The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 402: Chapter 338: The British Delegation Arrives_2

This also means that as long as there are enough indigenous people, 15 colonial divisions can be expanded in a short time to complete the task assigned by Arthur.

For the current Australasia, 300,000 indigenous people are not a big problem, as there are millions of indigenous people without citizenship, all of whom are potential indigenous soldiers.

On February 17, 1913, the expansion announcement of the Ministry of Defense was officially released.

Unfortunately, this expansion announcement was bound to disappoint many people, as it was only about expanding the number of colonial divisions.

According to the plan provided by the Ministry of Defense, Australasia will expand 6 colonial divisions this year and 5 more next year.

These 11 new expanded colonial divisions, plus the four existing colonial divisions, will mean Australasia will officially have 15 colonial divisions, with nearly 300,000 indigenous soldiers.

The good news is that, besides the original four colonial divisions, Australasia also has two colonial garrison battalions.

These two garrison battalions can be responsible for the defense of several colonies after reallocating.

In the expansion plan of the Ministry of Defense, the officers above the company level in the colonies are all from Australasia.

And officers below the company level are a mix of both Australasians and indigenous officers who have been trained.

In this way, the number of required Australasian officers will be reduced directly, because the number of upper-middle-class officers is actually not many.

According to the current progress of the two major military academies, it is no problem to have Australasian officers for these 15 colonial divisions within two years.

As for the training of indigenous officers, Melbourne Military Academy is already enough. After all, the colonial divisions are just cannon fodder prepared by Arthur for future European wars.

The fighting power of these people is not really important, as long as they can use weapons and are obedient enough.

Of course, to make these indigenous people obedient, some necessary measures need to be taken, such as controlling their families and tribes, and distinguishing their treatment from ordinary indigenous people, creating a natural opposition between them.

As long as the families and tribes of these indigenous people are under the control of Australasia, and also have a supervising team, Arthur believes that they will behave obediently.

The promulgation of the Conscription Law and the expansion plan in February made the Ministry of Defense the busiest cabinet department in Australasia.

Unlike the previous expansion, since these indigenous soldiers need to be selected, it is necessary to go to their locations or gathering places and select indigenous people with families or at least relatives to join the colonial divisions.

Arthur would not feel at ease using indigenous people without families and relatives. Only by holding their weaknesses in his hand can he ensure their absolute loyalty to Australasia.

While the Ministry of Defense was busy selecting indigenous soldiers, the Australasian government also welcomed important guests: the British Visiting Team.

On February 21, 1913, at Sydney Harbour.

As soon as the fleet of the British Empire with its flags arrived at Sydney Harbour, it was greeted by the crowd and the team at the port.

Smiling, Prime Minister Kent stepped forward and shook hands with the representative of the British visiting group, British Foreign Minister Grey.

"Minister Grey, welcome to Australasia!"

"Prime Minister Kent, long time no see." Grey also said with a smile.

In fact, most of Arthur's confidants at present were followers of Old Duke Arthur, that is, the British who came to Australasia with Arthur.

Prime Minister Kent, on the other hand, had already known Grey during his time in the UK, and the two were friends.

"Prime Minister Kent, I wonder when I will have the honor of meeting His Majesty Arthur?" After the two parties had gotten acquainted, Grey looked at Kent with eager anticipation and could not wait to ask.

The pressure Germany currently imposed on Britain and France is enormous, so much so that the proud British had to seek additional allies.

"Minister Grey, according to His Majesty's arrangements, if you are willing, His Majesty will meet with you tomorrow," Prime Minister Kent said with a smile.

"Of course, Prime Minister Kent. Let's set it for tomorrow, then. It has been a long time since I last saw His Majesty Arthur after our last parting in the United Kingdom." British Foreign Minister Grey nodded repeatedly, without any objection to Prime Minister Kent's arrangements.

In fact, British Foreign Minister Grey's attitude in Australasia was much better than in other European small and medium-sized countries.

Even if it were Italy, which is also considered as a power, Grey might not have such a good attitude.

This is actually quite normal, after all, the monarch of Australasia is Arthur, a ruler born in the British royal family.

Disrespecting Arthur is actually tantamount to disrespecting the British royal family and disrespecting the late Queen Victoria.

Not to mention a Foreign Minister like Grey, even the previous British King Edward VII, whose relationship with Arthur was not good, had to pretend to have a good uncle-nephew relationship with Arthur.

Especially as Arthur holds a considerable position in the hearts of the British people, if one does not give Arthur face, it is tantamount to joking with one's own political career.

Both Australasia's important geographical location and its decent strength, as well as the close relationship between Arthur and the British royal family, determined Grey's respectful attitude in Australasia.

Prime Minister Kent prepared the most luxurious hotel in Sydney for the British visiting group, and Grey's room was said to cost hundreds of Australian dollars a day to stay in.

This also means that an Australasian, working hard for two years without eating, drinking or spending, can only stay in Grey's room for two days with the money they earn.

Of course, the Victoria Royal Hotel where Grey is staying is not something ordinary people can stay in.

As the most luxurious and best-equipped hotel in Sydney and even the whole of Australasia, the Victoria Royal Hotel is open only to important domestic and foreign figures, and even millionaires cannot stay there without connections.

The main purpose of the construction of the Victoria Royal Hotel, built a few years ago, was to provide accommodation for the most distinguished foreign guests.

Generally, closer royal family members can get the qualifications to work and live in Sydney.

Foreign royal families with more distant relationships and blood ties, top foreign politicians and officials, the highest-ranking capitalists, and so on, may also be eligible to stay in this hotel.

Of course, theoretically, researchers who have made outstanding contributions in some fields can also qualify to stay in this hotel.

But generally, such talents will receive high-level reception upon arrival in Australasia.

Especially after confirming to join Australasian nationality and work for Arthur, they would also receive a villa and a car, as well as higher salaries, making the Victoria Royal Hotel seemingly less important. find more stories on NovelFire|lempyr

In fact, the name of the Victoria Royal Hotel could give a rough analysis of who the behind-the-scenes controller of the hotel is.

It is one of the royal financial group's industries, and at present, the royal financial group has built more than ten hotels in Australasia and Europe and America. These hotels can be roughly divided into three categories: the top-level Victoria Royal Hotel for the highest-level guests, the mid-level Victoria Hotel for middle-range guests, and the Manor Hotel for low-medium range clients.

As an example of the top-level Victoria Royal Hotel, any guest staying at the hotel can have a driver on standby at all times.

Food is provided free of charge in the hotel, and a limited supply of royal private grape wine from Duke Arthur's Vineyard is also provided.

It should be noted that since the construction of Duke Arthur's Vineyard nearly ten years ago, the red wine produced by the Vineyard has occupied a considerable share in the European red wine market, and its reputation has long been established.

After all, this is the royal private contribution red wine of the Australasian royal family, and it is a luxury enjoyed by the royal family in Australasia.

If it were a mid to low-end grape wine, it would be fine, but the highest-end royal private supply is rarely available in the market except for being gifted by the Australasian royal family.

A bottle of this red wine typically costs several hundred or even over a thousand Australian dollars, and it is one of the top choices for many capitalists to entertain guests and host banquets.

The Victoria Royal Hotel provides guests with a limited supply of royal private supply wines at irregular intervals.

Although it costs money, it is, after all, a valuable commodity that is not available on the market, and many people are willing to pay a high price for a taste.