expanded dramatically during the war, and a large number of U.S. Navy ships would be retired in the 1970s when they reached the end of their service life. At that point, the U.S. Navy will undergo a massive downsizing.

On this planet, has the post-World War II U.S. Navy ever been in a position of solitude, without any challengers?

Not really, the peak of the Soviet Red Navy was in 1987, when the Soviet Red Navy’s total tonnage of 3.5 million tons, the U.S. Navy’s total tonnage of 3.8 million tons, basically sure to be at a level.

The Soviet Red Navy in the 1980s, after two decades of construction, although the surface fleet is still not a rival to the U.S. Navy, but also grew into a global navy. If you go out on a limb and want to fight the US, it is possible to do so on the same level.

Ironically, that’s exactly when Reagan did the U.S. President, I really do not know if the map head did not come to power, Reagan is how to six hundred searches of naval warships plan to round down, or learn the Japanese bowed and apologized?

After a summary of the data, Alan Wilson felt that Britain in all aspects of resistance should be much stronger than the original history of the lost soul look, take out the threat of war this option. It would not be easy for the US to force Britain’s hand.

Everything done now is mostly preparation for possible changes in the US, like JFK. The difference between the Democrats and the Republicans is that the Republicans are either going to stay put or go to war, or at least be able to make a stand. Whereas the Democrats are typically when and when they are standing.

Take the current Eisenhower administration, where the Republican Party under his leadership is most concerned with building infrastructure at home, in addition to expanding the nuclear arsenal. There hasn’t really been much trouble.

Although the original history of the Suez Canal War happened to break out in Eisenhower’s term, Allen Wilson believes that if the Democratic government ran into this matter, it would certainly take the opportunity to make the United Kingdom a whole lot of suffering, and the Republican Party is not particularly ruthless.

He knew in his heart that the end of Eisenhower’s term and the last vestiges of Republican isolationism would be completely gone. The future U.S. government, no matter who it is, will pursue policies in a more aggressive manner, that’s for sure.

So current preparations for a more assertive America of the future must be made, starting with gauging whether the current British resistance is up to scratch.

After communicating with the Ministry of Defense, the Home Office, and the Treasury, colleagues have reached a small degree of cautious optimism.

At this moment, Alan Wilson is of course still in no position to say, “Back, all back.”

But the phase of Britain’s creeping backwardness has come to an end, and that’s something Whitehall colleagues are still quite optimistic about.

London International Airport, the esteemed president of the Mountbatten Group, has finally arrived in loyal London, and with a two hundred million dollar haul, Pamela Mountbatten is so full of energy that she’s light on her feet.

Rebus once said, standing on the wind mouth, a pig can go up to the sky, this sentence fully expresses the importance of opportunity.

Right now Pamela Mountbatten fit the description of that saying, it wasn’t as if she didn’t have a figure of two hundred million dollars, but it had never been as easy as this one, so easy.

“Honey.” At the first sight of her husband’s figure, the presidentess practically bounced into the man’s arms.

“Still looks like a little girl, all mothered up.” Behind gently patted his wife’s back, Alan Wilson warmly whispered, “A trip to the United States must have been very tiring, right, pay attention to rest without?”

“I am now full of spirit, some physical labor is nothing.” While speaking, Pamela Mountbatten yawned, indicating that it was definitely not as easy as it appeared, “Today is a working day, and I’m still troubling you to come and pick it up.”

“That’s fine, it happens to be noon. The minister will be sympathetic.” Alan Wilson looked relaxed, Foreign Secretary Harold Wilson should be reading the report on Khrushchev’s trip at this time, how could he have time to find him.

Regarding Khrushchev’s visit to a major country, the world’s largest country in terms of area and the most populous country in the world today, but also in the same camp, in terms of the diplomatic level, how to be concerned about it is not too much.

The good news, however, is that there are no current rumors about anything against Britain, which in itself is the greatest good news.

The minister was being concerned about the international situation, and naturally, some trivial matters fell to Alan Wilson, such as how to deal with the Icelandic fishermen.

In a dank sleeping cabin that smelled of salt and seawater, the fishermen drank at the table with their elbows propped up. The cabin was so short compared to their stature that it went down thin at one end, like the belly of a large, hollowed-out seagull.

The cabin swayed slightly, emitting a monotonous sigh, slow enough to lull one to sleep.

Outside, it should have been sea and night, but nothing could be seen from the inside. The only exit was through the roof of the cabin, which was closed with a wooden lid and illuminated by an old chandelier that swung around.

There was a fire in the stove, roasting their damp clothes and giving off steam mixed with the smell of an earthen pipe.

A rude table occupied the whole of the dwelling, not too large or too small just enough to leave a circle of empty space for a man to slip into and sit on a narrow wooden box that clung to the oak-paneled walls; a couple of huge beams at the top almost touched their heads; and behind them a couple of small beds that looked as if they were dug out of thick squared logs, and stood open as if they had been laid to rest in the tombs of the dead.

All the paneling was worn and rough, subject to the ravages of damp and salt water, and, in the course of time, slippery with the polish of their hands.

The Icelandic ambassador spoke eloquently of the Icelandic fishermen’s difficulties, hoping to inspire empathy in the Englishman in front of him.

Unfortunately, the ambassador did not know that the so-called British gentleman in front of him, the best way to knock down the best way is to use the beauty plan, in addition to in any other aspects, this person can be said to be strong, the so-called empathy is not at all, not only will a number of voice elaboration as a wind in the ears, and even a little bit want to laugh.

“Honorable Ambassador, isn’t the Icelandic side exploring the North American market?” Alan Wilson had already taken a Cuban cigar brought back by his wife and inquired with an afterthought demeanor.

He is completely standing and talking without waist pain, to Iceland’s position, how can the development of the North American market can be robbed over the Newfoundland which is next to North America? Newfoundland, regardless of geographic location, or resource reserves are above Iceland, as well as the sentiment of the same language and same kind of addition.

Even if it is a price war, there are offshore financial centers to support the Newfoundland, there is enough backing to let the Icelandic people accompanied by pants.

So many unfavorable factors, Iceland can still compete with Newfoundland? That is not a hell of a thing?

Last year’s EC meeting, Iceland stormed up the big stick hit the dizzying, finally know their own lonely overseas, really pissed off these European countries is what the consequences.

Of course, the United States also want to pull Iceland a hand, through diplomatic channels to communicate, except that the ban is the resolution of the EC meeting, the EC meeting can not always open it, then there is what sanctity can be said?

“Iceland is part of Europe too!” The Icelandic ambassador spoke up, “The Danish side is also on Iceland’s side.”

“The Danes are quite magnanimous.” Allen Wilson’s eyes narrowed and he said in a taunting tone, “If it was England instead, they might not have been so quick to wine and dine with the independent territories.”

Anyway, as long as Alan Wilson was around, Ireland was not going to enter the EEC, and as for what exactly was the relationship between Iceland and Denmark? Denmark isn’t a member of the EEC either, so the Icelandic ambassador’s words could be interpreted as two people who aren’t members of the EEC trying to do something about a member of the EEC.

The Icelandic ambassador said that there was a misunderstanding, “Iceland is willing to sign a maritime agreement with the UK to make up for the loss of British fishermen.”

“So Iceland also knows that the British fishermen are losing a lot of money.” Alan Wilson nodded in understanding, “We thought that the Icelanders didn’t know that.”